Phone Blessings

So, I would like to just share a testimony from my day at work yesterday. Part of my internship at the Honor Academy is that I have a ministry placement (a nice way of saying I have a job). I have the opportunity to help run Teen Mania Ministries. My ministry placement is in the Honor Academy call center aka the MOB. I call teens all over the United States and encourage them to listen to the voice of God for their future but to ultimately help them get to the Honor Academy. Yesterday I called this girl who had shown interest in the HA. When she answered we began to engage in small talk, just to break the ice and for me to get to know her a little better. It came down to the moment of truth. I asked her if she was still interested in the Honor Academy, and her reply took me completely by surprise. She told me that she had actually enlisted to join the air force as soon as she graduated from high school. At that moment, HA was the last thing on my mind. I was able to just listen to her about how God had confirmed that the air force was where He wanted her to be. I was able to share excitement and joy with her. There may even be a chance in the future for her and I to meet. At the end of the conversation, I felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to talk to her. I felt blessed just to encourage her and pray with her.

My First Fast

Fasting.....What an interesting word.  I was surprised at how little I knew about this word before coming to the Honor Academy.  Yesterday was the first of many fasting days that I will partake in while I am here; we have a fasting day every other Wednesday.  I was very nervous to fast because I had attempted it a few time before coming here and had failed.  What was the difference between those attempts and this one?  First off, it helped that hundreds of people around me were doing the same thing.  But more importantly, I was devoted and committed to spending time in the Word or in prayer rather than eating.  Did I get hungry?  Around 5:00, yes, but I was more hungry to be in the Word than I was for food.  I fell asleep last night without a dying sense of hunger.  I woke up amazed at how God really does satisfy us.  Is one day too big of a deal to go without food?  Probably not, but for me it was.  I challenge you to join us for one day in fasting!  Our next fasting day will be February 6, join me for one day as we go deeper into the Word of God.

How does God see us?

Last night here at the Honor Academy, we had our women's class called risen. As I have said before, I struggle a lot with insecurity mostly with my self image. I often think I'm not pretty or I'm too fat, but last night God revealed an image to me of what He sees when He looks at me. He gave me a detailed picture of myself standing as a beautiful bride awaiting her bridegroom. I can't describe the beauty and glory this image reflected, it was amazing! The thing is, I'm not the only person that God sees as a beautiful bride. God looks at each one of you and sees you as a gorgeous creation.

So Long Insecurity!

I am finally here at the Honor Academy and I know it is going to be everything that I hoped/ worked for and more!  As I said in my last post, I have several goals that I am really believing God is going to help me accomplish, one of those goals being that I WILL overcome insecurity in the year of 2013.  I may not overcome every part of insecurity but I will see a drastic turn around in my life, I refuse to see anything less! 
For years now I have struggled with all kinds of insecurity, but one of the main ones is my weight.  I have never thought that I was thin enough or I was attractive enough so I hid it by wearing jeans and tshirts every day.  A couple of weeks before I left home for the Honor Academy, my mentor (praise God for mentors) told me that you feel how you dress.  In other words, if I go around dressed like a bum, I'm going to feel like an unattractive bum.  However, if I dress like a beautiful woman, I will feel like a beautiful woman.  After she told me that I began to make extra efforts to dress myself a little better, it was only baby steps but it WAS a step.  Little did I know that at the Honor Academy, you have to dress nice for EVERYTHING (besides corporate workout).  I was a little concerned about that at first but you know what, this morning I dresed myself with boldness and confidence in who I was and how I looked.  Is the insecurity of my self image gone? No, but it is decreasing and it will continue to leave more and more as I continue to present myself as the beautiful young woman that God sees in me!

Time to Go to Work

The big day is here!  I arrived in Texas last night, and today I begin my internship at the Honor Academy.  I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me so far and everyone who will continue to support me as the year goes on.  I am so excited and a little nervous to see what this year will bring.  The work begins now, I have several personal goals for this year and I know God has His own goals for my life as well.  It's going to take a lot of work to accomplish it all but I am confident that through Him, the goals will be reached.

                                                  Let His plans be your plans for 2013!!

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

And If Our God Is For Us........

For those who do not know, I am currently in the process of raising $8,400 for a one year internship in Garden Valley, Texas called the Honor Academy.  Raising the money for this internship has probably been one of hardest things I have ever done, but God has taught me so much from it.  He has taught me to be generous in mygiving.  He has also taught me how important it is to not worry and trust in Him (Luke 12: 22-25).  When I first decided I was going to the Honor Academy I stressed myself out completely over the finances.  But as time went on, and I stressed myself out, I watched God provide in the most amazing ways.  Now, my attitude towards these much needed funds is calm and security in God, and He has surely been faithful!  I work at a small restaurant, and a few weeks back,  my kindergarted teacher came in to eat.  It had been years since I saw her.  It was really nice to see her, she asked what I was doing these days and I couldn't help but tell her about the Honor Academy.  I don't even remember saying much about money for the internship, maybe just that I was fundraising for it if that.  Yesterday when I got to work there was an envelope for me from her and her church.  Inside was $100!! God is so faithful and if HE is for us WHO can be against us?