Thankful Thursday :)

There are so many things I'm thankful for today, so I decided that instead of focusing on one topic, I'd make a little list of things that I want to thank God for.

- Friends. :) There are times when I think I can handle life without them, but I really can't. They are my support system, always looking out for me (whether giving me advice at one in the morning, or making sure that I have a bandaid). So many people out there care for me, and it overwhelms me sometimes at the amount of love I receive. All you kind people who read my blog, post nice comments, and even follow me...your words are soothing to my soul and I thank you for taking time to encourage me.

- School. Although terribly difficult and stressful at times, I am really thankful that I have the opportunity to go to this amazing University, which is in the top 20 in the world! So many people don't have the opportunity to get an education, but I am one of the lucky few who has that privilege.

- Laughter.

- Chocolate. (I just had to put this one here!)

- Kaye and Valli. A recent addition to my life, but a very welcome one! :) Two sweet, precious girls who I tutor at the city mission every Monday. Every minute that I spend time with them I feel like I'm in the presence of angels.

- Autumn. Easily my favourite season. :)

Thankful for Books

I am a book worm. Since the age of four, when I taught myself to read English (Polish was my native tongue prior to that), I have been absorbed by books. I constantly read - at school, in my room, and to my mother's dismay, at the table during dinner. I loved the way the words would weave together a story and how my mind would envision handsome princes, majestic castles, and magical unicorns. Reading was an escape for me into another world - one that I liked better.
It's been 11 years since I first started reading, and not much has changed (except for the believing in unicorns part...). Books still have the ability to bewitch me and pull me into another world. Although my genre has changed (less fairytales, more non-fiction), reading is still a major part of who I am.
I love the way God uses books to teach me something new about Him and His world. With each book that I read I feel that God is revealing Himself more and more to me. He does this through non fiction books, novels, and especially His word, the Bible. Every time I crack it open, I feel like God's telling me something new.
Yesterday, they converted our dining hall into a study space. Since I had studied the whole day for my Geography midterm, I decided to take my Bible and journal with me instead. It was kind of cool. :) I read through all of Lamentations, and here's some verses that stuck out to me. Maybe they could be a blessing to you too this morning. :)
"I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, Do not fear."- Lamentations 3:55-56

A Stirring in My Heart

I want to teach overseas. In Africa or South America or Asia...anywhere, really. Just not here. Not this consumerist nation with an equally consumerist church (most of them, anyway). I know there are good churches out there, but I lose faith when I hear how some of them are spending $400,000 on stained glass windows.

Today at tutoring, Kaye was so excited because of her new princess pencils and pencil case that matched. Here I am, sitting on a MacBook Pro in a luxurious library filled with books...and a block away, there's a girl who's getting excited over a pencil.

When I think about these two images juxtaposed with each other...I feel nauseous. And then I think...Am I doing enough?

Jesus, You've given me this heart for Your people. Help me to follow You and trust You wherever You lead me. My heart is stirring to serve You in foreign places...in places that need your love so desperately. I praise You for Your goodness, Lord, for giving me all these opportunities. You are amazing. :)

The Beauty of Autumn

Autumn is my favourite. I love the colours of the leaves, the quiet in the air, and the delicate breezes. I thought that moving to the city would mean I wouldn't get to experience the full breadth and beauty of the season, but I am delighted that is not so. The campus is stunning at this time of the year, and provides a perfect backdrop to the horrors of midterms, tests, and essays.

University Update :)

Midterms are coming up, there's lots of tests, assignments, essays, and not to mention, a lot of reading. But I'm quite proud of myself for keeping up with everything and not being behind (yet!).

I'm still battling with complacency here. There are times when I feel like I'm doing so much and then there are times when I feel useless. I want to work for the Lord with all of my heart but it's so hard to focus on just that. There are all these distractions that threaten to pull me away from what I should be doing.

It's not like I'm doing this out of duty, either. I love Jesus with all that I am, and I want that love to radiate to the people around me. When I read the Bible and see how passionate Jesus was about his ministry, I am inspired to be more like him. I want to bring His love to those who don't know it and give hope to the hopeless. I'm thinking about going into missions (for a while, I didn't want to, but I think God is stirring it up in me again).

I just know that I can't stay here and live like everyone else is living. White picket fence, 2.4 kids, SUV...I can't live that kind of life! I go crazy just thinking about it.

What I desire is dirt on my hands and sweat pouring down my back. Children swinging off my back and families coming together in community. I want to be more like Jesus - actually more like Him, doing what He was doing, living as He was living. Not the over spiritualized concept of "make me more like Jesus" but the nitty-gritty hard work concept of "I need to be like Jesus - literally."

Read the gospels and see how Jesus acted. How He spent His free time. How He lived, what He ate, where He went. And then ask yourself...if Jesus were living in our culture and time right now, what would He be doing? Are we doing it?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm Canadian, so today we are celebrating Thanksgiving :) And what a beautiful day to celebrate it!

What my Jesus time is looking like these days :)

I have my NIV Bible, my Poverty and Justice Bible, my diary, and my devotional journal.

I love the Poverty Bible - it has 50 challenges in it that I'm doing every week. This week's is about books. So I asked around and my mom's friend gave us a bunch of kid's books that I'm donating to the Mission tonight. Maybe Kaye, Valli, and I will read a book together!