peace

I have lived this past year with very little peace….. but it is finally back:-)  This resonated with me!  I love Oswald because he gives us simple truths in a powerful way!  Be blessed!

Oswlad Chambers |  My Utmost for His Highest

ARE YOU EVER DISTURBED?

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.” John 14:27

There are times when our peace is based upon ignorance, but when we awaken to the facts of life, inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When Our Lord speaks peace, He makes peace, His words are ever “spirit and life.” Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “My peace I give unto you” - it is a peace which comes from looking into His face and realizing His undisturbedness.

Are you painfully disturbed just now, distracted by the waves and billows of God’s providential permission, and having, as it were, turned over the boulders of your belief, are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is all barren? Then look up and receive the undisturbedness of the Lord Jesus. Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. If you allow anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you, you are either disturbed or you have a false security.

Are you looking unto Jesus now, in the immediate matter that is pressing and receiving from Him peace? If so, He will be a gracious benediction of peace in and through you. But if you try to worry it out, you obliterate Him and deserve all you get. We get disturbed because we have not been considering Him. When one confers with Jesus Christ the perplexity goes, because He has no perplexity, and our only concern is to abide in Him. Lay it all out before Him, and in the face of difficulty, bereavement and sorrow, hear Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled.”

high maintenance?

I have never thought of myself as high maintenance.  Even though I have opinions I roll with the flow, buy off brand Walmart things, do without, not picky regarding food etc. etc.  But I officially have decided I am very HIGH MAINTENANCE emotionally.  I have come to the realization over the past two years…but am finally admitting it:-)  I pitty all of you:-)  SORRY!!!

hopefully I will update soon about these things…..

Summer Camp!

Africa is Everywhere!

I have said this time and time again…but I can’t get Africa out of my mind.  I need to stop thinking about it and take action.  I also want to make others aware!  There are some great blogs out there, lots of people doing things.  I need to seek where and how God is leading.

Mexico Mission Trip!

I leave tomorrow at 1pm with 25 other peopel…mainly high school students to head down to McAllen, TX/Reyanosa, MX for a week long mission trip.  As a group we will be hosting VBS for little kiddos and taking part in the Hurricane Dolly relief work.

the things I want to make more time for….

walks….. my dog….. art…. reading…. meditating… blogging…. journaling…. family…. friends…. exercise…. cooking…. prayer….. traveling… phone calls… photography… theology… community activities

This whole transition into the real world (as of August 1st…it will be my first complete year with the full responsibilities of an American adult) has been AWFUL!  Ok…maybe I am being drama…but it has by far not been the best year of my life!  So I am wondering how I get the hang of working every day and then balancing an outside life to enjoy the list above?!?

Any insight?

It’s a sad night in America:-(

Well ladies and gentleman. I am not sure where your vote was tonight…but I am guessing your living rooms went a little silent after a huge gasp or screech!!! At least this was the scenario in the living room that I sat in tonight! “D” picked Jesse instead of Jason. I wonder what Tye’s reaction was:-( A friend of mine introduced me to this blog that is fantastic and adds so much to each show! Maybe she will continue for future shows/seasons!

Every Monday night we get together at Jason and Lindsey’s with some students to watch The Bachelorette and The Mole. Below is a picture of our disappointment (and Lindsey’s excitement). Luckily we had chocolate covered strawberries and fun-fettie cake cookies!!! It helped make the night not end so badly!

Happy 4th!

I had a wonderful weekend!  One of my fave places in the world (yes world) is Mansfield, Texas!  I spent the day of the 4th there and it was fantastic!  I spent the day laying out in the pool with the Pizzini family and of course Janie brought out her famous smoothies and made us lunch!  Then that evening we went to the Hobbs for a shrimp boil!  Most of my college 4th’s were spent in Mansfield….BBQ’s, LBJ Lake, Naked boys in hot tubs, illegal fireworks and cops, jumping off the balcony…the list could go on!!!!!  Afterwards we went to the top of the youth building to watch the fireworks across the DFW skyline!  It was fantastic!

It felt like old times!  It was really fun to sit back and see how the lives of students had changed since I first started interning there four years ago (YIKES!!!!)  The 7th grade girls I started out with are now leaving for college; some are in their senior year of college, some are engaged, some are even married..it is just crazy!  I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with true relationships there that have been for the purpose of glorifying him!  I love it!  I will forever think of Mansfield as home!

The pics aren’t that good…but I wanted to post some!

Jac-a-lack-a!!!!  A year ago we had just finished traveling in Switzerland together:-)

After dinner!  Most of these guys were 9th/10th graders!  Some of them were the naked boys in the hot tub!  Love love love them!

Rodney and Hannah Grace Hobbs!

Union Gospel Mission

Every first Monday of the month our student ministry heads to Dallas to serve with Union Gospel Mission. Above is a picture of a man named Ricky. Last night Ricky and I were able to spend a good amount of time talking about his story as it directly relates to his time at Union Gospel Mission.

First off I want to tell you about the program that Union Gospel Mission provides. It is a shelter serving homeless men and women in Dallas and its surrounding areas. Right now we specifically work with the men’s shelter. The Mission is completely supported by individual, business and church donations. If you are interested in supporting them click here. (UGM receives no funding from the Government or charitable organizations.) The aspect I love the most about the Mission is that it seeks to meet the physical and spiritual needs of these men and women by providing free food, clothing, shelter, spiritual and personal guidance.

When I was talking to Ricky he was telling me about the phases he, as a “Disciple” goes through when he lives at The Mission. I want to type it all out so everyone can see what an amazing discipleship program it is- but I know most won’t read it! So if you are interested in reading more click here.

Basically there are five discipleship phases! Ricky was telling me how they start out telling about the person of Christ and His purpose. I loved the raw way he described it to me. He also said they taught him how to read the bible…and not just read it but understand it and absorb it; developing disciplines of consistency. I would love to incorporate something like this when my hospitality/discipleship vision comes full circle!!! I am so thankful to see this program…I really think it will influence my future.

Please pray for Ricky (really…please do). He is finishing his phases and moving out of The Mission. My heart is excited and hopeful for him but the realistic side sets in too. How hard it would be to leave a place of hope, security, encouragement and fellowship- to head out to the streets of Dallas where temptations of women, drugs, alchohol and so much more will lay ahead of him. If you think about it please pray for Ricky. Pray for protection and endurance. I pray the Spirit of God stays ever so close and Ricky is determined to love the Lord and live a life honoring to God.

I am really hoping our student ministry somehow sponsors Ricky by writing him letters…or something. As we left last night he was lavishing us with tons of “gifts.” He went to the dry storage and was giving us pringles, capri suns, packs of gum….it was simply a joy to watch him want to give back to us after a relationship has formed over the six months we go to UGM.

Here are some more pics of our time we spend at UGM each month…

They have fun!!!

There are 80-100 men they serve three times a day.

Mmmmm Mmmm Good!

my brother is engaged…NOT ME!!!

I just received word from Geneva that I was engaged:-)  I laughed…but wanted to clarify it was my brother!!!!  But it is good to hear from Geneva people!  Maybe I need to fake some news to keep in touch!

Allston and Danica….MARBLE!!!

My brother proposed to his girlfriend last night!!!!! We are having a wedding in December!!!!!! More details of the proposal (he was very creative…way to go Allston!). I can’t believe my little brother is getting married! I am so proud of him! Danica is awesome and fits right into the family! Doesn’t the picture below look like an engagement picture!?!!? They were on their way home from a mission trip to Mexico. Anyway…more details to come later!

i can’t think of a good title…

I took a four hour nap this afternoon and I can’t fall asleep. I am going to regret this when I try to get back to schedule early tomorrow morning after spending a week here… But I guess duty calls and I will start my normal life as I know it tomorrow! I am still not adjusted to the real world…how do you become adjusted? For those of you that have adjusted to life after transition I am being serious….I would love replies….how did you feel content in the mundane (does it ever stop feeling mundane?)?

A lot of other exciting things happened post Mexico…specifically tonight in the life of my family… but I need to wait until news gets out from the source until I post the info! Makes you wonder…huh!

On another note…Africa is still heavy on my mind. A lot of other things are heavy on me right now too. I feel very restless. I feel like action needs to take place in several areas of my life but I don’t know where to start or even that I am suppose to?!?! I don’t know what to make of it all or even how to shuffle through it all. One day at a time staying ever so close to the Lord and His voice.

More on Mexico and my family to come!