2016, can you slow down?!

Since my last post, life has been a little bit crazy.  I was blessed to go home and witness the wedding of one of my very good friends.  It was a whirlwind weekend made even better by the gruesome fact that I had salmonella poisoning.  Let me tell you, if you've never had it, you don't want it.  I didn't let that slow me down a whole lot, and in the 60 hours I was home, I had breakfast and lunch (though i didn't actually eat much due to good ol' sal) with my brother, spent a few hours with another friend from elementary/middle/high school, had dinner and ice cream with my family, visited my favorite coffee shop in Erie, met Brian's wonderful fiance and had a game night, went to the wedding, hung out with my family again, watched (more like slept through) a movie, went to church, and out to lunch with my pastor and his wife.  Those events sandwiched between two ten hour drives made for a sleepy Monday.

All of that happened, and then suddenly, it was May.  That blew my mind a little bit because I'm fairly certain we just rang in the new year about 2 1/2 weeks ago.  I blinked again and we're already a fourth of the way through May.  Time doesn't always make sense to me.  Why do minutes in the morning go so much faster than minutes at the end of the school day?  Why is our perception of time so incredibly different.  Why when we're children do we dread the long years of adulthood, and then in our late twenties try to slow the clock to keep hold on our youth?  The seconds are the same.  We change.

The lovely bride and groom on their beautiful day

Letting Light Shine

I started this blog a life ago, and I stopped updating it about a life ago.  Over three years ago really.  I considered throwing this whole thing away and starting over, but this is my life, and I think it's best to keep it all together.
So, where am I now?  Well, out of college, stepping toward the career I want, and living my life as best I can for Christ and others.  I can't tell you how many times I've failed, but I'm thankful I have a God who forgives.  As far as my last post, I found exactly what I was looking for.  An amazing church full of people who love God and each other.
For now I'm working to be a jar of clay that reveals the treasure we have is Christ, and that the surpassing power belongs to Him and not to me.  Living to show sin is terrible, God's love is ultimate, and living for God's glory is always the right choice.  Loving others to show them my love is a choice that isn't dependent on their choices or actions.  I love Christ because He first loved me, and I love others because He loves them more.

On the Hunt

I recently started church hunting, and wow, can it be tough.  I joked at first that the church with the best pen wins, but it just takes a little bit more than that.  While you look for a church that's a right "fit" for you, you have to remember you're looking for a place where you aren't necessarily always comfortable.  You need to be challenged.  At some churches, it's just too easy to slip in and slip out.  I may have found one that is pretty great, and I feel that I could really serve there, and even better, it's super close by.  I do find myself comparing my old church to every new church I visit, and during Wednesday night services, I tend to find myself figuring out where my kid's class is at in their night.  So if you think about it, pray for me that I find a church that loves God and people where I can really serve and where I can bring people from work/life who are really searching for something.

Unstoppable

Just finished Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic today.  My first thoughts about this book are a little bit conflicting.  Don't get me wrong.  I really did enjoy it.  His story is INCREDIBLE, but I just had a little bit of a hard time pinning him down.  I think I've decided "non-denominational" Christian.  I think that was a little distracted through the book trying to figure that out.  For those of you who don't know, Nick's story starts by being born without limbs.  After battling depression and hopelessness, he gave his life to Christ, and now he is able to speak all around the world about the hope he found.  Nick's abilities are only outdone by his strength to stand for Christ everywhere he is privileged to go. I really appreciated the chapter on surrender.  Nick explained that surrender is not really "giving up," but "giving in" to everything Christ has for your life.  Surrender doesn't wait for the time that's convenient or "makes sense."  The book is filled with stories of himself and others dealing with depression, hurt, abuse, bullying, and worry. 

If you're interested in this book, you can get your own copy here

I received this books a part of the publisher's blogging for books program.  I was not required to write a positive review.

His Timing

My roommate has a small card displayed in our house that says, "Faith in God includes faith in His timing."  I've been reading it for a while, but last night He made it real.  The store I work at closes at 9pm.  Last night there was still a family of customers in the store at 9:15.  I was getting increasingly frustrated. I had a terrrrrible week.  Overly stressed, under-slept. The last thing I wanted to do was spend any extra time at work when I knew I had to be up in the morning.  We cut off the music trying to encourage the family to finish up.  They finally came to my register.  I forced a smile and asked if they had found everything they were looking for.  The woman sheepishly looked at me, and said, "no English."

Suddenly, I started to smile for real.  I knew this family was sent to me by God to brighten up my week.  We had a ten minute or so conversation.  I cannot wait to serve God for the rest of my life on the field, but I can help people here while I am waiting.  I know that God's fullest blessing comes in His timing, and I refuse to force my way through some part of it or skirt around the outside.  

My heartbeat

As many of you know missions is my heartbeat.  I have gone on two trips to South America, and now God is giving me an opportunity to go to Mexico for Christmas this year.  I am so excited.   Every day just shows me more and more how much my desire is to be in South America.  Right now I'm in the waiting stage.  I kind of feel like how the disciples may have felt when Christ told them to wait in Jerusalem.  This is my "Be still and know I am God" time.  I'm just rather horrible at being still.  I have been able to attend two days of MBBC's mission conference.  I cannot begin to tell you the blessing it has been.  I really feel for those who don't take anything from chapel, and I remember the days when it was commonplace to me as well, but I guess it would be kind of like being in a place where you are given more water than you can possibly drink.  You never thirst for it until you are removed from the abundance.

I also just read Call of a Coward by Marcia Motson.  It was a great narrative of seeing God work in one woman's life for short term missions with a long term impact.  When I first read the summary of it, I wanted to read it because it sounded like this woman was a little begrudging of her husband's call to ministry, but this was not the case at all.  She was ready and willing though at times fearful.  I think this is something many people struggle with when they know what they are supposed to do with their lives.  It also discusses when they returned how her heart was still in Guatemala (a little like the continent of South America has taken mine).  She wasn't sure how she would get back, just that it was her desire.  She traced God's hand through her life, through different circumstances to take her back again in different roles.  This book was an honest narrative of the joys and hardships, of the loves and losses, of the encouragement and discouragement of the field.  I'm very glad to have read it.  And i recommend it to anyone with any heart for missions.

I received a copy of this book through the BookSneeze program.  I was not required to write a positive review.

A Taste of Radical.

I recently received a book that combined "The Radical Question" and "The Radical Idea" both by David Platt.  I have already read Radical Together, so I was really looking forward to the new read.  It wasn't really a new read at all, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.  This book is intended to give the reader a taste of what it means to be radical.  The first part, "The Radical Question," looks at the disconnect in American churches today between spending a fortune on our comfort and convenience, and that of our church, and the desperate need of  our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.  Between our entertainment and the souls of men around the world.  Do not read this if you are looking for a fluffy feel good book.  Do not read if you do not want to feel conviction.

The second part of the book, "The Radical Idea" focuses on how the church can become more effective together (very similar to Radical Together)  It explains that church is the people not the program; discipleship is the responsiblity of everyone, not just the leaders in the church.  One quote in the book said, "Why would we spend an inordinate amount of our resources on something that is never prescribed our even encouraged in the new testament?"  Good question.

Buy a copy here.

I was given a copy of this book as a part of the Blogging for Books program and I was not required to give a positive review.