Up In The Air.

God is the only thing certain, in this uncertain world.

Honestly. There is nothing in my life right now that is certain; what I have today, may be gone a year from now.

As I have officially reached the halfway point in my college semester here, the question that hangs over my head is, where do I go from here?

Now is the time to start preparing for the summer months so that once I leave school, I will at least have somewhat of a clear path.

Where am I working in the summer?

Will I be living at home the whole summer?

What will I be doing in the Fall?

Should I change my major?

Everything is up in the air and I'm trying not to get overwhelmed.

I want to make the right decision--I have these lies in my head telling me that I need to base my decisions on whether or not it will please my parents, my siblings, my relatives, and the random people who for some reason I care what they think about me. And if they're not pleased, then I need to do what they want me to do.

That isn't right. If I base my decisions on what others are telling me to do, then I'm allowing for them to create my identity for me.

Yes, I do want to ask others for wisdom, guidance, and counsel on what would be best for me, but in the end I'm only making the right decision if I am allowing God to lead me in my life. This then it adds a whole new question:

God, what is your will for me?

Best thing ever?

I bought 2 lbs of carrots for 0.98 cents.

That has to be one of the best things ever.

Now I just need to find a killer recipe for honey-glazed carrots... Pinterest?? :)

p.s- carrots in their natural/whole form taste way better than baby carrots. Just sayin',

Innocence.

When I stepped into the Christian book store this afternoon, my eyes landed upon an art piece by David Bowman:

The moment I looked at it, I thought of my brother Dale who died when he was just six years old. I thought about what it was like for him to meet Jesus for the very first time; what it was like to be held, and for him to verbally hear from Jesus "I love you, Dale". And just like the picture, I wondered what it was like to touch Jesus for the first time.


This had to be the most beautiful art piece I may have ever seen, and I didn't care how much it costed--it was a purchase I knew I'd never regret. I cannot wait to put this up on my bedroom wall, so everyday I can be reminded of the pure and perfect beauty that is preparing a place for us in Heaven.


This is what the artist himself included on the backside of the piece:

"Innocence"

The Saviour tells us we need to become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God. I've often wondered what it is about little children Jesus loves most, and I think it's their innocence. They are clean slates, seeing the world and others through untarnished eyes. Their hearts are pure, without the baggage of cynicism and self-doubt.

In this piece, I've tried to imagine how a child would act upon meeting the Master for the first time. Without reservation or inhibition, I think he would simply want to play with Him. He would be at complete ease, allowing his pure little heart to soak in the love and laughter of His pure, infinite heart. It's no wonder Christ delights in these little ones and sets them up to be our examples.

-David Bowman-

Matthew 19:14: "Jesus said, 'let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."

❤  ❤  ❤

Slipping Away.

I feel like a friend of mine is slipping away from her faith.

I saw this coming...I definitely saw it coming...unfortunately.

Did I not pray hard enough for her? Would things have turned out differently if I would have prayed more for her?

I don't want to put the blame on myself, and I don't need to, because I was not part of her circumstances. But I just love her and want God's best for her.

I'm guessing this is what parenting a teenager is going to be like. You can spend all night praying for your child in sweat and tears, but in the end it is all up to the choices they make. And as a parent there is only so much you can do and there's only so much control you can have over someone's life until you end up driving them away.

God, thank you for always being with her, and for always being with me. Please help her.

❤ ❤ ❤

He loves having your attention.

Never ever ever forget that God has great plans for your life.

And even though things may be hard, He is still there, holding you in the palm of His hand.

God created the world, the universe. He is powerful! He is bigger than ALL of your worries and fears!

Just keep praying to God and being honest with Him. Read through some Psalms and see how the writers such as David and Solomon poured their hearts out to God; they didn't hold back. They told Him exactly how they were feeling and He comforted them.

God loves it when you talk with Him. He loves having your attention, and He deserves nothing less than to be the centre of your life.

❤ ❤ ❤

Don't Forget...

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Poop Cookies!

As you all know, I spend faaaar too much time on Pinterest. It sounds like a negative thing; yet in fact, it actually brings out the creative and ambitious side of me!

Seeing as how I don't despise healthy-eating like I once did when I was young and frivolous, I'm looking for healthy snack ideas and recipes all the time. And Pinterest lead me to these:

As you can see from the photo above, they turned out splendidly! This snack, formerly known as "haystacks", is now known as "poop cookies".

Gross, right?

Wrong!

They're only called that because instead of using chow mein noodles, you replace them with Fibre-One cereal which is LOADED with glorious fibre (14g per 1/2 cup to be exact). Mmm mmm!

Mixed together with sweetened coconut and milk-chocolate chips and you're in for a treat! You could pretty much add ANYTHING to this recipe. I think next time I'm going to add peanut-butter chocolate chips as well for some added protein!

And for the Easter season, you can form these cookies into the shape of a nest and plop a few colourful chocolate mini-eggs in the centre, and you've got yourself a festive poop-cookie!

❤  ❤  ❤

50 Things I Need To Give Up.

I found this on a Tumblr site...and every single item on this list is such a good reminder for me. Lately I've just lost perspective on life. This life isn't about me; it's about serving others and loving others with a heart of gold. And this heart of gold only comes from Jesus Christ...

1. Give up trying to be perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.
2. Give up comparing yourself to others. – The only person you are competing against is yourself.
3. Give up dwelling on the past or worrying too much about the future. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Don’t miss it.
4. Give up complaining. – Do something about it.
5. Give up holding grudges. – Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness.
6. Give up waiting. – What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow. Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.
7. Give up lying. – In the long-run the truth always reveals itself. Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.
8. Give up trying to avoid mistakes. – The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.
9. Give up saying, “I can’t.” – As Henry Ford put it, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
10. Give up trying to be everything to everyone. – Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now.
11. Give up thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
12. Give up setting small goals for yourself. – Many people set small goals because they’re afraid to fail. Ironically, setting these small goals is what makes them fail.
13. Give up trying to do everything by yourself. – You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with. If you work together, you will be far more capable and powerful than you ever could have been alone.
14. Give up buying things you don’t need. – Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you. Do not spend to impress others. Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects.
15. Give up blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can live your dream life depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
16. Give up making mountains out of molehills. – One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years? If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
17. Give up trying to live up to the expectations of others. – Work on it for real and exceed your own expectations. Everything else will fall into place.
18. Give up the ‘easy street’ mentality. – There is too much emphasis on finding a ‘quick fix’ in today’s society. For example taking diet pills to lose weight instead of exercising and eating well. No amount of magic fairy dust replaces diligent, focused, hard work.
19. Give up making promises you can’t keep. – Don’t over-promise. Over-deliver on everything you do.
20. Give up letting your thoughts and feelings bottle up inside. – People are not mind readers. They will never know how you feel unless you tell them.
21. Give up beating around the bush. – Say what you mean and mean what you say. Communicate effectively.
22. Give up avoiding change. – However good or bad a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing you can count on. So embrace change and realize that change happens for a reason. It won’t always be easy or obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it.
23. Give up your sense of entitlement. – Nobody is entitled to anything in this world. We are all equal. We breathe the same air. We get what we give. We get what we earn.
24. Give up waiting until the last minute. – Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
25. Give up being dramatic. – Stay out of other people’s drama and don’t needlessly create your own.
26. Give up being anti-athletic. – Get your body moving! Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program like the P90X workout.
27. Give up junk food. – You are what you eat.
28. Give up eating as a means of entertainment. – Don’t eat when you’re bored. Eat when you’re hungry.
29. Give up foolish habits that you know are foolish. – Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t smoke. Etc.
30. Give up relationships with people who bring you down. – Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.
31. Give up being shy. – Network with people. Meet new people. Ask questions. Introduce yourself.
32. Give up worrying about what others think of you. – Unless you’re trying to make a great first impression (job interview, first date, etc.), don’t let the opinions of others stand in your way. What they think and say about you isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
33. Give up trying to control everything. – Life is an unpredictable phenomenon. No matter how good or bad things seem right now, we can never be 100% certain what will happen next. So do you best with what’s in front of you and leave the rest to the powers above you.
34. Give up doing the same thing over and over again. – In order to grow, you must expand your horizons and break free of your comfort zone. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
35. Give up following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t find the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
36. Give up persistent multi-tasking. – Do one thing at a time and do it right.
37. Give up thinking others are luckier than you. – The harder you work, the luckier you will become.
38. Give up filling every waking moment with commitments and activities. – It’s okay to be alone. It’s okay to do nothing sometimes. Think. Relax. Breathe. Be.
39. Give up making emotional decisions. – Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence. Slow down and think things through before you make any life-changing decisions.
40. Give up doing the wrong things just because you can get away with it. – Just because you can get away with something doesn’t mean you should do it. Think bigger. Keep the end in mind. Do what you know in your heart is right.
41. Give up focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
42. Give up taking yourself so seriously. – Few others do anyway. So enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can.
43. Give up spending your life working in a career field you’re not passionate about. – Life is too short for such nonsense. The right career choice is based on one key point: Finding hard work you love doing. So if you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop. You’re on to something big. Because hard work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
44. Give up thinking about the things you don’t have. – Appreciate everything you do have. Many people aren’t so lucky.
45. Give up doubting others. – People who are determined do remarkable things. Remember, the one who says it can’t be done should never interrupt the one doing it.
46. Give up fussing with every beauty product on the market. – Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart. Be proud to be you. That’s when you’re beautiful.
47. Give up trying to fit in. – Don’t mold yourself into someone you’re not. Be yourself. Oftentimes, the only reason they want you to fit in is that once you do they can ignore you and go about their business.
48. Give up trying to be different for the sake of being different. – Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity is conformity. When people try too hard to be different, they usually end up being just like everyone else who is trying to be different. Once again, be yourself.
49. Give up trying to avoid risk. – There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’ Everything you do or don’t do has an inherent risk.
50. Give up putting your own needs on the back burner. – Yes, help others, but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

"And remember, mistakes make us human, failures help us grow, hope keeps us going and love is the reason we’re alive. So keep learning, loving and living. Never give up on yourself."

❤  ❤  ❤

Spinach Salad.

I just made the best salad in the world!!

(oh and forgive my redness, I just ran 3.5 miles at the gym)

It's made of baby spinach, sliced strawberries, chicken breast, slivered almonds, and poppy seed dressing. It's not like I invented the salad, but it's the first time I've ever made one like this! I even have a glass of skim milk to go on the side. :)

It's almost perfect...I say the key word "almost" because my poppyseed dressing is store-bought, and I really wish I had the recipe from one of my favourite restaurants--THEN this salad would be perfect. Maybe I will ask them for the recipe...it couldn't hurt.

Don't worry. I don't eat fruit salads and spinach salads for every meal of every day. I wish I had the discipline to do that. But trust me, this weekend was filled with tons and tons of chocolate. Too much chocolate? Nah, it's impossible to have too much Hershey Kisses and Reese's bars! ;)

Anyway, I love this salad. It's packed with so much protein from the spinach, chicken breast, and almonds; and the strawberries are loaded with antioxidants. A good post-work out meal, I'd say!

Fruit Salad

This is me and my new all-time favourite salad: cut-up grapes, bananas, and strawberries. Mmm mmm! So good. I recommend it :) And every time I eat it, the "Fruit Salad--Yummy Yummy" song gets stuck in my head.

I really wish I could write more, but I have to get some reading done before my next class! Much love!

❤   ❤   ❤

Permanent Health Kick!

I have an explanation for my lack of posts...
Instead of coming to my blog to write an entry, I go straight to Pinterest. Here is my page: Click ME!

It's a fascinating, wonderful, euphoric, and absolutely horrible addiction.

I really just go on there to pin baking recipes and cooking recipes, and to look at health & fitness inspiration.

I've really been on a health-kick for the past few months, and it's not something I just woke up and decided to do. I very much eased into it.

My fridge is now filled with strawberries, skim milk, spinach, turkey meat, carrots, honeyed ham, apples, and grapes.
My freezer: chicken breasts, whole wheat bread, frozen berries, and salmon.
My cupboards: Tim Tams (don't judge haha), wheat thins, rice crackers, canned tuna, almonds, soy nuts, oatmeal, nutella (how could I resist?), 100% juice boxes, Ragu tomato sauce, raisins, fruit-source bars, whole-wheat pasta, and canned peas.

A year ago you NEVER would have seen me eat that healthy and actually ENJOY it. But now, I just love it! I love boneless, skinless, chicken breasts and spinach salad with cut up apples/grapes/strawberries, almonds, and poppyseed dressing. Mmm mmm!

Don't get me wrong. I still love my chocolate, BBQ chips, and McDonalds. In fact I definitely went on a binge-fest last night. But that doesn't get me down because not only am I addicted to fruit now, I am addicted to the GYM.

It's a dream come true for me. I have ALWAYS wished I could be one of those women who just longed to work out. I kid you not, I actually do have those moments where I say to myself "I can't WAIT to go to the gym tomorrow morning!"

Last semester I went to the gym sporadically. Seriously, with six courses you don't have TIME to even think about putting your running shoes on. Until final exams rolled around and when all I had to do during the day was study, I would use my breaks to go to the gym. And over Christmas break I didn't even eat that much like I normally do (YAY!!) and as I was without a gym, I relied on P90X to get me through the lazy holidays. It was awesome.

And as soon as I got back to college in the 2nd week of January, and had my semester schedule all sorted out, I came up with a plan: go to the gym every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and rest all the other days.

All my workouts occur the moment I wake up because if I don't do it in the morning then I'll probably never do it. Haha. The treadmill is definitely my best friend, and the rowing machine. And I'm getting to know the weights and the ab bench.

I am proud to say that since the summer I am 4 pounds away from losing 20 pounds in total! Except I'm not too keen on the scale right now because now that I'm incorporating strength training into my workout, I feel like I'm gaining muscle (which weighs more than fat). I can actually SEE a change in my body and my muscle tone. But I am happy that I've lost this weight the healthy way. Because honestly, the faster your weight comes off, the faster it will come back on. Weight loss/healthy-living is definitely a life style; you need to change your eating habits, your exercise habits, and your sleeping habits as an intentional and permanent change.

I want to go home.

February blues.

Thank you God that it is February.

Only 2 1/2 more months until I get to pack up my stuff and go home. Can't wait!!

I'd better start bringing stuff home already when I go home for my reading week in March.

To be honest, I am not passionate about this school. I was passionate about Trinity Western University, I was passionate about Bodenseehof Bible College, but I am not passionate about Briercrest Bible College. Everytime I get off campus I find myself wishing that I could STAY off campus.

This has been the hardest season of my life for sure. As I have grown older, I've realized that everything just keeps getting harder.

The greatest contribution to the difficulties of this season is the fact that I am 21 but I feel like I am in high school. I am so so sick of all the drama and the gossiping that goes on here. (Gossiping is a topic I could go on about FOREVER. I should probably dedicate a whole blog entry about it!!) I strongly feel that if a non-Christian were to walk into some of these dorms, they would not be able to tell that this is a Christian community. That saddens me so much, and it is exhausting putting up with all of this stuff. It is exhausting of always having to make a mental list of who I can and cannot trust for fear that everything I tell them will be talked about the next day by the whole school.

I miss BC. I miss Germany. I miss home.

A year ago I had extreme peace about going to college here, but now I am like a broken record asking God everyday what He needs me here for.

But that's the thing. I need to live outside of myself. I need to be obedient to what God has planned for me. I need to be aware of every person I come into contact here and to spread God's love to everyone I meet! I am trying my best to just be content here and to really BE here. God give me your strength, and your direction, because I can't do this on my own!

Life is so much bigger than just me. This life isn't about me, it's about Jesus. God help me to live outside of myself. Help me to be open to those around me, because I'm not the only one who is fighting an everyday battle here; I'm not the only one struggling.