All things sparkle.

I adore days like today. Days where you wake up and all things, everything sparkles. Truth be told, today I am fighting. I am actively engaged in the battle for souls. Truth be told, I am victorious. It is promised that those who are covered in the blood of Jesus will overcome the world. Not maybe, WILL. What hope that brings me. May you see life through the eyes of victory. May life sparkle for you today too; not because of glamorous life circumstances, but because of the hope of Jesus. May your heart feed on His hope.

Random blurbs that I also adore:

Satan dreads nothing but prayer. The Church that lost its Christ was full of good works. Activities are multiplied that meditation may be ousted, and organizations are increased that prayer may have no chance. Souls may be lost in good works, as surely as in evil ways. The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.
—Samuel Chadwick

There is Love
That came for us
Humbled to a sinners cross
You broke my shame and sinfulness
You rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny
Through the storm
And through the fire
There is truth that sets me free
Jesus Christ who lives in me


You are stronger
You are stronger
Sin is broken
You have saved me
It is written
Christ is risen
Jesus You are Lord of all

No beginning and no end
Youre my hope and my defence
You came to seek and save the lost
You paid it all upon the cross

~Hillsong United

Mmk I'm done! Off to finish this media analysis, 1 case study, watch an hour and a half documentary and fill out the questioner, write more of my evidence based practice paper, and study 4 lectures! P.S. I'm thinking about going on and getting my Masters in Non Profit when I finish school :) Just a thought.

Everything sharp.

Geepers! I don't know what it is about sharp objects, but they have been attracted to my feet all day today! Point in case: a serrated knife early this morning and just now by my favorite pair of red scissors. Traitor. I have so much going on that I feel like my own thoughts are too loud for my head. I suppose that's why I'm blogging.

Tomorrow is day one for patient interaction at a Psych facility. I am excited. The thing we have been learning in class lately is that everyone has fundamental needs that they are searching to meet. An example of one need would be the need to belong. I rolled my eyes during that portion of the lecture thinking that CLEARLY that didn't apply to me... but then I realized that while I was feeding my addiction of Green Tea, at The Coffee Shop in Agritopia this weekend, I wasn't necessarily going to the Coffee Shop just for their green tea... I go to the Coffee Shop because people know me, they know that I get the exact same thing EVERY single time I go in there, and for $2.32 I feel a sense of belongingness (yes, I just made up my own word). With that being said, I have been recognizing that the fundamental needs people are searching to obtain can be found -- met in full -- in the life and blood of Jesus. Indeed I roll my eyes, not because the need to belong doesn't apply to me, but when I later scrutinized why I had such an odd reaction to that lecture, I realized that it is because I am secure in who I belong to. I am confident in this: that Jesus Christ died for me yet while I was I sinner, meaning that HE found worth in ME and wanted me more than life itself. If that isn't evidence enough that I belong, and not just lightly, but feet planted, solid rock, firmly, securely belong, then I don't know what is. Truth be told, He loves me. Truth be told, I am now a partaker with Him in His divine nature. I am not empty, but spilling over. I am not alone, but alive with Christ. I am a partaker at the table of God because the blood of Jesus is enough.

That was a tangit. But nevertheless how I'm feeling. How fortunate am I? In other news, I have less than $500 dollars to go before my trip to Malawi is covered in full! Between now and then, I have 4 tests, 3 papers, 2 careplans, 2 rapid critical appraisals, 2 evaluation tables, 1 synthesis table, 6 quizzes, 10 case studies, 1 ethical presentation and a whole heck-a lot of reading to do (and that's just off the top of my mind). On that note, I should probably go back to taking the test for my certificate in research. I don't even like researching. Sleep sounds better :)

Song of the week:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be tears in the night
But joy comes in the morning

If you were here right now, I would sing it to you. It is lovely, really. Lastly, I included my favorite picture of the week (this one's for you mom ;). I should do this every week. This is probably the most accurate picture depicting the relationship I have with Noah (despite the fact that I really do resemble pork). Noah is my Burger Time partner in crime, dance accomplice, inspirational quoter, best bud. We have fuun together. Today, we started a 2 Peter 1:5 challenge. There are 7 people in our house, and 2 Peter 1:5 includes 7 character qualities. Paul said that if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So with that in mind, I made 7 note cards -- one with each attribute (in cute writings with multicolored sharpies of course!) and included the definition of the attribute on each card. I then distributed them at random to every member in the house. Tomorrow's goal: work on Self Control and come home ready to share one story at the dinner table. My heart is full. <3

Jealous.

Random blurb. Last night, before I turned off my bedside light, I was reading Zephaniah. A phrase caught my attention and I wrote it on my arm. Today in class, one of my classmates (Cool Mike) asked me what was on my arm... and that reminded me of my final thought from last night before dozing into vivid dreams.

"In the fire of My jealousy, all the earth will be consumed."

While I was in class today (Side note: as of today, I've officially started my Mental Health rotation!) learning about suicide and PICA, I had a thought... What would it look like if I was consumed with my God? He is jealous for me. What would it look like if I were jealous for him? To be jealous is to desire something so strongly, to be envious. He wants my life, He desires my time, my thoughts, my devotions and what would it look like if I gave Him these things daily? What would it look like if in return, I desired Him with the same ferocity? I believe that is what I was made for. This is His intent for my life and I am excited to watch this plan unfold. I am excited to live out this new found realization. So simple, yet true.

Oh what a beautiful thought. And now I'm off to rapidly critically appraise 3 evidence based practice articles, finish a discussion board post, take an online quiz, fill out 2 worksheets with rationale and finish a case study! <3

Hoops, Dreams and Vision.

Wowsers. This has been quite a week! I have sat down three times in the last two days to blog, and am just now able to. So much to say. Yet, I'm not really eager to say anything at all. Sometimes when I learn a lesson, I prefer to make it history and move on. I think today is an exception.

Jeepers I have so much running through my head. Last week, all week, I felt like I just needed a hug. School has been tough, and teachers have been tougher. What doesn't kill you makes you strong, right? Nope. I find myself to be an exception to that rule. What doesn't kill me, drains me and leaves me for dead. Okay, I know, I'm over exaggerating. But in all honestly, I feel like nursing school has truly exposed my weakness.

This past week, I learned something new about myself. Side note: when will that ever end? I'm 18 (almost 19 woo hoo) and have lived with myself from the beginning. I know me better than any other person yet I'm still so blinded to myself. Scary. As I was saying, last week I realized that I don't jump through hoops. I have a handful of stories that illustrate this point, but as I started typing them, I realized that this isn't necessarily one of my best traits. I guess that depends on who you ask. Ha. The irony in my new discovery is that I'm considering joining the Army. Ha. Haha. Yeah, not sure how well that would work. Moving on.

Another lesson I learned this week is the importance of the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. In Ephesians 6 (the passage I claimed as my life verse for 2010... little did I know how real it would become), it talks about the importance of taking with you the sword of the spirit. A few nights ago, I was fast asleep and dreaming about my rotation in the Psych ward (which starts next week). The dream was scary, and very dark. I woke up (at 3 in the morning) paralyzed from fear. Scared out of my mind, and tangibly feeling the presence of evil in my room, I recalled to memory my theme verse. I then instinctively grabbed my bible, which is housed on my night stand and slept with it on my chest. I can remember thinking that the enemy could come and attack, but the beauty of it all was this: I was equipped with the sword, and already victorious in the blood of Jesus. I began to pray, and next thing I knew it was 6 am and my alarm was waking me up from a peaceful dream. It was an experience that I won't soon forget.

I'll end with this (I have to run and pick up the little ones in time to make it to the older girls' track meet. Go Valley :)... the past few weeks I have been lacking vision. Not so much lacking vision, but lacking direction. I know what I want in life. I know what I want to do. It's simply. I want to pour into others, I want to love with all I have, I want to serve the least of these, I want to feed that hungry and take care of the broken. My God wants to be in relation with the people I encounter on a daily basis, and I want to be the one to make the grand introduction. This is my desire: to be known by my love, and to make His love known. Where that will take me? I have not a clue. Maybe to Germany (Go Army)? Perhaps to the Congo (Doctors Without Borders)? Or maybe even the Oncology ward at Phoenix Children's.

Be thou my vision, Oh Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight,
Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight
Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.