So it´s been a week since my last update. I figured it´s time to write again! Ha!! It´s been great this past week. I absolutely LOVE living with Wilma and her family! They are so much fun! I think Wilma and I are a lot a like. We get along so well and are goofy all the time! I try to teach her English and she teaches me Spanish. I´ve been working with her on the song Open the Eyes of My Heart. She is so funny, just listening to her sing the song! She´s really good at it now, compared to the first time she sang it! Ha! She also likes to randomly say English words...like it´s ok...you go, we go, they go, gringo! Haha! I´m telling you, we laugh so much in this house! =)
Well let´s see what have I been up to? I went to the beach on Saturday! AMAZING! Definitely got a sunburn! Sorry to everyone who is stuck in the cold right now...=) The beach was great though. There were five of us that went. We ate ceviche, which is a Peruvian dish. It´s fish with some spices in it. Then we ate some chicharrones...I think it was like squid or something. Not really for sure. It was good though! =) We played in the water and just had a nice and relaxing day! =)
I´m sure you´re wondering what else I´m doing while I´m here. =) I don´t go to the beach all the time, no worries. =) For the most part, I just help Wilma wherever she needs it. We worked on that children´s booklet I think I told you about for like a week. We finally finished it like yesterday...no...wait...two days ago. Ha! Now we´re working on sorting out other materials for children´s books and organizing and all that jazz. It´s been good. I stay fairly busy. But I also spend a lot of time with people, just hanging out, going to the movies, having water fights in the house =), going out for food...oh gosh, Norky´s is my favorite place ever to eat! Haha! This place has GREAT chicken and this other stuff called anticucho, which is cow heart! It is probably my favorite food in Peru, no joke! So good! But seriously, I feel like I´m just going on and on about random stuff now. lol. I´m really so thankful for my time here with Wilma and I wish I had more time here with her. The first team comes tomorrow and we leave Friday for Puerto Maldonado. I´m excited to do the work there but I also wish I could stay longer with Wilma and her family. I feel like I´m finally starting to get connected to people. I think that´s the one thing I dislike about doing all this short term stuff...just when I start to feel like I´m connecting and really settling in, it´s time for me to leave. I´m thankful I get to come back here after my time in Puerto Maldonado but it´s only for about a week. Who knows, maybe God will open up the doors to come back here again...
So many things to pray about. One of my biggest prayers while being here has been about direction. I´m still trying to figure out where God wants me and the specific gifts He has given me. I feel like He´s been showing me more here and there, but I´m still very unsure what the next step is in my life. But is God faithful through it all...even when it seems like He´s not there or He´s not really giving me direction, I know He´s preparing me for what´s next.
I feel like there´s so much I want to say and so much that has gone on that´s it´s just too hard to put in the words. It´s probably because I´m still processing everything. But all that to say, I´m loving my time here in Peru and I´m doing great! Fantastic really. If you could just keep praying for my language learning, that would be much appreciated. =) It´s still a big struggle. But God is good and helping me through!
Anyway, thanks for all your prayers. Please pray as myself and the team from GO InterNational travels by plane to Puerto Maldonado on Friday! Pray that the truth would be proclaimed and that hearts would be open to receiving the truth!! Thanks! God bless!
-Michelle
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Muy Delicious
So maybe you´re wondering from my last blog what the title meant...Michelle La Chiquita Mariposita. Or maybe you´re not but I´m going to tell you anyway. That is Wilma´s name for me. It´s means the little butterfly. =) I was working with her on Monday and she randomly started calling me Chiquita Mariposita. And now, that´s my name. =) I enjoy working with Wilma. She is an incredible woman. Such a hard worker. Has the most beautiful heart. She is kind, loving, giving, humble, patient, a servant. I´m learning more about the person I want to be by just being around her. Her home is always open to anyone and everyone. People say she is the Mother Theresa of Peru. Yep, they´re right! =)
Anyway, things have been good. I have been so busy though. Monday was a little discouraging mainly because of my lack of Spanish knowledge. It´s hard not being able to understand everything that´s going on. But oh well, I guess you just go on and continue praying for more understanding. I´m thankful for my time with Wilma yesterday though. We spent the whole day together and was actually able to understand more and have really good conversation with her! God knew exactly what I needed yesterday. He is so good. =) We went all over the place...up the mountain where her feeding program is (we don´t feed the kids during the week though...just on Saturdays). Then we came back to find we were locked out of her house! Haha, we had a good laugh then decided to head on to Mira Flores, which is in the southern part of Lima, to meet up with the group from Alaska. On our way home, I sat next to this guy who was about 20 years old and had his Bible open to Psalms. I proceeded to tell him I liked the Psalms as well and then we started talking about God and that we were both Christians and sharing our favorite Bible verses and so on. Haha, it was good and also encouraging!
This morning was super busy. We went in to the central part of Lima to buy materials. There are a group of mothers up in the mountains that are learning to make bags. So we had to get materials for them so they could continue making their bags. Their plan is to sell the bags they make and earn some money from it! It´s really incredible and they are so gifted! After we took the materials too the woman (by the way, these trips to the center of Lima and too the mountains take quite a while...it´s a least 20 minutes or more from Wilma´s house to both places so you can imagine we spend a lot of time in taxis and buses)!
Then we came home and fixed lunch together...fish and yuka and tomatoes and rice and fresh orange juice! So good!! Or muy delicious...that´s what Wilma likes to say. I think it´s her favorite word. =) I´m definitely thankful for my time here and enjoying just living the life of a Peruvian. =) Anyway, I need to go. I´m going to help Wilma again with that picture booklet. Lots to get done and definitely not enough hours in the day! Thanks again for all of your prayers. I´ll continue to keep you updated when I can! Love you all!!!
-Michelle, la Chiquita Mariposita =)
Anyway, things have been good. I have been so busy though. Monday was a little discouraging mainly because of my lack of Spanish knowledge. It´s hard not being able to understand everything that´s going on. But oh well, I guess you just go on and continue praying for more understanding. I´m thankful for my time with Wilma yesterday though. We spent the whole day together and was actually able to understand more and have really good conversation with her! God knew exactly what I needed yesterday. He is so good. =) We went all over the place...up the mountain where her feeding program is (we don´t feed the kids during the week though...just on Saturdays). Then we came back to find we were locked out of her house! Haha, we had a good laugh then decided to head on to Mira Flores, which is in the southern part of Lima, to meet up with the group from Alaska. On our way home, I sat next to this guy who was about 20 years old and had his Bible open to Psalms. I proceeded to tell him I liked the Psalms as well and then we started talking about God and that we were both Christians and sharing our favorite Bible verses and so on. Haha, it was good and also encouraging!
This morning was super busy. We went in to the central part of Lima to buy materials. There are a group of mothers up in the mountains that are learning to make bags. So we had to get materials for them so they could continue making their bags. Their plan is to sell the bags they make and earn some money from it! It´s really incredible and they are so gifted! After we took the materials too the woman (by the way, these trips to the center of Lima and too the mountains take quite a while...it´s a least 20 minutes or more from Wilma´s house to both places so you can imagine we spend a lot of time in taxis and buses)!
Then we came home and fixed lunch together...fish and yuka and tomatoes and rice and fresh orange juice! So good!! Or muy delicious...that´s what Wilma likes to say. I think it´s her favorite word. =) I´m definitely thankful for my time here and enjoying just living the life of a Peruvian. =) Anyway, I need to go. I´m going to help Wilma again with that picture booklet. Lots to get done and definitely not enough hours in the day! Thanks again for all of your prayers. I´ll continue to keep you updated when I can! Love you all!!!
-Michelle, la Chiquita Mariposita =)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Michelle la Chiquita Mariposita
Hola mis amigos! Saludos y bendiciones en el nombre de Cristo Jesus! =) We´ll I made it to Peru safe and sound. I got in late Saturday night and didn´t have any problems with my flight or customs or anything. Wilma and her son Gerson were there to pick me up. I was immediately overwhelmed with questions about my family, people at GO and all sorts of stuff! I tried to understand as best as I could and fumbled around for answers to their questions. We made it back to Wilma´s house and I was taken to the third floor where I have an entire room to myself. I talked to Wilma for another 10 minutes or so then we said our goodnights and I began to unpack a little. I think being in my room that night and actually being in Peru is when it hit me that I´m here for six weeks. It´s a little overwhelming but I guess you get used to it. Oh funny story....so I go in to the bathroom to get ready before bed and what do you know I have three friends to join me. Yes, las cucarachas decided to hang out in the bathroom at the same time! Haha, darn things! Scared me half to death! Needless to say, I did a quick potty, teeth brushing and face washing and I was out of there! Fortunately, they haven´t been back since but I always look for them when I go in there! =)
Sunday went well. Got up and went to church. There was a team from Alaska there so I actually was not completely immersed in Spanish. Lots of English being spoken. Anyway, after church we ate lunch then I went back with Wilma´s three children. Rebekah is 28, Gerson is 25, and Emily is 23. They are awesome. We came back to the house and just hung out and went for ice cream and attempted conversation. Haha. Fortunately Emily speaks really good English so if I´m stuck, she can help me out! =)
Anyway, last night Rebekah wanted to take me to downtown Lima to Las Aguas. It is this huge park with lots of beautiful fountains. You can actually play in some of them. And at 7:30pm, they have this light show with the fountains and music and everything. It was incredible! So fun! Definitely a great first day in Peru!
Today, went pretty well too. I spent a lot of time with Emily. She is getting ready for a camp so I went with her to the market to get some stuff. Then two of her friends needed to get a bunch of food from the market so we went two more times after that. It was fun just hanging out with them and getting to know them a little better. Once we finished at the market, I ate lunch and started helping Wilma with a huge picture booklet for the children she works with. I´ve been working on that all afternoon and now I´m taking a break. I really don´t know what the rest of the week holds (except for the fact that we´re going to the beach on Thursday and I´m super excited about that! Don´t be too jealous). =) Oh did I mention my arms are a little burned from the sun today and I´m wearing shorts? =) Haha!
Anyway, thanks for all your prayers friends. Please continue to pray for me as I learn the language. I am getting a little frustrated. I feel like I know nothing and I really hate fumbling around for words all the time. But it´s just the first two days. I´m hoping it´ll get better by the time I leave! You know, this woman came up to me in church yesterday and said God wanted to do mighty things in my life and that I need to expect Him to do big things. So I´m trusting and expecting that He will do big things in and through me and I pray that I don´t limit Him to anything. So maybe one of these big things I can expect from God is that He´ll give me complete understanding of the Spanish language. You never know...nothing is impossible for Him. Guess we´ll have to wait and see what happens! I´ll try to update this when I can. I hope all of you are well and I pray blessings on each one of you! Dios te bendiga! =)
-Michelle
Sunday went well. Got up and went to church. There was a team from Alaska there so I actually was not completely immersed in Spanish. Lots of English being spoken. Anyway, after church we ate lunch then I went back with Wilma´s three children. Rebekah is 28, Gerson is 25, and Emily is 23. They are awesome. We came back to the house and just hung out and went for ice cream and attempted conversation. Haha. Fortunately Emily speaks really good English so if I´m stuck, she can help me out! =)
Anyway, last night Rebekah wanted to take me to downtown Lima to Las Aguas. It is this huge park with lots of beautiful fountains. You can actually play in some of them. And at 7:30pm, they have this light show with the fountains and music and everything. It was incredible! So fun! Definitely a great first day in Peru!
Today, went pretty well too. I spent a lot of time with Emily. She is getting ready for a camp so I went with her to the market to get some stuff. Then two of her friends needed to get a bunch of food from the market so we went two more times after that. It was fun just hanging out with them and getting to know them a little better. Once we finished at the market, I ate lunch and started helping Wilma with a huge picture booklet for the children she works with. I´ve been working on that all afternoon and now I´m taking a break. I really don´t know what the rest of the week holds (except for the fact that we´re going to the beach on Thursday and I´m super excited about that! Don´t be too jealous). =) Oh did I mention my arms are a little burned from the sun today and I´m wearing shorts? =) Haha!
Anyway, thanks for all your prayers friends. Please continue to pray for me as I learn the language. I am getting a little frustrated. I feel like I know nothing and I really hate fumbling around for words all the time. But it´s just the first two days. I´m hoping it´ll get better by the time I leave! You know, this woman came up to me in church yesterday and said God wanted to do mighty things in my life and that I need to expect Him to do big things. So I´m trusting and expecting that He will do big things in and through me and I pray that I don´t limit Him to anything. So maybe one of these big things I can expect from God is that He´ll give me complete understanding of the Spanish language. You never know...nothing is impossible for Him. Guess we´ll have to wait and see what happens! I´ll try to update this when I can. I hope all of you are well and I pray blessings on each one of you! Dios te bendiga! =)
-Michelle
Friday, January 9, 2009
Next Stop, Peru!
It has been quite a while since I have written on this blog. I guess it's time to start again. I'm going to do my best to use this blog as a way to keep people informed with my trip to Peru. Yes, if you hadn't already heard, tomorrow on January the 10th of 2009 at noon, I will be leaving for Lima, Peru for six weeks! I can't believe it's finally here! What will I be doing, you might ask?! I will be traveling down by myself and staying with one of GO InterNational's partners for the first two weeks. She has a feeding program for street children in Lima so I will be helping her out with her ministry. I will also be working on my Spanish speaking skills. My goal is to become even more fluent in the language, so that is why I am doing this total immersion in the culture! =)
After the first two weeks are over, a short term team from my church will be coming. I will help co-lead this team and we will be going to Puerto Maldonado, which is one of the least reached regions with the Gospel in Peru. We'll be doing VBS, passing out eyeglasses, construction, sewing classes and so on. We're definitely going stay busy! I'm super excited about this part of the trip because at the end of my time with this team, we will be going to Macchu Picchu!! This will be my 4th time to Peru and I still have never been. So I'm excited to experience this for the first time!
Once I finish with the team from my church, I will be heading back to Lima for about a week and a half to be with the same lady I was with when I first arrived to Peru. Then, a second team will come and I will help out with them. We will be heading to Yurimaguas, which is in the Amazon region of Peru. We'll be doing a lot of the same things that I did with the previous team. Then, on February 21, I will fly home to KY!
I'm really excited about this opportunity that God has given me to go. I believe it's going to stretch me in more ways than one. For those of you who know me, you probably can imagine that I haven't even started packing yet. That's what today is for. =) Haha. So on that note, I probably need to go. But here are a few things you can be praying for:
-Safety (I'll be traveling by myself so just pray that I have no problems with security or other people and that I also have a safe flight)
-My language skills (I know enough Spanish to get around but I still have lots to learn-please pray that God would open my mind and my mouth and enable me to really understand and speak the language)
-My relationship with Jesus (I just want full dependence on God during this entire trip-just need renewal in my life and want an even deeper relationship with Him)
That's all for now. Thanks so much for your prayers! I will keep you updated when I can!
Dios te bendiga (God bless you)! =)
-Michelle
After the first two weeks are over, a short term team from my church will be coming. I will help co-lead this team and we will be going to Puerto Maldonado, which is one of the least reached regions with the Gospel in Peru. We'll be doing VBS, passing out eyeglasses, construction, sewing classes and so on. We're definitely going stay busy! I'm super excited about this part of the trip because at the end of my time with this team, we will be going to Macchu Picchu!! This will be my 4th time to Peru and I still have never been. So I'm excited to experience this for the first time!
Once I finish with the team from my church, I will be heading back to Lima for about a week and a half to be with the same lady I was with when I first arrived to Peru. Then, a second team will come and I will help out with them. We will be heading to Yurimaguas, which is in the Amazon region of Peru. We'll be doing a lot of the same things that I did with the previous team. Then, on February 21, I will fly home to KY!
I'm really excited about this opportunity that God has given me to go. I believe it's going to stretch me in more ways than one. For those of you who know me, you probably can imagine that I haven't even started packing yet. That's what today is for. =) Haha. So on that note, I probably need to go. But here are a few things you can be praying for:
-Safety (I'll be traveling by myself so just pray that I have no problems with security or other people and that I also have a safe flight)
-My language skills (I know enough Spanish to get around but I still have lots to learn-please pray that God would open my mind and my mouth and enable me to really understand and speak the language)
-My relationship with Jesus (I just want full dependence on God during this entire trip-just need renewal in my life and want an even deeper relationship with Him)
That's all for now. Thanks so much for your prayers! I will keep you updated when I can!
Dios te bendiga (God bless you)! =)
-Michelle
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
It's Time for an Update I'd Say....=)
It's been ages since I've written and I feel like it's time for an update. The last time I had written, I had just seen the musical Wicked. Wanna know something funny? I just saw Wicked last night! Ha!! Crazy how things happen!!
Anyway, I guess a quick summary of my last month in Ireland. Everything went really well. Lots of challenges came my way but God was faithful. I loved getting to know the kids better and working in the cafe. I got to attend a production put on by the kids from the Jez, which was so fun! I got close to a bunch of girls before I left and they were so cute! They'd come in during the lunch hour and look for me and just were so sweet! I was happy to have them come in! They were a bright spot in my day! Oooh, and I can't forget Felipe!! Felipe was this boy who started coming in who made all of us smile! He hadn't heard about the cafe until about a month or so before I left the country. Well, once he found out about he, he absolutely loved it and was in there everyday. Before I left, I got into a conversation with him about God and he said that he believed in God more since he had been coming to the cafe!! Praise God! What an encouragement! That was so fun and he is one of the kids I miss a lot!
It's so hard investing so much in a place then having to say goodbye. I realized the time I spent there wasn't enough to really invest like I wanted to. But I just have to pray that God will take what little bit I did invest and really speak to the kids and change their hearts! I pray each one of them comes to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ!!
Before I left, I got the chance to take a week holiday in Italy! My friend Taylor lives in Arezzo, which is in Tuscany, and teaches English. It was so fun getting to stay with him for my visit! My old roommate Kira met up with me too! We traveled to places like Cortona (where they filmed the movie Under the Tuscan Sun), Siena, Modena (where Balsamic Vinegar originated), and Rome! I loved it! A week is definitely not enough time to spend in that place! Too many amazing places to see!! I loved the food and the wine was pretty amazing too! Seriously, having great food and wine were probably some of the best memories I had on that trip!! And Taylor taught me to cook a meal called Polenta!! Yes folks, I am actually cooking now!! Who would have thought!! So yeah, Italy was great and words honestly can't describe how incredible it was!
Well, as you can probably figure it out, I am back in the states (back at Taylor in fact). I came back in mid-December and was home for about two weeks before coming back to good 'ole Indiana. It was good to be home and see family and friends again. It was definitely hard though because I have had a lot to process since being home. Once I got home, I was dealing with some culture shock and really missing my friends, not to mention thoughts of certain people who were in my life came back to me as well. I guess the realization of life back home hit me again. I was kind of able to run from it while in Ireland, but now I had to deal with it.
I left to move in to my apartment on Wednesday the 2nd of January. God is so good, I must say. A friend of mine that I did not treat very well last year called me up on my way to Indiana. It was really cold that night and I was going to be in late. (By the way, this girl and I had made a mends and were friends again but I had no idea she was going to call me). Anyway, she told me that whenever I got there that I should call her because she wanted to help me move in. I was shocked that she even offered this to me. I got there, called her, she arrived, we hugged, and it was as if nothing had happened to us in our friendship. We got all my stuff in then I took her to get some coffee. I started talking and began to apologize again for all the things I had done and she told me not to even bring it up, that it wasn't necessary. She said she had already forgiven me and forgotten it. WOW! What an amazing example of Jesus right there....and unconditional love and forgiveness. God has been so good...He has been restoring that friendship and I am so thankful. I am so thankful God has put people like her in my life. If you want to know what true friendship is, this is it. Thank you God for blessing me with a friend like Erin!!!! =)
Like I said before, God is so good and so faithful. He is a God that brings restoration and healing to peoples lives. He also gives us a second chance (and a third, and fourth, and so on..)! I praise God for that. I know I didn't invest in my friends lives last year. I invested in other places and now am reaping the benefits of that. I basically have to start all over but praise God that I still have that opportunity. It's hard though. I am trying to pick up the pieces of the life that I had here and put it back together, without James in it. Being back here has been incredibley hard but I know it's where God wants me. I need to face my problems and struggles head on. I have a lot to work through and still need lots of healing in my life. But praise God, He is patient and faithul and leading me one step at a time. And being back here has made me realize how much I really don't have myself together. I have realized I have a lot of insecurities in my life. Fears of failure and rejection, my own weight issues, caring what other people think about me, etc. I keep asking myself why I am this way. It's bondage and I want freedom. How do I get out of it though? The only way I know is to embrace this junk head on and turn to Jesus. Honestly, I just got this picture in my head of having all these things in my arms (basically junk) just weighing me down. And then I turn to God and he takes them from me. But how does he take them from me? He takes them by me being intentional and spending time with him. By spending time with Him, I get to know His heart and the person that he created (me) and how He delights in me. To be honest, I have realized that my identity is not in Christ. I want it to be but I know it's not. That's what I'm striving for, is knowing and believing that my identity is found in Christ and no one else. The only way I know to do that is to immerse myself in Christ and in His Word. From there, God will completely cover me with who He is and the person I am will be found in Christ. I'm not at that point yet but am striving to be there. Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Praise God! I know God has started this work in me and it will be finished one day. Whether it takes a few months or the rest of my life, God has promised to complete the work He started in me!! I am so thankful that I have that hope. That means I need to continue to persevere and press into Jesus. By pressing into Jesus, that freedom will come!
Something else that has been encouraging to me is the whole idea of the hard times in life. I have realized that we all need them and they are a season in our lives. BUT, if we persevere in them, God will carry us through and help us. We will grow from our circumstances and know that God has allowed whatever has happened to teach and grow me in my relationship with Him. So the encouraging thing is that God allows these things to make me more like Christ! Woohoo!! How exciting!! It's that whole idea of hope again that even though this circumstance really stinks, I know God is faithful and is making me more like Christ through it. And those hard times just make us cling to God even more! So I just praise God because even though life is hard and is not always great, I can still praise Him because I know He is good and faithful! I just can't stop saying it! God is so good and so faithful!! =)
Well, I think that is all for now. I will try to keep this updated a little bit more often. As the weeks go on, the school will probably get a lot harder for me. But I am excited to say that August of this year, I will be graduating from college!!! Yay!! I decided to go ahead and finish a whole year early! I am very excited and looking forward to what's to come after college!! Okay, well God bless and have a great day!!
Love,
Michelle
Anyway, I guess a quick summary of my last month in Ireland. Everything went really well. Lots of challenges came my way but God was faithful. I loved getting to know the kids better and working in the cafe. I got to attend a production put on by the kids from the Jez, which was so fun! I got close to a bunch of girls before I left and they were so cute! They'd come in during the lunch hour and look for me and just were so sweet! I was happy to have them come in! They were a bright spot in my day! Oooh, and I can't forget Felipe!! Felipe was this boy who started coming in who made all of us smile! He hadn't heard about the cafe until about a month or so before I left the country. Well, once he found out about he, he absolutely loved it and was in there everyday. Before I left, I got into a conversation with him about God and he said that he believed in God more since he had been coming to the cafe!! Praise God! What an encouragement! That was so fun and he is one of the kids I miss a lot!
It's so hard investing so much in a place then having to say goodbye. I realized the time I spent there wasn't enough to really invest like I wanted to. But I just have to pray that God will take what little bit I did invest and really speak to the kids and change their hearts! I pray each one of them comes to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ!!
Before I left, I got the chance to take a week holiday in Italy! My friend Taylor lives in Arezzo, which is in Tuscany, and teaches English. It was so fun getting to stay with him for my visit! My old roommate Kira met up with me too! We traveled to places like Cortona (where they filmed the movie Under the Tuscan Sun), Siena, Modena (where Balsamic Vinegar originated), and Rome! I loved it! A week is definitely not enough time to spend in that place! Too many amazing places to see!! I loved the food and the wine was pretty amazing too! Seriously, having great food and wine were probably some of the best memories I had on that trip!! And Taylor taught me to cook a meal called Polenta!! Yes folks, I am actually cooking now!! Who would have thought!! So yeah, Italy was great and words honestly can't describe how incredible it was!
Well, as you can probably figure it out, I am back in the states (back at Taylor in fact). I came back in mid-December and was home for about two weeks before coming back to good 'ole Indiana. It was good to be home and see family and friends again. It was definitely hard though because I have had a lot to process since being home. Once I got home, I was dealing with some culture shock and really missing my friends, not to mention thoughts of certain people who were in my life came back to me as well. I guess the realization of life back home hit me again. I was kind of able to run from it while in Ireland, but now I had to deal with it.
I left to move in to my apartment on Wednesday the 2nd of January. God is so good, I must say. A friend of mine that I did not treat very well last year called me up on my way to Indiana. It was really cold that night and I was going to be in late. (By the way, this girl and I had made a mends and were friends again but I had no idea she was going to call me). Anyway, she told me that whenever I got there that I should call her because she wanted to help me move in. I was shocked that she even offered this to me. I got there, called her, she arrived, we hugged, and it was as if nothing had happened to us in our friendship. We got all my stuff in then I took her to get some coffee. I started talking and began to apologize again for all the things I had done and she told me not to even bring it up, that it wasn't necessary. She said she had already forgiven me and forgotten it. WOW! What an amazing example of Jesus right there....and unconditional love and forgiveness. God has been so good...He has been restoring that friendship and I am so thankful. I am so thankful God has put people like her in my life. If you want to know what true friendship is, this is it. Thank you God for blessing me with a friend like Erin!!!! =)
Like I said before, God is so good and so faithful. He is a God that brings restoration and healing to peoples lives. He also gives us a second chance (and a third, and fourth, and so on..)! I praise God for that. I know I didn't invest in my friends lives last year. I invested in other places and now am reaping the benefits of that. I basically have to start all over but praise God that I still have that opportunity. It's hard though. I am trying to pick up the pieces of the life that I had here and put it back together, without James in it. Being back here has been incredibley hard but I know it's where God wants me. I need to face my problems and struggles head on. I have a lot to work through and still need lots of healing in my life. But praise God, He is patient and faithul and leading me one step at a time. And being back here has made me realize how much I really don't have myself together. I have realized I have a lot of insecurities in my life. Fears of failure and rejection, my own weight issues, caring what other people think about me, etc. I keep asking myself why I am this way. It's bondage and I want freedom. How do I get out of it though? The only way I know is to embrace this junk head on and turn to Jesus. Honestly, I just got this picture in my head of having all these things in my arms (basically junk) just weighing me down. And then I turn to God and he takes them from me. But how does he take them from me? He takes them by me being intentional and spending time with him. By spending time with Him, I get to know His heart and the person that he created (me) and how He delights in me. To be honest, I have realized that my identity is not in Christ. I want it to be but I know it's not. That's what I'm striving for, is knowing and believing that my identity is found in Christ and no one else. The only way I know to do that is to immerse myself in Christ and in His Word. From there, God will completely cover me with who He is and the person I am will be found in Christ. I'm not at that point yet but am striving to be there. Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Praise God! I know God has started this work in me and it will be finished one day. Whether it takes a few months or the rest of my life, God has promised to complete the work He started in me!! I am so thankful that I have that hope. That means I need to continue to persevere and press into Jesus. By pressing into Jesus, that freedom will come!
Something else that has been encouraging to me is the whole idea of the hard times in life. I have realized that we all need them and they are a season in our lives. BUT, if we persevere in them, God will carry us through and help us. We will grow from our circumstances and know that God has allowed whatever has happened to teach and grow me in my relationship with Him. So the encouraging thing is that God allows these things to make me more like Christ! Woohoo!! How exciting!! It's that whole idea of hope again that even though this circumstance really stinks, I know God is faithful and is making me more like Christ through it. And those hard times just make us cling to God even more! So I just praise God because even though life is hard and is not always great, I can still praise Him because I know He is good and faithful! I just can't stop saying it! God is so good and so faithful!! =)
Well, I think that is all for now. I will try to keep this updated a little bit more often. As the weeks go on, the school will probably get a lot harder for me. But I am excited to say that August of this year, I will be graduating from college!!! Yay!! I decided to go ahead and finish a whole year early! I am very excited and looking forward to what's to come after college!! Okay, well God bless and have a great day!!
Love,
Michelle
Friday, November 2, 2007
Wicked!!
Okay, I have not dropped off the face of the earth, I promise! I am just in London for the week on holidays and haven't gotten around to writing a blog in a while! So sorry! Just know that I am well and having a great time here!! I saw the musical Wicked last night which was incredible!! I loved it! I've seen Big Ben and lots of other great sights here in London...and been riding the Underground like crazy! Anyway, I was in Dublin earlier in the week and had a great time there too! Got to go back to Greystones, my home from two years ago! It was nice going back but I realized it's not my favorite anymore. I absolutely LOVE Galway now! I think I love it because I have made connections and friendships with people there. I've really made it home. I love it!! But I still love Greystones (especially the fish and chips from the harbor which I had twice the three days I was there!) Oh yeah, random...I got this ginormous bruise on my backside on Monday. I totally slide down the steps of the double decker bus! It hurt real bad and is the biggest bruise I've ever had in my entire life! Kira drew a face on him and we named him Fred! Good times! But yeah, uhm can't think of anything else to write. I should probably get going cause other people probably want to use the internet! But I will try to write another update once I get back to Galway on Monday! Hope all are well! I'll be putting up some pictures once I get back! That's all for now though! Ciao! =)
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Your Blood Washes Over Me!
So I'm sitting here working in the bookstore and it's pretty quiet. A few people came in today, but not many. It's usually very quiet in here. Sometimes it's no fun because everyone is over in the cafe working and together and you are stuck here in the bookstore away from everyone and all the kids. I'm trying to have a good attitude about it and actually, it has been really nice just taking some time out for myself. Today I was able to just have my quiet time in here. And I'm listening to Hillsong as well while I'm having my quiet time so I guess it can't get much better than that!! I keep listening to this one song though and it's really just hitting me and I am just so thankful for what Jesus has done in my life. The chorus goes something like this: "And you saw me, when you took the crown of thorns. And your blood washed over me. And you love me, through the nails that you bore. Your blood washes over me!" Wow! Awesome! I love it! I am so thankful for the grace and mercy God has given me. I've screwed up a lot in my life but the blood that Jesus sacrificed on the cross covered all my sin and all of my faults and mess ups! And the cool thing is that he did see me when he was on the cross. He saw all of us! And he died because he loved us unconditionally and wanted us to experience life to the fullest. No person on earth can ever love me as much as God loves me!! Wow, I know all of this but it's just good to always be reminded of what Jesus has done for us!!
"Thank you Lord for loving me even through my mess ups! And even though I continue to stumble and fall, you pick me back up and keep me going. You have redeemed my life and lead me in the way of fullness of life! I thank you that you give me purpose and meaning to life! I love you Lord!"
Well, things are going really well here. I am making great friends, lasting friendships actually. I am going to be so sad when I have to leave. I am learning so much from everyone here, just growing together. It's incredible what the Lord is teaching me and showing me through everyone here. And as for the kids, it is so awesome just to see them come in and hang out with all of us. You have to wonder what God is doing in their lives, how He is working. Some of them seriously come in all the time just to hang out and chat. Do the words that we say to them ever really get through? Do they see Jesus in our lives? Do they see something different? Are we even being a good example of Jesus to them? Some of them have been asking questions lately about Jesus, but I think they are just more interested in other things. I wish we could save them from hurt and pain. "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Just give Him a shot, you know? I mean, does it hurt anyone to at least give Him a shot? He brings purpose and meaning to life. He loves unconditionally. The road might not always be easy but He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He will be our strength and carry us through. How do you tell that to people? How do you show them Jesus? I know that the most important thing for me to do is to spend time with Jesus. Intimacy with Him. To know God better and draw near to Him. I guess after that God will just do the rest. I need to just be close to Him and hopefully by having that closeness to God, others will see and want to experience that as well. I have such a hard time though, spending time with Jesus. And you think it'd be easy because of all the things He's done for me, but let's face it, I get distracted so easy. It makes me sick sometimes too. I could be spending quality time with God and I am wasting my life away on facebook tagging pictures and checking out what other people wrote on my friend's walls. I can easily spend 4 or 5 hours on the internet and after I am done, feel like I haven't accomplished anything. After I get done with work, I am always so tired and sometimes the last place I want to go to is the Bible. I think that I can relax and just get on the internet for a little while. Then I end up spending an eternity on there and by the time I'm done, I am too tired to read and spend good time with Jesus. It's aweful but unfortunately, it's a pattern I've gotten myself in to. I don't manage my time well, even when it comes to homework. I am such a procrastinator and I need to work on that really bad. I need more discipline in my life. I don't know how I'm going to do it but I think it is something I have been convicted of lately. How am I spending my time and how am I doing good for the Kingdom of God? Well, I think I need to spend less time on the computer, that's just it. I think I'm going to have to limit myself to a certain amount of time on there. Seriously, it's like an addiction. And I need to get to bed earlier and make sure to set aside time either in the morning or at night to spend time with the Lord. I guess if anyone thinks about it, please pray for me. I know it's going to be hard (already is) and Satan is going to try to distract me every way possible. Pray for strength to keep my eyes on the Lord and to use my time wisely.
Well, I think that's about it for now. It's almost 1pm now and hopefully within the next hour or so I will get to eat lunch! (I am hungry!) Ooh, a customer just came in!! Well, I better go in case she needs any help! Thanks for your prayers and I pray a blessing over each person that reads this and that God will give you a refreshing of His love today!! Until next time, cheers!!
-Meeshie Moo =) (one of my many nicknames here, haha!)
"Thank you Lord for loving me even through my mess ups! And even though I continue to stumble and fall, you pick me back up and keep me going. You have redeemed my life and lead me in the way of fullness of life! I thank you that you give me purpose and meaning to life! I love you Lord!"
Well, things are going really well here. I am making great friends, lasting friendships actually. I am going to be so sad when I have to leave. I am learning so much from everyone here, just growing together. It's incredible what the Lord is teaching me and showing me through everyone here. And as for the kids, it is so awesome just to see them come in and hang out with all of us. You have to wonder what God is doing in their lives, how He is working. Some of them seriously come in all the time just to hang out and chat. Do the words that we say to them ever really get through? Do they see Jesus in our lives? Do they see something different? Are we even being a good example of Jesus to them? Some of them have been asking questions lately about Jesus, but I think they are just more interested in other things. I wish we could save them from hurt and pain. "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Just give Him a shot, you know? I mean, does it hurt anyone to at least give Him a shot? He brings purpose and meaning to life. He loves unconditionally. The road might not always be easy but He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He will be our strength and carry us through. How do you tell that to people? How do you show them Jesus? I know that the most important thing for me to do is to spend time with Jesus. Intimacy with Him. To know God better and draw near to Him. I guess after that God will just do the rest. I need to just be close to Him and hopefully by having that closeness to God, others will see and want to experience that as well. I have such a hard time though, spending time with Jesus. And you think it'd be easy because of all the things He's done for me, but let's face it, I get distracted so easy. It makes me sick sometimes too. I could be spending quality time with God and I am wasting my life away on facebook tagging pictures and checking out what other people wrote on my friend's walls. I can easily spend 4 or 5 hours on the internet and after I am done, feel like I haven't accomplished anything. After I get done with work, I am always so tired and sometimes the last place I want to go to is the Bible. I think that I can relax and just get on the internet for a little while. Then I end up spending an eternity on there and by the time I'm done, I am too tired to read and spend good time with Jesus. It's aweful but unfortunately, it's a pattern I've gotten myself in to. I don't manage my time well, even when it comes to homework. I am such a procrastinator and I need to work on that really bad. I need more discipline in my life. I don't know how I'm going to do it but I think it is something I have been convicted of lately. How am I spending my time and how am I doing good for the Kingdom of God? Well, I think I need to spend less time on the computer, that's just it. I think I'm going to have to limit myself to a certain amount of time on there. Seriously, it's like an addiction. And I need to get to bed earlier and make sure to set aside time either in the morning or at night to spend time with the Lord. I guess if anyone thinks about it, please pray for me. I know it's going to be hard (already is) and Satan is going to try to distract me every way possible. Pray for strength to keep my eyes on the Lord and to use my time wisely.
Well, I think that's about it for now. It's almost 1pm now and hopefully within the next hour or so I will get to eat lunch! (I am hungry!) Ooh, a customer just came in!! Well, I better go in case she needs any help! Thanks for your prayers and I pray a blessing over each person that reads this and that God will give you a refreshing of His love today!! Until next time, cheers!!
-Meeshie Moo =) (one of my many nicknames here, haha!)
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