Get Fit in Fall 2012

It's no secret that this year has been rough on me. I am not even sure why because it's not like I have anything particularly BAD happening in my life. I am just discontent... and not spending consistent time on things that matter.

My friend sent me this five week challenge of getting into shape in all areas of life. I like this goal because it has a set time frame and seems doable.

http://peak313.com/featured/our-5-week-fall-challenge-living-and-active/

It started yesterday, but there is still time to join in if you want to. In the five weeks I will be on vacation at some point during three of those weeks, so we'll see how this goes.

Martha, Martha, Martha

Luke 10.39-42 (NKJV): And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Emphasis mine.

This is one of the passages Sarah Young put into today's Jesus Calling devo.

Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet, quietly soaking in His presence and choosing the best thing. Martha is all flustered and bent out of shape because her sister is not helping out with all the details.

As this school year is beginning, student ministry is off and running... I feel way behind because my boss has been out of town a lot this summer, and honestly I don't feel like I've had much of a summer. It hasn't been relaxing... I am going on vacation next Wednesday to visit my mom's family and hope that is a time to refresh and refocus.

This summer has also been the lowest point of my spiritual life to date, I believe. It's not that things are horrible, but I am just drained in more ways than one. So as you go about your day if you think of me, please say a prayer. Encourage your ministers as they pour into people and remind them that spending quality time with Jesus IS what matters most.

It's always easy for me to relate to the "good" people of the Bible, but sometimes I get a slap on the hand and hear Jesus quietly say, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things...."

Jesus Calling::August 31

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.

August 31: Grow strong in your weakness. Some of My children I've gifted with abundant strength and stamina. Others, like you, have received the humble gift of frailty. Your fragility is not a punishment, nor does it indicate lack of faith. On the contrary, weak ones like you must live by faith, depending on Me to get you through the day. I am developing your ability to trust Me, to lean on Me, rather than on your understanding. Your natural preference is to tplan out your day, knowing what will happen when. My preference is for you to depend on my continually, trusting Me to guide you and strength you as needed. This is how you grow strong in your weakness.

James 4.13-15: Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

Proverbs 3.5 (AMP): Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.

Isaiah 40.28-31: Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Camp 2012

I went to WyldLife camp for the first time ever. It was the same week as my high school week of camp that I usually go to, but it was great to have a new experience with awesome people!

We went banana boating:

 8th grade girls:

 These are three of the girls in my cabin. Absolutely LOVE them... and this picture pretty much describes each of us perfectly.

 The boys:

 Group picture:

One month

Four weeks ago I was boarding a plane with people I did not know. I still remember that awkward feeling I had of traveling with people I did not know well. Meeting in the parking lot sooooooooooo early that morning. I still can't believe my trip to Haiti has come and gone. Almost like a weeklong dream. I remember waking up in Haiti (or even the nights when we went out to the school area to stargaze) thinking "IS THIS REAL LIFE"? I just do not know how a place so beautiful can see so much devastation and poverty. One time during the sunrise, Lacey pointed out that what we saw and heard (mountains, sunrise, and all the noises from the animals) were probably what the Garden was like.

I have had the opportunity to share with several people about Haiti. It helps to go through pictures with people. God is doing great things down there.

financial freedom

I am 27 years old and I AM DEBT FREE!

While talking to my roommate early last week about life and the readjustment to culture in America after returning from Haiti, I told her what I really wanted was to be debt free... then I said I could empty most of my savings account to do that right now...

And then I realized it was a reality.

My savings has not been this low since high school.

But I am completely DEBT FREE.

May 31, 2012 I made my final loan payment.

Yep. That is quite the payment and significantly larger than any amount I have ever paid.

Today I got the confirmation email that they received my payment. So I logged in just to make sure my balance really was $0.

YEA!!!

Special thanks to GOD for providing me with a variety of jobs these past five years.

Thanks to all the jobs who provided me the money to pay off this sucker.

Said jobs would include: KGBC, Walmart, Joann's, GFS, Sunset Shores, First Church of God, Storyline, WyldLife, Macomb Christian, substitute teaching and little odd jobs for people I am sure. (Yes, I realize that's a lot of jobs in the past five years, but each experience has helped me in some way figure out more about myself. I am thankful for each opportunity.)

Encouragement for people still in the battle with loans:

• Pay as much as you can. Thanks to Sarah V, my co-worker at Joann's, who was talking to a few of us one day about making payments on her car every time she got paid. Don't neglect needs but also don't be stupid with "extra" money that comes your way.
• Learn to say NO to yourself. My guilty pleasure is not clothes... it's books. Or travel. I look forward to taking a trip now that I can save up money for it. Dr. Rob Ford taught me in personal financial management class that saying no now (and having self-control) means saying YES later.
• Live within your means. I always laugh when my mom says that ministers do not make a lot of money. It CAN be true, but in my case, I was able to pay off my loan. I made ENOUGH money to live on and now I have even more freedom to choose jobs based on things other than money. I am blessed.
• BUDGET. Seriously. Do it and stick to it.

THANK YOU, DEAR JESUS.
IT IS FINISHED!

Haiti... meet Shalando and Mawoule

While I do not think I can ever truly put into words how much this trip to Haiti has meant to me, I am so thankful that I have pictures to remember moments throughout the trip.

Meet Shalando. I remember seeing him standing next to the fooseball table by himself. So, I asked him to play. Eventually, we sought each other out so that we could battle over fooseball. It was so awesome because during our first game (which turned into the best out of 5 games), he started singing Jesus Loves Me. So we sang worship songs while playing fooseball. He is 10 years old and simply awesome!

Meet Mawoule. She is simply precious. She is 12-years-old (have you noticed that even in Haiti I'm drawn to those who are in the middle school age group?!). The day before this picture was taken, our entire team went on a hike down to a waterfall. I am not much of a hiker and my asthma was acting up during that hike, so on Tuesday when they wanted to go to another waterfall, I chose to stay at the house. I wanted to read but ended up searching out water to take a shower. Mawoule saw that I wanted to wash my hair, filled a bucket with water, and proceeded to help me wash my hair. She was the perfect example of a servant, reminding me of John 13 when Jesus washed the disciples' feet. I am just sad that the next day I had to say goodbye. What a sweet heart she is.

 

While at House of Blessings Orphanage, we did work on the school. Sam (pictured with me below) was a great teammate. We learned rather quickly that we did well working together and basically did these two bathrooms while the rest of the team worked together on the other rooms. Our combination of perfectionism usually meant we wanted to measure the sheetrock right on the first try. I am glad I got to know him better.

I have more pictures and stories to share, but here are some reminders that I brought home with me.

The first is a bottle to add to my collection.

The bottle I kept was a fruit champagne bottle on the far right. Fruit Champagne is the Haitian cola. It's basically all sugar and I only drank half a bottle the entire time I was there. It was so super sweet! I also have two rocks from the orphanage.

It is so fitting that I found this banana bark artwork at the Baptist Mission the day our group went out to shop/barter with people. I shared several times with my team about my attitude with investing where I am at RIGHT NOW. Matthew 25 and the Parable of the Talents continues to convict me. This is the perfect piece of art for me.