tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78107362642918589822024-03-05T04:06:04.619-06:00Covered by Your Grace “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-87251896269734536562014-08-07T20:37:00.001-05:002014-08-08T19:44:49.602-05:00only one month until i embark on my missionary journey to malawi, africa it's hard to believe my missionary to Malawi, Africa is exactly one month away! y'all i have all kinds of emotions. I am beyond excited for what the LORD is going to do in and through this journey. <em><span style="font-family: Courier New;">satan has tried to throw a lot curve balls my way this summer and you know that if satan is fighting something he knows that God is planning to do something big..</span></em>i am nervous...nervous about flying for 17 hours...<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>yes i've done it before but i'll be honest with recent things that i've seen in the news it's given me some worry</em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">nervous about raising the support...</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><em>i'm hanging on to the promises in Psalm 24:1 that everything in the earth is the Lord's and Philippians 4:19 that God will supply all my needs...</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">i am so full of joy to see the orphans and widows that stole my heart when i was there three years ago..</span><br />
<br />
so now that y'all have a little insight as to how i am feeling about this journey right now...I wanted to share with y'all how God lead me to go on this journey back to Malawi and then share some prayer requests/updates about the journey to Malawi.<br />
<br />
first my story on how the Lord called me back to Malawi. I have been praying for the last two years for the Lord to allow me to return to Malawi (either short or long term.) then back in january of this year I began to pray specifically if i were to in september of this year or march of next year. I had a conversation with a friend who is going in september with me and I felt then that God was leading me to the september team but i tried to brush it off and say <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"nah...its not really the Lord leading me to do this..."</em></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> so i continued to pray. well one particular saturday i went for a really long run (ten or eleven miles) and for most of that run prayed about if i were to go back to malawi and if i was supposed to go back to malawi if that was to be in september of this year or march or next year. by the time i made it back home...I really felt like again the Lord was saying September...so i asked the Lord to give me a specific sign that night at church (we were having a special saturday night service instead of our sunday night service for some reason that night)....so at the end of the service as everyone is leaving...I'm talking to a friend who is about to go Malawi the next day...finding out how i could pray for her and telling her that i was praying for (that kind of stuff)...well about mid-conversation she looks at me and asks me "</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>so when are you going back to Malawi? I know its <strong>THIS</strong> year but when are you going?"</em> I'm not sure the Lord could have given me a more clear sign than this. This friend knew i had gone to malawi before but did not know i was praying about going back or praying for this year or next year. so when she asked me and said "</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>i know its this year"</em> i knew i had been given my sign. y'all i had had plans of going with another friend next year in march but the Lord changed it all that night...God was telling me that night i was going back in September of this year...so why am i going back to malawi? I'm going because God answered prayer...I am going back in obedience. I am going to do what the Lord has prepared for us to do there.</span><br />
<br />
so some prayer requests:<br />
- pray that the Lord prepares our hearts and the hearts of the people we encounter. pray for gospel conversations on airplane rides, in airports, and in the villages we go to. part of what we will do is evagelism in the villages.<br />
- pray for our safety: <strong>spiritual: </strong>that we are protected from the enemy <strong>physical: </strong>specifically in traveling and in health (with eating foods our bodies aren't used to and going to a country where Malaria is almost as common as the common cold)<br />
- pray for us all to be fully supported financially. (if you feel lead to give financially to support my journey back to malawi click <a href="https://www.purecharity.com/natasha-hammond-missionary-journey-to-malawi">here</a> ...any gift of any size is greatly appreciated!!)<br />
<br />
thank y'all for praying and joining me in this journey to malawi, africa!!Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-50200257908978135152014-07-25T18:24:00.001-05:002014-07-25T18:31:04.661-05:00september malawi journey updatethis last week we had our first "official" team meeting for the journey to malawi in september. i was so excited to have a meeting and meeting those i would be serving with for two weeks in malawi. we did get to find out that we will be doing evangelism in villages that surround Esther's House and that we would be spending time with the orphans and widows of esther's house. both of which i am super excited about since it allows to fulfill the follwoing scriptures:<br />
<br />
Matt 28:19-20 <em> "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the </em><em>Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I </em><em>have commanded you."</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
James 1:27 <em>"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to <strong>VISIT</strong> </em><em>orphans and widows in their affliction."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em></em><br />
other things we will do while there are potentially some construction work, vacation bible school activities, and we will get to minister to missionary families living there (the Wilsons and the Carneys.) <br />
<br />
I am beyond excited for what God is going to do in and through this journey to Malawi in September! <br />
<br />
but can i ask you to pray for us?<br />
<br />
<br />
- pray for many, many Gospel opportunities (in airports, airplanes (lots of time spent in airplanes one of our airplane rides is 17 hours long!!!!), and in Malawi)<br />
- pray for the safety of our team in traveling and in health<br />
- pray that we are an encouragement tot the missionary families living over there now<br />
- pray for more guys to join our team<br />
- pray that each of us fully financially supported in the cost that it takes to go over there.<br />
- pray about whether the Lord would have you financially support me (please click <a href="https://www.purecharity.com/natasha-hammond-missionary-journey-to-malawi">here</a> if you would like to financially support me)<br />
<br />
Thanks everyone in advance!<br />
<br />
excited for my next post which i hope to have up later this weekend...Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-76004382321714823812014-07-25T18:05:00.001-05:002014-07-25T18:05:54.775-05:00remaining in Christ just barely over three years ago my oldest brother died and then two weeks later on July 27, 2011 my dad passed away. I knew my dad was in failing health but was NOT even prepared for the shock of loosing two family members within two weeks of each other.<br />
today i stopped at a gas station on my way home from work. the cashier has seen in me in there a few times. she asked me what exactly i did for a living. i told i worked with two year olds at a daycare. she then proceeded to ask me if i smoked or drank...both to which i replied no. she told me that there was no way that she could do it. i told her it was God who gave me the strenghth (and the love for what i do.) don't get me wrong....i absolutely LOVE what i do but any body who is around kids will know that there are just hard days now and again (its just how you choose to respond on those days.)<br />
so why did i choose to share these two stories together in one post? glad you asked! Remaining in Christ is (and the faithful prayers & love that God surrounded me with) is how i was able to come through a very difficult two weeks three years ago. it is still hard every time this time of year rolls around but again God never fails to give me strength to make it through. and on those hard days with my two year olds...God gives me strength and reminds me that what i am doing is investing in the future of these little minds and that i have the potential to show them so much of Christ's love (doesn't Christ do the same for us when we have hard days?). and then when i get to see that my work has payed off...like when my just turning two year olds know how to pray before meals or know almost every word to every toddler Christian song that i play for them or they want to say thank you to the lady who brings us lunch or give a hug themselves when someone is sad...let me tell you MY HEART IS OH SO FULL!!<br />
my conclusion: "I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT ME." ~ John 15:5Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-74709694002011286642014-06-27T22:10:00.001-05:002014-06-27T22:10:09.953-05:00when God did the unexpected In October of 2010 God had layed on my heart that He wanted me to start praying about taking a mission trip. I had been on two in the previous year but really felt like God was leading me to pray. So I began to pray. Through much prayer God lead me to go to Malawi, Africa with CrossChurch in March 2011. God did amazing things in and through our team. We were able to serve and see around 200 kids at a pediatric medical clinic and serve the kids and waidows of Esther's House. <br />
What I did NOT expect was what God would do in the life of my dad through this trip! During a conversation with my dad about me going on this journey to Malawi, my dad said something to the effect of "I can see what your doing is God's work." He then proceeded to give me a financial gift towards my Malawi trip. That was definetely encouraging. But it was during the rest of my preparation for the journey to Malawi that I saw God continue to change my dad's heart and during this time frame that my dad was saved! <br />
With Father's Day being just a couple of weeks ago and the 3 year anniversary of my dad's exactly a month from now...I've been reflecting on this a lot. I'm so thankful for the eternal hope that there is in Christ, the power of prayer, and how God works in unexpected ways!!<br />
Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-23077098747844175412014-05-18T21:49:00.000-05:002014-06-27T21:00:21.416-05:00hopeover the last couple of months:<br />
- there are people I know who have lost loved ones<br />
- there are people I know who have been diagnosed with cancer<br />
- I have failed miserablely at doing this thing called life <br />
<br />
But the beauty of it all is that there is hope. there is hope for the believer that one day Jesus will return again and we will get to live where there is no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain and we will get to live in a place where He is making all things new (Revelation 21:4-5)<br />
<br />
but that hope is for the believer. if you do NOT know Christ as your personal Lord & Savior please feel free to message me and I would love to share with you how can have the hope that the believer has!<br />
<br />
I leave you with the following song that has spoke to me in times of brokeness in all that is around me...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pze4kMuvcfk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pze4kMuvcfk</a>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-54010248580670398742014-05-18T21:15:00.000-05:002014-05-18T21:37:59.936-05:00Malawi bound in September for two weeksI am going to attempt to start blogging again; especially in the next three months as i prepare to go back Malawi, Africa in September. by the way that's only 113 days away, 2712 hours away, or 16 weeks away. in short NOT very long!<br />
<br />
I am beyond excited that the Lord has called me to go back! But at the same time I am so nervous so please be praying for me!! Please also check back here from time to time with updates on how trip preparation and for other trip details. <br />
<br />
click on the following link to view pictures of the other two times that I have gone to Malawi (both trips three years ago)<br />
<a href="http://flipagram.com/f/zblZMr4TR8">http://flipagram.com/f/zblZMr4TR8</a>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-41503820409130403882013-12-22T21:31:00.000-06:002013-12-22T21:31:20.365-06:00"God is with us" I hear the phrase "God is with us" every year at Christmas and don't usually stop to think about what it really means. A few weeks ago at church my pastor talked about it. And it dawned on me (i'm not sure why it did for the first time) that because God came as a baby 2000 years ago, He is ALWAYS with us.<br />
Another thing that has happened recently is that I have learned of several people who have been diagnosed with some sort of cancer, some who have lost loved ones in the recent months, one who has had a stroke, and one who had such a bad heart that he needed to have a heart transplant (which praise God he had the transplant on Monday night and is doing very well!!.) My heart has been absolutely heartbroken that all these people are having to suffer all because sin entered the world through Adam and Eve. And because of that sin that entered the world through them, we suffer. My heart and soul have cried out, "That's NOT fair!!!"<br />
"Yes my child I know how you feel but I AM with those who are suffering," God has told me over and over! Because Christ entered the world as a baby 2000 years ago, God is with us. He is with us in the good times and He is with us through the suffering, whatever form that suffering may take on.<br />
I pray that you are encouraged this Christmas by the fact that because God entered the world through a baby years ago, that we have hope because God is with us! And if you are going through a difficult trial (whatever that looks like for you) remember that God is with you if you just believe Him to be your Savior and King!!Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-34029138632127923902013-07-22T21:00:00.002-05:002013-07-22T21:06:43.297-05:00God's conviction for me tonight: I AM REDEEMED<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> You know those days you go to church (or nights at smallgroup) and are <strike>wanting</strike> excpecting God to say something to make you feel better about whatever you may be facing in the moment but you're not expecting/asking God to have you hear what He wants you to... I was found guilty of that tonight going into smallgroup. I was expecting that God would make me "feel better" about some stuff going on in life. Did that happen? NO!!! Did God cause me to hear what He wanted me to hear & learn. YES!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Tonight we talked about standing our ground in the Gospel. We talked about "hot topics" that we typically face in life/work that are difficult to stand our ground in. At the end our speaker encouraged us by saying, "There's freedom in standing on the truth of the word of God." We slighty diverted and talked for a few seconds about what it meant to be free in Christ. One of the guys in the group summed it up very well by quoting Romans 8:1 (which says "<b>There is therefore now no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus.") </b><span style="font-size: small;">Ya'll this verse hit me like it never has before. I am </span>free in Christ be<span style="font-size: small;">cause I am no longer condemned because of my sin. I am free from condemnation</span><span style="font-size: small;"> because o</span>f His mercy and grace. May I never forget the weight of this truth!! May I start afresh today (and NEVER forget) & live in the comfort that I live in true freedom in having Christ live in me. As further encouragement go listen to Big Daddy Weave's song <i>Redeemed.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Just something that I felt like I was supposed to share with ya'll!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
P.S. I was also convicted tonight about in order to be able to stand in the truth of the word of God that I need to be a better student in learning what the word of God says.</span><br />
<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-80277116633671488222013-07-16T20:49:00.002-05:002013-07-16T20:49:58.401-05:00Things God has been doing in my life recently Almost two weeks ago, I was rear-ended while sitting in traffic. My car didn't even suffer a scratch! It wasn't until two days later that I realized I got a very minor concussion in that minor wreck. My seat-belt had jerked me back & caused me to hit the back of my seat really hard. My thought was " duh, I have a headache..I just hit my head really hard! But two days later when I still had the headache & I realized some other symptoms I had had..I realized it was a minor concussion..not fun at all!!<br />
But as in all things, God has used this for His glory. Just as I was knocked in the head physically that day, God knocked me in the head spiritually that day. Recently for my quiet times, I've been going through the <i>Jesus Calling </i>Devotional book (which if you haven't gone through it...I highly recommend it!!!) & the thing that has stuck out to me the most is looking for God's presence & all that He is doing in my life. I soon realized that I was missing all that God was doing in my life. He was answering one prayer that I had been praying for almost a year, He was in the process of answering one that I had praying for since this last October, & that He is the process of answering one that I've been praying for over the last two years. In short, the Lord was (& still is) at work in my life!<br />
The Lord is also teaching me patience (& waiting on His timing) & the power of seeking Him with all of my being (Jeremiah 29:13). I plan on sharing more of what the Lord is doing in upcoming posts but until then (& after) I encourage you to seek the Lord & presence AND you'll find He's doing more than you can imagine in your life.Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-77616671045788914322013-03-18T23:58:00.000-05:002013-03-18T23:58:29.882-05:00on the power of God's love & friendshipsSomething that the Lord has pounded into me a lot recently is His love for me and the power of His love. I've known that He loves me so much that He gave His only Son to die for my sins. But the love that I'm talking about goes beyond that. He loves me so much that He cares about the day to day stuff that happens in my life. i wonder how He could love me so much a weakling. then there's the song <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvLxZEU02uI">Cornerstone</a> (click on word Cornerstone to listen to the song) which explains it to me. part of the chorus goes "Christ alone/Cornerstone/weak made strong in the Savior's Love." we sang this song on Sunday at church (and have many times before in the past) and it hit me. I am weak but I am made strong in Jesus' love for me. It is in His power/love that I am able to accomplish, overcome, go through anything. this is the primary way we as humans are able to accomplish.<br />
the other tool the Lord gives us is friendships.God created friendships because He knew we could not do this thing called life on planet Earth alone. From the very beginning in Genesis God saw that it was not good for Adam to do life alone so He created Eve. I am convinced this is why He created friendships so that we are not alone in accomplishing this thing called life on planet Earth. Can I just give a shout out right now & say that I am blessed beyond measure by the friendships God has placed in my life!!<br />
Giving me ways that I can accomplish things in the power of His love has been a blessing because it makes me realize that I am truly blessed by earthly friendships and it helps me know that I can accomplish when it doesn't seem possible.<br />
Thankful for what the Lord is teaching me!!Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-59875998850526194252013-03-18T22:56:00.001-05:002013-03-18T22:56:07.992-05:00why i'm running in a half-marathon I run three to four times a week in attempt to train for a half-marathon that is now just less than four weeks away. always proud when I've run a new furthest distance or a better mileage time. but as i was reminding myself why i was running in this half-marathon to begin with, I remembered the pain that running may <strike>occasionally</strike> frequently causes me. but then i remember it is nothing compared to the pain the children in India are going through. <a href="http://asourown.org/the-crisis/">go here</a> to the <i>As Our Own</i> website and you'll get a taste of what i'm talking about. i'm excited to run in my first ever half-marathon but may i never forget why i'm running or going through the training to run this half-marathon which is to raise awareness and support for these hurting children in India.<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S. <a href="http://asourown.org/what-we-do/aftercare">click here</a> to find out what <i>As Our Own</i> does for children in India. this link will show you why i am running to raise awareness for these children. it's because of what this organization does for these children.Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-7802574182681678542013-01-29T13:31:00.002-06:002013-01-29T13:36:27.377-06:00Update on life So our 21 day fast at church is over. It was the first intentional fast I participated in. I'll be honest, it was probably one of the hardest things I have EVER done. I chose to fast from all soda & caffiene for those who don't know or are curious. And for those who know me, caffiene (specifically Diet Mtn Dew) was a strong addiction! Please see my two previous entries on what the Lord taught me specifically through giving up caffiene.<br />
I wanted to share in this entry post-fast thoughts<br />
- 1) I pray the discipline in prayer for the future will continue<br />
- 2) I pray to have discipline/self control in the amount of caffiene I allow myself to have (like maybe one soda every other day at most)<br />
-3) random thought: how did I ever survive with that much caffiene...I learned while being off caffiene all the ways that amt negatively impacted my body!!<br />
<br />
I also wanted to let you in on a few other happenings in life:<br />
-1) if I ever quit procrastinating signing up...I will be running a half marathon in April in the Hogeye. I will be running with a team of girls to raise awareness for As Our Own (Gospel ministry that helps rescue girls from Human Sex trafficking...I will go into more detail about it in a later post)<br />
-2) my apartment in the last month has gone from 3 girls to 4 girls...as we got a new roommate at the very end of Dec & she has been a huge blessing to our apartment<br />
-3) I was completely blessed this weekend by messages. from friends & family wishing me a happy birthday. My roommates also spoiled me all weekend! All of this was so undeserving!!<br />
<br />
And as for some encouragement I wanted to leave you with the verse of the day from the Bible app I use (that encouraged me):<br />
<br />
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-52663525576599132842013-01-18T20:19:00.002-06:002013-01-18T20:19:33.017-06:00where the struggles lay (part 2)<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">ADDICTION: </b><i>the state of being enslave to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma (from www.dictionary.com) </i></span><br />
<span name="hotword" style="background-color: white; cursor: default;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span name="hotword" style="background-color: white; cursor: default;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span name="hotword" style="background-color: white; cursor: default;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">wake-up. have a diet mountain dew. driving to work. working on a second one. get to work. by 8am have a third one. by lunch, have no idea how many have been consumed. have a few more in the afternoon. get ready to go to bed. make sure to have one sitting by the bed. may need a sip during the night.</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: white;">a month ago i was praying about my participation in the 21 day fast that my church was doing. i asked the Lord what He would have me give up. the first immediate answer was diet mountain dew. i told the Lord that that would be the hardest thing i could do. </span></i><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">day 2 of the fast i had a headache and was so nauseous that i wanted nothing to do with the world. all i needed (i thought) was a diet mountain dew. then i could proceed with this thing called life. in that time of desperation, i called to the LORD and asked for help. this happened again on day 3 and has happened several more times. </span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">my nausea and headaches came from my body being physically addicted to diet mountain dew. i would jokingly admit before that i had an addiction diet mountain dew. it is from this fast that i have learned that i had a real addiction. i had my body addicted to it so much that my body had become dependent on it.</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">DISCIPLINE: </b><i>training to improve strength or self-control</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>a month ago when i was praying about what to give up i had no idea what the LORD was going to do for me personally through the journey of the 21 day fast. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">week number 2 of the fast is wrapping up. for me personally the Lord has taught me how to have discipline in my life. becoming disciplined with not drinking diet mountain dew has carried over into discipline into discipline in waking up in the mornings and spending quality time with Lord. i am actually remembering throughout the day what i learned in my quiet time that morning. i have become disciplined in keeping up with my reading through the New Testament in one year plan. the list goes on...</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>coming to the realization and admitting that i had a serious addiction was not planned when i started the 21 day fast.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">there are other things the LORD has taught me through this 21 day fast. In intentionally seeking the LORD for the future there are practical steps that He has led me to take. i will be sharing more of that in the coming days. in the meantime, for those currently taking part in this fast, I am praying for you to help you remain strong. for those reading this and not having taken part in a fast before, i encourage you to do so with the intentions of seeking the LORD in a very intentional way. be open to what the LORD has to show you during this time. if you do not have a relationship with the LORD i would love to share with you how you can have one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-13463581563274819072013-01-15T15:39:00.000-06:002013-01-15T15:39:12.036-06:00Where the struggles lay (Part 1)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i> "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The "present darkness" is satan & his attempts to attack us in our weakness. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My weakness is my thoughts. It's like a war going on in my brain. <i>Your not good enough. You'll never be able to achieve that. Why even try you're just going to fail. </i>For me I constantly battle in my mind. satan wants me to give up or not try for fear of failure or not pleasing others.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 )</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yet God calls me, COMMANDS, to not give up.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also is gracious to give me this command/help</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My church has been a 21 day fast in which we give up something for 21 days and seek the LORD for our future, our family's future, a friend's future, our nation's future, & the future of our church. During the first week of fast The Lord has really caused me to examine myself and through scripture & a devotional I've been reading the Lord has been faithful to show me where I've struggled in the past (& still struggle) so that I can better serve Him in the future. This blog entry is part 1 of my journey in the 21 day fast & what The Lord has taught me thus far. This entry is by no means a way of me trying to get attention for myself! (I want all glory to go to God for what He has taught me & I look forward to sharing in the next couple of days and weeks to what God has taught me!!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-15505414143695816512012-12-31T21:41:00.000-06:002012-12-31T21:41:16.206-06:00Looking back When looking at back at the end of each year, I am floored by all that God has done in my life that year (and am continual amazement in all that He has done for me in my life)! At the mountain tops and the lowest points of the valley of each and every year, He has been faithful to carry me through it all. And this year has been no different!I look forward to what He has in store for 2013 with great anticipation!!<br />
<br />
Spiritual lesson of 2012: I am underservingly covered by His grace (though I already knew this..God pressed this lesson into me through Bible studies, BSF, and the Lightbearers Institute)<br />
<br />
Some highlights of my personal life in 2012:<br />
- I finally finished my degree at the University of Arkansas in April of this year...A HUGE HUGE THANK-YOU to all of those who pushed me & encouraged me to make that finish!!<br />
- I went on a mission trip to Haiti in July where we saw 80+ give their lives to Christ!!!!<br />
- started training for a half-marathon (hampered by various things) but am now starting that training again...<br />
- I started enjoying cooking, trying new recipes, & sort of inventing new recipes of my own...<br />
- I learned how to (and still learning) knit!!<br />
- my friends have been beyond awesome to me and being there for me through it all!<br />
<br />
Thankful for all God has done in this last year & I hope that as this year comes to a close (literally in 2.5 hours) that you will pause to praise God for all that He has done for you this year and all that He will do for you in 2013!<br />
<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-44858478348098096262012-12-22T19:07:00.001-06:002012-12-22T19:07:53.350-06:00struggles & comfort I have fought writing this blog entry for the last few days but I know that it is one that God wants me to write.<br />
I have struggled my whole life with being vulnerable. Mostly because I hate being the center of attention. But yet I know that being vulnerable can help one deal with things & it can help others who dealing with similar things. So here I am writing this entry, praying that God will use it for His glory and along the way that it will help someone who has dealt with similar things as I have.<br />
As many of you know my dad passed away almost a year and half ago from the complications of many health problems. I have come to realize that I suppressed a lot of my emotions during the holidays last year. Honestly, I think I tried to push my dad's death to the furthest corner of my mind as I could and tried not to think about last year during the holiday season. Well since the one year anniversary of my dad's death in July, my mom & dad's anniversary on Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, and now Christmas I have had a very hard time dealing with his death. When trying to deal with his death and some other things a couple of weeks ago, I spent some time praying and listening to the song <i>Lead Me to the Cross</i>. I prayed that the Lord would lead me to the Jesus & the cross in dealing with my emotions. I had been reading the book of Matthew in my quiet times. Well yesterday I finished reading the book of Matthew. The very last verse of the last chapter, which says "And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age," stuck out to me. Because Jesus came to this earth as a baby, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross He is always with me in the form of the Holy Spirit. This Christmas (and everyday after that) I am thankful for the reminder that God came to the earth as a baby so that He could be Emanuel "God with us." Oh what comfort this is as I deal with my dad's death and other things that I face in life.<br />
I pray that this has been a comfort for those who have lost loved ones & struggle with their loss at any point in their life. I also pray that this is a reminder for others what Christmas is really about.<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S. My dad died a believer so praise Jesus my dad no longer suffers & I get to see him again one day in Heaven!!Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-39258912566322195492012-12-14T23:05:00.003-06:002012-12-14T23:05:54.516-06:00Heartbroken <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight my heart is broken and at a lost for words for what happened in Connecticut today. I pray for those directly and indirectly effected by the horrific tragedy that they would be held in the arms of Jesus as they try to understand, just as I try to, what has happened. I'm sure there are a lot of opinions on things should be handled or what needs to be done to prevent this from happening. I am staying away from that. I do encourage you to 1) pray for all involved 2) continue to pray for & share the Gospel with lost people in your life (it can & will have a lasting impact on tragedies like this) 3) make sure to let loved ones & friends know how much you love,cherish, & appreciate them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I will leave with the words to the chorus of the song "Our God":</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "<span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!"</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needed to write this post because my thoughts were too long to tweet or to post on facebook</span></span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-55587838208813306372012-11-12T22:34:00.002-06:002012-11-12T22:34:36.721-06:00Weighty issue Since I started studying the book of Genesis in BSF this year, the tie between sin and its effects has weighed heavily on my heart. (Not that I've never recognized sin and its effects before..that is one of the first steps to becoming a believer). The very first sin changed the course of history (there is now death, natural disasters, there is sickness & disease, etc), as does sin in our lives. Sin can and will drastically alter our lives. Just as God has shown me the weightiness of sin, God has shown me the vastness of His mercy! He was merciful to Adam & Eve when He removed them from the place where sin occurred and took them out of the garden. He was merciful to Cain when He would allow no one to kill him after he had killed his own brother. He has also shown mercy to me at the Cross and allowed me to have life when I deserve death! And even more incredible He makes those mercies a new everyday from Lamentations 3:22-23 (which He reminded me of tonight) and allows me to have a relationship with Him and u no longer have to be seperated from Hum because of my sin!<br />
<br />
Just wanted to share what God had been teaching me recently :-)Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-41967102517986833532012-10-16T22:13:00.000-05:002012-10-16T22:13:34.080-05:00A new hobby... Recently I have started cooking a lot of my meals. Partially to be more frugal with my money and partially to be more healthy I rarely even use the microwave except to reheat leftovers. That sentence alone would not have existed in my vocabulary six months ago. I used to eat anything and everything that was microwavable and never had leftovers to eat because I never cooked! Anyways, this cooking of my meals has led me to venture out and try new recipes. A good friend of mine told me of this website www.skinnytaste.com and how all their recipes were easy and healthy! So I've tried a few things from there: such as<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_pDDpkvPW3yi0NApPDFh_lGSfP5Tk1Sj62NRdxv8kkJqagDRztnRd0tvii_BLxcsbB7kX3ItNGVAMX4euWoMrfvgP8zSQb1jc3RZxgun6V4e1CIx4HIm0wz-q_QWLa2432a1O1M59gQ/s1600/527867_10100389597360767_245795246_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_pDDpkvPW3yi0NApPDFh_lGSfP5Tk1Sj62NRdxv8kkJqagDRztnRd0tvii_BLxcsbB7kX3ItNGVAMX4euWoMrfvgP8zSQb1jc3RZxgun6V4e1CIx4HIm0wz-q_QWLa2432a1O1M59gQ/s320/527867_10100389597360767_245795246_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale Chips<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YE2ee49E7_Hr4wm5kg-KnwfTjCaaXhLN2dWPaVsPMVP-GCFDoELUxsYcgHO9rY6-l_6U4R5voMTIHon6vzha76aS3-u72AKIVlpPHlA7FdyzfBRsKx4RJrBIA4KZn3zI0dN9XRtwOhg/s1600/156466_10100436948538627_288027327_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YE2ee49E7_Hr4wm5kg-KnwfTjCaaXhLN2dWPaVsPMVP-GCFDoELUxsYcgHO9rY6-l_6U4R5voMTIHon6vzha76aS3-u72AKIVlpPHlA7FdyzfBRsKx4RJrBIA4KZn3zI0dN9XRtwOhg/s320/156466_10100436948538627_288027327_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic Roasted Cauliflower w/ Toasted Asaigo Cheese Breadcrumbs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQftqdHPlhdygy9ThSHBQ79Qik03vsU1ScbR4V4nOV7B-jGnaVLHxpCOJvGDp9Q5bDQyKDDaAru0SiYJn-Bdn0fg0IYchqzANYEwzbieHzvVQiu9Y_o8FzS9Kad3FHWiJlKbM3ng-8JU/s1600/183523_10100429445988797_2042057639_n.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQftqdHPlhdygy9ThSHBQ79Qik03vsU1ScbR4V4nOV7B-jGnaVLHxpCOJvGDp9Q5bDQyKDDaAru0SiYJn-Bdn0fg0IYchqzANYEwzbieHzvVQiu9Y_o8FzS9Kad3FHWiJlKbM3ng-8JU/s320/183523_10100429445988797_2042057639_n.jpg" title="Stuffed Pepper Soup" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Stuffed Pepper Soup</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;">I have also made things such as lasagna and homemade waffles. I am not at all trying to say look at what I have done....I just find it amusing (at least to me it is) that I suddenly enjoy cooking and when I get spare time I'm anxious to try find a new recipe to try making. I like seeing (and tasting!) the end results and knowing exactly what I have put into my food that I am eating. Just a new thing I like to do that I thought I'd share..</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. the next new thing that needs to follow is collecting these recipes in one spot (:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-12190172105332266372012-09-11T21:50:00.000-05:002012-09-11T21:50:19.900-05:00Refocusing As summer has been winding down (like officially ten days left..I think), I began to think & ponder on the goals that I set as summer was starting. To give you an update..I did well on drinking on water for a while (I got up to 8-10cups a day) and I got up to running 6-7miles. I never learned how to ride a bike..[but it can still happen :-)... ]<br />
But after getting so far in reaching two of my goals, I tailored off. I was thinking about why that happened today and I came to two conclusions. The first answer was pride. At church for the last two weeks we have been in a mini-sermon series on pride & how it destroys. I had reached my goal for water and I was able to run 6-7miles. But that was it. I was doing it. I wasn't giving God the glory for it and I wasn't asking God to give me strength to continue in both goals. The second answer is God wanted me to rest and rest in Him. Over the last three weeks, I have broken my pinky toe, probably had strep, had a bad bout with allergies, and if that wasn't enough to slow me down, I started this weekend to have trouble with my asthma and one of my knees. I do not at all share these problems with you for sympathy, but to show you how God was trying to get me to slow down and not become consumed with "good things" such as running and drinking water but to be consumed by Him and Him alone. So I haven't given up on these goals or just ended them because the summer season is over but instead am excited to continue this fall. But this time with a new mindset and heart. I want to these things to bring God glory. Drinking water can bring God glory because it shows that we are taking care of the body that He entrusted us with. My running can bring Him glory because it will be by His power alone that I am able to do it. But if He wants me to slow down with running and to take a break, I need to be okay with that and not become prideful & consumed with I think I can do but rest in what God wants me to do.<br />
I am adding a new goal to my list. Tonight I started back at BSF and we are going through the book of Genesis this year. My goal is to do my lessons daily as they are designed and not to put them off to the last minute. I know that this will be not only crucial in my participation on Tuesday evenings, but will also help me learn on a deeper level about my Creator (and I'm so excited about it this year!!)<br />
I know that in my power I will fail, but it is my prayer that I just rest in what God wants me to do this fall.<br />
<br />
Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-68176480923412711662012-08-11T21:28:00.000-05:002012-08-11T21:28:28.691-05:00what happens at the kitchen table (a few Haiti memories) What happens at the kitchen table? Most people eat meals there, you would say. One of my roommates just moved a kitchen table into our apartment a week ago. Tonight as I was eating dinner there, I was reminded of how memories are made there as well. I was reminded of memories made at the table during my journey to Haiti.<br />
For every meal (breakfast, lunch, & dinner) all five of us plus Norma (most of the time) & some of the JoyHouse staff would eat together at the table. I really enjoyed this because it made us feel like family and I really got to know my teammates (because we were spending quality time with each other) or I got to know more about the Haitian culture. This is something I want to carry on here in the States. I want to make sure that I am spending quality time with others and not just rushing off to the next thing. Another memory that thinking about the table brought back was the food we ate while in Haiti. We ate a lot of fresh fruit while were there. In fact we had fresh fruit at every meal. My favorite was the watermelon and the mango.<br />
My memories of Haiti also included how God showed how big He is through the way He blew our minds away with the number of salvations, number of people we saw at the medical clinic, and the number of kids that we saw come to VBS (which I wrote about in the last blogpost).I am so thankful for what God did on this journey to Haiti. I am also thankful for how God used this journey to open the door for conversations about Him & His Son. Before I even left, I got to share with two gas station attendants (at a gas station near my job that I go to every day if not every other day) about what I would be doing and thus opened the door to talk them about my faith in God. Also one of the plane rides (from Miami to Port-au-Prince) I sat next to Haitian who asked me why I was going to Haiti. I told him about what I was doing in Haiti. It then opened the door for him to ask questions about how the Trinity was possible or for us talk about what happens when we die. For him things needed to be logical and scientifically proven. By the end of the conversation he was asking me how he could have faith in God like I did. I got to lead him through Romans & pray for him that God would reveal himself to him!!<br />
I am thankful that God uses all things, like the kitchen table and my journey to Haiti, for His glory!! I can't wait to share more memories of what God did in my journey to Haiti. (I am still working on going through all my pictures & journal and hope to have some more daily memories up soon!!)<br />
<br />
****Please continue to pray for Alex (the guy that I talked to on the flight from Miami to Port-au-Prince) that God would continue to reveal Himself to Alex<br />
***also please continue to pray for the support I need to pay for this journey to Haiti. The last count I had was that I still needed about $1400..Please let me know if you are interested in supporting me financially & I will let you know how to do that.<br />
<br />
<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-574360495228303012012-07-29T21:52:00.001-05:002012-07-29T21:52:31.895-05:00My God is not dead: Overview of Journey to Haiti I've been home for a couple of days & have had time to think about all that God did on this journey to Haiti. I plan on doing a blog entry of the day by day stuff we did in Haiti but for now I will give you a brief overview.<br />
I met my team members a week before we were to go on the journey & from the start it was evident that it was a team put together by God! We worked so well together and by the end of the trip we were like family. We were a small team of 5. But our team of 5 with the help of JoyHouse staff & members of the church were able to see a total of 82 salvations (8 at church, 2 at first morning of preventative medical clinic, 15 at second morning of medical clinic, & 57 at three days of VBS..)!! We helped do two preventative medical clinics (saw 40 patients at the first one we did & 80 patients at the second one). We hosted VBS for at risk street kids. We expected to have between 75-90 kids. We had an average of 150 street kids each of the three days & 50 church kids each of the three days come (for a total of 200 kids). So with the stats about VBS & number of salvations...1/3 of our VBS street kids came to know Christ. It was only in Christ alone that these things were accomplished!!!<br />
God also taught me many things through this journey (which I will detail in another blogpost)..One thing I know for sure is that God is not dead!! He is alive!! Without Him nothing would have been accomplished & we would not have seen His glory put on display the way we did with Him blowing our minds away!!<br />
<br />
I have put many pics up on facebook & will try to post the rest over the course of the next few days AND will fill you in on other details of the trip over the next few days.Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-61391610339066034582012-07-08T23:19:00.002-05:002012-07-08T23:19:33.720-05:00Freedom in Christ <br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> Have you ever had one of those weeks,weekends, days, etc where it feels like God is pounding something into you? The same lesson comes up at church in the sermon, in your quiet times, in conversations... Definitely happened to me this last week (and weekend.)</span><br />
Every year (and this happens at other times as well) during the time surround the 4th of July, I am always reminded to be thankful for the freedom I have to choose to worship God (because others around the world do not have that freedom) and to be thankful for the men and women who fight (or have fought ) for that freedom I have. This year, however, the Lord brought it a little closer to home and asked me "What am I doing with that freedom?" This weekend I got to go visit my friend in her hometown. (side note: I enjoyed that time!! We swam, ate together, went to the park with her kids, and got to do some catching up.) At her church this morning the sermon was on the freedom of Christ according to the apostle Paul. One thing that really resonated with me was: How am I using my freedom in Christ to glorify God? I am free to worship, share the Gospel with others, go to church...the list goes on. During my quiet time before church this morning I was reflecting on the same concept...is what I'm doing with my time/energy/possessions glorifying Christ? During my driving time this weekend, the Lord kept bringing that to mind as well. He kept asking me am I doing everything I can to glorify Him in every part of my life or am I holding back in any areas?<br />
Another thing the Lord taught me on Saturday during my quiet time on Saturday was that He is in control & I need to just walk by faith. There are several areas of my life that I layed at Jesus' feet on Saturday and He remind of me the verse in Psalms that says "Be still and know that I am God." I need to just recognize that He is God and has everything under control.<br />
This ties together in that in areas of my life that I struggle with, I can glorify Christ by recognizing His control over everything and I can use those things to glorify Him by sharing with others what He has done for me.<br />
<br />
*** look for a blog post in the next couple of days in what God is already doing in & through my journey to Haiti that is less than two weeks away now ;-)<br />
<br />
<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-49669422526901910592012-06-27T16:46:00.000-05:002012-06-27T16:48:21.473-05:00Haiti, VBX, Half-marathon training,<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It's been a while since I've posted a blog entry...</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A couple of weeks ago at church we had VBX and I worked with the 2-3yr olds. Let me take a side-step and say it was so much fun watching the preschoolers learn about the greatness of God. One thing that completely warmed my heart was when we did "offering time" each night, the kids would get so excited about giving their money to help others. The other thing that was a blessing was seeing kids worship with their families on the last night of VBX (family night.) </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Last week was a particularly hard week in the training for the half marathon and the giving up of the mountain dew. I have to be honest that there times when I was ready to give up on both simply because both were hard. But God brought to mind Philippians 4:13 which says "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." I kept praying God give me the strength. On Saturday I was able to run five miles (without stopping) and as of right now as I am sitting here typing this blog, I have only had one caffeinated beverage (and yes it was a diet mountain dew) today. This journey of giving up the diet mountain dew will continue to be hard but I know that God will give me the strength to do what He has called me to do! (and he will do it for you to if you just ask for it!!)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Next update: HAITI...Can't believe it's so soon!!! I leave in 23 days (in just over 3 weeks)!! I am so excited about what God is going to do there!! Here's how you can pray for this journey to Haiti:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 1) pray for protection of the team members (physical & spiritual)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 2) pray that we would all be able to raise the amount of financial</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> support</span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> necessary...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 3) that God would be begin to soften & prepare the lives to be</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> changed by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the Gospel</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span>Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7810736264291858982.post-43018875706902175872012-06-09T22:14:00.000-05:002012-06-09T22:14:37.578-05:00Update on Summer goals/plans I love how the LORD likes to use analogies in my life. For example, as I was running today I was focused on making it to running for thirty minutes without stopping. I ran on a treadmill and throughout the run I kept looking at the screen to see if I had reached my endpoint. As I was reflecting on my run today Philippians 3:14, which says "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in God in Christ Jesus," came to mind. The analogy, which is a very commonly known one, that the Lord reminded me of was that this life is like running a race and that we press on toward a prize (in running the finish line and in the Christian life it's Heaven.) Yes, I am beyond excited that I have reached the first part of my goal in the half-marathon training in being able to run thirty minutes without stopping. I am also thankful how the Lord is teaching/reminding me of scripture as I work toward the goal.<br />
As for "water goal", the drinking more water and reducing the amount of Diet Dew I drink is going. I've slowly increased the amount of water that I drink but the amount of Diet Dew is not decreasing.<br />
I have picked back up on my reading through the Bible in a year this week. The Lord has used this as well to teach/speak to me. I am reading a chronological plan and right now I'm towards the end of the book of Job. Each of Job's friends try to offer explanation to Job for the suffering that he is going through. One thing I've noticed is that his friends are not edifying, or building up, Job in his faith. As I reflected about how this applied in my life two things came to mine 1) I pray that I am edifying to my friends in their faith and that the Lord would show me how to be better at this and 2) I am thankful for the friends God has placed in my life who speak truth to me but at the same time edify me in my faith.<br />
<br />
<br />
As for a Haiti update: I am working on & hope to have my support letters out this weekend. I can't believe that journey is only six weeks away!!! Please begin to pray with me for Gospel opportunities & for changed lives.<br />
<br />
<br />Natashahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07522693224727604454noreply@blogger.com0