Finals

Man, it's been so great to study with Lauren this past week! She's a great study partner. And I'm pretty sure that we've hit up every study-conducive establishment in the city- Borders, Starbucks, NPU library, Panera, the Bourgeois Pig. She's been such an incredible help to me the past few weeks...**Lord bless her soul!**

Ben, Sparkiloo and I studied like BEASTS today. I'm so stressed out about finals, and I know that you guys are too! Press on, my brothers and sisters! May the Lord bless your studying and may He INCREASE your capacity to understand the material... may He INCREASE you memory... and most importantly, may He take away your distractions!

Remember that this is all for HIS glory....

Oh, and best [belated] birthday wishes to Jacqueline Duca, Tabea Kurz, Brian Luc and Charlie Smerz!!! You guys rock!

Ottawa rocks my world.

I went on a trip with On Call For Christ to Ottawa, IL this past weekend and it was FANTASTIC. We visited a church that is interested in supporting the group. The congregation was wonderful. The program was wonderful. The teaching was wonderful. Devotions were wonderful. Our host family was wonderful. And spending a peaceful weekend in the "countryside" was definately priceless!

I'll try to have pictures up soon!

I haven't had a single drop of soda for the last five days. I think I'm going through withdrawal. So, if I seem a little cranky in person, you'll know why.

My heart has been really burdened lately. It's so hard for me to see a friend falling into the same sin over and over again. My heart hurts along with them, because I know that their sin is only pulling them further from God. But I cannot only be characterized by my concern, for underneath my layer of "care" lie many layers of frustration, impatience, pride... and not too long after, my own internal sin becomes visible to me.

Oh, how I pray that God would smooth out my rough edges! That He would make me a woman of patience... a woman of compassion... a woman that understands and loves! I pray that He would appoint my opportunities to rebuke, and my opportunities to encourage. And clearly, it's so hard to find that balance on my own because all my attempts will be fruitless unless they are guided by God.

And to my brothers and sisters in Christ- if you see me doing something stupid, stop me! Call me on it!

I was so motivated by a conversation that I had with Noelle Radut last week.... in regards to rebuke- she actually asked me to tell her things that she wouldn't want to hear. That's an invitation for accountability at its finest!