Wednesday the 28....WAIT!?!? NO TUESDAY!!!!!

So I am here sitting in the Minnesota airport waiting for my plane and have just received so much grace and protection.  Okay so as of yesterday up until about 7 pm I was foolishly under the impression that my flight was not until Wednesday at 6.25 am...HOWEVER, around 7 pm realized that my flight was not Wednesday it was in fact TUESDAY.  Now after figuring this out I realized that I am stupid and then panicked a little as the home where I was staying was at least 2 hours away and we had already made a game plan ..needless to say that plan was shot.  Fortunately, the previous few days I have had random amounts of free time and was pretty much already packed up and ready to go.  Thank the Lord!  So I packed up all my bags and needed to weigh them to ensure that I wouldn't be charged extra.  However, there were no scales! Not at our house OR the neighbours!  So remembering that God is bigger than weight I reminded myself of a story my friend Heather told me about one time when her bag was 20lbs over weight but she was neither charged or hassled due to some serious prayer.  So I started praying that my bags would be acceptable...

NOW is when the exciting part happens AAAAHH! Okay so I was never able to weigh my bags and was waiting in line to check in - the whole time just praying for my bags - that they would arrive with me in San Jose, Costa Rica in one piece and not having to pay any fees ( i detest fees).  I had already seen in my online check in that I was going to need to pay for at least one of my bags, but i kept praying the same thing over and over.  So I get to the counter and firstly, my guy is delightful and very helpful...so he punches in my information and says "Okay so you will need to pay for your extra bag $30, would you like to pay credit, debit, or cash" and my  first instinct is always credit...but this time I felt God saying "No pay cash" so I grab my cash and only had $40 so I ask him if he had change..he takes my money and then after being informed that they don't have change looks and my and i quote "Well I didn't get you a Christmas present this year so...here you go" AND HANDS ME BACK MY $40!!! Then they tag my bags - WITHOUT weighing them and tell me to have a good trip! SO PRIME!!!  Customs was also a breeze, after getting in trouble for putting my sweater in the same bin as my laptop.  I walked away with a huge grin, "Oh Jesus you just love me so much, you care that I don't get hassled by airport security, you care that i don't miss my flights, you care that my tummy is rumbly and don't want me to suffer"  for serious, I know I say it ALL the time but I AM blessed!

So to summarize, Minnesota is filled with wonderful super prime people who I will miss dearly but know that we will be reunited once again, I need to learn to read better, and Jesus loves me more than I can comprehend.

Oh man...TOMORROW I will be reunited with so many friends, all gifts from God....what a Christmas!

marvellous Minnesota

Aaaah so I've have been in Minnesota for a  little over a week now and it has been completely delightful.  Leaving home was difficult, as everything was hitting me all at the same time "you won't see this person....FOR A  YEAR!" haha and if I wasn't already thinking it they were telling me "Oh Kayla....I won't see you for so long" needless to say a new lake has formed near the Chandler home. 

All my flights went very smoothly, I didn't even have to pay for any of my bags - much to the dismay of the bag checking man who was very concerned and interested in "why don't YOU have to pay"  to which he received  a shrug and smile...then went on my way with a little pep in my step (I was excited because the bag cost was something that I had been stressing about, but of course Jesus was like 'Oh Kayla you are so silly, don't you know that I control bag checks too!' - so prime

My first 4-5 days were completely non-stop as we had a hitchin' (wedding) to set up, do, and take down.  It was such a wonderful time, I've met so may delightful people and had some extremely prime conversations.  I'm staying with my friend's family and have adopted them as my own, coming from a family of just one brother its so fun to have 3 new sisters and 2 new brothers.

 
Since being here God has given me a complete and overflowing peace...this is exactly where I am supposed to be right now.  I am blessed beyond measure.  The other day my friends mom Melody shared something with me and I really liked it so I will pass along the joy...

  Reflecting on her newly married daughter she explained to me that every time something significant happens in our lives our names change

    * When we are born our parents give us a name * when we are born again, the Lord renames us as His beloved * when we get married we receive a new last name (ladies) and are now a husband or wife * when we have a baby we are now a parent.....
   

She closed by saying how God cares about our names and how they are really important to Him.  I couldn't help but leave thinking about my name : Kayla Rae Chandler....beloved, daughter, sister, missionary, student, friend....

I know it shouldn't surprise me but I'm SO overwhelmed by God's love, I am in no way deserving of what I am receiving but hey! I am definitely NOT complaining :)

Megan and I                                                                      My home in Minnesota

hi ho hi ho it's off to work i go...

As I sit here listening to Christmas music and meditating on the reality that in just a short week I will be freezing all my appendages off in arcticesque Minnesota.  I can't help but be reminded of how much grace and favour God has placed upon my life.  Today, actually, I was presented with a situation which really stirred up my insides, while trying to make sense of it I realized how incredibly important it is to constantly be on guard.  There are so many things out in the world which are trying to undermine God's will and discredit the work of His people.  I am so delighted that I am going to be able to help spread awareness and serve as a witness on a larger scale.  God has given me a lot and now is my time to use the gifts and knowledge that he has graced me with and use it to further His kingdom!

I just want to express my gratitude to everyone who has stood and is standing behind me.  It's so affirming to know that I have so much support here at home, and while I know there will be hard times and I will miss my life here (especially during those cold showers)  there's work to be done!!!

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight.  O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer" - Psalms 19:14