Skewed Perspectives

Currently Listening Daughtry By Daughtry see related

We have been having a student-led revival this week, and last night a student gave his testimony, and it impacted me so much that I thought I would share it with you guys.  He was into pretty much anything...alcohol, drugs, sex, you name it, and he became very ill.  He went into the hospital and was diagnosed with HIV.  He said he was so tired of His lifestyle, of the emptiness it brought, of hearing what everyone else has to say about his life, and he just wanted to hear what God had to say about him.  So, he woke up one day and there was a Bible in his lap that the minister of music from his church had left for him.  He opened it and, searching for answers...searching for truth and proof of God's existence and God's desire to even have anything to do with him, "the worst of sinners," he read this passage:

Psalm 103

1) Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise His holy name.
2) Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits -
3) Who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases,
4) who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5) who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
6) The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the opressed.
7) He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel:
8) The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abouding in love.
9) He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever
10) He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities
11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him
12) as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us
13) As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
14) for He knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust
15) As for man,  his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16) the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more
17) But, from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children's children-
18) with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.
19) The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.
20) Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word
21) Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will
22) Praise the Lord, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the lord O, my soul.

So, the guy read this and asked Christ to save Him, to heal him, to renew him.  After getting out of the hospital, he went to his church and they laid their hands on him and prayed for healing from his life-threatening disease.  He went back for blood work, and the results were negative for any trace of HIV.  That was seven years ago, and he is still in remission.  God is loving and good...God is Jehovah Raffa...the healer!  I was so encouraged and humbled by this testimony of God's incredible and unfathomable power!  

Currently Watching Step Up (Full Screen Edition) By Channing Tatum, Damaine Radcliff see related

Hi!  It's been entirely too long...Thought I'd give a little update on life.  I'm still doing the whole study Psychology and Spanish at North Greenville University thing, and I am LOVIN it!  I have incredible friends who are encouraging and who love to have deep conversations about the things of God as well as voice multiple hilarious sarcasms, which I love...it's such a blessing!  I have amazing professors, and with each class I take, I realize a little more why counseling and people and counseling people are my passions!  God wants to heal people and draw them closer to Himself, and can use others...ME...to help them get to the point where they believe and accept that!  That baffles me...On another note, the past months have been really dry for me spiritually, but God is starting to renew within me the passion that I once had for Him, and He is teaching me so much right now...Praise Him!  I am praying about a few decisions...my youth pastor told my mom that he is going to ask me to lead the mission Mexico trip this year...by lead I mean, I would be responsible to get get these people through the airport and I would be in charge of their lives and other such things while in the country...That is HUGE responsibility, but such an amazing opportunity!  SO, I am praying about that and I am really going to have to have a without-a-doubt certainty from God if I am going to do it...the more I think about it though, the less anxious I get...I dunno...please pray for clarity for me in that decision. I am also going to try to get some kind of internship with a Christian counselor in Charlotte for the summer, so that is exciting if I am able to do so!  But anyway, I am sorry to have bored you kids with my ramblings, haha! Just know that I miss you all SOOOOO much, and I can't wait to see you in May!  Dejame un mensaje si me quieren, haha...jk...even if you don't leave me one, I'll still know that I'm the epitome of lovable, and that you have all come to this realization!  Adios;)

Currently Listening Chariot By Gavin DeGraw see related

WOW...its been forever since I have updated this thing...the "bad stuff" blocker at school recently decided to block xanga, so I have not been able to access mine to update, but hey, its all good...not like anyone reads these anymore anyway, haha!

SOOO....now for the very general overview of my last couple months...I did the school thing, finished all the exams and such and ended up with a 4.0 this semester, which was so great!  I was thoroughly excited!  My roommate and one of our best friends started dating about a month ago, so that has been fun...it's been a transition because the three of us were always together so I am learning to know when we are supposed to be all together and when they wanna be by themselves, but I love them both and they are great together!  Ummm...Spanish church has been incredible...the new pastor has such HUGE vision and "where there is no vision, people perish" so I am so excited about being a part of that ministry.  I miss it when we are gone on holidays and stuff.  Right now I am working A LOT during Christmas, so that's tiring, but the extra money will be really great!  It is wonderful being home and getting to rest a little bit without having to think about papers and projects and tests and school stuff!  Its also really great to spend time with my family. 

Anyways...I will go now, but I will try to update more during the holidays, haha...also, I just want to say that I REALLY love Christmas!  I mean...I LOVE it!  Alrighty, well I love and miss you guys so much and I'm sorry I'm such a slacker at calling and emailing and stuff, but seriously I love and miss you guys like crazy!  Can't wait to see you again this summer...adios mis amores:)