Support

--> Some of you may think i'm crazy to even consider going on the world race for an entire year. Life isn't about getting a degree in school, getting a car, getting a license, a good paying job, all the other ways the world considers being successful or just what you should have at the age of 20. But that's just it I would much rather do what God has called me to do instead of doing whatever the world thinks I should do. God has called me to do world race and i'm excited for this incredible journey that has already begun.

God doesn't call everyone to go into the world to spread His love to all nations

To bring hope to the hopeless

To bring love to the unwanted

Trusting him everyday for safety and health

Some places can be dangerous but knowing that God is on my side

Sacrificing my own time for others that need help

Having a willing heart to help the needy or the hurt.

Being emotionally, spiritually, physically drained on a daily basis

Praying for the sick

I'm excited to not sleep in my comfortable bed for a year

I'm excited to not have a variety of the american food for a year

I'm excited to grow spiritually in this year

I'm excited to travel in this coming year

I'm excited to meet people around the world in this year

I'm excited to share God's love and love on people for the year

I'm excited to not have a cellphone for a year

I'm excited to live out of a backpack for a year

I'm excited to sell all my belongings before leaving on World race

I'm excited to see where God takes out team an I for the year

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of you heart Psalm 37:4

If I delight myself in the Lord, his desires become my desires.

But God has called me, Will you help by supporting me?

You can go to lauraquam.theworldrace.org and go to “Support me”
Please continue to pray for me as I prepare to leave on this journey in 9 months

Ordinary day

This morning I felt super down and stressed out about quite a few things just happening in my life, trying to balance responsibility and hanging out with friends, to figure out whether to take classes next semester or not at CRC, not to mention working on tons of World Race documents and fundraising ideas nailing down a few soon and starting a new job recently.
But it was just any ordinary day attempting to get my butt out of bed after sleeping 4 hours and trying my very hardest to have the motivation to be productive on a day that I just wanted to lay in bed and do absolutely nothing but sleep.
But I definitely knew I had so much to do today, my list keeps growing as the days go by. I started my productive day with going to the bank at the outside ATM machine but my card wasn't working, so I was dreading going inside because there's always this one guy who asks me "Are you married?" Yeah super awkward. Every single time I go into the bank I try to avoid going in there as much as possible, but this time I really needed to get money out of my bank so I could go shopping for work clothes. I just prepared myself before going in and think of what I would say to him if he asked again. Sure enough he was right at the entrance welcoming me inside. I really don't know why he always remembers me it's super awkward but the most awkward thing about it is that he knows my dad really well. But this time he didn't help me, this one other guy helped me this time. We just started a conversation, he asked me what I was doing for school and work. I began to explain that I wasn't in school right now but maybe I will take a few classes next semester before going on the World Race. When I said that he was really interested in knowing more about that. After me explaining what it was exactly, he got really excited for me and said that he'd like to support anyway he could for me to go on this trip. I felt like crying with so much joy in my heart but I held it back until I got outside. I just came to the realization that God will provide in crazy ways for this 11 month trip, even through complete strangers at a bank. When things like this happens I just feel like it's another confirmation that i'm supposed to do this and i'm called to do it for His kingdom. It's amazing to me to see how multiple strangers want to help support me in anyway they can.

God is bigger than funds, and He will work in crazy ways.

Days like this remind me how great God is, no matter how we are doing or all the craziness happening that God is a big God, he has it all under control.

Everything has beauty

Maria, age 4

On this beautiful Sunday morning, I felt very convicted. That I need to focus on God more on a daily basis. Think of him constantly throughout the day. I can't wait for tomorrow to ask him what I should do, where I should go, who I should talk to. I just need to ask. Simple as that. Because tomorrow might never come. Sure some days may be tough but I need to remember to glorify God in every situation through the good and the bad. He deserves it.
"Blessed to be a blessing in all nations"
I began to ask God during the last song of worship today, how can I bless/help someone today?
God put it on my heart to sponsor a girl from Mozambique with world vision. I felt so blessed when I donate the $30 to the first month. That this little girl could change my life and continue to remind me what my reason is for living on earth. What's my purpose? Just looking at her picture and the other kids on the website. They show me in their precious faces that even when they have absolutely nothing they are always still joyful and at such a young age they love God with all of their heart. I definitely am praying for this little girl daily and I hope to meet her one day. My whole life i've had it on my heart to adopt several kids from around the world, wherever it is.
As I was praying, crying out to God, walking tonight for direction on my life.
He told me to wait to travel now. "Laura, you need to just rest in my presence and minister to the people I have in your life for a specific reason here in your hometown. Take up the ministry opportunities I have placed in your lap here in the US. I have the perfect timing for the world race, adoption, starting a ministry organization in Africa"
I trust God that he has the perfect timing for everything.

Take delight in the Lord,  and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

 BE PATIENT. BE PATIENT. BE PATIENT.

Prayer

I have been praying about what my next step in life is, and for the longest time I really thought it was getting a full-time job and going to school to experience the "college" life. But after praying about it for months I came to the realization that wasn't for me it didn't feel right for myself. So I began to get really anxious to see what my next step shall be after YWAM.
So ever since I've been home I've had a passion to fight against Sex-trafficking. I needed a few months before doing that because I knew it would be hard. But just recently I went to a Courage to be you meeting to get more info on opportunities and volunteer work. I'm really excited to be involved with this. Jenny Williamson has such a big heart for others, and these girls that she has taken in to the safe house. The Lord is doing great things through that! Whatever I do, if it's event planning, doing some sort of photography, book keeping, office work, or eventually after training in November actually interacting with the girls and building relationships with them.

Recently I found out about another opportunity in my life is The World Race where you go to 11 countries in 11 months doing different ministry opportunities depending where you go whether it's working with orphans in Kenya, working with victims of sex trafficking in Thailand,  etc. There's all sorts of ministry opportunities. The thing that I absolutely love about The world race after hearing about it and researching. It's not the kind of missions that has everything already planned for ministry it's pretty flexible like whatever the team feels like doing and is called to do. Then we have the freedom to do that. I feel like it's something that God has put on my heart ever since I heard about it and I can't get it out my head at all. So i'm praying about doing the World race in July, the route is: Ireland, Romania, Ukraine, India, Nepal, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Thailand, Cambodia, and Taiwan. It would be an amazing adventure!

But for right now, I will be here in California building strong and lasting relationships with friends and people I get in contact with, Continue to grow closer to God in this time, doing local ministry because if I can't do that then how could I go out into the world so I need to start here and branch out, volunteering at Courage House. I will be working either part-time or full-time wherever God leads. I'm also praying about doing a faith walk throughout the United States sometime in the near future with some people from my school.

Thanks for reading!
This post is probably all over the place so I apologize for that.

Africa has my heart.

Today I got really emotional more than ever before thinking back on my time in Africa and knowing that I need to go back someday. God has really been stirring in my heart to be content where i'm at right now, but all I think about is Africa and how much I want to go back for a long period of time whether it's starting my own ministry and adopting my own african children, photography work, teaching, working with victims of sex trafficking, journalism. Whatever it is i'm game to be apart of whatever God has planned. He knows my heart and he knows how bad I want to go back. I believe he is preparing me and giving me oppuntunities to lead up to that point. Growing me spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially ready to persure this desire that I have to go back to beautiful Africa for a long period of time (1-2 years).
Each day that passes by it's one day closer that I'll be able to hold a precious little child in my arms. Even though I don't know when that day will come. God does know. And who knows he could surprise me one day.

                                        Happy(Dan) and I. (:
Devotional I read today:
"A shy person shrinks back from many things that she should confront. There are many things she would like to say or do, but she's paralyzzed by fear. I believe we must learn to step out into things and find out what God has for us in life. A more timid approach may protect individuals from making mistakes, but the result is that they spend their lives wondering "what could have been" Bold people, on the other hand, make more mistakes, but they recover and eventually find what is right and fulfilling for them. Making mistakes is not the end of the world. We can recover from most mistakes. But one of the few mistakes we cannot recover from is the mistake of never being willing to make one in the first plac! God works through our faith, not our fear. Don't sit on the sidelines of life wishing you were doing things you see other people doing. Take action and make the most of life. "
2 Corinthians 5:11-21


Lord, I put my trust in You and look forward to moving into new areas of life. I will not sit on the sidelines any longer. Amen.  


I feel like I have something new every week that I would love to do.
Lord, what is in your plan? Show me LORD. 

Outreach!

I will post about outreach soon. Here's some of my favorite pictures.