Buenos Aires Part 1

Hey all! I think oftentimes it's overwhelming coming back to a trip and trying to fully communicate all that happened and how great our Savior truly is. When people asked me how the trip went, I struggle because if I can't tell the whole story, I don't want to tell it at all. My discipler on Tuesday asked if I had thought about mini testimonies to share about my trip....I hadn't yet. So we talked about it and I feel like I have a better grasp of what to share....or at least how to start to share!

So, this is Part One. A few little nugget testimonies that only begin to explain what God is doing in the city of Buenos Aires. Keep an eye out or more details, pictures, and stories. 

1. We serve God of ALL nations

I think this is something we always know but we don't necessarily understand. We  know that God desires a relationship with everyone but hearing someone pray in a different language on a different continent reminds me that He is Creator and God of the entire universe. 

2. College students in Argentina have the same questions and struggles as students at Sac State

We did Soularium with students on campuses which is a spiritual picture survey. The three questions we asked were: What three pictures describe your life right now? What three pictures do  you wished described your life? What is one picture that represents God?

Just like here at Sac State, Argentine students were seeking wealth, peace of mind, community, family, and hope. It was so cool sharing with students that the only way to be truly satisfied is with a relationship with your Creator through Jesus. Kenny and I shared with a lady named Gracelinda  who goes to church every Sunday but was not assured of her salvation. She prayed to ask Christ to be on the throne of her life and to have faith of assured salvation! The team in Buenos Aires (STINTers) will follow up with her and it was just a great opportunity to share and to be a part of her life. 

3. Whether we go internationally or are missionaries in our day to day lives, we are called to go

Sharing your faith can certainly be a scary experience! We need to remember that the Holy Spirit is living and active. He is in control and we are called to be obedient. Take steps of faith to share with family members, classmates, and friends!

Those are just three things that I've brought back with me to the States. I hope it begins to paint a picture of my trip and stay tuned to hear more. I'll give you a hint of a story to come: I had a teeter-totter accident. I'm totally fine but I still have bruises on my legs. The video is priceless and I'll try to figure out how to post it on the blog!

Meet the Sac State Team! Laura, Kenny, James, Me, Jonathan, Jacob, Caellin, Keller, Christina, Brian, and Kymber. 

Kenny and I on the teeter-totter after sharing on the law campus.

The ladies after dinner on our way to a tango show! The roses were from Keller (the cutest six month old on the planet).

Kenny and I sharing with a guy named George on the law campus.

Some of the gang at an Argentine steakhouse! 

Jehovah Jireh

God has provided everything we need and we are about to board our flight to Buenos Aires. Please keep our team in your prayers. I can't wait to let you all know how it goes and what we experience!!

10 days, 620 dollars, and 6,465 miles to go!

Happy March! As the days to another round of midterms approach, I know Spring Break is coming faster...and that means heading out to Buenos Aires!

We've had a few team meetings and we've discussed our goals, expectations, and norms. We are expecting big things from our ever BIGGER God. Support raising was slow but has picked up this week. Besides these great blessings, I am still waiting to see 620 more dollars to come in by March 15th.

I seem to have caught yet another cold this semester. I'm used to maybe one or two colds a year, but it seems like I've already been sick like four times this semester. I'm going to blame it on a lack of sleep and this ridiculous wind.

We leave Saturday the 17th later in the day. Closing Jenkins for Spring will be a task Friday night but I'm excited to head back to Galt in order attend one of my best friend's bridal shower earlier in the day Saturday before I meet my team for the airport. It's going to be a wild ride but I am so excited to see all that the Lord has in store for us down there!


I am so thankful for all of your prayerful and financial support. If you are interested in partnering with me, please email me at audrey.l.desoto@gmail.com.

Buenos Aires or Bust

Well hello friends and family!


My last post in December left with this thought: 

The power of God has changed me. He will continue to change me until I meet Him someday in Heaven. I am blessed beyond measure. Let us not forget that this is about what He does inside of us, not around us.

I have found that to be completely true as I have continued to walk with Him during my third year hear at Sac State. As I left Summer Project, I was confident that the Lord was not calling me to go overseas on an international Summer Project. Although that is still true, He had something up his sleeve that I couldn't have even imagined back in August. Sac State is a new movement which means we have so many opportunities to grow! Many larger movements of Cru have international partnerships which means partnering with a specific area of the world and committing to send students there on internships, summer projects, and as staff. Sac State is starting the first part of a partnership by sending students on a Vision Trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

I have been chosen by the staff to go on this trip along with 5 other students. The goal of this Vision trip is to get an idea of what it would look like for Sac State to partner with the Buenos Aires campuses and to have student input. We are leaving on March 17th and will return on March 25th. A big part of our trip will be hands on by going onto university campuses and engaging students in spiritual and hopefully Gospel conversations. There is already a Cru staff team established in Buenos Aires so we will be joining them for the week.

I have started to raise support for this trip, prayerfully and financially, and I am prayerful that He will provide the means for me to go on this trip. The total amount is $2100 and I have one month to raise the additional $1650. This may sound like a lot, but with your help, it is completely possible. If you are interested in receiving a letter with more details about my trip, I would be excited to send you one. Please email me at ald223@saclink.csus.edu with any questions or if you are considering in supporting me! 

Your friendship is incredibly valuable to me and thank to all that are in my life and spurring me on towards Jesus. 

Still Walking

Well, it's December 7th. This time last year, I was still working on my Summer Project Application.

When I have hard days, I like looking back 6 months or a year in my journal just to see how far God has brought me; to remind myself that He is good all the time. I wanted to share some notes I took  this summer when our project director, Bob Fuhs, gave a talk about our new operating system, the Holy Spirit.

Part of my journal entry: Thursday June 9th, 2011.
"Don't live off the fumes of past victories of Summer Project. Summer Project doesn't change us. It's not about what's going on around me---it's about what's going on within me. The power of God changes us."

I feel so blessed to have Project friends here in Sac and also in Chico. Last week, I was able to spend a few days in Chico and it's crazy to think that when we're together, we could be any where else but Ocean City. Here's reality: I am a Sacramento State student and we are approaching finals week. It's coming up fast. Five days fast. Life is busy and if I'm really honest with myself, I don't take enough time out of my day to recharge my spirit with His Word.

The power of God has changed me. He will continue to change me until I meet Him someday in Heaven. I am blessed beyond measure. Let us not forget that this is about what He does inside of us, not around us.

Janae, Me, Katelyn, Kelly at Bidwell Park

Chico, CA

OCSP Reunion

Well hello there! This weekend, I've had the opportunity to come to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois for our Project reunion. It has been two months since we've been together and it's weird to think that our time apart is almost equivalent to the time we spent together.

These past two months have been filled with transitions, wrestling with the Lord, celebrating blessings and His goodness, schoolwork, hours with CRU at Sac State, and a whole bunch of other things. The lessons I learned on Project were just the tip of the iceberg. I have had to continually remind myself of what it means to be gentle, patient, kind, slow to anger, full of grace, righteous, intentional, and all other characteristics of Jesus. It is so good to come back to be together with the people who understand where you're coming from when talking about Project withdrawals. Plus, we've had the chance to worship together, explore Chicago, and share what God has been doing in our lives, campus, and families.

Today at church, we learned from Matthew 20 the difference of having a heart rooted in merit versus having a heart rooted in grace. Do I live my life expecting God to reward me abundantly? Is salvation enough for me? Am I grateful for what I have or am I envious of the way God blesses those around me?

I thought it was a great way to refocus my thoughts for the coming of the rest of my semester. What is my motivation? What am I expecting? How does this relate to the Gospel? Am I willing to surrender to His plan for my life and give up the plans I've created for myself?

Here's the thing: no matter how many miles separate us, our friendship is eternal because of the grace of Jesus. One day, we will all be reunited again, all 100 of us, worshipping the Lord. Nothing will be as sweet as coming together in Heaven. I still expect to keep in contact with others but having 60 of us all together in one place again is unlikely. Luckily, the Lord is faithful and we still have so much to look forward to.

Steps of Faith

We had 6,326 spiritual conversations; 3,096 Gospel presentations; and of those Gospel 

presentations, 394 people decided to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!! 

Obviously, there was so much more to Project than just the numbers---but these are not numbers. Each step of faith represents a person-God's child. It is by grace that we are saved and are able to share this gift with others. 

The transition home has gone smoothly and school starts on Monday! I hope to keep a blog going through the school year. Why stop now? 

Titus 2:11 //For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.