Undercover

It's nothing special, just a small blue building on the side of the highway nestled between apartment complexes and a law firm.  People drive by it all the time, every day.  There is nothing about it that makes it stand out.

Contained within those blue walls, however, are people who do things that make my heart break within me!  It is within those doors and hallways where women who feel like their backs are against a wall go to take care of their "problems."  These so-called problems are also some of the most precious things on this planet.

Mica and I began a mission today.  Our mission is to pray down abortion clinics, begging God for this heinous act to become extinct in America. 

We began our day in prayer together, asking God to give us boldness in our stand for righteousness.  Then we grabbed our Bibles and stood outside that blue building and prayed like never before!

At first I was nervous.  A bunch of "what if's" began swirling round in my mind.  What if someone who worked at the clinic ran us off?  What if this wasn't how we were supposed to be spending our morning?  What if this wasn't a good idea after all?  But as I began to pray, all the "what if's" melted away.  What we were doing may have looked strange to the world around us - standing there on the sidewalk by the highway, reading our Bibles, singing (at least, I was), and praying - but we are called to live by standards higher than those of the world's.

We had been praying for about a half an hour when a lady came out and introduced herself to me.  The thought that instantly popped in my head was, oh no!  Looks like we're going to have to leave now.  The confrontation, however, went quite differently than I expected.  She introduced herself, looked at my open Bible, and said, "God bless you!  Thanks for doing this!  We felt a 'bump' when y'all got here!"  I couldn't have been more astounded!

She said that she and two other people came every time the clinic had killing hours and did street counseling.  She thanked us for praying and gave us her contact information.  After that, the two with her poked around the corner and thanked us as well with smiles and God bless-es.

God encouraged me through that experience like none other.  Mica and I have decided to do an hour of prayer outside that clinic once a week.

If you would, please pray that God's will would be done!  Pray that He would provide evangelism opportunities through this, and that He would be glorified.  Also, please pray that the abomination of killing unborn babies would halt entirely!  It's a huge undertaking, but with God, all things are possible!

I will continue to pray, and I know that God will continue to become more real to not only myself, but also to those we encounter.

Soli Deo Gloria! 

Hope

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you: yet do it with gentleness and respect."  1 Peter 3:15

Themes

Each semester so far has had a running theme.  Last semester, God decided it was time I learned a bit more about who it is that I serve exactly.  This semester, though only a few days into it, has not disappointed.  The new theme is that of prayer.

In chapel yesterday, our president, Dr. Johnson, told how important it is to be in constant prayer, warring for the kingdom on our knees.  In Personal Evangelism, a class I had the day before, we were told to enlist 10 people that we know to pray for us during our semester as we carry out our assignment of witnessing to 3 people.  I've also been keeping a running list in my head of things I should be praying for.

Yes, this will be a semester of prayer.  And you know what?  It excites me!  God is going to do amazing things, and the most important thing I need to be doing is talking to Him about it.

Praise the Lord, whose mercies endure forever!

Reflections

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."

 A. A. Milne

Life.  It flows along much like a stream, gliding seamlessly over its bed, waiting for no man.

In the blink of an eye, my summer has flown by.  It feels like I just fell into the welcoming arms of my family as I returned home from school.  It feels like I just began to cherish and store up all the hugs and kisses that Helen and Josiah gave me.  It feels like I just now have time to process all that I learned while I was away.

But life - ah, dear sweet life - has floated along at its usual rapid pace, and even though it seems that I have just dipped my toes in to test the waters, I've been swept so much further along the way than my brain has had time to think about.

I've spent many hours, 330 to be exact, working.  I've made guacamole, sold guacamole, stocked produce shelves, pushed carts in from the lot, bagged thousands of groceries, helped hundreds of customers to their cars, scanned thousands of groceries, returned who knows how many items, handed out who knows how many receipts, and asked the same questions every two minutes during my 6-8.5 hour shifts.

On the home-front, I've spent many hours with my sister soaking in the joys that the show "Monk" brings.  I've played multiple rounds of our family favorite, "Take 2."  I've spent a good deal of time laughing with Mom and Dad as we live up to our usual snarkiness.  I've enjoyed evenings spent with friends, catching up, seeing movies, having dinner.  I've appreciated Chik-Fil-A on their special day with a co-worker and her husband.

Even though it doesn't really feel like I've had much of a summer, I really have in all actuality.

God has allowed me some much-loved time with my family.  He has allowed me the feeling of exhaustion after working in the hot sun.  He has allowed me joy.  He has allowed me happiness and grace.  He has allowed me sanctification.  He has allowed me to share Himself with one of the families He has given me.

My friends, God has been good to me.

My heart is full - oh so full!

School starts up in a week.  If this semester is anything like the last, then I know it will be full of adventures, joys, and challenges.  But most of all, it will be a time of spiritual growth.

Somehow, it won't be any easier to say goodbye, but it will be wonderful to return to my school roots.  My heart will fill with pain again as I give my family one last hug and one last kiss.  It will be bittersweet when I insert my key into the lock at my apartment for the first time this semester.

My heart will ache with the pain of farewell, but will swell with joy as I say hello.

And so, I will continue to float down this river called life, and I will continue to be kept inside His will.

It has been a good summer, and I know that it will be a great fall as well.

Packing, packing, packing

Here I am again, frantically making a packing list of all the things I may ever need during the semester.  As things pop up in my brain, I write them down.  *Sigh*  There's so much that has to get done before school starts.  There are errands to be run, things to be packed, an apartment to be moved into, notes to be written, etc., etc., etc.  Time to get right back into it.  :)

Bound by Love

We're siblings.  Three people obviously from the same family -- mannerisms, humor, values, interests -- and we've got the memories to prove it.

I remember one time Mom instructed the three of us to study together for our history exam.  We holed ourselves up in Zach and Luke's room and "studied" hard.  Haha, who am I kidding?  We spent the whole time spouting off our favorite movie quotes, mimicking each other, and laughing!  Haha, such great memories!  For those of you concerned, I do believe the average grade on that test was a 98.  :P


Zach, I never told you before, but all through high school, I was competing with you grades-wise.  Yes, every single Spanish, history, vocabulary, and economics test we ever took together, I wanted to beat you!  Unfortunately, that was rarely the case.  ;)  Without knowing it, you pushed me to do well!

Luke, you kept me wanting to whap you over the head with my notebook during history discussions!  :P  Mom's nickname for you, Prez, fits you well indeed.  You're going to go far and will make some drastic (and much-needed) changes in this country.  I fully believe you will have a huge impact on this world.


At the end of August, Zachary will be headed to Longview to continue his education in Air Traffic Control Management.

I'll be headed to Dallas to continue studying for Biblical Studies with a focus in Counseling.

Luke will be headed north to Michigan for his college career where he'll be pursuing a degree in Political Science.

We're siblings, obviously from the same family, but headed in three very different directions ... but with the common bond of the Holy Spirit.

What hurts the most is that our days of being each others constant companions has officially come to a close.  We're all moving on, pursuing adventures all our own.  Rarely now will our stories overlap.  But that's okay.  This is how it needs to be.  And you know what?  We'll always be friends.  Always.

I praise God for my family and how He graciously allowed us the friendship with each other that we have.  God is good, so very good, even through bittersweet moments of growing up and doing what we have been called to do.