Currently Listening Little Voice By Sara Bareilles Love Song see related

22nd Birthday in Black and White

                             My housemate April made this for my party, she's so creative!!!!

And now... the girls from home.. the ones that drove TWO HOURS for this shin dig -

I'm so blessed!

There's so many more, check them out at my facebook page. Bedtime.

Ciao for now, ALOHA!

Currently Listening Phil Wickham By Phil Wickham see related

helloooo out there :-D

I love reading everyone's updates and stories, and especially love the pictures. Especially of Sarah and Luke's new baby - CUTIE!!! I just never seem to have much to say, and when I want to say something my fingers can't keep up with my thoughts, and it just comes out like this... blah.

               This semester has been very interesting so far. 2008 will be a year of learning the art/act of discipline... which is not something to be learned over night. When the end of the year is upon me, I will no longer be a college student, but a young professional; I graduate at the end of this year (December). I have been trained to go out into the world and use the commodity of English to aid the people I come in contact with and hopefully share the Gospel with them as this need is met. The realization that I will not mature spiritually overnight when the time for me to go becomes my reality. I need to prepare now, because December is going to be as close as tomorrow one day. I do not know what awaits me after I'm finished with my student teaching in the fall, I do not even know what I will be doing this summer, where I will be teaching in the fall, or anything else after May. It is strange to have to make these decisions, BUT I am in love with the fact that God is using this to bring me close to Him through truth and trust. I have a lot of options (TESL is a great opportunity)... but it is overwhelming at the same time. How do I narrow it down? How far do I wish to go? How permanent should I make my plans? These questions have brought me closer to resting on My Heavenly Father's shoulder to let unrest and worry roll off me. I am preparing for sail on unchartered waters, through discipline and joy. Please pray for me, I'm almost 22 and many of you have known me since I was a teenager and maybe even younger - and God knows what I have to offer Him now. On my own I am simply dust and worthless to impact. Please pray that I remain true to the Faith and that I "finish strong," as my dad says, this preparation for an even bigger marathon. This may seem a little jumbled to those that are reading this, welcome to my mind

Love to you all! Aloha

Ciao for now

A little bit of Autumn/Winter Magic

    I fear that I will never become a blogger. Its not a total shame, though, because there's a very small population out there who even read this. For those of you who do - I have a special treat for you! PICTURES!!!! These are of the Ladies of Biltmore (the 7 girls I live with and myself, and we don't literally live in "The Biltmore", but we live on Biltmore  Ave. so its a fun pun). Here we go!!

                             AMY                                        JULIE

        PATRICIA                                 GLORIA

                         APRIL                                      BRITTANY

         REBEKKAH 

LOVE the tree in the background!

I am so blessed to live in this house with these amazing girls! I'm so thankful to my parents who are supporting me while I'm away from home. I'm thankful for my friends at home who are always calling me to check in and chat. I'm so thankful for ASHLEY GILLMAN who took all the photos! She's awesome. I really am so blessed and so thankful. I don't deserve anything, but He has blessed me SO much, so I will SING OF HIS PRAISES and REJOICE ALWAYS! This semester has had new adventures for me, and I hope to have many more. Lord, thank you so much for all You have blessed me with. I love You, Father!

Until the next blue moon entry,

Ciao and Aloha!

Rebekkah JOY

                                                                                                              (Savannah, Julie's dog)

Currently Listening Painting the Invisible By Vicky Beeching see related

Goodness and Love Pursue Us

 My prayer for you is that you will be blessed as this comforting truth is read. Let God's goodness and love capture you! Love you all!
~ Bek

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)

What a pleasure to see providence turn the very things that seemed to threaten our ruin into great blessings! Little did Joseph think his journey to Egypt would lead to his welfare; yet he lived to acknowledge it with a thankful heart (Genesis 45:5). O what a difference there is between meeting our afflictions and parting from them! We endure them with sighs and tears, but leave them with joy - even blessing God for them as the instruments of our good.

What unspeakable comfort it is for a poor soul, who sees nothing but sin and evil in the mirror, also to see how highly valued he is by the great God! By paying attention to providence, we may see goodness and love following us through all our days (Psalm 23:6). While others pursue good but never overtake it, goodness and love relentlessly follow the people of God. They cannot avoid or escape it; daily it chases them and catches them even when they try to dodge it through their sin.

"What is man," Job asks, "that You make so much of him, that You give him so much attention, that You examine him every morning and tests him every moment?" (7:17-18). God's people are His treasure; that is why He does not take His eye off them (Job 36:7). This ought to make us overjoyed!

What in all the world can give a person such joy and comfort as to find himself assisted in his way to heaven? And yet this is exactly what we may discern by carefully observing various providences. However contrary the winds and tides of providence may sometime seem to us, nothing is more certain than that they work together to hurry sanctified souls to God and fit them for glory.

- John Flavel, from the devotional "How Great Thou Art"

Currently Listening Disney's Greatest, Vol. 1 By Disney see related

MORE PICTURES!!

Here are some more pictures!! (Specifically for my mom to see who the rest of these people are that I keep talking about)

Nabila is in the top picture (she was the Algerian chaperone), and in the bottom picture is her daughter (aka Princess) Tina. Wonderful lady!

Another group picture. awesome people!

  Christina, me, Erika, guides and roommates... what a blast!