Urbana and What to do now!

URBANA 2009!

So this amazing thing called Urbana just happened. It was an amazing experience i am never going to forget. I learned a lot about how to love others, serve others, love God more, and a whole lot of other stuff...

So let's start with the traveling part... So we flew into St. Louis on December 26th and got there around 12:30 their time. It was exhausting, but at least we kind of got to sleep in the next day! I loved walking around down the streets of the city, it was really beautiful, beats Reno's lame casinos, although, don't get me wrong, I LOVE RENO!

The team... So we had a good size team who went, there were 12 of us from Nevada, and then we had Phil's sister join us from North Carolina. We all loved her! So our group was 13... I can honestly say that i was a little hesitant, because i had kind of grown a part from some of the team members, but through this trip i feel like that has been totally renewed which was a relief. I had a great time with everyone who was there. They all became like family to me, and i would never want to replace a lot of the conversations we all shared. God was totally with us.

While i was there i had the opportunity to audition for this music program, but by the end of the trip, God told me it was not the right fit for me, but at least the audition was all good fun! =)

Some struggles i dealt with while i was there...
It was hard to go there and totally surrender everything, at first. I was letting things back home get in the way of what God was trying to tell me. The first night, i had a hard time falling asleep because i was thinking about some stuff that was going on back here at home, causing me discomfort all night, and thus a lack of sleep, which was a bummer. Finally, later on that day (Sunday) God told me to forget i even came from somewhere else. To pretend Urbana was all i had. When i finally did i was able to encounter it on a new level, and God totally blessed the week, and now i know what God wants me to do! but I'm not going to jump the gun yet! =)

Another struggle i dealt with was comparing myself with others. Sometimes i get lost in that mindset when i am not as valuable or not as special as someone else, but NO my friends!!! I was wrong, we ARE ALL VALUABLE AND PERFECT BECAUSE WE ARE HANDMADE BY GOD!

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While at Urbana I was really trying to seek God and see what it is that He wants me to do. I read through parts of Joshua, as suggested by a friend, and read all of Ephesians and discovered some great truths. One of those is: We all have spiritual blessing from The Lord, whether we use them or not. We are adopted children of God and the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance of salvation. We are only saved by grace through faith, and not works, and another truth is, that totally hit me in the face was, the mystery of the Gospel is revealed of what we need to know, and it's ok to not always have the answers to everything. God definitely put it on my heart, to NEVER LET A DAY GO BY WITH ANGER. But instead, go to your brother or sister who has hurt you that day, and work it out. Wow, isn't that great? I have definitely not been doing that lately. I cause myself more grief by holding it all in. How selfish is that?



Urbana's theme was "He Dwelled Among Us."We studied through the first 4 chapters of John. It definitely was wonderful. God totally just shook my world.

What I am being called to now...
So while i was at Urbana, God totally revealed to me what to do after graduation, which has been a consistent prayer for awhile now!
About a month or so ago, my dear friend Beth got home from a mission to Cambodia, and i did not think much of it, but when she got home, all i could do was sit in silence as she told of the stories of the children she had been playing with, who later on were trafficked out on the streets. It totally sickened me, and my whole view on what to do next was completely changed. Now i feel like i am supposed to go to Cambodia and help as much as possible to make it possible to save those kids from the terrible rapes and
torture they encounter every day. It's heartbreaking. God has given me this new passion, not to go to waste, but instead for me to act on, so i am praying that all doors are open for me to go this summer. hopefully for like a month, but i have to prayerfully consider all the options to get there.

Thanks for reading this blog, i realize i rambled on a few things, but really, God is so changing me and teaching me how to be BOLD in my faith, and not ever be afraid of the gospel of Christ. It is by His power that we can do ALL things.


Trust Jesus to help us take HIS LIVING WORD to all people.

Joshua 2:11"And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."