new blog - engaged!

In light of getting engaged.. I've made a new blog.

You can read the story there.. and keep reading our blog there too.

to do: graduate from college... check!

As of yesterday at 11pm, I officially finished school.. forever (as far as I know). If it turns out that I need to go back and get a bachelor's degree, I will.. I just want to make sure that I really need it because it is a lot of time and money to waste if it's not necessary. All my life I've felt called to be a godly wife and mother. And that is the career path I've chosen so far. If the Lord changes the direction of my life and it turns out I need to go back to school, I will.
I have an Associates Degree in General Studies with an Art Concentration. I started college Fall 2007 at Towson University pursuing a Business Administration major, then a Linguistics major (Spanish concentration). After two semesters, I transferred to Harford Community College where I was a photography major, and then switched to General Studies with an Art Concentration. After two semesters at HCC, I'm graduating as the first person in my family to ever graduate from college :) And I got my Associate's degree exactly two years after graduating high school (yes I know, I'm still a child.. I've only been out of high school for 2 years.. lol).
I'm pretty excited about finishing school and moving into a new season of life. I will no longer call myself a student, and this seems odd, as it has been my title for probably 16 years.

new job :)

i recently got a new full time job.. and i have to tell you how the Lord worked everything out, perfectly. i knew i needed a job for when i finish school, but since i am so busy with school, i haven't had time to start looking for one yet, and i was stressing out b/c i didn't have one, or any ideas for one, and i didn't have time to go find one. i didn't really even start praying for a job yet.

but i mentioned the need for a job to a friend of mine who works on computers for small businesses, and i asked him to keep an eye out for any of his clients that might need some sort of administrative help or receptionist position. less than a week later, he called me and said that he sets up computers for this realtor, and that she mentioned that she needed a personal assistant. he gave me her phone number, i called her and set up an interview. i had no idea what to expect, no idea what this job was really even for or if it was full time or what, but i went to the interview in faith that the Lord was doing something. when i started the interview, we immediately began talking about church (b/c i dont want to work sundays) and she told me that she was a Christian and doesn't work sundays either (which is pretty rare in a realtor). throughout our convo, i found that she wanted to be a missionary and she feels the Lord calling her to use her realty business as her way to serve ppl by sharing the Gospel with them, hooking them up with a church, and inviting them places to meet her christian friends. she has her own bible study for her neighbor ladies where they come to ask questions (like a mini-Alpha).

Basically, i am priveleged to have a hardcore Chrisitan boss (her doctrine is even solid) who cares for her clients' soul more than anything. she offered me a job doing exactly what i love doing, with realy flexible hours (that I can mostly work on from home, which is what i wanted). i was floored. after all that worrying and stressing and not trusting, God still proved himself faithful and he even provided me with the perfect job that i love.

anyways, i just wanted to share with you of God's faithfulness and His provision.

In this you rejoice...

1 Peter 1:3-9:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I don't really have much time to expound on this (School will end May 14), but I wanted to share with you a passage that really means a lot to me, and I've been meditating on. Read and let the Lord use it to speak to you as well.

Godliness with contentment

I Timothy 6:6 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment"

If you are godly without being content, you are missing out on what the Lord has for you right now because you are too focused on your plans, your life, and what you want. Being godly and content leads to great gain where the Lord blesses you for trusting in Him and you will find joy because you can see what the Lord is doing for you. When you're not content, all you can see is how _blank_ is not working out how you thought it was going to and you can't even see what the Lord is doing because you are so blinded by what you want and think you need.
I was talking to my friend Aimee today on the phone, and I was completely blown away by her joy. She says she wakes up every morning so thankful for her awesome life because the Lord has been so good to her. She is amazed every minute of how the Lord is ordaining things in her life to His perfect timing, and how, time and after time, His plan always proves to be the best. He will always be faithful to bring about good in every circumstance. He promises to do that.

As my friend Sean Mayo says: "Godliness with contentment. If you are not now because of circumstances, what makes you think you will be? Life happens to be hard... He happens to be all powerful and all loving."

one year

Today is our one year anniversary! In faith, Mitch asked me if I would begin a courtship with him on April 2, 2008.. and here we are! Still together and happy and, Lord willing, we will stay this way. I am so grateful for my relationship with Mitch, it's hard to communicate it in words, but I'm gonna try.
I'm not saying it's been perfect and fairy tale-ish (although sometimes it feels that way) but it has been rewarding and a huge huge blessing. Yes, we've had arguments and disagreements, and yes, we sometimes get irritated with each other, but God is faithful to redeem those times to show us something about Him and to show us where we can strengthen our relationship. Through the conflicts we've learned how to primarily, honor God and how to work things out and better communicate. There have been some tough decisions, but Mitch has led me through those times, and I've had to support him and not voice my opinion on where I disagree. Yes, I can make suggestions, but once said, I don't need to keep stating them to prove my point. God has been showing me how to follow and support Mitch, and He's provided grace for both of us through this learning process.

Mitch is sensitive to my needs but doesn't allow me to sin by being subjective. He gently takes care of me while turning my emotions to the objective by pointing me to God. Mitch shows me that he cares for me through his words and his actions, which proves that what he is saying is true. I know that Mitch would sacrifice all things and do anything for me. I'm so grateful for him! He writes me letters, brings me flowers (sometimes they are homemade), and he even bought gatorade for me when I was sick. He plans meaningful dates where we have fun and get to spend time together. He thinks of the little things that mean the most to me and makes those things a priority. I see him reading his Bible and I know that he is seeking the Lord's will for our relationship. He has spent a great deal of time getting to know my family and forming a relationship with my dad. And there are many, many, many, many other things I could say, but I think you get the idea ;)


I am so thankful to the Lord that He has granted us a wonderful year of courting and I pray He will continue to bless our relationship in whatever comes.

evangelism

We've been discussing evangelism at caregroup recently, and just started going through "The Gospel and Personal Evanglism" by Mark Dever. This Sunday at cov life Jim Donohue gave a great message called "Jesus Stopped." Listen to it here. It was a really good message.

I am so busy with school right now that I don't have time to write more, but I recommend listening to the message if you can.

to You, O Lord

taken from The Gospel Primer - Milton Vincent(p. 18)

The Gospel changes my view of God's decisions. If God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son for me, then He must be guided by that love when He speaks to me. The Gospel cures me of my suspicion of God, thereby disposing me to walk more trustingly on the path of obedience to His will. The Gospel contains all the I need for life and godliness.

Psalm 25: 1-10
"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies."

hallelujah! what a Savior!

“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

I've had this song in my head all day today, I woke up singing it. It really has focused my attention on the cross, and how wonderful a Savior I have. I need my attitude to reflect that of singing "hallelujah!" all the time. The more I focus on the gospel, the more I will see my true position before God: Saved. :)

no fear in death..

My great grandmother is 100 years old. She lives in a Retirement home/assisted living apartment in Gaithersburg. She didn't come down for dinner yesterday, so a nurse went to check on her and found her very drowsy and unable to talk or stand up. They called an ambulance and eventually discovered she had had a massive stroke and was experiencing significant bleeding in her brain. Her bp was 220 over 150, and the doctor gave her less than 24 hours to live. When my mom and grandmom got to the hospital she was asleep and said it was very unlikely she would ever wake up. She passed away in her sleep around 10:30 last night.

Death is a very sobering thing to think about. But it should give us hope that we will one day be with the Lord. I'm happy my great grandma is with Jesus right now. And I am not afraid to die. I have confidence in my Savior, who died on the cross as a sacrifice to atone for my sins. He fully took on the wrath of the Father, and now I'm free to enjoy Him forever. There is no fear in death for me, just hope.


"“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

school and such..

Now that I'm on spring break, I have plenty of time to think about the rest of this semester. To be exact, I have 59 days until graduation, and only 15 actual days of school left (since I only go on campus Mondays and Wednesdays)! With that said, you would think I would be feeling awesome and love going to my final days of class. However, that is not the case.
Instead, I feel exhausted and not motivated, and it is really affecting my life, academically and mostly spiritually. My quiet times, if they do exist, are rough. I need a fresh glimpse of the gospel to renew my strength and restore my joy.

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Thank you God that I can depend on You to be my strength when I am weak. Show me You as I seek You this week. Reveal truths that will restore my joy. Lead me where You need me, and change my heart.

Red envelope project

Today at church I filled out a red envelope. You should do it too. And get all your friends to do it as well... Go here for info.

spring break is :finally: here

Spring break 2009 is finally here.. Last year at this time, I spent my entire spring break getting to know a new friend, Mitch Paredes. Isn't it amazing to see how things can change in a matter of weeks? In 12 days, we will come to our 1-year anniversary of courtship... Praise God!
"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."

Hope

"My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, he is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is now doing for me. On the lion of justice the fair maid of hope rides like a queen." - Charles Spurgeon

Nothing is about me and there is no hope that can be found in me or in what I can do. My attention is on Him and what He has done and will do. I am nothing without Christ. God, keep me near the cross. Amen.