Pray the Hardest, when it is the hardest to pray

          " These were all commended  for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,   since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us  would they be made perfect."- Hebrews 11:39-40             " Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,  so the Son of Man must be lifted up,   that everyone who believes  may have eternal life in him.”   For God so loved  the world that he gave  his one and only Son,  that whoever believes  in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:14-16          “Come to me,  all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.   Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,  for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”- Matthew 11:28-30      ...

         " Blessed is the one  who does not walk  in step with the wicked  or stand in the way  that sinners take  or sit  in the company of mockers,  but whose delight  is in the law of the  Lord , and who meditates  on his law day and night.      That person is like a tree  planted by streams  of water,   which yields its fruit  in season  and whose leaf  does not wither— whatever they do prospers."- Psalm 1:1-3           " Then the angel showed me the river  of the water of life,  as clear as crystal,  flowing  from the throne of God and of the Lamb   down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life,  bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.   No longer will there be any...

        The word that God has been putting on my heart lately is......Waiting with His Love and Grace. God has been putting "waiting" on my heart since yesterday morning and He has been putting the words "love" and "Grace" on my heart since last Monday. I feel like God has put a lot of people (aka my friends) around me that are just waiting for things like another job, college, or their dream to come true. I feel like I'm waiting for a lot of things too.          The things I'm waiting for is to go to grad school again and the way to go, having not just a job but a career, getting married, having a family, and adopting. Those are the desires of my heart right now along with everyone else's that is around me. I can relate to 3 people because it is one or the other of these things. It maybe not just one but two of these things to for that other person.          It is strange that I'm just thinking the words "Love" and...

       You know in those moments when you think "Oh, I'll never do that or be like that" but then you turn out to be like that. There is a lot of DIY things that makes it cheaper on you as a person to have like cleaners and decorations and so on. For some reason, those things get me to thinking when I actually do those things like cleaning with vinegar. I knew it was a good cleaner and learned that in college and other ways but never thought I would do it.           Of course, I was in college when I thought that. I was stubborn and thought I could get everything with money and so on but that's not the way my life is going right now. I also thought, like in an earlier entry, I could make my own food but right now it is the easiest to make boxed food. It is something I do need to get use to because with my dream, I will be supporting children with the money that is being made and making things like cleaners and clothes. Not really, but it is ...

          "My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations."- Mark 11:17a       I have nothing else to write right now so I'm writing about this verse because it has been on my mind and bathroom mirror this month.      I heard this verse during a sermon one Saturday night. I would love it to be the theme of my house (now apartment). I am the person that loves missions and ministries. I'm that person that love to pray for other children and people in other nations. Why can't it be?      I have been to Mexico and Guatemala and seen so many things. Been to trash dumps and orphanages in those to countries. I love everyone of those children. I have seen children on the street selling things to barely get by. Helping their parents while walking all day. I sponsor a little girl (not so little anymore) from the Philippines through Compassion International. I know too many children not to pray for them whether i...

           I never thought about activities to help with conflicts or just to get to know the children but I learned today that activities can do both of those. Maybe that is why I love to do crafts or school things with the little children? The way I am doing it now it is letting me have one on one with them and teach them how to do things they have probably never done before. If schools saw activities more this way then maybe children would want to learn better. Especially today's children.            I have two ways that activities that can help children and youth and why it helps them the way it does. It is something else that I really have to look into and learn about somehow. One way is to use activities and basic needs for initial communication after or during a conflict. Why? It is often easier to talk over a game of cards (aka preschool making something) or a snack. ACTIVITIES AND FOOD TEND TO PUT PEOPLE AT EASE AND ...

         You might be thinking, "What a strange title that is for a entry!" Let me explain, though. For the past month or two, I have been really trying out an everyday schedule and noticing how "normal" people use boxed food because they are busy and not lazy. I thinking about starting to live off of boxed food and fresh fruits and veggies. Anyways, here are my explanations for both and what difference they have made in my life. I will admit too, I have had people tell me months before to use a schedule of some kind but I never stuck with it.           Let's start with something that I am actually doing right now and how it came about. You remember that women's Bible study I was taking back a month ago? Well, that is what got me started in this whole scheduling thing. The first thing that I was reminded off was that God cares about every little details of our lives so we should too. In our Bible study book, there was a chapter on how t...

          There is no better way to spend the first snow day then with your own nephews. The leaves look so pretty with the snow on them. All of those different colors shining under a white blanket of snow. It was a lot to really play it but it was fun to walk out in it and watch them ride their bikes in it. I had a moment with my nephews that was pretty funny but before I share that I want to share what I thought when I first just looked out at the big falling snowflakes. They were big at first and then they got smaller when the day went on.            The reason I was standing frozen on the porch and thinking while I was watching it come down was, "How fun would it be to be out in this falling snow while hunting?" Yes, I know most of you must think I am crazy but it is true. I wouldn't even have to be hunting as long as I was with someone that could hunt. I could enjoy God's beautiful creation with snow on top of everything. It w...

          As I was laying in bed wide awake last night, I thought, "When do I say I love you to anyone and when do I really mean it? What does it feel like when I do mean and how can I tell?" To be honest, it got me to worrying so much I was a wake for sometime. I know I have wrote about the different kinds of love in the past months and I'm starting to think that there are those different kinds. I never really thought about, though, how or when I say it and what I'm doing in that moment.  Here are just some types and moments where I do say, "I love you" and what I feel like if I can explain it.            First, I say I love you to the children that I work with because they need to hear it from someone. There are moments there where I do love them more then others but I try to say it as often as I can especially if I feel a connection with them. To me, it is important that every child should know that they are loved no matter...

          As I saw all the children's art on the wall, I thought to myself I really want to go back to teaching again. I miss it so much. Nothing has made me happier then seeing children's art on the wall and recognizing that some of that art is the same are that I am doing with the children I have now. It is like just seeing their art on the wall gave me the encouragement that I need to keep pushing forwards where I am now.            Teaching is my heart. That is who I am no matter the background of the child. That is how I grew up and learn to do things. I might not have them for a year but that doesn't mean we should stop teaching them altogether. It might be a different program or way we use but surely there is something out that. If not, let's be the first to make it.             Teaching is my heart. I miss the organization that comes with teaching. I miss the calmness that also comes with it o...

          " The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.   Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.   Then he said to the tree,  “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it." -Mark 11: 12-14           These verses were the first part of the sermon last night and I thought it was neat the way the preacher explained it. I never thought 3 little verses could mean so much but he made these verses hit home for me last night. We think that the fig tree is a little bush and in most Sunday school pictures that is how it is shown but it is not. It is a big, strong, tall tree. Jesus cursed the big dig tree. To the disciples and to us, it might seem silly that Jesus cursed a tree at first but when you really look into it is not so silly.   ...

        I can't believe it has been almost 4 days since I wrote in my blog. Oh! wait! yes I can. It has been a busy a stressful four days. It has also been uncertain for me. You know when you have all these crazy thoughts but yet you have no idea how you are going to make time for everything that goes into those thoughts? That is me right now and will be in the next week or possibly two months since it is the Holiday season now.         I believe that God has been showing me a lot about my path and my future. I hate when I think about those two things but every once in awhile those are things we need to think about even if we love where we are in life right now. I've been thinking about it in a crazy, yet possible, way. For me, right now, it is this battle in my heart of city life vs. country life. For most of you who know me, you know I am country life all the way. Even my personality is country lifestyle. I'm the easygoing, laid-back, outdoorsy...

          " Your heart is beautiful and I'm still working on it. I'm working on you from the inside to the outside. That's all that really matters right now. Once I get your heart where I want it then we will start to work on the outside." Like               I came up with this quote when I first woke up yesterday morning. As far as I know, I am the one that made it up and is saying it now. If it is from someone else and you know please let me know who. I will tell you how and why this quote came to mind as the first thing I thought about right after waking up to get ready for the day.               The crazy person that I am, some mornings, makes me look at Facebook while I'm in the process of waking up (aka laying in bed still). I got on Facebook that morning and a picture popped up that I really didn't want to see. It was nothing bad but just a picture that I had strange fe...

         I did an entry in April about child abuse awareness because that was the month where we were made to be aware of it and it is something that I am passionate about. Well, this month is another month that I am passionate about and that is because it is National Adoption Month. Those two things go in hand for me especially at my job. Children get abused and taken from their parents for some time in the hope of getting to go back but some don't get that chance but some do get adopted, which is very special.           I might be mistaken in saying and comparing the two months but this month means a lot more to me because even though we should be aware of the abuse going on for sure. We should also speak up for adoption so those abuse children can have a forever family. Adoption is a important subject to me and close to heart. Working my job, I'm learning a lot about my adoption through Christ and what that looked like. That is why a...