Fall Break

Fall Break has finally arrived!!! Actually, it's almost over. I leave tomorrow after the morning service to go back to Ambassador to finish up the semester. As much as I have enjoyed being home, I am ready to go back.

On Wednesday, the first day of Fall Break, Mom and I went thrift store shopping in Columbus. It was their monthly half-off day (the last Wednesday of every month everything is half-off), so I got lots of nice clothes for fall and winter for only $20!!!!

Thursday I took Mom into work and did a little shopping in town. After I got back home I just laid around, enjoying not having to do anything.

On Friday, Mom had the day off, so we spent the afternoon together. We didn't really do anything special, just stayed around the house, but it was fun to be able to spend some time with her.

Today (Saturday) I once again just laid around and relaxed, as well as spent some time with Mom. I got fitted for my bridesmaids dress for holly's wedding, which I'm super excited about.

In the evening, after dinner, I made cookies to take back to school. It's become kind of a tradition for me to bring back cookies after a break. I've done it for every break since fall break my freshman year.

I am sick!!! I know, I know,you're supposed to rest and recuperate over break. Well, I didn't. I got sick instead. :( Yeah, no fun, I know. I am not sure what I have, but I think it's the same thing I had earlier in the semester because I once again have horrible body aches and a cough. Hopefully I will get over it soon, because Missions Conference week is not a good week to be sick at school!!

Although break has been really good, I'm ready to get back to school. I've missed all of my friends, and I've even missed all of the noise and giggles of the dorm, believe it or not. Once I get back, we have missions conference all week/ The next weekend is T.A.C. Conference, which i have a big part in this year because of being on I.B.C., then in two weeks we have the Messiah and thanksgiving, which is going to be an absolute blast this year, plus Holly's coming down for it, which will make it even more fun! The following weekend, we have Christmas caroling with the school. This will be my first year going because last year Emmanuel's Christmas Cantata was the same weekend. This year, it's the following weekend, which means that that weekend will be busy as well. The Friday after the cantata is the beginning of Christmas Break. It's going to be busy, but I'm looking forward to it all. I love the busyness of it all!!!

I don't know when I'll have time to post again, but I'm sure I'll be able to update on some Sunday or Wednesday afternoon at church. Farewell until then!!

Teach Me to Do Thy Will

Why is it so hard to follow God’s will? I’ve wondered that many times in these past five months. I’ve dealt with a lot in that time that has taught me to follow God’s will no matter how hard it is.
This summer, I began talking with a guy with the intent of us getting to know each other better, and eventually, to begin dating. Only a couple of weeks into us talking, I received a phone call from him saying that he didn’t have peace about us dating; he didn’t feel that it was the Lord’s will. I struggled with that. Even though we had only been talking for a short time, I had not been careful with my heart, and I had begun to care deeply for him, and, yes, even love him. I couldn’t believe that God was taking that away from me. I thought for sure that this guy that I had been talking to was the one He had for me. I questioned God and became very bitter against Him for taking away the person that I loved, that I had been so sure was “the one.”
The following few months were tough. I held a lot of bitterness in my heart against God. It wasn’t until I heard Evangelist Dwight Smith preach a message during opening revival about bitterness that I realized how wrong I was. I had been holding this bitterness in my heart against God, and inside it was eating me up.
Once I repented of this bitterness and got right with God, I was finally able to see that the guy I was in love with wasn’t the person God wanted for me; it was the person I wanted for me. I had convinced myself that my will was God’s will. I realized how important it was to make sure that God’s will is our will, and not the other way around. It was only after I realized that that I was able to begin healing and start to move on with my life.
About a month or so ago, I started praying seriously about something. As I continued to pray about it, I felt an uneasiness about it, but I ignored it, thinking it would go away if I continued to pray about it. It wasn’t until this past Monday night during devos with Miss B, the Dean of Women at Ambassador, that I realized I was once again trying to make my will God’s will.
The devotion was not on anything to do with God’s will, but across the page from the verse that she had us turn to was a verse that caught my eye. This verse was the only verse on the page that was underlined. It was Psalm 143:10: “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” I kept reading the first phrase of that verse over and over again. “Teach me to do thy will.” I realized that I needed to make that my prayer; I needed to ask the Lord to teach me to do His will.
Doing His will doesn’t mean doing it just when it’s easy, or just when His will matches our will; it means doing His will not matter what happens, and no matter what our will is. We need to be willing to trust that God knows best. If we follow God’s will, then He will bless us and we’ll be so much happier than if we followed our own will.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Another Update :)

Okay, so I really should be doing schoolwork, but I haven't updated my blog for awhile,s o i thought I'd do a quick little update.
I am finally over the bug that I had; I still have a little bit of a cough left, but other than that I am feeling much better.
Classes are going great right now. Midterms start on Tuesday, and, surprisingly enough, I'm really not worried about them. I'm sure that will change once it comes time to take my first midterm on Wednesday! :D
After midterms is Fall Break, which I'm super excited about!!! I'm going home for it, and bringing Andrew with me so he can visit Holly. ;) Needless to say, they're both quite excited about that! ON my first full day home, Mom and I are going shopping at the Ohio Thrift stores in Columbus for their monthly half-price day, which is the last Wednesday of every month. I'm hoping to get some fall and winter clothes for school. I was looking on my closet the other day, and most of my clothes are for spring and summer, so that will be a very helpful trip.
I'm not sure what else we'll be doing over fall break. I know that we're going out to eat one night at Clark's, a family-owned restaurant about two minutes from my house, which, unfortunately is closing soon due to the economy and lack of business. This will be my last opportunity to eat there as they are closing right after Thanksgiving. I was sad to hear that, because Clark's has been there forever, and it's kind of a landmark in a way. They have delicious food for very good prices and I always enjoy going there.
After Fall Break, I'll be back down here with only a little over four weeks until Thanksgiving. I'm very much looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, for a couple fo different reasons. The first one, and my main one, is that Holly's coming down for Thanksgiving week!!! She'll arrive on Tuesday before dinner, go to Emmanuel with Andrew and I that night for our praise service, and be here through at least Friday night, if not Saturday morning. I'm very much looking forward to having her down here as I have really missed her. My second reason for looking forward to Thanksgiving is because I will be going to the Stoliker home, affectionately referred to as the nut house because of all of us crazy college students that they adopted, for Thanksgiving dinner. Chad West, Amy Marshall, Lisa Penachio, and Caleb Getty, their other college student adoptees, will be over there as well, which guarantees that it will be crazy and tons of fun!
Well, that's about all I have time to write for now. I'll try to get a post written sometime this week and post it on here on Wednesday night when i come for visitation.
Goodbye until then!!

Update

Right now I am sitting in my hiding place at Emmanuel (I won't reveal where it is because then it wouldn't be a good hiding place anymore) and am quite sleepy, so I thought I'd do a little updating on here to keep myself awake.

There's not a whole lot going on right now. This next week is going to be quite busy as we start Missions' Conference at Emmanuel on Wednesday. On top of that, I have a test in almost every class this week. Sign Language on Tuesday, Systematic Theology and Major Prophets on Friday, and Hebrews and General Epistles either Wednesday or Friday. I'm going to be quite busy this next week!

This past week I've been quite sick. I'm not exactly sure what I have, but I think it's some type of flu bug. I've had a fever on and off since Tuesday, as well as body aches, a headache, chills, and a horrible cough. i have not been sleeping well at all because my stupid cough keep waking me up!! If I'm not better by tomorrow I am planning on going to the doctor and hopefully I can get something to get over this! I had to stay in from classes for three days straight, and I do not wnat to miss anymore classes!

Well, that's pretty much it. I'm going to go see if I can't find someplace to take a nap. I will try to update again next week, but it depends on how much schoolwork i have to do.

Rest In Me

I have been struggling this week, well, all summer really, with something, and a friend told me about this song and let me listen to it. I wanted to share the lyrics with all of you here. This is one of my favorite songs to listen to when I'm going through a hard time.

Rest In Me
Kevin Inafuku

When confusion fills my life and my world inside is torn apart;

When the road just seems too rough and discouragement just grips my heart,

I lift my eyes and see, the One who died for me

Is standing there beside me, and says so tenderly,

Oh, be still, My child, and know I’m your God.

Rest to know the King of Glory is on your side

Let Me bear all your pain and carry your load,

Oh, be still, My child, and rest in Me.

When I lose the ones I love, and there’s no one there to stand by me

Or when all I have is gone, my dreams, my plans are all destroyed

I lift my eyes and see the One who died for me

Is standing there beside me, and says so tenderly

Oh, be still, My child, and know I’m your God.

Rest to know the King of Glory is on your side

Let Me bear all your pain and carry your load,

Oh, be still, My child, and rest in Me.

Oh, be still, My child, and know I’m your God.

Rest to know the King of Glory is on your side

Let Me bear all your pain and carry your load,

Oh, be still, yes be still, just be still, My child, and rest in Me.

A Little Update

Well, it's been awhile since I posted, so I'll give y'all a little update of what's going on in my life.

On August 20, I returned to Ambassador Baptist College for my Sophomore year of school. I was excited to get back and see all of my friends again as well as being back at Emmanuel Baptist Church with my church family.

I have two roommates this year, one of whom was my roommate last year (Christy Godfrey). The other is a freshman from Brazil, Jennifer Duarte. Jennifer is an absolute sweetheart! I could not have asked for a better roommate!

The Monday after everyone returned was Skate Night for the college. A local skating rink was rented out and all of the students divided up amongst various cars and the school vans to get there. I had an absolute blast! It had been awhile since i last skated. I think the last time I had skated was skate night my freshman year. Despite that, I did pretty well. I didn't fall at all, which made me quite happy.

Throughout the rest of the week we had various other events such as the annual cookout and the get-acquainted day. On Thursday, classes started. Because I only have two classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays, it was a pretty easy day for me. Friday was a little heavier of a day for me; I had three classes. I know, I know, I have it so tough this year!! :D On Mondays and Wednesday I have four classes (one of my classes, the 7am one, only meets on Mondays and Wednesdays, which is why I have one less class on Fridays).

Saturday was league draft. Because I am the secretary/vice-president for the Patriot League, I was kept quite busy from Friday afternoon into Saturday evening, especially since for most of the time I was the only one working on our room and our booth in the gym. I was exhausted by the time League Draft started on Saturday night. To make matters worse, I had a horrible asthma attack during one of the games, and they ended up having to call the squad. Not a great way to start the semester!!

On Monday, Opening Revival started a school. Dr. Glenn Jaspers spoke in the morning chapel services, and Evangelist Dwight Smith spoke in the evening services and during Wednesday chapel. All of Brother Smith's messages spoke to my heart, but I think my favorite was the message that he preached on Thursday night, entitled "Power Outage." He spoke about how we have to surrender everything to God, and how he can't give us anything until we first empty our arms. This message really spoke to my heart because there was something, or rather someone, in my life that I was refusing to give to God; I wanted to keep it for myself. That night I surrendered it to the Lord. I can't say that it's been easy since then, that I haven't been tempted to take it back form God, but it has been easier than it was. I still am struggling with this, so your prayers in that area would be appreciated.

As much as I love opening revival, I am glad it is over. It was a very tiring and hard week for me physically but especially emotionally. These next few weeks are going to be rough, but I know that the Lord will help me through them. I am learning already this semester that I am not going to make it through unless I give everything to Him.

I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me this year! Some specific prayer requests that I have are: finances (I need a job), good grades, and that I can be a blessing both at church and on campus.

I will try to update again before too long!

Free Music!!!

Recently I've been reading some coupon web sites. On one of those websites was a link to a free cd download! The cd is by Greg Howlett, a Christian pianist and I highly recommend it!! Here's the link: http://www.greghowlett.com/portraitsdownload.aspx. This cd is available free until August 31!

Once you download that cd, if you tell others about the download on either Facebook, Twitter, or your blog and then email Greg Howlett and let him know, he will let you choose a five song download from one of his other two cds, both of which I highly recommend.

Another great place to get free music is http://www.amazon.com. I didn't find out until tonight that they have a whole section of free songs available for download. I got some really good classical songs off of here tonight, as well as a Celtic cd. Not sure yet if the celtic cd will pass at Ambassador, but we'll see. I kind of doubt it will, as it has more of an upbeat feel to it, but I might be surprised. I also found a really pretty sounding wedding song cd called The O'Neill Brothers Wedding Music: Amazon Sampler, but it's not available for download until August 11, so I will have to wait for that. You do have to sort through quite a bit of music on here as there's about 1,000 free songs available for download, but I think it's worth it.

Another website that I got a free download off of was http://mincymedia.com/blog/2009/07/23/like-a-river-glorious-free-music/. This is only one song, but it's very pretty. The artist is Christian pianist Dave Mincy.

Needless to say, I am VERY excited to find free music downloads!!! I absolutely love the Greg Howlett cd that I downloaded as well as the Dave Mincy song. I love finding anything for free!!!