Pope Francis: A life of radical love

Because of the fact that today is the day one of my most favorite people on the planet was born, I knew I had to write a blog post about how amazing of a person Pope Francis is. I don't even know where to begin because I love every single thing about him. Pope Francis is one of the most humble, loving servants of the Lord the world has ever had the chance to know. He never for a second is thinking about himself, but rather he always has his focus on others and satisfying their needs before his own. When I look at Pope Francis I see the kind of person we are all called to be. We are all called to be lights to this world and to love all the people around us in every way possible. We are called to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, leaving no person left to care for themselves. We are called to live a life of radical love for the sake of the gospel and to proclaim the news to every corner of the world. Pope Francis is the epitome of what it means to be humble. Without hesitation he goes and seeks the neediest person he can find and brings him into his home like he is no different than one of us. He goes out into the streets with no protection at all to bring healing to the brokenhearted and the suffering. His every action is done out of compassion and I think we all have something to learn from this amazing man. He teaches us what being joyful truly means. He has made us believe the incredible truth that we are all called to be saints and to live a life of holiness.  Pope Francis has been a light to all the nations since the day he was declared Pope of the entire Catholic church. I fell in love with him the minute I began to see all the good he is doing for this pain-stricken world. He has brought so many people back to their faith and has made huge bounds in growing the catholic church family. I truly believe that if more people were like Pope Francis the world would be a better place. Through him, we have to come to realize what it means to truly be a disciple of the Lord and to keep God at the center of every aspect of our lives. He has taught us to extend a hand to the needy and to love everyone around us the same. Pope Francis calls us all to be brave and to give of ourselves to other people. He also tells us to be joyful and to live a life of happiness with the Lord. He once said:

"Love is the measure of faith."

Pope Franci teaches us to love with all we have. Our love shows how deep our faith in God is. Pope Francis teaches us to be brave and to answer the deep cries of the poor and the suffering and to share in the joy of the Lord with them. Pope Francis is my hero and is someone I believe we should all look up to. He is the perfect example of what living a life for Christ looks like and his life is truly one worth imitating. He teaches us to let ourselves be consumed in radical faith and to radiate our light wherever we go. May we always look to him in our desperate search to be more than just mediocre Christians. Happy 78th birthday to the greatest human being, Pope Francis!

Restoring Joy

Yesterday was one of those moments where I knew I had fallen right on my face and God saw it all. Since being accepted for The World Race, sadly my real purpose and why I was doing it all slowly began to trickle away as the daunting task of raising money entered the scene. I knew that this was something that happened to a lot of people but I assured myself before I started the whole process that I wouldn't be one of those people. Yet here I was. I was at the point where I wasn't allowing God into the situation like I knew I was supposed to rather I was just trying to do it all on my own and for my glory. I was spending hours and hours writing letters and talking to people about it in hopes that they would support me financially but I didn't allow them to see the utter joy and love I had for the program. It became all about the money and how I was going to fundraise and this and that until I had lost sight of the why. Why I was even fundraising. Why I was going to giving up nine months of my life to go serve. It had all faded away once I began fundraising because the amount of money I had to raise seemed too big for me not to constantly be worrying about it. But with my loss of my purpose and why I was doing it all also went the joy I felt for it. I had let this huge price tag on the trip overcome my happiness and turn it all into a chore instead of embracing the process. But then God brought me today. Yesterday He showed me that joy and that fire I had when I first started the program, before all the money. He showed me the true passion I have for this mission and WHY I am doing it all. He reminded me that service is where my heart belongs and where I am feeling called to go. Just with a little help from something else, God was able to fully bring back all the joy and the excitement of the new adventure I am about to embark on. My t-shirt design had just been finished and although I was a little skeptical if anyone would even buy it, there went God again with his awesome plans. Within minutes I was receiving tons of text and comments on instagram telling me what sizes people wanted and how excited they were for me and my trip. But this was only the beginning of my restored joy. Later on in the night, I recieved a text from a very sweet friend of mine and this only added to the immense joy I was already feeling. He told me how proud and excited he was of me and how good the work I'm doing will be for the Lord and his Kingdom. He told me how we are called to share the good news and be a light to others and told me that is exactly what I am doing. My heart was overflowing with happiness. It was in that moment that I began to remember it all. I began to remember all the joy I felt when the journey first started and I got the call that I had been accepted on The World Race. And slowly but surely I began to remember the true purpose for doing all this; to love people. I had gotten so caught up in the financial part of it that I had forgotten to see how my heart was changing and growing towards this mission. I think it is easy to get caught up in the moment and to lose sight of what is really important. I'm so thankful for a God that knows exactly what I need when I need it and who loves me unconditionally even when I fall flat on my face. I know falling again towards only making money and having myself all funded may be inevitable, but I now know how easy it is to get sucked into that mentality and I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back to being in a state where I forget what its all for and why I am even raising this money and the first place. I now know that this is a hard journey, raising funds, but it is one that can bring me closer to God than I ever have before and restore my faith and trust in him. In the end, I know God is going to provide if this is where he wants me to be next year. So for right now, I'm remaining in that truth and letting myself feel the pure joy of it all.

Simple things

As a PALS 2 we get the amazing opportunity to visit an Alzheimer's home near us as well as mentor young children in elementary and middle schools. Visiting the Alzheimer's home has brought me more joy than I could have ever imagined, especially today. When we arrived, there were some kids from a local christian school that were there singing some songs to all the residents in one of the main cafeterias. Attached to the cafeteria is a room with doors open to hear the music and in that room sat a sweet lady clapping and dancing to the music, happy as can be. A couple of my friends and I went over to her and the next thing I knew, we were all up on our feet dancing to the beautiful music being sung in the room over. Nothing could ever compare to the joy I felt holding hands with a such a sweet lady dancing without a care in the world to "you are my sunshine" and "deep in the heart of Texas." As we all sang every word to all the songs they played, I began to see Christ exuding from sweet Layla. I can't even begin to describe how that smile made my heart feel. All I know is that nothing can compare to the joy I felt dancing with Leila. After the kids left, I got the chance to talk for the remainder of our time there with sweet Leila and what a life full of whimsy and adventure she has lived. Born in New York City, lived in Istanbul, Turkey till she was 15, then moving to Austin to attend UT and later earn 3 degrees, Layla had done it all   She told me all about her four children and her great love for horses and the sport of polo. We talked about New York and the beautiful season of Christmas there. She told me all the places she had traveled to; Brazil, Greece, Egypt, England, Turkey and many more places I have only dreamed of going. She told me to follow my dreams and to travel while I'm young and gave my the encouragement to do what I want to do with this one crazy life. We talked about Austin and what a wonderful place it is. Then unfortunately my time with sweet Leila was done for the day and we had to leave. I made a beautiful new friendship today and my heart couldn't be happier. Leila made me smile bigger than I have in a while. I'm so thankful for a God who knows what I want more than I do. It's the simple things in life like dancing with a sweet old woman that make you step back and take a look at the beautiful life God has given you. Today I am thankful for a whole lot more than I deserve; a beautiful new friendship and the chance to dance and rejoice in the life God has given me.

Send Me

Today is the day my whole world flipped right side up. I recieved the comforting news that I had been accepted into the World Race Gap Year program and I could not contain my joy. Upon ending the call, I found myself jumping with joy and a huge smile plastered on my face. I immeaditaly texted and called everyone that has been apart of this journey with me with the happy news of acceptance. Nothing could ever compare to the joy and peace I felt in my heart after hearing the words "congratulations, you've been accepted into the World Race Gap Year program." It's only the start but I can't stop thinking of what's to come and the future God has so graciously placed before me. In a matter of months I will hopefully be on a plane headed to the ends of the earth to spread joy and God's love to all that I encounter. I know that taking this gap year may be one of the hardest things I'll ever do. Leaving all my friends and family for nine months, going to places I've never been before with people  I've never met, and placing all my trust in God isn't going to be easy but I know it will all be worth it in the end when the whole is better for at least one person because I was able to give them the help and love they so desperately needed. I know that if I just open my heart to what God wants from me and the ways he wants to use me that he is going to preform amazing miracles. I feel in the depths of my heart that this is what I am supposed to do and where God is calling me to go. I constantly dream of helping people in some of the poorest places and giving people hope that things will get better and that God has such great plans for each and every one of us. I've been so blessed with the most amazing friends and family encouraging me through the whole process and praying for me and being apart of this beautiful journey with me. I can't wait to see the ways God will use me to further his kingdom and help his people. My heart is overflowing with the joy of such an amazing opportunity to serve and love God's people. I don't know where life is gonna take me next year, but I know it's going to be one crazy adventure full of tears and laughs and lots and lots of love. 

Here I am. Send me. 

Making the Days Count

These past couple months my life has consisted of going nonstop and constantly having things to do. It's felt like I haven't had any time to just sit and enjoy life and all its many blessings. After finally catching my breath after months of constant business, I started thinking. Just thinking about everything and how hectic my life has become. Thinking of my future and the path God is trying to reveal to me. Thinking of my family and my friends. Thinking about senior year and how just a few short months my life will be totally flipped upside down. Then the thought came to me, Why is it that we hate being still? 

It seems that we can't go a minute without doing something. We are constantly filling our time and squeezing in everything we can into the 24 hours we are given each day. We are all guilty of this habit of making ourselves so busy that we can't appreciate the little special moments of life. We can never seem to just take a minute and realize just how beautiful this life really is. Upon realizing this, I've challenged myself to just take a moment out of everyday, just a small moment, to look up. Look up at the beautiful sky we walk under everyday but never truly take a good look at. Look at how God has blessed us each day and what he taught us today. Look at our families and realize how thankful we are for them and their unconditional love. It really is the little things that mean the most. But sometimes we let those little moments slip away until they are apart of a huge memory that all becomes a blur as life goes on. We allow only the big moments to stick in our memory rather than remembering the small precious moments that happen in the day to day. 

"Cause life is not the mountain tops. Its the walking in between."

-Ben Rector 

I don't want to live my life just going through the motions every day. I want to make every day count and mean something. Too many times I have let myself fall unconscious to the blessings each new day brings and have let life pass me by. I don't want to get to the point where you look back and realize how much time has passed of you falling numb to the world around you and what God has been doing in your life. Carpe diem. We must seize the day. Each and every day we are on this earth we need to be joyful and thankful and truly live. Every day holds the potential for something beautiful to happen if we let God work in our lives. Enjoy the people around you and be grateful that God has given you another day here on earth to spread his kingdom.

It's Not The End, It Is The Beginning

Yesterday, the world lost a very special person. Miss Kelsi Little left this world and joined the angels up in heaven. Her life may have been short, but she lived it well. Being brutally attacked by cancer is never an easy thing to go through, but Kelsi fought like hell and truly left her mark on many people. God was able to show her just how widely and deeply she was loved in a way only he could have planned perfectly on just the right day. Without knowing when Kelsi's last day might be, many of her friends and former students put together a small gathering to celebrate Kelsi's life and to tell the many memories they had made with Kelsi. They called it "Kelsi Little Day" and what more appropriate of a title could that have been for her last day here on earth. The loss of Kelsi is not easy to comprehend to anyone who was touched by her life but Kelsi did what she needed to do here on earth so that she could be in her eternal resting place in heaven. Losing the life of such a sweet, encouraging person brought me to thinking just how precious life is and how quickly is can be taken away from us. We like to think of death as the end. A scary, sad reality that our time here on earth is over and we will never return. Bur death is only the beginning. We are simply living on earth, our temporary home, anxiously desiring our true home; heaven. It is hard for us to accept this reality though. We view death as a sad and heartbreaking thing when really it is something to rejoice over because a loved one if finally going home. It is hard for us to look at the world the same after someone we love so deeply isn't in it anymore. But this isn't our home. Earth is not where we belong, we belong to something so much greater. Somewhere so much more divine and eternal; heaven. We exist on earth only for a short period of time for a purpose. We are here to love people and to make forever friends and we try the best we can to make something of ourselves and this one shot at life we have been given. But we have to continually remind ourselves that death is not the end, it is the beginning. The beginning to something beautiful and everlasting. God has a plan for each of us and as cliche as it sounds, it is true. God knows what we are going to accomplish with our one life, he knows the children of his that we are going to grow to love, and he knows the number of days each of us have on our temporary home. The amount of time God gives us may seem short, like in Kelsi's case, but I have come to realize that it is not the number of days we have in our lives, it is the amount of living we do in each of our numbered days that matters. Each one of us, as God's children, have a different mission to accomplish within our numbered days. We are all called to a life of loving unconditionally and furthering God's kingdom. We shouldn't fear death, we should welcome it with open arms as a new rebirth to something bigger than any of us could ever imagine. When my time comes, I don't want people to be sad that I am gone, rather I want my life and the things I did to be celebrated. I want my loved ones to rejoice in the fact that I am finally where my heart belongs. I want there to be a "Reya Martinez Day" and for people to celebrate about the life I lived. None of us know when our own time will come to depart this temporary home for our eternal home which is why we have to continually thank God for the people we love and for the chance to see another day. We are only given one life but if we live it right, one life is all we need.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."

 This quote by Oscar Wilde couldn't be more true. We tend to think only about the end and all the things that go along with it. We get so wrapped up in the idea that once life is over here, its over. But life starts when we get to heaven. What we have here on earth is all temporary, but God wanted us to have the chance to make something of ourselves and leave something for the world. We can't let our life go on before our eyes merely thinking about the end, rather we must truly live our life and not take for granted our years on this earth. We must always be pursuing a greater purpose and always striving towards our true home. Heaven.

 

The World Race Gap Year

I'm excited to say I think I am starting to see the future God has called me to. The past couple of months, and really a large portion of my life, I have felt the call to serve others and to be Christ to others. I've always had a deep love for people and a desire to be able to meet their every need. I've always known I wanted to do mission work some time in my life but I wasn't really sure when I would. I had always thought that I would live the typical life, go to college, meet my husband, get a job and have kids and somewhere I would fit in time for mission work. I never would have thought that God may be calling me to take a year in between to do his work instead of going to college straight after graduation. The idea seemed crazy to me at first, and I figured it would probably sound even crazier to my parents who have always taught me how important my education was. So when I brought up the idea, it was safe to say I was completely shocked by their response: that sounds like a great idea. I think that would be a really amazing opportunity for you Reya. The call seemed to be coming so loudly ever since the first idea popped into my head and I was thrilled but fear crept in occasionally. My mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of leaving home for a year and traveling the world to do the mission work I'd always wanted to do.

So I began the search. I would be on the computer for hours on end trying to find a gap year program that could satisfy the desires that had been placed upon my heart a long time before. The search continued and it seemed like I was never going to be able to find a program that I was either eligible for, or one that I actually wanted to go on. I was starting to lose hope and just figured that maybe I would just go to college like everybody else and leave the silly thought behind. I started college applications and all the stress of it seemed to be taking over my life and oddly enough the only thing that could make me stop worrying was thinking of mission work and helping people. God was placing these thoughts on my heart because he was calling ME. He was continually trying to make me realize that I'm not made for an ordinary life but I refused to listen. Somehow, God always brought me back to that thought and I knew I couldn't just continue to ignore it and try and make my own path for myself.

So i began the search again, but this time with a new mindset. I decided I would let God show me where he wanted me to be, not where I wanted myself to be. My sweet friend Delaney and I decided one day in the summer that we would make a day out of it and go to morning mass together then head to barnes & Nobles to research different gap year programs. I knew it the minute I watched the video and read the description that I had found where my heart belongs. The World Race Gap Year. A nine month mission trip spending three months in Central America, three months in Southeast Asia, and three months in Africa. Days would be spent visiting orphanages, doing construction work, teaching and tutoring children, door-to-door evangelization and many other things. Every day bringing a new surprise and way to learn to love all of God's children.

From that moment on, I knew I had to go. I just felt the call so strongly that this was the program God wants for me and the people I will touch are the ones that God wants me to help. Everything seemed to be falling together. An amazing program, the most supportive parents I could have ever asked for, and the opportunity of a lifetime. Since that day, there hasn't been a day that goes by where I don't think of the opportunity God has placed in my life. I pray every day that I can have the courage and the faith to be bold and to live a radical life for the sake of spreading the kingdom of the God I love so deeply. Every time I picture a child in need, I know I must go. I believe God has called me by name to see the pain of the world in a unique way and want to do something about it with the gifts he has given me. Nothing brings me a greater joy than thinking about the possible life God has planned for me after this year. I'm so thankful that I serve a God who is so much greater than all the hurt in the world and wants to use me, an inexperienced, adopted child of his and use me to accomplish great things on this earth. Every time I tell someone my future plans to take a gap year and then go to college I get a different response. Mostly good, hopeful responses that think it's a good idea but I also get the occasional bad responses that tell me I shouldn't do it and that it's crazy. And it is crazy, it's crazy to leave home for 9 months to places you've never seen before and help people you've never met but the though has never scared me, it's only excited me. Every time I let the the reasons of why I shouldn't go creep into my mind, they are completely shut down by the multitude of reasons why I should go. The good far outweighs the bad in this situation. I know this is what I am called to do and this is the live that God wants me to live. I pray that I can fulfill the task and just love people big. After all, Bob Goff said,

Love's plan is pretty simple: Everybody, always.

My job is simple. Follow the path God lays before me. Love and show compassion to every one of God's children. Use this life God has given me to do something great. Make a difference in people's lives.

                                      

The First Goodbye

Today is the day I have been dreading for quite some time. The day I finally have to say goodbye to my best friend and the day a piece of my heart is gone leaving a hole nothing could fill. 7 months ago I never thought it would be this hard to say goodbye. I also never thought I would meet my best friend 7 months ago. I can't help but wish for more time. Sadly, I'm coming to the realization that there's never gonna be enough time with the people you love.

Saying goodbye to Brendan today was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I didn't know it was possible to love and care for someone so much in such a short amount of time. I think what gets me the most is knowing that things will never be the same no matter how hard I try to make them be. It breaks my heart to know that I will no longer be able to call up my best friend and him be at my house in a matter of minutes. Brendan has one of the biggest hearts I know. His constant outpouring of love and care for each and every person he encounters is something I think we should all strive for. I am so thankful that God blessed me with such an amazing friend to live life with and I am so thankful for all the memories I've been given. The amount of joy Brendan has brought me is immeasurable and as much as he says I changed his life, I think he's the one that has changed me. I don't know how I am worthy of such a friendship. The Lord is so good to me. No longer will I be able to listen to an eminem song and not hear him singing every word. No longer will I be able to eat Chinese food without thinking "let's go eat Chinese food cause that's what real best friends do". No longer will I be able to go stargazing without laying in the back of a truck with a bunch of pillows and blankets. Brendan has taught me a lot of things. He has taught me what it means to be a true friend and what it means to truly desire the best for someone. He has taught me that you can make friends anywhere at anytime, all you need to do is be open to it.


My heart is sad because I know that my time with Brendan has come to an end for now. Things are going to be a lot different from now on but I know I will never be the same because of Brendan Mcguigan and his power to change lives. I am forever thankful that God brought such a loving man of God into my life and helped him make such a big impact on me. Although I am going to miss him terribly and as much as it pains my heart to know he's so far away, I know Richmond is where he is meant to be right now and that he is going to do great things there. Praise God that I was given the privilege of getting to know such an amazing person. I now know that there is never gonna be enough time, but if you learn to cherish the moments you can always make up for it. Richmond may be taking away my best friend, but I know Texas will always be home with all of us.

Living A Good Story

Today was nothing special, just an ordinary day. But I seemed to see God in everything I experienced today and I couldn't help but share. I saw God in the breath-taking sunrise my Dad woke me up for, that painted the sky the most beautiful colors and made for a gorgeous sunny day. I saw God in my parents love for each other as I watched the sunrise with them. I saw God in my beautiful sisters as we spent time climbing rocks and doing crazy jumps off them into a surprisingly clear lake. I saw God as we walked into mass today and I was instantly greeted with friends, old and new. I saw God in our visiting priest's homily as he spoke about missions and
our job to help people who can't help themselves and that even though we may think our contribution is small, we are still helping to change the world. I saw God in Father Izzy as he embraced me with the hug of a long lost best friend and claimed he wouldn't ever let me go. I saw God in little Amelia as her and her radiant smile entered graciously back into my heart and as she gave my the best present I've ever received, a shirt with Pope Francis's beautiful face on it. She brought so much joy to me through the simple act of love as she thought of me when she went to Rome. I saw God in the beautiful sunset that he left across the sky as a reminder that life is short but the blessings we receive are endless. He was so ever present in my day and I am so thankful I let him be. Nothing can compare to the joy you feel when you are content and know that this life is good and that we are far more blessed than we'd like to acknowledge. God gave us this crazy, beautiful life and told us to go out and live a good story. I can only hope that I'm living these days out to their fullest, surrounded with a beautiful family who loves me dearly, my faith to get me through the good and the bad times, and the beautiful sky to remind me how beautiful this life really is.

Fransiscan LEAD

July 14, 2014. I boarded a plane with one of my best friends Delaney to finally enter into the week I had been waiting for all summer. I had no expectations of what the week might look like but I was hoping that my faith would be renewed. I knew that God was going to do something good in my life this week but I had no idea that it would be as significant and life-changing as it was.

God came into my life this week and did some amazing, unforgettable things. He has set a burning desire in my heart for him and opened my eyes to the life I need to be living. Because of this wonderful week with my LEAD family I am forever changed. I never want to go back to the way and the person that I once was. Before this week my faith was running dry. I felt like I was just stuck in this rut and didn't know how to escape. I was feeling so alone and distant and God just welcomed me back into his loving arms without hesitation. The love our Father in Heaven has for us is so incomprehensible but to even grasp a part of the tremendous love he has for us will change your life, and that's what happened to me this week. I truly believe that once you realize how much the Lord loves us, you can never be the same. God sent the most wonderful people into my life and I am so thankful for all the laughs and friendships that came from it. Imagine the most encouraging, loving, passionate, on fire for the Lord humans and you'll see my LEAD family. Having the most God-fearing, humble servants of the Lord all gathered in one place to share in the same faith has got to be one of the most beautiful sights to see. I thank the Lord for all the kind-hearted lights that he brought into my life this week. I am forever grateful that I met people who were so hard to say goodbye to. Saying goodbye to the people that had quickly become so important to me was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It is so hard waking up and not being surrounded by 20 beautiful souls ready to encourage and love on you all day long. I truly knew that God's love for me was so strong when I realized how blessed I was to have 20 new people to call my friends. Their faith inspired me to grow deeper into mine and to seek true companionship with the Lord. These people will always have a special place in my heart and I pray that God continues to work in our lives and hopefully write our stories with each other in mind. I thank the Lord for new friendships and new beginnings.

This week God has taught me humility and compassion through the washing of feet. He has taught me the importance of silence and the peace it can bring to even the loudest of hearts. He has taught me what it means to truly worship and praise him for all the goodness He has provided us. He has taught me love through the sending of 20 of His amazing children of God. He has taught me that there are times when I can't do it on my own and that sometimes all I have to do is look up and ask for His guidance to help conquer the battles of life. He has taught me the importance of prayer and spending quality time with the Him, the one who gave his life for my sake and for the whole world. He has taught me that I don't have to be scared or anxious if I don't get an immediate rush of emotions or answer when spending time with him in prayer because he is working on me and my story even when I am unaware. He has taught me to pray as I AM not as I OUGHT. That I am right where He wants me and that He loves everything about me. He wants all of me. All my brokenness and my problems, all my past mistakes, he wants all of me especially the messy stuff of my life and He longs to make me new. 

LEAD was no doubt one of the best weeks of my life. I can't even describe the amount of joy this week has brought me. God has blessed me with a new family, with 20 brothers and sisters to help strengthen me on this faith journey. A week full of prayer, adoration, and worship has left my heart full and my eyes looking up to the cross. I am so thankful to have been given the amazing opportunity to fall in love with the one who gave us all his love. I am comforted in the fact that If Christ had to endure the cross all over again just for me, he would do it in a heartbeat just like he died for the whole world. This week has brought me exactly what I needed in my life and more. My prayer life has dramatically transformed and I am no longer the checklist christian I once was. I believe that God has a perfect plan for all of our lives and that even through the struggles of life and the pain, He is there trying to write the perfect ending. Our God is not a God who fails to answer prayers or one that is going to abandon us. Our God is forever faithful and will never stop fighting for us. There are no words to describe the impact it truly had on my life but I now know that I am not called to be normal. I am called to stand out and to be radical in my faith. I am called to spread God's love to the ends of the earth and bring praise to his holy name with all that I have.

So long, farewell

And just like that another week of camp come and gone. But this time it's completely different because I'm not gonna be back as a camper again. While this makes me extremely sad I'm so excited to be able to be on work crew and possibly be a coach in the next couple of years! But that's a whole nother adventure.

JOY. If I had to describe my last week at camp it would be joyful. Joyful because I got to spend a week with an amazing group of girls who make me a better person each and every day. Joyful because I got to see a whole new side of God and my faith. Joyful because making memories that would last was something extremely important. And lastly joyful because I am finally happy with where I'm at. 

COLLEGE. Leading up to camp, the all consuming stress of college had been weighing heavily on my shoulders. I've known where I wanted to go my whole life but the reality that I might not end up there is something I'm slowly starting to realize. With scheduling college visits to schools I don't even know that I could see myself at and getting back SAT and ACT scores that just "aren't good enough" it's been a real struggle on my mind lately. 

PHILIPPIANS. But at camp a constant theme of our weeks book of the bible, Philippians was just being conent with where you are at. Being content that you are right where God wants you to be and being content that things are going to end up just how they're supposed to. Another constant theme was that we are called to rejoice in every circumstance. To rejoice in both the bad and the good and to be joyful even though our trials. It was incredible hearing these messages over and over and just letting them sink in. It was a total God moment just being told over and over just about how God's plan for us is already perfect and thought out and that we are right where he wants us if so comforting. It's like all the pain and worry I was having about college didn't need to be there and I could finally breathe and take a step back. But that was only part of it. 

WHITE ROCK. This week God blessed me with the most amazing group of girls I could have ever asked for. He have me 11 other sisters in Christ that I could just pour out my heart to and let go of all the things I had been keeping inside to them. They seriously rock and are the best support group I could ever have. Every night we would all come together on the floor in a circle and just share about ourselves and have deep talks about life and our walks with God. And let me tell ya, I live for those late night talks full of truth and love. The last night we went around just affirming each other and giving each other the love we couldn't seem to find in the world. 

WOG. WOG (women of God) was absolutely incredible. Just getting that time to be with just girls and share about what it's like to be a woman of God. We talked about all the blanks in our life, all the things that we let keep us from not feeling good enough not only to other people and guys but not good enough for God. We learned that we are enough. We are enough just the way we are and God have us each other so that we could see all the beautiful things about each other even when we can't see them ourselves. 

MAIN THING. All of the talks were incredible from talking about grace to our sin to being content. So much so that even if we lost everything we would be okay because we still had God. 

LAKEVIEW. Just getting the amazing opportunity to sing out over God's amazing creation was so awesome. Singing while look out at the beautiful lake and the stars that soak the night sky is truly one of my favorite sights. With beautiful singing and acoustics nothing can beat worshiping in the overwhelming presence of the God who created our beautiful with one word. Nothing can beat Lakeview. 

ACTIVITIES. From high ropes to zero shock to pool to tubing and wakeboarding to  tradition day it's safe to say you are never bored. Being able to be apart of Christ-filled adventure is such a blessing. I love getting to do all the activities cause they rock. 

KRAUSE. Something as seniors that we got to do was adventure over to Krause springs. It was so much fun and full of lots of laughter and wayy too much pizza but go big or go home right? We just explored and ended up finding an awesome waterfall and took some sweet gopro pictures. We got to go off an awesome rope swing and even ventured into a dark cave that made for a hilarious video. It was such a blast getting to spend time with all my favorite ladies and definetly a great memory to have. 

CAMPFIRE. One of my all time favorite things about Camp Travis is getting to sit around a campfire Wednesday nights and just share in each other's lives and struggles ( while getting to eat some kick butt s'mores btw :-) ) which is absolutely amazing. Becoming so vulnerable and open is sometimes hard at first but you learn so much about yourself and your friends and as the night goes on it starts to feel comfortable and you're able to free yourselves of the things that are holding you back from being joyful.

I could never say enough able the place I call home but I'm so thankful to have gotten to spend two years at such an awesome place to grow in faith and make new friendships. The things Camp Travis has done in my life has truly changed me and for that I'm forever grateful.

Here's a video of my awesome last week as a camper at the wonderful Camp Travis. Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/fMYNn31ykMs

Camp Travis Bound

Today's the day. The day I've been waiting for all year long! Today is the day I get to go home to my happy place. Camp. I couldn't be more thrilled to finally be starting my last week ever as a camper! I am beyond excited to see how this week turns out and what good things The Lord will do in my life. Being only my second year I can't say that I have been at this amazing place my whole life but just from last year I know it's where I'm meant to be! Camp brings me complete and utter joy. Being surrounded by the most God-loving people who are constantly lifting you up is one of the most special things. Without camp, I would have never met the people I call my best friends today. Camp has given me an extended family I'm honored to call my own and has given me somewhere to grow deeply in my faith. From lakeview to meals in the rio, I'm going to miss my camp home deeply but I'm prepared to make this last week as a camper something to remember. I know the Lord has incredible things waiting for me this week and I'm so stoked to see how things turn out. I'm coming in with an open heart and open mind ready to make the most of the precious time I have left at this heaven on earth.

                                  

I was 16 with an open heart

And there it goes. Another birthday come and gone. But I can easily say it was the best birthday I have ever had. Being surprised with my friend from Florida only started the great joy I would receive this past weekend. I was blindfolded and taken to an unknown place but was soon suddenly face to face with my wonderful friend that I hadn't seen in almost a year. I still can't believe something so big and special was surprised just for me. Showing Bradley Austin wouldn't be complete without delicious Kerby Lane breakfast, some home slice pizza to make your heart happy, and some sweet Amy's ice cream to top it all off. As our day came to a close with a hammocking adventure in the rain my heart was more than full; it was overflowing with joy. Little did I know I would have another surprise waiting for me. While doing the last fixes for the party my sweet sweet friends started to trickle in and that's when Emily (a.k.a. The best person you will ever meet) walked through the door embracing me with the biggest hug I could ever imagine. I couldn't believe that my friends would surprise me with two of my most favorite people in the world all in one day. Laughs were had and friendships were made as the night went on and I still could not comprehend just how blessed I was. It wasn't until my wonderful father told me "You really have some great friends Reya. You picked them well." That I realized just how amazing they all truly are. With a lake weekend following the night I couldn't have been happier to spend more time with the people I loved. It was time well spent playing games, tubing till our elbows were all cut up, and being goofy all the while. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend filled with the most amazing people. I was finally reunited with my little sunshine Eliza bear and I couldn't even contain the happiness she brought me. How was it that I could have all this in one weekend? But everything came back to my incredible best friends. I will never be able to describe the love I have for these Jesus loving people I get to call my best friends. No one had ever made me feel as loved as they did this weekend and for that I am incredibly thankful. There is no one I would have rather wanted to spend my birthday with than these fools. I love the life I have and the people who can instantly brighten my day. I can honestly say I don't know what I would go without their constantly encouraging words and compassionate hearts. 16 treat me well. Can't wait to see what 17 has to offer with the best friends I could have ever asked for.

                                                 

The Rest Is Still Unwritten

As the school year begins to come to a close, one thing always comes around; high school soccer banquet. A time when some of the last laughs as a team are shared, way too many pictures are taken, and tears are shed as seniors speak about how fast high school went by. Year after year you keep getting older yet you never think that someday YOU are going to be the one who is up at the podium crying your eyes out just wishing for a little bit more time. 

Realizing that this would be "the crew's" last year that we would all be living in the same town we knew we had to do something to make the most of the short time we have left. So the six of us decided that we would make our own sisterhood of the traveling pants to make sure we would ALWAYS be together some way. Today marked the first meeting of the traveling pants which wouldn't be complete without candles, junk food, and of course, the pants. Beginning with a beautiful opening prayer and coming up with our own rules for our sisterhood tonight marked only the beginning of something that will always hold us together. 

We may not have much time left together in this town we have all called home for so long, but we are determined to live our lives to the fullest this last year we have been given. We may not know what crazy twists and turns life will take us on but we know that we will always be "the crew". Because after all, the rest is still unwritten. 

Our Coffee Table

Today at mass, we had a visiting priest from Minnesota, Father Michael Schmitz, come and give the homily. He started his homily by talking about our coffee table and how we put things on our coffee table that we want people to think or know about us. We put things like sports, jobs, friends, relationships, family, and Jesus all on our coffee table each having their own part of the table. All of these things are good things and they all make up who we are and our personalities. Yes, Jesus is on our coffee table, he has a place there, but he only has one part of the table and sometimes he ends up being thrown in with all the rest of the stuff on our table instead of receiving priority. We start to put all these other things before him and don't give God the proper amount of time he truly deserves in our busy and hectic lives.

He then asked us to think about what one thing could we live with if everything else was taken away from us. What one thing could you have in your life that when everything else was gone you would still be okay with this ONE thing? He said maybe it is your job, if you had only your job left and were able to be successful and make a change in your work that you would be okay. Maybe its relationships, if you got striped of everything but your spouse you would still be okay. Or maybe it's your health, that even if everything else was taken away, your house or your family, that you would still manage to be okay because you were alive. But, he said, that if Jesus isn't the one thing that would leave you okay, that if he wasn't the only thing that could get you through when everything else was gone, that you truly wouldn't be okay even if you had your friends or your health. We must make him the center of our coffee table, so that when people look at us they see Jesus inside us and all the other things on the side of him rather than the other way around. Because Jesus, he said, is the only thing that will never go away. He is the only thing that will remain forever until the day that we die and even then he is with us in eternity. The only thing that can satisfy our hungry hearts.

You see, all these things can point back toward our desire for money, success, and the need to be loved and are all idols in our lives that try to cover up the deep love Christ has for us. They turn into the center of our lives and we get into the routine of living solely to make money enough so that we can have more and more things that in the end will only leave us more empty than we were before. Because you see, these idols are sent to distract us from following the one who simply wants to be with us. When looking at your coffee table all these things seem good and harmless however, a good thing turns into a bad thing when it becomes the ultimate thing. When we allow all these temporary things to fill up our coffee table we are blocking ourselves off from the only thing that is permanent in our lives, Jesus.

Jesus' Hands and Feet

My whole life two things have always been most important to me, my Catholic faith and my family. I've always had a good home life and God has given me the most compassionate family I could ever asked for. My wonderful parents have been with me every step of the journey and have supported each and every decision. They have showed me how to truly love and live a life for others. The past couple years  of my life, I have really gained a big interest in missionary work and living a life towards serving others. There is a certain amazing feeling you get after helping someone in need. I read this quote a few days ago from John Bunyan, and he said:

"You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you."

We were brought into this world to be Jesus' hands and feet. To show Jesus' love to each and every child of God we encounter. God didn't create us to be like everyone else either, he called us to stand out and to make a difference in this suffering world around us and to lead people to him. I believe that God has deeply rooted this need to serve others and the idea of living third {God first. Others second. Myself third.} It breaks my heart every time I see a homeless man or women left on the streets all alone to fend for themselves. I long for the day to come when all of God's children are treated with the dignity and praise they deserve. Which leads to my longing to help all the people I possibly can. To impact as many lives in my life as I can. I want to go bigger and beyond just my state and my country. I want to reach out to some of the poorest countries that are in desperate need of basic necessities you and I take for granted. I want to give people hope and let them know they are so deeply LOVED. Which is why I feel as though God has called me to join the Peace Corps. To give back the deep love the Father has given me and spread joy as many places as possible.