The Change of a Lifetime

I am sitting back here in Mexico, getting reunited with everyone, sharing stories, and hanging out. We have our debreifing this week, and a time to reflect on all of what God has done in us and through us.
As I reflect on everything from the very first day until now, I can see how much my life has changed. I have learned so much about God, and His character, and how much He has worked in me. How He has led me through everything, good and bad. I've learned more and more about what it is God is calling me to do. I read a couple weeks ago in my journal and it was about the goals that I have on this missionary journey. This is a special journal just for this, and I have started writing in it quite a while before I started my DTS. To my surprise a lot of the things God has led me to and I actually had the opportunity to do the things that I said I wanted to do. I said I wanted to reach out to the homeless people somehow, and tell them how much their Savior loves them. I wanted to see tough guys be real, and give their lives over to Christ. I've had a compassionate heart for the lost and hurting people, and it is amazing how God worked everything out just perfectly to where He wanted to use me in powerful ways.
I can recall a time a few years ago when I was back home. I was out with my mom and sister at Walgreens, and outside of the store stood and mother and daughter. They didn't have very much, and they were asking for money for food. We told them we didn't have any money for it really isn't a good idea just to give people on the streets money, for a lot of times they spend it on drugs or alcohol. So we told them, we can bring them some food instead, for we were on our way home to make some hamburgers. They said okay, but they didn't really think we'd actually come back. So after we finished barbequing we wrapped up the hamburgers and were going to bring them to them. When we got back to Walgreens they weren't there anymore. I insisted we keep looking for them, for they couldn't have gotten far. We drove around for a little while, and we ended up finding them at Albertsons. You should have seen the looks on their faces. They were pretty surpised that we actually took the time to find them. We were able to share Jesus with them. They were very grateful and smiled at us, and we then went back home.
That experience was just the very beginning step of what God has been preparing for me. God sent me to San Francisco, to where I was exposed every kind of person imaginable. I loved talking to everyone. When I first arrived I was scared to death. I wasn't sure what I was getting into for nobody really told me anything about the ministry. I looked it up online but that was only a touch about all the things they do. As the days moved on though I knew God was really working in me here, and I felt comfortable talking to all of these people. I had a few bite my head off, and some that didn't want to talk, but for the most part they all wanted someone to talk to.
My life has forever been changed by this experience. I have been going through so much here, and through all the hard times God has never left my side. My faith has been strengthened, and I have learned to trust in God more and more. For sometimes when the hard wave hits life can just go crazy. I've had a few waves crush me pretty hard, to the point where I said I don't want to do this anymore. The enemy has been fighting so hard to get me down, but God has been fighting harder. I know that I have to keep walking in faith, taking every step in obedience. It's not easy, and I'm sure there will be more hard times, but like the times before, I've come out stronger in my relationship with Christ, and it has been a rewarding experience as well.