It's really happening!

Oh my goodness, my mind is going crazy. I intend, Lord willing, to put my notice in at work this week! Wow! It's really here! I'm so excited yet there's that nervousness inside me of oh my I'm really going! My mind starts spinning out of control wondering how it's going to be to say good-bye to everyone and to leave my kids at work, to be a stranger in another country. Not understanding the language or having my old comforts. I had a great time with Jesus last night on a walk of surrendering it all to Him and allowing Him to take control.

Please pray for me that I will set my mind completely focused on His plan and will. That I will remain diligent in His Word and that I will find comfort in His perfect peace. Pray that I am prepared to do battle as satan tries to tempt me to get sidetracked and doubt. Pray that I will be able to hear the discernment from the Spirit and I will obey wholeheartedly!

I look forward to what the Lord is teaching me and the love relationship that He continues to draw me into deeper! The excitement of it! I can't even explain it in words! Thank you for praying for me this week! I sure need it! God's doing incredible things and I'm excited that He has chosen me to be a part of it though I so don't deserve it!

Amazing Friends

I am so truly blessed to have friends in my life that encourage me, correct me and just to spend time with. Friends who will do anything for you. It is friends like this that made today's photography party even possible.

I want to thank Heather and Andrea so much for all you did to make it possible. You put so much time, effort, and heart into it. Thank you for being such an encouragement in my life and such a support. I don't know what I would do without you two!

Again a huge thank you to both of you for all your time and resources you spent to help me with the fundraiser! I love you girls!

A Dream Come True!!

When playing make-believe as a kid, my name would always be either Kitty or Kat. Those who know me well are already guessing where these names came from - my love for cats that's almost obsessive!

This love of cats also spills over to my love of live theater. I have always wanted to see CATS! You can imagine the deep depression I feel into when I heard years ago that CATS! was no longer touring. I couldn't bear the thought that I may never see this production. Several weeks ago I heard that CATS! was coming to town! I never thought that I would see it.

My dear friend Ravonne called me up and told me she wanted to treat me to CATS! I was so excited! So Wednesday we went to see CATS! It was everything I could have hoped for and better! My 28 year old dream has come true! It was incredible and a must see! Thanks so much Rae for the wonderful evening and making me dream come true!!

Thanks a MEWO-illon! :)

Love the cat-likeness Rae!

What will I be doing in Costa Rica?

During my first year in San Jose, Costa Rica I will be attending the Spanish Language Institute to learn the language more fully along with some ministry. Then I will full-time serve with the CFCI Base in Costa Rica for another two years and will work with the street girls. One of the ministries I may work with is Renacer (Rebirth). This is a 15 month drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for teenagers. It is my heart’s desire to develop precious relationships with these girls, to show them the love of Christ, and ultimately assist them in breaking the chains of addictions and help them on a positive path toward life in Christ. Check out the blogs titled Ministry Highlights and the links to my school as well.

Ministry Highlight - Renacer

Renacer is a Christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for girls, most of whom have fallen into prostitution as well as addictive behaviors. Renacer serves six San Jose slums through Christ-centered programs that rescue children from drugs and abuse. It is tucked among pines on a mountainside near San Jose. At the center, a dedicated professional staff of Christian educators and counselors, a physician and a psychologist help rebuild the girls’ broken bodies and spirits in a 15-month program.

Ministry Highlight - Transformations

Ten years ago, Ronald Villalobos, once a troubled street kid himself, had a vision for the children of Guarari, a hardscrabble barrio of 42,000 families near San Jose, Costa Rica. That vision was to bring the live of Christ into their lives and to help them avoid or rescue them from the street violence, drugs, alcohol, and teenage prostitution that are pervasive in this very poor and dangerous area. Transformations is a comprehensive, neighborhood (or barrio) based prevention program that includes Bible studies, kids clubs, vocational training and mentoring, remedial education scholarships, and a large feeding program. These meals and street ministry projects offer hope in Christ and help with everyday struggles of life in the barrio. Every Wednesday, Christ For the City International serves more than 400 meals in these six neighborhoods.

The Journey

So all this talk about moving to Costa Rica, "so when are you going?" you might ask. Good question! Drum roll please....around August 20th! Can you believe that? Neither can I! It’s finally here.

It’s been an amazing journey that God has taken me on to get me to the point that I am ready to go overseas. He’s done things that I have only dreamt of. He has been taking me through the fire and burning away one bond of my stronghold of loneliness that entails, fear of abandonment, fear of being unloved, fear of being vulnerable, fear of what is around the corner, my past, and so forth. Every time He burns one part of the bond He’d take me out and heal me and strengthen me and take me back in. Over and over. Sure wasn’t fun to say the least! I spent many days and nights hurting and crying BUT…oh the healing that has come.

As one of my dear mentors said “God is doing a COMPLETE work in me.” Oh that He is up to so much more than just getting by but restoration and healing so that life can be a complete and full one! That produces glory and honor for Him. All of that to say – God has been taking me on this part of the journey – perusing foreign missions for almost five years now and now it has finally come. Though it wasn’t at the timing I thought it should be – now I see the wisdom and the greatest of the scope of His plan and how He has it perfectly planned out. (Ephesians 3:14-19) How much better can it get!

I'm learning this technology!

THANK YOU Sarah Jo Austin! This website would not exsit or even be pretty if it wasn't the wonderful brain power of Sarah Jo. She is teaching me everything I know about this whole new world of blogging. She has even taught me some Html stuff! I feel so smart!:)So with that please be patient with me...I hope that over the course of the years this will be a site that will encourage you, inform you, and perhaps give you some belly laughs!

I look forward to see what this actually becomes. I have some great ideas for once I'm in Costa Rica and how to use this...but we will see if that works out that way. Thanks for your patience with me and this blogg.

Prayer Requests

I will be posting my prayer requests here and hoping to highlight the answered ones as they come. (Bare with me I'm learning how to do all of this.) Please pray for:

• The fundraiser on June 28th that it will be successful in raising support, new opprotunities to share with others what God is doing and the building up of my partners.

• Monthly supporters who will join my team.
• To have 110% of my monthly support ($2000) raised prior to leaving in August.
• That I will contiune to grow more in the understanding of God's amazing unfailing love and how that impacts my thoughts, words, actions, and realtionships.

• Preparation to leave around 20 August 2008.

Thank you for praying!

About Sunshine Loveland

Sunshine Loveland is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Counseling. She spent 3 years as a case manager for mentally ill adults at Burrell Behavioral Health. Sunshine currently is a Foster Care Case Manager at Boys & Girls Town of Missouri for the past 3 years. In June ’07 Christ For the City International accepted her as a missionary to work in Costa Rica with street girls.

As a young child growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, she fell in love with missionaries and their work. Her passion for missions was fueled by her mission trips to New Mexico, Arizona, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Sunshine knew during these times that foreign missions is what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

God has brought Sunshine through many difficult challenges in her life such as being in foster care, low self-esteem, loneliness, abandonment, addictions, and others. He has graciously freed her from these chains that held her captive for so long. This freedom has given her a passion for teenage girls who have become broken and crushed by life, family, and the paths that were chosen for them and the ones they chose.

In Isaiah 61:1-3, God promises that, “He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.” Sunshine knows God has given her His beauty for her ashes and His joy for her mourning. She looks forward to being used by God to work with broken teenagers so they can trade their ashes for His beauty and their many sorrows for His overabundant joys.

Please pray as Sunshine continues to grow in her walk with Jesus and as she prepares to move to Costa Rica for 3 years. Also pray for her as she raises financial support.

Photography Fundraiser at the Bell Tower Chapel

A Picture Party... It's a Picture Party! Send Sunshine Loveland as a missionary to Costa Rica by purchasing one of her incredible photos. On Saturday, JUNE 28, join us at the Bell Tower in Ozark, for a come and go reception. You can also hear about what God is doing in her life as she prepares to follow Him as a missionary of the gospel on foreign soil.

WHAT: You can own one of Sunshine's photos to support her endeavor to Costa Rica.

WHERE: The Bell Tower Chapel, 206 E Elm St, Ozark, MO 65721 (just off the square in Ozark)

WHEN: Saturday, June 28, 10 - 1 pm

Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

For more info contact Heather Gilion at

hgilion@lifepointozark.com sunshineloveland@gmail.com