I had some time to read this week, because I refused to read anything school related on my break.

I read If by Amy Carmichael, and it was really good.

I included some of my favorite '"if's":

[taken from "If" by Amy Carmichael]

"That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God."

If I have not compassion on my fellow-servant, even as my Lord had pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude ... then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief or shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If in dealing with one who does not respond, I weary of the strain, and slip from under the burden, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I cast up a confessed, repented, and forsaken sin agaisnt another, and allow my remembrance of that sin to color my thinking and feed my suspicions, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection ... if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I put my own happiness before the well-being of the work entrusted to me ... then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I myself dominate myself; if my thoughts revolve around myself, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If when I am able to discover something which ahs baffled others, I forget Him who revealeth the deep and secret things ... if I forget that it is He who granted that ray of light to His most unworthy servant, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If a suddent jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I feel bitterly towards those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I say, "Yes, I forgive, but I cannot forget," as though God could not wash such memories from my mind, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If there be any reserve in my giving to Him who so loved that He gave His Dearest for me; if there be a secret "but" in my prayer ("Anything but THAT, Lord") then I know nothing of Calvary love

If things or places or people hold me back from obedience to my Lord, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered ... then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I want to be shown as the doer of something that has proved the right thing, or as the one who suggested that it should be done, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If when an answer I did not expect comes to a prayer which I believed I truly meant, I shrink back from it; if the burden my Lord asks me to bear be not the burden of my heart's choice, and I fret inwardly and do not welcome His will, then I know nothing of Calvary love

If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the food of the cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love

  I just finished reading 3 amazing books, and I recommend them all.

Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy

An amazing book about being set-apart for our heavenly Prince. Only when we are set-apart for Him can we live a pure lifestyle. Anything by Eric or Leslie Ludy is a gem.

"In a culture that mocks our longing for tender romance, in a world where fairy tales never seem to come true — do we dare hope for more? For every young woman asking that question, this book is an invitation. With refreshing candor and vulnerability, bestselling author Leslie Ludy reveals how, starting today, you can experience the passion and intimacy you long for. You can begin a never-ending love story with your true Prince. Discover the authentic beauty of a life fully set-apart for Him. Experience a romance that will transform every part of your existence and fulfill the deepest longings of your feminine heart. "

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

Another gem (anything by Lewis is absolutely amazing). The idea that we have to completely let go of ourselves to have God, and all the ways we can hold on to ourselves, are frighteningly relevant 62 years after The Great Divorce was written. The writer, in a dream, boards a bus on a drizzly afternoon and embarks on an incredible voyage through Heaven and Hell. He meets a host of supernatural beings far removed from his expectations and comes to significant realizations about the ultimate consequences of everyday behavior. This is the starting point for a profound meditation upon good and evil. "If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell."

Four Things about me you may not have known...

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1) Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
2) Berry Picker
3) Housekeeper for an elderly neighbor
4) I help out with my mum's Adult Foster Care Home


Four TV shows I love to watch:
1) Whose Wedding Is It Anyway
2) Giada in Paradise
3) Anything on the Disney Channel
4)

Four places I have lived:
1) Romania
2) Portland, OR
3) Chicago, IL
4)

Four of my favorite foods:
1) Thai Food
2) Taco Bell
3) Italian Food
4) Romanian Food

Four places I would like to be, rather be, right now:
1) Romania
2) Santorini, Greece
3) Italy
4) Anwhere but here {at school in the library}

If you have not yet read the above book, read it! I am about 1/3 through it and it is amazing!!

Here are some phrases I underlined in my book and I thought I'd share. I know there are a lot, but try to read each one seperately. I think they are all such powerful phrases:

• "To be prepared to relate to a member of the opposite sex, you must first learn how to relate to the Creator of the opposite sex." - Page 37-38
• "I struggled with trusting Him, because I didn't truly know His nature and character. He created me; He knows me even better than I know myself." - Page 49
• "I am willing for You to do whatever You want in this area of my life" - Page 50
• "The "something better" is found in emptying yourself, surrendering to His lead, letting go of your life and all you hold dear, and entrusting everything to Him. Because in doing that, you will be tenderly embraced by the sweetest Musician in all the universe and receive your own personal concert." - Page 51
• Laying your life down is not the fun and enjoyable part; it's the essential part!" -Page 52
• If God is going to write your love story, He's going to first need your pen. If God is going to lead your love boat to the harbor of romance beyond the fairy tales, He needs the helm." -Page 52
• "Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be." - Oswald Chambers, page 62
• "God took the pen from my trembling hand and began scripting the most incredible tale imaginable. No my future husband did not show up at my front door right then. But from that day on, God began healing and restoring the pain of my mistakes and molding and preparing me for true love." - Page 65
• Don't build God into your life anymore. Instead, build your life around Him. - My paraphrase from page 65
• "I learned to lean on my relationship with Christ for my hope, joy, and security, rather than trying to find these things in a  romantic relationship . . . I wasn't truly ready to begin a journey toward marriage with my future husband until I learned to find my hope and security in Christ alone." -Page 67 
• "Only when He is truly in first place are we ready for a God-written love story." -Page 68
• Seek Him on a daily basis, put Him in first place at all times; discover His heart. - My paraphrase from page 69
• "He wants us to lean on Him for guidance and direction." -Page 70 (and read Proverbs 3:5-6)
• "The minute we try to rely on a formula, we miss out on the whole beauty of what a God-written love story is all about."-Page 70
• "Whenever we put our trust in rules to protect us, we push God out of first place in our lives."-Page 71
• "Only leaning on our faithful Father and longing to please Him with everything we do will set the stage for a beautiful romance."-Page 72
• "Your love life is not supposed to kick into gear when you finally meet that future someone special ... The moment you meet the Great Lover of your soul is the very moment that you kick off your passionate love life." - Page 83
• A Romanian prison guard who tortured Christians once said this: "If we cut off their tongues and forbid the Christians speech, they love with their hands, with their feet, and with their eyes, they love always and everywhere until their last respiration. Does anybody know how to take the power of love from these stupid Christians?" (page 83). I want to be one of these "stupid Christians" and have that much love for Christ!
• "Love is the cologne of Christ. You can't get close to Him without catching its overwhelming fragrance. Love is the scent of Christ's true followers, too. And it's fragrance of love that we, as Christ's followers, are personally responsible to drench ourselves in. Take off the cologne cap and just dump it. The heavier the aroma, the more of Jesus this world will understand and know ... if there is not a scent of Christ's love on someone, then they bear no evidence of true devotion to Christ. Love is our badge as Christians. Just as an FBI agent whips out his ID and states, "FBI!" we as Christians with our attitudes, actions, and words prove, "I am with Him!"" Page 83
• "Most people never realize that the way we live displays in vivid color, for all the world to see, everything from what we believe in to what we worship and bow down to. You can share a message without ever opening your mouth." - Page 83
• "Trusting God is the key to unlocking the treasure chest. But once you open up the chest, you will discover the kind of love that is the sparkling secret to heavenly romance. To learn that kind of love, you must first lean on the Great Lover. In leaning on Him and learning from Him, you will become a radiant example of Him for the entire world to see."-Page 85

God's blessings upon you tonight and always! Good night,
Elena

 i am reading 2 books that i really recommend for Christian women

i am actually listening to this (i have the audio version) and it is soooooo good!!

"Every little girl has dreams of being swept up into a great adventure, of being the beautiful princess. Sadly, when women grow up, they are often swept up into a life filled merely with duty and demands. Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, or a capable home manager.
What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating can do for women. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be.

By revealing the core desires every woman shares -- to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a grand adventure, and to unveil beauty -- John and Stasi Eldredge invite women to recover their feminine hearts, created in the image of an intimate and passionate God.

Further, they encourage men to discover the secret of a woman's soul and to delight in the beauty and strength women were created to offer."

"Lust isn't just a guy problem - it's a human problem. And unless we honestly confront it, lust will destroy our relationships and our lives. Joshua Harris, author of the runaway bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye, calls a generation bombarded with images of sexual sin back to the freedom and joy of holiness. This "PG-rated" book - straightforward without being graphic - speaks to those entrenched in lust or just flirting with temptation. Honestly sharing his own struggles, Harris exposes lust's tactics and helps readers create a personal plan for fighting back. Men and women will find hope in God's grace and learn the secrets to lasting change. "