ride (verb): to move along in any way; be carried or supported

went home for father's day.
and it was super fantastic.

my dad was really surprised.

a half hour before i left to head back up to wisconsin, i begged my dad to take me on a motorcycle ride.
i have been riding with my dad since i was little, and i also use to ride with my grandpa from when i was about 8 until he passed away almost 5 years ago.
there is something so great about being on the back of a harley.
its a totally different perspective of everything around you compared to being in a car shielded from what surrounds you.
and my dad and i had the best conversation ever while riding.
he said to me, "i really love that you are so passionate about taking rides with me. it helps me continue what i did with my dad."
and i said, "no problem dad. i just love it so much. its an amazing way of taking time to reflect, and just soak in life and how great God's creation is. even if we live in a fast paced suburb of chicago."
he said, "as your father, i am so proud of you for what you are doing this summer. as a fort board member, i thank you for taking your time to serve others."
i started to cry.
just being so grateful for life, and to see that the really rough childhood moments and things and struggles have taken me to this place now where all i ever want to do is love and serve and be a servant of the Lord and just do missions for the rest of my life.
and being on that harley with my dad, helped me sort of take some time to reflect and spend time with the Lord.

i will forever live to ride. and continue to live my life for the Lord and listen to his callings for my life.

one of those callings, is Mexico. i feel like i talk about it so much, but i think i do that because God has really put that on my heart.
and yesterday, was my sponsor child Dalia's 9th Birthday. and i have been sponsoring her since she was 5 months old. so you can do the math. basically her whole life. and to reflect on that just fills my heart with so much joy.

God is good. God continues to provide. and He continues to LOVE us and meet us wherever we are at.
♥

taking a little break.

I have been at camp for the last 3 weeks. its crazy to think that its been 3 weeks already, 2 weeks of leader training and 1 week of JV camp. and that was SUPER fun!!
I decided that I was gonna come home and surprise my dad for fathers day.
he is the best father EVER.
it is so good to relax at my home for a couple days. and then tomorrow early afternoon i am going back up to camp until the end of summer. i hope it doesn't go by too fast. and that i have the best time of my life and make so many memories.

i am so blessed to be spending the summer up there. i can't wait to get back and see all my friends, and be with the summer long leaders. i miss my roomie andrea. she is so great. and stephanie and emily. haha. love them all.

i miss my friend nicole right now though. she is just so precious to me. i am so glad we talk so much everyday.

and i am really happy with what God is showing me, the people he is putting in my life, and what he is doing in me. :]

learning is so beautiful.

summer. SUMMER. SUMMER!!!

i absolutely love summer. maybe more because i am at camp for the summer? not really sure. But i do know that God is doing amazing work in my life. And i am just super super blessed.
Right now, i am sitting in the coffee shop that i will be running for the whole summer.
Someone yesterday said to me, "it is really great to have you here. and to see where you have come from, and how you have grown, to where you are now in your life. so glad you are here, Lisa."
that just really touched my heart a ton. and made me really think of where i have been, and the tragedies i have faced and the things i have overcome. and the fact that i have overcome those things through God, and through people that have helped me along and been the encouraging and loving community i needed. I have no regrets, but i definitely know that my mistakes and trials and really rough patches in my life have made me really strong. and i feel like for the first time in my life i can stand here and say, that i feel stronger than ever before, and God is just continuing to love me and open up my eyes to the things in my life that i need to change and the things that i need to appreciate more, and he is opening my eyes up to the people i need to show love to. and i love to love others. He is showing me things in the relationships i have with others, and what i can do better, and how to love them and meet them right where they are at.
it is truely beautiful what God has been showing me. God is my strength, and the only thing I need. I am so full of his spirit, and his grace and his love. And it consumes my thoughts and my walk everyday.
Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me, loved me, and met me right where i am with open arms. I am so grateful. And God is really showing that to me, he is making my heart feel so blessed and grateful for those around me. So i thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And I give all my praise and thanks to the Lord who has been a very large part of who I am today.

I was going to update on just things about camp and such. but i sort of felt prompted to write what is really on my heart. and this was tugging at it. so updates about staff orientation and how leader training is going so far will have to come soon.

much love. ♥