Hi, my name is Karli and I have Crohn's disease. In case you don't know what Crohn's is, this is what Google said..."A chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract." In other words, it wreaks havoc on your colon. I have chosen not to take the easy way out - taking a drug for the rest of my life and eating the same way I was before. I have chosen the hard way. The way that my body is healing itself from the inside out...by eating extremely healthy.
Tonight though was one of those times where I literally wanted to scream because the pain was so bad. This disease is embarrassing to me on a certain level. My body is doing things that I can't control and I hate that. I have no issues talking about it with others....but when you can't control certain functions that's a whole other story. Many days I just want to be home but I can't.
I have no clue how well my colon is doing. Part of me wants to find out, but the other part doesn't want to have to go through a colonoscopy...although I should probably get one done within the next few years. It's not the most pleasant experience I've ever been through.
When I am in so much pain I tend to cry out to God why. Many times over He points me to Psalm 34, and tonight was no exception. The beginning of the chapter starts out with praise, which was the furthest thing from my mind. By the end of the chapter though His praise was continually on my lips.
Today in Bible Study we read in Exodus 34 about Moses' face being radiant after He talked with God. Only one other Person was seen having a radiant face and that was Jesus Christ. When you read Psalm 34 though, as a believer, I have the opportunity to be radiant if I look to Him. I love the fact that God used pain to draw the parallel between these passages and be able to apply it to my life.
At the end of the chapter this verse comes along...."Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all." It doesn't say that I won't have afflictions, but if I am found righteous in God's eyes, then the trials....and pain....I go through aren't gone through alone but with God beside me. There is rest on the other side and peace and that can only be found in Him alone.
Tonight probably won't be the last time I feel that pain, but I know I can face it and weather the storm because of what Christ did on the cross for me. This is a day of celebration for Christians everywhere. Christ rose from the grave!!!! He is alive! I serve a risen Savior! When I get my eyes off of me and my pain/problems, I truly can praise the Lord for what He has done for me as well as will do for me and for who He is. The great I AM.
Showing posts with label God thing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God thing. Show all posts
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
You're hired!
There was once a girl who needed a job. Oh wait, that would be me. I have been searching for a job for over 6 months now. In other posts I've mentioned that I've been looking at administrative assistant positions because that's what I know to do.
So - here's a story... I sent out my resume to local businesses here in Tyler. One day I had turned the news on and saw a commercial about a furniture consignment shop. I was thinking how fun it would be to work there, but that will never happen.
I went to a staffing agency to hook me up with a, you guessed it, admin assistant job. After that I decided to stop by the consignment shop just to see if it would be a place I would want to work at. I asked if they were hiring and the owner told me that I'd be working on Saturdays. I was a little bummed, but thought it would be a cool side job - get my foot in maybe for something else down the line. Plus I'm at a place in life where I could work 6 days a week.
A few days later I went to my first interview since high school - needless to say I was one nervous wreck. The interview went way better than I thought it would. One thing they didn't like that they told the staffing agency was that I had moved around a lot. Totally understandable, but I was thinking why they didn't just address that with me in the interview.
Throughout the next week I went to several more interviews. I was offered a temp job that was lucrative if it would have extended to full time, but I did not want a temp position. I didn't feel right taking the job, but once I said a final no, I felt absolute peace.
I had another interview for a position that was not something I wanted to do. I mainly went just for the practice plus you never know what could happen. After the interview I called the staffing agency and told them that if I was offered the job I would take it. I mainly did this because it was a full time job and I needed a full time job. That weekend I wrestled with that decision. I called the staffing agency on Monday as soon as they opened and left a message that I did not want that job.
I interviewed that Monday morning with another staffing agency to help find me a job. After leaving that I felt good that this particular person actually got to know me and understood what I was looking for and why. Later that day I got a call from Kate Kombos of Rega of Paris (furniture store) asking if I would like to do an interview. I said sure. Tuesday morning I went to Rega of Paris for an interview for a Saturday job. In the midst of the interview I'm told that I would have Tuesdays off, so I would be working Monday and Wednesday through Saturday. I just stared at Kate and didn't say a word. I had no earthly clue that when she told me I'd be working Saturdays that she was talking about a full time job. She said she would call my references, asked me when I could start, and told me she would call me later that afternoon.
Well, the afternoon came and went and I thought that she wouldn't be calling and had resigned myself to not working there at all. Then the call came....she offered me the job if I wanted it. OF COURSE I DO!!! I have been wanting a job that doesn't require me to sit behind a desk all day and work on a computer. I've been wanting a job that allows me to use my hands. I've been wanting a job where I stand for most of it. I've been wanting a job where I can learn about furniture. I told my friend down here that there was no way I would get a job like that. She threw that back at me after I accepted this position.
I must say, it is weird to have my work week split up like it is, but I have been getting used to it and sort of like it. Kate told me that she doesn't expect me to stay with her for forever, but at least give her a couple of years. Honestly, I see myself giving her more than a couple, but we'll see what other adventures God has in store for me. For now, I don't really have a title, I have to remind myself where I work when answering the phone as I automatically want to say Hanalani Upper School, I don't really have a lunch break - which I actually love, I get to work with furniture every day, and it's like a treasure hunt when new items are brought in, which is every single day.
There are some crazy things in the store, but that's what I love about it. It's constantly changing and it's exciting to see people come in and find something they absolutely love and can't live without. So, if you're ever in Tyler, TX you need to stop in and see me at Rega of Paris across from Walmart on Broadway! I'll welcome you to the store, but don't worry, you'll still recognize me because I'm the one that doesn't have a southern accent.
I'm still awed by the fact that God took delight in me and gave me a job like this. I have bruises in weird places on my legs from work, but I wouldn't trade it for the world right now.
So - here's a story... I sent out my resume to local businesses here in Tyler. One day I had turned the news on and saw a commercial about a furniture consignment shop. I was thinking how fun it would be to work there, but that will never happen.
I went to a staffing agency to hook me up with a, you guessed it, admin assistant job. After that I decided to stop by the consignment shop just to see if it would be a place I would want to work at. I asked if they were hiring and the owner told me that I'd be working on Saturdays. I was a little bummed, but thought it would be a cool side job - get my foot in maybe for something else down the line. Plus I'm at a place in life where I could work 6 days a week.
A few days later I went to my first interview since high school - needless to say I was one nervous wreck. The interview went way better than I thought it would. One thing they didn't like that they told the staffing agency was that I had moved around a lot. Totally understandable, but I was thinking why they didn't just address that with me in the interview.
Throughout the next week I went to several more interviews. I was offered a temp job that was lucrative if it would have extended to full time, but I did not want a temp position. I didn't feel right taking the job, but once I said a final no, I felt absolute peace.
I had another interview for a position that was not something I wanted to do. I mainly went just for the practice plus you never know what could happen. After the interview I called the staffing agency and told them that if I was offered the job I would take it. I mainly did this because it was a full time job and I needed a full time job. That weekend I wrestled with that decision. I called the staffing agency on Monday as soon as they opened and left a message that I did not want that job.
I interviewed that Monday morning with another staffing agency to help find me a job. After leaving that I felt good that this particular person actually got to know me and understood what I was looking for and why. Later that day I got a call from Kate Kombos of Rega of Paris (furniture store) asking if I would like to do an interview. I said sure. Tuesday morning I went to Rega of Paris for an interview for a Saturday job. In the midst of the interview I'm told that I would have Tuesdays off, so I would be working Monday and Wednesday through Saturday. I just stared at Kate and didn't say a word. I had no earthly clue that when she told me I'd be working Saturdays that she was talking about a full time job. She said she would call my references, asked me when I could start, and told me she would call me later that afternoon.
Well, the afternoon came and went and I thought that she wouldn't be calling and had resigned myself to not working there at all. Then the call came....she offered me the job if I wanted it. OF COURSE I DO!!! I have been wanting a job that doesn't require me to sit behind a desk all day and work on a computer. I've been wanting a job that allows me to use my hands. I've been wanting a job where I stand for most of it. I've been wanting a job where I can learn about furniture. I told my friend down here that there was no way I would get a job like that. She threw that back at me after I accepted this position.
I must say, it is weird to have my work week split up like it is, but I have been getting used to it and sort of like it. Kate told me that she doesn't expect me to stay with her for forever, but at least give her a couple of years. Honestly, I see myself giving her more than a couple, but we'll see what other adventures God has in store for me. For now, I don't really have a title, I have to remind myself where I work when answering the phone as I automatically want to say Hanalani Upper School, I don't really have a lunch break - which I actually love, I get to work with furniture every day, and it's like a treasure hunt when new items are brought in, which is every single day.
There are some crazy things in the store, but that's what I love about it. It's constantly changing and it's exciting to see people come in and find something they absolutely love and can't live without. So, if you're ever in Tyler, TX you need to stop in and see me at Rega of Paris across from Walmart on Broadway! I'll welcome you to the store, but don't worry, you'll still recognize me because I'm the one that doesn't have a southern accent.
I'm still awed by the fact that God took delight in me and gave me a job like this. I have bruises in weird places on my legs from work, but I wouldn't trade it for the world right now.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Who wants a car?
There was once a girl who needed a car. Oh, that girl would be me. Once I moved to Tyler, I immediately started looking for a vehicle. Then the family I live with went on vacation and so I borrowed their second vehicle to get out and about. I was going to borrow their second vehicle when the dad went to Italy for a little over a week but the day right before he left we found out he needed to use the vehicle to get to the airport, which is 2 hours away.
That was a Thursday. I came home and scoured over craigslist for something. A mechanic here told me what make to look for, so I was focusing my efforts on those. I had been searching for a SUV for around $4000, but people kept telling me it wasn't going to be possible to find that. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be buying a car.
I was trying to work around the family's schedule so Friday was the day we were able to go out and actually look and test drive cars. I called a guy about a car and left a voice mail. When he called me back he had just sold it. He asked me what I was looking for, so I told him and he said that he had another car for me so we arranged for us to go to his car lot later that afternoon.
When we pulled into the lot my heart kind of sank as I knew which car this guy had in mind. However, I told myself that I needed a car and it was in my price range, so just go with it. The guy went to get the key to unlock it so I could take it for a spin. He spent a good 3 minutes trying to unlock the car with the key, but had no luck. I went to look at the other vehicles he had and came back when I noticed he had walked away. He went inside to get a lock out kit. You see, the door wouldn't open even with the key and the passenger side door didn't have a keyhole anymore - just a hole.
At this point I didn't want to suggest trying to go through the trunk....mainly because this car obviously needed a little more work done! At this point I asked him if he had other vehicles at a certain price range and he did. I didn't want leather and this next vehicle he showed me had it. At this point I was done with him. We all got back in the car (because the kiddos came along for the ride) and started driving with no real plan. My friend and I realized we had seen at least one car lot on the way so we took off in search of it.
We were going to make a night of car searching and go out for supper in the midst. We stopped at the car lot we had first seen and pulled in...only to not be able to move. The small lot was packed with cars. I got out and approached a guy asking if he worked there. Immediately he gave off a vibe that said "Oh, you're a woman, you don't know anything." I told him what I had and was not willing to budge one bit and he made a few comments about that. I allowed him to show me one car, said no, thanked him for his time, then got out of there. We drove past another one, but nothing jumped out at me. At this point I was a little frustrated, but I needed to get a car - how would I get to church on Sunday or to my interview on Monday morning?
We drove by another car lot and noticed that the Open sign was on, so we stopped. I saw a few cars that were what the mechanic had told me to look at and was relieved that they were in my price range. Just because, I walked down to where the SUVs were located at and saw a Toyota 4Runner sitting there. It was priced somewhere between $4500 and $5000. I went in search of the guy who worked there and found him in the little shack with a customer. When the customer walked out, I told him that I had $4000 cash on me and needed to buy a vehicle today. I then asked if he would consider taking $4000 for the 4Runner - expecting him to say no. He sat there and hemmed and hawwed for a little bit, then said yes. WHAT?!
He gave me the keys and I took it out - to get gas. The gas light was on and I prayed the entire way to the gas station. On my way there, I knew this was my car. I got back, told him I wanted it, and we shook on it. I left it there overnight because he said he was going to pay for the inspection - wow! The family took me back the next day to pick it up. One thing I was planning on for Monday was getting it registered. When I picked it up for good, the guy made a comment and I said, what? I didn't realize that the registration was part of the $4000 package....EVERYTHING was included!
I'm still in shock. I was thinking the car was tan, but it's silver. This lot was on the side of the road in the dirt and trees and it was reflecting the color of the dirt. It makes a noise when it reaches 50. The antenna is not on it. The clock doesn't work. There's a crack in the dashboard plexiglass. Minor issues! It will get me to and from work, church, and the grocery store. I am so amazed at the kindness of my great and awesome God. This vehicle is totally His, bought with His money. I desire to use it totally for His glory. I'm anxious to see what He will do with it.
That was a Thursday. I came home and scoured over craigslist for something. A mechanic here told me what make to look for, so I was focusing my efforts on those. I had been searching for a SUV for around $4000, but people kept telling me it wasn't going to be possible to find that. So, I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to be buying a car.
I was trying to work around the family's schedule so Friday was the day we were able to go out and actually look and test drive cars. I called a guy about a car and left a voice mail. When he called me back he had just sold it. He asked me what I was looking for, so I told him and he said that he had another car for me so we arranged for us to go to his car lot later that afternoon.
When we pulled into the lot my heart kind of sank as I knew which car this guy had in mind. However, I told myself that I needed a car and it was in my price range, so just go with it. The guy went to get the key to unlock it so I could take it for a spin. He spent a good 3 minutes trying to unlock the car with the key, but had no luck. I went to look at the other vehicles he had and came back when I noticed he had walked away. He went inside to get a lock out kit. You see, the door wouldn't open even with the key and the passenger side door didn't have a keyhole anymore - just a hole.
 |
| He asked me to help him by holding my hands in such a way that I would cut the glare. |
At this point I didn't want to suggest trying to go through the trunk....mainly because this car obviously needed a little more work done! At this point I asked him if he had other vehicles at a certain price range and he did. I didn't want leather and this next vehicle he showed me had it. At this point I was done with him. We all got back in the car (because the kiddos came along for the ride) and started driving with no real plan. My friend and I realized we had seen at least one car lot on the way so we took off in search of it.
We were going to make a night of car searching and go out for supper in the midst. We stopped at the car lot we had first seen and pulled in...only to not be able to move. The small lot was packed with cars. I got out and approached a guy asking if he worked there. Immediately he gave off a vibe that said "Oh, you're a woman, you don't know anything." I told him what I had and was not willing to budge one bit and he made a few comments about that. I allowed him to show me one car, said no, thanked him for his time, then got out of there. We drove past another one, but nothing jumped out at me. At this point I was a little frustrated, but I needed to get a car - how would I get to church on Sunday or to my interview on Monday morning?
We drove by another car lot and noticed that the Open sign was on, so we stopped. I saw a few cars that were what the mechanic had told me to look at and was relieved that they were in my price range. Just because, I walked down to where the SUVs were located at and saw a Toyota 4Runner sitting there. It was priced somewhere between $4500 and $5000. I went in search of the guy who worked there and found him in the little shack with a customer. When the customer walked out, I told him that I had $4000 cash on me and needed to buy a vehicle today. I then asked if he would consider taking $4000 for the 4Runner - expecting him to say no. He sat there and hemmed and hawwed for a little bit, then said yes. WHAT?!
He gave me the keys and I took it out - to get gas. The gas light was on and I prayed the entire way to the gas station. On my way there, I knew this was my car. I got back, told him I wanted it, and we shook on it. I left it there overnight because he said he was going to pay for the inspection - wow! The family took me back the next day to pick it up. One thing I was planning on for Monday was getting it registered. When I picked it up for good, the guy made a comment and I said, what? I didn't realize that the registration was part of the $4000 package....EVERYTHING was included!
 |
| She's all mine! |
Thursday, May 22, 2014
In Short, I'm Moving
The last time I wrote a post I had a friend message me on Facebook and said "Come live in my extra room for free" and then at the end of the message she said "PS I mean that" - um, ok. I was thinking, this is what she's said before, however, this time seemed different. When I was in Uganda, she told me I should come visit, if not move down to where her family lived and go to her church. A job would eventually come.
You see, all this time I haven't been wanting to be a secretary, but it's all I know how to do in order to move to some other place. So, what do you think I've been searching for these past months? A secretarial position in a warm state. Last week I was especially frustrated, particularly as I was filling out an application for a job I know I didn't want. Seriously, the entire time I was filling it out I kept telling myself to stop, but I like to finish what I start.
Then I get this message and it seriously seemed like God was talking to me. I've been reading a book titled "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer. I had picked this book up a couple of months back and thought, I should read this since I am trying to figure out what the next step is. Funny thing is, I put the book away for a bit. I finally go around to reading it, but not faithfully like I wanted to. I picked it up again on Monday and these last few chapters have really hit home for me during this particular time. Especially the chapter I read today, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
I told this friend that I've been seriously thinking about moving in with them, but haven't had any direction in that way particularly...until I read the message Tuesday morning. Then the floodgates opened. I told her that I eat a certain way, not the typical American fare. Thinking that this would be a game changer, she throws something at me out of left field - she wants me to help teach her how to eat healthier - pretty much the exact way I eat. I about fell out of my chair.
I wanted to make sure her husband was ok and he didn't hesitate on being cool with it, as long as I am looking for a job. Oh yeah, no problem there!
On Tuesday afternoon I sought the Scriptures to see if there was any direction/peace about this. I did pray specifically for a plane ticket that was $100 or less. Well, I found one....Spirit Airlines. I would not recommend this airline to anyone unless you are only taking the world's smallest carry on. They were selling a seat for $84. Bingo I thought. Then I searched for baggage fees....that added up to $55 for two pieces of luggage, plus the world's smallest carry on. Um, no thanks since that was only a few dollars short of what I found on Southwest.
I didn't purchase a ticket that day mainly because I still didn't have complete peace that this was the right thing to do. That night my sister called and I ended up telling her about this possibility. She said that it was obvious that God was in this for sure with the way He was laying it all out for me. I was getting a little excited, but this has happened before and then it doesn't pan out.
Wednesday comes along and I'm still talking back and forth with my friend and she asked me if I was coming since the way I was talking sounded like it. I had told my mom the same thing, but I really wanted confirmation from the Bible that this is what God wanted me to do. I believe that if we make a decision, it needs to be backed up biblically - sure fire way that God is in it.
I asked my friend a few more questions and was blown away by the answers she was giving me. It was a clear sign to me that God's best was for me to move to Tyler, TX. I couldn't really believe this was happening.
Thursday, I was reading in the book I mentioned above and the chapter was titled, "Yes, Lord." When we hear the voice of God, we are to obey immediately. She talked about Abraham and his testing - God told him to take Isaac up the mountain to be his sacrifice. Abraham had no idea why, didn't ask questions, he just did. Earlier in his life God told him to go without any clear direction and Abraham went. This was me. God is telling me to go without any clear direction beyond that and being His child I need to obey. I don't know what's in store for me, but I'd rather follow God's leading than do what I was doing and would continue to do here.
I then looked up ticket prices and the date and time I was going to go had a price hike of $20. No big deal, right? Wrong - especially when you don't have a job. So the Lord nudged me to look at the whole webpage again and I saw something that showed the cheapest flights per day. I clicked on it and found a ticket priced $118. That's it....with 2 free bags and a carry on that I know I can take on a Southwest plane. (FYI, flying on a Tuesday is the cheapest day of the week to fly. You're welcome.)
So, I am officially moving to Tyler, TX. No, I do not have a job or a car. Yes, I do have money for a car. Instead of leaving in just a little over 2 weeks, I got a cheaper ticket to fly a week later. There are a lot of I don't knows, but I need to take things one day at a time and commit absolutely everything to prayer. I also need to make sure that I am allowing myself to hear my God when He speaks to me.
Thank you to those who have been praying for me, I still need those prayers as I now have a little direction.
You see, all this time I haven't been wanting to be a secretary, but it's all I know how to do in order to move to some other place. So, what do you think I've been searching for these past months? A secretarial position in a warm state. Last week I was especially frustrated, particularly as I was filling out an application for a job I know I didn't want. Seriously, the entire time I was filling it out I kept telling myself to stop, but I like to finish what I start.
Then I get this message and it seriously seemed like God was talking to me. I've been reading a book titled "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer. I had picked this book up a couple of months back and thought, I should read this since I am trying to figure out what the next step is. Funny thing is, I put the book away for a bit. I finally go around to reading it, but not faithfully like I wanted to. I picked it up again on Monday and these last few chapters have really hit home for me during this particular time. Especially the chapter I read today, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
I told this friend that I've been seriously thinking about moving in with them, but haven't had any direction in that way particularly...until I read the message Tuesday morning. Then the floodgates opened. I told her that I eat a certain way, not the typical American fare. Thinking that this would be a game changer, she throws something at me out of left field - she wants me to help teach her how to eat healthier - pretty much the exact way I eat. I about fell out of my chair.
I wanted to make sure her husband was ok and he didn't hesitate on being cool with it, as long as I am looking for a job. Oh yeah, no problem there!
On Tuesday afternoon I sought the Scriptures to see if there was any direction/peace about this. I did pray specifically for a plane ticket that was $100 or less. Well, I found one....Spirit Airlines. I would not recommend this airline to anyone unless you are only taking the world's smallest carry on. They were selling a seat for $84. Bingo I thought. Then I searched for baggage fees....that added up to $55 for two pieces of luggage, plus the world's smallest carry on. Um, no thanks since that was only a few dollars short of what I found on Southwest.
I didn't purchase a ticket that day mainly because I still didn't have complete peace that this was the right thing to do. That night my sister called and I ended up telling her about this possibility. She said that it was obvious that God was in this for sure with the way He was laying it all out for me. I was getting a little excited, but this has happened before and then it doesn't pan out.
Wednesday comes along and I'm still talking back and forth with my friend and she asked me if I was coming since the way I was talking sounded like it. I had told my mom the same thing, but I really wanted confirmation from the Bible that this is what God wanted me to do. I believe that if we make a decision, it needs to be backed up biblically - sure fire way that God is in it.
I asked my friend a few more questions and was blown away by the answers she was giving me. It was a clear sign to me that God's best was for me to move to Tyler, TX. I couldn't really believe this was happening.
Thursday, I was reading in the book I mentioned above and the chapter was titled, "Yes, Lord." When we hear the voice of God, we are to obey immediately. She talked about Abraham and his testing - God told him to take Isaac up the mountain to be his sacrifice. Abraham had no idea why, didn't ask questions, he just did. Earlier in his life God told him to go without any clear direction and Abraham went. This was me. God is telling me to go without any clear direction beyond that and being His child I need to obey. I don't know what's in store for me, but I'd rather follow God's leading than do what I was doing and would continue to do here.
I then looked up ticket prices and the date and time I was going to go had a price hike of $20. No big deal, right? Wrong - especially when you don't have a job. So the Lord nudged me to look at the whole webpage again and I saw something that showed the cheapest flights per day. I clicked on it and found a ticket priced $118. That's it....with 2 free bags and a carry on that I know I can take on a Southwest plane. (FYI, flying on a Tuesday is the cheapest day of the week to fly. You're welcome.)
So, I am officially moving to Tyler, TX. No, I do not have a job or a car. Yes, I do have money for a car. Instead of leaving in just a little over 2 weeks, I got a cheaper ticket to fly a week later. There are a lot of I don't knows, but I need to take things one day at a time and commit absolutely everything to prayer. I also need to make sure that I am allowing myself to hear my God when He speaks to me.
Thank you to those who have been praying for me, I still need those prayers as I now have a little direction.
No distrust made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
~
Romans 4:20-25
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Week 3 Recap
This week was a little tougher in the nursery. There is one
baby in particular, Ann, whom everyone seems to gravitate to. She knows this
too. For 2 days straight she just whined the entire time I was in there. My
patience was wearing thin. You see, people come sweeping into the nursery, pick
her up, tell her how much they love her, and then put her back down. She
doesn’t like being put back down. And these people don’t give a second look at
the other babies. It breaks my heart for not only these other babies who seem
to get overlooked by those not working in the nursery as well as for Ann
because she’s getting used to being treated differently.
Well, this week the power seemed to have gone off quite a
bit. It’s nothing like Guam’s power outages – normally it’s off for only a few
hours, except for Sunday it turned off in the middle of my shower. Praise Jesus
the water still worked! (While typing this it just turned off and then turned
back on really quickly!) We also have a gas stove, so cooking is still an option!
I’m paranoid about opening the fridge though because of living on Guam. I don’t
want the food to go bad, but the power is never off that long, thankfully!
I’m learning that if I don’t start typing this recap during
the week, it all kind of becomes a blur. Friday morning was probably the worst
time of my week though. I woke up around 1:30 feeling really sore and really
cold. I tried to warm myself up, but it wasn’t working. I grabbed my towel from
the ladder (we sleep over a little desk area) and covered as much as I could. I
didn’t want to get down from my loft. I finally went to the bathroom hoping
that would help. That didn’t work, so I went and got a really heavy blanket
that we have here in the volunteers’ quarters. I kept feeling my hands and realizing
that they weren’t actually cold. My mind started wandering – was I dying? Did I
have malaria? Another girl threw up earlier in the week, was I going to? I
finally got down and posted on Facebook that I needed prayer and that I
probably had a fever. Instead of getting up and down from my bed, I decided to
camp out on the couch in the common area.
Within a few hours my fever had broken. During this time I
was wide awake, so I just browsed Facebook – and couldn’t believe the number of
people who posted they were praying for me. This whole time I was praying that
God would give me the grace to get through this. Of course I wanted it gone,
but am realizing that the things we go through are opportunities for God to
walk alongside of me through it and for me to learn to trust fully in Him.
I truly believed when I posted on Facebook that God was
going to work through me via those that were praying for me! Maybe it was the
fact that it was 3:30 am, but I truly believed He was going to answer the
prayers of the faithful! And my God didn’t let me down, He answered. It wasn’t
right away, but for, probably, the first time I actually felt the prayers of my
friends and family. I’m thankful to have gone through this trial.
James 1:2-4 states “Count
it all joy, my brothers,
when you meet trials of various kinds, for
you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let
steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.” I am learning to count my trials as joy…even though I do not
want to choose that. I want to be completely consumed by Christ!
 |
| Went to an aquarium last week, Christopher was my buddy for the time. |
Thursday, June 27, 2013
God-thing
I definitely know that God wants me going to Uganda. I love it when He gives me little confirmations along the way. I had two God-things happen this past week.
I have been forgetting for a couple weeks now to contact Kaiser's travel clinic. (For those that don't know, Kaiser is my insurance and they have their own network of clinics and hospitals.) I finally called last week, but was told that the clinic only has one secretary, so I would get a call back within 2 days' time. Ok, no biggie, it's still June.
I got a call the next day and told the lady what I needed. She then told me that the ONLY travel clinic dr would be on vacation for the month of July, but she would check to see if there were any openings left. She had that sound in her voice that made me think it wasn't going to happen. I immediately prayed the same one liner about 5 x's before she spoke again....and they had one more opening on July 2 before the dr left. Hallelujah!!! This was totally a God-thing!
Please pray with me that any shots or medication I need are covered by insurance. If not, thank you for those that have donated to me as that money will go towards this!
That was the first God-thing....now the second one. As of last week Thursday, I hadn't gotten my ticket to leave island. When I first got to island I got a Hawaiian Airlines visa card to help rack up miles. You know, for a rainy day when I would actually have the money to pay for hotel and car rental on another island. Yeah - never did use my miles to go anywhere. I've been planning on going to Phoenix to see some friends of mine and Hawaiian has a direct flight from here to there.
It takes 30,000 Hawaiian miles to get there. I've been watching the sight to see if I could find a day around the day I wanted to go that would be cheaper. Well, the Sunday after I had planned on leaving ended up being only 17,500. I had 20,350 at the time. I really wanted to see my friends, but also didn't want to have to spend over $250 for my ticket (to buy the extra miles). I would have gotten in at midnight on Sunday and then flown out at 7 am on Monday. Not ideal at all, but it would save me money.
I thought this through and then asked someone if I could get some advice. I laid it all out for them and then thought they would take their time in giving me an answer...nope. They got up and said, "Problem solved. I'll give you 10,000 miles!" I was honestly speechless. After I composed myself I immediately said that I couldn't accept the miles and what would they do then without those miles. Of course, something I have said before came back to haunt me. They said that those miles were the Lord's, not theirs to give. Wow - completely humbled by it! I not only got a FREE TICKET to the mainland, but I also get to spend time with my friends. Yes - this was totally a God-thing!
I have been forgetting for a couple weeks now to contact Kaiser's travel clinic. (For those that don't know, Kaiser is my insurance and they have their own network of clinics and hospitals.) I finally called last week, but was told that the clinic only has one secretary, so I would get a call back within 2 days' time. Ok, no biggie, it's still June.
I got a call the next day and told the lady what I needed. She then told me that the ONLY travel clinic dr would be on vacation for the month of July, but she would check to see if there were any openings left. She had that sound in her voice that made me think it wasn't going to happen. I immediately prayed the same one liner about 5 x's before she spoke again....and they had one more opening on July 2 before the dr left. Hallelujah!!! This was totally a God-thing!
Please pray with me that any shots or medication I need are covered by insurance. If not, thank you for those that have donated to me as that money will go towards this!
That was the first God-thing....now the second one. As of last week Thursday, I hadn't gotten my ticket to leave island. When I first got to island I got a Hawaiian Airlines visa card to help rack up miles. You know, for a rainy day when I would actually have the money to pay for hotel and car rental on another island. Yeah - never did use my miles to go anywhere. I've been planning on going to Phoenix to see some friends of mine and Hawaiian has a direct flight from here to there.
It takes 30,000 Hawaiian miles to get there. I've been watching the sight to see if I could find a day around the day I wanted to go that would be cheaper. Well, the Sunday after I had planned on leaving ended up being only 17,500. I had 20,350 at the time. I really wanted to see my friends, but also didn't want to have to spend over $250 for my ticket (to buy the extra miles). I would have gotten in at midnight on Sunday and then flown out at 7 am on Monday. Not ideal at all, but it would save me money.
I thought this through and then asked someone if I could get some advice. I laid it all out for them and then thought they would take their time in giving me an answer...nope. They got up and said, "Problem solved. I'll give you 10,000 miles!" I was honestly speechless. After I composed myself I immediately said that I couldn't accept the miles and what would they do then without those miles. Of course, something I have said before came back to haunt me. They said that those miles were the Lord's, not theirs to give. Wow - completely humbled by it! I not only got a FREE TICKET to the mainland, but I also get to spend time with my friends. Yes - this was totally a God-thing!
 |
| I will be saying this to Hawaii soon! |
Saturday, June 1, 2013
To give or not to give....
 |
| Google image |
So, it seems that there are several people who are trying to raise money for different reasons. I know some friends are trying to go to England and then Australia as missionaries. Another friend is going to Indonesia for close to a month. My dentist's office is raising money for children around the world. And then there's me. I too am trying to raise some money so I can head to Uganda and serve at Amani Baby Cottage. The question I'm posed with when someone has reached out to me and asked me to consider donating to them is to give or not to give financially. If God says give, who am I to say no.
I decided to give a little towards my friends going to England. I know God will provide my needs - in fact the money that I have in my bank account isn't actually mine, but His. Who am I to say that all of that is meant to be spent on me alone. I gave a little today and have received over 100% of that money back because a friend gave to my trip today. I stared at what she had placed in my hands and had no words. Tears immediately formed and I quickly breathed to try to get them to stop. I was so humbled that she would give so freely that amount. She knows me too well....as I was standing there not saying a word, she told me that she knew my immediate response was to give the money back to her. I had no words to that since it was absolutely true. I immediately thought of the now insignificant amount I had given earlier in the day and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord blessed me above and beyond what I thought possible today.
Friday, May 10, 2013
The principle of 3's
So, I hear in interior design that the best thing to do is group items in 3's. Well, it seems like God followed that rule when it comes to cars and those that need one! Here's are two God-stories from some friends of mine...
Jake and Heidi are moving off island and needed to sell their car. They put it on craigslist and got a hit. (I don't know the exact details...but you'll get the point from here on out.) They said that they needed the car until a certain time...since they are on island until the end of this month. The guy looking at the car agreed to this timeline...which would leave Jake and Heidi without a car for several weeks. A friend of ours heard about this and talked with Jake about their need of a car. This friend and his wife are in the process of waiting for a lady to give birth to the child they are going to adopt. They would need to be on the mainland for an extended period of time after the child is born before they can bring him back to Hawaii. They offered Jake and Heidi the use of their car since they won't be here. Oh, and I believe this happened the very same day Jake met with the guy who bought their car. A God thing?! I think yes.
Beth lives in Waianae and drives to Mililani every day for work. She had an older Ford Escape that was getting 13 mpg. Needless to say, she was paying a pretty penny for gas...especially living here on Hawaii. While her parents were here, her dad suggested that she put her car on craigslist....which being the obedient daughter, she did :) She didn't think anyone would call her....but she got a call for the car the very next day. She hadn't been seriously looking to buy a car at this time either...so this could potentially leave her without a car. Well, she sold her car...with no idea how she would get around. Her landlord had an extra car that he keeps for his sister-in-law who works on island for several months out of the year. The day that Beth needed the car is the same day that the landlord's sister-in-law left island....and he graciously allowed her to borrow his car - which gets way better gas mileage than her SUV. Beth was hoping to have her dad help her look for a car, but that didn't happen. So, after a couple of weeks borrowing her car, she bought one with the help of her neighbor - who helped talk the guy down a lot! This car can potentially get 40 mpg....a HUGE change from what she had! A God thing?! I think yes.
The last you read I sold my car not knowing what I would do. A family in my church has a nanny who is off island right now. I knew she had a car...but didn't know if they would be using it or not. I swallowed my pride and ask them if I could borrow one of their cars for a while. They said they'd talk it over...this was Wednesday. If I could borrow a car, they would bring it on Sunday. My friends who bought my car used it on Sunday....and I was hoping to tell them they could keep it - and I could get rid of my insurance as soon as possible. Well, I'm officially DEBT FREE and am no longer paying insurance! The family brought the car and I'm able to use it...not sure how long yet. I actually got a lot more money back from my insurance than I thought I would...huge praise! God completely orchestrated that the nanny would be off island for a long period of time at the exact time that I would need a vehicle. Man - my God is awesome! A God thing?! I think yes!
Psalm 34:1 has been a verse I've been clinging to for the past several weeks: "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." No matter what the circumstance I should always be praising God! How can I not after what He has done not only in my life, but the lives of my friends! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
I have now raised over $1000 for my trip! I'm continually humbled by the generosity of others...so undeserving of it. Thank you to anyone who has given and who will give in the future. You are not only impacting my life, but the lives of those children in Uganda for good.
Jake and Heidi are moving off island and needed to sell their car. They put it on craigslist and got a hit. (I don't know the exact details...but you'll get the point from here on out.) They said that they needed the car until a certain time...since they are on island until the end of this month. The guy looking at the car agreed to this timeline...which would leave Jake and Heidi without a car for several weeks. A friend of ours heard about this and talked with Jake about their need of a car. This friend and his wife are in the process of waiting for a lady to give birth to the child they are going to adopt. They would need to be on the mainland for an extended period of time after the child is born before they can bring him back to Hawaii. They offered Jake and Heidi the use of their car since they won't be here. Oh, and I believe this happened the very same day Jake met with the guy who bought their car. A God thing?! I think yes.
Beth lives in Waianae and drives to Mililani every day for work. She had an older Ford Escape that was getting 13 mpg. Needless to say, she was paying a pretty penny for gas...especially living here on Hawaii. While her parents were here, her dad suggested that she put her car on craigslist....which being the obedient daughter, she did :) She didn't think anyone would call her....but she got a call for the car the very next day. She hadn't been seriously looking to buy a car at this time either...so this could potentially leave her without a car. Well, she sold her car...with no idea how she would get around. Her landlord had an extra car that he keeps for his sister-in-law who works on island for several months out of the year. The day that Beth needed the car is the same day that the landlord's sister-in-law left island....and he graciously allowed her to borrow his car - which gets way better gas mileage than her SUV. Beth was hoping to have her dad help her look for a car, but that didn't happen. So, after a couple of weeks borrowing her car, she bought one with the help of her neighbor - who helped talk the guy down a lot! This car can potentially get 40 mpg....a HUGE change from what she had! A God thing?! I think yes.
The last you read I sold my car not knowing what I would do. A family in my church has a nanny who is off island right now. I knew she had a car...but didn't know if they would be using it or not. I swallowed my pride and ask them if I could borrow one of their cars for a while. They said they'd talk it over...this was Wednesday. If I could borrow a car, they would bring it on Sunday. My friends who bought my car used it on Sunday....and I was hoping to tell them they could keep it - and I could get rid of my insurance as soon as possible. Well, I'm officially DEBT FREE and am no longer paying insurance! The family brought the car and I'm able to use it...not sure how long yet. I actually got a lot more money back from my insurance than I thought I would...huge praise! God completely orchestrated that the nanny would be off island for a long period of time at the exact time that I would need a vehicle. Man - my God is awesome! A God thing?! I think yes!
Psalm 34:1 has been a verse I've been clinging to for the past several weeks: "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." No matter what the circumstance I should always be praising God! How can I not after what He has done not only in my life, but the lives of my friends! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
I have now raised over $1000 for my trip! I'm continually humbled by the generosity of others...so undeserving of it. Thank you to anyone who has given and who will give in the future. You are not only impacting my life, but the lives of those children in Uganda for good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)