Mexico on the brain.

The day I look forward to twice a year every year has finally come! 

The day we head to Mexico!

Tonight about 7 pm or so, I will be leaving my church parking lot with 50 other people (our biggest group yet!)  to head towards my favorite place on the planet... the canal in Reynosa, Mexico. I am so excited!!! So, not that I have been blogging very much lately anyways... but I will be away from the computer and therefore away from the blog until I get back. But, once I return, it will be blog central updating with tons of photos of my favorite niños! Not only do I look forward to seeing all of my "familia" down in Mexico, I also look forward to serving with the amazing group of people that goes down. We really become like family... and it's truly so much fun and such a blessing to our team just as much (or more) as it is to the people we go to serve. 

I absolutely can't wait to see these sweet little faces on Sunday morning! 

adios ♥

ch ch ch changes

So I have been totally slacking here lately on the whole blogosphere, and I have a big excuse why: I have had a lot of big changes happening lately and have not had the chance (or desire, to be honest) to sit down and blog about everything. Have you ever gotten so far behind in something that just the thought of trying to catch up seems super overwhelming and intimidating? That's exactly  how I have been feeling.

So first off, let me tell you that I have officially moved back to Alabama from Oregon. The timing was right and a lot of things fell  into place at the right time for me to move on; so I did. I am so forever grateful for all the friends and experiences that I gained during that chapter of my life and I will never regret moving there, and so far I don't regret moving back. I officially moved June 2 to come home, but I've only been back in Bama since June 6 because we had a mini vacation in Nashville after I flew in on the 2nd. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing family and friends again and I am looking forward to jumping head first into ministry at Lifepoint. Man, I have missed that place. I went back for the first time this past Sunday and it was like I never left. Like a breath of fresh air after feeling like I was sinking for so long.  With all of that being said, my blog will be going through some major changes in the next few days/weeks. For starters, I'm still technically considering myself a part of The Crash team, but I am not currently with them in Oregon. I hope to join back up with the officially again wherever they head to next. I am kind of tossing around the idea of a blog name change, and while I contemplate that decision, I will be making some layout changes and possibly making new buttons(if I end up changing my blog name, obviously.)

One thing I ask is that you all please just hang in there with me as I make this transition into a new beginning of a new chapter in my life.

What will I do now? Good question. I do know that I will be going to Mexico in July(thank You, Jesus! I sure do miss that place!) and then I plan on getting a job in my hometown for the summer, going back to school in the fall to finish my Religious Studies degree(only one more semester!), and going to India in December. After that, good question. One thing I do know, it's all in God's hands from here!

Life on a Mission: Guest Post

My blog is titled:

A Day in the Life of a Crash Team Member

But what does that mean in my life? 

Today I am guest posting on 

So, click on over to read about things that are, in my opinion, the easy and hard things about "Living Life on a Mission."And while you are at it, go visit Kerrie's store: missionary kerrie's for some super cool clutch purses/iPad cases HAND SEWN by Kerrie to support her(and her husband's) trip to India! (Yes, in case you were wondering... the same India trip I will be taking!)

Where have I been?

via

Have you missed me? 

I have been totally absent from the blogging scene lately... and that includes reading the blogs I keep up with as well. I am partially to blame for this, but most of the blame goes to a ferocious stomach virus that attacked our house over the weekend and the first of the week. Deci started on Saturday followed by Audrey on Saturday night. Journey ended up sick by 3:30 Sunday morning and I woke up sick on Monday. Today is the first day I feel normal since then, although my stomach is still a little uneasy. On top of that, my business class ended this week so I had that final to study for. I had a test on Buddhism in World Religion due, as well. Also, I am working on the Crash newsletter for the month of February (whew! That sounds like I am a lot busier than I feel!) So, needless to say, blogging has been the farthest thing from my mind this week, but I am ready to get back on track!

So, a few praise reports this week! 

I've been learning a lesson on patience and waiting on/trusting the Lord this week.

Those of you who know me personally or who have been reading my blog for a while know that I have been searching for a job since August to no avail. I have had interviews and such, but no job offers and it was beginning to get frustrating. Have you ever felt like you are praying and praying and God is just sitting up there twiddling His thumbs(His mighty big thumbs, if I had to guess)? I HATE to admit that is how I had been feeling. A few posts back, I talked about how I had an interview at my favorite frozen yogurt place (Vanilla Jill's) and then later on how they called me in for a second interview. Well, I received an email Sunday evening saying I HAVE BEEN HIRED! I know, I know, it's about time! That's what I felt like I was saying to God as I thanked Him for answering my prayers! I felt so silly afterwards for not fully trusting in Him 1000%. I am so thankful to serve a God who sees my life in eternity when I am faced with the curse of only seeing the "right now." 


Another way the Lord has reminded me He is in control is through my India mission trip planned for January 2013. My $500 deposit is due this week(which I was going to have to mail in 2 days before in full in order for it to arrive on time) and as of Saturday I did not even have half of the money. I had already had the conversation with Kerrie(she's in charge of the trip) about getting my money back if I wasn't able to finish paying the deposit. Well, Saturday morning came along and I went to a conference on leadership. Sitting next to me was a guy that has joined us in our ministry here in Oregon who wrote me a check for $100. Next thing I know, my friend Alec is giving me money he already owed me for a knit hat I made him. He keeps throwing(literally) cash my way and it ends up totaling $39. So, at this point I needed only around $50 more to reach my deposit and an anonymous donor gave me $100 more! Which put me $42 OVER the deposit amount of $500! (I had a check already on it's way for $100 from Kerrie's dad as well) I was able to send the money into TREC, International in time for the money to arrive before the deadline! 
Isn't our God amazing?! 
It's taken these small reminders from Him for me to remember that I am safe in His arms. Always. I don't have to worry with tomorrow or even yesterday anymore. 

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" 

Luke 12:25

"Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what the day will bring." Proverbs 27:1

Thank You, Jesus for Your promise to never forsake me... that You wish to give me a future and a hope, and as long as I trust in You and seek Your face, I don't have to worry about what that looks like because You are writing my story. And thank You  for always being faithful and answering my prayers even though I am less than faithful on a daily basis. 

Just Visiting.

Today I am guest blogging over at Q&A. 

I am talking about my upcoming trip to India in January 2013! 

Click over to read about it!

Thanks a million!Happy Monday!

Help me get to India in January 2013! Donate online here! 

Missionary Friends Spotlight: Jake Kersh

Meet my friend Jake!

Jake lives around Birmingham, Alabama. I met Jake this past summer on Lifepoint's bi-annual Mexico mission trip. Let me just tell you that my friends Natasha Terrell and Jessica Bearden sat in the same van as him and Jamey Walton, who also joined our church for that trip, for about 15 hours wondering who these strange people were in the van with us. Haha! Eventually we started talking to each other and what an awesome week we all ended up having. I can honestly say that was my favorite Mexico trip so far. Jake is such an awesome servant of the Lord, and is an encouragement and inspiration to a lot of people, including myself. He fell in love with Mexico that trip, just like I knew he would... because who couldn't help falling in love with these faces? 

So, we go to Mexico and help a missionary family (Roy and Rebecca Busby) that is also from Alabama build a house (or 2) for a pre-selected family from the canal and other miscellaneous things they need help with while we are there. Rebecca and Roy bring many teams down to Reynosa, Mexico, to help people who are living in houses like this:

Get houses like this:

 Jake is taking time out of his summer coming up to head down to the canal to help Roy and Rebecca and then join our team from Lifepoint in July and head back to Alabama with the team. Below is an interview with Jake about his upcoming trip:

Q. What led you to go to Mexico the first time?
A. What led me to Mexico my first time? Hmm…My buddy Jamey Walton was told about a mission trip to Mexico by Ben Salter at work. I’ve been called to into the ministry (Missions) since I was bout 15-16 years old. So, when I had the opportunity to go on my first mission trip I was like, “LETT”S GOOOO!”

Q. What made you want to go back?
A. I believe everything happens for a reason and I do know that it was set before hand by Christ for me to go to Mexico. I think all the time on how many things had to happen to allow me to go. Things such as:
1. My buddy Jamey Walton becoming an electrican allowed him to get a job 10+ years in the future to meet Ben Salter who attends Lifepoint.
2. Ben Salter becoming a Christian and leading him into a friendship with Jamey Walton.
Just so many others to name. It’s awesome how God works and the chain of events he uses to get us to where HE wants us to be. But, I say that to say this…Christ wants…called me back to further relationships with the people of Reynosa, Mexico.

Q. Why are you going on the next trip?
A. What I’ve interpreted from consistent prayer and meditation (not hindu meditation ;D) that Christ wants me to further my relationship with the people, assist Roy and Rebecca (Main mission family there), and to follow God’s will in my life. Plus, why waste a summer doing pointless things when I can impact Christ over 1000 miles away. I live serving Christ by serving others.

Q. How long will you be staying?
A. I’ll be leaving May 31st and returning July 14 with the Lifepoint Group. It’s going to be off the hizzy.

Q. How much (estimate) are you looking to raise money-wise before you leave?
A. I hope this doesn’t come across as a “jerk-move” but, I don’t want to say because I believe that Christ will provide for his flock and by just stating the need for money all the money will be met perfectly. Christ works in mysterious ways. I’ve just seen so many AWESOME things happen all by the grace of God.

Q. What other needs do you have for the trip besides money?
A. Other needs? I’m a worry wart and I hate asking for stuff I’ll just say, “Whatever the Lord calls you to give!” I love seeing my needs provided for by God through allowing others to serve. I can live off basically nothing, but anything to give away to the people. It’s really nothing about my need but, what I can do for the people. Things such as bibles, tracks, devotionals, (all in Spanish of course..). THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!! All I want to do is make the TRUE Word of the Lord known to the people. 

Q. What will you be doing on this trip specifically?
A. I’ll be helping the Busby family with WHATEVER they need. I’ll be like a little gopher man and building my relationship and trust with the people. Since’ I feel led to do some full-time missions in Reynosa, Mexico…

Q. Contact info?
A. I have a bunch of ways. Everyone has a facebook and if not they are not human. Lol. 
Facebook.com/jakethelobster
Twitter: @jakethelobster (I’m a pretty cool tweeter. ;D)
Email: jake.kersh@hotmail.com

I’m reachable anytime. I can receive all three within hours or even within minutes. So if you think it’s too late in the night. I’ll most likely get it. :)

I hope you will join me in praying for Jake and the people of the Canal in Reynosa, Mexico. I pray that if the Lord is calling you to help Jake in any of the ways listed above, that you will be obedient to that and contact Jake from the info he provided or email me and breannarains@gmail.com. The people in this colonia have a very special chunk of my heart and it means so much to me and Jake knowing that there are people praying for life change and basic needs in the area. Also be in prayer for Roy and Rebecca Busby as they continue their ministry on the Canal. Pray that the Lord gives them perseverance, and strength, and courage, words to speak when needed, and a smile on their face when words aren't necessary.  

If you want to read Jake's blog (which shows his passion for the mission field and Mexico) go here. Roy and Rebecca have a blog, also (here) with a great video of the Canal from when they first arrived in the colonia until today.

Missionary Friends Spotlight: Ashley Lightfoot

Meet my cousin, Ashley.

She is 17 years old and lives in Senoia, Georgia. You may remember her from my last blog post. I met Ashley when my mom married her uncle when I was about 5 or 6 years old and she was probably 4 years old. Okay, so she is not technically my cousin anymore, but even though we were only related for a few years, we've always considered each other family and claimed one another as such. I remember screaming at her when she was at my house for a sleepover and telling her to go home because I was tired of her... I remember teaming up to play jokes on my brother... I remember wishing I didn't have to go to her house to play. I have a lot of memories with Ashley from when we were little and I look back now and cherish all of them. I have watched her grow up for the most part and now looking back and seeing the awesome young woman of God she has become is such an awesome thing! We got to spend a week together when I was home for Christmas... she came in from Georgia to stay at our house with us, and it was definitely a fun week full of laughter, shopping and inside jokes! I wish we could spend more time together, for sure!

Ashley is taking her first EVER mission trip to Romania in the Summer to work with an orphanage. I am SOOOO excited for her! I love that she is stepping out in faith and doing what God has called her to do, and I know that she will return from her trip a better person than she already is. She has an awesome story about how God got her attention turned to Romania and you can read that story on her blog. It is one that gave me chill bumps for real! Our God is just so overwhelmingly AMAZING! It is great to see young followers of God taking up their crosses and following Him with everything they have.

**A Romanian Orphanage background:

Under the rule of Nicolae Ceauşescu, contraception and abortion were illegal, which led to an increase in birth rates... which led to an increase in children being abandoned on the steps of orphanages or worse, the streets to fend for themselves. Images of Romanian orphanages were released after the fall of the Communist government in 1989, and the standard of living for the orphans is still horrible, despite huge improvements. The children have no access to medical treatment or proper food and clothing and are often subjected to physical and mental abuse in the orphanages. There are some, obviously, more poor than others and some where the children are not treated totally horrible. The number of orphans in these state ran homes are increasing and the amount of care providers is not, so this leaves many children without the comfort of having someone wrapping their arms around them and being nice.**

What is Ashley going to be doing in Romania? Here is her story below: 

I am going on a mission trip this summer to the country of Romania. I am going to be part of a team of people from Crossroads Church who will hold a summer camp for orphaned children, ranging in age from 8 to 18. I am very excited about this opportunity and I would like to ask that you prayerfully consider supporting me through prayer and giving. The dates I will be traveling are June 29-July 8 and the cost is approximately $2,800. I’d like to share some information with you about the children we will be serving.
There are approximately 125,000 orphaned children living in Romania. Many of these children have grown up in state run orphanages from the time of birth. Some have been left on the doorsteps of these institutions by family members or parents who suffer from poverty, addiction, and mental illness. These children grow up suffering physically, emotionally, and psychologically. They are regarded as unwanted and undesirable and are treated as outcasts in their society. The care and education they receive is substandard and sets them up to repeat the vicious cycle of dysfunction.
For the past 10 years, teams from Atlanta, California, and Colorado have gone to Mures County in Romania to minister to the "least of these." These teams have held week long, overnight camps that focus on sharing God's love and His hope with these children. These teams have built play structures, provided dental care, and transported medical supplies, clothing, and school supplies to various counties in the western region of the country.
I believe that God is calling me to join Him where He is already at work and be a part of this year’s team. I want to share His love and His hope with these children at camp and remind them that they are cherished and valued and that their lives have purpose and meaning.
Please pray that our team will be knit together and that God will speak through us during our week with the children in Romania.

These children need someone to hold them and tell them it will be alright. They need to find some kind of hope, and the hope that will get them through these tough lives they have can only be found in Jesus. It is our job, as people who are not able to attend these trips ourselves, to send workers out into the harvest as Jesus says in Matthew. Mission trips, especially foreign ones are so expensive. There is the passport expense, the visa expense(if she needs one) the travel expenses, and of course the base expense of the trip as listed above. The first $100 is due at the end of this month(in 2 days!!) and then 75% of the remaining balance is due by March 15 which is $2,025 if my math is correct, plus anything else that needs to be bought or paid for as this trip winds closer. I fully believe with all of my heart that we should support missionaries both monetarily and prayerfully. Ashley is going to receive the funds she needs to get to Romania, because the God of Creation is on her side. I totally believe that this is what God wants for her life in this moment, and if it is... He will make it happen! Please join me in prayer for her and her team and all of the people the team will encounter on this trip. If you would like to help support her trip in any way, send me an email at breannarains@gmail.com :) 

*photo credit: Blog post*

Missionary Friends

I am so lucky to have friends who love the Lord and follow Him anywhere in the world that He may lead them. Check out my blog post from the other day about missions HERE. This is going to be a short(maybe) sweet and link filled blog post(inspired by Quinton Williams) just to spotlight some of these people.

Brooke Davidson: She has been to Mexico mission trips with me and has recently returned from Nepal where she spent July-December serving the Lord. We picked her up at the airport in Atlanta and were so amazed and blessed by the stories she told us on the way home. No way is the Lord done with Brooke and Nepal, you can hear her passion for the Nepali people in the words she speaks. She is also a dear friend of mine who I look up to and respect! She doesn't have a blog, but follow her on twitter @brookeisaflower.

Kerrie Williams over at The Williams Post: Life on a Mission. She and her husband Wade have been on many foreign mission trips including Mexico(Kerrie and Wade), India(Kerrie and Wade), Jamaica(Kerrie), and Uganda(Kerrie). Kerrie is the Missions Coordinator at Lifepoint Church and can be credited(but not without God, of course!) with the success of many many foreign and local mission trips with people from Lifepoint. I am not too good to admit that Kerrie and Wade are both role models in my life, for sure. I long to have the giving hearts that they have. They seriously are two of the most giving people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have been so blessed to know them and to have the opportunity to serve with them in Mexico many times and India next January.

Quinton Williams over at "Q Crashing" (linked to blog above) is the one who dreamed up and started the Crash Mission organization that I am a part of here in Eugene, Oregon. He has also been to Mexico on mission trips along side me, Brooke, and Kerrie and Wade. He is also living out a mission here in Oregon. He is the chaplain at the Eugene Mission where he has the opportunity to work with homeless guys every day providing them with hope, friendship, and love as well as speak at chapel meetings. He has dreams of making trips to India, Russia, Ireland and other places in the future all for the purpose of spreading God's Word to the ends of the earth. His wife Audrey at Q and A has also been to Mexico as well as Africa, Ireland, Arizona and other places. They have the sweetest family(2 girls; December-4 and Journey-1) and are great examples of what it looks like to "raise up children in the way they should go." Visit The Crash on Facebook.

My friends Aimee Jung, Chrystal Campbell, Brittany Rundt and Lisa Cain all also have passion for serving in Africa.

My cousin Ashley Lightfoot at Living this life for Him will be making her first foreign mission trip to Romania this summer!!!! I have watched her grow up and we have always okay, not always, but for the most part we have been really close and it is so exciting to see her step out in faith like this and follow God's commandment to us all to GO. Stay tuned to my blog in the next few days for a spotlight blog on her!

My fellow Crash team members Audrey and Quinton Williams, Alec and Holleigh Woodward, Luis Corona, Zach Gideon, Jeff Tennant, Derrick May, and Richie and Sharee Powell. I am so blessed to be able to work alongside people who are truly after God's own heart. I consider these people family and love that we get to run this race together everyday.


Rebecca and Roy Busby over at Until the Whole World Hears. I have known Rebecca and Roy since around 2008 when I made my first trip down to Mexico with Lifepoint. They are the missionary family that our team works with when we take our trips. I truly consider these guys my second(or 3rd or 4th?) family(have I said that about everyone else above as well? Maybe so, but it is true!) This past November I had the opportunity to go down an extra week before Lifepoint arrived, and I was amazed to get the inside "behind the scenes" look at all the things they do on a regular basis when there is not a group down there building. This family is one of the hardest working families I know. They currently have a mission house down in Reynosa, Mexico, on the "canal" where they live mostly. While you are at it, go check out their friends Bruce and Paula who are also doing ministry on the canal.


I have a lot of other friends who are missionaries and I am so so thankful for all of them. Please join me in prayer for all of these people as they step out in faith and do what God has called all of us to do!

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. -Matthew 9:38

Mission: India and Mexico

We are all called to be Missionaries. I fully believe that with all of my heart and soul. Actually, so does God. Don't believe me? Well check out Matthew 28:19 which says,

Go therefore and make disciples of ALL NATIONS,

 baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This does not mean some people need to go and make disciples, or most people need to go, or only the ones that God calls should go... this means all people. All of us are called to go and all of us are called to go to all nations. No excuses. 

This summer I am taking a trip to Mexico. I believe it will be my 7th or so trip. I have begun to lose count. To see a video about what we do in Mexico and to read an awesome blog by the missionary family that our Mexico team considers our own family go here.
 Anyways, I am also planning on making a trip to India in January of 2013 with Lifepoint which I a TOTALLY STOKED about. It will be first of many overseas mission trips I take. 

Please be in prayer for me as I prepare spiritually and physically for these trips. It takes a lot of preparation to go on mission trips, including raising funds and making travel arrangements, and since I live across the country from Lifepoint, I have to do all of that myself where Kerrie (who does a WONDERFUL job) plans all of that for the people there joining the trips. It can be a stressful experience while planning and preparing, but I know without a doubt that God is calling me..... and you, for that matter, to GO. I know it will all work out, because He will provide! Also, please be in prayer starting now for the people that we will come in contact with, whether they accept Jesus during our trip or not, pray that seeds will be planted. Also, pray that everyone who is making the trip will find the means to get there and will be changed for the better because of the trips. 

And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, 

but the workers are few. 

Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord

of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Luke 10:2

Hello, my name is...

Breanna! I am totally new at this blogging thing, but I have to admit, I was getting a little jealous of all of my friends(Audrey and Kerrie) that have blogs, so I am going to give this a try! Their blogs are pretty great, and this one is blah in comparison, but I have to start somewhere...just bear with me! So, back on topic. There is so much that I want to blog about first and I am not totally sure where I should start. Maybe with some pictures?

This is my mom(Tammy), my sister(Lexus), and me. This is from right before Christmas. I ventured home on a  long 6 week trip to Mexico (I will get to that in a minute) for 2 weeks, and then to Alabama for 4 long, but wonderful weeks. We went to a local park type thing called Nocollula Falls where they have a huge display of Christmas lights and such during the holidays. In case you can't tell, we were extremely cold!

I currently live in Eugene, Oregon, with a team called The Crash.We are here to change the way Christianity is viewed in a place that is the least churched area in the United States. We hope to build relationships, love on people, and show them the love of Christ ultimately so that they will want what we have, and that is joy in our salvation through Jesus. We will be here a minimum of 5 years, probably, and in that time period we hope to have a church up and going and be able to replace ourselves so that while some of us may stay, the rest can in turn move on to the next place so we can plant churches and change the reputation of Christians throughout the United States and the world eventually. This is a picture of some of our team this year:

Pictured: Luis Corona, Quinton Williams(holding Journey Williams), Derrick May, Audrey Williams, Breanna Rains (me!), Holleigh and Alec Woodward, Deci Williams.
Not Pictured: Jeff Tennant, Richie and Sharee Powell, Zach Gideon

Now! About Mexico... I LOVE IT! Should I leave it at that? Ha! I won't, but I definitely could! I have been going to Mexico with my church in Alabama since 2008, I think? Anyways, I have loved it since the first step I took off of the van onto the dirt roads! I sometimes wish that God would call me to move there so that I would have an excuse, but I know it is His timing and definitely not about my selfish desires.

This is Natasha with Rosa on her back and me with Dulce on my back. All of these people in this picture mean so much to me! Rosa and Dulce are just 2 of the 6 children in the family from the Canal, which is what the area we minister to is known as, that I consider to be my second family. They also have 3 brothers and a sister, and a mom and dad that love them and the Lord very much.

We do a lot of things in Mexico like:

Build houses. In this picture, I am looking up Spanish Bible verses to write on the inside walls of the newly built house. It is so important for these families to be saturated with God's Word, and we strive to help them with that. :)

Here I am painting trim boards for the house. This is obviously an important thing, because we want the houses to look nice, but to be honest this is the WORST thing in my opinion haha, I hate painting trim boards! But, all in the name of the Lord, right?! :)

This past trip, we had the opportunity to go to a wedding for a couple that means a great deal to some members of our team. They planned the date around the time our team would be down so that we were able to attend. It was truly an amazing time! We also got to play games at the wedding.

Like musical chairs! We played some crazy games too, like one where you had to grab hands with a bunch of girls and we all took off running as fast as we could through the room. It was insane and people were falling everywhere. It was definitely an experience I will never forget and I am so glad that we were blessed with that opportunity. 

I could go on and on about Mexico and Oregon, but I will spare you for now! I hope this blog doesn't fail epically, and if it does, oh well! Because I love to write and this will be a good place for me to keep everyone who is interested up to date on our journey here in Oregon, as well as my mission trips and just life as a church planter in general! Talk again soon!

To find out more about me and my family visit my About Me page!