Get Ready, Get Set...

It's been about two weeks since I said goodbye to close friends, family, my home.
But what a journey it's been so far.

After a three hour flight to Los Angeles, a ten hour lay over at a boring international airport, a long fourteen hour flight to Sydney, a two hour flight to Brisbane...phew... and an hour flight to Townsville;
I am FINALLY in Australia.
and get this...
with all the money (yes all $10,000) raised to do Youth With A Mission.
Can I get an amen?!
I am so blessed to have people in my life willing to support me in this great adventure of being led and used by God.  I really can't thank you enough!

Although it's been only a few days ago since I left my small, little, Minnesota town; it might as well have been a few years.
Becuase I've really jam packed years of experiences into this short time.
some of these things include:

• eating kangaroo
• climbing a huge, mountenous hill in the rain.
• doing hands on work on a medical ship to prepare for its journey to Papua New Guinea later this year.  (It's mission is to bring medical supplies over to clean the mouths and teeth of these people with no expense to them; but not only that to show the love of Jesus in a very real, and practical way)
• seeing a three foot long lizard walk casually in the streets of Townsville
• fishing without a fishing rod
• sharing a small, little living space with fifty other girls (in which there are only two bathrooms and two showers-yes please pray)
• my whole body getting burnt so bad that I could hardly walk without cringing...apparently American sunscreen isn't strong enough
• finding cockroaches in the shower and on the walls beside my bed, and enduring the screams of the girls when they are found and eventually killed. 
• have met some pretty awesome people, one of them in which I can already call one of my best friends. 

I wish I could tell you everything that's happened, but the space that it would take up would take one remarkable attention span.

But by far, the best thing about these two weeks has been the whole reason I came to Australia; to learn, to grow, to be challenged, and to be broken all for the sake of the one who died on the cross for my sins. 

I'm not going to lie it's been a rough couple of weeks.  Motivation has been a struggle, learning to live with a bunch of people with different personalities and backgrounds a real challenge, and being on my own for the first time in my life is both refreshing and terrifying. 

But God is bigger than my burdens, bigger than my fears, bigger than how I feel , and He reminds me every day that I'm here for a reason.

Through it all it's been amazing to see all these people here, these people that are just like me in that they also heard the call to be here and trusted in God to provide.  These people that yearn to see His face, that are stepping outside of their comfort zones to step into "God's zone,"
We are just ordinary, common people wanting to be used by God...and I believe He'll meet us right where we're at.

   We have come here from all over the world. 
   Different in so many ways but united in Christ
   whether we're ready or not
   God is saying, "Get ready, get set..."
  "GO"

challenged.
mariah
 

Only The Beginning

60 hours until I leave for Australia!!
For those of you who don't want to do the math I leave Thursday, January 12th, at 1:00 p.m.
quick update on finances:  I have $9,500 raised right now!  My goal is $10,000 (this will cover all my Youth With A Mission expenses and plane tickets).  Thank you for all of you people who have supported me in prayer and finances!  God is using you, no matter how little or how much you give!! Thank you.

                      Destination: Townsville, Australia
                                   (asia.com)

(Just to let you know this isn't going to be a looooong blog post; for two main reasons; One... because it's one in the morning; and two...because I'm going to have SO much to tell you next weekend after experiencing one week with the Aussies)
A lot of people have been asking me if I'm getting nervous.  At first my response was not at all! 

Second person that asked me, my response: no not really, maybe a LITTLE bit. 

Third, I'm going to miss friends and family but I know I'm going to have a great time doing Youth With A Mission. 

after the tenth person, I don't want to leave everyone!  But I will go out of obedience to God.

It's been a struggle, not going to lie.  I didn't think it was going to be this hard to say goodbye to everyone!
But I'm very thankful for this being a hard thing.
If you would have asked me last year if I would get on a plane, fly to Australia alone, and live there for 6 months doing Youth With A Mission, with only two days notice.  I probably would've immediately said yes.

Up till a few months ago, I really didn't have any close friends. 
I had many friends don't get me wrong, but not a whole lot of them were Christians...or they called themselves Christians and didn't live their life like they were.  I had no one keeping me accountable on how I was doing with my Bible reading, and my daily walk with the Lord.  No one who would go out of their way to say, "Hey let's go out to lunch tommorow and let's just talk, tell me how you're really doing."  No one to come along side me and teach me, mentor me on how to grow and walk in the Lord.
As I sit here, tears rolling down my face, I can say God. is. faithful.
I have friends that I can just hang out and joke around with, friends that I can ask to pray for me, or I for them, without feeling akward.
I have mentors who are willing to come along side me and be there for me.  To ask me not the simple; hey how are you doing....but the hey how are you REALLY doing.  Their teaching, guidance, and kindness blow me away each and every day. 
I am thankful for these people in my life.
I love them so much.

A person I care for dearly, and love with all my heart. A lady that has been there for me since I was in junior high told me something very wise today, "life is like a book.  You are starting this new chapter in your life and there are many blank pages to fill, and how exciting is that!  But just remember you cannot write the book in just one day (it takes time)."

Goodbyes and hugs have been the highlight of these last few days before I leave.  Many tears have been shed, many gifts given, many promises to skype, email, and facebook.
But one thing that God has been making clear to me is; Yes I may be saying goodbye now,  and I am starting a new chapter in my life, but this...this is only the beginning.

grateful,
mariah

Someday

I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging.  Roughly two months of no blogging is not acceptable, especially when I’ve given out hundreds of bookmarks and letters that are telling you to come read my blog.

I’m going to make a habit of blogging weekly, and I ask that you would keep me accountable in doing that.  If I’m not blogging as much as I need to be I would very much appreciate it if you would send me an email or leave a comment; I don’t want this to happen again.

Although my blogging consistency has been a fail I can honestly and joyfully say that my relationship with the Lord hasn’t.  I can’t even begin to explain all the amazing things that have happened these past few weeks. This has been a season of growing, learning, being bold, new friends, haver friends, accountability partners, and much more.  Just when I think I’m filled to the top with blessings, He says, “No Mariah, I am not limited.  I am going to overflow you so that in part others may be overflowed and blessed as well.”

I use this blog to share with others what is challenging and inspiring me in my life, not to show others how well I can write (which isn’t at all what I am implying. I have Literature Professors and teachers reading my blog posts and I can only imagine all the errors they have seen already as they read this), but I write in hopes that it will also challenge and inspire YOU.   

I am a very visual person.  For me, to fully process and understand things I need to write them down…thus the pen and journal I have sitting beside me as I type this blog post.  Or I need to write things down if I want to remember to do something or else it most likely won’t get done, some of you are shaking your heads in agreement I just know it! 

As I look over the many to do lists, I see the same three words, “make blog post”-something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time.  But you know how it is, things come up and you say, “Oh!  I’ll do it tomorrow.” –or- “I’d much rather spend time doing this; I'll make time for that another day…” 

“Someday.”

Read these song lyrics by Press Play, see if they don’t challenge you as much as they've challenged me.

I’ve got one life to live this life

I’ve got one try to get it right.

I’ve got one try to change a life.

I’ve got one life. One life

My somedays have come and gone.

My somedays before me now.

My todays why I’m alive.

I’ve got one life

One life

Feel a little convicted?  I sure did.

Makes me wonder, have I been waiting for those somedays that need to be happening today? 

As I prepare to leave for Australia, and after listening to the Press Play song a couple dozen times, I here God asking me, “What do you want your life to be about?”  “If you die today, would you have lived a good life, or a life full of regrets and somedays?”

I may not know what I want to major in or career I want to pursue, but one thing is certain- I want to be a servant of God who cares and loves others whole heartedly as He has loved you and me.  I want to encourage and inspire those around me with my words and actions for His glory.  I want to be used by God to change lives.

This starts today.  It doesn’t start when I arrive in Australia, this starts here and now.

If you haven’t noticed already I love using videos and music on my blog.  If you haven’t watched any of the videos so far (don’t worry I’m not offended) I encourage you, I challenge you, I pray that you would watch this one.

Inspired.

mariah

bigger than myself

60 more days until I leave for YWAM!  Time sure does fly.
I just want to thank everyone that has been a great encouragement to me.  I'm so glad to have such supportive and loving people in my life.  It's going to be sad to leave you all.

Thank you for walking with me on this journey toward something bigger than myself, without God and yourselves helping me every step of the way I would surely be lost, without a doubt. 

Thank you mom and dad for not freaking out when I told you I wanted to go half way across the world to do missions.  You have always been supportive of me and my decisions (well most of my decisions anyway), and for that I am very thankful.  God gave me some great parents.  Love you guys. 

My last thank you goes to a special person that has helped me a lot, not only in preparing to go to YWAM but throughout high school as well.  You're encouraging, you're hilarious, you're like a second mom to me. I love how you're not afraid to be bold and share your heart and story with those around you.  I only wish I could've been closer to you earlier in high school.  Insecurities have kept me quiet...in fear that I would say something lame or out of place, but there's a side of me that will belt out my favorite music, crazy dance moves...of course! and will laugh until tears cover my face.  I hope to share this side more with you before I leave, and hopefully for some time after.  I am honored to have you as my mentor.
Hugs and love T

If you would be willing to support me financially in doing YWAM this is exactly how you can do it:

• (the pretty obvious one) you can send me cash.
• you can make out a check to Mariah Steenerson, and send to my address (if you don't know my address you can email me at m_steener@hotmail.com).
• you can go to this website https://www.ywamrto.org/payments/ and fill out the information needed (putting me as the recipient) and it will go straight into an account at YWAM to help pay my expenses to go.

Just to make this clear this is not all about getting money and leaving for Australia. ("Did she just say that" :O )  If it was all about the money, what would be the point.
This is about coming together to do something bigger than ourselves, to give you a glimpse of what's on my heart and who God is shaping me to be.  YWAM is as much an opportunity for you as it is for me, because I can't do this without YOU. This is an opportunity for us to come together and be used by God, will you step up and be a part of something bigger than yourself?

thankful to be used by God,

mariah

live like we're dying

Time.  It seems like everyone is talking about it.  Some believe we have a lot of it, some try to make up silly predictions when it will end, but what is it that we're really doing with the time God has given us?

This week I've been reminded just how precious time can be.  
Yesterday an eighteen year old boy died of a heart attack. 
No one saw it coming.

He left behind a mom and dad that loved him with all their heart.

A sister and brother that had started November 7th with him are now left with only memories today. 

He left behind a girlfriend that has to realize the guy she had a relationship with, she will never see again on this earth. 

Friends that had made plans to hang out with him have to deal with the pain filled reality that in just one moment everything can change, and they can't do a single thing about it. 

This life we live...we only have for a moment,let's not waste it.

Maybe you're a teenager that doesn't appreciate the parents God has given you, maybe you're an adult who has a screwed up past because of all the lies and distrust you had to grow up dealing with as a kid, maybe you are unhappy that you only have one true friend at a school filled with cliques and popularity contests.
Wherever you're at right now, make time to love these people that God has put in your life, because you never know when you're going to lose them.  Time is ticking

Live like you are dying

thankful for each day,
mariah

    

I Will Go

Thank you for all those reading this right now.  You might be family, a close friend, an old friend, someone from my church, or maybe I don't know you at all.  Whoever you may be I am very blessed to have you reading my blog. 

It's a struggle for me to think of something to write about, especially since I'm not the only one going to be looking at this.  After a few hours of thinking of different topics, God has been nudging me to share my story.  If you read my first blog you know I am leaving in January to do missions in Australia, but what most people don't know is that the passion for doing missions started a long time ago...and is crazy how everything has pieced together since then. 

My story starts in a small Evangelical church in a tiny Minnesota town.

As a kid, my pastor used to pose different challenges to our church congregation.  We would be encouraged to memorize different bible verses, or read a series of books in a certain amount of time.

One of these challenges was to read these books about missionaries around the world and thier stories.

I absolutely loved these books.  These people had a real heart for God and were willing to give up their lives to tell people the gospel.  Slowly I felt the ever deeper want to be one of these people, to go out into the world and share the message of Jesus Christ to everyone.  I decided to keep this to myslef, being only 12 years old and wanting to go and do missions around the world...I felt no one would take me seriously. 

Then later that year I was in church listening to a young girl a few years older than me talking about wanting to go be a missionary in Thailand.  This amazed me, for someone so young she knew what God was calling her to and she wasn't afraid to share that with others.  Soon after we were great friends, making plans to go do missions half way across the world.  But time went on and missions slipped to the back of my mind, but that all changed in 2008 when I went to my first youth conference called Challenge.

so·journ:

1. to stay for a time in a place

2. live temporarily

Every year Challenge had a different theme, 2008's theme was being a sojourner in what seems like a permanent world.  If you've been to Challenge you know that you can't leave unchanged, it's just not possible!  Meeting with thousands of other believers and worshiping the one true God altogether in one place is truly remarkable.  This one youth convention (but ultimately God) completely changed who I was and how I was living my life.   

There's so much I could say about this conference...but I don't think you want to be reading for hours and hours, so instead I'll share with you a little something I found in my notes from the conference.  Note that I was only a freshman in high school...please excuse the cheesiness.

"At challenge I was in my hotel room alone...and I was just thinking about all of these speakers and singers I've heard so far this week and how gifted they are. 

So in my hotel room I was just feeling so down and somewhat sad because I felt like I was worthless...and just could not understand how a God that made everything and can do anything could love someone like me.  Then I don't know why but I went into the bathroom and just told God that I loved him more than Michael Jordan. 

I've really been wondering if I should be a graphic designer or a missionary in Thailand, so I was asking God if He could show me which path to take. 

Then it was time to go to the evening rally.  I remember for some reason they started talking about Michael Jordan and that you should love God more than him (talking about not having idles) and to make it even more crazy they started talking about Thailand.  I left that night knowing God has a plan for me and I also left knowing all the answers to my questions!"

this youth conference challenged me to be alive in my faith and I wouldn't be where I'm at today if I hadn't gone.

Every day as I prepare to leave for Australia, i'm finding out more and more details of what I'll be doing.  One BIG thing I just found out is that one of my outreaches in South East Asia might be to Thailand!

God sure works in mysterious ways.

Finally I'm to the end (pheww)...just want to share with you some music that was very encouraging at Challenge '08.

forever a sojourner,

mariah

 

                                                                             

              

Youth With A Mission

After a month of consideration, and a couple hundred times of re-doing this first sentence, I have finally set up a blog. (imaginary applause)  Why it's taken me so long, I'm sure I could come up with one of many excuses.  I have a couple of great ladies in my church that have blogs that I try to keep updated on, and I can't tell them enough how much they mean to me and how greatly their words have comforted and inspired me; but it's quite intimidating to be in the midst of such great writers.  Being that I am very competitive, I want to be the best at what I'm doing...so I put off the blog.  But it's these same intimidating people that have really encouraged me to start.  So here I am.  I'm giving this blog to God to do with it whatever He wants.

My name's Mariah Steenerson, I'm a 5'7" blonde in 13th grade.  During high school I decided to do some PSEO (Post Secondary Enrollment Options) through a community college my junior and senior year, okay so I did a bit more than a few.  I ended up graduating with my Associates Degree the same time I graduated Hich School.  Many people would say this is a great achievement, I saw it more as torture.  You're probably confused...it's torture to save thousands of dollars?  See I had no idea what I wanted to major in. 

This past year has been one of the hardest years in my life.  There wasn't a day that I wasn't stressed about what I was going to do for a career, but I held true to the verse in Jeremiah.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).

I think the worst part of not knowing what I was going to do for school, was having to face people that constanlty asked what my plan was for college.  Looking back now, I laugh at the responses I got from some people.  "You don't know yet what you want to do! I guess you can scratch off brain surgeon."   

 Each day was a struggle in itself but I found comfort knowing God had and has a plan for me, and what seemed like pure torture helped me to grow and love God even more.

I thank God that I finally got an answer to this long posed question. 
On January 15, 2012, I will be heading to Townsville, Australia to do a program called Youth With A Mission (YWAM).  Basically I will go there and do three months schooling at the Reef to Outback Discipleship Training School (DTS); where I'll learn more about God and who he made me to be, and how I can most effectively share the gospel.  Then do three months missions in South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
I am SO excited to be a part of this! I want to go out into the world and be the hands and feet of a God I do not deserve.
But there is a lot to get done before I leave in January!

I believe that prayer is a very powerful thing, and should not be taken lightly.  Below I have listed a few prayer requests, if you would be willing to pray for me I would be more than thankful.

Prayer Requests

• Safety while I'm in Australia doing my schooling and in Asia with my missions
• Spiritual Growth
• Good health while I'm there
• To be able to take a lot from my DTS and apply what I learn to effectively share the gospel
• To be open to change; to not only look at YWAM as an opportunity to make a difference but to be made different.
• To be prepared as best I can to leave my family and friends for six months
• Understanding for after YWAM, as far as schooling.
• the full $8,000 raised to be able to do YWAM. ($5,000 by 1/15 and the last $3,000 by 2/26)

If you would like to support me you can email me at m_steener@hotmail.com

Have a great rest of the weekend!
mariah