An update and Encouragement

Its been a while since Ive posted anything so I thought I would update you guys. I moved out of my parents house and into a house with 5 other sisters and I graduated high school. I now am in college and in a completely new ministry. These past few months have been some of the hardest and most stressful of my life, but they also have grown me the most. The Lord is teaching me SO much while I live here with all of these girls. Its been so great to learn how to love them each individually. In the midst of all of the change, He has given me peace and is challenging me to Trust him more and more every day. This has been on heart and mind lately so i thought I would encourage you all with it.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophesies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Here are photos from a month or to ago when we decided one night to drive to Chicago and spend the next whole day there exploring just because we can! It was one of the most freeing feelings ever and I loved spending it with my roommates!

Great is His faithfulness

Today I went to Eden Park with an awesome sister (Christina). I've never had so much fun in my entire life. We painted and worshiped for a few hours in the sunshine. God is so faithful. The more we abide, the more He provides. I played my guitar in front of people for the first time today and I didn't think anything about it. Totally the Holy Spirit. I felt a deep inner peace. We just goofed off serenading to random people and about objects around us. Last night I was extremely distraught because I didn't feel joyful, I felt like it was impossible to feel true joy (which I knew wasn't and could only come from the Lord). Man, did he provide today. The Lord is good people. The more that we do of what He asks of us, the more He blesses us. For a while I felt burdened by playing my guitar and singing in front of people. I was being crippled by the fear Satan was trying to destroy me with. But once I trusted the Lord and let go, I feel joyful and I want to worship Him and glorify Him all the more. I challenge you, do what He asks of you and you will be blessed. Ask and you shall receive. Knock and the door will be opened. If you don't know what He is asking you to do, ask Him. We have an awesome Father.

I've learned to just sit back and watch Him work and answer my prayers. Its amazing. It reminds me that there's no limit to what He can do. There is no end to His great love for us.
Psalm 51:12

Spirit fall like rain

For the past few days I have been praying for the Lord to send rain. All it had done was snow all weekend, but this morning I was awaken by a thunderstorm and a ton of rain.
Our God is faithful, He hears our cries and He answers.

The Holy Spirit comes like the rain.
"May He be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth." Psalm 72:6

Holy Spirit, be a mighty downpour. Come into our hearts and restore us with peace and gentleness.
Just as the plants soak in the rain for nutrients, open my heart that I may do the same. Give me a yearning for you and a heart that listens for you.

Bind my wandering heart to thee. I'm so quick to get anxious and restless. I'm pulled away from my own desire to control things and make things happen as quick as I can. You know where I will be in August, so why am I so easily impatient and anxious?
Jeremiah 29:11

P.S. As an update from my last post, I'm already learning three new songs on guitar. God is good.

Worship, Oh how my soul longs for thee

So I'll start off by saying worship is my favorite thing ever to do. It's the number one way that I am able to connect with the Lord. Whether I've heard the song a million times or its the first time, it hits me hard every time.

I've always loved to sing, this just comes easy to me. What doesn't is playing the guitar that I've had for four years. Every time that I pick it up and attempt to play it, the enemy steals the desire from me. He fills my head with lies saying that I'll never be good enough and that I should stop playing because people will judge me by my lack of skill. I attempted many times to push through it when my family wasn't home and no one else could hear how bad I was. I let Satan cripple me in fear once again. I let Him rob me of my joy to play music and the ability to bring Glory to God through it.

This past week I felt like the Lord was saying "Daughter, my dear, play for me, I will show you how to play just trust me. If you play for me and do it to Glorify me, you'll never be put to shame."
So I picked up my guitar and I said "Lord, I'm gona play this for you, only you can teach me because obviously this isn't something you just pick up and know. Teach me to play, I'm not going to believe these lies that are crippling me anymore."

Last night I was going through some blogs and I found a friend of mines and strangely enough (not strange because Gods intentional)  I found a posting from Tuesday, January 5th, 2010. Mind you this was at 1:30 am.. but anyway. This posting was like I had been writing my own thoughts and feelings down about my struggle to overcome the fear of failure in playing guitar. She had struggled with the same thing and I had absolutely no idea. One of the last times I saw her I was at worship night where she was playing the keyboard! It was encouraging to read and know that I'm not alone in this situation and that with God I can overcome the fear and soar with it. (I guess I should let her know incase she reads this first haha.. oh well)

I feel like the Lord is saying "You of little faith, why don't you trust me?" The possibilities of the Lord are endless. Every time I ask, He gives. He is a faithful and loving God and I know that He WILL give me the ability to play and to praise Him with this very guitar.

Praise Him for being so FAITHFUL and so GENTLE. I give him an inch and he gives me a mile. His love never stops, never quits, there is NO boundaries. He will instruct me and teach me, all I have to do is trust and have confidence in Him.

Pslam 108:1 says " My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul."

Philippians 2:1-4

This past sunday we were challenged to memorize more scripture, which normally I would just allow myself to get overwhelmed and not actually do it. But once I read the verses (Philippians 2:1-4) I knew the Lord wanted me to know this not only in my thoughts but in my heart.

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being  united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one minded. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Visiting The Windy City

Me and my mom are staying in Chicago for two days for a college visit I have at Moody Bible Institute downtown. I've only been here for a day and I've already fallen in love! Its almost in the single digits and we about froze into popsicles today but it was worth it! I had my first deep dish stuffed pizza and I also rode my first city bus today which was intimidating but exciting! I'm extremely excited for my visit tomorrow but a little nervous because I will be alone but it will be a good maturing experience, especially if I'm going to be living here!

 This is from the drive up! We listened to the Lilo & Stitch soundtrack the whole way there, it was a blast.

 This is the room and the full length wall view of the city we have!

 We had to take a picture on the glass cube on the top of Willis Tower (Sears tower)!

This is also the city view at night from our room. Its breathtaking.

Needless to say I have fallen in love with this city and I am excited about possibly going to school right in downtown!

 

Supporting the Pink Ribbon

Well guys heres an update! My mom is doing great! She finished all of her chemo treatments and is doing well. All she has left is another surgery for reconstruction and all will over with! She also did use the cold caps and still has most of her hair so we highly recommend using those too. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!