Daily Life: In Thankfulness.

Today is Monday.  Many people may have feelings of lethargy, dread, or just plain tiredness when they hear that phrase.  Sometimes this mentality can strike me into a slump of "woe is me," but today is not one of them - by God's grace!  Before lecture this morning we had a time of giving thanks to God for not only who He is and what He's done, but also for how He continues to bless His children each new day.  I thanked God for blankets, for wood floors under my feet, tea in my mug, for sunshine, and warm socks...  I love giving God the glory and thanks for the small things in life- It's so wonderful He chooses to bless me.  It really changes my perspective on the day (Monday); and gratefulness is one way I abide in the Lord with joy!

The sun shining is not just a cliche thing for me to be thankful for this time.  This Friday was the first time the sun was truly shining for any period of time, in thirteen days.  I'm seriously thankful for the sun, and for the beautiful colors (fall leaves, grass, architecture) the light illuminates.  The air is crisp and cool, and my afternoons/evenings usually include a good cup of tea, seems so right for autumn!

Soon I will be off on my twenty minute walk to the Water Castle- through the bright forest, across the small creek and through the open gate.  On Monday afternoon at 4 o'clock the school comes together again for a learning time about Bible reading.  I think it's my favorite teaching time I've experienced so far.  Last week we were challenged to read Philippians with roommates. When Katie, Caty, and Andrea and I got together to read, it was such a sweet moment of hearing what God has to say to each of us as believers.  I am really focusing on Phil. 4:6-7 this week.  Hope God will encourage you through it as much or more than He has for me!  Have a great week!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

True and Better

 

 News flash for my soul: My relationship with Jesus Christ is the true relationship that earthly God-honoring marriage is to be a picture of.  There is no reason to constantly be “in search of the one” right now, because knowing Christ as the true satisfaction of my heart’s desire for wild, crazy, noble love is the real love story. He shows me that He loves me with a wild love in that ultimate sacrifice of His life on the hill called Golgotha, and that now he sits in glory in triumph interceding on my behalf before God the Father today.  Salvation is here! Glory in my Redeemer! My heart can not even imagine His Highness coming to rescue a harlot-heart like mine.  But oh am I satisfied in knowing that the most noble, loving Person has rescued me from my nasty prison of idolatry and sin.

 This truth was brought to my attention while my class and I praised God with the words, “I exult Thee” on Wednesday afternoon.  He showed me that He is true and better than whomever I could set my eyes on here on earth, on a person-to-person level.  If I was to really sing exultation to Jesus, I was to see that He is to be exulted above any other name on earth.

This may not have been brand new information to me on an intellectual level; but my heart was deeply impacted by this reality anew and afresh.  God’s amazing undeserved saving grace compels me to glory in his love, and desire to serve Him joyfully all the more!  This is one of the lessons God has reminded me of this week, to appreciate, love, and know Him through His Word as the one and only True and Better.  I want to be Overwhelmed by Jesus' heart-satisfying, wild love for me today and everyday for the rest of eternity. He is worthy of my praise! He is good!

Happy Friday dear ones!

 

Hello Wonderful Family and Good Friends!

I am writing again:

a. To keep my sanity, sort out thoughts, and reflect on God's goodness, grace, and glory
b. To keep loving prayer warriors informed and up-to-date
c. To keep you "in the know" - even though we're oceans apart

 

The first week of school has been quite the whirlwind and flurry of getting settled in, and getting to know the people around.  My roommies are pretty wonderful.  There are four of us total in our room and we represent 3 countries!  We have already had the privilege to travel together, hike together, laugh together, dance together, and have some really good deep conversations about life in Christ (together).

This is my new friend Elise.  She is probably 6 foot, 1-2 inches tall (SO cool-she's taller than me!).  The first thing I said to her was something along the lines of- "You're taller than me!"  Elise responded with a hearty, "Welcome to Europe!" (She is German and Dutch.) She's sweet and only a dash of silly. She has a huge heart for oppressed people of the world.  She is a woman with a heart after Jesus, which seems to be a reoccurring theme with the people around YWAM Herrnhut.



So, just in case you're wondering if I'm fluent in German since I've been gone for two weeks now... The answer is definitely-if the language only includes, "good morning, good day, butterfly, and flower!"  Alas, I really should show that I care enough about the people here to try to learn a bit more of their language-Hold me accountable! :)

On another note: Most likely had the best brat of my life on Saturday in Dresden. SO GOOD --->

I have just begun the art part of the program-Graphic Design.  I'm so excited about how the class is planned to run for the semester. We are going to be assigned projects within graphic deign that focus on some aspect of design, and focus on how we are processing the lecture topics. Our working space is in the attic of the Water Castle.  In the afternoon, the sunlight streams in through white window panes.  Thankful.