WORD

Where do I even begin? So much exciting news I'd love to share! 

Lets start off with this one. 

I will officially serving God in Haiti this summer. I received a call last Friday afternoon while I was babysitting and couldn't contain my excitement! I was so flustered I probably sounded crazy on the phone. As I hung up, I jumped and clapped my hands as well as the cute little baby I sit on. It was fun celebrating with her even though she had no clue why I was so excited. 

Ever since last summer, I have seen God work in extraordinary ways to prepare me for that moment. It's such a joy to know God. To really know Him. As I look back, I knew without a doubt I'd be going back to Haiti to serve for a longer period of time. Yet, I still doubted because I just didn't know how or where I would even get all the money to go but I knew God was calling me. There's no way I could've denied that. When I was accepted, I doubted because I didn't know if I'd even be placed in Haiti. But I prayed. I prayed for God's will to be done. That was all I wanted and knew I needed (with a little hope I'd get to go to Haiti). He heard me and answered me. He never fails to leave me amazed. I found a few words I wrote in my journal the day I came back home from Haiti last summer:

I honestly feel like I left my heart and soul in Haiti. How do you feel homesick in your own home? I would jump on a plane in a heartbeat to be back there. The Lord has called me there and I'm certain Haiti will be in my future. (July 7, 2012)

Summer 2013 will be just amazing. 

More great things to share! 

My pretty friend, Carly, and I were blessed with the opportunity to lead a small group of middle school girls last weekend for Disciple Now. It was an unbelievable time of refreshment and revival. All 5 of the girls were so hungry to hear what God wanted to speak to them. Our worship band, Rend Collective Experiment, was off the chain. I highly highly encourage you to purchase their album, 'Campfire', that hit iTunes yesterday! I could sit here and quote about every lyric but I'll save your time and my time. Just buy it and you'll understand. Dave Edwards was our speaker for the weekend who brought the Word to us in a tremendous way. Carly and I had the chance to work his merchandise booth the last night. He had this devotional book he wrote that I wanted so bad but didn't have any money on me but this is the part where I encourage to purchase that along with your Rend Collective Experiment CD. You'll be set for some awesome tools to praise God with! 

The whole weekend was based on God's Word. To stop seeing the Bible as a book with words on a page but as a portal that brings you into God's heart. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that His Word is alive and active! John 1 tells us that in the beginning, the Word was God and He the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. It is God-breathed. We need to stop looking at the Bible as just a book but to be immersed in it and lost in it, knowing we encounter God through it. When we reach points in our life and can't 'feel' God, are we reading the Bible? When we disconnect our walk with God from the Word of God, it isn't going to work. 

Two of the girls in my group made decisions to follow God in this life! It was so amazing God allowed me to be apart of that. Praying with them that night was completely overwhelming because of how I saw the Lord working. God is so so so so so good. Pray for them with me! 

iTreasures

I have joined the iPhone world. Again. I took a break from having an iPhone for 7 months. It's actually a funny story. Or maybe an embarrassing story. Which ever way you wanna take it. 

After being back from Haiti last summer, I felt so much guilt for having a fancy dancy iPhone when I grew close to precious children at Life Is Hope that had lost almost everything during the earthquake. They were so happy just to have a crayon or a bracelet to make. The guilt and emotions drove me to the point where I just didn't want it anymore. While my family and my two close friends were on a beach trip, I traded in my iPhone for a ranky dink phone that only called and texted. I really do enjoy having technology but sometimes I just feel trapped in it or overrun by it all. But I've come to realize over this time without an iPhone that it's really not about the things we have that define whats important to us or who we truly are on the inside. Yeah, I think if your top priority is to have the latest gadget in your reach than you've missed the point. 

As I was thinking about all this, the parable in Matthew 6 came to mind, where Jesus is teaching about money and possessions. 

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."  Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)

I've recently paid more attention to Jesus' tone of voice and the use of words and their meanings and been intrigued by the way He spoke to people. It's almost like He's being a tad sarcastic in a way. Like, He knows everything but yet people still seem to think they are fooling Him. 

Wherever my treasures are, there is my heart too. I can talk all day long about how much the Lord means to me but if I am not putting my values and riches into Him and His name, my heart is not with Him. It's all just talk. It means nothing. 

So even though I have an iPhone now and I'll tweet stupid things about my day, instagram hipster photographs of my coffee and my dog, and watch youtube videos of Barbra Streisand singing 'My Man', that will not be where my treasure is. And if it becomes my treasure, I will fast from it and replace all the time I spend on my phone, in the Word and in prayer putting my heart in sync with my Creator. 

I want to desire God more than anything.