Overwhelmed...

Now judging on the title of this blog my "theme" could go two different ways. There could be the "I'm so overwhelmed with happiness that I'm bursting at the seems," or there could be the "I'm so overwhelmed with stress that my head is about to pop." Needless to say, this type of "overwhelmed" is about BOTH types.

These past couple of weeks have been, well, overwhelming. With various events that have taken place such as:

Subbing at the middle school dorm for 4 days

Skyping/talking with friends

Celebrating Pi Day (3.14) with my math students

Middle school spring parties (with an olympics theme)

Talking with individual students

Meetings/communication with parents

Festival in town

Having a friend over for dinner

Small group every Wednesday

Celebrating teacher birthdays

Financial stressors

Staff Devotions

Preparing for our missions trip to Belarus

Etc...

My life has been nothing short of packed. Packed full of great and exciting events, yes, but pushing them all together in the same month can be somewhat of a stressor. I can honestly say I have never battled so much with my faith as I did this past month. When things tend to get busy (either good or bad) it is easy to lose sight of what is important -- my relationship with God.

Subbing at the middle school dorm

I am happy to say that I have been able to see God truly shine through the little things in life these past couple of days such as the beautiful sunshine, the students in my life He has blessed me with, and the little kisses that He sends specifically to me in my times of need. No matter what is happening, good or bad, God is looking out for me.

Algebra class making 3.1415 (Pi)

On March 12th this is just part of the prayer that I prayed that night, and I pray that as time goes on that I am able to pray the same thing over and over, knowing that God is in control at all times:

"Lord, if it be your will – take me. Take me instead. There are so many different teachers here that deserve to be here more than me. They are more creative, more intuitive when it comes to the students, and more prepared each day for what that day holds for them and their students. I realize, Lord, that I have talents and abilities – but who am I to say that I should stay here. Who am I to say that I shall be the one to teach the classes that I do. I realize that confidence is part of who we are in you and how this makes us your children, but at the same time I believe in myself enough to know that wherever you put me I will make the most of the situation. You know my heart, you know my desires, and I am willing to listen to the will that you have for my life in order to glorify You in the best way that you see fit."





Basically, I do not know what is going to happen. Whether God has me here for 5 more days or 5 more years -- I am at His will. I will not limit Him to my minuscule thoughts of what He may or may not be able to do. I will not put God in a box so that I am limiting my view of Him, but most of all, I will not direct the path that He has set out for me in one way or another. He has special plans for me -- and I am not about to deny Him or myself that great, great privilege of living them out, for Him and Him alone.

Spring Party:  Olympics

Thank you for your support as I continue to battle the devil in various parts of my life. Please continue to pray as I am in Brest, Belarus right now on a missions trip as a part of BFA with 7 students and another leader. May our time here be eye-opening and glorifying to our God as we serve Him in various ways. (More on this later, but if you want you can check out our blog:  http://www.belarusbound2012.blogspot.com/). Thank you, thank you, thank you again!!

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you." 

~ Isaiah 43:2

Thankful for these Moments

Relationship Panel that I was asked to talk on

These past couple of days have been a great reminder to me of how thankful I am to be in such a great place where not only God cares for my needs, but so do those around me.

After our third quarter (out of four) coming to an end in school it is quite easy for life to get stressful with grading, tests, projects, etc. However, God is here with me and continues to give me strength through various love languages of mine.

Panel in front of about six bible small groups (all girls)

A couple days ago a couple of my seventh grade girls asked me to run with them this past Friday, and it is my pleasure to say that I did. :-) These students are such a joy in my life that I can hardly think of life without them. Running with them through the countryside while the sun was shining down on us, being able to relationally connect with them was nothing short of amazing. It took me back to my counselor days in the summer and reminded me how much I truly and honestly enjoy connecting with others, hearing their stories, and being able to just purely spend time with God's children.

White chocolate Fudge

Dark chocolate fudge

After having a work-out session with my girls I was able to help out with a bake sale that the seventh graders put on this past Friday night to raise money for Africa. Thursday night I joyfully spent three and a half hours in the kitchen (and I am not being sarcastic when I say that) in order to bake cupcakes and make some fudge. I feel bad because my roommates had to endure all of this, but they got the benefit of being my official taste-testers. :-) Needless to say, it was GREAT being able to help out by using my love for baking in order to help the seventh graders in their mission to raise money for a fabulous cause. In the end they ended up making a little over 500 dollars! Way to go seventh grade! :-)

Chocolate and vanilla cupcakes

People selecting their bakery items :-)

As always, it is an honor to be serving our Lord in this specific way, and He continues to show me His love and grace by constantly being by my side through the thickness and thin of life. Lord how I love you with all my heart each and every day.

Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.

~ Micah 6 ~

Passion

7th grade math students working outside

The English language is so interesting, eccentric, and complicated. One word could be interpreted so many ways. Take "passion" for example; some may define it as that feeling that we have towards another person when we are in love with them, some may use it to describe various activities or things in life that give them passion, and others use it very often to describe spiritual things, such as their love for our Lord.

Students trying to find various shapes outside

 This weekend while at the high school retreat for BFA in Lenk, Switzerland we were proposed with a very intriguing question. It is a question that I have been asked before, but after serving at BFA for about 7 months I see a noticeable change in my answer. Being described at that which glorifies God, our passion is something that stirs excitement and joy inside of us that God has so graciously and selflessly blessed us with so that we could use for His glory.

Middle schoolers bowling on Activity Day

For those of you that know me personally probably know of my love for baking, and have probably, at one point or another, been able to taste one of my various creations. Now, I cannot promise that you did not try a burnt cookie or something of that sort - but nonetheless you've tried something created by me. Anyways, thinking about this whole idea of "passion" and what my passion is that I use to serve Him, my mind wandered to baking -- go figure!! However, it is more than just baking. My joy and excitement does not come from spending all that time in the kitchen creating all those yummy, detectible treats (although it is a great stress reliever), instead it contributes towards the bigger picture. Those truffles, pieces of fudge, cookie dough bites, and chocolate chip brownies are just examples of what helps aid my true passion - giving.

Middle school chapel at the HS -- they were excited!!

Whether it is a postcard, keychain, chocolate, a dessert or just simply a note -- God has given me the passion of gift giving. And let us be honest, I would not have it any other way. Seeing the happiness on people's face when they eat that piece of fudge or slice that piece of cake makes it all worth it -- multiplied by ten. Just think, that's the same joy and excitement that God experiences when He sees us actually use our talents to glorify Him -- times infinity!! The question is are we actually using the passions He has given us to glorify Him? Well, are you?

High School Retreat in Lenk, Switzerland

I know it is easier said than done, but think about it. Are you using the passions that God has given you to glorify Him? This is a question that I have to ask myself as well. Is the gift giving that I so thoroughly enjoy being done to glorify my God or to glorify myself? Most times I would like to say that it is selfless, but let us be honest with ourselves, we are merely humans who will sometimes seek glory for things that we should not. Does that make it right, of course not. Knowing that we serve and belong to a God that loves us no matter what as long as we profess with our mouths that He is our Lord as well as confess with our hearts, is very comforting.

Freshman small group girls and Co-leader (Katrina) at the HS Retreat

So, what's your passion? I would love to hear about it!!! I absolutely love hearing how others are glorifying God. Whether it is your profession, a hobby, or a lifelong goal we all have different passions in life -- what a great God we serve to give us such a thing!!!

Roomies and me at the HS Retreat (they have small groups too!)

Things to look forward to this month:

Small group sleepover,

Subbing at the middle school dorm for 4-5 days,

Meetings for my missions trip to Belarus,

Parent/teacher meetings,

Leading staff devotions

Praises:  

Healthy birth of my friend's baby,

Successful completion of both my Health and Games class,

Progress with my friends move to Haiti this upcoming summer,

My mom's boss' tumor shrunk, allowing her more time with us,

Some high schoolers playing outside in the snow :-)

Prayers:

Funding and spiritual growth for our Belarus team,

Knowledge on how to creatively present the material in my classes,

More alone time with my Lord and Savior,

My friends and family as the Devil continues to attack

Thank you, thank you, thank you SO MUCH for your love and support through messages, emails, "snail" mail, and pacakges. It is a joy and a privilege to know each and every one of you!!!

The Alp that I had the chance to SLED down with some small groupers!!

"But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

~ James 4:6-8 ~

Playing volleyball in the gym during free time

One of the buildings where we stayed while on the Retreat