December update

Hi,

I can’t believe it is already December!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! : )

A lot has happened in this past month. Life seems to be flying by. I’m sitting in my living room just thinking back to the day I came home and I’m amazed how much God has done in me in just three months. In my last letter I talked about being home for my family. Things are still difficult with them and they are still struggling in their relationships with each other but, I know I have done what I can and said my peace. I  feel released from them because I know that my part is finished. My patience has been tried but, I am better for it. Working with YWAM Modesto has been very fruitful. We are doing a lot of great things in the community. Next week we will start volunteering at a local nursing home. We also go down to Ninth Street every week. It is a very rough neighbourhood and our goal is to just be there for the people who live down there. I think they feel forgotten. We would like to make sure that doesn’t happen. No one should be forgotten. Youth group has been challenging and wonderful at the same time. We had the opportunity to take the youth to Ninth Street for a Christmas “party” and it was lovely! It was cool to see the kids interacting with the homeless and watching their eyes and hearts open to the world around them. God really moved and one of our teens was able to be delivered from a lot of hurt and pain in her life.

Thanksgiving was great. It was so fun to be able to have my boyfriend Joel down. He is such a blessing to me and when he’s around I feel challenged to be better all the time. It has been nice to bring him to my world. I know this sounds silly but, in a way, it makes him seem more real. During the time he was here we got to pray and just be together. We had lots of fun. It was extremely hard to say goodbye, but our time was perfect and we’ll see each other again soon.

Recently I have a strong desire to just love on people. Like when I read the gospels and read how Jesus was to people I just think…I have to be like that. I feel so excited because I have the opportunity to do that every day. I have started to do a kind of bible study with a friend of mine. I never feel happier than when I spend time with God so, it has been great to just get my nose in the word. I have been thinking a lot about my future and what’s important to me. It has taken me three months to figure it out but, I’ve decided I’m going to Canada. Now, I know what you might be thinking…it’s for that boy and, in a way, you are right. I do feel we work better when we are together. Joel is working on pioneering a program called Into the Urban where the goal is to encourage people to give 10-months to living, serving and being a light in Vancouver. How can you teach people or create a program if you haven’t done it yourself? That’s what I would like to be a part of. So, working with Joel to create a model. Jesus disciple after he had gone into the desert not before. I also may have the opportunity to work at a pre-school which is also an YWAM ministry in Vancouver. I love children, so it would seem that this would be a great chance for me to learn and grow in that ministry.  My goal is to be living in Vancouver in April. I am in desperate need for financial support as well as your prayers. Would you be able to support me monthly? It is a commitment and I ask that you be praying about it.  This is a big decision and I have spent many hours in prayer about it and I feel God is in this all the way!

I want to say thank you so much for standing with me and being supportive to the decisions I make in my life and in my mission to follow Jesus. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!  I pray that it is wonderful. : ) Is there anything I can be praying for you about? If so, please write to me!

Many Blessings,

Alexa

Close, but no cigar

It looked like it was going to be a cold day. I woke up and dressed. Preparing for the chill of the morning. It was a normal Friday. I was heading to church to meet the guys and head down to ninth street. We drove up to ninth street like we normally do except today we had about five or six people waiting for us. We had forgot the bread but, we still had hot chocolate, cookies and three garbage bags full of clothes. 

I did like I normally do. Set up tables and chairs, make drinks, chat with our "regulars" and see how they are doing. It was just a normal Friday. As the day went on the California sun came out...so I went and sat in the back of the van to hide from the heat. I noticed a family walk up. I noticed them because they had a young child. She was maybe four. She was one of the most beautiful things I've seen. She was all smiles and giggles. It wasn't normal to see kids that young walking around in that part of town. I don't know why I was so interested in them....

They each had a hot chocolate and a cookie with a bag of chips. I watched as the little girls mother sat down, took a deep breath and stared at the ongoing traffic. I watched as the little girls father looked through the clothes. I watched as the little girl bounced around like life couldn't be better. What snapped me out of my trance and almost brought me to tears was the six words the little girls father said to his wife..."Honey, come Christmas shopping with me." It was such a non-chalant comment...just thrown out there. I felt like I had interrupted a personal moment. I looked away. The family hung around for a bit longer. They walked off with their bags of Christmas gifts and cups of hot chocolate. Mom and Dad on the outside and their daughter between them, all holding hands. I thought it was beautiful. I couldn't help but be reminded of Our Father, His Son, and Holy Spirit. 

My own mother asked me to write my Christmas list this year. She wanted to know what to get me for Christmas. I struggled writing down what I wanted after seeing that family on ninth street. I know we all have different walks of life and I also know I shouldn't feel guilty for having things but, I did feel convicted on what I find importance in. It just struck me, I have all I need...and them some...but there are days that I still complain about not having what I need or what I want. I want to not care what people think of me. I want to be content with what I have because I always have what I need. I want to be satisfied in God. I want to love, and I mean truly love, all the people in my life. 

"i see your true colours and that's why I  love you"