Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns
Hey everyone, I pray all is wonderful with you all. I know I haven’t been on here for quite a while but honestly I have been praying, reading the word, reading books, and seeking God about what to write and when to write this blog! It makes me anxious, excited, nervous, and happy to officially announce I am called to full-time missions. YES Lizbeth will be a MISSIONARY!! How crazy and awesome is that??!! I mean most of you knew this because I have mentioned it in my previous blogs or have mentioned in person. Many have asked how that happened, how I knew, how I heard God?! I mean the girl in high-heels, the Fashionista girl, the FIDM girl, the independent girl (who had her own apartment and stable great job) and the city girl is now a missionary?! YES, YES, YES and YES!!
I pray you enjoy this blog and bless your heart. I ask to please pray as you read for direction as how you can be part of this wonderful call, of this beautiful journey with me.
I recall saying to the Youth Group “May be you guys didn't noticed, but I was with-out electricity for 3 weeks about two months ago, I think God is preparing me for missions, I really think I can survive!!”- I don’t exactly know what I had in mind when I would think about missions. When I mentioned this I laughed and they did too, like if it was a joke then I took a moment to reflect on my life but of course I thought it was too late to be a missionary and didn't think God would actually call me for that, so moved on. Another time I was talking with the ladies from our women’s small group about how much I have moved in my life (I mean I had not lived more than 5 years in one place, city throughout my life) and I joked again saying “I think I have a soul of a missionary, I can easily adjust to change, I know what is to have nothing and what is to have much”. Most of the women’s reactions were like no God wants you here with us, except one of them said “Liz I believe God can use you in missions tremendously and it is still possible you are so young!” This woman believed I actually did have the heart of a missionary, a heart of a servant!! Part of me wanted that to be true but the other part didn’t, I have to admit!!
I mentioned these two events so you can have an idea that this was something God had in mind since He created me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:16 “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book….” And similar comments were mention during my teen years and early twenties. NOW time to talk about where and when God opened my eyes to missions!!
Close to six years ago, I was living in Tijuana, Mexico with my mom. I was attending a church named “Grupo Unidad” and for New Years of 2008 was invited to attend an outreach. I was filled with joy to have the opportunity to finish 2007 and start 2008 in missions. I was so excited and God surpassed all my expectation it was the best week ever yet. There I met Bonni Wilson, we click right away, I admired her love for God and others and we became twins in Christ (we were born on the same DATE 09*30*86) LOL!! I wouldn’t have imagined what a wonderful blessing she was going to be in the future! I went through my church and she went through Global Expeditions ha ha ha this brings a huge smile to my face and you will know why… continue LOL!
I remember when my Youth Pastor, Horacio picked me up after the week was over and he asked -how was it??!- I couldn't speak, I broke down in tears, didn't cry because of pain or sadness, were tears of joy, of purpose, of meaning!! I was overwhelmed of how God can use someone like me, normal girl, not talented in my mind but with the willingness to bring glory to God and bring hope and love to those in desperate need!! I was so extremely thankful for this amazing opportunity, to have been able to do a little of this scripture Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations… There I knew, if I had the opportunity to do this the rest of my life I would be the happiest person alive, God did something in me during that week and I knew a dream and desire had awaken inside of me. It felt like I had a purpose, a beautiful one. At the same time it all seemed too good to be true, so after a couple of months left behind that dream and desire and continue to pursue my career, “the career of my dreams” and moved back to Los Angeles, CA.
God’s grace and love for me is so precious because even though I didn't follow that desire/dream He had placed in my heart, He protected me and opened doors to serve Him as a Youth Leader at my local church. He taught me so much through those years and was preparing for something so much greater. Many times I hoped and thought this was my home church and finally was going to stay there for good. Crazy as it sounds something deep inside of me knew God had something else in mind, but didn't know what!!! For a couple of years I battle with not knowing what was my purpose here on earth, I had given up my career to serve Him but it felt like that was not enough from my part. I mean Jesus Christ died for me and saved my life, He rescued me, and it had to be for a greater purpose. I knew there was no way I could pay back what He had done for me but I desired to serve Him and love Him in a greater way in return just didn't know HOW!! I was not at peace anymore, would pray, seek God for direction but for a while I did not hear anything, UNTIL one day I told God, “Lord, here I am take me!! I know I have said this many times but please take my word take me use me for your glory and kingdom to bring the name of Jesus higher, please show me how I can serve you, I give you my entire life, I give you everything I have and everything that I am, I am yours, I want to do something more for your glory, I don’t want to earn crowns here on earth I want to earn crowns for your kingdom, I want to make a difference in this world, please reveal to me why you created me for, lead my life Lord”!!
WOW I didn’t know what I was getting into when I said that but no matter what I was willing to obey God, I was tired because I knew I could give Him more but unfortunately where I was serving at that moment I felt so limited and stuck and was ready to pursue my call no matter the price!! Soon enough God placed me in a position that lead me out of L.A, I left the church in a way that glorified God and it was hard to say good bye to those who I loved but I knew I had to do this if I wanted to know the reason God had created me!! My next destination was San Diego.. Ha Ha I thought San Diego was it, I mean God opened doors to move to San Diego so fast, in 3 weeks earned a promotion at work, found the perfect apartment in a beautiful area and I mean the city is gorgeous! BUT I was sooo wrong!! I continued to pray, God asking what He wanted me to do and where in the city of San Diego?!, thought of Bible Schools and so on but nothing seemed clear!! And one day I finally got an invite to Olive Garden with amazing Bonni Wilson, who then was Bonni Chitty and was about to get married. Who knew that 5 years later this precious woman would present me to YWAM!!She was living in Tijuana, MX at the YWAM base as a full-time missionary. Of course I was praying for direction. Oh boy our conversation became the beginning of a new season of my life and there I knew why God had moved me to San Diego. I prayed over attending the Discipleship Training School with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and God totally confirmed me to go, I said YES to Him and He provided. Gotta say that didn’t imagine that was going to stay there, in my mind I had the idea of doing the school to get equip and prepare to come back and serve in a local church but HA God had something else in mind for me!!
Three months in the school, God had brought so much healing into my life, He had opened my eyes to so much, brought me more revelation of His heart, character and love for me. I began to walk loved by the Most High with a more intimate relationship with Him, He transformed me inside out. I was falling more and more in love with God, what I experienced and lived was like a dream come true or better say a dream I wouldn’t have the courage to dream. I took steps of faith, renounce to things that were holding me back from getting to my destiny and there my call was revealed, it was a radical transformation in my heart, mind and soul. Building a home for the hopeless, giving soup to the poor, praying and breaking chains over the lost in alcohol, singing songs of worship in a corner of a street with homeless became my most precious moments. I was filled with joy, passion, compassion, love and mercy. I saw more of Jesus and something in me grew strong, desires to walk like Jesus and to love people through Jesus’ love! Before we head to outreach Costa Rica/Nicaragua I knew God was calling me to missions and I said YES to Him. I was willing to go and serve at any country, place He would call me to, I was willing to obey, willing to serve at any ministry He needed me! Little did I know what He had in mind, the precious vision He was about to reveal me!!! Then I knew I was not going back to my normal life!
Everything happened in San Jose, Costa Rica…. Hmm it was heart-breaking but that’s were a vision was born! We were invited to participate in the ministry “Freedom-Street”, this ministry’s vision is to rescue girls/women who have been expose to human trafficking, who are victims, boys also!! One of the days I and two other girls of my DTS had the opportunity to spend a day at the beach with six girls who had been rescued. That day we shared our testimony and were able to simply love them. As I observed the girls playing at beach mean while we were baby-sitting their babies my heart began to feel uncomfortable and God little by little opened my eyes to see a glance of what breaks His heart. On our way back home, one of the girls (a 13 year old) was sitting next to me. She was pregnant due to a raped, she was a child prostitute, she was a victim who was right next me, who had feelings and with no dreams, she was broken, her innocence was stolen. All that and more God revealed to me and the inside of me broke into piece, I couldn't understand why, how but more than anything I felt helpless, tight-up. As I asked to extend her legs so she can rest, my heart was beating so fast and all I desired at that moment was to hold her in my arms and protect her, erase all her past, make her feel loved and valued!! But I didn't I couldn't I mean HOW?!! Then I prayed and asked God to please have mercy over these children. God then showed that what I was feeling was only a glance of how He feels for His broken children, that she is His daughter, His princess and His heart breaks seeing His creation so lost, that this was NOT the ideal life He had in mind for her and then in my spirit He told me;
“My dear daughter, my princess I want to use you to take my love and bring hope to the lost, to the hopeless to the broken, I want to use you to love them through you. I desire to use you to help women from high of society and to the lowest of society to find their value and identity in I AM!!” I was overwhelmed and then I knew my purpose!! This vision is to love and rescue victims who are exposed to Human Trafficking and victims in the Fashion Industry. God is so awesome that He opened doors to do both!! But it didn't end there=)!
As I was praying as where God wanted me to pursue this call, I received an invitation through an email from the directors of the Fall DTS 2013 to be part of the leadership/staff of the coming DTS! I couldn't believe this I was overwhelmed again, God continued to surprise me. I prayed for confirmation and God soon answered and of course I said YES! I knew how wonderful DTS was to me, and how much God did in me and though me and the blessing my leaders were and now I had the opportunity to walk next to the student in such an important season of their life of course I’d love to be part of that, I feel so honored!!
When I arrived at the YWAM Ensenada base, talked to the base director, Tym. I have to admit that I was nervous to talk to him but he is such a loving great man of God and through him God confirmed me one more time that I was walking in His will. All doubts were gone. I shared the vision to Tym and my heart was so encouraged with his wise and kind words and made a two year commitment ha ha I can smell it that it will be longer hee hee.
Now to make this vision a ministry and live out this dream of God for my life I need your support. God has thought me to be humble, to trust in Him, to be obedient to Him and He will provide. I definitely can’t do it alone, so that’s why I am asking you to please pray and ask God as how you can be part of this vision, this journey with me. You can become a partner with me with a one-time donation, monthly donations or prayers! Believe prayers are as important as donations. I will appreciate any way you can support me. As right now I am working on a website and seeking God for fresh ideas of how to reach out the lost in human trafficking and the lost in the fashion industry. I will post a blog in the next month with more details for the ministry!! I have to share that to the base director first!!
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns
As you can see this blog is pretty log, but I wanted to write in detail why I am doing this and tell you part of my story. I pray this blogs encourage you and bless you. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this kinda book =)!! I truly appreciate it!! If you have any question please message me through FB or email me at lizbethe09@yahoo.com.
May God bless you with a beautiful day!
Love <3
Lizbeth
