This is the Excited Me :D

I can't wait to move. I love growing and changing. Of course, being comfortable is nice and my flesh's go-to, but change is so much for fun. My favorite part is to look and see how far God has brought me.

I can definitely tell God is preparing me for something BIG and I'm guessing it's college. Because I have these ginormous butterflies in my stomach, and I'm just itching to get up and go and do and be who God has transformed/ is transforming me to be.

It's just exciting to be in the middle of this fabulous relationship and to see it grow and prosper is exhilarating. Nothing could ever be better.

My heart's desire is for Him and His glory and favor. I never understood repentance till now. I don't want to displease my Father. I just want to make Him smile and sing and dance for Him.

I remember when I was really little and I would walk into the grocery store holding my Dad's hand and we'd swing our arms, and that's how I picture living life with Jesus (except we're walking down a dirt road). Sometimes I'm sitting on His shoulders holding on to His head. Sometimes He's rocking me in His arms late at night.

Brand New BFF

It's what I call "staying focused". Just learning to live life with Jesus. Chatting it up as we walk down the dirt path of life holding hands, skipping, pausing to enjoy the scenery (but never for too long). Pouring my heart and soul into my family, my school, my missions, and the lover of my soul. A lot of people take this the wrong way. I don't blame them. But I can't worry about that. I'm trying to be who I've been created to be.

Recently I've felt more alone than ever before, but also recently I've felt more loved and truly accepted than ever before. I'm trying to remember what really matters in the long-run. That doesn't mean I'm apathetic or heartless....I'm just focused in a different direction, in an eternal direction. I've got my eyes on the heavens and I'm not looking down for anyone.

Reading through Ezekiel is tough. It's full of God's anger and wrath, but it's also got these neat little hidden one-phrase treasures of truth. Each morning it God uses just a few simple words to focus me for the day. Mainly, it's to surrender to Him and just live a life of worship and praising His glory. And honestly, I don't think anyone could be happier than when they become best friends with the Savior of the World, the Creator of the World, the King of the Universe, THE I AM.

And right now, I can honestly say, more than ever, that Jesus is my Best Friend. I never fully understood what it meant till recently. And I can't wait to see more.

EUREKA!!! (Epiphany of the Week)

I figured out what my problem is....

I don't live in REALITY!

I spend all my time comparing my life with that of fictional characters, living in my books, movies, and television shows. And I fail to live life in reality. With a Jesus and evil and lostness and no personal bubble. Praise God for being the needle to my metaphorical bubble.

I lose focus. Well, you know what? I need to stop that. I need help. I need to get my head out of the clouds and get to work. I was doing so great just a week ago....and I felt myself being drug downwards and I let it happen. That is the most infuriating thing ever. To know that you're on your way to crash and burn and you just let it happen like everything is Hunky-Dory

Instantaneous God-message: "In the Light" by DC Talk just came on the radio. Coincidence? I think not.

More Like Falling In Love

So I'm kinda in the middle of some high school drama....and I really don't like it. But besides that, God is showing me that...it's all very petty. What does it matter? If I'm following my convictions and living a life of praise to my God then, quite honestly, I'm not sorry I've upset you. Because while I care about you and your opinions (because I really do) they are not the most important. And as hard as it is for me, I will not apologize for putting Jesus before you. (And that goes for all of you).

Which brings me to what I'm learning in my heart. It's not that you don't matter, it's just that this year God has become SO real to me, that I truly understand that He matters more. Because He's worth it.

This year: 2010. I am labeling it "The Year of Identity". I do not find it a coincidence that God has chosen this year to teach me who God is and who I am in Him, especially since I am going to college next year and will definitely need to know where I stand.

Let's see what God has taught me so far:

• Treasured: This spring God showed me that I am precious to Him. I am His chosen, treasured, lovely in His sight.
• Daughter: This summer, before my trip, Jesus taught me what it means to have a heavenly Father. He made the story of the prodigal son really come to life.
• Warrior: In India I realized how strong I am in Christ and how powerful the spirit is that lives in me.
• Princess: After my trip, I learned that this does not mean I'm a spoiled brat who thinks she deserves everything, rather, that I am an advocate for the people, I am not afraid to get down and dirty and build relationships and take that back to the throne room, where I am welcomed.
• Friend: Most recently, I have experienced Jesus as my best friend. My closest confidant. My caring companion. My heart and soul. I do not even want to imagine where I'd be without Him.

I CANNOT wait to see what else God is going to teach me. With almost 3 whole months left, I know God still wants to show me many things about who I am and how He desires our relationship to look. I have never been so in love with My Jesus than I am. I have come a loooong way since, well... May actually. I praise God for how quickly He can change our hearts. How earnestly He yearns for closeness with us. He never ceases to blow my mind. :)

My Treasure

This is my little girl, Larissa. Oh, how I miss her. I can still hear her voice. And see her face. I love her. She's been on my heart recently. Sigh....Lord, bless her. That is my heart. That she grow into a strong passionate disciple of Jesus Christ. Lord, love her.

"The Earth is Yours" by: Gungor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4EPnM62O8A&NR=1

The Earth is Yours

Written by Michael Gungor

Your voice it thunders

The oaks start twisting

The forest sounds with cedars breaking

The waters see You and start their writhing

From the depths a song is rising

Now it’s rising from the ground

Holy, Holy

Holy, Holy Lord

The earth is Yours and singing

Holy, Holy

Holy, Holy Lord

The earth is Yours

The earth is Yours

Your voice it thunders

The ground is shaking

The mighty mountains now are trembling

Creation sees You

And starts composing

The fields and trees they start rejoicing.

Now it’s rising from the ground

It’s rising from the ground

Hear us crying out

Hear us crying out

Stay-cation....here I come (Hopefully)

Today's been one of those days where I would have loved to curl up in a sun room with a screen open, a very large cup of coffee, any my very tall stack of books I'm looking forward to reading and stayed there all day.

However, while reading Radical by David Platt I tend to want to get up and change the world.

Now, while not much is wrong with either.... what today actually turned into was a long exhausting, and by the end, heartbreaking Thursday.....NOT EVEN A FRIDAY. Sigh, Fall Break could not come at a better time.

Song of the week

Like Incense / Sometimes By Step Song Lyrics | Hillsong Live Lyrics | Christian Music Song Lyrics | NewReleaseTuesday.com

Life Long Learner

This year so far, has been a year of lessons. This semester, God has been teaching me the importance of fellowship compared to friendship. He's also showing me what it means to dwell in my Christ-granted authority. And how powerful words and attitudes are.

ONE: Fellowship is so much more special and fulfilling than friendship. Fellowship is about living with Jesus together and living in freedom together and growing together. I've never so much grasped this concept than the past couple weeks. I love my friends dearly, and I always have but I can't do friendships anymore....it's like a piggy-back ride. You carry me for awhile and when you get bogged down with life, we'll switch. That's an exhausting way of life. Especially because you can't seem to catch your breath before your friend needs a break. However, fellowship is awesome fun because you can hold hands and skip and sing and you're completely free (in Christ of course). The only time it doesn't work is when you try to hold hands with someone who's going in a different direction (then it turns into tug-o-war).

TWO: I have authority! I do not have to live in intimidation because MY God has conquered it already! I no longer have to intimidate others, because I am a daughter of the King! In my heart, I hold the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. How cool! I have that always. And I can use it always. Just like my Jesus. That's some powerful thinking and living. And if we choose to dwell in that attitude, we can dwell in Jesus Christ and His purpose for our lives. We begin to mimick His actions without a second thought. It becomes natural. Thoughts and words are powerful. If I say and think God-centered thoughts long enough. I begin to live by them and act on them. :D

Oui with the Poodles already.

You'd think my family was half Jewish. With the guilt trips and the talking over each other all the time and the food....oh wait, that's just cause we're Greek. Only the 2nd person in my family to go to a private Christian college and you think they'd be excited for me and encouraging. Instead they rap on me for how expensive it is. Valedictorian and you think they would brag about my education at a title I inner-city school. Instead, they hound me for taking college classes my senior year and how the money being spent for an EDUCATION that to their standards isn't conducive to my future.What does it matter? I'm learning. I'm never going to stop learning as much as my little brain can handle. It's who I am, it's how God made me. And one day, Lord willing, I'll pay my parents back. Lord knows they deserve everything I have. It's not like I take that for granted. Trust me, I don't. I just wish you'd be proud of me sometimes for being brave enough to do stuff our parents never did. You know how it is. That's what you've done, and you've done a great job at it. So why so hard on me? You tell me one school isn't good enough intellectually, you say another school is too good for me. What do you want me to do? I'm choosing what will benefit me and the rest of the world the most in the long-run. I love you but I can't let you stop me from fulfilling all that God has for me. These are not decisions made on a whim. And your support would be greatly appreciated. You may upset me sometimes, but I still love you. And I'll always be proud of you.