Last Night on the Streets...for now!

Tonight was my last night on the streets...for now! And to top things off I also lead tonight. As I sat in the prayer room before everyone else arrived, I prayed and asked God to take charge of the evening...and he did! The night was pretty busy, but through it all I had an overwhelming sense of peace. Multiple people were walked or wheeled back to their hotels, and the vomit van saw some action as well. I also got several opportunities to visit the emergency staff that are now located in the west end. All in all it felt like a "typical" Wednesday night.

Through out the evening I found myself in a variety of situations. I got to walk a guy back to the Ibiza Rocks hostel with Lucy. At one point he sobered up enough to realize that he was being walked home by two girls. Next thing I knew we were all holding hands as we headed towards his hotel!

As the time for me to leave gets closer, I find myself getting more and more reflective. Getting to lead tonight feels a little surreal. It feels a little like I've been commissioned and sent back to Vegas with all that I've learned in my hands. I don't have all the details about what the future holds. But if the streets have taught me anything it's that God is willing to lead us if we'll just follow!

Heart History

It's 5:32 am and I'm in the prayer room alone. It's not something that happens often, and while I like the prayer room when it's full of multiple voices lifted in prayer, I must admit there's something I love about it being just me and God. I stop to pray first for the situations that are going on out on the streets. Then my heart turns towards thanksgiving. As I look around the room, I start to think of all the nights and hours I've spent here, and how God has shaped my heart and life through that. I think of the life long friends that I've made in Ibiza over the years. I've sat in this room shoulder to shoulder with them crying out for God to make a difference on this beautiful island. God has used this tiny space to hugely impact my life!

I get a chance to say thank you before the doorbell rings and I welcome Becky and Robb back into the room. Soon we're back  in the prayer rhythm, and the story continues...

Saving the Best for Last

It's Monday which means I'm living in the week that I leave Ibiza (boo). I've got a full week of work, and a few other little treats planned before I fly out on Thursday night. Today started off in the center. On my way in I checked on the status of my new favorite mural.

Things are progressing quickly, though I'm not sure it will be done before I leave.

The center was great. Lots of good chats, and as always the chance to prove my Mario Kart dominance (nice try Jamie!).  After the center we had a team meeting, and since it was my last one they prayed me out. It was amazing to listen as my community prayed, and through them God confirmed things that he's been speaking to me all summer.

After dinner (vegetarian chili!) it was time for the streets! While I was in the prayer room last night one of the things I prayed for was re-connections. Initially my prayer was directed at the short-term team who are here until Friday. I prayed that God would re-connect them with people they've met in the two weeks they've been here on the island.

And then God did something amazing...

I was out with Steve and we got into a conversation purely based on the fact that Steve bumped into a guy and said "excuse me". The guy (who was called Evan) was so impressed and appreciative of the courtesy that he stopped to chat with us. As our conversation progressed we realized that back in the first week of the season Becky and I walked one of his friends home. I distinctly remember the guy and that night back in May. I also remember talking to one of this guys friends on the phone to let them know that we were going to drop his friend off at their apartment. Turns out that friend I talked to was Evan! Steve and I got to have a fantastic conversation with Evan and before we parted ways we were also able to pray for him. It was surreal as we stood in front of a bar and a brothel and turned our eyes heavenward. Evan loved it and left with a smile on his face and a promise to stop by our worker's center.

I love how God works on the streets. He surprises me all the time, but sometimes he give me exactly what I've asked for. I only have two nights left this season, and as I anticipate those last night's I'm hoping that God has saved the best for last!

Birthday's, Curly Fries & The World Cup

It's Sunday, and I'll be honest...I didn't get out of bed today until almost 3:00 pm! Now to be fair we live nocturnally here, so even on the weekends we don't get to sleep until 4 or 5 in the morning. Not long after my relaxing start it was time to head off to my last church service of the season. After church we headed down to the sunset to chill. Today is my friend Miha's birthday and it was so fun to get to celebrate with her.

After sunset it was back to the west end to watch The World Cup. With Curly fries in one hand and a Kopparberg in the other I watched as Germany came out on top. The day ended with a late night stroll by the water and some relaxing apartment banter. 

On our way home from the evening I ran into Trevor who I shared a little about in This Blog. We said a quick hello, but as he walked away it was a reminder for me to keep praying for him. I love how God reminds us of those kind of things through brief and seemingly "coincidental" encounters. I think there are no accidents and that God is at work even more than we know! 

Now I'm off to bed where I'll be dreaming about packing and my last few days on the island...

See ya tomorrow! 

Hippies and Community

I love getting to re-visit some of my favorite places in Ibiza. It never gets old. I also love getting to experience new parts of the island, and yesterday I finally made it to the famous Hippie Market...

There were handmade soaps, jewelry, and a number of other bits and baubles for sale. It was beautiful and I'm glad I finally got a chance to check it out. After the market we headed back home and had a meal together. After dinner as we sat around listening to Charlie tell some of his dating horror stories, I was struck by how much I love living in community. I am at times overwhelmed by the love and support that I feel in this place. When I think of all the lifelong friends I've made here in Ibiza I just stop and give thanks! Thinking about Community makes me think of these verses in John 13:34-35...

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

When we live community well we are proving over and over again that we belong to Christ. Our love and care for one another identifies us as his disciples. So much of what I do here in Ibiza is trying to point people towards a God who loves them. I love that I get to do that in both obvious and subtle ways. I share the gospel verbally, I share it when I get to carry someone home who's covered in vomit, and I share it when I love my brothers and sister's well. 

Last Night on Call...

It's less than a week to go before I leave Ibiza, which means I'm starting my official farewell tour. Tonight was my last night on call and it went out with a bang!

During the week we go out into the streets of the west end Monday through Thursday from 11:30 pm until   5 am. Then on Friday and Saturday night we're strictly on call. Since Bernard and I were on call together we decided to go in to the center and watch a movie.

Note:  While we were there I also beat him a few times at Mario Kart. He may have won once, but I'm not at liberty to divulge such information at this time...

I feel like the overall theme of the night was PATIENCE! Alcohol tends to fuzz up the brain making it hard for people to remember their own names let alone what hotel they're staying at. I've sat with people for hours waiting for them to sober up enough to remember. Our first call  of the night was pretty straight forward. There were 3 friends outside of Ibiza Rocks who needed help back to their hotel. Luckily one of them was sober and knew where they were staying. But later on in the night we responded to a call from the medical center where we met Matt. I think if Matt had one goal for the evening it was that he wanted to go to sleep! He didn't care where he was at, or who was trying to stop him. He couldn't remember the name of his hotel, all he knew was that he wanted to go to bed. We spent hours with him trying to sober him up enough to get a hotel name out of him. Eventually he did remember and we were able to put him in a taxi and send him on his way. Matt's story reminds me of these verses in Luke 6:32-33

"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same."

Basically Jesus is saying if we only love when things are easy or going good what's the point?! Anyone can do that. The tough bit is giving love when things are hard. God has taught me so much this season about loving and serving at ALL times. And tonight was definitely a chance to get to practice that.

Tomorrow I've got the day off, and it looks like we may be going to the hippie market which excites me because I've never been!

Until then...

Rocky Road Thursday

Last summer someone from 24-7 decided to take brownies into the west end for all the workers one night. From that one act Brownie Thursday was born! Who would have thought that the concept of chocolate and sugar would have grown men and women dancing in the streets like six year olds on Christmas morning!

This week instead of making brownies my friend Robb decided that the west end needed rocky road! They were delicious and a bonifide hit on the streets!

Earlier today I was in the center, and am happy to say that our Wii is finally fixed. In honor of that I promptly beat both Becky and Bernard at Mario Kart (bow down peasants!) I consider myself a bit of an expert, so all you challengers get in line and be prepared for defeat! 

After dinner it was time to say my first goodbye of the season. Aaron and Aimee (who help lead the work  here in Ibiza) are headed back to the U.K. on holiday this week. After my goodbye's it was time for the streets! The night was peaceful and full of great chats and chances to walk people home. I went out with Louise my first hour, and towards the end we were excited as we thought we were going to get a prayer request off of two young guys we met. Instead they returned it with their telephone number and the message "You're hot" scrawled on the front. It's never a dull moment around here! 

Until tomorrow!

Sunset, Ice Cream and Gavin & Stacey

Today started with prayer and ice cream...two of my favorite things! Since I went to sleep last night (this morning)  around 6 am, I decided it was okay to lounge around in bed until about 2 pm, then I got up, had a little personal prayer time and then headed off to meet one of the other long-term team members Becky. We decided to head out for some ice cream with a side of girly chit chat.

On our way we noticed a mural that's being painted here in town. It was nice to just stop and watch the artist at work. I can't wait to see what the finished product looks like! 

My schedule today was pretty open until the streets at 11:30 pm. So after ice cream I hung out at home and did some reading. Then around 8:00 pm I got this serious urge to go watch the sunset. At first I was going to put it off, but I kept feeling like I was supposed to go...and so I did.

As I sat and watched the sunset I was struck by the fact that it felt like God had called me out to watch so he could display some of his beauty for me (Psalm 19). So I just sat and soaked in the love! On my way home I passed a sleeping stranger on a side street just a few blocks from my apartment. I quickly ran home to get one of the guys to go back with me to see if we could wake this guy up before he got robbed. We managed to sort him out quickly, and it felt like an opportunity to share that love that I'd felt God lavish on me during the sunset...

After dinner it was time for the streets! I got to go out both hours with James who's one of the guys on the short-term team. It was so amazing to watch God work!  Through out the night James kept meeting people he was connected with back in England. The 2nd hour we went out, we barely got a few steps out of the center before James ran into one of his childhood friends! I just love the way God orchestrates things on the streets. James and I met some interesting people last night. One of my favorites was a guy who wouldn't stop rapping! He even made up some freestyle rhymes about 24-7!  In the end we were able to give him a bible and sent him away with a smile on his face.

Then around 4 am we got a call to go help a guy outside of  one of the bars close to the center. Once we found him we realized pretty quickly that he'd taken drugs. We took him to get checked out by the medical staff that's here in the west end. We ended up sitting with Stefan for 2 hours before they would release him to go. In that time we managed to talk about football, travel, and his love for the television show Gavin & Stacey. I held his hand while Jaime held the ice packs on his back (to help bring his body temperature down). Once the medical staff released him we were able to get him back to his hotel. We left with a handshake and a promise that I would watch my first episode of Gavin & Stacey soon! 

What a great day! 

Just Call me Beyoncé

When I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be a long one. Here's a peek at today's schedule:

1:00 pm - Wake- Up

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Meeting

4:00 pm - 8:00 pm - 24/7 Center

8:00 pm -10:00 pm - Team BBQ

11:30 pm - 5:00 am - Streets  

I woke up, had an amazing prayer time with God, and jumped right into the madness! The center was busy yet full of space to have great chats with some of the workers.

We added a few prayers to the prayer wall which is getting more and more full!

Last week we actually ran out of bibles (a good problem to have!) Today we got a few replacement boxes in.

Once the center was done, we headed over to Abby and Charlie's apartment for a BBQ. Good food, and a great chance to get to know the new short-term team who will be here for 2 weeks.

I got a little break before the streets (just enough time to change into my t-shirt!) and then it was time to head out. At nighttime our rhythm means that 1/2 of us are in the prayer room praying while the other half are out on the streets. Then each hour we swap. I was in the prayer room for the first hour and it was so good! I love it when everyone in the room focuses in and we begin to pray that God would bless Ibiza and the people in it.  My first hour out, I went on the streets with Steve and we had a great hour . We walked down by the water past many of the workers we see each night. One worker in particular is a little extra special, because every night he sees me he calls me Beyonce, which of course makes him my best friend ever! If my self confidence ever needs a boost, I can always count on him to give it!

Steve and I ended up finding a guy named Paul who was in a vulnerable position. He was very drunk and on his own. We sat with him and chatted for a bit, trying to offer our assistance. Left alone Paul would have been  prime pickings for thieves or worse.  After about 30 minutes with him we swapped out with Ruth and Mark (who managed to eventually re-unite Paul with his friends)

I think the highlight of my evening was meeting Stephanie. We found her with the medical staff waiting for her sleeping friend to sober up. While we waited we got into a great conversation. She asked me why I did the work I do in Ibiza. This is really one of the most popular questions we get asked. I explained to her that I wanted to show God's kindness to people, and then she told me that she used to be a Christian. We had an interesting little chat after that, and in the end I got to pray for her. Later Charlie and I were able to get her and her friend back to their hotel and in bed safely. It was a good night.

Now it's 6 am and I am going to bed...until tomorrow!

I'm still raising money to cover my expenses for the summer. If you'd like to donate Click Here 

Let the Countdown Begin...

As I sit here typing, I have less than two weeks before I'll be leaving Ibiza. My 90 days is almost up, which means soon I'll be back in Las Vegas. In honor of the short amount of time I have left I've decided to blog everyday before I leave!

Today we welcomed a new short-term missions team. These teams come in for two weeks and just jump right into the work with us!

Today they sat through an orientation and then I got to lead their first prayer walk on the island. During their three week stay, the teams do 3 different prayer walks. Today's walk was around San Antonio. I love leading this particular prayer walk because when I came to Ibiza for the first time in 2009, that prayer walk is one of the things I loved most about my time on the island. 

After the prayer walk, I headed back to the apartment I share with 5 other members of the long term team. Tonight was my night to cook dinner!

Tonight I have a night off, so I'm at home catching up on my bible reading (we read 30 chapters a week together as a long-term team) and thinking about watching a movie!  

One other exciting bit of news from today. I ordered my copy of "Gatecrashing" by Brian Heasley. 

Brian along with his wife Tracy used to lead the work here in Ibiza. And now Brian's written a book about his time on the island! Can't wait to read it! 

See ya tomorrow! 

Poppy in Ibiza July Newsletter!!!

So I know it's July 6th, which means I'm a few days late, but my July newsletter is finally here! Click the link below to check it out...

Poppy in Ibiza July Newsletter

Got something cool starting tomorrow so I'll see ya then!

The Sleeping Boyfriend

As Stephen and I turned the corner we noticed them immediately. She was small and standing, he was made of muscle and fully laid out on the sidewalk asleep.

We approached quickly ready to offer help. There were two other guys standing alongside her. As it turned out, they’d stopped to help and had been with her for two hours while her boyfriend slept it off on the pavement below. His muscled arms were as big as my thighs, and he did not want to move. The ironic thing is that they were only about a 5 minute walk from their hotel. Stephen and I decided to call the center to get someone to bring the wheel chair down. We figured if we could lift him into the chair, we could wheel him back.  Within 10 minutes Lucy and Jaime showed up, and we made our first of many attempts to lift the sleeping boyfriend into the wheelchair. Remember those muscles I mentioned earlier? Well anytime we tried to lift him, he would get angry and just start swinging out to hit whoever was disturbing his sleep…lashing out at the very hands that were there to help. While Steven and the group tried to lift him, I maneuvered the wheelchair and prayed. After our fifth attempt he went into a deep sleep (snoring included) and at that point we tried again with success! Once we got him in to the chair, we had him back in his room and in bed within 10 minutes without any more fight from him.

The guys who stopped to help decided they wanted to see the situation through, so they walked back to the hotel with us. Along the way one of them said to me that before we’d showed up, he’d been thinking that he wished there were people in Ibiza whose job it was to help people…and then of course we showed up! I explained to him how amazing it was that we'd run into them, since they were not along our normal route. We’d only ended up on that particular street because we'd helped someone else back to a different hotel in the area. Every night in the prayer room we pray that God would send us into the situations he wants us in. So I’d say there was a little divine leading at work.

Most nights when I go home I end up reflecting on the conversations and situations I've found myself in that night. What is God teaching me in the situations he puts me in? Tonight was a reminder that the impossible is possible! After our third attempt to get “the sleeping boyfriend” in the chair, I started to get a little discouraged. Here’s this huge guy who starts throwing punches anytime we tried to move him…how does one deal with that?! But in the end a little prayer and a little perseverance won out. It’s a reminder not to give up on the tough situations in my own life. I’m also reminded AGAIN that prayer works. When we pray we’re speaking to God our father who cares about us and the situations we find ourselves in. I think God not only answered our prayers last night, but he also answered the prayers of a frustrated guy who'd stopped to help a stranger on the streets. His whispered wish was answered by a God whose watching.

I'm still raising money to cover my expenses for the summer. If you'd like to donate Click Here 

Never Off the Clock

Last week I was on my way home after a night out on the streets when God decided to teach me a lesson.

 It was about 5 am and Becky and I were walking home from the west end when we came upon a group of lost women. Turns out they were all in Ibiza for a bachelorette/Hen party. It was their first night on the island and they did what most excited tourists in Ibiza do. They go directly from the airport to their hotel, drop off their bags and head straight out for their first night on the town. The problem comes later when they need to find their way back to their hotel. None of them could remember where it was, and from the sounds of it the group had been wandering around for about an hour. Becky and I immediately recognized the name of their hotel, and within 15 minutes managed to walk them back safely.

For us on the streets we work from 11:30 pm – 5 am and when 5 o’clock rolls around sometimes I’m tired and ready to go to bed. I think the lesson God was teaching me, is that kindness and mercy never get to clock out. If I’m trying to be like Christ, that’s a 24-7 kind of aspiration. It also challenged me as I start to think about going back to Las Vegas. When I’m on mission I’m in the mindset to reach out to people. But shouldn't that always be my mindset?  The truth is when I’m at home, and I’m running errands I've got my blinders on and I don’t let anything get in my way. I really want to go home expecting God to surround me with opportunities to share his love and kindness with people. I really want to live my entire life like that, no matter where God takes me! 

Lesson learned :)

New

As I write this it's almost 7 am, and I am still awake. We usually finish our street work at 5 in the morning, but not tonight. Tonight was full of opportunities for us to help people get home safely...so that's what we did. 

On my way home, I took the above picture as the sun was rising. With the sun, came the light, and as I made my way through the streets,  I saw the effects of the night before. Empty bottles, broken glass and trash carelessly tossed in the street. It makes me sad, but I  also know that within a few hours the streets will be cleaned and readied for another night of mayhem. 

It's a new day, and with that God reminds me of this verse: 

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies are new every morning." - Lamentations 3:22-23

God not only reminds us that his mercy never ceases, but he also gives us a landmark to be reminded of that. With each new day may we be filled with a sense of hope as we remember God's faithfulness towards us. God's mercy never run out. They are never tired or strained. They never grow stale.

 Each morning they are new.

With those words in my head and a new day beginning right before my eyes I was suddenly filled with hope. Hope for myself and for this place and all the people in it. 

God isn't done with us yet! 

Hello June!

In just a few short days it will be June and the season will be in full swing. Every night I go out on the streets it feels a little busier & a bit crazier! The Space nightclub opening was on Sunday the 25th, and that usually signifies the "official" beginning of the Ibiza summer season.

On Monday our first short-term team arrives and I'm super excited. The teams come from churches all over Europe (and sometimes the States) to help in the work we do. I love it for several reason...I love meeting new people, and adding 7-8 people in the prayer room makes a HUGE difference! It's also amazing to watch people experience Ibiza and the West End for the first time.

I've had so many great interactions and conversations with people on the streets so far this season. My nights have been full of prayers and chances to help people get home safely.

Can't wait to see what's coming next!

Hitting the Streets...

It´s mid May and we have been going out into the streets of the West End for a few weeks now. We´re out at night from 11:30 pm until 5:00 am (sometimes later), and our goal is to help people. Sometimes that means listening, or praying, and other times that means sitting with them in their vomit because they´ve drunk a little too much. It´s still early on in the Ibiza season, but already things have began to kick-off!

 Last night I was out on the streets with Becky when we ran into two workers who we´d met briefly a few days before. Almost instantly the conversation turned to God, and I was amazed as I got a chance to share my testimony with one of them. I love having chats about God in the West End, and this was a good one! One of the worker´s who I´ll call Trevor was full of questions, and seemed to have a genuine curiosity about God and Christianity. We chatted for a while, and for every question I answered he had ten more. We parted ways before we were able to answer all the deep questions of the universe, but I know that God is doing something in his heart. Since he´s a worker, I´ll see him again, and the chat will continue.

I feel like this season so far has been full of small deep moments where people are pouring out their hearts and asking great questions about God. I love it when people are full of questions, because to me it´s a sign that they´re thinking about God. They´re searching for an understanding of who he is and what that means for their lives. Our prayer is that those questions will lead them to salvation.

 I once heard a pastor say that the truth can stand up to questioning. We believe that God is truth and that
 he´s big enough for all our questions!

It's That Time Again...

Time for another of my monthly newsletter's. This month we've gone for the video update again, so CLICK HERE and check it out!

Here We Go!

It's May 1st which means opening day for us here at 24-7 Ibiza. Today our worker's center opens, and tonight will be out first night out on the streets for the season.

Today I was reading in John, when this verse caught my eye:

"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was FULL of UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:14)

The word full really stuck out to me as I was reading, and it excites me that it's there. Jesus didn't just come with a little unfailing love...no he was full of it! The bible is full of verses that document God's unfailing love towards us, and in 1 John 4:8 we learn that "God is Love".

As I sat and thought about the fact that God came equipped with a vast amount of love for us, it made me realize that if God truly is love, then everything he does he does out of LOVE. I want to strive to do that as well. I want to be full of God's unfailing love, and in all that I do I want to reflect that to people. Not only this summer, but throughout every area of my life.

I'll be praying that God reminds me of that verse when it's 4am and I'm sitting with someone in the west end who's too drunk to tell me what hotel their staying at. And when I get to give out bibles, or pray for people this season, Let it all be done in LOVE!

Hello Jet-Lag My Old Friend...

After 17 hours of flying, I can finally say that I am back in Ibiza again! I arrived on Easter Sunday, just in time to drop my luggage and get ready for church service.

Bye-Bye Las Vegas! 

It seems like a long time to travel, but my flights were actually great. I had two layovers (both one hour long), great seats (all windows towards the front of the plane), and a nice curry dinner!

I'm currently staying with the Clayton's (the leaders of 24-7 Ibiza) at their lovely apartment. I'll be moving into the team apartment in a few weeks. Charlie and Abby have been so gracious, and I've even managed to get Charlie to eat a few all veggie meals!

Just a few days after I arrived it was already time for us to welcome one of our first short term teams of the summer...the prayer team. It's a team that's near and dear to me since my very first trip to Ibiza was as a member of the prayer team in 2009. I love having them here, not just for the prayers they'll pray, but also because it really focuses me on what's coming. The summer isn't all that far off, and this week is really just the beginning.

Me...awake at 3 am...

 I'm nearing the end of my first week on the island, and I'm hoping to get over my jet lag very soon. There's a nine hour time difference between Las Vegas and Ibiza, and as of Friday, I still haven't managed to sleep through the night yet. Fingers crossed that'll happen soon!

That's it for now. If you haven't already, make sure you're signed up for my newsletter. I'll be sending them out once a month while I'm here for the summer. You can sign up by filling out the form on the side bar to the right ----->

Bye for now...

Ready for Your...

I like all kinds of music. The other day I was in the car on the way to work listening to "Ready for your Love" by Gorgon City. As I was driving I zeroed in on the lyrics, and it seriously felt like my heart was singing them!

I'm ready for the start of something new
I'm ready to depart from what made me blue
I'm ready for my heart to let you through
But most of all, most of all...

I'm ready for the rain to pour down on me
I'm ready for a change to come and set me free
I'm ready for my loss to become victory
But most of all, most of all...

I'm ready for your LOVE
I'm ready for your LOVE
I'm ready for your LOVE

And that's just the first verse! If you've been reading this blog, you know how EXCITED I am about heading to Ibiza this summer. I've been thinking a lot about LOVE. Not only about sharing God's LOVE with the people around me, but also about receiving it. I think when we open ourselves to receive God's LOVE in our own lives, it makes us better at actually loving other people.

Let's be honest. It can be hard to accept that LOVE at times. Mostly because our little human minds can't begin to grasp why God would care about us. We look at our own lives and hearts, and we see how often we've failed to do what's right, and we wonder why God doesn't just disown us!

The amazing thing is that even through our failings God shows us great LOVE.

My prayer is that my heart would be open to receive in full all the LOVE that God has for me, so I can turn around and lavish it on everyone I meet...

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Mountains in the Distance...

Today marks 10 days until I leave for Ibiza!

Going back stirs up two feelings for me...Excitement and Fear. I'm excited because Ibiza really does feel like my home, and I can't wait to be back there working with 24-7. The fear comes from the unknown things that lie ahead for my Ibiza journey. My goal is still to go to Ibiza full time, but as I stand on the road and look down at the mountains in my way, I'm just not sure how that will ever happen.

Lately I feel God reminding me to keep my focus on today, and to let tomorrow worry about itself! I read this fantastic bit in the "Jesus Calling" devotional:

"You see huge mountains looming, and you start wondering how you're going to scale those heights. Meanwhile because you're not looking where you're going, you stumble on the easy path where I am leading you now...But you don't know what will happen today. much less tomorrow. Our path may take and abrupt turn, leading you away from those mountains. There may be an easier way up the mountain than is visible from this distance... If I do lead you up the cliffs, I will equip you thoroughly for the climb."

It's funny because I read this back in February and wrote about it in my journal, but today I felt God remind me to keep my focus on where my feet are today.

I get so passionate about Ibiza, because there's a fire inside me that just burns for that place! I really believe God planted that love for Ibiza in me, and one day it will be my home. But today I'm reminded to not let the mountains get in my way this summer. I'm going for 3 months and not for good like I would prefer.  But if I keep my focus on what God wants to do in those 3 months, I really do think amazing things can happen.

Why worry about those mountains that are looming in the distance, when the God I serve, who is ALL POWERFUL, could tomorrow decide to level them at my feet!

"He moves mountains before they know what’s happened, flips them on their heads on a whim." - Job 9:5 (The Message)

Poppy in Ibiza 2014 - April Newsletter

Thankfulness and Anticipation

Psalm 105:1 says:
"Give Thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done."

This week I've been thinking about thankfulness a lot. When I look at my journey back to Ibiza it's becoming clearer that God is orchestrating every step. Not only did an anonymous donor donate a large chunk of my expenses for this summer, but I also got offered a temp job at the beginning of this month. So I've been working and saving. My temp job ends the day before I fly to Ibiza...perfect timing!

Thinking about how I got the money for this trip reminds me a lot of my first trip to Ibiza. I remember having this overwhelming sense that I was supposed to go, and also the overwhelming sense of dread because I didn't have the money! Through some crazy circumstances God gave me the money I needed for the trip. This week it almost feels like God is giving me a little nudge to REMEMBER the way he's provided in the past.

As I remember I'm filled with thankfulness, and also a real sense of anticipation. God provided a way for me to go back to Ibiza this summer. Knowing that fills me with a real sense of purpose. I can't wait to see exactly what God has for me this summer. I think that will include some personal growth and also multiple ways for me to be a reflection of him to the people I meet on the White Isle.

I can't wait!

Raising Funds...Like a BOSS!

You may have noticed that I posted a countdown clock on the right sidebar of the blog. As I type this I see that I've got 32 days 23 hours 33 minutes and 32 seconds...

31...

30...

You get the idea! As I countdown the days until I leave, I'm also working to raise the rest of the support I'll need to go. My airline ticket is an expense that's getting closer and closer. I'll be leaving for Spain on April 19th, which means I'll need to buy my ticket in just a few short weeks.

In an effort to raise the $1500 I'll need for that I've created this cool little airplane graph:

There are about 300 squares. Each square = $5. What I'm hoping will happen is that people will purchase a square or two (or five or ten!) and before you know it my ticket will be paid for!

If you're interested in donating towards my ticket, just click the donate button on the sidebar or check out my How to Donate page.

I've got some savings that I'll be using towards my time in Ibiza this summer as well, so I'll be covering $500 of my airline ticket cost. God has been so generous to me, when it comes to Ibiza that I believe the rest of my ticket cost will be provided as well!

Joke of the Day: 

What does a nosy pepper do? (scroll down for the answer!)








Get jalapeño business :)

Ibiza Countdown 2014

So today is March 15th, and as I look at my desk calendar I realize that I've got a little over 4 weeks before I'll be boarding a plane to go back to Ibiza. So now the countdown official begins! I've got a lot to do in the next 4 weeks...

1. I need to raise the rest of the financial support I'll need for the summer. Okay...honesty time. Fundraising is not my favorite thing to do! It makes me nervous and antsy and I wish I could just hit the lottery and be done with it! I think what I'm beginning to realize is that fundraising is more than just asking people for money. It's more about asking them to join with me in spreading God's love in Ibiza. Most of them will never set foot on the White Isle, but by donating they can take part in what God's doing there through me.  
2. I need to buy a suitcase. And I need to pray to the overweight baggage fee gods that I won't get charged too much! 
3. Preparing Spiritually. Doing missions work is serious business! I know it's the power of God that changes peoples lives...not the power of Poppy! I'm just the vessel, and I want to make sure my house is in order.

I'm also thinking about trying to document a lot of my trip this summer by vlogging (video blogging). So stay tuned for more on that! I've always wished that instead of trying to explain Ibiza to people, I could just take them with me. Since I can't do that, I thought vlogging would be the next best thing!

Make sure you check the blog regularly, because I'll be keeping you updated on my journey to get back to Ibiza in 2014!

Poppy in Ibiza 2014!!!

So Yesterday wins the 2014 award for "BEST DAY EVER" (at least so far!)

I was going about my normal Monday morning business, checking my e-mails when I noticed a new e-mail from Abby Clayton (one of the 24-7 Ibiza leaders).

Turns out that an "anonymous" donor had donated money for me to be able to come to Ibiza this summer. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement.

I literally just sat in front of my computer and cried. I've been praying about getting to Ibiza this summer, but just couldn't see how that was going to happen. For the past week I'd been thinking that I should just let Abby and Charlie know that I wouldn't be able to make it this summer. Just as I was ready to give up, God provided. 

The money that was donated for me will cover a large chunk of my summer expenses, but I'll still need to raise about $2500 to cover the rest of my living expenses and to pay for my airline ticket. 

I'll be looking to leave for Spain sometime in late April/Early May. 

WOO HOO!