Hit the pause button.

My last update said that I was going to Israel in May. Unfortunately with such a short time to raise the funds none of us were able to come up with the amount needed for the deposit. This doesn’t mean that the trip is completely cancelled. It does mean that we have hit the pause button and are looking at dates later in the year.

I also drove back to Colorado for another three day Thai Reflexology / Foot Massage class. It was so good! (Hard to say that a three day class is worth two full days of driving, but it totally was!) A lot of what I learned felt really natural and I absolutely hit my groove. It was fun to take the class with a couple of people I knew from a previous class, as well as meet a few new people. On my way to school I spent time asking that the Lord really open and close doors, that I would have a very clear idea if I was to continue to pursue massage. I received more positive / encouraging words from people who were speaking directly into my fears and doubts at this class than I ever thought possible. I walked away from the course knowing that I not only do I really enjoy it but I am good at it. I was able to positively impact the people I was giving massages to physically, emotionally and spiritually as well – exactly how I want to live my life.

This weekend I went to check out the ‘closest’ massage school to where I am currently living, over an hour away. I wish I could say I walked in and knew it was a perfect fit, but I didn’t. It’s not a bad school, but it’s definitely not the best. I haven’t set a specific date on when to decide where I want to go to school, but I will be looking into as many options as I can. This next season of going to massage school is going to require additional sacrifices, I just need to decide which ones I am willing to make and then take another big leap of faith.

Glimpse Of What’s Next

As I am sure you have been able to notice from previous blogs and my Facebook albums that I really enjoy taking photos. If you’ve travelled with me or been on a team with me overseas, you know it’s quite common for me to just wander with my camera. I am super passionate about people in ministry and missions having photo memories of them in action, doing the things that they do. (It is rarely a priority for them as they are to busy ‘doing’ what they are called to do to get photos and videos of themselves in action to send to friends, family, and supporters.)

Since leaving Thailand, I haven’t really taken out my camera. Sure I have some photos of my niece and nephews, but not much else. Last summer I was a photographer at a zip line, which was awesome, even if I was taking the same shot with different people every day. For almost a year I’ve felt like I needed to allow my creativity through photography to grow and to use it more, I just never had a focus or knew exactly how that should look.

I am currently living in Texas, working for a prophetic artists who has a non-profit called, Project 7 Billion. Their purpose is to have all 7 Billion People have an experience with the love of God (specifically through a prophetic piece of art, The Lion of Judah). They have organized a two week trip to Israel this May and being a prophetic arts group the focus of the trip will be intercession, releasing all forms of creativity everywhere we go and having divine God moments with people. Three things that I love!

The Lion of Judah.

I am stepping out in faith and will be joining the Project 7 Billion team on their trip to Israel. Yes, my focus will be on intercession (cause that’s kinda how I am wired). My other focus is going to be photography. I want to really focus on capturing Golden Glances that others might miss. To photograph the things around me but also to get some photos of the team doing what they do, including the missionaries that we are going to be partnered with while there. I know deep in my spirit / soul that God wants to bring some major breakthrough and healing in my own life by me stepping out in this area and going on this trip. I also know that my experience and own personality will bring great strengths to this team, allowing us to ‘go deeper’ into the things we are called to on this trip.

I will need to support raise $3,500 for this trip. $1,750 of it is for the deposit on March 17. I’ll be honest, most of the time I end up having to pay for a huge portion of my trips as the support doesn’t come in. This often requires me to make huge sacrifices and miss out on things both before and during the trip. I want to be able to go, and I can’t afford to pay for this trip on my own. I need to see 100% of my trip covered this time. I believe that God is the great provider and that He provides for those who He calls, but He uses people to make that happen. People like you.

Will you join with me in praying for my trip to Israel? Pray for protection, provision, creativity, health, to hear God speak and to partner with the things that He is doing everywhere we go. Will you pray about how you can support me – finances, ministry supplies, coffee money, send me words of encouragement or what the Lord shares with you when you pray for me?

To give financially online,  please click here. For more information about the organization please visit their website – project7billion.org Or for more details on me, the trip, how to give via check or cash, or any other questions you might have please don’t hesitate to connect via Facebook or email.

Time for a Move

From the moment I returned back to Idaho people have asked me what is next or when I am heading back to Thailand. It’s been two and a half years of answering with, “I don’t know”.

There is a huge part of me that wishes I was headed back to Thailand and Burma. When I left I had every intention of returning. But the truth is that I have never had enough financial support to live a healthy and successful life / ministry overseas. (A huge reason I’ve been able to do it in the past is thanks to my own savings and penny pinching.)

Since I’m not heading back overseas, what’s next?

Last month I drove down to Denver, Colorado, and took a week long Thai Massage / Body Work course. It was one of the best Thai massages that I’ve ever received. The things I learned only made me excited to learn more. (Thai Massage uses acupressure and yoga stretches. In Thailand massage is considered part of the medical field.) There are three more classes that I can take, as all I have currently learned is a basic Thai Massage on totally healthy people. The classes and the equipment that I will need in order to start taking clients aren’t “cheap”, yet I know that it’s an investment into not only a career but also into myself.

I plan on taking several classes in Colorado, but I don’t plan on living there. Friends of mine who live in Texas have offered to let me live with them and are even helping me find a job or two that will give me the flexibility to continue going to ‘school’.

I want to take 2017 to focus on me. To really look into what career/s I want to pursue, to get  financially stable, have fun and enjoy life, and most importantly get healthier physically, emotionally and spiritually. I honestly believe that 2017 and moving to Texas is going to force me out of my comfort zone almost daily, it’s going to be filled with a lot of hard work, and it will be worth it.

Even though I am not a international “missionary” anymore, I could still use your support! I need your prayers. I need to purchase a reliable vehicle that can handle the many road trips that 2017 will hold, and I’ve got a very tight budget. Your prayers and any help in finding a reliable, comfortable vehicle would be awesome. If you want to bless me financially or with a Birthday or Christmas gift I will not turn it away.

For more information about the Thai Massage classes and the equipment that I need to purchase check them out here – http://thai-institute.com

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Going for it

…Stay where you were called to be. God is there. Hold the high ground with him at your side…

1 Cor 7:24 MSG

The other day I was doing some reading and this piece just seemed to jump off the page and straight to my heart. My last blog talked about not knowing what to do next. I had begun to make decisions that were basically just what I wanted to do. I didn’t have a clear ‘Thus Says the Lord’ moment. When I read this piece of scripture I figured perhaps I am heading in the right direction after all. (Plus as soon as I really made the decision I got horribly sick, something that has happened each time I’ve made a major life changing decision that has me perfectly where God wants me.)

Now that I’ve built up the anticipation a bit I bet you’re ready to hear what my plan is.

One of the ‘careers’ that I’ve thought about pursuing is massage. I’ve looked into schools here in the States and am just not ready to really make the financial and time commitment since I’m not 100% sure that it is something I would want to do. Plus I would really like to specialize in Thai massage, which isn’t offered at the schools here. And the best way to find out if it’s something I want to do, is to actually do it.

My plan is to go take an intense Thai Massage Certified Practitioner and Teacher Training Program in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In two and a half months I would walk away with not only the ability to do Thai Massage, but to also teach it. The school teaches a variety of other massage courses, my goal is to also take Infant Massage, Pregnancy Massage, and Thai Traditional Post-Natal Treatment courses. A big reason that I want to take all of these courses (and maybe more if time and money allows), is that I see all of this not just as a possible career but it is also valuable ministry tools. Combining massage and Holy Spirit guided prayer will bring blessings, healing and rest to both missionaries and those they serve. Since I will be in Thailand, I hope to be able to go back to Mae Sot and bless those that I served alongside as well as to teach some of them the new things I’ve learned. If I decide I want to be able to practice massage in the States (get paid to do it), then I’ll need to go to massage school here in the States and pass all of the exams needed to be certified in whatever State I decide to practice / live.

The massage courses in Thailand are going to cost approximately $4,000. Travel, living and ministry expenses will have to be added to that – $2,000 for travel and $1,000 per month for living and ministry. Living costs in Chiang Mai will be higher than in Mae Sot, I will need to find an inexpensive hotel or apartment to stay at and I’ll probably be eating out a lot since most places don’t have kitchens. With my goal being to spend time doing missions at the end of my training and that this is ministry training I have talked with Kingdom Inc and they are allowing me to raise financial support through them for this trip. The more money I have / raise the more courses I’ll be able to take (or have fellow missionaries come and take with me), the longer I can stay in Thailand to do missions and the more ministry opportunities I’ll be able to have (I’ve found a lot of my ministry funds in Thailand went to supplying first aid and medical supplies and feeding individuals or whole villages in the past). There is a course starting in October, just one month away, and another one starting in January. I will spend three months doing massage courses, and then hope to spend two+ months doing missions.

Will you consider not only praying for me but also supporting me financially?

Click here to give through Kingdom Inc.

And check out the school / course I’m looking at attending – ITM.

Now what?

A year ago I made the decision to come back to America to help my family for a couple of months as they faced some major health issues. That was my plan. Obviously things changed. I’m still in America. Health issues are better, but no-one is ‘healthy’. My personal savings pretty much dried up and my monthly financial support was only enough to cover my rent and utilities in Thailand, so going back overseas just isn’t an option.

Even though being here, helping family at home and with their small business is where I am supposed to be right now, it is not where I want to stay. Knowing that I don’t have the financial support to continue in missions really has me re-evaluating things.  I have had several ‘real jobs’ in which I actually received a paycheck, but none of them have been things that I would necessarily want to make a career out of. As I am sitting here trying to figure out exactly what I want to do for a living I’ve come to some interesting revelations. Having been a volunteer, paying my own way or feeling like I have to beg people to financially support me to work as a missionary has screwed up my thought process of money and my self-worth.

My previous jobs haven’t always come with a reliable paycheck. This has only increased my frugal spending habits for fear that the paychecks will stop coming and the money I have will run out. I might not have always had typical ‘jobs’ for someone of my age, but I’ve worked hard. Really hard. Most of my ‘jobs’ had me working far more hours than I would ever get ‘paid’ for. The emotional and spiritual satisfaction outweighed the drain, yet that isn’t going to put food on the table or a roof over my head.

God called me straight into missions after high school. I never felt led to continue my education and go to college. I can’t tell you how difficult it is to have to repeatedly explain that I don’t have a degree when talking about my missions work as well as when looking for a ‘real job’. I hate when people tune me out and lose their respect for what I’ve done because I don’t have a college degree. I’ve had a lifetime full of experiences and stories thanks to my time served in missions.

Unfortunately many of the jobs that I am considered qualified for at the moment wouldn’t have me making quite enough to live off of, and well they aren’t really jobs I want to be doing long-term anyways. Sadly the jobs that I would love to do I’m either not technically qualified for or are volunteer / support raised jobs, and well that hasn’t worked out financially in the past.

So now what? What job or career should I pursue? I have no idea. I would love to be doing something that allows me to not only do the things I’m good at (using my giftings), is fulfilling and that allows me to be able to financially support myself. Yes, I realize that that is aiming incredibly high. But isn’t that what we are supposed to do? To aim high? Isn’t a worker supposed to be worthy of their wage?

How did you find your career? Do you have any suggestions for me as I figure out not only what to do next but what kind of career to pursue?

Giving

Today is this year’s Giving Tuesday. As I started to write my thoughts on Giving I realized there is a lot that I wanted to say… so I’ll be doing a short series on Giving. Here is a little teaser to get started.

One of the things that I love about Outpour Movement is how quickly each person is willing to give. It’s as if each person holds their hands open wide to receive, yet their fingers are spread wide so that a portion of what they receive can fall to those around them. They give to the poor and the not so poor. They don’t wait for big planned events in order to give, because each day is filled with opportunities to give. Their eyes are constantly open to see the needs around them, and then trying to come up with the best ways to meet those needs. Their giving comes from their hearts. Giving isn’t something that they do, it’s who they are.

There are thousands of places that you could send your hard earned money to this Giving Tuesday. I ask that you would consider giving to Outpour Movement. (And of course you can give towards getting me back to Thailand – Support Casey.)

Photos speak of the past

I’m looking at photos I took on previous trips into Burma. There are still pictures that I have to edit and others that have become favorites. Sometimes there’s a photo that captures a moment that you want to hold on to, and then there are the ones that make you feel like you can see  into the very soul of the person.

As much as I love looking through old photos, they are a reflection of the past. They tell amazing stories and bring forth a range of emotions, but they are not my today. Each of those kiddos has grown since the photo was taken and since the last time I saw them.

My hope is that some of these photos tell stories of the future. That the hope in them is true. That the futures of each of these individuals and villages is bright, happy and full of life. And that I’ll be able to see them all again soon. I miss these faces! I miss sitting down and asking how everyone is doing, only to be taken to the houses of those who are sick or injured to see how we can help, to hear their stories and pray with them. I even miss knowing that they are laughing at me but having no clue why.

Right now I still need an additional $500 – $600 a month before I can head back to Thailand and Burma. With my support raising history and currently being in a very small town in the States, that sounds nearly impossible. I’ve never really had great financial support and have saved the majority of my pennies to pay for as much of my missions as I can. And being in a tiny community traditional fundraising events just either aren’t possible or going to raise the funds they would somewhere else. God has to show up. I NEED people to give, people who I see at my parent’s little store, and people that I haven’t seen in years. So my goal for this month is to raise $1,000. No, that will not get me back to Thailand. But it will help give me some more faith and hope as it gets me one step closer to getting back to the place that I love.

On Hold

You know that annoying feeling when you’re trying to make an important phone call and you get put on hold? Sometimes there is that annoying music that they play, if you’re lucky there will be a recorded voice that comes on every once in a while to tell you what number you are ‘in line’. The worst though is when there is no music at all, you’re just on hold. You have no clue how long you’ll be on hold or even if you’re still on hold and the other line hung up?

That’s kind of how I feel right now. On Hold. Only there’s no music or recorded voice telling me how much longer I have to wait.

We’re still waiting to get answers on my family’s health issues, but so thankful for doctors who are really trying to help and are fighting for them. And extremely grateful for the ‘good days’ that they have.

My return flight back to Thailand is in a week, but right now it doesn’t look like I’ll be on it. Even if my family was in perfect health by the day I’m supposed to fly I still wouldn’t be able to head back to Thailand… I don’t have the finances to go. I had enough money in my support account to get me through until my visa ended and I would need to head back to States to get it renewed… but I came back early, having to spend more on my ticket than I had originally budgeted and wiping out most of what was left in my support account in the process. Then once in the States there are lots of additional expenses, renewals that need to be made and things to ‘stock up’ on.

One of the things that is important to me before traveling anywhere is to make sure that I have enough finances to cover a return ticket and several months budget saved (just in case). Yes, it’s a safety net. Yes, I do rely on God and the support of others. But I also desire to be responsible with the funds and even the lack of funds that I have.

So right now the plan is to stay in the States. I’ll be working part time at my parent’s store and continuing to help out at home while my family tries to focus on their health (and the store). If you are in the Boise area and either want to connect or know of a church or group that would be interested in hearing about Burma, Thailand or missions in general let me know, I’d love to connect with more people here! Or if you just want to chat while I’m in the States, holler. Plus you can continue to help me out by sending up your prayer, sending me your words of encouragement and by giving financially.

And of course  I’ll wait in expectation of God continuing to show up in big ways… in health, finances, and all areas of life.

Baby boy

After I made the decision to come back to the States to help my family I had about a week in Thailand to do ministry and wrap up a few things before leaving. I was able to spend time down at the border and even go with my whole team to visit our villages across the border, filling my heart up before having to leave.

While arranging things for my team to cross the border for a day trip, I asked our contact to stop by one of the villages to check on a mom and baby boy we were providing formula to (she wasn’t producing enough milk to provide all her baby needed). I got a call back that mom and baby were doing great, but that they were now having to share the formula since a there was an orphaned one-week old baby in the village. What?! I didn’t even know that a woman in the village was pregnant! Thankfully we have a supporter that has committed to paying for the formula for the first baby boy, and another ministry in town was able to donate formula that day so we could get more to them right away.

When we visited the village a few days later I brought some photos that I had developed from previous trips to give to the people in the pictures. They were flipping through the photos, handing them out, when they got to one picture I heard several people softly gasp… everyone gathered around and said, “it’s her”. Unbeknownst to me, I had taken a picture of the mother who passed away and brought it with me.

My heart broke. I knew the momma. I didn’t know her name, but I knew her smile and her face. I knew her three year old daughter was just getting to the point where she was no longer afraid of us. This was a sweet young mom who had a beautiful smile and you could see her love for her daughter. And now she was gone.

We asked lots of questions trying to get the story of what happened to leave a two week old baby boy without a family. Apparently the mom had her baby at a hospital in another town, but three days after giving birth she died of a heart attack. The father lives and works somewhere else and has the daughter. I’m not exactly sure if it’s a sister or just a really close friend who’s family has taken in the newborn, but we got to sit in her house and hold this precious baby boy.

With the reality of children and babies being sold for sex, slavery and even body parts I get nervous when children are unwanted or parents are to poor to provide for them (I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to the kids I visit). I was so relieved to realize that the ‘adoptive mom’ is a woman that I know from the village! She is an amazing mother of two young boys who has lovingly opened her home to this baby boy. The woman’s husband even came and sat down with us for a bit, he made a bottle and helped hold the baby after a freshly changed ‘diaper’ (not something we normally see men do). The man made sure to let us know that this baby will be loved and cared for by his family.

Leaving was a little harder this time around as the realities of the people here are no longer rumors and stories, but they are now undeniably real and affecting the people I call friends and family. The more we become a part of people’s lives here the more we are going to be faced with stories like this, and have a desire to help meet the needs of these people who just can’t do it for themselves. When I got the call there wasn’t a question of ‘if’ we would help provide for these babies, because the obvious answer was yes. The hard part comes when realizing that right now, these types of calls aren’t in the budget because our ministry budget is coming out of our personal budgets for the most part. Many of the events we do are covered by supporters or teams, but the daily and emergency things aren’t necessarily covered by anyone specific. When you wonder why I / missionaries keep asking for money remember stories like this…. of a newborn baby boy who doesn’t even have a name yet, who lost his mom and who’s father isn’t in the picture, of a young family who is struggling to feed their two boys who aren’t old enough for school yet have lovingly decided to raise a baby who is not theirs, and of a mother who’s willing to share what little she has to help keep this precious life alive… the funds that you give go towards me / missionaries provide not only for personal expenses but also giving an entire village a reminder that they are not forgotten and helps restore the hope that this baby boy will be able to live a long and happy life.

Give   –    Casey Wells  or to  Outpour Movement (general fund)

God, Family, Ministry

If you’ve ever served in a church or religious organization I’m sure you’ve heard: God first, family second, and then ministry (work).

It’s a wonderful saying and something that is sometimes hard to remember. Putting ministry (or work) first and letting everything else fall behind it happens more often than any of us would like to realize. Sometimes it’s confusing to know when your family needs more attention than the ministry as your heart and focus are pulled in so many different directions. I mean we are supposed to be doing ‘all things as unto the Lord’, right? So lines feel a little blurry sometimes.

For a while now some of my family members have been battling with different health issues. There have been a couple of times where the question of if I needed to go home came up, but I never had a peace about heading back to the States for my visit before my visa expires the end of the year. All that changed. I can’t say it was a specific thing that happened or something that was said, because I don’t really know. What I do know is that I need to be home with my family right now. When I finally made the decision and talked with my family and my team here there was an absolute peace that flooded through me. I know that I can’t change their physical health, but by being home for a bit it will help give my family a slight sigh of relief knowing that I am there to support them no matter what the future holds.

As I make the journey across the ocean in a few days will you please pray for me? Pray for safe travels filled with God’s favor, peace and rest. Pray for my family – their emotional, physical and spiritual health, for wisdom and discernment as we wait for answers in how to get them healthy again. Pray for my team & the ministries I’m a part of in Thailand and Burma – they are going to be on a skeleton crew for a bit as people will be in and out of the country, pray for peace, unity, and divine favor, revelation, rest, and blessings upon my whole team, the ministries we help with and the businesses we’ve started to help fund the work here.