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It is 8:30 PM right now, which means we only have nine and a half hours until our family leaves for the airport. My brothers have been picked up by my aunt, so they're on a small, peaceful island about 45 min. away, and we are frantic, getting everything together and making sure everything's packed for morning. And my stomach hurts. We went to Mazatlan for dinner, and I tend to eat a little too much...EVERY TIME!!! I should probably ask for half portions (if you can do that...), then I wouldn't be tempted by the other half and my stomach would be fine. But, that's not what happened tonight. Wow...I'll be in China by tomorrow. I'll definitely be posting pictures (if I can figure out how to actually make them show up!) and posting a LOOOOOOOONG post about what happened. Two weeks is a lot to cover, so be prepared to read about that two weeks and the adventures we had. Please be in prayer for the team as Satan (or "Someone" in the coded messages we send to the China missionaries) is definitely trying to keep us here. My sister's sick today, the missionary's wife in China has the whooping cough, a member of our team is worried as she leaves her whole family as they try to take care of Grandpa as he struggles with doctors, and my mom is a bit stressed. But we're not giving in! This mission's trip will be a success! Post in two weeks! I'll be back the ninth with a post on either the tenth or eleventh if we're not busy! In Christ, A lark threatened with death for singing would still continue to sing. |
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Our dad sat us down last Wednesday and told us he was resigning from his police job. He told us there's a difference between quitting and resigning. Quitting is the teen working at a pizza parlor who gets angry with his job and walks out in rage. Resigning is a more professional form of quitting. Anyway, a few months ago, my dad was working as a detective. A new job position as some kind of sheriff who orgnaizes the events of the community came into his view. My dad prayed for days about this job, and a few weeks later accepted. As it turned out, promises about that job were broken and a load of work that no one man could ever accomplish was placed in his lap. And as that turned out, that job position was God's way of saying, "Time to quit...or resign." So, that's what my dad's doing. He put in his verbal resignation last week and will put in his written resignation after our China trip (which is only two days away!!!) Our plan? Only God knows. We have no idea what we're going to do once my dad quits...or resigns. ANYTHING is possible in this position. Resigning from police work has been on my dad's heart for months, and now God is pushing him through it. What we have to do now is give our lives up to Him. That's a huge thing to put into someone's hands. But God isn't just a someone. He's God; He's the Almighty who has the best in mind for us. And this is obviously His plan, which will be better than my dad working as a cop. At first fear passed through me. What if I had to go to a different school? That was my biggest fear. My school is the best and I'm hoping the summer goes by quick so I can get back, so that fear gripped my heart the most. Then it was, "What if we move? Like, out of state, or out of country move?" But after praying I have this incredible peace in me. I am not scared. Sure, I'd be nervous if we moved to Africa or something - which is highly, highly unlikely - but God has given me peace about His plan that is unknown for the moment. My heart beats, standing on the edge Chorus (This is the part that especially spoke to me and my family. It was what we were all feeling) This is a giant leap of faith Chorus Giving in to your gravity Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe Please be praying for my family as we give our lives to God. We all feel God's mighty peace in our lives even in utter chaos. In Christ, |
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Lately, music has been a big part of my life. I ended up leading worship for our tiny church 'cause the computer (we use iworship) ended up freezing a lot. I've been playing guitar for a year now and church was at our house so I was able to bring it right down. I've started really enjoying singing. I've had to perform with my guitar in front of my school, so I've sung just for the heck of it. And everyone says I have a pretty voice. But...I already have three callings in my life. Is God calling me to be a singer as well? I'm really stumbling on this. I so enjoy lifting praises up to my Lord in song, but...I don't know. Should I get lessons or not? Is this a distraction from the things I'm supposed to be focussing on, or is God showing me something else I can reach out to people to. How as everyone's Independence Day? Ours was great. There was this black guy that visited our neighbors and ended up shooting fireworks with us. His were the best! They weren't mortars, but they were huge fountains that put on quite the show. They'd shoot out up and to the side and...it was amazing! I've lately been praising God tons for a new friend I have. Before school ended, I hooked up with a girl at my school. Both of us had been looking for a good Christian friend and were struggling with seeing all our friends get more into the world. Well, we're pretty good friends now, and I'm even hooking up with another girl that's trying to have a better relationship with God! Anyway, this Monday I sleep over at her house! Every time we get together it's still been a little awkward, trying to come up with topics, wondering what the other is comfortable with, just getting to know eachother. But sleepovers usually break the ice pretty well. So I'm excited! I think that's it. The China trip is coming up quick! Only two weeks, a little less. Actually, thirteen days! AAAH!!! It seems so unreal right now, but as soon as I step onto Chinese ground it'll be very real. And then it'll slip by quick, I'm afraid. I can't wait! In Christ, |
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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! While we celebrate the day that the United States of America proclaimed its independence, its freedom, I was thinking of something else as well. The greatest freedom that the whole world has been offered is the freedom from sin. Two thousand years ago when Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking on all the sin of the world, then rose again three days later, defeating death, He gave us freedom. And He's offering it freely. All we have to do is accept it. I'm sure that the people living in America during the time of the Declaration of Independence celebrated. (Well, those who wanted it). They were finally free! In Christ, |
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I just read an entry on Missionary4Him's blog. She was talking about modesty. I totally agree with what she's saying and thought I'd add on it in my own way. As Missionary4Him pointed out, modesty is not only in the way we dress, but in the way we talk, act, and what we do. But I want to get to the clothing first. Now, onto the inner beauty. How do you live your life? What words come out of your mouth every day? What movies do watch, what books do you read? What kind of events do you attend? Living a Christian life not only means dressing modestly, but living modestly. In Christ, A lark threatened with death for singing would still continue to sing. |
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I'm really excited! So, I told you guys yesterday that I'd tell you about my Chinese trip. The Chinese food was DELICIOUS!!! A girl that has gone to China and is coming with us said that food over there is like the Chinese food over here but TONS better. So, I'm excited to try it out. OH! And caramlized apples (I think that's what they're called) are fantastic! I tried the bananas but they kind of grossed me out. And jumbo shrimp was good too. But I think my fav was the mongolian beef and sweet & sour pork. Then we went to someone's house and prayed. I showed them the song from the Newsboys and they all loved it (I think...I hope...) Then we were taught a line dance. It's pretty fun! Apparently, the Chinese love country stuff. The cheesier, the better. So, we're doing a line dance to a country-version of "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms". My dad was making fun of the whole dance and song, but it made it funny. Honestly, I don't know why everyone was making fun of it. I thought it was fun. And, my dad is going to bring his cowboy boots and hat. Coincidinkaly, I got a cowgirl hat the other day at a street fair, so I'll be bringing that too. Gotta go. My brother's bugging me to play Halo. In Christ, |
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CHINA!!! Have I mentioned the China missions' trip in my blogs lately? If not, 11 people from our church (including myself) are going to China for two weeks to help some missionaries we're supporting. Our departure date: July 25th. Coming back: August 9th. Total: two weeks. Tonight is our China meeting and we're eating at a Chinese restaurant where they'll be serving us authentic Chinese food. People from our group who have gone to China before will be teaching us what is proper and improper at the Chinese table. I've already learned a few things. Like...if you stab your food with the chopstick it means "Death to the cook; this food's no good." So, we have to learn how to eat with chopsticks the right way. And the table is considered dirty (as well as the ground) so we have to place our chopsticks across our bowl or plate. After dinner, we're going to someone's house to learn a line dance and listen to a song. Anyone familiar with the Newsboys' song, "Go"? That's going to be (hopefully) our little theme song for the trip. If you haven't heard it here are the lyrics: Everybody needs somebody (Chorus) Everybody needs somebody (Repeat Chorus) Gonna send you out one by one (Repeat Chorus) Go!... (Repeat Chorus) IT"S AWESOME!!!! So, we're leaving so gotta end this. Tell you all about it later! In Christ,
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Today's Top Headlines: So, 1: field day was today. I had so much fun. Since our school is split up between two days (4-7 grades on Tusesday and Thursday; 8-12 on Mon. and Wed.), I was kind of nervous for the seventh graders to be coming next year (who will then be in 8th). Next year I'm in high school! But I've seen a lot of things I didn't really like about the seventh graders. 2: I GOT TWO NEW BOOKS!!! First, "Praying the Names of God" by Ann Spangler. It's a daily devotional about the names of God and their Hebrew roots and everything! Then "House" by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker two of the greatest authors of the 21st century! And by the way, it's coming out in theatres this October!!! 3: So, my mom went to some conference with her chiropractor so I was watching my sister (and her friend) and my little brothers. My brothers go outside to play and my oldest, Hunter, comes back in a while later telling me that my youngest brother, Jadin, is hurt. So, I'm thinking he got scratched again, he'll be fine in five minutes. 4: This girl in my class wrote in my yearbook that she really looked up to me because she wanted a relationship with God like I had. That took me off guard. So, I feel God pressing on my heart to e-mail her. I did and it ends up she and I are totally alike. She and I are both pastor's daughters, in the same grade, dealing with the same issues, and have the same friend. She wants to get together with me and our friend during the summer and I'm really excited to get to know her! And that all happened in one day! In Christ, |