depth perception

When did it suddenly become December? Christmas lights are up. Hawaiian Santas are popping up in store windows. Garland is hanging in doorways. It's insanely trippy to be wearing shorts every day and blasting the AC at night. But I will not so secretly admit.....I LOVE IT! :)

I had to buy new sunglasses this week. I've always felt like my face was not meant for sunglasses. And I begrudgingly wear my normal glasses (even though I am probably a hazard to others around me without them. Yikes). When I was out paddling the other day, I was looking down into the water, and it was a pretty clear day, gazing at all the coral and fish swimming around. A lot of the time, I feel like my paddle or board is going to brush up against the reef, when in reality, it's way deeper than I think! My depth perception is whack. So over the course of the last week, I felt like a theme of perception, and vision, and keeping my eyes on the King kept sticking with me. How can I step back and see a situation for what it truly is? How can I step back and see God for who He truly is? Who I truly am? A child of God. Beloved. We get so intricately involved in our lives, which is natural, that it takes some intense untangling to get a clear perception of the bigger picture. I want to see things the way God sees them. I want to see people the way God sees them.

"When Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him-and in seeing him, become more like him." -1st John 3:2

Okay. Fun photos now :)This is my favorite laying out/relaxing spot on Maui. I typically SUP here too.Alyssa and I at Jeff's Birthday party. Alyssa is so great--we have some rockin' memories together. Mere moments after this photo was taken, we ventured to the bathroom, where I proceeded to flood the entire stall with a single, and unassuming flush. Magical.I love these two women so much. There is nothing better than chugging 2 liters of diet pepsi, cruising in a convertible with the top down, stretching out on towels, and laughing with these gems.
This is Jeff (the birthday boy, and also Alyssa's boyfriend). I learned that playing sand volleyball in a floor length dress is tricky, but not impossible. In the spirit of team unity, Jeff rolled his shirt up to support. He's a ballerrrrr.This is my life. Thank you, LORD.

lifestyle of thankfulness

Grande Americano. Dash of cinnamon. Biking up Welakahao to work. Video Editing. Thanksgiving Eve service prepping. Decorating. Service Formats. Memos. Communication. Mind melting to UH volleyball. Paddleboarding with Lyss and getting WORKED out on the water. Balance. Focus. Rebel. 808 Deli for lunch. Recording choir parts for Christmas. Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things. Really? Women were sobbing. Incredible. CDs. Choir packets. Sunset. Overworked voice. Slept in Saturday. Complete bliss. Mama Joy chat. Bought 3 dollar rafts. Best 3 dollars spent on Maui :) HARRY POTTER. Friends. Early morning. Sunday. Lighting. Colors. The intern girls all wore cute blue and white dresses. Jake's pool. Floating. Music. Thanksgiving Eve Service. BUSY. Mary and Martha. How can I be both? Luke 10:38-40. Sick Steven. Stays home. Candles lit. Wheelchair ramp works. Fix graphics. Hula dancers ready? Yes. Manned the camera. Thankful. I'm thankful for so much. Too much to even fathom. Seriously. Crashed into bed.

Wake up. Gulp down copious amounts of coffee. Truck. Kayaks. Paddle Boards. Charley Young Beach. Friends. Sun soakage. My board connects me to the water. Salty water tickles my toes. Effortless. Turtles. Inhale fresh sea breeze. Exhale stress and worry. Kayak flipping. Giggle. Inviting towels in the sand. Sigh. Lisa and Ryan whisk me away to Jake's pool. Diet Coke. Floaty pros. Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen. Laughter. "We're just obscure laborers in the Pacific"-Jason Spence. Cowboys football. Thanksgiving with Rise. Mingling. Apple Cider. 4 TURKEYS! Dessert. Cranium. Windows down on the drive home. Breathing in Maui night air. Heart to heart with Lisa. Twinkling Christmas lights. Sleepy eyes.

"Thank God! Call out his Name! Tell the whole world who he is and what he's done! Sing to him! Play songs for him! Broadcast all his wonders! Revel in his holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant! Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night; Remember all the wonders he performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth. Seed of Israel his servant! Children of Jacob, his first choice! He is God, our God; wherever you go you come on his judgments and decisions. He keeps his commitments across thousands of generations..."-1 Chronicles 16:8

"fall-ing"

Lately, I have been spending most of my work hours in our auditorium decorating for fall. The theme we were aiming for is like a cathedral arch look....and I think we accomplished it! Here are a few photos! I took this Friday, during our service called The Gathering. In the next photo you can see that they are more tree-like, since it is fall! :)



Lighting makes such a difference in what the trees look like! They make me think of a person with their hands high, worshiping Jesus. I love that the image of that sticks in your mind when you close your eyes after looking at them on the stage. I took this photo on Sunday.We also printed off hundreds of leaves on brown contact paper and put them in arch like formations on the walls above the doors lining the auditorium (I forgot to take pictures of that part!).



My newest intern educational experience has been learning to run the lighting system. As you can see from the photo, it is extremely intimidating! I have loved getting to run it though! With the help of other knowledgeable people close by to make sure I don't blind everybody in the audi accidentally, I think I've managed fairly well! Once you get an eye for what looks good and what doesn't, it's really fun to play with colors and match them to the graphics. Lighting the arches is pretty cool too. We are so blessed to have such a high tech system! I've learned that lights can control a situation. Even if a video starts playing, people tend to pay attention when the lights go down. It's interesting. I love it!Yesterday after church, I got to go Upcountry and play indoor volleyball with a bunch of guys. I just love volleyball. I think I managed to hold my own :) On the way home, I snapped this shot of what I still can't believe I can call home for this season of my life. The next month and a half is going to be out of control busy. But this view truly can ease the most stressed out of hearts. Eyes fixed on the King. Deep breath. Sigh of relief. "But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed course of God-the free life!- even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action." -James 1:26-27

joyful noise

I've been reading Psalm 37:3-7 in a different version every day. I want it to be etched on my heart. My favorite so far has been in the Amplified version. I had my quiet time on Friday in Wailea, sipping on my Honolulu Coffee--my all time favorite coffee place here--and sitting on a lounge chair looking out at the ocean and this verse really spoke to me:

"Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.

And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday.

Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass."

-Psalm 37:3-7

I'm trusting the Lord. Committing my way to Him. And I am making a habit out of it. Also, I've been telling God when I delight in Him. It's so great to acknowledge it! I just love this passage so much!! It's my prayer of this season.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXFFoN-QoXA

I was missing Brazil the other day, and when I was looking through all the photos, I stumbled across this video. I had never seen it before! After extreme (and not fruitful) amounts of effort to upload it to my blog, I gathered up the courage to put it on youtube :) It's funny because only 3 people in the room actually understand English, so no one knows what I'm even singing about. I just cherished the time I spent there with my Brazilian brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope you enjoy this little clip! :)

a bogus-ly busy week: photo style

-Ho'okipa for Ryan's Birthday--Hillbilly Hoedown with a bunch of High Schoolers--Trilogy Cruise to Molokini and Turtletown with my Maui family--A ninja turtle Halloween-
-12 things I learned this past week-
1. I function much better once I drink coffee. I had a TON of early mornings this week.
2. Peanut Butter in long blonde hair DOES come out after many washes :)
3. Eyeliner works great if you need to black out a tooth.
4. Sunscreen does actually need to be reapplied. You will get sunburned.
5. How was I landlocked for 21 years of my life?? I LOVE being out on the water!!
6. Getting stung by a jellyfish doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would.
7. I got a taste of hawaiian indoor volleyball and realized how much I truly miss it.
8. Adventures to Camp Pi'iholo in a 15 passenger van are destined to be epic.
9. Tire swinging with 6 kids is a blast!
10. I want to be a hero in a half shell every day of the year!
11. The jokes on Laffy Taffy wrappers are awesomely bad!
-ex: How do you get an alien baby to sleep? ---you rocket. (ha really?)
12. I ate spam and I liked it!! Never thought that would happen!

Aloha :)
-Risa-

riches of His glory

-The God of Glory-
"How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth"

-Ephesians 1:3-10

I've been stuck on the riches of His glory lately. Adopted in. Free from ALL sin. The focus of His love. God's desire is for me to enter in and accept His lavish gift-giving by the hand of Jesus Christ. I am free. FREE. Not just barely free, but ABUNDANTLY FREE! It's amazing, truly. All my needs are met. I can't gain or lose anything. You delight in us having this life. Message of salvation. A long range plan. Everything is summed up in Him.

Life lately:
Top down in Leslie's car. Wind in my hair. Sun beams on my skin. An Upcountry day. New shortcut. Gorgeous sunset. Uncle Pat's. Darkness. Campfire. Riding in the back of Dave's truck. Bright night sky. Fun talks. Laughter. Safe. Home. Sunday naps. Volleyball at Big Beach. PB & J and chips & salsa. Reading homework. Laundry. So heavy. Tired arms from SUP. Escape to rain and mountains in Wailuku with Jenny. Massive rainbow. God's Promise. Steven and I awkwardly taking apart old decorations. Sheet metal pinwheels of death! Clinging to a large falling pinwheel. "You got it?" "Nope!" Classic. Volunteering for Awana's Xterra night. Witnessing small children falling off bikes. No injuries under my watch :) Gardening in the Hope courtyard. John John let me use a pickaxe. Aggressive. Make my day! Announcement Memos. Announcement slides. Service Formats. Worship graphics. MCing. Service CD. Writing a wedding song with Steven for Michael and Michelle's wedding. Backwards hat. The Gathering. Biking Kihei. Keawakapu. Working the Bookstore for extra money on Saturdays. Change into dress. Sound check. Sang with awesome musicians for the reception. Janky trip in the Death Star with Lisa. A Lisa and Risa Spicy Chicken Wendy's Date. Love her. It's the simple things in life.I just love when God gives you glimpses of how INCREDIBLE His glorious riches are. I get a glimpse of it every time I sing to Him. Or when I see rainbows. Or sunsets. Or when I laugh really hard. Or dance parties with my girls. He doesn't want us to miss a thing. Not one thing. He wants us to have everything. Sigh. We shine through Him. We are the apple of His eye :)

Risa

favorite things of ROCKtober

Thing #1:
SUP with these two cutie pies. They are so precious to me! They have such amazing hearts. We just pile our boards and paddles into our janky van and book it to the beach! I love being with these girls out on the water. Last time we went out, we came back to Leslie's and she treated us to french press blueberry coffee (she got it from her fall trip to the East Coast) and it is INCREDIBLE! And I drank it out of this legit hand warming mug. Bliss. I love paddle boarding, but it is 100 times better when you're in good company :)


Thing #2:
My Fender Guitar. I am so thankful that I have my own guitar. This beauty has traveled so many places with me. More and more I'll grab my guitar when I'm home alone and have a sweet time of worship, singing to my King. "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord."-Eph 5:19. I love writing music; on my own and with the talents of Steven. I love that I'm always learning something new on the guitar. I love that it is always being played by others when we have people over. I love jam sessions with my whole heart! I could sit and listen to an acoustic guitar all day long. I would love to get better at piano, but for now I will continue conquering bridging, muting, and strumming. Also, I would love to name my guitar--any suggestions? Yep, I love my guitar.


Thing #3:
Nike's Tempo Track shorts. I currently own 6 pairs that I have accumulated over the past 5 years. They keep coming out with cool colors, so I keep buying them! I wear them as often as I can! They are amazing! Biking, hiking, sitting, beaching, office work, driving, they are perfect! I will probably collect more in the future. They are in such great condition and I wear them constantly. I love that it's October and I can still wear them 24/7.


Thing #4:
Moleskine Journals. I bought my first one in June and LOVED it. I've been journaling since I learned how to write, basically, so I'm always looking for a good journal. I've used everything from thick leather bound journals to tattered composition notebooks. Right now, these bad boys are my favorite! I'm already on my fourth one and planning on buying more. They look really cute on my white shelf too! So great.

So these are a few of my favorite ROCKtober things. I hope you like them :)

Risa

fake fall :)

Since seasons on Maui don't really exist like they do on the mainland, we compromise and do fall like things. Last weekend we went and bought pumpkins and carved them on our lanai. I had forgotten how much fun it is! We invited lots of friends over and ate pumpkin pie, drank hot apple cider, and Lisa baked us up some pumpkin seeds :) We didn't have work on Columbus Day, so we took advantage of our day off and did fun Maui things! Alyssa and I have been paddle boarding every time we get a chance, so that is how I started my Monday morning. It was kinda rough out, so I got quite the workout! Sea turtle sightings make it worth it every time. Seriously. I came home, made a smoothie, and then the four of us intern girls were invited to spend the day with our friend Tara, whose husband is an elder at Hope. They live in Launiupoko which is close to Lahaina, and the view from their back yard is straight up stunning! We vegged by their pool most of the day and Tara blessed us in such a big way by feeding us and chatting with us. I am still blown away daily at the community here in Maui. I definitely want to open up my home the way homes have been opened up to us. It's such a blessing!!

Sometimes this internship is bogus. And intense. Haha I've realized my blog entries make it look like I'm living the dream here. Which is true. But it's tiring and occasionally stressful. I guess I can't say that anyone ever told me a life of full-time ministry at a church would be easy. I still have absolutely no clue what degree I want to finish college with or what career suits me or where I'll be living after this internship ends. I'm really learning what it looks like to rely on the Lord in every detail of my life. Turns out that lesson keeps needing to be learned :) I just want to be close to my Papa God!

"Now you've got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I'm on the right way."
--Psalm 16:10-11 (Message)

my heart is full

Good morning!

This past week I experienced some new Maui things! I dropped off Leslie at the airport and drove her convertible back to Kihei listening to my reggae jams under the Maui night sky. I got to go to the Maui County Fair, which was epic, I must say. I tried poi mochi (see photo) which is definitely an island favorite. I don't know what I was really expecting to be different about a county fair in Maui compared to Kansas, but it still had the same long lines, greasy food, and excited kids to ride on rides that are scary mainly because you're not actually sure if they'll stay together while you are on them! Sunday morning I was on the worship team, and I lead a couple songs. Steven and I sang a duet during communion. Because of Your Love by Phil Wickham. I realize more and more what a passion the Lord has given me for singing. I am energized by it, and I love every second I am anywhere singing praises to Jesus. On Sunday night, I took advantage of a hammock in Wailea and listened to the waves crash, and saw shooting stars through the branches of a palm tree.

On Mondays and Thursdays, I have what the interns fondly call "green time" where we serve in another area of the church outside our ministry. Some interns do outdoor maintenance around the Hope campus, some work in the bookstore, and others clean toilets. It is hard work and it's humbling. After my green time on Monday, my friend Jenny picked me up (she had a day off from her job) and we went to the beach. When we were chatting in the ocean while the waves gently lapped at the shore, we were both so stoked that this is the kind of thing we get to do on our day off! I get to splash around in the ocean! I always feel so uplifted when I spend time with Jenny. We just talked about God's Word, and rejoiced in what the Lord is doing in our lives.

We went to Jamba Juice and tried out the Pumpkin smoothie (it was really good!) and then split an acai bowl together. MAN I love the acai primo bowl from Jamba with my whole heart. Acai, banana, almonds, coconut, and honey. It's amazing. Seriously :)

The Lord totally orchestrated a rockin' night of fellowship that night! As you can see from the photo, we had a lot of people over!! And 4 more people came after we took the photo! We ate dinner together--I'm learning to cook for others on my own and not be an awkward flamingo in the kitchen. The guitar always makes an appearance when we all hang out. We have a lot of musical talent in our group which is so amazing. New people came over which I just love and we ended up playing a hilarious game of telephone pictionary. Maui is just such a sweet place to live as a young adult. I'm so thankful for the Ohana the Lord has given me here.
-It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help From God-
"God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over)
He's all I've got left.

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
to stick it out through the hard times."
-Lamentations 3: 22-27

program director :)

Hello friends!

Yesterday was my first time being the Program Director at Hope! The worship interns rotate between shifts of graphics, sermon formatting, being Program Director, and now MCing :) I've been getting used to using new programs and observing the flow of the service and how to keep things running smoothly. So much work goes into each service, I had no idea! So yesterday, I put my new dress on (see above picture) and got the show on the road! Since it was my first time, I mostly just followed Craig around, made humming noises, and nodded my head a lot. I'm learning that the most important thing in ministry is communication. Seriously. Communication gets you places. I love being behind the scenes and I am so thankful for all the people that are involved in this ministry. I wouldn't know the first thing about that complex lighting board!!

After both services, the interns hung around and ate lunch in the courtyard. Then it was naptime! I took the afternoon to become a crocheting fiend and now I am almost done with the blanket I've been working on for months now! Then Jena and I went over to Jake and Toni's where the intern boys were watching the Cowboy's game to eat spaghetti with them. Always satisfying! We planned on swimming in the pool but it was closed due to feces. YUCK. So we decided to do a little pool hopping and went to a very swanky part of Wailea and utilized their hot tub :) It was so relaxing!! A great way to end a Sunday and start a week!

In Pierre's sermon yesterday, he mentioned a passage in 1 Chronicles:
"I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you."
-1 Chron 29:17

I've had one particular thing on my heart lately, that I've been really working on giving it over to the Lord. And it's tricky because I keep feeling like I'm making progress in surrendering it, and then it'll be right there, heavy on my heart again. So when I was reading this passage, I thought about Proverbs 16. And I'll be honest, I'm not really a big fan of Proverbs. Ha, I LOVE God's Word but every time I read Proverbs, I can't get over how fortune cookie-ish it all sounds. The Lord is definitely softening my heart about it :) Anyways, Prov 16 talks a lot about the plans of a man's heart and how when we commit our work to the Lord, our plans will be established. I want the Lord to establish my steps. And for the answer of my tongue to be from the Lord.

-Every decision is from the Lord-

I just prayed over that 1 Chron verse all morning yesterday. I decided that I wanted to freely offer up every single thing on my heart and trust that my King has it in His hands. Then it was so cool, because Pierre mentioned that verse in the 1st service. So while I was in worship at the 2nd service, I was standing in the back, looking out over everyone with their hands raised in worship, and totally loved the picture God put in my mind. To be around everyone else who is freely and joyously surrendering everything over to the Lord. It was sweet!

-Direct my whole heart to you, LORD-

God pleasures in uprightness. How can I be more upright in my thinking, praying, and daily conversation? He tests our hearts and refines us constantly. That way we can straight up OWN what we believe. Solid.

In Him,
Risa

-fresh start-

"Since before time began
no one has ever imagined,
No ear heard, no eye seen, a God like you
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who happily do what is right,
who keep a good memory of the way you work."

-Isaiah 64:4-5 (Message)

I am so incredibly blessed to be starting another year as an intern at Hope Chapel in Maui. Part of me still feels a bit crazy for signing on for another challenging year. But out of all the things I learned last year, it's that the most growth happens when I am stretched and challenged. I switched ministry departments, and I am now serving alongside 3 wonderful men in the worship ministry. Things have been completely busy, as usual. We just celebrated our 30th Anniversary last weekend and had our service out in the "backyard" of Hope. It was a blast! Over 700 people attended! I was able to sing in the choir, do copious amounts of folding booklets, and I learned a lot about what chords plug into what instruments! We were all pretty exhausted by the time the service was over, and the interns were able to relax a little and eat out in the courtyard. I am honored to be here during this season.

4 of us interns stayed for another year-
-Alyssa: High School intern
-Jena: Children's intern
-Steven: Worship intern
-Me: Worship intern

...and we also have 4 new additions!-
-Ryan: Junior High intern
-Martin: Young Adult intern
-Blake: Children's intern
-Lisa: Small Group intern

It's been great getting to know the new interns. We have a lot of fun together!! They all have such servant's hearts. I'm pretty stoked to see what the Lord does in our lives this year. A lot of us are living off fundraising, since the church is struggling financially right now. It will definitely be a year of relying and trusting in the Lord. Already, we are seeing provision in cool ways! I will be working on Saturday's in the bookstore.

I am still in awe of the fact that I live in Maui. It is beautiful here. The people are beautiful here. I have a wonderful ohana here that I just cherish so much!

Risa

logos and rhema

At Hope right now, Craig is going through a sermon series based on Hebrews. Last week he was preaching out of Hebrews 4 and talked a lot about the Word of God. A couple things he spoke about really sparked my interest and I thought I would share it with you :)

Logos- Word of God
There are two primary Greek words that describe Scripture which are translated "word" in the New Testament. The first, logos, refers primarily to the total inspired Word of God and to Jesus, who is the living Logos.

Examples of the logos of God:
-John 1:1
-Luke 8:11
-Phil 2:16
-2 Tim 2:15
-Heb 4:12
-1 Peter 1:23

Rhema- the spoken word
The 2nd primary Greek word that describes Scripture is rhema, which refers to a word that is spoken and means "an utterance." A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction.

-Every Word of God is inspired (2 Tim 3:16). It is the Holy Spirit that illuminates particular Scriptures for application in a daily walk with the Lord.

When God gives us a rhema to act upon, He often confirms it by a 2nd rhema, that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word [rhema] be established" (2 Cor 13:1)

Examples of rhemas:
-Luke 5:5
-Luke 1:38
-Luke 2:29
-Luke 3:2
-Acts 11:16
-Matt 26:75

How can we get a rhema?
-In the regular course of our daily reading of God's Word (logos), we need to ask God to speak to us through His Word and give us insight into it. The Holy Spirit can cause certain passages to stand out with significant meaning or application for our lives. These are the rhemas of Scripture that should become part of our daily thoughts and actions.

My rhema for today:

"See, I have refined you,
though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this.
How can I let myself be defamed?
I will not yield my glory to another."
-Isaiah 48:10-11

IT'S ALL FOR HIS GLORY.

I meet weekly with a woman that I admire and love so much and while I was telling her about my week she was telling me how the Lord is refining me and that it is all for His glory. Then I was able to explain to her how I had asked the Lord to give me a rhema that day, and that she had confirmed it by talking about refining. It was so cool! My challenge is that you all could be in God's Word daily, consistently asking the Holy Spirit to reveal something new and personal to you.
On Monday night, Craig and Kathy invited the interns over for dinner and they made us a wonderful dinner of prime rib and baked potatoes and salad and brownies and ice cream for dessert. They had amazing coconut coffee for us too :) It was so much fun! We had a time of worship and then prayed and played games. We have been so blessed by them. I am very thankful for their ministry and the way that they love Jesus and love others.

Risa

catch up

The past three weeks have gone a little something like this:

The Crochet Brigade was created. That involves Christy, Alyssa, and I buying Walmart out of yarn. Gummy worms (they taste amazing when you keep them in the freezer!). Swing dancing class at Hope. Tanning oil. Lots of laughs. Friends Season Three. Helping lead worship on a Friday night. Bought a ticket to Canada for a week to visit Christy and the Rendalls. I've finished 3 books. Talking/connecting in the court yard on Sundays. Maui Lovin' nail polish on my toes. Katherine had a baby! Taylor Anne. She's precious and I wish I could experience more than just the photos.

Movie night at Jake and Toni's. Sabrina. Processing. Sweet trip to town with Jenny to buy 100 dollars worth of neon pool toys for her job. Great talks with my mentor, Jill. Meeting with Joy and chatting on the beach for hours. Learning what a van does when it over heats....3-4 times a day! Eating brazilian coffee candies on the floor of Jake's office whilst soaking up his knowledge. Taking pictures with glow in the dark glasses with Christy. Sneaking the children dept's animal crackers with Lyssa during green time--and inviting Jake to come with us. Only using the second to last stall in the church restrooms. Worship with Jenny in the car on the way from Kahului to Kihei. Verona coffee. Attempting to change the air conditioning filter with Alyssa to no avail. It's tough being a grown up! :) Esther Bible Study is rocking my world.

I've done a lot of dying to myself over the past month. Gal 2:20. I've learned that anytime God calls us to die, His purpose is to reveal larger life. The one who has the mind of Christ doesn't necessarily understand all the mysteries....maturity is the ability to carry the unanswered question in faith, holding to the word by which we live. I'm still floored by the Lord every morning when I open my eyes and realize I'm living on an island. This internship ends in three short weeks. And some of my best friends are leaving. And then I embark on another exciting and growth filled year in a place that I've completely fell in love with.

Psalm 62:7

refining

Hello!

I think I'm struggling to want to blog recently because God has been doing a lot of refining in my life lately. So it's hard for me to write things out and share when I'm in the middle of processing, growing, and learning.

I've been reading through Psalm 119. A chunk of verses every day. Reading it, writing it out, then praying it in my own words. At first, it felt like it wasn't applying. It was routine. As I was praying or reading, they were just words on a page. As I've continued doing this same process every morning, I have been in awe at the way that God's Word is ALIVE! I went back and re-read previous verses and prayers and was shocked at things I had written down so flippantly that seemed earth shattering a mere week later! My heart is changing without me even noticing. And the coolest part is that Psalm 119 is ALL about God's Word, following it, and always choosing His Word over our feelings and emotions. Some of my favorite verses are these from the Message.

"I set your instructions to music and sing them as I walk this pilgrim way. I meditate on your name all night, God, treasuring your revelation, Oh God" Psalm 119:54-55

"And let me live whole and holy, soul and body so I can always walk with my head held high." Psalm 119:80

"In your great love revive me so I can alertly obey your every word." Psalm 119:88

I've just been really challenged to allow God to work on my heart and let His words transform my mind. And His words show me where I am going. They cast light onto my dark path. I am in this for the long run. When things fall apart, God stitches everything back together. He festoons us with His finest sayings. I want to learn. God's promises are mine FOREVER. What a gift! I'm overjoyed! My concentration is on obedience. And it always will be.

On another note :)
Some things on my summer list are:
1. Take test to get Kama'aina so that I can officially have proof that I'm a resident on Maui!
2. Buy soft top rack for our van so that paddle boarding can become a regular part of my routine.
3. Focus on the church body of Hope Chapel and meet their needs like Jesus would.
4. Continue to let God's Truth sink directly into my heart and transform me from the inside out!

Aloha,
Risa

adventures in hana, and beyond!

Christy and her parents picked me up at 7:30 and we headed to Paia to eat breakfast at Charley's (the place Willie Nelson owns!). Macadamia nut pancakes, french toast, home fries, and coffee. Drive on. Bamboo forest. Wicked. I love it in there. Huelo Lookout-kinda lame. Eucalyptus rainbow trees. Beauty. Kae'nae. Mango, banana, and guava. All growing on trees. Photos. Mango shaved ice. Owl City tunes. Ching's Pond. No jumping it today. Black Sand Beach. Names on the sand. Wainapanapa cave. Freeeezing water. Good talks with the Rendall rents. Turkey and lettuce sandwiches. Diet Coke. Hana. Cloudy. Hasegawa. Drive on.

Venus pools. We trek through the barbed wire and make our way down to the water. A woman follows us down to the cliffs and she's alone. A solo vacay. Ilsa (ill-sa) is her name. We try to convince her to jump off the biggest one. "Just doooo eeeeeeet! Gooooo!" She's hesitant. I ask her if she wants me to go first. Yep. Cliff edge of doom. Dominated it. Oh hey salt water in my nose. Ilsa takes a breath and follows me down. Christy jumps off a cliff too. Done. On to 7 pools. Very touristy. The fresh water is refreshing. Ilsa is there too. Warm black rocks + people watching= amazing. Time to embark on our way around the island. Longer than I remembered. But good. Beautiful drive home. Completely wiped out by the end.

My favorite memory from this past week was when the Rendall's invited us over for dinner on Sunday night. We had a delicious meal and then Steven busted out the guitar and we sang music from the 90s and Christy's dad got his little shakers out and we just had a blast singing and laughing. A quick swim in the pool and hot tub. Good conversation. God is so great.

My current music playlist this week: Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, Brandon Heath, Kari Jobe, and Album Leaf.

Love you all!

Risa

re-amped!

My page needed a facelift. And an update! It's been over a month!

Things I've learned in the past month:
-God loved us first.
-Making s'mores over a fire pit under the bright stars at Laperouse with friends is the ultimate way to spend an evening!
-Mind set on the Spirit= LIFE and PEACE.
-Being 22 is waaay cooler than being 21 :)
-My family on Maui was borderline EPIC!
-The sun rising from the top of Haleakala was stunning. Also, at 10,000 feet high, the frigid weather can be compared to a Canada winter!
-Having a good cry is always worth it. Vale a pena.
-If the West Maui Mountains are burning, don't drive to Lahaina. It took us over 4 hours to go around the west side of the island (the only way back to Kihei!) but we had a blast! And the sights weren't bad either :)
-Being a tourist on Maui is much much different than living and working on Maui.
-Arrested Development is the best show ever!
-Shaved ice from Local Boys is 38429 times better with ice cream.
-Flying to Oahu for a day to see Pearl Harbor, eat Baja Fish Tacos at Dukes, window shop expensive/high end stores, and ride in a limo is completely do-able :)
-The Lavender Farm Upcountry is the ideal place to mellow out and chill.
-Pens, in fact, can explode and get all over you. In church. And dye large chunks of your hair blue. So be careful!!
-Bocce Ball with family and friends on a summer's night will be a precious memory forever.
-My trust IS the Lord.

AGAPE.

Reese

almost summer :)

I am back from Brazil now, and jumping back into Maui life! It is such a good feeling to fly into Maui and call it home during this season of my life. I am truly thankful. And very stoked to be staying for another year as the worship intern at Hope Chapel!!

As for Brazil, it rocked my world. I learned a lot about God's heart for the nations and I asked Him to break my heart for what breaks His. He showed me some pretty miraculous things! So if you didn't get a chance to hear what we were doing down south, check out this blog!!

http://brazil2010mission.blogspot.com/

Right now, we are gearing up for summer. I am looking forward to an action packed next few months. My family is coming to visit the first week of June!! All of the interns are having the opportunity to have parents and family visit here in Maui. The junior hai and high school groups will be headed to Hume Lake in California for their summer camp. The children's ministry is bustling with activity for the summer as well. God is doing BIG things on this island!

I will update more soon :)

In Him,
Risa

-patience-

PATIENCE

Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience. Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.Patience.
Be Strong. Wait. Take Heart. Know. Remember the Promise.

It's amazing to me how fast insecurity and worry can creep in on a person. It's almost easier to worry about something than give it up to the Lord. My heart likes to be in control. And in charge.

In YOUR presence God, I'm completely satisfied.

Satisfaction. Where does it come from? The Lord. Find it only in Him. Fullness. Completion. Give it up. It's always in Him. Reliance. Complete surrender.

The absolute BEST things are worth waiting for.

Right when you have a worry that sneaks in, get rid of it! Recognize God's TRUTH in your life and dwell on that instead. Constant, continual action.

His peace and love surpass my understanding. Trust. Obedience. Faith.

God knows.

Risa.

intern retreat 2010!

It's so beautiful in Keanae. God's majestic ocean was my front porch. The interns piled into a 15 passenger van and wound our way around the winding road to Hana. We made many stops along the way. Here's a compacted version of our adventures:
DAY ONE:
Bamboo forest hike. Clambering through clanking bamboo trees. Sleeping grass that wilts when you touch it! Breath taking cliffs. Rainbow trees with colorful bark. Beautiful sights off another hike. The Keppler home. FOOD. Nap time. Awaken to another adventure calling our names. Rainy walk to where we took the junior hai girls. Jason fearlessly jumps in with his snorkel and blazes the trail down around the corner. He was also the first to demonstrate vine swinging on our 2nd hike of the morning. He is a stud! A group of us swam to the end of this fresh water lake right next to the ocean to a waterfall. It was beautiful! But freezing. We had to navigate our way around rocks and fight the shivers. More bonding time. Warm sweats. The weather on this side of the island is completely different than Kihei! Northface. Talking. Shrimp Scampi. It was UHmazing. Worship with Steven. Heart check questions. Next, an "aggressive and obnoxious" game of Craig! Which is a game that Craig, our head pastor, invented in which he makes up the rules. It was a blast! Hanging out with Janna, Craig, and Jason was so refreshing to my heart.

DAY TWO:
Equally amazing as day one. After my quiet time it starting to rain, so I came back and fell asleep to the lullaby of raindrops. We awoke again to sizzling sausage. And coffee, pancakes, and eggs. We packed up and busted out Beach Boys, the Beatles, and IZ for our drive to black sand beach. We climbed up in a cave that opened out right onto this gorgeous beach. Tons of pictures. We trekked back up and around to the Wainapanapa caves. Legend has it that a Hawaiian princess hid from her warrior prince in the cave. It was actually so cool. We jumped into the water and it was frigid! Then, the men led us into a dark and freezing cavern and we tried to find our way in a tunnel that was mostly underwater. I was able to swim through some of it. What an adventure! It was eery. After the frigid caves, Jake led our team to Hana. We wandered around a famous general store in town, Hasegawa. We drove by the house where Charles Lindberg lived before he died. (First man to fly across the Atlantic!) I loved hearing the stories of Jake and Craig. We planned on going to the 7 pools but it was too rainy. We made one final stop at mile marker 17 to jump off a cliff. Jason just pulled his shirt off, did a rebel yell and jumped right off the edge! Out of control! It's like 30 feet high, and you have to aim where you jump! So I'm watching the boys start to prepare to jump and even though it's raining and cold (and I feel like I could be sick with nervousness!) I'm unzipping my jacket to jump with them! I just walked up to the edge, looked back at the crowd of people collecting to watch, shoot the shaka, and leap off the cliff edge of doom. Trust, obedience, faith. Fearless. I jumped. It was such a thrill. God provided. My adrenaline was on full speed this weekend and I loved every second of it all! Back at the cabin, we showered and warmed back up. Steven and I jammed on the guitar, and I had some solid chats with the girls. Noopsing, Wrestle Mania 2010 ensued. Dinner. Craig made mouth watering prime rib. Worship. There is nothing like Your love. Prayer. Cool evening breeze. More deep heart questions. Fears. Regrets. Excitements. Funny stories. Then the most hilarious game of telephone pictionary happened. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt! Playing that game with two pastors and a seminary grad was priceless! Sweet bedtime :)

DAY THREE:
I had my quiet time perched on a stone wall right on the edge of the ocean. The sun rose and colored the sky the most beautiful colors you could imagine. Breakfast. Magical mystery pancakes with m&ms and oreos. Janna's creation :) We cleaned the cabin like it was spring cleaning. Piled into our lovely van, and the sun was shining and wonderful! We pulled off on the side of the road at a seemingly random field, where Jason shimmied through the barbed wire and lead us on a path down towards the ocean. But it veered off and cleared into a GORGEOUS cove called Venus pools. The rocks were white washed and the water was the most stunning color. A group of locals was there and Jason, yet again, took off on the highest jump off the cliffs into the water. I like his style. We got a chance to take the leap of faith. I did quite a few different jumps. It's such a rush, I love it! We swam around for awhile, enjoying the sunshine. Next stop: 7 Pools. We ate a delicious lunch of snack food and leftovers at the campgrounds of the 7 pools park. Favorite. Our van wouldn't start, so we had someone help us. God provided. Back to the fun! It was pretty windy at the park. But the sun was perfect! It was quite the tourist attraction. Most of the other stuff we had done was off the grid. We explored the cold waters and climbed up to the top pool and swam right under a huge waterfall! Then, more jumping off cliffs :) Queen Rock and King Rock. Cannon ball challenge. Belly flop challenge. Goodbye beauty. Hello warm/dry clothes. Van restarted. Charles Lindberg's grave. History lesson. The adventure continues by driving all the way around the Haleakala side of the island. It was amazing. We drove right along the edge of the old volcanoe. The sights were incredible. Indescribable. Bonding. Stories. Sunset. Dropped Janna off Upcountry in Kula. Windows down, feet on the dash. Home.

"God is a safe place to hide,
ready to help when we need him.
We stand FEARLESS
at the cliff-edge of doom,
courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
before the rush and roar of oceans,
the tremors that shift mountains."
Ps 46

BE FEARLESS.

lana'i 2010!

Hello friends!

I am back from our island get away on Lana'i. The theme of the weekend was Encounters: Mapping your Spiritual Journey. It was a refreshing time for me, and I totally saw the Holy Spirit at work in a BIG way there! We were able to hear messages from other Rise Leaders, and break into small groups to share and discuss what we were learning. I just love the Lana'i beach next to our campground. It's probably my all time favorite beach. The dolphins are jumping almost every morning! Saturday night, we heard from Leslie about the parable of Jesus feeding the 5000. We were challenged to look at which person we related with: Philip, Andrew, or the boy that gave up his lunch. I felt like I really related with the little boy. He had his lunch to give up, even though he didn't know what Jesus was going to do with it. I feel like I have my passions and gifts, but I have no idea how God wants to use them. The best part is, that all I have to do is obey Him when He asks me to give them over, and He will do the rest!! Then Jesus multiplied his meager gift and it spread and grew!

Christy, Alyssa, and I wandered up to the Four Seasons and splurged on delicious virgin pina coladas. That was what made it seem like a true vacation! It was wonderful.

We had a bonfire with smores and reeses cups (so gooooood!) and made sure to avoid sitting in the grass. There are cockroaches EVERYWHERE at night. Creepy crawly and scary looking! Four of us girls were blessed with a huge tent so we were able to spread out and sleep well! I woke up the next morning, and Alyssa and I made french press coffee and headed to the beach to start off my morning with a quiet time. Rise brought paddle boards so it was cool to watch everyone paddle out in the early morning. I read in Romans 12. Embracing what God does for me is the best thing I can do for Him. Readily recognize what God is wanting from me and readily respond. God always brings out the best in me.

We spent a lot of time on the beach Sunday afternoon! I adored every minute of it! There were new faces on our trip so it was great getting to know everyone and laughing and having a good time. Here is a picture of everyone who came on this retreat:
There were quite a few couples (married and dating) and even 4 little kiddos and I really enjoyed having the family aspect of it all! We got drizzled on towards the end, but it felt great on all of our sunburns :)

Te trip home was choppy and rainy, but we got to see a baby whale breech a bunch of times and that made it worth it! I loved the weekend, but it was great to get back to Maui.

Love you all!

Risa

whale watching

Friday mornings, I've started giving guitar lessons to a junior hai girl. We really hit it off on the purity retreat and so it's been so good getting to know her and spend time talking and playing guitar with her each week. She is such a great student! Then Friday afternoon, Leslie and I grabbed 808 Deli sandwiches to go and headed to the Monacai beach to talk and soak up some sun rays. She is so precious to me. We were able to secure the ever elusive lounge chairs that are NEVER available, so we stayed up on the grass and chatted while the waves hit the shore. Friday night, I was able to help sing worship. I have only sang on the Sunday worship team, and for Afterglow (which is after the service on Friday nights) so I was really stoked to be a part of that team.

Saturday, I slept in and it felt amazing! Christy was up making her fantastic cupcakes for Jena's birthday extravaganza in Lahaina that night. The girls hit Kamaole Park 1 to meet up with our neighbor Jenny and some other girls that are friends visiting Maui. Jenny had two paddle boards with her, so I was able to go out with her and paddle. We had a great conversation about what God has been teaching us lately. I love where her heart is at.

Saturday night, we all carpooled out to Lahaina (the 45 minute drive is a deal breaker for a lot of islanders) to get BJ's pizza and eat on a grassy knoll overlooking the harbor. We were able to go around and share what we love most about Jena. I am so thankful to have Jena in my life. She is mellow and chill, and her heart for her ministry just glows. She always has a kind word and is always encouraging and uplifting! It was so refreshing just hanging out and talking with all of the people there.
Sunday's sermon was so great. Pierre spoke on Getting to the Heart of Generosity. He presented a very solid gospel message that was convicting and powerful. Usually, I sit with other interns during whichever service I attend, but I was the only one at the 8:30 service. At the end of the sermon, he challenged those who didn't know the Lord to stand up and accept Him. And he also challenged those who had made a "wrong agreement" with Satan, or who were not walking with the Lord and needed His forgiveness and grace right now. The Holy Spirit was PUMPIN in there when Pierre was praying. And after the 10:30 service, I was informed that we ran out of Bibles! Praise the Lord! What a great problem to have!

The interns gathered together again and carpooled to Lahaina for the 2nd time to go on a whale watch! It was pretty incredible! It was such an adventure. My eyes were glued to the horizon for any glimmer of a fin or water spraying out of a blow hole. They are majestic creatures. We were able to hear the song they sing by putting a microphone underwater. Brandon told us that all of the male whales sing the same song, but they start and stop at different times so it never sounds in unison. Isn't that fascinating? The sunset was beautiful, and I was able to make some new friends on the boat as well! We ate in Lahaina and then headed home.

Please be praying for my visa. I have been really anxious about getting it all together, since it is my first time. I mailed it yesterday and I'm just giving it to the Lord, and trusting that this whole experience is in His strong and capable hands.

This is the Word I meditated on this morning:
"But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!.....And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes." Jude 1:20-21 & 24-25

How can we have our arms wide open, eager to receive His mercy? I always want to be right in the center of God's love!!

Risa

TSUNAMI DAY 2010

5:14- Alyssa and I are woken up by phone call from a frantic Jena. Earthquake. Chile. Tsunami. Pack up and head Upcountry.

5:16- I turn on my phone, and it is flooded with voicemails from a wide array of people.

5:20- Alyssa wakes up Sissy, and I call the Kim's in Washington to figure out the next step to take. It was a really tricky situation, because two of our kids were at friend's houses, so Alyssa and I had our work cut out for us.

5:30- Our plans change every 10 minutes. We're going to Kula. Then we're not. Picking up Hea. Then he's being dropped off. Putting gallons of water in the car. Canned corn and peanut butter getting thrown into a box with a broken bottom. Basically, straight up chaos. Talking with parents, neighbors, friends, trying to decide what the best thing to do was.

6:09- We're in the car with Sissy and the sirens go off. It's eerie. And still dark outside. I realized I forgot to brush my teeth and start to feel like it's going to be a loooong day. But all of us our together and we decide that home is a good place to stick until we actually know what's going on. Chris and Whitney came over to help with the kids and watched the news for a bit.

6:47- We are at a little over a half tank of gas, so I decide to brave the crowds of Kihei and see if I can get gas. After waiting in a line 0f 18 cars for 45 minutes, I shake my head and laugh at the craziness of it all and go back home. Jake called and asked if I had called my mother yet.

8:13- Leslie calls and says her Pampered Chef party got canceled due to it all and that we should bring the kids up to Maui Meadows (which is well above sea level) and eat the food she was going to make. I think that is a marvelous plan! We pile in to the car with all of our tsunami survival tools and head up.

8:20- It was unnerving at what a GORGEOUS day it was. I mean, one of the prettiest I've seen in my time here yet. Hot, but with a great cool breeze. We hung out at a friend's house for the morning. Dave put in Robin Hood, and we ate amazing food that Leslie prepared for us and just plain enjoyed Tsunami day.

10:43- We are beginning to anticipate power and water being turned off, and start planning to get up on to Cory's balcony and see if we could watch the shoreline. I live on the side of the island that wasn't where the action would be directly happening.

11:18- Keola put his duck floatie around his waist and we strain our eyes to see if we can see anything. But we couldn't. We get word that Kahului Harbor had a large amount of water recede, but other than that Maui was untouched.

11:35: In the meantime, we decide to swim in Cory's pool and relax. Tsunami Day didn't have to be all stress and no play. The power never went off, although Eddie works for the Electric company on Maui and they shut down a power plant and moved up, which is a big deal. So there was a lot of build up. Maui actually got the biggest swell, 3 feet, out of all of Hawaii.

12:30- Jena, Christy, and I realize we have to work at 1:30 and that we still have to go, despite this extreme crisis. Roads were shut down, but we made our way back to our condo to change and go in to help hospitality at a funeral at the church.

5:00- We leave the church, with some extra money in our pockets, and invite some friends over for dinner and a movie. After swapping stories with our guy friends (they live right on the ocean, and decided to stick it out at their place, and watch the whole show from their lanai) we were bushed. I looked back at what my day was supposed to look like and smiled, thinking how we never know how God is going to work out. I was going to sleep in, spend the morning with Sissy, work at 1:30, and then go to a UH volleyball game in Kahului that got canceled. This day was a surprise!

God thunders across the waters,
Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—
God, across the flood waters...
God's thunder spits fire.
God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
He makes the desert of Kadesh shake....
Above the floodwaters is God's throne
from which his power flows,
from which he rules the world.
God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace.

-Psalm 29 (my favorite parts)

Thank you for your prayers. God sits enthroned above it all! He calmed the waters. All the glory goes to Him! I am so thankful for His faithfulness in my life!

Risa

baptism and oahu

The Presidents Day Baptism was pretty incredible! The interns were more efficient this time, in prepping and loading all of the stuff. We knew what we were doing this time, which made the morning fly by! One of my highlights was when we were moving stuff from the vans to the site, I looked out over the ocean in the early morning sunrise and witnessed a few whales jumping out of the water! They were jumping for joy for new life in Christ :) I was able to listen to the testimonies of those who were getting baptized and it was so powerful! After everyone had shared, the sound of the conch shell and the beat of the hawaiian drums beckoned us down to the water. We worshiped the Lord and the hula dancers praised him through dancing. It was wonderful. We then laid hands on the 31 people who were getting baptized and prayed over them. But my all time favorite thing about the baptism is when all the action happens. I am so honored and blessed to be the person who walks them out into the water to meet with the three pastors who do the actual baptizing. I was able to pray, talk, and celebrate with these brothers and sisters during this exciting and joyous moment in their lives. I absolutely love it! Then of course, afterwards there is food, and volleyball, and fellowship. And clean up was a breeze :) I was able to come home and have a restful afternoon after such a whirlwind of a weekend. This last picture is of me walking with Vanessa (fellow intern and cherished sister in Christ) into the water. Eddie Kim, an incredible man of God--whose house and children Alyssa and I are sitting this week, is on the right. What an amazing day!

"Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (Message)

--------------

The work week flew by. My small group is still going through Acts. Then Thursday at work was a little rough, due to feeling under the weather and all of the baptism follow up that had to be done. Friday morning, Alyssa and I were whisked away to Oahu and island hopped our way over to Honolulu. It was very refreshing to be in a big city! Alyssa and I were able to meet up with Jeff (her boyfriend and the reason for our adventure over there) and explore Waikiki Beach on Friday. Alyssa and I spent some time on the beach soaking up some sun and reading our Bibles. It was much needed. We walked down to the Ala Moana Shopping Center, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of tourists and another side of Hawaii. Everything is very Asian influenced, with Japanese/Chinese on signs and such. Friday night we had girls night, and ate our take out dinner in our hotel room. It was such a blast :) I wouldn't have wanted to do this weekend with anyone else!

Saturday morning, we were straight up blessed by catching a ride with one of the baseball boy's parents:Nancy and Joe. The true blessing of our weekend. We were just going to rely on the bus system to get us out to the baseball field, but God provided more than we could ask or imagine. They provided so much love, food, and laughter this weekend. Oh, I just can't get over God's goodness and faithfulness in our lives! I managed to survive two double headers of baseball and I absolutely loved meeting Jeff and seeing Alyssa and him together warmed my heart. Another set of parents that was such a blessing to us was Sig and Lori. Sig was an adventure seeker/traveler when he was younger so we enjoyed chatting about our season in Maui and the travels he went on in his day. We were definitely well fed, with red vines, pretzels, sunflower seeds, and hawaiian style food in ABUNDANCE after the games. I love connecting with people and learning and loving. This weekend was full of new and exciting people and places. Just my style.

I really was able to take a step back and see the bigger picture this weekend. I am excited about my future, and what God has in store. I'm praying that he will gently loosen my fingers from grasping the things that only He should be holding onto.

My prayer, now that I'm back on Maui, and being flooded with all of the things I adore about my life right now, is that I will be here now. I am in a phase of the year that generally tends to be restless. He is so faithful. I am praying that I can trust the Lord first. Have faith first. Rely on Him first. Then He follows with His best.

Reese

*purity*

The Lord blessed me in a BIG way this weekend. I slept 3 hours on Friday night, after I finally came down from my high of writing a song with Steven, performing it during the offering, and then doing a set for afterglow with Steven. The intern girls and Jenny went to see Valentine's Day the movie. I LOVE my girls. I woke up at five, Leslie picked me up to go to Starbucks before our Rise garage sale that will hopefully be sending us to Lanai for a retreat in March. I got a coconut chai tea latte and it tasted like summer :) I helped set up the garage sale, then Whitney walked over (she lives next door) and told me I needed to be at the church by 730 to help load everything up for the junior hai purity retreat. YIKES. So we clamber into the Man-U-V and head to Hope. We prepared, prayed, kids arrived, and we headed out, the boys Upcountry to Uncle Pat's property and then the girls to conquer the road to Hana to Ka'enae. 20 girls total! We stopped at a gas station to air up my tire in the death star. It was almost completely flat. Then Jesse's van wouldn't start. Then Whitney's van wouldn't start. It was unreal. Satan totally didn't want us to go. So we prayed and got everything jumped, and aired up and good to go. The girls in my van were completely precious. We talked about boys, and how sick the surf was on the North Shore (one girl had her face pressed up against the window she wanted to surf so bad). The drive was spectacular. Winding roads, hugging the edges of majestic mountains with the ocean licking the shore next to us. It was a dream. Until one of my girls got sick and we had to assist her. ha! The retreat house was nestled in between palm and coconut trees. We left the windows open the whole time we were there and it rained when we fell asleep. The sessions were amazing. I mean, I expected to learn some things, but I am floored by the Lord at the things that come out of those girls. Whitney had me lead worship the whole weekend so I was able to connect with a few of the girls simply by taking them aside in our free time and singing together. I am so inadequate. I felt insecure around those girls, they are intimidating! But I can't imagine the depths of God's power and how he used all of us leaders there. Man. We went on a gorgeous hike to a little lake that's overflow from the ocean. I have pictures I hope to put up soon. That's when I had some solid conversations with a couple of the girls. They are so wise and curious and honest! God totally broke my heart for their hearts! And seeing Whitney lead them, and I was challenged by the other leaders: Jesse, Angela, and Alex. We prayed together and answered sex questions and hard things about boys, and relationships, and what it looks like to live set apart lives that are pure and holy. Basically, it was legit. And I adore those girls. And they are so uplifting and wonderful. I mean, they are struggling. But it was such a blessing to be used by the Lord in their lives.

I had the best quiet time ever this morning. I watched the sun rise on a stone wall overlooking the ocean. And read Hosea 6:3

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

I pray God's peace and hope would fill you up abundantly today. Oh how he loves us. He is everything. Righteous. Holy. Perfect. I am pressing on to acknowledge Him.

Reese

Also, I hunted, retrieved, and cracked open a real coconut for the first time this weekend :)

new directions

Hello!

I started my day off last Wednesday with a paddle boarding adventure with my "friendtor" (friend and mentor) Leslie. It was absolutely beautiful! We go at 7 in the morning typically, and it's just starting to be light outside, but when you are out on the water, the sun comes up over Haleakala and it is absolutely breath taking. I could start every day that way. Even if the waves are huge and hard to get past to get into the water :)

The littlest things about Maui are what really get me. The incredible views, intriguing sounds- geckos make the weirdest noises!- and all the lovely smells. From lovely flowery scents to the icky sewage smell that's been creepin' on Hope Chapel lately. Rise went on a hike last Saturday and there were some pretty amazing sights! I will never get used to mountains. I love them. And waterfalls.

I've been floored by the Lord lately. I'm so thankful that He alone is my light and salvation. Psalm 27:1. That He gives His grace freely. I don't have to earn it. There is nothing I can or can't do to change the way God loves me.

I have a fresh outlook on things. I'm five months into my internship. I'm still living in a dream. But aware that it's reality. Last night was our Prayer and Praise night. I went to help early and ended up getting asked to help the MOI group lead worship. MOI stands for Men Of Integrity. I was the only girl they could get to sing. All of the men joked with me being the only howlie. Ha

According to UrbanDictionary.com, Howlie is a term used by locals in the state of Hawaii (usually not with a scrap of Hawaiian ancestry, usually Fillipino or darker-skinned) to refer to white people who moved to the state/island from the mainland.

I absolutely loved every second of the worship. We were out in the courtyard, the breeze was gently blowing, and the sun was setting over the ocean. There were about 10 men, plus me, and all of them were playing some form of strings or drums. I LOVE hawaiian influenced worship. And it felt so good to worship the Lord. We all serve the same King. Great is HIS name in all the Earth.

God is good.

Risa

worship

Something really cool happened to me on Friday night.

But it deserves a prelude for the full effect :)

I grew up Catholic, and my idea of worshiping the Lord was through hymns. Well, I didn't know what it looked like. A group activity only done in church. Then, I started at Trinity Academy, and saw worship happen with lots of young people. Hands were raised, eyes were closed. But I was torn. I didn't want to lift my hands out of obligation or to do it because everyone else was. People who raised their hands were extreme christians who were showy, in my mind. So I quietly stood, simply singing the words and meditating on their meaning. A year and a half into college, I realized what it looked like to worship practically, and in every day life.

-Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy. -Ps 99:5
-Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.- Ps 96:9
-Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' "-Luke 4:8
-Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe- Hebrews 12:28
-God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."- John 4:24

In college, I starting raising one hand, maybe, and never above my shoulders. Still missing that feeling, or I guess just thinking that I wasn't called to physically reach up to God. Then, I read Praise Habit, by David Crowder, and was challenged to live a life of praise in every single thing I did, not just with a guitar in a church or gathering.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:1 (the real kicker!!)

Finally, God has called me to Hawaii, and into singing with the praise and worship team. And I absolutely adore singing to my King. Harmonizing my praise and adoration up to His eager ears. Lately I've been catching myself standing on my tip toes during worship, wanting to be closer to Him. On Friday night, we were singing The Stand. The lyrics are something like this:

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

All this to say, that when the chorus came, My arms went straight up and I abandoned my fears, failures, shame, and stood in awe of the One who gave it all. He has been absolutely rocking my tiny world and I can barely find the words to express my heart (Romans 8:26). And when I was reading in Genesis 47, verse 31 stood out to me. I pray this for my future.

"...and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff."