Chicago!

Well, after a ten hour drive from my house to Chicago, I finally arrived last night. I LOVE it here in the States - Christian radio is on every second station, there are FREE refills at McDonald's, and everything here is way cheaper than in Canada. Not that I don't like Canada, but I totally understand why U.S. Citizens are so in love with their country :)

On Sunday, Mom and I are planning to go to Harvest Rolling Meadows - a huge church here in Chicago. I'm really hoping that we'll be able to go, because it'll be another opportunity to bring my mom to church.

I realize I haven't written in a long time - last week was pretty crummy for me. I made plans with friends, but those got cancelled. I had to go to the doctor and to the dentist (on the same day!). But the worst part of the week was telling my non-Christian friend that I wouldn't be able to date him. I know it was the right thing to do (2 Corinthians 6:14) but that didn't make it any easier. On the plus side, I got to evangelize to him, which was by far the best experience EVER.

I'll try and sneak onto the computer here a few more times while in Chicago. Enjoy your day!

Putting God First

I think most of us know in our minds that we are to put God first in our lives, but I've found that actually living it out is where I struggle. The unimportant day to day things catch my attention and time, and sooner than I'd expect, the day is already gone and I haven't spent anytime with God. How does one change that?

The easy thing to do is put God first - literally. As soon as you wake up, before breakfast or even getting dressed, spend time with Him. Read the Bible, do devotions, and spend lots ot time in prayer. Your whole day will be better because you've started out on the right foot - with God at the beginning, just as He should be.

Over the school year, I will definately try hard to put this into practice, even if it means getting up earlier than I want to. Time with God is vital to our Christian life - how does one know a friend if they don't spend time with them? The same thing can be said for spending time with our best friend, our God and Saviour.

Putting God first not only means being with Him daily, but placing Him above all other things in our life. Our purpose in everything should be to bring glory to God, whether we are eating, reading, or spending time with friends. I experienced this just a few days ago at the Lincoln Brewster concert (which was awesome) during the last song. Lincoln told us to close our eyes and lift our hands to worship God, and I was so into it that I didn't even notice him and the band leave the stage. I'm sure this was his intention, that God would be the purpose of the concert, not his performance or our entertainment.

We can trust that when God is first, we will be most satisfied because we are satisfied in Him!

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

- Colossians 3:17

Today is the day...

...that I am going to the Lincoln Brewster concert! Yay! the Christian Radio Station in Ontario, Life 100.3, is having it's Tenth Anniversary Party tonight, which includes a Lincoln Brewster concert. I've been waiting for this event for quite some time now, but only today it is becoming real to me. I even got my grandma to put my hair in rollers :)

Things have been going great for me! I've visisted the treehouse a few more times since Monday, and I've even got some great photos for you guys. I'm sure you'll enjoy them just as much as I do.

The treehouse!

The bottom floor of the treehouse

Two paintings on the top floor...done by yours truly :)

A Bunch of Good Things All At Once

Don't you just love it when a bunch of good things happen all at once? I do! It's such a great blessing from God when everything works out and all the stress and nervousness fades away.

Church yesterday was amazing! I love going there - the worship is awesome, and the preaching is great, too. My interview went a lot easier than I thought it would. I felt a little shaky when I was up there talking, but a lot of people came up to me after and said I was so composed and relaxed that it looked like I was reading off a script! I thank God for giving me the right words to say, and for calming me in His presence.

Another good thing was hanging out with my youth leader today. She's so awesome! I haven't seen much of her this summer because we've both been busy, but I just love hanging out with her. She's very smart and understanding, and gives great advice. Another thing to be thankful to God for.

Probably one of the best things that has happenned was getting my laptop fixed. The internet finally works, so I can blog peacefully from the quiet of my room instead of from the family computer in the basement. Expect to see lots more blog posts coming up!

"Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts."
- Psalm 105:2

Heading to Church Tomorrow!

Not that I don't usually go to church every Sunday - I do. My mom makes me go with her to Catholic Mass, and does not permit me to go to the evangelical non-demoninational church where I attend youth groups. However, God is good, and tomorrow I will be going to the church where I've wanted to go now for over a year. I am beyond excited! And even better than that, my mom is going to be coming with me!

The reason for my attendance is that I'm going to be interviewed about the Cuba trip in front of the whole church. I'm quite nervous about this, as the church doesn't really know me, and I do get a little shaky speaking in front of large groups. Yet despite my fears, I am absolutely sure that God can work through me and calm my fears.

Pray for me and my mom tomorrow as we go to church! Thanks! :)

Thankful Thursday

I just came across the Grace Alone blog and decided to join in this week's Thankful Thursday.

This week, I am thankful for:

-My job, even though it is quite stressful at times and I'm still fairly new at it, I'm happy that I even have a job, and that it is much better than my last one. I love working with the kids and seeing their happy, smiling faces, and knowing that I am helping them in some way.

- My family. Despite the fact that they are not Christians, they are still my family, and they love me alot and want the best for me.

- The forest. Such a simple yet beautiful part of God's creation that offers me a place to go and meet with Him. I love the green of the trees and the way the sunlight streams through the openings in the canopies overhead. I love the songs of the birds, and how peaceful and serene it is.

Thank You, God, for blessing me in all these ways and more!

Long time, no write!

Yes, I realize it has been forever since I have written, but I am back and will try and write everyday from now on :)

I have been caught in a whirlwind of friends, family, bible study, painting the treehouse, and reading some great Christian non-fiction. It has been quite busy, but very fun and fulfilling.

One of my favorite activities in the summer is walking in the forest. During one of these walks a few months ago, I came across a completed treehouse right in the middle of the woods, just a few minutes off the path. This treehouse became my little sanctuary, a place to sit and enjoy God's presence, do devotions, and sing worship songs. Unfortunately, a group of teenagers vandalized the treehouse around June, which greatly discouraged me from going there again.

Fortunately, God is good and He provides a way! I decided to get together with a few of my friends and paint the treehouse, covering up the obscure images and words. The treehouse is now covered in Bible verses, flowers, butterflies, and other various decorations.

I couldn't be happier about "my treehouse." I try and visit it daily, making sure to thank God for His goodness. The treehouse is just an example of how God can turn any bad situation to good if we only listen and follow Him.

Decisions, decisions...

After returning from my missions trip to Cuba, I've had a lot of time to think about what I want to do in life. Before I became a Christian last year, it had been my dream to work at a high fashion institute (ie. Vogue) as a journalist. After accepting Christ, I was determined to continue with pursuing journalism as a career, and I was dead set on going to a University which offered the best journalism program in the province.

This week, however, I felt God's nudge to look up a Christian college that I had heard of. As I looked at their program for people who were interested in missions, I knew that this was part of God's plan for me. Yes, it was more expensive than the non-Christian university, but only by a 1000 dollars. Yes, my parents would disapprove of my choice, but I couldn't let that hinder my decision.

The decision to go to either one or the other was based on where I would glorify God more. Would God be more glorified if I went to a secular college and pursued a career that would only benefit myself, or would He be more glorified if I went to a Christian college where I would learn about Him and eventually go out into the mission field to advance His kingdom? The answer was clear, and although my mom objected and the family finances are not in a good place, I trust that God will bring about whatever He has planned for me.