Don't worry

A little less than a month ago, Agape teens hosted something this area calls a TNT. TNT stands for Tuesday Nights Together. It is where area churches of Christ youth groups get together and praise God. This year there was a different spin. We challenged the teens to give from their hearts. Each hosting youth group chose an organization to raise awareness and money for. It was such a blessing to be a part in all of this. The teens raised $336 dollars for Dignity Village out here in Portland through Agape's TNT. It was so encouraging to see that these teens stepped up to the challenge of giving.

Our TNT focused on not worrying. I sat through that devotional and heard the words yet they didn't sink in. I've allowed myself to be completely encompassed with worry over the last few months. Worry about my future, worry about friends, worry about changes, worry about... well... you name it.

So that has been nagging is how do you trust in God to give you the answers in HIS timing. I mean how do you really trust that. I'm really good at saying I trust it but I still feel that nagging. Yesterday, I began reading Luke chapter 12:29-31. The verses that stuck out to me said "Your Father knows what you need. But put God's work first, and these things will be yours as well." 30a-31.

Your Father knows what you need. Your Father knows what you need. Your Father knows what you need. I started repeating this. And I slowly began to believe it. Slowly began to trust. God knows what I need, as a Father, he knows. I think of my own dad. My dad would give me the shirt off of his back (in fact, in elementary school I used to sport his awesome t-shirts... I'm sure I can find a picture sometime). My dad feels my pain when I'm hurting, he shares my joys when I'm rejoicing, he is excited for me and he prays for me, and anything I need that he can provide he does. So how much more will my heavenly Father provide for me when he knows what I need when I need it. Trust, trust, trust. So difficult but I'm banking on the fact that the Lord of my entire life and being has a plan for me to prosper not to be harmed, plans for hope and a future. Those may be unknown to me right now but I will trust that the Lord will provide.

Psalm 62

I have truly neglected this blog! I have no excuse except that I've had the busiest summer EVER. Between camps and traveling the world, I have barely found time to sit down and think at all. So when I sat down and opened up my Bible, this is what God gave to me.

"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down--- this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation ad my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: "Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love"; and, "You reward everyone according to what they have done."

May you all find rest in God today.

Some uplifting news!

http://networkedblogs.com/jR8tz

Please Pray and Support

I haven't written in a very long time. Sorry to all of you who may or may not have been reading my blog! I have had a pretty emotional last week. I recently found out that a good friend of mine has stage 4 cancer. He has an incredibly rare tumor inside of his spine. This cancer has been documented in 1 in a million people in their brain. This tumor is not in Ryan's brain, it is inside of his spine. So it's rarity is even more staggering. Ryan is 28 years old and has a beautiful amazing wife named Jessica and 2 incredible kids named Jones and India. This couple celebrated their 8th anniversary yesterday (today is their anniversary but it will be spent in the hospital doing MRI's to see if the tumor has spread). I have never met a couple quite like Ryan and Jessica. They live off of absolutely nothing and rely completely on God to get them through day to day. They are in the processing of starting a new church that focuses on their immediate community through intentional community. The are truly sold out for Christ and his mission to love and save the lost and hurting in our world.

With their lack of funding, they also are without insurance. As you can imagine, these bills are going to begin to stack up. A few of their loved ones set up a way for people to help give to relieve some of their burden. If this cancer had been in his brain, his life expectancy would be 6 weeks to 5 years. Obviously, there is a huge burden on this family, there is no reason for finances to add to that burden. If you can help support these amazing people, there are some options below in how to do that. Even if you're only able to give 5, 10, 20 dollars. ANYTHING helps. and I mean anything. Here are the ways to help.

-By depositing money into and account for Ryan Woods at Columbia Credit Union under account #444289.
-Or through online giving here: http://ow.ly/3yjhL
-Or by sending a check to PO Box 873575 Vancouver, WA 98687 written to "Renovatus" and marked for Ryan Woods

I think mailing would be the easiest way if you're okay with using one of your stamps. Please PLEASE pray for this family. I pray that my thoughts on this couple is encouraging enough for you to want to get involved, but if not, PLEASE read Ryan's blog. You will get to know him quickly and his heart for God, his family, ministry, and life. These are truly people who have sacrificed so much to bring the kingdom of God to the earth. Thank you guys. Love you.

Ryan's Blog

Revelation song

I LOVE this song.... Any time that I need to be in a place of worship throughout my day, I go to this song. I hope you all can love it as much as I do.

REVELATION SONG

Incredible blessing

So I woke up early this Saturday morning to drive to Washington. A friend of mine from Agape had asked me to go to this women's conference right outside of Vancouver. The conference is called the Tour of Hope. They had speakers talk about the water crisis, HIV/Aids and human trafficking. What I liked was that they didn't use a ton of statistics or flood your brains with facts that left you feeling useless. What they did was share stories. They had women who were doing all kinds of work around the world, speak of their joys and trials and how God had been using them in their lives. I thought it was so uplifting and wonderful. At the beginning of the conference they had everyone put their names in a basket for a drawing. I heard them say something about a trip so I put my name in and went and grabbed my seat.

I remember thinking, "I've heard so much of this before, what more can they tell me." Such a bold/big-headed thing to think right? Of course it was. I heard of women who decided to let go of fear and trust God. I heard of dying children but also living children. I heard of how Christ is changing communities all over the world through women who decided they would give their lives, pick up their cross, and follow our Savior. As we were reaching the end of the conference we took a short break and i proceeded to write a good friend of mine an email just about my thoughts on everything I was hearing. One thing I wrote was just that I was ready to listen to God. Sometimes I try to d0-do-do and then do some more and it can cloud me from hearing what God is calling me to. So I decided I was just going to listen.

We came back from the break and we sang a few more songs. Then came the time for the drawing. They explained that the drawing was for the winner and a friend to go on their spring mission trip to Guatemala in 2012. FOR FREE. So I as she was speaking, I thought to myself, "I'm going to win this trip." She grabbed the small piece of paper and said, "I'm going to have trouble saying this name." "Yep," I thought, "totally me." "Da-yna? Donna? Danna? Neeto?" Yep that was ME!

So I won a totally free mission trip to Guatemala and I couldn't be happier! I am inviting my friend Koriani to go. Without her inviting me to this event, I would have never have won. I'm so excited and looking forward to this and believe completely that God was telling me part of what was next. I'm grateful and undeserving, but most of all I just feel blessed.

A bit of a quest

Recently, I've been on this quest to challenge the things that I think. For a long time I feel like I've formulated ideas about who God is and have been very frustrated with people who may disagree with me, but the things is, I'm asking other people to be open but not being open myself. I have to look at the things that make me "uncomfortable" and pray about those things and read about them. I need to read of other people's experiences and hear them just as much as I would like to be heard.

I have just found that I need to not take the easy way and just assume that what makes me comfortable is what is reality. I know I will never understand all of who God is while I'm on this earth. I have to trust in His love and his knowledge of the entire world. Trusting is maybe one of the hardest things for me to do but I'm choosing to trust in God, while continually trying to seek his wisdom.

Just some thoughts