Is this real life?

All of the major details are taken care of,
e x c e p t for the last one ...

Lets review:
Pray about it... check
Talk to my parents about it... check
Apply to YWAM... check '
Worry about it... check
Apply for passport... check
Apply for visa... check
Pray more about it... check
Receive passport... check
Receive visa... check
Buy health insurance... check
Procrastinate... check
Cry about it... check
Change plans & go in Jan instead of Oct... check
Write support letters... check
Make prayer cards... check
Worry some more... check
Stress about it... check
Pray some more... check
Cry some more... check
Send out support letters & prayer cards... check
Plan a fundraiser... check
Fill out resignation forms at work... check
Book flight... check
Get to Australia... _______

GOD is so faithful.
GOD is so good.
GOD is so providing.
GOD is so protective.

Honestly, so far nothing about getting to THIS point of my journey has been easy... but GOD has remained so constant! It's been hard, tiring, painful, scary, and intimidating -- and now I'm this close and God has proven His strength, by getting me past all the hurdles it took to get here. I can't believe this is real life?! I'm going to Australia for three months & around the world for another three months... God is crazy!

Get Away

I'm guilty of shallow God and I time. My human nature allows "things" to get the in way of the perfect get away. Personally my fondest times spent with God are when I'm in a secluded area. Where I can talk out loud. Stretch my arms. Lie face down. Meditate on the Word – simply listen, without distractions.

Today my heart was heavy. The only way I could relieve it was to get away; away from noise, away from life, away from wants, away from needs, away from traffic. Away from everything that constantly gets in the way.

I found myself at one of my favorite parks. Lots of hills, trails, open space, streams, and nature. With nothing around me except for Gods creation, I sat in a huge open field of grass to listen, pray, and read. It's crazy how you can feel the Holy Spirit moving in moments like that. Burdens were lifted and I released aches to Lifter of my Head.

When people say they are going on a weekend get away it usually entails some sort of a break, an oasis, relaxation, or time off. That's exactly what it is to spend time with God. A time to take the load off, to rejuvenate, to refresh, to breath, to rediscover life's value. The amazing thing about God is that we don't have to request work off; we don't have to make plans, pack, or prepare to take a get away with God. We can come to Him anytime, anywhere to simply get away. Just as we allow our selves to rejuvenate physically, we must allow ourselves time to rejuvenate spiritually, taking time to get away with God.

Unreal.

felt called into missions a year or so ago :: answered it by p r a y i n g :: then I w a i t e d :: prayed some more :: all of the paper work has been filled out & sent in & I have a spot at the Newcastle, Australia YWAM base :: now my passport is waiting for a stamp :: tomorrow I'm applying for a visa & shopping around for cheap health insurance & flights.... :: yes, it seems unreal :: this is happening & sometimes I can't believe it :: God is so good! :: Yeah, I'm going to Australia...soon, very soon.

It's surreal, but it's so real.

{For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.}
_habakkuk one:five

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One more thing...
I told my mom this should be the our fams
Christmas card this year :)

Kari Jobe: You Are For Me

Kari Jobe just released a video for one of my favorite worship songs...such truth in the lyrics.
Kind of needed this song tonight...love how it reminds me of who HE is.

Lily of the valley.

modern day miracle.

a mom & dad try to start a family but nothing happens.
doctors say it's not possible & other options don't seem to work.
at the end of the rope they begin to accept that maybe God has other plans for them.
with a simple e-mail & a few phone calls later, they meet the Lily of their valley.
God miraculously placed a baby girl in their loving arms
& they now have the family they had always hoped for.

Lindsay & I got to watch Lily this week while her parents were on a much needed vaycay. so far every morning when I've watched her eating breakfast or playing with her toys or squirming around ... I've easily been reminded that she is truly an answer to so many prayers & simply a...

m i r a c l e.

I have so much to be thankful for ...

• new job: I now work at the library, and I know what you're thinking...but it's the most ideal job ever! I sit at a help desk, basically helping old people print from their computer or help make copies...in the mean time [as told by my supervisors] I work on my homework! and it's perfect because it's quiet, I can get school work done and I am getting paid pretty decent...like almost three bucks more than I was making at my last job. and they just remodeled and it's one of the nicest libraries I've ever been in, with all brand new computers & such...it's a really nice place to work!
• oasis leader: as of this school year, I started helping out with my churches middle school ministry [called oasis] as a sixth grade girls leader. I love all the girls in my group, they bring me such joy, yet they are so innocent and it makes my heart hurt to think of this world they have to face, with all the pressures this world throws at young girls; looking a certain way, finding security in having a boyfriend, trying to make it to the top of the social latter....the list goes on...but when I look past that aspect, I see myself in some of the girls! I love it and God is really showing me how to love them - even though a lot of them I just met for the first time a couple weeks ago..

• the weather: so I guess because of the hurricanes down south [thank God we don't get hurricanes from lakes..] this past week and a half I want to say, has been the rainiest/cold/hot/humid/fall like weather ever [Michigan weather is very unpredictable], but this week has really cleared up...to blue sunny skies, and not to hot and not to cold - good sweat shirt or sweater weather, which I love!
• my health: So I have been running a lot lately, mostly because the weather is cooling down - making it more enjoyable to run outside & so I can stay in shape I guess..and me and some friends might run a 5k for the Thanksgiving day parade! anyway as I am running I always think about the fact that some people can't even walk let alone run, so I am pretty thankful I can get up in the morning and go on a good run..