Bump on the Road

This, I have got to say, is probably the hardest semester I have ever experienced. 5 classes, filled with out-of-class work, not to mention work and other commitments. It is now week 10, and I AM STILL trying to find motivation! God has been so good. When I look back, I still don't know how I was able to make it these past 10 weeks, and now we're down to 6, and I am worried as a I. do. not. know. what. I honestly believe this is one of those trials that James talks about in his first chapter..You know, the ones that are meant to test your patience, and your faith. Yup, that's it; and believe when I say that I feel like I currently may be feeling like the double minded man who feels unstable right now (faith is lacking!!!).

So I am sitting here- knowing full well that the God I serve is a mighty God, while my mind is aware of that, it hasn't transitioned to my faith. Because every now and then, I look ahead, and see this huge mountain, and trips over....but how long is that going to go? If you are reading this right now, please pray for miracles!!! I really just need to make it this semester and I know everything else will fall into place. I have soooooooooooooooooo many commitments on my plate (leading a spiritual group on campus, doing work for a prof, working with another spiritual group on campus, 5 classes, and outside commitment dealing with those classes. I am happy that Thanksgiving break is around the corner. Maybe I'll get some time to take a deep breath? I pray so.

So here's the deal: Starting tomorrow (well today). I am going to give God 3 HOURS of my time throughout the day. This mountain has GOT to get out of my way and the only way to get it out of the way is to call on the One who built it. Here's how this is going to work. First week of November: (Monday-Tuesday)- 6am-7am, 11:45am-12:45pm, 10-11pm (Wednesday-Thursday)- 6am-8am, 11-45am-12:45pm (Friday)- 6am-7am, 10-midnight In total, I will be giving God 15 hours of my time this week. I am confident by faith that I WILL HAVE A TESTIMONY BY THE END OF THIS SEMESTER. COUNT ON IT!!!!

Bump on the Road

This, I have got to say, is probably the hardest semester I have ever experienced. 5 classes, filled with out-of-class work, not to mention work and other commitments. It is now week 10, and I AM STILL trying to find motivation! God has been so good. When I look back, I still don't know how I was able to make it these past 10 weeks, and now we're down to 6, and I am worried as a I. do. not. know. what. I honestly believe this is one of those trials that James is talking about in his first chapter..You know, the ones that are meant to test your patience, and your faith. Yup, that's it; and believe when I say that I feel like I currently may be feeling like the double minded man who feels unstable right now (faith is lacking!!!).
So I am sitting here- knowing full well that the God I serve is a mighty God, while my mind is aware of that, it hasn't transitioned to my faith. Because every now and then, I look ahead, and see this huge mountain, and trips over....but how long is that going to go? If you are reading this right now, please pray for miracles!!! I really just need to make it this semester and I know everything else will fall into place. I have soooooooooooooooooo many commitments on my plate (leading a spiritual group on campus, doing work for a prof, working with another spiritual group on campus, 5 classes, and outside commitment dealing with those classes. I am happy that Thanksgiving break is around the corner. Maybe I'll get some time to take a deep breath? I pray so.
So here's the deal: Starting tomorrow (well today). I am going to give God 3 HOURS of my time throughout the day. This mountain has GOT to get out of my way and the only way to get it out of the way is to call on the One who built them. Here's how this is going to work. First week of November: (Monday-Tuesday)- 6am-7am, 11:45am-12:45pm, 10-11pm (Wednesday-Thursday)- 6am-8am, 11-45am-12:45pm (Friday)- 6am-7am, 10-midnight In total, I will be giving God 15 hours of my time this week. I am confident by faith that I WILL HAVE A TESTIMONY BY THE END OF THIS SEMESTER. COUNT ON IT!!!!

Prayer and Full Surrender

This is so sad. It's been a whoooollle month and some change since I've been on here. Lots and lots have been happening. Week 4 of school is upon us, and mer.cy.! But thankfully, week 4 is starting on an awesome note :) so Praise God. Anyways, so today I was reading E.M. Bounds on Prayer's "Prayer and Full Surrender" chapter. I honestly think sometimes that we are afraid fully surrender because of the power that God will bestow on us. Isn't that sad? Here are a few quotes that stood out to me: "Jesus learned obedience in the school of suffering. At the same time, He learned prayer in the school of obedience" (p. 163) "If the will of God does not master the life, the praying will be nothing but sickly sentiment. If payer does not inspire, sanctify, and direct our work, then self-will enters and ruins both the work and the worker" (p. 164). "Faith is the fruit of prayer" (p. 164) "The lack of obedience in our lives breaks down our pryaing. Quite often our lives are in rebellion. This places us where praying is almost impossible, except for pardoning mercy" (p. 165). E.M. BOUNDS ON PRAYER. GET THE BOOK!!!!!

a whole new year.

This past weekend marked a whole new year since I started my whole new journey. And to sum it all up- it's been a very great and blessed journey. There were challenges and mountains to confront and climb but there is no doubt that the positives, the highlights outweigh these challenges. :) Umm, where should I start? Well, as previously stated this summer turned out to be sooooo much better than I had expected. I would've never thought. I came to grad school knowing only a handful of friends and family and I feel like I left with a family :). I am thankful for the people that God has placed in my life. I am always thankful for them. God has always place people in my life--and always the right ones. I feel so privileged to have such an amazing support group at all times. God opened so many doors and I pray that I will be able to follow through in all of them. Continue to keep me in your prayers..and I will do the same. I like this song :)

Let Us Worship

Okay, Fridays are NOT supposed to be this hectic...right? ...in fact, what happened to a restful Sabbath? My gracious! So much to get done for the Sabbath...Mer.cy. Some things need to change, because I can not be running around so much on Fridays to get ready for the Sabbath! Maybe I should start preparing for the Sabbath once the sun goes down on the Sabbath...ummmm. (Yea we talked about this in SS once...)

Anyways, just wanted to share this song. I started my day with it. Very awesome.

Dear Tye Tribbett,

I'd love to meet you one day!! :)

i love that song!!!

Isaiah 26:3

Wow. It has been such a long time since I've updated this blog....where do I begin?

I wish I did not have to take classes this summer.
I wish I were somewhere much more exciting than this small town.
I wish that I could go on a vacation RIGHT NOW.
It is going to be one of the most painfully slow and boring summer.
Have MERCY!!!

(my thoughts before summer started)


--God has been good. Sooo good. I feel like nothing much has been going on, but yet so muuuchhh has been going on. Should I get into details?...ummmm. Too much. But God has been good. I spent the past year just trying to refrain myself from over-committing to things happening on campus ground, primarily because all my life, I have felt like I've always been doing "things" and never taken a step back to breathe and relax.

But when I look back at this past year, no matter how hard I tried, I still found myself extremely busy....always! doing something!!!!!..... So then I began to think, is this a curse or a blessing?

I started praying that God would provide me with opportunities to serve Him because the things that I was doing were all academic-related not necessarily spiritual. As soon as I shared my thoughts with God, a load of opportunities came rushing. "Oh Lord," I thought, "I am so hesitant right now to dig myself in a hole of responsibilities." Blah Blah. To make a long story short, I am back again to being "super busy", but more so with spiritual duties than academic (though I should be).


it's been such an awesome summer so far (still wish I didn't have to take any classes though).
This past Saturday, for instance, I don't think I can remember the last time I laughed soooooo hard/had as much fun. Friday was extremely hectic!! (hair, cook/food, homework, preparing for a friend's last potluck that Sabbath, preparing to help with worship and vespers on Friday, going to church, preparing preparing preparing....) but it was great. I loved every minute of that weekend. :-D

BUSY SUMMER.
[I def complained too soon].

In any cases, I am looking forward to next weekend. I am also looking forward to the last weekend of July.

I am looking forward to December 2010.
I am looking forward to July 2011.
I am also looking forward to May 2012.

:)

I believe in MIRACLES!!!!
My mind is staying on Thee, Lord.!

Better than a Hallelujah!!!

God is still here!! Listening! :)

Some people's normals are other's miracles: READ ON!

I have been slacking big time with this blog!! But God has been good, as always! Completed my first year in graduate school! (Hooray!), and if I had to grade my time there I would go all out for an "A." I learned so much in and outside the classroom--not only about the world around me, but also about myself. I really enjoyed the classes I took, especially this last semester. I always considered myself to be an open-minded person but I realized that there's always room to be "more" open-minded... in a good way :).

One of the classes that I took was Intro to Special Education, and man that was one humongous eye-opening experience. At the end of the day, as J Moss puts it "nobody is a nobody God doesn't make mistakes. Nobody can ever take your place that doesn't exist in grace..."

We all want to feel loved, accepted and respected at the end of the day...Some people know how to meet that need, others simply don't. If able, use the moment you have to teach! Biggest reminder ever. Imagine having a child who has a disability, how many of us would be happy to take care of that child and treat that child like s(he) was still one of the greatest person on planet earth? I am not going to lie. Before taking that class, I am not sure how happy I would be if I were to have a child with a disability, and I have a feeling that I probably would be quite bias when dealing with the child....but now I have learned to understand that diversity comes in different forms and that being different, especially in that manner, does not mean that God has forgotten the person, or that He doesn't love that person...It also does NOT mean that He can not use that person with the disability to change the lives of others.


Check this out: (Such a touching video!)




One of the best classes I could have taken. I praise God for that.

Spirit of Power.

The motto this semester has been: TO LET SELF DIE AND LET JESUS SHINE.

So a friend and I (along with anyone who might be wanting to join in!) are stepping it up and spending this week in prayer...Interceding for OTHERS and FORGETTING SELF.

This morning I had my hour date with God from 8:45am-9:50am. It felt so good.

The verse for this week comes from 2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us the spirit of timidity (or fear) but He has given us the spirit of POWER, LOVE, CALM, WELL-BALANCED MIND, DISCIPLINE AND SELF-CONTROL!!!


Happy WEEEK!!!

I LOVE HIM.

Sometimes (more like, everyday), I stand in awe of how amazing and awesome God is. Words simply can not express. Everyday I wake up in the morning just thinking of how blessed and privileged I am to be surrounded by inspirational and wonderful individuals. All my life, God has always placed the right people! Everyday I wake up and think of how God's mercy and grace are so undeserved...yet how unconditional is His love.

He loves us sooo much He proves it everyday. I think the scariest thought for me is to say that I LOVE HIM and not being to prove it to the fullest extent...as He did. Nevertheless, God KNOWS how thankful I am for knowing Him....for the individuals in my life testifying the extent of His love, and for nature testifying how GREAT he is. I honestly do not know how else to express this.....except I guess...through my actions...


~If you think you can find your way to God; you either have a low view of God or a very high view of yourself; or probably both at the same time~

Need Protection?

Safety is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of God! (Weekly Wisdom for the Week, 03/15/2010)

"Do your relationships control you, or does Christ control your relationships?


God wants to be the most important thing in your life. Sadly, many Christians let the opinions of other people control their own decisions, altering what they consider to be important.
Proverbs 29:25 says, Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.


Your relationships with the people you're around could be a snare to you if let them control you. However, if Christ is more important to you than any relationship, then he will control your relationships, guiding you into right, godly ones. Make Christ first place in your heart, and he will control and direct your relationships."

In order to experience God's protection, you must be in God's presence!!!

Frightening Conclusion....

I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element [in the classroom]. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. [As a teacher], I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.” - Dr. Haim Ginott.

Matthew 5:16--Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven!! :)



Happy Sabbath!! I am finally on Spring Break so I will do my best to do a better job at updating my blog!!! There is so much to talk about...... :)

Without Hands

I am not even sure what to write about!!  Because there's so much to write about! So instead of writing about me, I am just going to share something!! :)

So Ivor Myers...Ivor Myers.... Ivor Myers...I was introduced to former-hip hop artist now Pastor Ivor Myers by my younger sisters. From facebook statusi (lol?) to spending time in their rooms watching his sermons online on Friday nights, I had to take a listen.

I did. I listened to two of his sermons titled Without Hands (9/3/07) and Weapons of Our Faith (3/9/07). It was obvious that the Lord was using the man to preach the WORD.

CHECK HIM OUT!!

http://www.audioverse.org/people/96/ivor-myers.html?pageNum=1

Other than that, things have been going well on my end. Making sure I don't get sick, and trying to stay on top of my work. So far it's been going well...even though both my phone and computer died and also wouldn't charge. All happened during the same week. No phone. No computer. I didn't know what to do. :-/ But to make a long story short, I now have a phone, and after five years of having my computer, I am thinking that it's a sign to get another one....MERCY. it had to happen now, like right now?

meh. it's all good. I am still all smiles :) God is good? ALL THE TIME!!!  HeLLO somebody!!

" For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth."
Psalm 71:5

I want it alll back!! :)

Get back up again!!!!

We're now in Week SIX!! (wow!!) Week 5 has been the turn around point this semester...yay! Last semester it was: motivation (x 10) the first 5 weeks, up and down moments in the middle and then motivation (x3) the last few weeks. This semester, I would say it started with womp womp womp motivation the first four and half weeks, and now we're getting back at it.

This weekend has been excellent. :) juuuuust excellent. So much going on (it was a bit overwhelming) but I was able to get a little bit of everything starting with the kick-off Black History month Sabbath at the university's church, to a potluck, helping set up a surprise birthday party to the Haitian's students' vespers and social event afterwards. The games we played brought up some really sweet and wonderful memories *sniff sniff* lol :).

Anyways, I am so looking forward to this week and this upcoming weekend!!!!!! yay!! :)

~No road is long with good company. ~Turkish Proverb


--Blessings--

For the first time in a WHILE!!: To do List!

Okay, so for the first time this ENTIRE! semester, (we're in Week 5 now), I am feeling "hopeful" interestingly enough because I feel like I am once again gaining control of my "environment". Though today started on a rough note (slightly)...went to bed later than usual as of late (around 12:30am this morning); woke up mighty early (*dear mother, please don't call me as such early morning hours!* :); got to the campus, found the PERFECT parking spot; went to the library and immediately found a room that I could reserve for the next 2 hours; went and situated myself in the room; and where is the worksheet that I needed to work on and finish before class this afternoon?...You have GOT to be kidding me.

Yup. I left it at the apartment. So needless to stay, I was quite frustrated, irritated, just uuuugggggghhhh! But then, when I made back to the apartment, I whispered a VERY short prayer (it's hard to pray for real when you're annoyed lol), and walked out the door. I could not WAIT for the day to be over before it even began.

And once again....what I thought was going to be an unpleasant day....turned out fine. In fact better than I thought.
Among many other things and people that made it a brighter day (aww lol), I was so productive today, it was just unbelievable. Now, the only thing left for me to do for class tomorrow is...write a journal (just two pages), and my work for Thursday is half way done. WOW. I even took care of all the bills that I needed to take of. Doubly wow.

Once again, I can't stop but PRAISE THE LORD for undeserved patience and kindness.
        Definitely making sure that I dedicate time studying his Word every night has helped TREMENDOUSLY. I will explain in another post. I am trying to keep this as short as possible.

To do list this February:

• Stay up to date with the "Read the Bible in One Year" and continue to write 1-page summaries of the chapters read that specific night. [It should help with remembering facts/interesting notes]
• Finish 25 hours of classroom observation for one class
• Finish Research Paper for another class
• Study and do well in Mid-Term for class #1
• Book Report for another class
• Obtain mastery for assessing [a specific intelligence test] for yet another class
• Keep working on those Fruits of the Spirit! :) by continuing my morning daily devotions.
• Oh and continue to get my EIGHT hours of sleep, preferably BEFORE midnight!! (umm except tonight though cause it's already late and I am hungry, and I am very alert) So proud of myself for being productive today. Thank you Jesus!!! :-D

Have a great night! and rest of week :)

i need.........

......a piano
......a piano
......a piano
......a piano
......a piano
........................right now. A keyboard would even do.

but i don't have either one here.......... ah. :(

-->  BEWARE OF TERRORIST GROUPS IN CHURCH!!! <-- CLICK IT!! :)

YAY! I saw JACI VELASQUEZ live today :)...One of my all time FAV songs of hers....




HAPPY NEW WEEK!!!!!!!!

"“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.” --Corazon Aquino

thoughts for food

On a mission to RE-READ MY ENTIRE BIBLE... JOIN ME!!!

                                          CLICK HERE --->  READ WITH ME!!

[http://www.abrandnewdayusa.com/poemcatalog.html]

• current mood: ..........[translatation "blah"] 
• what's going on in my mind: #$$%%&^*^@#!@#$%^ [tr "quite a few things'] 
• feelings right now: !!!!~~~??? [tr "excited, complacent, perplex "] 
• how do I feel about tomorrow: ^^^^^^^^^^ [tr "definitely looking forward to it"] 
• how's the weather right now: ||||||||||| [tr  'super cold'] 
• where am i mentally: //////////////// [tr 'future-ness' *sigh...it needs to come faster* lol]

Thoughts for Food

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.  ~Aesop

Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly.  ~Edward Albee

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.  ~Henry David Thoreau

I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying.  Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying.  ~Charles C. Finn

No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.  ~Zen   

Finding Peace!

"The story is told of two painters. Each painted a picture to illustrate his concept of rest. The first chose for his scene a still, serene lake among the far-off mountains. The second painted a thundering waterfall with a fragile birch tree bending over the foam; at the fork of a branch, almost wet with the cataract’s spray, a robin sat on its nest.  Which best portrayed the essence of rest? It is not often in this world of turmoil that we find the rest of a lone mountain lake. More often we must find our rest amid the turmoil of real life" (ASSQ, Tuesday's Lesson).

The latter described my day, and possibly this week?

To say the least, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it today. SOOOOO much to do. Tons of work for one class, and a presentation for the MLK symposium at the school. I wasn't ready for either one of them. I went to bed worried (shouldn't have because I've seen the work of God in my life during stressful situations like this), honestly assuming that it was going to be a FAIL for me today....................nope, turned out to be a WIN for me.

To say the very least, THANK YOU, JESUS!!!. I SERVE A MIGHTY GOD!!!

---> I thank God for friends, for support, for prayers, for caring people, for awesome and thoughtful professors, for miracles, for HIM caring so much even when He didn't have to. <----

CHASEN- ON AND ON- <-- CLICK IT.

A Movie of Resilience and Determination: My New Favorite

It encouraged me. [James 1:1,2]

When you're born to be free, no matter what the circumstances, fight for your freedom! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. No one has more control over your life than you do. So no more excuses for actions, words...fight for freedom from whatever is holding you back!

John 16:33

Last night, as is my usual habit, when I logged back on my computer, one of the first things I glanced  through was cnn.com. Actually, no. It was during class, I received a text informing me about the 7.0 quake that hit the "(half) island" Haiti. When I checked cnn.com, (don't really LISTEN to the news), I spent a good half an hour just trying to figure out the situation down there so far. At some point in time, after forwarding the text I received, I decided to close my computer...13 chapters to read + 2 articles + a journal entry due today for one class were all good reasons to muster up my concentration and try to do it finish it all by today's end.

Nonetheless, my texts back and forth with a couple of friends induced a mixed feeling of disturbance,  and melancholy...."WHY!?'.

I went to bed early this morning, still not completely done with my assignments. It's Week 2 and I am barely swimming.

So this morning, as I am currently doing my devotion (Adult Quarterly Sabbath School)...the first verse that is featured says the following:


"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."- John 16: 33.

Refreshing reminder.
Joyful emotions.
Appeased mind.
Worryless faith.
Peace that passeth all understanding.

In the middle of my devotion, I thought it beneficial to blog it. And in the middle of my blog, I switched my text messages signature line. It now reads: John 16:33.  I could not be any happier to be reminded that My GOD has ALREADY OVERCOME this world.

"Love in Action"

A quote that I thought was powerful from the Adult SS Quarterly's lesson for today: (Thursday)

"I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club to discuss it. I was imprisoned, but you complained about the crime rate. I was naked, and you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me about the shelter of God's love. You seem so holy and so close to God; but I'm still hungry, lonely, cold, and in pain. Does it matter?"