Just Georgia : January 2020

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

7 Days!!

HOLY COW.

Seven days until I leave for mission trip!!! I have packed, unpacked, and then avoided packing. I'm savoring the nights I can sleep in my own bed, and taking hot showers and washing my hair. I am also enjoying my fancy (and according to billy, complicated) coffee, and doing my best to not have mini panic attacks because it has finally hit me that I have absolutely no idea what I am walking into, and for the first time in my life, I wont even have the option to call my mom or dad to help me out. I actually have to rely on my team, and most important, God.

That's what I am so excited for, honestly. There will be nowhere to go but to God, and other people that I don't really know, that love Jesus with the same (or more) passion that I do. I have always wanted to go on a mission trip. That's what I wanted to be, a missionary. I remember a few years ago, my youth pastor, Matt, took me on a trip to this thing called CIY. It was a really fun and cool experience. Youth groups from all over the state (and even some from Washington and Idaho) came to celebrate and learn about Jesus. Kids were turning their lives over to Jesus, rededicating their lives, and it was amazing watching the holy spirit move. I know that I cried. A lot.

On the last day, they asked us if we wanted to have jobs in the ministry, like being pastors or youth ministers or missionaries. Things like that. I knew that I wanted to be, and it was just really cool to be a part of that group of kids that stood up. We were given resources an phone numbers to help us on our journey, and it was really cool because Matt was so excited. The point is, I knew. I've known. I remember being a kiddo in like, second grade, walking down the hall to the bathroom, telling myself that I was going to be alright because God sent me here for a really good reason. I was here to be a little light for Jesus.

Later in my high school years, I wanted to become a missionary and travel and write about the changes I saw and the way God worked in me as I worked for Him. Now, here I am. I'm terrified in the best way possible. I'm nervous, but I cant wait to go. I have no idea what I am doing, but I cant wait to see how the Lord uses me.

I will be taking tons of photos while I am in Chile! I will have a huge blog. I'm going to be journaling every day so I don't forget anything. I'm so nervous, but I am so so so excited and I just cant wait to see what God has planed for me!! Holy smokes guys.

Ephesians 1 3-14
3. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5. he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6. to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8. that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9. he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10. to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12. in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14. who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

I am created by God, He designed me, so I am not a mistake
His son died for me, just so I could be forgiven
He picked me to be His own, so I am chosen
He redeemed me, so I am wanted
He showed me grace, just so I could be saved
He has a future for me, because He loves me
So I don't wonder anymore, I am a child of God
~Overcomer

Monday, January 13, 2020

Chile

Hola!!!

I sill don't know ANY Spanish and we have one translator!!

That being said, welcome to my most recent Chile update.

I can't believe how fast this six months has gone. I haven't even noticed it passing. Hello. I leave in like three weeks. We had out first meeting about Chile last week. There are 8 people going from my team, and 8 people on the team that Chile is sending to go with us. Thats 16 people total, and only one of us can speak both languages, so this is going to be fun!! I am actually really excited. My pastor told us that this is the smallest team that Chile has ever sent to go with us, and I am really really excited. I know that was God. I was worried about meeting so many new people, and not being able to connect with all of them. I feel like I will be able to learn more, even though its a smaller group. More about each person individually, more about their walk with Christ, and more about their culture. Smaller groups are more intimate.

I am also really excited because the translator is an English teacher. As most of you know, I am currently at a cross road with what exactly I would like to make my career, and I am teaching rn (in an after school program) and LOVING it. I haven't even left for the mission and I can already feel God working on me, through this mission. The language barrier is going to be difficult, but I am really excited to learn how to over come that and experience a culture that is completely different from mine.

I will be on a little island called Quehui ("Kay-Wee). I will have no cell service, there will be one bathroom for six girls to share, and i will have to wash all my clothes by hand. we will be sleeping on the floor of the church, and other than that, we really don't know what we will be doing, which I think is SO. HECKIN. COOL. I'm not very good at being spontaneous. I am, sorta, when I get to plan my spontaneity. Or when I know where I am going or what I am doing, but I also really love having schedules, they don't even keep time! The leader of the Chilean team will say "ok lets go" and we might not know where we are going, or what we are doing, but we just grab our stuff and go!!!

I am nervous because we will be doing some door to door evangelism. I need to have a devotion, and a testimony ready to go, and I honestly have no idea what to say. I feel like my journey to God was an emotional roller coaster full of little moments that kinda kicked me into God's grace, but I never really had like, one HUGE moment where I was like "Ok, I can't do this without God and I want to choose Him and let Him be the leader of my life." I kinda grew up with God in my home. My mom got us little picture bibles and she talked about Jesus and we went to VBS and church sometimes. So I always knew that God was real.

I guess thats my main struggle. I feel like my testimony wont really be enough. I almost feel like Moses. He had a speaking impairment and God still chose him to be the speaker, which I guess should make me fell better, but I just don't feel like my story is even going to change anything for anyone. I didn't come out of drugs or lust or a criminal record. I'm just little me that went through some hard stuff but nothing really horrible. My mom and I were watching Bridget Jones one day, and she got caught in this Mexican prison or whatever for drug smuggling (which wasn't her fault) and she started talking about how her boyfriend was so horrible, and the girls around her started telling her how their boyfriends beat them and stole their money and sold them into sex slavery, and all of a sudden, Mr. Darcy didn't seem that bad. So I kinda feel like Bridget in that sense, too. Like, yep. I had some struggles, but nothing THAT bad.

When I am asked about what I am most excited for about this mission, I always say that A) I am so heckin excited to kinda rough it and follow where the Lord leads for two weeks and B) I know this mission will change me probably more than I change anything else. Maybe God will help me see value in my shabby story of coming to him. Maybe God will help me see real value in myself. I want to build relationships with the people around me. I really hope God works on me. I am completely open to being molded. I am headed into probably the biggest change of my life so far (getting married) and I want God to help me become who He has planned for me to be.

God has a plan, I know that. He chose me to be a part of that, which I've been trying to understand since I saw it on the bus window. I will be journaling every day so that when I come home, I can either A) make a little series of all of my journal entries, or B) make one big post about my mission (also so my mom can read it. It feels weird knowing I wont get to share any of this with her until I get home) There will be more blogs to come, I hope you stay tuned!! I love you guys, thank you for your support!!

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Best friend to Fiance`

It was a rainy day. Dreary, discouraging weather, really. My tummy was in knots.
Was my outfit ok? Were my jeans too ripped? Was the jacket too much?
I checked my phone probably a million times. Sorta praying there wouldn't be a text, sorta over eager for a text back. Today would be my first date with a boy I had briefly met in a mall almost six months earlier. We had talked over Snapchat and Instagram. I had never been this nervous in my life. His baseball game had run two hours over and his phone died. So I sat in the living room of my best friends house, alone, and waited for his red chevy to pull into the driveway.

Let me tell you. The moment I saw his cool smile, my heart dropped through the floor. Standing by his truck, messy baseball uniform, hands in his pockets. Its like the sun decided to come out just for him. Holy crap. What do I do??

That night, after meeting his entire family, and laughing the whole time (they are truly great people), he drove me home. We talked about the stars and the possibilities and tried to figure out if the other person wanted to go out again (even though we lived 5 hours apart and had no idea if it would actually work), and he stopped his truck, grabbed my hand, and told me he was going to marry me one day.

Yep. After one date. Our FIRST date.

It was my first date, ever. I just laughed at him and squeezed his hand and prayed to God that He knew what he was doing, because even if I wouldn't admit it, I really hoped that guy was going to marry me.

WELLL Two years later and here we are. Engaged. Future Mrs. William Edward Wisor

When Billy and I started talking, he was just a fun person to talk to. He called me every day after I got off work and he finished his sports. We talked until his little brother got off the bus and then we'd talk all night after we went to bed. Five hours apart, all odds against us. Two kids trying to giggle quietly while the houses were sleeping around us.

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, crying right now. You guys have read my blog. You know that school was never easy for me. I struggled with making friends. I spent so many nights, crying and begging God for a best friend. Just one, that would be my best friend forever. Who would stand beside me at my wedding (I was expecting him to bring me a girl best friend lol) and then all of a sudden, I legit ran into this guy, dancing like an idiot in a random mall in a town far away from my home town, on a youth group trip. He wound up going to school and even being in the same history class as my friend whos house I was staying at.

From that day forward, I had someone to talk to, someone to sing in the car, someone to share my secrets with and cry to. Someone I trusted, someone who trusted me and was just as loyal and dedicated to a friendship, as I was. Somewhere along the line, we fell n love and never looked back. Old Dominion concerts and days at the gym, movie dates and laser quest with him and his little brother, dinners at his parents house. We wrote letters while he was in boot camp, called each other nightly, even with a time difference. Saved all our cash and flew me down to Florida for his graduations. All the while, finding comfort in that no matter how many miles away we were from each other, we were seeing the same moon and stars. The same ones we had our first kiss under, the same stars we gazed at and talked about our future. The same stars we ran under during graduation night with his class. The same stars he asked me to marry him under, even if we couldn't see them.

We are young, both have growing up to do, and both of are almost aware of how huge of a change and choice this is. We have not set a wedding date, we don't know his deployment schedule. Hes still in Jacksonville finishing up school. I don't know when the next time I will see him is, all I know is that I look forward to his good morning texts and good night calls, even if all we get is 15 minutes before we both have something else we have to go do. I hope to spend the time I have left as Just Georgia, hanging out with my friends, my family, and spending time in my bible (I'M GOING TO CHILE IN LESS THAN 4 WEEKS GUYS!!!!!!!) and growing as much as I can, learning as much as I can, and soaking in this happy season of my life. <3 thank you guys for all your love and support!!