Yesterday we got back from the camping trip.
I love the camping trip! Every trip the times of being with my church family is just wonderful.
This trip Sacha and Mark Turek came. Mark and Mike have been friends since highschool. Mark was my principal back in Maryland. They are some of those people who may not live with us and are a part of another church in another state, but they are still a part of our church family. They always brings fresh energy and life to times of fellowship.
This trip Mike started the trip by talking about the future. The future of the church in general and the future of Immanuel Fellowship. That evening he talked about three traps that can keep people from becoming strong worker for the Kingdom.

1. Lack of faith He made the point that faith is spelled RISK. Without faith we can't press in and go on. There will be many times we feel like quitting, but it is through faith we push through. It is not just a step of faith, it is a journey of faith. Like Joseph had to have faith that the dreams he had would come true even when he was sold into slavery. Or like in Hinds Feet on High Places every part of the journey strengths Much-Afraids faith in the Sheperd. Many people want to be works but many only dream because they don't have the faith to take risks.
2. Choosing the wrong life partner This is something Mike talks about a lot. He has seen many people who would be strong workers become weak because of the wrong partner. Mike say the only way to truly know if a person is the right person is by God speaking. Over all just be causious. If a person has not had a solid walk for at least two years, there should not be a relationship. This is a very popular subject in singles' circles, but it is very much needed.
3. Failing to be a student of God's word God's word is the nourishment and guidence for our walk. Without God's word getting through check points is impossible. It is your life line.

The next morning Mark talk about suffering. Mark's wife has a servir case of MS and so he daily deals with suffering. He talked about how suffering is a sign of God's love. It is a way to make us mature. Life is about Him and suffering is about glorifying him.

The next morning Bill talked about spiritual parents. He talked about how we need spiritual parents to help us develope and grow. He also talked about how we need to be those parents to others. He said we need to find some one who is Faithful Available Teachable to invest in. Just like Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-2

It seemed like God was really speaking about perserverence and taking risks.

I have no idea what to write. I am very hyper! very hyper! I am very, very, very excited!!
Because two of my favorite people just got engaged!!! YEAH!!!!! I have been waiting for this for like a year.
And another two of my favorite people might have a new baby next time I see them which is later today!!
Excitement fills my bones!!

OK breath iiinnnn ooouuuttt iiinnn oouuuttt ooookkkk I feel better.

I am not sure why I am so hyper. I don't think I have had enough sleep the last couple nights so I am overly tired.
A bunch of us went to Pirate last night that was a lot of fun though I don't like this one as much as the first one, but oh well. I enjoy hanging out with friends.

I was hyper last night too. So I had some random girl talk on my friends cell phone to her sister in Texas. That was interesting. I want try it again.

Ok I am done rambling. bye

LIFE!!! What is life? A thousand roads a thousand ways where am I going?!
I wish I could just see in the future. Ok maybe not but could I have just a clue of what the next couple years are supposed to look like? PLEASE!!!
I don't even have options of what could happen. I guess this is where trust comes in.
I just have to take each step and let God take care of the bigger picture.
I LIKE TO BE IN CONTROL! or at least have some idea of whats going on.

I keep feeling like I am supossed to quit my job and do something else, but I need money so I can go on all my trips.
What about school? Am I supossed to be more comitted to school or should I just keep doing a couple classes a semester? What about HC? These are just a few of the questions that occupy my head these days. GOD!!! I don't understand.

Well...
I am trying again.
This is just going to be what a blog is supposed to be an online journal.
I am not going to tell anyone else about it, but if someone finds it great.
I can't promise how much I will write but you are welcome to read.
How boring of a first post can you get?!


Well about me:
I am 19-years-old. People call me many different things. I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a student, a disciple, a lifeguard, a co-worker, a teacher, a leader, and more specifically a mix of Japanese, French, German, and add a little Irish then a dash of English and you have my nationality. I have brown eyes and curly brown hair, but is this what defines me? Are these things what I want to be remembered as? What does it mean to be me?

Does being me mean I am only what other people see or am I more than that? Am I defined by my activities? Am I a world traveler because I enjoy traveling, or am I a swimmer because I swim for exercise? Am I chef because I sometimes I cook, or am I a Biblical scholar because I study the Bible? Is this who I am? These are somethings I enjoy and do often, but I believe that i am more that my activities and titles.

I grew up in a Christian home where we went to church every Sunday of my life. I can tell you Bible stories backwards and forwards because I have heard them all my life. Growing up we had Bible story tapes, Bible story books and Bible story videos. But when I was 12, I realized that my parents God needed either to become my God and not only theirs or I needed a new religion. So I began to study the Bible on my own. I searched for a faith I could call my own. I searched for something to define me. Even though I lived in a good, accepting family and belived in a God who the Bible shows loves and accepts you just the way you are, I still struggle with discovering who I am.

So maybe to define me you need to know what I am passionate about. I am passionate about my faith. I pray and worship passionately. I am passionate about nature and keeping its beauty natural. I passionately write stories and poems. I am passionate about other countries and learning their culture and language. I pasionately enjoy watching and getting to know people. All these things are a part of me, but not the essence of my being.

What is the essence of my being? The essence of my being is who I truly am. It is what is left after all my layers as the Buddhist would say. It is the part of me that most people will never see and sometimes it is even hidden from myself.