Matthew 28:19
“Go and make Disciples of all nations.”
As I prepare myself for my second trip to Guatemala, I have a lot of different thoughts going through my head than I did my first time going back in 2010. Six years ago was the summer before my Junior year of high school, and within those six years my mindset has changed drastically. My relationship with God during high school was there but my arms were not fully opened. My first trip to Guatemala and working with Paradise Bounds was a trip of a life time and my walk with Christ did grow. Although, I do not feel my faith was as strong as it is now, and by recently accepting God as my Lord and Savior I could not be more thrilled to return to the people of Guatemala and share with them my love for Jesus. I am going into this trip with my arms wide open and cannot wait to see what God has in store for me and especially for our team. It is a blessing to be going to Guatemala and sharing the word of Jesus and helping many people in need. And with that being said I want to deeply thank each and everyone of you who have been and will continue to pray for me and our team.
Courtney,
I am so thrilled that you are on this team! God has great things in store for you and will use your many many gifts to bless the team and all those you meet. I can’t wait to hear your stories. Praying for strength, safety and a rich harvest.
Love,
kristy
Courtney,
Praying for you and the team as you head out to start building today. I know you didn’t get much sleep so I’m praying you will be given strength and energy for today’s work. Love, Connie
Courtney,
Glad you made it safe. Have a great time letting God’s light shine through you as you change the lives of the families you build for. Love you, Mom
Courtney thanks for this blog it is great” ,May God bless each and every day look for all of His blessing \my prayers go with you and your team!! Love you bunches! Grandma w.
Hello ALL!
Again thank you so much for support and prayers for our trip! God is so good and BIG. Today was our first day building our homes for our families and it was an amazing day. I wish I could describe to you guys how amazing the scenery is, yes you all will see pictures but pictures don’t do justice. The family our team is building for is so nice and are so willing to help us in any way that they can. Today I was drilling screws into the drywall and there was a little boy watching (he was about 12) and I decided to use my Spanish speaking abilities to call him over to help, and I got no where. He ran away. However, about a half hour later he returned and wanted to help. I showed him how it was done and by the end of the day he was proudly using the drill by him self with this huge smile on his face and those are the moments that are priceless to me. It was suppose to rain all week and today I got sunburned, it was a blessing sent from God to not have it rain on the first building day. Please pray for no rain tomorrow because it is much more important for it not to rain on stucco day. I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow and what God throws on the table for me and as well as our team. Going into this trip not knowing basically the whole team is a blessing within itself. I am hear with open arms and I have never been so comfortable sharing with people I barely know and what a blessing that is. God is so good and I am so sure he will work through each one of us on this trip.
Thank-you, Megan, for your thoughts and resource listed here. I am so humbled and thankful so see what other #xned schools are doing to help train their kids for the world that awaits them. Not fear of the future, not defence. Rather, offence – looking to engage their culture and to stand for Truth.Tx again, Paul.
Praying for a sunny and awesome stucco day today! Praising God that you are following His call to serve in Guatemala! Thank you for being so willing to share God’s love! Praying you have a wonderful work day today with your team and with God’s children in Guatemala!
Hey Courtney! I’m so jealous you guys were able to go back! Hopefully you don’t get sick this time haha. Pray you guys make special bonds with the families and stay safe while buildings the homes. Adios!
Thank you so much Kyle! It is so good to hear from you, wish you were here with us! I hope you and Sarah are doing well 🙂 Thanks so much for your prayers!
Cannot believe we finished our homes today, God is so good to allow us to put up 5 homes in two days. Our team rocks and works so well together. Stucco day is one of my favorite days and is so fun to see everyone work together on each home. We had little kids helping us all day long putting stucco on the homes and that was so cool to see them smiling ear to ear helping us build these homes. After lunch (which was amazing, tostadas are my new favorite meal!) we went back to our homes we built and started painting. I wrote a verse on the wall, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
When it was all finished and we were cleaning up the paint and little boy about 9 years old stops at our door way and reads the verse out loud and after he was done reading it, he had the biggest smile in the world. That was God shining His light to this little boy and I am still in amazement by that and will remember that for the rest of my life. What a God sighting that was today for me. God works in so many ways and when you see his light shine through a face of a little Guatemalan boy, your heart just melts for Jesus. Tomorrow is dedication day for the families we built for. I just ask for your prayers that each family opens their arms wide open to accept Jesus Christ into their lives. Please pray for energy for all of us as we will be praying for the family out loud outside their homes as Hermano Jesus preaches to them the word of God. Pray for each of us team members to be prepared to come into the village tomorrow with arms wide open to pray for these families.
Court!
that is SUCH a powerful verse! I’m so glad it spoke to that little boys heart. I’m praying that God just prepares your heart to pray diligently for these people so that they may come to know the immense and complete LOVE that their Father in Heaven has for them! You’re awesome!
Love,
Cam
Looks like you had an amazing day and no rain. I like seeing you teach a littly guy how to put screws in. Praying for you and the team tomorrow as you dedicate these new homes. May your message be heard and received with open hearts.
What an Awesome God we serve! Words cannot even begin to describe the feeling I had yesterday. I felt God within me all day long and man He is awesome. I wish I had all the time in the world to write to you guys but I don’t 😦 I just want to say that when we were dedicating our house that’s when I felt God speak to me. Six years ago when I came here, dedication day was not like it was for me yesterday. Dedicating our home to Juan and Thomas I felt God’s love just pour all into me and words will never be able to describe that feeling right then and there. I feel to my knees to Jesus Christ and this sense of peace, calmness, and love just rushed all through me. How POWERFUL is our God! I am so much more but I would sit here for hours typing. Don’t worry I wrote them all down. Today we go to the medical Clinics and I ask for prayers that everything goes smoothly and everything goes according to God’s plan.
Thanks again for all your support and prayers!
What a blessing it is to me here and serving our God.
Praise God from holm all blessing flow, !! I see those blessing in you and the family’s you work with ! I love seeing you in the pictures. They give direction to my prayers. May God give you energy health & rest. God is in this and I praise him!
Sleep well cort
With love gram
Courtney, thank you for sharing your love with all those you meet. Praising God with you for all that has happened. Praying for safe travel and many changed lives.
Thank you everyone for all your support and prayers! I got up at 4:30am today and about to go for a hike to see the sun rise, I am so excited to see Gods amazing creation. I cannot believe it is the last day we are here. I have no idea where the time went but God is amazing work while we were here. Please pray for safe travels home because it will be a long trip home for us. I cannot wait to share stories when I get home.
Courtney,
I know you are almost home, and I have been praying for you to have an amazing week! Reading your words on this blog have been a tremendous blessing to me. Thank you for sharing how awesome our God is! I love the story of the 9-year-old boy and his smile after reading the Bible verse! Thank you for going to Guatemala to be the light of Jesus! I will continue to pray for you, as you return home, to keep that fire going!! I praise God for you!
Kari Brinks
Team Hillcrest 2016 
Hola Courtney, See you soon. Senor Al
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Hola Al, cannot wait! See you in the morning.
Senorita Courtney
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Matthew 28:19
“Go and make Disciples of all nations.”
As I prepare myself for my second trip to Guatemala, I have a lot of different thoughts going through my head than I did my first time going back in 2010. Six years ago was the summer before my Junior year of high school, and within those six years my mindset has changed drastically. My relationship with God during high school was there but my arms were not fully opened. My first trip to Guatemala and working with Paradise Bounds was a trip of a life time and my walk with Christ did grow. Although, I do not feel my faith was as strong as it is now, and by recently accepting God as my Lord and Savior I could not be more thrilled to return to the people of Guatemala and share with them my love for Jesus. I am going into this trip with my arms wide open and cannot wait to see what God has in store for me and especially for our team. It is a blessing to be going to Guatemala and sharing the word of Jesus and helping many people in need. And with that being said I want to deeply thank each and everyone of you who have been and will continue to pray for me and our team.
Thanks again!
God is Good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Courtney,
I am so thrilled that you are on this team! God has great things in store for you and will use your many many gifts to bless the team and all those you meet. I can’t wait to hear your stories. Praying for strength, safety and a rich harvest.
Love,
kristy
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Courtney,
Praying for you and the team as you head out to start building today. I know you didn’t get much sleep so I’m praying you will be given strength and energy for today’s work. Love, Connie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Courtney,
Glad you made it safe. Have a great time letting God’s light shine through you as you change the lives of the families you build for. Love you, Mom
LikeLiked by 1 person
Courtney thanks for this blog it is great” ,May God bless each and every day look for all of His blessing \my prayers go with you and your team!! Love you bunches! Grandma w.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello ALL!
Again thank you so much for support and prayers for our trip! God is so good and BIG. Today was our first day building our homes for our families and it was an amazing day. I wish I could describe to you guys how amazing the scenery is, yes you all will see pictures but pictures don’t do justice. The family our team is building for is so nice and are so willing to help us in any way that they can. Today I was drilling screws into the drywall and there was a little boy watching (he was about 12) and I decided to use my Spanish speaking abilities to call him over to help, and I got no where. He ran away. However, about a half hour later he returned and wanted to help. I showed him how it was done and by the end of the day he was proudly using the drill by him self with this huge smile on his face and those are the moments that are priceless to me. It was suppose to rain all week and today I got sunburned, it was a blessing sent from God to not have it rain on the first building day. Please pray for no rain tomorrow because it is much more important for it not to rain on stucco day. I cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow and what God throws on the table for me and as well as our team. Going into this trip not knowing basically the whole team is a blessing within itself. I am hear with open arms and I have never been so comfortable sharing with people I barely know and what a blessing that is. God is so good and I am so sure he will work through each one of us on this trip.
Love you all!
Courtney
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Amen!!grandma.
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As I read throughout the week, what an amazing opportunity to see God and feel God. Keep being a blessing.
Jack
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Thank-you, Megan, for your thoughts and resource listed here. I am so humbled and thankful so see what other #xned schools are doing to help train their kids for the world that awaits them. Not fear of the future, not defence. Rather, offence – looking to engage their culture and to stand for Truth.Tx again, Paul.
LikeLike
Praying for a sunny and awesome stucco day today! Praising God that you are following His call to serve in Guatemala! Thank you for being so willing to share God’s love! Praying you have a wonderful work day today with your team and with God’s children in Guatemala!
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Hey Courtney! I’m so jealous you guys were able to go back! Hopefully you don’t get sick this time haha. Pray you guys make special bonds with the families and stay safe while buildings the homes. Adios!
Kyle
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Thank you so much Kyle! It is so good to hear from you, wish you were here with us! I hope you and Sarah are doing well 🙂 Thanks so much for your prayers!
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Cannot believe we finished our homes today, God is so good to allow us to put up 5 homes in two days. Our team rocks and works so well together. Stucco day is one of my favorite days and is so fun to see everyone work together on each home. We had little kids helping us all day long putting stucco on the homes and that was so cool to see them smiling ear to ear helping us build these homes. After lunch (which was amazing, tostadas are my new favorite meal!) we went back to our homes we built and started painting. I wrote a verse on the wall, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
When it was all finished and we were cleaning up the paint and little boy about 9 years old stops at our door way and reads the verse out loud and after he was done reading it, he had the biggest smile in the world. That was God shining His light to this little boy and I am still in amazement by that and will remember that for the rest of my life. What a God sighting that was today for me. God works in so many ways and when you see his light shine through a face of a little Guatemalan boy, your heart just melts for Jesus. Tomorrow is dedication day for the families we built for. I just ask for your prayers that each family opens their arms wide open to accept Jesus Christ into their lives. Please pray for energy for all of us as we will be praying for the family out loud outside their homes as Hermano Jesus preaches to them the word of God. Pray for each of us team members to be prepared to come into the village tomorrow with arms wide open to pray for these families.
Thanks so much for your support and prayers!!
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Court!
that is SUCH a powerful verse! I’m so glad it spoke to that little boys heart. I’m praying that God just prepares your heart to pray diligently for these people so that they may come to know the immense and complete LOVE that their Father in Heaven has for them! You’re awesome!
Love,
Cam
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Thanks Cam! I cannot wait to come home and share everything with you! I hope everything at home is well and Jett and River are doing well 🙂
Love you!
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Awesome work, Courtney! What an amazing experience!!
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Looks like you had an amazing day and no rain. I like seeing you teach a littly guy how to put screws in. Praying for you and the team tomorrow as you dedicate these new homes. May your message be heard and received with open hearts.
love, mom
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What an Awesome God we serve! Words cannot even begin to describe the feeling I had yesterday. I felt God within me all day long and man He is awesome. I wish I had all the time in the world to write to you guys but I don’t 😦 I just want to say that when we were dedicating our house that’s when I felt God speak to me. Six years ago when I came here, dedication day was not like it was for me yesterday. Dedicating our home to Juan and Thomas I felt God’s love just pour all into me and words will never be able to describe that feeling right then and there. I feel to my knees to Jesus Christ and this sense of peace, calmness, and love just rushed all through me. How POWERFUL is our God! I am so much more but I would sit here for hours typing. Don’t worry I wrote them all down. Today we go to the medical Clinics and I ask for prayers that everything goes smoothly and everything goes according to God’s plan.
Thanks again for all your support and prayers!
What a blessing it is to me here and serving our God.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Praise God from holm all blessing flow, !! I see those blessing in you and the family’s you work with ! I love seeing you in the pictures. They give direction to my prayers. May God give you energy health & rest. God is in this and I praise him!
Sleep well cort
With love gram
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Courtney, thank you for sharing your love with all those you meet. Praising God with you for all that has happened. Praying for safe travel and many changed lives.
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Thank you everyone for all your support and prayers! I got up at 4:30am today and about to go for a hike to see the sun rise, I am so excited to see Gods amazing creation. I cannot believe it is the last day we are here. I have no idea where the time went but God is amazing work while we were here. Please pray for safe travels home because it will be a long trip home for us. I cannot wait to share stories when I get home.
Love you all!
Courtney
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Praying for safe travels and a peaceful transition as you come back to Michigan.
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Courtney,
I know you are almost home, and I have been praying for you to have an amazing week! Reading your words on this blog have been a tremendous blessing to me. Thank you for sharing how awesome our God is! I love the story of the 9-year-old boy and his smile after reading the Bible verse! Thank you for going to Guatemala to be the light of Jesus! I will continue to pray for you, as you return home, to keep that fire going!! I praise God for you!
Kari Brinks
LikeLike