.::Genuine::.

Tribute to Dad, News, and Some Updates

2011-06-19T21:27:00.001-07:00

Hello again everyone! :)

It has been a wonderful Lord's day! It's been relaxing and restful and also full of laughter! Today is Father's Day, and I just wanted to say a few words to tell my Dad how much he means to me. I don't often know how to thank my parents...but I thought that this would be a good way! Even though I couldn't be with my Dad today, I was glad to talk to him on the phone and hear about the fun he, Mom, and my brother are having in D.C. I am so thankful to my Daddy for raising me up with discipline and true love. He is never afraid to make a sacrifice for us, his family, and knows that this is what true love is all about. He makes sacrifices for us every day when he goes out and works long hours on a smelly dairy (although I'm sure he's quite used to the smell now!) so that we can live a comfortable life with many blessings. So much of what we have is because of all the work he does, and I don't think that he has been thanked nearly enough for all of the hard work he has done for us. He is a hard working man who is willing to give up his time, energy, and money to those whom he can offer his help. He's so smart and I'm so thankful for his willingness to always give of his wisdom to help me in school or give me words of advice in big-decision times! I'll always remember him teaching me about character and I live by his advice that having character is doing the right thing, even when you know nobody's looking. He disciplined me, but I'm thankful for it, because it made me respect him. And even though I could say so much more...I'm glad that he was there to support us kids in whatever we did! He is a father who always wants to listen, absolutley cares about what we're into, and is there to watch and support us in our pursuits! Thank you so much for everything Dad!...especially all the road trips you planned and took us on!! They were my favorite times with you! No matter what, Dad, I will always be your little girl :)

As some of you may know, today was also my 20th birthday! I can officially say that I am no longer a teenager...even though I may still look like it ;) It was a wonderful weekend and I am very thankful! My roommate and her family took me in on Friday night and gave me a mini-birthday party (since they knew I'd be spending it away from home). They bought me a cake, sang happy birthday to me, and we got to play lots of card games together! It was so much fun!! Then on Saturday I got to spend the entire day with Caleb! He took me to the aquarium and we got to enjoy seeing God's many wonderful creatures and enjoy laughing at how cool-looking and cute they were :) Today we got to go to church to a message about our adoption into the house of God! It was very encouraging and the rest of the day was full of rest and enjoying spending time with my best friend!

On that note, I just want to tell you a little bit about Caleb, for those of you who don't know him! I am so blessed to be his girlfriend! I can't believe that so much has happened in the past 10 (almost!) months. Its amazing what God has brought us through and how the two of us have grown together. First of all, he is probably one of the funniest guys I have ever met...but that could just be a result of how weird we are when we are together! :) He is so caring and is a gentleman in about every respect (he's always opening doors for me and always holding out a helping hand). One of his best qualities is that he's a wonderful listener. No matter what we are going through (or how emotional I am feeling) he always takes time to sit, listen, and give me wise advice.

But my favorite thing about him is that throughout our time together, he has encouraged me in the Lord in so many ways. Even before we started dating I saw how he had a great reverence and fear of God and His holy Word. Caleb has encouraged me to see God's Word as powerful and truth. "All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competant, equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy 3:16-17. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:4-7. He inspires me because he desires to live according the Holy Word of God, and do God's will for His glory. His desire is to live God's way. Being at his side has helped me see that God's way is so much better than doing anything my own way. I am also learning that God's Word is absolutley irreplaceable in a Christian's daily walk. It has helped me see that God is so good, no matter what, and that His promises are always true.

Since the beginning of our relationship I have seen how Caleb has such awe for God's majesty and greatness. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" Psalm 111:10a. He has always been respectful, self-sacrificing, and pure of heart, and his desire to do things God's way has made him a great leader. I love that he is willing work to make God's truth known! I love to see him get so fired up when someone twists God's Word. It just shows me how pure and passionate His heart is for God's truth. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" Ecclesiastes 12: 13. "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; You have loved righteousness and hate wickedness." Psalm 45:6-7. Together, God has helped us to find comfort our Father through trials, in times of joy, and in times of uncertainty. Through our relationship, God has grown my desire to live according to God's will. We've learned together about truth, the power of a spoken word, God's true love, and how important it is to encourage each other and be there to support each other day-to-day. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" 1 John 4:18."Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear" Ephesians 4:29. He has also encouraged me to have a thankful heart! When I'm having a bad attitude, he reminds me of what God has done already and what we have to be thankful for.

I'm not saying that he is perfect, by any means. We are both sinners and know that we fall short of God's standard in so many ways. We both know that we will make mistakes, but we have the love of God to love each other through those mistakes. "Two people are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow...And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him..." Ecclesiates 4:9-13. It's so funny, because I see so much of my dad in him, and it makes me smile :) I'm so thankful that God brought him into my life! We are so blessed and I praise my Heavenly Father thank both of our fathers (and mothers for that matter!) setting such a good example for us, in faith, in purity, and in strength. We are very thankful!

There's also some wonderful news I wanted to share with you before I go! Sinced I talked about my employment situation a little bit in my last post, I just wanted to let you all know that I got a part-time job!!! Actually...I technically got two!...one is a consistent job at a local senior center and one a job that I will do every once in a while. So, to tell you the full story, I didn't actually plan on getting a job when I went to the senior center. I went in to have a meeting to find out how I could help out at the center during the week. I told the directors that since I didn't have a job I wanted to help out in any way I could. I was taken completely by surprise when one of them told me that they'd like to give me some volunteer hours, but that they'd actually like to pay me for my services. My heart basically jumped inside me with excitement!! I couldn't believe what I had just heard. They wanted to pay me! They said since they had such a small budget they could only pay me for half of my hours there...but I didn't care...I was ecstatic!! I get to help write thank-you's to donors, write/design the monthly newsletter, and write grants! I'm so excited because they could really use the help and these are all things that I'm good at!!! After weeks of looking I never thought I'd ever find God's provision for my needs at the senior center...especially one that I offered to volunteer at!! I'm so thankful! I finally feel like this is where God wants me to be this summer. The people that work at the center are so sweet and I'm excited to work with them! I'm praying that God uses me for good and His glory while I'm there! "Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of His servant!" Psalm 35:27b. It was such a sweet gift and surprise from God that I didn't expect. God had a plan for me to get a job, it was just not in the way that I expected and not in my timing. And I'm glad it wasn't! Because this is wonderful!! "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:7. "Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life...I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from every trouble" Psalm 54:4-7

"Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man...Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth and high priase was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; He has attened to the voice of my prayer! Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!" Psalm 66:5&16-20

So basically what I'm saying to sum up this whole blog post is that God is so good! I now have a way to pay for my groceries and gas and a wonderful place to commit my time. I know that He is FOREVER FAITHFUL!! He continues to show me every day that this is true and that His promises are always true! So, when I am afraid of what is ahead or nervous for the day, I will stand strong on these promises: "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" Deuteronomy 31:6. "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20. And even in trials, we know that our trials only last a little while. We know from God's Word that this world is only a place that we are passing through. We know that we are running towards the prize of our home in heaven, where we get to reach the prize! The prize and the inheritance of being in perfect presence of God himself. Where love and grace abound to His children--us, His saved ones. The ones He purchased by the blood of Jesus."Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the glower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25. "According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" 1 Peter 1:3b-4. We can rejoice wherever we are because of our hope for our future home in heaven with God! So let us continue to run the race with courage: "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" 1 Timothy 1:7. Always remember that this is not our home and we have a perfect one to come, where there is no more pain and no more tears! So, we can rejoice in whatever situation we may be in! And we have no reason to lose hope! Let us rejoice with thanksgiving for all that God has given us! And hope for what is yet to come! "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble." Psalm 107:1-2

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever" 2 Corinthians 4:18.

Thanks for listening! :)
Praise the Lord! For He has blessed us!
Kasey

Peace in Uncertain Travel

2011-06-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

So...I've tried to write my next blog post probably 5 or 6 times so far...so, Lord willing, this will actually get posted soon. It's been so long since I've written that its hard to know where to begin...

Okay, so I've officially finished my second year of college...wait, did I just say second???...yes, in fact! I am halfway through college already...and it has gone by so fast. The school year was full of homework, papers, and projects. And although I love learning, I can definitely say that I am thankful for this time of rest from school for the next three months. As many of you might know, I am not living at home for the summer, which is completely new to me. Already, I can see that this summer is a completely different and new season of my life with its own challenges and blessings. But, first of all, I was so thankful to be able to go home for a couple of weeks! It was a much needed time with my family :) I was so blessed to be able to see my brother and sister graduate from high school and my little brother graduate from 8th grade! It was very special to be able to be there for an exciting event! It was awesome to be able to laugh together, be silly, and help keep the house looking clean of course! We got to be silly and watch lots of movies together...Tangled being our new favorite. I got to talk with my parents and listen to their words of wisdom for the future! It was just a blessing to be able to rest and enjoy being at home.

Not only did I get to see my family, but I got to enjoy talking to people that I haven't seen for a long time. Being home I realized how many wonderful people I have in my life. So many people who have helped me through my past and continue to encourage me in the present! I am so blessed with the friends God has put in my life! I can't even count them all! If you are reading this...you are probably one of those people :) Its just such a relief to be able to come home and enjoy some laughter and memories with people that I love. I even got a sweet little package of goodies from home today for my birthday! All my favorite things from my favorite family :)

But now I am back and its been an interesting ride. Its been frustrating time but unexpectedly fruitful as well. As many of you know, I do not have a job. I have been looking for one for the past week and a half with nothing yet. Although I was bitter at the uncertainty that God had placed me in in the beginning, I've begun to appreciate this time of rest and finding peace and hope in God alone. I know that God has placed me here in this place and at this time for a reason. I've realized that God is so so good. All the time, no matter what. "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand." Psalm 37:23-24. When I chose to think and respond to God each day with a thankful heart, every day was a blessing. I see that God is guiding me, teaching me, and holding me every single day.

"Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, oh my soul and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeemed your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" Psalm 103:1-5. Even though I may not have a job, I know for a fact that my God provides for me. I don't always know how He is going to provide, day to day, but I've seen Him provide as I seek Him and lean on Him to provide for my every need. He has provided me through others so many times in the past week that I can't even count. He's provided a place for me to do my laundry so I didn't have to pay for it, He's provided me with a roommate who I've had so much fun with and have enjoyed getting to know better every day, He's provided for groceries and meals, He's provided me with a place to stay all summer, He's provided me a way to see Caleb every weekend which is always a special treat, and He has provided me with His Word and His promises for encouragement and purpose in each and every day.

I'm telling ya...when you get into God's Word, it really becomes a part of who you are. It changes the way you think, and its on your mind a lot! God's Word is a guide to life. Its truth and the promises that lie within its pages are exactly what a follower of Christ needs to face the challenges of each day. God's Word says a lot about the unknown...and not knowing what the future holds has been a huge struggle for me not only the the past weeks but in the last whole year. But that's where faith and trust come in. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5 "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act...be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him" Psalm 37:5&7. We have to trust that He is God and He knows what He's doing. He is the one who created the earth from nothing and formed us in our mother's womb, and we have to be sure and know that He will take care of us each day. We have to know that He's been faithful before and He'll be faithful again. We just have to wait on Him.

One truth found in God's word has been on my mind a lot since I've been back. Is that God cares for us and He sees our each and every need and He will not forsake us. "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Matthew 6:26. We are His children and He will give us everything we need! You are His precious daughter or His precious son, and He will watch over you always. Whether it be food, companionship, love, clothing, shelter, education...God knows what we need and He knows our future...and knows what we'll need down the road. He has it all together even if we don't. We just need to trust and do our very best with what He's given us in the moment. "Therefore, do not be anxious saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the [unbelievers] seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33.

I can tell you that it was God who provided two quarters for me that I didn't have at the cash register the other day. It was something so small, but so profound to me. I came up to the register and the lady rang me up at $5.99. I had about $5.40, but did not have any change to pay for the rest of it. In my heart I wondered where the rest would come from and I believe that it was sent up as a prayer. And the next minute the cashier pulled a quarter out from under the desk. But seeing that I needed 25 more cents, pulled another quarter out of her own pocket to help me pay for the rest. You can say whatever you like...but I know that this was a provision from God. It meant so much to me that God would see my need for something so small as a few quarters and give it to me without me even having to ask. It was a gift. A beautiful and surprising gift, with which God reminded me that He is always there to provide. "Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17

One of my favorite verses of all time, that has been coming up again and again, is Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This verse tells us that we shouldn't worry about anything....not even about what we will be doing tomorrow, what other people will think of us, what decision to make, or even about the unknowns of our futures. God wants us to trust Him. We are to thank Him for all that He has already done for us--and let me tell you that just thinking about what God has already done for you will begin to put your mind at peace. And we are to let God know what we need. He wants us to communicate with Him and come to Him, knowing that He has all things in His hands and He won't let us go. And then when we do these things and come to a place of faith and thanksgiving, we will experience His amazing peace! It's far above what any earthly man can understand, because to any man, his life can be spinning out of control and there is no other way he can cope but to panic and be depressed. But if we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, we can know that our Heavenly Father is watching over us with care and with such love.

I mean, God loved us so much that He made a way for us to be able to come to Him!!! He made a way for a wretch his treasure. We were filthy prostitutes, unfaithful our great and perfect Prince, and He wanted us. How crazy is that?? God in His holiness still wanted us to be with Him forever. He brought us to Himself by the blood of His Son, Jesus!! There's no doubt that He loves us. If nothing else...we can always know of His love for us because of the sacrifice of Jesus for us. It is an amazing love! "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person...but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8 We deserve the unending wrath of a powerful God, but were given the gift of His eternal grace and love instead. Not by anything we had done...but simply through faith in Jesus. "We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." Romans 5:11 Wow. Crazy. I didn't expect to write about this...but I can't help but revel in how amazing the love of God is to us. In everything, but ultimately in giving us Jesus. "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another." 1 John 4:9-10

So, I don't know what you're thinking...but I'm thinking that God's love is pretty undeniable. There are so many ways that we can see it manifested--in God's Word, in His work in our own lives, His provision, and in what He has already done for us. So, when we have uncertain times and need that assurance that God is there and that He's taking care of us, run to His Word. Search the scriptures for His promises. I found that His word is the only place where I find true comfort and satisfaction. I challenge you to go get your Bible...no matter how long or short its been since you've opened it. And go find an verse that promises God's goodness and reminds you of His promises to you (for the future, from the past, or ones that are meant for the present)! You'll see that God is truly good. I hope an pray that the searching you do of God's Word gives you hope and assurance, and fills your heart with praise!

Here are some of my favorites:

"This God--His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?--the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights...You have given me the shield of Your salvation and Your right hand supported me." Psalm 18:30-35

"I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path to life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:7-1

"O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes--it has also gone from me...But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer." Psalm 38:9-10

"Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life...I will give thanks to your name , O Lord, for it is good. For He has delivered me from every trouble..." Psalm 54:6b-7a

Until next time,

Kasey

Long Time No See...

2010-11-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody :)

I haven't posted a blog in a while, and I apologize for not keeping you all more updated on what has been going on in my life lately. Well, I am still here at college and learning new things everyday. The beginning of the year started out a little rocky for me, trying to adjust to all the new things and people that God has brought into my life. But it has also been an amazing blessing. I have been blessed by God in ways that I never expected to be :) I am now blessed to be in a relationship with my friend from school last year, Caleb, who has become my best friend. I definitley never expected it to happen but he has been such a blessing from God. He walks alongside me and encourages me to live Biblically, and we have lots of fun at the same time :)...definitley lots of laughs involved! I hope to encourage him everyday as much as he always encourages me.

This past semester, school has been a lot more difficult than I thought. There are so many papers to write and articles to read, but I am thankful that I have the opportunity to learn so much! I am taking 18 credits this semster and its a lot harder to tackle than before. It requires a huge time commitment, but that's what I'm here to do. And all the classes I've been taking are really interesting--especially human anatomy! Caleb has helped me study for it a lot....I mean we've been to the lab hours and hours a week! Another way that God has blessed me recently is that I get to be a Biology Lab TA next semester! I'm so exctied. I love biology. I get to help people do what I had so much fun doing last year. And in my Writing About Disability class, I've had the chance to learn about disability in society and how lives can be affected! Some of you may know how interesting disability is to me! Speaking of, I even get to work at a camp for kids with disabilities next summer! It's a class I'm taking for spring semester. I get to spend 2 weeks at a camp this year. It will definitley be an opportunity to love and learn!

School has been rough and balance has been challenging but God always reminds (me with a little poke) to look to Him who can deliver me through any trial. At times I feel like I'm stuck. Stuck in my own mind and in the trappings of this world. And my racing and panicky thoughts keep me at a standstill at a crossroad. In the last few months I've tried relying on my own knowledge and my own "wisdom" and even the words of others, but I have found that nothing satisfies or gives me peace like the word of God. It is what I have hope in. It is the very inspired word of my God. He has been teaching me to seek Him and His word first. Took look up to Him and cry out for help. And let me tell you that He has been unbelievably faithful. Although little things haven't happened in the time I thought they would or the way I thought they would, but in the end God shows me that He has great plans for my life. Ones that I may not realize or even have thought about before. "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

I can absolutley say that I am glad my life story is written by the hands of God and not my own hands. Because if it was, I would never learn so much about love, trust, faith, and God's amazing power on my own. I would not change a thing. There have definitley been some points where God has called me to do something that I have been so afraid to do. I always afraid of the unknown. I'm scared to trust God. But when I think about it, I remember all the times the Lord has been faithful. He has been faithful before, and I am confident that He'll be faithful again. Things may not work out exactly how I want, but I'm okay with that. His plan and His way is greater. This is a verse I just keep coming back to: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for good and not for evil; to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11.

So with this, and knowing that there will be times that I--and you too, I'm sure--am afraid to take a step or leap of faith, I will be doing my next blog on obedience. It's something that God has been teaching me about lately. I will be looking at verses that talk about these topics: Why should we obey God? What is the big deal about obedience? How do we obey? And what happens when we obey?

So, I hope you keep your eye out for my next blog! It's the first time in a while that I've really been inspired by the Lord to write again! :) Thanks for listening! And I'll try to post more pictures with my next blog...the uploader wasn't working real well this time!

All the glory to Him! ~Kasey

My Temporary Home

2010-11-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

HERE I AM AGAIN…

Something has been on my heart ever since I’ve come back to school. You wanna know what I’ve been feeling lately? Beat down by this world. Almost crushed at times. Since leaving the comfort and safety of home once again, I am remembering how rough it gets trying to stand up under the pressures of this world. We live in a world that is so full of different ideologies, religious views, philosophies, and controversies, that it makes my head spin around. I get so caught up in all the things around me that I lose sight of God and His purpose. Maybe, like me, you’ve been hearing the devil whisper in your ear that you are a complete idiot for believing in such a God—for believing that there is hope in such a dark world.

HOPELESS?

Instead of taking the Lord’s perspective and looking outside myself—outside of my circumstances—I have been beaten down by the craziness all around me. All the things we see and hear that make us feel hopeless. We are stuck in such a hard place. As believers, I’ve realized that our hearts are torn. We long to be with Christ our Savior but we are here on earth where there are things that tempt us everywhere. There is darkness, there is pain, there is confusion…but among the dark clouds there is also a glimmer of hope. And that is Christ. We know what is to come. We long for paradise and to be in the presence of our King. I believe that is one of the hardest things about being stuck here in the middle, on earth. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior” Philippians 3:20.

A RAY OF SUNSHINE…

One day we will be in paradise–“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4. And although the enemy will try to convince you that there is no reason for hope, “be patient in trouble, and keep on praying…”Romans 12:12 because “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” Romans 16:20a. The lies will cease and the glory of the Lord will be revealed. And we can have so much hope because we are no longer living as slaves to our sin. “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead you live under the freedom of grace” Romans 6:14. We can walk this road of life in God’s freedom.

So when you are feeling beat down by this world remember this: “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory” Colossians 3:1-5. When I’m down, I always remind myself to think in the grand scheme of things. I ask myself, “In the end, is this really going to matter? In the end, is any of this worry I have going to make a difference?”

One day I know I’m going to see God’s face. And we can have all our hope in Him, not this crazy world. He is our hope. His promises have always held true. He has been faithful before and He will be faithful again. Be comforted by the fact that you are in the arms and loved by a most amazing and powerful God—the One who made you a part of His story. We may have troubles. We may be confused at times. We may feel lost in a crazy and self-crazed world. But we can take heart because our Christ has already overcome. We already have the victory. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world” John 16: 33.

HERE AND NOW…

Isn’t it amazing that we already know how the story ends? We are just waiting on Him to take us to paradise with Him. And all that He asks of us while we wait is this: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8. Wow. God’s love and grace is something I may never understand, but I will trust in it.

To end, I leave you with this verse and a song. This verse reminds me to look outside of my circumstances and what I may be feeling to my amazing Savior. For we will not be here forever, the things we see are only temporary…for this is my temporary home.

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” 2 Corinthians 4:17-19.

Misunderstandings

2010-08-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

WHY, GOD?

There are things that we can’t and don’t understand. Can we all just admit that fact? There are things that happen in this life that will never understand. We don’t know why so many bad things happen—why people get cancer, why someone dies, why parents get a divorce, why…why…why? Why does God, if He is so great, let these kinds of things happen?
I don’t have an exact answer because obviously I’m not God. But, we do have a book that was inspired by Him and shows us His heart. Maybe something in the Word can help us understand why these kinds of things happen? We'll look at what God's Word says in a second...

As we look back on our lives we are sure to have questions about our lives. Most of us hold onto things of the past—asking God, “Why on earth would you ever let that happen to me? Why did you let it get so bad? Why didn’t you stop it?”

The other day I had a friend ask me just this. We were talking about our pasts and I told him that I would not change anything in my past for anything in the world. He told me that he had some major regrets in his past that he wishes he could go back and change. He asked me why God would let him get addicted to cocaine and oxycotin. It definitely made me stop and think. This is something about God I am asked all the time.

I thought about my own life. Why don’t I have regrets? Why wouldn’t I change anything? My simple answer was the fact that everything from my past has made me who I am today. Sometimes I get embarrassed about things I’ve done before, but the truth is, if God had never brought me through those things, or allowed me to follow the paths I’d chosen for myself, then I would not be the same person today. I would not have the same relationships, knowledge about certain situations, or passions. I would never have realized just how much I needed God and how empty and worthless I am without Him. There is a reason behind all of the workings of our Great God, even if we cannot see it at the present.

I have seen so many times how God uses our past struggles and tough times for His glory. Maybe He is using your past for your own sake. Maybe He used that experience to show you how much you needed Him. Maybe if you had never gone through that experience you would have never seen how much He loves you and how much you needed His grace. Or maybe He is working in you for the sake of others. Maybe you will be able to relate to someone like no one else ever could. Maybe He will use your experience to help others who have been where you’ve been—to show them that there is hope—that He loves, He cares, and He saves.

IN THE WORD

What are you going through right now that you don’t understand? Like Job, in the Bible, we go through those things. If you are going through something like that right now, or are struggling with the past, you should read this passage (the entire passage is in Job 38-42). Read it as if the Lord is speaking directly to you, because this is what He would say to us. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much…Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?...Who then can stand up to me? Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine…” Job 38-42. We don’t know exactly why God is doing what He is, but He has created everything under heaven. He knows how it all works together. His plan is perfect. He promises that He has the best for us “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11.

Times may not always be easy—they may be terrible, in fact. Bad things happen and we don’t know why—we may never find out. We can ask God why when we see His face one day. Maybe once we get to heaven it will all make sense? Maybe he brings us through things to prepare us for what is ahead. Maybe He brings us through suffering to give us wisdom to pass on and a heart for others who go through the same things that we have gone through. It’s all a part of His perfect, magnificent, and eternal plan. “Everything was already determined and decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use in arguing with God about your destiny” Ecclesiastes 6:10. We may be angry at God because of the situations we are in, but don’t forget that He is the one who has always been there with you. As you may have heard before, Jesus never promised that following Him or this life would be easy; but He did say this: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” John 16:3. Despite our circumstances, we have hope in Him—Jesus, who has already overcome this world.

HIS PROMISES

What we do know, and can have hope in, is that there is a God who is always there to carry us through it all. He gives us a shoulder to cry on. He is always listening to our prayers. He does not let the things of this world crush us and defeat us. “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven into despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. He is there with us.

There are so many examples of God using people through their struggles in the Bible: Elizabeth having a son, and God brings one to them at just the right time (Genesis 17-21); King David—when he was being hunted by Saul learned to rely on God, when David had nothing left (1 Samuel 19-31); Hagar—learned of the Lord’s faithfulness and love for her when she was alone and pregnant in the desert (Genesis 16); Ruth—when she was faithful and God brought her the unexpected gift of love and a husband (Ruth 1-4); The Bible is filled with testimonies of the Lord’s great faithfulness and of His unending love for His people. The world is filled with stories of an amazing God who, though we may have forgotten him, He has never forgotten us. You should read these stories or ask a fellow Christian about the things that God has done through the rough spots in their lives. It will amaze you just how faithful God is and how powerful He is through our times of need. It always makes my jaw drop to read and hear the stories.

So instead of focusing on our circumstances and our troubles, let us focus on our Lord who is ever-faithful. “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. This is one of my favorite verses, because it reminds me is that this world and what I see before me is not all that there is. Although this world may beat us down, we have a God who gives us unending love and eternal life in Him. What is promised but unseen is eternal makes my heart sing.

So, when you are going through troubles, ask our God to give you an eternal perspective. Ask Him to help you see through your circumstances, and look to Him. Have joy in knowing that you have a God with a great plan. Stay strong in Him, who is our refuge. And "let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest if we do not give up" Galatians 6.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.” Psalm 62:5-7

Here is a great song by Josh Wilson that talks a lot about God's plan through our tough times. Listen to the lyrics! "The pain that you've been feeling is just the dark before the morning...."

Why Worry?

2010-07-30T01:29:00.000-07:00

Worry...

I am a worrier. I don’t know if you are, but I’m just gonna lay that out there on the table now. For most of my life—and this came out very strongly in my first year away from home—I have been worried constantly. All day, everyday—always worried about something. Always having those anxious thoughts about what needs to be done and how it is going to get done. I’ve worried about school work, about time with my family, about paying for school, about getting everything done on my checklist for the day, and about my time with God. I get so stressed out. I even get worried that I worry too much!...Phew…I think it’s time for a deep breath!”

Whenever I get worried, people will always tell me, “Don’t worry, God will take care of it. Give it all to Him.” I've always thought "yeah, yeah, yeah...I know." That's what I'm supposed to do, right? I am a Christian after all...so I guess I could try...or at least say that I try. But I don’t think I ever really understood what it means to trust God with everything in my life until I heard a message from Pastor Andy Stanley. His message was called “Why Worry?” As I was watching this sermon on TV, I realized that I have been living as a believer who really has little faith.

Now, why would I say that? Well, let’s look at Matthew 6. Verse 31 says, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers…”
What is Jesus saying about worry? There are so many things to worry about. But is He just making a list of possible worries? No, He is talking about our response to these pressing things. He is saying that if we are spending so much of our time devoted to stressing out about these things, even important things, then our lives look no different than the lives of unbelievers. Our culture today is so wrapped up in being worried about life, that we have to be doing “this or that” just to relieve our stress and worry. We all think that if we try and try and try, our stress and our worry will go away...or maybe we think that science can fix it. But in reality, that only makes it so much worse. We are just adding to our baggage. But we don’t have to.

Jesus says that responses to should be drastically different than those of the world’s responses. When we walk with Him, we should be remarkably and visibly different: “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true” Ephesians 5:8-9. Our reactions should be so drastically different that people should wonder why we aren’t worried. They might ask why aren’t you freaking out or why you aren’t scared about what is going to happen. Believers and unbelievers have no control over the future and but unbelievers do not believe that there is someone who does. So they try and try to fix their problems, and only cause themselves stress and worry in trying to control their lives. According to the world everyone should worry! I mean, why not? There is confusion, suffering, and chaos around the world and even in our own homes. We all face the same things. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience…” 1 Corinthians 10:13

But the believer should know different. Our reaction is our opportunity to shine the light of our Lord.We don’t have to worry. This is because called us to do something unbelievers won’t—to TRUST Him. He said, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2.

The difference for the believer is that we know (He says it right here)“… your heavenly Father already knows all your needs” Matthew 6:32b. He already knows that you need to feed your family. He knows that you need a job. He knows ALL you need. Do you really believe that? He knows! Doesn’t that give you amazing comfort and peace in knowing that God knows? He’s taking care of our problems, He’ll worry about it. He’s got all of it as a part of His plan.

So we don’t have to worry about it! We must have faith in our God. We have to believe and trust that He knows. We have to have faith enough to say, “I really believe that I have a God knows what I need. He knows about my ________. He knows I need __________. I am confident that God knows about that. So I’m not going to worry.”

The Solution

The solution to our worry is redirecting our devotion. At the end of Matthew 6, Jesus tells us to “Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need” Matthew 6:33. As long as we are devoted to all the things we worry about (jobs, a house, money, kids, school) above God, worry will continue to plague our lives. Worry will never go away. We have to put ourselves second. We must seek the will of the Lord admist the craziness of life. We must surrender everything to Him and trust that He is going to take care of it. We have to have peace and know that He is God. We have to seek Him. Tell Him what you need, and surrender your wants and needs to Him, and then trust your Almighty God and His will. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.”

What to Do?

All we can do, is do what a friend once told me: “Give God your best and He will take care of the rest.” Next time you a worry comes to your mind ask yourself this: “Did I give it my best? Did I do everything that I possibly could do? Will I trust God with what I can’t control?” We have to do our part and trust that God will take care of us. And He will. “For I have great plans for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

When we put our trust in Him for every future moment—for every worry in our lives—then we come to a place where we have “a peace that surpasses all understanding.” When I got my mind and my heart wrapped around that—when I gave all my worries to God—I found a peace that I hadn’t had in a long time. He has it all in His hands. My mighty God is going to take care of me—so I’m good! I don’t need to worry. “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Instead of stressing out, turn your worry into a prayer of surrender to God. My prayer went something like this, “God you know that I need to see my family, but I don’t know how I’m going to get home. God you know that sometimes I don’t know what to say. God you know that I don’t know how I’m going to pay for groceries next semester. But God, in spite of it all, I give all of it to you. There is nothing that I can do now. But I trust that you are going to work all these things out. Thank you for being there for me. While I wait I will sit at the foot of Your throne.”

And besides, worrying is a waste of time—a waste of the precious gift of life God has given you. Can worrying change your situation? Will it make anything better? I think not. “Can all your worries add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27

Check out Andy Stanley's sermon. It's a 3 part sermon (but this is only part 2)! You can find the other two episodes on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=why+worry+andy+stanley&aq=0

So let’s put our trust and hope in the one who is always faithful!

Kasey

Words for Thought

2010-07-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

There are so many people in the world asking, how can there be a God when there are so many terrible things going on in the world? Where is God if there is so much suffering, disease, and destruction here on earth? I just started reading a book called Falling in Love With Jesus. Today I read something that really made me change the way I think about my circumstances and I just wanted to share it with you.

-----------------

"I'll often say: Has life been rosy? Has it been smooth sailing ahead?

But those aren't the right questions. The right questions are:

Has God been soveriegn?
Has He been a Keeper of His Word?
Has He been trustworthy?
Has He been faithful?"

"Yes! Yes!" Always, a resounding "Yes."

We often ask: Why are my circumstances so difficult?
We should ask: Is God in my circumstances? Is He capable of giving me peace, hope, and perspective?

Again, of course, "Yes." He is our Prince who comes through. Paul put it like this:

We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone; we may be knocked down but we are never knocked out! Every day we experience something of the death of Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours...We know sorrow, yet our joy in inextinguishable.
2 Corinthians 4:8-11, 6:10a

~Falling in Love With Jesus (Dee Brestin & Kathy Troccoli)
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I often find myself dwelling on how bad I have it and having a "poor me" attitude. But instead of whining about what where I'm at, I want to have joy in knowing that Jesus will never leave me. He knows my pain and my worries and He's there with me through it all. Whatever place we are at in life, we can choose to dwell on how miserable our lives might seem at the moment, or we can choose to worship. I would just encourage you to praise our Jesus for always being there. To think about how amazing it is that we have a God who loves us so much and promises to never leave our side. No matter what is going on in our lives, our Prince is standing with us and will embrace us as we endure the rain.

Thanks for reading :)
Kasey

My Help Comes From the Lord

2010-06-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

THE WORD
Have you ever heard the saying “Pride is the root of all evil?” Well, I’ve been thinking about pride a lot lately, and I’ve come to believe that this is absolutely true. When we take our eyes off of our amazing God, and put them on ourselves, we steer ourselves right into trouble. We want to go our own way—and most of us know that our way is not always best. Today I was reading in 1 Kings and one particular verse really jumped out at me:

“A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.”1 Kings 20:11

HIS STORY
This scripture is set in a time of great battles in Israel’s history (well I guess that has been the case for a long, long time). Here King Ben-hadad of Aram and King Ahab of Israel are going back and forth about the battle that lay ahead between them. King Ben-hadad was feeling really cocky and basically told the King of Israel that he and his army would destroy them. You see, Aram had about 30 other kings and armies on their side, while Israel was the puny, lone army against them. Ben-hadad thought that he had this battle in the bag—I mean, he had thousands of fearless warriors on his side and probably a record to show for his many victories. But he was confident in his own ability and his past. He was even getting drunk with the other officials before the battle because he was so unconcerned with the turnout.

Israel on the other hand may have had a small army, but they sure had a big God. And King Ahab knew that. He knew better than to be cocky when the battle was in the Lord’s hands. Unlike Ben-hadad, Ahab was confident in his God. And Ahab said to Ben-hadad “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.” 1 Kings 20:11. Ahab knew that with God nothing was impossible—even when the odds were severely against him. He was humble before His God, who was in control. Ahab prayed to his God and asked for guidance. And because Ahab came to God and trusted Him, He handed the Arameans over to the Israelites in the battle. God proved himself faithful.

So what does this tell us? Obviously, we should not be confident in our own abilities alone. Just because we have had victories before, does not mean we will have them again. We should not trust in ourselves and our talents, but we should give them to God and trust that the Lord will use us. He is so much greater than us—and obviously greater than a massive army. Ben-hadad had his faith in himself and in his golden idols. He did not have help from a real and living God. But Ahab believed—He knew His God was the Great Provider and the source of all. He didn’t give up because of his circumstances and he wasn’t cocky in his own ability. Because Ahab confidence was in his mighty God, he was blessed, and the Lord was glorified.

MY STORY
I think that this lesson can absolutely relate to us today. I’ve found that it’s really easy for me, personally, to get cocky and prideful in what I’ve accomplished—whether it be in sports, school, or in my spiritual life. I found that this happens a lot when I get a lot of compliments from people. When we’ve been successful it’s easy for us to fall into the trap of thinking that our success is of our own doing—thinking that it’s all because of our smarts, or our looks, or our talents. But think about this—Where do all of these things come from? Can we create gifts out of thin air? Are we good by our own doing? I think not. These things are all gifts from God, our Father. He’s gifted us with these things for a purpose, and when we get cocky, we forget the one who gave them to us.

I remember one specific time this year when I was really struggling with having a prideful attitude. I expected to come out as a pole vaulter at Pacific this past year and easily break school records and be the best, because of what I had done in high school—I didn’t expect to have it too hard. And much to my liking, I was supposed to be the only girl pole vaulter on the team. However, there were a few other girls who wanted to try it out, too. On the outside I looked like I was fine with it, but on the inside I was stingy about sharing the time I had with my coach with other girls, and I was jealous at their improvement when I didn’t have much.

But then God gave me a good look at where my heart and attitude were at with these girls. Instead of being encouraging and being excited for them when they improved, I was being cocky and selfish. How could I call myself a follower of Jesus, when I wasn’t wishing the best for my teammates and my friends? I couldn’t. God showed me that this love and talent I had for pole vaulting wasn’t from me, it was a gift from Him, and I was abusing it to make myself look better. And when I was later out for 6 weeks with an injury, it helped me see even more how blessed I really was to be able to compete in such a sport. The Lord reminded me that He is the giver of all good things: “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” 1 Corinthians 4:7

Its okay to acknowledge that you do have a gift or you are good at something. But I also think its important that we don’t forget where that comes from, and that we acknowledge that God is the source of those things. Thinking about all that God has given me makes me realize just how blessed I really am. I feel humbled at the feet of my Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” For “God has united us with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God. He made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.” He is our source of life. He is our strength when we can’t stand. He gives us hope in a world of darkness. And we can’t take any credit for that.

OUR STORIES
And in saying that, we are no more important than anyone else around us. We are all in the same boat—we are all sinners. “You mean I’m no better than that homeless man sitting on the street , that crazy woman, or that corrupt politician there in D.C.?” Yep, that’s right. That’s sure a humbling thought, isn’t it? Jesus came not to save us because we were righteous, but because we were all corrupt and broken. We all needed a Savior. For “none is righteous—no not one” (this is a favorite of Corby’s) Romans 3:10.

We all have stories of what God is to us and how He has worked in our lives. And we can share those with the world. We can share stories of our great God with people who need to know about Him. They deserve to know Jesus as much as we do. And hearing your story of an amazing God may just change someone’s life…you never know.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” Psalm 24:1. The people around me, the situations that I am placed in, the place I’m at, and the gifts that I have all come from the Lord. He’s blessed me, and He has blessed you. We are all given different talents and placed in different places for a reason. Each of us is in need of God’s saving grace and help. We are all a part of the story. His story.

We are a part of God’s story, so let us not forget who is the Author.

I challenge you to take some time in the presence of God thinking all the amazing things He has done in your life. In other words, count your blessings. Be humbled at the thought of how great our God really is. Read a story like Ahab’s in God’s book to see more stories of an amazing God at work. Read the story of David, read the story of Esther, or read about Abigail. These are all people who realized where their help really came from and lived to serve their great God over everything else. Thinking about God’s greatness may be overwhelming, but it may make you realize just how good God really is. Take some time to thank Him. Let’s give Him credit where credit is due. And like Ahab, don’t forget where your help comes from. "I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

I don’t know if any of you have heard this song by the Museum, My Help Comes From the Lord, but take a listen. It’s all about praising God for who He is. It is about acknowledging that He is our refuge and our strength, and all our help comes from Him alone. This is one of my favorites! Listen and be encouraged :)

Thanks for listening :)
Kasey

Looking at this Heart

2010-06-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those days…one of those days that you just feel…ugly? I used to have those a lot…especially during those early teen years--asking God, why am I not as pretty as her? Why can’t I look better? Does anyone think I’m beautiful? I think all of us have those thoughts at times.

I haven’t had any of those constant thoughts on my mind for a long time, but all of a sudden today those thoughts have crept back up on me. I was around a bunch of really pretty girls today…I mean they were what you might call drop-dead gorgeous. That kind of made me look at myself in the mirror and say, God, why am I not prettier? What's wrong with me? And these are thoughts that can haunt many of us in this world. In our world, we are focused a lot on ourselves . I mean, just flip on your TV and you are bombarded with messages telling you that you aren’t good enough. According to commercials we don’t have long enough lashes, we need to be thinner, have clearer skin, we need to b stronger and more confident, and us girls need to wear a whole bunch of make up to cover up every little imperfection we might have.

Have you ever thought about how shallow the world has become?...I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind ;) I mean, there’s nothing wrong with us looking our best and taking care of the bodies we have, but we have become obsessed with what others think about us and how to make ourselves better. Instead of living in a world that focuses on helping those around us who are hurting, or loving each other, or encouraging others around us, we are completely focused on what we look like and how the world sees us.

But as I was consumed with thoughts about my appearance this afternoon, I remembered what God had said to Samuel in the Bible. Samuel was to anoint the future king of the Israelites—God’s chosen people. Samuel thought for sure God’s chosen king would be a strong, handsome, tall, and accomplished young man. Samuel was looking for the outward qualities that a king might have. But God reminded Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God ended up chosing David, a young shepard boy who still looked like a little kid. But God wasn’t focused on what the world thought about this young man, he knew David’s heart. David was a man after God’s own heart—He was seeking after the Lord with everything.

God’s eyes and heart are completely different from ours. He sees the real us—He sees our hearts. Reading the above passage in Samuel makes me think a little differently about what’s really important, I don't know about you. It's amazing, really. When God looks at me, He doesn’t see my face, my hair, or the cute outfit I just bought, He looks straight into my heart. And because my heart has been filled with Him and has been washed clean by His saving grace and His blood, He sees something beautiful.

In the end, it’s not going to matter whether I was drop-dead gorgeous or a Plain Jane in the eyes of the world. What is going to matter is my heart. That is what God will see in the end—He knows it in and out. He created it. Every single part of our hearts--our love, our passions, our unique quirks--they were all created by Him for a special purpose. Our hearts ae special to Him. We don’t have to try to impress God with something fake on the outside. He sees the beautiful heart inside :) For “charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” Proverbs 31:30. Someone with a beautiful heart is truly beautiful to the Lord--no matter what they may look like to the world. That is so cool :)

Sometimes I wish that that is the all that the world could see—my heart. I think that’s what most of us wish. How crazy would it be if that is all we could see in each other—our hearts? Things would be a lot different. I hope and pray that as I go through this life, God would teach me to see through His eyes, instead of making rash judgements about someone by what I see on the outside. It would give me a little different perspective on the people around me.

Real love in this life comes from being able to get past what is on the outside and love people for who they are--for their hearts. It's amazing when you get to know people--really know people--how your thoughts about them can change. I know during this first year of college that has been the case with so many people I've come to know. Like with a lot of my guy friends, when I first met them, I would "size them up"--thinking "Oh he's a jock, or he's a pretty boy, or he's a band geek." But my first impressions about my friends have been so wrong. Every day that I talk to people I go to college with and every moment I spend with these people--I really get to know them for who they really are at heart. And it's amazing how unique and awesome each heart is. I've begun to see how amazing God's formation of each heart really is, and I'm so thankful for each one.

And really, in the end what will really matter is not our appearances or our impressions. But it is love. The love that God had for us, in sending His son to save our lives so we can see Him face to face at the end of time. And His Fatherly love for us in our walk on earth with Him every single day. What's important is the love that I have for the one who saved me and what I did with that love. Love is eternal. The Bible says that (1 Corinthians 13:13)"three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love" and I believe that with all I am. It will last forever just like our God does. That is amazing. Love can make an eternal difference in a life—I know it has in mine.

So as I continue on this journey of life, may I not focus on my appearance to the world, and think only of myself. Instead of focusing so much about what the world thinks of you, I hope that you too find joy in how the King of Kings sees you, instead. But may you and I rest in knowing that a beautiful heart is what matters to our God in the end. There is nothing worthwhile in the long-run in being completely caught up in the way we look. May we keep an eternal perspective It’s freeing when we realize that God does really see our hearts when He looks at us. May we forever find joy and peace in knowing that our King who sees who we really are. Praise Him who loves us so much!

May my entire life bring glory to His name! Thank you God!

And thanks for reading :)

~Kasey

My Sweet Hope

2010-05-26T23:39:00.000-07:00

Sweet Hope

(a little bit of personal poetry/writing that was inspired by what has been on my heart lately. It's pretty long, but I hope that you enjoy)

The world is spinning around me. I hear things. I see things. Are they really there?
Death. Disease. Beatings. Fighting.
Crying, Fear, Pain, and Sorrow.
Utter brokenness.
Why can’t I fix it? Why can’t I stop all the pain, the hurt, the sadness?
It’s happening to my friends, to my family, to people half-way around the world. It’s even happening to me.
I’m crying out for the sake of the world, God. There are so many broken hearts, broken homes, broken lives.
What can I do about it?
I want to know about the girl sitting next to me. What is going on behind that plastered smile? Looking into her eyes, I can see evidence of something that I do not know. Little do I know that she is still grieving her younger brothers' death from cancer. It still tears her apart.
The boy across the hall…what about him? His parents are fighting and he doesn’t know what to do. He can’t stop the hurt he feels inside. He can’t do anything about it. He wants to fix it.
He can’t. I can’t.
I want to fix it. I want to stop the hurt, the sadness—the tears, the pain, the fear.
But I can’t. I can’t fix the cloud of darkness seems to hover some place in the world at any given time.
Evil. The devil holds us captive. He tells us that there is no way out and begs us to give up.

-----
We try to hold ourselves up on breaking crutches.
The crutches we lean on in this life are just as broken as we are. We think that if we only use a wonder drug or had enough money that our problems would disappear. We lean on other people like us, our things, and celebrities, thinking that they will keep us strong.
But they let us down and when they fall, we fall with them.
What can hold us up? What will bear the weight of our burden? Who could possibly overcome everything that is pressing us against this wall?
Who will hold me? Who will hold us? I look around; I search every corner of the dark world and come up empty.
There is only one light, one glimmer of hope left that I find in this darkness.

Jesus. I look upon your face as you hang there on the cross. You were broken down by the world just like me.
But there is something different about You.
You overcame. You overcame this world—the pain, the sorrow. You conquered the grave.
You defeated the grave so I could be with You. I couldn’t make it on my own—so You laid it all down, and carried my burden so I wouldn’t have to. You carry me as I cry and tell you how I want to give up. Even now, as I am weary, You lift my broken body and soul.

My God, when I break under the weight of this world, you catch me as I fall.
My strength is in You, for you alone have overcome.
You said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
You amaze me, Father God. How can I ever thank you enough for picking me up and walking alongside me? I sit at Your throne in awe of Your majesty and love for me.
You are the only one who stays the same when the world is crashing down around me—when everything changes. You are always good, no matter the circumstances I’m in.
You are always here with open arms. You are love. You are my hiding place. You are the strong tower that holds me up.

No matter what this world tells me, I know that You are with us here and are so faithful. I cannot wait for the day when I see Your face before the gates of heaven and run into Your loving arms. My hope is in You and Your promise of the day when there will be no more sorrows and no more pain. The day when we get to be with You in paradise.
---
I want to tell the world! But I’m scared and I don’t know how. I feel beaten down. All I can tell them is how you’ve set me free from the weight and pain of this world. I can only tell them of the victory I have in You.
I can only share with them the countless stories of Your faithfulness. How you have lifted me from the pit of despair.
I know can’t save the world. But I do have the one life you've given me. It is all I have to offer, but this I will offer.
Two hands to lend a hand to a broken world.
Two feet, so that I may go where You send me.
Two ears, so that I can listen to the stories.
We need You, God. Only you can save us. You hold the world in your hands.
Our world is crushed, broken, and looking for a way out. They are reaching out for a hand to hold.

You offer your nail-pierced hands. Hear our cry. Take the hurting by the hand and help us to our feet—we can’t do it alone.
You’ve put me here for a reason, God. I want to help hold and love those who you’ve placed in my path—they need You just as much as I do.
---
No matter what this world tells me, I know that You are so faithful.
I can’t see You, but I can feel You with me, Lord. I’ve seen too many evidences of Your glory to ignore them. Amidst all the crazy things that happen there is still love, faith, laughter, joy, and beauty. I know You are there, God.
Lord, take me, and use me. I’m only one girl. But Lord, use me to touch the world. Lord, for all You are, may I be forever faithful to You.
Your unchanging, unconditional love is what this world craves. We are crying out for You.
I see this broken world, and don’t know what to do, don’t know where to start. Fill me with Your power and wisdom as I seek out the lost, God. Show me what to do.
May my life be a song of praise to you and a witness of just how amazing You are. I want to show the world that You are the Rock on which we stand. “For in Him we live and move and exist.” Acts 17:28

May the world see that we can put our hope in You and Your unchanging and unfailing love. For You are unlike any other.

~Kasey

One Dark Friday...

2010-04-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not writing sooner! I've finally found some time to sit and write.

I just wanted to take a little time to write about what a significant day is before us. It is Good Friday. This is the day that Jesus our Lord died a criminal's death on a cross to save us. I've never really thought about Good Friday before this year. I've always acknowledged the fact that Jesus died on this day and rose again three days later...but I've never looked so much deeper into it.

This week I heard a message about just how awesome and amazing Jesus's death for us was, and it really opened my eyes and my heart. I'll first begin in Isaiah 53, where Jesus life and death were prophesied. It starts out in the first two verses explaining how the world rejected the Son of God. It says that people did not recognize Him as a king because He was an ordinary man. Outwardly, there was nothing special about Him. The people of earth needed a deliverer. The people of the earth all turned their backs on God--their provider, their life-giver, their comforter, and their creator.

We needed delivering. So Jesus was sent to earth from heaven so that we could have the chance to be with God forever when we die. God loved us so much....it's just so incredible how much God loves us. But we rejected Jesus because we didn't have faith. Jesus brought the message that was prophesied for thousands of years, but people just turned their backs. Jesus was God in human form--He loved, He brought hope, He healed, and He comforted. "He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepeest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care." Isaiah 53:3

Jesus loved us. He was sent because of love. He died out of love. He gave himself for the opporutnity to call us His friends--even though we were traitors. He was everything good and we, in our selfishness, turned away from His open arms. Despite the fact that we turned away, He still went through so much pain and suffering--He knew that what was to come would be so much better than what He had to go through to get us there.

I can't imagine what thoughts were going through Jesus' mind when He was up there on that cross. I wonder if He thought, "If you only knew how much I love you. I am dying for you. One day you will see."

Jesus didn't retaliate because He knew what was going to happen. Any one of us would have just told the world "Fine! You know what?...You guys don't deserve this! You will never understand." But Jesus had the mind of the Lord. He knew the big picture. He knew that what He was doing would be worth it all.

Isaiah 53:11 is God speaking of His Son: "When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all of their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious solider, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels." I think that is such a special verse! We are the spoils that Jesus will reap from the victory over evil! Wow. He really loves us.

He held the weight of the world on his shoulders, as he hung there in inconcievable pain, there on the cross. He was completely and utterly alone in the world. "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" And with His dying breaths he said, "It is finished." He had done what He had come to do. He came to the earth as a sinless man and was forsaken by the world that He came to save. And He did it.

But wait....a King is not supposed to die! This can't be right...

Thankfully this is not the end of the story...

Love?...What's That?

2010-02-14T23:03:00.000-08:00

How do I explain the love of my Jesus? What keeps me captivated by the love of someone that I’ve never physically met before? Well, I’ve been thinking about this concept of “LOVE” a lot lately, since it is the month when we specifically celebrate love. What is love? Is it a one night fling where two people get to live for a moment of happiness and excitement? Or is it when two people get married and “complete each other?”

God’s really been speaking to me recently and reminding me of what love really is.

I guess that I understand it best by realizing that it comes down to the fact that people in this world will always let you down. People change, places change, even we as individuals change. But God is always the same. His love never changes. When we turn a different direction or go through some crazy stuff—He is consistent no matter what we go through. I believe that He is center of all that is good in this world.

We may go through times that lead us into temptation or into pain or sadness, but God is always there with us and on the other side to lead us out. We always expect that people—whether it be spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends, or friends in general—to make our lives to be able to do this for us. In other words, we expect other people to make us complete. But aren’t we all just human beings? Aren’t we are all sinners? I think it’s safe to say that we all fall short of perfection in one way or another. We can’t expect our fellow brothers and sisters to life up to our perfect expectations—only God can do that.

This is why God sent His only Son to intercede on our behalf. We could never give enough sacrifice that would ever cover the enormity of our sins. This is why God came to earth as a man! Jesus was a perfect and holy sacrifice. And although He was innocent, He died on our behalf. His blood—his literal life blood—has erased my sins! Wow. That is amazing love. I know that I’ve turned my back on God so many times because I didn’t think that I needed Him anymore. But the truth is that all I am, all that I have, and all that I live for is because of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Because I am passionately convinced of this:

“That neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Wow. If that verse doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what does. True love, as Jesus gave the example, is a love that knows no bounds. It has no conditions and is not circumstantial. It is perfect and forever faithful. God is love. He is our protector, our strong tower, our Savior, our real joy-giver, and the Lover of our souls.

Let us praise the name of God, for we are graced with the presence of real love every day, as we walk this journey of life with our Jesus! Let God be the author of your life and love stories and I guarantee that He will never cease to amaze you.

Blessings In Disguise

2010-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there are things that happen to us that we think we can never overcome—things that seem like the end of the world. Adversity. The author of a book called In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson, said:

“Sickness helps us appreciate health. Failure helps us appreciate success. Debt helps us apprecitate wealth. And the tough times help us to appreciate the good times. That’s just the way life is.”

There’s so many hard times that we can think about from our pasts—I’m sure you are thinking of some of your own right about now. But so many times these hard times can turn out to be the best times if we see it in a different perspective. These times help us to learn, to grow, to become stronger. We like to complain about our circumstances, saying that life would be so much better if we didn’t have to go through some certain thing. But God uses these times to mold us into who we are becoming.

I remember one time in high school where I was particularly upset at God and wondering what on earth He was up to: I was a hurdler—I had made it to the Master’s championships during my senior year. I was so excited for the race and I was sure I was going to make it to the final round. However, all my big dreams for the race that year were turned upside-down when I was called for a false-start and was disqualified from the race. I was definitely upset and embarrassed that I had made such a silly mistake. I kept questioning why God was letting this happen when I knew I was good enough. But a couple days later, I found it obvious why it had happened. I had graduation night and my pole vault competition on the same day that the next final hurdle race would have been. I had been praying about it and wondering what I was going to do…and God had answered my dilemma in an unexpected way. I no longer had to choose between racing and my high school graduation.

When I look back on the experience and moments like this—I just smile. I think maybe God smiles too once we figure these things out. He has His plan and he can see an eternal view of all that we go through. He knows what He’s doing.

Think about all the people in your life or in the Bible who have overcome adversity. There’s Moses—who was a murderer and afraid, but God equipped Him to deliver his chosen people. There’s Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who did God’s will but were still thrown into a fiery furnace—but God used them to show a king God’s power.

God can use anyone, in any circumstance—He has a plan. It’s simply about keeping a joyful perspective about our circumstances. Knowing that God is always good no matter what we may face. What may you be going through right now that is keeping you down? Is there something that you’ve gone through that has you wondering what God is doing? Maybe God is teaching you something, or maybe He’s making you stronger…maybe you’re going through something so that you can help someone through the same thing in the future…you never know.

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” Hebrews 11: 35-36

Home Sweet Home

2009-12-23T22:44:00.000-08:00

It's so refreshing to be home...To be in a place that is familiar, with the people who you know and love the most in life! The Lord has blessed me so much, by giving me the gift of being with my family during this Christmas season. I am so thankful for God's protection during travels and for the full two and a half weeks I am able to spend here!

It's so strange to be a visitor to your own hometown. It makes me appreciate and realize how blessed I am to live in a small town! My home is so much more beautiful than I ever realized before! Horses in pastures; bright, visible sunsets painted by the hand of God; the warm sunshine; smiling, familiar faces; and all of God's creatures!

I've had a hard time thinking and worrying about the future...which I'm sure is not an unfamiliar subject with many of you, as well. While writing in my journal today, I really loved seeing how God has promises for all of us...and He keeps them! Like the story of Abram and Sarah. The Lord promised a son to Abraham, even though he and Sarah were both of old age. They were both about 100 years old! No one could be expected to be able to concieve at that age. But lets see what The Word says. Matthew 19:26 says, "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Did you catch that? With God ALL THINGS are possible! God can do anything that man can't do and more!

This means that He has control over our futures! How cool is that? And Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I have great plans for you," declares the Lord. "Plans for good and not for evil. To give you a future and a hope." The Lord holds our futures in His hands, and He's got a great purpose for each of us. Even though we often get confused about the Lord's plan for our lives, and wonder how what we are going through can possibly fit in to a good future, God knows. He gives us a promise--that if we just trust Him, we can find peace in knowing that our future is in the hands of a gracious and holy God! He cares for us and wants the best for us!

Thats why He sent His son to this earth for us. Jesus was a part of that promise to us! "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17 Jesus was here, not because of anything we did, but because of his unending, eternal love for us, His creation! He brought words of peace, love, and hope to all the earth!

Here are some of His words:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25-27

--God watches over us and is our Protector. He doesn't want us to worry about tomorrow! He has it all in His hands--his own timing. So whatever is going on in your life during this Christmas season, just remember the promise that God has given us. And let Him give you a peace about the days to come. Let us focus on praising the Lord for His great mercy and majesty!

Happy birthday Jesus! Have a blessed Christmas!

Kasey

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-28T13:44:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
Well, I guess its a couple days late for that...Well, I just have to say that God has blessed me so much! Since I wasn't able to go home for Thanksgiving this year, my roommate and her family opened up their home for me to join them this week. I miss my family so much and wish I could just sit on my couch at home and talk to everyone, but I'm thankful to have such a sweet family to stay with. And when I think about it, not being able to go home now will just make my visit home for Christmas that much sweeter. I can't wait to go home and bake cookies and other goodies with mom! It's going to be such a blessing to get to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, with everyone soon! ...oh ya, and I got to talk to the whole family on thanksgiving night over speaker phone...oh man, we have an awesome family! :)
...mini golfing!

But until then...I'm going to be a definite "busy-body"! I have about a week and a half left of classes and then I will be preparing for finals! Aaaaahhhhhhh!...I can't believe its almost finals already. I mean....I feel like I just got here. How does the time pass so quickly?? Its kind of a bittersweet feeling, I guess. Anyway, I only have two major finals, which is nice, but I'll definitley be studying hard. This week is a nice calm before the storm ;) Oh yeah, and I forgot to tell you that we and some people on another floor of my dorm, have had "Nerf-Gun Wars" going on for the past week. It has been awesome! There have been some pranks played and some "shoot outs" going on unexpectedly, but its always a nice break from the studying.

...playing the Wii at my roommate's house!

Its really easy, with all the business that college (and life in general) bring along. I've found that for me its been a really humbling thing to just sit still and think of all the things that God has blessed me with. During this time of Thanksgiving, its really amazing to think of all the blessings that we truly have. I'd encourage you to sit down and make a list, pray, or try to think about the many things you are thankful for, or what blessings you have. I'll make a brief list here:

I am thankful for:
trees, a loving home, food to fill my stomach, a God who provides ALL, prayers, hymns, voices, hugs, blankets, hope, laughter, [sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, grandparents] FAMILY, warmth, color-changing leaves, snow, sunshine, listeners, puppies, love, faithfulness, God's promises, awesome friends, flowers, Christ Jesus, smiles.

And I would have nothing without Christ and His sacrifice for us on the cross. I am thankful for his willingness and love, that He would lay down His life for us. Because He LOVES us, and because He has hope for us. Thank you Jesus!! Just take the time to think about what you are thankful for...and if you want, post what you are thankful for as a comment on my blog!

Many blessings, Kasey

I miss you guys and love you very much!

Songs

2009-11-07T21:23:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd share the lyrics of song with you that I heard tonight. They tell of the Lord's unending faithfulness. Now and forever. :

"Falling on my knees in worship

Giving all I am to seek your face

Lord all I am is yours

My whole life I placed in your hands

God of mercy

Humbled I bow down

In your presence at your thrown

I call, you answer

And you came to my rescue

And I, want to be where you are

My whole life I place in your hands

God of mercy humbled I bow down

In your presence at your thrown

I call, you answer

And you to came to my rescue

And I, want to be where you are

My life be lifted high

My work be lifted high

My love be lifted high"

May the presence of the Lord be with you always!

2009-11-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Serving Together

2009-10-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!
First of all, I just want to apologize for not updating in a REALLY long time. This have been really crazy around here lately and I have hardly had time to sit down and think!
Well...let's see...what have I been up to lately? My family came up to visit last weekend! It was the greatest weekend ever. They were such a blessing and it was so good to get to be with them and have so many great laughs again :) It was awesome to get to leave the school and just hang out at the beach with my family! I love you guys and miss you :)

Oh yea, I went to Tacoma a few weekends ago on an "Alternative Fall Break." We got to pack over 6000 lbs of frozen corn to send to homeless shelters and places like that, which was a really neat experience. We also helped at a fundraiser for "My Sister's Pantry" which provides groceries to homeless or hungry families in Tacoma. Among other things on our road trip, we got to work on a farm, weed a garden, and meet a lot of really awesome people. I was really glad to have the opportunity to serve people in another community. And that's what God has called us all to do right? Serve God and serve others! If we want to walk on this Earth as Jesus did, we have to be willing to serve the "least of these" in this world. He was willing to get down on His hands and knees to wash people's feet in John 13...I mean, He is the King of Kings!...He did that? Wow. Its kind of cool to think that He would do that for us. Don't you think we should do things for Him because He gave it all for us?...even though we never deserved it. The phrase "Servant of All" has been on my mind lately.

I've also been thinking about how blessed I am...how blessed we all are. I mean I complain about when the hot water heater breaks in the dorm, and probably more than half of the world does not have access to even warm water. I worry about what I'm going to wear tomorrow while there are children who are being sold as sex-slaves. I've begun to feel really guilty about how much I have and feeling like I just want to get rid of it all...but my mom has reminded me that everything that I have has been a gift from God. I just need to be content with what I have and use it to bless others who are hurting out there in the world. We should be "other's-focused" as Christ was and seek out the hurting in any way that we can. It's time to live out our faith!!

Let us not taken for granted all that we have been given. We have so many opportunites here to make a difference for Jesus Christ, and its just a matter of finding where to start. If all of us could work together, as a family in Christ, we could reach a whole world of suffering and lost people out there...one step at a time. Do you have a passion for something unique? Anything?...music, art, sports, writing, laughing, playing with kids? Ask God to show you how you can use the passions He's given you to bless other's for Him. Maybe he will have someone for you to serve in your hometown, in another country, or in your church? It's all in His plan and His timing. And remember that there's always a way in Christ. We should show our faith in the Lord by doing good for His kingdom. Let us proclaim His name in all we do ,"For in Him we live and move and exist!" Acts 17:28a He is the reason I'm alive and He is the reason that I live!

Well, I hope that I could encourage you today and hope that gives you a small idea of what I've been doing recently. I'll post some pictures of other stuff we've done too :) In Christ, ~Kasey

Photos from Around Campus

2009-09-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures that I've taken around campus.

Going, going, going....

2009-09-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Sorry its taken me so long to update this! It seems like in college there is really no spare moment for anything. Like this weekend, I thought I was going to have it fairly easy....and then I made a "To-Do" list...wow, was I wrong!

Well, since I haven't posted in two weeks, I'll tell you a little bit about what's been going on around here. A couple weeks ago was reading Plato and I had to write a huge essay on it for my First Year Seminar class. That was definitely a stressful time since we also had so much other work to do. I have to give all the credit to God because I don't think I could have handled finishing that paper and everything I had to get done without Him. The Lord keeps reminding me not to get too caught up in all the things I have to do, and helps me to focus on what really matters. That week we also went to Bible study, with some other students around campus. We're learning what the Bible is and why its true, and also how to daily stay close to the Lord, in these crazy times. Among other things...we watched Pirates of the Carribean on Friday night, watched chemicals get blown up at a Chemistry welcome dinner, and got to see some amazing art work at the Sidewalk Chalk Festival. I'll have to post some pictures of it!

This week our FYS class got to go see the opera, La Boheme and eat dinner with our professor! The opera was interesting, and there are definitely a lot of talented people there, but I have to say that I enjoyed the time away from campus and hanging out with the class a lot more than the actual opera. The other big thing going for me this past week were my two big tests in chem. and psychology. It definitely takes a lot of discipline and time management to prepare effectively for tests in college. But again, the Lord helped me through. He is my strength when I am weak, and just want to run away from it all. All in all, I think that my chem. test went alright and I thought my psych. test went really well. So I'm praying for the best! Oh, and today we went grocery shopping a bike riding again today, which was a real blessing!

In college, it definitely seems like there is nothing to do but live, breathe, sleep, and eat "school!" It's been really tough trying to figure out how to get everything done, and in the meantime, not forgetting about all the details. Through the messages I've heard in the past week and what God has been putting on my heart, I've realized that time spent with Him is so crucial. He has given me so many chances and died for me even when He knew I would sin against Him again and again. I should ask Him "how much more can I give", not "what is least I can do to get by." His mercy is amazing and unending! He is the only one who will be here with us through eternity. We should give Him the glory in our actions and what we say. Every moment of every day should have a purpose for Him...and although its not an easy thing to do, it pleases Him!

Here's a little something for the ladies who are reading this (but it applies to guys too):
I've been reading a new book called, "Set-Apart Femininity." It talks a lot about the Lord wanting us to pursue Him. I know that as women, we always long for a man to pursue us and our hearts. And that is the same way that God feels. He wants us to pursue Him...not because we have to, but because we love Him for all that He is. Its easy for us girls to get down when we aren't being chased after a guy. But you know what...we should run into the open arms of Christ! He is waiting, waiting for us to choose Him. He is the only one who will fill us up. If we are only waiting around all our lives for the man that God has planned for us, then our purpose goes no deeper than that. If God does have marriage in our future, then we shouldn't be waiting around, we should be actively seeking out God every day. We can simply know that God will bring that person into our lives when He chooses. So, together, lets give God the glory and run to seek His face! :) God will bless you beyond anything you can imagine! It's a grand adventure in pursuit of the Lord.

Good times!

2009-09-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

I won't write too much this time, since its already 10:30pm...but I just wanted to share a little bit of what I've been doing the past few days. Last night was a lot of fun. Three friends and I went up to our dorm's second floor lounge and watched Mulan! You may be asking...why are college students watching such a silly movie? Well...doesn't everyone like a disney movie now and then? It's not every college student's idea of "friday night fun," but it was definitley ours! We chowed down on some popcorn, gold fish, and even had some pixie sticks! We started out with just 4 of us watching the movie, but then by the end we had about 7...and others popped in and out. We sang all the songs and laughed like no one was watching. It was tons of fun! We have decided that it is going to be a tradition for us to watch a disney movie on friday nights:)

Oh, and today we worked on some homework and then Laura and I decided to go on a bike ride! Courtesy of our school's free bike association, we got to ride new bikes downtown for free! We got to stock up on yogurt, PB&J, milk, and bananas. It was a lot of fun and just a great way to see the town. God is has definitley blessed us with a beautiful place to live! He is the master designer!

God has been so good to us, and I just pray that He blesses you like He has blessed us here. He is unfailing and I am so thankful that He is with us always.I pray that wherever you are reading this, that the Lord gives you strength and courage to stand for Him and truth in Christ, no matter what others think about it. There will always be people who will try to bring you down, but just remember that in the end all that will matter is when God says to you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

2009-09-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

We got a little rain today!

Mine and Laura's fingers after tye dying bags :)

First day of school!

Fire in Our Hearts

2009-09-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the beginning of my second week of college classes. I'm so thankful that today was a day off, because I certainly needed it. I've been busy with lots of chemistry, FYS, and psychology reading this whole week, and its definitley been a challenge. College definitley takes a lot more time than high school did. And this weekend, I went to my roommate, Laura's house for the weekend! We got to have some downtime, have free food, visit with her family, and eat fudge from monks at a monestary. :)

Yesterday we also got the chance to go to a church called "Refuge." It was a great time to be worshipping the Lord will so many fellow believers. The neat thing about that church, was that almost every single person who was there either is an alumni of, or current student at my school! We got to hear some appreciations from people and how others had been encouraged throughout the week. There was also a man there who lives with his family in Ecuador, and does ministry work with street kids in a home called Shalom. It was a real blessing from God to hear his message, and to visit with people from school.

At the end of the night, along with 10 other girls, we got to have a little late night snack with the other ladies in the church! It was a lot of fun and we got to forget about all the homework we had to do...at least for a couple of hours. But I heard a message yesterday morning that really made me think. We were reading in Acts 16:16-34 where Paul and Silas were called by God to preach in Macedonia. When they arrived in Philippi, they began to spread the gospel and people gave their hearts to the Lord. But another day a woman who was possessed by demons, and could tell the future, began shouting through the streets that Paul and Silas were servants of God and carried the message of true salvation. Well, Paul and Silas got a little irritated at being followed and yelled at through the streets, so they cast the demon out of her. But little did they know that the girl was a source of wealth for her master's. So eventually the master's took Paul and Silas into the streets and they were beaten by a mob and thrown into prison.

But while they were in prison, Paul and Silas sang praises to God and prayed continually, and all the other inmates listened to them. Then there was a massive earthquake and all the doors of the prison flew open. Did you catch that? ALL the doors, not just Paul and Silas's (but I'll get to that in a minute). Then when the jailer saw that all the prisoners were gone, he went to kill himself, knowing that would be his final fate. But Paul interuppted him and said, "Wait, we're all here." And the jailer asked how he could be saved. So Paul and Silas shared God's word with the man, and he and his entire family accepted the Lord! How cool is that? All this happened because Paul and Silas prayed for God to deliver them. God saved every single person in that prison because of the faith of two followers. He answered a simple prayer. Do you think that maybe the deliverance we pray for can be everyone's deliverance? What if we prayed for our schools, our communites, our city, our state? Maybe something big...something momumental would happen here!

It starts with our own fire for the Lord. Maybe people will see your life and say, "Why are they different from me? I want that...I want what they have." Instead of being discouraged because we might stand out from the crowd, we should thank God that we are blessed to live for Him. It's definitley a challenge, but I'm trying to live my life as a living testimony. Maybe its not always that you have the right words to say...but its what you do on a daily basis. God is blessed when our hearts totally focused on him...when everything we do has a purpose for the kingdom. We should live our life for God because He loved us first and because of everything that He has done and is still to do...out of none of our own doing.

And in the end...if God is with us, then who could be against us?

Many Firsts

2009-08-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!
I am preparing for my first classes, which start tomorrow! I have General Chem, Intro to Psychology, and First Year Seminar. It’s a pretty full schedule, but I am really excited to meet some new people in my class and begin learning new things.
Today Laura and I checked out a new church in town and had a great time. It was great to be in the presence of the Lord and other believers. We actually met three upperclassmen who also go to school with us. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to have great fellowship with them over lunch at Godfather’s Pizza! (Now I have leftovers for two more meals) The pastor and his wife were very kind, and took us out for lunch. We also found out that the church is sponsoring a weekly “Don’t Lose Faith in College” discussion, on campus. I am so excited to soon be able to get together and keep strong in the Lord with other Christians here.
Over lunch, we all got to talk about the pressures of campus, the feeling of being some of the only Christians, and how to encourage others who are looking for the truth. Even though it’s been hard to stand against the college “norm,” I’ve been realizing that God is with me through it all, and He is all I need to lean on. I guess I’m in kind of the same situation that Queen Esther was in. She had to confront the king, risking the life of her and her people. Haman wanted to kill all of the Jews in the city, and Mordecai asked her to go to the king, so that the Jews would live. Esther was scared…but you know what Mordecai said? He said, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" God placed her as queen for “such a time as this.” Although I’m not sure what God has planned for me here, I do believe that He’s placed me here for a reason. And He has a great plan for each and every one of us…no matter where you are...God can and will use us if we let Him.
I am just so thankful that God has brought me here and I can’t wait to see what he’s got on the “agenda!” Just spending time in prayer, reading God’s word, and fellowship with believers, has really encouraged me. I’m very excited for what’s ahead and I can’t wait to share more with you. May God bless you and keep you strong. Here are some pictures from move-in:

New Challenges

2009-08-26T16:56:00.000-07:00

I am writing to you from my new home! My new dorm. It is so weird to think that I come home to my dorm every night, not my family. But I know that they are still with me here in spirit. I just got back from a backpacking trip with 10 other students, and it was a great experience. I've been able to enjoy nature, make new friends, and explore new things, but I've also learned a lot about myself and the world.

This kind of goes along with the my previous post. It really started on the 3 hour bus ride up to our drop-off site for the backpacking trip. It didnt take me long to find out that I was the only Christian on the trip. I can honestly say that I've never heard more vulgar things come out of people's mouths and I've never heard so much talk about drugs, sex, and alcohol. It was kind of a culture shock to me, since I've grown up where so many people know that I'm Christian and not a party girl.

It was kind of sad, because it seemed like that kind of stuff was all that matters. But I so badly want to say "There is so much more to life than that!" It's been really hard to process this all at once, but I know that God is who is getting me through. I've definitley had a lot of time alone,in the wilderness, to reflect on why I believe what I believe. I think that maybe that is why God brought me there in the first place. To put me out of my comfort zone, and challenge me to live what I believe. People have been saying a lot of inapproprite things, and its taken a lot of strength from the Lord for me to get up and walk away from it. I had comments about my faith said behind my back, and people pushing me to join in on things that I knew were not right with God.

I thank the Lord so much for giving me the opportuniy to talk alone with one of my trip leaders. She saw that I was really struggling with all that was going on and I told her all that was on my heart. She told me that no matter what, I stick to what I believe in, and never let anyone else have the power to take that away from me. It was just so encouraging to hear from someone who has gone through the same things and has the same morals beliefs. God is teaching me that He is so much bigger than these things, and that in the end He conquers all. I just thank the Lord for watching over me, and pray that He gives strength to those who are discouraged. "O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress."

In the midst I had a great time and got to know some amazing people and places. I start orientation tomorrow! I've very excited and hope that there is lots to do :) Talk to you all soon! Love you and miss you! Kasey

Lessons Learned

2009-08-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

As I start packing up my room and start getting ready to head out for college, its really easy to get caught up in all the stuff...all the worries and fears. It's an exciting time, but I'm realizing that its at this time where I need to be looking to God the most. It definitley hasn't hit me that I'll be moving out soon and leaving my family and friends for a while, but I know that when it does God will be the only one that I can lean on. Not myself.

I think the Lord has been trying to get a message across to me lately. Almost every sermon that I've heard, or Bible verse or devotional that I've read has carried a common theme. Not conforming to the ways of the world. In Romans 12:2 the Bible says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." With all the excitment of college coming, I've noticed how easily I push God aside. I've been letting the internet, my obsession with all my new things, and even fears of the school workload consume my mind.

In the real world, and in college, I know that I'm going to encounter a lot of other views that will try to drag me under. This world has got so much evil in it, that sometimes its hard for us to stand up against it. In college, there are a lot of new things. I know that there is drinking, drugs, sex, atheism, cheating and things that I know that God doesn't want me to get into. It would be the easy thing to not study, stop reading my Bible and going to church, get into partying...but thats the thing. Being a Christian and standing up for the Lord isn't the easy thing.

In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wouldn't let the ways of this world overtake them. King Neb (Nebuchadnezzar) wanted everyone to bow down to his idols and worship them. But the these three guys knew that God was their only God. King Neb told them that the penalty would be death, but they refused to bow down to the idols. So the king decided to throw them into a firing furance! But guess what? God heard Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's prayers and He sent an angel to save them! How cool is that? God knows that a lot of time the right thing is the hard thing, but He is right here holding our hands and saying, "It's alright! I'm here and I'm not going to let you go." And after the king saw that an angel had rescued them, he praised God and declared that the people should worship Him! What an awesome testimony! Don't you think?

I think God's been trying to prepare me for college, and asking me to do what is right and stand up for Him, even when all are against me. When we stand before God on judgement day, the sweetest thing He will ever say is"Well done, my good and faithful servant!" Because if God is for us, then who could be against us?

The Greatest of these is Love

2009-07-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Maybe sometimes all that we can do in life, is to offer a little more love. Isn't that what we all long for? To have someone to love, cherish, and care for us? I heard at a church service once that often times "all we can do is give a little more love." This is so true. Think about it. Sometimes just a smile, hug, or an act of kindness can show the love of Christ to others. We need to profess Christ's grace not only through our mouth but in all we do. We need to have compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!

The greatest commandment is in Matthew 27: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" It is that simple. Love God and love people!

I find sometimes that the biggest witness to people is when we serve God by serving others. As I was painting a woman's nails at our local hosptial, we talked about her life, her husband, and her past. She made a comment that her hands were so ugly, and continued to say how old and ugly she was. But I just kept telling her how beautiful she was. She wanted me to "tell her the honest truth" and I all I could say was that she was beautiful. She could not believe me. But she seemed to think that the fact that she was beautiful for a moment could be true.

The lies that this unloving and unforgiving world had told her was that she was not worthy and no longer beautiful in her old age. But as ambassadors for Christ, we have to love on people! We have to let them know the truth and eliminate the lies of Satan with Christ's undying love. The woman even began to say how talking with me was helping her. We need to let Jesus speak through us. Just a simple smile or conversation can encourage those who are lost. So if you have a chance to show Jesus's love to the world today, take it! Love people! Let the Lord speak to the breaking hearts of the world!

New Steps

2009-06-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

Isn't it strange how as we get older the time seems to pass faster and faster? I remember thinking in second grade, "Wait, why did this year go by so fast?" It was the first time I'd thought about it, and everything has just sped up since then.

I can't believe I graduated a month ago and will be leaving home in about two months. Its hard to believe that I probably won't see the class that I've been with since kindergarten for a long time and won't be with them every day (like I have been for the past twelve years!). The longest amount of time that I've been away from home was the two weeks that I went to Peru last year, but I got to come back and see my family after that. But this time I will 11 hours away from home and won't be able to come home until probably Thanksgiving! Its a really scary thing for me. But I know that God will have things for me to learn and great experiences for me to go through on my own. I'm already making packing lists, buying dorm supplies, and looking forward to meeting my roomate! :)

I'll get to go up there on July 11th, where I'll find out who my roomate is, schedule classes, and find out dreaded financial payment information.

I've also been struggling with the fact that I do not have a job, and probably will not find one this summer, since I am going away to school. I've been trying to see God's will through it, but its been tough since I just bought a car and could really use the extra funds. However, I believe that God has answered my prayers. When I went to an orientation to for volunteers at a hospital, I found out that there is an oppportunity for me to volunteer in an old folks rehabiliation center! I am so excited! I've been asking God why He wouldn't open up the door to a job for me, and now I see this may be the reason. I've been realizing a lot lately that things always happen in the Lord's timing. He knows what His plan is for me, and worrying about it will not make it any more bearable. Going to college is going to bring a lot of crazy experiences my way, and I know that I'm just going to have to join God on the ride and hang on tight. I just hope that it doesn't go by too fast.

Thanks!

2008-08-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hola!
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your prayers, love, and support. Because of all of you I was able to have the amazing experience of serving God in Peru! You are all amazing. I really hope that someday soon I will be able to travel to yet another country to spread the gospel to others.
I am hoping to do a Youth Ministry Outreach for our area soon. I am hoping to hire a band and have a charity concert to raise money for a certain charity. I pray that God will help us work this out to reach youth in our community. I just want to encourage all of you to stay strong in Christ and follow his will for your lives. Thank you for everything again, and hopefully I'll be able to update to you on more stuff as the yeaer goes on!
God bless,
Kasey

Memories from Peru

2008-07-15T17:15:00.001-07:00

I'm back!

2008-07-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I'm back from Peru! Its kind of sad to be back(not because I don't love you all, of course) just because I loved serving God there, the fellowship, and all the people. I can honestly say that it was the most incredible two weeks of my life. I think that God has changed me so much during the last two weeks! I have somewhat of a different mindset now. Its so strange to come back to big buildings and big trucks. Down there every building is small and old, and all the cars are tiny and jam-packed full of people. It was really hard to leave a place that I have truly fallen in love with. It is one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. But even harder than leaving peru, was leaving the people. It was hard to say goodbye to the Peruvians each ministry day, but it was even harder to say goodbye to the strong bond that I had with my Team 11 family. We are all very close and have shared so much with eachother, that it was hard to grasp that we very well might never see eachother again. We had a big "cry fest" before we left!It was very, very hard for me. I really, really hope that God brings me back there someday.

2008-07-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hola Senoritas y Senores!
Sorry that I haven't written in a while! I've been really busy lately. Well, to update you on what's been happening I'll tell you what we did on tuesday first. It was a really cool experience that day because me and a few of my team members got the chance to work in a local Peruvian soup kitchen. It was really awesome because we got to help prepare food, help out and see how peruvians clean their dishes (usually with dirty water). That day we did our drama four times, and believe me, it was extremely tiring. After that day of ministry there was a bus strike in peru on Wednesday. So because of safety issues, we were unable to go out and minister to the city on that day. So instead, we just had a day of rest and worship. It was really awesome just to rest, read, and just hang out with our team members! It was a day much needed! Since the bus strike, we've had two other days of ministry. Two days we were stopped by the police and unable to go to the location that we were supposed to minister to. But instead we traveled about a half an hour to another location, spent the day there, and got to know the people. We also got to wash and do hair, which was a lot of fun, and a great way to be the hands and feet of Jesus:)
Besides ministry, we've also had a lot of other things going on here in Peru. We've got to hear speakers Susie Shellenburger, Alex McFarland, and Pam Stenzel. Alex McFarland has been teaching us about apologetix and how to defend our faith back home. Pam Stenzel is basically who you would call the "sex talk lady", but its awesome to hear about relationships from a Christian speaker's point of view. My team, Team 11, has also bonded a lot during the past week. Between confessing things we've done in the past, sharing emotions, and just getting to share this amazing experience, we've all become really close. And I totally love my leaders! They are such an encouragment to all of us, and help us to understand and perservere. Its awesome. God has been working so much through all of us each day we are out on the mission field! Its just been so great getting closer to God and His purpose for all of us. And I love the fellowship with all of these teens who are on fire for God.
So today was our last day of ministry, and its really quite sad! We've all been doing the drama and hanging out with eachother for so long that it seemed so weird to think that it was the last time that our entire team would be doing the drama together. But it was a great last day of ministry and we went to 3 different spots to do the drama. It was awesome seeing so many people coming to Christ. It was awesome because I got to pray with these two ladies today, and I gave one of them a Bible and she said that she would definitley read it! That is so awesome to hear how God works through us! I just can't believe that it is already almost over. To tell you the truth I really don't want to go home yet, I feel like there is so much more that needs to be done here! But I really do miss everyone, and I can't wait to tell everyone more about the trip when I get back. Well, tonight we have crazy hair night! And tomorrow we are going to the Inca Market, and I'm so excited. So if I don't get a chance to write before I come home:I can't wait to see everyone again!!! Pray for our safe travels and health! I'll see ya soon:)

2008-07-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Its Kasey again!
Everything is so awesome here. Last time I posted was 2 days ago, right before FUAGNEM. Little did I know that this FUAGNEM would be pretty deep and really change my relationship with God. That night we had a worship service with Jamie Jam, and it was really moving. She sang one song that her friend wrote about surrendering all to God and doing anything it takes for His kingdom. That song really hit me hard. Because lately I´ve just been praying that God would change me, but I think I was holding back and not allowing him to work in my life. So after Susie Shellenburger spoke about not "Hitting the snooze button on our spiritual life" any longer. And they had anyone who wanted to do so, go up to the front and have the leaders pray with us. Me, many, many other people went up to the front sobbing. It was the first time that I have ever truly experienced worshipping God with all of my heart. Our leaders were so awesome because they were all there for us and just prayed for us and we all became a lot closer as a team. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Yesterday we went to a church in a small village of Lima. The church was basically a huge tent, but it was in really good shape, and the inside was amazing. What they really needed our help with was lanscaping. So most of the day, we moved dirt, leveled ground, and moved rocks. It was amazing to see how much we got done in such short time. We also had our fill of PB&J for lunch! After we finished our work there, we went to a Peruvian Supermarket. We all bought snacks and little things for when we crave sweets at night:) (I bought oreos and a chip mix) That night, for FUAGNEM we had a concert by Jamie Jam! I actually got a chance to be in the front row! It was awesome! I totally love her worship music. And they asked anyone who wanted to be baptized in the pool today, to come and talk with Susie Shellenburger and Alex McFlarlen about the seriousness and sacredness of being baptized. You see, I´ve been thinking about being baptized for a while, and I pray and decided that this was something that I really wanted to do. So he explained to us that just as a wedding ring is only a symbol of the commitment of marriage, being baptized is only a symbol of your commitment to God. So after that meeting, I went to club Brio, which is basially a small clean dance club thing for us teens to go to. It was pretty fun:)
Anyway, today was a really special day for me as well. After breakfast, we had a Sunday Service in the FUAGNEM room(which is just basically like church). And Jamie Jam lead worship and Susie Shellenburger talked about being a "bond slave" for God. She made the illustration that like a slave at an auction, we were on the auction block for our sins as well. And that Jesus loved us so much that there was no price too high for us. And that like a slave to a gracious master, we have the choice to stay with God or go out on our own. And Susie said anyone that wanted to be a "bond slave" for God and stay with Him forever, could make that commitment. So me and many others got up out of our seats and recieved a necklace that reads in Hebrew "Bond Slave for the Messiah." And she told us that this is a reminder that our standard is now God´s-we must remember the commitment we made. That was really a special time for me. After that we had the baptism. I was really nervous, but Alex McFarlen called my name and he baptized me in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and it was a moment that I will always remember. It was a symbol that when I went into the water I was one person, but the old way is gone, and I´m living with Jesus. It was an amazing time! And I´m so excited!!! I can´t believe this trip is halfway over already. I hope that was a good update for you, and I wanted you all to know that I chose to be baptized today!!!! See ya soon, and mom and dad please call!

Hola from Peru!

2008-07-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey again everyone! Mom and Dad can you please call my room at the El Pueblo Center tonight, because I really want to talk to you, but I haven´t gotten the chance to change my money to soles yet. Please call!:)
Just to let you know, this spanish keyboard is really really confusing! Anyway, left Miami yesterday at 2:30 in the morning and basically travelled all day long, with a 5hour long layover in Ecuador. It was really tiring, but at least I got a couple hours sleep along the way. Once we arrived in Peru, got through customs, and immigration, we got on buses right outside the airport. And when we walked out the airport doors it was like a totally different world. People were everywhere, and the whole aura just felt kind of heavy. It was definitley different! We drove about 45 mintues to where we are staying here in Peru. It was so strange to see little shacks on the side of the road, laudry hanging from broken roofs, and cars driving crazy and honking at everyone. It truly made me want to cry when I saw all that new stuff, and all the garbage piled up everywhere in the middle of the street. And we arrived at the El Pueblo Center. I can´t tell you how amazing this place is!!! Its huge and it looks like a small spanish town, its really neat. I wish all of you could be here to see it! And when we walked in to eat dinner, it was like we were in a castle and we were being treated like royalty:) it is unbelieveable!
Today was a little bit different. We got up at about six thirty and had breakfast. Then we packed up our backpacks and headed to the buses. There we met our four translators: Luis, Christina, Jonathan, and I don´t remember the other guy´s name. When we got to the little village, there were little kids running around everywhere. Then we got out of the bus and started playing games with the kids. It was truly awesome!! We played duck, duck, goose;ring around the rosy, jump rope, and ran down the street with them on our backs. It was so much fun! It was amazing just to see how the little kids had so much joy and were willing to have fun with complete strangers. After we played for a couple hours, we washed hair for people who have probably never washed their hair before. It was an awesome experience. I think that God definitley had a part in it. Me and another girl probably washed 30-35 kids hair using only a small hotel shampoo! God multiplied the bread and fish, and he multiplies shampoo too!! After that we had peanut butter and jelly for lunch on the bus and drove about a block away to change and put on makeup for our drama. One of my leaders put on my clown makeup for me, it was so fun! Then we went back out the site and sang Jesus Loves Me, and I´ve Got the Joy to the kids and their families. Then we performed our drama, and it went great. I even got a little emotional while we were doing it. It was amazing to see about 15 people, of all ages, come to Christ. After the drama we played with the kids. There this little girl who kept taking off my clown wig and running off with it. It was great! It was sooo hard to say goodbye to them, especially since we had bonded with them the whole day. Well, now I´m back at El Pueblo, just hanging out till FUAGNEM tonight. Well, I gotta go!ª Talk to you all soon! I love you and I miss you!

Miami

2008-07-01T15:21:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm finally here in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This is my first of my mission trip posts. We arrived yesterday afternoon. I met about 10 other girls who were going to Peru on our flight. It was awesome just to talk to them all and get to know them personally. It was a long 5 hours of making braclets, reading, and attempting to sleep. Then we got to the hotel and started our adventure. The first thing we did was check in, hand over our passports, and get our room key and I met my 5 other roomates for here in Florida. It was a little awkward with my new roomies at first, but now we are getting along great. Next we went to FUAGNEM. We listened to speaker and illusionist BJ Harris. He showed us how the world decieves us by what we see. We need to walk by faith and not by sight. After that we headed off to Drama casting. And after about an hour of making crazy faces and having fun, I was cast as the clown!!! Go figure:) Thats about all the excitement we had yesterday.
Today, so far, we have had lots and lots of drama training. Its a little exhausting, but pretty fun. Its really hard to dance around like a clown, when you don't have a costume on! Just a little bit ago we had dinner (Chic-Fli-A) delivered to our room.
One thing that I have really enjoyed so far, is sitting out on the balcony and praying. I feel like I can just be at peace and talk to God without having to worry about anything. Its so amazing being here with so many teens who love the Lord! Alright, well, thats all for today. I better let someone else use the computer! Talk to you all soon:)

2008-05-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my Brio Missions shirt. Sigueme means: FOLLOW ME

Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Getting Closer!

2008-05-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

The trip is getting closer and closer! I'm so excited for this amazing opportunity! In the mail yesterday I recieved my drama costume assignment and my rommate assignments for the hotel in Peru. I get to purchase the costume for the China Doll. I may not play the part in Peru, however, because we will be cast for the different drama parts while we are in Miami. The 20 minute evangelistic drama "Spellbound: Toymaker and Son," depicts the fall of the world, the story of Jesus, and how one day Jesus will come again for us.
I'm so lucky that I've gotten to talk to so many girls, already, who are also going on the trip. Its so amazing that with technology these days, you can talk to someone in Canada! Hopefully soon I will be able to talk to my roommates and get to know each of them better.
I have bought almost everything that I will need for the trip, with a few exceptions. I really don't know how I can possibly keep my suitcase limit to 50lbs with all the stuff I need to bring. I know that God has great plans for me and everyone else who is going on the trip! I pray that he will help me through whatever obstacles may come my way.
I also wanted to let you all know that if I don't get a chance to update my blog too much while I'm in Peru, its probably because I won't have too many chances to get on the computer. Over in Peru we will have to pay money to use the internet and there are about 600 other people who will need computer access as well. So I will try to update this whenever I can. But no guarentees.

Thank you!

2008-05-05T21:59:00.001-07:00

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me in my preparation for this trip. I am so grateful! I have had so many people support me financially, through prayer, through encouragement, allowing me to work for money, bringing recycling, and some of the ladies in the church are even putting on a Mother's Day breakfast to help me raise some extra money! I never expected to have such overwhelming help from everyone, and I just want all of you to know that I will never be able to thank you enough.
**And a very very special thank you to everyone who organized and came to the pancake breakfast this morning! I can't believe this...from this breakfast alone I raised nearly $500!! I am so lucky to have you all as my church family!**

I'm going to Peru!

2008-04-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

For two weeks this summer I will be in Lima, Peru spreading the message of God and living a life for Him in a world of desolation and poverty. In teams of thirty, we will go out into the city each day doing projects such as ministry to orphanages, slum areas, work projects, painting, moving dirt, washing windows--whatever needs to be done. Each day, for lunch, we will be having peanut butter and jelly. (They told us that we will definitley be craving them when we get back!) Every night all students will attend FUAGNEM (Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute,) where will we praise the Lord in music, have fellowship with our fellow missionaries, and listen to special speakers.

I'm so excited for this trip! I'm so excited that God has given me this opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and live fully for Him. I've already gotten to talk to many of the girls going with me to Peru who are from California. Even though I've never met any of them, I already feel as if they are some of my best friends! I feel so much better knowing that I will have other girls to take on the flight to Miami with me, instead of going by myself.

Please pray for me and all of the other people who will be on this life-changing journey. I will use this blog before and while I am in Peru to keep you updated on everything that is happening down there!

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I think this video is a perfect representation of what teens in our generation go through today. Jesus is the only one who can save us from the cruelties of the world.