God's love

Have you ever taken the time to meditate on how much God loves us?

There have been times I've found myself jealous of people that grew up in a Christian home, that grew up hearing about God's love and His truth their whole life. I've learned they too have had to deal with problems. It just sucks when coming from a broken family where God was a foreign "force" I've had to wage a different type of war.

There's no God. There was a time in my life when I was that "youth group girl". By that time in my life I had learned all the right answers but noone had taken the time to explain how to make this new found faith my own. Nor did they try to explain to me how real God is. So to me, there was no God.

If you've never been in that point in life let me just tell you, it's scary. At that time in my life I was at my lowest. I saw no way out. I tried to pull myself out of the darkness I was in. But I failed every single time. It wasn't until I came to terms with God and realized who He was and then in perspective who I was. It was only through God's love that I made it out.

And so because of that I try and not miss an opportunity to tell others about His transforming love.

Niece

Did I mention in a few weeks I'm going to be an aunt again?! That'll bring the grand total from 7 nieces and nephews to 8!!

Their shirts say "I'm the biggest brother, I'm the bigger brother, I'm the big brother, I'm the bigger brother, and then the little shirt says I'm the baby sister"



Change

I can't be the only one that thinks it's interesting to look back at who you were years ago and look at yourself now and see how different you were.

It's crazy how much you can change in just a matter of a few years. Thinking back to 2007 to now, it's just wow. So much has changed. I went through so many different phases through those times and many ups and downs but it took all that craziness to get me where I am right now. I use to take what everyone said at face value, especially when it came to religion. But I needed my relationship with God to be personal. So I started questioning things. And I lost friends.

You learn a lot about people when it comes to difficult times. I never thought I would lose so many friends throughout these years but sadly I have but it's true. Those who stick by you are true friends, and I'm thankful for my new friends that have come into my life.

He saved me

Lord, I'm amazed by You.

Thankful ~ Day 14

Christians that aren't afraid of persecution. There are Christians all over the world that are being beaten, put into prison, killed, etc. just for believing in Christ and yet there are people that are afraid to simply pray in public over a meal.

I think it's about time we put things into perspective.

www.persecution.com

Heart break

I don't know how to explain how I feel. People feel called to something, somewhere in life but I....I just care about people. I've been told I care too much but I can't help but look at the news and read missionary blogs and feel burdened. My heart breaks for the lost.

I can't pick just one place, one country, one age group.

My hearts breaking tonight.

Thankful ~ Day 13

Compassion, I'm thankful for the gift of compassion and love that God has given me. My heart aches for the lost people of the world. Not a specific country, just the lost.

And although sometimes the pain of knowing these people are lost hurts, I'm thankful.

I have not forgotten

私は忘れてはいません

"I have not forgotten"

Thankful ~ Day 12

Today is To write love on her arms day. To write love on her arms (twloha.com) is an organization to bring awareness to self injury, depression, suicide, eating disorders, etc. I'm thankful for this organization, they helped me so much.

My and my friend Ben. His is in Spanish, mine in Japanese

My and my friend Leah, my friend Ben drew the love on my arm for me.

Thankful ~ Day 11

Crazy all-nighters at college. Word of Life has youth events this time of year called Superbowls where youth groups go to like hockey games and then go other places all night till morning well we had a bunch of youth groups come onto campus to hang out and so I woke up at 6 as usual went to classes, hung out with friends, started learning the Japanese alphabet and didn't think to take a nap. Well me and 3 others were out in the cold from 12 am to 2 am directing vans, then I hung out with some kids and worked snack shack from 3 am to 6 am. So much fun! So to having that opportunity I'm thankful.



Thankful ~ Day 10

I'm thankful for having Japanese friends who take the time to teach me a new word each day and make it important to try and hold small conversations in Japanese with me :)

Thankful ~ Day 9

Divine meetings. I truly do feel that God makes things happen. I've been struggling lately with the idea of going to Japan to teach English. So just about an hour ago I was hanging out with a Japanese friend of mine in the lawn here at school and then the DIRECTOR of Word of Life Japan popped up out of nowhere, he just got in from Japan today. He told me I should apply now! I'm taking this as an open door and I'm putting in the application. So to that I am thankful.

Thankful ~ Day 8

I'm thankful that the Lord has seen fit to bless the Duggar family with another child. They're such a loving testimony!

Thankful ~ Day 7

Late night phone calls with close friends that are there for you to rant to



Thankful ~ Day 6

Best friends

Rant?

It bothers me that as Christians we're so quick to judge not just the world but eachother. It drives me CRAZY! People become so legalistic about things and start to feel as though it's their job to judge others. Whenever you feel the urge to judge others because they talk a certian way, dress a certain way, etc. why not go to the bible which clearly says "I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." ~ Galatians 2:2

I tried to earn Gods love essentially by only wearing skirts...stupid right? But I followed that trend and became friends with girls just "like me". I start wearing jeans and then boom they're gone. People started dropping me as friends, the funny thing is that it was the ones from online that were all about God's love.

Thankful ~ Day 5

I'm thankful for God's creation. Especially the beauty that I'm surrounded by here at school.



Thankful ~ Day 4

I'm not gonna lie, I'm thankful for the Japanese friends I've made while here at college. They're always pushing me to follow the dreams that God's given me....and yes even if that means I end up not going to Japan lol



Thankful ~ Day 3

Crazy fun times at college



Thankful ~ Day 2

Friends that have been there for almost 5 years <3



Thankful ~ Day 1

11/1/11

So Imma join in on the 30 days of thankfulness.

Day 1:

Awesome godly guy friends

Don't be niave.

Don't be niave.

I know it's easy to nto want to think about those that are lost, maybe you feel comfortable where you are and don't want to branch out, or maybe you're dealing with something in your own life so you figure you aren't 'right with God' enough to talk to others about Him.

I stood there in Bronx, NY. Watching police cars, ambulances, and cars fly by. It was my second day on OAE (open air evangelism). We had finished eating lunch at a park and went back to the street we were assigned to. That morning I had talked to a man who identified himself as an Agnostic for half an hour and I was pumped to talk to others. I crossed the street to the bus stop and struck up a conversation with a man. I saw his bus rounding the corner and I knew I had 5 seconds, 10 tops and so I asked him if he knew who God was.....

He said no.

Let me ask you something, how do you explain to a man who God is in 2.2 seconds? I dont' remember how the conversation ended except for the fact that I handed him an english and a spanish tract and he left. I turned around and with tears in my eyes watch dozens of people walking around and it hit me more than it ever has...

THEY.ARE.LOST

My view on the world has changed since that day.

God please use me.