What's next?

I've reached a point in my life where I don't know what's next. I graduated from College last May, took one semester off, and am now completing my Teaching Credential with Student Teaching. I have 5 weeks left of Student Teaching, and then I will officially be a California Credentialed Teacher! I've waited so long for this, however the truth is most Public Schools in California are probably not hiring new teachers in the fall due to Budget cuts and so forth. I always thought I'd finish College, get married, get a Teaching Job right away, and so forth. Clearly, God has shown me He has a different plan for me. Only one of the above has happened thus far, and it wasn't even in my timing. lol. I graduated from College one year later than I hoped, and took one semester off of school to go to Africa, completing my credential and school in a total of 6 years. I obviously am not married and not even close, so that's out of my will. And, the teaching situation for the job does not look so hot at this point. However, when you are Pursuing Him, His purpose and plan will prevail, regardless of the circumstances. I know of two three people who were basically handed jobs. One woman in particular received her dream job in a time where there were many applying and she didn't think she'd get the position because she was fresh out of College. However, God had a plan for her and He did what it took to get her that job. It definitely is a rollercoaster ride though. Some days, I completely trust God's plan and I know He knows what is next for me. Other days, I think about the competition to get in, how it is literally impossible with the circumstances, and I question if I even want to teach in Public School.

Something I've found interesting is my lack of motivation to complete a Resume, Cover Letter, and call schools and apply for jobs, if there are any. I haven't even been on EdJoin (a website with job postings for teachers) and didn't even finish creating/updating my account on Edjoin. How can I expect to get a job when I'm not even prepared with the appropriate paperwork done? I drive past Horizon Prep M-F on my way to work, and I always think about contacting them to see if they have any job openings for the fall, yet I don't get around to actually doing it. I think to myself, maybe Substitute teaching won't be so bad afterall because it is more flexible and maybe God knows I'm not ready to be teaching full time yet for some reason. He does know me better than I know myself, so whatever He has next for me is going to be BEST for me. I just need to constantly remind myself of that. If you're a Christian, you know what I'm talking about. It's hard to give up our lives and follow Him, to let go of our plans and be open to His. We like to be in control and always know what is next, so when we aren't in control and are uncertain of what is next, we get frustrated. (At least that's how it is for me)

All that being said, Africa sure has been on my mind a lot lately. I can't wait to go back. I watched a video of a woman who stayed at the Orphanage I'll be staying at and I love it. The kids are adorable. I have a huge heart for Africa, and would love to possibly teach there or even just help out at an Orphanage. I'm keeping my options open by thinking of staying longer than my team when I go to Ghana in June, applying for Teaching jobs in Africa that are given to me, here or there and praying a lot. Ultimately, I need to remember that God knows what He's up to. :) He has a plan for me. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord". I'll be communicating with someone who has been to the Orphanage I'll be going to in June and she will be joining our team as well (She teaches in Minnesota and has been to the Orphanage in Ghana and helped out there in the past, a few times) and seeing what my options are in regards to staying there if they need a helping hand. I emailed someone who my sister gave me info for about Teaching at a Christian School in Malawi, Africa for the 2011-2012 year. I am getting contact info for a Principal at a school in South Africa who may be in need of Teachers in the fall and will be emailing him soon. God is opening National doors it appears, and I'm going to be open to whatever it is He opens and let Him lead me and pave the way.

During the times that I've been discouraged about what's next, I turn to a page in my journal where God spoke to me through worship one night. He said:

Katie, stop thinking so much about others. What I call you to do is not for everybody and not everybody will understand or support you in it. But, I will provide you with everything that you need. Do you trust me? I will provide your needs if I open the door for you to stay in Ghana longer than 2 weeks. Don't try to figure that out now. Just trust me to work it out. Stop trying to figure out what I've got next for you. I know the desires of your heart and I will give you them. You have to rely on me daily though. Stop worrying about your future...it's in my hands. Just be willing and open and I'll take care of the rest.

Wow, how can I argue with that? It would be like slapping God in the face if I ignore all of this. I'm so thankful He gave me this word and I find it so encouraging when I catch myself trying to figure out what's next and worrying about my future. In the meantime, it is my job to simply obey and pursue Him. It's about time I jump on board for this adventure and be excited about what is next in my life, because whatever it is, it will be great since God is leading me and I'm open to His ways.

Ghana Bound...and Counting Down...

Just over 2 months; Just over 10 weeks; 73days; each one way to describe the amount of time I have left before I'm Ghana Bound. I know it will come quick! I still can't believe I'm going back to Africa, especially this soon. I honestly can't even fathom it sometimes because I had no desire to go back for a long time after my last trip...until God transformed my heart! I am completely confident God wants me on this team for two main reasons: 1. He provided me with more money than the deposit amount, showing He will provide the funds for the entire trip. 2. He redirected my team's destination from Mozambique to Ghana, where we will be working at an Orphanage...which is right up my alley!

When I think about Africa, I smile really big. How could I not? Look how stinkin' cute this boy is?!? :)

As I think about Africa daily and prepare to go to Ghana in a couple of months, there is a lot on my mind. 

I think about my last experience there and how it was so challenging. Things like going pee in the bush (see picture above of the "toilet") and the bugs are stuff that I do not realize will be a struggle for  me when I'm there because they are not a problem here. The inability to help every child or person in Africa is heart-breaking as well. I understand that traveling abroad and doing Mission's work Nationally is not for everybody, and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel bad for not doing such a thing. There is something special about being out of our busy daily life and serving others in a third world country. I am always amazed at how little they have in Africa and Mexico, yet they are full of joy and make what they do have work for them.  (Above and is a toy car some kids made in Africa with recycled stuff) Below I am playing with the kids with what I found (some fruit) that we rolled back and forth to each other. It is pictures like this one that make my heart melt thinking about the kids in Africa and how different the culture and lifestyle is there than it is here. It's so hard to explain. Pictures really don't do justice. Maybe one day I'll work at an Orphanage and you can come visit me there and see what I mean! ;)

Speaking of working at Orphanages, I am really praying about potentially doing that and staying longer than my team's two weeks stay in Ghana. I believe God placed a desire on my heart to stay in Africa longer to help me be open to His will. Sometimes I think I'm crazy for thinking this, but ultimately I know God will be by my side and He might be preparing me for that in many different ways. When I had this thought, I asked the founder of the organization that I'm going with who is also my team leader, if that would even be an option. She said that if we were going anywhere else it wouldn't be an option. She said that it is actually only $50-100 to change a flight and that could very well be a possibility. She explained to me that it really depends on the Orphanage and their needs. If they are in need of someone to care for the children and be an extra helping hand during the day, and the door opens up while I am there, then I can walk in it. However, that very well could not happen. She said that our contact in Minnesota who is an elementary school teacher and has gone back the past few years to this Orphanage and will be joining us this summer said this is a very safe environment. She said the internet cafe is about five minutes walking distance. At this point I'm getting really excited thinking about this possibility! As of now, the jobs for teaching are not very available so I'm thinking what better time to do something like this? I assumed this would be a paid position. I ended up finding out that it would be an unpaid position and I would need to have people from here supporting me there. It would cost me to stay at the Orphanage (rent) and it isn't cheap. I guess that would mean I'd be a real "Missionary". :) *Out of curiosity, if I end up doing that, would you support me monthly or when you could? I'd have to rely solely on people from here to cover the cost of my monthly needs there. So, shortly after I found this out, I shut down this idea. It wasn't long before a friend asked me "Did God ever tell you "No"? It caught my attention and made me realize that I shut down this possibility because I figured there is no way I'd  be able to get people to committ to supporting me in Africa before I leave in June, especially if I don't even know if I will be staying longer or not. Some may ask, how long will you stay if that opportunity arises? Good question! My answer simply put is however long God decides He wants me there. I've decided since my friend pointed that out to me that I am now going to be open to this idea of staying in Ghana and working at the Orphanage as a Missionary if God opens the door. It does seem as though change and flexibility are big themes for our team's trip, so anything can happen at this point. But, God is teaching me to be open to His will, let Him guide my steps, and follow Him because He knows what is best for me.

Unfortunately, I may not know until I step foot in Ghana about whether or not I will stay. I know God will make it clear to me. In the meantime, I need to trust God to provide everything as if I were to stay there, just in case. That means I'd need a Mac Laptop so I can have skype dates instead of coffee dates. :) And no, I'm not kidding! lol. I'd need a cell phone that has a sim card with a service that works out there so I can keep in touch that way as well. I believe I can receive text messages and something else for free, which is awesome! Another need would be a video camera, such as a bloggie or flip so I can upload videos and not just pictures for you to watch. I hear the internet cafe can be very slow most often (like take one hour to send an email) or could be fast. This is all hypothetically speaking, of course. Those are the three things I'd like to see God provide for me before I go to Ghana, just in case He wants me to stay so that I can keep in touch with you all. If you know of any great deals or anything on any of the above, please let me know! :) I need to raise the funds for my trip first, of course...but I'm confident it's all in God's hands and only time will tell what His will is for me in regards to this.

*If you have any items/stuff you want to get rid of, I'm doing a garage/rummage sale at my church towards the end of April, and I'd love to take your stuff from you and sell it to raise funds for my trip to Africa. Let me know if you're interested or you know anyone who would like to contribute! :)

*Praise Report: Thus far, God has provided me with enough funds to keep up with the payments! He is faithful. I still would like to raise funds for the Talking Bibles, which is an additional $2500 and those little things I mentioned above ;) I am excited to see God provide the rest of the finances and more. :)

Trying to figure it all out.

I was looking back on my life from the past six months or so. A lot has CHANGED. I began Student Teaching, working 40 hours/week. I made an outline for a book I'd like to write. I stopped going to a church and Bible Study that I've been attending for a long time (out of obedience to God). I've decided to return to Africa again (which I never thought would happen). I'm open to possibly staying in Ghana, Africa longer than the team stays for 2 weeks if a door opens for me to help at the Orphanage we will be staying at and working with. I'm more open to the Spirit and following Him in a new way. I'm receiving prophecy from people that is coming to life. I'm potentially receiving the gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues.

Through all of this change, I'm doing my best to pursue Him in it to figure out where He is leading me. I found myself today frustrated with the fact that right when I thought  I found a church that was a good fit for me(North Coast Calvary Chapel Carlsbad), I felt God leading me somewhere else (Vista Assembly of God). Today I felt discouraged that I wasn't plugged in at one church. I felt lost in a sense that I didn't have a church to call home. It was then that God gave me this word. "It's not about finding the right church, Katie. It's about seeking me in Spirit and truth. Pray about where I want you to be every week. Do you trust me? Focus on what is before you right now (Student teaching and Africa) and stop focusing on your discomfort and frustration of not being at a set church." I realized today that my circumstances have been controlling my attitude. I'm upset and frustrated because I feel lost without a home church, so I'm acting down and keeping to myself when I'm at home while I try to figure out what's causing me to feel this way. I'm learning that I need to accept change(s) that come my way, because clearly God's ways are different than mine.

In experiencing all of this change, I learned today that I've been allowing my circumstances dictate how I act. I responded to this change in frustration and confusion, so that is what shows on the outside. I keep to myself trying to figure it all out and miss out on loving my family and being others oriented because I'm caught up in trying to figure out what God is doing in my life. I learned today that He wants me to be content right where He has me, that I don't have to be doing something. I don't have to be anywhere but in His presence and seeking Him. Afterall, my path and His plan for me will be different than yours or anyone elses. So, ultimately it's me and God. I pray, ask Him for guidance, and follow His lead. Right now, that means no Bible Study and no home church. This is new to me, but it means that I am to study the Bible on my own, and trust Him. In learning to be content in the circumstances I'm in, the verse below came to mind.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 says: "Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

This means, no matter what I'm going through, no matter how I feel deep down inside, I'm supposed to strive to be joyful, keep on praying, and give thanks to God. Wow, that's tough! I'm so thankful for this reminder though, because it makes me think about how my circumstances should not be dictating how I'm living my life and my feelings. It reminds me to lift my eyes up and fix my eyes on what matters most.

Proverbs 20:24 also comes to mind: "A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How can anyone understand his own way?"

Who am I to try and figure out what God is up to in my life right now. I know that I'm confidently pursuing Him and seeking Him for guidance. In doing so, He's leading me into new things and testing my faith. And, instead of trying to figure it all out , I need to take it one day, one step, at a time. Trying to figure it all out gets me nowhere. Trusting in Him brings me peace.

I Will Follow You.

Follow: to pursue or go after; to imitate or strive for


The word follow kept coming to my mind last night. I thought about the song titled "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin. (see video above) When you listen to this song and hear the lyrics, it speaks for itself. I believe God is teaching me right now what it truly means to follow Him. My biggest desires are to follow God, encourage others who are following God, and bring others to know God and follow Him. I love how the definition (found in the concordance in the back of my Bible) uses the word pursue in it. Pursuing Him is what I believe life is all about, which is why I chose that as the title for my blog.

Over the past six months or so, I've seen this pursuit of Him in a new way. I'm learning that following Him takes complete surrender. Dictionary.com (yes, I'm that lame and use this to find definitions) states that surrender means "to give (oneself) up; to give up, abandon, or relinquish." I'm learning that as I Pursue Him daily, I need to let go of control- to surrender my life to God. I have a sticker on my car that says "Let Go Let God" and I bought it because I always joke with my girlfriends about this idea of letting go and letting God. It sounds so simple, yet it can be so difficult at times. I'm finally learning what it truly means to let go and let God, to surrender. (see video below of Jesus Culture- I surrender)

Another thing I've learned as God is revealing to me what it truly means to follow Him is that it won't be easy. The Bible says "In this world you will have trouble." John 16:3 Not too much further it states in John 16:33 "But take heart! I have overcome the world". With this knowledge, we will experience trouble, but we can walk confidently knowing God is with us in the troubles and will help us overcome them. We also know that blessings and the fruits of the Spirit will abound in us when we follow Him. We are also promised an eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ.

I have been praying about church and seeking God's guidance recently like never before in my life. I can firmly believe that I'm where God wants me to be right now because through my pursuit of Him, He's confirmed that to me in many ways. God is clearly calling me to follow Him, which entails leaving behind relationships and a church that I've been attending for the past 3 1/2 years. He's leading me into something new that is slowly coming together. I'm a very relational person (as most of you know) so this transitional period has not been easy. As I've pursued Him through this transition and change, I can look back and see how by following Him, I was able to truly surrender. I experience a new sense of overwhelming peace because of my obedience to Him despite the challenges in change.

(Video above - Where You Go I Go by Kim Walker from Jesus Culture that pertains to all this and is one of my favorites)

 

Yesterday I visited the church I went to for about 3 1/2 years. God used a couple of people to speak to me and encourage me as I follow Him in a new way. One person shared with me that when we truly surrender our life to God, it is then that He reveals to us what He created us to do. It is then that He begins to unravel His big plans for us. This is right on target with where I'm at. God called me to stop serving in my church, led me to a new church, told me to stop going to my Monday Night Women's Bible Study and to get connected with those at the church I am now attending. All of these decisions took time, faith, and much convincing to myself, but after being obedient to Him, I'm now experiencing the incredible peace and blessings that come with following Him. *Please note- When I say follow Him, I know this will look different for each of us. God has a different plan for each of us, so I don't expect you to follow Him in the same way that He's leading me, but I do pray that you are choosing to follow Him and seeking His will for your life.

For all you Movement peeps: Thank you for all that you have shown me and taught me. Thank you for encouraging me and growing me in my walk with God. Thank you for all your support and love. I'm so blessed to have known each and every one of you, and I hope that we can continue to keep in touch. Without each of you, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. I wouldn't have persevered on the path to teaching with all those tests. Something cool that happened yesterday when I was visiting was God gave me an opportunity to talk to the Pastor of the church I'd been attending. I had the opportunity to encourage him in the things God has for them and express my sadness in leaving. I think God knew I needed this moment with the pastor to help bring closure. It all started for me at that church (The Movement) and that is where I found God and truly came to know Him. It was then that I understood and began to grow so much in my faith. It was neat to see God growing their church, having them step out in new areas (giving to Missions, which in turn is a blessing and excitement for me to see), and continue to follow God's will for this church. The pastor told me they'd miss me, said I can come back and visit anytime, and gave me a hug. I firmly believe He is doing a great job leading that church, and admire the leaders there. I will highly recommend people to go there if they are church hunting. I'm thankful God gave me this new sense of peace that I'm headed where He's calling me into and I left on a good note, with the blessing of the pastor and his wife. (Thank you, Jeremy and Sunny! And all the leaders there who helped shape me into who God created me to be)

Since I've been Pursuing Him, I can see God's hand in everything. I prayed before student teaching began and I know that God placed me right where He's purposed me to be. Again, I'm blessed with a wonderful Master Teacher to learn from and I'm at an excellent school in a great School District. I'm now at a church that is the best fit for me in order to grow in my faith and move ahead in National Missions. I'm getting connected with the Young Adults and making new friends as time goes on. I'm going to Africa this summer and wondering if God will keep me there longer than two weeks. (If I do not have a job lined up, maybe He wants me to teach or work at the orphanage in Ghana) Or, maybe He just wants me to be open to that as an option.

I looked at Biblical examples of how people followed God. (Red writing is Jesus speaking in the Bible)

The first example is in Matthew 4:18-20. "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me.' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him." They knew what kind of man Jesus was and were willing to follow him. Jesus told them to leave their fishing business and become 'fishers of men', to help others find God. Jesus was calling them away from their productive trades to be productive spiritually. Jesus' call motivated these men to get up and leave their jobs- immediately. They didn't make excuses about why it wasn't a good time. They left once and followed. (taken from Study notes)

The second example is found in Matthew 8:19-20. This example is about how there is a cost to following Him. "When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then the teacher of the law came to him and said 'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.' Another disciple said to him, ' Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' But Jesus told him, 'Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.' " Study Notes: Following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. You may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher. Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards. *A friend and I were just talking about this today. She mentioned that we follow with a purpose in mind. Our purpose as Christians is to be trained to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. It takes discipline to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We have to die to our flesh/self because naturally we want things that aren't of the Lord. This leads me right into the next example in scripture.  


Matthew 16:24-25 states: "Then Jesus said to the disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.' " Study Notes: When Jesus used this picture of his followers taking up their crosses to follow him, the disciples knew what he meant. Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, and condemned criminals had to carry their crosses through the streets to the execution site. Following Jesus, therefore, meant a true commitment, the risk of death, and no turning back. The possibility of losing their lives was very real for the disciples as well as Jesus. Real discipleship implies real commitment- pledging our whole existence to his service. If we try to save our physical life from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing our true eternal life. If we protect ourselves from pain, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. Our lives turn inward, and we lose our intended purpose. When we give our lives in service to Christ, however, we discover the real purpose of living.


The last scripture is about how we are called to walk in light when we follow Him. John 8:12 states: "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' " Study Notes: Jesus was speaking in the treasury- the part of the temple where offerings were put and where candles burned to symbolize the pillar of fire that led the people of Israel through the desert. (Exodus 13:21, 22) In this context, Jesus called himself the light of the world. The pillar of fire represented God's presence, protection, and guidance. Likewise, Jesus brings God's presence, protection, and guidance. Is he the light of your world? What does it mean to follow Christ? As a soldier follows his captain, so we should follow Christ, our commander. As a slave follows his master, so we should follow Christ, our Lord. As we follow the advice of a trusted counselor, so we should follow Jesus' commands to us in scripture. As we follow the laws of our nation, so we should follow the laws of the kingdom of heaven.


So, I leave asking you, are you following Him? Do you want to follow Him? Be prepared as it is going to take sacrifice and letting go of your control. Get ready to experience immense blessings and eternal life if you choose to follow Him. Start today by Pursuing Him and asking what His will for you is. I challenge you to pick up your cross and follow Him.


I conclude with a song titled "Let the Waters Rise" by MikesChair. This is my new theme song for life right now. Check it out below. :)

Valentine's Day Devotional

Hi friends,

Here is a devotional I read this morning from Daily Disciples Ministry. I wanted to share it with you because it seemed like a great way to sum up today.

Today's Reading: Leviticus 15-16; Matthew 27:1-26
Today's Thoughts:  As Christ Loves Us

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day to express love and most notably, romantic love. The history of Valentine's Day, along with the saint for whom it is named, is shrouded in mystery. Both Christian and ancient Roman traditions make up its origins, but the exact details of what happened to St. Valentine are uncertain.  What is certain is that through a series of events dating back to the middle ages, February 14 became the date to commemorate Valentine's Day. Roses and chocolates will be sold at exorbitant prices and in massive quantities, all in hopes to express our love in that special way. What is the most special way to express our love?

The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians is known as the love chapter of the Bible. The apostle Paul writes about true love, what it is and what it is not. It "suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;" (verse 4). It "does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;" (verse 5). Paul puts it very simply in verse 8, "Love never fails." Flowers fade and candies melt, but true love never fades, never dies, never fails. The most special way to express our love is to practice these qualities Paul speaks of as we learn to love beyond ourselves. 

Romantic love is a wonderful feeling and being in love is truly a gift from God. Those feelings of heightened joy and excitement seem to make everything else less significant.  But today, let's ask the Lord to help us love beyond the feelings of the gifts and the favors. Let's pray that we can love as Christ loves us and that we can express that love in ways that bless those around us more than anything else we can give. Why not make today a day to take love more seriously than you ever have before? Pray that love becomes the motivation for all that you do. Enjoy the flowers and candies and candlelight dinners, but remember to keep love in your heart, not just in the festivities

Happy Valentine's Day! Know that you are loved by God and by me! :)

Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 says: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

This week, God reminded me of this scripture. So often, I hear it, but don't acknowledge the truth in it. I encourage you to really stop and think about this verse today as you pursue Him. What areas of your life is is hard to see God working things together for your good in? Reflect on times in the past that you've clearly seen him work things together for your good. Ask Him to help you see His hand in everything that you are going through, and trust Him to work all things together for your good.

Here are some of the things I've briefly reflected on that I've seen God work together for my good.

Student Teaching:
I prayed prior to my student teaching placement that God would place me where He would want me to be. I hoped to be placed in Poway Unified School District because it is one of the top districts, and I grew up in it. I prayed though, that His will be done, not mine. In doing so, I found out that I was placed in Solana Beach Unified School District. This, too, is a wonderful school district. It truly is a blessing! I even have a phenomenal Master Teacher/Cooperating Teacher, which is a blessing after hearing horror stories from other friends. God worked this Student Teaching placement together for my good. I don't know what the future holds, but what I do know is this school and district is great, and God has me there for some purpose. I would love to work in the Solana Beach School District if God opened that door for me. In the meantime, I'm just simply being myself and enjoying this blessing.

Africa:
God confirmed that he wanted me to go back to Africa this summer in many ways. (See previous blog-The Journey Begins...Again!) Soon after I made my deposit to go with CCO again this summer, I found out that my team was put on hold.To be honest, at this time I was very discouraged and didn't see how God could work this together for my good, because He told me to go and now I wasn't sure if I'd be going at all. About one month later, I found out that my team is now going to Ghana, Africa instead of Mozambique, Africa. We are partnering with an Orphanage there and teaching Vacation Bible School. We are still giving away Talking Bibles to those who still need to hear, but our primary focus on this trip will be children!!! And, if you are reading this, most likely you know my love for children. God turned this trip around for my good. Now, I get to go back to Africa and use the gifts He's given me and work with children! I look back on that month of waiting and praying and wish I spent more time trusting God to work all things together for my good and believe in this truth.

Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA):
The TPA's are a very long assessment online that Teacher Candidates must take in order to show their knowledge of particular things. The biggest focus is differentiating curriculum to meet the needs of all students. They are literally 20 pages long, no joke. They are a pain in the you know what because they are time consuming and won't ultimately determine how someone is going to teach. Taking tests in general is not my strongpoint, and both times I've taken the TPA's so far, God has blessed me with a ton of help. I met with friends who helped walk me through each section. It is time for TPA 3 and 4, and the Lord again worked this together for my good. He provided me with someone who has helped me tremendously with these TPA's. The hardest part for me is getting started. I also need to work on them a little bit each day because otherwise it is overwhelming. This person who is helping me also encouraged me to get done a little bit each day.

I encourage you to listen to this song. I heard it when we were driving in Africa when someone was playing their ipod int he car. We drove often and this song stuck out to me. There is one part that talks about God working all things together for our good. :) Puruse Him and reflect on the truth in this verse.

God's beauty to and from Student Teaching.

Here are some glimpses of God's beauty on my way to work or on the way home. He's so beautiful. It amazes me, and I couldn't help but take pictures.

Sunset last Friday evening in Solana Beach.