Pure

I love this song. (Click the title of this post: Pure) This song is my prayer, as the next five weeks fly by. I have about $4,500 left to raise for the fall...which scares me but at the same time excites me because it will be cool to see God show up. :) I'm putting the finishing touches on two different fundraisers, so I'll have information on that linked to this blog pretty soon.

Pure

Your love is pure, Your love is precious
Your love is all I need
Your love surrounds me, Your love as- tounds me
Your love is everything

I run to You when my heart is weak
I cling to You, You're all I seek
It's my heart's desire to be close to You
Here in Your arms I'll find my strength

Everything I want, everything I hope in
Everything my heart cries out for
Everything I want, everything I hope in
Everything my heart cries out for

Timeline

I have not posted in two weeks. This is ridiculous. Although for the past two weeks I've been working over 40 hours a week...I got a third job! HUGE blessing that I'm seriously so thankful for. This whole money thing is a stresser but I have full faith in God that things are going to work out. What is my newer job? Working in the cornfield for a plant/chemical research company. Oh what an adventure it has been. I actually have liked it a bit. Crazy, I know. :)

Things that are new:

-I'm super pumped about the fact that my best friend is home. Like, you guys, she has been such a HUGE influence in my life and over my relationship with Christ. It's been a fantastic blessing to have her over the past 5 years in my life.
-Another one of my friends and I are in the process of starting a new blog. We're really excited about it!! More details later.
-Resonate is in a week!!! I LOVE THIS MINISTRY. I have learned so much being a part of it over the past year-wether I'm singing, doing art, or just participating. I love it. Here's some more details about it. (I love love love the vision.)

The Vision:
To see the local church connecting from all over the northern IL area to glorify God and tell of his renown (Isaiah 26:8).

It's a time to encounter our great God who is Father, Son and Spirit. It's not a concert, Jesus is the only One who will get the praise of our mouths once the night is over (Psalm 115).

-I'M LEAVING IN SIX WEEKS!!!! (freaking out just a bit.)
-I'm putting the finishing touches on a few fundraising things. I'm super thankful for all the ideas people have given me and those who have been willing to help me out. I've been learning so much about community in the body of Christ. ::sigh:: I just love my life with Jesus.

Well. I guess another newish thing is this: I will see my sister in about 4 weeks...which I'm beyond excited for. It has been really hard not having her around for the past year. I haven't really gotten to spend any quality time with her since last August except for when she was home for Christmas. (I mean, I also saw her in March for a total of probably 4 hours when she was home for a couple days...I just happened to be headed to Taylor for a friend's senior art show...it was bittersweet.) I miss that girl so much. I've probably already said that...but really. If you know her, you'd miss her too. :)

Check out these verses!! (These are my verses for the summer and they're also the heart verses for Resonate this month!)

"1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside [throw off] every encumbrance [everything that hinders] and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. "

hebrews 12:1-3

So fantastic. :)

Purpose Driven Life

New project. 40 days of reading "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. I'm on day 3, so I'm kind of nervous about actually completing this task, because honestly I struggle with daily reading tasks. Like my Bible for instance. I bought the Bible in 90 Days last summer...I think I'm on day 7. But, that's also something I'm working on reading through. :) I'm excited.

Here's my nugget of truth for the day:

"Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You must move against it with the weapons of faith and love. The Bible Says, 'There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.' 1 John 4:18." -Rick Warren

A couple of weeks ago I realized I struggle with fear. The fear of accomplishing things. Everything from making it to Colorado this fall to the littlest thing of actually getting my room clean and keeping it that way. I honestly hated that realization. Probably because I had been ignoring that part of me for a really long time, and always came up with excuses about why I don't accomplish things. Oh man. So much learning this summer. So much learning in life. :)

On another note: MY LIFELONGFRIEND IS COMING HOME TOMORROW!!!!!!!! I miss Allison. Yet, I'm so proud of her for what she has been doing since the end of May in Asia. I did not like the no communication thing. I do LOVE that she's out there serving Jesus. The woman is so mature in Christ and I miss her influence on me and I'm kinda jealous of the people she was getting to hang out with. BUT. God was USING her. I can't wait to hear stories. Oh life. :)

the Prop

Check this out.

The Prop click here!!!

"We believe connecting people doing good might just change the world. A lot of people are doing great things so, instead of something new, we decided to work towards connecting them. We’re starting by connecting artists with humanitarian orgs. to foster awareness & increase impact - for greater good."

Vote for The Prop!!!!

Crushed and Created

I love this song.

Crushed and Created
By Caitlyn Smith/Sara Groves/Gordon Kennedy

Looking back on the things that found me
Places I would never choose
The same things that both haunt and heal
My demons and my muse

We are crushed and created
Melted and made
Broken and built up in the very same way
What I thought I could handle
What I thought I could take
What I thought would destroy me
Leaves me stronger in its wake

And there are times that I’ve underestimated
Both the grief and goodness found in something new
Where one thing dies, something else can be created
And though it’s truth you find, it’s innocence you lose

I’m not the me that I started with
My friends say my eyes are brighter
I’m not the me that I started with
I’m freer, and I’m wiser, and I’m stronger…

It leaves me stronger

Click to listen :)

Expired Milk

I have to admit something. I pretty much refuse to drink/eat/use anything after its expiration date. Not a couple days after, but the DAY after. I heard on the radio some mom talking about her daughter having a similar problem. The mom was like, "Honey, that date isn't a magical thing that automatically makes the _____ untouchable". Well mother I don't know. Yes it does.

So last week I bought a gallon of milk...with an expiration date 4 days away. My mom told me that I better drink all of it because she was tired of throwing away expired things. The night before the day of expiration came and there was still half a gallon left. I told my dad about my predicament and asked if there was anything I could make that would use A LOT of milk. He said yes, went to the store, and came back with stuff to make flan, tapioca, and chocolate pudding pie. He made the flan.

The next day I get a call from my mom, asking if the tapioca mix and chocolate pudding pie was on the counter so I would stick to my promise to use the milk. Yep. She got me. I can't even be sneaky with that lady. So I made the tapioca and the chocolate pudding pie.

Text from my dad: "this tapioca is sooo good it reminds me of my mom's!!!"

Text from my mom: "mmm...you rock at making tapioca and chocolate pie!"

Apparently it took a gallon of almost expired milk for me to find out that I'm not a COMPLETE failure in the kitchen. Compliments from the parents=success.

Songs on My Heart

I have so many songs on my itunes, and honestly all I've been listening to is Needtobreathe and a bunch of worship songs. The following are the ones I put on a cd to play in Shasha (mah car). I highly recommend looking them up on youtube or something and giving them a listen. :)

A Mighty Fortress by Christy Nockels

How He Loves by Kim Walker

Awakening by Chris Tomlin

Your Love Never Fails by Chris Quilala

Hungry (Falling on My Knees) by Kathryn Scott

Desert Song by Hillsong

You'll Come by Hillsong United

Glorified by New Life Worship

Healing Is In Your Hands by Christy Nockels

You Gave Your Life Away by Paul Baloche

You Hold Me Now by Hillsong

Hosanna by Hillsong United

Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United

Enjoy them. I do. They pretty much speak truths about God that I constantly need to hear. I'm in my car so much that it only made sense to put them on a cd!!!