In Love...

...with HIM who first loved me.

He's an amazing friend... His love so pure.... His faithfulness unending. He's Jesus.

I love His promises.

"Because she has set her love upon me, therefore:

• I will deliver her.
• I will set her on high because she has known my name.
• She shall call upon me and I will answer her.
• I will be with her in trouble.
• I will deliver her and honour her.
• With long life (eternal life), I will satisfy her and show her my salvation." (from Psalm 91).

How can I not trust Him,  love Him, serve Him forever?

We had a great time at camp this weekend. The theme was end times. Learned survival skills ++...was a blast! But ultimately, nothing I do, nothing I learn now, or practice will be strong enough to hold me through those times ahead. Only His grace.

His grace is sufficient for me...because He has promised, "I will be with her in trouble".

If His grace is able to hold me through then, it is certainly strong enough for today, and I claim it as I dive into the halfway mark of the quarter.

He loves me. He loves you. He's shown it again and again. Ever doubt? Read HIS promises.

Thankful.

There are a few pricks to having dual citizenship.

Today, we celebrate Canadian thanksgiving. Next month, we celebrate the American.

Unfortunately, because school, work, and appointments do not recognize anything special today, here in the States, life carries on as normal. So it's thanksgiving...just a reminder to me that everyday can be a day to give thanks.

In another light, since Canadian thanksgiving falls close to the start of a new year for me, it's a great time to say thank You for the blessings of another year of life.

Seventeen was the age I looked forward to since I was eleven. I'm not exactly sure why, except that I met a very godly, sweet and caring seventeen year old girl that year who I looked up to a lot. She was my counselor at YD camp my very first year there...and one of the best camp counselors I ever had! 

Looking back on this year, seventeen is still my favorite year...and I am thankful....

for...

• The challenges I faced,
• The tears, triumphs, character and scholastic development through my first year of school,
• The old cassette. in the car that would sing Jesus Never Fails, One Day at a Time, Walk with Me and so many other songs that would turn me to Jesus when I needed Him most
• The drives to school  where I just talked to God all the way there...and all the way back
• My mom and dad who encouraged and helped me
• My sister moving into my room..I love having a roommate:)
• My whole family growing, stretching, reaching for the mark He has set for us
• A beautiful garden--lots of fruits and veggies:)
• New experiences
• All that I learned and did at Youth for Jesus this summer
• My new and special friends
• That I've learned to LOVE to read
• Prayer
• My Jesus --who is real, who loves not just me but every single person that I meet plus the whole world
• The opportunity to be a laborer together with HIM.
• That this was the year that I learned the most, grew the most, loved Him the most, and realized the intensity of the moments we live in the most
• That this is one step closer to when He comes to take us home.

Brain Transplant?!

Amazing Sabbath...eventful day!

Many Blessings.

One conversation that tickled me: 

Me: "Is your dad on an emergency flight?"

Twelve year old friend: "Yea, he flies hearts, livers, and brains, stuff like that for transplants."

Me: "Probably not brains."

Friend: "Hmm, well maybe not brains so much."

Me: " I don't really think they do brain transplants." (I'm trying to think this through logically:)

Friend: "Oh they do!"

Me: "Maybe it's more like brain surgery."

Friend: " No they do brain transplants."

Me: "Well, let's think of it this way. If something happened to me but my brain was saveable and you needed a new brain, so they put my brain in you. Would you really be you?"

We both concluded that brain transplants would be a slightly difficult task...highly uncommon indeed!

What a strange and complicated world we live in.

It did remind me of how great a miracle God's "brain transplant" on me really is. The changing of my sinful character to become like His and His righteousness imputed to me...It is a miracle of grace.

School

"True education is missionary training." MH 395

Formal education has resumed. Summer was great...Not blissfully relaxing...It was power-packed! I will not even go into the lessons learned, the ways God touched my heart, the amazing experiences had....(not on this post anyway:) I truly believe taking the summer "off" from college was no mistake and no time wasted!

I do enjoy school though. I am taking chemistry, and so far, I like it (first time taking this subject in my life), also taking Spanish II plus music. 

In a way this year is so much better than last. My friends are around! We're not in the same classes, but we have strong comradeship. We have the same goal. We are here to be missionaries and to prepare for the future mission field God has for us. We pray together and encourage each other that we may reach this goal. The four of us are taking lessons from Daniel and his three friends. May we be as faithful as they.

As I look back on last year, it was so different, yet I don't regret it. God used aloneness to grow me. So many times, I realized that I didn't have anyone else but God there for me. I learned to trust. I learned to pray. I learned that Jesus even cared about my schoolwork.

I remember tears. I remember fear. I remember wondering if I was going to make it, and why I was in college at 17. I remember cold sweat and heart pounding in class as I tried to force an answer out of my petrified lips. I remember bombing my first quiz...But I also remember a God who never let me down. I remember a peace that He gave. I remember that when I am weak He is strong. 

I start this new school year, and I remember....

"My Redeemer is faithful and true...everything He has said He will do. And every morning His mercies are new!" I will trust Him, and learn to trust Him more.