Maybe I was a bit naive.  Maybe my lure for adventure clouded my practical judgement.  Maybe I was too young.

I remember the day I told Jesus, “Here am I, send me.”  I was in high school, probably about 15 or 16 years old, at a Disciple Now at First Baptist Church in Canyon, TX, and it was during a time of worship that I prayed that prayer and felt the call towards missions/ministry.  I didn’t know for how long, I didn’t know where, and I didn’t know with whom I would be going with, but I knew someday, somehow, I would go.

Ten years after whispering this prayer, Dustin and I are serving a ministry overseas, and God is still proving faithful.  However, when I prayed as a teenage girl, I didn’t know what I was praying for.  Back then, I hadn’t read the rest of Isaiah 6 and seen what kind of struggles Isaiah would face.   I didn’t know the challenges that were before me, and the decisions that would alter my life forever the day I said ‘YES’ to whatever God wanted for my life.

And you know what?  I wouldn’t change a second of it.  Not the decision to move to a different country or the countless tears of leaving home.  Not the frustration of learning a new language or getting lost in a foreign place. I wouldn’t take anything back or change any promise I made, because just like that first prayer, there is a peace that continues to settle in my soul, knowing that I am exactly where God wants me.

The amazing thing about being in God’s will is that no matter the challenges, the blessings are far greater, and that much sweeter. Here are just a few:

Serving alongside Dustin is one of the most rewarding parts of being at G42.  Dustin continues to demonstrate incredible leadership, wisdom, and faithfulness into every aspect of ministry, and it is so much fun to see everyday.

If you ever come visit Dustin and I, you will understand that we live in a beautiful country.  Spain is rich in language, culture, and history, and we are soaking it all in.  We are improving our Spanish daily, giving us a greater opportunity to connect with the community in Mijas, but not without our fumbles and mistakes.  I have become excellent at laughing at my own language mistakes, along with the giggles of my students:)

Another blessing is the genius of technology.  No matter how far we are, we can still play peek-a-boo with our nieces and nephews, be a part of Sunday lunch (kind of), and talk face to face with our family.  We are connected both here and there, and God’s grace has covered us to be a part of the lives two doors down as well as thousands of miles away.

Lastly, a blessing that far outweighs the beauty of Spain is the people we serve alongside.  G42 has an amazing leadership team that we continue to learn from, and their dedication to making a difference in other people’s lives is incredible. They have put their lives on hold for the sake of fulfilling someone else’s dream, and we are honored to be a part of such a wonderful group of people.

I could never have imagined what I was signing up for when I was sixteen years old, but life is more beautiful than I could have dreamed.  So today, I am counting my blessings and marveling at the wonder of God and His faithful love for us.  Everyone, everyday, has countless blessing in their lives, you only need to search them out and tell Him thank you!

Today, I want to call on all our prayer warriors out there who read our blog.

As some of you may know, both of my brothers’ wives are pregnant with baby girls, and both are due in late March and April.  My oldest brother, Chris, and his wife Brittany are due in April, however, Brittany has been having contractions the last couple of days, and the doctors are concerned about a premature birth.  They were able to stop the contractions, but after extensive testing, she has been told to stay in the hospital until our baby Tennessee is born.  We were hoping she would wait to come for another couple of weeks, but she might come earlier, so we would love for you to join us in prayer for them.

We all have people in our lives that influence who we are and what we become.  Chris and Brittany are two people who have directly and significantly influenced my life.  Chris was one of my first examples of a man who serves the Lord with his whole heart.  His decision ten years ago to move with his new bride to start YoungLife ministries in Allen, TX had a profound impact on me when I was a teenager.  I saw his passion and desire to serve the Lord, no matter how little he was paid or how difficult it was.

Through the years, there have been times when no one would have blamed him for packing it all up, moving on, and settling for a ‘normal’ job.  He never did.  I’ve seen faith fleshed out in their years of ministry that was never glamorous or big, but quiet, strong, and many times rewarded by God in incredible ways.  A faith and knowledge that God will provide, God will protect, and God will always be faithful.

As Dustin and I begin our fourth month of working in ministry overseas, I can’t help to think that my brother played a big part in why we are here.  His example to love God, love his family, and love people made me confident that I could do the same with my life.  Both Chris and Brittany gave us such great words of wisdom and encouragement when we decided to serve God overseas, and we are grateful beyond words for that. They are a perfect example of what it means to give your life away to others every single day!

So please join us in praying for them as they try to balance two small children at home, as well as a baby that’s ready to see the world!  Pray for peace, comfort, and protection for them, and we will let you know when she arrives!!

We had the privilege of seeing many of your beautiful faces this past week as we traveled home for Chelsea and Coltin’s wedding (Dustin’s sister and husband), and a short visit with our families.  Chelsea and Coltin’s wedding was beautiful, and a perfect picture of true love that we share because of Christ’s love for us.  They are such an amazing couple, and we look forward to sharing life with them as they begin their future together!

I wanted to give you a quick update on life in Spain now that we are settled in.  When we arrived in November, we hit the ground running!  Dustin and I both began taking on our new positions, and at the same time the holidays came in a rush.  Our days were filled with new responsibility, getting to know the interns and my new students, and organizing events for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Things began to settle down after the new year, and we are now finally beginning to feel confident in our new jobs.
I am teaching students, ages 7-12 from 2:00-7:00 during each week.  I have about four to six students in each class, and we enjoy English worksheets, computer games, and outside activities in our time together. I am also teaching three one-on-one English conversational classes with adults from the community.
Dustin is also adjusting well to his job as Director of Operations at the Leadership Academy.  He gives every assignment, every task, 110% and finishes each day tired and content, determined not to take a moment of this season of our lives for granted.    What a godly, incredible man I get to serve alongside!

One of his big jobs the past couple of weeks was creating a grant application for interns who are committed to starting a non-profit organization, or going on the mission field when they leave G42.  This grant will give a bit of financial support to those who are ready to serve the Lord with their gifts and talents.
We are getting well acquainted with the interns that joined us in January.  We have a couple of interns over each week for dinner to get to know them a bit better, and we normally try and spend some time individually with interns whenever we get the chance.

We do our best to challenge and encourage them to follow after God in whatever He has planned for their lives.  We are excited to plan, dream, and execute the purposes that God has put on their hearts.
Regardless to say, things are active and busy as we head into spring.  We hope some of you get a chance to come and visit, but until you do, that is what we are up to.  God bless!

Crazy moments with the Trevathan family!  Never a dull moment:)

This Christmas, I decided to start something new.  New culture, new country, new Christmas tradition.  I was inspired by Megan Marie and her love of Advent activities, so I decided to give it a try.

This year will already be different than most.  I (both of us, really) find it difficult to be away from our families during any holiday or celebration, but especially Christmas.  Two years ago, we were in Panama for the month of December, and although the experience was unique and fun, there was a hole that only family can fill during the Christmas season.  Thankfully, this year we can FaceTime into Christmas, and be a part of it that way!

I wanted, no, needed, this year to be special.  So, to keep the pity parties at bay and truly focus on the joy of the season, we decided to start an Advent calendar.  I went to work making envelopes and writing down activities or treats to have on every day leading up the December 25^th.  After four days, we can already establish that this will be a tradition to continue for many years to come.

There is extravagant joy in anticipating the birth of Jesus.  Let us all be reminded of how incredible it was that our Savior came to this earth to live among us, and that He has left his Spirit to continue to be with us forever.  This Christmas, join us in re-discovering how amazing it was that He came for YOU.  Happy Advent!

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call him Emmanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

It has been over two years since Dustin and I lived in our own place.  Just the two of us.  As a normal married couple.

We left on the World Race in October 2010 and lived in tents, spare bedrooms, hotels, supply rooms, etc. with our five other teammates for 11 months as we traveled the world.  The experiences were priceless and life-changing, making us appreciate the life God has given us, yet completely giving up what most people call ‘personal space’.

We then spent four months with family who graciously opened their homes to us as we prepared to come to G42 Leadership Academy.  We loved every minute, going to nephews’ soccer games and playing ‘house’ with our nieces.  We celebrated birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in true family style, and made up for lost time from the previous year.  However, in the middle of all the blessings, a longing to unpack the boxes we had packed over a year before, was starting to nag at me.  I wanted to hang my own picture frames, turn on my Scentsy candle, roll out our bedding, and bake with my beautiful red Kitchen Aide Mixer (if you have had a wedding shower lately, you know which mixer I’m talking about!).

It was not time, however, and we rang in the New Year of 2012 by flying over the ocean to begin classes at G42 in Mijas. We traveled to Spain, and our housing consisted of us and five other roommates in a three-bedroom house.  We had a blast together, cooking dinners and making memories during our six months of classes.  And yet, the nag in my womanly, wifely self seemed to be more prominent, and the desire to have a home project or cook a meal just for my husband was more and more evident

After deciding to come back and work with G42, we returned to Texas and again stayed with family as we got temporary jobs and began the process to get our visas approved.  We honestly cannot thank them enough for letting us live with them for weeks on end!

FINALLY, after over two years of transitional living, we have made the move to Spain and have our very own apartment!  It feels so nice to be able to unpack our suitcases.  We have closet space that is a dream, and windows to look out onto the busy, Mijas street.  It has wooden floors that I love.  We are thrilled to be in such a nice, affordable, and cozy home.  God truly blessed us, and made it worth the wait!

I am not complaining or wishing I could change a moment of the last two years.  It only makes me that much more appreciative of the blessing most people tend to overlook.  So this Thanksgiving week, I am thankful for a home.

The Entryway/Front Door

Our Bedroom – Notice the entire wall of closet space on the right. Yay!

The bathroom, bedet included

Hallway to living room and kitchen

The Living Room – I love the windows!!

Dining area and breakfast nook

Our Spanish home!

*Not pictured is our guest bedroom, but don’t worry, it will be ready and waiting for our beautiful family and friends when you come to visit!

My mom used to tell me that when I was little, and I would cringe every time it came out of her mouth. Not because she was wrong, but because patience has never been my strong suit. In fact, if I am completely honest, I hate waiting.  I had hoped this was a youthful stage I was going through, but indeed it was not. It has carried over into my young adulthood.  When a proper lady should smile and display exceptional patience, my inner child wants to stomp my foot and whine, “why is it taking so long!?”  My maturity has refrained me from doing this in public (I think), but don’t be fooled, it happens inside my head. Every time.

As we have worked on paperwork for visas and organizing our lives to make the move to Spain, God has asked me for patience. In many ways in the past four months, we have waited on important documents, email responses, and most recently, our approved visas to ensure that all of this was not just a dream, but a reality. For two nail-biting weeks (for me, at least), we waited to get the last word on our finalized visas and eventually had to delay our flight, but got our visas approved and picked up.  Thank you, Jesus!

There must be a certain age or a specific time in life when your mind starts running and from that point on, it doesn’t stop.  A button in your brain gets stuck in the ‘ON’ position and you forever have things on your mind.  It might trigger when you start a career you are anxious to excel in or when you become a parent and the importance of raising a child forces your mind into constant, non-stop motion.

I think it can also happen when you are making decision that will change the course of your life.  When you, not mom, dad, or your best friend, up and say, “I’m moving to California.” when everyone always thought you would live in New York.

I have come to realize that most of these decisions come with a lot of gray areas.  “What if I don’t like it there?” “How will I make it on my own?” “Wouldn’t I have better insurance coverage if I stayed where I was?”

I don’t think decisions, like moving far away (Spain, to be exact), were meant to be easy.  And I have come to realize that, believe it or not, I’m not the first person in the world who has had to make a decision like this and found it to be exceptionally hard.  I am also coming to the conclusion that just because I might have to ride the bus instead of drive my own car or learn to speak Spanish when English has worked out pretty well for me in the past, does not mean that moving is the wrong answer.  It might just be that Jesus wants to be the One with the answers for now, not me.  It might mean that He sees something I can’t see yet, so He’s asking for a bit of faith.  Ok, Jesus, if faith is what you want, you got it!

There have been moments in the past year and a half where I have actually prayed that I wouldn’t have to think so much.  That things could go back to the way they were and I actually knew what the heck was going on in my life.  Try explaining to your family and friends the plans for your future when you don’t have all the answers yourself.  Hence the mind running.

So here I am.  My mind has crossed over to ‘constant’ mode and who knows if it will ever go back.  We leave in two weeks for Spain and even though I know exciting things are ahead, the hard part of actually LEAVING is on the horizon as well.  As much as thoughts run across my mind, I am constantly assured that we are making the right decision.  I have been asked for a bit of faith, easy or not, and by golly, that’s what I’ll do.  Because even if I never have all the answers again, I know Someone who does.

Today is what I have deemed my perfect day. It is rainy and chilly outside, I have a sweater on, a recipe for pumpkin spiced latte on the counter, and three or four movies that scream ‘chick flick.’ Considering everywhere we’ve been, the bars of Thailand, villages of India, and the dirt roads of Africa, and all the new experiences we’ve had in the past two years, I have come to enjoy the familiar and comfortable on occasion. (Just for the record, I had many ‘perfect days’ in those countries as well. They looked a bit different, but they were perfect!)

I enjoy the small things. My favorite song on the radio, green traffic lights straight through town, clearance sales at Dillard’s, cute high heels, Blue Bell ice cream, and pretty flowers just to name a few. I know most people can relate and can agree that there are some things in life that are small, menial, and downright lovely. Sometimes we call these small joys ‘guilty pleasures.’ This implies that what we are doing and the things that we enjoy are against the rules. Like God said, “I put all of these fun things in the world and you shouldn’t like any of them.” I don’t know about you, but the God I know doesn’t play games like that. I realize there are some things that are off limits and sinful, but most of us can tell the difference with guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Anyways, my point is, God loves me. He loves you. He is a good God and He is pleased with us. Not just when we are going to church or reading our Bible (which He loves, by the way), but when we laugh or do something creative or enjoy the rain. What if we just enjoyed life. What if we appreciate the little things that God has blessed us with, recognize that He is greater and more wonderful than any of these ‘things’, and stop feeling guilty about having a bowl of ice cream.

Jesus came to this earth to give us life and life more abundantly. Christians, more than anyone else in the world, should know that. Today I am praising God for the little things, and loving Him for the joy and peace He has filled me with for the day. So without further ado…Audrey Hepburn, here I come!

There is a time for everything…

A time to laugh…

A time to dance…

A time to play…

A time to pose…

And a time to be surprised…

This past week we were able to spend the final days of summer with my family at my brother Chris’s new house.  Now there is something you should know about my family before I go on…there are a lot of us and there is ALWAYS something going on.  Whether it’s projects around the house, playing Barbies and heroes with the kids, or spending hours upon hours in the swimming pool, there is never a shortage of activity.

Early in the week, everyone donned their swimsuits and sunscreen and headed to Hurricane Harbor (minus Tiff due to the fact that she is responsible and did not call in sick to work).   I will say the highlight for Dustin and I was putting all the kids in life jackets and getting in the wave pool.  Maverick and Ben had their little faces squished into their goggles, trying to find the best place to floats, and as the waves began to take us up and down in the water, the look of pure, innocent delight was written all over Brooklyn and Isabelle’s face.  They threw their heads back and giggled the entire time, and it could not have been more precious!  Memories like this will stay with us forever.

We also played babysitter as Matt and Stephanie went on a cruise to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.  If you don’t have children, let me tell you a little secret…it’s harder than you think!  Another secret…I cried when I put Maverick in time out.  I felt bad, OK, so don’t judge me.

So needless to say we had a blast and look forward to the next time we can all get together and do it again.  Thanks for all the good times, guys.  We love you.:)

*and yes, there were adults present, however the kids seemed to be the ones willing to smile for the camera.;)