Nicaragua

I have so many mixed emotions. I got accepted to go to Nicaragua and work in a school there. I'm praying for guidance from God to lead me where he wants me. I don't want to get wrapped up in my plans because HIS plan is perfect. The thought of being away for 5 months is scary, but then I have the comfort of God being right there with me. He will never leave me. With God-I CAN do it. I will be making a decision if I'm going or not soon. Praying praying praying!!!

Comfort

I love the book of Psalms so much! It is so comforting. Psalm 4:7-8 says, "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." This makes me think of nights when I can't sleep and I just start to pray. God gives us peace in situations that we don't think around possible. When I've gotten asked to do things that are far out of my comfort zone, like reading 20 verses in front of church, I have felt so much peace. It's the most amazing thing ever. God is so good and gives us what we need when we need it. What an awesome God we serve!

Joy

                        https://twitter.com/#!/ryanflynn/media/slideshow?url=http%3A%2F%2Finstagr.am%2Fp%2Fg0IMQ%2F

I find this quote to be very true. When we compare ourselves to others we will never be satisfied and we get down because we don't have what they do. I just need to remind myself all the time "The JOY of the Lord is my strength." When we constantly hear something, we tend to believe it (usually the negative things and lies). What if we instead repeated this over and over to ourselves throughout the day?Our Joy then may overflow for everyone to see how much we love the Lord.

Winter Retreat

This past weekend I went on a winter retreat with my youth group. It was a refreshing/uplifting experience. The speaker we had did a great job and God really used him to show me a lot of things. I was talking to someone this past Friday how we need to "Love the Lord your God with all heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength...and love your neighbor as yourself." At the retreat on Saturday the speaker was talking about how we need to do this. Then at church last night the pastor in his sermon was talking about how we need to do this. This is something my youth pastor would call a "God Smack." I've really been challenged with this over the past month and I definitely needed this smack because it's been hard.

Another "God Smack" I experienced this past weekend was on the topic of worry. It was brought up on Saturday and two times on Sunday. How God has a plan for our lives and we need to go where God wants us not where we want. We may fall flat but God has a purpose for you being where he put you. It's usually not what we have in mind. God has a different plan. "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9. I worry a lot about where I'm going to be this fall and what I'll be doing. It freaks me out because it seems like a lot of people know. Instead of wasting my time worrying, I need to give it to God, trust and have complete faith that he will take care of me and that he has a plan. HIS timing-not mine.
I am truly blessed to be able to have such a great experience where God was so evident. To God ALONE be the Glory!!!