You are still God, I have a reason to sing...

Whew! Where to start?! =)

Christmas break: (I believe that's where i left off)
It was goooood to be home. Amazing to spend time with family and friends. It was awesome to see how God is changing our church. Change...although it SEEMS scary....is actually exciting. Because I trust that our leaders are hearing from God on the directions we're headed, any "obstacle" or "frustration" is so minor. I know that ultimately God will be glorified, His Will will prevail.

While I was home, there were multiple times when I was like "WHY am I here right now???" and I was really asking God to show me what it was that I was supposed to learn while I was home and how I could grow. And I was completely shocked at what it was. Although, I'm not quite ready to reveal it yet. =)

So...I get back from Christmas on Monday & the transition back into things was a little difficult. We had training week starting Tuesday. And it was AWESOME. We had a different speaker every session and we learned SO much. We talked about Self leadership, the future of New frontiers, Responsibility, Prophecy, Leaders as Servants, & Biblical Womanhood. Talk about Brain overload. =) It was awesome though to be with all of the other year-teamers again. We prayed a lot about our futures and what God would have us do this coming year when we're finished on FYT.

Training week kinda blended into Mobilise starting on Friday. We helped with set up and getting things organized. And I look up, only to see, WASHINGTON FRIENDS walking through the door. =) For some reason, it makes my heart warm to see people from back home. (Even if they're people I hardly know from Washington) haha... THEN later that evening, Warren & Kim, Brent & Nancy, and Jonah & Becky showed up. =) It was SOOOO good to see them. =) Not gonna lie, I was kinda attached to their hips while they were here. I was just SOOOO pumped for them to get to see the environment that I've been in for the last 4 months and to start to catch the vision of what God is doing all over the United States through New Frontiers.

It's such an exciting thing to be a part of. God really is moving and to be in the middle of that movement is so exciting. I just want to like....go back to Oregon....and shout to everyone I know about the amazing things God is doing. =)

Anyways...back to Mobilise. Dude....God showed up. Not that I was like worried that He wouldn't...but...it was still incredible. I had specifically been asking Him all week to just reveal to me His plan for this next year. And dude...did He ever! Not only did He reveal it, He gave me so much peace. (again, more about this to come at a later date)

One of the nights...I was sitting in my seat, and I just started laughing...because God reminded me of a promise that he gave me when I was like....13ish? Anyways...I was laughing because that promise coming true has been such a process that I didn't even realize it was happening...and now it's such a part of my life that I'd forgotten what it was like to NOT have that be a part of me! Point being: God is so faithful. =)

Overall, the entire weekend was just plain awesome. Lives were changed. And I'm like, spiritually high. =) I SO wish that ALL of my Oregon friends could have been there! We had a ton of fun hang out time but more importantly they got to see first hand what it's like to be a part of this amazing family of churches.

Warren got to stay a few extra days to meet with other New Frontiers leaders. So...I got to see him here in the office. That was pretty cool. =)

SO excited for Equipped for mission in February!!! Pretty sure we need to fill an entire plane with Northwest people for this conference. =) It's gonna be awesome.

So...honestly, I have alot more that I could probably say...however, I want to talk to the leaders here a bit more before I reveal everything that God spoke to me this weekend. =)

I leave you with this: God is faithful.

If you've been reading my blog consistently, I'm sure that you've seen that this is something that I mention quite often. But that's because it's something that I'm constantly blown away by! When I least expect it, God just knocks my socks off! =)

I'm in love... =P
(With God..)

Anyways! I've got a massive list of things to do today, so I'm gonna go ahead and get on that. =)

Love and miss you guys back on the homefront!

-Brit

So this is the new year...

Have you ever woken up and just asked yourself why?



"Why do I have to get out of bed so early?"



"Why did I waste so much time on facebook last night?!"



These two are pretty typical for most people, but have you ever thought a little deeper than that?



For me, this was one of those deeper mornings. "Why is my life the way it is? Was there one specific decision I made that caused it to be like this? Or is it just how my life was destined to be?"



Now don't you guys worry, I'm not regreting any life decisions that I have made and I'm not in any way saying that I'm not happy with the life I'm living. I have just had one of those step back and look at your life from a different standpoint kind of experiences that make you wonder what things would be like if you would have done one thing instead of the other.



I guess this kind of self evaluation should come around about the time of the New Year, I mean just take a little inventory of who you are now compared to who you were the last time you counted down the seconds until a new year. Isn't it funny though how we expect so much to change on days like new years and birthdays, when in reality, those are usually the days that the least amount of change happens? Change seems like one of those things that when you expect it, it never comes but when you don't, it comes out of no where and throws you a curveball. But if you think about it, that is really just what life is about. Changes. And even though changes are sometimes the hardest things to accept...we are better people because of them.



This is one of the biggest lessons that I have learned this semester, that change is necessary.



I have also realized this: in a small town like Lebanon (no offense to those of you who still live there) you don't have to grow. If you wanted to, you could stay in the same house with the same friends and family surrounding you and just get your degree at LBCC and not experience much change at all if you don't want to. In small towns you have to DECIDE to grow. It is up to you to seek out big changes. However, that isn't the case when you move out of your comfort zone and into a city like Portland were there are practially limitless possibilities. You get to chose who you will be rather than most of the population already knowing you.



So here it is....2010. Bring on the changes.

-Gina


Now Listening To: Dreamer by Chris Brown