DTS [WEEK ONE]

Greetings from Canada! YES, I officially made it to YWAM VANCOUVER and I am so excited to share with you how this first week has been!

I started my adventure on Tuesday, Sept 25, by waving goodbye to some of my family and friends. It was a bittersweet moment as I was very much looking forward to this new journey ahead but I was also sad to leave some of my favorite people behind. It didn't really hit me until after I started walking through the security line... Then came the tears and with all my might I tried to hold it back so I would be able to see where I was going. That having been my first real experience at leaving family and friends behind it hit me hard after I was alone. However, I wasn't truly alone and knowing and feeling that God was with me, comforting me, and protecting me made me feel way better.

The flight to Vancouver BC from Portland was only an hour and ten minutes, which went by super fast. What took the longest was going through immigration, I think about an hour, with just how many people were in line. After making it through immigration, I found my luggage and then met up with a YWAM Staff member named Adam. He was holding a sign with my name and a few others, which I met moments later.
What I didn't know before coming here is that at the same time as my DTS, there is also a Hockey DTS going on. The Hockey Team consist of seven guys and one girl. They have lectures with us in the mornings and some afternoons, then they hit the ice for some hockey time or have dryland drill time.
The Hockey team is very fun to have with ours and all the guys make everything so much more interesting!

The moment I arrived here in Canada and had a chance to settle in and meet everyone, I felt right at home. Everyone was very welcoming and easy to get along with.
In my DTS, there are seven of us, five girls and two guys - plus Flavia our DTS leader.

We all live in a house just outside of Vancouver. Twenty of us in all and that is also including 4 people who are in the School of Biblical Studies program that YWAM Vancouver also offers.

You would think that for me, coming from a quiet home of only two to a full twenty person household, this would be quite the adjustment but actually, in reality, I LOVE IT SO MUCH. All the commotion and laughter. However, at times, it is hard to concentrate when I need to but that is when I need to just make myself go to a quiet spot or to my room.

Speaking of my room, I am in one of two downstairs bedrooms and I have one roommate, her name is Sooyeon and she is from Korea. God blessed me with such a kind and caring roommate and I am very grateful for her growing friendship.

7 DAYS! + A Word From My Heart

I just wanted to send out a quick update now that there are only 7 DAYS UNTIL DTS VANCOUVER STARTS!!!

AHHHHH!!!

God is so sooo great and He keeps reminding me of His steadfast love and magnificent power every day. Sometimes in the business of life and the never-ending or changing routine, we can, I can get so stuck or blind at the many blessings and opportunities right in front of us.

One of my favorite bonuses for being a Christian is getting to decide every day to take hold of the Joy God wants to give me. To always have an excuse to be happy and spread that joy to others. Granted...It's not always easy and I am definitely not the best at it all the time. It does take work to turn the focus toward God and off of self. To take time to value someone else's happiness over yourself or to just simply spread that smile across your face even when the day is not as you planned. And hear me out when I am not saying tuck all your emotions down so no one can see them, God certainly does not want that. At times it is good to let it out, let people around you see that we are all human no matter what walk we're on, but as a Christain, we don't have to let problems, gossip, fears, or hurt define us or how we treat others. God does care immensely for the problems you and I are facing and He hears us when we cry out. He walked this journey too and sacrificed greatly, so we could someday be with Him in paradise. It was "HIS JOY SET BEFORE HIM." Walking with Joy and perseverance becomes our real testimony and what really is believed and accepted before any talk.

I've seen how God's Joy has worked in and through my life unto others and I pray that you would look for opportunities to be that light too. You might not think you are doing much but just give it to the Lord and He will fulfill the rest.

~~~~~~~~

That was Isabella's word of the day haha... Thank for reading and please comment below if you have anything you would like to add or questions!

~~~~~~~~

UPDATE
I just finished my last day of work last Friday and officially said goodbye to my co-workers today. I will truly miss working at the vet clinic and everyone there....
This week I will be getting things ready to pack, getting some friend/family hangout time in and loving up on my furry family before I head out next Tuesday morning!!

***Also, don't know if you have checked out my support page recently, but God provided the funds for the first part of my DTS journey!! Thank You LORD! Please keep in your prayers that I will not worry about the rest. Don't forget to also go on over to my support page and see where I am exactly with raising funds and if God puts it on your heart to give, please know that I am beyond grateful no matter the donation size.

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

JUST 25 DAYS

UPDATE!!

Just 25 days to go and I will be on a plane headed straight for Canada! WOW, how time has flown by! It still has an unreal feeling in my mind...just thinking about being in another country, away from home, meeting new people, learning so much more about God, and then traveling to another country, just completely blows my mind and I AM BEYOND EXCITED. So much so that I can't sometimes express how much.

I have been collecting items for my trip here and there and with each item, it becomes more of a realization. Yesterday I just received my backpacking backpack and that was the last major item on my list. Now I need to do a trial run and learn how to pack it. While I am in Canada I can bring luggage and things from home but during the outreach phase, that backpack will carry everything I'll bring. I don't think I've ever packed that light, haha. It's all part of the adventure!

....IT'S HAPPENING!

What could be a better day than to announce some special news but on National Canada Day! Why? You ask... well keep reading!

About a week ago, on Monday afternoon, I received an email from YWAM Vancouver Canada that I GOT ACCEPTED for their fall DTS!!

I am beyond excited (and maybe a little nervous) about all that is in store and stepping out physically on my own onto unknown territory, however, I know that God is stepping out with me every step of the way. That is so comforting to me. He has always been my steady rock and I would not be able to continue if it wasn't for His providence and strength.

Being able to go and have that dedicated 5 months to dig into God and His Word is such an incredible opportunity and I can't wait to see what other avenues come from it!

[Love We Don't Deserve]

Tonight, my mom and I took the opportunity to go check out the YWAM base in Salem, OR and to attend their open worship night. We knew no one going in and really didn't even know where we were supposed to go haha, but I want to give a big shoutout to Jordan for greeting my mom and me with a smile and for making us feel welcomed after just meeting her! 
It was so awesome to actually be on a YWAM base and to see a small glimpse of what it might be like when I go. 

We did not know what to expect, but what I experienced is way beyond words. Jesus filled that room and even though there were only about twelve of us there (including the worship band), His Spirit was so powerful!
One of the guys there actually shared that when he was looking around and saw such a small group he was kinda bummed, but God was impressing on his heart that He had twelve disciples to begin with and that close-knit group of twelve grew into what is tens of thousands of people today!
It doesn't have to start with a huge crowd of people... if each person in that group of twelve lives like they have just received the most extraordinary, extravagant gift ever, lives all around them will be forever changed!

On the topic of the most extraordinary, extravagant gift ever, I want to share with you about LOVE. Not the kind that comes and goes depending on how you feel about someone. Nor is it to be earned or taken away. This kind of LOVE surpasses ALL UNDERSTANDING and it is the most beautiful kind of love out there.

I Applied!

I wanted to write a quick little update to let you all know that last Thursday I applied to DTS! I am so incredibly excited about the possibilities that will follow!

The journey so far has been extremely faith growing. Coming from a low-income single parent household, my faith has had its moments of stretching. Believing God for what seems like an incredibly impossible amount of money. Sometimes the more I think about the funds part of DTS the more I can get discouraged. I know it is the devil using those little thoughts of doubt to spark the fire of unbelief. However, I will not let them last! God is MY PROVIDER and HE CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE!!

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
                    - Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Along with my application to DTS, they also require a couple references which will need to be submitted before my admittance to the program can be fully considered. After they have been reviewed and I hear more, I will share that update. Until then, please keep my mind/heart in your prayers. That it will be guarded against the enemy's lies and that the fire of determination will not die.

Thank you so much for reading and coming along with me on this journey!!

Only ONE FEAR Fundraiser

I am so excited to announce that I am fundraising with Fund the Nations! They have designed some awesome clothing styles for me with the logo “ONLY ONE FEAR.”

I heard this phrase first at Fired Up a couple years ago and it has been so powerful in my life. It acts as a reminder that I don’t have to fret about what lies ahead, for God is so much bigger than anything else in my life. Whatever I may come to, it will always be so small compared to our GOD.
There are so many verses in the Bible about how our fear needs to be in God, no one else and not only for the rule of it but there are also blessings that come with fearing God (a few of my personal favorites are Psalm 33:18-19, 34:9, 115:11, Proverbs 9:10).
When I took an Old Testament class my teacher explained how in some verse contexts the original meaning of the word FEAR is AWE-STRUCK WONDER. A term for being filled with amazement, which I believe sums up how we should feel about God. Only One Fear also is a focus setting phrase. It is determining ahead of time that God is for you and He is the ONE you're looking to. A great focus setting verse is found in Hebrews 12 verse 2 which says - "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." 'FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS' is that focus setting phrase and when Jesus is our main focus we will not waiver.

Back to the details on the fundraiser!

A Heart Longing to Go

I am really excited to share with you all in today's post about the upcoming plans for my life!

I have always had a strong desire for missions; to travel and explore God's creation with also the passion to incorporate sharing the LOVE I've found in God with others. It is so amazing to go over to another country and witness God do the miraculous. To see people with very little but SO MUCH!
God uses everyone's gifts and passions for His Kingdom and it is so amazing to see that worked out, whether here at home or overseas.

While I was on the path of looking into various programs and ways to incorporate missions into my life, I heard about a very AWESOME program from someone who shared their experiences with it in Fired Up. It is called Discipleship Training Program (DTS) through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). You might have heard about it before but if you haven't, I would encourage you to check it out, if you are interested in missions! It is such a vast program that has so many opportunities for people based on desired location or passions. There are over 200 school locations with varying focuses but all designed to bring a person into a more intimate relationship with God and to equip them with the needed tools to share His gospel with others.

Fired Up > Just A Youth Group

This last year, I got the opportunity to be a small group leader in a discipleship group called Fired Up and I loved it so much! Fired Up is definitely not your average youth group. It is designed for growing Christians to come and expand their knowledge in God and His word, their faith, and to be in fellowship with like-minded people. Its also not only a come and hear group but instead the invitation is to come and be involved! Not only hear but also do! Throughout the Fired Up year, we come together each week (besides breaks for holidays) and worship, listen to a message, dig deeper in small groups, memorize verses, and of course have a blast together!
I've been involved in Fired Up for the last 3 1/2 years and during that time I have grown so much in my faith and built amazing friendships. I am so grateful that I was invited to Fired Up and that I've gotten to be a part of its amazing ministry!

Each year Fired Up has a main focus for the year and this year that topic was 'Equipped to do Good Works.' There was so much to learn from and all the message topics were so beneficial! In fact, it can be a little overwhelming because there was so much, but as a fellow Fired Uper said, 'just pick one thing, one area and work on it.' That's all God really asks of us, He wants us to start somewhere and then expand from there.

~Snow Day~

Sometimes, especially in winter, I dream of living somewhere on this earth where the winters are actual winters with freezing temperatures and snow, that is everywhere. :D Maybe someday it will happen haha... I don't know what it is about the snow, but it makes me feel so warm inside (even though everything else is usually freezing). Just seeing everything covered in a white layer brings such a peaceful attitude to my spirit. With all the negative in the world, a completely white layer over everything makes it as if God is sending His cleansing spirit over us. Helps us slow down. And look at old things in a new way.

Down in the valley where I live, we haven't had too many days below 35 degrees this year and with that came the lack of snow. I have been so hopeful for the days that it will snow us all in but that hasn't exactly happened yet...YET! It did, however, just snow in the hills around the valley and before we lost the chance to enjoy it my mom and I geared up and had a wonderful snow afternoon!

It is so amazing to walk in God's creation when it is all covered in this white powdery stuff. It's like being transported to a different world!

Stronger Together

One of my favorite ways to dig into scripture is writing it down and pulling out key elements from those verses or looking up commentary when I need help understanding what is being said. For my scripture writing, I follow Shannon over at her blog Sweet Blessings.

This month’s topic is on RELATIONSHIPS and there is always so much to learn. As I was doing my Scripture Writing this morning, I read the following verses:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4:9-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I also decided to read some commentary on verse 12 (biblestudytools.com), and with that, it really opened my eyes to unity. 

LOVE ~ GIVING ~ DIFFERENCE

Yesterday I listened to yet another message by Elevation Church called "Give What You Want & You'll Get What You Need." An incredible message from God that was spoken through Holly Furtick and all her wonderfulness and crazy life stories. :D

I am not going to spill the beans of her entire message, so I highly encourage you to take some time out of your day to go listen to it (it is only about 34 minutes long)! I was greatly inspired by her message and wanted to share my thoughts on the matter with you all.


GIVE and IT will be GIVEN to you. (Luke 6:38a)


When you think of GIVING, what usually comes to mind? Giving financially? Time? Physical labor? Sacrificing something? There are so many ways that we can give, even in the small things! Sometimes the small things at home, in a relationship, at work, or just out in the public can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE!
Giving your attention, affection, and/or commitment can make a huge impact on someone's day! Just think of what YOU need or want. Often times we can bring ourselves down by thinking about what others DON'T GIVE US. This can become a very depressing thing to do. Next time when you feel the urge to point the spotlight on yourself, think about the same need you want and see if anyone around you needs it instead. As Christians, God fulfills us, and He WILL give you what YOU NEED. As humans, we often forget that.
No matter where we are or what we're doing God has called us to be His light. To let Him live through us. One ultimate theory for why God created us, which I love, is that God had so much LOVE to give that He wanted to create creatures to share His unending, forever faithful, and awe-inspiring love with.
We were created with love inside of us! Inside all of us. Some choose to hate, but just like frowning, hating is so much harder than loving. Sometimes we think that remaining closed up and hard-hearted is the only way to protect ourselves, but in reality, it only ends up hurting ourselves and the people around us more in the long run.

God is GOOD All the Time and All the Time God is GOOD

Around every corner of life, we all have decisions, we all have choices to make. Some can be life alternating, some for the future, some for the present, and some that might have little effect at all. You might be wondering where it is in this life that you're meant to go, who you're meant to be, what you're meant to do. God doesn't give us all an exact direction for our lives; He might have some go to college, others to start a family, some to serve in the mission field, or some He might have stay right where they are. NO MATTER what path you go down though, NO MATTER which direction you take in your life, one thing is for certain, REALIZE YOUR PRIORITIES and MAKE SURE THEY GET INCORPORATED INTO YOUR LIFE. For a Christian, our main life purpose (and should be a priority) is to HONOR God, to GLORIFY and PRAISE Him, and to make Him KNOWN among the nations (even in small ways, including in your neighborhood, school, among friends, family . . . etc). Just SHARE His glory and marvelous Name with those around you. 

Proverbs 3:6 says (paraphrased) in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

You might be scared or nervous about your future if you're going down the right path or not, but you don't have to be! You got the KING of kings and LORD of lords on your side (Romans 8:31-32)! If we just all turned to Him and saw that HE IS GOOD, that He Provides, and that if we share that with others no matter where we go, that unknown journey will be WORTH IT!

Wednesday, this past week, was just not my day. It was not like it was too much different than any other day, it was just that the stresses of this life, decided that Wednesday would be the day to take my emotions on a rollercoaster. With the pressures of school, financial situations within my family, and my car, which decided to die on me, while driving, two times that day! You could say that I could have definitely been on the verge of letting the devil steal my joy. I was feeling sorry for myself, upset because what I had planned for that day wasn't happening. One thing is for sure, if I did not have God in my life to keep my eyes on Him, if I did not seek Him above all else while I went through that, if I did not decide to invite Him to stay close to me throughout the day, I could have totally stayed in that state and I would have ended up a major wreck. 

Wednesday, one of my teachers also shared with the class about how a college student recently took his life. It is so sad to think about the many people who get so bogged down with the pressures of this life and stay there. Who don't know where to turn, where their joy comes from, or who they find their identity in. I know for certain that if I didn't have the Lord, who uplifts me with His right hand (Isaiah 41:10) and didn't cling to His promises I could be their situation. But the JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH. He will ALWAYS provide. He will ALWAYS continue the good work that He set out before me to do (Philippians 1:6).

Have you watched God's NOT Dead? If you haven't, I would DEFINATLY recommend it! From that movie, I love how in all the different situations when everything went wrong and the pastor and/or his missionary friend could have been upset, they instead kept their eyes on God and His GOODNESS. How even in those upsetting, painful, or stressful situations there is always something to be THANKFUL about. From that movie, I have learned the saying: God is GOOD all the time and all the time God is GOOD. Now whenever I am down and out, or when this life feels like it is against me, or when Satan tries to deceive me and steal that JOY, I just say that over and over,

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD

because He is! When my car died the first time, I was so thankful that I had just turned off the main busy highway. There was also no one close to where I was that I knew I could call and my car did not want to start. I let it rest for a while and prayed, rebuking the devil and by the power and grace of God my car started and I was able to make it to my destination. The second time, it was really close to dying as I was going up a hill, but because I felt a warning and my breaks still worked I was able to stop abruptly before being stranded on a hill with a corner and cars behind me! 

God doesn't make bad things happen to us, it is the sin in this world and the imperfect nature of it that tears people apart, that death by natural causes, murders or suicide happen, or that natural disasters occur. Then there are just those that happen like mechanical problems. Yes, God doesn't necessarily stop misfortune from happening to good people but in the truth of it all and from a Christian standpoint, when we go through things that have a tendecny to tear us down we come out of it stronger; we come out of it braver and more dependent on God. If we were able to do this life without Him, where would His place be? We would be like, "See you later, I don't need you anymore. I got this." But no. We DO NEED Him! He doesn't promise us an easy life, a life without any struggles, troubles, or pain, but He does promise to be with us. God is true to His word and I am a testament that He is GOOD. I am definitely still going through struggles and have much growing to do in my faith and walk with Him, however, I have learned so much (especially from the hardships of this life). If we just keep our eyes ON HIM, we can still have the JOY that He gave us from the start!

So I encourage you, wherever you are in this journey of life, whatever you're going through, whatever decisions you have to make, know that GOD IS ALWAYS WITH YOU. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU, nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6). He will UPHOLD YOU with His right hand and if you just acknowledge Him in all your ways, He will always direct your path in the way that it should go.

Also, keep yourself surrounded by good God-fearing people. It is SO important to be surrounded by a community of believers and STRONG ones. So that way when you have those tough days or when you feel like the whole world is against you, they can be there to encourage you, pray with you, and remind you that God is still on your side.

Thank you so much for reading and have a GREAT weekend!   

Sharing More than Just a Religion

Today's the 14th and Easter's the 16th. Wait what! Where did this Lent season go to!? Haha, too fast I tell you!

To be honest, I wasn't planning on writing a post for you all today but since Easter is just a couple days away and God wants everyone to feel His resurrection power, I believe this is a message God has put on my heart to share. It is also a message that I have been hearing a lot over the course of this past week and even though it is simple and somewhat a given, it is still powerful and sometimes taken for granted.

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:14-16

What would your response be if someone asked you: "What is Christianity?" or "What does being a Christian mean?"

Would you quickly respond back that "It is a religion in which we believe in the One and Only God who created the world and everything in it." or would you take the time and advantage of the opportunity to share with them what Christianity REALLY IS? God didn't send His only Son to walk this life alongside of us, just to create another religion, but to create a RELATIONSHIP. 

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love[,] He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.

Ephesians 1:4-6

His Word is not dead, boring, or useless on any other day but Sunday, however it is:

. . . alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

My mom directed me to a sermon from Rev. Canon J. John called Reasons to Believe in Jesus. This message was aired on the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast show and if you want to check it out (which I encourage you to do), you can find here part 1 and part 2 (both roughly around 30 mins). 

In J. John's message, he brought to attention that all so familiar verse, John 3:16, and emphasized on the little phrase: ". . . that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Adding to that verse John 17:3:

Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.

We can clearly see that believing in God and becoming a Christian is so much more than going through the motions, going to Church, and praying because it is what we do. It is realizing who God is, what He has done in our lives, how He has transformed us, and so much more! The experience or journey of becoming and being a Christian for each individual is such a unique story that you won't find any two alike! There is no "master formula" that a person can use to make the journey easier or the hardships more tolerable. If there were then, we would never get the opportunity to grow, to see God work in our situation, or to experience His divine presence walking this life with us.

As most of us probably already know, Christmas and Easter are the two major holidays when people get invited to Church and are more likely to say yes than any other time. This is because there is a tradition behind going. Even people that don't really believe or fully walk the walk any other day will go just because it is that "religious" activity they can check off for that year. 

But as Christians we don't want people to come to Church just so they can check off that box, do we? I hope not!

Maybe someone or ones have been heavy on your heart to invite to church this Easter Sunday. If that is the case than that is great! I am not writing to tell you that inviting people to church on Easter is bad, but I want to share that it is the way you share that can make all the difference.

Last week I listened to a message from Pastor Dale Satrum on Going Beyond our Hindrances and in his message he talked about the hinderance of religion. I would recommend that you also listen to this sermon, as he had so many good points that I cannot list them all! 

One of the points he did make was that "when we simply talk about 'church' the world hears religion." How we need to move away from just talking about church or serving somewhere but to engage in spiritual conversations that share how Jesus has worked in my life, in some particular area. That is what people need to hear, for we all long (even if it's deep down) for someone to come lift us up, dust us off, and make the load lighter. We are also all broken or hurting in some area, and nobody would want to live injured if they could be healed, would they? Of course not! Living in Jesus' presence and glory is being FORGIVEN of all wrongs, REDEEMED to our inheritance of everlasting treasure, and to be HEALED mentally and sometimes physically of our earthly hindrances.

I know that it can be scary or sometimes hard to invite/share with others and trust me in the beginning you will have doubts if sharing is really worth it or if they will ever come or listen because the devil doesn't want you to share with them. But also hear me when I say that God will give you the words to say, He will direct the conversation if you just give Him control of it. Let Him work/speak through you and after the conversation, you will feel so much better for taking that step of faith rather than staying in your comfort zone. As Pastor Steve Blair (Church of the Highlands) said in one of his messages, ABANDON SAFE AND LIVE BY FAITH.  

So I encourage you, not only for this Sunday (for everyday for Christians is Easter or Christmas) but for anytime you share, to share with the mindset of IT'S MORE THAN A RELIGION. 

A free image found on Canva, that I edited :)

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter!!

You Mean . . . I Have to Give it Up?

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Luke 12:22-26 (NIV)

Let me start today's post with a little story. . . 

Once upon a time, there was a girl at the age of aspiring adulthood. She was on fire for God and knew that she wanted to live the rest of her life with Him as her FIRST. She had listened to talks about how God wants 100% of His children. EVERY ASPECT. That in this life we have to die to self and GIVE GOD THE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. Well, the girl made the decision to follow this principle and to evaluate areas that needed to be given over to God. Areas including, movies, music, thoughts, friends, activities, money investments, and words that would come from her mouth. 

*Pause*

You see, it is so easy to say that you are making a decision to give God COMPLETE CONTROL over every aspect of your life, but it is completely different, and actually hard, to live that principle out. We can get in the habit of thinking, Oh, I've given God MOST of my life. He's got control over this and this area of my life, but I really don't want to give Him an ALL-ACCESS pass. I want to remain in some control of my life. After all, it is my life, right?

The thing is, this life is not our own. We were created to live in the presence of God, to draw close to Him, to serve Him, and to submit ourselves to Him and those He put over us.

This is the mindset that is so hard to get our minds to think of when living out this Christian walk and it can be an everyday journey because it is so different compared to how the world thinks. 

 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

*Resume*

She thought that she had everything under control and that she opened all the doors and windows in her life so God could transform her. What she didn't realize until just recently is that there was a particular area in her life that she was half keeping behind a closed door. She kept God in the loop and prayed for Him to be in the middle of the situation, but she was also not being truthful with her parents. Which in the long run, even if she prayed for God's wisdom and guidance, she could never fully receive it, for she was not respecting one of God's commandments:

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—

Ephesians 6:2 (NIV)

While seeking God's wisdom, she felt a strong conviction that in order to honor God and to get back on track of offering an all-access pass to Him, she first needed to get right with her parents and honor them. Yes, she was scared. She didn't want to let that area of her life go, especially to the unknown. However, after seeking strength from God and encouragement from a Godly friend, who reminded her that no matter what decision was made in that moment, God's will for her life would (no matter what that may be) succeed. 

Finally, she had the courage to GIVE GOD THE CONTROL and let HIM DECIDE THE OUTCOME. After making that decision and confiding in her parents, she realized that God had everything under control the entire time and felt kinda ridiculous for making such a big deal about holding onto it.

Giving God control not only helped her to get on the right track with her parents but also on the right track with God.

*The END*

I am the girl in the story and I wanted to share it with you because you are not alone in your struggles of giving God control. Especially now that I have entered adulthood, I can see that the battle between the world's ways and God's ways can be a lot harder. The constant thoughts of "I'm almost there," "Well, I am an adult now," and others are all too prevalent. Wanting more freedom can also be a constant hindrance because even though I now have the label of an "adult," I have to remember that God has still placed authority over me, not only His but my mom's as well.

Not knowing how a parent will react to something can make a child really nervous about telling them, but let me tell you . . . not telling them will only make you feel as if something is eating you from the inside out and the situation has the potential to be ten times worse if they find out later on (especially when it is not from you). God gave us parents for a reason, to help guide and mold us into the incredible people God created us to be. They are also there to confide in and to seek wisdom from. They can't help if they don't know. 

I also realize that not all have parents that are on fire for God and want to train you in His ways. If this is the case for you, I encourage you to seek out a Godly mentor, who you can trust and reach out to when you need a "parent" to talk to. Friends are great to tell things to, but I have learned that nothing beats (in earthly terms) letting a parent in on what's going on and asking them for wisdom.

    "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 (NIV)

I was definitely worried about opening up to my mom about the area that I had been keeping behind a closed door and I was nervous about handing the situation over to God and the unknown of how it would turn out. But God reminded me that: 

"For My thought are not your thoughts

 neither are your ways My ways,"
declares the Lord.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, 

so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

And this verse also reminded me that:

When anxiety was great within me,

your consolation brought me joy.

Psalm 94:19 (NIV)

When I made the decision again to put my worries and cares into God's hands, He gave me peace and comfort that whatever decision was made in the end, His plan for my life would eventually succeed and who was I to worry about it?

Not only will His plan for my life, and for yours, succeed in the end, it will be better than ANYTHING you or I could have EVER IMAGINED! He has great things in store for us:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

and because of this great promise, He also tells us:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

So now I encourage you to put your hopes, dreams, desires, relationships, activities, etc . . . and your secrets into God's hands. Also, share your life with your parents (or mentor) and try to go to them before you let a situation unfold to far. 

Let God have complete control over your life and every aspect of it. I will tell you it's not easy, as it's a complete learning curve for me every day, but it's COMPLETELY WORTH IT!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

A Scrumptious Weekend Meal

Hello all! I know it has been a while since I last wrote a post for you and I apologize for that! Being a senior in high school does have its advantages but boy does it keep me busy! I am so excited for summer to get here and with about two months left of school, I'm ecstatic!

Tonight (this morning now haha), I am sharing something on my blog that I have never shared before and that is FOOD!!! I love trying new recipes and of course taking pictures of them, 😋 so this time I thought, Why not make a blog post from them! I hope you all like this new addition and if you do, leave me a comment telling me what you thought and maybe I'll post more like this.😊

The Perfect end of the Weekend Meal

To set the stage, I will say that I am a HUGE Pinterest fan (junkie😁) and that is where I found all the recipes for this meal. Just click the blog title from where I found the recipe and boom! you'll have the recipe to make it yourself! 

I had been planning to make this meal for about a week or so, with the mindset of having my grandma over to enjoy it with us and it was a hit! So filling and perfect to end this spring break and weekend with.
Let's jump into the pictures!

Entree: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Cheesy Cauliflower "Bread" Sticks

 

I have been craving stuffed bell peppers for a while and yay! they finally made it on the menu this evening (last night)! 

For these stuffed peppers, I followed a recipe over at a blog called Jo and Sue. This recipe makes 7 stuffed peppers and they are quinoa and vegetable stuffed. 

Thanks to my wonderful mom, who did most of the prep work (chopping the veggies the night before), today I was able to put everything together fairly quickly! I followed the recipe almost to a tee, however, I did use a full cup of tomato sauce instead of a 1/2, and the stuffing wasn't too runny. I thought it was just right. I also used my favorite manchego sheep cheese in the place of the called for Tex Mex cheese mix. We get it at Costco and I have it say it is the best! 

To go along with the stuffed peppers, I wanted to make something on the lines of bread or something that had a little crunch to it and these cheesy cauliflower "bread" sticks did the trick! Although I wouldn't say that they were on the bread side of things or really crunchy . . . hahaha, but they were good!

I found the recipe for these over at Center Cut Cook and in the midst of making them, I found that the recipe is almost identical to what we do to make cauliflower pizza crust. (P.S. if you haven't tried making pizza with a cauliflower crust, you need to add it to your menu!)

After my mom cut these so perfectly, I realized that I forgot to add the "cheesy" part, so I just sprinkled some mozzarella cheese onto each individual piece, placed them in the oven for a few minutes, sprinkled some Italian seasoning on top, and voila! we had "bread" sticks!

It was so good!

Dessert: Paleo Lemon Bars with Coconut Whipped Cream and Double Chocolate Dairy-Free Ice Cream

What better way to end the evening and scrumptious meal than with some lemon bars and "ice cream!" Nobody in my family is gluten or dairy free, but we do like to eat clean and play around with different recipes. 

I actually just came across the recipe for these lemon bars this last week and boy oh boy am I glad I did! They are from Paleo Running Mom and they are such a healthy alternative to the original lemon bars and are especially better for someone who can't have a lot of sugar, as I put in a little over a 1/2 cup (besides any natural sugar in the main ingredients). I also used about a full cup total of lemon juice (2-3 tbsp in the crust, and the rest of it I put into the filling), with the addition of a couple drops of Young Living's Lemon Essential oil. If you can't tell . . . I LOVE LEMON! 😋 I believe it had just the right amount of lemon flavoring, where you could actually taste it but it wasn't too overbearing. My other taste testers also loved it!

I had also never made whipped cream out of coconut cream before and it was a success! I can just image making it now every time I need whipped cream for my hot chocolate! The flavor is on the coconut side but it's light and not strong (as I myself am not a huge plain coconut fan). I will definitely memorize how it make it for the future!

Lastly, I made (in under 5 minutes) a double chocolate "ice cream" from Life a Little Brighter. It didn't turn out quite like how the original blogger made it, but it was still good and I know with a little more tweaking it will make an excellent replacement for the store bought chocolate ice cream. I topped it off with some frozen cherries, blueberries, and a strawberry, and yummy in the tummy it goes! 

I have to say that having the lemon bars and the chocolate ice cream really did balance out all the flavors well and they made for an excellent dessert!

Well, that's it for now and I hope you enjoyed all the yummy food ideas and pictures! I would love to hear what your favorite weekend meal(s) is and/or if you have tried any of the recipes mentioned. 

Have a great week!