Changes

It's really amazing how God can change our plans so very quickly. I thought that I had everything planned out, but with just a little touch of His hand, He set all of my well-laid plans to spinning. This last year I just knew that this summer would be spent out on the mission field. I thought that God would be using me to assist in an orphanage in Bolivia or that I would be somewhere else that He sent me. I didn't know exactly what I was going to be doing, but I knew that this summer would be different from last summer. I definitely wouldn't be applying at that little hardware store again! And yet today I will be calling up my old boss, once again requesting a position in the very job that I vowed I would never take again.

I had so many wonderful plans for this summer. Even if I couldn't go overseas, I was certain that I could find a great job at a hospital. But when I did, I the hours were horrible, and I felt God telling me to turn it down. But I feel that although it won't be what I had planned, this summer will be wonderful because I will be following God's plan. I have to come to realize that even if I can't spend my summer ministering overseas, I must still use it for God. There are the street kids who need someone to love them, the Christians that I can encourage at school, and the people I can witness to at work. Wherever I am, my life must be God's. And I will use it, in every moment, to glorify Him.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I have been so busy with everything right now that I haven’t had any time to post.  I will be officially finished with all of my finals on Thursday afternoon, though, and then I don’t have any more classes until my summer classes start in June.  Yay!  J  I have 4 weddings (plus several showers) to go to between now and then, so that should occupy most of my time.  Next Thursday or Friday, Emily and Carly and I will be driving up for one of our closest friend’s wedding next Saturday.  Carly is a bridesmaid, so we have to be up there early.  I’m looking soo forward to it!!  I’ll probably post some pictures after everything is all over.  Well, I have an A&P final at 8:00 tomorrow morning that I have got to (begin to…) study for….so I guess I really need to get off the computer for now!

Grasping Eternity

The past few weeks, our pastor has been doing a series of sermons on 1 Timothy 6:11-14. I have been especially convicted through his preaching on verse 12, which says, "...Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..." For me, eternal life is often just something that I know about, but it really just stays in the back of my mind. I don’t often live in the light of eternity. But what if I were to follow this teaching and really take hold of eternal life? There is so much more to life then just the small trials that we experience each day. We have to look at our lives as God sees them, and understand the big picture. Each moment that He has given us is for us to live for His glory and for His eternal purpose.

I tend to get so bogged down in the little things, and I think I often lose sight of what is really important. God has reminded me so many times this week to think on how things really matter in the light of eternity. How I face the day, the attitude I have, and the way that I go about my tasks are so much more important then the actual tasks that I am completing. This week I have come to realize how important it is to always remind myself of the calling that God has placed on my life. Frequently, I need to re-evaluate whether I have my eyes set on eternity or on the trivial things of life. The little trials seem so much easier to bear when I look at them with the right perspective.

For me, this means not getting caught up in the busyness and stress of my school schedule. Instead, I remind myself why I am doing what I am doing. I feel very strongly that God has called me to be in nursing school. I am very interested in medical missions, and I really think that God is calling me to work (at least short-term) in this area. When I remind myself of this, I find that my schedule it doesn't seem nearly as stressful. I actually spend more time working on building relationships then getting good grades. While grades are important, I feel that my family should come first. College is such a short season of life, but relationships last for a lifetime. Who knows what a difference I may make by taking the time to actually show the people around me how much I care for them?

When I set my eyes on the goal of glorifying God and spreading His Word through my life, I find that my little trials actually seem rewarding. I know that it is all going to be worth it in the end. Whatever He has in store for me, I know that God has a wonderful plan for my life, and that I can trust Him with it.

Not Again...

Our filter let me access my blog for one day.  Now it’s not working again, so I guess I’ll just have to try posting through e-mail now.  I was about to post an article on One Night with the King, which we watched a few weeks ago, but I saved the draft on the blog, so I can’t get to it right now.  It is so aggravating….! 

Yay!!

I figured out how to log in without accessing the Blogger website... that means I think that I can post again! Finally!!!

School is going really well right now. It is very stressful, but I am so interested in the things we are learning right now. I had a huge test today in my Anatomy and Physiology class, and I was extremely stressed out about it. But I got up about 4:45 this morning to study for it, and I think that I did really well. While I was taking the test, I actually had fun; I kept thinking, "Wow. This stuff is so interesting!!" What I love learning about the most is all the clinical applications. I just love being able to apply what I learn. These past few weeks I've been learning about shock, collapsed lungs, high blood pressure, and a lot of other things that I'll use so much in my nursing school. It is so interesting!

I applied for nursing school about a week ago. I think that I should be able to get in. It is extremely competitive, but I had a 4.0 last semester and I think I'll have at least a 3.6 this semester. I'll just trust God and do my best!

Arggghh....

I don't know how often I'll be able to post because our filter is now blocking Blogger. I can get on it at school, but when I'm there I usually don't have a good opportunity to post anything. So anyway, we are working with our filtering company to try to sort things out so that I can get on here again from my computer. I hope it's soon! It's getting very aggravating!

Safe in the Arms of Jesus

Taylor Dardar, Sonny and Cassie's 18-day old son, passed away this evening at about 5:30. He is no longer in any pain, and his broken little body is perfectly healed in heaven. Right now he is in the arms of Jesus. I cannot express how brokenhearted we feel for his family. In the e-mail he sent tonight, Sonny quoted Jeremiah 29:11-- "for I know the plans that I have for you saith the Lord." God has a perfect plan in all of this, even if we might not know what it is right now. Please just keep them in your prayers.


Psalm 34:18 ~The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 73:23-26 ~Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 63:7-8 ~For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 3:-5 ~But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill. Selah. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.