This life of faith

These are the types of blogs I don't really like to write... It can be humbling to express need.
I often have to remind myself that God called me to this life, and he promised that he would take care of me, and that there are times that I will have to leave my comfort zone of independancy.

I'm writing this blog because I need to ask you guys for help. There have been many things that hit Nathan and I this month that we weren't really expecting, and we are in a place of great need.

There are doctors bills that came in from Nathan's fall, totalling around 800.00 that insurance didn't cover, and we have rent due on the first for 450... As well as several other very immediate needs on top of these.

I trust that God will come through on his promise to us, that being where he's called us is the right thing even if it's not always comfortable to lean on others for that support as well.

But, I want to also remind us that Jesus made some big promises, not just to those on the road serving him, "missionaries" or "disciples" if you will, but also to anyone that even gave a cup of cold water to one of them because they belonged to Jesus....  Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

I want to remind us, that those who simply support missionaries, share completely in the reward as well. We missionaries NEED you guys in order to be out on the field, you guys play a VITAL role in the spreading of the gospel, the feeding and sheltering of the poor, the binding of the brokenhearted and the  freedom for the captive. 

I want to say that, because I want you all to know how big your role is in our lives as missionaries... You are indespensable. All of the body works together to do this awesome thing, and you guys are very much a part of it!

Would you pray and consider helping us out with a donation to help us through this crazy time? 

Because of the urgency of the need, going through the regular online channel would take many weeks to get to us, and so if this is something you would like to do, you could send cash/check to 100 west 35th st suite R National city, CA 91950

You can make a check out to Charissa Goode

God bless you guys!!!!

Also please remember to be praying for our big thanksgiving dinner in Tijuana tomorrow!!!! It's going to be crazy!!! I will have pics and hopefully a video up soon!

The least of these

I want to talk to you about something our YWAM base is doing this Thanksgiving.
We have a ministry here called Zona Norte, in which we go every Wednesday to the border area of TJ, and take food to feed about 250 homeless men and women that hang out in this area. Some of them are drug addicts, some of them were deported from the states, and some of them just can't find work.

Last thanksgiving we took a thanksgiving meal to them, preapring for 300 homeless men and women, and 500 showed up. So this year we are doing it again, but we are preparing for 600 instead :)

But, this year our vision is a little bigger than just giving them a thanksgiving meal to sit down to.
This year, we want to wash their hair and give them haircuts, and THEN lead them to their seat to give them a sit-down Thanksgiving meal. There is a youtube video of a ministry that's been doing something like this, that reminds me of what we're going to do. I hope to get pictures and videos of what we do that day as well, but for now, here is something to give you an idea of the impact this has on a persons heart and soul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a6VVncgHcY

This is what Jesus would have done, and this is who he is talking about when he talks about the least of these, therefore we know that when we do this, we are doing it to him.

I plan to be one of the people that helps cut hair that day, and I'm really excited about it.

We still need to raise 1500 dollars to buy all the food and supplies to feed everyone. This is taking place in just two weeks!!!

Would you cosnider donating to this event that we are putting on? It takes about 3-4 dollars to cover one homeless person's meal and haircut. Would you consider supporting a few, or even more?

Remember what Jesus told us, "whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me"

we can count on His promises and rewards! :)

New season

So it's been about four weeks now that Nathan and I have been in this school. We have taken a week to go in depth in each book of the bible, and now we are in Deuteronomy. God is doing huge things in both of our hearts as we study the word together. A huge foundation is being laid, and I feel like he's revealing little by little why this school was so vital for us to do.

Every Christian has questions, every Christian has things in their life that they don't quite understand. Sometimes we can go a long time before we face those questions, and when we do... it can turn our world upside down.

For me, in my life, I have experienced a large amount of tragedy... Things that wounded me deeply, and filled my heart with questions. Those questions are gently being answered by my father in heaven as I study his word. He is showing me his character, he is showing me things I have believed about him that weren't actually true. And he is filling me with hope and Joy like I've never had as he gently cleans deeper into my heart and heals those age old wounds.

Why is this important for Nathan and I to do in order to be missionaries?


Because what can we give a hurting world, if we are still hurting deeply? If there is nothing in us to pour out, how can we pour to those that are starving around us? God has made it clear to the both of us, that this process is going to take us further in being able to lead a lost world back to their father, as he leads us deeper and closer to him ourselves.

He is grinding at our hearts, stirring them up, ripping old things out, and laying a beautiful foundation to save us, and to save those around us. Because we will have more to give once we are full ourselves as well. More to give than we have ever given.... the fullness of our father.


Please pray with us as we go through this together. Pray we get all the financial support we need for this school. Pray if God is asking you to partner with us financially. Pray that we are filled with the truth in a bigger way than ever, so that we can pour out to this hurting world in a way we've never yet been able to.


we love you so much!

Nathan and Charissa

Big adventures!

Hello all my wonderful friends and family!


So, in my last post I mentioned how Nathan and I are starting a school to study the bible in-depth.
The school is nine months long, and then there is an optional outreach to a location that we haven't chosen yet.

This is a wonderful opportunity that was really just dropped in our lap, and we have really felt the Lord tell us this is his will and he has big plans through it.

I am writing today to ask you to help be a part of this adventure with us. Nathan and I need to raise 9,000.00 for this school. I know that number seems insane, but it's for a 9 month long school.

I have seen God work bigger money miracles than this, I am not worried at all that he will come through again. And time and time again he has helped through you wonderful people in our lives.


I prayed alot about weather or not we should do this school. I asked God to help give my heart peace and to confirm that this was his will. He did so, very obviously as well. I feel that the Lord has told me that this is going to be giving us the tools that we need for our next step. This is his preparation for us.

I am asking you again to partner with us and to be key players in our lives in missions. I have never been able to do it without you guys. Another thing I want to remind you, is that it's never been one person giving a huge sum of money, but rather, many of my friends giving what they could, no matter how small.


Together we can do the impossible!!!


Help us further the tools we have to take his love, word, and the gospel to all the nations!!!


With all our love,

Nathan and Charissa

The shaking of foundations

God has been doing some deep foundation shaking in the both of us for the last four months or so. 

I don't remember quite asking him to or not, but I'm not necessarily complaining either.

It's begun to make sense to me, the reason he has been working so deeply in so many areas of our hearts, namely in the area of releasing us from fears. The fear of death, pain, going without and not having enough, and fear of the unknown. He is preparing us, preparing us for who he created us to be and what he created us to do. And before we can be released into that season of our lives, he needs to rid us of our fear, because our fear would prohibit us from living in that calling to our fullest. 

The other thing that he has worked into our heart, is that he wants us to get more training. Because we will need this training for that same calling and mission. 

So here is the big news: We are entering into a nine month school of intensive study of the word. (We will still be staff here in Mexico, the school is actually here at our base.) We will go through the bible from cover to cover many times, and study it, learn to understand the culture during those times in order to better understand it, and prayerfully gain a love for his word that out-weighs those fears of death or pain, or anything else to prevent us from what he has made clear to us.

We are so excited to let him take us deeper, not just in the "study" of his word, but of knowing him deeper in relationship and letting his word soak deep into our hearts and our lives, and to transform us more into the image of our Jesus. 

Please be praying for us as we walk into this very intense season of our lives together. We want to do well and get everything that the Lord has for us in this time. 

We love you all!!!

What a ride!

Well, it's been a long time since I posted! Things got crazy before we got married, and even after!
There was a huge forest fire near the location of our wedding venue, and our honeymoon spot two days before the wedding, and God got us a place that was magnificent in time for a beautiful wedding I'll never forget! Then on our honeymoon, Nathan had a bad fall, and we spent time recovering from that. But, we had an awesome honeymoon! We got to drive up the coast and camp all the way to washington and back to Mexico! :) We also have a new kitty, which was Nathan's wedding present from me. :)

Once we got back to Mexico, it was crazy for three weeks preparing for and having a huge missions conference here, hosting 700 people! It was fun, but we are tuckered out! :)


Things are about to go back to a normal pace, which is going to be nice, and we are learning to adjust to married life and our new roles here.

God has done a lot of work in our hearts in the last few months, through books and relationships, and we are learning and growing so much.

I hope to be reguarly posting on here again all the time, now that things aren't so hectic. I've missed you all! :)


Here are some pics to enjoy from the last few months. :)

The book and its cover

One week ago, a man that I have lived and worked with for over a year, passed away suddenly. This will be a very raw post.

I am tired of being anything less than real, so this post is going to have some of the most genuine and possibly offensive truths that I’ve ever laid out.

The truth is, I misjudged him. He was my friend, yes. But, as I have discovered, we can often be most critical of those that are closest to us.

You see, in a place where we all pour out and give so much to serve our Lord and those in this beautiful country of Mexico, if you perceive someone on your team to be giving less than the “norm” or what is expected, it can be hard to not find yourself frustrated.

When I met Joshua over a year ago, I noticed the pace at which Joshua moved was less than average. I racked it up to be that Joshua was just one of those people who took his sweet time getting where he wanted to be, and doing what he wanted to do.

It really wasn’t a big deal to me, then. Until as I began to work more with Joshua, in the kitchen or on projects, I could become frustrated with how slowly he moved. It always felt like I was doing four times the work he was, and even though I often tried to just let it go, slowly something in my heart began to sneak up on me, that would deem him as lazy.

As time went by, I noticed Joshua moving slower and slower, I would watch him walk up the hill every day at such a slow pace that it would be hard to watch.

More and more I noticed that he would leave work early or come to work late. And in my heart, more and more that critical spirit labeled him things that most people would probably have agreed with. About two weeks ago, I had one of the most critical thoughts I had ever had about Joshua, this man that I called my friend, that I had laughed with and shared many stories with. This man that I’d worked so closely with for over a year. As we worked in the kitchen and he moved so slowly to cut the lettuce for our lunch, I remember thinking, “Why don’t they just send him home? He obviously doesn’t want to be here. He is a weak link in our team. We all pour out so much, and we need people who are giving their all.”

That was one of the last times I ever saw Joshua.

After a support-raising weekend, I came home and got up early on a Tuesday morning, came to work and joined in on our daily meetings here at YWAM, Mexico.

My fellow staff members seemed very solemn, we were worshipping, when I saw our base leader crying and hugging another staff member, I turned to Nathan and said, “did something happen?” He told me what he had just discovered as well, “Joshua died of a heart failure, he had an enlarged heart. His oxygen level was only 70 percent. ”

My surprise overtook me, and then, my guilt, and then my anger… “WHY DIDN’T WE KNOW HE WAS SICK?” Oh, the signs were so obvious…

As the next few minutes unfolded, the surprise and the guilt only grew. I would come to find out, that Joshua knew the whole time, that he was sick, and probably also knew as well, that he was dying. But he never told any of us.

We lived with him, we worked with him, we laughed with him, but we actually came to find out, that we knew very little about him.

About the struggle he’s endured alone for years.

A couple days later, we would hear a story that made things make so much sense.

A good friend, Rally would speak to his brother in Nigeria, and for the first time we would hear a story that fit pieces of the puzzle together, in a way I never thought would happen.

When Joshua was 5 years old, he lost his mother. When he was 11 years old, his father also passed away. It was only his older brother and him for a long time. Joshua led his older brother to the Lord, and after that shared his dream of serving the Lord as a missionary. His target: Mexico.

Joshua began to have heart issues, and when he went to the doctor, the doctor explained the seriousness of his condition. But he wouldn’t be stopped. He took the medicine, but refused to let it keep him from the mission field.

His older brother pleaded with him to stay, but Joshua loved the Lord. When his brother was adamant about him not leaving Nigeria, Joshua snuck away, once in Mexico, he called his brother to let him know where he had gone. His brother wept and told us, “That was the moment I knew that Joshua loved God more than he loved me” And that was the moment, that I realized, Joshua loved God more than he loved his own body.

As months passed, I could see that Joshua was moving slower and slower, things that he used to do with ease, he did with what seemed to be all he could muster up in his energy. But I was blind, we were blind.

For whatever reason Joshua chose not to let his YWAM family in on his suffering must have stemmed from the same reason that he never told us of the many sufferings he sustained in his life. The man that I thought I knew was not the man he turned out to be at all.

The revelation I had during the memorial as we were read his story, and as the shock of what he had been going through health-wise began to make more sense. I realized something very precious that led me to repentance and many tears…

This is a story of the widows might.

That familiar story in the bible, that Jesus tells us of the rich men that gave quite a bit, and a lonely widow, who I can imagine slowly moving up the altar to give her few copper coins. And how my Jesus blew our minds when he showed us the truth of this story… That woman gave more than those men combined. Why? Because, she gave all that she had.

I began to think, when have I ever given all that I had to serve God even when I couldn’t breathe? Or through physical pain and tiredness that I can only imagine?

From the outside it might appear that I, and many of us, worked harder than he did. But truly, he surpassed us. And now he is in his glory with the king.

This has taught me many things, but one of the things that in my guilt and repentance I have sought to change in myself the most, is to not judge those around me, but to love.

I wish with all my heart that I could have loved him better, bore his burdens more, and most of all not judged him.

Things are not as they seem. There was once a time that I thought Joshua was the last person here that I could have learned from, and to my surprise, I have learned more from him than anyone.

This is a quote from Joshua, which he wrote on his facebook status on May 23^rd.

“The strongest people are those that love beyond all faults. Cry behind closed doors. And fight battles that nobody knows about”

For whatever reason, he believed what he was doing was right. Even when he felt those around him judging him, even when we put more work on him than he probably could have handled. In his loneliness, he was not lonely. He found his identity in his father, and drew his strength from him.

Goodbye my friend, thank you for what you have taught me. May I see people for what is truth under what is perceived, may I love beyond all faults. May I perceive when people cry behind closed doors and help them to fight the battles nobody knows about. I love you.