Year after year

This past month has been very busy and chaotic with many due dates and spontaneous requests. It's been such a difficult process juggling work, summer planning for work, volunteering hours, regular church necessities, my personal life, finding a house to move into, packing my belongings, and of course, CHALLENGE.


Challenge. Oh, Challenge.


Every year I've been to Challenge, I've been called to serve. I remember the first time I went (Challenge 2008), I had no idea what to expect because I was the girl that's at EMC every chance, but never at a retreat. The first night there, my bed was given away to a youth girl at my church. So instead of sleeping, I made rounds with a youth pastor and ended up sharing a bed with his younger sister - who turned out to my student in small groups. Funny how God works, huh?


The second year at Challenge (2009), I was placed in Administration. On the day of. I had no idea what to do and had to figure everything out whilst people were coming in and requesting information.


Last year (2010), I was able to work with an older woman and a pastor in Administration. It was pretty cool and not too stressful. Until the day of Challenge when people started to register and demanding personal requests.


This year (2011), it was just me. Registration, rooming, editing small groups, finances, EMC rides, EMC finances, promotions, meetings, t-shirts, keys, etc. Every time I thought I would LOSE it, God kept me together. I wouldn't let myself go down because I knew how discouraging it would be. And also because of my best friend and a close male friend who helped me out. If it were not for them the night before and the first day, everything would have been a crazy mess.


As Challenge went on, I wasn't able to attend many of the messages or small group sessions because I was the default person and go-to person for everything. Did I enjoy it? Definitely. Was I stressed? Beyond belief. Was it worth it? Every second.




Seeing my girls and all the students pray renews me. It's God whispering to me, "I knew you could handle it. Look, they are all worth it." With those words, I am able to keep walking and keep running.


Now, I understand what God means when He says that He would have sent Jesus even if only one soul will be saved.


All those sleepless nights and angst could have been doubled or tripled and I still would have done it because each soul is that important.






A special thanks to my absolutely fantastic boyfriend, my best friend, a close male brother, and my little brother for helping me out this year. <3 You guys all encourage me. More than words could say.


And a personal thanks to a giraffe in my life - thanks for holding me that night. It was like that the first April retreat I went on and it's been like that all these years. Love you, babe.


And another thanks to my pastor. I know he's stressed and burdened as well. I completely understand where you're coming from. I think we're friends again. And even better friends because of this mutual understanding.




God, thank You so much for my Challenge girls. I pray that You'll make them Your princesses. Let them shine!




Awaiting Challenge 2012! =D

Me! Me! Me!

The only person who is as concerned about you, is you.

Children, ages 2-7, are very egocentric. If they believe in something, then you must too. They cannot grasp the idea that anyone is different from them. They also believe that "their viewpoints are instrumental to all people."

But, it doesn't end there, now does it?

Who is the most important person to you?
Yourself. It always is.


Unfortunately, this world doesn't revolve around us. If it did, I would image that more than a few people would be quite pleased. Ecstatic even.

What would you feel?

I know that I would be jumping up and down ceilings doing my happy smile and jump and dance and squealing. =)

Today, whilst on the bus to church, I asked my boyfriend, "How come I'm so mean now?" My amazing boyfriend, let's call him 149, then told me, "It's because you're realizing the harsh realities of the world." He's absolutely right.
At a retreat once, we played a game where we had to write one word to describe another person in the room. A close friend of ours, VADS, wrote that I'm an idealist. At the time, I knew that the word was directed towards me, but I haven't really thought about it until today.
I am an idealist and an optimistic person. I yearn for books and movies to have the fabulous ending that I envisioned since the beginning. However, I also get surprised when the directors and authors offer a better conclusion than I have thought of.

It always brings a smile to my heart when that happens.
To know that although I want to the ruler of my life and to script my own paths, God has a masterpiece to my amateur sketches.

It would also be nice, however, if people learned manners, how to be polite, and responsible for their actions. So that the rest of the world, all 7 billion of us, will have a better day. Yourself included. =P

Thank you, oh so much. =D