the eighth month of the year

8 Songs that I've listened to on repeat in the past week:
1. Sunshine-Stephen Jerzak
2. You Are More-Hillsong (God Is Able Album)
3. Cosmic Love-Florence and the Machine
4. Calgary-Bon Iver
5. OK-Mutemath
6. Ehu Girl- Kolohe Kai
7. Your Love-Brandon Heath
8. I Will Exalt- Bethel Live (Ft. Amanda Falk)

8 Reasons why I love Hope Chapel:
1. I've never been welcomed into a community like my ohana at Hope Chapel
2. The internship. Now I truly know what biblical discipleship and walking together looks like. it's not always pretty, ha, but MAN I love my intern family. Big love.
3. Worship. I have grown SO much in this area and a lot of it can be attributed to the worship leaders at HC.
4. The Gathering. I love the vision that this ministry has. I hadn't ever attended church on a Friday night before, but now it seems so normal I wouldn't not want to go to church on a Friday night.
5. The courtyard. I have had so many anointed conversations in that courtyard.
6. It's transparency. Honesty and truth reign at Hope Chapel. It's not perfect, but it's a work in progress.
7. Kihei Christian Bookstore. It's one of my safe places. I feel like I can breathe easy when I'm in there.
8. Rise young adult ministry. I'm encouraged by the lives the young people around me are leading. It truly does take a certain type of person to live in Maui. Adventurous. Easy going. It's cool to walk life with these guys.

8 Reasons why I am STOKED about my next season:
1. I have no idea what it is going to be like. Number One reason. Hands down.
2. I get to work on a boat!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Craig's Discipleship Class. Jam packed with challenges and growth.
4. I will be making money :)
5. My home life is one of the biggest blessings I've ever experienced.
6. Working for an author part-time. I just love the way God works. There is so much TRUTH in God knowing the desires of our hearts. Majority of the time I don't even know my desires. But He does. Then I catch up to them. I'm excited to catch up to this dream!
7. From my lanai, I can see the sun rise over Haleakala AND the ocean/West Maui Mountains. It is idyllic.
8. There is no timeline. Everything is indefinite. I like it that way :)

8 Things I want in the next year:
1. Play my guitar mo betta.
2. Write more music.
3. Surf on a longboard....
4. .....then surf on a smaller board.
5. Do something handicraft like. Make jewelery. Crochet. Knit. Something.
6. Increase my prayer life. Praying for others is POWERFUL.
7. Refine my passions and giftings.
8. Buy a pair of Toms. Everyone else is doing it! :)

8 Words I am clinging to about God:
1. Truth
2. Faithful
3. Creative
4. Grace
5. Mysterious
6. Safe
7. Promise
8. Wonderful

staycation

Last week I had a staycation. I took some days off work and had the pleasure of living the resort life out at the Westin with my parents for a few days. Pool lounging, ono grinds, and an ample dosage of Vitamin D via the sun. I ate at my favorite restaurant (Duke's) with my favorite people. I saw a sunset that is etched permanently in my mind. Picture this: the sun hanging heavy in the sky. Tangerine orange clouds. Radiant beams penetrating through and reflecting off the ocean. A sailboat cruises by as the sun begins it's descent, disappearing beneath the horizon. Perfection. R2H (Road to Hana) on Saturday. Here are some photos!

Secret Falls Hike.



Hanging with the parental unit in the caves of Waianapanapa



Plumerias. Hamoa Beach. Blue vanilla/coconut shave ice from Ke'anae.

Change is happening in my life. But joy is in the little things. And the people around you. I cherish my ohana so much. And I have great parents! And I live on an adventurous island that I love. Life is good. And I must admit, instagram photos make everything cooler :) (thankyoumartineason!)

In Him,
Risa