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Name: sarah
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Metro: Raleigh
Gender: Female
Interests: God, crocheting, baking and cooking, volleyball, party planning, cook books, reading, worship songs and singing, Christian music, fondu sets, VeggieTales, Star Wars and my nieces
Expertise: baking, wedding coordinating, babies, road map memorization
Occupation: Medical
Industry: Medical
Message: message me
Member Since:
4/3/2006
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| Wow! Summer is almost over. It's been so busy. Arizona. Crossroads. Work. Visiting Atlanta.
This was a great summer full of activities, but I felt like it passed so quickly. Hard to have time to reflect.
Arizona was a highlight even though I got sick. It really is weird the way God answers your prayers sometimes. I asked God during the Arizona missions trip to help me to be humble and to grant me a servant's heart. And in a weird way, He did. Half way through the missions trip I caught a cold. Or really a cold caught me. I was feeling really bad and wiped out. I couldn't rely on myself, it was a really humbling experience. I felt like this was a way God used to help me to focus on Him. My focus was split before the trip. I was working hard in the hospital and helping out in the youth group. I really didn't have as much time for God as I use to. And I felt like this was God's way of slowing me down to rest in Him. On my 2nd day of illness, I got to pray with 2 of the youths, Nathaniel and Rebecca. We had a really great time. it's hard to imagine but we prayed for probably 2 hours straight. I know that I was refreshed during that time of prayer. Thanks guys.
I had a hard time with the cold. It really took me a long time to recover. I felt like a dark spirit was attacking me during the rest of the time I was in Arizona. Being humble and resting in God's hands is not easy for me. I like to be in control. I realize that being in control is a figment of my imagination. I also realized that not relying on God and not taking time to rest in God can really mess with your mental capacities. Decision making skills are skewed. I know that I scared some people with my last day's attitudes and ways that I handled myself. I'm sorry.
Crossroads was a similar lesson. The need to focus on God and not on my control of things. Also, that while I may NOT have the control, God DOES. And that I really am starting to covet the time I spend with God.
This is especially the case for when I go to work. It's been a busy summer with all the babies being born and having to work a lot. It wears down your body and mind. Looking back at the times when I was able to journal my prayers and problems to God this summer, really helped me to see the hand of God in my life.
I'm still learning, it's an ongoing process. Everyday we change little by little, and sometimes, it's very little. The process is hard, but the end result is always worth it. God continues to mold us into the image of His Son, Jesus. And I've got the growing pains to prove it.
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| It's been a while since I've posted. So much to talk about and so little to know what to write down. It's been an exciting journey this past year and a half working with Brittany and Andy together. We've been such a team with different strengths, but similiar goals. I think that now Brittany has been gone for a little less than a month, I really can reflect a lttle on all the things she has taught me.
1. Being open. Being transparent about your struggles can be encouraging to those around you and help people see that they are not the only person dealing with the same struggles. We are not perfect people.
2. Being giving. Even in times of extreme tiredness, being there says you really care about those you are with. Staying up after youth group to hang out and eat were great times of bonding. I'll miss our fellowship over meals.
3. Being humble. We are not out to "save" people, but we are placed in positions to point out our Savior. We are not the answer, but we KNOW the Answer.
4. Being loving. That even through disagreements that we are able to be sister-in-Christ. That you care enough to correct me and to help me learn. That you are willing also to listen and respect my views even if they are different from yours.
There are other things I've learned from you Brittany. But I will still be reflecting on our friendship for a while. I miss you being here and being a part of the ministry.
THANK YOU for your gift of friendship.
(Hope you get to read this.) | | |
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Wow another year has gone by and I'm still trying to catch up. Life never seems to go the way we plan for it.
I planned to have some resolutions for this year, but I think that I'll skip that this year. I just need to correctly prioritize my life.
This past year, the holidays were very full with me going to LA for Michael Poon's wedding. A short 3-4 days at that, packed to the brim with things to do for the wedding. And a sleepover at the Lee's for New Year.
The holidays can be a lonely time for people. Whether you are in the midst of a crowd, by yourself, with friends or even with family.
This past year God has showned me a lot about myself. He's shown me how to love and give beyond myself. He's shown my selfishness and unforgiving parts of myself. I have a lot more to learn and to grow. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in this coming year. And I am so glad to be a part of the youth group.
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Wow, it's been a while since I last wrote.
I've been at the national youth worker's convention in Charlotte since Thursday. I've learned so much. It's been so encouraging to see other women in ministry. The speakers are incredible and the concerts are great. I've gotten some exercise when jumping in the concerts.
I think that I've learned that it's not about me in ministry, but that because He has called me to where I am, He can still and will use me. I'm a small light, but I need to point to The Light because I am not that light.
I can't wait to come back and see everyone in the youth group. I've got to think more about what I've learned this extended weekend.
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| Okay, I'm finally updating my xanga for the STM trip. I wrote an article for the upcoming Harvest Journal that was extremely long. However, during my 2nd try I wrote this shorter article. However, the article in the Harvest journal will be even shorter than that one. I may still post the other article, but it just has more details as to what we did every day. Well, I hope you enjoy reading. It is still slightly long. I welcome you to come up to me on friday night or sunday morning to ask questions about the trip.
What I did on my summer vacation: Short-term missions: Taiwan
What do you think of when someone says the word missions? Differentculture? Strange foods? Exotic lands? Difficulty communicating? Hardwork? Cute children? Hot climate? People who need Jesus? A challenge to my spiritual life?
The answer to all those ideas are yes. . . and no.
I got a chance this summer to be on the short term missions team going to Taiwan. This was my first time going on a missions trip. I wanted to see how God is moving in the world. Also, I wanted to step out of my comfort zones and live the life He has called me to live. One that relies on His will and strength and not on my own abilities. I didn't know what to expect except that we were going to teach English to 3rd-6th graders. And as a team, we met each Saturday during the summer to prepare our lesson plans and to bond as a team for the trip. From those weekends, I learned to be flexible and teachable and that I could rely on my teammates for support.
Throughout the missions trip I was extended grace by my teammates, co-workers, and the children. While the culture was familiar, but different, my teammates helped me to communicate and to adjust to being outside my comfort zones. I got overwhelmed the first time we had to teach. Communication with the children was difficult because their English skills were much lower than expected. The Taiwan co- workersand the children granted grace and patience as we struggled through the lesson. I learned to be flexible and use the creativity God had given me to help in teaching the lessons in the next 4 days. I also realized that I had much to learn about patience and overcoming my fears of public speaking.
We got a chance to teach the same groups of children the story of Joseph during a 2nd camp period. This is when I got a chance to go to the home of 2 of my students. Their mother invited all the teachers, or "at least 6 teachers", to their home. We got the chance to see how their family lived. We also introduced the Christian God to them through prayer, a blessing over the food and once more before we left. They were like a typical family trying to give more opportunities to their children through the English language. I'm glad that God gave us the opportunity to teach English as a way to introduce Himself to those who need Him.
God has shown me what grace is on this missions trip. I was extended grace, and I in turn extended grace to others. I learned that if I stretch out to meet someone half way, they are willing to meet me half way too. One thing I learned is that I have more patience than I think, but less than I need. I still need to express myself because no one can read my mind yet. I'm more open to the possibilities God presents to me to join His will. That my heart breaks with the things that break the heart of God. That there is hope in the world and that we need to spread His hope to the hopeless. To learn to love those who challenge and test us. It was truely a perspective changing experience.
I know that I'll be praying for my students through out this year. I've already started to think about next summer. I can not wait to go on another missions trip. | | |
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