Verse this morning :)

This... is what the Lord had for me this morning. I literally just flipped to something, sleepily, and whoa. whoa!!!


Here it is:


Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.
From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.

Isaiah 46:4,9-11




the Word of the Lord :)
Thanks be to God.

No News... Yet!

Still waiting to hear if I'm accepted to World Race.
Still.

Trying to be still, that is.

Waiting on the Lord.
He seems to answer me either when I'm not expecting it, or in some grandiose way, with nearly romantic timing. Either way, I wait a long time.
Here I am, waiting, hoping, praying :)

He has already used World Race to bless me beyond measure, and I haven't even gone on it! For that, and for how far He's carried me, I am praising Him with a full heart tonight.

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
        -Psalm 31:24

Padre Shenanigans

Talia, Becca, and I took a very frugal and hilarious roadtrip to South Padre Island last weekend.

We aka Talia drove all night. Got there, took a mini nap, and saw the sunrise. The next day we went to the beach and enjoyed the sunshine. At night, we went dancing. The next day, we rested and went to the beach for a little bit, and then drove back. That's the bland summary of our trip.

Here's the good stuff:

On the way there we listened to a crazy CRAZY variety of music, ate cold chicken stuffed rolls because we were THAT hungry, and also stuffed our faces with puppy chow. Who knew puppy chow could get EVERYWHERE, huh Becca? It's like ninja chocolate.

We stopped at several gas stations with very specific purposes lol.

"My hand is a dolphin!" "Double dolphin hands!"

We experienced a traffic jam at 2 in the morning in a small town due to a train.
During this traffic jam, we were creeped on by a truck driver. Panic.

Reckless driving, yes, there was some. But it was wreckless driving as well, so now it's funny. Well we did get pulled over once. Thankfully it wasn't while we were sticking our feet out the window, or taking "sleeping" pictures, or simultaneously tweeting about the same events, or filming the passing cars' reactions to our signs.

We sang "My heart will go on" a capella, upon seeing the ocean.

Throughout the trip we took "creeper pictures" where we'd sneak into each others' pictures and look really creepy. Here's a prime example. Notice my well-aware eyeball, a-creepin.

We found out that... well.. you can never really have enough Valeros.

Got to the beach and the sunrise was AMAAZING.

 

Walked back from the beach and relaxed at the hotel, some of us slept, some of us blubbered crying over the computer, aka me lol "iiimmmm sooo happpyyyyy ahhbuhuhuhuhuuuuh"

The beach was HOT. I'm talking sand-burning-our-feet hot. An understated fact about sand: it gets EVERYWHERE and it NEVER leaves.

Also, there is no 'i' in sand, but there was definitely sand in my eye.

We ate turtle cheesecake and spaghetti right on the beach. Everybody was jealous because we brought real food.

I was in dire need of my tissue box, as my sinusitis was in full swing. I had a tissue up my nose pretty much 98% of the time. It was comical, but also horrible and disgusting. Take your personal pick, it depends how comfortable you are with mucus.

Becca and I wore no sunscreen :(

I was approached by a group of hispanic girls, speaking Spanish to me asking to take a picture. So I did :) got to tell them I'm from Brazil. I must have been really tan at the time haha

Low-flying angry seagulls were roaming the region. Why don't they have a movie about THIS?

I tried boogie boarding but the waves were teeny tiny lil baby waves. Pshh. I need some riproaring ones to carry this. *points to self*

We got caramel all over the sheet we were laying on. We were all a hot mess.

Got back to the hotel, got sand EVERYWHERE.

I took out the curtain rod with one swoop. It was a HUGE noise, everybody started laughing, I open the door and this picture got snapped.

haha I'm too strong sometimes. I need to hold back the strength in these powerful little hands.

We went out looking for a place to dance. Drove around a bit, walked, drove some more, walked. Heard some beats, went into Sunset. AS SOON AS we walked in, they stopped playing "cool" music and began playing songs in the genre of "Love is a battlefield"... which meant we were at the wrong place. I asked our waiter where people say age 24-25 would go to dance, as opposed to people our parents' age? He laughed so hard. We were then redirected to a place called Louie's.

Upon arriving at said club, we corralled and inspected for guns (I wish I was kidding)  then proceeded up some wooden stairs to the sound of "Calabresa" now we're talking :) To our dismay, we were a very strange minority, being caucasian, heterosexual, and sober. It was intimidating. We proceeded to dance/laugh/dance/laugh in that sequence. When the wobble came on, nobody knew the dance! Talia and I pioneered as fearless leaders in teaching this club population the dance. Bless their hearts, it was precious. I had a small Asian man high-five me at the end of the song, "tank yoo!" he said.
After wobbling, we were ready to go home. We went downstairs and watched some Colombians scream-sing karaoke songs about their corazons. We walked back to the car, well Talia kind of hobbled.

Our parking luck at the hotel was out, and we had to park all the way around and walk the perimeter of the hotel on a tiny sidewalk. There was a palm tree that covered the sidewalk, and Talia exclaimed "we have to go through this palm tree!" yes!

We arrive home and I was soaked to the bone in sweat. Turns out that I sweat at least 50x more when I'm sunburned. FACT.

The next day, Sunday morning... best quote of the morning was definitely "don't get chocolate on the Bible!!" :)

As a closer, I'd like to say I had an amazing time!! I love you girls!!
And here's my accidental creeper portrait. I think by far it's the funniest thing I've ever done in my life, and not on purpose.

insert Jaws theme song

that's the end of it... but the memories will live on forever 

♥

♥

♥

Immeasurably More

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21


I can tell you this morning that God has been doing immeasurably more than all I asked or imagined in my life.

I am being encouraged and prayed for by more people than I ever thought possible.


God has provided a home church that not only loves me, but wants to send me as a missionary and support me.


My heart is so full of compassion right now. I'm ready to share His love with others.


The Lord has been equipping me and teaching me more about the gifts He's given me.


God has brought somebody into my life who is very very special. I got to hear from him again today. What a joy.


I saw the sun rise over the ocean this morning, and I felt a renewed sense of peace that He's at work for me, for my good, and that I need to rest in this peace. Everything will come together. He reassured me with Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."


God is so faithful. I'm overwhelmed by His grace in my life.
You know well, dear friends and family, that I've gone through really terrible hardships, for the glory of God.


Had I not gone through those trials, I'd never understand or come to trust in Jesus like I do now. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4


"As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:11


Because He is so compassionate and merciful, He made the twisted roads lead to where I am today.


Right here, I'm SO happy. I know trying times will come again, but wow. In this glorious morning, my heart is full. I can feel His hand leading me through. I trust His beautiful timeline.  I praise Him wholeheartedly.


I cried tears of joy this morning, for the glory of God.
My Creator has plans to prosper me, not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future. It no longer matters to me whether these plans have anything to do with what I hoped for myself, because I trust that the Creator of my heart knows what I need and will continue to do immeasurably more for me than I can ask or imagine, for His glory.

Irony

No, this isn't a post about blood! Although blood is iron-y.
Irony... I think it's almost funny now. To be completely wrong :) God always wins. 

♥  That a long and arduous chain of events would lead to something extremely lovely!
♥  That as soon as I say "no way, not me" God says "my way, yes you"
♥  That I say "I'm finally content!" and God throws me an epic curve ball.
♥  That in losing everything, God secured my victory.
♥  That the only way to become more patient is by waiting.
♥  That silence speaks volumes.
♥  That the Lord will call on the most afraid to be warriors.
♥  That trusting in His timing means surrendering my deadlines.
♥  That He disciplines with hardship, but blesses with simplicity.
♥  Last but not least, the more I give up control, the more He kindly reveals to me.



Oh the things I know now... I smile from ear to ear!!!!
He really cares :)

Thank you, merciful Savior.


I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! -Job 19:25-27

few more days... just a few more days....