Hello all!!

I just realized that it has been one month since my last post! Let me just apologize for not being more proactive in updating you guys. It is my new goal to be more diligent about sharing how God's goodness has been pouring into my life.

7 weeks have already passed since I have left home and we are already half way through lecture phase. I cannot tell you how much I wish time would slow down. Every single day the Lord has a new revelation or word or vision for me that it is almost too much to take in. However, one thing a DTS is excellent for is giving students time and space to process. That has definitely been a gigantic blessing. Plus, I have a mentor here who I can go to for anything. Her name is Carol and she is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. I am so extremely appreciative for our weekly one on one times where I can just pour out my joys and my sorrows to her. We can talk about anything under the sun, and trust me, we have!

Each week we are graced with a different speaker assigned a particular topic to teach. I have definitely grown through all of them, but two people in particular have so changed my way of thinking that I must share my experiences with you. First of all, two weeks ago, a man named Ted Garry came and spoke about The Father Heart of God. He was just so open and honest about the importance of viewing God as the ultimate and perfect Father that the reality of the absence of my own Earthly dad hit me like a ton of bricks. However, the story doesn't end with heartache- actually, no story of God's ever ends in heartache- but what strongholds were torn down in my life, Jesus replaced with love and assurance. Moreover, Ted so demonstrated the love of a dad through his actions and words that it was almost like God was giving me a true to life picture of what His heart as a father is really like. What an awe-inspiring concept! Viewing my Savior as a Daddy absolutely revolutionized the way I interact with Him. Now, I run to Him for everything because He is interested in ALL I have to say. What a gift <3
Also, one of the highlights of that week with Ted was his prophecy over my life. He just confirmed so many things inside of me that I had been struggling with that I knew, that I knew, that I knew it was God. Christ spoke through Ted and told me that I am genuine and authentic, that I am beautiful in His eyes, that I am not broken but restored, and that I am a woman set to run the race for God and His Kingdom. How freely I wept, for those were the exact words I needed to hear.
Finally, Ted ended the week by having us each write a letter to our Earthly dad confronting him, forgiving him, and blessing him and a letter to our Heavenly Father. Let me just say- WHEW! What a breaking of bondage there was in my life and the lives of my fellow brothers and sisters. I will never forget those 5 days.

The next speaker I want to tell you about is actually the woman who is talking to us this very week. Her name is Ellen and she too is from the United States. However, she is teaching about "Finding Your Destiny", and man, God has really been challenging me on this one. My favorite quote Ellen shared that sums up the weightiness of this topic is this, "If you can accomplish the dreams that you have on your own, you are not dreaming big enough". Since she uttered those words, the Lord has not allowed me to limit Him and what He wants to do through me. Can I just tell you, my horizons have expanded so dramatically that a life of normalcy seems ludicrous now. There is no way that I can go home and live an ordinary life where success is my ultimate goal. No, I will not stand for that. I have been called to "make disciples of all nations" and I am set on doing just that very thing. God has not revealed just exactly how He wants me to go about accomplishing such a huge task, but every day I am learning to trust Him more and more. I know that when the time is right, the Lord will take me to the next step, then the next, then the next, and one day, His visions for my life will come to pass. For now, though, I am enjoying exactly where he has me today- reveling in His presence and falling more and more in love with Him with each passing day. 

The last thing I want to tell you about is how God is using me. Even before outreach has officially begun, I feel like He is confirming in me different gifts. Last Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching to a church in Nairobi. At first when Joram asked me, I flat our refused because I did not feel qualified to give any sort of instructions to the body of Christ. Then Jesus just blessed me with His grace and the oil of His anointing, and I agreed to teach. When I sat down to write out what I was going to say, the words began to flow like an unstoppable river and before I knew it, I had a 30 minute sermon sitting in front of me. I knew then that God had something  very specific to say to the congregation of that Nairobi church. Thus, I said, "Okay, God, this one has to be all You because there is no way I am getting up to speak in front of all those people on my own". On that Sunday morning, though, I just had a sense of overwhelming peace and from there I surrendered full control to the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to do the talking. I shared my testimony- the good, the bad, and the ugly- and then continued on to talk about God as the FINISHER of our faith. I just so strongly felt the need to say that everyone in that room was alive for a purpose and to restore their hopes in a GOOD God. It was such an honor to be used by Christ in such a particular way.
Since then, I have been asked to speak again at a local high school on Tuesday. Please keep me in your prayers! I get butterflies just thinking about it LOL.

Anyways, I have to go to work duty now. I have so much more I want to tell you about- like my 3 new sisters and our crazy adventures-but I guess that will just have to wait for another time.
I love and miss you all so, so much, and I pray for you always.
Forever yours,
Fran

Hello all! Greetings from the Athi River Base in Kenya. I have officially completed my first week in Africa and can I just say, a gigantic piece of my heart will forever remain here <3. It is a surprise if I even come home in February...... Just kidding!!! Don't freak out, mom :P

So, as soon as the wheels of my plane lost contact with the asphalt in Los Angeles, I found that God was already so absolutely present. For the entire takeoff, I have to admit that I was bawling my eyes out. I had finished reading the sweet letters my friends and family had written me and my soul was simply laden with heaviness. After a bit, though, I was able to compose myself and that was when the sweetest, older Dutch woman next to me leaned over and whispered, "Are you all right?" Then she proceeded to offer me halls and tissues. I just felt so taken care of and watched over by her and her husband. They made sure I woke up for meals and always took my trash for me. The Lord poured out His comfort, and I knew that I was in good hands.

Landing in Africa, I was both nervous and excited. However, the moment the 4 other students I met in Amsterdam and I stepped outside into the warmth and sunlight, I knew that I was exactly where I needed to be. Then driving to the base, we had the opportunity to take a look at the city, see so many different kinds of animals, and watch the culture unfold before our very eyes. BTW...The driving is crazy here!!! There are no lines on the roads whatsover and people have no fear. I thought we were surely going to crash, but God definitely protected us.The base itself is sitting on HUGE land. The locals call it "The Bush" and we students head out into it during our quiet time every morning. Giraffes, zebras, antelope, and caribou can be frequently spotted just hangin around. How cool is that?!  

There are 25 DTS students total; they come from Canada, Germany, the US, and other parts of Africa. I absolutely love them all! Truly, the Lord has so knit us together that we fit just like pieces of a gigantic puzzle. I am rooming with the three most hysterical girls and we definitely keep each in stitches all of the time. One even has a southern accent and I keep finding myself picking it up, so if I start to say/write "ya'll", you will understand. Our daily schedule looks like this:
6:30 am - breakfast
7:00 am - quiet time
8:30 am - class
1:00 pm - lunch
2:30- 4:30 pm - work duty
6:00 pm - dinner
7:30 - 9:00 pm - class
10:00 - lights out
It is definitely a packed course, but my mind and body have adapted quickly with God's help. I get to take a bucket shower about every 3 days, but now that I have my hair braided, that is less of an issue. The bathrooms are out- house style and are located a little ways from our dorms. There is one big dining hall that we all take our meals in plus a few other buildings that house staff. Laundry is done by hand in buckets and we fetch out own water for washing from these giant tanks. The drinking water sometimes runs out, but we always make sure we are stocked up in our rooms. I am really glad I brought the water flavor things because the water is a little salty. I know it may seem as though things are difficult here, but honestly, there is such joy and satisfaction that comes from all our hard work.

Quiet times are my favorite. It is amazing how loud God's voice is when you take the time away from all of the distractions to simply listen. Oh, the things He has been saying to me! One example is the other day, I was watching the wind blow the clouds westward and I was marveling at its power. Then I felt Jesus whisper into my heart, "Let my Spirit move you". It was then that I realized that my life would have such a different impact if I simply surrendered complete and total control to my Master and allowed Him to guide me. Not to mention there is enormous power when He is orchestrating my steps. Then as I looked around, I saw a herd of cattle being led down the road by a shepherd. Once again I felt the Lord speaking and this time He said, "I will take care of you". Now, there is no fear in total abandonment of myself, for I know the Lord is always looking out for me. 

There is so much to tell you guys that I feel like there could never be enough time to share it all with you. I will do my best, though. Please continue to keep me in your prayers! I am definitely realizing and learning the power of beseeching the Lord. Know that I am well...MORE than well, actually...I am free. That is the best way to describe how I feel being here. I love you guys! Keep checking in for more updates.

Ah...at last my final hours in the United States has begun to tick away. How time flies when you're not paying attention! To begin my blogging journey, I thought I'd answer a few common questions I am often asked and share with you a sort of epiphany that I had today. I guess it is officially time for me to dust off the old type writer and get to work. Who am I kidding? I WISH I was retro cool enough to own a type writer! Even so, with this computer as my middle man, I am ready to share with you a little insight about my latest adventure.

For those of you who are unaware, I am departing tomorrow, September 29, 2011, on a 5 month journey to Nairobi, Kenya. I am going with the organization Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and shall return on February 26th, 2012. There are about 15-20 students from all over the world who will be joining me to discover an entirely new side of God that we have yet to see. What an amazing opportunity!

Now the quintessential question that many of you may be asking is: Why? Why am I going across the world, to a country I have never been before, with men and women I do not know?
My answer to you is this:
You know that sensation you get when you have an itch that you simply can't seem to scratch? Imagine that feeling-that ache- concentrated in your heart. It was this very longing that was instilled in me at a very young age and I never could figure out what it was. Then, about two years ago, I began to notice how my heartstrings always experienced a little nudge every time a mission opportunity presented itself. I never hesitated to participate and was always left wanting more. Thus, I began to pray that God open doors and point me in the direction He wanted me to go, because I was simply at a loss. One after the other, He guided my steps, I found YWAM, and fell in love with Africa. Through much prayer and many conversations with different people, I found confirmation and signed up for the 5 month program. So really, the answer to your question of why is this: I am going because I have been called.

Now for the epiphany. I promise to make it short! Basically, as I was sitting in IHOP this morning, the Lord opened my eyes to a very startling idea. Amidst the bustling of waiters and waitresses, the chatter of customers, and the conversation at my own table, He revealed to me that I was looking at this trip in the wrong way. I had been so focused on what God was going to do THROUGH me that I missed the bigger picture- what God is going to do IN me. As a wise man once told me, "Doing flows from Being", and I had to understand that the good deeds I will accomplish comes secondary to learning more about the heart of God. This journey is between me and Jesus, and I need to stop being a Martha and simply sit at His feet. My goal now is not solely to be used and accomplish great things in the name of the Gospel, though that is very important to me; rather, it is to draw nearer to my Savior and to grow to know Him in a new and unique way. And what a weight off of my shoulders that is!

The learning has already begun, and I haven't even left California yet. What a picture of the things that are yet to come. I definitely hungry for more.

Love Always,
Fran