Week 5 -time is flying!

Sorry I have been away for so long! I will try to update every Friday from now on.

These past two weeks there has been a lot going on! This past weekend we had Cafe Night!  It was very fun. The theme was movie awards.

We could dress up as a animated character or a famous person. I dressed up as a genie and my friend Ruben was dressed as Aladdin. 

These past two weeks I have been learning about intercessory prayer!  Wow, who knew how powerful prayer could really be! With intercessory prayer I learned how to really connect with God and how to really reach Him and listen to Him. I don't think I ever really knew how deep one could go with God until last week. Having it explained to you and digging deeper really opens your eyes a lot more to everything.  

This week I am learning about God's character and nature. He is so loving, patient and kind. Also a highlight of this week so far is that I am getting to know more about God personally and it is very exciting to me. I cannot wait to learn more about Him this week.  He really craves a relationship with us as much as we crave to have one with Him!  Be blessed everyone and I will update you soon! And as always, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

Week 2- Making friends and going deeper

I have really been blessed this week! Lots of fellowship and getting to know my classmates. As I have been sitting in lectures this week our guest speaker Annarose called upon me as I was reading a bible scripture aloud. She spoke to me and said " You are strong with the Lord and a Warrior, stay strong and encouraged." This really moved me when she said that. I thought it was so coincidental because my name Sarah Payton, which means Princess Warrior.  Then later that night we were exchanging gifts with one another and Annarose came up to me and gave me a card and it had a number 7 on it. She told me " the number seven means completion" and then she said, "I feel you are complete in God." This really blessed me and she really touched me with her words.  While I know we are never complete, it confirmed to me that I am on the right path and I am continuously seeking God daily for His plans and purposes for my life. I am so overjoyed and encouraged through this time and I cannot thank everyone enough for their prayers and support on this journey.

 

Week one- lots of meet and greet and getting adjusted!

I am so sorry I have not updated for the past couple of days, everything has just been so hectic.  Jet lag took a couple days to recover from and I have been trying to figure out my way around. A lot has been going on! I am having a amazing time so far. I have only been here a week but it feels like so much longer! 

 

Over the weekend I got to go into the city and explore. We visited the Lausanne Cathedral- absolutely amazing-pictures do not do it justice.I am really excited to explore and continue to grow with God as I continue on this awesome journey! I am only a week in and can already feel tremendous growth.  Please pray for me that I can get adjusted to this very busy schedule.  It is a lot to take in right now, but definitely worth it! 

Please pray for my team as we all learn and grow in the Lord so that we can know Him more and make Him known! 

As always thank you so much for your prayers and support and I will update you again soon! 

I made it to Switzerland!

I finally made it to Switzerland. I almost missed my second flight from Istanbul to Geneva but I made it!! I thank the Lord for letting me do this and I know He is going to use me to do great things while I am here!! Please keep me in your prayers as I continue on my journey with God and thank you for your support!

View from my room

on the train

Stamped passport 

Tomorrow is the big day!

I was so blessed this weekend by friends and family!  Some lifetime friends of mine drove in for a visit and that was a big surprise.  I was so blessed. My dear friends prayed for me, gave me Lots of Hugs, we did facials, laughed a lot and of course went shopping and bought shoes! 

My church commissioned me and sent me off with prayer as well as a party!  I feel very loved! I am sad in a way, but so excited to see what God is going to do in the future.  My mom keeps tearing up and I tell her that I will only be gone for five months, it's not like I am never coming back. 

I know after this I will be forever changed! Again thank you so much to all have supported me both in prayer and financially.  Pray for safe travels.  I fly out tomorrow and arrive in Switzerland at 10pm on the 2nd of April which will be about 3pm here in Texas.  I will be meeting my new friend Ruben who will be escorting me from Geneva to Lausanne.  We will stay in a Hostel that night and should arrive to check in about midnight.  

We then will meet people from the YWAM base at 11am on the 3rd of April to continue on to the final destination YWAM Lausanne. I will update everyone soon!  Lots of love!!!! 

The final count down begins!!!!

I just got back from seeing my Moment side of the family!  It was great seeing all of you before I leave the country! 

This week I will focus on packing and running around to thrift shops in hopes to score some great pieces to add to my wardrobe for layering in Switzerland.  I will spend lots of time with dear friends and family and eat some of my favorite foods before heading off. 

Thank you so much to all who have been praying and who have given financially.  I know I say this every time I post, but I am so thankful.  When I started this journey it was a complete leap of faith not knowing if I would raise a dime and I am excited to say that to date I have raised $6,210.00 praise be to God!  I will still be fundraising for my second phase which is my outreach phase.  I will post more about that after arriving in Switzerland.  

Prayers still needed for my Visa.  I will be leaving in a week and still do not have it.  YWAM Lausanne has received notification that my Visa has been approved, but I have not.  SO when I go I will have to enter as a tourist until I get my student Visa and sometimes it can be a sticky situation.  Please pray that I get my confirmation this week.  While it is too late to mail my passport and get it stamped the approval letter can serve as confirmation upon entry until I can make it to the Swiss embassy. 

Only Two more weeks

WE are getting very close!!!  So excited! You guys can pray for my mom, she is freaking out.....lol!
I have raised to date all my school fees 3,790 CHF and about $400 USD towards my outreach.  Thank you so much to everyone for your prayers and support.  I am sorry that I had not posted in my blog last week I was on a spring break mission trip with my church.  We stayed right here in the great city of Houston and partnered with Global Frontier Mission.  We had a great time of ministry, we got to learn about new religions and cultures and share the love of Christ in the inner city.  I also made some pretty cool new friends!

One little girl in a local housing project broke my heart by asking if she could come with me.  So precious! 

Some of you have asked me how much I still need for my goal.  I need anywhere from 

$2500 to $4500 USD depending on where we travel for outreach.  I will update everyone and let you know for sure.  Please everyone continue to pray for my Visa, we still have not received notification, my school in Lausanne has though.  They said that they received notification that it has been approved, yay! I can enter the country without the Visa I am just told the process gets a little more complicated.  I cannot wait to share with everyone my journey and look forward to updating you soon! I leave on my journey April 1st.