I am taking a break from studying so I thought I’d share some thoughts

Today was my first Sunday back in “big church” because I have been doing children’s ministry for the past 3 weeks.  It was really good to be back and even though I will be doing children’s ministry again next week I do not think there will have a time where I will miss worship 3 weeks in a row again…which is nice

We started doing music on Sundays now and I really like it (thanks Jason!).  I think it adds a very necessary element to our church service and actually makes it more than just a bible study.  It is really neat to see the pieces fall together over the months and especially all of the exiting things that will happen next year when we launch! 

Anyway, Everyone have a good week!

Since college I have been really blessed with great small groups every year.  My freshmen year I was in a group of all girls and we read a book “calm my anxious heart”, sophmore year I was in Kristan’s very fun group of all girls and we read through various books in the bible and had really great discussions and community events.  Junior year I was in a small group that was not affiliated with a specific church and was not really lead by anyone and it was guys and girls.  This was a great group too (and it is the group where I met Mike so that was definitely a plus!). 

Now it is my senior year and I am looking forward to the next small group I get involved with.  It will be through the patio and I look forward to being involved in a spritually intimate group.  I am missing it and I see how important it really is one one’s faith walk…so I am really exiting about the next small group I am with! 

Everybody have a good weekend!

I hate that I do not blog more…but to be honest I do not have too much to say.  It’s not that things are not going well, things are actually going great.  I love nursing school (they really spoil us in psych) and children’s ministry is really beginning to form which is only by God’s grace for it to come together so I am so thankful for that. 

The weather is so beautiful outside and I wish I could play in it more but I am at the library a lot…but I do think I might take a walk here in a minute to just get a taste of outside

Today is my 22nd birthday, which is also exiting!  I will be going home this weekend to celebrate with my mom and sister but I will be back by Sunday morning for the Patio.  I’ve missed meeting with group for the past 3 weeks and I look forward to coming back.   Even though I have missed going to “big church” and doing children’s ministry I would not change it- I have really enjoyed helping with children’s ministry and I think it will be kind of hard to not be there this Sunday helping (but I know Bethany and Will will do a fabulous job!)

I will really try to blog more and I hope everyon is doing well-I look forward to re-connecting with everyone on Sunday!  Until then have a great week

God thank you so much for this opprontunity to be a part of something so unique.  Please continue to guide us in where we are supposed to go and let us exemplify you.  Thank you

Today was our second day of children’s ministry.  Bethany taught a great lesson on Zacheus and we played duck-duck-goose with the kids.  Overall I thought it went well, especially with what we have right now (which includes a place to meet–thanks Mike and Kristan, a blanket to sit on, and a veggie tale movie).  To be honest what we have right now is more than some ministries ever have and the fact that we have the opprotunity to get more for the kids is such a blessing. 

By next Sunday our goal is to begin teaching lessons from some sort of Bible lesson book.  I look forward to that because I think that will give even more structure to our Sunday morning…and I like structure. 

For a while it has been hard to get exited about the ministry because I kept putting it off and kind of ignoring it.  But now I am able to do exactly what I love- organize.  I will never be an amazing teacher or know exactly how to handle different ages of kids, but I can help sign up teachers who can!    Don’t get me wrong, I did sunday school at Daystar and I absolutely loved the 3-5 year old’s and actually felt like the class would go well when I did it. 

Maybe someday I will end up only being a sunday school teacher again and won’t have to make rotations, figure out lessons, budgets, etc., but right now I am enjoying doing these things while God gives me the opprotunity to do them. 

It’s also kind of interesting how God is allowing me the time to juggle children’s ministry and nursing school…maybe later it will get even harder but right now God is really helping, and I am very thankful.

This blog is overdue…

Last Sunday was our first official time doing “Sunday school”.  We had 4 kids there ranging from 2 months old to about 7.  It is interesting being a part of something so new because we are starting from scratch.  Last week we watched Veggie Tales but soon we want to begin actually having lessons, games, verses.  This will be somewhat of a slow process but please just be praying for our ministry.  We, specifically me, can only do so much and I really need to depend on God to intervene and really help. 

Keep the kids in Reedy Fork and our little ministry in your prayers as we continue to build it into something where kids can grow in their relationship with God- and enjoy doing it while they are there!

This is my favorite time on year…from September to December it seems like something exiting is always going to happen.  Fall. Halloween.Thanksgiving.Christmas.  Just the overall mood begins to change I feel like. 

Along with all the season changing and holiday stuff coming up, I pray that spriritually this will also be such a great time of growth and even more commitment to Him for me.  The other night we had a really good leadership meeting and I felt very encouraged about what is to come in our ministry.  So as I enter September into my favorite time of the year I feel very encouraged, and very thankful that I am exactly where God wants me to be.

We had our first week of clinical this week.  It was really interesting going to the behavioral health center and getting to observe the patients there.  It is hard to really comprehend why God allows mental illness to happen.  Most children that go through mental facilities because of a history of sexual abuse.  Just the thought of that makes me sick to my stomach and it’s definitely in those times that you wonder why that would be a part of God’s will for people.  I mean, most of them, especially children, will never recover…so why? 

I guess it is just one of those times where you have to remember that we can’t see the big picture and I have to trust that he is so big and I am so small. 

This morning I have my last class of the week.  It has been interesting getting into the groove of nursing school.  To be honest, I do like school and I have not taken really challenging classes since about 2 years ago when I took Anatomy and Physiology.  I had kind of forgotten what it is like to have to do schoolwork and always having something that I could be doing academically. 

One of the biggest blessings about this week was being reunited with two of my nursing friends.  We are all in the same class and we will probably stay together through the entire nursing program (hopefully).  To have them there with me has made this week very manageable and actually something to look forward to.

I will be in my Psych clinical/class for 7 weeks, then I switch to Medsurgical for the next 7 weeks and along with both of those I take a skills lab where we give each other shots and IV’s and fun stuff like that

So far, even though it’s only been the first week, I feel good.  Hope school is going well for everyone else too!

Sometimes I disconnect myself from God.  It is not my intention to do that at all, but my worldly tendencies are to only live for myself.  Sometimes I will go for a day or so and I have not talked or had any time with God at all.  It’s like I am avoiding God- I am too lazy to want to take time for Him.  But then the most amazing thing happens…I can literally just feel my soul craving God.  It’s like he is calling for me and I am I able to come running back to Him.  Then once I spend that time with him I wonder to myself “why do I hesitate to take this time?”  I guess it just shows how selfish I am…but these experieces also show that God still continues to pursue me, and that I don’t deserve it.

Thank you God for taking the time to pursue me even if I am being childish and am not pursuing you.  Help us all to run after you everyday.   

One week before school starts…I am starting to get a little exited about it.  The beginning of school years are always a little bit stressful for me because I hate not being settled.  So getting aquainted with new classes, new people, new assignments is always a bit overwhelming for the first few weeks.  Once I get into the groove of things I am able to delgate my time and know how much time I need to study and how much time I can spend not studying and doing fun stuff.

For the next few weeks until I get settled it will be hard for me to know about my time for things other than school.  I really don’t think it will completely comsume all of my time but I just need time to get used to my new schedule.  I look forward to the time when I am able to juggle school, children’s ministry, and occasionally working…and hopefully that time will come soon.    

I hope everyone else who is starting school will have great starts to their semesters too!  I will be praying for you guys.