An Unexpected Turn...

Life is full of unexpected changes... Especially when you are on a journey towards the future... Mine has journey has recently taken an unexpected turn and I am looking forward to what the Lord is doing in my life... For those of you who haven't heard from me or through the grapevine I have news... Due to a recent cutback in hours at my current job I have come to the realization that in this small town a full-time job means anything over 20 hours... I have been barely scraping by on 32 hours a week at my job and after my trip home to NC I came back to be informed by my boss that my hours were to be cut back to as little as 25 hours a week. Upon receiving this news I promptly informed my boss that there is no way I can survive on less hours and that if this was going to be the case she should expect my notice soon... I had been praying about several possibilities that I had in front of me... I could get a second job and continue to strain to make ends meet... I could quit and try and find another full time job in town and hope its enough to continue living somewhere I honestly cant afford to live... Or consider and option that was offered to me a few months ago that I had been thinking about for a while... In Dec before my lease was up My father open handedly presented me with an offer... I could pack up all my furniture and things into storage and pack my car up with my clothes and things I need to live and move back home to live with them and get a job in Charlotte where Full-time means at least 40 hours a week and jobs are a bit more plentiful... And then when the grant comes through and Wild Fire is ready for me then I can pack back up and move back to Texas... At the time things were going pretty well and I was keeping my head above water... But January saw a turn around in my job and financial situation and I could see that the Lord was moving some of the Wild Fire Staff into new places... After allot of prayer and a two and a half hour conversation with Toni Hellums... I realized that the wise thing for me to do right now was to move home for a season... So in about three weeks my mother will be flying down to Texas to ride with me back home to NC... I want to thank everyone who has been praying for me through this season... I am so thankful for the people the Lord has placed in my life!

God Bless y'all! Alicia

Update Letter!

Nine Months...

If this were a baby it would be here any day now. I looked at the calender today and realized that as of today I have lived in Alpine for exactly nine months. Then I thought to myself that if this were a baby we would be experiencing breakthrough very soon. Although there have been a few setbacks it looks as though the Dilts family will be moving to Alpine in the next week or so. This is very encouraging because the timing feels perfect. I have been feeling the trickle of hope that big things will be happening soon. This is the catalyst that we have been waiting for! I am very excited and very encouraged which is a huge improvement on my emotional state in previous months. I feel that change is in the air and boy could I use some change right now! Thanks y'all for your prayer and support through thus season of uncertainty!

God Bless,

Alicia Zinn

Prints for Haiti!

In trying to think of ideas to raise funds I thought this was an inspired idea. This is a link that connects to an album containing many of my artistic photography pieces: Prints4Haiti
I posted them to this event in order to raise funds for my upcoming mission’s trip to Haiti. All profit made from this event will go toward my trip to Haiti this July! I hope to add more albums containing other people going on the trips photography so you can purchase prints to help them get on the field as well! Each picture has a small watermark in the bottom right corner this will not be on the print but on the back of any print will be the name of the photographer you supported. I hope that every time you look at the picture you will be reminded that you helped get them to Haiti and I would hope that it will become a constant reminder to pray for the person you supported and to pray for Haiti!

Haiti Trip Basic Info!

Hey everyone!

I know I am not very good about updating this blog. I am trying to get better about that. I just wanted to let everyone I am going to Haiti with Wild Fire this summer. I wanted to give everyone the basic information about our trip!

When: July 6-16

Where: Villages 40 miles from Port-au-Price

How much: $1800, includes airfare, food, lodging (all expenses, except food during travel)

Deposit deadline: April 6th, with $50 deposit;

Other Info: We will be doing relational ministry with the villagers, also doing children's ministry, distribution of food, clothing & care packages we are getting very excited about this trip! This is going to be one amazing mission trip!

I am pretty excited!

God Bless!

Alicia

Six months later...

I realized yesterday that I have officially been here in Alpine for 6 Months!

Wow where has the time gone? So if you are wondering what we have been doing all this time!

Waiting... We are all waiting. Waiting on the Lord waiting on the grant. There is just allot of waiting! But I have learned allot in the process of waiting. I am starting to discover more about God and more about me. This has been a growing process for me. Living on my own and learning to lean on the Lord for everything. It has been a tough two months starting off this New Year! I was financially in shambles and it looked like I was never going to get a job. Then when it seemed like all hope was lost and the grace was running out God showed up in the 11th hour. Why it appears that God likes to wait till the last minute is beyond my comprehension but He always shows up like He said He would. He made sure I was taken care of. I am! Praise God! I started work as a Part Time Admin at the Hospital District office 4 weeks ago and I couldn't be happier! It is so good to be working again and I really enjoy my job. It is not what I came here for but it is a step in the journey that will take me where I am going next. I have found that the road that takes us into the future is paved with more then good intentions but rather faith in God's plan for our life and trusting Him even when we don't know or understand what that plan is supposed to be! God has already blazed the trail we just have to be willing to follow in His footsteps even if we don't know what is around the corner, or even if it looks like we are never going to get out of the desert we seem to be stuck in... God takes us where we are supposed to be when we are supposed to be there. No matter what we think. Yes we have the power to move God's heart with our prayers but that doesn't change Him. He is God and He will always be God. He will always act like He has always acted. I have discovered in this journey when you don't like where you are at in your journey don't look around and say I hate it here I am leaving. But rather look around and say Why don't I like it here? What needs to change in me to bring me to appreciate this place I am in? How can I be made better? You are the only person who can change your perspective... You are the only one who can change how you look at things. Become an active part of the process growing and becoming who you are meant to be. Don't just get mad about that fact that you seem to be stuck in the same place. The Israelites walked around in circles in the desert for 40 years because an entire generation didn't want to go through the process of taking possession of the promise land. It is a slave mentality that I think really held them back an entire generation had lived as slaves for so long that they had forgotten God's promise of freedom and a land to call their own. An entire Generation had to grow up in freedom hearing nothing of God's promises before they were actually lead to the promise land. Just remember the desert you find yourself in may be there to change you not for you to change it. You have the ability to change yourself and your perspective! Take advantage of that ability! Embrace where you are and the process and you will not only find yourself in a new place but also find that you are a different person walking into that place!

I love y'all!

God Bless!

Alicia Zinn

Two months later...

... and now I update. I feel terrible that I haven't updated anyone on what has been going on... Transition is a tedious process and I am by no means an expert even though a lot of the time I feel like I should be. It has been a long and short two months but for the most part I am here and waiting. We are all waiting here.
Stepping out and moving here when I did was no small thing. It was a hard thing to do... I left my family while they were in the middle of a crisis to move 1500 miles away to do what exactly... well as of right now not much more than wait. In some ways it is sad because I probably could have done this in NC with more money in the bank and a family around me... And I know to some of you that is what I should have done. It is hard for some to understand why I left when I did I could have waited till the new year or something. But I know that I heard from the Lord and I know He is the one that told me August. I am here and doing well. I am learning to learning to hold onto what the Lord has told you and trust that He knows what He is doing. I am finding myself back where I was a couple of years ago (almost 3 years to the day Read about it here ). I am being reminded that I choose to submit to the Lord in obedience. I obeyed with my actions. But until the last few days I have had a hard time obeying with my heart. I forgot who this was about for a little while there. Just so you know it was never about me. Even if I thought it was. I am choosing to trust in faith that as long as I obey I will find myself right in the middle of God's plan. Even if it means being in the middle of nowhere I had heard of before this 3 years ago, doing little more than waiting and hoping that His provision of part time or temporary employment could help make financial ends meet. I need to go to bed but I will update you on where things are with Wild Fire when I get all the details. A lot has happened on that front in the last few days and I want my update to be accurate and clear!
Thank you & God bless!
Alicia

Day Two - On the Road

So today was decently uneventful for me...Besides the minor crisis evolving the movers delivering my stuff while I am literally a thousand miles away. I am not so fond of that whole thing but really there is nothing I can do about it but pray that everything came out alright and we are good to go.
I drove from Nashville to Dallas. Made it safe and sound... again I am so thankful I choose this route now for two reasons... One because the 10 hours I drove today were beautiful and I can't really say that about the 10 from Jackson MS... The second reason is apparently a tropical storm is hitting ground somewhere in the Mississippi & Louisiana region. Also a plus is I don't ever remember going to Arkansas before... But now I can say I have been there... And now I can say I have in fact driven across both Tennessee & Arkansas... next step is driving across Texas... Although Texas has some beautiful parts I am sad to say that most of them are not between Dallas & Alpine... Fort Worth is a lovely city and mountains of TX are lovely this time of year but they are not as visible from the road as one would prefer when driving but hopefully I can get there without to much trouble... Fact... I have single-handedly driven over 1000 Miles... So I have driven 500 miles and I have driven 500 more to be the girl who drove 1000 miles to fall down at my (new) door! Hehehe... I have to add 500 more so I will be the girl who drove 1500 miles to fall at my own door! Wow... Sorry but I am trying to make light of a lot of driving I am almost done and very ready to be. Please pray the Lord would protect me on the road tomorrow... I get to see Audrie and Steven and My girl Joanna tomorrow! I can't wait!
God Bless & Much Love! ~ Alicia

Day One - On the Road

I am so glad I choose to take the route through Tennessee and so on... the hours went by a lot faster then when I went the southern root through Louisiana & Mississippi.

So yesterday after arriving in Nashville I checked into my hotel which is really nice! (thank you Whitney Lewis for helping with the discount)... then proceeded to transform into a tourist... I ate a late lunch/early dinner at a Nashville Tradition... or at least that's what it said on the sign called the Pancake Pantry... they had great pancakes... But the whole time I was there I though about Paul... Because he loves pancakes or anything the is full of carbs! Speaking of Paul... I had a sad/funny moment yesterday when Audrie thought he was with me... Then Steven texted telling me she is still messing up. I thinks its funny but Paul I really miss you and do wish you were here. Then I drove around town seeing the sites like driving down Broadway by all the Honky Tonks next time I come to Nashville I will try not to make it a Sunday because most of the museums & tours were closed because I love Museums and Tours! After my tour I went to a movie at a really nice theater where you can occasionally see country & christian music stars (I looked it up online) so I figured it would be a safe theater to go to. Julie & Julia was Hilarious... If you get a chance go see it.

So the mover is coming tomorrow and I am nowhere near Alpine yet... Next stop Dallas... I am going to dinner with a couple of friends from school or maybe just one depending on if I can get a hold of them all. Check back later for more updates from the road.

God Bless & Much Love!
Alicia

One week...

Time in NC is coming slowly to an end but at the same time it is quickly passing by. I can't believe that a week from now I will be on my way! The reality is still settling in. I have quite a few people to see before I go. I am having lunch with at least 3 different people and am hanging out with quite a few others. People are so important to me. I will miss a lot of people when I leave. But mostly I will miss my Family.

Just a note anyone who wants to see me before I go... Please let me know!

I am putting together a schedule so let me know when you are available My schedule is filling up already.

On the Schedule:
Spend time with friends & family!
Pack Car
Saturday Family day!
Sunday Leave :o(

New Website Layout...

I have put together a website to help people follow My Road to Wild Fire... I just finalized some updates on it. Check it out Here: http://www.aliciazinn.com/ministry

Moving out...

Wow I am so glad that went so well... All my stuff is now packed away in a truck headed for... Well honestly I don't were... but finial destination... Alpine, Texas. I am Glad things have gone so smoothly... Dad is doing much better. They let him out of the hospital on Friday Last week and although he could only sit in the living room and have a few people at a time come and see him... we still packed out our yard with on average 100 people at any given time between 11 & 3 on Saturday... The party was a huge success... Thank you to all who came and graced us with your presence. My Family was hugely blessed by all the people who showed up and the cards that still keep coming in! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Y'all don't know how much it means to us.
Well now it is a week and a half and counting till we are on the road. Thursday we should be getting the results of the PET scan dad just got this morning. This will be what decides whether they get to come with me on the trip or not. Time will tell!

So I only have 3 more days left at Family Dollar... and I am praying for patience. The grace started lifting a few weeks ago... at this point that grace is long gone. Just being there Monday morning was tough. I have been treated pretty much like I am already gone. I will only be doing some minor training with my replacement they are having her train with another MA so that when I am gone she has someone else to work with her. Just a few more days and I will be able to focus on spending time with my family and friends and getting myself ready for the long trip ahead of me.

On the Schedule This week:
More trips to the store (Target & Costco)
Start getting my car ready... Take care of auto maintenance and repairs.
Move into the guest room

All booked up with no place to go... Yet!

I have booked the mover they are coming on Tuesday, Aug 4th(or a week from tomorrow)! All hotels and lodging are booked for the road... 1 plane ticket are booked (that may change but for now it is just 1). But we are not leaving for another 19 days.

On the Schedule This week:
Get Ready for Dad's party!(http://www.aliciazinn.com/celebrate/)
More Packing... This one is going to be here till around Aug 3rd!
More trips to the store (Just Target now)
Start getting my car ready for the trip...Take care of auto maintenance and repairs.
Get ready to temp move into the guest room
Start training my replacement soon... I am guessing they have found one by now.

Later! ~ Alicia

Getting ready to go...

So I have see pictures of my Apt... It looks great. Except for the part where they didn't have the carpet down yet. But it will be when I get there. Yay! New carpet is good! I had a nice relaxing weekend in the mountains... Swam in the Lake, Went Whitewater rafting and relaxed... I haven't relaxed in a while. I will try and put some pictures up later. I left on Friday for a long weekend. Which is part of the reason that I have a lot of reruns on my list.

On the Schedule This week:
Book the Mover (This is getting ridiculous) Done Finally!
Call CFNI again about room on campus Done!
Call (and actually talk to) Bethany Dilts (Try Try again) Yay!
More Packing... This one is going to be here till around Aug 2nd!
Make list of things I need from the store...
More trips to the store (Just Ikea & Target now)
Start getting my car ready for the trip

Later! ~ Alicia

Moving right along...

One month! A month from today we me and... well only time will tell exactly who is going with me... will be packing up and leaving to drive across the good ol US of A... As of now the itinerary is as follows: See map

Aug 16th AM- Leave Charlotte for Nashville, TN est: 6.5-7 Hrs
Aug 16th PM - Check out Nashville, Stay in Nashville, TN overnight
Aug 17th AM - Leave Nashville, TX for Dallas, TX est: 9.5-10 Hrs
Aug 17th PM - Visit Friends at CFNI, Stay on Campus overnight
Aug 18th AM - Leave Dallas, TX for Alpine, TX est: 8-8.5 Hrs
Aug 18th PM - Arrive in Alpine! Visit with Friends and Family!
Aug 19th AM - Sleep in a little! Wish Steven a very happy birthday!
Aug 19th-21nd - Movers come. Unpacking and settling in!
Aug 22nd - Road trip Buddy/Buddies Fly home to NC :o(

On the Schedule This week:
Book the Mover (Still... They are supposed to call me today)
Call CFNI about room on campus
Call (and actually talk to) Bethany Dilts
More Packing
Make list of things I need from the store...
More trips to the store (Walmart, Costco, Ikea...Ect)

Until next week!

Thank you,
Alicia Zinn

And miles to go before I sleep...

That is the last line to a Robert Frost poem I have been contemplating lately: Click here to read about my contemplations. It couldn't be truer though...
I have so much to do and so far to go in the next 40 days. Yep 40 Days... So soon but at the same time so far away. I have begun booking hotels and packing to move 1600+ miles across the country. Days are flying by. I have 5 and a half weeks left at work. In which I have to help get things ready for a replacement... That's always fun.

On the Schedule This week:
Go to Ikea with Mom to get some stuff for my apt/house.
I need to finalize a list of what I am taking.
Then book the movers.
Start packing the small stuff.
Get someone in Alpine to check out my Apt in Alpine.
Call the Austin branch of the Dilts family (long overdue)!

I am going to try and update at least once a week from this point on for those who would like to keep updated on what is going on.

Thank you,
Alicia Zinn

The Climb...

This is kinda where I have found myself lately...

The Climb by Miley Cyrus

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"
Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

Hooray! My Newsletter is done!

If you would like to see it Click Here. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support! God Bless, Alicia

Wild Fire Has a blog!

If you would like to get an idea of what is going on at Wild Fire...
Check out our Blog: http://westtexaswildfire.blogspot.com/.

I love y’all!

Alicia Zinn

The Missions Bug

There is something about the summer time that gives me the urge to leave the country for a few weeks and preach the gospel to the nations... I noticed this feeling my first summer after Belize. That was 5 years ago. In 2007 I did get to go to India... That was an incredible experience! I would love to go back... But at the same time I have so many other places I would love to visit as well... I am thinking the next on my list is probably Italy! I have some friends whom have just started settling into Rome as missionaries. I would love to take a small team there to work with them next year! But hey who knows what God has in store. This year I got to do something a little different... Investing in missions! My finances and Prayers have been invested in over 7 different missions trips and 10-12 different Countries. It is as if I have jumped on a plane and flew to Papua New Guinea or Europe and done the ministry myself! I get to be there in prayer. Knowing that God is not only changing the lives of the people being ministered to but also the lives of those doing the ministry! I get to be a part of something I couldn't have any other way! I urge everyone to Please invest in Missions... Whether Financially or in Prayer! Especially if you know someone who is going... Pray for them! If you don't know anyone who is on the mission field or who is going on a missions trip. Talk to you're pastor and find out some of the missionaries that your church is supporting.

God Bless & I love Y'all!

Alicia Zinn