Brain Transplant

The weirdest thing about my life right now...I have spent significant parts of my life in a place and undergoing thing that no one I know here in C-town is aware of. I don't say that in a flippant way; I I say it to try to explain some frustration. The only people who experienced what I experienced for the last five months of my life are either in another state or another country all together. My brain is telling me that is has undergone a complete transformation. In fact, I may have a totally new brain. Trying to explain this transplant is something I cannot get into the right terms. Sometimes the only thing that relays change and the things I have gone through is the evidence of the fruit of that change. So, here I come world....

So, this is random. Once upon a time, I met this guy...We hung out for two weeks and he left for another state. Even more random, I went down to that state for five days to visit. Then about a month later he headed off to Iraq. About 3 months after that, I headed out for the most random adventure of my life. Well, 9 months has passed since then. Nine months since I have seen this guy that I'm *ahem* crazy about. In less than a week, I will see him again. What a thought. Glad my brain underwent a transplant. My old one would have conked out by now with all the processing it is undergoing....

Russia Outreach Video

Hello, Home!!

I have returned to the United States of America. What a good feeling it was to look out my window on the plane and see land that I knew was only a few hours from home. Five months has flown by in retrospect and was a little slow in the midst of it. Whatever the case may be, I am super blessed to be home and see my family. The icing on top is that my sis, E, was in town for a few days so I get to see her. And the cherry on top? L is coming in for post-deployment leave in a matter of 14 freaking days!!!! :D

May you wake up every day and say today is the best day of my life. This is my new goal. There is only one day like today, and I intend to make the most of mine...


And now I am off to finish up the cleaning of my room. It took me all day yesterday to unpack, do laundry, and make my room liveable after it had served as a storage area. It is so nice to have a little space to myself.

Dishwashing....

He cares more about who I am than what I do....So, I have never heard God so clearly in my life as when He said that. I am trying to make this the attitude I operate out of in my life. I want to seek becoming more like Him rather than always trying to figure out the next big thing. The funny thing is I was washing dishes when He told me. I seem to find myself washing dishes a lot.....

1) My first roomies were the bomb. C and P have affected me in so many good ways, I probably couldn't begin to recount their awesomeness. Part of the awesomeness of our house was the way we balanced each other out so well. C was a bathroom cleaning wonder. She did it weekly whereas I would have done it....never. P was a great cook whereas C and I cook and it is often disastrous. C and P hated dishes and would leave them in the sink for weeks for kitchen mold to eventually disintegrate into plate dust. So I became resident dish washer. I learned that God puts different people together and when you work together, you can keep a house from burning down.

2) DTS work duty. I never felt more like I was in summer camp than DTS work duty. I worked from 5:15 to 7:30 Monday through Friday in the kitchen. There is nothing like the smell of stinky campus kitchen at the setting of the moon in the middle of the night. ;) In any case, my job was pot washer. The sticky oatmeal pans were my favorite. Or not....In any case, this work duty really was valuable despite my complaining. I learned to have a good attitude (I hope) even when I was tired and I realized that if it weren't for me, the whole campus would have to forfeit oatmeal. Either that or get food poisoning.... Never underestimate the power of a job well done.

3) Outreach....After a few weeks of trying to make dish schedules and teaching people to correctly wash dishes after themselves, it became apparent that a resident dish washer was needed. Yes, sometimes God calls people to set the captives free and heal the lame. But He also needs people to wash the dirty bowls. So I did....And I learned that my Mom is amazing. She cleaned up after me as I grew up and I have to remember to tell her that I am sorry when I took her dishwashing for granted, and I love her so much for putting up with me. 

So, in conclusion dish washing has really had quite the profound effect on my life.....

A Return

I'm back! Well almost. I have one day left of outreach, one day of travel, several days of debrief, one day of travel, and then *deep breath* home. I have really slacked off over the past five months on blogging. I feel bad actually since it was such a time of huge change and crazy events in my life. I suppose-and hope-these changes will make themselves evident as I continue to write. To begin, how does one start to summarize five months of a super eventful part of my life? I guess I just take a deep breath and start typing....We will see what happens....

I can hardly believe I have been away from home for five months. I sort of did a mental block before I came to my DTS on January 1st. I still am not quite sure why I came to do one. It was so random, and I realize now it was something I did out of desperation. A desperation to not have a feeling of unknown and uncertainty. I was done with my bachelor's, I had not gotten into vet school yet, and one of my best friends was halfway across the world. What was I going to do with myself? I thought of some really stupid things including the military (Don't ask about that one. Luckily God gave me one of those crappy nauseous tummy feelings and now I realize I would have made  a HUGE mistake if I did that. I guess Moms are right most of the time, huh?) or getting my master's at CSU-Pueblo (Which would have meant an extension of my bachelor's degree and classes on the study of water-icky!). So, out of desperation, I found myself all by myself with no one I knew, my family across an ocean, no clue what I was doing with my life, and my best friend in Iraq. I was in a dorm room in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. What was I going to do with myself? I was stuck. Nowhere, nothing, and no one to drown myself in or find my fulfillment in. So, by default I had to run to this guy I had grown up hearing about and occasionally was spoken to through the Bible. This particular collision may be the best accident that has ever happened to me...

I can't even begin to talk about all the ways that God met me in Hawaii. I learned that there is this being in this world that created me very lovingly and placed within me dreams and desires that He wishes to use for His glory. He is in a passionate pursuit for me, and has made himself available for a full on relationship with me. He was so faithful to meet me in my low spots, provide when I had needs, and stretch me in ways that have changed who I am.

More of the lowdown on my time at DTS. For now, I suppose I should try to evacuate the ants from my pants and sleep. Why is it I am tired all day and then sleep time comes and I'm super antsy.....

Seven days until I hug every member of my amazing family and about 3 weeks until I see my most amazing Marine....

:D

I shall return. Someday. I leave for Russia/Scandinavia tonight at 8:45. So begin the great adventure. :) I am excited to see what kind of crazy/everyday/awesome/quiet/loud things God will be up to on this trip. I may get on to update occasionally if internet cafes are available; however, I wouldn't count on it. Add me on facebook-Danika Hayden-if you really want to keep up with me whilst I am gone.
God bless!!!

Twelve Days to Takeoff

So, I concluded that there can be too much going on in life to be able to blog about. I am learning so much here and God is speaking to me a lot. There is so much to process and consider that I do not know how to begin conveying any of it. Thus, I post about once a month while I am here. He he....

I am off in a matter of 12 days. Whoa!!! Takeoff to Russia on Wednesday. The first leg of our trip involves Jesus showing Himself through us in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Volgograd. We are hoping to work in an orphanage for part of the time and possibly with an organization that is involved in human trafficking in Northern Europe.

The most important thing on this outreach and for the rest of life after that is the presence of Jesus. He created humans to spend time with us. He died so we could spend time with Him. From this presence, His glory resides inside us. The true ministry-whether it is on outreach or in every day life-happens when people see this glory in us. The cannot help but see that something is different about us and the only explanation is that we have the Creator of the universe residing inside of us. I am SO excited to see how God will work in these next 9 weeks.

God is speaking to me about completely abiding in Him in each moment of each day. It is so easy to not only look forward to the adventures to come, but the adventures to come after the adventure. ;) I haven't seen my family in three months and L in about five. I am SO excited to see them again. Admittedly, maybe more excited than the world travel adventure....? :) However, God holds all things and time in His hands. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have right now and am seizing every minute of every day.