July 26, 2012

Your love is

Your love is strong-Jon Forman

This is my prayer.

Radical Living

"If we wanna live as Jesus lived, then we need to pray as Jesus prayed"-Seth Trimmer, Grace City Church

I dunno about you-but I want to live a radical life with and for Jesus. Through his power, I am able to change this world for his glory. I want to be a light for him. I want to overflow with his love for everyone and anyone I meet. Here is to changing my life and how I live through prayer. Cuz prayer is powerful and God moves through prayer.

 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine; according to his great power that is at work within us" Ephesians 4:20

God can do MORE that I can imagine. God can do MORE that I can even ask. His power is GREAT.

July 25, 2012

The Journey

I'm going into my 5th year of college. Yep, 5th. Was this intended when I graduated high school four year ago? Nope. Would I change the journey I've taken to get to where I am today? No. I wouldn't.

I started out my college experience at Corban University in Salem, OR. I learned a lot in my 2 and a half years there. I learned about friendship, both healthy and unhealthy. I learned about depending on the Lord. I learned about my identity and making it fully in Christ. I learned how to take care of myself. I learned how to lean on my community. I learned how to tell when people genuinely care about you, and when they are after something to gossip about. Most importantly, I learned about my passions. The things that make me, me. I learned about God's character as a loving Father and how it relates to me and my life. God cares deeply about the small details. And not only does he care, he plans each and every small detail.

In January 2011, I transferred to Oregon State University. Little did I know then, this place would become my home. I love Corvallis, OR. I love the weather. (People, this is a really BIG deal.) It rains a lot here, and I used to hate it, but now, those rainy, misty, cloudy days are my favorite. I love my community. I have a wonderfully supportive loving family that is also known as 242, my college group.
In my time at Oregon State, I learned how to cook (And I learned I actually LOVE it). I learned how to navigate finding my way somewhere when I have no idea. I learned how to develop my opinion and to voice it freely. I learned more about service. I learned how to ask other people for help and actually let them help me. I learned how to move into my own apartment. I learned how to find cheap free furniture and make it look fabulous. I learned how to express myself appropriately. I learned how to make lesson plans and teach them in a classroom. I learned how to make mistakes. (Well, I already knew how, but I learned how to fix them). I learned how to budget. I learned how to worship God all day, everyday. I learned how to have a heart that is constantly praying. I learned how to love deeper, stronger, and greater, only because I have a Heavenly Father who loved me first.

I've been through a lot in my 4 years of college, and I'm nowhere near done yet. I'm excited for the journey ahead, and all the more learning I get to do with my life. I'm excited to see where God is going to move, how He is going to show up, and how he will work in all the ugliness to make it beautiful.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

July 21, 2012

This is home

Last weekend, I went camping with the all church campout at Southside Beach. Deanie and I took a little walk down to the beach and squeaked all over the Newport sand.
It was a really great weekend. It felt so wonderful to be surrounded by loving friends once again. This community is something I really prayed for and I am aware of how God is answering prayers all around me right now.
This last week was so great. I am finally beginning to FEEL God's presence in my life again. I attended Grace City last Sunday and heard a very impactful message about prayer: The Lord's Prayer. Seth is diving into this common prayer in a new way and it is so cool to hear and realize what those words really mean. This is a really big deal because at Kidder Creek I felt really weighed down by the world and many other things. I have been really reveling in my God time each morning, and it had really made a difference in my walk with Him. 


This week I got to go on a great date with my favorite guy. We walked around downtown and had yummy gelato. Greg got hazelnut and I got dark chocolate and raspberry. SO good.



Friday morning, Deanie and I drove up to Portland. She dropped me off at Brynn's new apartment in Lake Oswego and then kept driving up to Seattle. Brynn, her dad and I jumped in the car and started our drive up to Enumclaw, Washington to go to Creation Festival. We had VIP passes and tickets to see Tenth Avenue North and Switchfoot. Also, Brynn finally moved back out here, so I was SOOO beyond excited to see her!
our fab dinner of chilly cheese fries. YUM
Washington Summer/rainy concert
I love Christian concerts. There is something just absolutely beautiful about that many believers together in one place worshiping our Creator. One of the guys from Tenth Avenue North told a story about why we raise our hands in worship. He told the story of how his daughter puts her arms up when she wants to be picked up by her dad. When we lift our hands in worship, it is a surrender, but it is also a recognition of being completely broken and wanting to be picked up by our Father. That was so touching and I loved hearing it put that way. Cuz let's be honest people: sometimes raising your hands is just a little awkward.
Blue & White Stripes: It's a Sara(h) thing
                                                                                                           We finally got back to Lake Oswego around 2:30am or so. The next morning, bright and early at 8am, Brynn took me to Molalla to drive down to Corvallis with Sara. We FINALLY got to chat about how we've been doing and whatnot. I love this girl. Really really love her. There are some people who just seem like family, and this girl, shes one of them. We went to the beach today with a bunch of buddies. The wind was absolutely crazy today, but the weather was soooooo beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky and it was so warm, which is so rare on the Oregon coast!
This guy makes me smile. A WHOLE lot
Then we decided to do some awesome heel-clicks. RUN....1-2-3-JUMP
Me, Kyle, and Peter


We also got to see some of the dock from Japan that washed up on our shore in Oregon. The weirdest part is that this giant  block of cement floated all the way from Japan!
We did a little squishing in the sand. I think Sara won-she got so deep in the sand!

When Switchfoot played "this is home" at the concert, tears welled up in my eyes. I am so happy to be home.

July 10, 2012

sometimes

Sometimes God calls us to step outside our comfort zone.

Sometimes God calls us to stand up firmly in something we believe in. 

Sometimes God puts things in our path to shape us, direct us, form us. Always for our own good and for the better.

His plan is always better than our own. His leading is always worth it. Words cannot even explain his goodness. His faithfulness. His love.