Guilty of avoidance? …yes!

Wow, I am a horrible blogger, sorry world, I've just been avoiding you to be honest. As school was coming to an end it seemed to sad to admit it, so I could not bring myself to put it into words. But alas, it came anyway. Graduation was on June 23rd and it was beautiful. A few of us shared testimonies of what God has done in our hearts and lives this year, and I was honored to be one of the people to share. Though it was very hard to sum up my growth into just 5 minutes when God has been working non-stop these past 9 months. And it was also a challenge to get through a speech without bursting into tears, but I just thought about how we tricked most of our lecturers into trying a super sour lolly (candy) just to burst into a fit of laughter at their reactions and I made it through.

The next day I said goodbye to 5 of my best friends and now family members. Only God could count all of the tears that were shed by all of us! (I'm actually surprised our house didn't flood!) But while it hurt to say goodbye there was also joy in knowing that all that we've learned here will be spread out to 13 different places as we go. And that we are a forever family in Christ and He will be with us always...nothing can separate us from His love.

The weekend was weird and quiet and we were missing the 5 who left, but also the beginning of a new excitement as we began to prepare for the next two weeks. Those of us who stayed are hosting a camp for the next two weeks called Jumpstart. It's gonna be such a blast! We are adding 16 kids to the house, so it won't feel quiet and lonely anymore! Please be praying for and with us as we embark on this adventure. Pray that these kids would grow in the Lord and have the best week of their lives. That we would lead well with joy and love. That there would not be any injuries. That memories would be made. That nothing in the house breaks down. That we all stay warm (it's getting really cold over here!). 

Hopefully I'll post again soon and tell you how it's going, but if not, just keep praying! I'm most grateful for your prayers! And to those of you in MI see you in less than 2 weeks!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well here we go… on the morning of my birthday this beautiful outfit was laid out for me to put on by my roommates. I wasn't quite sure what to do, but I put it on and got ready to embrace the day.

They said since my favorite color is rainbow I had to wear it all day and they decided to surround me with a rainbow too, and assigned everyone a color to wear all day.

After lunch they took me on a scavenger hunt that lasted all afternoon. 

All around our house and yard. I had to go to each person in the "family" to get clues or do something else.

No day is complete for me without a wheelbarrow ride these days

At one clue I stopped for a tea part with the boys

Later I had a clue that led me to a coffee date with Kelcey 

Jess played me a song on the piano 

The boys kept on making me hot drinks all day! I've never been so hydrated!

Card with Erica…I won…of course

Amy took me for a bike ride…the first one they let me go on since I ruined my foot…gonna say I didn't feel all that safe once Jess and Erica let go, but it was fun and I survived! 

Kelc did my nails 

And it ended with brownies and ice cream and games all evening. 

Broken but still going!

 Okay, so here's the story. Me and a couple friends went up there. It was a super fun hike and a great time hanging our legs over the edge and looking at the tiny trees below us as we ate lunch. It's on the far left of the picture below as well. These pictures were taken at my friend Drea's farm. Which is by far the most beautiful place on earth! 

 This was the view we enjoyed from the top! The beach below is their private beach on the farm. It's wonderful. We went swimming down there and swam under the arches! Wow! God is just so creative!

Unfortunately on the way back down we stopped to climb on some rocks and mine broke. =( I fell and landed on my ankle instead of my foot - I know, not smart! But yeah, it hurt really bad so I just laid down for a second so I wouldn't pass out or throw up or anything and then let the adrenaline kick in to get me down the mountain. I told my friends I'd be fine and we started down. I clenched my fists and kept my mouth shut and was glad that the weekend before I had been working with a girl paralyzed from the waist down who couldn't feel anything. I thanks God that I could feel even if it was pain. Eventually it was too much for Dave to bear and he said he would just carry me the rest of the way to the car, and that was nice. A couple of days later I went to a doctor and found out I chipped a bone, sprained my ankle, and tore a muscle. Now I'm babying it much more, BUT luckily the 'family' here does a great job of including me! Let me tell you about the latest 2 activities that I "couldn't do" but got to do anyway…

 

 We all went to a barn dance where they taught us to do line dancing. Most of my time was spent sitting on the hay laughing at everyone trying to figure out the footing.

But I couldn't not dance at all, so Matt gave me a piggyback ride for one song!

 

We weren't exactly in step with everyone else, but it was fun! I did the hands clapping part and he did the feet. 

Then today we had another one of our 5k runs!

 This one was the "Decade Dash" because next weekend we are celebrating our school's ten year anniversary of being alive. So everyone wore a 10 for their number and we had runners, walkers, a biker, and me. It was a bit of a dilemma how they were going to get me on this thing. Dave was going to pull me in the trailer, but the trailer ended up being full of stuff, so we couldn't use it...

 So he pushed me in a wheelbarrow!

 And kept up with the runners while doing it!

The halfway point! 

Trying to take pictures while sitting in a wheelbarrow and getting pushed down a gravel road at a jogging pace makes them end up a little blurry.  

We made it to the end! 

I just love the family that I have here! It's hard for me to sit back and not do everything, but they help me to do it with them or sit by me when I can't. It has been such a blessing!

To end this off, here is our latest Awkward Family Photo for our 8th Banniversary! We only have one more left and then I'll be back in the States! So crazy!

Have You Ever Pet Wild Baby Seals?

This little guy was one of many who we stumbled upon when we stopped on the side of the road to add some water to the overheating car. We glanced down over the edge 

And saw that there were heaps of seals…and most of them were babies!

The boys climbed down first to see if they could touch them and the little guys were so friendly, and no big mean mama seals came to bite.

 

So then we all climbed down and pet them!

And others would come up to us and sniff our hands!

They were sooooo adorable! One of the many highlights of 2 week break!

Nine Years Ago

Nine years ago I thought I lost my mom to this river. 

Nine years ago I thought I was about to be really mad at God.

Nine years ago I was standing on that bridge screaming for my Mama.

Nine years ago my Mom survived.

Nine years ago God was still God.

Nine years ago God was still faithful.

Nine years ago I was confused.

Nine years ago God was in control.

Nine years ago I thought God messed up.

Nine years ago God was faithful.

Wanna know something cool??

Today God is faithful.

Today God is in control.

Today God is love.

Today God is just.

Today God has a plan.

Today you might not understand Him, but He understands you.

Today might not go as you plan, but God has a plan.

Today I thank God that my mom lived, but I also thank God that He allowed me to experience that horrible situation, because I learned from it. 

Today it's still hard to trust God with my family, but I choose to anyway.

Today I remember that God never changes, only we do. He's always the same no matter what our perspective is. He is God, we are not. Even if it doesn't go the way we want it, it goes according to His plan. He doesn't like that bad and sad things happen, but there is a reason He allows them...trust Him.

Top Take Away….so far

This week I was asked to share my "Top Take Away" from this past year at Capernwray. It's far from over (though each day comes all too soon and sadly it isn't as far as it was yesterday).
But to describe my top take away? That is a challenge. I spent the week reminiscing and pondering while also learning new things and working hard to apply them. 

• I thought about the way I have finally discovered the freedom of forgiveness. Not the "forgiveness" of not bringing it up anymore or pretending it never hurt me, but the forgiveness that says I love you in spite of what you did, are doing and will do again. The forgiveness that I have received from Christ. The forgiveness that makes you want to truly bless your enemies and not just say those words to feel better about yourself. But that wasn't it.

• I thought about all the facts I've learned. The way everything is so blatantly true when put to the test. I thought about how I understand the prophecies better, and can see the ones which have already come to fulfillment and which ones to still watch for. But that wasn't it.

• I thought about the friends I've made and the lives I've watched grow right next to mine each day for so long. We are so very different from the day we entered this place, and yet we are still the same. These people that I will treasure always because they have pushed me, held me, motivated me, questioned me and inspired me. But that wasn't it.

• I thought about the scripture I've memorized and the power in the Word of God. But that wasn't it.

• I thought about the teachers we've had and the lives they have shared with us. The evidence that they live out each day that the reason for their hope is in Jesus Christ our Lord. These men who have experienced so much and explained things so well were still not it.

• My "Top Take Away" from my time here at Capernwray must be this...I've come to realize that I am nothing. That it never has been and never will be about me. That the "glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27) has been made known to me. Christ is the reason for my hope and the reason for everything that I do. Better grasping the truth of Galatians 2:19-20 “...I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." It is all about Christ in you! The only reason for the limits in your life is the limitations you put on God. It is God in you that is so unstoppable, untiring, and amazing! If you are tired, stop and check, chances are whatever you are doing you are trying to do on your strength instead of God's. He will provide everything you need!

There are so many more truths I have learned and lessons I have applied to my heart, but if I start I'd probably never stop and it would be way too long of a blog post! I still find it funny how the 'good christian girl, the missionary kid, the one who loved God with all her heart' before coming to Bible school could fall so much more deeply in love with her Savior in the past few months, but I have. And here is my hope for you...never think you know God enough, love Him enough, or trust Him enough...keep growing closer to Him...it's amazing. 

This Week was Sweet As!

Just to clarify "Sweet As" means "Really Sweet". There were 10 of us...all the students, Dale and Daniel. We left on Sunday afternoon to drive up to Christchurch where some lovely friends took us in. And so began Ministry Week. Here's a quick overview first, then I'll share some of what we saw and heard and felt while we went through these things. There were tons of laughs and heaps of 60 cent ice cream cones from McDonalds, but these were the memories that were and are powerfully pulling on my heart.

Day 1 - Monday: Homeless shelter, Unitarian Universalist/Quaker

Day 2 - Tuesday: 0800HUNGRY

Day 3 - Wednesday: Voice of the Martyrs, Mormons, East Side 49ers

Day 4 - Thursday: Bahai, Buddhist Thai Temple 

Day 5 - Friday: 0800HUNGRY

I met a homeless man who has lost everything and everyone he's ever known. He was adopted as a young child, but now had no contact with his adoptive family. He searched and found his birth mom, but no longer has contact with her. He lived for 5 years with an older woman, but she recently had a stroke and her son came and kicked this man out of the house and forced him to break contact with the woman...he does not know if she is dead or alive anymore. And all his documents were locked in the garage, but the son of the woman disposed of them, so he has none of the documents he used to. Pray for Mark.

I met children who at 10 years old are stoned more often than not. They live rough lives and have very few positive influences in their lives. I hung out with some who left half way through to smoke because they knew they weren't allowed to get high where we were. I met a little girl who has a job at age 11 because she needs money to ride the bus each day. I met kids who relaxed and laughed as we sang and danced and played with them. Pray for the hurting children, it doesn't matter where you go in the world...they are there.

I met people who don't have a clue how lost they are. People who could look me in the face and tell me they don't believe in satan. People who think that everyone will go to heaven and they just want world peace, harmony, and unity. We went to talk with people from 4 different religions and they all basically said they want world peace and everyone can get to God. It's sad to belong to a faith that doesn't push so hard for world peace, because yes, that would be nice, but we are in a battle! This is a war and satan is powerful. We cannot just sit in false peace, we have to fight for what we believe. One of them said believe whatever you want and you'll be fine. One said Buddha and Jesus and Mohammed are all the same person. One said that if they work hard enough they will get to heaven. One said be careful what you think about, because that is what you will become in your next life. Pray for Peter, Tui, Howard, Grant, Jenny, Sud Chai, and the others we talked to who think they will be in Heaven someday, but deny Jesus. They need Him to save them still!

I met a man who told me that he was so thankful for the food we were dropping off for his daughter. She was at work for the 2nd time in 2 weeks, because that's all her job required and she had no money to buy food. He told me joyfully that his stove was finally working again now...since the earthquake 2 years ago. He told me how they survived 11 months without a working toilet in their house while sharing the home with 2 other families whose houses were in worse condition. He thanked me again and again. I wish I could have done so much more. Pray for him and his family, and the many others who still live with holes in their roofs, cracks in their walls, appliances that don't work, destroyed belongings, all because of the earthquake 2 years ago. 

I met a woman who as I handed her the box of food from 0800HUNGRY her eyes lit up and she said "oh! Vegetables!" and my heart broke that what I had given her was the veggies the store could no longer sell...pray for those like her who cannot buy their own food.

I met people who work 70 hour weeks to feed the people in the two stories above because they feel that's what God had called them to. It's not for pay either...they live simply by donations. I met a man who gave up his career to work with those stoned and high children mentioned above...not because he thought it would be fun (he didn't like the idea at all) but because God called him to that ministry. I met people who do the office work and sign thank you notes, so that illegal believers all around the world and those imprisoned and beaten can be remembered, prayed for, and supported. And I spent the week surrounded by 9 others who used every moment as best as they could to share God's love - by debating with those who are confused, hugging the hurt children, packing food and diapers and dog food to be delivered, praying continuously, listening to the stories, playing basketball with strangers, signed hundreds of letters, decorated boxes, shared their stories, and serving well. I was so honored to be a part of the Capernwray Team this Ministry Week. Your prayers will keep these ministries going. Thanks for being a part of our team!