BeLiZe BoUnD!!!

Jacob and I are taking a group of youth to Belize this summer to share the GOSPEL with the people there. This is the youth's first foreign mission trip (and a first the youth parents who are going), so it's a big deal. We are REALLY excited about what the Lord is going to teach us, reveal to us, and do in the planning stages and when we are there. We are curious about how exactly He will use us!!! I know I will be blogging about it lots... so get ready! :) 
Some of you are probably wondering... "hmm... I have heard of Belize but I'm not exactly sure where it is." Well.. I'll help you out. It's right here:

Because me and Jacob are both going... it's a bit pricey. We have never thought money as an excuse of not doing something for the Lord... so it's not gonna start now! We have to raise $3,200 in a few months - but I got to experience a time that My Big Awesome God raised over $17,000 in 3 months for Africa... so this ain't no thing! 

My wonderful ma got be a sewing machine for Christmas. I love it! We got to thinking about how to raise the money for the trip in a creative way.  I remembered when I was in middle and high school, my mom made these really cutesy purses that everyone adored. So... we decided we would make some of those purses together, since I am a sewing genie now, and sell them as a fundraiser. 

Do you know anyone who needs a purse? Ipad carrier? Fun hat? A new bag to sit in your closet? A gift? Well... if you do... I AM SELLING THEM! :) Hooray!! 

Do you love Alabama or Auburn? Buy one of these! (If you like another team... I can make you one with their logo on it)

Do you like zebra?? I sure do!! Buy one of these! 

Are you a country gal whose favorite color is camo??? Buy this one! 

Do you adore bandanas?? I do! I would wear one everyday if I could! If you are like me... buy one of these! 

They are reversible, hand-made with love, and support us in our adventure for Jesus to Belize!! I don't have a price... just whatever you want to give! If you want one (or one like it... we have a ton of different kinds and fabrics), just email me at annamorgan121909@gmail.com. Would LOVE to hear from you!!! 

If you buy something or not... PRAY!!! Prayer is powerful and we covet your prayers for us as we lead the team, for our team, for the people of Belize, for God's will to happen, and for Him to get ultimate and amazing glory! 

devastation and beauty

once again... tornadoes in my sweet home alabama. This time... even more close to home... it is home.
My family and friends are all safe and sound and joyful, but my hometown's makeup is destroyed. Pictures of familiar things... but unrecognizable at times. It breaks my heart. i want to be home. i know there are countless stories of hope and Jesus' protection and I can't wait to hear them... but my heart wants wholeness and comfort for my home. 
my in-laws' (you must understand that my in-laws are not people I dread to be around like some wifeys. My in-laws are some of the most precious people I know and were instrumental in loving on me and molding me into the person I am) neighborhood was hit hard. they heard crazy noises from their staircase - crying and praying. my mother-in-law didn't think they had a house left... but they do. God's protection. 


I was going through the facebook photos of the devastion - it's crazy - and I found this picture:

I know... just another building hit by the tornado, another family hurting, just another...
Well, this isn't just another building to me... this is the house (the green one) I grew up in. A house I adored... on Spanish Trace in Clay, AL. Me, my mom, my dad, and my Barbies shared this house for many years. this hurts my heart. So many memories in that front yard, in the structure that's left. It was the coolest house ever... really. Ugh... 

There it is again (the green one). 


Wow... it's just so real. I don't have anything profound to say about it... just hurting for my home. I know God has planned GOOD from this. He will make beauty from ashes. He will bring glory to Himself... He will. Right now... my heart is aching as I know many are. I will praise and worship because HE is Good and Faithful and will forever be! 




**MUSHINESS ALERT! **


On a different note. I DO see beauty in my life... all around. I just want to highlight something in my life that I just want to talk about... my hubby. 


He is amazing. I am going to tell you things about him that I love... just so that I can be thankful for him and so that you know there are AMAZING guys out their LOVING Jesus! 

• He tells me how much he loves me and how happy he is that I am his wife... everyday.
• He has NEVER made me feel not good enough, except for cooking but that's understandable. 
• He never talks about other girls... ever. That is such a blessing to my insecure heart. I never feel inferior to other women... except from my own heart's comparison. He blesses me so much in that way. I know there are prettier, more voluptuous, curvier, sexier women out there.. but he has never made me feel like I need to strive to look and be like them. He loves ME! 
• He loves Jesus. He leads me. He talks to me. He knows me because Jesus gave him a special heart to love a crazy me, to discern my heart in ways I can't understand, and to pray for me like a husband should.
• He teaches me. 
• He laughs with me.
• He adores my heart. He encourages me to follow hard after Jesus - whatever that looks like. 
• He believes in me. He let me write the material for our youth's Disciple Now last year. That meant so much to me because it showed me that he believes in me, trusts me, and knows God uses me. How awesome! 
• He cries when I sign songs!! :) How corny and sweet. He sees Jesus and passion in me when I worship through sign language. 
• He lets me love on him. He lets me be sappy with him... he doesn't tune me out (unless there's a REAL important football game on).

I think you get the picture. I'm a blessed girl and so thankful for a husband I absolutely adore! :) 


Praying for BEAUTY... despite DEVASTATION.

Jesus overload

Yes... my brain and heart and mind and spirit are on JESUS OVERLOAD and I love it! I can't process or write everything... so I have opted not to right at all. ha!

I haven't cut my hair yet so don't freak out... just thinking about it. Maybe March-ish... or maybe not.

but JESUS! So I went to PASSION which was ALL about JESUS and then I went to a camp over MLK weekend. I have been going to this camp, BEHOLD @ Camp Sumatanga, for 5 years as a leader. I love it. It's just a good, fun place. This camp is set up in a cool way. It's for youth. There's a speaker. A worship leader. And all the good stuff. But there's also small groups... more fondly know as SWAT groups! How fun is that. Now... who leads the SWAT groups you might ask. Well.. the SWAT Team of course! The SWAT (Servants With A Testimony) Team are my heart!!! i love it! It's just a group of college/young adults (some of us are getting old) that genuinely love and care about each other and the students. And it's a cool name... SWAT Team! how fun!

I thought 2 years ago was my last year b/c my SWAT group was SO good... I didn't think it could ever possibly be better or that there would be a reason for me to come back.  Me and my SWAT (i'm gonna use that word a lot b/c it's that cool) partner had seniors that year. These students were so AWESOME. so open. so hungry for truth... SO GOOD! So... I thought I would never be back. But God is hilarious and when you ask for something and are seeking something... He is faithful.

My first year as a SWAT Team leader! :) I know I look the
same...

So, Mo, the SWAT Captain (I don't know what to call her... she's just in charge) asked me if I wanted to be in charge of the prayer chapel. HUH? Of course I said "sure" because I will volunteer myself (and you if you aren't careful) to anything! One time I volunteered my college apartment (that I shared with 3 other girls) to house a stranger because I was asked... it's just hard to say no... it's just hard.

Now... the prayer chapel is the most beautiful thing EVER. I have a pic of it somewhere but I can't find it... o well.  It's a smallish, roundish wooden building... and it has an enormous, slightly terrifying, cross hanging in the center of the room that sways back and forth when the heater comes on. i love this place. it's now one of my fav places ever. And... I'm getting ahead of myself...

This prayer chapel is Mo's HEART! She's LOVES this thing and expected big things in and through it.  She didn't know, even at the time... I was struggling with the meaning and how to and the power of PRAYER. I was really confused at why she asked me to head this thing up... but being the good volunteer I am I didn't ask questions.
I had no idea what God had in store for me. Let me tell ya... PRAYER! That's what he had and still has in store for me. That's what I have been learning and am seeing fruit of and am getting glimpses of truth and God's heart for prayer. And... IT'S SO GOOD!
I love youth... ya know... my hubby is a youth pastor... and i love them. So, I thought my whole purpose for getting involved in this camp was YOUTH. BUT He has shown me such greater things through prayer and the SWAT team than I could ever expect to experience or learn by telling younger people all my wisdom... haha!

Through this prayer thing that I thought was just a basic job I have had the amazing privilege of talking to college students, listening, and PRAYING for them. I have heard amazing, joyful, painful, hard, heart-breaking, crazy stories. I have seen the power of God in others' lives. I have witnessed transformation and FREEDOM! It has been incredible and such an amazing and perfect way for God to allow me to put into action what I am so desperately trying to grasp - PRAYER and LOVING PEOPLE!

My God is really CRAZY AWESOME! Jesus is so good. He knows me. He delights in me.  He wants GOOD for us, people!! Hooray!

This year I asked Mo, "why me?" because I just had to know. Did she know I was the kind of person who couldn't say no to volunteering and then feels guilty if I even think about backing out?? Did she just think I was loud and obnoxious and needed a job to do to stay out of the way? Did she like me? I had to know... Her answer: She said she knew my heart. She told me I shouldn't doubt where God has put me and what I'm doing. humble... I do doubt where God puts me and how He can use me in those situations. I must KNOW and LIVE that my confidence and ability and strength is in MY weakness and in HIS HOLY NAME!

I hope my heart learns to beat for PRAYER... to hope in Jesus' name alone... to live solely-focused on Him. I know that my heart won't change, revival won't happen, my town won't change, my church won't change, NOTHING will change WITHOUT expectant prayer!!!! I want to expect God to be glorified here in Troy, AL. I want to believe that God is almighty and that GOING ALL IN for His name is what this life is about. What if I look weird? I WILL... I DON'T CARE. What if no one follows? Their loss! My prayer:

NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS, NOTHING ELSE...

DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH ME

If it's more than His heart... it becomes about my pride

If it's less that want He wants... it becomes about my pride

If it's anything else... what a miserable life

DO WHAT YOU WANT JESUS!!! 

More or Less???

This is a ridiculously shallow post, but I stole the idea from Lindsey Jo, so blame her.
I have been thinking REALLY hard about getting all my hair chopped off. Jacob wants it short. I love my hair when it's short but it's just that moment when the scissors are chomping off all your hair follicles have worked for for so long.  When I say chop it off... I mean CHOP it off... I wanna donate my hairs! So that means AT LEAST 10 inches. 

So what's your opinion?  Short OR long?

What do you think? It's not like I'm going to listen to you anyways... but I'm a woman and need to hear some opinions ya know????

My brain is exploding!

Hi there!! 


I just got home from a conference with 45,000 of my closest friends:

This, my friends, is the Passion Conference. It's ALL about JESUS!! 

I am in that picture... a microscopic speck at the front right of the stage.  God gave me the opportunity to interpret this mammoth of worship service!! Crazy I know! So amazing... I have interpreted for most of my favs. I would still like to interpret for David Platt, Priscilla Shirer, Angela Thomas, JESUS CULTURE, Kim Walker, and... N*Sync. ha! But... that's not the point. The point is..

MY BRAIN IS EXPLODING!! 

My brain seriously cannot process all that God is revealing and teaching me... that's why I haven't blogged... because my brain is a frazzled, spastic piece of mush.  I feel like laughing and screaming and shouting and fighting and praying and jumping and falling flat on my face ALL AT THE SAME TIME. It's not safe people! Ha! 

Jesus was amazing at Passion. He just worked... because we were open to Him. I saw Deaf people worshipping. I witnessed hurting people find JOY. I heard of stories of REDEMPTION and SALVATION. We raised our white flag to SURRENDER to Jesus.  We fought... and will continue to fight for FREEDOM!! Check out this video that CNN did about Passion's FREEDOM mission:

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/ (click on the link, scroll down, it's the first video)

The news cast says that our goal was to raise $1,000,000... and it was.  But college students, poor, needy, crazy college students raised over $3,000,000 to end slavery in JESUS' name!!!! AWESOME! 

On that same note, listen to this song that will be released to radio... another way to become a voice for those who are trapped in slavery around the world! 

I think the main thing God is pressing on my heart RIGHT NOW is to LOVE people!! Really love them. 

Also, to be aware and available to the Holy Spirit at ALL times!! 

As I continue to figure out exactly what is going on my crazy head... I'll let you know.

Pray for FREEDOM around the world and for the hearts around you.  FREEDOM is my heart's prayer.