Spring Has Sprung!

Finally! Some pictures! I feel refreshed after being able to spend some time outdoors lately without freezing. Spring always gives me the feeling of possibility. Like anything can happen. I definitely think that with the semester almost over and camp quickly approaching this might be true. God is good, all the time!

While I'm Waiting by John Waller

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

Sorry...

Sorry that I have been so terrible at updating this, especially at putting up pictures. I'm working on it. I've been pretty busy these past few months. I can't believe its March already! I remember saying at the beginning of the year that I really feel like God is going to teach me and grow me and work in my life a lot this year. He is AMAZING and is doing some wonderful things in my life right now. I'm not going to go into detail here because the story hasn't really played itself out yet, but I will say that it is very exciting. I feel like I am in the midst of God's plan and its very comforting to know that He is there every step of the way.

I spent this past 5 days in Chicago with some great friends. The theme of the weekend seemed to be that God's way is ALWAYS better than my way. There are a lot of times I've tried to take things into my own hands and had them blow up in my face. I'm learning more and more that God's way is always the better way and that if you trust and are faithful, He will work it all out. God amazes me more everyday at how He does that. Every scenario that I could imagine NEVER amounts to what God gives me in His timing. I am so encouraged right now by seeing God's hand in my life. I hope that those 5 followers who also read this (woohoo family!) are also seeing God's hand in their lives and can be encouraged by that.

Baby

I've been doing a bad job of posting pictures that I've taken recently that aren't snapshots. I've been doing a bad job of taking pictures that aren't snapshots. But these are some that I took the other day of a 6 week old that Molli was babysitting. Ignore the fact that he is flipping off the camera in the first picture...he knows not what he does. :)

Music

I bought Brandon Heath's new cd What If We this weekend and there are two songs that I really enjoy. The first is "Give Me Your Eyes." The chorus is:

Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond me reach
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see

I really like this song because it should be my prayer every day. I feel like I don't often look at people through God's eyes, I look through my eyes. And my eyes are tainted by sin and this world. I need God's eyes so that I can see each person as God's masterpiece. PT preached about that yesterday. How we need to view ourselves as well as others as people made special by God. If we have God's eyes, we will treat those around us better than if we are looking through our own eyes.

The other song is called "Wait and See." The chorus is:

There is hope for me yet
Because God won't forget
All the plans He's made for me
I have to wait and see
He's not finished with me yet

These words give me comfort because I know that they are true. I know that God has made a plan for my life and that He will do great things with me. They may not be great things in the world's opinion, but they will be great things in God's opinion and that is all that matters.

Thank you Brandon Heath for these wonderful songs!

Winter Blast

I just got back from the first Winter Blast weekend and it was amazing. God showed up in so many ways I could go on for hours, but I will tell you a few highlights of the weekend. I was put with the oldest girl's cabin, the Polar Bears, and had 5 wonderful girls ages 12-15. I usually work with the younger girls so I was surprised and a little nervous to find that I had been put with the oldest group. But God gave me just what I needed. The girls listened great and having only 5 helped a lot. I also had a LIT (leader in training) with me most of the time who was great as well. One of the reasons I don't prefer to work with the older girls is because I feel like I can't relate to them as well as the younger ones. Mostly because the older girls are dealing with sometimes heavy stuff and I feel like I never know what to say. But apparently God has something for me to say.

One of my girls, who is 15, we'll call her A, really opened up to me about her life and past experiences. She has been into drugs, alcohol and was pressured into sex. She was saved this past summer at camp and wants to be an LIT next summer. I was surprised by the fact that A opened up so much of her life to me but even more surprised by what came out of my mouth when she did. God gave me the words to say to her before I even had time to worry about what I was going to say. I would ask that you pray for A with me, that she can make wise decisions and find some new friends. She is very open to God and wants to do the right thing but is having a hard time not giving into temptation. A is a wonderful girl and God could use her in amazing ways if she can only break free from her sins. Will you join me in praying for her?

God also blessed me in many other ways this weekend. Some personal things I have been praying about for awhile were answered this weekend. God brought peace into my life and really made it clear to me that He has a special plan for my life and that I am in the midst of His plan. I have a new joy in my life because of this certainty that God has a plan. This is something I have been praying about for a long time and it is a great feeling when a prayer has been answered.

It was also great to see my amazing friend Elizabeth, pictured above with me (I look horrible from being out in the cold and wearing a hat). She lives in Chicago and I only get to see her every so often but she is always a blessing to me when I do. This weekend was just the pick me up I needed to make it through this semester which has not been off to that great a start. And...I get to do it all again (with different kids of course) in a few weeks!

"Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong: for like the grass they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good: dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him, do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes."
-Psalm 37:1-7

Disclaimer: These pictures don't really go with the verse but I thought that they were cool. They are from an ice storm last winter.