Around the world in 3 months!

I'm back from Belize! (Now a happy graduate of Discipleship Training School.). My trip was long and complicated, but also truely amazing, and I am incredibly blessed. I wanted to write a quick update and give the highlights from my trip(s):

Belize (school, 3 months):
I re-learned the goodness and kindess of God - which allowed me to break free from a lot of self-condemnation and blame.

1.) God is NOT an angry smiter. He is not out to get me, and he's not disappointed in me.
2.) NOTHING I do can make God love me LESS....or more.
3.) God loves me, just because he loves me, just because he loves me, just because he loves me...
4.) Because that is who God is, God is love - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails." God is patient, God is kind....God never fails.

England (1 month, helping with Olympics):
We spent most of our time running around helping different churches run cafes (were people from the community could watch the olympics and hangout, etc.) and sports camp for kids.

1.) I immensely enjoyed painting the faces of 6 beautiful little columbian girls, and becoming their hero for the day - having them follow me every place screaming "Anna! Anna! Anna" and wanting me to play with them all the time. :)
2.) Sharing the gospel with a little boy from Africa who had never even heard of Jesus before!
3.) Meeting a woman from Romania in Starbucks, and getting to share my entire testimony with her; then hearing hers, and having an amazing heart to heart conversation. We both left incredibly encouraged.
4.) Going to Hyde Park and meeting a man from Zimbabwe. Got into an intense conversation about human suffering and the goodness of God. Ended up sobbing, and telling the man through tears that God really does care about him, about his people, about Africa, about anyone suffering...that God hears their prayers, and he does care, and that God really does LOVE him, and he really does LOVE each person SO much....

Portugal (1 month, partnered with George and Arcadia - portugese missionaries):
Spent 1 week at a youth camp helping lead games and preach/lead worship. Then 3 weeks performing skits and doing open air evangelism.

1.)  Teaching on "Trusting God during the Hard Times..." and sharing my own story at the Youth Camp.
2.) Meeting two women from the Netherlands who were seeking out God; but were confused and discouraged, and I was able to sit and talk with them, and help point them towards Jesus...
3.) Getting to know the kids we worked  with at the camp, and their families. Portugese/Brazilian Portugese people are the sweetest, most hospitable people in the entire world!
4.) The Beaches were indescribably beautiful...(the flowers too!)
5.) Debreif - we got to stay in a wonderful country cottage - and just relax as a team. It was pefect, and a wonderful break before heading home...
6.) Met a woman from Estonia who desires to be a midwife (like I hope to do!) Diffenently a kindred spirit and hope we will be friends for a long time.

Summary: God is good. Life isn't always perfect, but there is always reason to HOPE, and to trust God. He really does love and care about me. And you. :) He hears our prayers...

Life is hard. But God is good!

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who supported me on this Journey!

Up, Up, and Flyin Away!

Hello Everyone,

      By now I'm sure you've heard - I'm leaving for Belize! 

Why, you may ask? To do a Discipleship training school with Youth With a Mission = YWAM DTS. What's that? It's like a 5 month bible school, designed to train and equip Christian leaders to take the love of Christ to the World. It has three phases. First the lecture phase, 12 weeks of school and training in Belize, and second, the Outreach phase - two month mission trip (could be anywhere in the world). The third phase is an internship, which is determined by the student's passions, interests, and skills. It also could be anywhere in the world. 

After all that, there are secondary schools. My hope is to attend a Birthing Assistant School in Australia; in which, I'd actually become a practicing and professional midwife. I am honestly just so excited about all the possibilities! There are so many doors this first phase, the DTS, opens up. 

But really, I am mostly excited about getting to know God more. It's been a rough year, and my faith has been very tested. I'm excited to go and get some rest and respite with Jesus; and then hopefully, launched into missions fulltime! That is my dream, but the desire of my heart is to Love God with my whole heart. 

So that is why, Ann Hefflinger is leaving for Belize tomorrow. To go to School, to chase her dreams, to answer her calling, and to follow God. 

I'm learning as always, to "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding...in all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will guide you." Proverb 3:5-6. 

Well, here's to the shortest and probably least informative update ever - but it's late, and I'm tired, and I have a BIG day ahead of me tomorrow! I love you all. Thank you so much for your love, support and prayers. 

I will try to update as much as possible...but don't expect too much. I'll be enjoying those palm trees! ;) 

Trust.

I have to admit, trusting God all the time - is REALLY hard. I didn't feel like it today, and I certainly didn't want to last night. I wanted to mope in despair, and yell and scream, and be angry at the injustice of life. (I think having a hurt knee and having to give up all my precious and adored outdoor recreation - began it's toll on me.) Laugh if you will (please do), but I MISS exercising. I miss the way it makes me feel happy, healthy, alive...I miss the times Mom and I would go for jogs together...I miss feeling like I accomplished something.

I hate being stuck indoors in a messy house, that no matter how many times I clean - it is trashed again the next day. I hate that I have so many books to read, it stresses me out thinking I will never get to spend adequate time to really study all of them. I hate that when I desperately want to spend time with God, our time feels forced and rushed. I hate when I pray, and nothing seems to happen. I hate when I have a bad attitude, and I make life miserable for other people too.

- Now hate is an extremely strong word...so let's just say, I don't actually hate those things...they just get me discouraged, and they are what I focus on when I am not focusing on God.

I am so human, and SO imperfect. I like to try really hard to be perfect....but I fail epic-ly every time. That is why today, I was reminded again that I am human. I am not perfect. I can do nothing good on my own, because there is nothing good in me. Only God is good. Only God is perfect. and only God can truly love those around me the way they need to be loved.

So today, I choose to trust God. I choose to remember that he is good, all the time, and he is kindness, and he is love. I choose to focus on Him, and the love he has for me, and for you, and for everybody all the time. I'm not walking this road a lone, I can't even pretend to... I am not alone. He walks right beside me, Emmanuel - God is with us. "....be sure of this; I am with you wherever you go." Work. Church. The bathroom. (Hahaha, ok had to throw that in... because it sometimes perplexes me). School. Your car. Your heart. Your thoughts. Your emotions.

Nothing is to big of a problem for God. Trust me, you may be a mess (hey, me too!) but God is in control. He really is. He is someone you can trust. He has your best interests in mind. Surrender....trust the Lord. He loves you. You are not alone. He is right beside you.