Israel- meet the team

It's finally happening! As May creeps closer, the final details about Israel are being smoothed out, plane tickets are being bought, and we are preparing our hearts to go to the Holy Land. From May 11th to May 30th, 4 of us will be going to Israel to scout out potential mission opportunities, meet with different ministries, pray over the land, walked where Jesus walked, and receive impartation from the Lord.

Chantal Marquez

Kristi Zboncak

Shawna Schlenker

Sam Choi

Chantal, Shawna, and myself will leave the Big Island on the 11th and arriving in Israel on the 13th. Sam will be meeting us from Whales on the 15th. Chantal has a huge heart for Israel. She was the one that God first planted the seed in to do a scouting trip in Israel. She staffed my school last year and will be doing so again this year. Shawna has an immense heart for the lost and for Jesus. She staffed last year as well and will be again this year. Sam is an amazing guitarist and will be leading worship for us, if need be. He staffed Awaken last year but the Lord has different plans for him this year.

I am so excited for this trip. We are still figuring out the details of where we will be staying and praying for money to come in this weekend so we can purchase flights. We know that Israel is definitely where we are supposed to be, so we know He will get us there :)

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

Truth.

Carrie is a woman I met yesterday at the rock wall by the ocean. 4 of us were sitting down, and Carrie and her friend John walked up to us. They were older, they were friendly, they were drunk. At 3 in the afternoon.

The guys talked to John while Shawna and I talked to Carrie. We both instantly saw the desperate desire for love in her eyes. The cracks in her heart. She was in so much need of healthy attention, healthy love, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, truth. As she told parts of her story to us, my heart cracked. The more she talked, the wider the crack got. The more she shared, the louder my prayers were in my soul. Here sat a woman who had no idea who she was. She was lost. Her relationship with her family is broken, she hasn't been sober in 10 years, and she was thirsty for something real. Something that will last.

She bared a bit of her soul to us, a bit of the innocent and broken child of God that has been buried by alcohol and drugs. As she spoke, she played with my bracelets, rested her head on Shawna's shoulder. We offered to pray for her and she took it up. Only a few words were spoken before tears rolled down her cheeks. She was so in need of this love. So in need to hear that she was worth something. That she was loved. She was not forgotten. Her cries were heard.

Carrie represents so many lost people of our culture. These children of God are broken, beaten, filled with lies, mistreated. And all they want is a true relationship. What would the world looked like if these children heard what was true? What their real Father thinks of them?

According to Carrie, she is a drunk. Worthless. Dumb. Sick. This is what she has been told. This is what she believes.

According to Jesus, Carrie is beautiful. Worth it. Precious. A Daughter. This is truth.

The battle to share the truth is on.

Known.

"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God..." Galatians 4:8-9a.

That five letter word carries so much weight. Known.

To be known. To be aware of. To be certain. To recognize.

God Knows us. Inside and out.
He is aware of us. Of our every movement.
He is certain we are His. Never will let us go.
He recognizes us. Because He hears our voice.

We only know the small part of God that has revealed himself to us. But He knows us in full. He knows us more than we know Him. He knows us more than we know our selves. When we are at a loss for words, when we are speechless, when we are hurt and raw, when we are happy beyond words, he knows. No explanation necessary. No long story to get your point across. No awkward silences.

You are known. You are loved. You are cherished.

Kona kona kona!

I finally made it back to the Big Island yesterday after a fantastic visit with my family in Arizona. Thank you so much for all your prayers for safety!

Since being back, all in just 1 day, the Lord has already laid much on my heart for what is going to be done this year. Community is going to be huge. We are going to become a big, loud, fun, loving, growing, encouraging family. Personally, He is going to show me more and more of who I am in Him. I need no one else, just Him. He is going to show me who I am in Him, who I am to others around me, how He is going to use me.

Back to basics. He is going to take me back to the basics with Him. I love Kona and YWAM. I truly do. However, even though it is a Christian community, it can be very distracting. I do not want to confuse being surrounded by amazing friends, awesome worship, and listening to spirit filled speakers as growing closer to God. That is all happening on the outside, and I want the change to be on the inside. So we're going back to the basics of just HIm and Me. Just Jesus and Kristi. I'm so pumped to see where I am going to be by the end of this year. In just 6 short months, God did so much. I can't even imagine what He is going to do for the next 9.

Israel- The Lord is moving! As we draw closer to the time to go, we have been pressing in and seeing what God has in store for us while we are there. A common theme that we have gotten is that God is going to impart on us to bring back to the Awaken school. We do not know what this is or what it looks like, but we are stoked to find out what it is. We are in need of a guy worship leader to go with us, so please be praying that God brings one to us :)


Finances- The cost for Israel will be around $2,500. Please be praying that this comes in! I know it will! Thank you so so so much to everyone who has contributed to by journey with YWAM. It means more to me then you know.

My address here in Kona is

University of the Nations
75-5851 Kuakini Hwy #318
Kailua-kona, Hi 96740

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