Arizona Outreach 2010

Last month I had the privilege of traveling with 90+ friends and family to Teec Nos Pos, Arizona on VBC's Arizona Outreach 2010! It was my 8.5th time (half-trips from CO help make it a .5 total) visiting the Navajo Reservation serving alongside Immanuel Mission. Every time I leave the paved highway and begin bouncing up and down on the hard-packed red dirt roads something starts to settle in my bones that says "Welcome Home"! I have so many wonderful, challenging, exciting, hysterical and touching memories tied to this piece of mostly forgotten yet strangely sacred land. This year's Outreach did not disappoint and provided me new opportunities to be challenged, grow and love others with the love that Christ has for me.

I adored getting to know the team members (so many high school students and grown ups that were new to me -- like the Robb)!

I was so blessed to reconnect with the Chee family (the Navajo family I've had a chance to build a relationship with over the past years).

I was given the chance to help direct and create a brand new drama presentation and those who had roles did a phenomenal job!!!

I was able to serve alongside my sister-in-law Emily!

I had the chance to reconnect with my friend and fellow missionary, Louanne Henderson.

I also feel like the Father allowed me to endure hardship and trials in areas that I'm not typically challenged in (for example, I lost my voice halfway through the trip and spent many days directing rehearsals and assigning vehicles with a distinct rasp)! I took it as a reminder that I need to be covered in prayer and "armed" in all areas of my life as I head to South Africa. To continue to seek those who will faithfully pray for me and intercede on my behalf to the One who knows what I will encounter and be invited to endure. Thank you to those of you who are praying. Please continue to lift my up in prayer and please feel free to share anything the Holy Spirit shares with you about my adventure to be. I have the sinking suspicion that I'm going to need all the help that can get!

I love you guys, thanks for taking time check in on the continuing adventure....

Back in California!

My trip to Colorado was perfectly amazing! I had such a blessed time reconnecting with friends and making a few new ones! It was the perfect mix of fun and relaxation, laughter and memories all mixed into a beautiful gift to remember.

I don't know when the Father will allow me to visit again, but I hope it will be soon.

As my plane took off (2.5 hours late due to stormy weather) I couldn't help but tear up thinking of my time and the dear ones I was saying goodbye to. The Lord reminded me of 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 which says:

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

I am so grateful for the ministry that I was able to be apart of while I lived in Colorado and loved at FBC. To think on the precious hearts that I have had the privilege of loving on and walking with. Thank you for loving me well and continuing to do so even as I head into a new adventure! Thank you to the West's and the Kraft's for hosting me, to those who supported my ministry by purchasing or ordering journals and to those of you who have already responded in generous and kind ways to my request for prayer and financial support.

I love you and miss you. Always.

Amazing Things

Hello from Colorado! I am in Littleton, Colorado for the next TWO WEEKS! I am in town visiting friends and catching up with my "colorado family". I am currently staying at the "West Resort" and am loving being treated like a princess! Sarah Jane and I went and got massages today after a traditional pancake breakfast with Rob and Melanie.

Last night I had the privilege of joining Cory, Lindsay, Jason, Denielle, Brent and Sarah Jane at a Sleeping at Last concert at the Walnut Room. For those of you who haven't had the honor of listening to Ryan O'Neal's velvet vocals, you are missing out! As the wonderful set was coming to a close they still hadn't played my favorite song, "Umbrellas". As they set up the for the last song I heard the keyboardist begin to practice the intro to the song and I blurted out "I'm so excited!" Ryan laughed and I blushed but the song was amazing! As I listened to the familiar lyrics I was struck with gift I will be given as I travel to Door of Hope. To be able to hold these precious babies and repeat the lyrics: "You were meant for amazing things". As I imagined speaking that truth to those little ones on the other side of the world my heart was shouting "I'm so excited!"

Thank you to the West's for such a lovely home to stay in, to Cory for getting me my ticket, to Brent for sharing your story and to Sarah Jane who always is willing to be honest with me. I am loving my visit so far and we are just 3 days in. I've included the lyrics to "Umbrellas" below:

I’ll make you mine if you would have me.
With a silver ring that will hug you tight,
Our life begins. Our life begins with this.

I’ll prove my love if you would let me.
Over and over and over again.

We’ll bring a child into this world
And we’ll say the one thing
Everyone should hear:

You were meant for amazing things.

Give me your hand, it’s time.
It’s time to show new eyes their home.
When fences divide our land,
I would catch bullets with my bare hands.

I have some very exciting news to share! I purchased my ticket to Johannesburg, South Africa this week! I am planning on departing from San Francisco on Tuesday, October 19th! In some ways that feels like a million days away but I know that the days will just fly by.

Also this week I received word that Valley Bible Church has agreed to have all of my funds be filtered through their financial office (thanks, Bert!). It is exciting news because it will allow donations for my adventure to be considered as a non-profit donations. I am so thankful to have the prayer support and spiritual covering from my family at VBC. God has been so gracious to me in this season of waiting and preparing for what is to come.

My goal is to start getting out my support letters in the next couple of weeks. If you would like me to send you one, please just shoot me an email at nicolegillette@gmail.com and I will get on the list. I am also still taking orders for journals, so if you would like one (or 80 like Stephanie) just let me know.

My heart has been encouraged this week by Kari Jobe's song:

No Sweeter Name

No sweeter name than the Name of Jesus, no sweeter name have I ever known

No sweeter name than the Name of Jesus

No sweeter name than the Name of Jesus, no sweeter name have I ever known

No sweeter name than the Name of Jesus

You are the life to my heart and my soul

You are the light to the darkness around me

You are the hope to the hopeless and broken

You are the only truth and the way

Thank you Jesus for being the only light in this dark world! May I reflect Your light with the days you have given me. May we all. I love you!

A Video From Door of Hope

Hi friends!

I CANNOT believe that we are already into the month of April! March flew by bringing lots of rain, tons of work (at church and night nannying), a new laptop (yay for skype and video messaging while I'm in SA), family birthday celebrations and the exciting news that my sister, Melinda is expecting a new baby this September!

I am so excited to welcome another precious niece or nephew into our family!

We have lots of fun and as you can see Isaiah, AJ and I are super excited about the new baby:

My main reason for blogging today was to show you a new video from Door of Hope sharing a bit more about the ministry there and what I will be doing while I am at DOH. Here is the video:

Please continue to pray with me as I prepare for my time in South Africa. I have pushed back my departure time a few weeks so that I will be able to meet the new baby. I am hoping to depart during the week of October 17th.

I am grateful for this past weekend's celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Christ has died and Christ is risen and Christ will come again! Praise the Lord! Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

It Has Been FOREVER!

Hi friends!

It has been FOREVER since I've blogged! Pretty much ever since I moved back to CA. Yes, I did make it back safely and have not dropped off the face of the planet!

I moved back and promptly began working 70+ hour weeks working as the Office Manager at Valley Bible Church and as a night nanny by night. It has been a whirlwind but God has been so kind and generous to me! The transition home has been relatively bump free and I feel so blessed be able to be present in my family's life for this season.

I am continuing to push towards South Africa and planning on heading over sometime in September. I will be purchasing my ticket in May sometime. Support letters are in process, please shoot me your address if you would like me to send you one at nicolegillette@gmail.com.

Last night I was reading a devotional from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and was encouraged by the following:

"True fellowship should empower us to be bold and take risks for the sake of Jesus Christ and should prepare us to face life in all its challenges. Thus while we may bring to the fellowship our pain and fears and our hopes and dreams, we finally have to walk the road ourselves."

I am so thankful for the fellowship that sounds me here in CA, CO and beyond! Even though the unknown of this life's adventures has me unsure and hopeful all at once I know I am surround by such a great cloud of witnesses and therefore I will run this race marked out for me. Thank you for loving me! I praise Jesus for you!

Here are some fun pics of the last couple months:

Me, Ben, Allison, Dan and Justin at the FUN concert!

Knox and I manning the Front Desk

Dan and Em on Christmas morning...happy surprise pictures for my new camera!

Thanks mom and Dad!

Ashlee and I getting in line for the new-ish Toy Story ride in California Adventure

Sweet Disneyland snuggles with my nephew AJ

Moving day is coming...FAST!

I'm sure this blog is going to get a whole lot more exciting once I set feet on the African continent! As for today, the exciting news is that I will be moving back to the East Bay this weekend! I've rented a moving truck, recruited 3 brave moving buddies (Sarah Jane, Carissa and Shea), started packing and saying sad goodbyes to my Colorado friends and family. In some ways it feels like just yesterday I was packing up and moving to Littleton but when I catalogue all that has happened in these last 4 years it feels more like 20. I am so grateful that I have had the privilege of living, serving and loving here. I am thankful to the Father for growing, protecting, providing and defending me through this adventure in independence and trust. I am so glad that because of the Savior and His love that I will be forever bonded to my brothers and sisters who I can't imagine life without. I'm overjoyed with the promise of eternity...to be able to spend forever with the the One I love most and the precious children He died to redeem. Words cannot express how honored I am to be considered "one of the family"...thank you to all who loved and adopted me these past 4 years. You have been sweet and tangible examples of the Father's deep love for me. Thank you. I will miss you. I can't wait until our paths cross again...