Halfway through the first week

Today was definitely pretty full. I can understand why they said that SOE would be busier. That's why I love having evenings mostly free after I come back from cafeteria cleanup.

Once I get used to being challenged intellectually every day--which I figure will take about a month--I think I'll start to really enjoy it.

Please pray for wisdom, strength, peace, and the ability to think clearly about what I believe and how to love God and other people.

I know this one's short, but I'm still figuring out how to get all the thoughts in my head out into articulate words. So bear with me, and please do pray.

In Texas Again!

I got to Texas yesterday at about 1:10 and then got a ride to the base. The first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the airport was that it was VERY cold. Apparently we're going to hit 17 degrees sometime this week at night, which is the coldest it's gotten in 14 years in East Texas!
That's pretty crazy, huh?
Okay so there were definitely some more significant things than the weather, but really, when you live in Arizona (the warm southerny part) your body is kind of in shock when it's that cold.
Anyways, the first day of Lecture Phase was AMAZING, incredible, and all that jazz. But I can't give you all those adjectives and then walk away. So...let me give you a brief rundown.
I skipped breakfast for need of sleep, and then went to base prayer.
Then we had a morning classtime as an SOE (School of Evangelism) which was really more of an overview of what Kim's priorities were and talking about our class verse, and then in the afternoon we had our first speaker, and he definitely challenged me in an awesome way. I'll write more about this when I understand more of what he's talking about. But the basic topic is a narrow road vs. a wide one, which is interesting because this is really similar to what one of our guys talked about in Brazil. But yeah, and then after that God called me away for a few hours to just be with him, listen, and write down what he said. And that was an incredible time.
God is definitely after all of my heart this year. 2010 is going to be, in a word, fabulous.

signing off for now. hope all of you are doing well. feel free to comment or e-mail me :)

It's 2010!!

So I was thinking about resolutions last night, and I decided I wanted to make ones that were practical and that I could actually fulfill, so here's my list:

1. Pack lighter.
2. Spend less time online and more face time
3. Fall back in love with God.
4. Drink more water
5. Write A LOT.
6. Be PASSIONATE about learning new things and life in general
7. LOVE MORE.

So that's my two cents for the new year, and I'm always thinking about something, so I'll post something more soon.
God bless you all!

It's Almost Christmas! (and 2010)

This year has gone so fast, and so many things have happened. God has a wonderful way of turning things around and redeeming them into beauty. Here are some examples ;)

Even though I wasn't supposed to go to Boston for the Creative Arts in Worship DTS, God used the time when I came back to prepare me for the DTS in Texas, and since that was the right place, I felt peace as soon as I walked onto the campus.

Even though I didn't handle my romantic relationships in the best way, God has been gracious and helped me to learn many things through them. I thank God for both of the guys I was dating this past year because they showed me things about life and myself that I wouldn't otherwise know.

Even though I was struggling with cutting and depression when I went into YWAM in Texas, God delivered me from both and used my story in Brazil to bring hope to a 12-year old girl, and used my story in the U.S. to bring encouragement and build faith for the believers around me :)

Even though I was so stuck inside myself and old coping mechanisms, God gently loosened my hold on control and brought me to humility and surrender, and therefore freedom. I really have begun to learn the meaning of "It's only in your will that I am free."

Even though I am still prone to wander, God is always, always faithful! Thank you, Lord!

As Christmas is very close and then the new year, I want to have some things to look toward in this new year, but there is a place for reflection on all God has done in 2009.

I know I haven't written in a while, but I am here again, planning to take another five-month stint in Texas for YWAM School of Evangelism in January. For those of you who pray, I would really appreciate your prayers. I have already been feeling that this will be more of a challenge, more work, more soul-searching, purging, glazing and firing, and that I need to be ready to give my all to this.

That's all for now!
Have a lovely Christmas!!