Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Day My Dog drove me CRAZY!!

Ok it is not completely the Dogs fault...It has bee a crazy couple of Months! I feel that ever since I mad the decision to spend three weeks of my Sabbatical on Mission trips my life turned up side down. I only have 3 weeks to go and I am so excited to be off of work for 2 months. In that time I am going to get lots of family time and in addition go to Mexico and Nigeria! The newest plan that has been scheduled to my time off is I get to also go to North Carolina to see my Niece Lily. I can not wait! I am a little bummed that I won't get to see my brother, but that is just another excuse to go out there again I guess!!

About 2 weeks ago I was feeling really low and just wondering if this path is really the one God wants me to take or was I doing this purely from myself. I am learning there is a fine line between Crazy and stepping out on Faith....or maybe not such a fine line!!! I am a Control Freak so to turn it all over to God is pretty crazy for me, to only worry about today not tomorrow, to know that if it is his plan he will show you the way. Well on one day I had convinced myself this was not the path he wanted for me mainly because there was no way I was going to be able to afford going to Nigeria and still pay my bills. He always has perfect timing because I came home and got the mail and there was a package from a very dear friend of mine. With Card that in all ways confirmed I was on the right path and a book called "Jesus Calling." This book as a reading for every day and it has become my guide book...each day I have read a passage it has been calling me out on the struggles I am dealing with! This week it was so amazing because something I had been harboring for months I was confronted with head on!!! It couldn't have been more plain to me what Jesus was saying even if he would have hit me over the head with a baseball bat! The amazing part of this story is once I let go and did what God was saying he gave me what I wanted....specifically hours after I had done it. It is so easy to forget that even though his path doesn't seem easy if we would just let go and let him guide the way it would be perfect!

I don't know where this journey is going, but I am excited to be on the ride of my life!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Learning to let go of the bubbles

This just touched me and hit home in so many different ways....
http://back2backministries.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/holding-on/

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

What you waiting for???

I was reading my blog updates today and come across something on prayfordaisy.com that just touched what I have been feeling for the past few weeks....the song is Walk on Water by Britt Nicole and the Chorus goes like this:

So what are you waiting for? What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities, they try to hold to you
But you know you're made for more, so don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes, and you can walk on the water, too

I was like...WOW! All I could think is" I gotta suck it up and quick before just sit here and let life pass me by"! Here is a little girl who found out she has Cancer when she was 5 years old...it reminds me we are never promised tomorrow!!! The cool part of this is the childlike faith she continues to have in God. I find myself praying that I have that kind of Faith! One of the quotes from Daisy on Youtube.com is "People are only one times important and God is like a thousand million billion googolplex important." Isn't that so true and yet he loves each of us as if we are as important as he is!

Pray for Daisy she Checked into the Hospital for 3 days of treatment today! What a brave little girl read her story at prayfordaisy.com it is an amazing story of faith of the entire family!!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Where to begin???

My life seems to be a bit crazy to me at the moment so expressing this via blog will probably not make sense....but I will give it the old college try!

In Six weeks I leave for my Sabbatical from work, everyone always asks me.."What is your Sabbatical?" Where I work after every six years you get six weeks of vacation in addition to the 3 &1/2 weeks you get every year already. Since I have planned mine around the holiday season I have arranged to have a little over 2 months off with taking only 6 days vacation. Well what am I going to do with that?...I'll get to that in a second (I told you it is going to be a crazy blog).

Last week my Uncle Charles passed away and he is in a better place, but that isn't what this story is about....rewind about 10-11 weeks ago. Aug 18, 2010 It was my Dad's birthday, my first Niece was being born, I got a call from my cousin saying they are at Stanford for Uncle Charles' MD appointment, and something came up at work that was pretty important. This is where it gets exciting and I realize how much I have grown in the past few years....Cathy my cousin said it wasn't good news and wanted to meet for dinner. I had to run back to work but I would meet them at the place. As I was driving back to work my niece was born...as I walk into a very important meeting late because I had left early for the day, I forgot my cell phone was on and my family started blowing it up because of the baby. We walked out of the meeting and they wanted me to stay late, but in a turn of events I told them I had to go. I would email the information they needed later that night, but this might be the last time I get to spend time with my Uncle. For any one that knows me I would usually never do this in a million years There are so many relationships, friendships, and chances to live life I gave up on or ruined because work always came first.....I didn't realize how much I was missing out on!! And how much better things can and will be!

As it turned out it I have never been happier with a decision I made then I am at this moment at that time in my life. I choose my family over work. I realized that tomorrow will always be there for work, but we aren't promised that in life. I have learned that the hard way a couple of times but like the stubborn child that I am it takes a few tries before it really gets through. Thank you to those who did stick by my in those times and I hope and pray the others will one day forgive me for the decision I made.

So in the past weeks tons has happened my niece is back with her father in North Carolina, I not only going on a trip with Back2Back to Mexico, but also to Nigeria, My dear friend is coming from OZ to visit in December, and I really don't have much to complain about :-)

So Sabbatical....I will leave first on my trip to Mexico the day that my sabbatical begins. This is an amazing story because not only to I get to go back to one of my favorite places Monterrey Mexico, help at the children's homes, love on some kids, see some friends and just be blessed by what God has going on down there, but My trip was 100% funded thanks to the love, prayer and support from all of you. I have just been blessed and want to thank everyone who has come around me in prayer, finances, and love to make this happen. Not only that but in the last weeks of my sabbatical I will be traveling to Nigeria with Back2Back. Please continue to pray for me on this journey that I will humble myself and let God work it out in his way. I have a bad habit of trying to take control of the wheel. If I would just sit in the passenger seat I would have a nicer trip with a much better view then being stuck behind the steering wheel.

There are a lot of things that haven't been ironed out yet, but I know in time it will. Like I still haven't gotten to meet my precious Lily Bug yet, but I am sure there is a perfect time and place for that. I am praying that it is sooner rather then later! And as the count down is on to my time off work I just look forward to see what is coming in those weeks ahead because let me tell you I could have never imagined this story up in my wildest dreams! I will keep you updated!!

I Wish you enough....


'When we said, 'I wish you enough, 'we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them'

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how grey the day may appear.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.

I see this email come around and it always reminds me all we need is enough. I think most people are so busy trying to get more that don't realize enough is right in front of them.

I don't want to ever forget that I have enough!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Back2Back Mission Trip....now on to Nigeria!


As many of you know I went to Monterrey Mexico with a family group from our Church this June. It was the most amazing time of my life and I left my heart in Mexico with all the wonderful children. The fact that we got caught in Hurricane Alex only added to the experience, appreciation, and realization of an area in need of love and support! I have been blessed to be going back to Monterrey over Thanksgiving with a group from Iowa. Thanks to many of you my trip was funded 100% down to the dollar. It is amazing to me how God provides and I thank you all for your prayers and support.

Through the Monterrey Mission trip in November I will be going on another Missions trip with Back2Back Ministries (for more info check out their website at www.back2backministries.org) , but this time to Nigeria. When presented with this opportunity to join the trip to Nigeria I initially was not convinced it was something I really wanted to do. Mainly because of the cost, but as I prayed about it in the next several days God keep bring to my heart Comfort vs. Character. The more I prayed the more I realized I was choosing Comfort over Character, so I agree to join Back2Back during my sabbatical and spend 2 weeks in January. It is a very small group (4-6 of us) and we will be in Nigeria Jan. 3-14, 2011.

Now, all I need is the money to get there. We will be involved in fundraisers to earn money, however, I will need sponsors. Right now I am looking for people to sponsor me for $20 toward this once in a lifetime experience. This will go towards my Back2Back mission fees, VISA, donations and Plane ticket to Nigeria. However, I realize that this amount may not be possible, so any amount that you might be able to give would be greatly appreciated. I am currently taking the 2 trips mentioned above, also I will> be leading another trip to Mexico next summer, and God willing headed back> to Monterrey with PCC next summer. Since there are several different trips Back2Back has asked me to help keep track of the donations for them. If you are sending a check, please make it out to Back2Back Ministries or to me and I will forward the money onto them...if you would like my mailing address please email me at princessrk23@gmail.com and I will send it to you. (I didn't figure it would the best thing to post my address on a public website) :-)

I understand that some will feel more comfortable just sending a check directly to Back2Back if this is the case just make sure my Name is in the Memo line so they know who it is for.

The Mailing address is:
Back2Back Ministries
P.O. Box 70 Mason, OH 45040

I believe that with prayer and God's help my financial need will be met.
In addition I am currently donating all my earnings from Scentsy sales to my> mission trip from now until October 31st. Just go to my home page https://rashellkinard.scentsy.us/Home and click on the "Buy from party" Next to the Monterrey Mexico Party or Nigeria under Open Parties. All free items> earned from this party (full sized warmer, bar, and Hanging fresheners are already prizes) will be raffled off to people who participate. I will continue to update this event as fundraising opportunities are announced. I will do the first raffle the end of October and for Nigeria the raffle will take place the end of December

Please pray for me as I prepare for this mission trip and while we are there. Pray that people will see the love of Jesus through us and will be touched in some way. My prayer is that these trip prove to be life changing for the people of Monterrey and Nigeria even more than for myself.

Thank you for letting me share with you what will be one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. If you cannot help in a financial way, please help support me with your prayers. I mainly want to share this season and what God is doing in my life. I will keep you updated as events continue to unfold and thank you so much for your prayers and support!

In His service,
Rashell

Many have ask how much money I am trying to raise and I just got the following email
from Back2Back:
For your 10 day trip, the B2B fee is $1357.50 per person and includes everything while you are in Nigeria (one night hotel cost, housing, fo...od, projects, insurance, and ground transportation). In addition to that is your airfare, any immunizations you need, your Nigeria visa, and any personal spending money you want to bring. Currently, airfare from Cincinnati, Ohio is about $1300.