here are some of my favorite moments from this past year. i started to think on all the awesome things the Father did this year and all the things i have to be thankful for. so here they are.
1. the Father providing a way to send me to Asia. even when i think there is no other way to provide, He blows my mind with the awesome possibilities. only by His strength is it done.
2. the moment in Asia, when i realized why i was in the tiny town of LongDe. simply to give a student a hug. still brings me to tears to this day. that was life changing. not only for me, but for that girl. there is power in love, even just a little love.
3. when i bought a house! how exciting that was, but oh how i've had to lean on Him for provision. and again....blows my mind everytime.
4. teaching my little 2 year olds. they are exciting, loving, and joyful. i could not ask for a better class (mine's the best...anyone will tell you! :)). and the parents bless me daily. i am so thankful for that.
5. my best friend asking me to be a part of a very special moment in her life. there are no other words to describe it as we experienced that together, and me, not her, almost in tears.
6. sitting on the plane back home from Asia. reflecting, and relishing the memories i made. but being ever so thankful to live in a free country that allows me the liberties it does. no matter what your political affiliation, that is something to be thankful for.
7. sitting in my room, in Asia, with my roommate, talking about life and love. and how much we miss chick-fil-a.
8. realizing that teamwork really does make the dream work. :)
9. meeting with friends, at 130am to tp someone's house, only to find that all the cops in orlando are on that street.
10. moving out. seriously, one of the best decisions of my life. :)
Friday, December 31, 2010
top ten.
i've decided that throughout today i will post fun things from this year. first i will post my top ten favorite photos from this year!
my new house!
my high school girls that never cease to amaze me.
my second family.
encouragement through struggles.
haloween with the bestie.
sweet reunions.
new friends. :)
the best friend i could have ever asked for.
my heart. nancy.
the loves of my life.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
teamwork makes the dreamwork.
this was my team from this past summer. i cannot imagine what that experience would have been like if we were not teammates. i replay the days in my head, and am so grateful for God putting us all together. we are forever bonded through Lean On Me, mangy dogs, creepy stares, and of course our undying love for Longde.
in a little over a month, it will be thanksgiving time. a time for turkey and family. a time to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on tv. this thanksgiving will be different for me.
in this picture are the two Longde teams (with mary). each of our teams was so dynamic and different. we all had different things we brought to the table. we are forever bonded together. its like a family of ten.
but like i was saying, this thanksgivng will be different. we are REUNITING! you have no idea how excited i am. we will all (well, most of us), be spending our holiday together. i have missed this group of phenomenal women and cannot wait to see them. most of all i miss our devotional times and worship sundays.
if God had not put these girls in my life while in China, i don't even know what it would have been like. i am so glad we all experienced Longde together. there is no one i would have wanted to be with more!
a lesson in love.
meet Mary.
this wonderful lady was our friend the whole time we were in Longde. she walked us home from school, she made sure we had bottled water in our office, and she even played the same cheesy songs on repeat during our breaks. not only was she a sweet woman, she was, hands down, our favorite person on the trip.
Mary is an english teacher at Longde Middle School number 2. she has a husband and son, whom she loves. this woman would have died for us if it had come to that. i wish i could have captured the look on her face as our bus started pulling away from our hotel. she looked as if her best friends had just driven away forever. and to make it worse (a good worse of course) she ran to the bus, walked up the stairs and got one more goodbye and smile. as the doors closed, i thought of how many times she laid aside her own wants and needs for ours. the Lord stopped me in my tracks.
He did that. He loves me so unconditionally. He sent His son to die for me. He gave up everything.
how easily i forget the life that was laid down for my own.
stories.
Father God, you have shed your tears for Mother India
They have fallen to water ancient seeds
That will grow into hands that touch the untouchable
How blessed are the poor, the sick, the weak
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
The Serpent spoke and the world believed its venom
Now we're ten to a room or compared to magazines
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
There's a land where our shackles turn to diamonds
Where we trade in our rags for a royal crown
In that place, our oppressors hold no power
And the doors of the King are thrown wide
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
They have fallen to water ancient seeds
That will grow into hands that touch the untouchable
How blessed are the poor, the sick, the weak
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
The Serpent spoke and the world believed its venom
Now we're ten to a room or compared to magazines
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
There's a land where our shackles turn to diamonds
Where we trade in our rags for a royal crown
In that place, our oppressors hold no power
And the doors of the King are thrown wide
Father, forgive me, for I have not believed
Like Mother India, I have groaned and grieved
Father, forgive me, I forgot Your grace
Your Spirit falls on India and captured me in Your embrace
Mother India by Cademon's Call
i love cademon's call. they have always been so awesome, but lately, i have fallen in love with their music. they have such a desire to see the world come to know Christ. its laced throughout their lyrics.
i hope to one day be an awesome storyteller of the impoverished people of this world. i hope to be able to not only see them come to Jesus, but to share their story with anyone that will listen.
the take over.
i can't believe it has been 2 months since my return from China. this weather has reminded me lately of my beloved Longde. most days i go all day without thinking about China. work and school and my new house has taken over my life and i don't have much time for anything else. squeeze in the possibility of a nanny job soon, and my life is definitely packed full. i don't know why i get myself so busy that i forget. it doesn't really make sense. so, to remind myself, and tell a funny story, here are some pictures. :)
this is mike. he was, quite possibly, the funniest kid in my class. he laughed at anything i said and anything he tried to say. well, last week, i received an email from mike. now, i don't know what was going through his mind, but a sentence in the email read: "again agreeing the gizzard to be brutal and to comfort joyfully to stew to question fatigued Luo." what in the world does that mean? i have yet to hear back from mike, but i just know that he came up with that himself and considers it correct english. what he doesn't know is that his message was clearly "lost in translation."
ok, so maybe it was just one story, but it did my heart good. i hope i continue to remember my students there. i miss them so much i would give anything to fly over there to hang out with them. even if it were just for a day, it would be worth it.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
we are the pandas...panders?
i wish i could accurately describe the love i have for these students. there are not enough words in the english language to tell how much these kids kids captured my heart. i can picture every day that i spent with them. here are a few of my favorite stories about my class!
the picture above is from one afternoon. this afternoon, we walked to school with a perfectly blue sky with the sun brightly shining. we had planned for an afternoon filled with American sports like baseball, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball. all of a sudden, right as we are about to go outside, it starts pouring. don't forget that it was just sunny...well it was still sunny...but pouring. but to make it more interesting, it started to HAIL! no lie, a least nickel sized hail...crazy. so that day, i learned my students love card games! here we are playing go fish. seriously, every afternoon, i think they would have rather played go fish or uno instead of being outside. that is how much they loved card games! and i loved that they did!
this particular day my team and i planned for each class to participate in a picture scavenger hunt! this was a brilliant idea, especially since they A. loved taking pictures and B. loved not sitting in class. this picture was actually one of the assignments "to take a picture with your teacher." i don't know if you remember, but i had the smallest class. for some reason mine just kept falling off the face of the planet for all i know. here are only 5 of the 10 i ended up with. but these 5 were definitely my favorites...shh...don't tell anyone! :)
ok. this last picture is from the last day of school. we were waiting to have "graduation" and decided to take some pictures before instead of after. my team and i were obsessed with jumping pictures. if you saw the pictures on facebook, you would know that just about everywhere we went, we took a jumping picture. it became a tradition really. well, on the last day, i decided to take a jumping picture with my class. some of them grasped the concept...some didn't. i love this because even though my class was the quietest and most reserved, this picture clearly defines their actual personalities.
legacy
Legacy by Nichole Nordeman
I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You can take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-and-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n' such, it wouldn't matter much
I won't lie it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'atta boy' or 'atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world
I wanna leave a legacy
How will they remember me
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough
Did I point to you enough
To make a mark on things
I wanna leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace
who blessed your name
unapologetically
I wanna leave a legacy
I don't have to look to far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
An accumulating trinket and treasure pile
That moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy
Not well traveled, not well read
Not well to do or well bred
Just wanna hear instead "Well done, good and faithful one"
something about this song always gets me thinking. i was driving home from work today wondering about the legacy i'm leaving. i hope and pray that its a good legacy. i hope i am a woman of integrity and always stands up for what is right. i hope that i live out God's love to the best of my ability. i hope that Christ shines in everything i do. i hope that no matter what i am the best daughter, sister, friend, wife (someday), mother (again...someday), follower of Christ, and teacher i can be. because, above all else, i seek to please my Lord and make His name known. nothing else in life is worth more than sharing the truth, grace, love, and mercy that is Christ.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
mangy dogs, 76 stairs, and a combover.
i've decided today, to bring you a slight bit of humor into your afternoon/evening. the following stories are true...from my trip. they include pictures...because without the pictures they would not be as funny. :)
please meet, Nana, Pup, and Mangy. these dogs, along with many others were our constant walking companions. they would be walking around, lounging in the dirt, or sniffing other dogs. we fell in love with these dogs. while you may not love them, please enjoy their appearance. because, every day, even though we loved them, we marveled at their filthy coats. not only were they filthy, but they were the laziest dogs i have ever seen!
these are some of the leaders that took us to special tourist spots in Longde or surrounding areas. in pink is Mary, our resident translator and english teaching friend. in blue is Nancy, the head leader of Longde's daughter who happens to live in Suzhou...which made it a small world. and on the right side, at the end, is Frank. Frank was a very sweet man. he could barely get his words out, but when they came out, his english was fantastic. this man holds a special place in all our hearts. while he was nice and cared about our wellbeing so much, there was one thing about frank that made us smile every time we saw him.
please meet, Nana, Pup, and Mangy. these dogs, along with many others were our constant walking companions. they would be walking around, lounging in the dirt, or sniffing other dogs. we fell in love with these dogs. while you may not love them, please enjoy their appearance. because, every day, even though we loved them, we marveled at their filthy coats. not only were they filthy, but they were the laziest dogs i have ever seen!
i don't know if you can completely tell, but our school was on a hill. every day we walked about 4 miles to and from school, most of the walk being uphill. well, in the first picture, in the background, you can see quite a bit of stairs. every morning, as we prepared for our class, we walked up these stairs. how many you ask? 76 stairs to be exact. and how did we make it? we sang the Rocky theme song. as if we weren't already strange, we became the strangest foreigners Longde Middle School 2 has ever heard coming up their stairs.
these are some of the leaders that took us to special tourist spots in Longde or surrounding areas. in pink is Mary, our resident translator and english teaching friend. in blue is Nancy, the head leader of Longde's daughter who happens to live in Suzhou...which made it a small world. and on the right side, at the end, is Frank. Frank was a very sweet man. he could barely get his words out, but when they came out, his english was fantastic. this man holds a special place in all our hearts. while he was nice and cared about our wellbeing so much, there was one thing about frank that made us smile every time we saw him.
he had one hat that he always wore, that had a huge brim on it. i had never seen a hat like that before. but what you don't understand is, his hat, was covering....this:
if you are wondering, that is a HUGE combover. it started from the back of his head and wrapped completely around touching his other ear. who knows how he got that combover to be so long, but however long it took, he was certainly dedicated to it! that is our beloved frank.
Monday, August 9, 2010
you are my star.
bottom (L to R): Mary, Jenna, Me, Nancy, Mary, Tom
top: Mike, Ellen, Danielle, Rebecca, Alice
the girl next to mike on the top was not actually in my class...so i don't know her name.
this was my class. i had the joy of teaching the top level class. each day, i loved teaching them. they loved being silly about certain things. for example, pronunciation. this part of the lesson was my favorite! who knew working on pronunciation could be fun!? well, my students had a hard time pronouncing the "th" sound. it always, without fail, sounded like the "z" or "s" sound. to my students, they didn't hear the difference...until i taught it to them. they would say think, and it would sound like sink. even on the last day they would say something to me with the word think in it...and my response was always "is it think, or sink?" they would correct it and move on. if my students learned one thing from me, it better have been pronunciation!
one day we were doing an activity that required some extra pronunciation help. they weren't hearing the difference between words, so i kept correcting them. i would write the correct word and what i was hearing on the board. they all laughed, because once they saw it on the board, they knew what was wrong. every time they would say the word, i would laugh, because it was funny. then i would pick up chalk...and they would groan and laugh at the same time. this particular day was filled with laughter and joy.
as much as i hope those kids learned pronunciation and vocabulary from me, i learned so much from them. my class did not come from the richest of backgrounds. most of their parents were farmers, and they have to walk anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour just to get to school. when i first met them, my heart broke for their circumstances. little did i know the joy that they possessed. each day when i came into class, they all smiled. maybe they were smiling because i was smiling, but i knew that i would be uplifted when i came to teach them.
even though these students have enormous weights to bear, they have joy. i choose to believe that God has His hand on those students. that, if only for the summer, they had joy, it was God shining through me. i got this picture on the last day of class:
this is from a student who God placed on my heart very early. i choose to believe that i was her star, because Jesus is mine. i choose to believe that she found confidence in my eyes, because Jesus was telling her heart that He believed in her. i choose to believe that she thought i was beautiful, because Jesus radiated from my being. i choose to believe that God receives all the glory for this summer being a success. when you choose to believe Jesus, you cannot help but have joy.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
power of prayer.
i've always known the complete power of prayer. i don't think i have always taken time out of the day to realize its power. my trip to China really opened my eyes to the power of prayer and how i need to look for it daily.
our school liked to take us on many trips. we had heard about this fact from our team leader as well as some other Camp China alumni. while our trips filled two weekends we were in Longde, it could have been worse.
one particular sunday, our leaders wanted to take us to see the beautiful and of course, very famous, sights of Ningxia, the province we were in. so, this sunday, we all woke up for breakfast at 7am, not really knowing when we would leave for the day. 8am rolls around, and we still have no idea what is in store for our day. about an hour and a half into breakfast (which consisted of both camp china teams staring at each other because of exhaustion), we got word that we would be leaving at 930am. so, we headed back to our rooms, got our tennis shoes on and headed out the door.
we took a 2 hour bus ride through some pretty amazing sights.
our school liked to take us on many trips. we had heard about this fact from our team leader as well as some other Camp China alumni. while our trips filled two weekends we were in Longde, it could have been worse.
one particular sunday, our leaders wanted to take us to see the beautiful and of course, very famous, sights of Ningxia, the province we were in. so, this sunday, we all woke up for breakfast at 7am, not really knowing when we would leave for the day. 8am rolls around, and we still have no idea what is in store for our day. about an hour and a half into breakfast (which consisted of both camp china teams staring at each other because of exhaustion), we got word that we would be leaving at 930am. so, we headed back to our rooms, got our tennis shoes on and headed out the door.
we took a 2 hour bus ride through some pretty amazing sights.
then...we hit this part:
if you can't tell, we are driving up a mountain. it had been sprinkling our entire trip up, then we got so high, we entered the cloud it was raining out of. the little black part in the middle is another car in front of us. there is no railing on the side of the road, and rocks were falling off the edge of the mountain onto the road. not to mention that drivers in China are CRAZY and we were going fast. any way you look at it, there was a huge possibility of us dying. i was imagining the american paper headlines "10 Americans fall off cliff in middle of nowhere China" or "Americans fall off cliff." in my mind, we were all gonners.
then, i started to pray. i remember very distinctly saying to God, "GET US OFF THIS MOUNTAIN!" i may or may not have screamed it in my head. the sheer terror overcame what i prayed, and i believe God heard. we made it off that mountain in one piece, and were able to see this:
this is just one instance where i saw the power of prayer. everyday i thought of the tons of friends and family here that were praying for my team and i. i cannot begin to imagine what the trip would have been like without that prayer. God really put His hand on us. none of us got sick or had conflict with each other. our students were the best students anyone could ask for. and i believe wholeheartedly that it was because of all the people praying for us.
the opening.
i decided that i have processed enough of my trip to start blogging it. i hope you enjoy tidbits from my trip this summer as the next few weeks progress.
we arrived at training, not really knowing much about our destination city. over the course of a week, we were told our city is extremely remote, that we are pioneers, and that people were putting us #1 on their prayer list. it seemed as if we had it the worst. we thought that we would get there by donkey for goodness sakes! while that may seem funny and extreme, we were prepared for it.
luckily riding donkeys to Longde is not what happened. we flew from Beijing to Yinchuan, then took a 5 1/2 hour bus ride to Longde. This bus ride was through the mountains of rural northern China. i felt as if i was at the Grand Canyon....which i have never actually seen in real life. God's creation shouted His name as we rode along. fields of sunflowers lined the road with Chinese farmers diligently working their land. God's majesty did not stop at amazing me the entire trip. as we sat, singing praises in the bus, we all wondered what the next month would hold. then, we arrived.
our bus pulled into a small parking lot between 3 buildings, a courtyard of sorts. we all piled out, in our banquet best, for a banquet with the city officials and education leaders. exhausted from travel, we put on our smiling faces and did our best small talk as we ate traditional mutton. it was actually pretty delicious, it became a favorite of mine. after the banquet we were shown our hotel rooms. they had paired us up alphabetically into rooms. so, we filled, almost the entire first floor of this small hotel. our rooms were equipped with beds and pillows that felt (and could have very possibly been) like a sack of oats. our bathrooms were what we deemed them as a shoilet. the definition of a shoilet is a room with a shower head and a toilet. my roommate and i's shoilet could have easily been bigger than our actual room. but, we were able to use our bathroom with ease and comfort...if you look at it that way.
while unpacking, we were informed that the first floor was too damp for us, the foreigners, so they moved us upstairs. while the first floor was fine, we packed all our stuff, and moved upstairs. we rested, then prepared for another banquet. after that banquet, we returned to our hotel, which was yards away, and prepared for the first day of teaching.
*we were pioneers this summer. we were the first Camp China teams that have been to the city of Longde. we very well could have been the first foreigners they saw. and, we were different. i count it a privilege that we were able to do what we did this summer. we were able to show God's love, without ever saying His name. while that may seem insignificant, it was huge. everyone saw the difference in us. whether it was giving a 16 year old student a hug, the first in her life, or saying hello to a stranger in the street, we lived and breathed God's love. there was no way we could have done it without the prayers and support of people at home and with ELI. i am so thankful for those prayers, and definitely learned the power of prayer this summer.
stay tuned!
we arrived at training, not really knowing much about our destination city. over the course of a week, we were told our city is extremely remote, that we are pioneers, and that people were putting us #1 on their prayer list. it seemed as if we had it the worst. we thought that we would get there by donkey for goodness sakes! while that may seem funny and extreme, we were prepared for it.
luckily riding donkeys to Longde is not what happened. we flew from Beijing to Yinchuan, then took a 5 1/2 hour bus ride to Longde. This bus ride was through the mountains of rural northern China. i felt as if i was at the Grand Canyon....which i have never actually seen in real life. God's creation shouted His name as we rode along. fields of sunflowers lined the road with Chinese farmers diligently working their land. God's majesty did not stop at amazing me the entire trip. as we sat, singing praises in the bus, we all wondered what the next month would hold. then, we arrived.
our bus pulled into a small parking lot between 3 buildings, a courtyard of sorts. we all piled out, in our banquet best, for a banquet with the city officials and education leaders. exhausted from travel, we put on our smiling faces and did our best small talk as we ate traditional mutton. it was actually pretty delicious, it became a favorite of mine. after the banquet we were shown our hotel rooms. they had paired us up alphabetically into rooms. so, we filled, almost the entire first floor of this small hotel. our rooms were equipped with beds and pillows that felt (and could have very possibly been) like a sack of oats. our bathrooms were what we deemed them as a shoilet. the definition of a shoilet is a room with a shower head and a toilet. my roommate and i's shoilet could have easily been bigger than our actual room. but, we were able to use our bathroom with ease and comfort...if you look at it that way.
while unpacking, we were informed that the first floor was too damp for us, the foreigners, so they moved us upstairs. while the first floor was fine, we packed all our stuff, and moved upstairs. we rested, then prepared for another banquet. after that banquet, we returned to our hotel, which was yards away, and prepared for the first day of teaching.
*we were pioneers this summer. we were the first Camp China teams that have been to the city of Longde. we very well could have been the first foreigners they saw. and, we were different. i count it a privilege that we were able to do what we did this summer. we were able to show God's love, without ever saying His name. while that may seem insignificant, it was huge. everyone saw the difference in us. whether it was giving a 16 year old student a hug, the first in her life, or saying hello to a stranger in the street, we lived and breathed God's love. there was no way we could have done it without the prayers and support of people at home and with ELI. i am so thankful for those prayers, and definitely learned the power of prayer this summer.
stay tuned!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
standing in power.
in Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
this cornerstone, this solid ground
firm through the fiercest drought and storm
what heights of love, what depths of peace
when fears are stilled, when striving cease
my comforter, my all in all
here in the love of Christ, i'll stand
in Christ alone, who took on flesh
fullness of God in helpless babe
this gift of love, and righteousness
scorned by the ones He came to save
'til on that cross, as Jesus died
the wrath of God, was satisfied
for every sin, on him was lain
here in the death of Christ, i live
there in the ground, His body lay
light of the world, by darkness slain
then bursting forth, in glorious day
up from the grave he rose again
and as He stands, in victory
sin's curse has lost its grip on me
for i am His, and He is mine
bought with the precious blood of Christ
no guilt in life, no fear in death
this is the power of Christ in me
from life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
no power of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
here in the power of Christ i'll stand
In Christ Alone sung by Avalon
i've really loved this song for quite some time now. i don't think its one of those songs you can just listen to. something about it calls you to sing along. i don't know about you, but this song makes me want to give praise, honor, glory, and cry. my goodness, it stirs every emotion. as i sit here, writing, i keep stopping to sing, therefore this blog post is taking forever.
it humbles me, every single time, to think that Jesus saved me. i know i've written about this before, but really, when it comes to Jesus being awesome, why not write about it repeatedly?
i will be traveling halfway across the planet on friday. i am scared. nervous even. then i hear this song and its like a smack in the forehead. its like God is saying:
He is my light, my strength, my song
this cornerstone, this solid ground
firm through the fiercest drought and storm
what heights of love, what depths of peace
when fears are stilled, when striving cease
my comforter, my all in all
here in the love of Christ, i'll stand
in Christ alone, who took on flesh
fullness of God in helpless babe
this gift of love, and righteousness
scorned by the ones He came to save
'til on that cross, as Jesus died
the wrath of God, was satisfied
for every sin, on him was lain
here in the death of Christ, i live
there in the ground, His body lay
light of the world, by darkness slain
then bursting forth, in glorious day
up from the grave he rose again
and as He stands, in victory
sin's curse has lost its grip on me
for i am His, and He is mine
bought with the precious blood of Christ
no guilt in life, no fear in death
this is the power of Christ in me
from life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
no power of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
here in the power of Christ i'll stand
In Christ Alone sung by Avalon
i've really loved this song for quite some time now. i don't think its one of those songs you can just listen to. something about it calls you to sing along. i don't know about you, but this song makes me want to give praise, honor, glory, and cry. my goodness, it stirs every emotion. as i sit here, writing, i keep stopping to sing, therefore this blog post is taking forever.
it humbles me, every single time, to think that Jesus saved me. i know i've written about this before, but really, when it comes to Jesus being awesome, why not write about it repeatedly?
i will be traveling halfway across the planet on friday. i am scared. nervous even. then i hear this song and its like a smack in the forehead. its like God is saying:
"tiffany, i've never left you. what makes you think i will now?"
on my first trip to asia, ever, i found this verse.
"I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, i will not be shaken. therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. you have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence."
Acts 2:25-28 (Ps. 16:8-11)
i think i often forget the power of Christ. i relish in His love and comfort, but when He gently reminds me of His power, i am in complete awe. anyone that can defeat death is powerful in my book. i am so glad that i serve a POWERFUL King!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
prayer for asia.
i want to share a prayer that i wrote out on my last trip to asia. i encourage you to lift up asia to the Father.
Lord,
I pray for asia. i pray that every person is able to hear the story of Christ. I pray that you give every asian person a desire to find you and I pray you send people into their lives to help them find the truth. I pray for the asian Christians. i pray that you keep them safe and bold. That they may never fear death or telling people about you. I pray for all the workers on the field. Keep them safe and healthy. Give them discernment in any and all situations. I thank you for sending me to asia. There is no greater task than sharing Christ and I am honored to be given the privilege.
Lord,
I pray for asia. i pray that every person is able to hear the story of Christ. I pray that you give every asian person a desire to find you and I pray you send people into their lives to help them find the truth. I pray for the asian Christians. i pray that you keep them safe and bold. That they may never fear death or telling people about you. I pray for all the workers on the field. Keep them safe and healthy. Give them discernment in any and all situations. I thank you for sending me to asia. There is no greater task than sharing Christ and I am honored to be given the privilege.
Monday, June 28, 2010
hello weekday.
this weekend was a very relaxing one. i love that i have a job, but i love it that i also get the summer off to sleep in or do whatever i want. its really great.
there is only one highlight from this weekend. sunday was a great day. worship hit so close to home as we sang Leeland "follow you" and then i read it. a facebook message from an unexpected place.
i love my high school girls. seriously, nothing brings me more joy than to see them becoming amazing young women of God. they are accomplishing things that, looking back, i wish i could have at their age. their impact is going to be so great on this world, i just know it.
i always wonder the impact i have on these girls. i wonder if what i'm doing really matters in the grand scheme of things. and honestly, i've wrestled with God about that. trying to discern if this is really where he wants me at this point in my life. i know he put Asia on my heart, but he also put ministering to high school girls on my heart. i have come to a place now, where i know that God wants me to do both. he has shown extreme favor in each area, and i am so thankful.
sunday, i received a message from one of my girls. she told in the message of the impact i've had on her and that she would miss me and be praying for me. it brings me to tears every time i think about it. i never thought that over the past 3 years i would have that much of an impact. it humbles me.
i love asia. i know that God wants me to be a light there. but for right now, God has me exactly where he needs me. and i am delighted to be here.
there is only one highlight from this weekend. sunday was a great day. worship hit so close to home as we sang Leeland "follow you" and then i read it. a facebook message from an unexpected place.
i love my high school girls. seriously, nothing brings me more joy than to see them becoming amazing young women of God. they are accomplishing things that, looking back, i wish i could have at their age. their impact is going to be so great on this world, i just know it.
i always wonder the impact i have on these girls. i wonder if what i'm doing really matters in the grand scheme of things. and honestly, i've wrestled with God about that. trying to discern if this is really where he wants me at this point in my life. i know he put Asia on my heart, but he also put ministering to high school girls on my heart. i have come to a place now, where i know that God wants me to do both. he has shown extreme favor in each area, and i am so thankful.
sunday, i received a message from one of my girls. she told in the message of the impact i've had on her and that she would miss me and be praying for me. it brings me to tears every time i think about it. i never thought that over the past 3 years i would have that much of an impact. it humbles me.
i love asia. i know that God wants me to be a light there. but for right now, God has me exactly where he needs me. and i am delighted to be here.
Friday, June 25, 2010
silly bands and dinner.
so, this week a lot happened. here are a few of the highlights!
monday night, i went to dinner with a friend. it was such a sweet time to fellowship. honestly, i needed it. the stress of life and the excitement for leaving next week has me a little bogged down. but to just unfold everything on the table about life, was such a blessing.
this week, i was housesitting. not leaving a lot of room for packing. so, you can imagine the rush i feel now, as i am home, starting to pack. i have everything from medicine to those magic expandable towels. you name it, i probably have it. so yesterday, i was at good ol walmart getting a few things. you know, picking up some almost last minute items. well, i know that everyone knows about silly bandz. well, i decided that Asia needed to be formally introduced, so i bought some Toy Story 3 themed ones. i emailed my team, and told them of the ridiculous craze down here, and that i had bought them. and you wouldn't believe it, but 2 of the other girls on my team bought some too, from their respective cities! i think my team has already bonded, and we haven't even met in person yet!
as you all know, i leave next week for Asia. i am beyond excited about this fact. a few weeks ago, we were given a specific dress code that involves long pants and long sleeves. since the city i will be in is so rural, it is also very conservative. you would never believe it if i told you, i had absolutely NO "winter" clothes. i own, shorts upon shorts upon shorts. but of course, it was a good excuse to shop a little!
monday night, i went to dinner with a friend. it was such a sweet time to fellowship. honestly, i needed it. the stress of life and the excitement for leaving next week has me a little bogged down. but to just unfold everything on the table about life, was such a blessing.
this week, i was housesitting. not leaving a lot of room for packing. so, you can imagine the rush i feel now, as i am home, starting to pack. i have everything from medicine to those magic expandable towels. you name it, i probably have it. so yesterday, i was at good ol walmart getting a few things. you know, picking up some almost last minute items. well, i know that everyone knows about silly bandz. well, i decided that Asia needed to be formally introduced, so i bought some Toy Story 3 themed ones. i emailed my team, and told them of the ridiculous craze down here, and that i had bought them. and you wouldn't believe it, but 2 of the other girls on my team bought some too, from their respective cities! i think my team has already bonded, and we haven't even met in person yet!
as you all know, i leave next week for Asia. i am beyond excited about this fact. a few weeks ago, we were given a specific dress code that involves long pants and long sleeves. since the city i will be in is so rural, it is also very conservative. you would never believe it if i told you, i had absolutely NO "winter" clothes. i own, shorts upon shorts upon shorts. but of course, it was a good excuse to shop a little!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
stories.
Did not catch her name
Did not catch her tears
It hit me like a train
When her story hit my ears
Mother of eight sons
Father off to war
Got no home address
Just bricks on a dirt floor
Jesus is all I need
Tiny plot of land
Corn stored up in piles
Years it doesn't rain
They just stay hungry for awhile
No fattened calf to kill
She made a feast of cuy and corn
She said "who else knew my name before the day I was born?
Jesus is all I need
Jesus is all I need"
She bragged about her boys
How they're growing into men
How they learned to praise the Lord
Old style, Equadorian
To buy a new guitar
They had to sell the swine
Said, "my boys go to school on a foreign angel's dime
This world calls me poor
Although my name is on this floor
He always provides
Sure as the sun will rise
So I'll sing him songs of praise
'Cause I know he'll keep me in his gaze."
Rain poured from the sky
We raced back to the van
There were tears in the eyes
Of this poor, forgetful man
Mother of eight sons
She knows the peace of God
Lord, help me learn to lean
On thy staff and thy rod
Jesus is all I need
Jesus is all I need
All I Need by Cademon's Call
i love cademon's call. they have always been awesome. but lately, i have fallen in love with their music. they have such a desire to see the world come to know Christ. its laced throughout their lyrics.
i hope to one day, be an awesome storyteller of the impoverished people of this world. i hope to not only see them come to Jesus, but to share their story with anyone who will listen.
i think its good to share the stories of those that are seemingly less fortunate. it will for sure minister to your heart, but also i think people need to hear about miracles. in america, visible miracles are few and far between to most people. how can someone not believe in Jesus, when they hear the story of someone who has less than they do, but is so so rich?
Did not catch her tears
It hit me like a train
When her story hit my ears
Mother of eight sons
Father off to war
Got no home address
Just bricks on a dirt floor
Jesus is all I need
Tiny plot of land
Corn stored up in piles
Years it doesn't rain
They just stay hungry for awhile
No fattened calf to kill
She made a feast of cuy and corn
She said "who else knew my name before the day I was born?
Jesus is all I need
Jesus is all I need"
She bragged about her boys
How they're growing into men
How they learned to praise the Lord
Old style, Equadorian
To buy a new guitar
They had to sell the swine
Said, "my boys go to school on a foreign angel's dime
This world calls me poor
Although my name is on this floor
He always provides
Sure as the sun will rise
So I'll sing him songs of praise
'Cause I know he'll keep me in his gaze."
Rain poured from the sky
We raced back to the van
There were tears in the eyes
Of this poor, forgetful man
Mother of eight sons
She knows the peace of God
Lord, help me learn to lean
On thy staff and thy rod
Jesus is all I need
Jesus is all I need
All I Need by Cademon's Call
i love cademon's call. they have always been awesome. but lately, i have fallen in love with their music. they have such a desire to see the world come to know Christ. its laced throughout their lyrics.
i hope to one day, be an awesome storyteller of the impoverished people of this world. i hope to not only see them come to Jesus, but to share their story with anyone who will listen.
i think its good to share the stories of those that are seemingly less fortunate. it will for sure minister to your heart, but also i think people need to hear about miracles. in america, visible miracles are few and far between to most people. how can someone not believe in Jesus, when they hear the story of someone who has less than they do, but is so so rich?
who's story have you told?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
10 days. visually.
i've decided this post should be in pictures. i think you will see my heart through them. at least i hope you will.
Monday, June 21, 2010
weekend talk.
i had a great weekend! it is becoming more and more clear to me that i will be without my home church for a month. i am excited about the next month, but know that with this excitement comes sacrifice. and worshiping with at church is something i must sacrifice to make the Lord's name known in a far country.
i loved celebrating my dad. he is the best dad in the whole world! even though things haven't been going well lately, i still know that he is the best man in the world. i think its men like my dad that give me a very high bar of expectation in a man when it comes to a future mate.
my favorite thing about my dad is his humor. he always says its his job to embarrass his children...and man does he do that sometimes. but his corny jokes at the dinner table make me laugh on the inside. because they are corny...i don't laugh on the outside. :)
and like i said, i love my dad. i like to think that even though i look like him, i also inherited his love for the Lord and passion for people. i think he is wonderful and i thank God for giving me such a great dad.
i loved celebrating my dad. he is the best dad in the whole world! even though things haven't been going well lately, i still know that he is the best man in the world. i think its men like my dad that give me a very high bar of expectation in a man when it comes to a future mate.
my favorite thing about my dad is his humor. he always says its his job to embarrass his children...and man does he do that sometimes. but his corny jokes at the dinner table make me laugh on the inside. because they are corny...i don't laugh on the outside. :)
and like i said, i love my dad. i like to think that even though i look like him, i also inherited his love for the Lord and passion for people. i think he is wonderful and i thank God for giving me such a great dad.
Friday, June 18, 2010
highlights.
i've decided to give my blog a structure makeover. yes yes, my posts have been sporadic at best, and all have had meaning. this is about to change.
here is how they will generally go. monday = weekend talk. tuesday = asia. wednesday = funny story of the week. thursday = serious post. friday = highlights.
so...since today is friday, i will divulge some highlights of the week! and...since i was at camp during this week...most of them will be camp themed. prepare yourselves. :)
highlight #1
as many of you know, i love my high school life group. i love teaching them and sharing life with them. well, this week, we shared a lot of life together. from nasty camp food to deep spiritual talks, we shared it all. i challenged my girls to take hold of the incredible opportunity they have of reaching their friends for Christ. i had no idea who would actually take my advice, but i knew that the Lord would take hold of some girls and lead them to be leaders in the youth group. well, there was a little meeting with all the people who would like to do just that...be leaders. i was amazed at how many of my girls were there, stepping up to the plate. they realized they were created to stand out and radically change the lives of their friends for Christ. it was an absolute joy to see God working in their lives.
highlight #2
while i was at camp, i received an email from the organization i'm going to asia with. this email was from a family that is living in the city that i will be headed to in 2 weeks (holy cow...2 weeks!). their newsletter was so informative. i was so excited to hear of the awesome people God will be placing in my path. the letter told us how this city i will be in is so rural, that some students will be traveling from about 30 miles just to learn, because their villages don't have schools. not only that, but the vast majority of the population in this city lives on $1.00 a day. i am so excited to be teaching english to these students. i can't wait to build relationships with them and show them what Love is all about.
highlight #3
this isn't really a highlight. at camp, we do rec. now, in florida, the heat is intense and almost unbearable. last year, i had the privilege of being on the pink team. we were incredibly talented, and if i remember correctly scored pretty high. this year i was blessed to again be on the pink team. well, this year, we were a little less athletic, but were determined to win. so the first day, we lost every single game we played. the second day we won 2. now, while i know the important part of rec is team building, i can't help but wonder what life would be like without it. just saying...it might be a little bit cooler...literally.
highlight #4
each counselor at camp had a job during free time. for instance, two people had pool duty, two people would be checking cabins to make sure that people were doing what they were supposed to be doing, etc. well, the most envied job of them all was the person in charge of the cart. thats right, the golf cart. this person would drive around and make sure no one was killing themselves by diving head first into the hot cement off a skateboard. well, i got that job. don't ask how, but i guess it pays to have connections. so, i picked up a friend counselor and we decided to be the dress code police. we found every girl walking towards the pool with a towel over her shoulder and checked the color of her shirt to make sure that if she was wearing a bikini, you couldn't see it through the shirt. we had to make a few girls turn around, but all in all, i feel like we were successful at being the dress code police. :)
here is how they will generally go. monday = weekend talk. tuesday = asia. wednesday = funny story of the week. thursday = serious post. friday = highlights.
so...since today is friday, i will divulge some highlights of the week! and...since i was at camp during this week...most of them will be camp themed. prepare yourselves. :)
highlight #1
as many of you know, i love my high school life group. i love teaching them and sharing life with them. well, this week, we shared a lot of life together. from nasty camp food to deep spiritual talks, we shared it all. i challenged my girls to take hold of the incredible opportunity they have of reaching their friends for Christ. i had no idea who would actually take my advice, but i knew that the Lord would take hold of some girls and lead them to be leaders in the youth group. well, there was a little meeting with all the people who would like to do just that...be leaders. i was amazed at how many of my girls were there, stepping up to the plate. they realized they were created to stand out and radically change the lives of their friends for Christ. it was an absolute joy to see God working in their lives.
highlight #2
while i was at camp, i received an email from the organization i'm going to asia with. this email was from a family that is living in the city that i will be headed to in 2 weeks (holy cow...2 weeks!). their newsletter was so informative. i was so excited to hear of the awesome people God will be placing in my path. the letter told us how this city i will be in is so rural, that some students will be traveling from about 30 miles just to learn, because their villages don't have schools. not only that, but the vast majority of the population in this city lives on $1.00 a day. i am so excited to be teaching english to these students. i can't wait to build relationships with them and show them what Love is all about.
highlight #3
this isn't really a highlight. at camp, we do rec. now, in florida, the heat is intense and almost unbearable. last year, i had the privilege of being on the pink team. we were incredibly talented, and if i remember correctly scored pretty high. this year i was blessed to again be on the pink team. well, this year, we were a little less athletic, but were determined to win. so the first day, we lost every single game we played. the second day we won 2. now, while i know the important part of rec is team building, i can't help but wonder what life would be like without it. just saying...it might be a little bit cooler...literally.
highlight #4
each counselor at camp had a job during free time. for instance, two people had pool duty, two people would be checking cabins to make sure that people were doing what they were supposed to be doing, etc. well, the most envied job of them all was the person in charge of the cart. thats right, the golf cart. this person would drive around and make sure no one was killing themselves by diving head first into the hot cement off a skateboard. well, i got that job. don't ask how, but i guess it pays to have connections. so, i picked up a friend counselor and we decided to be the dress code police. we found every girl walking towards the pool with a towel over her shoulder and checked the color of her shirt to make sure that if she was wearing a bikini, you couldn't see it through the shirt. we had to make a few girls turn around, but all in all, i feel like we were successful at being the dress code police. :)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
camp
i have wonderful memories of Camp Orlando from my own high school days. worshiping with steve fee and listening to God inspired words from stewart hall flood my mind with thoughts of "the good ol days". even though i'm not old...by any stretch of the imagination...i felt it this week.
one thing i was so surprised about was the spiritual maturity of my high school girls. the first day we had a great time getting to know each other, but the second day is when the bond really started.
my girls are separated by distance and school. some go to private school and some public. when i was in high school there was a very clear division by that. this week, that wall was completely demolished. i saw girls from all over orlando become friends with a lasting bond that no man can break.
anyways, the second day we shared our testimonies during cabin time. i cannot begin to tell you the effect it had on everyone in the cabin. i learned things about girls, that i have known for 3 years, that i had no idea about. they supported each other in a way i never was able to in high school. they are about to take on a huge role as seniors and leaders in this youth group and i believe wholeheartedly they can do it.
i have never been more proud of who they are in Christ. one girl shared that because of her friend (who also happened to be in my cabin) she wanted to know more about Christ. this same girl gave her life to Christ two nights ago! praise the Lord! another one of my girls was baptized last night! God really changed the lives of these girls. something i had been praying for for weeks.
one thing i was so surprised about was the spiritual maturity of my high school girls. the first day we had a great time getting to know each other, but the second day is when the bond really started.
my girls are separated by distance and school. some go to private school and some public. when i was in high school there was a very clear division by that. this week, that wall was completely demolished. i saw girls from all over orlando become friends with a lasting bond that no man can break.
anyways, the second day we shared our testimonies during cabin time. i cannot begin to tell you the effect it had on everyone in the cabin. i learned things about girls, that i have known for 3 years, that i had no idea about. they supported each other in a way i never was able to in high school. they are about to take on a huge role as seniors and leaders in this youth group and i believe wholeheartedly they can do it.
i have never been more proud of who they are in Christ. one girl shared that because of her friend (who also happened to be in my cabin) she wanted to know more about Christ. this same girl gave her life to Christ two nights ago! praise the Lord! another one of my girls was baptized last night! God really changed the lives of these girls. something i had been praying for for weeks.
the heat, exhaustion, bad food, and bug bites were worth it, just to watch these girls realize all that they can become in Christ. God is so good.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
face to face.
i was at work tonight, and since i'm at the front desk, i get to hear the saturday night service most of the time. sometimes i find myself checking people in and singing along to the worship songs. i'm sure to the normal person i look very odd, but who cares. so, i'm standing there, and kari jobe is leading worship this weekend along with the Watoto Children's Choir who are here from Uganda.
kari was singing revelation song, which has always moved me to tears. at one point during the song, the children from Uganda were singing alone. i cannot describe the emotion that came over me. just to see those children worshiping the Lord with all their might. its as if they saw Him face to face.
i think thats one thing that i will miss most while i'm in Asia. i think i take for granted the freedom i have to worship here. we sing every sunday, and its routine. i am totally guilty of that. i'm not going to blame anyone but myself. because honestly, its not anyone else's fault.
so, as an imperfect worshiper, i challenge you (and myself) to a day full of beautiful worship. singing praises freely. because there might come a day when we can't worship freely, but oh how wonderful the freedom is now!
filled with wonder, awestruck wonder, at the mention of Your name. Jesus Your name is power, breath, and living water, such a marvelous mystery! -Revelation Song by Kari Jobe
kari was singing revelation song, which has always moved me to tears. at one point during the song, the children from Uganda were singing alone. i cannot describe the emotion that came over me. just to see those children worshiping the Lord with all their might. its as if they saw Him face to face.
i think thats one thing that i will miss most while i'm in Asia. i think i take for granted the freedom i have to worship here. we sing every sunday, and its routine. i am totally guilty of that. i'm not going to blame anyone but myself. because honestly, its not anyone else's fault.
so, as an imperfect worshiper, i challenge you (and myself) to a day full of beautiful worship. singing praises freely. because there might come a day when we can't worship freely, but oh how wonderful the freedom is now!
filled with wonder, awestruck wonder, at the mention of Your name. Jesus Your name is power, breath, and living water, such a marvelous mystery! -Revelation Song by Kari Jobe
Friday, May 21, 2010
in His presence.
i love babysitting. seriously, there is nothing better than watching someone's kids and getting to leave at the end of the night and get a full nights sleep. i mean, i want to be a mom someday, but babysitting is really as good as it gets! its like the best of both worlds!
i love when i get to a house and the kid(s) have one thing that they love to do with me. at one house, its painting fingernails for 3 bright eyed energetic girls. at another house, its watching Tinkerbell the movie with another little girl that dreams of being Ariel one day. this is the same girl that thinks her daddy is prince charming!
God doesn't babysit me, although i think sometimes my behavior warrants babysitting, but that is besides the point. but there are things i LOVE to do with Him. i love to rest in His presence. i know that sounds so general, but have you ever been there? have you ever been so fully wrapped in Him that you get goosebumps?
it happened on my way home today. i was singing How Deep The Father's Love For Us (sung by Nichole Nordeman) in my car and felt it. the goosebumps traveled all the way from my ankles to my head. you know, that kind that overwhelms you? it came at this part:
it was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
i know that it is finished
sometimes i cannot even imagine how or why He loves me the way He does. i don't think i am supposed to.
like i said, i love babysitting, and the fact that the kids love doing one special thing with Miss Tiffany. but what the kids don't know, is that as much as they love doing that with me, i love just being with them. i like to think God thinks that too. in fact, i know He does.
Zephaniah 3:17
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
i love when i get to a house and the kid(s) have one thing that they love to do with me. at one house, its painting fingernails for 3 bright eyed energetic girls. at another house, its watching Tinkerbell the movie with another little girl that dreams of being Ariel one day. this is the same girl that thinks her daddy is prince charming!
God doesn't babysit me, although i think sometimes my behavior warrants babysitting, but that is besides the point. but there are things i LOVE to do with Him. i love to rest in His presence. i know that sounds so general, but have you ever been there? have you ever been so fully wrapped in Him that you get goosebumps?
it happened on my way home today. i was singing How Deep The Father's Love For Us (sung by Nichole Nordeman) in my car and felt it. the goosebumps traveled all the way from my ankles to my head. you know, that kind that overwhelms you? it came at this part:
it was my sin that held Him there
until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
i know that it is finished
sometimes i cannot even imagine how or why He loves me the way He does. i don't think i am supposed to.
like i said, i love babysitting, and the fact that the kids love doing one special thing with Miss Tiffany. but what the kids don't know, is that as much as they love doing that with me, i love just being with them. i like to think God thinks that too. in fact, i know He does.
Zephaniah 3:17
"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
44 days.
i can hardly believe, that in 44 days i will be on the other side of the world. i don't even have the slightest vision of what it will be like.
today, a mom came to drop off her child while she was in a bible study. she looks at me and says "use this for however God tells you to use it for your trip." i was stunned. seriously, God shows me His providence for my life/summer just about every day. think about it.
who knew that when i was 22 i would want to become a teacher? and who knew that at the same age, i would go on my first trip to Asia? who knew that at the age of 24 i would be teaching my own class? God did.
sounds incredibly cliche, right? you only hear that for newborns and graduating seniors. its the verse that i have heard so many times, i can quote it in my sleep.
Jeremiah 29:11
"for I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope."
i take great comfort in knowing that He gave me a future and a hope. i don't know why i am so surprised when God shows up. He does all the time, and sometimes i don't even take notice.
You Are For Me-Kari Jobe
So faithful, so constant
So loving and so true
So powerful in all You do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me, to sing to You
I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me, who You are
So patient, so gracious
So merciful and true
So wonderful in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me, to sing to you
I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me, who You are
today, a mom came to drop off her child while she was in a bible study. she looks at me and says "use this for however God tells you to use it for your trip." i was stunned. seriously, God shows me His providence for my life/summer just about every day. think about it.
who knew that when i was 22 i would want to become a teacher? and who knew that at the same age, i would go on my first trip to Asia? who knew that at the age of 24 i would be teaching my own class? God did.
sounds incredibly cliche, right? you only hear that for newborns and graduating seniors. its the verse that i have heard so many times, i can quote it in my sleep.
Jeremiah 29:11
"for I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope."
i take great comfort in knowing that He gave me a future and a hope. i don't know why i am so surprised when God shows up. He does all the time, and sometimes i don't even take notice.
You Are For Me-Kari Jobe
So faithful, so constant
So loving and so true
So powerful in all You do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me, to sing to You
I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me, who You are
So patient, so gracious
So merciful and true
So wonderful in all you do
You fill me, You see me
You know my every move
You love for me, to sing to you
I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
I know that you have come now
Even if to write upon my heart
To remind me, who You are
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
consumed.
yesterday i received and email saying that the city i was assigned to is saying they are not going to have a team this summer. talk about bummer. all that after i had already learned how to say it! then i realized what this meant and floods of doubts starting filling my brain...which is already jam packed with a million other things. how could doubt possibly fit?
i started doubting this trip. i started doubting if this really was God's call on my life. all this doubt overcame me. then it hit me. like a ton of bricks peace came over me. its like God reached in and pulled out all my doubts.
i found this verse and found it very fitting.
Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.
what an awesome truth! the Lord loves us deeply, passionately, and always. praise the Lord we are NOT consumed! how oppressed would we feel if we had the constant feeling of doubt, failure, brokenness weighing on our shoulders.
i am so so glad for the peace that passes all understanding. and cannot imagine life without His great love saving me daily.
i started doubting this trip. i started doubting if this really was God's call on my life. all this doubt overcame me. then it hit me. like a ton of bricks peace came over me. its like God reached in and pulled out all my doubts.
i found this verse and found it very fitting.
Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.
what an awesome truth! the Lord loves us deeply, passionately, and always. praise the Lord we are NOT consumed! how oppressed would we feel if we had the constant feeling of doubt, failure, brokenness weighing on our shoulders.
i am so so glad for the peace that passes all understanding. and cannot imagine life without His great love saving me daily.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
wonder
i got my placement for this summer! and boy am i excited! i am really excited about my team and the place i will be going. most importantly, the students that will be in my class. i've been thinking about them a lot lately.
i wonder if they will like me. i wonder if they will be accepting of the Gospel. i wonder if i will make a difference in their lives.
today, the service at church was about leaving a legacy. i hope and pray that my legacy is left not only in America but also in Asia. i want to bring the Gospel full force. to show them what God is all about. that He loves them, is always with them, and most importantly forgives them for everything they have done or will do.
i think i am on a good path to seeing that fulfilled in this lifetime. some people have told me that foreign missions is not as important as "home" missions. i seriously disagree. i have come into contact with numerous people in Asia that have NEVER heard the name of Jesus. it seriously astonishes me. i'm in no way saying that reaching out here, in America, does not matter. i am plainly saying that God did not say, "oh, just because you live here or there, you do not deserve me." if you find it...tell me. but i guarantee its not there. if Jesus said that, then we, Americans, would not know the loving kindness of Jesus and His beautiful mercy.
there are some things that matter. and telling people about Jesus matters. no matter the place. no matter the time.
i WILL make a difference.
i wonder if they will like me. i wonder if they will be accepting of the Gospel. i wonder if i will make a difference in their lives.
today, the service at church was about leaving a legacy. i hope and pray that my legacy is left not only in America but also in Asia. i want to bring the Gospel full force. to show them what God is all about. that He loves them, is always with them, and most importantly forgives them for everything they have done or will do.
i think i am on a good path to seeing that fulfilled in this lifetime. some people have told me that foreign missions is not as important as "home" missions. i seriously disagree. i have come into contact with numerous people in Asia that have NEVER heard the name of Jesus. it seriously astonishes me. i'm in no way saying that reaching out here, in America, does not matter. i am plainly saying that God did not say, "oh, just because you live here or there, you do not deserve me." if you find it...tell me. but i guarantee its not there. if Jesus said that, then we, Americans, would not know the loving kindness of Jesus and His beautiful mercy.
there are some things that matter. and telling people about Jesus matters. no matter the place. no matter the time.
i WILL make a difference.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
goodness.
today has been a lazy day. its my first morning off in almost 2 weeks and i took advantage of sleeping in! i decided today to file my taxes. while this task seems daunting to most people, today it wasn't. it was simple and easy. not to mention the awesome return i get! :) but while doing that i was checking email, facebook, my account for this summer and such. i have to say that God is so good.
i learned through all this, that even though the economy is horrible, and people don't have a lot, i am rich. God has given me so much that i consistently forget to thank Him for. i had explained to my prayer group this summer that i was worried about finances for the trip. i had started to doubt that it would ever come in. but God showed me that it is His timing that is perfect. He knew that today, i would be sitting here, minding my own business, check a few things and be brought to tears by His extreme goodness. He continues to show me that His plan for my life is real.
i am overflowing with gratitude for my sweet Savior.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
time out.
if you know me, and how i run my classroom, you will know that i am a supporter of the "time out" method of correcting behavior. it really works. sometimes you just need to sit and rest to re-evaluate a situation. which is totally fine. then, after, with loving arms talk to the child and everything is fine!
well, i was in the car with my friend Jennie, talking about time out and how the kids in my class are so well behaved because they know that if they disobey or behave badly (which is rare) they will have to sit and think about it (for the length of their age...which is 2 minutes). anyways, while talking about that, my mind is racing with things that are heavy on my mind. one in particular happens this summer.
as most of you know, this summer i am going to teach english to jr high and high school students in asia. i am so so excited about it! anyways, i have been stressing out and worried about finances. since this year has been, economically speaking, ridiculous i have just worried whether it would come in or not. well, as i was thinking of ways to save more and spend less...i get home and check my account with the organization. i look and to my amazement, there were two new donations listed! the surprise is not the donations themselves, but the amount. i seriously looked and was speechless. i think a tear or two rolled down my face.
shame on me for ever doubting the power of God. seriously. God put me in time out. and i am so glad He did!
20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." -Matthew 21:20-22
well, i was in the car with my friend Jennie, talking about time out and how the kids in my class are so well behaved because they know that if they disobey or behave badly (which is rare) they will have to sit and think about it (for the length of their age...which is 2 minutes). anyways, while talking about that, my mind is racing with things that are heavy on my mind. one in particular happens this summer.
as most of you know, this summer i am going to teach english to jr high and high school students in asia. i am so so excited about it! anyways, i have been stressing out and worried about finances. since this year has been, economically speaking, ridiculous i have just worried whether it would come in or not. well, as i was thinking of ways to save more and spend less...i get home and check my account with the organization. i look and to my amazement, there were two new donations listed! the surprise is not the donations themselves, but the amount. i seriously looked and was speechless. i think a tear or two rolled down my face.
shame on me for ever doubting the power of God. seriously. God put me in time out. and i am so glad He did!
20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
21Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." -Matthew 21:20-22
Thursday, February 18, 2010
blessings.
woah. when business takes over...blog is the first thing to be left by the wayside. i am being serious when i say that 20 minutes ago, i meant to start writing this blog...now here it is 20 minutes later...and i am just on the 2nd sentence.
i have come to learn, that God has blessed me with innumerable things in my life. i mean, seriously, we could all complain about the economy being ridiculous or how tired we are or how life isn't fair...but how many times do those things seem so insignificant compared to all the blessings we have in life.
i think i take a lot of things for granted in life. today i was in my classroom telling two kids to share a toy, while i was changing a diaper, and i realized that there is more to life. those kids have become my life. i know that sounds funny, weird even, but i spend most of my days thinking of ways to teach them. today i found great satisfaction and joy in the fact that they could name a handful of fruits, colors, and recognize their name (granted they are 2...and thats a little advanced). a little girl in my class said to me today "i love God! and Jesus too!" seriously, could there be anything more rewarding?? i don't think so....not in a million years.
so, anyways, God blessed me with these kids and their parents, and the gift of teaching. i am so so so blessed to have the job i do and while i am in this place, at this moment, i will make the most of it. no matter what i'm waiting on, i need to remember to be aware of the blessings in life.
i may not be rich, or gorgeous, or famous, but i am rich in the blessings God has poured out. hmm...wow.
i have come to learn, that God has blessed me with innumerable things in my life. i mean, seriously, we could all complain about the economy being ridiculous or how tired we are or how life isn't fair...but how many times do those things seem so insignificant compared to all the blessings we have in life.
i think i take a lot of things for granted in life. today i was in my classroom telling two kids to share a toy, while i was changing a diaper, and i realized that there is more to life. those kids have become my life. i know that sounds funny, weird even, but i spend most of my days thinking of ways to teach them. today i found great satisfaction and joy in the fact that they could name a handful of fruits, colors, and recognize their name (granted they are 2...and thats a little advanced). a little girl in my class said to me today "i love God! and Jesus too!" seriously, could there be anything more rewarding?? i don't think so....not in a million years.
so, anyways, God blessed me with these kids and their parents, and the gift of teaching. i am so so so blessed to have the job i do and while i am in this place, at this moment, i will make the most of it. no matter what i'm waiting on, i need to remember to be aware of the blessings in life.
i may not be rich, or gorgeous, or famous, but i am rich in the blessings God has poured out. hmm...wow.
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