A Future and a Hope

As many of you know I applied and had interviewed for a YWAM DTS in Milan, Italy. I thought that this is what God was leading me to. So did others that were praying for me. I was excited for this adventure that I was being led to do. It freaked me out- a lot- but I know that God is not always into what our comfort zones are. I had overcome that and decided that if this is what God was calling me to I would do it. However, this last Friday I got and email saying that I was not accepted. That this DTS was not for me and that they feel that God has something else that is more specific to me.

I'm still processing this all. This biggest thing is the question - what do I do now? I have been planning on this since the beginning of the year. I have been praying about it and still have yet to know exactly what I'm going to be doing. Some of the questions going through my mind are:
1. What do I do right now? Do I stay at Perea or move out?
2. If I decide to stay at Perea, how long will that be for?
3. Do I apply to another DTS?

I know that God has a plan for me in this next year. I may not understand why this has happened but I can trust that God has something amazing for me. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

So, what I am asking you to do is to pray for me. Pray that I receive direction and follow what God has best for me- that I won't settle for anything less than that. I want that for my life and I hope that you would want that for me too.

All Nations Will Come and Worship You

Recently I have been going through pictures that I took last year from my trip to Honduras. For those of you who don't know, last June I went on a missions trip to Roatan, Honduras to teach a VBS for the islanders and to reach out to the people on the tiny island of Roatan. It was one of the best experiences that I have had in my life and I am excited to do many more missions trips in my lifetime. :) 

Anyway, I was thinking about one particular experience that I had in Honduras. It was a Sunday night and we had gone to a Spanish speaking church there. The message was translated into English but the majority of the worship was in Spanish. Some of the songs that they sang I did not know but most of them were the same that we sing here in the U.S. So, being familiar with most of the songs I was able to sing along, in English, while the rest of the people were singing in Spanish. I don't think there are even words to express how amazing this is. There was such a presence of God there and of unity between different people. We were from two completely different places, experience different hardships, different ways of living and yet we can come together in different tongues and worship the same God; and this same God cares about us all equally. It is amazing to think about. All around the world there are people from many different backgrounds and yet we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

This got me to thinking. If I can get excited about singing with people in one other language here on earth, what is it going to be like in heaven? It blows my mind. There is going to be an uncountable number of people going to be there and with that numerous amounts of languages to go along with that. One big worship service. I'm so excited for this day.

Revelation 15:4 says,

 Who will not fear, O Lord,
   and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
   All nations will come
   and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."

The joy I get now will only be multiplied when we get to heaven.

Little kids of the church.

Yourgin translating the service for us.

Whitney sitting by an adorable elderly lady of the church.

Take My Breath Away

The other morning I had two lines of a David Crowder song come into my head. They were,

"God of creation take my breath away.
God of the heavens in this very space."

Lately my breath has been taken away by Him in was that I could never imagine. The relationships that I have been forming in every area of my life are incredible. At work, at school and in my ministry opportunities. I am being more involved in the relationships that I have and that is resulting in closer relationships. I am being trusted and confided in like I haven't seen before because I am more open as well. I am the one that people are going to because I am trustworthy and they want my advice in life situations.

I am seeing amazing opportunities to share the love of Christ like never before because I've not been one to be outgoing and initiate friendships. However, this is becoming less and less me. I am becoming confident in the things that I do and so that directly affects the ways that I interact with people. In Youth Ministry you have to be confident or else kids are not going to respect you enough to listen to you. They have a keen sense to be able to read that in you. About half a year ago that is why I was unsure of whether or not I should be going into Youth Ministry. I always felt uncomfortable with speaking and sharing with others. Now I look back and see an incredible change in me. I am building relationships with amazing confidence that I thought that I would never have. I am excited to see the influence that I will have in these people's lives and see the fruit that comes from them. :)


God of Creation Verse 1:
It's the way your stars shine
Sometimes so bright I swear I could hear
And it's the way your moonlight
Falls on your mountain lake so clear
And it's the way your sunshine
Paints your evening sky
And it's the way your rain falls
To sing me to sleep at night and…

I fall into you

Chorus:
God of creation take my breath away
God of the heavens in this very space [2x]

Verse 2:
It's the way you lead me
The way we walk by your water's still
It's the way you hold me
The way you've felt all that I feel
And it's the way you touch me
The way you know when it's needed most
It's the way you form your words
On my heart while I rest in you…

Carry me away

[Repeat Chorus]

Bridge:
And you enter suddenly
And I am lost again
Inside the majesty
I am lost again
And you come suddenly
And I am lost again
Inside the mystery
I am lost again…
Inside the majesty
Inside the mystery

Chorus [4x]

Welcome to My Journey...

I'm not one of many words... as a lot of people who know me know. But I've been kinda wanting to start a blog. I'm no writer but I'll give it a try. I really don't like much attention and is not my goal with this blog. I just want to be able to share what God has done in my life and maybe encourage someone out there that needs encouragement.


So, about me. I'm a girl from a small town in Montana pursuing God. That is my one desire. It's not always easy. However, it is totally worth it. The feeling of God's love and and pursuing Him is the most amazing thing that I've ever experienced in my life. I love Him. However, I haven't always felt that way. I grew up in a Christian home. I was "saved" when I was five years old. I went to church every Sunday and was the model child for being a Christian. Christianity was more of a religion to me rather than a relationship- up until a little over a year ago. All I did was follow a bunch of rules. I didn't mind them but when people would ask me why I followed the rules I didn't really have an answer for them. I never had a full grasp of what I really believed.


Then, slowly, I began to feel God press into me. I felt a longing... for something with God I hadn't known before... I just didn't exactly know what. I just knew I was missing something in my Christian walk and I couldn't put my finger on it. I went through summer and then part of fall 2009 feeling like this.


A long series of events have happened between now and then. I thank God for them every day. God orchestrated everything so perfectly. The first major event was the Montana Youth Conference, in October of 2009. I had an amazing time and really felt the presence of God there. It made me want so much more...

After that conference numerous things happened. I started meeting with Emily weekly to disciple me and challenge me in my walk with God... It also helped me grow into more of a relationship with God rather than a religion. This process has changed so many of the ways I think, feel and see the world; I'm not going to talk about all the ways right now because I would have a 50-page book. I may get to them at some point in this blog but I'm not going to talk about all of them right now. :)

So, where am I now? I am currently at the Perea School of Ministry in Frenchtown, MT, pursuing what God has called me to do in my life. I volunteer at Missoula Youth for Christ with their Monday night club and Friday Night Hangouts as well as SHEC's (South Hills Evangelical Church) youthgroup, the Uprising Generation. When I started here last August I knew that God had called me into ministry, I just didn't know exactly what that looked like. God has revealed a little of what that will be like since being here....

Now, what is that starting to look like? I will be using my talents (photography/art) to teach and grow and disciple people to learn to use their talents in art the way that God wants them to. I'm super excited to follow the journey to get to that place and then to fully live out that plan that God has in store. :D

For now,
Cindy :D