If you already know me then you know I'm an analyzer! what you don't know is that a few years ago I drove myself crazy with it, until I finally said a prayer. - It went something like this.

Ok Father, I get it you are answering all my prayers, I however, then go and analyze this- so lets make a deal. apparently I need you to be more specific - Whatever you want me to get, whatever you want me to do give it to me

LOUD AND CLEAR . Give me SIGNS. CLEAR signs no way to analyze and pick the wrong thing ,signs. "

God answered .

( I don't know what your God is like. but my God is my friend and like most my friends we have a very honest sarcastic relationship :)

the point. I've always believed in signs and now a days they come LOUD AND CLEAR.

at church a few Sundays ago the message was 'loud and clear'. you don't need to earn Gods love on a daily basis. It's not this roller coaster ride that you hope you perish on a good day so you go to Heaven. It's having a faith. believing he made the ultimate sacrifice and he wants you even when your "messy" pretty sure everyone who believes whether they are church goes or not should hear the message i heard. IT was a weight lifted.

I got into conversations with new people I've met and somehow religion came up and what the church was like that i attend. I wasn't sure how to give it the credit it deserves to describe it in a way that would draw people of faith to it.

then last Sunday happened. and in the sermon he talked about how a church isn't where God is. coming there didn't mean you would feel him. God is where your heart is with you always if you let him reside there. Church. this church was merely a place people with the same beliefs could gather. praise. meet new people. make a difference together. Finding him you had to do on your own. Then they asked everyone what were the things they did to feel closer to him. our pastor named music. Singing made him happy! let him feel close to God. I sat there wondering.. what do I do...sure pray but I knew there was something more I just couldn't think of it

Then I got invited to the lake. how I've missed the lake ! the beauty of it. The adrenaline of wakeboarding. speed. makes me feel more alive . At end we decided to cruise a lap before me headed in. As I sat in the front of the boat looking out I remembered what made me feel closest.

moments like this. moments outside and with friends. Moments of pure quiet while staring at all the beauty. - guess he does listen even when think I'm only talking to myself.

CLEAR AS DAY

I've been stressing over how to pay for everything. How to know I'm picking the right car that wont throw my feet over my head while I'm in nursing school and wont destroy my plans of my trip next summer. - I took my dad to look at the corolla and I got the approval! what! I didn't even have to convince him. and the guy said he make it a 100,000 mile warranty instead of the sixty . and 0.0 % for 60 months!

DECISION obvious right.

so then sky diving. It crossed my mind that i was insane. what if something happened and I didn't get to do all the things I have planned.

instantly the thought- when its your time its your time came to mind. I still took convincing so when BJ text me

am I a go. it contained " what fear have you over come lately"

rarely do I turn down a challenge. so iItook that as my answer to my prayer of " do I do this. Do I spend the money when all this other stuff is going on.Do i I fill that pull for an adventure. "

last but not least I was just talking to a friend about dates. its a big step getting back out there. But once again I prayed. I prayed for nice guys and dates with no pressure. Just fun.

and was I doing this to early should I just not date till school is out and this sticky from a blog i followed came up

My point in sharing this, I wish that those who have no belief in a church/religion realize it's not about a church or religion . Its about

seems simple right.

It is.

The good word

Todays service was a pleasant reminder. a reminder I feel should be shared because pastor Mark was exactly right and I know I needed to hear it.

read through hebrews and remember.

you don't have to earn your way into heaven. If that were the case heaven would be an EMPTY place. instead accept the grace we were given, accept that the ultimate sacrifice was done and our sins were paid in full by Jesus. and By merely believing. accepting . you are granted full salvation.

Jesus saved us. Rest easy. For your faith alone saves you.

so instead of living thinking you have to EARN your way into heaven believe what the gospel says. have faith and give praise then simply return the love by

enough said.

Service

Confucius

To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.

Next week is AmeriCorps week. and its just recognizing all those who serve.

( some of the girls and I in school are part of the organization and you can earn scholarships through service)

anyways they want to promote service so here's the challenge

Wear a heart with the statement

I WEAR MY HEART ON MY SLEEVE BECAUSE...

AND see what you can do to have an IMPACT .

I WEAR MY HEART ON MY SLEEVE BECAUSE ...

god asks me to.

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.- corinthians chapter 10.24

Marian Wright Edelman

We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.

Mission

Recently I started attending Mission church with the Franke's. -

I think we finally found our home.

We have been church shopping for years. - Every church has been nice but nothing really pulled us in. They all lacked something that until now I couldn't have really pin pointed what it was

but Mission feels like home. Their values match my values and what my parents taught me growing up. My parents both grew up in a very 'religious' atmosphere and they felt that religion in todays culture doesn't meet what God is asking of us. they live by this -

For example the last church went to previously is doing a seven campus's in seven years. - I still cant grasp the reason for so much money to be spent on buildings. My grandmothers church just did same thing they spent millions on a activity center for the children. but you had to be a member of the church to get in. how does that represent Jesus.

At mission they are all about the bible. Open your book and read the word then take action !

So the week before easter they had their grand opening of the new building ( which they built because they were continually over capacity in the previous center) my point. - after spending that money on a building they decided to supply one year of water to a needy person in haiti for every person that walked through those doors that day. So many people showed up that an entire community for the rest of their lives will have clean water. -

health and sanitation

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.

check out: www.charitywater.org

Then This week speakers from the different ministries Mission church supports came to share their stories and the impact the people of the church have made, making and continue to make. One ministry is in central america and the goal is to rescue girls from sex trafficking. Did you know that they have no idea down there that incest is not normal! -

the second speaker was a chief in malowi and she discussed all the changes occurring there and how donations we make here change lives there. He speech was encouraging and rewarding .

She talked about how it may feel like your not changing anyones life by being here at mission but because of missions goals and partnerships the money donated changes lives and that each and every person has helped change lives. She added a side note that she is astonished and brings her to tears to see the youth of this church do ministry.

Baptisims a few weeks ago were done by friends and family and each person had to give a testimony as to why they wanted to be baptized.

My point - I simply want to share my excitement of finding a church that truly believes and demonstrates what I believe the good lord asks of us. To say that despite all the despair, violence, religion being a subject people avoid their are still so many good people, people who are trying to make a difference . It still amazes me the faith, hope and happiness that the oppressed contain. its truly inspiring.

be like minded if his love brings you any comfort.

Today I was one of many that helped to give a community clean water for five years. Clean water is the charity Mission church worked with and it is absolutely phenom. - checked out their web page. 100% of donations go to the cause and they track their work with photos, gps and video so you know without any shadow of a doubt what your donation goes to.

Today's message was about being God like. - that the way up is to step down in humility and do for your brothers what the lord did for you. The Pasteur talked about how even though you may be right in the argument ,you need to do step down in humility and let go of your pride .
his examples were with a spouse or coworker. friend or family member.

Philippians chapter 2.

what am i getting at ...

on the way to church I said a very long prayer. I was asking for strength. I was praying on what I should do -

then the message in church was about bringing peace. of letting your pride go. I've always prayed in my prayers God give me direct signs. ones i cant misinterpret.

coincidence - I think not.

Then , I have had a rough week as you have briefly read well I had completely forgot about my CPR class at work tonight. And I raced there annoyed I had to attend. Did it really have to be on my day off.
I have taken this CPR class with the same man many times. I would safetly say that anyone who has met him is blessed.
A remarkable teacher. A man who to his core believes in laughing as much as possible. that happiness is a choice and that life is about being a better person, helping others.

His happiness and constant jokes to get laughs was exactly what i needed in that hour. - coincidence. I think not.


as always I trust that everything happens for a reason. that God does not give you more then you can endure.
tonight though God I ask you to give my heart a break. :)

How much proof do you need

God is good.

Just because you go to church it doesn't mean your a person of god. Just because you don't attend a church doesn't mean your faith isn't as strong as someone who does.

worship is my favorite part of attending church. A night devoted to it. a good Thursday evening. Good to see you Frankes , j. young and the Ayalas !


Time builds all testimonies.
I know mine-I'm curious, what is yours