Overwhelmed.

Summer has only just begun and I feel so overwhelmed with everything already. There is so much to get done, so much to prepare for, and so much to learn! I feel like I am still in school. Really.

Recently, I have just been so overwhelmed with getting things ready for Ukraine. Planning the crafts for the kids, thinking ahead and trying to buy everything that I need, preparing myself spiritually, and of course the hardest part, trying to learn the language..ah! I have constantly been reminded however that I cannot do any of this and accomplish it in the best way on my own terms. I have been reminded to live each day this summer with faith and move on to the next day with even more faith. That is the only way to get things done and do it the way God would have us to. A friend gave me a quote the other day which really spoke to me saying: "Faith can move mountains but sometimes God needs to give you a little shove." So true!

I praise God that He never gives us anything that we cannot handle with His help. And in those times when we feel like it is too much to handle, He is there to prove Himself mighty and powerful to help us in all our times of need and give us a shove in the right direction.

This point leads me to another reality which I find overwhelming and have been thinking about a lot lately. The amazing fact that God calls us one of His own, that He delights in us. Psalm 18:19 says: "He brought me forth into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me." I know it's such a simple truth, and so well known, but I think it's way too easy for us many times to ignore this. We get so overwhelmed and caught up in our own situations and preparations that it becomes so easy to forget that the God of the universe actually delights in us as we delight in Him! When we take time to really meditate on this and praise God for it, I think we will come to find ourselves so overwhelmed by what a great and awesome God we serve despite our sinfulness. He not only helps us in our weakness and those times of feeling overwhelmed to prove Himself to us, but because He delights in us. Being reminded of this recently has just been very awesome! :)

Although currently, this summer doesn't really seem like much a break with work, teaching, church activities, trips, and classes starting up here again in a few short weeks, it has been refreshing to spend more time with God and quiet my heart before Him as I watch and see how He's helping me accomplish all that needs to be done this summer!

"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~Matthew 6:34

What a Blessing!! :)

Well, that’s it. All finished up with my first year at the wonderful Cedarville University! And it’s truly so hard to believe. I’m not totally sure where exactly the time has gone and how it happened to literally fly by so fast. However, what I do know though is that God has incredibly blessed me this year with an awesome place and an awesome group of friends! Let me just take a second to explain:



When I left for Cedarville, I seemed to be leaving a lot behind at home and didn’t quite know what to expect of things and relationships at Cedarville. To be honest, I think I came here pretty close minded, not really willing to open up and build deep friendships with anyone. I actually didn’t really believe I would even find a good group of close friends whom I enjoyed being around so much. Well, let’s just say that after the first few weeks, God totally proved me wrong…He enabled me to begin some good friendships which would grow throughout the year. Looking back, I’m very undeserving of all the blessed relationships He’s provided for me; I’ve been able to build awesome friendships with some girls from my unit as well as the guys from my brother unit! :) And although not all of us will be together for fall semester, I can only hope and pray that these friendships remain close we can and build many more fun memories!



Reflecting, I’ve come to realize that God has taught me quite a lot and I have grown as an individual. He has taught me a lot about myself, others and how to think and act towards people whom I may differ from. It has been a very neat, humbling and at times challenging experience. I have learned that although it is such a blessing, it can be at times hard to live in an environment where I am constantly surrounded by Christians because when times get busy, I find it easier to push God aside because I feel like I don’t necessarily need Him as much. Continually hungering and thirsting for Him no matter my circumstances and who I’m surrounded by has been another big lesson I’ve learned.



There has been so much more that went on and I’ve learned this first year and I definitely don’t have time to talk about it all now….maybe in some other posts. But for now, it’s sure exciting to have a break from school, although I miss everyone and wish everyone just lived here in Cleveland with me. ;) Imagine all the fun we’d have!!haha. Anyways, this summer will be good to just relax (though that is far from what I’m doing) and just focus on God and my future. I can tell already, summer is just going to fly by, but that may be alright because I’m looking forward to going back to Cedarville in August! God bless everyone this summer! :)



“He has made everything beautiful in its time…”Ecclesiastes 3:11