Something I have learned

So I realized today that I don't mention much about what God is doing in my life. A serious error on my part. My testimony is not to be kept for only me, but shared with all of you as well. 
Today we had a fun creative time of worship. Some of us used playdoh, others used colored pencils.
I grabbed the playdoh and began sculpting, as best you can with playdoh. 
Through this exercise I just wanted to share what God's been doing in my life.

The blue figures represent people, I am the one in front. We all have blue hearts. But I wanted God to break my heart for the things that break His. So He did. But then I realized it wasn't enough for me. So I asked God to break it further, but more so to just replace my heart with His heart for this world. And He did (is doing).
So my blue heart has fallen to the side and God replaced it with His heart. 

This year is coming to a close and if I think too hard on it, I may just cry. God has been doing so many great and wonderful things in my life and He is only getting started. But when August comes, as wonderful as it will be to see my family again and return home. I am leaving so much behind. I am leaving my two new families - my host family and my Kairos family. I am just so blessed to have been apart of this Kairos class. And even more so blessed to be with my loving host home. 

But, as bittersweet as August will be, I know there are great things in store for me in the years to come. 
So continue to pray for me as these next few months will be very busy with an outreach week, camping/canoeing trip (it will be intense and I have never camped before). Then mid June we leave for our summer mission trip (which I have yet to find out where I am going. Soon though!) 
And also be praying for my future. That God will direct my steps and open the doors that need to be opened and shut the doors that need to be shut. 

Week 28!

I am staying caught up this week!

It's been a super awesome week. Tuesday, my small group went out to Nadia's Cakes and I got a cannoli which was super delicious. 

Wednesday at internship, for me it was a not so busy day. I did get to play with this cutie, Leora, for maybe an hour. Did some office work too. Then went on to small group and service. Hard to believe that we only have four days of internship left. 

On Thursday I was able to go to a thrift store and found some great deals of clothings items that will be very useful on our Boundary Water's trip next month. I was very blessed to find items that I needed for a very decent price. Gotta love thrift store shopping! Though I still have several items to get to be ready. Hopefully can get those next week. We will see :) Have to get them soon though. BW is only a few weeks away! Also, on Thursday, we had some time in the morning to learn how to set up a tent (as shown in the picture, I'm on the left in the blue) and tie some knots and make a tarp shelter. This was to be our only instruction on these things. In a couple weeks we will be having what is known as the Kairos Games.

For two days we will be having a competition to have some fun and to start preparing for BW. We will take our loaded packs and hike around a lake, set up camp, take down camp. The next day is ending with our second 5K. The team that does everything the fastest (accumulated times) gets $10 giftcards (each) to use for anything you might need or for snacks for BW. I'm pretty excited for the next few weeks...actually, the next several months. Though it also means that Kairos is drawing to a close. 

Today, Friday, we got to go to the other internship church (half of us intern at Woodridge, where I go, and the other half go to the Mills). So we went to the Mills and did a lot of outdoor work. Most

of us split wood using a fancy wood splitter that made it look like you were peeling a cheese stick. Such a good arm work out. Lifting lots of heavy logs for two hours. I had alot of fun though. And I learned a very handy fact about a Columbia jacket I bought at the thrift store. It is not water proof. Good to know! I'll have to water proof it before BW! Haha! But yeah, I really enjoyed the work today.

This week in class we had the founder of Reign Ministries come down and teach on World Religions. We just brushed the surface of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Mormonism. Learned alot. Especially today. We watched two videos on Mormonism that made it very clear what they are about. Craziest fact I learned? That Islam is closer to Christianity than Mormonism is. But it's true. And if you want to know more, well, ask me. but also watch this video. It's pretty funny too. Just a general overview of what a Mormon believes in, but it's what they don't tell you when they come to the door.

But yeah, I have really enjoyed this week. Thank you all for being such great supporters! Love you all!

Weeks 26 and 27!

 Sorry it's been awhile since I last posted. The last two weeks have just flown by and have been pretty busy. So just a quick update. 
Our daily Bible reading is finally in the New Testament which I am happy to be back in this and out of the OT. 

My mom made me a cross-stitch book mark that I asked her for. My dad has the same cross but with a different verse (or no words, I can't remember). But I asked my mom to put in my favorite and most inspiring quote from one of our teachings this year. It's from a sermon by Paris Reidhead called "10 Shekels and a Shirt" and if you like listening to audio sermons, it's a fantastic sermon to listen to and it's free on youtube.

During one of our small group times, we made food art and this was my wonderful creation. It's an underwater peeps monster attacking poor iced animal crackers that are in their little submarine/air bubble things...It also ate some jelly bean fish.

So week 26 wasn't much...oh, did I mention I turned 21 on Friday? April 10th was my 21st birthday and it was a fantastic day! I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many people who care about me. 
So I started the day with skyping my parents and brothers. It was good to see them and talk with them for a few minutes. It was a chilly morning that turned into a mini snow flurry! It didn't last long but it was magical while it lasted! I loved it! God knows the details of our hearts! :)
(The pic is of me and Emily)
My host mom is the bomb and bought me a birthday cake to take to school. So we had a mid morning snack of cake. It was fantastic. And my carpool ladies bought me a minion birthday balloon and some flowers that are still alive and I love them. 
Then that night, Chelsea came over and we got all dolled up (I also took a birthday nap because I was worn out and would not have stayed conscious past ten pm.) She did our hour and make up and then we went out to Applebees with nearly the entire class. We had so much fun just hanging out in conversation and I got a virgin strawberry daiquiri which was yummy :)
Went home and drank some sparking grape juice and we were out by 1 a.m. Haha! 
It was really a great day. I very much enjoyed my day! 

Week 27 wasn't much. Nothing out of the ordinary. Emma and I led worship on Tuesday. We just did some worship songs and had a time of prayer over our prayer sticks that we did the last time we led worship. 
On Thursday, Carsten and I led group fitness. We drew extra lines around the parking lot lines and we all played line tag for 20 minutes! It was a lot of fun! And everyone seemed to really enjoy it. 

On Friday we had a Friday fun day. We drove out to Stillwater, MN and had a fun time splitting off and roaming the cute town. I roamed with Ashleigh, Chelsea and Hannah. We walked around an antique store and I bought a couple fun finds. We got coffee and ice cream and then sat by the river and stuck our feet in. We had good conversations and just soaked in some sun before it was time to leave. Lots of fun. Can't wait to go back!

Other than that, it was a normal week :) 

Week 25!

This week was amazing! Our classes were on Evangelism and Missions. Wow! I mean, I knew these two things were important. But to have it laid out so plainly yet so inspiring.

Wednesday we had no internships again so me and two others went and watched American Sniper in the theater. Such a great film. I sobbed at the end. Those types of movies always remind me of how blessed I am that my dad was never sent to war. He came close to it. He went through all the training for Desert Storm and when they were supposed to leave, they were told they didn't have to go. I am also reminded of the loss I have seen over the years. I went to school with a family whose Father/Husband was killed. It was a very sad day, one where I ran straight to my dad and hugged him tight, thankful that I could still do that. (Also thankful that he worked at my school so he was there for me to hug).
Our military men and women sacrifice so much and it's so easy to forget that.

I have to share some of the videos we watched over the week. Some are serious. Some are funny. I encourage you to watch each one.

~Please Don't Send me to Africa~

Hilarious video, only a couple minutes long.

The Supremacy of Christ by John Piper. WOW can I just say WOW? This is such a moving message I urge you all to watch this. Soak in the words of this message. Let it sink deep down.

This was another great Piper video. Much shorter than the one above but equally as powerful. "Don't Waste Your Life"

Hope you all had an amazing Easter celebrating our Risen Lord! 

Week 24!

Sorry this is late! The last couple weeks have been super busy!
So this may be a short update on week 24! Wow, sorry, that just hit me. It's already been 24 weeks.. (well, 26 weeks now since this is late. crazy!!!)

Monday and Tuesday Kairos students had the chance to teach for 20 minutes of characteristics of a leader. I taught on Discipline. I used alot of it on Saturday and got a lot of work done that needed to be done. Live what you teach :)
This week we did not have internships at our churches due to spring break. So it was nice to have a Wednesday off. I caught up with family and friends and skyped/called them. It was great!

On Friday, we did Jesus with Skin on. My group went to the Perkins across the street. John treated us girls to pie as we worked on drawing/writing encouraging notes to random people. We made notes for some of the staff and the people who were sitting at the restaurant. Left one at a bus stop and some barri

stas.
On Friday we also had a charades night! A lady from our church hosts an intern charade party every year. It was a lot of fun! We all won gift cards! I got a Caribou gift card and that made me very happy! I have yet to use it! Saving it for a day  I really need a latte :)

On Saturday, I went and hung out with some friends. We made biscuits and gravy for dinner and watched the movie....my mind blanked. I don't remember what we watched. It was intense thriller and it was awesome. I loved the movie. It was great to watch a clean thriller.
So yeah, that was week 24. Told you it would be a short update!




Oh and Friday was a sad day. We said goodbye to one of our classmates. For various reasons she is leaving the Kairos program. We sent her off with love!

Savannah is the girl in the front/middle with cream colored shirt.