Fasting!

When God tells you to do something do you do it? Well in the past, I really feel like I can hear God's voice in my life but how often am I really going to follow EVERY word He tells me. This past Friday I felt like God was telling me I have been irritated by so many things. I also felt like God was telling me to fast for a whole week. I cried and told God I didn't want to. I felt like God was telling me to if I can sacrifice to Him, He will in return change me! When I am weak, HE is strong. And this week God has showed me so much about how He is everything and I need to give it all to Him.

Today is thursday and I break my fast tomorrow! It is my last day and I just want to give in and eat because I feel like I have learned enough. But God told me a week, and I want to honor Him.

What have I learned this week? God has helped me break my bitterness towards two people in my life. I also learned that it doesn't matter how many times a person can hurt us, I still need to forgive them because that is what God has called me to do. Even if the other person does not want to apologize. I have learned that all relationships are not the same and I have been blessed with some great men in my life. I have learned that I need to respect, support, love, and help my best friend be a better wife in the future. I have learned I don't need to be close to my best friends future husband but I just need to support her. I also need to get over the fact that everyone is not a social butterfly like me. Overall, I have learned that I am a selfish human being but ONLY God is the one that can change me.

Right now I am thinking about pasta, rice, french fries and the list goes on. But God is bigger and better than eating. He is the one that helps us live and gives us strength. I have found so much joy this week when people have offered me food and I get to say no thank you! I have really experienced JOY this week every time my stomach growls because I can think about God has changed me!

Fasting is a discipline. Why don't people practice it more in their life with joy? Only God can tell a person to fast and He is the only one that can change someone's heart! That is what is so cool about fasting.

The Shack!!!

When terrible things happen what do you do? Is God really still good in it all? Can I trust God completely now that He lets bad things happen? How do I truly view God after bad things happen? In the past I personally have experienced anger, disbelief, frustration and lack of trust in God.

After reading the book The Shack my views have definitely changed. God is ALWAYS good even through the hurt and bad. But why do I trust God now? Maybe I always have but now I understand it more from reading this book. This book has some very interesting views on the Trinity, free will, submission, forgiveness, revelation and salvation. But why not challenge your views on God and read the book!

In The Shack, a man named Mack has something terrible happen to him, and then has an incredible chance to experience healing with the Trinity. In the the book, the whole time I was reading it I wanted to be there in the shack with Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu. I wanted to ask Papa questions I have always wanted to ask. What a great experience to have with the Trinity. BUT WAIT.....I can experience my own personal time in the shack everyday! I love you Papa, Jesus and Sarayu! Thank you for being so real in my life!

JUST DO SOMETHING!!!!!!

So I don't read much but this book I just finished and it was amazing! Anyone that is wanting to know more about God's will this is the book for you! I loved reading it and think back on many decisions in my life that I wish I would approached differently. This book really gave me an understanding of how to pursue my dreams and visions! I loved it! Please READ IT!!!!

More Snow!!!!

Some friends and I decided to adventure out and go for a drive! It was a beautiful drive and stopped and took lots of pictures of the gorgeous mountains that I live in! Here are a few photos.....

Two and Half Feet of Snow In Crestline???

I went to sleep last night with lots of snow falling! When i woke up here were some pictures of my first intense SNOWED IN experience! The best part was opening the door to go to work! It was a great day to be at camp! I got to hang out outside in the snow and run the snow hill. I watched campers fly in the air on inter tubes!!! Such a great day!

Craft Time with the Girls!!!!

We had a girls day and it was so much fun! We started the day off by going to the mall and shopping together! Then we went over to Megan's house, and had did some sweet crafts!

Here we are around the table busy at work!

I learned how to make cute little flowers and sewed them on my shoes!

Here is the finish look of this project!

We all made headbands out of ribbons!

Paintball is Intense!!!!

Today at Paintball we were waiting for the campers to come to the session and had some free time! Well Jason and Jake informed me that they have been shot really close before and that I should try it! So here is a video of my being shot with a paintball marker ONLY 10 feet away!!! Oh the Pain! But so much fun!

A Day at the Beach!!!

Today Gloria, Tiffany, and I decided to drive down to Huntington Beach! It was a wonderful time to spend time with friends, and the Lord! The drive was over an hour and so we had great encouraging conversation there and back! On the way we stopped and got In and Out burgers....So yummy in my tummy!

Once we got to the beach I put on my Ipod and had an incredible time worshiping my Lord and Savior! I walked along the beach for over an hour just praising Him and His greatness! I also had a time to pray about my future and where He wants me! When doing this I realized how BIG He is and how small I am while looking out at the huge waves! Thank you God for knowing my future and caring to have a relationship with me! I love you so much!

Flannel Friday at Thousand Pines!!!!!

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Night Shift at Thousand Pines!!!

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Settlers of Catan!!!

I have played this game so many times. This is my 2nd night in a row till 2:30 in the morning!!!

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Saying goodbye.

Right now I am sitting in Denver Colorado waiting for my plane to California. This morning I said goodbye to my mom for 3 months, and my dad for a whole year. As I sat on the plane I started to cry because I realized that I forgot my moms homemade cookies in the van. Goodbyes are always such a hard thing when my parents are so far away. But dad always says that the bigger the sacrifice we give to the Lord the greater the reward in heaven! So Iowa was such a freezing ice box for Christmas, and I thought it would be a boring time but it actually was an incredible time with the family! We did so many things like sledding, snowmobiling, UNI basketball games, building snowmen, hunting, and showing Michael and Ben our old memories growing up in Iowa. Thanks mom and dad you made this Christmas break so much fun, and I love you and am so thankful.for such fun parents!!!

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Lockard Love!!!

While being in Iowa over this break I have spent some time with the Lockard kids!!! And I just love them and think they are the coolest!!

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Icicles in Iowa!!!

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Only in Iowa!!!

I have been seeing the most interesting things in Iowa. My dad wanted to take his deer meat and turn it into jerky. So since I am such a curious person I started asking questions and they showed me a dead cow that they were cutting up. So cool!

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I always have interesting dreams, and I think I am going to start to record them.

I was on a searching journey for something like to get out. In the middle of the dream I was trying to find tennis shoes for a bunch of people and someone got mad and drank something and slowly died and went to another world. Then it slowly happened to everyone.

Next section of the dream I was swimming in a brown river with many forks. Then I came up to two guys and they said to follow the river to the right and then their will be 4 cave tunnels and to take the fourth tunnel and that is where I will meet the whale and the whale will help me!'>Dreams

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Summer Camp Friends!

Well I just got done with 11 weeks of Summer Camp! I worked at Thousand Pines Christian Camps as a Camp Host/Lead Counselor! I loved it but it was really challenging with alot of intense leadership decisions and discipleship. God is so good and He taught me so much about how to serve others around me even when they may not be so easy to serve. When I think back over the summer and what I am going to remember the most are the sweet friendships that were made. God truly has blessed me with an incredible camp community that has taught me so much about who I am and how God has gifted me to serve Him. Here are a few favorite pictures that I have chosen from the summer!

At the Drive-In Theater!

Camping in ENO's baby!

Kerstyn, Kayla, Me and Lydia at the Drive-In Theater!

Rock-Climbing at Big Bear!

We spent the night up on top of the Rock Wall!

Running through the Fountain!

I AM A DREAMER!!!!

Joseph calls us to dream bigger. Genesis 37-50

Genesis 37:20 "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."

Some of us need to give voice to our dreams. Joseph realized that the dream was not about him but a nation and a world. Does your dream fit into God's massive redemption story? God in his grace takes us and uses us. Is your dream big enough to be apart of God's redemptive story? God has a plan for us both as sleep (dreams) and through His word. Dream during your day, Acts 2 says " I will pour out my spirit on you." Gods call and plan in advance for us to walk in.

Joseph had a dream and served in Potiphar’s house and then went to jail. Then God moved Joseph from a dreamer to an interpreter of dreams. Joseph encouraged dreams and facilitated dreams for others. Joseph’s life was up and down. God wants faithfulness and flexibility.

The God dream is epic! God wants us to be faithful! Joseph dream was actually fulfilled 400 years after he died. Saving slavery to Egypt. Moses held the Joseph dead bones standing at the red sea with pharaoh chasing him. Joseph had a dream and it was fulfilled many years after. Dreams may be fulfilled after we die.


God thank you for dreams in our lives and give us dreams. Lift my head to focus on you and help me to dream your dreams. May shattered dreams be made new, give me a noble dream that is big enough to do great things even after I am no longer here! Take my dreams God and may you be glorified!

The Grace of Giving!

Do you live to give? What is the GRACE OF GIVING in my your life? What is your view about giving/tithing? Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 or Malachi 3:7-10

God said to Abraham in Genesis, “I will bless you, so you can blessing to others.” Joseph titled 20% to Pharaoh in Genesis. Moses said God is going to bless my people. Trust in God and follow Him. In the Old Testament they were declaring their blessing so the Lord would bless them in return. By sacrificing a lamb and presenting the lamb to God so He would bless them that year and forgive their sins. The Egyptians brought an offering to Pharaoh to declare that he had AUTHORITY over the people. Declaring authority or reign by titling is showing TRUST.

Declaring their king- this is who has control over me. The PURPOSE of titling is about authority, trust, and declaring your king! Some people worship debt. Some people worship their credit cards like American Express. Where is your TRUST in God? Their needs to be some much trust and obedience knowing that God WILL provide your ever need. Maybe even after you give up every cent and trusting God will provide. The Church is the hope of the world give to your home Church not The Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity. When the money goes to the Church, the pastor and elders will answer to God.

ADOPTED BY GOD! Acts 4:32-35 says, "and there was much grace on them all." The gospel was being preached in Eph 1:1-6 and God adopted us into the family and it is undeserved mercy. Only by God’s grace! We are adopted and are sons and daughters of the God most high!

THE SENSE OF UNITY! Ephesians 4:1-7 says, "make every effort to keep the unity" -Give grace to others. We need to desire the unity and oneness in the body.

REMEMBERED THE POOR! Acts 4 says that they sold their land and put it at their leaders feet to be distributed to those in need. This was because they were so filled with God’s grace and were overflowing with love and mercy towards others. Luke 19 teaches that Joseph was filled with God’s grace and mercy that he sold his land God gave him a city in return. We may sometimes have things like royalty because of what God gives us.

Luke 16:10-13 Can you be trusted in handling worldly wealth? “You cannot serve God and Money.” All of North Americans money put together is more than the whole world. 1 in 4 Christians don't give any money. Is our confidence more in the dollar than the kingdom? Titling 10% should be the minimum is my view but it makes me sad to think that some Christians don’t give at all. In the Bible they gave themselves first to God and then to others! Grace takes me just as I am, empty-handed but filled with His love.

John 15:5 God dares us to declare our king and watch what He does! To see that He is in control and we can TRUST Him with everything. If God is blessing you, then you should be a blessings to others because of God has given you. Only By God’s Grace we can give to others!

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!!!!!!

Blessed be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful

Where Your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your Name

Blessed be Your Name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed be Your Name

Every blessing You pour out I'll

Turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

Blessed be Your Name (Jesus)

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious Name

Blessed be Your Name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's all as it should be

Blessed be Your Name

Blessed be Your Name 

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your Name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord Blessed be Your Name

Roommate Weekend!

A few weekends ago I drove to Bakersfield, California to catch up with my old college roommate! Rachel is now married to Brandon, who is another college friend. It was amazing to catch up and talk about past crazy memories that we shared together. Rachel is one of my partners in crime during my college years. She is one best friends that I respect so much! She is so brilliant and has her masters in Education and is teaching high school in Bakersfield! I am also so thankful for Rachel and all the papers she proof read for me in college. She turned my "C" papers into "A" papers! Thanks girl!

Rachel and Brandon moved right after getting married to plant a new Church in Bakersfield! They are such a bold couple to leave everything on the east coast and move to the west coast! After going to Church with them and hearing about all the different ministries, I truly was blown away with how God is using them. Brandon is so gifted in leading worship, leadership and most of all discipleship! I was so blessed to spend time with them and hear and see of how God is using them!

Brandon and Rachel you are such an amazing couple and I am so proud of you ! You are impacting so many lives!

Boyfriend?

So there is a very special person in my life right now...

Working at a Camp is a Dream!

Wow! I know it has been a long time since I blogged, but my life really has been crazy lately. I moved to California and am working at an Outdoor Science Camp in the mountains. I truly love it and know that this is where the Lord wants me right now. I teach 5th and 6th graders about the environment, and many different science topics. The program is not Christian since teachers are not allowed to teach about God in the California schools but it really has been an amazing job. I am learning each day more and more about how I can be Christ to the people around me without talking about God.

God is really teaching me about my gifts and what I am capable of. Some of the things that I am teaching are botany, geology, ecology, meteorology, environmental science, archery, challenge course, rock climbing history, wilderness survival, and many other subjects. The neat thing about teaching all these subjects is that while I am teaching I am hiking and doing activities with the students. So I get to be in God's nature everyday walking around and seeing what a great big God we serve.

My favorite hike that I teach is the NIGHT HIKE, it is always a highlight for the students. It is a chance for them to overcome there fears of the dark and learn about nocturnal animals, diurnal animals, crepuscular animals, and camouflage. The students get to learn what it means to do a trust walk with their peers and learn through games about how animals eyes and ears adjust in a night time situation.

Working at Thousand Pines Outdoor Science School truly has been a blessing for me, and I love the people that I work with. Even though there are many different backgrounds, religions, and personalities it is amazing how well we all get along and work together. I think back on my time in Peru and all the many different problems and struggles that were going on, and am thankful for where I am now. It truly is a mission field everyday, and I love where I am working.

If you want to check out the website of where I work...... www.thousandpinesoutdoored.com

Here are some pictures of Thousand Pines Camp that my mom took!

This is the sign on the way up to the Camp!

There are maps all around the camp because it is so big!

This one of many meeting areas for teaching!

The climbing wall.

(The tarp is for safety so no one can climb it without supervision of the camp)

It snowed this past week when mom and dad came and visited.

There were really excited to see the camp and the snow!