Need, Want, Wish

There are things I would like out of this life and sometimes it's hard to not get what you want.

I found this passage: "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19.

Notice how it says, "need of yours," not "want of yours." As a friend of mine says, "There are different categories for things: things you need, things you want, and things you wish for."

I did some thinking (scary, eh?) and I realized that God has taken care of all my needs! Shelter, Family (biological and Christian brothers and sisters), Food (too much actually!), transportation, funds for school, education, AND a country where I have the freedom to worship my God Almighty and to read His book freely!

Kinda puts things in perspective, eh? It sure did for me!



Every day is a gift from God! :)



F.R.O.G

I'm not usually one to encourage the acronyms such as "F.R.O.G" which stands for "Fully Rely On God." But it suddenly popped into my mind today and (being a woman) I thought about it and what it really meant to me.

At this point in my life, there's a lot of transition happening with my home, school, work, ministry, and in my social life (yes, all at once, because God never lets me be stagnant for very long) and frankly it's been building up in my heart. It's wearing me down physically and emotionally.

Where do I turn? I have my Bible, I read it. I have prayer, I talk to God. I have Christian brothers and sisters to turn to, I talk to them. Then it hit me... like a haggis on a hill... I hadn't been listening.

"Listening to what?" you might ask.
I've had this "nagging" on my heart (Hello God), to start relying and trusting Him to take care of me!

"Of course you should do that! It's what Christian's do, right?" you might inquire.
But let me tell ya, it's definitely easier said than done. For me, the biggest thing to give over to Him are my worries and anxieties.

I need to trust that He will take care of me! Sometimes I forget that and I want to control and run my life and balance everything...but really, who am I kidding? God is the Alpha and the Omega, trust me, He's the one with the power and He's the one I choose to let control my life.
Who's in control of yours?

"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock," Isaiah 26:4.

Scotland and Fall Semester

I really cannot believe how quickly the summer went! I went to Scotland, worked full-time (thank you Lord!), and went to WyldLife camp up at Saranac Lake, NY!

Scotland was indescribable. I met so many wonderful people and teens while there and my host family was awesome!! :) Yes, I tried Haggis and it was REALLY good! I hope to someday go back, but I'm not sure when that will be...maybe Summer 2013? I can't go this year due to my Microbiology course, it goes straight through July.

I'm in the process of applying to Nursing school. Prayers would be appreciated. I'm taking Anatomy & Physiology I right now. It's tough, but God has gotten me though it (as He always does). I absolutely love learning about the human body. :) I'll start to tell my friends about it and I get wicked excited and enthused about it and they look at me like, "Oookkaayy..."
Right now, I'm on Thanksgiving break and there is a ton to do! I have 2 exams coming up after break and I'm going to study extra long and hard so I do great on them and boost my grade up as much as possible!! I'm also planning on scratching my creative itch again and do something creative or artsy.

Thank you, Lord, for being there with me and for me through life. I couldn't imagine going through life without  knowing who you are! :)

Until next time!

Overlooking Edinburgh, Scotland

Stage N Slam 2011

View of Edinburgh from Edinburgh Castle

Glencoe, Scotland

                                                           

Scotland Around the Corner!

Regarding Hobbits....oh no wait... ::ahem::


Regarding Scotland,


My teammates and I leave for Scotland this week!
I pray that our time there is a blessing to others and that we do God's will.


God called me to go on this trip and he has provided the financial means for me to do this. He has also opened certain doors that made it possible for me to go and one door that was specific to me that I couldn't ignore!


Pray that our team is not spiritually attacked and that the minds of the youth and people we come into contact with have open hearts and minds. Pray for our health and safety while travelling and while overseas. Pray that we will work together as a team, build each other up, and set a great example of what being a follower of Christ looks like.


Thank you to everyone who has supported me through donation and/or prayer. I greatly appreciate it! I'm so ready for this and God's got this!


Note: I do not know if I will have the Internet while overseas. If I do, I may hop on here to write a blurb about what's going on, but if not, don't be disappointed. ;)


Blessings!

Scotland, Quickly Approaching!

Yes, the title of this blog entry is very true! Tuesday was our last conference call with the group and I'm wicked excited about going (with a side of nervousness, of course. lol!!)


Life is going pretty well right now! I feel like I'm ready for some new changes (maybe when I get home from Scotland, that's going to be big enough for the time-being). I'm very interested to see what else God has in store for me this summer. It may be nothing more than what I already have planned or he may throw something in... you never know.


I've done some fun and cool stuff this summer. Along with working full-time (and getting some cash-flow again) I have gone on a couple of hikes! The last one we hiked was awesome and was a little more difficult than my first hike, but I did it! After we hiked, we went to a state park and swam in the nice cold water! and when I say cold...it was cold, but so refreshing!


Please be praying for me and my fellow teammates as we prepare to go on this trip for God. Please pray for me to stay calm and not let my nerves run over me! Also, pray that I have more opportunities to be active outdoors this summer.


Have a great 4th of July! :)

Life's So Good!

I've been getting more information from the Trip Leader about our expedition to Scotland! I've got butterflies already in my stomach! :) My support has been raised by the grace of God! This is definitely confirming that this is where God wants me right now. I can't wait to see what he is going to do with us in Scotland!


I am also working full-time at the medical office. Thank you Lord! I am so thankful for the job this summer and the willingness of my boss to let me take the time off for Scotland and summer camp, however there are hurdles in this job that I did not foresee.
1) I sit for 8 hours a day. It is literally killing me. My bones constantly hurt now, I have neck tension almost all the time, my knees and back also kill (and I went to PT for 4 months and I don't want to undo all the work that was done!) Some people can sit for that long...I cannot. I take breaks, but I feel it's not enough!
2) The office staff
3)The full meaning of working 40 hours a week, I have had to totally rearrange my appointments with doctors and times to do things. It's okay, it's just taking some getting used to after being on "college-time" for 2 years...


So that's that with work. Prayers for patience and pain-free days would be much appreciated. :)


Even though I'm not in school right now, I have been learning so much about different things, it's so wonderful! I pray that I NEVER stop learning!!! It's almost addicting, but in a good way ;)


I am continuing my journey in living a healthier life. I've had a couple set-backs in regards to exercising (it's either rain or extreme humidity) so walking isn't very good... my knee has also been another hindrance. BUT, I recently went on a 3 mile hike and I DID IT!! (and didn't die!)  That is a big hurdle and I am thrilled I did it! :)


Food-wise, I still don't eat things with HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) unless given to me. Honestly, the stuff that has it, is wicked sweet (if a dessert.) Also, it's getting a little tough to not drink straight soda (as opposed to soda in alcohol)...I really get these cravings to Mountain Dew: Code Red that I really have to resist!!
HFCS free- 8 months
Straight soda free- 15 months


Life is so good right now! :) It has it's challenges, ups and downs, zigs and zags, but knowing God has your back and that he is always taking care of you is a comforting thing!!


Peace!

Hardware Gone...Among Other Things

After four and a half years, my braces are finally off!
~*~RIP Braces 9/2006 -5/9/2011~*~
I still can't believe it. I'm still in shock! :)  But that's OK. I have been indulging in gum (duh), almonds, walnuts, pecans, raw carrots, a pear and an apple and I have loved every bite of it!!! My gums are a bit sore so I have to be careful still of what I eat because I really don't want to irritate them!
But praise the Lord they are off!!!!


YLX Scotland is coming quickly! Support is still being raised, I am making certain preparations regarding communication while overseas, and I am continuing to pray about the coming trip and that the trip leader will be able to smoothly make the preparations he needs to before we can even get a plane ticket.
We had a conference call in late April for Mike (the trip coordinator) to give us an update on flight information and for us to ask him any questions that we wanted. It was great to put voices to the faces that I see on Facebook and the names in the e-mails!


Tomorrow is my final exam for Chemistry and it is the last exam of the semester! I pray that I do well and that I get a grade that will sustain my GPA, not drop it!


Physical Therapy is DONE!! Woo hoo!!! Praise God!! :)


I am so thankful for the time I get to spend with my brothers and sisters and I am so happy my life is calming down a little so I am able to spend more time with them!!


Last note: The Wedding of the Century is this weekend!! Congratulations to my dear cousin Shirley!!
I am also so thankful that I will have the opportunity to see family that I only get to see every 4-5 years!! :) It will be great and I look forward to every minute of my time up in MA/NH!!


Blessings!


"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to" -Gandalf (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)

Levelling Out

Life seems to be sorting itself out.


Physical Therapy is almost done! I am so excited! Those 4 months went by so quickly!!


The semester is also coming to an end in about 3-4 weeks so that's also exciting! Trying to finish registering for Fall 2011, but they haven't listed all of the professors yet.


Still don't quite know the status of my braces...I just know that I want them off! I do, however, think I know when I'm getting them off. But I'm not telling anyone because there is a possibility that the day will come and my Orthodontist will say, "No, not today, there's one more thing I want to fix." And then after he wipes the blood from his head I'll ask, "Do you want to run that by me again?"  ;) lol


Young Life Expedition- Scotland 2011 is really coming along! I am now getting into contact with fellow team-members and am continuing to raise support. It's so exciting!! :)


That's my update. :)


"Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2,000 of something" -Mitch Hedberg

Amazing God

Over the past several months, my life has been...well, productively chaotic.


I have had to balance school (which I take quite seriously even though I'm only considered to be a part time student), physical therapy appointments twice a week along with other doctor appointments, ministry events and meetings, going to group events with friends, and also trying like heck to make individual time with friends (which has proven to be quite difficult, sorry!!). On top of all that, I had to compose a support letter for my Expeditions trip to Scotland and with that, make reply cards etc...this was a longer process than anticipated.


I'm not ranting; I'm just giving you an idea of what's been going on.


In all this, I had been praying for a job (crazy, eh?). My job at the local medical office didn’t need me (on a per diem basis) so I was praying and praying for something to come along!


Last week, the day before I was going to go to a near-by town to apply for a job in a Pediatric office (part time work) when my boss calls me! I’m thinking, “God? Is this you?”
My boss proceeded to tell me that her other office that she manages (OB/GYN) in a nearby city has a position open because the woman resigned. The position was for a scanner (put medical documents into the computer/chart system). We chatted briefly, I took some time to pray and I called her back and took the position. Get this (ready for a God-thing??) I will be working 15hrs a week Thurs and Fri and then when the semester ends I will be working 40hrs a week! AND, I get time off for Scotland and summer camp!! Oh yes, God is awesome!! Also, this is a company I have been working with for 3 years so I know the drill! All I need to do is get used to remembering which doctor wants stuff put in the system.

He is always there and does things in His time, not mine.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” Romans 12:12

Crazy Week!

It is now that I am truly thankful for lazy rainy Sundays.


This past week was quite a challenge for me physically and mentally! Lack of sleep, lots of appointments with different doctors and people, crazy assignments/quizzes/exams/and activities all due the same day, new info coming in about YLX-Scotland, and then add in every day life stuff and I have a big week!


This week looks to be calmer and sadly, I have nothing planned this weekend. We were supposed to go to camp with the middle school students this upcoming weekend for WyldLife, but no one signed up! They are all saving their money to go to summer camp :) (summer camp ROCKS!)


Things are moving very quickly with YLX- Scotland (YLX= Young Life Expeditions). I have to get a support letter drafted very soon (I'm a bit behind) and my lists finalized. I also found out that I am flying out of JFK to Heathrow Airport in London, alone. That's fine and I will be meeting up with the rest of the group when I fly into London and from there we will fly to Edinburgh. (I also made a mental note to ask the Trip Leader to NOT put me in the middle or inside seat!!! o.O;)


I have also begun to read the Bible in Chronological order. I love it so far! If I follow the reading plan, I will read the Bible in one year! Sweet!  


I thank the Lord for keeping me sane through the process that we call "life" and that he continues to bless my life and make me a better woman. :)

Time

Time is truly moving on quickly. But then again, isn't it supposed to happen?


Upon receiving the "Acceptance Packet" from Young Life Expeditions-Scotland, I looked through it and found a consent form. I looked at it and thought, "Wow, I have to fill this entire thing out??" But upon further observation, I noticed that it was for minors...I am no longer a minor. I haven't been one for 5 years now and yet it struck a chord in me that I'm an adult. Don't get me wrong, I see that I am an adult all the time, but sometimes (such as when I see a document I no longer need to fill out) it makes me stop and think about it.


I think about the time that has gone by in these 5 years. In that time so much has happened and I have grown in so many ways. I feel like yesterday I turned 21, the day before -18, and only a blink of an eye since I was 16 (and ready to drive!)


I have asked friends and family (of all different ages and walks in life) and they agree that time does seem to be moving on rapidly, almost too rapidly as some have told me.


One quote from Matthew 24:22 (NIV) says, "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." Jesus is speaking about what is to come in response to his disciples asking about the End Times and what the signs will be.


Honestly, looking at what's going on around me in the world, it seems like Jesus is pretty close to taking us home.


If you are interested in reading about the signs to look for I encourage you to read Matthew 24 (Click HERE to read.)


He tells us what to be careful of and what to observe so we know when his coming is near! God amazes me all the time!

Making the Switch

I am making the switch from livejournal to blogspot. I'm tired of dealing with the ads and the limited format abilities. So here I am!


A little bit about the title of my blog: It's from the lyrics of David Crowder Band's song "Send Me A Sign: Shine." Sometimes God's voice is just a hint of an idea or a whisper...at least that's how it is for me.


I love to write, which is why I have a blog... I love learning new things and learning new ways of doing things. I love living in New England. The season changes are awesome (and never boring) and I am close to two major cities!


I also love youth ministry. I've been working in youth ministry for about four years, currently on my fifth. I work with a ministry called Young Life! The Young Life Mission: Introducting adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. I work with high school and middle school youth on a monthly basis. We have fun playing games and just interacting with each other and at the end of the night the Area Director gives a lesson from the Bible. (The Area Director and the Committee for our area have been wanting me to give a lesson for years now...I'm just not ready!)


That's about all...for now at least.


"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down his friend can help him up"- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10