I love the smell of clean laundry!

Just needed a change! You like it??

Warning: this could be a pretty random blog!

One... I rolled my ankle last tuesday when i was running on a trail that really wasn't meant for running probably, but more like hiking... normally this wouldn't be that big of a deal, except for the fact that I am training for a 1/2 marathon and its in exactly one month from today! I have been a little discouraged with running this race. I feel like so many things keep tripping me up, literally :) So, I originally started training with a partner and she can't run it anymore. I decided I wouldn't quit. I continued my training and got up to 8 miles into training and then the next day, I rolled my ankle... I let the swelling go down before I was going to try to run on it! (It was pretty huge, I promise I wasn't just being a baby) The morning I was going to go run, I woke up feeling sick, like sinus crap! The Lord answered my prayers by healing that sickness quickly! So yesterday I got up feeling better and went running... UGH... I only ran for like 15 minutes and had to stop... I had an ankle brace on and it was bothering my foot and it was kind of cool outside and my lungs were just hurting... Needless to say, I came home pretty discouraged and my motivation for running is dying!! But last night I talked to kel and she said she had to take 2 weeks off because of shin splints 3 weeks before she did a 1/2, so she gave me some encouragement! I CAN'T GIVE UP!!

on to the next order of business!
I L.O.V.E reading blogs... I think it may be my favorite past time :) so thank you for those consistent blog writers!! and i guess thats all I have to say about that!

next... I thank God for technology every day of my life. Skype is genius! My cousin Danny just got a new computer and getting to see him and my aunt Michelle made my day yesterday! I couldn't stop smiling! They were at my aunt's cabin and it made my heart warm slash sad to feel like I got to be there for a few minutes! Then later on, I was doing my usual skype-ing with my sis (who I miss more then words can say) and when she answered, to my surprise, it was not troy sitting on her lap, but my sweet cousin Braxton! I haven't seen him since May and he is HUGE and has so many teeth and just kept smiling, like the happiest baby ever! It was such a great day! It is kind of like I get to be in two places at once! And I had a great day with a few girls here, clear across the ocean! I grabbed coffee with a couple girls in the morning and then spent some time walking around the city checking out cafe's. Then had pizza with a different couple girls and had a great time with them!! Incredible!! Ohhhh ANDDDD, Sharon, who I nannied for all last year sent me a few video's of the kiddos from her Iphone and they are getting huge and it seriously made me sooo happy!! Uhhh! Loved it!

Ingrid Michaelson (who is my favorite), Regina Spektor, and Colbie Caillat= ALL have great new music out! You should check it out! And a new girl that I listen to is Priscilla Ahn. Just if you want some good new music! I promise I like male vocals too! But it just happens that right now these artists have new music out! But right now my favorite song is not from any of these people... its I Have Found by Kim Walker!

Ok well... I know I had more to talk about but I can't remember anymore... I think tonight we are having people over to watch a movie and hang out! Life is GOOD! Really... I serve the most loving, gracious God! It seriously brings me to tears sometimes! He wants good things for us, He wants to bless us, why do I ever doubt that?

I wanted to put a picture up because Kelly said that blogs are boring without pics but I cant seem to find one... Ohhh here is a random pic to go with my random blog of the day!

This is Delaney, who I babysat last year! And she makes me laugh :)

a day of firsts!

FIRST...
day of fall
day for me to ride the bus
day for me to drive a standard :)
day for me to go to the Slovene coast
day for me to eat nashi

Me and Tanja, who i rode the bus to meet, to drive her car to meet Mateja, to eat nashi at the Slovene coast, on the first day of fall :)

Me and Mateja!
What a great day!!!!

Full of meat and potatoes!!!

I'm just going to jump right in... We left for JV's Fall Conference in Czech on Monday and I was expecting good things. However, I was not expecting GREAT things and that is just what I received from the Lord! The Lord spoke in some powerful ways through several people this week!

The theme was Passing the Baton! Which is really JV's mission, making disciples, who make disciples! And just to state the obvious... I am not making disciples, the Holy Spirit does that! We are not called to make disciples of ourselves but of Jesus. So how do we do that? We point them to HIM always and never ourselves!! So they used the analogy of running all week, which is pretty ironic since I am trying to train for a half marathon and was a littly unsure if I would really do it because I am training by myself! Needless to say, I am doing it, so long as my ROLLED ANKLE will heal quickly :) (Thats a story for later)

I won't be able to write all the things God taught me or that I feel convicted of, or excited about, or motivated about, BUT I will try to give a few highlights of this week!

I'll start with my favorite, which was a clinic called Extreme Exposure to the Word by Greg Carlson! He is a very funny, passionate man of the Lord and I feel so blessed by what he shared with us! He gave us an article by Ron Frost about reading the Bible! When one man was asked how he gained all his biblical knowledge, he laughed and just said, I just read my Bible. Then he was asked well, 'how much reading- how do you approach it?' And he said, he tries to read through it 2-3 times a year! Needless to say, the article was SO challenging to me and I do feel like the Lord has given me a hunger for His Word and so Brooke and I are going to do a read though by the time I leave Slovenia, which is less then 3 months away! I am sooooo excited!!! And as sad as it is... this will be my first time to read the Bible ALL the way through! I have attempted many times and always failed! SO, I am ready, with the help of the Lord, to hear the Word of God and watch it transform my life!!!! I need accountability if anyone wants to check up on me these next few months!

I also went to an awesome clinic called Leading Disciples to Freedom and it was for yourself and/or for your disciples! So it spoke a lot to me! Amy Ellenwood did this clinic and did a great job! It was a lot about being in tune with the Holy Spirit in order to be set free by Jesus! The only ONE that can heal our heart is the ONE who made it! Once the lies we have believed about ourselves or others or God, and sins are exposed, by the Spirit, to the light, the power it had in our life is BROKEN! So it was really encouraging! I feel like this is somethign that I experienced at the beginning of the summer when Johnny and Brooke prayed with me... The sin was exposed and brough into the light and Jesus has been able to heal and continues to heal me! Praise God!

The last but certainly NOT LEAST, was a clinic called Discipling Girls by Connie Patty. It was a very practical clinic, which was so nice! We MUST rely fully on the Spirit, make yourself available to Him and He will use you! If you have any questions about this I would love to give you some tips that Connie gave us! But the biggest thing that stuck out to me that applies to ALL discipleship is that it is sacrifical. Jesus payed paid the biggest price by sacrificing his life and I believe that is what He calls us to as well, to give our life! Sounds easier then it is :)

These were just 3 of 13 clinics. Then there were 9 main seminars which included, The Finish Line, Mapping the Course, The First Lap, Good Shoes, Clearing the Hurdles, Training on the Run, Making the Handoff, Strength Training, and The Long Run. Talk about overload of good stuff!! Some serious meat and potatoes, if you will!

Ok... I'll leave ya this, my eyes full of tears...

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that YOU will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

Amen!

Last night we had our first youth group! And its so encouraging that we even have a group!! I think there was about 20 people there all together, including helpers! We are trying to decide what to call it, so as soon as we vote for a name, I will let you know! I think it went really well! We played games, did the theme song, Johnny talked, and then we all discussed what we wanted for this group! It was a success if you ask me!! I brought my camera to take a picture of the group and didn't have my memory card in my camera so that's a bummer!!!! But there is always next time :)

Tonight we are going to an outreach musical thing that is put on by a few people from church! It is a musical about God's grace! I think Maja and her sister, Lara, are coming with! So that should be fun! Then church tomorrow, and we leave for Fall Conference on Monday and will be gone all week! So you can pray for safe travels!! I can't wait to tell you all about what God teaches me at Conference!!

Much Love!!

09.09.09

Feeling excitement this day... another cool fall morning, with warm coffee, and great people! I'm excited to connect with Terry and Lori today AND can't wait to go to Maja's house today and help her with her English assignment! And maybe get a little Slovene teaching as well!
Yesterday was a great day as well! I got to go to Bovec, which is where some of Prince Caspian was filmed! I have been waiting to go there since I got here, so it was a much awaited visit!! And I was like a little kid excited!!!! I went with Justin, Erin, and one of Erin's friends. (My pastor and his wife) and they are great!! It was a beautiful day!!This is Erin. And the picture that I took with both of them did not turn out :(

Much love and appreciation from Slovenia!! So thankful for your love, prayers, and support! I have been feeling it the past few days! The Lord is allowing me to feel your prayers especially today :)

I LOVE SUNDAYS!!

I just got the best feeling... I was downstairs in the kitchen and the window was open and there is a slight crisp-ness to the air... FALL!!! I have never been more excited for cool weather!! I am just so excited for a new season, literally and figuratively!! Today is a great day! It was great to be at church!! It was good to see people and great to see Maja and Anja there (without me inviting)!! I really just felt peace today and I don't feel like I have felt that recently, so I was very thankful for that! And now watching football on Sunday afternoon... THE BEST!! I am just so excited to get into a routine!! This week I will meet with a few people and Friday night we are hanging out with students! I am really excited to see them all!! Then we leave for conference on Monday and will be gone until Friday or Saturday! I am really looking forward to Fall Conference in Czech. It is a great time of fellowship and learning about the Lord!! Can't wait!!
We, Johnny, Brooke, Kam, and I, just got back from vaca yesterday in Bol, Croatia! Absolutely beautiful!! It was so restful and relaxing! The Lord blessed us with exactly what we all needed!! We got to lay out, eat yummy food, go tubing, get a massage, and rest on a beautiful island! But like I said before, its great to be back! I feel refreshed and ready for this next season!! Ok thats all for now, but more to come!!

When we fear the Lord and do as He commands, He blesses us!!