Hello hello!
I haven't kept this lil blog of mine as up to date as I would have liked but I'm finally getting around to it and I'll try not to neglect it too much in the future.
These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of starting my training for Zambia, starting fundraising, applying for jobs, thinking about graduation, oh and trying to work and do school in the process. It's been cray y'all. But through all of this God just continues to show me each and every day that He is enough and He will provide.
Let's start with the training. It has been so awesome! We are reading a book called When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert. I have already learned so much from this book and the response questions at the end of each chapter as well as from my fellow interns. It is always awesome to get to hear other people's responses and especially the ones I'll be spending 2 months with in another country!
This last chapter we read really focused on what poverty is. It's rooted in brokenness and I loved how they said it. "Every human being is suffering from a poverty of spiritual intimacy, a poverty of being, a poverty of community, and a poverty of stewardship." We are all broken and all in need. It's been so great to be humbled so much already and know that I'm broken too and I'm not okay either. The book says it best when they say, "I'm not okay and you're not okay, but Jesus can fix us both."
I can't do anything in my own strength and God is continually showing me that and continually showing me that He can.
For my fundraising, I am making teacup/mug candles (which are super cute btdubs) so that has been going super awesome! I also sent out letters which I initially wasn't going to do because honestly I felt bad asking people for money and them not getting anything in return. But as I prayed about the finances I realized I was limiting God. And as I have received so much support already from sending out letters I have also received letters back. People are asking their churches to pray for my trip and they want to know how God is moving in Zambia and that is so awesome!
I wasn't thinking about God impacting other people's lives when I sent these letters out but He absolutely has and it is so awesome!! I was honestly starting to have doubts about funds and if I would meet the $6,000 that I have to raise. A conversation with my mom didn't help much either because she was also having doubts.
I thought of the story in Mark 9 where the father asks Jesus "if" he can heal his son and Jesus responds, "If I can? All things are possible to him who believes." The father responds, "I do believe; help my unbelief." I love the father's response because this is exactly how I feel. I know God will provide for me but I need Him to help my unbelief.
God has continually provided and I can already see it growing my own faith and my parent's faith. My mom was blown away by the amount of people that have already donated to help fund my trip. She said, "Well I just need to shut my mouth don't I?" It is so cool to see God using this experience to move in other people's lives already. I am so thankful for each and every donation! And that God has moved in so many hearts already! So far I have received about $1,400 from donations! God is so awesome!! He continually puts my doubts to rest.
In applying for jobs and thinking about graduation and the future, God continually gives me peace about the unknown. He loves me so much and I'm so so thankful. Through this Zambia experience already, my faith and trust in Him as already grown so much. Now when I think about the future, my trust is fully in Him and I know He will provide for me. Whatever that looks like I am fully dependent on Him and Him alone.
I'm not okay and I'm broken but Jesus can fix me and He continues to do that each day.
Please keep praying for my fellow interns and me as we continue on in this journey! And keep checking here for more updates!
Thanks and gig'em!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
Africa Here I Come!!
If you just said, "I'm sorry what?" after reading the title of my post, then you and I are in the same boat my friend! That was my reaction to the news exactly. Among excitement of course!
So here's how this amazing opportunity came to be a reality. I applied for this awesome internship in Africa this summer with a stellar organization called Every Orphan's Hope back in December.
I have always wanted to go on a mission trip but always felt like I wanted to go somewhere for longer than a week. Not that those aren't great! Not what I'm saying at all! Everyone is different and I felt like this would be a better fit for me. I prayed about it a lot and as my friends know asked for A LOT of prayer from them. (Thanks by the way!)
So once I felt like this was where The Lord was leading me I applied and just had to wait for confirmation that this is where He was leading me. I prepared for both outcomes; whether I got it or not I knew God was good and His plan for my life would be better than anything else.
But on Friday I got the BEST email I've probably ever received in my life! Seriously though. It said I'd been chosen as one of the four interns for the 60 day long internship in Zambia this summer and I am so excited!!! I can't wait to see how The Lord uses me! I am so humbled that He's chosen me to be part of His plan. I am so aware He doesn't need me at all and that makes me even more thankful that He would choose me.
So what I would like from you guys is prayer! As I start my training and begin preparing to go to Zambia, that The Lord would show me areas where I need to grow and show me the sin in my life. Prayers for the people in Zambia as well as the other interns going with me.
If you want to track what's going on and how training is going as well as what happens what I go to AFRICA(still so excited sorry for the unnecessary caps), it will all be posted on this blog! Feel free to read it but it won't hurt my feelings if you don't.
Love!
So here's how this amazing opportunity came to be a reality. I applied for this awesome internship in Africa this summer with a stellar organization called Every Orphan's Hope back in December.
I have always wanted to go on a mission trip but always felt like I wanted to go somewhere for longer than a week. Not that those aren't great! Not what I'm saying at all! Everyone is different and I felt like this would be a better fit for me. I prayed about it a lot and as my friends know asked for A LOT of prayer from them. (Thanks by the way!)
So once I felt like this was where The Lord was leading me I applied and just had to wait for confirmation that this is where He was leading me. I prepared for both outcomes; whether I got it or not I knew God was good and His plan for my life would be better than anything else.
But on Friday I got the BEST email I've probably ever received in my life! Seriously though. It said I'd been chosen as one of the four interns for the 60 day long internship in Zambia this summer and I am so excited!!! I can't wait to see how The Lord uses me! I am so humbled that He's chosen me to be part of His plan. I am so aware He doesn't need me at all and that makes me even more thankful that He would choose me.
So what I would like from you guys is prayer! As I start my training and begin preparing to go to Zambia, that The Lord would show me areas where I need to grow and show me the sin in my life. Prayers for the people in Zambia as well as the other interns going with me.
If you want to track what's going on and how training is going as well as what happens what I go to AFRICA(still so excited sorry for the unnecessary caps), it will all be posted on this blog! Feel free to read it but it won't hurt my feelings if you don't.
Love!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
FREEWAY WEEK
This week was the week of Freeway. The week where we hand out free snacks on campus with Bible verses on them to show that God's love is FREE! It was such an amazing week. The Lord seriously provided.
Day after day The Lord provided. There were nights when I thought I was going to have to deliver all of the bins of snacks to campus and then the next time I looked the document would be filled. He provided so much this week and it was so awesome. the very first day I had to carry a bin by myself(and they are HEAVY) so I was just dragging it on the ground because the building wasn't too far away. Then this nice guy just saw me struggling and asked if I needed help. It was great! I love how The Lord puts people in your life when you need them.
There were days when I had gotten a not so great amount of hours of sleep but The Lord is good and He provided time for me to rest in Him and get my school work done.
Friday, the last day of Freeway, was when I finally got to work a table a spend some time actually talking to people. I had been so busy running around, taking snacks to tables, and making sure everything was in order, that I missed out on the part I love the most about Freeway. Getting to talk to people and tell them why we're doing what we're doing is the reason I wanted to be on of the Freeway committee heads in the first place.
Working the table on Friday was so great and so much fun! It reminded me what all the work was for this week. I got to talk to people and it was so great to just love on them. I got to talk to one guy who ended up being an atheist. It was really interesting to see how he views Christianity and to get to talk to him a little bit.
At the end of the talk I had gotten to share my faith and I know The Lord used that for a purpose in my life. It is so cool to be able to look at things that happen in my life and see the The Lord using that to teach me and shape me. Getting to share my faith was really cool and God used that to show me areas where I need to grow.
Memorizing scripture is something I need to work on and that is something that only comes from being in the word. I was also reminded that my purpose here is to share the Gospel and further God's kingdom. It's hard sometimes to do that here in everyday life. It's uncomfortable and sometimes people don't like it which makes me not want to do it. That's why I need God to remind me everyday why I'm here.
My challenge this week is to be in the word more and to memorize more verses. I was reminded today that the way to get to know God is to know His word. It's so true and such a good reminder.
So sorry if none of these thoughts made sense or flowed. I just wanted to have them.
God is good.
Day after day The Lord provided. There were nights when I thought I was going to have to deliver all of the bins of snacks to campus and then the next time I looked the document would be filled. He provided so much this week and it was so awesome. the very first day I had to carry a bin by myself(and they are HEAVY) so I was just dragging it on the ground because the building wasn't too far away. Then this nice guy just saw me struggling and asked if I needed help. It was great! I love how The Lord puts people in your life when you need them.
There were days when I had gotten a not so great amount of hours of sleep but The Lord is good and He provided time for me to rest in Him and get my school work done.
Friday, the last day of Freeway, was when I finally got to work a table a spend some time actually talking to people. I had been so busy running around, taking snacks to tables, and making sure everything was in order, that I missed out on the part I love the most about Freeway. Getting to talk to people and tell them why we're doing what we're doing is the reason I wanted to be on of the Freeway committee heads in the first place.
Working the table on Friday was so great and so much fun! It reminded me what all the work was for this week. I got to talk to people and it was so great to just love on them. I got to talk to one guy who ended up being an atheist. It was really interesting to see how he views Christianity and to get to talk to him a little bit.
At the end of the talk I had gotten to share my faith and I know The Lord used that for a purpose in my life. It is so cool to be able to look at things that happen in my life and see the The Lord using that to teach me and shape me. Getting to share my faith was really cool and God used that to show me areas where I need to grow.
Memorizing scripture is something I need to work on and that is something that only comes from being in the word. I was also reminded that my purpose here is to share the Gospel and further God's kingdom. It's hard sometimes to do that here in everyday life. It's uncomfortable and sometimes people don't like it which makes me not want to do it. That's why I need God to remind me everyday why I'm here.
My challenge this week is to be in the word more and to memorize more verses. I was reminded today that the way to get to know God is to know His word. It's so true and such a good reminder.
So sorry if none of these thoughts made sense or flowed. I just wanted to have them.
God is good.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Resting in The Lord
"Why is it easy to work but hard to rest sometimes?" -Audrey Assad, Lament
This week I was going and going pretty much every day. It was a week of work and to some extent that has become routine to me. I work and go to school, which I consider work as well.
It has become so routine though, that it is east to work and sometimes hard for me to rest. I feel like it should be the exact opposite though. When I do rest however, it is laying on the couch, watching 3 episodes of Gossip Girl with my room mates.
When in reality I need to be resting in The Lord. This is what the bible says and I have not been trusting and living in that truth.
Matthew 11:28-29 says, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
God says for us to come to Him and HE will give us rest. HE is the ultimate provider of all we neede. HE will give us rest; all we have to do is come to Him and trust in that.
The problem is we don't come to him because we think, "oh yeah I just need to take a quick nap" which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, when we use these other things like naps, TV, or any other things we use to rest as a substitute or filler for resting in The Lord and spending time with Him, that is when they become a problem.
He knows exactly what we need and when we need.
He created the universe for crying out loud. I think He can handle my life.
That's my challenge for me and for you; rest in The Lord not the things of this world.
This week I was going and going pretty much every day. It was a week of work and to some extent that has become routine to me. I work and go to school, which I consider work as well.
It has become so routine though, that it is east to work and sometimes hard for me to rest. I feel like it should be the exact opposite though. When I do rest however, it is laying on the couch, watching 3 episodes of Gossip Girl with my room mates.
When in reality I need to be resting in The Lord. This is what the bible says and I have not been trusting and living in that truth.
Matthew 11:28-29 says, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
God says for us to come to Him and HE will give us rest. HE is the ultimate provider of all we neede. HE will give us rest; all we have to do is come to Him and trust in that.
The problem is we don't come to him because we think, "oh yeah I just need to take a quick nap" which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, when we use these other things like naps, TV, or any other things we use to rest as a substitute or filler for resting in The Lord and spending time with Him, that is when they become a problem.
He knows exactly what we need and when we need.
He created the universe for crying out loud. I think He can handle my life.
That's my challenge for me and for you; rest in The Lord not the things of this world.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Where has the time gone?
It's almost February!! I feel like it was seriously yesterday that I was starting my senior year and now it's going to be ending soon. Recently I have been getting all of the classic questions (which if you graduated/are graduating soon you know what I'm talking about) such as, "what are you planning to do with your degree?" or "what job do you have?" and the look on everyone's faces when I give them my "I have no idea!" answer is hilarious and wonderful all at the same time.
I have recently realized however, that I am totally at peace with not knowing my future. I'm ready for a change and I cannot wait to see where The Lord shoots me to on the next phase of life. Then for a second there I was a little worried that I wasn't worried. Caught up in the cycle of freak out if you will. (Gilmore Girls reference anyone?)
Then I went to this "Life After College" bible study and we talked about a few verses that I wanted to get down.
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore for not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
-Matthew 6:31-34
I love it when I'm having a little worried moment and then God just gives me a little slap in the face like "hey listen up! None of that." It's wonderful.
"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." -Romans 8:5
And this verse was another whoa thanks for the slap moment because I know my thoughts are not always with the Spirit. Good stuff.
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." -Philippians 3:7-8
This is what I want my life to reflect. For everything else to be loss compared to knowing Him more. That is my prayer of the semester.
These verses are such truth that God knew I needed to hear. Yes I do have peace about the future but that is only because I know who holds it. I know He has placed me here for a purpose and is getting me ready to go. Wherever that may be. My bible study leader said something that was so interesting to me. He said, "Each of us are like an arrow. We are all sharpening each other until God sees that He has made us ready and then he shoots us off to another place where we can sharpen others." I thought that was so true and so awesome!
It was so cool to be able to go to the bible study and hear that pretty much everyone is in the same boat as me! We're all in the unknown right now; the future is so up in the air it's a hot air balloon. Could not be more up in the air. The best part was that everyone was excited! We all can't wait to see what God has in store for our futures!
Anyway those are my thoughts for the day. Thanks to my coffee at 12am I am wide awake at 4/almost 5am. Good times were had by all.
I have recently realized however, that I am totally at peace with not knowing my future. I'm ready for a change and I cannot wait to see where The Lord shoots me to on the next phase of life. Then for a second there I was a little worried that I wasn't worried. Caught up in the cycle of freak out if you will. (Gilmore Girls reference anyone?)
Then I went to this "Life After College" bible study and we talked about a few verses that I wanted to get down.
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore for not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
-Matthew 6:31-34
I love it when I'm having a little worried moment and then God just gives me a little slap in the face like "hey listen up! None of that." It's wonderful.
"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." -Romans 8:5
And this verse was another whoa thanks for the slap moment because I know my thoughts are not always with the Spirit. Good stuff.
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." -Philippians 3:7-8
This is what I want my life to reflect. For everything else to be loss compared to knowing Him more. That is my prayer of the semester.
These verses are such truth that God knew I needed to hear. Yes I do have peace about the future but that is only because I know who holds it. I know He has placed me here for a purpose and is getting me ready to go. Wherever that may be. My bible study leader said something that was so interesting to me. He said, "Each of us are like an arrow. We are all sharpening each other until God sees that He has made us ready and then he shoots us off to another place where we can sharpen others." I thought that was so true and so awesome!
It was so cool to be able to go to the bible study and hear that pretty much everyone is in the same boat as me! We're all in the unknown right now; the future is so up in the air it's a hot air balloon. Could not be more up in the air. The best part was that everyone was excited! We all can't wait to see what God has in store for our futures!
Anyway those are my thoughts for the day. Thanks to my coffee at 12am I am wide awake at 4/almost 5am. Good times were had by all.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
I'm saved by His amazing grace.
I've been thinking a lot about starting a blog lately. Somewhere to put words that I can look back on and that maybe people can read if they wish to do so. As I started so called blog it asked for a name and I said "umm I don't know I've never had a blog before."
I've been thinking though, What do I want my blog to be called? What do I want it to be about? Well it will pretty much be about me, my life, what God is teaching me, the future(who knows what that even is), and other cool shenanigans that happen to go down. I mean it's second semester of senior year, something is bound to happen right?
So I kept thinking about the title and I've been thinking a lot about grace lately. How awesome it is, how undeserving I am of it, and how still even in the midst of the chaos and my frustration God gives it to me.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9
I've been struggling lately with giving grace to others as well as myself sometimes. I want things done a certain way and I want to have control of a lot of things and when that doesn't happen I get frustrated. Then God gives me a nice little wake up call and shows me that He gives me grace so who am I not to give others grace? I have no right to withhold that. God loves me so much that He freely gives me grace everyday. I get to wake up (Lord willing of course) knowing that I am saved by God's grace which is such an amazing thing.
So I'm just learning things and being taught about grace which I thought I knew about but I've learned that God likes to teach us things over and over because we have those human brains that tend to forget things. (guilty. right here.)
I'm saved by grace and I get to praise God for it everyday.
So this blog experiment is a way to keep God in the center of my life by writing down everything that He is teaching me. Yay blogs!
I've been thinking though, What do I want my blog to be called? What do I want it to be about? Well it will pretty much be about me, my life, what God is teaching me, the future(who knows what that even is), and other cool shenanigans that happen to go down. I mean it's second semester of senior year, something is bound to happen right?
So I kept thinking about the title and I've been thinking a lot about grace lately. How awesome it is, how undeserving I am of it, and how still even in the midst of the chaos and my frustration God gives it to me.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9
I've been struggling lately with giving grace to others as well as myself sometimes. I want things done a certain way and I want to have control of a lot of things and when that doesn't happen I get frustrated. Then God gives me a nice little wake up call and shows me that He gives me grace so who am I not to give others grace? I have no right to withhold that. God loves me so much that He freely gives me grace everyday. I get to wake up (Lord willing of course) knowing that I am saved by God's grace which is such an amazing thing.
So I'm just learning things and being taught about grace which I thought I knew about but I've learned that God likes to teach us things over and over because we have those human brains that tend to forget things. (guilty. right here.)
I'm saved by grace and I get to praise God for it everyday.
So this blog experiment is a way to keep God in the center of my life by writing down everything that He is teaching me. Yay blogs!
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