Freedom!

Over the last few weeks I have been giving away, throwing away, selling and putting a very small amount in storage, much of what I have collected over the last 20+ years. Although it was fun at first going thru all of the "stuff", after a while I couldn't help but wonder what I was thinking when I decided to hang on to so many un-necessary things. (pictures, papers, letters, cards, phone books, gifts, the list is endless) God showed me that as people, we tend to do this a lot, without even realizing it or thinking of the consequences. God will free us from something, but we will hang on to just a "small piece" of what He has freed us from and after a while all of those small unnecessary pieces that we hang on to can add up to a large amount of stuff, bagagge, weights, bondages, burdens. It can then be difficult for us to shake ourselve free again. God's word says "who God sets free is free indeed" John 8:36 It also says "In [this] freedom Christ has made us free [and completely liberated us]; stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery [which you have once put off]. Gal 5:1 I say all this to declare I am free. It has been so liberating preparing to go to Greece, getting rid of "stuff" and allowing God to prune me and my life. Getting rid of all the old dead "stuff", not just in me but also the stuff that I was hanging on to. So I declare Freedom!!! Over myself, my family, my Greece Team members and Greece! I am so excited to see all that God is going to do.

An Adventure in Faith: The road to Athens Greece

Let me start by saying blogging is, in itself a step of faith for me, but I am attempting this at the encouragement of my team members and fellow missionaries. :o)
My Journey: Loving God, Loving People
After moving to Florida in 2001 and visiting Celebration Church several times on & off throughout the years, God spoke to me in 2006 and told me that Celebration was to be my home church. Little did I know back then all that God had planned. I am so extremely thankful for all that God has done since I was planted here. There have been times of growth and stretching, times of correction, many opportunities to serve and I have many new “family” and friends that I can‘t imagine doing life without. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a loving, reaching, life giving church.
I have known for about 15years that God called me to missions. In 2009 He spoke to me during a Late Nite service about Greece.
In March of 2010 I had the privilege of being a part of the “exploratory” team sent to Athens. Being in the city & seeing so many people lost & without hope, from young girls in the brothels selling their bodies during the day, to the transvestites on the street corners at 2am confused & shocked that I would take the time to get to know them, to the refugees in the feeding centers looking for a hot meal, or just the ordinary families on the metro, all of them wanting to be loved and valued. I knew then that I was to be a part of the church that brought the unconditional, life giving love of Jesus to this city.
So that is where my Adventure in Faith to Athens begins. I am fighting the good fight, trusting with “audacious” faith, that God’s word and promises are true! I have completed missionary training at Go To Nations, a missions sending organization that we are partnering with and I am now a full-time missionary with GTN to Celebration Athens. My role in Athens will be to build relationships, organize & lead devotional and discipleship groups, take part in evangelistic & other outreaches, and gather people together for worship.
I am super excited to see all that God is going to do. I know that without Him, I can do nothing! Please keep me in your prayers.