The lifecycle of a Desire-ChajulExperiences

Hi Everyone!

Sometimes in our hearts an idea creates. Sometimes we think about that idea to ourselves and even the What if's of that idea. Then we begin to think more about that idea and one day we talk to somebody about that idea that is in our heart, that idea that we have thought about to ourselves but haven't shared it with anyone just yet. Then you talk to that one person, and perhaps talk to another, then those people might mention that idea to someone else and now that idea, that one in your heart, is being spread, perhaps even being prayed for. Eventually with time you notice how certain things are starting to line up with this idea you had and it's coming to life.....Then you realize, that this idea...is actually a desire...a desire that is in your heart...and The Lord..He knows all of our desires because He is the one who puts them there...and when you realize this...you are still for a moment and your mind travels back to when you first had this idea...and then it all makes sense to you....and you now are able to understand the lifecycle of an idea that is actually a desire given to you by God.

This lifecycle happened for me when it comes to me going to Guatemala. I always had some type of idea that I wanted to do a missions trip, I didn't know how, when, what, with who or anything when I first thought about it.

Eventually the life cycle took place and things out of my control fell into place and The Lord made it happened.

This post I am going to talk about what it was like traveling down and when I first arrived!

I left Newark airport early in the morning. When I got on the plane I was fascinated that every seat had a TV in front of them. I must have changed my movie over four times because I couldn't decide what I wanted to watch! I just thought wow, how amazing this is that I am actually able to watch a movie of my choice on an airplane. I had a layover in Houston and that plane was similar, tv's on every seat.

As I was sitting on the plane I began to get a little nervous for when I would arrive at Guatemala City Airport. This was really the only thing I got nervous about on the trip and that was the thought of when I land and I would have to find the group of people that I was meeting there.

These thoughts went through my head:
I am not fluent in Spanish and I do not look like a native of Guatemala.
If someone approached me would I understand?
Would I be able to read the signs and know where to go?
What if I can't find the group?
I don't have a cell phone to call them will I be able to get a hold of them?

Those were all questions that went through my mind and finally after going through those questions I was able to pray and feel at peace with trusting God that He will get me to where I need to go and to pray to be prepared for whatever I may run into.

When I got off the plane I was able to navigate my way to customs and make it outside of the airport. People who are picking passengers up are not allowed in the airport they have to stay outside. So eventually I walked out of the doors and there was a crowd of people behind ropes and taxi drivers and people trying to get my attention and it was nerve racking for sure! I took a deep breathe and scanned the crowd looking for the girls who I was meeting. Soon enough we spotted each other and I left the roped off area feeling relieved! That was my biggest fear of the trip! I was able to thank God for taking away that burden !

It's not easy going somewhere unfamiliar and completely out of your comfort zone. I admire anyone who does that whether it is to another country or to a new restaurant. But leaving your comfort zones help you to grow, learn, and experience things you never imagined. It's a leap of faith!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”-Joshua 1:9

God Bless!

Here is a video of Chajul!

Always Amazes Me!-Back From Chajul!

Hi Everyone!!


Wow, thank you all so much for your prayers during the time of my trip! It was incredible! God just continues to amaze me! With a busy schedule of wedding festivities since the day I landed back in the states I have not yet been able to sit down to and write about all of the things I want to share with everyone but soon enough I will get the ball rolling!  However, the woman that I stayed with, Sister Bernice, who is a Maryknoll Sister, (Quick description of a Maryknoll Sister: "We give witness to God's love and devote our lives in service overseas.  As nurses, doctors, teachers, theologians, social workers, environmentalists and more,  we serve the needs of the people – the poor, the ailing and the marginalized –  where we are missioned. Our mission began in 1912,  when we became the first group of Catholic Sisters in the United States founded for overseas mission.") She wrote a newsletter that I would like to share!

Below is her newsletter:

Chajul, June, 2014

A Call…

Greetings from Guatemala on the longest day of the year. I’ve had two amazing experiences over the last few months and I want to share both with you now.

   

On April 18, we Maryknoll Sisters in Guatemala received an e-mail message from a young woman in Philadelphia who was finishing her studies at Temple University. She said in part:

I have always wanted to do mission work and I feel that in the next few months will be the right time. God's timing and his plans have always been far better than the ones that I ever could imagine! I am extremely open and willing to hear about any type of mission work that perhaps could be possible for me to do in Guatemala. I don't really have a particular type of mission work that I am looking to do, mainly to Serve in any way that I can. I like to choose a word for the year and this year my word is "serve." However, I am interested in working with children.

I picked up on her request immediately, partly because I had the perfect mission for her, and partly because her name is Megan Kita! Her timing fit perfectly with the university vacation of Ana Dieguez and Gaby Calderon, former Chajul volunteers from Monte María high school who wanted to return for a week to work with kids again. While we all figured out the best schedule by e-mail, Megan and I delved into our Kita surname.

In summary: I know my own grandfather, Józef Kita, was the only one of his family to become rooted in the Philadelphia area, but Megan’s ancestors may have come from the same town in Poland, Jodłowa. Her ancestors went to Bayonne, New Jersey and her grandfather was born there. All her family lived in New Jersey until her parents moved to Easton, PA where she grew up. Two years ago her childhood friend bought a house in Philadelphia and they moved there. Where was the house? On Tulip Street, near the Port Richmond neighborhood where I grew up! Amazing!

Megan arrived in Guatemala on June 11at 1:30 p.m. and Ana, Gaby and I met her at the airport. We drove 3 ½ hours and spent the night with our Sisters in Lemoa. The next morning we drove to Chajul where they quickly gathered over 20 children. For the next several days they worked in three languages – Spanish, English and Ixil – and taught arithmetic, crafts and English. Everyone got along so well, it was wonderful!

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The way that the Lord has orchestrated this story in my life and in the life of Sister Bernice, Gabi, and Ana just absolutely blows my mind and amazes me. This is something I could have never thought of myself. When we let go and let God His plans are always better than ours. 

A quick little bit on what we did there:

Sister Bernice has a house in Chajul connected with the church where there are two classrooms in it. We let the kids know that we are in town and that we will be giving classes during the morning and the afternoon. News travels fast there! By word of mouth! Most kids there go to school in either the morning or the afternoon so when they are off they would come to Sister Bernice's house. These kids are amazing and so willing and excited to learn!! They have changed my life!

Can't wait to continue sharing about this experience and how God's love reaches people in all different places with all different languages!!

God Bless! Please continue to pray for the kids of Chajul and all of God's kids!

Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift from the Lord."

Fueled!

Hi Everyone!!

Tomorrow morning I am off to Guatemala on a Missions Trip! I am beyond excited and feel so blessed and at peace with this opportunity God is giving me. I think it is important though for all of us to know that where ever we are in the world we can be on a mission!

I thank you all for your prayers and well wishes before I leave! I am asking you to continue to pray for me and the people that I will encounter there! I most likely will not have access to the internet and I will be posting about everything when I return! Continue to spread God's love wherever you go. Be a glimpse of the light in darkness.

"For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve..." -Matthew 10:45

Sister Bernice shared with me this paragraph and I wanted to share it with all of you:

MISSION IS COMMUNION by Kathleen Reiley, M.M. and Jean Maloney, M.M. 

Regardless of what ministry of service we may find ourselves engaged in - this attitude of openness, reverence for and willingness to learn from the people to whom we have been sent is essential to mission and entering into true COMMUNION with the people. 
Mission is a total way of life. It is making God's love visible in our world by our work, prayer and attitudes towards one another in community and to those to whom we are sent. It is our relationship to each person, to the earth, all peoples, all cultures, in unconditional love and service that God's kingdom may come about. 
[Prepared for 2014 Maryknoll Sisters Northeast Asia Mission Presence Assembly]

I thank you all so much for your prayers and well wishes before I leave! I feel so extremely blessed I do not even have the words to explain it! Thank you to those who so generously donated to help buy things to bring for the kids! Thank you Noel for my weekly spanish lessons! Thank you to my parents and brother and the rest of my family for always supporting and loving me! Thank you for my roommates and my friends to help guide me every day to get to this point! Because of all of you I have been fueled to go and do what I feel God is calling me to do right now in my life, thank you all for helping to be an instrument!

I am asking you to continue to pray for me and the people that I will encounter there! I most likely will not have access to the internet and I will be posting about everything when I return! Continue to spread God's love wherever you go. Be a glimpse of the light in darkness. 

"For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve..." -Matthew 10:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3IrwujyAJ4

^This song inspires me!

God Bless!!!!

Trusting Your Struggle

Hi Everyone!

Wow it has been a while since I wrote on the blog!

It’s amazing what can happen in your life when you let go and let God. That is basically how I have been trying to live especially these past few months. I struggle at times though, I absolutely do. But I have learned and witnessed through myself and others that if you TRUST YOUR STRUGGLE it will help to fuel you to go where you are being called, where the gifts and talents that you have been given can be used to help others reach that ultimate goal in life. That ultimate goal of helping others to become aware, find, strengthen their relationship and become closer to Christ and to know the love He has for each and every one of us.

Right now I am preparing to go on a mission’s trip to Guatemala! I will be going to The village of San Gaspar Chajul which is a tiny community of indigenous Ixil people in the mountains of the department of Quiché, Guatemala. I am beyond excited and I want to share with you some of the pin points in my life that brought me to this next journey because I am absolutely taken back by them!

I could go back so far to the pin points but I’ll keep it short and simple for now and put the main ones down!

-In 2007 I chose to go to Temple University to study Sport and Recreation management

-Randomly was matched with three other roommates for freshmen year, (We had the best freshman year and we all got along, still do today!! E430!)

-Freshman year Misha, one of my roommates, became a football manager for the football team.

-Summer after Freshman year Misha was diagnosed with Leukemia. (She battled for two and a half years and the whole time was self-less, strong, and an inspiration to others.)

-Skip several years later and in March 2011 Misha passed away.

-Graduated college December 2011 after returning back to Pennsylvania from Arizona for an internship, I was asked by Misha’s bosses at Temple Football about becoming a Graduate Assistant for Equipment and working with them.

-After a few months of deciding and after having a conversation with her Aunt, she told me that I could fulfill a dream of Misha’s. And so I did. (Thanks Auntie!)

I came back to Temple and moved in with my best friend where we grew up next door to each other since we were babies.

-Since I was going to be a Graduate Assistant I had to choose a Master’s program. I chose Liberal Arts because I was always in to poetry.

-In the Liberal Arts program you are required to do a thesis.

-This past January when thinking about my thesis I thought that if I have to write one I want to do it on something I am passionate about. I had the idea of going on a missions trip and using that as part of my research. The desire to go on a missions trip has always been in the back of my head, it was just never the right time…and now I know why!

-When I moved to Philly I wanted to join a church parish and because of one of my roommates friends and my conversation with her about the type of parish I was looking for I went to a Mass at St. Malachy’s and it was exactly what I didn’t even know I wanted let alone needed! And so I joined!

-I become friends with some of the parishoners and they would ask me what I was doing with my life. And so I would tell them about school and how now I am trying to figure out a thesis topic and how I would love to go on a missions trip as part of my research.

-I met this one woman who told me she went on trips a lot and so we met for dinner and talked about possible opportunities because she knew people in Latin America where she has gone before.

-She emailed her friends in Latin America and copied me on the email explaining to them what I was looking to do.

-Well one of the women on the chain, her last name happened to be my last name, KITA!

-She emailed separately and said, if you family is from Poland we could be related!

-Well my entire family is from Poland!

-She told me where some of her ancestors landed when they came through Ellis Island..... Philadelphia and Bayonne, New Jersey.

-My Grandfather was born in Bayonne!!!

-After this connection and further conversations with her she told me that she would love if I came down where she is to do a mission. Sister Bernice Kita lives in San Gasper Chajul.

-Before I knew it I was buying my plane ticket to go down there. I had and have no doubts that this is exactly where I am supposed to go next. I will be teaching children in a school and will also be focusing on teaching them how to play sports!!

-Oh yea not to mention where I live now, there were actually some Kita’s that lived right in my neighborhood! AMAZING!!

-We have not yet figured out the direct relation of our family members but the connection is already there with us.

A former roommate has a sister who is a Spanish teacher and she has been tutoring me for the past month on Spanish!

-And just like that God is fulfilling this desire I have always had in my heart and it is better than I could ever imagine!

That is the short version of the pinpoints to bring me to this trip! However, I am not writing my thesis on this topic because The Lord through other pinpoints directed me to another thing that I am passionate about and will share at another time.

My thoughts!

-This year the one word I choose to live by is “SERVE.”- praying to do that one word God has blessed me with this opportunity to serve the people of Chajul.

-I find it amazing that the choices and the paths that other people take in life are created to help one another. It is important to recognize the paths of others and when and how our paths cross.

-Trusting the Lord and trusting that His plans are greater than our plans.

-In my heart I always wanted to do a trip, I never had any worry about it. I think it’s important that we verbally tell others about things that interest us and pray to keep our hearts, eyes, and ears open to recognize when we are being called for something. We are all instruments in God’s orchestra so let’s create music.

I am beyond excited and feel beyond blessed to have encountered so many people in my life to help me get to this point. Everything doesn’t always make sense now but just keep having faith.

No wonder why it was never the right timing for me to do a missions trip before hand because if so how would this connection with Bernice Kita have been made! God’s timing is perfect! Be patient and in your patience, trust your struggle!

I am asking you all to pray for me the next week as I prepare to make my way down there. I ask that you pray to help me be an instrument to help others get closer to God.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."-Luke 11:9

God Bless!!!

Those Simple Things

Hi Everyone!

I have been thinking lately, how the little things that we do in life for other people are like the little things that God does for us. Now for me, one of my favorite things that the Lord gives me almost everyday, is to witness a sunset or a sunrise. I absolutely find myself to be astonished at the colors every time I see one. I know that a sunrise and a sunset happens every day but even so I love being surprised by this gift from God. 

It made me think about when women receive specifically flowers from a man, and when then receive them not for any special occasion, just because. In my life I have only received flowers from a man because of a special occasion, and honestly I think that was only twice in my life. So I can't speak from direct experience of receiving flowers just because but I can speak from witnessing friends of mine receiving flowers, just simply because this person wants to let them know they love them. I would have to imagine that the feeling of the man bringing them to her or having them delivered must be something like seeing a sunset or a sunrise. It's an exciting and thrilling feeling. The colors that are embodied in the flowers just like the colors that can be drawn across the sky. It is something so beautiful, but it's more about what you feel when you see the things. It's the feeling of love, that someone loves you so much and these are ways of trying to express a feeling that is felt toward you.

Most women I know love flowers but they also love the little things in life. I can't speak for a man but I would have to imagine that the little things have so much meaning as well. I believe that these little things, these simple gestures are what keep relationships alive especially with Christ. The Lord does these "little things" for us every single day. It is up to us whether we recognize them and be examples of what it means to give little things to others, just because. Remember though, these little things in life don't have to be tangible items, not at all. The more you get to know people in your life you will quickly learn the things that bring joy to them.

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Pinning that Point

Happy Tuesday!!

Try this see what happens, ready? Stop right now and look around at the moment you are in...

Now, how did you get to this moment? Can you pinpoint a moment that brings you to this moment? And then can you pinpoint a moment that brought you to that moment? Can you keep going back and pinpointing certain moments in your life to lead you to exactly the one you are in?

Perhaps you can't pin point the very moment you are in, that's okay! Can you find a moment in your life when you can, maybe when you met someone or you went somewhere or something happened? Can you pin point moments that led to that moment? Maybe at this very moment you are having trouble pin pointing moments. Take some time when you are free and think about it. Try and pick a moment in your life and pin point certain moments that helped get you there. It's pretty amazing when you are able to see all the dots connect! You will realize why certain things happened and appreciate where you are now because of all those moments, even if those moments were not the best ones you ever had.

I love pin pointing moments of my life that brought me to other moments especially the moments when I meet people. I look at these moments and thank God for guiding me and even when I would stray off his path, He always seemed to lead me back on it. How amazing that God loves us so much! I have come to find out that God's plans are always better than mine plans. His timing is always better than what I think good timing is. Pin pointing moments of my life help me to appreciate why I have been where I have been.

Pin point moments of your life and see what happens :)

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

God Will Open Doors but It's Up To You Whether You Walk Through Them

Hi Everyone!

So did you ever ask the Lord for something and he was pretty quick to respond? Well, I have had that happen to me many, many times. Some prayers I feel like it takes forever for the Lord to answer them or for me to recognize His answer and other times I ask and I receive within a few minutes, hours, or days. His timing is always perfect though!!  Well, this happened to me the other day! About a week ago I was praying to the Lord and asking Him how I could increase my energy. I started exercising more and I began to get more tired than I had been throughout the day. So I flat out asked, "Lord how can I get more energy?!" A day or two later a close friend of mine texted me asking me when I was going to join AdvoCare.

"AdvoCare is a premier health and wellness company offering world-class energy, weight-loss, nutrition, and sports performance products along with a rewarding business opportunity."  

Several months earlier he had asked me when or if I was going to join AdvoCare. Well, this time when he asked, I decided to really look into everything. This is a paragraph from their website that I read, "Joining team AdvoCare empowers individuals to explore their ultimate potential. When people try the products, the positive testimonials pour in: "I feel better than I have in years." "My energy level is unbelievable." "AdvoCare has changed my life." AdvoCare focuses on wellness and provides an opportunity to enrich your life in the way that you choose." When I saw what AdvoCare provided and the testimonial I knew that this is where I was supposed to be, on this website and this is something that I probably was supposed to get in to. For me this was the answer to the prayer I was asking the Lord. Now it would be up to me whether or not to take this opportunity that was right in front of me. God gave us the gift of free will so whether or not I choose to capitalize on the opportunity is up to me.

My friend suggested to me that I do something that is called the 24 Day Challenge. I encourage anyone who is interested or curious to go on to the website and check it out! http://www.advocare.com/ 
After I checked into it, I decided that I wanted to do this 24 day challenge! I love challenges and I thought that this would be something perfect for me to do at this time in my life. When I told my friend that I wanted to do it, I asked him if we could add another thing on to the challenge for ourselves, but this doesn't have to do with the body physically, but with the soul. When I begin to start my 24 day challenge with AdvoCare, which I probably will sometime this week (when my supplies come in the mail) I will begin to transform, nourish and change my body and health to help better myself. So I asked him if he would want to throughout this process help to transform our souls too. I think that it is so important and especially when it comes to your body and nurturing it that we remember to keep God in the center of it all. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body," (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

So with this 24 day challenge my friend and I will also challenge ourselves to strengthen our relationship with the Lord as I also go through the process of strengthening my body so that I can better serve the Lord. The support that I have received from the members of AdvoCare over the past few days before I have even started the challenge has been incredible. I am so excited and ready to begin this challenge.

There is a difference between a commitment and being committed. I have made a commitment for 24 days to work on my health and to strengthen my relationship with The Lord with a friend. Each day that I do this I continue to become more and more committed to my commitment.

So, remember when you ask the Lord in prayer for something, be open to His answer. Once he provides you with an answer it is your choice whether or not to walk through that door He has opened. I ask you to pray for me that I focus on the Lord through this health challenge along with prayers that my friend and I will continue to strengthen our relationship with Christ to better ourselves in order for us to better serve the Lord and His children and fulfill His will on Earth.

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."- Mark 11:24

*Alex-Thank you for your faith and trust in the Lord always and your persistent effort to help change people's lives to become a better version of themselves each day.

Celebrating Christmas Every Single Day

Hi Everyone!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2014! I hope that everyone enjoyed the Holidays this year. Just because the commercialized season of Christmas and New Years is over does not mean that it has to be over for us nor should it be. Christmas is when when celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and that The Lord came into this world as a human to save us. This is something we can celebrate, remember, and and be thankful for every day. Even the simple words of praying a prayer such as this, 

"Lord thank you for the birth of Jesus and sending your son here to save us from our sins. Thank you for sending Jesus here to walk on this Earth so that we know the things He experienced in His life and we can relate to and gain strength from Him all the days of our lives. Help me to spread The Good News of the Birth of my Savior each and every day! Amen!"

Some of you might remember my post about the "power of one word." I will repost that article on this post incase you never got the chance to read it. Also check out my original post I did on that article if you have time as well. I truly believe in the power of one word and it can absolutely change your life.  The word I choose this year is the word, "SERVE." I am excited for the challenge and the opportunities God has in store for me with this word in 2014!

Everyone tries to or thinks about making resolutions and/or goals for the beginning of the new year. I just want you to remember that any day of the year you can begin to make a resolution or goal or even choose  ONE WORD! I encourage you to challenge yourself and to be amazed at the power of word one and the impact it can have on your life and others.

God Bless!! 

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 

In the article below it was written in 2012 that is why the years are not up to date. 

The Power of One Word Monday, December 31st, 2012 READY: "I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing" - Psalm 27:4a SET: Get One Word for 2013...but be careful! It might change you. Since 1999, we started the simple discipline of developing a One Word theme for the upcoming year. That is right-One Word. Not a phrase, not a statement, just a single word. To this point, it has been nothing short of life-changing. If you have the competitor mindset like we do, you have done your fair share of goal-setting at the start of each New Year. We want to accomplish much and maximize the opportunities given to us. However, as time goes by, we begin to feel guilty as we fall short in our ambitious plans. At one point, we became so frustrated with the whole resolution process, that we even tried boycotting resolutions. That didn't work either. It just made us feel guilty about being a slacker who didn't set any goals. In both cases, we always wound up feeling defeated, which is tough to handle as a true competitor. For us, this One Word exercise has become a focal point throughout the year. It helps bring clarity into a very complex world. The discipline of developing a One Word theme has stretched me in all areas: spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally and financially. God has transformed me in many ways through this exercise, and we promise that through it God can bring truth and revelation into your life, as well. There is a reason why we say, "Get One Word for the year...but be careful." The "careful" part is serious. You know the phrase, "Be careful what you pray for." It is like when you pray for patience and all you get is trials, problems and situations in which you need to practice patience. Well, the same goes for One Word. We guarantee that as soon as you find your word, the battle will begin. Do not approach this exercise half-heartedly. You will get slammed, we promise. This exercise is not for people who want to pick a nice, comfortable word that will have no significant impact on their lives. It truly is a discipline for those who want to press in and see God do great things in and through them. It is for those who want to live life to its fullest. No retreat. No regrets. It will also be a process of teaching, correcting and molding, as God will certainly bring you to a point of brokenness in relation to your word. But when you are soft in the Creator's hands, He can form you into His vessel! You will be a changed competitor. Many athletes and coaches try to approach One Word as just another goal, but this is not a question of whether or not you will "win" at your One Word for the year. Your goal should be to live out the adventure God has for you and to learn from the lessons along the way. It is simply a matter of yoking with the Savior. You can't look at it as a task item on your to do list. You must see it, rather, as a journey-a great journey of victories and defeats, all of which are brought to and laid at the feet of the Christ. It has been our experience that God quickly reveals His plans for the year regarding a your One Word. That word (be it a discipline, fruit of the Spirit, character trait, attribute of God or even a person) will brand you for the year! Be careful with your One Word. It will change the way you compete, think, act and live! Once you're finished, be sure to share your experience with others-your teammates, spouse, children, friends, staff and church members. You'll be blessed as you watch them adopt and grow in their own One Word. GO: What is God saying to you this past year? What area does God want to take hold of in your life and use for His glory? How does God want to position you for the upcoming year? How can your One Word impact you as a competitor? WORKOUT:  Psalm 27:1-14 Luke 18:22 Mark 10:21 John 9:25 OVERTIME:  "Dear Lord, as I start 2013, I ask that you will make it a life-changing year. I want to live for You alone. Reveal Yourself to me as You show me what my One Word theme will be. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I realize that it is a journey of learning not a task to accomplish. Through this process, I desire to know You better. Strengthen me as I live out my One Word every day. In Jesus' name, amen." ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Dan Britton, Jimmy Page and Jon Gordon have been doing One Word since 1999. They have together written their newly released book called One Word That Will Change Your Life. Dan and Jimmy serve as Vice Presidents for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. They have been best friends and accountability partners after meeting each other at an FCA meeting in 1989. Jon Gordon's bestselling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. Jon is an active supporter and volunteer for his local FCA. Discover your One Word today atGetOneWord.com

Do You Hear What I Hear

Good Morning Everyone!!

When major events happen in our world, events that have in someway affected us we usually remember where we were and what we were doing when it took place. Most people remember where they were when JFK was shot and where they were when 9/11 happened. Unfortunately it seems we remember more when something big and evil happen. Whether it is a good or bad event most of us all have a story of where we were and what we were doing or how we heard about it when something that changed our world happen. During Christmas I absolutely love listening to Christmas songs. This year I have been listening to a station on Pandora called Sidewalk Prophets Holiday. Sidewalk prophets is a Christian music band. I have loved this listening to this station because of the different songs they have been playing. Yes, they still play traditional Christmas music but they also play songs that praise Jesus and tell of the amazing story of what Christmas really is. This year I have noticed myself really listening to the messages in these songs and I have come to understand the meaning of Christmas more than I ever have. The song that struck me this morning was the song "Do You Hear What I Hear."

"Do You Hear What I Hear," this song is of people who are hearing about the GOOD news and it is as if they are telling their story of what it was like when they heard that Jesus Christ the Savior that was told was coming, was born!

Below are the lyrics. Perhaps read through the lyrics and then listen to the song and imagine what it was like for those people who were not at the Inn the night Jesus was born but heard of the Good News. When asked about where they were and how they heard that Jesus was born I believe that this would be the story of how one Shepard boy heard of the Good News that night. Amazing!!

"Do You Hear What I Hear"

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song
High above the tree
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepard boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
In your palace wall mighty king
Do you know what I know
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light

The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light

Click below to listen and watch the video.

Do You Hear What I Hear Song by Third Day
What did you think of the video? Incredible right?

There are so many songs related to what people of the world were doing or felt or how they heard of Jesus being born on that Christmas Night. The Good News spread and so did testimonies and this continues to happen today in our world! I pray that when you are listening to these songs the image and meaning of our Savior being born to save us and change the world becomes more powerful to you. Music has a way of connecting to our hearts, open your hearts to listen to the messages and spread the Good News.



"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."- Isaiah 7:14

Birthday Blessings

Hi Everyone!!

I had to create a post today for a few a reasons. Thank you so much to everyone who made my birthday weekend, yes weekend, amazing! (Having your birthday on a Sunday has it's advantages!) I am so grateful and thankful to God for the life that I have. I am just absolutely amazed beyond belief with the people he has blessed me with in my life. My family is absolutely amazing and I love them so much. I am so thankful for their examples of Christ being the foundations of their lives which helps and encourages me in my life. My friends, wow, absolutely incredible. I am so thankful to the Lord for the friends in my life. I am so amazed on the paths that bring me to them and without them I wouldn't be the person I am today. My weekend was incredible. From my girlfriends from my hometown who I have known since I was a little girl coming down on Friday night to begin celebrating to the SURPRISE party my friends threw me Saturday night to my family coming to my new church on Sunday morning and having lunch together, it was a perfect weekend. The kind words from everyone warms my soul and I am so thankful that the Lord puts people like you all on this Earth to love and encourage one another just for being born. Birthday's are special because we are all specially handmade by the Lord and we should celebrate Him and one another.

A Birthday Blessing

Here's a little story about what happened five years ago on my birthday and the presence of God in all of it. About a month before my birthday I was speaking with my mom about a family friend whose father passed away on her birthday. When talking about it I felt so sad for her. However, my Mom told me something that a priest said to her that made sense to me. He told her how special it was that her father went to heaven and met Jesus the same day that she was brought into the world. I thought that was a pretty amazing to look at it that way.

On my birthday five years ago I was taking a nap in the middle of the day. (How lucky was I!?) When I woke up I saw that there was a missed call from my Dad. I called him back and my Mom answered the phone. Right away I knew that something wasn't right. My Mom was supposed to be at work and she wasn't. She began to tell me that my Grandmother, her Mom just passed away. The first thing I said to my Mom was that I knew it. I just had this feeling that on that day, my birthday,  my Grandma would pass away. One of the last things she had mentioned was that she didn't get a chance to call me yet that today and wish me a Happy Birthday. Of course I was shocked, I was sad and upset, but I also understood how amazing God was and that He choose to have my Grandma meet Jesus on my birthday. That will connect me and her forever in such a special way.

It's pretty incredible that when we choose to let go and let God's plans for us to play out we can understand things that we never thought we could understand. Because of that conversation I had with my mom a few months earlier my birthday became something more than I could imagine. My Grandma went to Heaven that day, the feast they must be having up there, incredible.  I now go to church every year on my birthday, something I never did before she passed away.

It's amazing how God works in our lives when we let him. I am so blessed and so thankful for this life I have been given. Thank you to everyone!!!

"For we are God's masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things
He planned for us long ago."
(Ephesians 2:10)

When Mercy Found Me

Hey Everyone,

It has been a while! I can't say that I didn't have time because I have had plenty of time I guess I just haven't used my time to write on the blog. So often do we hear people say they don't have time..I know I say it, but we make time for the things we want to make time for. So if you're struggling with balancing time, ask God to help you balance things in your life. We are here until God is ready to bring us home, we are on His time :)

Today, I was driving in my car on my way to drop some things off at another campus for work. For some reason I was feeling a bit down and just started wondering about my life and why I was doing exactly what I was doing right now. So I started to talk to Jesus and I asked him, "Show me what it is you want me to get from this drive? (I am never really a fan of this particular drive and it was absolutely feeling annoyed about doing it.) That's when I knew I needed to ask Jesus because I didn't want to feel that way.

As soon as I finished asking that question, an ambulance at the intersection ahead of me made a left turn, on the side of it it said, MERCY.

I said the word out loud when I saw it. MERCY. MERCY....... I started to think about what Mercy was because I couldn't really come up with a definition in my head. I know that God gives us mercy, God is a merciful God, but what does that really mean? So I asked Jesus, what is Mercy?

I continued on my drive and finished up the work I was doing. I drove back into the city and met up to have lunch with a great friend who was away for a month! After lunch and on my way home when I was pulling up to my house, the song on the radio caught my attention. The words I heard were, "When mercy found me." I sat there and thought to myself, God is answering my question from before, through this song. And sure enough He was. This song helped me to understand today what Mercy is. I'm excited about what else God is going to bring in my life to show me the meaning of Mercy. For all I know this is the beginning of something more.

Here's the song, I hope that you listen to it and I pray that it reaches your heart like it has reached mine. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5oirhXl7I

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."-Hebrews 4:16

Out of Here

"Get me out of here," or "I can't wait to leave here"

How often do you hear people say that? I know I say it. But why do I even say it? Is it because I actually want to leave the place that I am? Do I really want to leave the place that I call home? What I am looking for that I want to leave? What do I think will be there that I don't have here? Where is there? Am I looking for different opportunities? But what opportunities am I looking for? What am I searching for that I can't seem to find here?

Do you ever find yourself wanting to go somewhere else, to do something new? I think at some point we all get to that point or feel that way. And then when we are still at the same place and have been doing the same things we don't understand why we can't go somewhere else.

Well maybe it's because we are actually supposed to be where we are at the moment. And maybe God's plan actually has you exactly where you need to be and what you feel about leaving where you are are new desires that are stirring up in your heart that one day will be fulfilled.

If you get to that point where you want to leave and haven't yet take a few minutes to think and even pray. Think about what you do every day. Think about the people you see and interact with every day. Give yourself credit for the things you do and how what you do is helping someone else. If you can find one thing that you do and even constantly do that is helping someone out well then you just found a reason why you are still where you are.

Trust God's plan for you. GOD BLESS!!

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ"- 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 

Vows

Hey Everyone,

This past week at church a couple renewed their vows. They were married ten years earlier in the same church. They were still both glowing. Witnessing them renew their vows, a man and woman that I don't even know, I was touched. 

I watched them as they approached the altar, the bride of ten years wearing a white dress and the groom of ten years dressed in a suit. 

As I sat there and listened to them renew their vows, I felt the presence of God.

Priest: (Name), do you take (name) to be your wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life?

Groom: I do.

Priest: (Name), do you take (name) to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life?

Bride: I do.

I really understood and felt why God created the sacrament of marriage to be an example of His love here on Earth.

Just look at the vows: Do you promise to be true in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health-- God is always true to us in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.

To love- God always loves us.

Honor- God always honors us.

All the days of your life- Good does all of these things all of the days of our lives. 

As I watched them look at each other, hold hands, and recite these vows, the presence of God was so evident. These vows are the vows that God gives us and those who are called to be married are given the gift to promise these vows to another person to show and be an example of the love to them that God has for us.

Amazing. Truly Amazing.

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion."- Ecclesiastes 4:9

Tangled

Good Morning Everyone,

When we allow our hearts to be open to the Lord we can see His presence everywhere. Last night I was cleaning my room and several weeks ago this board that I keep my jewelry on fell from the wall leaving a bunch of necklaces tangled. Yesterday I finally took the time to untangle it. When I held it I realized something. All of the necklaces were tangled and held together around my cross necklace.

I knew that the Lord was giving me a lesson right there. In life sometimes we feel like things are all tangled and knotted and we are not sure what to do. But one at a time with the help and the grace of The Lord the knots in our life can be untangled just like the way I had to untangle every necklace that was attached to the cross here. With God as the foundation He will hold us together even when we are tangled. 

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:4

God Bless!!

Jesus, will you walk with me today?

Hi everyone! It has been a while! Too long that I forgot what my username and password was for my blog. Not cool. I got a little frustrated and then stopped to pray about it and with the grace of God I was able to remember it. Thank you Jesus :)

A few weeks ago I had read a story about someone asking Jesus to walk with them. This stuck with me every day since. It makes sense to me. Jesus is with us all the time, yes. However, inviting Jesus into our lives is when we allow our hearts to be opened to hear Him and to fulfill the will of God. We become aware of His presence in our daily lives when we invite Him in. Every morning I will now ask, Jesus will you walk with me today? I have started to invite him into all areas of my life asking Him to walk with me. I invite Him to walk with me at work, at school, in friendships, ect. I have made it habit every morning that my first thought when I wake up now is Jesus will you walk with me today? It took a long time for me to wake up and that be the first thought that comes to my mind. The first thing I used to think about when I woke up was where is my phone and want to check my messages or go on social media. Not anymore.

Not only have I started to ask Jesus to walk with me during the day when I first wake up but throughout times during the day. Whether I am going somewhere or meeting someone I invite Jesus to come with me and be there with me. I am working on inviting Him in all areas of my life all of the time because I want to follow Him. At night when I am getting ready for bed, I ask this...Jesus, will you rest with me tonight?  Jesus is ready to be there for us all the time He wants us to invite Him into our lives because He wants what is best for us and He knows what is best for us.  It's our choice to invite Him and as soon as we call on Him...He's there. :)

God Bless!!

Romans 10:13

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”