My Memoirs

Star Trek: Next Generation

2010-07-31T00:18:00.009-05:00

Ever since the very first episode, I have been a big fan of Star Trek: Next Generation! For years, I alone in my family have enjoyed my trekkiness, but no longer... my little sister, Susan, has finally discovered the awesomeness of Next Gen!

It all started when she watched an episode of the Family Guy where the main character goes to a Sci-fi convention and finds a way to build an actual working transporter; he then uses it to transport the entire cast of Next Gen to his house and spends the day with them. There is a particular scene where they are all driving in a van, and the actors begin to complain that they are hungry. Suddenly Will Wheaton sees a burger joint. He puts both hands on the passenger window and gazes out with excitement and exclaims, "I want a hamburger, no, a cheeseburger. I want a hot dog, and a milk shake, and a..." Suddenly, Patrick Stewart slams Wheaton's head against the glass to shut him up, and declares in his refined English accent, "You'll get nothing and like it!"

My sister cracked up, but it puzzled her as to "why" it was so funny. She knew there was a back story to all of the interpersonal jokes in the show, but she did not understand them. So, when summer break rolled around, my little sister made my heart leap with joy when she asked, "Wendy, I'd like to watch the Star Trek: Next Generation series." I've never been so proud!

Through the wonder of Netflix, we have been able to get through Season 1 and 2, and we are now in the middle of Season 3. Tonight, we finished our even with the episode, "Deje Q" and I had to share a wonderful quote from the show:

While Captain Picard and his crew are trying to assist an alien race with a moon that is on a collision course with their planet, a rather annoying, arrogant, and very powerful alien called "Q" (played by John de Lancie) gets exiled by his race, and dropped aboard the Starship as a mortal human, much to the irritation of the captain and his crew. Picard believes that Q is behind the moon's abnormal course, and Q claims that he is innocent and powerless. The discussion becomes more heated when Picard demands...

Picard: Return that moon to its orbit.

Q: I have no powers! Q, the ordinary.

Picard: Q, the liar. Q, the misanthrope.

Q: Q, the miserable. Q, the desperate. What must I do to convince you people?

Worf: Die.

Worf (played by Michael Dorn) saying that one simple word, completely straight-faced, and never raising his voice, was brilliant! It made my sister and I crack up. It was stinkin' hilarious!!! Just wanted to share that very humorous moment. It will be one of many. Have I mentioned that I love Next Gen? = )

Well, until next time... two seasons down, and five more to go... to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Changes

2009-06-02T13:31:00.003-05:00

Wow... it's hard to believe that it's already June 2009! Man, this year is flying by, and so many changes have occurred.

Bad News: I got engaged on December 16th. Our wedding was suppose to be on June 20 (19 days from today), but he broke it off on February 28th. No chance of reconciliation unfortuately. I am just thankful to the Lord that He revealed to me who John really was before we got married, and saved me from making a HUGE mistake! He is not the spiritual leader that I need, and I pray that he will get his act together and get right with Jesus. Otherwise, he will continue to be miserable the rest of his life.

Good News: I finally graduated from Criswell with my BA on May 9th!!! Woo Hoo!!!
Now, I am getting ready to apply to DTS. = )

I am currently rehearsing for a musical that I'm gonna be in starting this FRIDAY!

Word of Mouth Productions
Presents
Cotton Patch Gospel
June 5 - 14, 2009
The ArtCentre Theatre
1028 15th Place
Plano, TX 75074
(214) 734-7326
Box Office (214) 544-4630
http://www.womproductions.com/

The Showtimes are:

Friday, June 5th @ 8 PM
Saturday, June 6th @ 8 PM
Sunday, June 7th @ 3:30 PM

Friday, June 12th @ 8 PM
Saturday, June 13th @ 8 PM
Sunday, June 14th @ 3:30 PM

A Season of Change

2008-12-10T12:24:00.010-06:00

Hard to believe that December has already arrived, and with 2009 just around the corner, I look back over this year and am amazed of how many things have changed.

I am not a prophet by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that God gave me a prophesy back in Oct. 2007. I heard Him tell me that "2008 would be a season of change." He left it at that and would not tell me anymore. I would just have to wait and see.

In April 2008, our young singles class (the Young Professionals) at church had out-grown our classroom, and the Lord led Hugo, Gigi, and I to help multiply our class into 2 new classes, Veritas and Focus. Since April, our class has been doing very well, and though we are still relatively small, we have been focusing on the quality of our attenders rather than quantity.

In June 2008, Senator Barak Obama became the Democratic candidate for president.

In July/August 2008, I got to go on a mission trip to New York, which was amazing! The Lord once again confirmed that missions and evangelism is my passion, and I am so excited to see what all He has in store for me once I graduate. Also, the Sunday before I left for my trip to NY, we had a new visitor to our Veritas class, John Johnson, and on the 25th of July, Taylor had her first child, little Jacob.

In late August 2008, Senator John McCain named Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice president. So, no matter who would win the presidencial election, history would be made. We would either have our first African-American president or a female vice president.

In September 2008, the economy is going into a recession. Gas prices rose to almost $4.00 and many banks stopped giving loans to people. Myself included. As I began my senior year at Criswell, this was the first time I was unable to get a loan to pay for my school. But by the grace of God, He provided for me to go to school.

In October 2008, after a few months of hanging out, talking, and getting to know one another, John and I started dating. Oct. 4th was officially our first date. When my trio was singing out at the State Fair this year, he came out to every performance. He's so sweet! Here is a picture of us when we went on our first double-date with our friends, Gigi and Derek.

In November 2008, my good friends, Tres & Stacey got married, and they asked me to sing at their wedding. I was honored to be asked, and my friends and I had a great time at the reception.

Also, in Novemeber, Barak Obama won the presidencial vote, and in January 2009, he will be the first African-American president (44th president).

In December 2008, the economy is still not doing well. Lots of people have lost their jobs and are finding it hard to find work. But on the upside, gas prices have fallen back down to $1.50.

Some good news: I finished my exams the 1st week of December, and I am now on winter break. John and I are still dating; he is such an awesome guy! He loves the Lord and has an amazing servant's heart. It has been cool to watch how much he has grown in the Lord since we first met back in July. Also, praise the Lord, we finished all of our Christmas shopping yesterday.

Some bad news: Not really enjoying this cold weather, but fortunately, I live in TX; so, I only have to endure a couple more months of winter. Also, I just found out that the only company that issues private student loans to my school has suspended all loans until further notice. So, I won't be able to get a loan for this semester. I don't know how I will pay for my last semester, but God is good. I know that somehow He will provide for my tuition so I can graduate this May 2009.

So, with 21 more days left of 2008, I look forward to seeing what else God has in store for this year, this season of change.

The Weaver

2008-12-10T12:14:00.002-06:00

This was a quote from my devotional calendar, and I thought I would share it. It really touched my heart.

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,

I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.

Oftimes He weavth sorrow, and I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper and I the underside.

The dark threads are a needful in the Weaver's skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

(Author unknown)

The Cost of Being a Muslim Woman in a Muslim World

2008-10-14T10:01:00.003-05:00

Sometimes the truth is disturbing and this article is no exception.
http://www.freedomscost.net/?p=1199
Violence against women has got to stop, and the first step is to recognize that there is a problem.
Warning: there is a very graphic picture of a woman who miraculously survived her Muslim husband's brutal attack.

Biased Media Coverage

2008-09-26T10:06:00.002-05:00

Check out this article in the Washington Times.

"The mainstream media have gone over the line and are now straight out propagandists for the Obama campaign...."

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/24/media-chronicles/

Obama, Abortion and Infanticide

2008-08-21T18:43:00.001-05:00

Check out this article:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Blog/Default.aspx?id=221244

Our Provider

2008-07-09T00:39:00.002-05:00

I just had a share a story that happened recently to me and my family that really shows how amzing God is and that He truly is our Provider.

About a week or so before Father's day, two friends of mine tell me that they will be out of town for a while on vacation. They asked me if I would mind picking up their mail and keeping an eye on their homes. I said no problem. They also told me that I could borrow their cars while they are out of town, if I wanted to. I thanked them, but thought to myself, It was nice of them to offer, but when am I gonna need to borrow two cars??? Little did I know God was about to show me.

Father's Day arrives. My family faithful goes to church, and my dad is driving home from church alone in his car. Suddenly, he hears a loud snap! The car starts swerving out of control. Fortunately, he is a seasoned driver and did not panic. He keeps the car from flipping over, and finally hits a curb--a loud crash--and the car thankful stops. No injuries, just a badly busted up car. The car is towed to a body shop, and we all wait to hear the prognosis of the damage.

With Dad's car out of commission, now we only had Thomas' car, Mom's car, & my car; which leaves Dad and Susan with no wheels. It was then that God tapped me on my shoulder and pointed out to me that He had just provided two free rentals cars. (I did check with my friend to make sure it was ok for my dad to drive thier car.)

I remember immediately praising Him for how He amazingly provided for us. It was completely by His plan for my two friends to be out of town and allow me to use their vehicles while they were gone. God is so good!

Eventually we heard back from the body shop. The wheel barrier had apparently snapped and when Dad hit the curb, that broke the axil. Unfortunately, the car had liability only, and the money it would have taken to fix the car was more than what the car is worth. So, needless to say, the "old boat" is now in the big junk yard in the sky... or down the street... wherever.

One of my friends got back into town this Wednesday, and praise the Lord, my parents were able to get a new older car a few days prior to his return. So, thre you have it. Just another cool example how God maes Himself known to His children. I love it when He does that. Don't you? = )

Get Off The Stage

2008-02-28T14:52:00.007-06:00

A great moment in the Academy Awards!
Jack Black and Will Ferrell sing "Get Off The Stage."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoXLu9Rz70g

Lyrics:

This is it, your time is through
You're boring
You're rambling on. No end in sight
You're boring
No need to thank your parakeet
You're boring
Look at Catherine Zeta-Jones
She's snoring
You could have rushed up to the stage
But you were lolly-gagging
They're turning off your microphone
And cutting to a commercial for Del Taco
Del Taco
Del Taco
Del Ta-a-a-a-co!

Called To Be Free

2007-11-21T23:53:00.000-06:00

"Called to be Free" is the amazing true story of the cult, Worldwide Church of God (aka Armstrongism), being redeemed. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the cult members rejected the heretical teachings of their founder (and self-proclaimed "prophet") and became born-again believers in Jesus Christ.
It's a little long, but well worth watching!

Life is good!

2007-10-10T23:20:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,
I know it seems like forever since my last blog, but life has been busy... but good too.

School update:
I passed Hebrew! Praise the Lord! And I decided to not immediately jump into Greek. So, I'll take it next fall. Hard to believe that I only have 2 years of school left. Where has the time gone?
This semester is a little easier, but challenging as well. Two of my favorite classes this fall are Encountering Cults and Current Issues in Evangelism: The New Age Movement. Very interesting stuff.

The professor of my Cults class, James Walker, is the president of Watchman Fellowship. It's a nondenominational organization that keeps track of practically every cult in existence. They have a lot of articles, videos and resources available if you want to know more about a specific cult or alternative religion. As in most classes, we have to do a major project, and I chose to do a weekly blog on an article or video that I've read/seen on the website, so feel free to check it out, if you'd like: Watchman Review.

Two weeks ago, during my Cults class, Prof. Walker had us watch this video (see below) about Jehovah's Witnesses (JW). Some of you may or may not know that one of the JW's beliefs is that they refuse blood transfusions. Paul Blizard and his wife are good friends of Prof. Walker, and this is a situation that happened when their baby girl got sick and would die without a blood transfusion.

Fortunately, the rest of the story is bittersweet.
Prof. Walker told us that the blood transfusion did save baby Jenny's life. While she was still recovering in the hospital, her parents were disfellowshiped (ie. considered dead) by the JW church, and were abandoned by all of their friends and family, who were also JWs.
While at the hospital with Jenny, some Christians from a local Baptist church had heard about the situation and came to visit the Blizards. They did not proselytize them or anything; they brought them meals and offered their service and friendship. The Blizards were dumbfounded. The JWs believe that any religion other than theirs is of the Devil. So, they were amazed that non-JWs were being so kind and loving while their own people were being so horrible. Through the friendship and love of the people at the church, both Mr. & Mrs. Blizard became born-again followers of Jesus. Ever since Jenny's birth, she had been struggling with a terrible illness, and she only lived to see her 3rd or 4th birthday. To this day, the Blizards are so grateful to God for saving Jenny and for sending the church to minister to them and lead them to the truth.

"I Am Yours"

2007-07-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

Trip Interuption

2007-06-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

Well, unfortunately, Thomas's and my trip to CA to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins got postponed. Seeing as how Thomas and I are po (we can't even afford the other o & r), a friend of mine heard about our upcoming trip and offered to get us free ticket vouchers. Her brother works for Southwest Airlines. This sounded like a great thing, so we accepted. Hey, it saved us over $300 for airfare. I couldn't pass it up.

So, we get to Dallas Love on Thursday around 9:45 am. We get our luggage checked, and eventually make our way to our gate and get signed up on the top of the non-revenue Standby list. Our flight is suppose to leave at 11:40 am.

Evrerything was going just peachy, until we discovered that when you are on nonrevenue standyby, you are at the very bottom of the standby list. So, low and behold, paid ticket standby people got on the plane... and we didn't.

This unfortunate scenerio ends up happening all day long.

By the time we'd not been able to get on the 6th flight out, we were at our wits end.
A guy at the gate counter gets on his computer and tells us that all the flights for CA are booked solid all weekend. Plus, all flights minus two have two to three layovers, and with standby, you are not guarenteed a seat on each layover. So, even if you made one flight, you could be pulled on the next and get stuck at your layover airport. Not a good thing.

So, by the time 4pm rolled around, we decided to just go home.

Big praise, though, our luggage didn't get lost! It got shipped back to Dallas Love from CA on Friday, and we had to drive back to the airport and get it later that afternoon.

I am bummed that our trip didn't work out, but I know that God is sovereign. He knows what He's doing, and He has a reason that we were not able to go.

I'm sure I will make it out there eventually, it just all depends on when.

Would you like to the know the moral of this story, kids?
Here it is:
I will never fly standby ever again!
A guarenteed seat is worth every penny you pay for you ticket.

Happy flying!

The Way of The Master

2007-06-16T22:24:00.000-05:00

Cool website! It's run by Kirk Cameron from the TV show "Growing Pains."

http://www.thewayofthemaster.com/

Three Tears and a Smile

2007-06-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

This story is both heart-breaking and encouraging. Pass it on.

The story:
http://www.nsalamerica.org/campaigns/chihuahuas/?cid=ars_2legged

The video:
http://adopt.animalleague.org/video.php?vid=12

Summer Break

2007-06-03T22:38:00.000-05:00

Wow... hard to believe that it's June already. We're already half way thru 2007.
I don't know about all of you, but I for one am glad that summer is here. I'm not a big fan of cold weather. So, Yippee!

Well, a lot has happened since last I blogged...

The fam & I went up to Pennsylvania to see Tommy (aka Tom, as he is known/called up there) graduate from Lafayette College. He got his BA in Math with a minor in Spanish. Poor thing was having to deal with sinustitus & brochitus the whole time we were there, but he survived by the grace of God. I had never been to New England before and I now know why they call it New England. It really does remind me of England. Everything is very lush and green, lots of rolling hills and farm land, and (unfortunately) cold and rainy. Fortunately, none of us caught pnemonia while we were being rained on and freezing during the whole graduation ceremony.
Tommy, flew home with us, so now he's hanging out with us and looking for a real job now that he's all gra-gi-ate-ed.

I just got my grades from Criswell, and Praise The Lord! I passed all my classes, especially Hebrew. WooHoo! So, now I'm on summer break, and classes start again Aug. 20.

I'm also excited because in about 2 weeks, Tommy & I are gonna get to go to CA to visit our Uncle Emil, Aunt Elizabeth (my dad's sister), and their family. Emil & Elizabeth came to TX last summer to visit my family, and I really enjoyed getting to know them better and hanging out with them. They are so sweet, and I just know Tommy and I are gaonna have a blast.

My congratulations to Josh and Beth on their beautiful wedding yesterday! It was very sweet and touching, and Beth... great choice of exit music... Firefly/Mal's Theme was awesome!

Also, a few girls from our ABF class are getting together during the week to go thru the book Lady In Waiting. It is an absolutely amazing book! I first read it in 2001, and the Lord really used it to open my eyes to see what a godly woman is suppose to be. The book walks thru ten godly characteristics displayed in the life of Ruth (from the Bible), and most importantly, it helped me to understand and develop a love relationship with Christ. That was a totally foreign concept to me back when I was 21. I highly recommend it for any single, divorced, or widowed ladies of any age. Or for men who want to have a better understanding of women, I would recommend the book to you too.

Hope all is well with you! Till next time. Adios!

Busy Saturday

2007-03-09T23:03:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry it's taken me so long to post a new blog. School this semester is quite hectic. I'm taking Hebrew II, History & Theology of Missions, Hermeneutics, & Ancient World. So, needless to say, I've been a bit busy. Lots of reading and studying, but I love it!

I am praising God that this Mon-Fri is Spring Break and Fri-Sun is our YP Spring Retreat. Woohoo! My goal is to get all of my studying, homework, papers done and caught up so next weekend I can just relax, unwind, and goof off. = )

This weekend, however, is not going to be a goof off weekend. I'm the Maid of Honor (MOH) for Miss Apocolypse Queen, so I will definitely have my work cut out for me. Helping to keep her calm and collected, fend off crazy relatives, and the detail-nazi Mother of the Bride (MOB). Not only will I get the priviledge of standing up on stage with my best friend and get to witness her and Mr. Darcy become man and wife, I'll also get to sing "The Prayer" (Italian version) with a good friend of mine, Mark Tye; and (gulp) I have to give a toast at the reception. It's the oddest thing, I always get nervous before I sing, but I am 10 times more nervous if asked to speak in front of a crowd. I don't know why. You'd think they'd be one and the same, but apparently not. So hopefully, everyoen will enjoy my toast and I won't get tongue-tied, lose me index card (the the speak on it), or just look like a babbling fool. God help me!

Well, I gotta get some sleep. Got a busy day tomorrow. My nail appointment is at 10 am, gotta grab lunch around noon, and then gotta be at AQ's house by 1 pm to carpool to hair appointment. The MOB is so generous, she is paying for all of the gals in the wedding party to have our hair done at AQ's stylist that she's been going to since birth.

Wish me luck, and say a prayer for AQ and Darcy. I am so unbelievable happy for them! <><

The Mirror & American Culture

2007-01-24T00:47:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

Last semester, I wrote a paper for my American Culture class where we had to take a piece of American literature (i.e. novel, short story, song, movie, etc.) and then discuss how it describes or discusses American culture. So, I thought I would share it with you.

If for some reason, you would like to cite this (I'm so flattered...), here's what you'll need:

Turabian style (6th ed.)

H., Wendy. "The Mirror and American Culture." My Memoirs. 2006. Available from http://ising4him.blogspot.com/2007/01/mirror-american-culture.html. Accessed [Day] [Month] [Year].

(The spacing in the original document is correct. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to add tabs and extra spacing in html yet.)

Enjoy!

THE CRISWELL COLLEGE

THE MIRROR AND AMERICAN CULTURE

AMERICAN CULTURE: CONTEMPORARY THOUGHT
DR. CREAMER

BY
WENDY H.

RICHARDSON, TX
OCTOBER 2006

Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me.
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

You don't define me, you don't define me.

Barlowgirl, “Mirror”

“Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” (Snow White, 1994) This is one of the most classic movie quotes of all time from the beloved children’s movie, Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The beautiful and vain queen gazes into her magic mirror that can only speak the truth, and she wants to receive validation from it that there is no one fairer than she. When the mirror reveals that she is not the fairest one of all, she flies off on an envious and murderous rampage. Even though this is just a fairy tale, it still holds a universal truth; people, especially women, still seek validation from their mirror and from society and culture to tell them that they are attractive and beautiful; and that they have worth, value, and identity. The song, “Mirror” by Barlowgirl, shows how American culture’s views and God’s views drastically contrast regarding a person’s image and identity.
Beginning in early childhood, American culture (i.e. television, movies, magazines, books, advertisements, family, and friends) bombards us with the message:

… [What] matters most for women… is beauty—physical beauty. Even parents, siblings, teachers, and friends sometimes add unwittingly to the chorus: “darling” children get oohs, aahs, and doting attention, while less attractive, overweight, or gangly children may be the objects of unkind comments, indifference, or even overt rejection. (DeMoss, 77)

Self-image is a struggle for most women, even super models, and Becca, Alyssa, and Lauren Barlow, the three sisters of Barlowgirl, a Christian rock group from Illinois, have also dealt with having a proper perspective of who they see when they look in the mirror. Wrestling with this issue was the reason the song, “Mirror” was written. In the song, they ask the mirror a very important question, “Who are you to tell me / that I'm less than what I should be? / Who are you?” (Barlowgirl, 2004) Everyone has answered that question whether they realize it or not. The answer is that the mirror is either their master or it is not. If they have been deceived into believing that the mirror is their master, then they have bought into a lie and have become a slave to the standards set by their culture and society. The problem with trying to live up to cultural standards is that it is an impossible task. Shannon Ethridge, a well-known Christian author, speaker, and counselor, asks some very important questions on this topic in her book, Every Young Woman’s Battle:

When you look into the mirror, what do you see? A friend or a foe? Are you thankful for God’s creation or critical of His handiwork? How much time and energy do you spend critiquing and criticizing your facial features? your hair? your body? Do you compare yourself to magazine cover models or to your girlfriends, getting discouraged that you don’t seem to measure up to everyone else? (Ethridge, 51)

Culture claims that to be accepted, you must be beautiful—more specifically, your physical appearance must match-up with what society considers to be beautiful. Some of these standards include having the perfect hairstyle, clothes, make-up, waist-size, chest-size, and the list never ends. Not only does culture’s beauty list never end, it also never stops changing. “Keeping up with the Jones” is a never-ending rat-race that will only lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and depression. The song lyrics sum it up by saying, “I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) American culture says that the mirror should be your master, and thus, a woman’s ultimate ambition should be physical beauty, but God says quite the opposite.
God desires to free women from bondage to their mirror by becoming their Master and showing them that inner beauty is much more valuable to Him than physical beauty. Michelle Graham, a speaker for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, says that “the place to begin is to wrestle with some key biblical truths about how God made us and how much He delights in us. I have found very little hope for a truly healthy body image outside of knowing Jesus intimately.” (Graham, 27) Though culture tells women that they are only as beautiful as their society rates them to be, God reveals that to be a lie. He is the creator of all things, and everyone is made in His image (Genesis 1:26a NIV). Not only does God consider all that He has made to be very good (Genesis 1:31a NIV), He also says that He is enthralled by our beauty (Psalm 45:11 NLT). King David proclaimed to God, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well…. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!” (Psalm 139:14, 17-18 NIV) What an incredible statement! The Creator of the Universe knows you intimately, and even more amazing is that He promises that as we continue to deepen our love relationship with Jesus Christ, we will be changed from the inside out. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) Though your physical appearance may not change, your perception will as you begin to see things in a whole new light. The turning point in the song says, “Mirror I am seeing a new reflection. / I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me, / And to Him I have beauty beyond compare.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) “…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart….” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV) Being set free from the bondage of the mirror and culture is the first step, but the next step is sometimes more difficult. Barlowgirl declares, “I don't need to listen / to the list of things I should do. / I won’t try.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) What this means is that “the quest for a healthy body image requires us to swim against the current of mainstream culture.” (Graham, 27) This doesn’t mean that “women [shouldn’t] seek to look their best… [; it] simply challenges [us] to not devote all [our] energies toward painting the outside, thus neglecting the enduring qualities that need developing on the inside.” (Kendall & Jones, 54)
Another aspect of American culture that the song, “Mirror” reveals is that our culture and society tries to make us believe that they are the ones who define us and give us our identity. “‘Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) Nancy Leigh DeMoss, a well-known Christian host and teacher on the daily radio program, “Revive Our Hearts,” says in her book, Lies That Women Believe:

… [Our] view of ourselves and our sense of worth are often determined by the input and opinions of others. Sometimes the input of others is accurate and helpful. But not always. If, for some reason, the person we are listening to is looking through a defective “lens,” his or her vision will be distorted. Some of us have lived all our lives in an emotional prison because we have accepted what a false, “broken” mirror said to us about ourselves. (DeMoss, 66)

Our Darwinist and atheistic society teaches us starting in grade school science class that everything is the result of evolution. Science tries to convince us that there is no God, or a Divine Creator; so everything is the way it is by nothing more than random chance. Thus, everyone is nothing more than an accident, which voids out the idea that people have inherent value and worth. With this idea as our society’s presupposition, people have spent and wasted their lives striving to turn themselves into an image and identity that will be accepted by our society, so they can feel valuable and worthy of love. People seek to find their identity through many avenues. Someone may find their worth by being a successful business executive, or by being a high-priced lawyer. Someone may achieve fame by being a well-known actor, singer, or artist. Another may find prestige by being a professor with multiple degrees hanging on their wall, or by being a pastor of a mega-church with pack-out services every Sunday. Having a profession is not the only goal that people pursue to find their identity; many people seek relationships to find their fulfillment. One of the mottos that Barlowgirl is known for is their stance on not dating. Alyssa, the bass guitarist in Barlowgirl, said in an interview, “[Single people are] using relationships as a crutch to cover up our insecurity. The reason why our generation's singles are jumping so often from person to person is because they're searching for self worth.” (Fervent, 2006) The truth is that “… it doesn’t matter how good-looking, rich, athletic, smart, godly, or charming [a person] may be. No [one] can ever make you feel like you are somebody. That comes from knowing how special you are to God and from becoming the person God created you to be.” (Ethridge, 34)
God tells us two important things about our identity. The first is that He is the one who made us, and second, He is the one who defines us. The person in the song is looking in the mirror and sees a reflection that is different from their own—a new one; they reveal to the mirror that they are “…looking into the eyes of He who made me [emphasis mine].” (Barlowgirl, 2004) God says in His Word that no one is an accident. He is our creator and formed and knit us in our mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13 NIV) and that every moment of our lives was ordained by Him before we were even conceived (Palm 139:16 NIV). No one is an accident, despite what culture says, and God has given everyone who is born-again a purpose and a reason for being. “Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT) If God is our creator, then that also means that He is the one who defines us. Jackie Kendall and Debbie Jones, in their book, Lady In Waiting, give us a great picture of how God defines his people:

By spending time in God’s Word, you will also learn what God thinks of you. In [1] Peter 2:4, God says you are choice and precious to Him. He calls you precious, honored, loved, and His redeemed one in Isaiah 43:1-6. Isaiah 43:7 says you were created for His glory. You are very special to God—so special that He has plans for you: “plans for [your] welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11b) (Kendall & Jones, 102)

Those who are followers of Christ have been set free and are no longer slaves to this world. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, our creator, and it is Him we are called to imitate, and be a reflection of to our society and culture. The Apostle Paul tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2 NIV) Once we have established our firm foundation in Christ, we can boldly and confidently tell our society, culture, and the mirror, “So sorry you won't define me. / Sorry you don't own me.” (Barlowgirl, 2004) The song, “Mirror” by Barlowgirl, clearly shows how American culture’s views and God’s views drastically contrast regarding a person’s image and identity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barlowgirl. “Mirror.” Barlowgirl. Fervent Records/Spirit-led Records, Nashville, TN, 2004. CD.

DeMoss, Nancy Leigh. Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free. Chicago, IL:
Moody Press, 2001.

Ethridge, Shannon and Stephen Arterburn. Every Young Woman’s Battle. Colorado Springs:
WaterBrook Press, 2004.

Fervent Records. “Barlowgirl Biography.” Yahoo! Music. Avaiable from http://music.yahoo.com/ar-310014-bio--Barlowgirl. Accessed 1 October 2006.

Graham, Michelle. Wanting to Be Her: Body Image Secrets Victoria Won’t Tell You. Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Kendall, Jackie, and Debby Jones. Lady in Waiting: Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right (Expanded Edition). Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 2005.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Directed by David Hand, Perce Pearce, William Cottrell,
Larry Morey, Wilfred Jackson, and Ben Sharpsteen. 84 min. Walt Disney, 1994. Videocassette.

Surrender

2007-01-12T00:29:00.000-06:00

This song by Barlowgirl is so beautiful, powerful, and convicting. I thought I'd share the lyrics with you. Enjoy!

My hands hold safely to my dreams
Clutching tightly not one has fallen
So many years I've shaped each one
Reflecting my heart showing who I am
Now you're asking me to show
What I'm holding oh so tightly
Can't open my hands can't let go
Does it matter?
Should I show you?
Can't You let me go?

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

You say you have a plan for me
And that you want the best for my life
Told me the world had yet to see
What you can do with one
That's committed to Your calling
I know of course what I should do
That I can't hold these dreams forever
If I give them now to You
Will You take them away forever?
Or can I dream again?

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

Surrender, surrender You whisper gently
You say I will be free
I know but can't You see?
My dreams are me. My dreams are me.

Same Name

2006-12-22T20:47:00.000-06:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There is:
1
person with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Come Into My Life

2006-11-30T00:31:00.000-06:00

I remember when I was in elementary school I would be playing in my room or doing homework while listening to the radio. We didn't have iTunes back then and CD players were a brand new, very expensive item to own. But I distinctly remember listening to the radio like a hawk waiting anxiously to hear a favorite song that I could quickly run to my tape player to record.
I came across a box the other day with a bunch of tapes that I had recorded back in the day with all types of songs on them: Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Paula Abdul, Elton John, to name a few. But I thought was interesting was to realize that even though I didn't have a relationship with God as a child, He was already working on my heart. I noticed that most of the songs recorded were secular, but a few were Christian. I never even realized it at the time. I had Amy Grant, Kathy Troccolli, and a few others songs who artists are unknown to me.
One song in particular I remember really touched me and would always make me cry as a child, and I really didn't understand why. Kind of reminds me of the disciples comprehending Jesus saying that He would be arrested, killed, and then rise from the dead three days later. They never got it... until He did it! I was apparrently just as clueless as they were, but thank God that He is just as patient with me as He was with His disciples. I'm also thankful that the Christian radio station played those songs and allowed God to use them to plant the seed of the Gospel in my heart, even though I didn't know it at the time.

Come Into My Life
Artist: The Imperials

No this isn't easy
But I can't keep runnin' from Your love
I've been denyin' way too long
That there's something deep inside me
That takes me down the road that leads me to Your door
I know that I belong there with You
My human nature would keep me far away
But God I really need You
I'm asking You to stay

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh I'm through pretending
That I've got everything a man could ever need
You know I'm tired of the lie
Yeah, I was so independent
But independence never calmed my soul at night
Now I close my eyes and peace consumes me
Your love has shown me
What it is I need to be
And when I least expect it
Love becomes more real

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh, I ran from You so long
Never could leave Your touch
You loved me day by day
Never leavin' a doubt
So, now I'm tired of this fight
And I need Your strength tonight
You see I've never been as ready as I am right now

Chorus
Come into my life
Change this heart forever
Let my feel the healin' in Your touch
Take all my hurt away
Come into my life
I surrender all my feelings
You've got the love I've needed all along
Lord, I pray that You will
Come into my life

Oh, come into my life

Great Quote

2006-11-17T15:33:00.000-06:00

Great quote from the movie, Serenity:
Mal is the captain of the Firefly-class spaceship called Serenity
Wash is the ships's pilot.

WASH: Yeah well if she doesn't give us some extra flow from the engine room to offset the burnthrough the landing is gonna get pretty interesting.
MAL: Define 'interesting.'
WASH (calm suggestion): 'Oh god, oh god, we're all gonna die'

Phobias

2006-10-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

Most of us have some fears, and we've probably heard about some phobias such as:
Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets.
And Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders

But I had no idea the extent of people fears. Take a look at the list: http://phobialist.com/
Here are just a few examples:

Bogyphobia - Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman
Coulrophobia - Fear of clowns
Dutchphobia - Fear of the Dutch
Ephebiphobia - Fear of teenagers
Hobophobia - Fear of bums or beggars
Koniophobia - Fear of dust. (Amathophobia)
Leukophobia - Fear of the color white
Optophobia - Fear of opening one's eyes
Phobophobia - Fear of phobias

And the list goes on, and on, and on...

I Will Survive

2006-08-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

If you haven't seen this short animation clip, you should. It's quite humerous!

Alien Song <----- click this link to see the animation!

You Humble Me

2006-08-21T10:03:00.002-05:00

Has God ever humbled you?
Even if you say no, He most likely has, and you just didn't realize that it was Him.

Ever had one of those times when you've spent uncountable hours studying for a test to the point where you feel like your brain is gonna explode? You walk into the classroom and you are 100% confident that you are gonna ace it. Then the moment that sheet of paper is placed before you, all of the information and knowledge that you worked so hard to store and retain suddenly vanishes as though someone had ripped out the hard drive of your brain and turned it into ash? And all your confidence and diligence is rewarded with nothing but a dismal grade.

Or have you ever been asked to sing a solo with your church choir? The song is beautiful and powerful, but challenging. You're touched and honored to be asked and you want to do a great job; so you practice everyday for 2 weeks learning the song. By the time Wednesday rehearsal rolls around (the first time the choir will hear you sing the song with them), you know the song by heart. You could sing it in your sleep. You're in the choir room; the choir director asks you to come up and grab the microphone. Everything goes fine, at first, then suddenly, your mind goes blank. You even have the music in front of you, but you can't remember the next phrase or find your place. Though you can't verify it, you are quite sure that your face has turned 3 shades of pink. The song is over and all you want to do is crawl under a rock, but none are in sight.
"What just happened?" you ask yourself. "Well, at least that's over."
Not quite... after rehearsing a few more songs, the choir director tells everyone to go to the sanctuary for a run-through of "the special" (aka your song) with the orchestra.
Your throat goes dry, your palms become clammy, and your heart is pounding in your ears. "Oh, God, please don't let me mess up again," you pray silently as you walk to the front of the stage. You run through the verses in your mind again and again. Though your confidence has been shaken, you are sure that it'll be all right this time... right?
Wrong! Even with monitors in front of you with your words, you botch it worse than the first time. Every fiber in your being wants to run away and hide, but you finish, and with as much dignity as you can muster, you go back to your seat and finish the rehearsal.

Want to know what just happened?
That was God humbling you.
Sometimes we get so caught up in being perfect and polished that we forget the reason why we do anything. To bring glory to God. We're all guilty of trying to do everything with our own strength, talent, abilities, knowledge, etc. God says, "Sorry to disappoint you, but you can do nothing apart from me." And sometimes, He has to do something to get our attention and make us correct our focus.
He loves us and wants the best for us, but we won't be useful to Him if our heart is not attuned with His. God disciplines those that He loves and whom He calls His own.
That Wednesday evening, I asked for forgiveness for my pride, and I thanked Him for humbling me. I had failed to remember that I am just an instrument and He is the musician. Whenever I sing, I desire for the congregation to hear God's voice, not mine. I cannot change a human heart nor touch a person's spirit, but God can!

When Sunday came, I was more nervous than I had even been in my life. So, all I could do was just continually and silently pray that God would give me peace and sing through me. When it came time for the song, I walked to the front of the stage. I prayed that the congregation would not notice that my knees and hands were shaking. The music started and... the rest is a bit of a blur. All I know is that God answered my prayers. I didn't mess up, and it was such a sweet and awesome time of worship! Some people told me after the choir was dismissed that during my song, the monitor-people missed one of the slides for my lyrics... I never even noticed. God was in control, and I give all the glory to Him. He was the one who was singing, not me.

So, I just want to encourage you. If you're going through a time where you feel like nothing is going your way or you just can't do anything right, turn your focus back to the Lord. Apart from Him you can do nothing, but surrender yourself to Him and there is no limit to what He can accomplish through you.
"Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, He never changes or casts shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NLT)
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13 NASB)
"I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

You Humble Me
Artist: unknown

I see the cost of my unrighteousness.
The rugged cross You willingly embraced.
When my release demanded nothing less
than a holy sacrifice, You took my place
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me

I was the one who held the jagged spear
that pierced Your side
and broke Your wounded heart,
but grace flowed down and now surrounds me here.
And I'm overwhelmed that You would go so far
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me

chorus (2x)
I fall on my face
completely undone
confounded by grace, astounded by love
a love so amazing, love so divine
taking my place on a cross that was mine

How can it be that with Your final breath
You give me life?
I tremble at the thought
that I should gain some profit from Your death.
With the blood You shed, my pardon has been bought
to set me free.
Oh, God, You humble me
Oh, God, You humble me

chorus (2x)
I fall on my face
completely undone
confounded by grace, astounded by love
a love so amazing, love so divine
taking my place on a cross that was mine

You took my place
You humble me

Song information:
You Humble Me
Sue C. Smith, David Moffitt, Travis Cottrell
First Hand Revelation Music
Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.

Table For Two

2006-08-10T03:08:00.000-05:00

I recently found an old song that Christi introduced me to a long time ago. It really ministered to me (and still does...), and I hope it will minister to you as well as you (as a single) continue to pursue your love relationship with Christ seeking to become the man or woman that God desires you to be.

Table For Two
By Caedmon’s Call

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes,
Talkin' 'bout soccer
And how every man's just the same
We made speculation
On the who's and the when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely
But still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
By looking around

But you know I know better
I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
Cause if the birds and the flowers survive
Then I'll make it okay
I'm given a chance and a rock
see which one breaks a window
See which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forget what house I live in
But it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call

Well this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
To the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
Just to get me to sleep.

Memories of England

2006-08-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

Greeting loyal readers!

Yes, I made it back safe and sound last Monday night. I am glad to be back home in the good 'ole USA. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. Though I can't say that I missed the scorching weather. After week and a half, I think I have finally recovered from the jet-lag. ;-)
Well, as you can tell from my entries, I had an incredible time in England. God is so good, and He blessed us tremendously! The people at Thornaby were wonderful, and I am so thankful that God allowed me to go. Thank you all again for all of your prayers!
We didn't have any professions of faith while we were there, but I know that we planted and watered some seeds.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV)

I've gotten some email addresses from the kids at the Holiday Club and I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep in contact with them. They really were great kids! I could not have asked for better. = )

Here are just a few of many fond memories I have from my trip:

* Getting to relax and sleep in the really nice flight attendant seats on our flight over to England.
* Getting asked late-afternoon on Sunday (HC started on Mon) to do a part in the drama reading the part of "Wendy, the sister in the Watts family"

* While playing duck, duck, goose with the kids, I was sitting next to a shy, pudgy, little boy (about 7 yrs old). I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then he suddenly scooted closer to me and hugged my arm. My heart melted. It was just too sweet!

* Maxine's recipe book perfect cuisine and her humbly saying, "Oh, it's nothing. I just threw it together."

* Being asked to present the Gospel to the kids and to the parents on Friday.

* Getting to IM some friends while in England.

* Getting to see "Chicago" live in London.

* Touring Buckingham Palace. The Music Room was my favorite! I came so close to busting out with either "The Hills are Alive" or "Amazing Grace." But I was able to restrain myself... barely.

* Getting some "alone time" when I let Michelle have my seat next to Kasey on both flights home. This time I was in the midst of the youth, but they were actually pretty quiet (most of the time). iPod is a wonderful invention, isn't it? ;-)

Well, I must call it a night. Until next time... grace and peace!

England Trip - part 3

2006-07-30T14:27:00.000-05:00

Well, my England adventure is wrapping up. Our group will be flying home tomorrow afternoon.

Michelle, Kasey & I got to tour the staterooms at Buckingham Palace (due to the royal family being on holiday); plus, there was a special display of the the Queen's dresses. 7 decades worth of some of her most elegent evening gowns. It was quite a site to see!
Unfortunately, we could not take pictures of the inside of the palace. = ( ...But, here are a few pics of the outside.

When we finally got through the 1/2 mile walk through the palace garden, we decided to visit the Harrod's store and grab a bit to eat. Oh, my goodness! Harrod's is huge! It makes the Galleria Mall look like a street side kiosk. It has 6 floors; it covers an entire city block, and it contains every store you could possibly imagine and then some. We finally tracked an employee down who gave us a map, and finally we found our destination, Mo's Diner (ie. the cheapest resturant we could find, apparently very hard to come by in Harrod's). BTW, have I mentioned that Dr. Pepper is very hard to find in England. ASDA (Walmart equilivent) is one of the few places that carries it, and get this, on the back of the can, they refer to it as "a sparkling fruit beverage." oy vey...

After lunch, we did go back to our hotel for a little nap, but now we are out and about again. We stopped by the British Museum and got to see the Rosetta Stone

. Very cool piece of rock! I know that the picture is a little blurry, but there is actually writting on the stone. On the top is hieroglyphics, in the middle is Demotic (a form of Arabic), and on the bottom is Greek. Scholars were able to use the Greek inscription on this stone as the key to decipher hieroglyphics. To find out more, click the link above.

We spent the rest of the day just walking around London taking in the sites. We just finished having dinner at a little hole-in-the-wall Italian resturant (yummy food!) and once the sun begins to set, we'll head over to Westminster Abby and then on to Big Ben. We've been told that they look really pretty at night. I will make sure to post pics when I get back to the states.

Well, gotta run. Hope you are all having a great Sunday... hope you all were able to make it to ABF & Big church! (You know who you are...) Love ya'll!

Grace and peace.

England Trip - part 2

2006-07-27T16:01:00.000-05:00

Cheers!

I can hardly believe how fast this week has gone by. It's almost 10pm on Thursday, and tomorrow morning is our last day at Holiday Club (HC). Here's the group photo (why they decided to take the group picture on Crazy Hair day is beyond me???) Though, we will have a final HC farewell tomorrow evening for the parents and kids. There'll be snacks, entertainment (skits) from the week, and a chance for the parents to see what all the kids have been doing. Unfortunately, not all of the kids are able to come back for the evening get-together, but it'll be fun nonetheless.

Today was 'inside-out' day, so some of the kids came with either their clothes inside out or backwards. They are just precious and so enthusiastic! During 'game time', the HC game didn't go over very well, so we played their favorite game, duck-duck-goose. Michelle and Kasey were observing, but I felt inclined to join the kiddos in their head-tapping madness. (Yes, that's me in the mush-pot...) I also got a lovely grass-stain on my capris and a big-ole bruise on my shin as a parting gift. That soon got old for them, so I introduced freeze-tag. I have never seen the boys so excited about a game. They loved it, and I was exhausted! But I had a lot of fun though.

I also have to say that I have been quite impressed with the quality of the Bible story scripts. They have been hilarious! The story of Jonah script has been my favorite by far. I'll have to post a little bit of the script later on so you'll know what I'm talking about.

We met up with John Wills for dinner tonight and ate at a small Italian restuarant. It was fun checking up with him and hearing all about the youth and what they've been up to with the NE1 conference. Camping, apparently, has been an interesting experience. 14 showers for 1000 youth. They've already run out of water twice, and they have to shut off the showers at midnight cause it needs at least 6 hours to recharge the water pumps. John said that on average they've been getting about 5 hours of sleep at night and they all ususally wake up around 3 or 4 in the morning cause their bodies are trying to readjust to the time difference. Fortunately, that's only happened a few times.

Well, gotta get some sleep! See you all in a few days. We'll be heading to London on Saturday. = )

England Trip - part 1

2006-07-24T15:01:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally made it across the pond.
The weather has been gorgeous here, unlike the rather warm TX weather we have been having. 11 weeks of triple digit heat. Yuck! It's mostly been in the 70's during the day and has gotten down in the high 50's at night. It reminds me a lot of Colorado. So beautiful! Everything is all lush and green. There was a shower here on Sunday night, and I was just praying that God would send it over to TX. We so desperately need it.

Here's a snapshot of the craziness that was the youth and us at DFW. Anyway, our flight from DFW to Chicago was uneventful, but when we got to Chicago our plane was delayed almost an hour due to rain/stormy conditions. Yet again, I was saying, 'Ok, Lord, anytime you want to send that stuff towards TX would be fine by me.' When we did finally get on the plane, Kasey and I were greeted with a nice suprise. When Michelle first arrived at DFW, she discovered that all 3 of us were scattered all over the plane, so when Kasey & I checked in our luggage, she asked if Kasey & my seats could be together. All 3 of us couldn't sit together, but she at least thought that we could sit together. The lady at the counter said that wouldn't be a problem. So, we get on our plane to England and Kasey & I discovered a wonderful suprise. We had gotten the seats that the flight attendants use when their flights are over 8 hours. But since our flight was only 7 hrs & 45 mins, they got sold. Yippee!! Similar to 1st class seats, they almost fully reclined and had leg-rests. = ) Poor Michelle, she got stuck smack-dab in the middle of the rowdy youth. We owe her big time.

We arrived in Manchester, and then proceeded to load up all 150 youth (we were joined by 2 other church youth groups) onto buses. The lack of air conditioning on the bus was not the most pleasant ride I'd ever taken, but we eventually arrived at the University of Durham and were happily greeted by Barbara (Thornaby's church secretary) and Collin, her husband. We dined with the youth at the university mess hall and then left to head toward our host family. We're staying with Paul and Maxine Wright. They are the sweetest people! Gracious and hospitable, and to say that Maxine is a good cook would be a serious understatement. Especially the desserts she prepares; they look like something out of a recipe book. Almost too pretty to eat.

Thornaby Baptist now has a full-time pastor, David Whitehall. We got to go to the service on Sunday morning and he was great. He has a great sense of humor, very warm and welcoming. His wife Mandy is precious! Michelle and I got to sing 'I Stand Amazed' acapella for them during the worship time, and afterwards we went over to Jean's (Paul's mom's) house for Sunday dinner (aka lunch) and had a great time of fellowship.

Holiday Club (aka VBS) started this morning, and was big hit! Though not as polished as we would have liked, but the kids seemed to get a kick out of it. The theme is the circus; so 2 of the helpers (Mandy [who's also one of the co-leaders for my group, 'The Strongmen'] included) were dressed up as clowns.

The Strongmen

(from left to right: Andrew, Michael, Mandy, Jennifer, Kirsty, me, Chelsea, Kerri, Amy, Jaime, & Jaime)

Kasey, Michelle, & I were responsible for the games, the Bible story, theme illustration, theme song, & Bible verse. It has been so much fun playing with the kids and seeing how much they have grown up. The last time I saw a bunch of them was back in 2003. Fortunately, most of them have only grown taller, and still have their adorable baby faces.

Unfortunately, our host family has very limited (pay as you go) internet access, so I won't be able to update the blog frequently, but I will when I get a chance. Must sign off now, relax, and get some sleep (it's 9:28 pm here). Good night, and God bless!

Cheers!

2006-07-20T22:13:00.000-05:00

Wow... hard to believe that the big departure day has arrived.
I will be heading off to England in the early afternoon tomorrow.
I am so excited and nervous at the same time. I don't feel 100% perpared to go, but I guess God does that sometimes just to make sure that we are having to lean completely on Him and not trusting in our own abilities and strength.

If you want to know what the weather's like where I'll be on the "other side of the pond," click here!

Prayer requests:
o Please pray that God would show Himself in a powerful way in England.
o Pray that God would use Michelle, Kasey, and me as instruments of His grace, mercy, and love as we minister to the kids at the Holiday Club (aka VBS), to the adults who'll be helping out, and to anyone else whom God places in our paths.
o Pray for our protection, and that we will know our authority over satan. (1 Peter 5:8-9)
o Pray for our physical and spiritual vitality, and that we will not negect to continually praise God for His provisions and blessings.
o Pray that the Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of the people we meet, so that we might have the privilege of seeing souls come to faith in Jesus Christ!

Thank you so much for your prayers!
I love you all and I will see you all in Aug.

Grace and Peace,
Wendy <><

p.s. I'm not sure if I'll have email access over there, but if I do, I will either shoot you all an email or put a post on the blog. If not, then I'll definitely fill you all in when I get back. Blessings!

Father's Day

2006-06-18T23:43:00.000-05:00

For a long time this use to not be a very happy holiday for me. Up until a year or 2 ago, I did not have a good relationship with my dad. I resented him for a long time for not being the father that I so desperately needed while I was growing up. Sometimes we can forget how impressionable children can be and how important a man's role as a "father" truly is.

In Pastor Gary's sermon today, he mentioned a statistic that really caught my attention. He said (paraphasing) that:
-- if a father & mother worship together in church with their children, the children will be 80% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
-- if only a mother worships in church with her children, the children will be 30% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
-- if only a father worships in church with his children, the children will be 70% more likely to worship God consistantly as an adult.
Amazing that it's only a 10% difference from from both parents to just a dad! That's a significants that should not be overlooked.

For all of you men who are reading this, those who do or do not have kids, I beg of you, for your children or future children's sake, please surrender yourself to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can mold you and shape you into the man that He desires to raise His precious masterpieces that He has placed in your care.
You may not realize this, but when you become a parent, a father, YOU are responsible for demonstrating to your children the character of GOD. Your children will base their view on who God is by your words and actions. Their mom will have some impact, but ultimately it will come down to YOU.
Think about that for a moment... what kind of God will they believe in?
Is God someone who rarely or never keeps his promises?
Is God someone who only cares about himself and not about anyone else?
Is God someone who is mean or says hurtful things?
Is God someone who is distant and uninterested in what you like to do?
Is God someone who is selfish and blows up whenever he doesn't get his own way?
Is God someone who picks favorites and you never know if you are on his good list?
Is God someone who is too busy and is never available to spend time with you?
Is God someone who is never satisfied... no matter what you do, you'll never be good enough for him?
Is God someone who will never let you forget when you've messed up?
Is God someone whose love has conditions?

The answers above (in case you were wondering) are all NO!
So, begin now to become a man after God's own heart. God will bless you for being salt and light to your children, and for those of you who do not have children (guess what?) you can still demonstrate the love of Christ (who is the visible image of the invisible God) to others around you: co-workers, significant other, parents, friends, etc.

It took me a long time and God's unfathomable grace to make me see that may dad is far from perfect, but I have already seen a wonderful change in him. He is not the same person that he was 2 years ago. Oh, he still have a very long way to go (don't we all?) but I can see the hand of God moving in his heart and life. I do continue to pray that he will surrender his life completely to the Lordship of Christ, so that our Heavenly Father can bless him with the awesome plans that I know He has for him.
Soemthimes we forget that God does not force Himself on us. We can choose to live our lives by our own rules (and ultimately fail) or we can submit to God by doing things His way (and become holy). Proverbs is chuck full of the wisodm and benfits of living life by God's standard.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for choosing me and making me your child. Thank you for being my perfect Heavenly Father. God, Your love for me is beyond my comprehension, but yet You offer it freely, without condition. Thank you for loving me with an everlasting love, a 1 Corinthians 13 love. You knew me before I was in my mother's womb. You were the craftsman who knit me together and made every part of me, designed to your perfect specification. Every day of my life is already written in Your book. You can number the hairs on my head and know my every thought before I even think it. Oh, Lord, I am especially grateful for Your promise that there is nowhere I can go and nothing can do that will ever separate me from Your love through Christ Jesus my Lord.
Let me life be a voice for You, and let my life be a praise to You.
I love you! Happy Father's Day.
Amen

X-Men 3

2006-05-27T00:39:00.000-05:00

My little sis and I got back from going to see X-Men 3. Oh Wow! It is excellent! Just as good as X1 and X2. For those of you have not seen it yet, I won't give too much away. To be as vague as I can be: there are some sad moments, some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments, and some very awesome moments.

I am happy to dispell a very disturbing rumor:
There is NOT a love scene between Wolverine and Storm. Ick!!!! Just the thought of that gives me shivers.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
Make sure to stay to the VERY end of the credits. If you don't, you will be sooooo disappointed!

This is definitely a movie to see, and one that will eventually be added to my growing DVD collection.

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Never a good time

2006-05-23T00:15:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed that it's rare to find a good time to do anything?

-- You have a gigantic load of dirty clothes, very few clean ones, and you know that laundry MUST be done, but your entire day and weekend are booked solid.

-- You know that you really need to get your new car registration sticker on you car. You have it sitting on your desk, but something always seems to come up and by the time you have time to do it, it's too dark outside.

-- You have your gym membership and have the desire to have that lean, toned body that you always wanted, especially with summer coming up, and... eek!... bathing suit season (shudder...), but something always comes up and disrupts your ideal exercise schedule.

-- You desire to be close to the Lord and deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ. You know that the easiest way to accomplish this is to spend time with Him by reading His Word and praying, among other important spiritual disciplines... BUT "something" always comes up or distracts you. For all your "good intentions," it's just never a good time.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever thought, 'If I only had some more time?' or 'I don't have enough time today, but maybe tomorrow.' If you have, you're not alone. Many Christians (myself included) have struggled with this and are still struggling.
Friday night, after going to see AQ's play, I eventually got home and I began to feel kind of lethargic. I haven't felt close to God in a long while and I don't have the same joy in my heart that I remember having. "What is wrong with me?" I asked myself.
That's when God turned on the light bulb... "You can do nothing APART from ME!"
I had to admit that I haven't been consistent in my quiet times or prayer life. No wonder I didn't feel like myself. God's Word is the bread of life and I've been starving myself, just trying to live off of "spiritual snacks" (ie. going to church, ABF, ladies Bible study, etc.) but my private time with the Lord is what is most important to Him.

He also reminded me that "stuff" will ALWAYS "come up." The enemy will do whatever he can to distract us, whether it's temptation, our own flesh-desires, deadlines, kids, you name it.... Satan doesn't want us to be close to God, thus becoming more like our Savior. Satan wants us to stay stagnent, indifferent, luke-warm, apathetic, and ineffective in this world. But God says NO!

Though life can be busy and hectic at times, that is still no excuse. Jesus says that we can accomplish NOTHING if we are apart from Him. We cannot bear fruit if we are separated from the Vine. God knows that life is not always easy, but He also says that if we want to be more like Jesus, then we HAVE to make HIM our first priority.
Satan may try to tell you...
It's never gonna be a good time to pray.
It's never gonna be a good time to read your Bible.
It's never gonna be a good time to fast.
It's never gonna be a good time to exercise.
It's never gonna be a good time to eat healthy.
It's never gonna be a good time to go to bed on time.
It's never gonna be a good time to tithe.
It's never gonna be a good time to witness to your unsaved friend.

Then what do you do?
Well, God then suggests the unthinkable... give up some activities and/or reschedule your schedule. Just as you would write in your calender "Volunteer with ______" or "Go see movie with ______," don't you think God wants to be on your calender as well?

I challenge you (and myself) to make sure that you are daily: in the Word for at least 15 minutes (letting God speak to you) and "on your knees" in prayer (allowing yourself to talk to God).

"I will hide Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You."

Wait For God's Best

2006-05-19T00:10:00.000-05:00

Today at work, Linda, my boss, was telling me about the day she spent yesterday at her lake house with her dear friend, Bev Brown. Bev is one of the leaders for the older single ladies Bible study at church. While they both were talking, praying, and planning the upcoming fall Bible study, Linda happened to find a letter that someone had written a few years to her little cell group. She brought it with her to work today and shared it with me. It really touched my heart, so I thought I would share it with you as well.

Wait For God's Best
Author Unknown

Everyone longs to give himself or herself to another human being, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But, God says to the Christian…

No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content being loved by Me alone… I love you, my child. Until you discover that only in Me lies your satisfaction, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best.

Please allow Me to bring it to you. You must keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things, keep experiencing the satisfaction of knowing that I am, keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait. Don’t be anxious.

Don’t look around at the things others have gotten or received from Me. You must keep from looking off and away. Look up to Me or you’ll miss the things I want to show you, and then, when you’re ready, I’ll surprise you with a love more wonderful than you would have ever dreamed. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready…

I am working even this minute to have you both ready at the same time… until you are both living exclusively for Me and the life I’ve prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that reflects your relationship with Me, Prefect Love. And dear one, I want you to experience by the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy materially and completely the everlasting union of Beauty and Perfection and Love that I offer you through Myself.

Believe, and be satisfied…

Kudos!

2006-05-14T22:22:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to give a big Kudos to AQ and PoD for a great performance at Sat. night's show of Saga of the Golden Horseshoe. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did LoW and my lil sis. To all readers, please say a prayer for AQ's ankle, when you get a moment. Apparently, her boot cut the back of her ankle right before her entrance during the first performance Fri. night. Hope you're feelin' better, sunshine!

Hard to believe we're already half way through May. Where has this year gone?
But there are still many things to look forward to this summer.
Several movies, in particular, that I want to see are:

Over the Hedge -- opens May 19
X-Men 3 -- opens May 26
Cars -- opens June 8
Click -- opens June 23
Superman Returns -- opens June 30
Pirates of the Caribbean 2 -- opens July 7
Lady in the Water -- opens July 21
Monster House -- opens July 28

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

Update

2006-05-11T00:06:00.000-05:00

Well, praise the Lord that I survived finals. Yippee!
I decided not to take any summer classes this year. The only complaint I have against my school is that their summer semesters are VERY short. The longest summer class is only 10 days. Yes, you read correctly. 10 days to somehow absord an entire semester's worth of information. Maybe God has blessed some people with that kind of mental compacity, but I don't believe I am one of them. I have been advised that if I ever did consider taking a summer (10 day) class at Criswell, then I should take Hermeneutics (the study of the transmission and translation of the Scriptures and of the principles and procedures of their interpretation and application. In other words, learning how to study & interpret Scripture correctly.) I have been told that this particular class can be a bit tedious when stretched out over a normal semester, but only having 10 days makes the subject less tedious and drawn-out. But, we shall see...

Don't forget to give your Mom a hug or at least a phone call this Sunday because it's Mother's Day. Even if you and your mom don't have the greatest relationship in the world, just remember: you only have one Mom, and reconciliation has to begin with you. If you are stubborn enough to wait for the "other person" to make the 1st move, then all you'll gain is a lot of wasted precious time that you'll never be able to get back.

For those of you who did not know, our very own Apocalypse Queen will be lighting up the stage as part of the cast of The Saga of the Golden Horseshoe, a rumored-to-be very funny, knee-slapping, melodrama put on by Word of Mouth Productions (WOMP). The show opens this weekend and will run through the 21st. I have been informed that all food items, especially popcorn and ice will be baned from entering the theatre. Apparently, after the popcorn/ice throwing meheim that ensued during a few performances of WOMP's "Peril on the High Seas", management would both like to protect the actors and actresses and leave less mess for the janitors to clean up. Your cooporation is appreciated.

If anyone is interested, I just checked Christi Berger's blog. Baby Berger has not made his or her appearance yet, but hopefully any day now.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

What's to fear?

2006-04-29T22:39:00.000-05:00

Everyone has fears. Some are rational, and others are not so rational. And anyone who tries to tell you that they aren't afraid of anything is a liar. What they probably mean is that there are things that they are afraid of, but they have worked to overcome their fears. The fears are still there, but it's how we react to our fears that is the key.

Like many others out there, I'm a fan of ER. Besides the drama, I am fascinated by the medical side of the TV Show. The lingo (the 27-letter words that I can't pronounce, much less understand what they mean) and the procedures (shocking someone, CPR, etc.) always intrigue me. But there is always one part that I don't like to watch. It's when they have to inject someone with a needle. For as long as I can remember I have never liked needles and have a small fear of them. I don't know why really, I just don't like them.

I do think it's kind of ironic, however, that God would make me have O negative (O-) blood (i.e. universal donor, my blood type can be given to anyone of any blood type, except O+). The next time you watch ER, listen closely whenever some poor victim comes in and they need to do emergency surgery. I guarentee that one of the doctors will call out, "Get me some O-neg or type-specific..." I know that giving blood is important. With one donation, you can save 3 people! That's just amazing to me, and it's also good for your body. By having old blood withdrawn, you are forcing your body to create new blood. That's a good thing! What I find ironic and very annoying is that God would give me blood that is beneficial to others, and yet I would be afraid of needles.

During one of my semesters at Quad C, I saw our college was having a blood drive. I had never given blood before, and for some reason I was feeling rather brave that day; so I decided that I would face my fear and give blood. I probably should have done some more reading up on the matter before jumping right in, but that's what I get for being spontaneous. To make a long story short (I know, too late!), I gave blood right after lunch, but I hadn't eatten enough. I was informed by one of the nurses that I'm a slow bleeder (I took longer to give than most other people), and after I gave, a friend was getting me some juice and a snack and all of a sudden, I fainted. Fortunately, another friend of mine was there to catch me. I was ok after a little while; only my pride was wounded.

You live and you learn... (or so the song says...)
This Saturday was the 3rd time that I have given blood. It wasn't planned. The ladies of our Sunday school class met for brunch at Into My Garden, and when I pulled into the side parking lot, I noticed that there was a Carter Blood Care van next to one of the shops. Suddenly the Holy Spirit asked me, "Why don't you give blood after the brunch?" My initial thought was not today, but instead I responded, "Well, maybe." After a great brunch with the girls, I was heading straight for my car, when I felt myself make a small left turn, and the next thing I know, I'm standing in the doorway of the Carter van with a nice man pointing me towards the registration table. Apparently, the Holy Spirit took me up on my "maybe"...
Fortunately, I did not faint this time (and I didn't my 2nd time either). But instead of fainting, I have picked up a new trend... crying. Both my 2nd & 3rd time, I was completely fine up until they were about to stick the needle in my arm. Then tears start streaming down my cheeks. I cannot tell you how much this irritates me. I get so mad at myself for being such a wuss. Both times, the prick hasn't been painful. Yeah, it stings, but not like my arm's been riped off or something.
Not only that, but I feel bad for the nurse. My nurse today was so sweet. She apologized several times cause she thought she had hurt me. I reassured her as I'm dabbing my watery eyes that it's not her; it's me. And to make matters worse, I can't cry with dignity. I admire those who can; unfortunately I was not blessed with that talent.

So, what do you do? My opinion of needles has not changed. I still don't like them, but despite my fear, I will press on. I will continue to give blood because I know that I am being obedient to and honoring God by facing my fear. Jesus said, "And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it [i.e. any selfless deed] to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'"

I just want to encourage you; if you are struggling with a fear, do not lose heart. Jesus knows what your going through. He experienced fears too, but He faced them and came out victorious. He promises the same for you. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7)
I read a book once called, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg. Facing our fears are not easy and sometimes not without pain, but God will make us stronger and bless us for trusting in Him. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

A Texas Chili Contest

2006-04-29T00:26:00.000-05:00

Warning - If you can read this whole story without laughing out loud, then there's no hope for you. I was crying by the end!

Note: Please take time to read this slowly. If you pay attention to the first two judges, the reaction of the third judge is even better.

For those of you who have lived in Texas, you know how true this is. They actually have a chili cook-off about the time Halloween comes around. It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the San Antonio city park.

The notes are from an inexperienced chili taster named Frank, who was visiting from Springfield, IL.

Frank: "Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cooking contest. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in. I was assured by the other two judges (native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted." Here are the scorecards from the advent: (Frank is Judge #3)

Chili # 1 Eddie's Maniac Monster Chili...

Judge # 1 -- A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.

Judge # 2 -- Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.

Judge # 3 -- (Frank) What the hell is this stuff?! You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put out the flames. I hope that's the worst one. These Texans are crazy!

Chili # 2 Austin's Afterburner Chili...

Judge # 1 -- Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.

Judge # 2 -- Exciting BBQ flavor; needs more peppers to be taken seriously.

Judge # 3 -- Keep this out of the reach of children. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.

Chili # 3 Ronny's Famous Burn Down the Barn Chili...

Judge # 1 -- Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick. Needs more beans.

Judge # 2 -- A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of peppers.

Judge # 3 -- Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting pie-eyed from all of the beer...

Chili # 4 Dave's Black Magic...

Judge # 1 -- Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.

Judge # 2 -- Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish, or other mild foods; not much of a chili.

Judge # 3 -- I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. That 300-lb. woman is starting to look HOT...just like this nuclear waste I'm eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac?

Chili # 5 Lisa's Legal Lip Remover...

Judge # 1 -- Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.

Judge # 2 -- Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.

Judge # 3 -- My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead, and I can no longer focus my eyes. I tooted and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I'm burning my lips off. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw those rednecks.

Chili # 6 Pam's Very Vegetarian Variety...

Judge # 1 -- Thin, yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers.

Judge # 2 -- The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic. Superb.

Judge # 3 -- My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I pooped on myself when I tooted and I'm worried it will eat through the chair! No one seems inclined to stand behind me anymore. I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone.

Chili # 7 Carla's Screaming Sensation Chili...

Judge # 1 -- A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.

Judge # 2 -- Ho-hum; tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. **I should take note that I am worried about Judge # 3. He appears to be in a bit of distress, as he is cursing uncontrollably.

Judge # 3 -- You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing; it's too painful. Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

Chili # 8 Karen's Toenail Curling Chili...

Judge # 1 -- The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.

Judge # 2 -- This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild, nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 tooted, passed out, fell over, and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor fella, wonder how he'd have reacted to really hot chili?

Across The Pond

2006-04-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I found out some exciting news. I'm gonna get to go back to England this summer in late July on a missions trip. = D I am so exstatic!!!!

I'm gonna be going with 2 friends from church, Michelle and Kasey. We're gonna be going to a small town in England called Thornaby (click here for more info on Thornaby) and we'll be helping out a little church there do their 5th annual Vacation Bible School for the kiddos.

I was actually part of the first team that travelled across "the pond" to help the church do their very first VBS. It was so awesome! I loved every minute. If you want to read more about the miracle that happened on my first overseas trip, read my blog entry from Sept. 27, 2004. (I apologize in advance cuz it's rather long.) I can hardly wait to see what God has in store for this summer!
Also, please pray for me as I prepare to go. Pray that God will begin to move in the hearts and lives of the people that I will come in contact with, especially the kids, and please also pray for me as I will have to raise $1000 for the trip (airfare, lodging, etc.) If you feel led to contribute financially, please let me know and I will give you further details (it will be tax-free).

Until later...

Friends...

2006-04-18T01:36:00.000-05:00

... are there to listen to you when the world tells you to be quiet.
... are there to hold you when everyone else pushes you away.
... are there to encourage you as you pursue your dreams.
... are there to bring you back to reality when you're about to run amuck.
... are there to give you good advise, whether you want it or not.
... are there to love you even though the world says you're worthless.
... are there to lend a helping hand.
... are there to teach you when you don't understand.
... are there to help you to hang on when all you want to do is let go.
... are there to help you let go when all you want to do is hang on.
... are there to comfort you when it seems the world is against you.
... are there to celebrate with you when a battle has been won.
... are there to stand by you through thick and thin... to the very end!

(author: me, 4-18-06)

"A friend loves at all times..." (Prov. 17:17)
"There's a friend who sticks closer than a brother..." (Prov. 18:24)
Jesus said, "You are My friends..." (John 15:14)

To all my Friends, Peeps, Browncoats, Drunkin' Monkeys, & etc.:
Please know that you are loved, and thank you so much for being a part of my life. Your friendship means more to me than you'll ever know!
Blessings, now & always!

A closer look...

2006-04-12T23:31:00.000-05:00

I just recently purchased the DVD Pride and Prejudice. I immediately fell in love with it after watching it for the 1st time with the Apocalypse Queen. She had seen it in the theatre and insisted that I watch it. No complaints from me. It is an awesome movie. Very well done. I highly recommend it!

When we first watched it, AQ happened to make a comment that I didn't really understand at first. She said that I remind her of Jane, one of Elizabeth's sisters in the movie. After watching it again (with subtitles... English accents can be a bit hard to understand...) for the 2nd time this past Saturday, I paid closer attention to the character Jane and now I finally understand what she meant.

There's a line in the movie where Elizabeth is having a heated arguement with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth has discovered that Mr. Darcy purposely split up Jane and one of his good friends. He says to Elizabeth that he did so because after watching the two of them closely, he "thought" that his friend's feelings for Jane were deeper than her feelings for his friend. He thought that Jane was indifferent to him. (This is of course not true. The audience sees clearly that Jane was heart-broken when she found out that her beloved was leaving.) So, Mr. Darcy broke them up. Elizabeth, tells Mr. Darcy, that her sister is not indifferent; she's just shy and then yells at him, "My sister hardly shows her true feelings to me!" And all Mr. Darcy can do is stand there feeling like the biggest heel in all of creation.

After watching the scene, I began to look at myself. Am I like Jane? Am I really like that? Am I hard to read? Do I really keep my emotions that restrained? Am I really that shy? I'm not sure. Sometimes when we try to evaluate ourselves, we see ourselves differently than who we really are. We sometimes see what we want to see as opposed to what we really are or vise versa. I guess that's when we have to trust in the opinion of others (friends and family) to help us correctly evaluate our outward personality.

I did just recently finish going through a ministry placement seminar called PLACE. Among some other things, they have you take a personality test and a spiritual gift test to help you find out more about yourself. Apparently, my personality is mostly Phlegmatic (48%) with a bit of Melancholy (33%). The other 2 kinds of personalities are Sanguine (18%) and Choleric (3%).

Another thing I found interesting was that before I became a Christian I took a spiritual gift test and it said that my gift was Mercy. But now, the test I took says that my #1 gift is Evangelism, #2 is Exhortation, and there was a 3-way tie for #3: Mercy, Faith and Discernment.
The Bible says that we are garrenteed at least 1 spiritual gift when we are born-again, and I do believe that as you mature in your walk with the Lord that He can give you other gifts. The apostle Paul even said, "Since you are so eager to have spiritual gifts, ask God for those that will be of real help to the whole church." (1 Cor. 14:12 NLT)

So, now that I have all this info, what do I do with it? In a week or so, a consultant from the church is gonna meet with me, and she or he will help me to find a ministry where my personality and my gifts can be used to further God's Kingdom. Now, I just have to be patient, wait and see what God has in store...

Glitches

2006-04-12T21:14:00.000-05:00

Oh, the wonder of technology...

I find it oh so annoying and more than just a little frustrating how one small glitch can ruin a perfectly good mood. For clarification...
Last night, I spent 2 hours on here writing an entry. I was venting, rambling, and actually ended up with something rather profound, deep, meaningful, spiritual, and encouraging. I was quite pleased that in 2 hours, I was able to express some frustrations, concerns, and worries, and had allowed the Lord to minister to me through my writing. I even ended the entry with a prayer that refreshed me and brought me back to my senses. When I was finished, I was so looking forward to clicking on the "Publish Post" button and sharing my little blurb with all of you.
However...
Right before I clicked on the happy orange button, a little voice inside my head asked, "Aren't you going to spell check your entry first?"
I pondered for a second and thought, "That's a good idea."
So, without another moment's hesistation, I clicked on the spell check button, and I tell you, every rational, practical, non-computer-trusting particle in my brain screamed (in slow motion, of course) "Nooooooooooo!" the nano-second after the small, innocent-looking spell check button had been pressed.
I'll give you 2 guesses as to what happened next, but you'll only need one. That's right! I lost everything. The next thing I see is a blank, white, empty screen. Words cannot even express my frustration and utter outrage at my myself and my computer...

But after a few minutes, the Holy Spirit gently comforted me (to be honest, the last thing I wanted was to be comforted. I was quite content to sulk like a little child who didn't get her way).

"God is in control," I felt the Spirit remind me. This glitch did not suprise Him. In fact, He allowed it to happen, and strange to even fathom that maybe it was His plan all along for me to spend a gruelling 2 hours writting and then lose it all. "Why?" I asked Him.

I did not get an answer. Instead, I came to realize that that entry was just for me and my Father. What was said, was for me. I would have liked to have used the entry to encourage others, but I know that I would not be able to re-write it even if I wanted to. I may not understand why annoyances, glitches, and flops happen, but I can learn from them (ie. always click Publish first, edit later!) and I can rest in the knowledge that though I may not understand why bad things happen God knows why and He can see the big picture. I can't see tomorrow, but He can see past, present, furture and eternity.

If God is for us, then who can be against us?
God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

V-day blues?

2006-02-14T22:42:00.001-06:00

Ah, Valentine's day...
the day that can consist of cards, sweets and flowers,
the day that can make people feel like they are loved or unloved,
the day that can make people extremely nervous or extremely depressed,
the day that is filled with either regret or hope,
the day that either shows someone that they are special or forgotten.

I tend to find that people either hate this holiday or love it (9 of 10 who hate it are single*. *This is not an official survey, just my personal opinion and observance.)
This is the one day out of the year that sometimes seems to rub it in your face that you are single and have no one special to love you. This holiday can make people feel very bitter about their present martial status (lack there of) and for the longest time that's how I felt about Feb. 14th.

But not anymore...
Though I may not be married or even dating someone, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am not alone, that I am not unloved, and that I am not forgotten.
Take a look:

Isaiah 43:2 - God said, "When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."

Hebrews 13:5 - "For God has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never forsake you.' "

Jeremiah 31:3 - God said, "I have loved you with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself."

Romans 5:8 - "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

James 1:18 - "In His goodness He chose to make us His own children by giving us His true word. And we, out of all creation, became His choice possession."

John 15:16 - Jesus said, "You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name."

If you are still not convinced that you are loved by a perfect Heavenly Father, then please read this poem/conversation (Psalm 139) that a man named David wrote thousands of years ago that perfectly pictures what you mean to God.

1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away.
3 You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
5 You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
7 I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night –
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!
18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!...
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Trouble sleeping?

2006-01-25T01:22:00.002-06:00

Having trouble sleeping?
Here are some verses that have been helpful to me.

"In vain you rise early and stay up late... [the LORD] grants sleep to those He loves." (Psalm 127:2)

"Indeed, He who watches over [you] will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you -- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm -- He will watch over your coming and going both now and forever." (Psalm 121:4-8)

"I will lie down in peace and sleep for You alone, O LORD will keep me safe." (Psalm 4:8)

"When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." (Proverbs 3:24)

"I can lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." (Pslam 3:5)

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him." (Psalm 62:1)

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' " (Psalm 91:1-2)

Jesus said, " 'Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.' " (Matthew 11:28)

My prayer for you is that you would allow God to wrap you in His arms and rock you to sleep tonight. I pray that He will quiet your mind and calm your heart. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has its own worries. May He give you the peace that passes all understanding. I pray that you will be still so that you can hear His still, small voice... can you hear Him? There's nothing better than to fall asleep in the arms of Jesus. Allow Him to sing you to sleep. I pray you will have pleasant dreams. My the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Opening the Eyes of My Heart

2004-09-27T10:21:00.000-05:00

Of all the awesome things that Jesus Christ has done in my life, what He did for me in July of 2002 will be one of the most memorable.

Ever since 5th grade, I had to wear glasses. I started getting bad headaches, and it was discovered that I was nearsighted. It wasn't very bad at first, but it slowly grew worse as I got older. I never liked glasses, but I had no choice but to wear them. I switched to contacts when I was in 10th grade, and even though I liked those a lot better, I still didn't like that I was dependant on them. Unlike some of my friends, I wasn't blind without them, but things in the distance were very fuzzy and the headaches would be horrible.

In January 2002, our Sunday school class was given the opportunity to go on a mission trip to England. Only ten to twelve would get to go, and almost instantly I felt like the Lord wanted me to go. So, I applied and was selected.

About a year prior, the Lord had been working on my heart regarding my career choice. I had received my Associates degree in 2000 in Graphic Design/Multimedia, but, to be honest, I had absolutely no passion for that line of work. I just knew that you could make a lot of money in that industry, but the Lord had other plans. Right after I got my degree, I started looking for a job, but there were none to be found. I remember praying one night and venting my frustration to God about the lack of job oppertunities, and suddenly, I felt the Holy Spirit ask me, "Wendy, what are you doing to advance My Kingdom?"

That stopped me in my tracks. He had cut straight to my heart. Advancing God's Kingdom had never entered my mind. I couldn't think of a single excuse. So, here I was with a degree in something I didn't want to do, and now I had no clue what God wanted me to do. I had only one choice. I asked God, "Ok, Lord, what do You want me to do?" He didn't answer me immediately, but by the end of the year I began to feel that He was calling me to be a missionary. I still don't know where He wants me to go, but I'm confident that when I'm ready, He'll let me know.

So, in Jauary 2002, when I was selected to go to England, I was very excited and looked forward to what God had planned for our trip.I began to pray for the trip, and I also prayed that God would show His power while we were there. Little did I know what He had in store.

Not long after I was selected, I began to feel even more frustrated about my eyes because as I contemplated going into foreign missions, I began to see my vision problem as a potential hinderance to my calling. One thought occurred to me: What if the Lord calls me to be a missionary in the middle of a jungle in Africa? There's not gonna be a convenience store around the corner where I can get contact lense solution. What was I gonna do then?

Shortly afterwards, I remember hearing a sermon on the power of prayer and how our unbelief is one of the main hinderances of seeing the Lord's supernatural power in our lives. God immediately convicted me about my unbelief. "Why do you doubt Me?" I felt the Holy Spirit ask. "You can trust My Word. Believe without doubting. Ask and ye shall receive." So, I did. I searched the Scriptures, and what I found made my heart begin to swell with the faith that God really could heal my eyes, if it was His will.

So, everyday I prayed and ask Jesus to heal them, and I read, claimed, and believed the Scriptures of God's promises to His children:
"…by His wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24 NASB)
"And Jesus said, 'Go on your way. Your faith has healed you.' And instantly the blind man could see!" (Mark 10:52 NTL)
"… He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases." (Matt. 8:17 NLT)
"Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires." (Psalm 37:4 NLT)
"… No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11 NLT)

I'm sure my family thought I was insane. May of them actually told me so. My parents reminded me that they both had vision problems, so it was only natural that I would have vision problems too. They told me that was just the way I was and that I just had to live with it... but I refused to listen! After getting such a negative reaction from them about my prayer request, I told no one else. I just kept praying and kept reading God's Word. I believed God! I believed that if it was His will He could heal me. Nothing is impossible with Him. Nothing is beyond His power!

Seven months later... still no change.
In fact, the week before our trip, my vision got worse. I had to get stronger contacts. These, however, were unusually uncomfortable, like they were too big or something, but my work schedule was so crazy that by the time our departure came, I couldn't get replacements.

Well, our long flight overseas was very uneventful. When night came, I took out my contacts so I could sleep, and when the plane landed, we were all in such a rush that I decided to wait until we were settled on the ground before I would try to put my contacts back in. After claiming our baggage, we went to the train station, and while we were waiting for our train to arrive, I decided to put my contacts back in. I made sure to thoroughly clean my hands and my contacts, and then put them in. They had been in my eyes for less than five minutes when suddenly my eyes began to burn. It was a painful, stinging burning that I had no choice but to take out my contacts. I could only figure that they were somehow dirty despite my cleaning.

Our train arrived seconds later, and to make matters worse, my eyes turned red and blood-shot and then they began to weep profusely. Everyone in my group was concerned about me and asked if I was all right. I had no explanation except to blame the contacts. When my eyes did finally stop watering and the redness had gone, I decided to try to put my contacts in again. I cleaned them thoroughly, but the same thing occurred. My eyes burned horribly and began to water incessantly.

At this point I was at my wit's end. I didn't know what to do. I remember desperately praying, "Lord, please help me! What am I going to do? This is my only pair of contacts, and something is wrong with them. Lord, please help me!" After I prayed, I felt very tired, and with my eyes still watering, I curled up in my seat and went to sleep.

I had slept for quite a while, and when I awoke my eyes had stopped weeping. A lot of my friends were still sleeping, and so to pass the time, I looked out the window. Everything was going by so fast, but as we began to pass through a stretch of pasture, I began to notice that the green blurs in the distance were now recognizable. They were trees with leaves all over them. I could clearly see the trees in the distance and their details. I turned back around and realized that I could read a sign at the end of the train-car.

I sat there in shock, and suddenly doubt filled my mind. "This is impossible. This has got to be a fluke," a voice inside my head said. "This is too good to be true; it's got to be just temporary. Just wait. Soon the headaches will come."

I never said a word about my eyes when we reached our destination, and it was not until that night as I was getting ready for bed that I realized that the headaches had not come. I had gone an entire day without my contacts and no headaches. My vision had been restored. I could see! God had answered my prayers! I am healed, and since that day in 2002, I have never worn my contacts again.

Praise be to God! Thank you Father for hearing and answering your servant's prayers.
To You be the honor and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Miracles & Blessings

2004-09-25T23:27:00.000-05:00

Today has been a good day.
To start off, I got to sleep in this morning. Woo hoo!
I just recently quit my job. I had been working as a sales person for a tuxedo rental company. I worked 6 days a week, and I'd been with the company for the past 3 years. However, I've been working in retail since... wow, let me think. I started in 1997, and only took one year off to go to college. That would be 7+ years. Wow! That's a long time, but praise the Lord, I start my new job on Monday. Now I don't have to work weekends anymore. Yeah!

Anyway, I just really realized today how much the Lord has blessed my life and the lives of others, and that He does miracles every day, though many times we don't realize them or dismiss them. For example, A good friend of mine, Taylor had to have surgery on Friday to have a giant cyst removed from one of her ovaries. When they did an x-ray of it the week before it was the size of a lemon, but when they actually opened her up they found it was bigger than the size of a pear. I was actually in the hosptial room with her when her doctor showed her the picture of it and my mouth dropped open. I could not believe how huge this thing was. What also worried the doctor prior to the surgery was not only the size of the cyst but also he found that it had completely surrounded and encased the ovary. At first he feared that he would not be able to save it, but God performed a miracle, when the doctor made a small cut on the cyst and it practically fell off of it. The doctor was able to remove all of the cyst and her ovary is perfectly fine. The Lord totally answered prayers that day. She left the hosptial a few hours ago and is resting at home.

Another miracle that the Lord is showing me is through another friend of mine, Tanya (27), who is battling anorexia. She has been coming to my church now for a few months, and I've been able to form a friendship with her through a Bible Study, Believing God that a small group from our Sunday school class is going through. She is about 5'3 and weighs about 59 lbs. When she first started coming to the Heights, she was barely weighing 54. I'm so thankful that the Lord brought her to our group. She is a walking miracle. She will tell you that it is the Lord who has kept her alive and is giving her the will to live and to get better. Though she still struggles with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the Lord is continuing to transform her mind and her heart. He's helping her to realize that He thinks she is beautiful and special no matter what she's done and that He will never give up on her no matter what she's become. As I've spent time with her, she has really touched my life. She takes nothing for granted anymore. She reminded me tonight while we were having dinner that every flower that grows is a miracle. All we can do is plant the seed and tend the earth, but it's the Lord who makes the flower grow and bloom. Every snowflake is a miracle because each tiny speck is unique and totally different from any others that fall from the sky... just like you and me.

And as for God showering down His blessings... wow, where do I begin. He allowed me to wake up this morning, to live, and experience another beautiful day. He continues giving me air to breathe. "He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to my God." (Psalm 40:3) He gave me patience to deal with some annoying family members. He provided me enough money in my paycheck to take care of my bills. He showed me that I have friends who love me, care about me, and want to spend time with me. And there are so many more, I could tell you about... I like how the apostle John put it when he wrote, "And I suppose that if all the other things that Jesus did were written down, the whole earth could not contain the books." (John 21:25) That's how I feel. Like all the books in the world couldn't contain all the blessings He has given me.

What amazes me even more is that God doesn't play favorites. He loves you and adores you just as much as He does about me. And He wants so much to pour out His blessings upon your life, but you have to allow Him to have control over your life. You've got to step down as the Boss and let Him take the reigns. I know that's not easy. I can testify that turning over control of your life to God is not always painless, but it sure is worth it. He is so much Bigger than we try to make Him. He is so much Stronger than we could ever imagine. He is the God of wonders and of miracles.

Testimony

2004-09-24T00:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Reader:

I must apologize beforehand. I have a tendency to be too serious and often long-winded. I'm working on not being so. I also have a tendency to be a bit corny at times (and lame jokes are not far behind.) But, hey, I figure that's what makes me unique!

Anyway, this is my first blog. Not quite sure what I have to talk about or, more accurately, what to write about, but I'm sure inspiration will come eventually. Though she is taking her sweet time... oh, well. Only time will tell!

I guess I should start with my story:

I was born and raised in the Dallas area. I'm the eldest of three kids. My two siblings are Thomas, a sophmore at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and Susan, a freshman at Richland College. I had a fairly normal childhood, though I did struggle in school a lot and had to deal with some family issues (who hasn't?). Yet, unbeknownst to my family, I suffered from depression for many years and even had thoughts of suicide, but even though many times I felt completely alone, I know now that I was never alone. Though I did not know it at the time, there was Someone who was watching over me, and He loved me so much that He refused to leave me alone.

When I failed two classes in 7th grade, it was discovered that I had a learning difference. After going to Sylvan Learning Center for eight weeks, my grades dramatically improved as well as my self-esteem, but I still felt like there was a giant aching hole inside of my heart that I did not know how to fill. In the summer of 1994, my mom found the Heights Baptist Church and my family started attending. For the longest time, I thought church was stupid and boring, but the first sermon I heard amazed me. I remember sitting in the pew in stunned silence as Pastor Ron explained how that "The Lord's Prayer" was not just a prayer, but that it was an instruction manuel on "How to Pray." I grew up going to a Methodist church and, even though I slept through most of the sermons, I had never heard that before. That just blew my mind, but what impressed me most about the Heights was the overwhelming kindness and genuineness of Pastor Ron, the church staff, and especially my Sunday school teachers.

The most important decision I ever made was during the summer of 1995. It was during the last night of Camp Fish (a youth beach retreat in Florida), the speaker, Voddie Bauchan, started taking about what Jesus Christ, God's only Son, actually went through the day He died. If you've seen "The Passion of the Christ," you'll know exactly what I'm taking about. The speaker left no medical detail out... from the horrific, brutal beating, to having to carry His cross through the streets of Jerusalem, to being nailed to the cross, and then what He went through while hanging from it. I couldn't stop the tears from running down my cheeks. It was that night that I finally realized that what Jesus chose to go through... was for me... that should have been me. He took my punishment. My sins had separated my from a perfect, holy God, but "God so loved the world (you and me) that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Jesus died on that cross so that I could be reconciled to God. Not only had Jesus paid my sin debt, but He also proved that He now had power over sin and death when He rose up from the dead on the third day. The speaker told us that all we had to do was to admit your a sinner, believe that Jesus is Lord, and confess your sins. "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." (Romans 10:9-10) So, that night I prayed, asked God to forgive me of my sins, and asked Jesus to come into my heart, to be the Lord and Savior of my life.

I won't lie to you. When you become a follower of Christ, you are not guarenteed instant gratification or an easy life. There will be hard times and pain, but the blessings you will receive will be too numerous to count. Just to name a few: You are guarenteed that Jesus will give you His Holy Spirit, to dwell inside of you and to be your constant companion. "He will not abandon you" (Deuteronomy 4:31), and "He will never fail you nor forake you." (Deut. 31:8) He will give you "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." (Philippians 4:7) You can have a personal, love relationship with the God of the Universe, your perfect Heavenly Father. You are promised that you are not an accident. He created you and know everything about you. (Psalm 139) You were planned by God for a wonderful purpose! (Jeremiah 29:11) You'll also be entrusted as one of Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) to tell others about the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to top it all off, you are guarenteed that you'll spend eternity in Heaven with God when you die.

As I look back on my life, I don't know how I lived a single day without Jesus, but I am so thankful that He didn't give up on me and still doesn't give up on me. And guess what? He hasn't given up on you either!