the enemy.

You know who is evil? The enemy.

Jus and I have had some attacks these past couple of weeks, making it so hard to have a pleasant send-off. Some things you just never understand why people do. You never know how and why people try to make your life miserable. But we can cling to the hope that God provides. We can cling to His promises.

Here are some of the things we've been clinging onto lately:



We are.

Every secret, every shame
Every fear, every pain
Live inside the dark
But that's not who we are
We are children of the day

So wake up sleeper, lift your head
We were meant for more than this
Fight the shadows conquer death
Make the most of the time we have left

 

We are the light of the world
We are the city on a hill
We are the light of the world
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine
We are the light of the world
We are the city on a hill
We are the light of the world
We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine
Let the light shine, let the light shine

 

We are called to the spread the news
Tell the world the simple truth
Jesus came to save, there's freedom in His Name
So let His love break through

 

We are the light, We are the light, We are the light
So let your light shine brighter
We are the light, We are the light, We are the light
Jesus
You are the light, You are the light, You are the light
We will lift You higher
Shine, Shine, Shine

 

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden" Matthew 5:14

by: Kari Jobe "We Are"

 

Decisions.

Before you read this post, I just want to ask something from you. 1. Because if you don't make it until the end, you already know what I am asking of you. 2. I know the power of prayer.
Pray for us. Please.

Justin has been away from home for 3 years. That's about 1,000 days (that's minus Summers and Christmas breaks) and I have been gone for 2. For some, that might not be a big deal, you could be away from your home as well. But living on the complete opposite side of the world from every single member of your family and every single one of your friends has not been easy for me. Teaching here, has not been easy for me.

We have made wonderful friends here. Friends I know that I will have for a lifetime. Friends that have made it so much easier and that have actually pulled me through some dark days. Friends that know we won't be here for very long, and still stick around :)

Justin will finish his contract this year at our school. He will get the bonus at the end of the year (inshallah) and that will help us out a lot financially. I still have one more year, but nothing is really holding me to my contract, because I signed my contract as a married person, and Justin got all the benefits his first year.

So here comes the hard part. What do we do next year? Do we stay here a few years? One year to finish my contract? Do we go home and start our lives fully together in whatever state we end up in? Do we keep holding off on our dreams and save a few more bucks?

What do we do?

Justin and I have spent our nights praying over our lives and asking God to make it so clear to us what we should do. So, with another month passing and it is now coming closer and closer to summer break, it is crunch time. We are running out of time to make our decision. Making a move like this we can't just make on a whim. It's going to take planning. A lot of it. We both need to have jobs lined up before we make the move or even think about making the move.

We both have started updating our resumes and are getting those sent off as soon as we can to a few school districts in Arizona. Myself for a full-time teaching position and Justin for a possible subbing position as he opens up his business. Just to see what happens. If God wants us to come home, I will be more than happy (and probably jump for joy) then He will open doors for us.

The prayer we have been praying has been that the right doors swing wide open and the wrong doors to shut in our face. We want it to be so clear and have full confidence in the decision we are making. I am asking you to do the same. Please, take some time out of your day and pray for us. If you have never been apart of a prayer train, you are missing out! Awesome things happen when you give them over to God! He's the one who's constructed the plans anyway!

Thank you and God bless! 

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

³⁰ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. ³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

I was reading this during my quiet time yesterday. It was such a nice day because it was chilly and rainy! I sat outside on the balcony with a cup of Oregon Chai Tea and read through Matthew chapter 12. This passage hit me hard, mostly with fear. How do I know if I have ever slandered toward the Holy Spirit?! What if I am going down under now!?

I read through this post and he explains it quite well. By me asking that question, and not knowing 100% if I have, I am most likely innocent of this. PHEW! :)

Sometimes God needs to put fear into us. We get so lackadaisical (that is such a weird spelled word) with our day to day lives that we forget the big picture. Our words can be so hurtful to people. We are all guilty of saying at least one bad thing in our lives. I am doing a lesson with my kiddos this week as we start Civil Rights where they each have a piece of paper. They crumple it up as much as they can and then try to smooth it out again until it is perfect. You cant. The bumps and lines are there forever. This goes the same for our words and actions. We need to be careful with what we say to other people and about other people.

I am going to do my best not to say anything bad about other people. I am going to bear good fruit. It will be quite the challenge, but it's worth it. Wanna join me? :)

 

Did you have some quiet time this weekend?

 

God bless!

Prayer journal.

I like to write. (hence the blog and not a vlog) I have always liked to write. I like to think I get it from my Grandmother and Popsi. And since I write much better then I talk, or at least I think I do, I decided to keep a prayer journal.

To be completely honest, I feel it has been really hard to get into a routine of devotion while we have been overseas. We read our daily devotion on the way to work and pray with each other, but it seems the intimate relationship I once had with my Father has fallen by the wayside. Without our home church, worship, and fellowship I have felt very "empty". I got a lot out of worship sessions. This is a place where I know I will feel God. I know that as soon as I start to sing His praises, I will immediately feel His presence and usually get a little on the ball like a baby emotional side. My love for music and the love for my God is so apparent. 

I know God has taken away this comfort zone of mine of which I depended so much on. Where else am I going to feel this? Where else am I going to find Him while I seem so far away? One thing I know without a doubt, 100% true is God is everywhere. He will meet me at any place I am at in life. Whether I'm in Eugene, Oregon or Abu Dhabi, I know He will meet me here if I just ask him. 

So I am asking Him now. I am going to make my relationship with Christ a priority again. My prayer journal will be filled with prayers, thoughts, emotions, struggles, loves, praises and I'm giving it all to Him.

Have you made any changes spiritually when you are feeling empty?

God Bless!

Treasure Hunt.

"Approach each new day with desire to find me. Before you get out of bed, I have already been working to prepare the path that will get you through this day. There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some of the treasures are trials, designed to shake you free from earth-shackles. Other are blessings that reveal My presence: sunshine, flowers, birds, friendships, answered prayer. I have not abandoned this sin-wracked world; I am still richly present in it.

Search for deep treasure as you go through this day. You will find Me along the way."

I had a really rough day yesterday. With one 45 minute break from 7:30-2:45 I was completely exhausted and completely tired of teaching my crazy, nonstop talking, kiddos. With this, I wasn't able to see the treasure. I dismissed what God was trying to give me that day and I looked past the treasure only to see the torture.

This morning after Justin and I finished the devotional, he challenged me to go in today and not miss the treasures that God was giving me. To seek and try to find Him in even the most smallest places. Today, I did. And I found it in the smallest of my boys. He is the blessing that constantly reminds me not to give up. He hugs me right when I need it, like God just sends him up to the front of my class when I lose sight of Him. When I am about to rip my hair out, he comes up to me and whispers in my ear, "It's ok Miss, me and you, we will leave the class and we can go watch Mr. Bean together" and immediately puts a smile on my face. He even rubs my little back when I don't feel well and tells me I need to sit down so I can rest. How sweet is he, right?  

There are a few little angles in my class that I know God gave especially for my first year. Ones that make me smile and make me laugh. Ones that make believe in myself as a teacher. And though I feel like there are plenty of kiddos from down-under, I know they were placed in my class as well. God gives us plenty of treasure if we only seek to find it. We are rich by the fact of the treasures and riches God gives us each and everyday.

Go treasure hunting. 

Empty hands and an open heart.

My sweet grandmother gave me a precious gift this past Christmas. It is a daily-devotional book by Sarah Young called, Jesus Calling. It is written in the perspective of God as the author, speaking to us. She wrote the most tender message at the beginning, "This is one of the best devotionals I have read. It hits me right in the heart often - I know it will you, too. I will enjoy knowing you are reading it each day as I am. I pray it takes root in your heart and in your life. I love you." 

Isn't she the best?

Well, I can proudly say that Justin and I have kept up on our devotional and have made it a daily routine as we drive to work, or drive anywhere on the weekend. The first time I read this book it was on our first day back to work after the Christmas break. We had to catch up for about a week since we went back to school on the 9th, I think. Reading through the first couple devotions my voice began to shake and the tears started flowin'. It started to sink in. I was under such pressure to come back from a terrible, hated 4 month experience and try to change it within the first week back. And this devotional hit me right in the center of my heart.

Today's devo: Come to me with empty hands and an open heart, ready to receive abundant blessings. I know the depth and breadth of your neediness. Your life-path has been difficult, draining you of strength. Come to Me for nurture. Let Me fill you up with My presence; I in you, and you in Me. My power flows most freely into weak ones aware of their need for me. Faltering steps of dependence are not lack of faith; they are links to My presence. 

I just loved this one. "Your life-path has been difficult, draining you of strength". These past 8 months of teaching have been physically, but mostly emotionally draining. I can officially say that I am ready for summer break.

"Faltering steps of dependence are not lack of faith; they are links to My presence".

AMEN!

Have a blessed weekend!