Things I LOVE: Culture

So not that long ago I wrote about going to coffee with friends and I had expressed how this was one of my all time favorite things to do! WELL I have decided that I have to continue writing some of my favorite things maybe as insignificant as they may be but all in all my FAVORITE!
My younger sister, Hillary, started a list of things that she LOVED and it made me start to wonder about things that I might love...as I started thinking about all these things I realized how TRUELY blessed I am to be surrounded by small, big, weird, crazy things that make me happy. They are like little gifts that God has set aside just for me to enjoy at any given time that He chooses!
I am going to start with cultures! I LOVE cultures! I love learning about them, understanding them and most of all being immersed in them, getting to experience them first hand. It is truely amazing how God made different areas so special!
It is like getting to know a person, everyone is different some of them have similarities but others are just off the wall. You can hear stories and think that you will really get along with them but you won't know until you hangout with them. In that time you could love them quickly or not and have to work to love them.
I have yet to meet a culture that I have to work to love...there is just so much behind what they do and how they do it that I can't help but appreciate how God has constructed them over the years!

PERSEVERANCE

Oh my word…HOW HE LOVES US!!

So the past month has been a tich of a struggle for me. BUT recently I was reminded by a friend of mine how lucky I really am. I was talking with her about her life, she mentioned that she felt God calling her to a life of singleness this year. So her theme verse for the year is all about endurance she is focusing on James 1:2-4

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

This encouraged me so much! This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible and I was so excited to come back to it! Sure I am joyful most of the time but do I consider it PURE JOY when I face trials? NOPE petty sure not! So over these next months ahead I will look at my trials with JOY…not only that but PURE JOY! Ahhh…I will persevere and work on continually pursuing my LORD! :)

COFFEE :)

NEVER underestimate the power of coffee and a good talk with a friend! It seems that every time I get the chance to do this I am truly blessed by it! Even if you aren't a coffee drinker there is something about a coffee shop that calls you to sit and enjoy the presence of one another! I am not going to say that communication just flows in this environment because I have been on the other end too...where there are no words and you sit in silence. It is those good friends, new friends, or old friends that you can sit for hours learning, discussing, and catching up. I think this is one of my favorite things to do...so if you want to chat let me know, we can get coffee! :)

Oh How HE LOVES US...

This weekend I had the opportunity to go on retreat with the school that I graduated from. I was extremely nervous mainly because I wanted to be used but I didn't know how. I went into the weekend saying 'Surprise Me, God!' I LOVE surprises...and I realized over the weekend that Christians should too. If you really think about it most things are surprises to us, God rarely lets us in on what is going to happen. In that I think God likes to surprise us because He is never surprised! :)

A few days out of the weekend I am now looking back and seeing how God surprised me this weekend. I think the biggest surprise was how much I was able to get out of the weekend. We are always learning and hearing from God; this weekend I was able to learn so much from God through the girls in my group! They were such a blessing to me! The words that they said to one another as well as their prayers for each other were not only a blessing for me, or those they were praying for but also a blessing to GOD. What amazing stewards of HIS love!

Also, I was able to feel HIS love for me in such an amazing way! I pray that all pursue that love…those that do will find it! Once felt there is no turning back. I feel that since I grew up in the church and was told SO many times, ‘God loves you’ I have become numb to it! ‘Yep, sure I know that, thanks!’ BUT seriously GOD LOVES ME! Not even just that, how much He loves me is amazing!

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Well, I thought about You the day Stephen died,
And You met me between my breaking.
I know that I still love You, God, despite the agony.
...They want to tell me You're cruel,
But if Stephen could sing, he'd say it's not true, cause...

Cause He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves us.
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.


This song is amazing…if you have never heard it look it up, it brings me into His love every time! PRAISE GOD FOR HOW MUCH HE LOVES US!!

Oh Fall...

I LOVE FALL!! Anyone that knows me knows this. I could sit all day on a blanket outside just soaking up the essence of fall! When I talk about my ultimate favorite day it involves fall! The perfect weather for a run or walk, a softball game, a motorcycle ride, an extreme cold jump in the lake AND a bonfire!! These are all things that I LOVE and what season better to have it in!

At the same time God produces such amazing views! It seems that the tree's just serve as decoration in this season as we don't need the shade, they are just hear for our enjoyment! Also the leaves fall and then you have leaf piles to jump in or make 'houses' out of as I did when I was young. The harvest not quiet out of the fields brings a glow around the area! When the sun sets you have one of the most amazing displays of artwork known to mankind!

This year I have been a tich disappointed...I go outside and what do we have, 85 degree weather?! What is that? Where is my sweatshirt and sweatpants weather...only my favorite outfit to wear and I CAN'T wear it yet because it is 80 degrees outside! What is a bonfire if you are sweating at it? They are ment to keep you warm but if it is already warm what is the point?

Last year this time I was in Africa, with weather similar to this and seriously disappointed in the fact that I was missing most of my beloved fall! This year, I am missing Africa...if it is going to be hot I mine as well be somewhere where it is suppose to be hot! All I have to say is BRING ON THE COOLNESS...NOT winter, just my 60-70 degree weather! :)

Recreating the Past!

"Anna and I were riding in the 'stang' on our way home after one of our sponsorship updates talking about our dinner to be made when we got home. Anna volunteered to cook the meat and I was going to prepare the rest of the food for the taco's. As we talked about this all the sudden the staff in the car that heard us talking started laughing extremely hard. I had no clue what they were laughing about figured it had to be something that I had said. Anna and I were quite confused and asked what we had said wrong...they asked us if we were having 'tacos' to which we replied yes, another round of laugher came from them. Mama then turned to us and explained that in their language that ment 'butt'. Turns out we were having 'butt' for supper!"

This is just one of the many memories I recreated yesterday at Rice Care Center in Willmar, MN. I loved every second of being able to share my experience with someone! I was asked many questions as to what we ate, what kind of gardens they had, what was my outfit for, etc. All of them coming from the most adorable lady in the front row to my left. She was so interested in what I did, so excited to hear and so proud of me! The adorable little lady in the front row was my Grandma Ryks!

Over the course of the past couple months she has suffered 2 major strokes and who knows how many mini strokes that aren't recorded; YET there she was front and center acting as though she was invincible! I have been so impressed with this women more so in the past couple months then ever before.

Growing up I was not very close with her...we would visit on Sunday mornings after church but all the kids went downstairs to play. I had High School where I could have gotten to know her but was 'too cool' and only heard how stubborn she was. I had college where I took off to Northwestern College in St. Paul, coming home only for short visits; in that time the only words I would say is 'I'll see you later Grandma, Love you!' as I was hugging her to go. She would look deep in my eyes and say 'You should come around more often!' I would tell her I would try and then be on my way. Now I am home living in Prinsburg, working in Willmar literally not even 5 minutes from my Grandmother and yet I can't 'find the time' to visit with her.

It is incredible how selfish I have been in my years growing up and even now, BUT during the few moments before my 'speech' I was talking with this strong, stubborn, beautiful women. I saw her break, it was only for a moment. She told me that she felt bad she wasn't there for her husband, my grandfather, in this time. He hasn't been feeling the best and she had tears in her eyes when she told me that she felt guilty she wasnt taking care of him. My heart went out to her! She was sitting there like a little girl unable to do anything to help, looking at me for an answer and I had none. She wasn't going to be able to go home and take care of Grandpa, she can hardly take care of herself...yet in this moment she didn't care she just wanted to make sure he was okay. If only that is how all of us would be, SELFLESS! In recreating the past I wish I could change how I was through all those years of growing up and learn a little lesson from Grandma on how to be truely selfless!

LOVE YOU GRANDMA!

Missing HOME!!

3 Months...It has been three months since AFRICA and I have been missing it more than ever before! The thrill of being home as worn off and now I am ready to get back to my 2nd home!

Life has been pretty amazing, weird, crazy...my last week in Africa I got an email from my mother stating that a job was opening up at CTI Music Ministries! I contacted one of the staff members there to get a little information about the job and an application! The following week when I was back in Prinsburg I was in contact with them and asked to come in for an interview! I sent in my application and a week later I had a job...not just any job, a job I LOVE and that is furthering Gods kingdom, THE PERFECT JOB! At least for me that is!

Not long after starting there I was also asked to help out my home church with the Young Adults! I have been a little slow getting it all started because it has taken me a LONG time to get into a grove after getting back. I pray that I will be used and can help the Young Adults of my community get involved in a group that makes them feel comfortable! I thank God that I was chosen to try and help out in this way!

THANKS BE TO GOD!