100_9536
Originally uploaded by gerbdaisies.
The beach view was amazing to wake up too. It was a pleasure sitting on the balcony listening to the waves and seeing the greatness of God. When I see the ocean it is just one way I see how wonderful God is and how powerful He is to create things so beautiful.


100_9539
Originally uploaded by gerbdaisies.
We went to 3 two hour session over the weekend. We enjoyed singing, praying and worshipping God with 1800 College students! It was awesome.

I had the pleasure of traveling to Panama City, Florida is weekend for a retreat or college rally (whichever you prefer to call it). IT WAS AWESOME! I HAD A BLAST!
Sean, Dave, Matt and I traveled the 9 hours to fellowship with lots of other Christian college students. There was about 1800 students there. The worship and praise was so uplifting and wonderful. I was not ready to come home....but I brought back a fire with me that I felt had gone out. I am renewed and ready for a better walk with God. As a song we learned says "I will never be the same again, I have closed the door, I will walk the path, I will run the race, I can never return". It is amazing how wonderful and powerful God is. Looking out at the beach every morning and then hearing voices be raised to God in an indescribable way was incredible.
I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to take the time to go this weekend. I wish there were more opportunities like this on a regular basis. I encourage everyone to go next year (January 27-29,2006)! I know it will be as awesome as it was this year.
I am trading my sickness and I am trading my pain for the joy of the Lord.... I am trading my sorrow and I am trading my pain for the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord will be my strengthen. Yes Lord Yes, Yes Lord Yes, Amen!

I have been overwhelmed by school....as you can tell in my last post. But now that seems to not be a priority at the moment. (Yes, I am still doing my school work but I have other things on my mind). The Let's Start Talking Team I am on traveled to Nashville this past weekend to have some Intensive Training for this summer's mission trip. Boy, was it intense. We learned a lot each other and how we will work as a team....but most of all we talked about what this mission is all about....IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS and about WEEPING FOR THE LOST..
These thoughts have been heavy on my mind since this weekend and I know that I do not truely weep for the lost as often or like I should. But most of all....the reason I am here is because IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS....I am here to seek and save the lost.....not to get a degree, hang out with friends, watch TV, go to sporting events, travel and the list goes on... even though these things are not bad and add bonus to my life they are just not what my life should be about. But they are what consumes me... I don't go into class everyday thinking what would Jesus do in this situation, or when someone cuts me off when I am driving, or the drive thru people get my order wrong I don't think Jesus loves them too or they might be having a bad day and need a smile or a word of encouragement.
But I think that if I lived life as if it was ALL about Jesus like it should be....I would be a better person and be more aware of those around me (which in most cases is the lost).

I will be studying with lost in Argentina this summer, but what is stopping me from studying or sharing with the lost in Oxford?

As one of my youth ministers said everyday you walk out the door you are NOW ENTERING YOUR MISSION FIELD!

This summer will not be my first mission trip....I can truly say that mission work is an experience like none other...so if you have the opportunity to go on foreign missions, take that opportunity. It is an honor to share what God has done for you...so don't keep it a secret share it with those around you.

Just a thought for you.... Are you weeping for the lost? and Who is your life all about?


Argentina Here We Come!
Originally uploaded by gerbdaisies.
LST TEAM 2005 .... READY TO GO!
We will be leaving around the 16th of May. Please pray for us to raise all the money we need to make the trip and for the people that we will be reaching out to, that they will have open hearts and we will have open minds.


Taking a Break from Training
Originally uploaded by gerbdaisies.
Let's Start Talking training weekend was quite intense....no shower for 2 and 1/2 days, early mornings, 10lb luggage limit, $2 a meal, and hotel LST was a hard floor and a sleeping bag...
But it was all worth it! We learned a lot about each other and we are going to share the Good News this summer!

Overwhelmed!

School is in full force and I am feeling it. I have lots of homework already and can see that the semester is going to be a busy one. Accounting is already kicking my behind and I have only worked on the first homework assignment...but I have my first quiz tomorrow ( I am taking the class online, so I am trying to get used to that).
My marketing and management classes I think are going to be OK (a lot of lecturing and writing notes)....Spanish is going to be tough (I haven't had it in 4 years and the teacher said on the first day this would be the last time we would hear English)...can I say stressed! But most of all my graphic design class is going to be fun....I am going to learn html code and web design! I am so excited! It will be my stress relief from everything else.
So there you have it a semester full of ....well I don't know what yet...

The center work will be in my schedule too ....which has been overwhelming too the last few days (when it rains it pours)

I am thankful for Casey's lesson Wednesday night...it was very encouraging. We talked about having agape friendships (the word love is so over used we are going to call sincere love "agape". We are trying to develop this kind of friendship with those around us. I am so encourage by that .... I really want to strive to have that kind of friendship with my friends.

I am also thankful for my adopted parents, especially my adopted mom, she is so wonderful. She has provided a shoulder to cry on when I needed it and last night I needed it. Thanks Angie

I am also thankful for Sean and Dave and the relationship we have. I feel like we have the agape friendship Casey is talking about. They always know how to make me smile and when I am overwhelmed they are not another log on my fire and whne things are going great they are still there and we have a great time together...thanks guys! I am really looking forward to sharing the Good News in Argentina with you this summer.

I am thankful that the things that fell apart at the center, broke when they did (even though it was all at once and stressful)....I don't know what I would have done if I had been really underway with classes....so there was something positive about all of this.

I am thankful for the people that have given me money so far for the mission trip I am going on this summer.. I am only $200 short of the half way mark which is $1500. God is working!

I am thankful for the life that I have to live to make an impact in someone else's life for God...I pray that I will be able to do that to my full potential!

Well school starts tomorrow and I am taking 18 hours....i am excited yet a little nervous. I have the greatest intentions to apply myself....and so far so good. I am going to try and turn over a new leaf and get my priorities in order.
My plan is to continue exercising, get up early before class (not just right on time...eventhough I have a taxi service), not to stay up all night and to study regularly and not procrastinate. But most of all I would like to keep God a number one priority and not let school get in the way.

Some of my stresses are beginning to go away...LST (mission work I am doing this summer) is working out so far (I was a little nervous about meeting money deadlines, but I think we are going to meet the first one...but I hope the same is the case for the second)....I have been able to purchase somethings I needed and pay off some bills. I am learning how to say no more and not fill my plate so full.

Looking forward to a busy yet exciting semester...God is working so everything is going to be OK!

Good Luck to all those going to class tomorrow...

Today is a more serious post than my birthdays ones. My family is going through some difficult decisions and changes right now. My grandparents are not doing very well and my granddad had a stress test done yesterday and it showed that he had a mild heartache in the lower part of his heart. My granddad (aka Poppy) has had so many heart surgeries that we don't know if he could with stand another. My grandmother (aka Granny) is diabetic and she is having problems with her hip and her legs. My dad is taking good care of her, but she is still in a lot of pain.
My parents are making decisions about the future of our family with all of us graduating from college and with Poppy and Granny needing someone to look after them very regularly.
Please pray for my family as well as for me...I need to know where I fit into all of this. I want to be there for my family. I am very close to my grandparents and love them very much. I wish I had my priorities more in line to go spend more time with them. One of my weakness and tendancies is that when I know someone close to me is about to move or leave me I will pull away from them in effort to fill the void before it occurs...I don't want to do that...I want to be there for my grandparents and spend time with them as much a possible. I need prayers that I will be strong and do what they need even when it gets hard for me to bear. I want my priority to be them and not myself. I also need to focus on the positive about the time we have instead the time we won't have.
Thanks to all my friends for being there for me. I don't what I would do without you!!!!



Logan's Steakhouse
Originally uploaded by gerbdaisies.
My day began with a sweet phone call from one of the older gentleman of my church family...he sang to me....then I got an email from my adopted mom (from two years ago- who now lives in Oregon)...then I got a card in the mail from the church (it was so sweet...thanks everyone).....then a few of my friends called to sing or say happy birthday....
( went for a little run...did a few things around the center)
Then I went to Tupelo with my bestest friends (Sean and Dave) to one of my favorite restaurants, Logan's Roadhouse....it is SOOOO good...I had steak (as usual)....then we went to Old Navy to do a little shopping.....we came home (dave forgot his cellphone at logan's so he had to drive back to tupelo to get it)....meanwhile...I got calls from my family with a little singing involved and a few more emails....then my sister, carla came by for a visit....
after she left Sean, Dave and I cooked casadeas (i don't know how to spell it)....then we went to walmart and bought scrabble and ICE CREAM!! we played for several hours...it was lots of fun (even when we got tired and started having a hard time spelling words...with all vowels ..right, dave....if Sean ever tells you he can't spell or he is not good at scrabble...don't believe him (love you sean)....
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!!
To all my friends that took time to call, email or mail me a card...it made it very special...I felt very loved....
It was a birthday filled with many laughs, lots of silly string, full stomaches (twice), too much ice cream and an increase vocabulary...so all in all it was an WONDERFUL day!

Today is my birthday...I am the big 27 years old today...but it is not 30 so I think I am ok with that....I am looking forward to a great day.....I am going to lunch with friends...I have had four special people so far tell me Happy birthday...so it has been great up to this point...I will let you know the details when the day is over!!!

Thankful for another year to serve God. I pray that I will be able to do that to my complete potential!!

Thanks to all those who have made my birthday special so far!!!

well the christmas break is almost over and i will be back to my old routine again of work and school (but I do squeeze fun in there too....probably more often than I should)........a week from today the residents will start returning to prepare for another semester....i hope that we have a great semester ahead of us....i am looking forward to the semester with mix emotions and lots of goals...
1. i am getting closer to graduation (only if all my classes workout as planned)...
2. i will be applying myself, so i don't have to retake classes and i hope to not be taking classes i don't need (right, dave)....
3. i will be preparing for my mission trip this summer and trying to make sure all of my school stuff is taken care of before I leave...
4. my sister is getting married (so i am trying to lose weight and then i have to find a pink dress)
5. i am doing some form of exercise everyday (that is the plan...so far so good)
6. i am working on reading the Bible in a year...thanks Matt for holding me to this
7. i will be taking care of my responsiblities at the ucsc resident manager
8. i will be serving in the area of planning events such as parenting dinner, teacher appreciation banquet, ucsc get together and whatever else is put before me (maybe I should get my degree in party planning and organization)
9. Most of all I want to get out of my comfort zone and share my faith...LIVE AS IF I WERE DYING

I have a busy semester ahead...I am looking forward to all it will bring, but I am kinda of ready to get started so that I will quit thinking about all that needs to be done....but I have one week to prepare and to enjoy being out of school...I still have a little time to get things in order.

Casey had some good thoughts Wednesday night in class...we talked about appling what we have learned from the Fall semester class on 1 Peter...there was lots to think about and many ways to serve. It is time for me to get out of my confront zone and start REALLY living for God. (Bible study = Imitation) God is the only one I need to impress...not the world!
As you have probably heard the saying....Actions speak louder than words...something that goes right along with it....YOU MIGHT BE THE ONLY BIBLE SOMEONE IS READING...so what are you or am I telling them?

I am looking forward to each new day that I have to live for God...as my youth minister once said...when you leave your house each day remember you are now entering your mission field! I hope that I am able to keep this in mind with the new semester ahead and keep things in prespective with all the activities and responsibilities that will come my way.

Today I am thankful for:
The people in my life that told me about Christ
New beginnings and opportunities to share my faith
The time I got to spend with Tracey today...thanks again for Lost
People to keep me accountable and on the right track
The simple acts of kindness shown to me the last few days





I haven't made any New Year's Resolution, since they are usually broken...so the things I want to do this year will be goals instead of resolutions....since I am pretty good at keeping my goals.....one of my goals is to read the Bible in a year...I have a daily Bible reading schedule and I have someone keeping me accountable to so we will see how this goes...I am excited about it...I know it is going to help me....another goal of mine is to get into shape....I have been running and have lost a few pounds...but I would like to keep it up not only to lose weight but to be in shape....my sister is getting married in about 16 weeks so that is another reason to watch my weight....one more goal is to do well in my classes so that I will not have to retake any and still graduate in December.....
This year has many new challenges....I have already seen a few and know there is many more to come....but even in times of disappointed or failure I am going to try to have an Unspeakable Joy (like Bob said in his sermon Sunday)....knowing that no matter what happens God is in control and everything will be OK.

Today I am thankful for:
A New Year to start over
Friends that can keep me accountable in the good and the bad
The abiility to ask for forgiveness when I make mistakes
My phone to call a friend when I need advice
A church family that loves me and looks out for me
The ability to read so that I can read the Bible
The ability to run so that I can get into shape
All my blessings which I take for granted
My sister, Gena and the time we have gotten to spend together over the break HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Well 2004 is in the past....thank God for a new year! I am looking forward to what the new year will bring...I had a good new years eve...it wasn't what I originally had planned but it worked out and it was fun....i think it was where I suppose to be anyway or needed to be....(right, Sean)....we played Turbo Cranium and the Scub Squad came in last but we played hard and we think the cards were rigged...
I hope that everyone had a great new years...don't forget to eat your greens and blackeyed peas....if you want to be rich and lucky.....

Thank God for New Opportunities...I am looking forward to the BIG things and the small things He is going to do in my life this year!!!

Newer Posts Older Posts Home