I am the worst blogger in the world! - Prayer (week 5)

I have decided I am most definetly the worst blogger in the world...pretty much because I don't do it AT ALL! I just forget about it. I love reading others and then after I am done reading theirs I don't do my own. So here is an attempt as writing about what has gone on over the past month and a half.

1. Faith, Prayer, and promises week! (July 5-10)

This was a sweet week for me! I was just able to really look at my prayer life and first see how little my view of God is. It's amazing how closely linked these three things are. A highlight this week were actually from our bible study:

a. Are you not? Who have you discovered God to be?

Over the course of my life God has proven to be many things. He is a provider (meeting all of my needs according to his glorious riches Philippians 4:19), He is sovereign even when it seems like things are out of control, His is powerful, He is faithful. I could go on and on. Who have YOU discovered God to be?

b. Did you not? What has God done for you?

He let me discover his love! I became a believer because God revealed his peace to me. He provided me with a family. He loves me unconditionally. He has given me amazing friends who encourage me in my walk with the Lord.

c.Will you not? What are you believing God to do in and through you?

So what am I praying? I believe God will provide give men in exchange for my life Isaiah 43:4. I believe He will grant me wisdom when I ask and when I'm in need Proverbs 31:36. I believe He will guide me when I am lost and confused on what to do next Proverbs 3:5-6. I believe He will also protect me Psalm 32:7. I believe God will make me into the woman He desires me to be- Phil 1:6 & Gal 5:22-23

I was asked this summer by a friend what is my biggest fear. I told her being alone was my biggest fear. Even thinking about it makes my heart hurt. Promise I am claiming: "...and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20 I hate being lonely, but Jesus promises us that He will be with us always, where ever we are: if we are in Jacksonville or Slater or Cedar Falls or Managua, Nicaragua; He is there with us! Praise God!

Ok I was going to do a summary of all the weeks but I'll do them in separate posts so it won't be overwhelming.

Fun things this week:

1. Group date with Troublemakers

The date ask is on facebook in two parts!  If you can take a look at the video-very creative

We went to a condo on the 18th floor, on the beach!  SO BEAUTIFUL!  Then the guys made us an amazing dinner and we played catch phrase.  My abs hurt so much from laughing after this 5 hour date!

Just ignore my blabbering about how awesome it is, just look for yourself and imagine you were actually there!

2. We dressed up as cows for "cow appreciation week"

This is my work groups: L to R-Me, Kayla, the cow, Jeff, and Emily!  Jeff was a little embaressed by us.  We stopped to get gas and Kayla was mooing out the window at other customers.  Jeff appoligized "Sorry for my friends."  Haha...too funny!

3. Sunrise Sunday morning before church!

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

July 4th weekend: Last E-training week

All I can says is wow! It was a challenging and exhausting weekend. We had so many people here with it being family weekend and 4th of July! But it was also very joyful too!

It was our last week of evangelism training. I went out with Laura Tyler(LT) this week. The first people we came up to wanted to listen to us but while we were sharing seemed really uninterested and told us they were already believers. We kept walking down the beach and prayed for the two girls we had talked to. As we were talking we passed a group of six girls. We usually only talk to groups of less than three...it's a lot less intimidating and much more personal. But I really felt like we should go talk to them. I told Laura this and she's like "I don't like talking to big groups" and I said "I don't either but they are all girls and they aren't doing anything." Before we approach we quickly prayed for boldness and courage because we were pretty scared.

We went to the three girls on the far end and asked if they wanted to see an illustration of the main theme of the bible. The girl on the end pointed to the third girl in and said "I think she wants to see it." I asked all three girls if we could share it with all of them. They agreed. The girl who wanted to see it was named Nikki and then there was Elizabeth and Bri.

As I started the bridge illustration they were joking and Iw asn't sure how it was going to go. Once we got to our testimonies though they became much more serious. After I shared mine I asked LT to share hers and I saw on the face of one of the girls that she could really relate to the ways God had brought Laura to Himself. We continued on and were talking about how it's not just knowing that God has saved you from your sin but it has to be a heart thing, a relationship. Nikki asked "Yeah, how do you do that?" We told her she had to turn from her sins and trust God that He forgave her and let Him lead her life. She told us she had really been thinking about it a lot lately. I was so excited. God had really been speaking to her heart and a seed had already been planted but He used LT and I to really point her toward Christ.

None of the three girls accepted Christ that we know of but we did get to pray for them before we left. We asked them what we could pray for them about and Elizabeth, one who hadn't really said much said guidance. I ask if you are reading this to please pray for Nikk, Elizabeth and Bri. Pray God would be ministering to their hearts and they would accept the gift God is giving them. LT and I left really encouraged by what God had done and just the opportunity He gave us to share the truth with these girls. We literally couldn't stop smiling :) Even in our weakness God used us.

The fourth was wonderful. We went to the beach and the waves were absolutely crazy as well as the number of people there. They shot fireworks off the end of the pier. It was a great time of fellowship and I brought home enough sand in my stuff to make a sand castle in our room. :)

Today was the beginning of prayer week!

Earth Wind and FIRE!

I have been in JAX now for over a week!  It seems like it has gone by so fast and I just can't believe what God has already been teaching me and the ways He has been challenging me and shaping me to be more Christ like!

First I think I should share about what an amazing provider He has been!  Before school got out I was reading in Exodus 16 how after God brought the Israelites out of Egypt He fed them with Mana.  Each person was provided with just the right amount to meet their needs.  It was sweet how God didn't give them too little or too much.  I began praying that for my fundraising this summer and praying that I would be fully funded by the time I got to JAX.  Well our God is a faithful God who meets all of our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ!  It took us two days to get down here and on our first stop I got a phone call and I AM FULLY FUNDED!  Which is such a blessing!  I feel like I can now just focus on the work set out for me here and put all of my energy there!

There were also many aspects of my character that I was praying over God to break this summer and again he has been faithful.  One of these is my pride.  I would say that it's something that is always there, especially in a leadership position.  I was talking to Heather today, I girl that was in my bible study at UNI, about how God has really began to break me down in this area.  At UNI I feel like the NAV staff knows me pretty well and will give me many chances to lead and take things over which is one of the sources of my pride.  Here the staff doesn't know me as well and so they will pair me with another team leader that has been here before.  My first instinct is to defend my competence but I know that it is just my pride.  It's been amazing how God had been teaching me humility through these little things.

Another characteristic is when I get into large groups of people I tend to have a dominate personality...sometimes I call it "competitive talking."  I have really begun to desire being a more peaceful and quiet person, not meaning I don't talk but that I don't have to rule the conversation.  I have also seen God work in this way too.  I don't feel the need to command attention to myself which has been a new experience.

The most exciting thing is my my team! We are team EARTH WIND AND FIRE.  I didn't know about this whole team name thing but it's kind of a big deal to pick a sweet team name.  So mine is based off of Isaiah 43:1-2 and it's about how not matter what we go through God is our creator and he is with us.  I was so nervous to meet the women on my team but I couldn't me more excited to have these three wonderful ladies in my group.  Liz and Laura Tyler go to the University of Iowa and then Erica goes to Northwest Missouri State.   They are wonderful and It has been a joy to get to know them and their hearts for the Lord.  

Yesterday (Saturday) we got to do some evangelism.  I got to go out with Erica and we talked to three people.  They all said their were believers, but the most exciting thing is Erica got to share the bridge (illustration of the gospel) for the first time!!!!!  It was so exciting to see.  One of the things you could be praying for is just boldness and opportunities for us to share the gospel.

We have also had a bunch of team time this week.  One night we got gelato and just walked on the beach, we also all went swimming in the ocean and another night we spend an hour looking for a cookie place that I guess had now closed...so sad but it was the journey that was fun :)  Last night we went to an area downtown to eat that is right next to the harbor and we got to see almost twenty dolphins!!! It was AMAZING!  If you would be praying for just further unity and vulnerability for our team that would be wonderful!

I also had orientation for my job at Adventure Landing...which I start tomorrow.  We spent most of orientation playing lazer tag and driving go-carts so it was pretty fun.  I start at 7am tomorrow and I'm told we are doing odd jobs since we work at 7 but the park doesn't open until 10.  I'm really excited and think this job should be pretty fun and interesting.  They told me I might just be welcoming people to the park.  I like welcoming people so I'm totally fine with that! :)

I know this was kind of scattered but I hope it gave you a little update on what I'm learning and areas where you can be praying.  It is so encouraging to know there is a group of people prayerfully supporting me! Oh and my computer isn't working so I don't have any pictures so sorry...I'm sure there will be some on facebook soon!

PART II - Taking a step of faith

After deciding at EDGE preview that I was going to start applying for JAX the next step was the trickiest!  Telling my parents, who were positive I was going to Eagle Lake.  However, God's timing is perfect.  I had spent the rest of the week in Colorado visiting friends and had only one, short night before I had to get back to Cedar Falls to Biscuit sit. (Biscuit is the dog I dog sit :)) 

I got home after driving for 12ish hours, I ate and fell asleep on the couch...however, after I woke from my little nap my parents asked if I had heard anything about this summer.  I told them that I wasn't going to be going to Eagle Lake anymore I was going to go to JAX.  My parents were caught off guard and there were a few tears shed but I showed them everything I had gotten about it. We watched some videos, google mapped University of North Florida and talked for awhile.  I went to bed knowing that I was going to JAX with my parent's blessing.

The next day I packed up my car and headed for school.  Next I had to apply.  Which would have been an easy task if I wasn't such a procrastinator and didn't take the literacy education killer class this last semester!  I did eventually get it done...even if it was at 9:45 PM the night it was due...:) And....I got accepted as a team leader.

One of my parent's biggest questions was how I was going to pay for this.  I told my dad that most people raise support.  This was what kept me from being a team leader in summer of '09 at SMR so I was worried how this would go over.  However, my parents talked about it and the next time I was home my parents told me to do what I needed to.  It was sweet to see how God had worked to change their hearts and continue to open doors for me to go to JAX!

Even though my parents were now at least semi-comfortable with me raising support, I hadn't realized that I wasn't quite there yet.  I had tried to save but with little time to work that wasn't really an option.  I hadn't realized how much pride I had and how in order to do this I would have to get over that and allow people to partner with me in doing God's work.

One of the passages that has been very uplifting to me in the past few months with fund raising has been Philippians 4:10-20.  Paul is thanking the Philippians for their gifts and sharing in his ministry.  That is what I was needing...partners in ministry.  I was also encouraged by one of my staff members.  I ran into her on my way to bible study one night and I started asking her who I should send letters to.  She told me everyone!  I don't get to decide who is on my team.  I had the chance to invite everyone I knew to be a part of what God is doing through me and that is good and glorifying in his eyes.  So I started sending out letters!  Nearly 100 letters in total.

It's been amazing to see God's faithfulness in it all.  I had been avoiding checking it and then when I finally did I saw I had over $400 already, which was so incredible!  When I got home for school I was seeing that I had quite a ways to go and was getting a bit discouraged.  I have been learning a lot about prayer and praying fervently and what that looks like.  So I went for a run and prayed the entire time for my funding.  One of the promises I prayed through came from Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  God is going to meet all of my needs, even my funding for this summer!  It has been amazing to see God's faithfulness I am now up to almost $2000 as of tonight and am so excited how God is going to provide the rest. God has really grown my faith in this process...and that is what it has been, a process.

Even more to come about JAX and what I've been learning during my break!  I leave in 10 days!

Part I - Beginning the Journey

I would say it started last summer. I stayed in Cedar Falls, took classes, and worked all the hours catering and babysitting could give me. I definitely learned a ton and grew as a woman of God but it wasn't a restful or extremely fun summer to say the least. One day while sitting on my couch in my apartment avoiding homework I began research on what I was going to do THIS SUMMER!

I eventually decided on doing Eagle Lake Camp. It was perfect! It was in the mountains of Colorado (which I love), it was PAID (my parents would like that), and it was working with kids (which is what I'm going to do with the rest of my life). This was exactly what I was supposed to do with my summer! I was sure of it. I had even talked to one of my best friends and she was thinking about it too!

For some reason though I knew I wasn't suppose to send in the application. I had it almost all filled out...but it just didn't seem right for some reason. Then Main Event 2010. Even though I was convinced I was going to Eagle Lake I knew that God wanted me to have a leadable heart and keep my options open. I had been learning a lot about listening to God and waiting on him.

One night as I was praying and spending time in the word before my bible study I felt God was telling me I didn't trust him. I began to realize that I wasn't trusting God with my finances. Eagle Lake Camp was the easy choice because all I had to trust God with was that I would be accepted. With JAX I would have to trust him with raising over $2,300 and being accepted and guidance to lead and I am currently learning much more.

So...I resisted...until encouragement came. As I was leaving for Thanksgiving break I received an anonymous card in the mail with $100 in cash in it. It said to use the money to help me do God's will for me that summer. I knew as soon as I opened that letter I was not going to Eagle Lake and I was going to trust God with more than I wanted to at that moment! God had increased my faith through this he was going to be faithful for the rest.

I ignored this and tried my best to escape the topic for the time being with my parents. Then over Christmas break I went to EDGE preview. The whole weekend was about trusting God--go figures :) I also had a talk with one of my roommates at EDGE about raising funds and how her parents weren't in total support and how she dealt with it.

After EDGE preview I knew I was going to STP.

Two verses that comes up time and time again in my journal during this time.

"Always give yourselves fully to the word of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58

I knew that no matter what I did this summer it was not in vain as long as what I was doing was for the Lord...

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and bridle

or they will not come to you" Psalm 32:8

I knew God would be faithful to this promise of leading me as long as i sought to understand and listen to his voice. It also was reassuring that this decision depending more on God than on me.

*more to come in PART II :)