TrthNRdLetters's Xanga

I miss Russia!!

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:13:43 GMT

So this really wont make any sense to anyone that didn't go to Russia with me, but I was looking at these today and they still make me laugh extremely hard. Oh goodness what good times in Russia. To my russia team I hope you enjoy going down memory lane!! I sure did.

The Quote Book

“Woudn’t it be great to be a cow?”

- Kirsten

“I lose me left eye everyday.”

- Kirsten…again

“It’s great they have baby baths in the bathroom.”

- Abby

“I am God.”

- Rachel

“So we should show our boobs?”

- Kirsten

“A bird just hit me in the eye!”

- Michelle

“How is your black tea?” -Rachel

“Salty…” -Kelsey

“Is that Russian walking distance?”

- Michelle

“Now it probably has Rachel’s butt flavor.” -Abby

“Your butt has a flavor?” -Michelle

“I don’t know-I’ve never tried it.” - Rachel

mymom@cedarville.edu

- Michelle

“So these two albino squirrels in my neighborhood…”

- Michelle

“Eeny meeny miny moe, catch a redneck by its toe.”

- Zhenya

“Wanna see my negro lips?”

- Zhenya

“That’s what you do when you’re teeing off- you pretend there’s a stick up your butt.”

- Kelsey

“I think leg hair in Russia grows faster than leg hair in America.”

- Kirsten

“It’s Memorial Day in the USA!!”

- Kirsten’s mom, otherwise known as Janna McCanna

“Adding logs!!”

- Abby

“Do Russians get their tonsils taken out?”

- Sarah L.

“Preevyet! I’m Carol!”

- Sarah B.

“Onee monee pai yo!”

- Michelle and Kirsten

“That’s sacireligious.”

- Kirsten

“Ugh- What is this??!!”

- Abby, after taking a gulp of rubbing alcohol from a

water bottle that she thought contained water

“As long as you don’t press your breasts against the glass, I think you’ll be OK.”

- Sarah L.

“Fly to US?? Ohhhhh…U.S.”

- Michelle

“I’ve been Benadryl – free for 24 hours!”

- Sarah B.

“Rick, Rick, he’s our man. If he can’t show us monuments, nobody can!”

- Kelsey

“Spendin all your money on me and spending time on me…”

- Zhenya

“You’re not fat until your ankle fat hangs over your feet.”

- Sarah L.

“It just takes strategy.”

- Sarah B., in reference to taking a cold shower during one of the “no hot water” periods

“He’s a 48-year old bachelor- I’m sure he’s used to being alone.”

- Anonymous

“Yeah I farted…ya jealous?”

- Sarah L., a.k.a. Amy Poehler from SNL

“I fart on myself all the time.”

- Kelsey (did I really say that??)

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 21:29:53 GMT

God always has a reason to everything!

God is absolutely amazing!! "Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?" Psalm 106:1-2

God has shown me a lot lately about his timing and reasoning. I want to share with you want I am beginning to understand a little better.

No doubt about it, problems will come your way. God will see to it personally that you grow. He will allow the storms, to send your roots deep into the soil of His Word. We pray more in the midst of problems, but it's been well said that you will see more from your knees, than you will on your tip toes. (I like that quote!)

A man once watched a butterfly struggling to get out of its cocoon. In an effort to help it, he took a razor blade, and carefully slit the edge of the cocoon. The butterfly escaped from its problem ... and immediately died.

It is God's way to have the butterfly struggle. It is the struggle that causes its tiny heart to beat fast, and send the life's blood into its wings.

Trials have their purpose. They make us struggle — they bring us to our knees. They are the cocoon in which we often find ourselves. It is there that the life's blood of faith in God helps us spread our wings.

Faith and thanksgiving are close friends. If you have faith in God, you will be thankful because you know His loving hand is upon you, even though you are in a lion's den. That will give you a deep sense of joy, and joy is the indicator of the depth of faith you have in God. Let me give you an example.

Imagine if I said I would give you one million dollars if you ripped out the last page of today's newspaper, and mailed it to me. Of course, you don't believe that I would do that. But imagine if you did. Imagine if you had knowledge of more than 1,000 people who had sent in the page, and every one received their million dollars — no strings attached. More than that. You had actually called me, and I had assured you personally that I would keep my word. If you believed me, wouldn't you have joy? If you didn't believe me — no joy.

The amount of joy you have would be a test as to show how much you believed my promise.

We have so much to be thankful for. God has given us "exceeding great and precious promises" that are "more to be desired than gold or million dollars" Do yourself a big favor — believe those promises, thank God continually for them, and "let your joy be full." God has done amazing things let all try to thank and love him more! I really want to work to love him more everyday!!

God's wonderful promises are greater than we ever expect,

Michelle

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds and creatures of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:25-27

God will not let our struggles happen without his loving embrace wrapped around us.

Love...

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 16:05:33 GMT

What is it about the God's little princess theme that I like so much when I have never full received it here on earth? Maybe it's because I have never felt swept off my feet by a male. Maybe it's because I have never had a male treat me the way a girl should be treated? Maybe because safety that will never fail makes me smile to no end. But maybe just maybe that's not even a feeling I can comprehend. God wants us to feel that feeling in real life; that's way he made man and woman. But how do you know when that feeling comes? Will it swept you off your feet like disney fairy tales? Will it come slowly and softly? I tend to think it comes quick and you know instancely you are in love. But that probably isn't the way God intended it to be. Maybe slowly and softly is a more reasonable way. All I know is that I love my husband with all my heart and I don't even know his name yet. I might know him already and then the process really is slowly and softy. But no matter which way he will come I know that I can't wait because I truly believe God wouldn't put a passion for the little princess story into my heart without showing me what it feels like in this life time. (sigh) Maybe just maybe love is very confusing.

Just the way I am

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:16:31 GMT

As I kneel at the altar in prayer, God loves me.
If I'm sitting in a jail cell, God loves me.
As I'm caring for the sick, God loves me.
If I'm out robbing and stealing, God loves me.
When I'm happy, God loves me.
When I'm sad, God loves me.
When I'm angry and loud, God loves me.
When I'm calm and serene, God loves me.
When I'm abused, God loves me.
As I'm abusive to others, God loves me.
If I'm in bed with a disease, God loves me.
When I'm healthy and fit, God loves me.
If I'm poor, God loves me.
If I'm out of work, God loves me.
When I'm earning large sums of money, God loves me.
When I'm winning in life, God loves me.
When I think I'm losing, God loves me.
When I'm frustrated and resentful, God loves me.
As I remain in a state of prayer, God loves me.
When I'm depressed and feeling low, God loves me.
When I'm in a good mood, God loves me.
No matter where I am -- or who I am -- or how I am -- or what I am ---- God loves me with a love that is unmeasureable and unlimited.

I AM LOVED, JUST AS I AM!

A real update of Russia...

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:56:46 GMT

Wow, I got back from my trip to Russia a little over a week now, and I still can’t even begin to explain it all in words. I do know that it was one of the most amazing experiences that I have had so far in my life. God certainly had a plan when we placed my team together for Russia, and I feel so honored and privileged that God aloud me to be a part of his work. God taught me a lot on this trip, and I’m excited to tell you all about it.

As most of you know, I have lived in West Carrollton, Ohio for all nineteen years of my life. I always knew about God’s omnipresence, but it was a hard thing to grasp when your whole world is in one small area. Russia opened my eyes to the knowledge of that illustration. The most remarkable incident was when we would be in a church service with the Russians and got to listen to them singing praises to the Lord. Sometimes they would sing songs that we knew in English, and then there we all were singing to the same Lord, the same words, but in different languages, and yet God understand it all. The Russians that we worked with had such an incredible love for the Lord, and it showed that God truly loved everyone in the world and not just everyone in my little world. I knew that idea was true before I went to Russia, but it is a hard thing to comprehend before you actually go and see it for yourself. I learned this lesson after being in Russia for only three days; but God wanted to show me more than just that.

After getting adjusted to the eight hour time difference, we started our ministry in the schoolyards. Every evening we went to a schoolyard to play with the kids and build relationships with them so that we could help get them get connected to the Russian youth group and to also be witnesses to them. We would then do a program at the schoolyard that consisted of songs, skits, and testimonies. To keep this part of the story short, I made a lot of good friends there; they are wonderful kids, and I miss them so much. There is one girl I met at the schoolyard that I would love for you to keep in your prayers. Her name is Yulya; pronounced in English it would be Julia. I talked to her almost every day while I was in Russia. She never accepted the Lord, but I know God will continue his work on her even if I’m not present. I miss Russia more than I thought I would; although I know it’s because Yulya kept a part of my heart when I left. Through the meeting of Yulya, God taught me how important it is to let God have complete control.

However my team did not always have a fun and easy time. One day at the schoolyard we were interrupted by the police during one of our programs. It was definitely nerve wracking for a few moments. The police wanted to take us to jail, but one of the Russians we worked with talked to the police and it turned out that we were not send to jail. Unfortunately the police did inform us that we could not continue that night and when we came back we were not allowed to share testimonies or scripture. We did get a little scared, but we all praised God that it didn’t end any worse and that we could come back again. That challenges reminds me to not take for granted the freedoms of assembly and expression we can enjoy here. Another incident that we encountered involved almost losing our baseball bat that we brought with us to play with the kids. Some older teens ran off with it and one of the Russians had to run to get it back. Thirty minutes later he came back with the bat, but also a ribbed shirt, bruises and a black eye.

Through all the hard times and the fun and exciting times God showed me so much that I’ll never forget. It was defiantly an experience of a life time. I thank you all for your prayers that made it possible for me to go. This trip would not have been the success that it was if it for that. Thanks so much for being a part of the work that was done in me and in Russia.

Edit: Can someone explain to me why it's not all in the same font...

Back at Home....how to express that in words...

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 14:02:30 GMT

So like the title says I'm back in America. It's crazy the feelings I'm going through being home. A week ago if you would have asked me if I was ready to be home I would have said ...YES!!! But now I don't know how to feel... Home has changed A LOT in a month (I didn't think it would this much) and a big part of my heart is still in Russia. But Russia was such an amazing experience and it's something I'll never forget. God taught me a lot on the trip and he also gave me many great friends both on my team and in Russia that I will miss greatly. When I get my thoughts all together I will write more about the experiences and fun I had. But I'm lost for words right now..(that doesn't happen very often) lol. But in the mean time I will show you some pictures from Russia.

My lovely team... I love these girls to death...words can not express that...

Us at Red Square. Such a beautiful place

Juila the Russian I connected to the most. I met her at the school yard and finally by the last day she came to the youth service. I will miss her a lot. She was such a great girl. Pray that God continues to work in her life. As I know he is.

Me, Juila, and her best friend Susa being...well ourselves

These are two boys at in the youth group Volodic and Denise. They were a lot of fun. Denise's dad died the second to last day we were in Russia and he still came to see us off on the last day. It was really cool. But pray for his family. They will be going through a hard time.

This is the youth building that held all youth clubs on Sat. nights

You don't always have water in Russia...we didn't have any water for three days... here is the result...

Some girls from the youth. We had a girls night with them.

My team at the school yard doing a program. Almost everyday there were this many or more kids watching us perform a program with songs, skits, and testimonies.

More of an update later.

Michelle

God's plan is always bigger than we can dream up

Fri, 12 May 2006 03:41:14 GMT

So I guess it's about time to update again, but also a chance to say goodbye to everyone for a while. For those of you that do not know, I was excepted to go on a mission trip with Cedarville. I will be leaving for Russia this Sunday and will be there until the 15th of June. A lot of time has gone by since I was first excepted... going to other countries to talk about God was never on my to do list..until this year. My freshman year of college ended at the beginning of this month. This past week has been a great time for me to sit back (well kind of) and reflect on the year, and the changes that have gone on. I thank God for every change I went through in this year. I believe I have grow so much in my walk with God. I love Cedarville, my friends and my God for helping make those changes possible. I alway thought going on a mission would be too scary, to leave everything I know and tell people that I don't know about God. God has shown me this year through lonely times that I will never be alone that he will be beside me the whole way...what an encouraging feeling that is. It's in times where you have nothing left to lend on but God that you realize that He is truly all you need. Even more than that God has shown me that I am also not alone in this world. There was a time that I felt all I needed was God. (Yes, it is good to relay on God, but God also wants us to have the company of others). Through the exceptance of this mission God has shown me how many people have faith in my God and me to do God's work. God sure does know how to encourage people in that ways they need it the most. God has also helped me open up to people to talk about Him. That was something that was hard and scary for me in the past. I could go on forever about all the things God has done for my this year, but all I can say is Praise the Lord!! I love my God for that!! I'm so ready to serve Him to give Him the glory back!!

So I'm writing all this in my xanga to ask for you guys to pray for my team and the people we will be helping in Russia. I have complete faith that God will do amazing things in Russia!! I've seen His work already for this trip. I had to raise $2,600 to be able to go with in a span of two months and it all came in!!! I just want to get as many people praying for this mission as possible. It's not for me, although I'm excited to grow spiritually on this trip, but it's for God and the kids I will be working with. They need God and praying is the best thing we can do for them and for God.

I will give you all an update and pictures when I return. God bless you all. I love you.

Your sister in Christ,

Michelle Romage

**** I want these comments to be filled with prayer to our God when I get back!!! Well or pray to yourself whatever you like to do the best. But show our God that we care to do his work. You don't have to go to other countries to do honor to God. Just pray, and do his work!! ***

Music in it's fullness

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 15:50:56 GMT

What does it mean to have a relationship with God? What does it look like? For a lot of us it’s a hard thing to fully understand. If God is an infinite spirit with no shape or form, how can we possibly relate to that? And what about Jesus? He said he came to give everyone life in its fullest. He came to show us how to live. Maybe it’s through trusting Jesus and living the kind of life he taught us to live – a life of truth, love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrifice – that we have a relationship with God. Maybe the way we live every day, every single choice we make, determines how in tune with God we are. Maybe.

Picture an orchestra. There are many different instruments that put together an orchestra, but yet somehow they all fit together and keep a rhythm together. Each player has their own unique job. Each person in the orchestra has a job; each job is their own. If own person does not do their job, it makes the whole piece of music sound different and probably bad. As Christians we are like that of an orchestra. We are all given different talents and different abilites, and God is like the composer of the music. If one of the musicians messed up or did not do their job it wouldn't be the same. The same goes for us if one of them is missing it would not be perfect. In an orchestra when everything fits together it’s in perfect harmony. If a person choses to have a relationship with God, they to walk in harmony with God. Although there is no way to be perfect the same is true for an orchestra. There can never be a perfect performance, but practicing always makes you closer to perfect.

People today want to know why they are here. If their lives really matter. How their religion is relevant to this life. They want to understand what significance this minute, hour, week, month, and year has to their lives, and to their world. They need a God who cares about this life, in this world, right now. They want to understand why everything they think, everything they say, and everything they do matters. They do not want to just sit back and wait for something to happen or someday to come. They want to know if all the choices they make now will shape their world and lives for eternity. Because they want their lives to have meaning today, and their lives today to have meaning forever. The Holy Spirit understands this desire and so he gives God’s people the passion to want these things.

This passion is not in all Christians so they do good all the time. It is to show us what it is like to be created in the image of God. By having these qualities in our lives we have a better grasp on being in His image. Therefore by understanding this concept we can then be in tune with God.

But let me get this straight for all that are wondering. Being in tune with God is not doing good things. It is have a relationship with God, and then that will make you want to do good.

***If you only read on part read this: The coolest thing to me about music and a relationship with God. Is that music can never be fully explaned for someone that can't hear to understand. Same goes for a realtionship with God. Until it is experienced it can not be fully understand how amazing and powerful it is. But once you feel the rhythm of God's work and the emotions that fill it, you will never want to live without it again. Kind of like music.

If anyone wants to know how to have a relationship with God. Call me or give me a comment. I'd love to show you the love that I feel everyday from knowing a God that will never leave me alone. It's an amazing experience and I want to share it with all of you!

Feeling God's rhythm in my life,

Michelle

Oh and Happy Birthday Ally!!!

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 05:06:17 GMT

Strength is seen within her
Integrity runs true
She seems so tall but truly
She's just like me and you.
Her beauty comes from something
That we cannot seem to see
A heart so full of Christ-like love
It flows through you and me.
Her actions are deliberate
She's focused on the prize
Nothing can distract her
We see heaven in her eyes.
As she walks along with confidence
We see with much delight
A warrior turns to princess
And this is quite a sight.
For as she changes roles
A gentleness shines through
That changes her demeanor
And makes her seem brand new.
But the enemy sees though this
He knows the battle lines are drawn
Whether warrior or princess
She will never be his pawn.
Her steps are fully guided
In her God she'll find success
That's why it's so important
To be a warrior princess.

-We should all try to be like that

My God is an amazing God

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:52:52 GMT

So I always write stuff on my xanga, but I never really say much about what is going on in my life. Well here goes....

I'm on spring break right now which most of you know but yeah. Friday when I got home I hung out with my family. It was a lot of fun. Sometimes I think I take for grated how important my family is to me. I try to spend most of my time with my heavenly father, but God gave us a family here on earth for a reason. No matter how good or how bad our family might be it's still a glimpse of God's amazing love. How would we every understand God's love fully if it wasn't for our family on earth. Yeah no family is perfect... trust me mine is nowhere close, but still they are people in our lives that will always be attached to us in a brotherly/sisterly love which is one of the most important kinds of loves we can have. Image a life without it. I don't even want to try. Sometimes I hang out with my family and I want to try, lol. But to be honest, it's a part of life you can't live without.

After hanging with my family I went to Starbucks with Greg. It was fun to catch up with him. I miss hanging out with him like we did in high school. For those of you still in high school don't wish it away. I know towards the end of senior year you get sick of it, but trust me you will miss a lot of parts about it. I was looking at band pictures the other day and it made me smile, but it also made me realize that I couldn't ever have those moments again. It was pretty sad to think about. I think we all go through life thinking that way. We can't wait for this or can't wait for that to happen. I know for me I can't wait to get married and to have a job. But if we always wish for the next stage in life we will miss parts of the stage we are in. Sometimes a deep breath is need to focus on now instead of later.

Sat. I went to a dance with Ryan. It was with his new youth group. It was a lot of fun. Everyone dressed up in an outfit that was a prince or princess...you know I enjoyed that. lol! The people there were so nice and welcoming. I didn't really even feel like I was new to the group because they made Ryan and I feel right at home.

But I'd have to say the most exciting time I've had being home so far was seeing God work in a friend's life!!! Let me take you back in time to a few days ago.... I was sitting in chapel at Cedarville and the speaker was talking about witnessing while on spring break. He told us we need to reach out to others while we were home and even if we only reached one person, it would be amazing. I thought to myself.." I want to reach more than one". We will see, but God is amazing and I know he can do anything. (Ok back on track now) The speaker asks us all to think of a person that we knew that we thought would be the hardest to get to know Christ. It didn't take long for a name to pop in my head. In a spilt second Daniel S. came to my mind. I started praying for him every night. So Sat night I was laying down in my bed about to go to sleep when I got a text message. It was Dan S. He told me to get out of bed and come hang out with him. I told him I couldn't because I had church in the morning. Then I asked him if he wanted to go. He then ended up calling me. We talked, and he agree to go!!!! I was soo excited!! I couldn't believe how God was working. It was that easy, and I was so afraid to ask him. Oh my Gosh!! God works in amazing ways like that all the time. We think the challenge is too big, but God works it out. How amazing of a God we serve!!! So anyways he went to church and he actually thought it was ok!!! I talked to him on the way home, and he said that he would like to go every other week with me!!!!!!! How amazing is that!!! How great is our God!! God can truly do anything. We just need to stop doubting him or doubting ourselves. God will be there for us every step of the way!!! So I'm so excited about Dan coming to church, who would have ever thought. I know God has a great plan for his life and I want to see my friend of six years again in heaven one day. I give God all the glory and honor for this one. I know that this is only the first step, but what a big step it is. So, God I hand him over to you now, work in his live so he comes to Christ!!

To Dan: I'm very proud that you took that step. I want you to feel the love I feel from God. I want to spend eternity with you someday, and I also want you to spend eternity with your grandpa.

How can I ever praise you enough, God!

Your Daughter,

Michelle