Monday, January 30, 2012

Fast Day 15.

Well the prayer challenge for Saturday was to focus on 'work'. Whatever that means for you. 

Some of us have jobs.
Some of us don't have jobs. 
And some of us almost have jobs. 

I am one of those people who almost have a job. 
Yeah, it sounds super lame, but hey. 

As soon as I take a CPR class and get a few shots, I will be start 'work' at a daycare out in Antelope. 

God seriously has had this job picked out just for me. I've been trying to get a job for over a year. And I've had interviews, and seconds interviews, shoot, I've even had a job! But they have all fallen through for one reason or another. 

This job fell right into my lap. I will be working with a lady from church, and a friend. She is a single mom of five kids.The friend is a close friend I have known for years. 

I pray God will use me to show him to the kids I will be working with. And that this job will give me a better relationship with this friend, and with the oldest daughter of the mom. I pray this will all go well as a job opportunity for me, and that I would be able to keep this job for a long time. I pray the people I will be surrounded by when I take my CPR class, and when I get my shots and everything else will be able to see the Jesus inside of me.  

Until next time... 
xoxo 

Daniel Fast; Day 4ish..

This is the second of three (or maybe four) posts today! 
Yikes.
I am never getting behind again!

Day 4 of the fast was absolutely horrible.
I was just not recovering from being sick.
I was weak and tired.
Because of being sick, and not getting all the normal nutrients I needed to get better, I had to change my fast. 
I am no longer doing the Daniel Fast.
I admit it. I am a failure.
But being as weak as I was, I couldn't go on.

I know this was just a plan devised by the devil straight from the pits of hell. 
But what the devil doesn't know, is that fasting is more than just food. 
It's the praying that goes on as well.
He is not going to get the best of me.
I will continue praying.

I didn't post it, but Friday's challenge was to pray for any youth groups you attend.
I attend two different youth groups. 

The Rock 

Redeemer Christian Church


One youth group is not better than the other. 

Both of these youth groups have amazing leaders, and amazing students. 
One youth group is small.
One youth group is big. 
One youth group you get preached at. 
One youth group it's more of a discussion. 
But they both love Jesus. 

And I think that the fact that everyone I am surrounding myself with loves Jesus, is more important than how many people there are, or how they teach. I love the different characteristics of both my youth groups. It's what keeps me coming back to both. 

I pray God will let both youth groups grow more in him, and that we will be used to show love to more than just each other. I pray daily for closer relationships with each other. I pray for more outreach opportunities. And I pray that as a group of believers, we will all be able to be more and more like Christ Jesus with every waking moment.


Until next time..
xoxo

Daniel Fast; Day 3

I've come to a conclusion.
I suck at keeping up with a blog.
Well, at least posting daily.
That's just not gonna happen.
Every few days hopefully.

Anyways, This Daniel Fast has been a complete roller coaster. Day 3, I just wanted to break down and cry. I ended up going shopping with my mom and we bought a bunch of food that I could eat, but in the end of the day, because of all that I wasn't eating and with being sick, I was just getting weaker and weaker. I went home that night, took a nap, and slept through the beginning og church, causing me not to go, which was fine, because I was again sick to my stomach.

I asked you guys to pray for your schools for Day 3. 



Have you ever really looked into the people at your school? Not just seeing the outward way people portray themselves, but have you looked in past what they are willing to share? You can't always see what is wrong. But at school on Thursday, knowing I was praying for the school that day, I looked at people more closely than normal. 


People look LOST.



They all need Jesus. I'm so thankful to be surrounded by Christian friends at school. I have the guys. They are the best. I know for a fact, that I am so lucky when it comes to school, to a) not be surrounded by people who are bad influences. and b) not be surrounded by perverted guys. 

So my prayer for the school Thursday (and every day since then) was that God would use me as a light, and as an intercessor for my school. I want to be known as "the religious kid" or the "Jesus freak". I know because of my past I have a foot in with a bunch of people. I'm not saying I'm popular, because now I'm not. I'm saying I was. I still have those friends, we just don't talk as much. I could easily get in and talk to different people about Christ, but I don't. I want to though! I want to have the guts to step forward and say something to people. 



After Jesus came back to life, he told us to 
"Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to all creation."
(Mark 16:15)

Are we doing this? 




BOOM. 

Not much to say after that.. 

See you soon!
xoxo

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Daniel Fast; Day 2

Today was most definitely a better day than yesterday! 

Not as many germs. 
No more headaches. 
I actually had an appetite. 

Today's meals: 
Apple, Strawberry, Banana smoothie! 
Potato (with nothing on it)

Anyways, the food isn't even the reason for fasting. 


Today's prayer focus was to pray for three friends specifically. 
I picked my three, and to explain it all, I'm just gonna change their names. 


I chose three friends who I personally felt a connection with, but not friends I was super close with. 


Bobby:)
I've known Bobby for 3 years now. He was one of the first people I met when I changed schools. I always tried to reach out to him, but it never worked out. He would push me away and ignore me when I would try to talk to him. Now 3 years later, Bobby has met other friends of mine, and he is letting them into his life, allowing them to speak to him, and pray with him. I've prayed for so long, so hard for him. And now seeing those prayers come back up three years later, being fulfilled.... It's just an amazing feeling seeing someone go from pushing God away, to now accepting him. I can't wait to see what God will do in his life. I'm excited to see what will happen in the next few months/years! 

Sally:) 
Sally was once the closest thing to my best friend during Middle School. She's never been a Christian. Doesn't believe in God.   I've tried bringing her to church, always turned me down. After we finished Middle School, we split up, and went to different high schools. We stayed 'close', but after the first semester, I switched schools. We were no longer living our lives anywhere near each other. I was living my life out in Roseville, and she was still out in Orangevale, nowhere near where I went during my every day life. We stayed close for about 2 months, we hung out maybe once or twice. I was invited to her birthday party that summer, but I didn't feel as if I fit in with those people, so I ended up leaving early. Besides 'Happy Birthday' Facebook posts, that was the last time we talked. I miss Sally like crazy. She knew everything about me. I pray for her all the time. Praying she'll meet new friends who will bring her closer to God. You may say "Well why not try to get reconnected with her?" Truth is, I have. Her new best friend and her boyfriend don't like me, and she let those two factors get to her. I will never stop trying. By stalking her Facebook, I haven't really seen any change. But I pray for her. And I won't give up. 

Joe:)
Joe crept his way into my heart. Snuck in my life. Made me disobey my parents dating law. Stole my first kiss. Then proceeded to cheat on me. He hurt me so bad. I wasted so much time crying over him. I have forgiven him, but have never tried anything more to get any friendship with him, or tried to bring him to church. I pray for him now looking back 4 years. I hope and pray for him every time I am reminded of him. 




Day 13 of our 40 day fast: 


Day 13: Love fights fair 
If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
—Mark 3:25 
TODAY’S DARE
Write out your own personal rules to “fight” by. Resolve to abide by them when the next  disagreement occurs. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand


And for tomorrow I want you to pray for your school.

Until tomorrow.. 
xoxo

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Daniel Fast; Day 1


Well today definitely did not go as planned. 

Today was Day 1 of my Daniel Fast. But, it got a little messed up, thanks to the fact that I woke up puking. So I didn't necessarily break my fast on day one. I still only ate fruits and vegetables. But it wasn't any different than any other day if I was sick. So I didn't really put much thought into it, seeing as I was sleeping over 3/4 of my day. 

Today's challenge was to pray for your family, your immediate family. Parents and siblings. 

This was surprisingly a major struggle for me. 

Praying for the people you are supposed to be the closest to? The people you live with? Sounds easy right? 

Not for me.

I am one in a family of 8. 
Three sisters. 
Two brothers. 
Mom. 
Dad. 


We aren't different from any other family. We aren't perfect. We still have our problems. There are things I like and dislike about everyone. But in the end, we are all family. We have all had our ups and downs with each other. I have fought with every sibling, and both parents. I have had good time with all of them as well though. I like focusing on those times better. 

Daddy:)
Just last week, Dad took me out on a Daddy/Daughter date. He took me to a movie, and we had an absolute blast! It was a fun night. I haven't seen my dad laugh that hard for that long in such a long time! 
(We saw Joyful Noise. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest you do!)

Mommas:)
Since the adoption, Mom and I have had some of the best and worst times together. We are home along with the kids the most, and we go crazy together. No one quite understands why we are the way we are, but my mom is like seriously the closest thing I have to a 'best friend'. 

Katylynn:)
Kat is my oldest sister. She's 22. Always been someone for me to talk to, about anything. She has the best advice. I love talking to her. Sometimes she'll come over, and we'll just sit there and talk. She's been the one there for me always and forever. I don't remember a time when she hasn't been there for me. 

Elizabeth:) 
Elizabeth is 20, and right above me in the birth order. She's the most 'girly' one out of all of us. I most definitely am not a 'girly girl'. I'm not saying I'm a tom boy either, but Elizabeth was the one who taught me how to be a girl. She taught me about make up, and about hair. She knows how to make me smile, in my worst times. After my boyfriend broke up with me, Elizabeth, my mom, and I were at Leatherby's. To make me smile, I look up and she's being really quiet. I looked at her and she looks at me and says "I don't know if this makes you feel any better or anything, but you're a better girlfriend than I am. You lasted with him longer than I have with all my boyfriends put together." I don't know why that made me smile, but it did. 

Sam:) 
Sam is the best little big brother ever! He's taller than me now. But still a younger brother. He gets on my nerves like every other family member, but he still looks up and asks me for help with his homework, or if his shirt matches with what he's wearing. I love that he looks up to me and respects my opinion. Its the little things every day that make it all worth the fights. 

Tsehay:) 
Tsehay came home about 9 and a half months ago. And at first we thought it was going to be a long hard road with her. The first night she came home she screamed crying for home until 4 in the morning. But things only have gotten easier since then. She has brought nothing but joy into our household. She definitely has her little girl attitude, but what little girl doesn't? She fits perfectly into our family. I love it when she comes to me and just wants to cuddle. Or to read a book. Or to sing a song. Or just for a hug. She's the best little sister ever. When I asked for a little sister, she is exactly what I had in mind.


Fekadu:)
9 and a half months ago, this little boy just walked into our family full of laughter and happiness. 'A bundle of joy' is the best thing to describe him. Every day, multiple times a day, he will walk up and ask "You wanna play game? Trouble? Mancala?" He wants nothing more than some love and quality time. Today he did the cutest thing ever. I was sick all day, just laying on the couch. And he came up to me and said "You feeling better?" When I responded with no, he told me he was going to go upstairs and pray and when I woke up in the morning that I would feel better because "Jesus would heal you in your sleep." 




So to continue our 40 day fast, tomorrow's challenge: 

Day 12: Love lets the other win.
Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
—Philippians 2:4 
TODAY’S DARE
Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and a friend. Tell them you are putting their preference first. 

And for tomorrow I want you to pick three friends to pray for specifically. Whether they are Christians, or not. There is always something to pray about for everyone. 

Until tomorrow.. 
xoxo




Monday, January 23, 2012

Why?

Why is one of the most asked questions when someone starts anything. 

I figured, since I'm starting a blog, I should probably explain a little bit about 'why' I am.

It's pretty selfish actually. I love writing. I write at a super low level, but it is one of my absolute favorite things to do. But seeing as I keep a journal from which I would die if anyone read, why would I feel the need to publish my writing? I basically just need a place to get all my thoughts out to a few close friends. And this seems to be the easiest way to do that. 

Tomorrow I continue a 40 day fast, with starting a 21 day Daniel Fast. Fruits and vegetables and water ONLY. This may be one of the hardest things I have done. But I'm doing it with the support of two friends, and my church. The next 21 posts will be about what we'll be praying about as three friends working together to build God's kingdom, starting with our own lives. They may not even make sense to anyone but me, but hey, I'm doing it. We'll see how it all works out in the end. Whether I continue the blog, or if it just fades out as just another failed blog.

So with that, I leave you until tomorrow. 
xoxo