{ FULLY }

full reliance 

filled with boldness

uninhibited obedience

reckless following

sweetly surrendered

Father focused

loved lavished

alive.

Dearest Community.

I am overwhelmingly blessed. I am blessed by the California sunshine, sweet smiles of family, time with my Jesus, tasty coffee, the sound of the ocean's strength, divine appointments, fellowship, and so much more. Thankfulness is a posture I have embraced in the season of living life as the Lord has intended me to. I have seen such beautiful hearts in the places I have been. I am here to proclaim how the Lord so faithfully has answered my prayers and the longing of my heart. 

[ Texas ]

Through the past year I have seen my heavenly Father's heart beat for community. To have people welcome me, a stranger, into their home without reservation and complete trust is what community is. I got to encourage young people in this very same heart beat. In leaving I saw a fulfillment of my hearts desire. One student is faithfully serving during her summer in the children's ministry, and continued to give God the glory when He blessed her with a $16,000 scholarship for college. Another student is going to the Honor Academy to learn how to best use her gifts to glorify our Lord. I could write forever about students living life to the fullest in the town I already miss so much.

[ Africa ]

I have never worked alongside such God fearing, diligent working, and selfless serving individuals as I did in Africa. We had a team of 16 and ten of them were under the age of 16. I saw 14 year old boys lead as men, and 14 year old girls follow after the call put upon their hearts. I taught these kids new ways to dig into Father's word, and in turn saw such a hunger and thirst for our Lord. They taught others to do the same. The Lord also heard my heart beat, and gave me such a sweet time of promises fulfilled. Two years ago He told me that I would be apart of baptism's, but not in Orange County. So when I shared in baptism's on July 4th, and saw over 10 African students commit their lives to Jesus, I was overwhelmed. 

We were also able to establish an Abstinence club called Rise to Shine. This club will now meet every Monday for the entire school year! My desire was to see these kids learning and growing in AIDS education, and this program will do that very thing. One of our very own Huntington Beach kids will be living there until November and keep up with the club. How precious is our Lord's plans! Every Monday we got to feed over 500 kids and help teach bible lessons with the local teachers. I watched as these kids were blessed for being poor in spirit, for the promise is that THEIRS is the kingdom of heaven.

So what is living FULLY alive? For me it looks like this.....

On July 1st we went on a prayer walk. We are sent off in pairs and called to GO where the Lord leads. Connor and I went. As I was listening the Lord kept telling me to let Connor lead. 

'He is 14 Lord, shouldn't I lead? 

'No. Let him lead.'

 So I did.

As his footsteps stopped in front of a house, I smiled knowing that the Lord had called us to that house. We met two nice ladies that we prayed for, and one shared that her kids did not know the Lord. I asked if we could speak to one that we saw outside, and she said yes. As we walked over to her I knew she would encounter our Savior that day. So we sat on the ground next to her and shared how her Lord passionately loves her, and will ALWAYS be there. We asked her if she wanted this Lord to reign in her life, and she said yes. After we finished praying with her I was reminded of Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice!" So we did just that. We REJOICED knowing that we will see that sweet face in heaven one day. Later that week Connor got baptized strongly based on that one encounter with our Lord and living FULLY alive.

Imagine if we did not stop there? Imagine if I did not let him lead? There are so many times I follow my flesh, but when I listen to the spirit and walk in obedience THAT is when I am FULLY alive. I am beyond excited for what Father has for me in Ghana. Thank you for enabling me to continue to walk in obedience. I only need to raise about $500 more dollars and I am off on August 16th. The Lord has called me to live FULLY alive, and I will try my best to have full reliance, filled with boldness, with uninhibited obedience, reckless following, sweetly surrendered, Father focused, with HIS love that is lavished. 

because HE is worth every part,

Jessica Wonser