He took my place

I watched this video this weekend…and was not prepared to become as emotional as I did. And even during my church service this morning it was as if I was finally understanding what a sacrifice Jesus made for us. As I get older and have more life experiences, I see God in different ways and need Him in different ways. So as I was watching the account of Barabbas, something finally occurred to me. I know Jesus died on the cross for us - that's something I learned when I was little. But I never thought about the fact that Jesus literally took Barabas' place on the cross. It should have been Barabbas hanging up there but it wasn't. It was Jesus. I know how Barabbas has been depicted in the movies but I then thought about what if that was how it really happened? What if Barabbas, so stunned by this sudden turn of events and his new freedom, followed the crowd to Golgotha? What if he saw a man who didn't deserve to be up there and realized He wasn't just a man? What if he realized there was way more to this than anyone else knew? I think the part that touched me the most was the guard's account. When he said most of those he crucified would fight and try to get away before the first nail was in place. But not Jesus. He willingly laid down. For us. Wow. It's so powerful. Happy Easter. 

it's your time

I love the story of Esther. I love her bravery and the way God used her. We talked about Esther last night in the small group I help with. And to serve as a reminder, I made this printable for each of the girls in our group. I put two on one piece of paper and backed it on cute patterned paper. I had no idea making chalkboard printables could be so fun! It's super easy and super cute! My word for this year is brave and Esther's story is such a great example of that. She had a choice and could have refused to save her people. But she said yes. That was her moment for God to use her in a big way. This is your time! If you'd like me to send you the pdf, just comment with your email address :)

winter break, part 2

As a teacher, I'm off two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. We call this Christmas break. Well, due to some unexpected snow, we had an additional winter break. A two week winter break! The snow is finally beginning to melt and the ice is thawing so we'll head back on Monday but the time off has been nice. I've had free time…to be productive but also be a little lazy. Some things I've done:

1. read (reviews coming soon!)

2. bake (chocolate dump cake - thank you Pinterest!)

3. arm knitting (though I'm still working on getting the hang of it)

one word 2015

Last year I joined One Word 365. One Word is a movement to challenge our way of thinking. It's about choosing a word to direct your year. Last year my word was finally. This year my one word is brave. I want to not let any hesitancy or…myself…get in the way of moving forward and tackling this year! I'm reading a book by Holly Gerth called You're Made for a God-Sized Dream. I'm not super far into it yet but she talks about how we all have God-sized dreams inside of us. Dreams that seem too big to happen or maybe too hard…yet they're there. "If you're in a place where it feels like what you've undertaken is much harder than you imagined, take heart. If God has called you to this, then he will get you through it. Here's a secret: God-sized dreams are invincible when we're obedient. He always wins in the end. Does that mean the result will look like what we had in mind at the beginning? Most likely not. But whatever purpose God has for your dream, he will bring to pass. Your job is to not quit no matter what happens. God will take care of the rest." After this book I have a copy of Let's All Be Brave by Annie Downs ready to go. So that word - brave - is popping up a lot. And I want to be brave. I want to follow God's leading this year, trusting where He's leading. 2015 is a great year to be brave!  

give thanks

Today is a day for being thankful…but I'm striving to have that attitude every day. I remember watching a message by Steven Furtick's wife, Holly. She said whenever she was feeling ungrateful she would take the bracelet she was wearing off and switch wrists, naming one thing she was thankful for. She would continue switching her bracelet until her attitude had changed. I like the idea of that. Of stopping and taking time to think about all the things I have to be thankful for. The small things. The big things. And the things on the way. I'm thankful for my family, my church, and my job. A warm bed. A car to drive. That I'm healthy. And I'm thankful for a God who is never late in His timing. Who always answers my prayers. May we never forget to be thankful. 

"Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him." - Psalms 100:4 (Message)

running

Life is busy right now! I had the amazing opportunity to go to Guatemala and got back two days ago. I can't even begin to truly describe how great it was and how God moved. As I was preparing for the trip, I knew I'd be hitting the ground running after getting back so I'm in run mode. I was hired in June to teach kindergarten this school year! This job is something I've been praying for since I took a teaching assistant position at the beginning of this past school year. I attended training for my new job yesterday and Thursday. I've been functioning on caffeine and naps :) This upcoming week is a mad dash to get my classroom ready and the week wraps up with another two-day training. And on August 4, staff reports back to work in my district! SO, there's lots going on but it's all exciting. God did some great things in Guatemala - I know the trip will be a defining moment in my life. My heart is drawn there but I'm not sure what the reason is...yet. So I'm in the middle of looking at pictures from the trip, searching Pinterest for classroom ideas and first thing Monday morning, I'll be in my classroom, getting everything ready :)

everything is awesome

I just want to take a moment and share about some amazing things God's doing right now! He's answered two of my biggest prayers at the moment, giving my faith the boost it needs as I continue to believe for the third thing. 

1. I'm going to Guatemala for a missions trip next month and didn't know how I was going to pay for the trip (which is another story entirely). I knew I was supposed to go and just trusted that God would provide. He completely exceeded my expectations! I did some fundraising and God blessed my efforts. It was hard work but not only did I pay my trip off five weeks before the final payment deadline, I had enough to cover my expenses for the trip!

2. I'm teaching this fall! I was a T.A. this past school year (which is also another story) and have been believing I'll have my own classroom for next school year. I'm super excited and know everything will come together with moving in, getting set up, planning and attending trainings between now and the beginning of August. 

It's been so amazing to see how God has taken care of these things! I'm excited about everything going on right now and what God is continuing to do! 

making a list...and checking it twice

I'm preparing for a missions trip and wanted to pass along some things I learned from last year.

1. Three words: space. saver. bags. I've been on two other mission trips but last year was my first trip out of the country. And as I'm preparing for a trip back to Guatemala, space saver bags are a girls best friend! I was amazed at how compact my clothes were. 

2. Splurge on a sleeping bag. Last year, I found a sleeping bag at a local thrift store for less than ten bucks. I washed it and crammed it in a space saver bag. I ended up leaving it in Guatemala, knowing I couldn't fit it back in a space saver bag. This year I invested in a compact sleeping bag. It comes in a compression sack and is only three pounds; about the size of a football. I did some shopping around, wanting to get the best price and ended up at Walmart. I paid forty dollars and am pleased with how comfortable the sleeping bag itself is. It's a mummy style - which wasn't my first choice - but I still have room to move around. 

3. Dry shampoo. For as long as I can remember, I've faithfully washed my hair every night. Until going to Guatemala last year. Dry shampoo was something I hadn't heard of until then and it's changed my life. I use it now between washes - because I've even read it's good not to wash your hair every day. 

4. Disposable items. I'm all about travel size and disposable items. I really like the travel size plastic bottles you can get so you can just fill them with shampoo, etc. you already have. Anything I can use up and then throw away, I'm all about. The less I have to unpack, the better. 

What I have to keep telling myself: this trip isn't about me. As hard as it might be, keep it simple. Try not to overpack. I usually make a list of everything I'll need and then decide if there's anything I could stand to not take. It's a little harder for me to do that when going out of the country because I know there won't be a Walmart nearby - it helps me justify taking a few extra things :) 

And as far as making everything fit in your suitcase, there are some great ideas on Pinterest! What did we do before Pinterest??

the secret is out!

One of my favorite things about Red Lobster is the biscuits! I don't know what makes them so amazing but wow, they just seem to melt in your mouth! I was in Walmart the other day and was super excited to find a giant display of this biscuit mix! I haven't made them yet but am looking forward to having Red Lobster amazingness without having to leave home :)

one word

With a new year I'm thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2014. I've made goals in prior years and at first tackled them and made all kinds of progress! But then, pretty much once February arrived, I started slacking until finally...I'd abandoned the goals I had put such great thought into. I don't want to do that this year. So I'm taking this snow day to figure out my focus for the year. Single Roots had a blog post today about a movement called One Word 365. Instead of having a list of good-intention goals, choose just one word that can be what drives and directs you for the year. So my word? Finally. I'm deciding to take off the shelf things I've thought about doing and finally get around to doing them! I think one of the most dangerous words is "someday." I'll write that book...someday. I'll get out of debt...someday. I'll take that leap...someday. So no more someday! This is the year of finally!

currently

Oh my goodness! I'm on Christmas break and have been just a little bit lazy but I'm ready to get back to blogging! 

Jessica from How Sweet It Is has a weekly "Currently Crushing On" feature on her blog. Here are a few of my "currently's":

Listening to ~ "Architecture" by Jonathan Thulin. Such a great song! It took me hearing it on the radio a time or two to really listen to it and oh, it's my new favorite! I can only find the acoustic version on youtube (which is awesome!) and ended up buying the EP through Amazon :)

Wearing ~ Revlon's "Timeless" nail polish and Trader Joe's Nourish Antioxidant Facial Serum. I was on the search for a new nail polish and wanted a grayish color. I didn't want it to be metallic but really wanted more of a matte look. So I came across this shade from Revlon and really like it! I normally don't pay more than $2 or $3 for a bottle of polish but decided to splurge :) I actually found out about the Trader Joe's facial serum through one of Jessica's Currently Crushing On posts. It wasn't until I finally made it to Trader Joe's for the first time that I remembered to look for the product. And I really like it! It makes my skin feel super soft and I think my face looks healthier. I wear it under my foundation and when I don't feel like putting on makeup, wear it solo. 

Munching on ~ Hershey's Mint Truffle kisses. I only found out about them this year and need to stock up before all the Christmas candy is gone :) 

new favorite

I have an obsession with ink pens. I'm always looking for fun colors and pens that write smoothly. I bought a pack of these today and yes, they're pretty awesome :) I have the InkJoy pens with lids but wondered if these click ones would be any different. I can't tell a huge difference between the two but definitely like the InkJoy line of pens! I also like felt tip pens but they tend to slow me down just a bit when I'm writing quickly. But if they're brightly colored, I'm probably going to at least try them :)

 

mission statement

I went to Guatemala this summer for a mission trip and God changed something in me. I've been on two other mission trips but this was my first time out of the country. We had an amazing time and I'm slowly figuring out how to take all that happened and let it influence what I'm doing now that I'm back home. One of the biggest things that has helped me was to write a mission statement. I got the idea from Paige Omartian's book,  Wake Up, Generation. I reviewed the book after being home about a month and feel like the timing was truly a God thing. It was long enough that I had rested up from the trip and was finally thinking "I'm back. Now what do I do?" Why is a mission statement important? Because it drives what you do. "...your mission is the root and heart of what you do. It's your reference for every decision; it's your reminder and confidence of what God has called you to." Want to change the world? Write a mission statement to help guide you and then go for it!

 

"crazy love" by francis chan

"Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts - it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything."

I read this a few years ago and really liked it. It was before I started highlighting in books so I can't quote some great lines that stood out to me. It's one of those books I plan on reading again as well as reading more of Chan's work. In preparing for this post, I watched a video of him talking about one of his other books and there's a genuineness about him that is reflected in his writing. You can go to the Crazy Love site to learn more about the book as well as his other books. 

"do hard things" by alex & brett harris

Brothers Alex and Brett Harris wrote DO Hard Things for the teenage audience to encourage them to rise about society's view of them and allow God to use them to do hard things for Him. This is a book that I haven't read yet but it's sitting on my shelf. The title caught my eye when I first saw it and I knew it was something I wanted to read. Though I'm past the 13-19 age range, I have no doubt that I'll benefit from it as well. 

You can visit the site for the book to learn more and watch a video from Alex and Brett as they share the reason behind why they wrote the book.  There's also an online study guide you can download and links to buy the book.

daniel fast

I don't know your take on fasting but my personal belief is that if you're needing God to do something, fasting is one way to make that happen. Sometimes fasting brings breakthroughs that nothing else can. So, since I'm needing certain things to happen in my life, I'm beginning another Daniel Fast from February 7 through the 28. With this being a leap year, I thought it would be really cool to end my fast on the 29th. I feel like it's this extra day and what better way to celebrate than eating the things I've not had for the last 21 days? I did this fast last summer for the first time and feel a little bit more prepared. I'm working on actually planning out menus instead of searching the cabinets for anything I'm allowed to eat (not a good idea :).

I purchased The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory - it's a devotional but also full of recipes. She also has a blog which is how I first heard about her. If you've never done something like this before, it will definitely test you. I like breads and dairy and meat and chocolate and caffeine and giving all of that up is not easy. But there are times when you realize what you need to happen in your life is more than eating yummy foods. If you've done this fast before, what are some recipes you would recommend? I'll be sharing ones I've found to be successful over the next few weeks (fyi, tofu is icky - I learned that lesson last year). I'm really excited about being able to tell what God did during this process!

If you're looking for more resources, here are some sites:

- food guidelines

- Jentezen Franklin

- ultimate Daniel fast

doing

Today's a snow day and I'm making every effort to be productive while watching the snow outside. This blog post is actually not what I'm supposed to be working on but it technically is still productive so I'm taking a break from what I was doing. I finished the book Radical this weekend and am still trying to figure out what I'm going to do about it. It's not possible for me to ignore what I've read and continue life as I was before. I want to do something but what? This is where I'm at. It can be easy to become discouraged and overwhelmed with all the need in the world and therefore not do anything. It's all about baby steps. Platt lists five things for us to focus on in order to bring about radical results. One is reading the Bible in a year and I'm excited that I was already doing that before reading the book (you can click here to see my post). He also says to pray for the entire world. He refers to Operation World and they have a list of resources to help guide you in praying effectively. These are just two of the five but it's a start. I can't change the world in one day but I can do little things that will be ripple effects for bigger things but it all starts with doing something.

fa la la la la

Sometimes we need to take a break. We need to momentarily lay down our responsibilities and the plate that's piled high with things we must accomplish. And we need to laugh. I went with some friends this weekend to see Dave Barnes and Drew Holcomb (if you've never heard either of them, google their music - that's all I'm saying) in concert. What I love about Dave is that while you go to hear him sing, he's also incredibly funny (most often in a cheesy kind of way but I like that) and you end up laughing as well. This weekend was no different. He played some songs from his new Christmas album as well as some of his other stuff and he made us laugh. I don't know if we laugh enough. We can be so focused on what we need to do that we forget to find the humor in situations (sometimes that's the only way to deal with what you may be going through). Thank you Dave for giving me a brief respite in this hectic Christmas season. And the "fa la la la la" comes in because he sang "Little Lies" (off his newest album "What We Want, What We Get"). He had the audience sing the chorus which begins with "la la la la la." One of the girls I went with had us singing "fa la la la la" instead since it's Christmas time which actually I liked better :-)

which way?

Have you ever questioned what to do with your life? Or, even better, did you think you knew what you were supposed to do but then started questioning that? My hand slipped up for that one. I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher – that’s what I majored in and have spent my whole academic career pursuing. Yet I’ve spent the last two years since I’ve been out of school trying to find my way back in through a teaching job. There’s just something about being in a classroom that feels right to me – call me a dork if you want :-)

My pastor this morning prayed for all of us who were needing direction with our lives – those still in high school, those having just graduated and beginning that search for “why am I here?” to those of us having gone through college and still unsure of what we’re to be doing. I believe I’m going to find that direction. I’m believing for God to show me what it is I’m really supposed to be doing. I’ve come to the point that I’m ok with not teaching – I just want to be where God wants me. I know my education won’t be wasted – it’ll come into play somehow. I just need to be quiet enough to hear Him when He decides to speak and then be able to say, “Ok God, that’s what I’ll do.”

contagious

Although I listen to Christian music, I'm not a fan of every single song incorporating scripture and talking about God. I think sometimes it's ok for music to have a God-centered message in a subtle way. For example, I've been listening to the song "Fever" by Family Force 5. I don't think God is mentioned one time but I can't hear it without thinking about Him. To me, the song is about being contagious in our Christianity, like a fever spreading. I just sometimes think we overdo the whole "Christian music" thing by staying on the end of the spectrum where the songs have to be so flowery and "God I love you." I'm not trying to be too much of a critic and say that all Christian songs are fluff and whatever else - it's just that sometimes we don't have to mention God in order to be talking about Him.