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| my blog has pretty much moved to myspace. hopefully i will be
better at updating it there than on xanga. get on my case about
it so i don't forget to post! love to all - andrea
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| Man I just cannot believe how awesome tonight was. We had Jeff
Deyo here today, and I am just so excited about what God is doing
within the hearts of the students on this campus. We had a chance
as a worship community to eat with the band, and we had some really
good convo about songwriting, prioritizing, free worship, among other
things. That was really fun to get a personal connection with
them and hear from their hearts. I remember that the drummer said
something that really stuck out. They were talking about how they
used to tell all the band members to sing along so it would be more
apparent that they were worshipping. Then they realized that
musicians praise God in their own language through their
instruments. The drummer says that each piece to the drum set
represents a spiritual thing. Hitting the cymbal is like a
release of freedom in someone's life. Kicking the bass drum is
like kicking the devil, etc. He literally picks out people in the
crowd and intercedes for them AT THE DRUM SET, while playing. I
have never seen a band in such a worshipful mode. I mean, every
single one of them was broken and humble, willing to drop everything to
dance for joy, lift their hands, or kneel to the ground at any given
time. I want that so bad for the worship team at church, but
getting to that point takes people who are seriously seriously
committed to Christ.
Walls were broken down tonight at Messiah, seriosuly. I
worshipped like I haven't worshipped in a long time - I was able to
really focus on God tonight and I feel so at peace and rested after
that time with Him. I want that to happen every day, and it can -
I can walk in His presence anytime I want, but so often my sin and
attitude keep that from happening. At one point we all started
singing acapella our own made-up songs, and it sounded beautiful.
I can't even describe it but it reminded me of what heaven will be like
someday. God is good. Man, I am tired all that jumping in
the front reallly wore me out! -Andrea
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| Some would say that You cannot be found. Some would say that You
are far away. But I know You're the God who lives in me, and I
know You will always have my heart...
Cuz You are good and Your love endures forever. You are good and
Your love endures forever. You are good. You are good.
Lord, I cry out to you for my soul. I am nothing except a
wretched sinner, deserving of death. Somehow You love me so much
that You are willing to forgo all of that punishment and have mercy
upon me. How can I ever thank You enough? It's like, so
many times I put it out of my mind. The enemy has tried for far
too long to make me forget to thank You and live for You. He has
found my weaknesses, my rough areas, and attacked me spiritually with
them. This is not just about me. This is about the
spiritual realm - about Satan trying to everything he can to stop what
You want to do with my life. He knows that I want to serve You
all the days of my life, whether through music, missions, speaking... I
don't even know yet. But God, I guess I just want to say that I'm
gonna fight it. I'm not gonna let that happen. It
can't. It just can't. I am wasting time not getting my act
together spiritually when there are millions of people outside of this
door who have never made a committment to You and do not know the
incredible joy and peace that comes from walking with You.
I am having a rough few days. My dad is having surgery
today. Touch him - be with the doctors and help the procedure to
go smoothly, so he can be in as little pain as possible. I hate
to see him hurting and please just restore him to health asap.
Also, please help me with my studies. I am learning so much and I
love that priviledge (thank you for my education), but schoolwork is
just really stressful right now and I need Your help with it.
Help me to manage my time well and get things done - it just seems so
overwhelming, thinking about all the work that I have to do. I
know that I can handle it, but it's gonna be rough for the next few
weeks and please be by my side, over my shoulder, strengthening
me. Help me to make good decisions.
Lord, this 123 thing really got me thinking. There is a lot that
needs to change but I am going to take it one step at a time. I
love you... I live for you... i am sorry for my sin. Forgive me
today.
Thanks be to God.
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| Wow, I just feel like I have to say that
LIFE IS SO GOOD.
I know I know, there's lots of schoolwork and it's cold and rainy and
Christmas can't come soon enough...but I truly am thankful for this
moment, this day. I love laughing. I love being weird and
crazy and pulling shenanigans. Especially when I should be writing a 10-page paper which "analyzes the effectiveness of my interpersonal communication skills".
Speaking of papers, my dad told me the most amazing thing the other
night during one of our nice long chats. I put this in my paper
actually. He said that the reason he doesn't give me a hard time
about how I hang out with people so much at college (even when I should
be doing work) is because of this man he knows, Dr. something
Heath. This guy spent his life researching what makes people
happy and successful. 80 years, until the day he kicked the
bucket, he researched and experimented, trying to figure out what makes
us happy in life. Do you know what he discovered? Grades in
college have no correlation to future success and happiness.
Wealth, power, fame - no correlation. The only thing he could
find that correlates to success and happiness is one's ability to establish and maintain healthy relationships.
He said, "Andrea, it is so important to me that above worrying about
your grades, you do that in college - build relationships. That
is what life is about - your relationship with God and with
others." It's so true.
Wow maybe I am just trying to comfort myself because I'm not so sure
about this paper. Hahahaha. But I didn't make that up it's
legit... ask Xi!
Oh brother. Love you all. -Cuatro
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| - A Lighthouse's Tale It's been awhile, eh? Blogging, what a concept.
Well today was thanksgiving. I say today but really it's been tomorrow for over 45 minutes. I am so thankful for so much. When asked at the lunch table what I was thankful for, particularly this past year, I answered that I am most thankful for quality friendships and for the new sense of independence I have at college - the feeling of being just a little bit more "grown-up". For some reason I love getting older. I'm sure that will change before too long.
Aimee and Eric's wedding is tomorrow. I am so excited for them! They have both been such incredible examples to me, and I know that together they will be able to do even more for God than they might have on their own. I am also excited to be able to play and sing for the wedding, even though I'm a little stressed about it.... ah.... anyways, I hope I get to dance with my dad. I always have a dad dance at weddings. It's tradition!
I just saw the movie Pride and Prejudice. I was a little disappointed for a couple of reasons. First, it's always been a ritual to see a movie on thanksgiving with the bakers. Sadly they're all enjoying the warmth of Cali at the moment, and it was just the Brittons at the movies. And besides that, the movie was a little far-fetched. And why did Mr. Darcy have to be so unattractive? And how could my mom fall asleep halfway through? haha well that was actually a highlight of the night. My mom cracks me up. And she makes wicked good grape pie.
That felt a little weird writing since it's been so long, a billion things happened to me in between this entry and the last but... I have a life so I'm gonna go live it instead of write about it! Actually just kidding, I'm gonna sleep.
Thankful for all of you,
Andrea | | |
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