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Thursday, October 29, 2009

The character and nature of God.

We are learning about the character and nature of God this week. Our speaker is Larry Allen, who is also the school of the Bible teacher. He is amazing. When the class starts to get tired, he runs into walls. He gives us four breaks every session and talks like my dentist, Dr. Reynolds. His wife also made us cookies.

The first day we started talking about this, He stopped in the middle of teaching and just looked at me and smiled and asked me what my name was. After I told him, he said, "Julie, God just has such a wonderful plan for your life." and kept teaching.
This is like the third time someone has done this out of the blew here. It's kinda freaking me out a bit.

Anyways, it's been a really good week of learning, which is nice since I can't remember anything from last week. Here are some points that I picked up:
-We shouldn't just love God, but we should like Him too.
-Love is size independent.
-God has intellect and a will, and uses both for everything He does.
-To be emotionally in check in a relationship is to live in reality and not look to 25 years in the future with that person.
-It's better to walk in purity the first time around.
-Eph. 5:1-2
-The basis of choices we should make are not of emotions but the understanding of what is most valuable to do.
-Our will, the truth, and our intellect should drive and direct our emotions.
-When you choose an action, you also choose the consequence that is inseparably attached with the action.
-"God has grace, but not stupid grace."
-God judges the intention of the heart but the evaluation of love should be by commitment.
-God doesn't show partiality.
-The righeousness of God is the expression of the love of God. If God wasn't righteous, He would neither be loving.
-Jeremiah 31:3

So those are just the highlights of alot of good teaching we're receiving this week.

On a whole other scale, God is doing so much in alot of other areas as well.

Yesterday I got a vision during a short worship time. In my vision, I walked down an aisle and went into an elevator. When I started going up, I went past a vision i've had while being here(When I was dancing with Jesus.) and went to the next level. When we stopped there, everything was dull, faded, and gray. It looked kind of like a revolutionary war scene. Then God took my hand and we started to touch things, and when we did, color was restored to them. We started picking up dirt and ashes of the ground and forming them into things. In my vision, i wasn't crying, but very intently focused on what I was doing, and making sure I did it correctly.
-I feel like God is saying that He is going to give me the gift of making dull and lifeless things into something beautiful. But not just through cosmetology. I feel that He really will help me turn ashes into beauty.

God is also dealing with me in some other areas. Last night in dorm devotional, Allie Pile(one of my favorite people ever) gave a teaching on the romantic side of Jesus and the reason why we have a time of being single before we're ready to get married. It sucked hearing alot of what she had to say, but it was so good at the same time. She read something off the internet, and as soon as I get it i'll post the link here. Anyways, one of the reasons why we're supposed to be single now is to actually prepare ourselves for marriage. If we don't love ourselves, and don't love our Jesus, then how can we one day love a man? And if we aren't fufilled with Jesus now, when we get married, we will still be just as lonely as before.
I'm kind of rambling but so much was loaded into my brain that it's kind of hard to remember.

On a lighter note, I got my feathers for my peacock costume for the boo bash on Saturday night. Pretty excited.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

I don't understand

why Nathan is singing I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
He really likes it too. Gross.

Shelby and I went to the mall yesterday. It was pretty fun except all the girls here are tall and model skinny or scene girls. It was freaking me out.

My birthday dinner was pretty interesting. All the tables were split up so that sucked. And then some people left without paying, which wasn't very nice of them. But that's alright. It went by really really quickly.
But afterwards was nice. No wild boar hunting, because we don't have a gun. We talked to Wes about it at lunch and he said we need a gun.
I told my mom to send me a machete.

I'm probably going to sleep. Nathan's guitar playing is making me tired.

Friday, October 23, 2009

The teaching this week.

I haven't really updated on the teaching part of this week mostly because there wasn't much to update on.
There was a lady who spoke, who had alot of good things to say, but was kind of scatter brained so it was hard to understand. I didn't get much out of it just because I couldn't follow her.
But then yesterday, her 70 something year old father came and spoke. He was absolutely amazing. I love old people and he was just the best old man ever. He was really interesting. It was hard to kinda follow him because he thought we knew all this stuff from the other days but that's okay.
His daughter is the singer Twila Paris =]

Probably one of my favorite things that he talked about was that God doesn't test you over information you don't know. So he wont give you something you couldn't handle. I know that, but it's always good to hear it.

For fun things,
Shelby and Nathan discovered that yearbook site where you crop your face into old pictures. It was amazing.
Also, I got the entire class to make a mustache out of their pen like I always do. It was actually really amazing. I was doing it with K Money and Shelby and my leader is talking in the front. He completely stops talking about what he was and tells everyone to try to do the mustache thing, and then he attempts to do it. It was the best.

If you know me well, pray for patience. Some drama has been coming around lately. Not huge issues, but I guess everyone has finally gotten to know each other. Oh boy.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

My wonderful 18th birthday.

My birthday was absolutely fantastic and way better then I had imagined it.

I woke up and didn't go to breakfast so that I could get ready. I ate breakfast on my bed in honor of traditions.
We had intercession at 8 which was really good. God spoke alot to our little group. And my one on one, Leah, bought me a balloon and flowers. It was super sweet.
So I get to class, and everyone sings me happy birthday and gives me hugs.
We do the teaching(Which I think ive gotten about two points out of, but that's another story). After we went on break, one of the leaders brings me a cupcake!
The whole class sings happy birthday again..then in Korean..then in Chinese..then in German..then in Portuguese..then in Spanish..
It was amazing. My school leader was dancing around in the front for me and everything.

After lunch some of the staff took me to dairy queen and bought me ice cream.
Then I opened all my presents in the nursery with my close friends. I got so many amazing gifts, especially my cheetah snuggie. It's the best thing I've ever seen.

We had more class time, and my other friend bought me another snuggie, which is pretty fabulous. Then dinner and work were pretty normal.
I got many phonecalls from friends which was nice.
We had dorm devo's, or dorm divas(which is what I call them). We talked about the power of the tounge. Each of us was instructed to bring an object from our rooms. Ofcourse I brought my snuggie.
Then we had to create a story about taming the tounge. I made this whole story about how my roomate smelled like a wild cheetah and helping her smell better with lotion and plugging my own nose with a close pin. It was amazing.
And after that I went outside and it started raining. It was just perfect.

Everyone made me feel so special. It was wonderful.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Looking back.

Today is my last day of being a "Kid". It's really weird for me to think about. I'm not freaking out as much as I thought I would, but nevertheless, I still am freaking out. I think everyone on the whole base knows it's my birthday tomorrow.
On Saturday, the girls want to take me on some hike thing. I told them I don't do hikes but if they wanted me to I would. I think we decided to go wild boar hunting at night instead. You might think I'm joking, but I'm not.

So I decided to write some of my favorite memories of my 17th year.
-My 17th birthday: I looked like a flapper.
-No pants Jane and running down her street at midnight.
-My trip to San Diego: The night I went with Suzanne and Jimmy to Amy's house.
-December 26th: The snow in front of this guy John's house.
-New Years Eve: Prancing around and doing fire dances with Sarah.
-The reactions I got my dying my hair brown.
-Cow tipping attempts with Ren and Nicole.
-Ren and I sneaking in and attacking Jonathan and Zach inside Jonathan's house.
-Ana's 18th birthday: Dancing with all my friends.
-Graduation.
-Fourth of July: Being so hyper with Kristin and Ana. FIREPOWER!
-The resort in the Philippines.
-Twilight princess nights with Justin and talking about ridiculous things.
-Last night: Running from Landon the boar and star tripping.

Probably there are a million more but those are my favorites.

I should probably explain why last night was one of the best night's I've ever had. Pretty much star tripping is this game where you look at a star, spin around 10 times, and then someone shines a flashlight in your face. When this happens, you automatically fall over. This game was super fun until Johannes, our fellow German teammate, told us about the stick game..
The stick game is where you hold up a stick and look at the very top of it. Then you spin around for 15 seconds, and after you do that you throw the stick on the ground and try to jump over it.
Shelby was the first person to do it. However instead of falling over or something like people usually do, she sprung forward on all fours and dove straight into the grass. I literally almost peed in my pants because I was laughing so hard.
Oh man. I'm laughing just thinking about it. I definitely have new games when I get home.

Oh and I'm a spider smasher because I killed what we think was a brown recluse in the girls bathroom this morning. Beastlyyyy.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Hey gurl.

So I lied, my birthday is on wednesday.
We'll be eating at Nick's on saturday night,
and Shelby is making me a cheesecake.

Last Saturday night we went to Bella's.
Or you could say we took a big trip to "Walmart".
Anyways, we watched the Proposal,
but Nathan, Hannah, Zach Apple, and I decided to leave like an hour earlier then everyone else. Somehow we got really lost in Tyler Texas and got back half an hour later then everyone else. Whoops..

Yesterday I had a really long talk with Shelby about life. I love that girl so much and she has helped me through alot these days. She is such an interesting person.
We both decided that we're scared to run at night because wild boars might chase us. Let me tell you, they are alive and well and WILL chase you around the base. I thought this was all a joke but it really isn't.

The weather is freezing again. Fanfreakingtastic.

We start a new topic today. But I don't know what it is.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Pretty much it's really hot.

This weather is possessed. More then El Paso.

The past two days have been pretty uneventful.
Yesterday was all base work day and I cleaned out gutters for five hours.
It wasn't that bad, just climbing on roofs and getting mud thrown on your face.
Half of my DTS had to actually get in the water and go "Cat tailing" where they get out all the bushes and plants growing in the lakes.
20 people+ freezing weather + Machetes = scary.

I got really homesick yesterday and a little today. I think it's just starting
to hit me that I'll be here for a long time.

We watched Kung Fu Panda and Reign of Fire last night.
Reign of fire was awful because I kept falling asleep and Nathan would tap me
and i would wake up to Dragons blowing fire on people. It wasn't so fun.

Today has been pretty relaxing honestly. I hate saturdays though because they have
brunch at ten, and by lunch time I'm already really hungry. It sucks.
Tonight we're going to this chic Bella's house I think.. Should be nice to get off the base.

I'm pretty excited about my birthday on Sunday.

Now I'm just sitting at the Sub, no one is here, and I'm in
awe of Chris's espresso making skills.
I wonder if I smell like coffee and popcorn everyday because of this. Thank
goodness for Marc Jacob's Daisy coming in!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Meet some of my school.

http://www.ywamtyler.org/index.php/videocast012.html

=D

New white dress.

We talked about sex, lust, and purity yesterday.
During the morning class, I'll be honest, I was not okay.
For some reason I was really upset and uncomfortable during class.
I felt complete conviction but complete condemnation at the same time.
I couldn't go to lunch because I just needed to pray,
so I did.

I got convicted of just modesty issues and leading other guys into
lustful situations. Sometimes I didn't know that I would but sometimes
I really did know.
I guess people had always told me not to make guys "stumble" or whatever
but for some reason it all the sudden made sense to me.
After repenting over that and a few other things, I felt alot better.

Kyle and I made some brownies.. they were really tasty.

Then last night we had a ministry time about this week and praying for
purity and praying for struggles.
I didn't necessarily feel that I had to repent anymore, but again, I felt
condemned and not worthy for the future.
So I prayed with Leah. Man, Jesus knows what He is doing when He puts you
with small group leaders. She was able to pray for me, listen to me, and counsel me.
I gained this confidence, I guess you could call it, that God will help take care of me. That I don't have to be and will not be the person I was. I realized I can be a woman after God if that is my desire and nothing has to hold me back from that.

I got to put on my new white dress and go dancing with Jesus.

Foundation lesson number three.. Purity.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Marriage is what brings us together...today.

We've been talking about relationships and marriage.
I've always just wanted to be married because in my mind it would have no problems.
Then my mind switched a couple months ago, and I didn't really want to get married soon because
alot of problems do happen.
Nonetheless, I love marriage again.

For one, I just like this verse:
Ezekial 16:
Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.
" 'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you.
I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.


Hooray for nose rings and looking pretty.

I learned to not put up false expectations. I guess that's one thing I always thought of.. I always expected marriage to be perfect and I guess lately I expected it to be full of problems. Then we talked about the differences between guys and girls and all that stuff. It was just interesting.

Oh.. Some interesting facts.

1/30 couples who worship together and go to church together divorce.

1/300 couples who pray together daily get divorced.

1/3900 couples who go to church together, pray together daily, are real Christians, and do premarital counseling, divorce.

Obviously we need God in our relationships.

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We had prayer time in the chapel yesterday as well. God gave me this verse in Isaiah 42.

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.

2 He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope."

This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,

to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

That spoke pretty loud and clear with me about my calling.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I love my small group. We're all completely different people but it's fantastic. Leah, Allie, and Katy are the funniest people i've ever met.

And for other news, there were birds in our chimney and on our posts in the girls lobby that kept dive bombing at girls as they would walk into the bathroom. Not gonna lie, it was pretty fantastic.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The past few days.

Sorry I haven't written. I really just haven't had the time.

My weekend was really good. I went shopping and bought a pair of jeans, two shirts, a dress, and a scarf for 23 dollars. Fabulous. The mall is one story and I can run across it in like 5 minutes but that's okay. It was the most exciting thing ever to get out off the base.
We watched aladdin on saturday night. hooray.

On Sunday night we had some very special visitors from China. I'm not allowed to say names, but it was so phenomenal I cried. We had to sing in a choir for them, and that was pretty fantastic.

Lets see..
This week we're talking about relationships. I'm pretty excited especially because Elaine Allegretto is speaking. It's going to be good.
Last night was creative offering, which is a night that we offer any talent or gifting we have to God. So i played my piano song and no one had heard me yet. I was really nervous and messed up alot but everyone loved it. My school is so talented with singing its ridiculous.
I'm really tired all the time. I have slept through breakfast about four times now and I'm running out of breakfast food... whoops. And last night I dreamed about zombies and it freaked me out really bad.

Oh well. I'll post more about what ministry stuff happens this week later.

I miss everyone at home so much.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Just some pictures.

Meet Nathan, the guy who has changed my view about the rest of the guys in the world.
Meet Leah, the girl who has brought me through this past week.
Meet Hannah and Shelby, the best girls ever.

Filling of the Holy Spirit.

"Don't judge the rest of your life by your circumstances today."

Yesterday we talked about the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. The speaker was the school of worship leader who is a really fantastic person. He focused on so much of the Holy Spirit(I think I took four pages of notes) and all different aspects of it.
I really enjoyed it because he didn't just speak about spiritual gifts, but the reason behind it and the reason why we need the Holy Spirit. Every point was backed up in scripture and it was just awesome.

During the prayer chapel time, I was under alot of spiritual attack. I was dealing with alot of jealousy issues and I felt like my insecurity was coming back. Everytime I give something over to the Lord it's as if something is thrown back at me. Anyways, I just continued to pray and press in to the worship time.
Even though everyone was praying about something else, God already started to speak to me about what He wanted to give me that night.
I felt like God wanted to take out my spirit of timidity and give me a spirit of boldness. However at the same time, I felt like God was telling me that my spirit needed to be at peace at all times unless He was the one who stirred it up. If my spirit was at peace, I could hear the Holy Spirit and hear what He had to say to me whenever. I felt like He was saying i was going to be able to give words of knowledge and when I did, I could say them boldly and with confidence.

I finally talked to my parents, thank the Lord. Even though everything went well, it was hard to go straight into teaching and worship.
I still tried to press into worship. I just closed my eyes and began to pray. Some staff members came over to me and started praying for the filling of the spirit. Nothing outwardly "intense" happened to me that I hadn't experience or anything, but the staff member Katy began to tell me what she felt like the Holy Spirit was saying.
"I feel like you have the freedom but you wont accept it. God wants to give you the freedom, and then use your hands to bring freedom to others and bring freedom to places."

I fell on my face and just layed there. It hit me then how much I was forgiven again. I knew I had been over the past few days, but I guess I was still worried about something. I layed there without opening my eyes and just asked God to change my eyes to see something different and new about myself. I asked God to change my eyes to not judge others but to see the beauty in them. And when I opened my eyes I really felt it.
I don't know if its because I don't really care about how these people think of me, because they love me, or if it's God yet. But I just feel great here. I feel great about how i look. And I don't think its a bad thing as long as I'm not proud. It'a good feeling not to hate yourself.

So my foundation is still being built.
-The love of Jesus and how much He does.
-Forgiveness of yourself and others
-The Holy Spirit living in you.


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Forgiveness.

Yesterday we talked about unforgiveness and forgiving others.
Our speaker was from New Zealand.

A few things that God spoke through him to me during the teacher were..
-We want someone who speaks the languages of our heart.
-God isn't a record keeper of my sins.
-You're either set free from your sins or your bound by them.. Those are the only two options.
-The people who are quick to forgive are quick to get blessings from God.

My day progressed and I was slightly frustrated with just different aspects of my day. I kept talking to people who were worried about knowing what they had to deal with that night. I couldn't think of anything that would really upset me so much. I thought I wouldn't be crying or having a hard time but boy was I wrong.

I started to write a list of a few people I felt maybe I had bitterness towards. I asked God to reveal everyone who I really had an issue with. Before I knew it I had written a whole page of names covering it.

A few of my friends started confessing aloud the people they needed to forgive. I was so proud of them and tearing up just because I knew how much it meant to them and the Lord that they were forgiving those who hurt them.

I guess a few tears just set me off. The speaker called out different groups of people we needed to forgive, and one of them was friends and ex boyfriends/girlfriends. It suddenly hit me how much bitterness and even hatred I had towards people.
I started to forgive these girls who called me fat when I was 9 years old.. The girls who changed my perception about how I looked for the rest of my life. I didn't even really know that was such an issue until I started crying my eyes out about it.
Then I began to forgive every ex boyfriend.. Every guy who used me.. Every guy who had hurt me. I prayed that they would become men of God. I prayed they would find women who will love them and cherish them. I prayed blessings over the ones who tore me apart.

Leah came over to me and hugged me trying to comfort me. I thought it was all over until she asked me a question that changed everything.
"Julie, did you forgive yourself yet?"

Oh sweet Jesus, He made the tears come harder. I never knew that was my issue. I've had so much insecurity, so much hurt, and such a hard thinking of myself because I never forgave myself for my sin and past mistakes. It was hard for me and I couldn't for a long time, but I finally voiced out loud that I wasn't holding condemnation against myself anymore and that I forgave myself because I knew the Lord did.

Once again, I felt a release..


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Just one glance of your eyes.

Yesterday was a really intense day of teaching and worship.
This guy named Wes Chapman, who looks quite like my brother, did the teaching.
He was so passionate about talking about the brokeness of God.
He explained that God would take physical suffering of bearing the cross everyday over
the emotional suffering and grief he goes through everyday.

Earlier, God had already told me to read Song of Songs. I kept reading so much and just felt like God was directing me there.
During the worship time after the teaching we sang that song Majesty

Here I stand,
knowing that I'm your desire,
sanctified by glory and fire.

I had never felt like God desired me before yesterday. I felt needed and wanted and that God was pursuing me.
I mailed a very important letter. It was so hard but I know will be good. Thank the Lord for Nathan.

During my work duty, I played with this little girl from Africa who is named Maddie. She is the most beautiful child in the world and for some reason I just saw Jesus in her. She blessed my heart.

We had another worship time around 3 in the prayer chapel. I already felt such a release from the other night. God kept giving me words for people that made sense to them and where what they needed.
He gave me a vision of a ribbon. One string was being pulled out of the ribbon, and one by one the whole thing began to unravel. It didn't stop until a knot was put at the unraveling.
I felt like God was saying one temptation can start the whole process all over again, and until God knots our lives, and stops the root of the problem, we will continue on the downward cycle.

I've made two new good friends, Kyle and Max. I've been able to talk to them alot about their lives and minister to them, and in return God has given them alot of insight. The guys here are phenomenal. They are so tender hearted, at least to me, and are sensitive to what they say to me.

Then last night we finished up the broken heart of God. We were instructed to ask Jesus to do whatever He wanted to with us. Then Wes began to read from a doctors perspective of the actual physical pain Jesus went through on the cross.
I wept bitterly. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. During parts of it I was practically gagging. I saw it all in my head and saw exactly what Jesus actually went through.
By the end of it, pretty much my whole school was just weeping out to God. We didn't understand why He did it for us. At that point Wes told us to ask Jesus why He did it.
I can't even explain what happened next, but I lifted my arms out to Jesus and I felt him hug me. People always say that if you were the ONLY person on the earth, He still would have done it. I never understood that before last night. I'm worth something to Jesus and I'm worth everything to Jesus.

God is completely tearing down my foundation for everything and building it back up. I'm starting over in a complete new way and really in everyway.
I'm starting over so my foundation is solid.

Last night was the beginning of the foundation:
Knowing the love of Jesus and to the extent he does.

I finally returned to my first love.


Monday, October 5, 2009

What can I do with my obsession.

Today we talked about the intention of our hearts.
Pretty much the whole thing is summed up in this:

"To the degree that you respond to the conviction
of the Holy Spirit, is to the degree you will conform
to the image of God."

Tonight we had a bonfire where we wrote down on pieces of paper
or brought actual things and threw them in the fire. I knew exactly
what I was going to write down on the paper, and I confessed in front
of my whole group sins and idols that I have put before God.
I was completely filled with peace and completely broken and vulnerable to the Lord.
I never had felt such two extremes.
The staff and my surrounding classmates were so supportive.. So loving and tender..
Jesus was shown to me through them.

This is only the beginning,
but with full confidence I will never be the same after tonight.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

I'm just really sleepy.

Yesterday ended up being a very good day.
I met my small group. We went out and got some coffee at Rockwells and then this really tiny girl with the fastest metabolism ever decided to buy two pizzas. So we ate them. It was pretty fantastic.

Leah is my small group leader and it's the best. We already have like three one-on-ones planned on where we are going to go. I didn't even know she was a licensed cosmetologist, so now my hair problems are handled! hooray! Anyways I got this really soft teal blanket and its the best.

Then we watched the Newsies and I wore my newsies hat in honor of it. I missed being with Ana and singing all the songs and debating with her whether Christian Bale was hot or not. We watched Terminator 4 which is always awful. Well both times I've seen it.
It was a very nice movie time I gotta admit.

On another note, it's been raining for like 24 hours straight and has made me completely just want to lay in my amazing blanket all day and drink coffee. Which luckily, I can do for most of the day. Well.. Once I make coffee. I got the blanket and Nathan guitar thing down so far.

Kim, I really just want to eat cheesecake with you and drink coffee like pre preganancy pre me leaving days. =[


Saturday, October 3, 2009

Free days.

Not a fan.

Not one bit.

Friday, October 2, 2009

You are beautiful my sweet sweet song.

I haven't updated in a few days so there is alot to say.

I will start with the most exciting news ever. I'm going to Thailand for my outreach! It is so amazing to me how much God provided this for me. For the past couple months Thailand has been on my heart. Yesterday they announced the outreach options. Before they did that, I had taken a nap. The first thing I heard when I woke up was,
"You're going home."
I knew what God meant and I knew I was going to Thailand or India.
I also got a vision of three pillars, and the middle pillar was way above the other ones.
So I go into class and I was freaking out because I knew what was coming. The leaders go up and announce they are going to Thailand and working with prostitution and child trafficking. I started tearing up and just became so excited.
Also, thailand was the middle country they talked about going to.
I freaked out and was just soooo excited. I knew right away where God was going to send me.

My team is 17, which makes the other teams to South Korea and the States only 8. It's going to be interesting, but three of my really good friends are going for sure: Hannah, Shelby, and Nathan.

Other things i've been learning...
Yesterday this man came and talked to us about Health and how to put it in a godly way. Alot of people thought it was silly/dumb, but it actually really spoke to me. We need to workout/eat healthy/etc because God has called us to take care of our bodies and be healthy to hopefully gain more years to work for the kingdom of God. It kinda struck me because so much of my health and looks issue are rooted in selfishness.

We also learned about quiet time, discipleship, and intercession. All three things ive known about for forever, and God still spoke to me in crazy ways through them. I've been having beautiful quiet times just being focused on God and listening to Him.
Today during the intercession topic, the guy who was speaking started talking to me while he was speaking and just saying God has something for me and God was going to use me in great ways and all this stuff and then kept on talking with what he was saying. He was probably just giving an example, but God spoke directly through him to me.

-On practical notes, I think I'm actually losing weight because they have a phenomenal salad bar here. Or it could be working out with Hannah in the mornings.
-Last night we had a welcome party, that was like a middle school dance. It was hilarious.
-I turn 18 in 19 days.
-My work duty job thing is amazing. I love Dennis and T train, and we constantly are having dance party sing offs.
-My school has like 10 people so far that I know have amazing voices. It's insane.
-God speaks through wind.

Amen.