Birthday wish

Happy Birthday to my dear friend and sister in the Lord, Sharon Daghfal!!!!

Unbelievable!

I can honestly say that this month will go down in my history as being one of the most trying, emotionally-turbulent times... ever! I believe it was the culmination of several things that brought me to this point, but one factor stands out the most.

To you, I ask, do you understand how UNBELIEVABLY amazing it is that God was in this the whole time? If our claims are true, if our burdens were really from God, and if words from other people were really from God, then do you truly understand the implications of the decision? (actually, I don't know why I'm asking, I know that you have already come to terms with all of this!)

I didn't understand at first. I called my sister Ema last Friday night and she ever-so-gently rebuked me... "Why are you so upset?! Because things didn't work out the way you thought they would? Didn't the Lord honor your request? You asked Him to give you an answer and He did!!!" Isn't she right? Man, God is so REAL! He didn't say "NO" in an audible voice... but He certainly said "NO" through conviction and through a sequence of events. Thank You, Lord, thank you thank you thank you for hearing the prayers of your children! Even though You said no to something that I so eagerly desired, I know that only good can come of this, as you promise in Romans 8:28!!

I am now learning what it really means to sacrifice... because it is so painful to have to give up something that you delight in so much... a source of goodness in your life. And this was the basis of my sadness- I was so sad at the Lord because He gave me something good and then took it away! "Was" being the operative word... I am no longer sad because the Lord has truly filled my heart with song, and with gladness. I have learned through this experience that there is SO much that I don't know about God's will for my life- and this has created in me an unbreakable, unchangeable dependance on Him.

So, what we share my friend, is a testimony of how God answers prayer and reveals Himself. Let us not hold back on using this to encourage others in similar situations... and let us never stop TESTIFYING!

What is left to say? Reliving the experience through words causes me to lift my head toward the sky, close my eyes, and breathe in the peace of the Lord....

Jeremiah 33:3

"Call to Me,
and
I
will
answer
you...."


The Lord has answered.








.......but why does it hurt so much?

Psalm 27:14

"Wait for the Lord;

BE STRONG, and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the Lord."


This verse spoke to my soul in such a tremendous way.

What has become of me, that the last three weeks have felt like three months? What has become of me, that I haven't been able to sleep well? Every day that passes drips with anticipation. What has become of me, that I have become so anxious?

Oh Lord, shower Your peace over me, I pray!
Teach me what it means to be still, and to wait.
Help me to praise You in my stillness!
Help me to trust...
I want nothing more than to trust!!!!

Today was Orientation for Nursing School

7:15 a.m. Alarm goes off... I'm not used to waking up this early... hit snooze a couple times 7:30 Drag myself out of bed with my eyes half open, go to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth 7:45 Carefully put on clothes that I laid out the night before... I haven't laid out clothes like this since the first day of high school... 7:47 desperately looking for the pink flower to match my pink shirt 7:48 found it! 7:49 run downstairs to grab something to eat, but then quickly turn around and head back upstairs when I realize I don't have enough time. 7:50 flipping out my hair with a curling iron, my hand is shaking. Why is my hand shaking? Why am I so nervous? 7:56 take the pink flower off your shirt, you look like you're trying too hard to be cute 7:56 Spray Cherry Blossom perfume. Oh NO! I spilled some on my shirt. What do I do? What do I do? Take off shirt and wash off spots in bathroom sink. Run downstairs and throw it in the dryer. 8:05 I'm supposed to be out the house soon and my shirt is still wet! And, I'm missing something... what am I missing? What did I forget to do? 8:12 Grab my shirt from the dryer and put it back on. Wait, it's a little wrinkled. Iron it and then put it back on. 8: 18 I decide to keep the flower on. But why do I still feel like I'm missing something? 8:25 Final touches. Hair in place? CHECK. Outfit look nice? CHECK. All the medical forms required for orientation? CHECK. Did I pull the iron out of the priza? CHECK. Phone? Wallet? ID? CHECK, CHECK, CHECK. SO WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I LACKING?????

I didn't realize it until I was in my car on the way to school. I realized what was missing. I didn't have fellowship with God this morning. My HOLY and PRECIOUS God. That is why even though my mind was filled with so many things, I felt partially empty because I was not fed by the Word. I felt so ungrateful! The Lord is the One that gave me a way into Nursing School - all praise be to Him- and I couldn't even find time for Him today, on this momentous occasion.

You can bet I'm going to have an awesome QT tonight :)

I'm not very big on politics...

...but should I be???

Driving down Western one day, I passed the American Women's Health Center and noticed a group of silent protestors lined along the front sidewalk. I don't know their affiliation, but I their message was clear- they were protesting abortion. Of course, I nodded my head in approval as I passed the Center. These people- whoever they are- were fighting for something that I feel very strongly about.

And that was it? That's all I had to offer? My nonverbal affirmation of their good work???!

This caused me to wonder-- does my anti-abortion argument even hold any ground if all it is is TALK? Have I ever even tried to make a difference? Have I ever tried to increase awareness? Have I ever researched the depths of moral issues in our society and the government's stance on them? It seems I have created a dichotomy where my personal life is separate from the national state....