In Christ alone I place my trust, and find my glory in the power of the cross. In every victory let it be said of me...my source of hope, my source of strength, is Christ alone. This is the desire of my heart. I can't always say that I achieve this, but I do strive for it. Such a great song too...makes me wish I was a songwriter or at least a singer. But alas, that is not my gift. So instead, I'll attempt to sing and just be happy that someone else was able to put my feelings into words.

I'm just trying to actually put a picture up on my profile right now. I think I have to do it this way first but I'm not sure...man I wish I was better at computer stuff and understanding technology in general!

It is so difficult sometimes to trust God. Maybe I don't mean so much trust as I mean understand God. For instance, I trust God that working with my middle-school girls is absolutely what I'm called to do. But then, He places a precious girl in my life that I'm left wondering how I draw her closer to God. She knows all the "right" answers, but still doesn't truly have a personal relationship with Him. At this point, I believe her to be a born-again Christian...she is just struggling with letting God have complete control of her entire life. Which I understand...it's difficult to let God have complete control. My issue comes in knowing how to encourage her. What can I say? It's huge that she trusts me to let me in on her struggles with God, so the last thing I want to do is say the wrong thing. But then again, I guess this goes back to letting God have complete control of my life doesn't it? If God controls every aspect of my life, then He also controls what I say. Hmm...

I'm currently in the process of trying to solicit money from people so that I can survive financially this summer and next school year. I hate the idea of asking people for money...somehow it seems to me to be the "Christian" way of panhandling. While this probably isn't how it is actually perceived by most, I still hate it nonetheless. But what else is a girl to do? I can't have a job while I'm in Iowa this summer because my full-time job will be working for New Life Christian Church. I have to be able to pay for school and textbooks and all those other horrible but necessary things so I must send out letters. But then there is the whole deal of having to get addresses to mail out the letters so that they can send me money. I have over 50 names on a list right now! That's 50 addresses to get!!! MAN! This probably means that I should quit typing and get on with obtaining the addresses...

I am going to Iowa this summer! To some, Iowa may not seem like the coolest of places to be going...but when God tells you to go somewhere, rest assured, it's gonna be cool. Anyway, currently I am trying to raise support so that I can afford to live both this summer and next school year. Please pray that I will get support. I wish I were leaving tomorrow but instead I am stuck in Memphis for 3-4 more months. The good news is that God is teaching me a lot right now...like brokeness. (I didn't say He was teaching me fun things) I've read the verse Psalm 119:136 several times as of late and could completely relate. I mean I have friends that I weep for because they aren't living for God. But then God smacked me upside the head and helped me to realize that it doesn't really matter if I weep for others if I'm not broken over my own sin first. Ouch! But it's a necessary lesson, especially one that I need before I can be of any help to New Life's ministry in Iowa. I'm still not broken like I ought to be, but at least the process has started. More later...