encouragements :)

This past week has been filled with endouraging God moments. I was nervous about going home for Thanksgiving with the fear that each time I go home I am more and more like an alien to my family. After lots of prayer and simply loving my family, I enjoyed the days that I spent with them and felt very blessed because of it.

Here are just a few of the really exciting things that God has been doing in my life and around me lately:

*He has called me to the Dominican Republic this summer on a missions trip with a great group of followers. A few of my loved ones have already agreed to sponsor me for this trip.
*Imagine Christmas is approaching fast and God has softened the hearts of many that I have invited :)
*Tonight one of my friends took communion for the first time-- so encouraging, espcially because I can remember my first time and how excited my friend who had invited me was.. it has really come full circle. God is good.
*Kidmo is going so wonderfully. The first time I was anticipating just volunteering once a month or so but I have been called to serve there each week and am so glad to have been given the skills to teach those beautiful children about God.
*I have been getting to know a man down at the soup kitchen and spending time with him each Tuesday. Our friendship is growing strong along with my relationships with others there.

God is in all of these places with me and is using me to bless others. I am just so thankful.

Give Him glory always.

I have really been enjoying the Advent readings thus far, and with this being my first real Christmas as I am calling it, I am happily overwhelmed by all of the information and celebration of this season. While reading through Romans 5, verse 3 really caught my eye:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Indeed, I have learned during my journey with Christ that it is easy to praise God and thank Him when things go well for me but when the tables are turned and times are rough, I sing a different tune. With each day and each tough time we ought to remember all that Jesus went through for us and every time we lift up our troubles we are persevering to build character and reinforce the hope He represents for His people. Let’s turn our doubts and worries into songs of praise for what we have been given and prayers for His will to be done.

As it says in Psalm 100:4-5:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Through the good times and the bad, God is always here for us to share joys with, cry to, argue with and simply wait upon. So let us watch for Jesus as we are instructed to in Mark 13. Let us not be caught sleeping when He comes again.

TOMS TOMS TOMS

Hey everyone! We have been talking a lot about the coming of the advent season at SPCC and last night Ben gave us some practical tips to fully worship God this Christmas and not get stuck in the busyness and traffic jams and shopping lists and endless spending. One of his main ideas was to spend less on gifts that will end up back at the stores or hanging in a closet for years or sold at a tag sale next spring. Then, with the money that you save by not buying those useless gifts.. we are to give more. There are a ton of people who do not receive their basic needs everyday, nevermind items from their wishlist.

I am here to offer a practical tip that allows you to spend and give at the same time. A gift that will provide a family member or loved one with a trendy pair of shoes. The best part is that you are always providing an individual from Ethiopia with a necessity that they will not receive otherwise.

http://tomsshoes.com/
Please watch the video and consider this as an alternative for your holiday shopping. TOMS has set a goal of 30,000 pairs of shoes this holiday season. Whether or not that goal is met, we can make sure we are watching for Jesus by giving more this season.

I believe..

I received an email today from my best friend who unfortunately, I don't stay in close contact with much anymore.. generally I delete forwarded emails because most of them tend to be annoying and I find them a waste of time. This one, however.. brought tears to my eyes. Each statement began with "I believe" and with each came the face of a precious baby to remind us of the gift of life. Here is how I was reminded of a few of the things I believe..

I believe...

...that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are but it is up to us to decide who we become.

...that no matter how good a friend is, they are going to hurt you once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

...that just because somebody doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean that they don't love you with all they've got.

...that you should always leave loved ones with loving words-- it may be the last time you see them.

...that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

...that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

...that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

...that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others, sometimes we must forgive ourselves.

...that life is more precious than money will ever be.

...that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe that our great God does truly turn lives around. He has given me new breath and a chance to live out each of the statements above. He has shown me what it means to believe.

big wings in the sky

Yesterday morning while Steve and I were driving to SPCC for Saturday Serves, I commented on how much I love the drive to church because the scenery is gorgeous. It was a treat to have someone else driving so that I could take the time to enjoy it. I pointed out the areas near UCONN where the cows have space to roam and told him about how I often bring little Emma to see the animals. Overhead, there were geese flying and Steve asked, "Are those birds hawks?" I laughed and said "No silly they're geese." Steve replied, "I just saw big wings in the sky out of the corner of my eye and thought they were hawks."

I turned and looked out the window again. This time I not only saw through the glass but also through the geese and their big wings. I laid my eyes on a set of even larger wings-- wings that encompass the entire earth. I gazed at the sight of His wings spread over His creation and closed my eyes and I breathed a sigh of relief. I took in another deep breath thankful for God and for the fact that he "keeps me as the apple of his eye and hides me in the shadow of his wings" as it is written in the book of Psalms.

It is so easy sometimes to forget that God is right there. To look at the people around you and miss Him, to reflect on a situation and be unsure of His presence there.. but after this silly conversation about birds in the sky being geese or hawks, I have learned that each time I look up I can be comforted in knowing that I.. that we.. are all blanketed by His wings.

worship night. 11/21

Last night was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I headed to SPCC with a good friend of mine with some worries in our hearts and tension in the air. We were looking forward to the night and knew that God was about to do something great. The smiles of everyone visiting in the lower cafe warmed my heart as He covered me in love. We found our seats, the music began!! Nick gave a short talk about what worship truly is and how although we worship God with music, it is so much more-- we are called to worship Him with our lives.

The music continued.. His people bowed down.. we sang.. we danced.. we clapped.. we cried.. we laughed.. we prayed.. we embraced.. He was in that place.

I am really speechless for the most part and am just so thankful to belong to a church that has such a yearning and a craving for seeking God. It is such a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by His people and His unfailing love.

I left last night with happy tears in my eyes and God's love flowing in and out of my heart. A friendship had been renewed and all of the dark had been turned to light. I'm so very thankful for last night.

which pathway(s) do you tend to follow?

I am currently reading John Ortberg's God Is Closer Than You Think. It is a great book so far and I highly recommend it to anyone whether you are a skeptic, a seeker or a long time follower. The last chapter I read touched on the seven different pathways that people generally follow to encounter God. He notes that many of us dip into each pathway at least a little but we have a few that we seem to cling to more often.

Intellectual pathway- If you follow this pathway then you love listening to the sermons at church and experience God most this way and through the study of scripture and the reading of other texts. You get closer to God as you learn more about Him.

Relational pathway- If you love people and are in constant relation then this is most likely the pathway that you follow. You encounter God as you meet and interact with people.

Serving pathway- Those who follow this pathway are closest to God while helping others. They base their activities in life on doing what they can to serve God's people and this is where they most often meet Him.

Worship pathway- Standing in church or riding in a car, no matter where they are, those who follow this pathway encounter God during worship. They enjoy the music and the rush it gives them and this draws them nearer to God.

Activist pathway- These folks are always on the run and constantly seeking God through coming up with actions to solve problems. If you follow this pathway you have a high amount of energy and most likely meet God when fighting for a cause.

Contemplative pathway- For the people who love to spend time alone in quiet with God, this is generally your most followed pathway. You may watch others in a crowded room and simply reflect rather than be a part of the chaos. You find God most easily when away from distractions of the world.

Creation pathway- If you follow this path, you love the outdoors and being able to connect to God through experiencing that which He has created. The singing birds, the whistling wind and rushing water is enough for you to see God and be in His presence.

Ortberg's book goes into more detail about each pathway (as these are only short summaries) and he also offers the pathways that each person may find a challenge following. Along with this, he warns people who identify largely with one pathway about things to watch out for so they don't become too dependent on only one.

This chapter has really opened up my eyes and reminded me that we were each created by God as unique, beautiful beings. I certainly do not need to encounter God exactly the same way as anyone else does and it is a blessing that we each follow different pathways. It is also a blessing that we are challenged and encouraged to try out other pathways to deepen our relationship with Him and begin to experience Him all around us. Because after all he is closer than we think.

Which pathways do you most closely identify with? Which do you think are a challenge for you to follow?

the value of an education

Some of us pay thousands and thousands of dollars to go away to school for 4 years and be educated. Some of us love the classes we take and others of us can't stand them and struggle to make it to most. Somewhere along the way, though, we are taught. We learn things even when we try not to. What is the impact of this education?

Over the past couple weeks a recurring theme has jumped out at me. Education is great but certainly isn't enough. Since the beginning of this country, one of the best forms of human capital has been a good education-- someone who had attended school and learned a trade or a number of different subjects, but had some type of education were somehow "better" than those who didn't. Someone with practical experience in the real world with real people just didn't make the cut. I make the same argument for today and think that you will agree if you take a second to think about people in your life or just in the world in general.

One of my professors said something pain stakingly obvious last week yet it struck me as so profound. "Even though we all know that we should eat better and work out to stay in good health-- we just don't do it. We are educated about the right way but choose the wrong instead." Hmm imagine that. Education just isn't enough.

I was them reading in a novel and came to a scene where a young African American couple was discussion the whites perception of them. The man spoke about how the whites were beginning to realize that they ought to be more accepting and give equal rights to the blacks but that that just wouldn't happen. "Ah- if only the diagnosis were the cure!" Education and enlightenment were present-- but no change.

Later that week, I was watching a sermon online from a pastor at Granger Community Church. The topic of the sermon isn't important for this post, but something that he said really clicked when talking about our country-- "I've never put our hope in education. It's great but we know it doesn't change hearts." It tied together the other two bits of information I have mentioned above. Education does not change hearts-- it simply makes us aware.

God really spoke to me through these three avenues over the past week or two to get this message about education across to me. I am one who values my education greatly and am so glad to be here at Eastern working towards a degree. I have never been one to worry much about grades and am thankful that I do as well as I do. This message about education being great but not enough is one that has been sneaking up inside my heart for awhile. God has shown me many ways to better myself aside from sitting in the classroom. He has lead me out to help the poor and the weak and the lost. He has taken my hand and shown me a better way.

And since teaching others the good news isn't enough to change their hearts, we are called to go the extra mile- to love and to serve all of His people in His name and for His glory.

A few of those I love.

Just a small reminder to myself and others that God has placed people in our lives for different reasons. Let us always be grateful for this and loving towards those in our lives. Indeed, we were created for relationship and they deserve our utmost attention and committment.

Extraordinary Days

What comes to your mind when you think about extraordinary days? A ton of fun? A day filled with friends? An unlimited spending limit on a shopping spree? You name it.. we tend to guage our days on the excitement they are filled with.

I can't remember all of the details, but I recall a sermon that Ben gave on extraordinary days a few months ago. He spoke about how many of us walk through life just going through the motions of each day. Wake up, shower, go to work or school, dinner, homework, housework, sleep, REPEAT. Exciting? I think not. So what exactly makes extraordinary days? I have learned through the Word, my friends, my church and my everyday experiences that what makes days move beyond ordinary are not necessarily the events, but the mindset.

I am generally very intentional about choosing my mood when I wake up in the morning. Despite generally being sleepy and not wanting to crawl out of my warm blankets, I remind myself of all that I have been given, the opportunities lying ahead and the love in my heart. I thank God for all of these things and I pray for the strength to not lose this sight throughout the day. The days where I open my eyes to what He is delivering me are extraordinary. I read His word, I bring Him with me to class and to Hurley and to work. I allow Him to hold my hand and whisper secrets in my ear as we skip through the day. I sing His praises in my heart with the sight of the falling leaves and smiling faces.

And of course, there are other kinds of days. Those are the days where I wake up and am not intentional about my mindset. The days where I wake up and look at the list of things I have going that day and pray to get through them rather than grow through them. These days are not extraordinary. I would say they are even less than ordinary. It is during these days that I begin to doubt-- myself, my relationships, my capability. I lose myself for a brief while.

This is why I need to remember that no matter what I do with my days whether they are fun filled, full of challenges or scattered with mundane activities, when I focus on Him and remember how and why I am here, I have extraordinary days. Those lead to extraordinary weeks, and then extraordinary months and years and by the grace of God, the possibility for an extraordinary life.

"hey girl come with me"

I am a firm believer in the fact that when we open our eyes we will see God in so many ways and in all of our days. Now sometimes we can open them up on our own but other times He pries them open for us. Today was one of those days for me. But before He opened my eyes, He took my hand. Just before being pulled through the door I had time to grab my camera excited for what was to come!!

We walked through Eastern's gorgeous campus and down to Main St Willimantic. I had been down this road a ton of times before but never quite like this. Never with my eyes peeled to take in all of His good works. As we wandered back and forth between the main road and sign streets, I came across all sorts of "new" beauty. Gorgeous scenery at every glance rose above the broken glass or littered trash. His creation screamed out to me beyond the noise of the traffic and the honking horns. Here is some of what I found:

These are just a handful of the photos that I took. And had I had a video camera with me, you would be able to see the rest of the beauty that was happening all around me. Children laughing and playing at the park "You're it! You're it!!". People exchanging glances, smiles and small talk. The hustle bustle of the intersection suddenly stops as a man lets an old woman cross. Endless beauty. I could go on and on all day.

And to think I would have missed it had He not grabbed my hand and insisted that we take a walk. From now on I think will grab God's hand and ask Him to come along with me. That way, I won't miss out on the good stuff.