My Mission Trip to Haiti

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. – John 15:12

Photo by Kristina Graham

Growing up, I’ve had a fire in my soul for changing the world. The older I’ve gotten, experience and God’s word has taught me a very important thing: I will never be able change the world, Jesus will do that — but I can change the world for one. So I’ll keep stopping and loving one person as a time, because this is my call at a Christian.

In October I’ll serve as the hands and feet of Jesus as I travel to the mountains of southeast Haiti with a group of people from my church (242 Community Church) and the organization, Raincatchers. With them, I’ll build simple, sustainable rainwater collection systems called Raincatchers.

A Raincatcher is a gutter made from plastic pipe, some tin to divert the water, and a sediment filter.  It will catch about a liter of water a minute. This will ultimately save the Haitians from having to walk 5-10 miles a day to get water.

But most importantly, not only will this help the people physically but more importantly, spiritually. While we are there installing these rain catchers we will tell the people why we are doing it and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

This is a wonderful opportunity; but, of course it is not easy and it is not free. With plane tickets, food and transportation, the cost becomes more than I can afford. That is why I created my gofundme account and ask that you consider a donation to help support me in helping these thirsty people.

I also ask you to commit the team and me to prayer while we are on this mission trip.

I am so excited for this mission trip and know God will open my heart to so much while I’m there. I literally cannot wait to spend my week in service to these Haitians.

Many thanks and God bless.

Shae

An Unwanted Path

I was walking down a new pathway and as I was half way down the path, I noticed a stove. Curiosity whispered for me to draw near. The endless possibilities pulled me closer to the red surface. Curiosity whispered, “Go ahead.” I could not resist. I had to know what it was about. As I burnt my hand, I shook my head in disgust. “Never again,” I thought. I ran back towards the beginning of the path trying to escape this chapter of my life. I stood there for quite sometime before Naiveness caught up to me. “Come back, it was an accident. It won’t happen again. Come back.” The sweetness in the voice of Naiveness made me restore my trust. I walked back down the path to the stove and stood there as Curiosity and Naiveness smirked. And just like that, my world was engulfed in flames of the incomprehensible. I managed to escape. I ran past the area, into the woods and found myself in the arms of void. I tried to draw as far away from that area in the path. But in those arms, I noticed the scar on my memory. I shuddered at the reminder of that night when I let Curiosity and Naiveness get the best of me. I jumped from that area and began to run until I could find the end of the trail, I just needed a crossroads… As I ran in panic, Love grabbed me by the waist and cradled me in security. As I stood there with Love, he whispered promises of safety and understanding. Love held my hand as I turned to face the path yet again. This time, as I looked, I saw a slight glimmer of Faith at the end of the path. I see her now as I write this. She’s glistening at the end of the trail whispering with open arms to be patient. She tells me I will make to the end of this chapter with time, but I have to hold onto to her and not let her go. Her sweet promises are reassuring as the crossroads to the next chapter of my life are drawing closer. The storm clouds are still lingering above my path but Faith tells me although I can’t see him God’s walking right beside me holding one hand and Love holding the other. Together, they are helping me get towards the end of this chapter.

I see the end, but I know it is going to take Love, Faith and God to make it.

xo,

Shae

Dancin’ in the Streets: Remaining True to You & God

You come to a realization about yourself or maybe life, or even love. You suddenly get charged by your own enthrallment. A wave of positive energy pulses through your blood. Rapidly, you feel as though your own confidence could penetrate through any barrier. You’re high on exhilaration.

A few days pass and you catch yourself cuss under your breath at something out of frustration. You realize that positive energy is gone. A barrier stood in your way and you let yourself down again, which you swore you wouldn’t let happen. You question why you even get your hopes up and are torn between who you are and what you strive to be.

As I left Phoenix, I was on a high. My confidence and happiness were untouchable… until reality got its hands on me.

Coming home, I only saw sunny skies ahead. I failed to consider the challenges I would endure this coming year.

A few negative snarls from old ‘friends’ and hate mail and my confidence began dissolving into the mystic of wickedness that consumes the majority of this world.

I couldn’t believe how easily I began to cave. What happened to my excitement? My high on life attitude? Is that really all it took for me to regress?

Out of fear, confusion and frustration I considered the past few weeks. I was struggling to stay afloat on my deflating raft of hope. I was beginning to drown in uncertainty and temptation. I felt weak.

I compared this year to the previous. The two years were cohesive in the fact that I was trying to fight off foulness and temptation on my own. I was attempting to rein against the world without God.

I thought I, myself, could maintain the person I found in Phoenix. When in all reality, I need to maintain this person I have become with God.

There are three reasons for this. One being that I need to confide in God so that he might help me remain happy with who I am as a person and ultimately maintain my confidence through forgiving the people trying to drag me down.

Secondly, I will never be a perfect person. However, if I want to fight off the world, there is no way I can do it alone. I will fail time and time again, as I have done so previously. I need to work with Him. Being happy and a good person takes work and so does being myself.

Finally, most importantly, I need to uphold myself as a person through him so that he can continue molding me into a child after his own heart.

This realization came to me mid-week last week. I have implemented it into my life and found myself coming back out of my shell and continuing to learn who I am as a person.

Additionally, God reassured me this past Sunday I was headed in the right direction. It was hard to sit at home when my friends went out this weekend. I almost caved a couple of times. Then, I went to church and the praise and worship and my dad’s message focused on knowing right from wrong. God patted me on the back Sunday morning and let me know I’m headed in the right direction

This past weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a long while at home and I didn’t do much besides spend time with friends and family.

I guess what I want y’all to know is to keep working on the person you want to be with God. You can’t go at it alone.

You may even find yourself being huge loser who entertains her baby cousins with dance parties in the streets holler’s of West Virginia on Sunday afternoons. But hey, what does that matter for?

In all seriousness, stay strong in your Faith and allow God to work on you as a person.

Never let the fear of what people think stop you from being who you are.

Love,

Shae

Let Go; Let God

Today I got to spend a short amount of time at one of my favorite spots in Morgantown. Typically I head over here to blow off some steam. Today, however, I sat here and thought about the next year of my life.

This next year is so uncertain. Typically, uncertainty and not having a plan scares me. Yet, as I looked over Morgantown, I realized I never really had a plan. I knew what I wanted to do, where I wanted to direct my energy, time and efforts.. but I never had a plan. I essentially let go and let God.

I teared up this afternoon as I realized how much God guided me the past three years of my college career. He helped me recognize moments of opportunity and seize them, endlessly making a way.

This next year is uncertain, but it is in our uncertainty where faith is often found and strengthened.

I challenge everyone to let go and let God this year.

Wishing everyone their best school year yet!

-Shae

Stop and lend a hand, America. Have faith in our poor.

You’re walking along the crowded streets and see a homeless man holding a “PLEASE HELP” sign. You hold your breath as you walk by, refusing to allow your nose to get a whiff. You release your breath as you move past him, ignoring his sign, and grumbling as you take in a faint scent of the mustiness you thought you had avoided.

It is okay, we are all are guilty. We let our doubts of their sincerity for help supersede any ounce of sorrow we feel. Yet.. after celebrating the 4th of July yesterday, I have come to contemplate just how American is our country anymore? Isn’t it time we reconsider the realness of homelessness? We as society have created this unfair image of the homeless, leading to a mass decrease in lending them a hand. Today, we judge them.

But, that homeless man you judged was once someone’s new born baby boy.

He was once someone’s whole world, an innocent child that had no idea his future would lead him to a cold street corner. He was once like you and I. However, unlike us, fate wasn’t on his side.

Admit it.. You’re worried that dollar you could give will go to booze, cigs, drugs, sex..

The man you ignored, don’t you think he is embarrassed? He is filthy. He sees your eyes darting the other direction. He sees you take in that deep breath before you walk by. He knows you hear his begs. He watches you as you cross the street to avoid him, in your polished clothes and coffee in hand. He knows what he is and he is humiliated as he fades his calls for help. To be in the point in his life where he has to beg for money, whether it is for the wrong use or not, that man has to put his ego aside. No person can sit there in their own filth and beg without feeling remorse.

And I can’t help but wonder, as Christians, why we stopped offering them a tall glass of water in the name of Jesus Christ?

I challenge each of you reading this to start helping out our homeless. Put your doubts aside. They need a hand that they may never get, unless someone like you takes a chance on them.

Many just need a second chance, for someone to believe in them.. And if tomorrow you were in that situation.. I guarantee you.. You’d pray to God someone would believe in you.

Stop and lend a hand, America. Have faith in our poor.