me, jeter, and carla. yeah - i think they like each other just a little bit. lol.  

my boy - joel - a sweetheart 

putting the roof on the bakery. we also began building a new dorm for the orphanage 

at a home visit where we presented the gospel and gave our testimonies  

some of the boys 

some friends we made on the way 

prayerwalking through the neighboring village 

the old city - salvador 

salvador 

view from hotel we stayed at for two nights in salvador 

Brazil

i returned to the states yesterday morning after spending a week in brazil. gosh - i've been sitting here for five minutes trying to think of what to say - its impossible to describe how incredible an experience it was. and for right now - i'm not going to try - but i do want to share some pictures.
however, i will say this - that God is BIG - He's SOVEREIGN and He's LOVE. and the gospel is TRUTH. and there is incredible POWER in prayer and in the Holy Spirit and in the cross and in the name of Jesus Christ. and that's that

new things!

i know i've been neglecting the blogosphere as of late. the following two pics will tell a lot about some new things that have occurred recently in my life. some new, awesome, and incredible new things. okay okay - i'll spare you. for now

on thursday, i leave for brazil for ten days on a mission trip. going to fiera de santana. working with a boys orphanage. i know i'm supposed to go so i'm very excited about it. there's no better place to be than in God's will. please keep me and the team and the people we will be in contact with in your prayers. i'm sure i will have lots to post when i return.

ciao! (i think that's spelled right)

me and my new squeeze (!smiles!) oh - his name is lee 

my new baby - ain't she pretty? 

our deepest fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not in just some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson

Thanks Gretch!!!

a bittersweet goodbye 

the fate of "A" students

okay - gretchen relayed this quote to me today. sorry if i misquote - i'm notorious for that.

"'A' students end up teaching. And B students end up working for C students."

there is so much truth to that! haha - i thought that was great. except, to be honest, it doesn't really make me look all that good. i'm not a teacher right now - but i've considered doing the art teacher for little kids thing. boy, i'm sure i could really bring in the dough doing that.

this life is not all about the dough - even though i like dough. (snort snort)

you're a holiday

i just realized that i've been misunderstanding - or not hearing correctly - one of my favorite lines in a song. haha - don't you hate it when that happens?

"there's something about you - that makes me fly
you're a holiday - just the kind i like"

okay, that's my version. but, this is what it's actually saying:

"there's something about you - that makes me fly
you're a heart attack - just the kind i like"

i think i like my version better

my first real mural job!!! 

g-ville cont'd