trust.

Trust is such an abstract idea.  So often it seems it would be easier if trust were more concrete, but really how often are ideas concrete?  How often does God ask us to do anything by following something concrete, like a formula.  Almost never.  I am a logical thinker, that's why I enjoy math and science.  I operate on definite, observable patterns and formulas.  When I follow a formula, I know what the result will be.

I often try to make my life with God into a formula.  I would rather have Him tell me exactly what is required and what the result will be in the end.  But the problem with living life that way is that you are able to remove God completely.  You no longer need Him to direct your steps because you believe if you are following the formula, you are following Him.  I think my greatest fear is a fear of the unknown.  I question where?  Who?  What?  When?  How?  I ask God for the next 20 steps, but He never gives them to me.  He only gives me one step...the next one...the only one I need, then He asks me to trust Him and wait with Him.

One thing I know to be concrete in this life is God and His promises.  I know He has promised His plans are to prosper me and not to harm me.  He has promised to never leave me or forsake me.  He has promised He is on my side and guiding me every step of the way.  Prov. 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

I continue to learn what it looks like for me to trust God more each day.  Going to church all my life it's really easy to spit out 100 definitions, but to tell you what it looks like played out in my life is a much more difficult task.  What does it look like for you to trust God?  Are you?

unexpected blessings.

God is so good.  I love how generous our Father is to all of us children.  I am so blessed by my church here in Australia.  During DTS, I attended a church family called Nexus.  Over the course of my time there, I was so encouraged by the people, worship and teaching.  The teaching is always so challenging, yet uplifting as well.  There was a middle-age couple who decided to be our parents away from home and took us in for home-cooked meals and provided transport to and from church.  Upon returning, we have been able to re-connect with the couple and meet even more members of the church.

The sermon this morning was on sowing, in regards to Luke 6 where the Bible explains we will reap what we sow.  At the end of the service the pastor encouraged giving and had myself and two of my other friends from YWAM stand.  He explained that we do not get paid for our ministry and encouraged people to give if they felt led.  I was astonished at the generosity of the people.  We had so many people come up after the service and place money in our hands and offer us a warm smile.  It was such an unexpected blessing and only a continuation of your generosity.  Thank you so much for being a part of the journey.  May the Lord bless you as you continue to sow good seeds in others' lives.

safe arrival.

Thank you to everyone who is a part of my life.  You are each such a blessing, whether you offered an encouraging word, listening ear, prayer, or financial gift, I thank you.  I arrived safely at the base in Brisbane yesterday morning.  My goal was to stay awake until 9pm, but I was in bed by 8:30pm...jet lag.  The weather is beautiful and it's so good to be here and to see so many familiar faces again.  I feel like I am returning from my home away from home.  Thank you so much for being a part of this journey and I look forward to what the Lord has in store!  I pray the Lord surprises you with His goodness today and reminds you how much He adores you:)

flipping omelets.

A couple weeks ago, I decided I wanted to learn how to flip omelets.  I shared by goal with a friend at work and we discussed the art of flipping omelets.  We discussed how you cannot try to do a half-flip, there is no 'playing it safe' when it comes to flipping.  In order to get the desired results, you must go all-in, you must fully commit, or you will end up with a giant mess and no omelet.  In order to come out with a good omelet, there is an element of risk involved.

This is very similar to our walk with the Lord.  Jesus asks us to walk on water with Him, to do the impossible.  I think that so often we try to put one foot in the water at a time before we commit to saying 'yes.'  We want to test the water to see how it feels, if it's comfortable and safe, we choose to focus on the water and our own well-being, instead of our Savior.  But Jesus never called us to a safe and comfortable life, He said 'follow me.'  End of story. God says in Revelation 3:16 "So because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  If we are following Jesus, we are either in or out, there is no middle ground.  Yet just as with flipping omelets, the more risk involved, the higher the potential reward.  If we risk everything for Jesus, He promises we will be rewarded, if not in this life, but in the life to come.

This morning, I went for it and my omelet was a complete, delicious success:)

less than 2 weeks.

The date of departure is quickly approaching.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful community to support me, both in Michigan, South Carolina and all over the world.  Thank you for all of you who pray for me and give financially, you are so essential to this journey and I'm thankful for you.  I've had a great time scooping ice cream again at the Junction for the past couple months and catching up with family and friends.  I feel more ready to go as each day passes, but I'm still trying to drink in my last few days of Michigan summer.  The Lord is teaching me so much about learning to trust Him as my Provider.  I am learning more and more how important it is to "take every thought captive" and continually recite scripture to fill my mind with truth.  If our minds are filled with truth, there is no room for fear and anxiety to take over.  This has been one of my guiding verses over the past month.

"The Lord will guide you always.  He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land.  He will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails."  Isaiah 58:11

I am a little over half way with support raising, praise the Lord, but I still have a ways to go. If you're still interested in partnering with me on this journey, feel free to give even after I've left.  If you have not received any information on how to give and would like to, please email me at laurindarapp@gmail.com.

where you lead me i will follow.

After much prayer and soul-searching, I have decided to commit to staff in Brisbane, Australia for 2 years.  I am realizing more and more how much I love young people and have a desire to mentor and disciple them.  The program I will be involved with to staff is called Basic Leadership School.  During this school, we get to practice leadership hands-on, staffing two DTS's and leading outreach teams, as well as serving for a season on base.

All positions in YWAM are support-based, so I am in the process of trying to raise support to head back.  I will be leaving June 15, 2012, until then I am enjoying time with family and working at the Ice Cream Junction...again:)  Thanks for all your support!

unanswered questions.

Hey yall! I'm down in South Carolina visiting friends and family down here. I forgot how beautiful and hospitable Charleston is:) I'm down here until March 30th, then heading back to Michigan to start work at the Junction Ice Cream Shoppe again...big surprise! I found a great quote on my friends' cupboard,

Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live you way into the answer. -Rainer Maria Rilke

As I continue to pray over my next step, and wrestle with the question of "what's next?" I realized a reoccurring pattern in my life. I allow unanswered questions, unresolved issues to paralyze me with fear. It's like I wait to start living again until the answer comes, as if I hold my breath while waiting for an answer, even if that means turning blue in the face and close to the point of passing out. When I do this, I am refusing the freedom God offers me. God has seen the past, present and future, but He is living with us in the present. So often we allow our minds to wander to either the past filled, with regret or we get stuck on the future and what's happening next instead of missing out on the today. "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24. So I am going to choose to live in the present, the today, breathing deeply, thanking my Savior for each breath, trusting He has a plan and He's watching out for me and I pray you do the same.