The Mission Mexico team is off and running!

Here's my Mission Mexico '06 team - they left for Mexico this a.m. Please pray for the students and leaders that they would be safe, they would leave a God-print on every one they come in contact with, they would have complete team unity, and a they would have a week of transformation that will leave a huge mark on them forever!

If you'd like to see what they're doing all week - click here

I love you guys!!

Heroes of the Faith: Sam and Jayanthi Sam

I found this wonderful picture and story on the India 2005 blog.

"This is Sam and Jayanthi Sam, a husband/wife church planter team who have spent the last few years successfully planting 6 churches in Tamil Nadu, which is where our team is going in just 3 weeks.

While Sam works for the government, Jayanthi pastors the teams of pastors who work in the churches they have planted. In addition, they also have 3 teen-aged children who are working with the church plants as well, thus successfully employing every member of their family in the church planting effort.

Sam and Jayanthi Sam participated in GCC's PD training over the past few years and they said that it was only through that that their concepts of women in ministry had been revolutionized. Before PD, Sam was the only one who worked in the planting effort. Jayanthi Sam, however, was not allowed to participate. However, after GCC enhanced PD training, they both realized that Jayanthi Sam should be liberated to do ministry with her husband. Now she actively engages in the ministry with her husband, and has helped all of their children to engage as well."

How cool is that?! These are the kinds of women that my team will be serving when we go to India in 3 weeks. These are women who are becoming revolutionized and are starting a revolution! This totally goes in line with what God has called me to do - with students and now with women half way across the world who are standing up for what they believe in and changing the world.

Bring it on! I'm ready to be part of that revolution in India and I can't wait to meet the awesome woman that I will get to stand beside, support, and encourage to be a REVOLUTIONARY!!!

I love this guy!!!

This is how Trent relaxes . . .

Believe it or not, this is how Trent relaxes up at Silver Lake. Yes - that is him on the left. His idea of having fun is loading up his race truck, "Damage, Inc.", heading over to the the sand dunes and jumping the biggest hill he can find.

In this picture he ended up getting about 25' of air and landing about half a football field away. I was scared for him, but the truck is built to withstand the impact and it held up good. The guy that was riding with him had never even been on the dunes before and this was his first ride - we don't know if we'll ever see him again after that!

The truck on the right is our friend Todd who loves Trent and idolizes him so much that he had to get a matching truck (they were built by the same guy - Barney, who used to build the most awesome trucks ever). I know - it's kind of weird, but Todd and Trent have a weird relationship that way.

Flyin' high again!

Here's "Damage" coming off of a jump from a big sand hill. I love this picture because it looks like Trent is jumping over my Bronco (the white and green truck in the background). For the record, mine is a cruiser, I don't "fly" like Trent does.

Riding off into the sunset

Here's Trent riding off into the sunset!

Happy Birthday Cody!

Here's Cody with his new Chef's knife. After going to Hana Yori tonight and watching what they do with a knife, I told him not to get any ideas - SCARY!
Trent, Cody and I spent his last day of being a kid (12 years old) on the beach at Silver Lake. It was hard going to bed knowing that when I woke up he would officially be a teenager!
Hana Yori's was his choice for the big birthday dinner with the parents and grandparents. In the back, from left to right: Terry Staley (my Dad), Diana Stely (my Mom), Emma DeValk(Trent's Mom), Hand DeValk (Trent's stepfather).

Happy 13th Birthday Cody!!

My "baby" is 13 today and I can't believe it - I don't even know where the time went and can't believe that in 2 years he will get his permit to drive - YIKES!! It has been an amazing 13 years with him - we are so lucky that God made us a family.

Cody is so much fun to be with . . .

• He's got the best sense of humor and makes me laugh
• He does the greatest impressions
• He LOVES to cook and is really good at it-he picked out a Japanese chef's knife for his birthday
• He made me homemade mango salsa the other day and today he made a a wonderful iced coffee drink
• We laugh and act goofy together . . . a lot!
• He plays his guitar for me when I am relaxing or reading, and he's really, really good.
• I am LOVING being at home with his this summer - it was the right thing to do!

Tonight we went to Hana Yori's with the grandparents, and tomorrow is his birthday party with his friends and then an overnighter. Whew - it's a good thing we only have one kid!

Getting ready for India

So Monday was "start preparing for India Day". It is just a month away, and even though God has been preparing my heart and mind, there were some physical things that needed to be done to prepare . . . such as . . . SHOTS! YUCK!! It actually wasn't too bad - I only had to have two this time around. I'll go back in a month for another round. I have to have 2 shots of Hepatitus A & B, Tetanus (ow, my arm is really sore today where they gave me that, MMR (already had that - yea!), Typhoid, Malaria and I think something else but I am forgetting it right now. Erin at Dr. Oppman's office was great at giving them to me - she's really good (plus she goes to GCC which is a great bonus)!

Then it was off to "The Taj" to experience Indian food. Jack Magruder directed us all in how to eat in India, and I have to admit, I was HORRIFIED! Now those of you that know me know that I am not a "prissy" kind of girl, but when we had to take the entire plate of food, mix it all together, and then eat it all with one hand, I could not believe how hard that was for me to do. My Mother must have brainwashed me good when I was kid about table manners, because it seriously took me 5 minutes to get up the nerve to put my hand in my plate.

MMMMM - Yummy! Actually, I was pleasantly suprised, the food was really good - really different, but very good. In India you can only eat with your right hand, so I have to practice sitting on my left hand or something so that I don't use it. Also, you NEVER offer your left hand to shake hands.

Why? Because in India they use their left hand to clean up after themselves instead of toilet paper. I know, it's hard to believe, but hey, it's a different culture and I'm sure some of the things we do seem horrifying to them. So, it's VERY important not to use your left hand. I'm so glad that I'm right handed - and for the record, I will not be using my left hand - I am carrying tissue with me at all times!

You see, I have a passion . . .

A couple of weeks ago Mark Steele came to GCC and told us some stories from his life. He was very intriguing and what he had to say really resonated with where I am at right now, so we went and bought his book, "flashBANG". I took it on vacation and DEVOURED it - I have never read anything like it and it has made a huge impact on me.

When I read the following part, I was hooked. I can't believe that someone has finally put into words what I have been trying to say and what has been rolling around in my head for a long time, and it is this . . .

"You see, I have a passion. Whether or not you believe in Jesus, you more than likely share this same passion. It is the passion to move. To shake things up. To incite change. I see those around me who are hurting, and I want to be part of their solution. Why? Because my heart breaks for them.

I long to leave a residue. An indentation on this world. A scorched mark of what I believe and live on everyone and everything with which I come into contact. But, often, the light show and the bombast of my intentions move the earth but for a moment with nothing left to linger. Many times my attempts at leaving a crater of God result only in leaving a fading echo of my own voice.

My explosions have been nothing more than flashbangs.

Somewhere in my life, there HAS to be an explosion that could truly leave a crater.

We're back!

Well, we're back from our annual 4th of July trip to Silver Lake - there was lots of time for rest, peace and quiet, family time and friends. I've got lots of great pics that I will post soon.

In exactly 2 hours and 24 minutes I will be at the doctor's office getting 6 - yes count em - SIX different shots for my mission trip to India - and that's just the first round - YIKES!! Did I mention that I HATE needles? There is not much I am afraid of, but needles is one of them. I tell you, God is definitely doing something in me and getting me out of my comfort zone for this trip - starting with the vaccinations!

The good news is that I get to see my team and eat Indian food with them tonight (ok the part about getting together with the team is good news) and we'll learn some more cultural stuff, which is always fascinating - especially when you have Samurai Jack (Magruder) leading the discussion!

My appointment for shots is at 1:15 - pray for me!!