Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
~1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
A few years ago I was sitting with my dad in the van and he mentioned that there were a few musicians in our new church who had the potential to go far with their music...
Now fastforward from then to just a couple weeks ago. I found out one of my good friends from BC is now one of the guitarists for Dan Bremnes, a Christian artist from the interior of BC. I have heard Dan Bremnes live a couple times last summer and he is gifted in leading people into worship. AND, in just over a month I am going to be going to camp and Dan Bremnes happens to be leading worship for the weekend...and I REALLY hope my friend is able to come along as well.
Anyway, right now there is a contest going on through Praise 106.5 out of Washington state for a local musician to play in the final concert of History Maker this coming weekend! Dan Bremnes and his band have made it to the finals and need our help to win this contest! You may vote once per day for the rest of
this week!
***NOTE: Please vote only ONCE per day. Do NOT use multiple email addresses or Dan Bremnes and his band could be disqualified. Here's the voting link.
Thanks for supporting these guys! I am really excited for this opportunity they have to play in front of thousands, make connections in the music world, and use their gifts to glorify God! It's neat to look back at the day I listened to my dad mention that my friend had this potential, and bring it full circle to see it being recognized right now! It's all a matter of God's timing...and I am SO excited for my friend!
This past weekend I bought the latest Passion CD "Here For You." Once again I am impressed with how great the songs on the CD are. One of them imparticularly really stands out to me: "Shadows" by David Crowder Band and Lecrae. I can't even count how many times I've listened to it.
At Bible Study on Monday night the topic of 'going through hardships/struggles/a winter season' came up. This song really speaks to that season of life.
Listen to the song and take comfort in knowing that Jesus endured the cross for us...to "bring dark to light."
PS. Here are the lyrics to the rap. They are powerful!
With every breath I take, every heart beat
Sunrise and the moon lights in the dark street
Every glance, every dance, every note of a song
All a gift undeserved that I shouldn't have known
Every moment I lie, every moment I covet
I'm deserving to die, I'm earning Your judgement
I, without the cross there's only condemnation
If Jesus wasn't executed there's no celebration
So in times that are good, in times that are bad
For any time I've had it all I will be glad
And I will boast in the cross, I will boast in His name
I will boast in the sunshine, boast in His reign (rain)
What's my life if it's not praising You
Another dollar in my bank account of vain pursuit, I do
That count my life as any value or precious at all
Let me finish my race, let me answer Your call
**Apparently there are technical difficulties right now with trying to embed youtube videos onto my blog, so here's the link to the song. Hopefully this will work!
It's been months since I have allowed the word "homesick" to even enter my mind. After going back to Kamloops in January my current city felt like "home." I have an amazing church. My extended family lives close by. I have met so many amazing people. Each of these things made here feel like home.
But today for the first time since my trip in January I have felt "homesick." Literally to the point where tears fill my eyes at the thought of it.
I went to a store with my dad this evening and while I was there I browsed through the garden center...the following is what I wrote when I got home:
Sometimes there are things that come across my path that make me homesick. I begin to wonder if I truly did make the right decision. I miss the mountains. I miss the beautiful weather. I miss the fruit trees and grape vines. I miss having a large yard. I miss looking out our front window and being in awe of the beauty that surrounded me. I miss walking to work while hearing the birds chirp. I miss it being so hot that I could barely breathe. I miss seeing familiar faces. I miss knowing the people around me. I miss our neighbours. I miss Kamloops.
At the store I saw a grapevine. In Kamloops we had a beautiful grape vine that was beginning to take over our deck railing. I also saw a budding apple tree...I didn't even need to look at the type of fruit it was because I immediately could tell it was an apple blossom... It also did not help that when we left the store I looked across the parking lot and saw what appeared to be mountain tops...they were the right colour, and shape...but they were rows of rooftops instead. It's in moments like tonight that I am reminded of my life back in BC. It's when I feel a loss for words at what I can't experience anymore. I know there's a reason why I'm here...why I'm staying and not leaving again...but sometimes it's hard to see the bigger picture.
I have to remind myself that I can only see what is here and now. I can only see what is before me in this moment. I can't see down the road...I can't even see into tomorrow...but God can. It's like a puzzle. I can only see one or two pieces of the puzzle of my life. I don't know where they go into the bigger picture, but as each piece begins to fit into place I can slowly see why the pieces were the way they are.
It's comforting to know that even when I am facing moments where I do miss what was, that God has a greater plan for the present. What was is a memory that I'll always cherish. It's a memory I'll take with me throughout my life, but I'm making new memories now and someday I'll realize how the both the past and present fit into my future.
I love tea! It's a crazy 'addiction' to have...if I see a new type of tea at the store it usually takes everything in me NOT to buy it!
It does not help that I have been introduced to an amazing tea store here in the city...my tea stash has doubled since December...and it was already large to begin with!
A few years ago I worked at a teahouse, and it was while I was working there that my tea obsession began. It was also while I worked there that I began to hear about the various types of tea that is available these days, and one of those types of teas is a green tea called matcha.
Matcha is amazing! I have made matcha cheesecake, matcha cookies, matcha loaf, matcha drinks. You name it!
On the weekend I went and bought the ingredients to make a matcha type latte because I figure why go out to buy a 5.00 drink when I can make it for much less! Since I love this drink so much I thought I would share the recipe I have come up with!
Matcha Latte
3/4 to 1 tsp. matcha powder
1 to 2 tsp cane sugar
vanilla to taste
boiling water
milk and or cream
I boil some water and put just a little bit into the bottom of my tea/coffee cup and then I add the matcha powder and stir or whisk it together. I have tried many ways to mix the matcha into my drinks, and using boiling water has worked the best. Fill the cup with milk/cream. Add the cane sugar and vanilla, stir the drink, put it in the microwave to heat it up and enjoy!
This matcha latte is quick and easy to make...and it tastes exactly like the ones I have had at various coffee shops! Yum!!
This weekend is evidently one that will go down in history books for those in the future to look back on the significant events that have gone on.
First there was Prince William and Kate's wedding on Friday. I personally did not watch it live as I woke up early to finish my studies (which are now COMPLETE!!), but I did watch a replay of it this afternoon and it was a beautiful wedding! I pray that in their marriage they will acknowledge and put God first...just like was prayed over them!
Next is the news that was publically announced just moments ago...Osama Bin Laden is dead! This definitely is making history even as I type. The US searched for him for almost 10 years. Yet as I heard the news of his death I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with the fact of where he is right now...for all of eternity...in hell without God. What he did was wrong, as I'm sure you would all agree, but what if for a moment his life had been changed? What would have happened then? But I guess there's no use in dwelling on what could have been...instead I need to dwell on the now and all those around me who need to hear of the love of Jesus Christ and who need to know that no matter what they have done...whether good or bad...Jesus died a sinner's death for them. All of them...even Osama! What makes the difference is the acceptance of what Jesus did, and their desire to live a changed life glorifying Him.
Now, tomorrow marks another day that will go down in history. And I remind ALL my Canadian readers...VOTE! Canada needs a stable government. We don't need promises...empty or not. We need a government that will lead Canada in a godly manner. None of the parties are perfect, but as you cast your vote tomorrow...please contemplate which government party will uphold their values and morals. Which party will stand for integrity. Which party will stand for righteousness.
Vote tomorrow and make your say known. Help in allowing May 2, 2011 to be a day in which history was made!
Exhaustion is beginning to set in. It's been a long school/life/work marathon I've been running recently. I'm starting to look forward to taking a break from school and going out into the "real world" for a year. Yes...a year.
After a lot of prayer, tears, and believing that God would help me decide what to do about schooling I have made a decision to stay here. I can't get into school for this fall...so I'll be working for a year before I get into nursing. It's another big change that has come my way, but I'm excited about this "new" journey God is taking me on.
It was hard to decide between going back to BC or staying here but when it came down to it I feel right about the decision I made. This is home now. For the first time in 9 years I don't have anything inside that is tearing me apart because I want to be there instead of here. For the first time in 9 years I feel 100% content.
So staying it is.
Coming to this decision has only added to the marathon I've been running...one that's almost over...for now!
I had an amazing Easter weekend which helped take my mind off of the stress of school! But now it's back to the grind of things! I had my first final today...two more to go along with 4 more assignments... :(
Well, time to quit blogging for now...I'm calling it an early bedtime tonight so I can get back to being fully awake so I can finish my assignments tomorrow!
Usually...the flowers are blooming...the grass is turning green...the birds are singing. It's a time of year where reminders of life are everywhere. What once appeared to be dead and dormant is now beginning to shine.
The statement on my calendar for March says:
"After the winter comes the spring to show us that in everything there's always renewal divinely planned - flawlessly perfect, the work of God's hand." Helen Steiner Rice
This statement is so true. Not only in the physical sense of spring, but also in the sprititual sense of spring.
A little over 2000 years ago Jesus went to the cross...for you...for me. He came to bring life. He came to bring renewal. He came to bring hope. Jesus was born after years and years (I can't think of the number off the top of my head) of silence... That time probably felt like winter to the people of Israel. I'm sure they were wondering where God was, and why things were so silent. Yet, in God's timing He sent His Son Jesus into the world, to bring redemption to all mankind.
He endured the pain and suffering you and I deserve because of our sinful nature. He took it all upon His shoulders to bring us freedom. To bring us eternal life...if we choose to accept Him.
That's what this season is about.
The amazing thing though is that the story doesn't end there.
Jesus died upon the cross on what we now celebrate as Good Friday. On what we celebrate as Easter Sunday Jesus arose from the grave!! He beat death for eternity! He brought hope to what appeared hopeless! He brought life everlasting!
This Easter, like every other Easter, I'm celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ! Easter is always an exciting time of year for me! Though I celebrate His life, death, and resurrection all year round, Easter is always a reminder that all around the world people are coming together in thanking Him for what He did for all of us.
As I celebrate this Easter I'm reminded of what He's blessed me with throughout this past year. As I have written about so many times over the past month or so, I've been really busy with school...but leading up to this weekend I've had a lot of blessings that have helped me get through the stress of school.
The first thing was meeting my best friend Kim at the airport on Thursday. I hadn't seen her in 4 months and so seeing her for the brief minutes I saw her for was amazing! I was reminded of the season of winter I went through in various friendships and how God has taken that winter and is beginning to grow something new in my life as I experience "spring". God has used Kim, and all my other new friends, to show me that in His timing, spring does arrive...no matter how long or hard winter was.
The second thing this weekend has held is the priviledge of seeing a lot of my extended family. For years I've wanted to live closer to my cousins. I always wanted to be able to "watch" them grow up...as in experience things with them that I couldn't because I lived hours away. Last night I babysat my three youngest cousins...something I always dreamed of but never imagined would be possible. This weekend will go on record as one with the most extended family at my house...other then when we celebrated my grandma's 65th birthday. I've seen both sets of grandparents, one aunt, two uncles, and four cousins!
This weekends been great! There's so much to be thankful for! Thank You Jesus for everything You have done for me! There aren't words to accurately describe how I feel right now...
I know this post is already long, but there is a song I want to share with you.
I just came across it, but it's a great reminder of how "We Are The Reason" Jesus came to earth, died, and rose again!
