Going Away

It's 4 in the morning and I just haven't been getting enough sleep lately. There have been many contributing factors to this insomnia, but the main one I've been meaning to blog about for some time now.

On January 3rd I'm finally leaving to go experience what it is that I've been wanting to do for three years. I'm taking off for 2 1/2 months to join a group at a YWAM base in Pismo Beach, and then I'll be heading off with that group for another 2 1/2 - 3 months for mission outreach to some remote area of the world. I chose the base that I did because their focus is on the arts and justice for sex slavery and children soldiers. I couldn't dream up a better combination, and I am crazy excited to go to work at this.

The purpose of using the arts in mission work is that it is a powerful tool of communication because it breaks all language barriers. Beyond that, being a strongly visual person, the arts is what opened me up to God again and I have no doubt in my mind that it was the arts that saved my life. My life changed dramatically after my trip to Florence. After looking at painting after painting after painting of Christ crucified, and many other religious works of the renaissance, something stirred inside me that woke me up and reopened my heart. My life hasn't been the same sense. I was on a downward spiral before then, and I have no doubt that that trip and experience was divine intervention. I could only hope that my art will too be such an avenue into others as well.. I could only hope and pray that my work could bring the gift of life to another the way that the masters of the renaissance did so for me. I wonder if they knew what they were doing. The very word renaissance means rebirth: the rebirth of mind, spirit, philosophy, individualism, and vision of God. I hope I don't sound scrambled.

Anyway, this is what I want to do with my life. I guess this trip will let me know if I'm cut out for it or not. At the base, we will be preparing and equipping ourselves for what's to come. We will decide as a group where it is that we will be going. From what I was told, somewhere in the middle-northeastern part of Africa is a really good possibility. I'm so excited, and so scared, and I'm so overwhelmed with feelings that I don't even know how to process it all. This could be a door opening to a whole new life, or it could end up being a life-changing experience that I'll forever be grateful for. I really don't want to think of any other possibility. I don't know what lies ahead, but the one thing I do know is that change is good, and as scared as I am of change I know that I know that it will be awesome!

You guys please keep me in heart, mind, and prayer. I need all the support I can get right now, and thank you so much to those who have supported me! One thing I've already learned in the process of preparing to leave is to never take your relationships with those who love you for granted. Those relationships endure forever, and I am extremely grateful for those loved ones in my life. They hold me up and support me when I'm weak, I can only hope that I can do the same for those whom I love.

I'll continue blogging for at least the first part of my trip in Pismo, so keep up to date if you can!

Love you guys!

Kell