God has been calling me to missions for the past 4 or 5 years. Well this semester, God started calling me more and more I mean I couldnt study, sleep, or focus on anything but that however I still made A's on test now thats God. So I went and talked to my youth minister and got this situated out in my heart and mind. That night was our Christmas thing at the B. Stacy spoke and had us write one thing we need to surrender or commit to God in the next year. We wrote these on ornaments. Well just that afternoon is when I had talked to my youth minister. And I knew what I had to write (Gods plan is perfect) and I wrote I surrender my will to God and I know missions will be a part of my life and I am available when You want me God. I didnt write all of that but thats what I said to God. Then on Dec 13, I surrendered to missions publicly at church. Also this semester I am praying about where God wants to send me this next summer. And I feel like He is pulling my heart toward, maine, the philippines, or tahoe. And yes, the phiippines scares me but I know God will take care of me and provide the money. So I am praying about where He will send me and each one deals with children. The philippines is an orphange project. I can't wait to see what God has in store for summer 2010. This spring break I am going to Reynosa, Mexico on a mission trip with the B. I also got my passport this semester (my Christmas gift). SO i am praying on where God wants me to go and how He will provide the funds. Funny thing is I had a dream about God providing hte funds for me to go to mexico and maine or mexico and the philippines. So that gave me some assurance and relief. I guess God does still speak through dreams. Well if yall would be praying for me it would be great. Thank you for all your prayers and support in the past. I will update around Feburary which is interview weekend. :)

Home Sweet Home

Well i have been home almost a week now.
And i have just started to realize everything God did in my life this summer! I am putting the negative aside and reflecting only on the positive!
The BIGGEST thing that happened to me this summer is I got SO MUCH CLOSER to my Lord and Savior. He taught me so many new and wonderful things. I have always heard the Gospel stories but had never read them for myself...well that's not so anymore. I read all four Gospels this summer and God transformed my life! I saw each story in a new light but all in all I discovered the intimate relationship Jesus had with His Heavenly Father while He walked this earth. And to have that in mind while reading the crucifixion and resurrection story just puts me in awe. Its amazing to know that GOD LOVES US SO MUCH AND HE WANTS AN INTIMATE LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH US!
God also taught me this summer that people WILL fail you. In so many ways this happened this summer from team issues to the world falling apart in Clarksville one week. I definitely learned that there is NO ONE ELSE WE SHOULD PUT ALL OF OUR TRUST IN AND RELY ON MORE THAT GOD WHO IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND HEAVENLY FATHER AND HE WANTS TO KNOW US AND HAS A PERFECT PLAN FOR US EVEN IF WE CANT SEE HOW AT THE TIME!
God showed me so much about waiting and having patience to wait for His plan to unfold in my life. God is NOT a Magic Eight Ball...we don't just go to Him ask a question and shake Him to see what we get. We are to go to Him humbly and seek His face and His will completely. Not our own will with our own good in mind. That brings me to another thing I learned this summer is that i am one SELFISH person! ITS NOT ABOUT ME AT ALL! I AM JUST A VAPOR AND GOD HAS SUCH A BIGGER PICTURE THAN I CAN'T SEE AND I AM NOT EVEN PROMISED TOMORROW! all i need to do is live for God today and follow Him where He leads me in the future. He is in control and all I need. I am so in love with the God of this universe and He loves me so much and out of the billion people on this planet He cares to know me personally and He care to know each individual personally and He desires that intimate relationship with each of them BUT HOW WILL THEY KNOW IF WE NEVER GET OVER OURSELVES AND SHARE THE GREATEST GIFT WE HAVE...and i am just as guilty at this...i am the worlds worst at making excuses for not telling people about Jesus which goes back to I AM SELFISH but this gift is for EVERYONE NOT JUST ME! and I HAVE TO STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND GO WHERE GOD LEADS ME! For this fall that means APSU is my mission field. Next summer i don't know where it will be I feel as if God is leading me to go to Maine but that is going to require daily seeking God's face and His will.
God has taught me so much this summer and my relationship with Him has got so much better. And I will never fully know the impact I had on kids lives this summer but i know i planted so many seeds and discipled many new followers of Christ :)
This summer was SO LIFE CHANGING AND AMAZING!
I miss being on the mission field so much...and I can't wait to get back to it, but the mission doesn't stop when i come home! Its just getting started! God has GREAT plans :)
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS THIS SUMMER THEY MEAN SO MUCH TO ME! A THOUSAND THANK YOU'S COULD NEVER EXPRESS HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS. CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ME AS I SEE GOD'S WILL IN WHERE TO GO NEXT!
I LOVE YALL!
<3Kacey.

Long Time...No Post.

Well last week we did Springhills VBS. It was fun! I had about 12 or 13 5th and 6th grade girls. They learned a lot, kept me busy, and we had fun.
There has been some team issues that have bothered me like crazy this summer. But i have to remember all I can do is live for God and follow Him.
I have grown SO MUCH closer to my Lord and Savior this summer.
I finished reading the gospels and now I am reading in Act about Peter, Paul, and many other great people. Just seeing the persecution they faced because they were Christians really opened my eyes to the fact that the world will hate us because we are nto like them, but we still have to share and be an example.
God has also began to show me more of where He wants me to serve next summer. I began thinking about working centrikid again becuase I feel as though I have had a less than fabulous summer due to team issues. And I thought about Centrikid becuase I knew how camp worked and I knew I would be comfortable in that setting. But I realized that missions isnt about being COMFORTABLE...MISSIONS IS ABOUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE! And I began to pray fo God to show me where He wanted me to serve. I ran across some scripture on a friends facebook page and God really began to speak to me. One of the verses I found was
Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

[I love this because it sums up my whole summer completely. And I def needed to hear that what I did this summer wasnt useless and that I did touch peoples lives and planted a lot of seeds.]

THEN I FOUND THESE:

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
AND

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

[After I read that I just told God to send me where He wants me and I think that He is telling me to go with Light Messengers to Maine. They run a day camp there for children, I do believe. :)]

Well i have to wrap this up quick off to VBS night 3 at Enon. Thank you for your continuous prayers. Love yall!
-Kacey

Cave City

We got back yesterday from Cave City. It was so much fun. I loved it. We worked with Cave City Baptist Church.
On Tuesday we got there, got settled, and started working. We started cleaning out closets and doing computer work. We only worked about 2 hours. The next day we worked for 8 hours cleaning out closets and on computer stuff. We cleaned out and organized about 8 closets. Big closets with big messes!
Then on Thursday, Kaitlyn and I painted a Sunday School room all day long, and cleaned out another 2 closets. Others did computer work. After work we went exploring in Mammoth Cave National Park. It was really neat.
On Friday we finished cleaning and a few other things. Then we all got ready and went to Mamoth Cave. We went on a 2 hour Historical tour. It was really neat I loved it.
On Saturday we folded bulletins for church and headed back to Dyersburg.
This morning Ashley and I went to First Baptist Dyersburg for church. I love going there. Its the closest thing I can get to Hilldale :)
I miss my church family.
Everything is going well...I can't believe summer is almost over.
God has shown me so much and has done some amazing things. My relationship with Christ has grown so much and I am so in love with my Savior and Lord just for who He is.
That is what my quiet time was about this morning. It talked about how we as a church and as individuals should love God for who He is NOT what He can do for us. And it talked about full surrender. Often this is who we are and who I was and who I don't want to be anymore. "I come to acknowledge and understand that I have not really been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ HIimself, but only concerned with knowing what He has done for me." Now this is my goal and what I'm living for: "My goal is God HImself, not joy nor peace, Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God." All I want to do is continuously fall in love with my Savior and serve Him.
God has moved so much in me this summer.
This week we have VBS at Spinghill Baptist Church. I can't wait to see what God has planned. We also have a youth group from New Orleans staying at the B, so that will be fun.
I'm also a little sad this week because this is the first time in 6 years that I will not be at church camp...specifically Mission Fuge. I have went to Mission Fuge the past 4 years and God showed me so much. I love the camp atmosphere and everything. I wish I could have went again, but I knew God placed me in summer missions and in Dyersburg for such a time as this.
I will keep you updated. :)
Thank you for your prayers. They mean a lot.
<3 Kacey.

Ripley Backyard Bible Club, Fowlkes VBS, 4th of July Weekend, FInley Day Camp, and Cave City

Whew! Its been super busy the past week or so.
Last week (June 28 through July 2) we had VBS at Fowlkes Baptist Church. I have 5 5th and 6th graders at the beginning of the week then 8 by the end of the week. We got to VBS about 5 or 530 everyday. It started at 6 and went til 830 then we left about 845. The kids were great. They learned a lot, seeds were planted, some accepted Christ, but more importantly we loved on the kids and just had fun.
Also that week (June 29 through July 2) we had a Backyard Bible Club that morning from 10 to 12. VBS in 2 hours. We got there about 945 and left about 1 each day. Most of these kids had never gone to church some didnt even know who Jesus was. So it was great to plant seeds and see these kids really grasp and understand. I had 20 or 21 5th and 6th graders. Overall there were 75 kids there. We had fun with the kids and seriously loved on them. You could tell some of them just needed a hug and a smile. The last day (July 2) we had a swim party at the park we were at. The kids had so much fun. I taught a few of them how to swim, saved one from drowning, and went down the slide way to many times.
It was busy, crazy and we were tired by the end of the week, but I loved every minute of it.
I went home Thursday night after family night. 1st time traveling on my own in the dark. The on Friday I went to my stepdads family reunion at the Ocoee River and Lake with my parents. It was fun. We went tubing at the lake and floating down the river a lot. Good food and fun family times.
Today (July 6) we went to Finley Baptist Church and held a VBS day camp form 9AM to 630PM! We taught 3 Bible studies, taught music, missions, crafts, had a swim party, watched a movie, and had a small version of family night. It was crazy and tiring but fun. I had 12 5th and 6th graders and all but 2 or 3 learned their memory verse in one day before we went swimming :) I was so proud of them.
Many seeds have been planted this summer and I can't wait to see what God is going to do next. Continue to pray for these kids that the seed that have been planted won't just stay planted but that in the future they will grow. Even if I am not around to see the result, at least I did what God called me to do...plant seeds and be a messenger.
Tomorrow morning we are headed to cave city to do a mission trip. We will be transferring records from paper to computer and anything else the church we will be working with needs done.
Well I'm not sure if I will have internet or not...so I wil update when I can.
Thank you for your continuous prayers. They mean a lot. :)
♥ Kacey.

SBC and more VBS

Southern Baptist Convention Team minus Micha.

Southside Baptist Church 5th and 6th Grade.

Well I loved the Southern Baptist Convention. Everything was great. I loved registering all the messengers. I even got to sit in on the convention. It was neat to see the process of how everything worked. I loved it. We all had so much fun together as a team too. I got to see Josh's family - Stephen and Natoisha as well as Mr. Paul and Mrs. Carolyn. It was great.
Then....on our way back..i got to leave from Brentwood with my stepdad (he works there) and enjoy a weekend in CLARKSVILLE! I surprised my mom by showing up. It was great. I got to see all of my family and swim. So when we swapped buses i just didnt go to dyersburg. Then my parents brought me back on Sunday.
This week we are leading a VBS Backyard Bible Club for Macedonia Baptist Church in Ripley in the morning. And at night we are leading a VBS at Fowlkes Baptist Church.
We have 75 kids at the BYBC and 40 to 50 and Fowlkes. I love all of it...especially just loving on the kids.
I am going home for the 4th of july too and then off ot Cleveland, TN for my stepdads family reunion. It should be fun though.
Well thank you for your prayers and contiue to pray for the kids and our team. Pray also that I would have the opportunity to lead a child to Christ.
I will update soon.
:) Kacey.

Well VBS at Southside ended tonight! I loved it and I'm going to miss my group of amazing kids (pictures soon). I almost cried when I left.
Tomorrow we are headed to the Southern Baptist Convention to work the registration desk! I'm SO excited to get out of the small town of Dyersburg for awhile! haha!
Here is what we will be doing while we are there. Where ever it says Tennessee Team that is when we work :) and we do crossover and training too!

Saturday:

CrossOver Assignments -- Friday night there will be a most important CrossOver Orientation Meeting.

Bill Noe, Campus Minister at University of Louisville, will be meeting with all our groups at 7 PM on Friday night,

at Heeren Hall, in the music building behind the Chapel on the Southern Seminary campus. Each student is

encouraged to bring a backpack for CrossOver on Saturday; the backpack is primarily for holding water that the

students will be handing out as part of your CrossOver assignment. Dress for Saturday CrossOver is very casual.

Shorts, tennis shoes, T-Shirts are best. Warning about flip-flops….lot of walking this day! Lunch

On CrossOver Saturday will be provided…..Pizza and drinks will be brought to your site.

BCM Team Training for Registration Saturday at 4:00 PM Convention Center

In the Registration area for the convention. Brief training session everyone will learn how to work the

computers and do the Registrations. All our students and Leaders will make their Official Name Tags on

Saturday afternoon. This Training is MOST Important!

The Tennessee Team will be bringing the Shirts to this meeting for distribution to all the

Registration Team members.

Sunday:

We would prefer to have all our BCM Registration Teams…dressed in the official BCM Polo Shirts and khaki pants…on Sunday

morning. It makes a large impact! We will worship together at Sojourn Church at 9:30 AM, 930 Mary Street, Louisville, KY 40204.

This is a new Southern Baptist Church Plant with a lot of Young adults. Keith Inman and Lizzi Spence worked it out for us to worship

together at this site. Please join us!

Sunday: SBC Registration Duties Begin!!!

Tennessee, Indiana & South Carolina Teams report in at 3:00 PM 6:30 PM to work

Registration Desk

Kentucky Team will report in at 6 PM to work Registration Desk until closing at 9:30 PM.

Monday:

Tennessee Team report in at 7:30 AM to work Registration Desk until 11:30 AM…lunch break will begin for Tennessee

Indiana & South Carolina Team report in at 9 AM to work Registration Desk

until 1 PM…Lunch break will begin for Indiana & South Carolina

Kentucky Team will report in at 11 AM to work Registration Desk and needs to eat

Lunch prior to arrival…..Kentucky will get an afternoon break around 3 PM.

Tennessee Team will come back in at 2 PM and work until 6 PM.

Indiana & South Carolina Team will come back in at 3 PM and work until 7 PM.

Kentucky Team will come back in at 6 PM and work until closing at 9:15 PM.

Tuesday:

This is the busy day!!!

Tennessee Team, Indiana and South Carolina Teams report in at 7 AM.

Kentucky Team reports in at 8:30 AM…TN, IN & SC can begin taking short breaks.

South Carolina lunch break: 11 AM 12 Noon

Indiana lunch break: 11:30 AM 12:30 PM

Tennessee lunch break: 12:15 PM 1:15 PM

Kentucky: take a long break as soon as South Carolina & Indiana return from lunch (around 12 Noon to 12:30 PM)…..Kentucky

returns from long break at 5:30 PM

South Carolina, Indiana and Tennessee should be allowed to leave for the day at 6:45PM and Kentucky can stay until closing at 9:15 PM.

Wednesday:

Tennessee, Indiana & South Carolina report in at 7:30 AM and work

until 11:00 AM.

Kentucky Team reports in at 10:30 AM and works until closing at 1 PM 1:30 PM.

So thats my week next week and I get to see the Bungers ( Mr. Paul, Mrs. Carolyn, Stephen, and Natoisha,) while I am there!

Thank you for your continued prayers! :)

Well I will update soon.

The Past Few Days...God has moved...in me!

Wow! God has definitely moved.
This week we have been doing VBS at Southside Baptist Church. These kids are so precious!. Everyday is so much fun with them. They are so eager to learn about God. They are definitely hungry and thirsty. I know of one that is saved and I think two more might be. Two of my kids have been asking questions so God is definitely working in them. I am continuing to pray that God will work even more in them. I know soon that they will accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I may not be there to see it, but they definitely are going to go back to that church. The adult that is helping me is one of there favorite parts of the whole day, and he loves being with the kids and he teached RA's at the church. Although God isnt moving how I expected He is definitely moving and thats all that matters. God doesn't answer to me and move how I want Him too because He is God and I am not. I cannot tell Him what to do. He tells me what to do and I obey. He has called me to share the gospel. I have done that and the rest is for God to do in His time.
God has really taught me a lot in the past few days through my quiet time also. Last Friday the topic in My Utmost for His Highest was: Where our self-interest sleeps and the real interest is awakened. It talked about dying to yourself and your desires and choosing God's. And thats definitely happened a lot in my life lately. He is molding me and shaping me into His image. His desires for my life are also becoming my desires for my life. Missions is going to be such a large part of my life. I still don't know the details, but I do know I am suppose to go. One quote I loved out of this devotion was: "A true disciple is one who has his new name written all over him - self-interest, pride, and self sufficiency have completely been erased." That is what I am striving to be : a true disciple of Christ. The next day went along with this. The topic was Where our individual desire dies and sanctified surrender lives. Here is a quote from that day: " A saint realizes that it is God who engineers his circumstances; consequently there are no complaints, only unrestrained surrender to Jesus." Thats another thing I am chasing after is for me to fully surrender to God's will with no complaints. The next day talked about abiding in God. It talked about how Jesus never chose His circumstances, but He always submitted to His Father's plans and directions for Him. I am suppose to do the same exact thing. It amazes me the intimacy that Jesus and God shared with each other. And to think that we can have that same intimacy with our Heavenly Father is mind boggling and so amazing. The next day was about adding to your faith in the matter of drudgery. It talked about forming godly habits in our daily lives. This is probably my favorite quote out of the whole book: "We are not meant to be seen as God's perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace." I also learned that one of the greatest hindrances in our spiritual life is that we look only for the big things to do. Which is what I had been doing all summer til God got a hold of me and said I called you as my messenger....share the Gospel and let me do the rest. "I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty's sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at that point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ."
God really spoke LOUDLY to me yesterday about my future and His will for my life. The title was "Will You Lay Down Your Life?" The verses that were in it were John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. And in John 15:15 it talks about how He has called us friends. In my Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says "Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him." This means God wants all of me everything. Not just part of me. So I layed down my life for Him and gave myself to Him for Him to use me for His kingdom! "It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shinig moments of life, but we have to walke in the light of them in our everyday ways." God calls me to live for Him even in the dull non-bright-shining moments of everyday life. So all if this has brought me to the point of following God's plan for my life and reminding me that I am the messenger and my job is to tell, it is God's job to create the change and save people for He is God.
Regardless of results...God has definitely changed me this summer, and I know He has more great plans in store. And I can't wait to see what else God is going to do.
Thank you for all of your prayers continue to pray.
In Christ, Kacey.

5th and 6th Grade at FBC Trimble

5th and 6th Grade at Beech Grove Viar

Wow! Its amazing how when you give up and give everything to God and let Him be in control...EVERYTHING changes and falls into place. God has only had to teach me this lesson 876525984357357397504320754 times! Because I'm a control freak!
Well my roommate and I talked for a long time last night. Our whole team is getting along great!
Then I had a wonderful time at VBS last night and this morning. I played with kids, loved on them, and came up with fun stuff to do when we had dead time. The Bible study time has been great. They are very attentive and ask questions. Its been great. I'm sad to leave the kids at FBC Trimble tomorrow. We have Track 5 Bible Study with them, VBS family day which is the program thing, then lunch with them in the morning. Then that afternoon/ night we head to Southside Baptist Church for VBS at night! I can't wait! After this week its off to Louisville for the SBC! Well I will update later :) Thank you for all of your prayers. Continue to pray that I have the opportunity to lead child to Christ. Pray for the children we are working with and will be working with that they will understand and come to know Him as their Savior and Lord. Pray also for our team. Thank you for your prayers once again.
:) Kacey.

Dear God, Show me why I am here. Give me strength and speak through me and use me. I give you my self-interest, my self-sufficiency, and my pride. I can't do this on my own, I need you, Father. In Jesus name. Amen.

I am not really sure why I am here, but I know God has a plan. I feel like our team isn't bonded as much as I expected. I feel like I'm not seeing any change, or anything happen. But then I was reminded by Scarlett to "Expect God to do what He wants to accopmlish through you and not what you want to accomplish." Which is a paraphrase of Isaiah 55:11. But Isaiah 55: 8-11 really spoke to me:
⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

God is in control. And He has me here for a purpose. And even though I am no seeing results, I am planting seeds. And before anything can grow, seeds must be planted. God also taught me that I am the messenger. It is up to Him to change and save people. He has just called me to share and tell. So I said to God, "Here I am, your servant, use me. Use me how you want too and not how I think I should be used. For you are God."

So the rest of my summer I am going to remember to "Stop expecting something and expect nothing." and to "Expect God to do what He wants to accoomplish through me and not what I want to accomplish."

Along with all of this I got homesick yesterday. I talked to my grandma. And my aunt Joy called me. And Alissa got on the phone and told me how she had moved up to the preschool class and how she would graduate next year. And I told her I missed her. Then she said I miss you too. Then she said Kacey, I love you. And with tears pouring form my eyes I said I love you too. And that made me miss her so much.
But I know I am here for a purpose and I have to fully trust and rely on God.

I am reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and I love it. In chapter 5 it says to put the book down and read the 4 Gospels. I have never sat and read the four Gospels all the way through. Francis Chan says to read the words form Jesus's point of view and think about how He wants use to live and serve and love. I have done that and God has shown me so many wonderful things about Him. About how initmate Jesus and God's relationship is and how that very same God desires that kind of relationship with me and how I desire that. Not only does He desire that kind of relationship with me but He desires that kind of relationship with EVERYONE! Thats so amazing that He wants to know us so personally. I cannot wrap my mind around it. All I can do is surrender everything to Him and follow Him because that is what He deserves is ALL OF ME! God has also given me a hunger and a thrist for His word. I am the type of person who just wants to read a devotional - short story and a verse. But now I can't stop reading God's Word. I cannot put it down. And I have longed for that type of passion. I am so excited to have it. God's Word is truly amazing and so powerful and full of life and I could go on and on. I am def. falling in love with my Creator more and more. And its so amazing.

Well thats about everything. Oh I forgot about VBS...last night was great we talked about worship. And I had one of my kids tell me her memory verse. Our verse is 1 John 4:9 God's love was revealed among us in this way. God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. And yes I did that from memory. I am having fun teaching VBS. And results or no results God is at work and seeds are being planted.

I will update soon.

Please continue to pray for the children at FBC Trimble, for me, for our team, and anything else.
Thank you for all your prayers.
:) Kacey.

FBC - Trimble

We are at FBC Trimble this week until Sunday afternoon. I love it, but its super busy. I have 17 fifth and sixth graders. They are such amazing kids. They are very energetic too. Some of them don't know much about the Bible, but they are so eager to learn and know more. They are def. searching and it seems as if some are close to wanting to accept Christ. They are all in different places in their journey, but they all want to know more and want more. So please pray for these kids this week. Pray that God will use me and speak through me to these preteens. I want Him to move me out the way and for Him to speak and guide me and my words and my thoughts. Pray also for our team and that we will all get along and everything. Pray for the team also as we lead music, missions, Bible study, help with rec and crafts too. Also as we lead the worship rally. Just pray that the kids will understand and ask questions and maybe even accept Him as their Savior and Lord. That is my greatest concern and my biggest prayer request is that we point them to Jesus and that they learn and want to follow Him. Thank you for all your prayers :)

Beech Grove Viar

Today we passed out flyers in Southside Baptist Church Neighborhoods. We will start their VBS next Sunday night. Well our first VBS is over. I will miss the kids. They were so much fun and even taught me how to play football. I love the vbs theme and the music. Its great. This stuff is so much fun. We had one little boy make a decision for Christ but it wasn't at VBS it was at home Sunday night. :) Tomorrow we start a 5 day VBS at Trimble Baptist Church. Its a little bigger and I can't wait! Continue to pray for the children we will work with. Pray that if they haven't decided to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior that soon they will if they are ready. Pray for boldness, courage, strength, and rest. I'm also getting a little homesick, but it will pass. I know I am here for a reason, and God has something GREAT planned. He has already shown me that it doesn't matter if someone makes a decision all that matters is that we are planting seed and loving on children. And thats what we are supposed to is love them like Jesus. :) Well I will update soon. Thank you for your prayers :)

First VBS - Beech Grove Viar

WOW!!! I LOVE SUMMER MISSIONS! I WILL DEFINITELY DO THIS UNTIL THEY WON'T LET ME ANYMORE! :)
Tonight we kicked off VBS at Beech Grove Viar. Now I'm from a big church and used to hundred of kids at VBS and this was completely different for me and actually out of my comfort zone a little. We had 17 kids...preschool to juniors in highschool. EXTREMELY SMALL CHURCH! and i only had 4 5th and 6th graders. It was def. out of my comfort zone to teach that small of a group but the kids are great. They are 3 boys and one girl. Well the boys wanted to go outside and play football so I told them if yall pay attention and interact and understand the lesson we will. They were great and we had a great Bible Study and they asked A LOT of questions and I could tell they are growing and learning and understanding. :) So when we finished I held up my end of the deal. I, yes me Kacey, went outside learned how to play two hand touch football in 30 seconds and next thing you know I passing, running, almost made a touchdown, and I played two hand touch and stopped 2 of the guys. :) It was a blast and I can't wait until tomorrow. I love the music for VBS - its amazing! I am so excited for all God has in store. This morning we went to Enon Baptist Church which is where Stan my supervisor for the summer is preaching as the iterim. I was in a completely different world than Hilldale thats for sure and was a little uncomfortable then realized that God doesn't care if I'm comfortable, He wants me to worship and serve Him NO MATTER WHAT! This cute little country church had 35 people and I sang out of a hymal which I haven't done since I was like 7 or 8. And yes we sang all 4 verses of every song which I have probably only done about 5 times in my life. Because normally we sing the 1st and last or 1st and 3rd. But I loved singing all 4. It was def. a change and a growing experience. Please keep our team and more importantly the kids we will encounter in your prayers. I also would like you to keep praying that I have the opportunity to lead a child to Christ this summer.
Thank you for your prayers :)
<3 Kacey

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14

God showed me this in my quiet time today. And to me it sums up what we are supposed to do and how God has given us the tools to do this and shown us how. I love these verses.

pictures

My room/ home for the summer :)


we went to the cheesecake factory while at tsmo. white chocolate raspberry truffle. yum!

this is from our commissioning service....

and it summed up my whole summer for me.


God of Justice, Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

Jesus, You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

To act justly everyday
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You God

You have shown us, what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go live to feed the hungry

Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord (x4)

Acting humbly
Loving mercy
We must go, we must go
To the broken
And the hurting
We must go, we must go

We must go live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

TSMO

WOW! I have only been at orientation these past 3 day (May 27 - 29). And God has showed me a whole lot already. On Wed. at our worship time the speaker (Gary) was talking about things (sin, family issues, a relationship, etc.) that you might have brought with you this summer. Well I got ot thinking about the relationship part and realized I had not given my relationship with Josh to God this summer completely. Instead I worried about because we didn't get to talk a whole lot and a million other reason. We prayed hard and talked about it. And God revealed to us both that we are doing hte right thing by dating and serving Him. We both just took our relationship and layed at a God's feet for the summer and we will talk when we have the chance. But more importantly everyday we are lifting one another up in prayer constantly. And we will pick up where we left off when we get back.
On Thurs. at our worship/ commissioning service God really layed on my heart missions and he has been doing that like crazy lately. Lately Maine has become a place I am feeling called to go to next summer and i still have this summer to server. But we serve such an incredible God and its amazing how he is already placing that desire in my life. At commissioning since I had every hindrance out of the way and was ready to serve God said to me welcome back to the center of my will and welcome to the rest of you life. So I am not sure how missions will be a part of my life exactly but God is def. calling me in that direction. I talked to Stacy who is over and coordinates Light Messengers and she is our campus minister. She told me to keep praying and searching and keep doing mission work like summer missions and put myself out of my comfort zone. So that is what I am doing.
One thing that I would love for yall to pray for is that I have the oppurtunity to lead one person to the Lord this summer and for me to see them make the decision to follow Christ. That is my "it" or goal for this summer. And more than one would be great. I am working with 5 and 6 graders and I could not be more excited :)
Well that is what has been going on. God is definitely moving and He has greater plans coming too and I can't wait for them to unfold.
Things you can pray about:
That I have the oppurtunity to lead one person to the Lord this summer and for me to see them make the decision to follow Christ. That is my "it" or goal for this summer. And more than one would be great.
That our team would bond and work well together.
For my family, friends, etc back home and that I won't worry about them but rather focus on serving God.
For Josh and his summer missions.
For strength, boldness, courage, willingness, flexiblity, and REST!
I want to be all I can be to some kids this summer and to serve God with passion and to more importantly love them like Jesus! (that was the TSMO theme).

Thank you for your prayers. They mean SO MUCH!
<3 Kacey

It's Almost Here!

Wow! I am 7 days away from an incredible journey of serving as a summer missionary. I am so excited and have already started packing. I cannot wait! I leave out on May 27 to go to the Tennessee Baptist Convention for Tennessee Summer Missionaries Orientation. Then on May 29, I move to Dyersburg State Community College in their BCM. Here is a run down of the weeks and things I will be doing.

Week 1: Prep Week....from TSMO (May 27 to June 6).

Week 2: Sunday, June 7 - Tuesday, June 9: VBS at Beech Grove Viar night VBS-small church Wednesday, June 10 - Sunday, June 14: VBS at Trimble 1st Baptist Wed-Fri night, Saturday & Sunday AM BIG church

Week 3: Sunday, June 14 - Thursday, June 18: VBS at Southside Baptist night VBS - average about 40 kids

That week DSCC has "College for Kids" on campus and there will be 50 Pre-Schoolers in our building every morning!

We will not be assigned "official" jobs that week...but we will probably just help out a little unless we have something else scheduled.

Friday, June 19th we leave early headed to Louisville for the Southern Baptist Convention!

Week 4: Friday, June 19th - Thursday, June 25: Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, KY.

Friday - travel day

Saturday - we'll be working CrossOver Projects in Louisville with local churches.

Saturday afternoon we'll do training at the convention center for a couple hours.

Sunday morning we'll worship with a BIG group of college students at one of the local churches, then go to work after lunch working the Registration Desk at the Convention. There will be college students from other states there as well and we'll work shifts. There will be about 15 people on the TN Team.

Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday we'll work the Registration Desk. On Wednesday we'll finish about Noon and do sight-seeing the rest of the day/evening.

Thursday is a travel day back home.

Friday and Saturday, June 26th & 27th are OFF Days.

Week 5: Sunday, June 28 -Thursday, July 2: Fowlkes VBS night VBS small church but usually have 100 kids.

Monday, June 29 - Thursday, July 2: Day Time OUTDOOR BYBC at Ripley Park with Macedonia Baptist Church

We'll actually do Monday - Wednesday BYBC and on Thursday it's a huge Swimming Party!

Friday, July 3 & Saturday, July 4th - We'll find something FUN to do on these OFF Days!

Week 6: Monday, July 6th: Finley Baptist Church Children's Day Camp (One Day)

Tuesday, July 7th: Travel Day to Cave City, KY First Baptist Church

Wednesday, July 8th - Friday, July 10th: We'll be working at the church doing a lot of computer work, filing and helping set up church files and records transferring onto computer.

Saturday, July 11th - Fun day.

Week 7: Monday, July 13th - Friday, July 17: Springhill Baptist Church VBS - over 100 kids, night VBS

Week 8: Monday, July 20th - Friday, July 24th: Enon Baptist Church VBS - about 40 kids. . Night VBS. This week will be a bit different. The church will provide most of the teachers. We will be working in Crafts, Music, and Missions.

There are a few really small churches in the Association that think they want us to help them do some One Day VBS so we probably work them in during the summer on some of the days when we are free.

End of Summer: Saturday, July 25th - Monday, 27: We'll pack up all the VBS Materials to be used by others later; clean the building; do building inventory and get ready to close out the summer. On Tuesday, I will move out and head home.

August 7-8 Brentwood for the Summer Missions Evaluation weekend.

And that is my summer! I am extremely excited and can't wait.
Josh (my boyfriend) is doing Summer Missions as well, and he is on Tennessee Travel Teams. He is doing the same thing I am doing, but he will be traveling all over TN.

We are both very excited to see what God has planned for us this summer. I know He is going to do amazing things.

Verses that I love about missions and that encourage me.

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Romans 10:15
And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Well I will keep yall updated on everything this summer. I cannot wait for this journey to begin.

Talk to you soon.
-Kacey

Dyer Association

I will be serving in Dyersburg, TN as a summer missionary this summer. I am very excited about it. More than anything I need your prayers. I will be working with children in Vacation Bible School this summer. I will be gone from May 27 to August 8.
Here is a description of what I will be doing:
As a Dyer Baptist Association summer missionary, you will be living in the BCM Center on the Dyersburg State campus and working with the local Association as leaders of Day Camps, VBS, Backyard Bible Clubs, children's camps, youth camps, and other associational ministry events. You will provide age-group leadership, recreation, etc for these 10 weeks of VBS and camps. Some weeks will require students to lead two VBS per day (one in the morning and one in the evening). It will be a busy summer but one where you will be able to see children and youth come to know Christ! Students who apply should love to work with people and must enjoy having fun with children! Additional responsibilities will include participating in various Sunday and Wednesday church worship services and one or two weeks of out of town ministry assignments.
This summer I hope to update this blog weekly to let you know what God is doing not only in my life but in other people's lives and the people I am ministering to.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR ALL SUMMER MISSIONARIES!
Light Messengers has missionaries going all over the world this summer and we all need your prayers!
Talk to you soon!
-Kacey