My oh my, it has been too long. Already I have had so much happen! Last week, I volunteered two days with Remix. Both days, I worked with a little boy named Gama...I think he's about 8 or 9. The first day we worked on reading and writing, the second day we attempted math (but I was no help to the poor kid). I also worked a couple days at the Smoothie place, which I enjoy. But mostly this week, I've been working my butt off helping to get the Pratts moved into their new house (a cute little cottage right next to the church). I also managed to sneak in moving myself, and I now live in the basement of a big yellow house. The Halls, a wonderful family from LBPC, have temporarily adopted me. So far, I have loved living with them. They are some of the sweetest people I have ever met, and I can't wait to spend more time with them. I also have a big, warm bed, and big comfy couch that I can sit on and read books while sipping warm coffee... and a beautiful view of all the fall colors out a gigantic window...and a handy dandy fan heater to warm my chilly little toes! I AM SO BLESSED! Last night, was my third Journey meeting. (The Journey, being the internship I'm doing with Orphan Relief and Rescue). We talked about, and examined the Trinity. We also talked about what was before anything was... So God, apart from and before any creation (talk about mind blowing!). We talked about how God is all-sufficient, and social, etc. So my question was, then why did God create us? If he wasn't bored and didn't need entertainment...then why? The answer I got took me a little by surprise and made me laugh. So just like a husband and wife delight in eachother, and an expression of their joy and delight is having children - so we are God's children - we are an expression of God's love, joy and delight. I found it pretty exciting that I'm an expression of God's love and joy! And so are you. That's the great part. We all are, and each and everyone of us is completly unique - God's one-of-a-kind masterpiece. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel pretty special. Hope you are feeling cherished today as well!! (Because you are!)

Remix

Hello All, Remix (the after school program for Kindergardners-6th grade at LBC - Lake Burien Presbyterian Church) went really well. After working at Emerald City Smoothie, I walked from town to the church and arrived right at 4:30. I found Sarah, "the leader" of Remix, and she put me to work instantly. She introduced me to a little hispanic boy named Joel, and I got to help him with his reading homework. I also ended up helping a little girl named Angel (also a beautiful hispanic) with her math. The kid were shy, and I was nervous...but after about 10 minutes, we warmed up to eachother and ended up having a lot of fun. As soon as the kids were done with their homework, and I walked over to the kitchen with girl (whom I forgot her name :S) who also works in the kitchen. A women named Melinda put me to work setting up the tables, and getting condments ready for tacos. Margarita, a woman full of the joy of the Lord, (and who is the head of all things kitchen) pulled me aside to explain why the girl I walk over with, was working in the kitchen. Turns out she has had a really rough past, and though she is too old for the after school program, she desperately needs people to love her, and treat her kindly, and with respect...Thus, they allow her to help out in the kitchen. She works hard, and keeps mostly to herself, but I am excited to get to know her more. I'm hoping she will allow me to be a part of her life, and I hope in some way I can show her that I love her, and that Jesus loves her...and that she is beautiful and valuable. That she IS worthy of love and respect. That she is someone...with hopes and dreams and desires, and that is she cared about. She matters.

It Begins

"The Journey" has officially begun! (The internship I'm doing through Orphan Relief and Rescue). After a commissioning at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church in the morning, whom we're partnering with, we had our first meeting ever, Sunday evening. It was mostly just orientation, and signing of a lot of paper work, but we also had a mini-worship time, and a brief talk. All I remember from the talk was; "Love God, Love others; start with those around you." Hence, that's what we're hoping to do. All of us interns, or "advocates" rather, are required to work part-time and volunteer part-time within the community. For me that is working at Emerald City Smoothie, and helping out with the church's after school program. I'll also be helping out with corporate projects that our group acquires - like yard work for other members in the church. I may also pick up some other volunteer positions, like working in Seattle with Union Gospel Mission...but I want to serve wholeheartedly - so I won't overbook myself just yet! "Remix" is what the after school program is called, and tomorrow is my first day. I'll be helping set up for the dinner, and then joining the families for eating. :) On other days, I'll be helping the kids with their homework, and possibly with crafts or bible classes. I'm very excited for all of it, and very excited to get to know the kids!

CHANGE

Hello Everyone, I know it has been way too long since I last updated my blog, but I thought I would...since I'm off on another adventure! For those of you who don't know... I just moved to Burien, WA (over by the Sea-Tac Airport). It's only a couple hrs away, so come visit. :) Haha, anyways, after graduating high school and college last June, I decided I wanted to do a discipleship school - get to know God better, move to Africa, save orphans... Pretty solid plan, except I didn't have any money. So I ended up working for a few months, and then quitting work to take care of my Grandpa for awhile. After a few months of that, I grew completely restless and starting looking into colleges (anything to get me out of the house). I ended up at Northwest University,which was a nice escape for awhile,but it soon became a prison of it's own. By the time the semester ended, I was a wreck. I had completely lost all since of direction, I was hopeless, and and I was depressed. I knew in my heart, and in my mind, that I had strayed from God's plan for me...and I had compromised for his good, instead of his best. This summer I wrestled with my thoughts and emotions even more - heartbroken, confused...and drained. By the end of this summer, I was completely exhausted - in every meaning of the word. Life became survival, instead of living. I had no peace, no joy, no hope. Just a very, very, broken heart. Praise God, a week before I had to return to school, I learned of an opportunity to do an internship with a "lady who likes to travel around dangerous places in Africa helping orphans." "Wow," I thought, "That couldn't be more perfect for me." I got her number and gave her call. Turns out, I had already talked to her a few months earlier, in hopes of going to Liberia with her organization. About five years ago, she and her husband started an organization called Orphan Relief and Rescue -http://www.orphanreliefandrescue.org/ . They strive to help orphans that no one else will help; and do so in a very personal way - so that each kid they help has a name, a dream, a destiny. They are not just a number, a statistic, or an orphan...They are loved, cared for, and protected, and they are somebody. Anyways, I was surprised it was the same organization, but very pleasantly surprised because I felt like their mission was/is very closely aligned with my own hopes and dreams for helping orphans. We chatted on the phone for a bit, and set up a time to meet in the next few weeks. During this time I also decided NOT to go back to school, and it was the most liberating choice I have ever made. I was free...but what now? I thought I might stay at home for a bit...get a job at a coffee shop, save up some money, be around my family...whatever. It didn't really matter, I barely knew who I was anymore - pretty much just a skeleton of a person anyway. I began to get really comfortable at home, even had some dreams of starting my own small business..but God wasn't done with me yet. In the very deepest part of my heart, I had hidden a wish that I was too afraid to hope for - a hope that I could somehow do this internship I had learned about. I met with Rebecca, the CEO of Orphan Relief and Rescue, and had a sort of interview with her. Then I spoke with her husband, the President of their organization. I told God that if this was his will for me, he would have to reveal it to them - because I was just too confused. To my relief, after what I had thought to be a disastrous phone call with her husband (Tim Pratt), he told me I'd be perfect for the internship. I was still pretty shook up, but I was excited. Then I met with them in person, and met their staff- and I LOVED them. After hearing them explain the internship program even more, I couldn't believe it - I felt like it had been perfectly designed just for me, or me for it - for exactly where I am at this point in my life. It was amazing. But wait, then it gets even better! :) I applied for jobs, and got a job at Emerald City Smoothie! (For those of you who know me, you know I'm obsessed with smoothies and nutrition - so it's perfect for me!) So now I'm here, in Burien about to start this internship. It begins on Oct. 16. Just a few more weeks! I can't believe how good God is to me. It blows me away. When I'm at my absolute lowest point in life, about to give up on God - he shows me how much he loves me, and how much he cares. I guess I just need to remember that just because I'm a mess, in a mess I made - it doesn't put God in a mess. He's still in control, and he knows what he's doing. He has a plan for my life - a good one. I am overwhelmed. He is so good. I just need to put all my trust, and all my faith in him. Believing in him, and taking him at his word. So anyways, that's where I am in life. Just taking it day by day - learning to trust God completely...learning to fall in love with him. Learning about his love for me. It's a scary place to be...but it's the best place to be.