Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 7/28/2011
As one door closes, another one is bound to open.
I have had a crazy-awesome journey for the past two years of my life and now the Lord is calling me to "rest." I am not sure what Jesus has planned for me, but I know that I can trust Him. I have decided to close the chapter on this blog (for now) and open a new blog that captures the essence of what is going on in the mind of Alisa Prox. If you would like to keep following my blog, then please log on to:
http://alisaprox.wordpress.com/
 Thank you all for the support that you had lavished on me as I was spreading the Love of Christ to the nations. I will forever be blessed by every single one of you.
If you would still like to read stories from the mission field, please check out my brother's World Race website at:
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 4/28/2011
One of my favorite things in the world is living with families who live in some of the toughest but simplest conditions. In Africa, I had the opportunity to stay with a pastor for a few nights in which there was no running water, electricity, or other "luxurious" assets we as Americans take for granted. I, along with two others, got to travel two hours in the African bush to hang out with the Masai tribe for a day. By far, one of my most unforgettable and life-changing moments I have had the privilege to partake in. So, needless to say, I was super excited for the opportunity to live with a family in the Barrios for five days. Wendi, Jennifer, and I stayed with the Modesto family in which we were welcomed in as one of their own. I love this family so much and had created a bond with each one of them beforehand. During our stay, we got to love on the entire family, read bible stories to grandma, have crazy-awesome fashion shows with the young girls, eat more than I usually do, and started the day when the roosters crowed at 4 am; it's great. I absolutely loved my time there and I would do it again in a heart-beat. Here are some photos of my time at the Modesto's. Enjoy...
Modesto from Alisa Prox on Vimeo.
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 4/23/2011
It is crazy to think that I have already been here in Jinotepe, Nicaragua for three and a half months. Where has the time gone???
Since being here, my incredible team has worked with a ministry that has reached so many hearts in this area of Nicaragua. Mateo 5:16 was created 10 years ago by Glenn and Lynne Schweitzer. They heard the voice of the Lord speak and walked in obedience-not realizing what the Holy Spirit would do in and through both of them throughout the upcoming years. As Glenn and Lynne listened to and acted in the Spirit, they developed deep bonds with the Nicaraguan people and have shared the love of Jesus Christ with the poorest of the poor, hopeless and forgotten. This remarkable couple runs Casa Mateo (hotel) as part of their ministry; which houses missionaries, backpackers, and others from around the world. Glenn and Lynne have also constructed an orphanage called La Quinta Esperanza, a few local churches they built from the ground up, and Nueva Vida which is where my team lives and does most of our ministry.
 Nueva Vida (New Life) is a center where locals may come and indulge in a Christ-like community. Nueva Vida holds church services four times a week and also holds a variety of activities throughout the week/year, such as: English classes (which a few of our girls lead), sewing classes, sports, medical treatments, pre-school, etc. A woman by the name of Bonnie runs Nueva Vida and she has become like a mom to us girls. Bonnie has an amazing testimony that the Lord is using in beautiful ways here in Jinotepe and the woman is a prayer-warrior like no other; it is an exquisite sound to hear and to see.
A major part of our ministry for Nueva Vida is visiting people in the Barrios (neighborhoods). As my team makes our way to certain families, we stop and invite locals to the Church services that are held at our humble abode. Barrio walking is a great way of building relationships with the Nicaraguans, spreading the love of Christ, and to help the word get out about the endless opportunities at Nueva Vida.
Besides the usual Barrio walking and Church services, my team also works alongside other ministries and organizations throughout the week. On Mondays we go to Los Pipitos which is a school for children with disabilities. Wednesday, we visit the local hospital and pray over the sick and their families and then on Thursdays, my team visits a retirement home; which is probably one of my favorite ministries. Most of the elderly living in this home do not have families close by so the men and women living there are consumed with the Spirit of loneliness that only Jesus, Himself, could mend. Since our very first visit, my team has noticed a difference in many of the patients-they now have huge smiles on their faces when they see us walk in. It is so beautiful to see the works of the Lord in tangible ways.
 Well, this is just a little peek at what my team has accomplished since being here in Nicaragua. I have been truly blessed, to say the least, and know that the Lord has big things on store for this country. I am excited to see how Mateo 5:16 will flourish in the next year and how the Lord will move in the little town of Jinotepe. Please join with me in prayer for this ministry, for everyone involved in seeing Kingdom come in Nicaragua, and for my team as we are in the last weeks of ministry. Kingdom IS happening, so thank you all for your incredible support throughout the past few months. Blessings.
If you would like more information on Mateo 5:16, please check out their website at:
ministeriomateo516.org
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 4/16/2011
Beautiful: Having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind.
Or in other words...
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 4/6/2011
One morning, while I was having God time, I was given this creative idea of revealing my heart in fiction form-a short story that truly captures the essence of God's dwelling place. Little did I know that Jesus would begin a work in me...what do you know.
Bum-bump. Bu-bump. Bu-bump.
Almost as loud as a base-drum, is the sound of her beating heart; in perfect unison with the one who pieced it back together. This living being was once lost, but then she was found. Here is her story. This is how she came alive.
 Once upon a time, not so long ago, there lived a child who was as innocent as a lamb and as pure as a dove. Her joy was evident to all and her love and faith in God moved mountains. However, one experience after another, caused pieces of her heart to fall off- now her adult self is in search of those missing pieces. This is not a fairytale by any means; this is Real Life. Now you may be wondering to yourself, "What is the girl's name anyway?" Well, for the time being we will call her Joy; that is the meaning of her name, after all.
So just as Alice ran after the white rabbit only to fall down a rabbit hole, so Joy chased a piece of her heart down a dark and scary abyss. Instead of landing in a room with a door, however, Joy found herself in a never-ending narrow hallway that had many doors. Each door looked different and had a sign either reading "Alive" or "Dead".
The first door Joy came to said "Alive". She went to open it, but it was locked; so she decided to try the next one. That door also read "Alive" and it too was glued shut; so instead of giving up completely Joy decided to try one last time. As Joy walked up to the third door, which was painted blood red and shaped in an awkward angle, she noticed the sign read "Dead". Joy grabbed the door-knob and turned it to find that it actually opened. As she entered the dimly-lit room she felt herself transform into her eight year old self. Little Joy, wearing her oversized, hand-me-down clothes and large glasses, gazed upon a Doctor's table with her life-less, mint-size body on it; it was almost as if she were having an outer body experience. As Joy turned her attention to observe the rest of the room, she noticed a dark shadow over by a small-dirty sink in the corner of the examination room. Leaning against the counter was a skyscraper of a man wearing bloody gloves and tailored in a doctor's jacket, splattered with blood. This man without a face had his lanky arms crossed over his chest and his presence gave off a sense of fear that would stop anyone dead in their tracts; little Joy could not move an inch. However, she did notice something. In the left-hand pocket of the doctor's jacket, laid a piece of her heart. A voice inside her rang, "Have no fear for I am with you wherever you go." Although it was as if Joy's feet were stuck in wet cement, she managed to take one step after another until she reached the faceless man. Joy lifted her head and said, "I do not fear you anymore." Joy then reached into the pocket and grabbed the bloody piece of her heart. All of a sudden, there was a ray of light that burst from the heart and encircled the room. As soon as the light came, it vanished leaving the room completely spotless, without blemish-leaving Joy to be the only soul in the room. She turned to leave to find a garden full of ladybugs crawling over the doctor's table. Innocence had been restored.
 Joy left the room, made her way down the narrow hallway and did not stop until she saw another sign that had the word, "Dead" written on it. This door was significantly different from the one she had just walked through. This time, the door looked like that of an elevator. Joy, still in her little girl's body, pressed the "open sesame button" and just like that, it opened to reveal her mother staring into a dimension unknown. Joy did not want to step foot into this scene, yet the voice she had heard earlier reassured her by saying, "Do not runaway. I am right here with you." Although it was hard, Joy walked through the elevator door and stood next to her mother. Joy noticed her reflection in the elevator's walls and saw that she was now in her awkward-junior high body instead of her little girl skin. She turned and faced her mother and asked, "Mom, are you there?" The eerie quietness and the still-hallowed expression that her mother wore gave away the lack of response. Joy then turned to face the elevator door, but instead of seeing the narrow hallway, she became entranced with a whole new world-a world of wild colors, shooting stars, crazy-laughing creatures, and fairies. Joy could not look away, although she did attempt to do so a few times. Then the voice thundered yet again and said, "Do not fall into the trap, but continue to follow my voice to guide you." Just like that, Joy snapped back into reality and noticed a piece of her heart under her mother's right foot. Joy bent over and seized it only to find that it was as hard as stone-filled with the bitterness and sorrow of life's choices. She stared into her mother's pale-green eyes and said, "Please forgive me and please come into the light of day." Within a second, the piece of Joy's heart radiated light, yet again, and then diminished after exploding on the walls of the elevator. The next thing Joy knew, she was surrounded by a million multi-colored sticky notes on the walls that read, "You are forgiven." Peace entered the room and then Joy stepped back out into the hallway and continued her journey.
 Joy passed many more doors reading, "Alive" until she finally came to the word "Dead." The door she was about to walk through was in the shape of a large pink heart, broken in two. As Joy walked through the center of the heart, she was transformed again; this time into the hour-glass figure of her 20 year old self. Within seconds of entering, Joy found herself sitting in front of a very familiar face; one she had not seen in a long while. Tears flooded her eyes as the scenery around her changed from a spotlight to an outside of a coffee shop. As she stared into the eyes of the man who left her bare and naked for all to see, the voice came in a gentle whisper. "It is time to restore your purity. Do not feel rejection for I will always delight in you and call you by name." The streams of tears poured out from her eyes-not for the hurt this man had caused her, but for the One who loves her so. Joy then said to the man, "I will no longer make you an idol in my life but honor the One who will bring me back to life. I am sorry if I took pieces of your heart and I pray that it may be healed; however, I do want my piece back now." As soon as she spoke, another familiar face-this time a young woman-entered the scene carrying a tray. As a waitress would serve a customer, this tall beautiful woman lowered the tray on which a huge slice of Joy's heart laid. The young woman handed Joy her heart that she had been missing and then in an instant, the man and the young woman intertwined and became one. With a snap of a finger, they disappeared into thin air, which left a puddle of rose petals in the man's seat. The rose petals gave off a beautiful aroma-a fragrant offering pleasing to the One who created Joy. The voice came like an exquisite love song by singing the words "Look underneath." Joy got up from her chair and walked over to the puddle of petals and wiped the roses off of the seat-only to find a letter. "You are loved" was all it read, but that was saying a lot. Walking away with a new sense of freedom, Joy strolled down the hallway in search of another room.
 Joy passed even more doors this time until she got to the very last one. This door seemed almost impossible to get through for it had long-entangled chains attached to it. Joy stood for a moment debating whether or not to give up on this one; then like on cue, the voice came. "Do not give up hope for I have never given up on you. You have the key, though you may be surprised where it lies. Look deeper inside yourself." Once she heard the encouraging words, Joy started to look for the key by patting her entire body down to see if she had it. Sure enough, it was in her left back pocket of her jeans. She took the key and unlocked the pad-lock to strip the chains off the door. Then, like magic, the door opened revealing a small-intimate living room. There was one couch with someone sitting on it. The figure looked as that of a man-he was not facing her, so Joy began to walk carefully around to see who the person could possibly be. As Joy was making her way in the mystery man's direction, she saw herself in a full-length mirror that hung on one of the walls. She had altered back to her normal 22 year old body-the same skin she traveled down the abyss in. As soon as Joy came face to face with the man, she was utterly flabbergasted to see who it was. The one man she loved and trusted the most in the entire world. The one man who would never intend on hurting her. The one person who never turned his back on her. The one man who sacrificed so much for her-Joy's father. Questions started to flood Joy's mind. "Why? How? I mean, how could this be? I never thought..." Then like clockwork, the voice said, "Deep down you have not forgiven this one person for the small wounds that turned into bigger grievances due to the lack of attention given to the injury. Stuffing things down has never created a free place to live-forgive and then you may be able to have the last piece of your heart back." Then, like a sudden attack, wave of emotions trickled down Joy's entire body and she began to cry out to her father. Joy revealed her heart to this man that she had known her entire life and then waited for his response. Joy stood facing her dad in silence for a few more seconds when all of a sudden, he got up and wrapped his arms around her; embracing her for what felt like eternity. The moment he laid hands on her, Joy could feel the chains of her heart fall off-leaving Joy to feel as though she could float around the room. Through all the cries, Joy managed to get out, "I love you." The moment it was said out loud, light radiated from Joy and lightning shot through her body-throwing Joy down onto an operating table.
The light was now shining brightly over her which made it impossible to see what was going on. However, Joy could feel a lot of tugging where her heart was located. What Joy could not see, was the Great Physician was stitching the pieces of her heart, which she had received in all the rooms, back together again. It was painful and incredibly uncomfortable, but the entire time the procedure was taking place, Joy's father was right by her side; giving her the comfort and encouragement she so badly needed. As she looked upon her father, the voice gently spoke straight to her heart. It was not her father speaking, but the One who sent the ultimate sacrifice so that she may live. The voice whispered, "It is done."
The next thing Joy remembered was opening her eyes to a magnificently-beautiful land, flowing with milk and honey. By far, the most remarkable sight she had ever laid eyes on. Before she could take in all the sights, Joy was greeted by her eight, awkward teen and 20 year old self. The little eight year old Joy grabbed the older version of herself by the hand and all four Joy s' walked along a narrow path, leading to a glorious light; hands locked together in perfect unison. The glorious light was not overpowering by any means, but it was breathtaking. The closer to the light Joy got, the more she could make out a door-made of the most striking jewels. Alongside the door, was a massive Pearl gate in which you could make out images that were incredibly angelic. When Joy got up to the door, she knocked three times with no hesitation. Then the voice came, but this time Joy could hear exquisite praise in the background that stirred up complete peace, restoration, abounding love, and great happiness. Then the voice sang, "You may enter." Since then, Joy has never looked back and continues to seek out more missing pieces of herself and to help others walk into the healing that took residence in her. Joy no longer sleeps, but LIVES. So, this was the story of how Joy's heart began to beat with the rhythm of the Lord's. This is how she came alive.
The end-well, for the time being at least.
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 2/15/2011
So, I have a question for you...
What is YOUR definition of Love???
Do you have it???
Okay...now, for the next question...
Who/what do you love???
Got it???
Good.
Now, for the question of the hour...
Why???
What part of your being is SO bent on loving these people/things??? Would you go to the ends of the Earth for them??? Would you give your life for them???
How about this...
Do these people /things have the ability or longing to love you back???
Now, does this match up with your definition of what love is???
 So, there is absolutely no right or wrong answers to any of the above questions. It is simply based on how you answered them. The definition of LOVE is a pretty broad term nowadays. I mean, I love buying the latest fashions, I love listening to music, I love filmmaking and SO much more. I also love catching up with old friends and making new ones, spending quality time with the family, and I especially LOVE Jesus. Now, are you starting to see a trend here??? I LOVE a lot of things...however, that is the problem at hand. There are SO many things to "love" that the word is losing its meaning. The truth, I do like getting dressed up, but do I necessarily love it??? Because if I say I love Jesus, then why would I use that same powerful word for something as mediocre as watching the latest Glee episode??? This is entirely my personal opinion, but I feel like human beings need to stop using the word "love" until he or she actually considers saying the word to someone/something worthwhile.
Yesterday was Valentine's Day and it was the first time I had hung out with a group of women. Normally, I would have made sure I was working on this particular day unless I had a "special someone" to spend it with. So needless to say, it was a nice change. This year, we did NOT make it about the love humans like to buy, but about what LOVE actually is: GOD.
GOD is LOVE, right???
 Jesus humbled himself and came to earth, was crucified, and then was raised back up on the third day so that OUR sins would be forgiven; that any burdens we, as humans, may have could be set at the foot of the Cross. That's love.
Or how about forgiveness??? Yes, this word is a lot easier said than done, but if you REALLY think about it, Jesus forgave. In fact HE forgives you and me EVERYDAY. So, if Jesus is God and God is love, then forgiveness IS love for Jesus forgave.
Truth??? Jesus longs for HIS children to be truthful to one another so that our community becomes stronger and stronger in HIM. However, if we cannot speak encouraging words or call someone out when they have wronged us, then bitterness grows and love fades away. Jesus is ALWAYS truthful and delights in honesty. So, if Jesus is God and God is love, then truth IS love for Jesus speaks truth.
Is grace love??? Well, if you think about it, Jesus is continually pouring grace upon HIS lost sheep because they were born with a sinful nature that only HE can heal. This means, humans should show grace to those who do not have all the answers or who are stubborn to try to find the answers. As humans, we always mess up the BIG and LITTLE puzzle pieces of our life, but Jesus allows us to have grace in order for us to confide in HIM to fit the pieces together. So, if Jesus is God and God is love, then grace IS love for Jesus gives grace.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says it all...
"Love is PATIENT, love is KIND. It does not ENVY, it does not BOAST, it is not PROUD. It is not RUDE, it is not SELF-SEEKING, it is not easily ANGERED, it keeps no record of WRONGS. Love does not delight in EVIL but rejoices in the TRUTH. It always PROTECTS, always TRUSTS, always HOPES, always PERSEVERES. Love NEVER fails."
I do not know about you, but my definition of love was not of this. My definition of love was what consumerism has etched in my brain as the right kind of love. Yes, I KNOW that God is love, but when you start putting in terms that love comes with a lot more responsibility then what was anticipated, I start to realize that I always need to be reminded of why we love. "We love because HE fist loved us." (1 John 4:19)
So my challenge to you is to start loving the way God intended us too and to ONLY say the word love when you REALLY mean it. I am going to try as well and let's see if we can SHOW the love of Christ. Here is my first attempt, I like reading but I LOVE being in the word. Now, you try to take the challenge.
"Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE." (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Also, you may log onto www.nicaragua.adventures.org for updates and more blogs! <3
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 1/27/2011
"Just keep going strong, Alisa. The JOY of the Lord is your strength. You have power to overcome this obstacle. The Lord NEVER gives you more than you can handle. Jesus is here with you. HAVE NO FEAR. Stand firm in the Lord and the identity HE has given you." These were the words that were going through my mind as I climbed to the top of Volcan Mombacho (volcano) with my team aka Sisterhood of the Traveling Awesomeness. Yes...you read correctly! Hahaha
Anywho, our team decided to climb a volcano on our VERY first day off because we figured it would be LOADS of fun and a great bonding time. Well...it definitely bonded us in ways we did not expect and challenged each of us individually. This experience was completely devoid of all of our expectations...that is for sure. I will expand on our time on the volcano in a minute, but first let me update you on how our first week has been here in Nicaragua!
 Through testimonies, debriefs, prayer, and spending almost every waking hour together, our team has come together in beautiful unison. We have already comforted those who needed comforting, cried with those who were crying out to God, called out the things that do not bring Kingdom, encouraged one another to be the woman God has made us to be, and bring forth laughter that only comes from pure JOY! Trust me...we laugh a WHOLE LOT. God is SO good and is bringing together HIS body of believers that are GOING to bring Kingdom to the country of Nicaragua. Every single one of these girls has been such a light, not only to the locals, but also to me! I rejoice that the Lord has brought us all together in this exact time and season.
Ministry wise, we have been doing a lot of prayer walking and door-to-door visitations with the poorest of the poor here in Jinotepe, Nicaragua. It has been such a blessing to see these girls come alive when the Lord speaks through them to HIS lost sheep-so incredible.
 Now, going back to our first day off...I was SUPER stoked that we were choosing to climb up a volcano because that has been on my bucket list for the past few years. The moment we got there the guides asked if we wanted to walk up to the base of the volcano or take the shuttle up. Well, the whole point of going was to hike the whole thing; so, of course we decided to go without transportation. What we did not know was that normal people take the ride up the mountain due to the steepness of the volcano. Who knew? The journey up the volcano ended up being the HARDEST things any of us had EVER experienced physically. From the beginning to the end it lasted two and a half hours and we are NOT talking flat lands here.
 As the nine of us were making our way up, Brittany pointed out something that Saleena had previously spoken into our lives; God SPEAKS crazy-awesome things to that girl. Just a few days prior, Saleena was having her God time and noticed an ant with something giant in its mouth. Saleena felt like the Lord gave her this image to explain that we may not know the big picture, but Jesus NEVER gives us more than we can handle. So, as we were climbing this volcano, Brittany pointed out that there were many ants with stuff in their mouths-which made us all think about what God had shown Saleena. Yes...we did conquer the volcano that day, but what I came out with was that our God is ALWAYS with us-routing us on every step of the way. Also, I really do not know what these next few months are going to look like, but does that even matter??? Jesus KNOWS what the BIG picture is and HE is a man of HIS word; He will NEVER give us more than we can handle. All we need to do is take a few steps at a time and then our Sovereign Lord will guide our steps and make our paths straight. I am trusting in the Lord and BELIEVE that HE has brought me here for a reason. Now, although it may be difficult at times, I am willing to take the challenge-are you???
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 1/18/2011
Who would have thought that only 9 weeks after returning home from the World Race, I would be back out on the field??? I sure didn't. God tends to surprise me...A LOT. I have grown accustomed to change; so when the Lord said it was time to change some things around, I was obedient.
 I am now a team leader for a Real Life trip to Nicaragua! I am co-leading a group of 7 incredible women of God who LONG to see HIS presence unfold. Not only am I excited to be emptied of myself (only to be filled back up with the Holy Spirit) but I am beyond blessed to walk alongside my co-leader, Hope Mendola. This woman is a powerhouse for Christ and has a passion to see young women stand up for things not of this world. It was evident from our first interaction that Hope and I were meant to lead together. I KNOW that the Lord has some CRAZY plans for Hope and I that will prosper us in abundant ways. God is GOOD!
 We have been at training camp for the last couple of days and it has been so remarkable to see the Lord MOVE in BIG ways and also in the quite whisper of each one of the girls' hearts. Freedoms have been poured upon the dry bones of the past and present, healing has occurred for the broken, and words of encouragement have been prophesied to build up a STRONG foundation of who these girls are in Christ. Yeah...it is awesome. God is awesome. The power of the Holy Spirit is awesome.
That is why we were put on this earth in the first place, right?
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Posted in General Posts by Alisa Prox on 1/6/2011
Hello, Hello!
As many of you know, I am leaving to Nicaragua for 4 months; leading a group of 8 young women into Kingdom living! While we are there, my team will help build houses for people in need, evangelize, and visit hospitals/orphanages among other ministries. My co-leader, Hope Mendola, and I will be pouring into these eight women and experience what the Holy Spirit can do through us leading. I am beyond excited about the next season of my life and so thankful for all of your support!
I leave January 13, 2011 for Georgia to begin training camp and then leave for Nicaragua on the 19th. I am still in need of support and pray/trust that the money will come in. I still need $1,000 in order to buy plane tickets/insurance and to support the trip itself. If you would like to donate to the Lord's ministry, you may either contact me via email/facebook or click on the "Support Me" link on the left-hand side of this page. Here is how we can raise this money:
5 people to give$100
6 people to give$50
8 people to give $25
Total= $1,000
I know that through your support, the Lord WILL bless you.
"...there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you." (Deuteronomy 12:6-7)
 Also, if you would like to be a prayer partner, just let me know so that I may put you on the list to receive weekly updates and prayer requests. You may also log on to this website for updates and to keep up on my blogs!Thank you again for all of your support throughout the past year. I am thrilled that we get the chance to do the Lord's work together again! God Bless and ALL praise be to God!
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