Hello everyone! This summer I had the opportunity to work at Beulah Youth Institute church camp. This camp is very special to me and has has played a huge part in my faith journey. This year the theme was UNBOUND. We talked about becoming unbound from our sin and bound to God. It was a real moving experience. One thing I took from that week was to take risks for Christ.
People are always saying they'd rather be safe than sorry...well...I'm here to tell you that if you play it safe, you WILL be sorry. I am not saying go stand in traffic or try to fly, but don't be afraid to take a risk for God. I recently took a risk and so far it has paid off ten fold.
Ever since I graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, I have been trying to find a job as a teacher. I never was given an interview, not even a phone call or email. I was forced to move back home to Fairview until I could find work. Upon moving home, I applied to a few more schools, still hearing nothing. One morning I woke up to a phone call from Spoon River Valley asking me if I would be willing to take an aide position in order to get my feet wet. I told them I would take as long as I didn't get an offer anywhere else. So while I am waiting to hear from other schools that I applied to, I returned to my home church in Maquon and upon arrival I was given the opportunity to help lead the youth group and bring back devotions and help strengthen each child's walk with Christ. By the end of the week I was also asked to become the new Parish Camp Coordinator. This was too good to be true. But what should I do if I get offered a teaching job?
I took some time to pray and think about what my options were. I could either: A) Keep the aide job and work in my church with the youth and live with my grandparents and hopefully next year I will have a real teaching job. or B) I could take a job at a school and move away and start anew. Needless to say I was choosing between money and God. This should have been an easy decision...but unfortunately it was not.
I chose to keep the aide position and work at the church whether I was offered a teaching job or not. I decided to take a risk and hope that in this year if I can make a difference in the lives of the youth and that maybe next year God will bless me with a teaching job.
God calls us to not be of the world. We are constantly forgetting that when we die, the money we made, the things we bought, the people we met, and the deeds we did will not matter. It is only through our love and devotion to Christ that matters in the end.
Since making this decision, God has shown me that I made the right choice by giving me resources for the youth group and showing me what need there is for me to make a difference. I have been given great responsibility in my church to show what kind of a leader I have become. I have also heard back from the other school, I did not get any interviews.
Sometimes the things we want are not part of God's plan. Or that something we want won't be given to us until God sees it time. I took a risk in choosing God over my career. I can already see the outcome and how blessed I am and will be in the future.
Thank you for reading this blog. If you have something to share please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from my readers. Don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!!!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
It's the Climb!!
Hey, it has been a long time since I wrote about a God moment. I have had so many since my last post. I am going to try and get some of them posted later but first I want to talk about a recent one that got me thinking about a lot of things.
I have been really sick for the past month and a half. Over the past weekend I went to the ER for a lot of vomiting and dehydration. While I laid there on a bed that would make gravel feel comfortable with an IV in my arm, I couldn't help be feel like I was dying (extreme I know, but take into consideration its me). I began to tear up cause I was afraid of never being healthy again. I used to have so many goals in life. Some goals were big, some small, some practical, and some ridiculous, but all seemed unattainable.
After coming home from the hospital and going to the doctor the next day to get blood tests and to get new medication, I realized that what was going on in the hospital room was God pinning me to that table and telling me to WAKE UP!!!
You see, I'm not perfect. I have done many stupid things in my 22 years of living. Even though I will more than likely do stupid things in the future, I have decided to make sure these stupid things will no longer affect my health and well-being. Yes mom, you may want to print that and put it on the fridge as evidence.
I like the song The Climb, and I feel it expresses my feelings exactly! Read the lyrics below and think of what mountains you have in your life that you need to climb, and remember that God is always going to be there do it. Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
I can almost see it.
That dream I'm dreaming, but
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm takin'
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin'
But I gotta keep tryin'
Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most
I've just gotta keep goin', and
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on
I have been really sick for the past month and a half. Over the past weekend I went to the ER for a lot of vomiting and dehydration. While I laid there on a bed that would make gravel feel comfortable with an IV in my arm, I couldn't help be feel like I was dying (extreme I know, but take into consideration its me). I began to tear up cause I was afraid of never being healthy again. I used to have so many goals in life. Some goals were big, some small, some practical, and some ridiculous, but all seemed unattainable.
After coming home from the hospital and going to the doctor the next day to get blood tests and to get new medication, I realized that what was going on in the hospital room was God pinning me to that table and telling me to WAKE UP!!!
You see, I'm not perfect. I have done many stupid things in my 22 years of living. Even though I will more than likely do stupid things in the future, I have decided to make sure these stupid things will no longer affect my health and well-being. Yes mom, you may want to print that and put it on the fridge as evidence.
I like the song The Climb, and I feel it expresses my feelings exactly! Read the lyrics below and think of what mountains you have in your life that you need to climb, and remember that God is always going to be there do it. Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
I can almost see it.
That dream I'm dreaming, but
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm takin'
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin'
But I gotta keep tryin'
Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most
I've just gotta keep goin', and
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Saved by the Bell
Well today was the first official day for students to move in to their dorms. It was exciting to help out and meet the new students. It made me think of four years ago when I was a freshman in college. My very first class was my Intro. to Education class at Carl Sandburg College. Wow! That was such a fun class to go to. I hated not being in that class and I took a lot from that class. Now I am about to begin my student teaching semester. This is what I have waited for since the 5th grade. So 12 years of waiting, and it is finally about to happen!
I remember one year at Beulah church camp, listening to a sermon about finding a calling. It was then that I realized then that it was God's plan for me to work with children. Becoming a teacher wasn't just about being what I wanted to be it was about being what God wanted me to be. I am so nervous about my student teaching experience. I am not just observing and helping in the classroom, I will eventually be running the classroom. I know God will help me accomplish this as long as I keep putting my faith in Him. He has helped me along thus far and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so.
Every time I step into a school, I become filled with excitement and relief knowing that this is what I am supposed to be doing. I encourage everyone to focus on finding your calling. It is an amazing feeling to know that you are on the correct path. Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
I remember one year at Beulah church camp, listening to a sermon about finding a calling. It was then that I realized then that it was God's plan for me to work with children. Becoming a teacher wasn't just about being what I wanted to be it was about being what God wanted me to be. I am so nervous about my student teaching experience. I am not just observing and helping in the classroom, I will eventually be running the classroom. I know God will help me accomplish this as long as I keep putting my faith in Him. He has helped me along thus far and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so.
Every time I step into a school, I become filled with excitement and relief knowing that this is what I am supposed to be doing. I encourage everyone to focus on finding your calling. It is an amazing feeling to know that you are on the correct path. Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
Cath Me If You Can
Ok so...if you have been paying attention to my blog or my Facebook account, then you know that I have not fully caught up on my blogs. Well this is just not cool! So...I have decided to not post individual blogs for each day that I have missed but to give you the diet version of each day and the God moment I witnessed. This does take a toll to my pride but I think that in doing this, I will no longer be in a slump about my blog and will then feel the urge to get on each night and post my blog for the day! So here it goes...
Thursday, August 11th: I came to Carbondale from a brief visit home. On my way back I got to visit one of my favorite people ever...Taylor DANGER Likes! He and I became instant friends this summer while working at camp together. I was a counselor and he was the worship leader and photographer. I helped him lead worship everyday and night at camp and am eternally grateful to him for letting me do that. Anyway...the day we met was interesting. I had just came to camp to start work after everyone had a month of training and time to get to know each other and Taylor drives up to camp and begins to unpack. We make our introductions and then like 15mins later I told him that I had a surprise for him in my trunk. "Should I be scared?" he said. "Don't worry you will love it...it's not a dead body." I open my trunk to a treasure cove of Ski, a soda that is popular to us. He had one of those reactions that you would find on Extreme Makeover when the epic reveal has been made. This and our strange personalities brought us together as friends and brothers in Christ. We have known each other for only a short time and we have been able to talk to each other about everything. It is such a gift from God to be given friends like Taylor. So when I got the chance to visit him and spend time with him, I considered it a true blessing.
Friday, August 12th: On this night a handful of us Wesley Foundation leaders came together for a leadership retreat at the Wesley Foundation. At this retreat we made plans and goals and prepared the building for the upcoming school year. If the Wesley Foundation is not a daily God moment for me then I don't know what is. I love this building. It is a home away from home and every time I walk in I feel God's presence and I feel His love from the people that attend there with me (even though we still butt heads....a lot). I had an awesome time catching up with friends, and getting ready for the school year to start!
Saturday, August 13th - Sunday, August 14th: These days made it hard to write a blog because I was unable to witness a God moment that made me stop and think. This comes to show that sometimes it is hard to find God in our daily lives. Sometimes we have to work extra hard and meet him halfway. So in the end I did get my God moment by not finding one. Funny how God works!
Monday, August 14th: So this would have been last night. Wow, was it a busy and fun night. I had my first College of Education and Human Services Student Leaders meeting of the year and it was fun to see old friends and meet new ones and gather to plan and organize activities for the semester. After this meeting, I came to my apartment where I recruited my friend's Bobby, Emily, Bethey, and Bridget to help me finish labeling postcards to send out for Wesley events. We gathered in my living room and labeled thousands of postcards and watched Power Rangers of course! This was so much fun to get all that work done and have fun while doing it. I wish all work was that much fun! But it was a God moment because originally, it was only going to be Bobby and myself doing this work until I heard from Emily and managed to get her to come over and bring friends! God showed himself in the willingness of my friends to come help me with a task that I took upon myself to accomplish.
Tuesday, August 15: Well, today was a busy day of cutting more postcards and labeling them for Wesley. At the end of the day, however, I got to oversee the practice of another campus ministry's praise band. I love these guys. They are so much fun to be with and hang out with. I saw God in their passion for music which made me so happy because music is a huge passion of mine as well. Afterwards, a couple of them came to my apartment where we watched hilarious and ridiculous YouTube videos and discussed super heroes. It was an awesome night!
Thanks for putting up with this lengthy post. I wish that I was able to keep up with my posts but with all the traveling I have been doing, it has made it hard but God has given me the motivation and the determination to catch myself up. Y'all are awesome for reading this blog. I hope you are all enjoying my God moments and that they are helping you find God in your everyday lives as well. I would love to hear what you have to say, so please leave me a comment on my blog to let me know what you think or if you would like to share a story as well please do, I'm always willing to listen. Thanks again and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
Thursday, August 11th: I came to Carbondale from a brief visit home. On my way back I got to visit one of my favorite people ever...Taylor DANGER Likes! He and I became instant friends this summer while working at camp together. I was a counselor and he was the worship leader and photographer. I helped him lead worship everyday and night at camp and am eternally grateful to him for letting me do that. Anyway...the day we met was interesting. I had just came to camp to start work after everyone had a month of training and time to get to know each other and Taylor drives up to camp and begins to unpack. We make our introductions and then like 15mins later I told him that I had a surprise for him in my trunk. "Should I be scared?" he said. "Don't worry you will love it...it's not a dead body." I open my trunk to a treasure cove of Ski, a soda that is popular to us. He had one of those reactions that you would find on Extreme Makeover when the epic reveal has been made. This and our strange personalities brought us together as friends and brothers in Christ. We have known each other for only a short time and we have been able to talk to each other about everything. It is such a gift from God to be given friends like Taylor. So when I got the chance to visit him and spend time with him, I considered it a true blessing.
Friday, August 12th: On this night a handful of us Wesley Foundation leaders came together for a leadership retreat at the Wesley Foundation. At this retreat we made plans and goals and prepared the building for the upcoming school year. If the Wesley Foundation is not a daily God moment for me then I don't know what is. I love this building. It is a home away from home and every time I walk in I feel God's presence and I feel His love from the people that attend there with me (even though we still butt heads....a lot). I had an awesome time catching up with friends, and getting ready for the school year to start!
Saturday, August 13th - Sunday, August 14th: These days made it hard to write a blog because I was unable to witness a God moment that made me stop and think. This comes to show that sometimes it is hard to find God in our daily lives. Sometimes we have to work extra hard and meet him halfway. So in the end I did get my God moment by not finding one. Funny how God works!
Monday, August 14th: So this would have been last night. Wow, was it a busy and fun night. I had my first College of Education and Human Services Student Leaders meeting of the year and it was fun to see old friends and meet new ones and gather to plan and organize activities for the semester. After this meeting, I came to my apartment where I recruited my friend's Bobby, Emily, Bethey, and Bridget to help me finish labeling postcards to send out for Wesley events. We gathered in my living room and labeled thousands of postcards and watched Power Rangers of course! This was so much fun to get all that work done and have fun while doing it. I wish all work was that much fun! But it was a God moment because originally, it was only going to be Bobby and myself doing this work until I heard from Emily and managed to get her to come over and bring friends! God showed himself in the willingness of my friends to come help me with a task that I took upon myself to accomplish.
Tuesday, August 15: Well, today was a busy day of cutting more postcards and labeling them for Wesley. At the end of the day, however, I got to oversee the practice of another campus ministry's praise band. I love these guys. They are so much fun to be with and hang out with. I saw God in their passion for music which made me so happy because music is a huge passion of mine as well. Afterwards, a couple of them came to my apartment where we watched hilarious and ridiculous YouTube videos and discussed super heroes. It was an awesome night!
Thanks for putting up with this lengthy post. I wish that I was able to keep up with my posts but with all the traveling I have been doing, it has made it hard but God has given me the motivation and the determination to catch myself up. Y'all are awesome for reading this blog. I hope you are all enjoying my God moments and that they are helping you find God in your everyday lives as well. I would love to hear what you have to say, so please leave me a comment on my blog to let me know what you think or if you would like to share a story as well please do, I'm always willing to listen. Thanks again and don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Help!
Sarah, Ashley, and I went and saw The Help on Wednesday. It was an AMAZING movie. I do not want to spoil it for anybody, but if you have the chance to see it you must. I love movies and I find myself always watching for a deeper meaning sometimes. It makes the movie worthwhile to me. This movie's message was an inspiring one. It was about equality, family, and doing the right thing even if it could cost you your life.
This movie made me tear up a few times (if you know me then you shouldn't be surprised). It was full of emotion and drama. I was able to see God in the eyes of the characters, and in the message of the movie. It was beautifully done, and if you go see it, you will understand this too.
Thanks for reading this blog. Don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
This movie made me tear up a few times (if you know me then you shouldn't be surprised). It was full of emotion and drama. I was able to see God in the eyes of the characters, and in the message of the movie. It was beautifully done, and if you go see it, you will understand this too.
Thanks for reading this blog. Don't forget to spread the Jesus!
GOD BLESS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)