Brighten My Heart.

my heart is as dark as the soil
sodden with winter rains
my soul is as heavy as the peat
freshly dug from the bog
my thoughts swirl like willow branches
caught in autumn winds
my body is as tense as a cat's
as it stalks its prey

help me open my heart to you
help me open my heart to you
help me open my heart to you, oh Jesus
That's what i long to do

my heart is as dark as the soil
sodden wit winter rains
(Lord brighten my heart)
My soul is as heavy as the peat
freshly dug from the bog
(Lord lighten my soul)
my thoughts swirl like willow branches
caught in autumn winds
(Lord, still my thoughts)
my body is as tense as a cat's
as it stalks its prey
(Lord, relax my body)

-Sixpence None The Richer-

For The Blessing Jar...

December at college has been really great. I have successfully finished all of my assignments and papers, have participated in a whole bunch of fun social events, and even got to spend time with my parents who came out to visit! Such a blessing!

Last night I even had a chance to go on a date with my man! :)
And this morning, I wrote my first exam out of six! I thank God because my recall was excellent, and I feel like I did pretty well! But even if I didn't do well, I'd still thank God. :)

I have five more exams but I'm not stressed out at all. Two years ago, I was FREAKING OUT at exam time. My life looked somewhat like this picture:

But now, I think that I just have my priorities straight. My life will not be over if I don't get above 90% on an exam. My relationship with God is way more important than a bunch of silly markings on a paper.

Today I stumbled upon a CD my Mom and I used to constantly listen to, when I was much younger, and somehow I still remember all of the songs. It's called EXODUS and it's awesome!
You can listen to it here: Exodus!

One more week until I go home for Christmas! :)

School's Out! Almost!

Well, classes are over and it is time to start preparing for exams! With having all of my classes over and done with, this morning I took full advantage of this freedom. I slept in, cleaned my room while listening to the wonderful Christmas tunes of Josh Groban and Michael Buble (new CD!!), and then had a great workout at the gym. I am feeling good!

I also registered for all of my classes for my next semester in January. I am super excited!!

History of Christianity II
Social Psychology
Psychology of Personal and Interpersonal Dynamics
World Religions (this one is a Modular class, so it only lasts a week!)
Psychology of Human Development: Adolescents
and Hebrew Poetry & Wisdom

I am going to try and drop one of them, since I don't really want to be as busy as I was this last semester...but we'll see. (haha)

I am excited for this next semester because I also changed my major from Humanities to Christian Ministry (focusing on Family Studies) with a minor in Psychology. Super interesting!

I'm crazy. I miss having homework already. I miss the anticipation of choosing a paper topic and staying up 'till 3 AM trying to get it done. Sigh... but I guess I should be worried about my upcoming SIX exams. Yikes! Let the countdown begin -again-! :)

Here are some photos from the Christmas Party at school with the people I love the most! :)

The One Who Saves.

Over four months of singing in chapel, I have become familiar with the song "The One Who Saves" by Hillsong. It is AWESOME! I love worship time so much!

Come join the song, lift your voice
As Heaven and Earth give praise
Fall to your knees at the feet
Of the Son of the One true God

Turn from old ways, lift your eyes
For the kingdom of God is here
Open your heart, offer all
For Jesus Christ is here, oh now

We will find our home
We will find our peace
We will find our rest
In the One who loves

He will light the way
He will lead us home
As we offer all
To the One who saves us

Call on the name that is hope
Jesus, the Son of God
Lord over all, He is good
And His mercy endures always

His love endures
Forever His love endures
Forever His love endures
Forever and ever

We have found our home
We have found our peace
We have found our rest
In the one who saves.

PM.

This is the second time I have set my morning alarm to PM and have missed waking up for class. Sigh.

I absolutely cannot afford to have morning classes next semester!!

Oh well, at least I didn't miss anything major in class...no quiz or paper needed to be handed in.

And what's also a plus is that my body LOVES me today. Nine hours of sleep does amazing wonders on a person's overall well-being! :)

Fire.

❤ ❤ ❤

"Love is a friendship that has caught fire.

It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing, and forgiving.

It is loyalty through good and bad.

It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

Love is content with the present, it hopes for the future, and it does not brood over the past.

It is the day in and day out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working towards common goals.

If you have love in your life, it can make up for a variety of things you lack.

If you don't have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough - so search for it, ask God for it, and share it."

- Ann Landers

I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a man who is in love with the Lord. Our relationship would be nothing without the Lord's teaching and guidance. Together, we are learning to serve God first and foremost, and then learning how to serve each other. I am one happy and blessed girl. :)

Happy & Blessed Sunday

My weekend has been pretty amazing so far. I have done zero homework. Zero!! How great is that? For the past two months I have been doing homework in my sleep and now God has blessed me with a weekend like this one.

I spent it with Him. Thursday evening I had my room all to myself, so I cozied up in my bed with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and watched two online sermons by pastor Mark Driscoll. It was exactly what I needed to get myself back in check.
And then Friday and Saturday I watched more sermons, I read some more, and I prayed some more.

I have missed this relaxation and this time with God so much.

It's silly I know, that I only gave myself this much time with God on the weekend where homework was sparse. I don't want it to be that way. I want to spend this much time with Him EVERYDAY no matter the homework load!

Well, I'm off to church and I'm super excited. I love love love worshipping with fellow believers in song and in prayer! :)

Happy & Blessed Sunday because God is good even when these times are hard!!!

❤   ❤   ❤

Killing Us Softly

The incredible woman in this video speaks about advertisements, which -subconsciously- effect us in the most horrible of mind-distorting and in turn, health-compromising ways. I urge you to watch both parts!

Alma.

The most incredible thing happened this week! In one of the chapel's at school, the Compassion Canada team set up a booth and I knew right then and there that this was the time to do it. This was the time to finally make that decision, and yes to sponsoring a child! And I am SO excited about it!

Her name is Alma, she is ten years old and lives in Indonesia. She is absolutely so beautiful and precious. One of my best friends here at college has actually visited her own Compassion child in Ecuador and said it was the most amazing experience ever. I would love to do something like that. (But all in due time--haha) But yes, one day I would love to go to Indonesia and see the girl I have decided to sponsor.

Every month, Compassion will take $41 out of my bank account, and send it straight to where Alma lives. This money will put her through school and accommodate to her needs. Why would I want to spend $41 on buying myself clothes that I don't need and food when I'm not even hungry? Why not give it to Alma who NEEDS it?

I also found out that I don't even need to write snail mail. I met with a lady today who told me that I can just go online to the Compassion website and write letters that will be printed off and sent to Alma. How convenient and efficient!

God is so good and it's incredible how just simple letter writing and money giving from a "normal" twenty-year-old lady like me can change a person's life who lives all the way across the globe. In the video that Compassion showed us (I wish I could find the link to it right now!) the kids who were sponsored just kept emphasizing how a teenager from North America had the power to change their lives. God is compassionate, loving, and giving, and we as His people are called to live in His image. And sponsoring a child for $41 a month is a great way to GIVE!

The Food of Love

Can I just say that I found the most amazing Tumblr site ever?

It's called The Food of Love and these pictures inspire me to no end!

❤ ❤ ❤