Family Photos

Imagine if there had been a photographer at the birth of Christ. How different might our view of his birth be? The pictures above depict our common view of Christ's birth. We want it to be pretty and clean. We want our Savior to have a beautiful welcoming into this world. The truth is, it was an ugly, smelly, dirty, crowded stable. Jesus was placed in a manger; something that animals had eaten out of. All of this because there was no room for him at the inn. No one was willing to give up their nice, warm, clean, comfortable room so that the Savior of the World, the King of the Universe, God's Son, could be born in a proper place. Are you willing to give up your nice and comfortable life so that God's Son can make you new? Are you willing to give up your easy, warm lifestyle so that God can use you to do what you were meant to do? It is not promised in the Bible that when you follow God, it will be easy, warm, comfortable. The Bible says quite the opposite: "In the world you will have tribulation..." (John 16:33). But God sent his Son anyway, into the stable full of filthy, smelly animals. A place no one in America today could imagine being born. And He came for us, He came for YOU. So that you can be free. Because the second part of John 16:33 says: "But take heart; I have overcome the world."

I want to focus more on Jesus in 2010, and for the rest of my life. I want to give the only sacrifice that I have, my life, so that He can use me. I want to be less caught up in what I want, what I think is important, and what I think will be good for my life. My prayer this year is simple: "Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." Psalm 119:37

New Year

Can you believe that it is almost 2010? I can't. I don't know where all the time has gone. The older I get, the faster it goes by. 2009 was actually a great year for me. So many good things have happened and God has grown me and blessed me in so many ways. I am so excited to see what my Planner has in store for me in 2010!

Here are a few of the things I'd like to work on for 2010:

1. Love God more and show it more.
2. Be kinder to others, especially my family.
3. Have a more positive attitude.
4. Get out of God's way and let Him use me.

I do not know what God has in store for me in 2010, but I have a feeling its going to be even better than 2009, which was fabulous.

I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to use this blog more for its purpose. My goal is to take pictures throughout each week and put up at least one every week. I want to have this blog reflect what is going on in my life and what God is teaching me. I want this to be reflected through pictures. So my goal is one post a week, hopefully more. Feel free to bother me if I don't do this because its gonna be hard at first to do. I used to love taking pictures, especially being creative about it. But I've gotten away from that and I think that I will be happier having a way to destress with photography. I'd love feedback on my pictures from the followers of this blog. See you next year!

Life

I'm finding life a tad bit difficult right now. God is trying to grow me in some specific ways and satan really doesn't like that. I'm feeling the constant struggle. It's a battle as to whether I'll get what God is trying to tell me today or if satan and my selfish thoughts will get in the way. It doesn't help that this is the end of the semester. I feel like I'm just going day by day, trying to accomplish a long list of tasks to finish out the semester. Nothing is really happening except time is passing by. I'm living for next Thursday when I can put the whole thing behind me and just enjoy life again. It's not to say that I don't enjoy certain things in my life right now, it's just that life has become very monotonous with nothing to spice it up.

Which brings me to my next point. This blog was supposed to be about getting me to take more pictures. That is something that I have always enjoyed doing and that has brought entertainment and something fun to my life. But I get so busy with "life" (school, work, homework) that I miss the opportunities set before me to see the beauty and capture that. I am mulling over a plan. It will only add to my busy, insane life that I have planned for next semester, but it might just help in a way too. Stay tuned for more...

Verses

"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people."
- Isaiah 49:13



"Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness."
-Psalm 150:1-2



"Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing His praises from the ends of the earth!"
-Isaiah 42:10

Just A Few...

Summer and Such

Wow. It has been a ridiculously long time since I have updated this blog. I apologize to those of you who read it. I had quite a busy summer and am just now settling back into the routine of school and work. But those are boring things...let me tell you about my summer.

Working at Camp Beechpoint for my fourth (and final) summer was amazing...for lack of a better word. God grew me so much and I learned a lot about my ability to handle difficult situations. I worked with the older girls this summer (ages 11-14), and those of you who know me know that this has never been my favorite age to work with. I was more than a little worried when the campers started coming that I would do a horrible job. I was questioning my abilities as a counselor and fighting a negative attitude (see last post) even before camp had started. After about the first week, I had a new perspective. I couldn't do it. There was no way. But God could.

So many times this summer I wanted to give up. There were plenty of difficult campers, many times I felt like I couldn't relate, and millions of times I felt inadequate. But I found that those are the times when God shows up the most. He used me this summer in ways that I saw and in ways that I may never know. But all I'm thankful for is that He used me.

This blog is supposed to be about pictures. I've done a horrible job with that and right now my computer isn't letting me upload any. So I will post some pictures from this summer...soon. As soon as I have time and figure out the problem. So hopefully words are enough for now.

Prayer Request

Once again, I apologize for the lack of pictures (or even posts for that matter). I've kinda been in a rut with my photo taking. But I am hoping to remedy that soon with the purchase of a new lens. And also a summer at camp where I will have lots of opportunity to take pictures and see God's hand at work.

Which brings me to my prayer request. This summer is going to be HARD. I can already anticipate that. I am going to be busy and have little free time to unwind. I am also fighting a negative attitude about it already and it hasn't even started yet. Camp is hard, it always is because God is working on me in so many ways and Satan is trying to counteract that by attacking me left and right. I guess my prayer request is that I will be able to trust and rely on God and know that He is working on me and growing me this summer. And that I can stay positive through all the struggles. I need patience so I'm not easily frustrated with my situation. Not only do I have all the pressures of camp weighing me down this summer, but I have personal stuff too that is going to make it difficult.

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about camp and that I don't want to go. That is not it at all. I'm just looking ahead, realistically, and seeing that I'm going to need a lot of prayer for this summer because I can't do this without God. I know that it will be hard, but I also know that God will show up in amazing ways as He always does. I also know that it will all be worth it because I will come out a better person in the end. Its just going to be a hard 2 months to get through, but also very rewarding.

So I'm asking you 7 people who follow this blog to pray for me this summer. Pray for patience, strength, and endurance. Pray for a positive attitude. And most importantly, pray that I will recognize when God is trying to grow me and that I won't fight it, but embrace the struggles and grow closer to God and to becoming the woman He wants me to be.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Romans 5:4-5