Saturday Bliss

Now this is what Saturdays were made for. I am lying in bed in the middle of the afternoon, as sun streams through the window. I have a soft red blanket over me. Christmas lights are twinkling on the wall beside me, lighting pictures of my family and creative artwork made by myself and friends. Erin is playing mysterious melodies above my head. I am warm, comfortable, happy, and resting. God is good. I am blessed. Here's to saturday afternoons.

Furious Love and Mini-Outreach

Well, the sermon is done. I rather like it. Which is nice lol. Last weeks teaching was really good, yet sometimes hard to swallow. It was on the wild, furious love of God. Chris Dupre taught it. I love it when speakers are from my region of the world. It almost brings the word they give closer to me, makes it more real. I think this message is gonna have to sink in, it's taking time. He talked about the verse where Paul prays for the people to have wisdom and revelation of the love God has for them. The wisdom is the process part, of knowing that you know He loves you, happening over time. The revelation is the God encounter, which for him was a vision of Jesus that blew my mind. It made me really hungry to know God's love for me in my own life. I hope the revelation part happens soon. For now I'll just trust :) The teaching really brought a change in our class as a whole though. We show love to each other so much now, with words and hugs and encouragement. It just changed the atmosphere, its pretty great :)

This weekend was mini outreach! My outreach group, now named FINSKI FAMILY :D went to Kitchener and had a prophetic, worship-filled, fun, relaxing weekend! Which I can't believe all fit in the same sentence! We stayed with the most amazing family, and we ate so well I think we all cried. The family had two dogs who were so cute!! And they were such great hosts. Can I just say there were Christmas movies, a sauna, and loads of one liners involved, I love it :) We also had an amazing time at the church, for which I led an entire set of worship! I know, terrifying, but so good. It wasn't so many people, which helped. And then I co-led on sunday. Prophetic ministry went really well also, stretching, but good. It was all so good! The most relaxing weekend of ministry I have ever had. The only complaint I could possibly give is that the introvert in me wanted to steal away after awhile, but other than that, so good. And I love my Finski family. I feel so loved by them! And if any of you ever read this, I love you!! Also, ...you sneeaaaaky mom!!!!!!.... yeah. :P

All in all, a great week. Whats coming up next? Prophetic evangelism.... dun dun duuuuuuuun...... :P

Sunday verbal shpeal

Hello everyone. This has been a crazy week. We learned about the life of Christ, the culture and political climate surrounding His time on earth, etc. Pretty much we learned about the Man Jesus Christ, and everything about His time on earth. He's so great. Apparently not a very good looking Guy on the outside, but on the inside...so many were drawn to Beauty. Anyways, lots of culture shock this week. November seems to be the month for such things. I was talking to some europeans and got some insight into their mindsets and ways of thinking. It didn't make the culture shock go away, but it made me understand a little better what was bothering me. Which made me feel a bit better. Last week was Destiny and Passion week. Inspirational. A very good resting week. And I led worship! It was fun. Scary before and during but turned out really well. We did Deep Cries Out :) Anyway, good times. Childrens ministry is going well, so fun to work with the kids and play games with them and worship with them! And youth is fun also. Oh the children! Now I just have to finish my sermon. Oh lovely. Wish me luck!

Summary continues...

Hello world. Today is a weird, kind of funny day. It's a quiet, cold, gray sunday that is very well spent in rest.
Well, to continue my summarization of my time here at school, let me begin with week four. Prophesy week. It was really good, two great teachers helped us to begin prophesying over each other, and we all got some great words as well. It was encouraging, and scary too, because when you're learning, you make mistakes. But all in all a good week.
Week five was the lovely PIH conference, which we got to attend, not work. Yay! It was fun, I experienced the Holy Spirit like I never have before, pretty powerful stuff. It was just fun. I'm not really sure what happened, I get little inklings here and there of what He may be up to, but other than that I'm pretty much clueless. So yeah, I got to see some cool people there as well (you know who you are ;) It was a good time.
That weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, which I spent most of at the school. It was quite refreshing to not have a million people around at once, and to enjoy the AMAZING weather. The last day and a half of break I spent with some lovely friends. We indulged in hot tubbing and face stuffing and had a restful time :P
Week six...ha! That was this past week I believe, we began our ministry tracks, as well as outreach groups. I learned I am going to FINLAND! at the end of school, and who my amazing team members are. My outreach ministry is youth group, and my ministry track is children. It really works out well together actually, to be doing them at the same time. Kids ministry=amazing! They are learning stuff I am only just learning. Just think of how much farther they'll go! So excited to be part of this.
This past weeks teaching was about boundaries. One of the best weeks of teaching ever. Three most important things: Learn to receive and rest in the Fathers love, Have healthy boundaries, and Talk to yourself more than you listen to yourself. If that makes sense, that is pretty sweet ;)

Well, thats the summary aspect of life. As for musing, I think the best time I've had this week has been connecting with God. I mean honestly, I recorded a conversation between the two of us, and it was just cool. It was reassuring because I can hold my own relationship with God and don't need someone to spoon feed me all the time, and also comforting, because He is very ok with this process I'm in. He's not bored, or tired. He made it, and is cool with it. So I will try to be too.

So Good.

Well. It has been a lovely three weeks. The first flew by, as we had teaching from Mark Virkler on how to hear the voice of God. Powerful stuff. I've been journaling since then and been discovering that God really does love me, and has such affection for me. He reassures me constantly that He's not going anywhere, and He really likes me the way I am.
As for our second week, well, lets just say that people have to be opened up and operated on before they can heal. And man does it hurt. But it's two fold. While God is working in me, and i have days where I just feel awful and wrecked, there are also times where I just feel so loved and cared for. For example, one day we were given a fee-free trip to Niagara Falls, the Gorge, and the Mandarin. Eating all that good food for free, I just didn't feel worthy of so much royal treatment! He just blessed me with it, and I received it. So good. And also meeting new friends and spending time with them is so good. So good.
My third week was a couple more heart-rending days, followed by a spectacular Catch the Fire conference. I worked in the kitchen in the afternoons and prayed for people in the evening. It was hard work, but God really showed me that it's Him that ministers through us. I definitely didn't feel able to pray for people and minister, but God showed up big time and ministered to them through me. He is so good. His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
Well, this fourth week looks amazing. We're having a prophetic week, in which we get encouraged with prophesy, and we also learn how to prophesy over others. I'm excited to be encouraged, and also to become more confident in flowing in the prophetic. It's an awesome gift.
Thanks lovely people, for reading this. May God bless you in everything this week. Sweet dreams!

Well hello there!

So here I am at school. I feel tired, overwhelmed, and excited for all the possibilities. We ate together tonight, worshipped, and got the general introduction talk. Going for walks here are ok. The sky tonight was brilliant golds, reds, oranges and pinks. It was a very nice welcoming sunset actually.
I'm excited to see what happens here. How class is conducted, who I will connect with, how deep things will go. For right now though, I am content to rest, and let things unfold.
<3

Life's Like A Jump Rope

Well, do I have anything to say today? Let's see. I had a fairly uneventful day which included shopping for school necessities, and going to worship practice, which was a lot of fun. Last night I had the coolest walk out by the canal or creek or whatever it is. The sky was beautiful, a kaleidoscope of hues, purple, pink, blues and golds. I walked around a bend where I first noticed the pink and red color, and the most wonderful FFH song came on my ipod. It was one of those moments where everything is perfect and feels so good. It was a lovely, deep God moment. His favor is so...I just love it. It was wonderful. Anyway, it was a nice walk. I talked to God about the songs I've been writing, and how I felt about them.
Over the last few days, I've been having such crazy mood swings. I'll feel horrible about everything one moment, and then on top of the world the next. I don't really know what to do about it, other than trust God in my inability to control things lol. And even in the midst of that inability to control, He loves me, and has been showing me His favor in it! What kind of Person loves you unconditionally, even when you're in a horrible mood one second and joyful the next? Man, I'd be getting annoyed with me! But God shows me in it that it's not about whether I act nice or mean or do good or bad. He shows me His favor in the midst of those things. It's hard to wrap my mind around. So yeah.

Long Day...

Well, today my parents had Thanksgiving for me and my sister, as we were quite decidedly out of the country last year. It was wonderful. The food was great, and my sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew came as well. We played with water balloons, in which I got my Dad, Hannah, and Heidi very wet :P There was even a football game at the end of the night! Buffalo vs Denver...lol well its still football. Before that, my sister and I made the drive out to Lima for a CT picnic. It was great to see friends again, and just catch up and have fun with people I know. Dear Lord, thanks.

Enjoy it.

I find this hard to write. I am the kind of person who wants to see results quickly. To pray and hear an answer. To sow and reap the next day. I've learned however, that life doesn't work that way. Waiting well is a key part to enjoying your life here on earth. In fact, life is mostly waiting. So I am going to try and enjoy this day. From right where I am.

Let's (not) make a deal.

What is this speaking of the mind that you speak of?
The natural flow of thought to mouth.
When you can think it, you can say it,
even when it gets you in trouble.

Is this why Jesus set me free?
To form the bond that sets my opinions free.
That allows me to reveal, repent, and grow,
for me to just simply be.

Why don't I like it? O but I do
except when others don't.
Maybe vulnerability isn't fun
but the pay off certainly isn't lacking.

To be myself, regardless of other's dismay
is what makes me authentic, and real.
It makes me feel whole, separate from the world.
No more, 'let's make a deal.'

Back From China

Let's just say I started writing this a little late. I got back from China almost three months ago. It has been a rocky reverse-culture-shock road, but Jesus has proved, once again, how faithful He is. He has walked with me, and carried me through emotional stress, physical exhaustion, and more. Now I am resting, staying with my parents this summer in a season of transition. I'm enjoying catching up with friends, worshipping Jesus at my local fellowship, and experiencing the sights, smells, and tastes of my homeland.

There are things in China I will never forget, such as the amazing people I met there, the food, the sights, and the excitement and adventure of being independent in a foreign country. I've enjoyed processing some of these memories, and I'm sure I'll do so for a long while.

There is also nothing like the welcome received when returning home. I so appreciate everyone who has loved me back into America. It's crazy, I just got home, but will be heading out again in less than a month! I'll be moving to Toronto for 5 months to go to a ministry school there. I guess I just have the traveling bug :P It's an awesome program, focused on developing a deeper, more real relationship with Jesus. I know Jesus is going to deal with a lot of my heart issues. I'm definitely nervous, but I'm so glad I'm going. I know I'm not going to come home the same.

Well, that's todays summary lol. I'll be back later I hope, for more in depth thought.