a brief-ish update
Hey guys! I know it's been quite a while since I last updated, which was at a point at which I was pretty far from God. So I figured I'd give a more accurate update. Things are going really well right now. School started two weeks ago, which I already can't believe. The third week of the semester? Yeah, wow. I have classes everyday in the morning and then I work until 7:30, except Wednesday because I have classes all day until 8:40pm. I also work on Saturday and Sunday, which I dislike to a certain extent. But I do enjoy waking up early to go to the early service at church. I have to go to the 8:15 service because I have to be at work at 10:30, which means I have PLENTY of time to hang out after church to talk to everybody who's arriving for the second service at 10:00. :) So I still see *most* of my friends. I'm still getting used to going there. I still don't understand completely why the Lord worked things out this way, but I do enjoy the church and the people, and Pastor Ray is an amazing speaker. I love his sermons because he's so obviously Spirit-filled and is a truly humble man.
This Sunday I actually have off from work, but I'm still going to get up for the early service :p I like it now, and I'm getting used to seeing the same people and fellowshipping after the service with them, finding out how things are going and getting to know people more. I feel welcome. Very welcome. It's just a perfect fit for me right now. I am, however, involved at Cornerstone right now. Nancy Moffet and I started a worship team. We're spending the next few months getting to know each other in the Lord, studying the meaning of worship, and practicing music together. Our goal is to invite the congregation to join us in January. But there's so much that is still in the works that I really can't say much more than that. Right now it's a Saturday night thing, but it may end up on Sunday evenings - we're not really sure. So that takes up quite a bit of my time.
I'm also a Senior this year, so I'm working on organizing my thesis and studing for comps. Not fun, nor do I have much free time because of it, but there are sacrifices in everything, right?
As far as summer goes, I messed up quite a bit, but have been very blessed in getting to know God's forgiveness AGAIN in my life. The first time I met Christ I was overwhelmed with the fact that He has mercy and grace for me even though I was living a life of sin. That was amazing to me. This time, three years later, I am amazed that He has mercy and grace for me even though I was living in transgression, knowingly rebelling against Him. I never thought I would do that, knowing what He wants from me in regards to my lifestyle and such. But I blatantly turned away, enjoying what I was doing, yet feeling the conviction in my heart everyday. I started out innocently being dragged into things. Then I willingly went - and left Christ behind. Thankfully He didn't stay where I tried to leave Him, because He lives in me.
I spent the past two weeks repenting and praying for forgiveness. Now I'm getting back to where I was before I turned my back on the Lord. It's a long road I suppose, but the Lord is quickly restoring me to where I was intimately with Him before I turned my heart away from Him this summer. Thankfully it is over now, and I pray PRAY that it never happens again. It was the worst feeling ever. I can't even imagine how hurt the Lord was as I confessed His name with my mouth and rebelled against Him in my heart. I challenged God, and God won.
That's really all friends. I've been growing and the Lord is changing me from the inside out. P.S. if you ever get your hands on the cd United We Stand by Hillsong United, it's totally worth acquiring. Hillsong music has been very influential in my life in the past year.
On another note, I really REALLY miss my church and friends and family from Spain. They have been such a HUGE part of my life in the past year and a half, and I feel like that part of my life has been torn from me. So that's been painful and difficult, but I have been in contact with a couple American girls who are studying there now and want to go to my church, so that's been a healthy and helpful connection for me. I miss it. So much.
On even another note, I love being home. I have missed my family so much. Even living with them and not seeing them very much I miss them now. I miss my sister, even though we are currently in the same city! It's so strange. I have the same longing in my heart to see them that I had when I was in Spain. The only difference is that now I can actually pick up the phone and call without crazy charges or hop in my car and drive to see them. I miss Rochester so much. I miss my friends and family here. I live a life of missing.... people, things, places.... I swear it's never-ending. I wonder if there will ever be a time in my life when I don't miss SOMEONE or SOMETHING or SOMEPLACE. I find myself wishing for childhood, when I had no cares, no worries, and I never missed anybody....
I miss Josué. I miss María..... I miss Lidia and Rebeca and Jose and the elders José Antonio, Paco, and Tomás. I miss Leonor, and Mariflor, and Rubén and Miriam. I miss my discipleship with Veri. I miss Desi and Desiré. I miss Javi Salvador and Javi Ferrero. Benjamín.... mi Evita.... David y Andrés, la otra Eva, Carolina Ballesteros.... I miss Amy, and my professors from the American Institute, la Sñra Alfaro and Isabel, la Sñra Meyer, la Sñra Ferrando, I miss the director Carmen. I miss my friends from GBU at the university, Laura Madrid, Laura Nicoló, and the leader Jonathan Secanella. I miss Dani Mota and Pablo, the crazy kids from the bible study. haha. I miss Carlos and Dani Carrasco. I miss Rubén and Miriam and Josué's whole family.... my family.... I miss Ramón and María José and their precious little Agata. I miss his dad. haha. I miss the way he would put in videos of NYC from the 80's and show me his American flag, and the way he put on his I <3 NY t-shirt at the Christmas Eve party. I miss my host mom Magdalena and her kids, my sisters and brothers.... Magdi and Jacobo, Mariángel and Pedro.... I miss Magda's sister Amparo. I miss my friend Víctor from the newspaper company 20 minutos that gave me my paper everyday at the metro stop. I miss the American girls who studies over there with me. I miss my friend Eva who was asking me questions about Jesus. I miss the international students bible study. I miss Sarai and Marta, Esther Mota, Melanie.... my German and Bolivian friend :) I miss Naomi the Irish girl :p and Christian from Austria, I miss my Markitos.... and his cousin Efraín. I miss Débora and Aarón, Israel, Adrián, Marcos Tamarit, haha. Jacobo.... I miss the worship team, Pablo and Bibiana, Manolo and Reyes and their little Pablo. I miss Pablo and Catalina the missionaries at church. I miss Carol and Rubén, Samuel and Dácil, I miss meeting new people... all the time ... getting connected with missionaries and workers in the church. I miss walking in the riverbed everyday. I miss the beach. I miss going to the little coffee shop where the owners knew me. I miss going down to get fresh bread at the bakery on the corner. And going across the street to the supermarket to buy whatever my host mom forgot to buy that day :) I miss watching the tv shows that we always watched... the cooking show, the Simpsons in Spanish, Operación Triúnfo (the Spanish equivelent of American Idol), the dancing competition show!! Pasapalabra!!! haha!!! oh man. I miss so much about Valencia. I miss the CASTILLIAN SPANISH ACCENT!!!! Oh man, it's so different here! I miss a lot. Of course there are things I DON'T miss AT ALL as well, but that's normal. haha.
ANYWAYS, I have lots to do right now and have to go to school and work soon. I just wanted to update you as far as how I've been lately. Sorry for that random tangent about Spain. Hope to talk to you all or see you if possible within a decent amount of time. :) Havea great rest of the week friends, and a great weekend to come!! and please ... write back if you read this. ANY comment is better than none. Even if you don't know what to say. I don't write for my health. I write for you. (except my little tangents, haha) Take care friends. ¡¡¡CHAO!!!
This Sunday I actually have off from work, but I'm still going to get up for the early service :p I like it now, and I'm getting used to seeing the same people and fellowshipping after the service with them, finding out how things are going and getting to know people more. I feel welcome. Very welcome. It's just a perfect fit for me right now. I am, however, involved at Cornerstone right now. Nancy Moffet and I started a worship team. We're spending the next few months getting to know each other in the Lord, studying the meaning of worship, and practicing music together. Our goal is to invite the congregation to join us in January. But there's so much that is still in the works that I really can't say much more than that. Right now it's a Saturday night thing, but it may end up on Sunday evenings - we're not really sure. So that takes up quite a bit of my time.
I'm also a Senior this year, so I'm working on organizing my thesis and studing for comps. Not fun, nor do I have much free time because of it, but there are sacrifices in everything, right?
As far as summer goes, I messed up quite a bit, but have been very blessed in getting to know God's forgiveness AGAIN in my life. The first time I met Christ I was overwhelmed with the fact that He has mercy and grace for me even though I was living a life of sin. That was amazing to me. This time, three years later, I am amazed that He has mercy and grace for me even though I was living in transgression, knowingly rebelling against Him. I never thought I would do that, knowing what He wants from me in regards to my lifestyle and such. But I blatantly turned away, enjoying what I was doing, yet feeling the conviction in my heart everyday. I started out innocently being dragged into things. Then I willingly went - and left Christ behind. Thankfully He didn't stay where I tried to leave Him, because He lives in me.
I spent the past two weeks repenting and praying for forgiveness. Now I'm getting back to where I was before I turned my back on the Lord. It's a long road I suppose, but the Lord is quickly restoring me to where I was intimately with Him before I turned my heart away from Him this summer. Thankfully it is over now, and I pray PRAY that it never happens again. It was the worst feeling ever. I can't even imagine how hurt the Lord was as I confessed His name with my mouth and rebelled against Him in my heart. I challenged God, and God won.
That's really all friends. I've been growing and the Lord is changing me from the inside out. P.S. if you ever get your hands on the cd United We Stand by Hillsong United, it's totally worth acquiring. Hillsong music has been very influential in my life in the past year.
On another note, I really REALLY miss my church and friends and family from Spain. They have been such a HUGE part of my life in the past year and a half, and I feel like that part of my life has been torn from me. So that's been painful and difficult, but I have been in contact with a couple American girls who are studying there now and want to go to my church, so that's been a healthy and helpful connection for me. I miss it. So much.
On even another note, I love being home. I have missed my family so much. Even living with them and not seeing them very much I miss them now. I miss my sister, even though we are currently in the same city! It's so strange. I have the same longing in my heart to see them that I had when I was in Spain. The only difference is that now I can actually pick up the phone and call without crazy charges or hop in my car and drive to see them. I miss Rochester so much. I miss my friends and family here. I live a life of missing.... people, things, places.... I swear it's never-ending. I wonder if there will ever be a time in my life when I don't miss SOMEONE or SOMETHING or SOMEPLACE. I find myself wishing for childhood, when I had no cares, no worries, and I never missed anybody....
I miss Josué. I miss María..... I miss Lidia and Rebeca and Jose and the elders José Antonio, Paco, and Tomás. I miss Leonor, and Mariflor, and Rubén and Miriam. I miss my discipleship with Veri. I miss Desi and Desiré. I miss Javi Salvador and Javi Ferrero. Benjamín.... mi Evita.... David y Andrés, la otra Eva, Carolina Ballesteros.... I miss Amy, and my professors from the American Institute, la Sñra Alfaro and Isabel, la Sñra Meyer, la Sñra Ferrando, I miss the director Carmen. I miss my friends from GBU at the university, Laura Madrid, Laura Nicoló, and the leader Jonathan Secanella. I miss Dani Mota and Pablo, the crazy kids from the bible study. haha. I miss Carlos and Dani Carrasco. I miss Rubén and Miriam and Josué's whole family.... my family.... I miss Ramón and María José and their precious little Agata. I miss his dad. haha. I miss the way he would put in videos of NYC from the 80's and show me his American flag, and the way he put on his I <3 NY t-shirt at the Christmas Eve party. I miss my host mom Magdalena and her kids, my sisters and brothers.... Magdi and Jacobo, Mariángel and Pedro.... I miss Magda's sister Amparo. I miss my friend Víctor from the newspaper company 20 minutos that gave me my paper everyday at the metro stop. I miss the American girls who studies over there with me. I miss my friend Eva who was asking me questions about Jesus. I miss the international students bible study. I miss Sarai and Marta, Esther Mota, Melanie.... my German and Bolivian friend :) I miss Naomi the Irish girl :p and Christian from Austria, I miss my Markitos.... and his cousin Efraín. I miss Débora and Aarón, Israel, Adrián, Marcos Tamarit, haha. Jacobo.... I miss the worship team, Pablo and Bibiana, Manolo and Reyes and their little Pablo. I miss Pablo and Catalina the missionaries at church. I miss Carol and Rubén, Samuel and Dácil, I miss meeting new people... all the time ... getting connected with missionaries and workers in the church. I miss walking in the riverbed everyday. I miss the beach. I miss going to the little coffee shop where the owners knew me. I miss going down to get fresh bread at the bakery on the corner. And going across the street to the supermarket to buy whatever my host mom forgot to buy that day :) I miss watching the tv shows that we always watched... the cooking show, the Simpsons in Spanish, Operación Triúnfo (the Spanish equivelent of American Idol), the dancing competition show!! Pasapalabra!!! haha!!! oh man. I miss so much about Valencia. I miss the CASTILLIAN SPANISH ACCENT!!!! Oh man, it's so different here! I miss a lot. Of course there are things I DON'T miss AT ALL as well, but that's normal. haha.
ANYWAYS, I have lots to do right now and have to go to school and work soon. I just wanted to update you as far as how I've been lately. Sorry for that random tangent about Spain. Hope to talk to you all or see you if possible within a decent amount of time. :) Havea great rest of the week friends, and a great weekend to come!! and please ... write back if you read this. ANY comment is better than none. Even if you don't know what to say. I don't write for my health. I write for you. (except my little tangents, haha) Take care friends. ¡¡¡CHAO!!!