2 Friends, a New Country

Over the past two summers, I have had the opportunity to work at a local coffee shop called 3J's.
Being family run, the atmosphere is amazingly positive and the mangers/owners are fantastic. Every two years, the two owners take a trip to Costa Rica to work with a church plant that has been established. This year, they invited their employees to go on the 2017 summer trip.

Working with CiM (Churches in Missions), this trip aims to help and support, not only the church plant, but the local community of Cariari, Costa Rica as well. As a team, we may be completing construction projects, children's ministry, pastoral conferences, or other miscellaneous outreaches, but all will be acted out through the love of Jesus Christ.

In talking to my friends and family about this trip, my best friend (and soon to be sister-in-law) Andrea, expressed interest in going along as well. We haven't been on a missions trip together since 2002. In fact, I went on my very first missions trip with her in 2001. We are both very excited to be traveling together to share the love of Christ once again.

So why am I telling you this? Well, our team is in need of partners - partners in prayer and partners in finances. While yes, I am saving money and conducting fundraisers to aide in my funds for this trip, reaching out to others is a way to get more people involved.

If you are reading this I would ask you to consider partnering with us - either through prayer or finances (or both!). We need prayer partners to lift us up as we prepare and as we go next summer. By joining us in prayer, part of you goes with us as we minister to the people in Costa Rica. Even though you do not travel with us physically, you do travel with us spiritually. Your prayers go forth and prepare the way. Will you pray for us?

We are also looking for financial partners. Andrea and I have joined together to fund-raise. We are making crafts to sell, saving our pennies, and reaching out to our friends and family. We have created a GoFundMe account to help us collect funds. This site shares a bit about our story and our upcoming trip. To access the site, click here. Or you can copy and paste the follow address into your web browser: gofund.me/JandA2CR
*** If you are interested in giving a tax-deductible gift, email me at jgdancer89@comcast.net for information on how to do that.

We cannot do this alone. I mean literally we can't. There is so much going on behind the scenes that we don't even know about - the planning of flights, the organization of itineraries, the prayers of people who don't even know what they are praying for, but just know that something is coming. Will you be a part of our team by praying or giving?

Our deadlines are coming up fast. Our airfare is due in December with the rest of the funds due in February and April. We are believing together, not only for funds to come in, but for prayers to be answered and lives to be changed. As you pray and give to us, we want to pray and give to you as well! Please let us know of any prayer requests you have so we can join with you in prayer! We also want to give you updates periodically on our progress and on our outreach once the trip comes around. Look for information here and on the following social media sites: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (2 of them).

Shifting Focus

I first heard about Loveology at church. I'm not exactly sure what the circumstances were, or who else was around, but I remember begin very intrigued by the description my friend provided. I asked her if I could read it when she was finished and then shortly after, she put it in my hand with a "just get it back to me when you're done."


It took me a while to begin, but I remember being intrigued by the first few pages. Little did I know, this book would completely refocus my thoughts on love, marriage, relationships and sex.

In past months, I'd come to realize that my view on marriage, sex and relationships had been so skewed by pop culture and the media. I even found myself on certain occasions rooting for various situations on TV shows that I never would image condoning in my own life. I would catch myself and think why am I rooting in favor of this? I would listen to a song - I mean really listen to the lyrics and think, why am I putting this in my brain?

I began reading Loveology and found my perspective being turned back to where it all began - to who began it all: God. 

John Mark Comer presents 5 parts to help the reader better understand the origins of male-female relationships: Love, Marriage, Sex, Romance, and Male and female. Each chapter orients the reader in scripture and then dives into the difference between what our culture views as appropriate and "normal" and how God originally intended for it to be.

I found myself, not only shifting my focus, but also feeling better prepared for if/when God brings the right man into my life. I found that I have been viewing marriage through a set of fairy-tale glasses, and while I will probably never gain an accurate view of marriage until I'm in one, I think the rose-colored glasses have faded a few tints.

Comer goes on to talk about the calling of marriage and the calling of singleness and how we can be called to one or the other at different times throughout our lives. So often, I have been simply waiting until the right man comes along so that I can really start my life once we're together. This is such a blinded perspective! Right now, I am called to be single - so I am going to take advantage of all that comes with that calling. I have opportunities now that I may not have again once I am married and have children. Being single isn't a bad thing, or a disappointing thing - it is a gift and a calling that I have on my life right now. I am hopeful it will change (sooner rather than later), but if it doesn't, there is still so much I can do for the kingdom of God - which is why I'm here on earth to begin with.

There are so many little nuggets of awesomeness crammed into this book. I would be reading and come to think of 5 different people who would benefit from a particular passage. Usually, I am not a fan of books that aren't novels, BUT this one was worth the time to really dig deep. It fostered thoughts, conversations, and most importantly, it fostered my relationship with God. I found myself praying new prayers and new ways to the Lord as I was reading. While this book may not be for everyone, it certainly came at the right time for me.

Amazon: Loveology

Today I failed

It's day 7 of my 21-day fix 

and I failed today. 

I set my alarm nice and early so that I could get up and do my workout before church. From the moment it went off I grumbled. I decided to hit snooze one too many times and them contemplated not getting up at all. 

But I did get up. And I grumbled my way to my living room. And I grumbled my way through clearing a space for my workout because I forgot to do it the night before. And I grumbled my way through switching to the DVD player and switching the disc and reading through the warnings and blah blah blah. 

When the workout finally came on I was in no mindset to actually work. I set myself up for failure from the moment I decided that my laziness was more important. 

I went through the motions of the warm up - trying to cheat here and there, and then it was time for round one. 

I did my best through the first set - but it was hard. 

The second set came along and I tried, but then I felt like I was going to puke. 

Instead of pushing my way through it, I gave up. Immediately I turned the DVD off and went to lay down, grabbing a trash can in the process just in case. 

2 minutes later I was fine, but I had already given up so I stayed where I was. 

I failed. 

I failed because I forgot why I am doing this. 

I'm not doing this program to look good or feel better, although those are great side effects to it. 

I'm doing this program because I want to honor God with my body. 

I want to be able to do whatever he calls me to do and not have to worry about if my body can handle it. 

I don't want my body - or myself - to get in the way of what God is calling me to do with my life. 

THAT is why I'm doing this. 

And this morning I lost sight of that. 

Throughout this week, I've been reminded of the verses that talk about doing everything as if unto the Lord. 

That includes my day to day work; 

that includes my job; 

and yes, 

that includes my workouts. 

I did not work as if unto the Lord today, and that is why I failed.

But. The good news is that even though I failed, the day is not lost - the war hasn't been won. Every moment is a choice. I am choosing NOT to be defeated but rather to persevere onward to what God is calling me to do. 

Be encouraged. Even if you fail - it is not the end!

Coney Island Shenanigans

So, as part of my #beINTENTIONAL year, I want to begin taking steps out into new waters.
This last week, my adventures took me to Coney Island with some amazing friends/coworkers! :)

For the past couple of years, I have been struggling with anxiety. I saw a therapist and have meds as needed in case it gets out of control. I believe that most of it stems from some health issues I have had in the past, but I have been doing phenomenally better in recent months.

This summer, I have been spending awesome time with great people. This group decided to road trip to Coney Island this past Monday. In the past, trips over 30 minutes made me extremely nervous - especially trips that lasted for several hours. As the date approached, I felt my anxiety rising in a way it hadn't in months. Thankfully, I shared this with my friends, and they were gracious enough to help me through it. With just a minor hiccup on the way there, the day went swimmingly!

Upon arrival to Coney Island, the first stop had to be Nathan's Hot Dogs for a famous bite to eat. I was unimpressed, but to each his own. :)
We ventured around some stores - finding some interesting candy along the way - and continued down the boardwalk. I was pleased to find that yes, there are numerously different types of Pokemon in different geographical areas. :)

We then headed to the Ferris Wheel. Now, as I said - anxiety = awful and this Ferris Wheel looked like it might be a trigger. I went back and forth for a long time until finally something clicked.

I do NOT have let my anxiety control me! 

With that, I took a deep breath, said a prayer and bought my ticket. We waited in line for several minutes, watching the gondolas go round and round until it was finally our turn. We climbed in, two in the back and two in the front. We began to go up and the view was amazing. What we all happened to forget was that we opted for a swinging car - one that rolled down a track similar to a roller coaster at various points throughout the ride. After a bout of laughter, several explicatives from my riding partner, and two full cycles around the wheel, we made it safely back to the ground.

The rest of the time on Coney Island doesn't compare and I left feeling satisfied and proud of myself for taking the plunge and not giving in to the negative emotions that have controlled me for so long.

We made a rainy trip through the financial district and ended up soaking wet in Hoboken for Carlo's Bakery - home of the Cake Boss. We finished the trip with a pit stop at WaWa and Chickfila and headed home.

Another summer adventure came to a close and I am a better person for it. :)

Day One - a new day

Despite my past experiences and learnings, I found myself becoming a holiday and special occasion church goer. It started out as one or two weeks when I was too tired or anxious to get out of bed, but then each week I found a different excuse not to make the effort. When people would ask me about it, I shrugged it off - made it into lesser of a deal than it really was. I believed my comfort - my schedule - my laziness - was more important than coming together with other believers in the house of the Lord to worship. I started only remembering the last time I was at church by the holiday that called me there.

Over the past 2 weeks I've met some new friends and gotten to know a few a bit better, and through these relationships and conversations, I felt the Lord pressing this idea: be intentional! In the way only the Lord can, he showed me three areas of my life that He's calling me to be more intentional about.
The first area is my faith - being intentional about getting to church every Sunday and growing in my relationship with the Lord. This needs to transcend the rest of my life - especially the other 2 areas that God is calling me to rise up.

Today was day 1 of being intentional. I set my alarm, got up, showered and headed off to 9:30 service. My new friend, Caren, saved me a seat and I worshiped and learned about the Lord alongside other believers. I let God speak into my heart in a way that I haven't been open to in a long time.
I'm learning that throughout this journey of being intentional, I must find accountability. So, as I said, today is day 1. Not every day will be perfect and not every day will I be successful, but every day the Lord is good, and He loves me with an everlasting love, and He will help me get back up and try again.

Spring time poem

Bring Me the Horizon ...

The smell of hope

brims on the horizon.

Every breath

of damp spring air

refreshes my soul.

Car wheels

on wet pavement,

Drip drops

from the morning rain --

Each fills my head

with dizzying daydreams.

Fresh soil

and blooming flowers

unite

in a tantalizing aroma

that brings me

to the edge.

The only thing

left to do

is jump

into

the 

possibilities ...

Nostalgia

Summers gone by ...

As I walk down the hallway,

a particular scent whispers against my nose.

Immediately,

a wave of nostalgia

crashes into me.

I can’t seem to identify the scent

or the memory,

but it reminds me of summers gone by …

fresh morning showers,

dew on the green grass,

and joyful noises in every direction.

As quickly as it hits me,

it disappears.

But its shadow

lingers with me for hours after -

sentencing me to dream

of the summers

gone

by.