summer wrap-up

It's pretty safe to say that summer is a thing of the past.

September is just around the corner.

The nights and morning are cooler.

School has started (for most students).

A sweatshirt is always nearby.

At the beginning of summer, I made a list to complete over the sunny months.

I have:

read a couple books

read the whole New Testament

learned some piano chords

memorized songs on the piano and guitar

danced

written a song

taken pictures pretty much the whole time on a day road trip

(attempted to) listen to a whole conversation without distractions

had a couple sleepovers

almost blogged every 2 weeks

knit 3 headbands

The only thing I did not get done on my list was making an altered book, which I was really hoping to do. I did, however do some artwork that I might take with me to school and put up in my room. Maybe I'll just have to do an altered book another summer ;)

watercolor artwork- I love drawing dresses

God is AWESOME.

I just had to get that out there. We had our youth group's 2nd annual outreach last night. We had free food, a band, free giveaways (some pretty sweet ones, like $100 gift cards!), a dance, and a speaker and altar call. Everything went a million times better than I could have expected. Seriously, God was there. I was involved in the dance, helping with giveaways and praying with people after they got their food. Those were all really cool things to be a part of, but the highlight of my night was the conversation I was able to have with a couple people, Mac and Heather. Just as the speaker was starting to talk, I was looking for a spot to sit down. Thank you, God, that there was no place to sit by my friends otherwise I would've missed out on this awesome time to share about Jesus. So I found a table where a couple people were sitting. I recognized the girl on my right, as the wife of a Teen Challenge graduate. So I figured that was who I was supposed to talk with. But actually, I ended up talking with the 2 people on my left.

The guy sitting next to me, Mac started saying things to himself after he didn't agree with something the speaker said. "That's not true, Jesus can't do that. Oh, I am happy enough without any of that. I've got my alcohol..." I looked over at him, "Alcohol makes you happy?" I asked him. "Yeah! Get drunk every night, sober up, then do again." "But you have to keep going back to it to be happy," I replied. "No you don't. It always makes me happy." He didn't exactly answer my question...

The speaker started saying how Jesus died on the cross for every one of us. "He did not," Mac said. "Yes he did," I told him. I looked straight into his eyes and with the words only God could have given me said, "If you were the only one here, the only one on this earth, He would've died for you. He has a plan for you. He knew that you would come here tonight." While I shared this with him, he shook his head, "He would not. And I was drug here by Heather. She said we were going to a concert. I did not want to come here. God must have something against Native Americans because He's never done anything for me."

My heart just aches knowing that inside he's dying. He says all these things will satisfy him, but I know he's not happy with the way his life has turned out. He hates his family, he said they mean nothing to him. I asked him if he's given Jesus a chance. He said yes. I asked him how. He couldn't really explain. "Jesus is the only thing, the only one, who can give you complete satisfaction," I told him. "How old are you?" he asked. I told him I was 18. "Yeah, you just wait and see." He was 24.

His friend Heather said Jesus is her savior, but she doesn't believe the Bible's true. She used to go to church, the same one as me actually, but every time the music plays she starts crying. And that's why she stopped going to church. Because she doesn't like crying in front of people. I could definitely tell she had a sensitive heart. She believed in Jesus but He wasn't first in her life. That would probably be her boyfriend. She's moving in with him in 4 days.

So I asked Mac and Heather if I could pray with them. Heather said yes, Mac said okay, a little uncertain about it. So I prayed with them. Afterwards, Heather had tears in her eyes. One of the best ways to show others the love of Christ is not by the words you say, but how you love them. I really hope that's what I did. I knew shouting Jesus name at them wouldn't do anything but push them further from wanting to know about Him. So I just loved on them. Accepted them, shared about the love I have and listened to them.

So if you're reading this right now, please say a prayer for Heather and Mac. Pray that they'll come to know Jesus as their redeemer, their Savior. That the words I spoke to them would be on their heart. I know that God planned that conversation with them last night, but pray that it has an impact on their life.Pray that a seed was planted.

psalm 17:6

I call to you, O God, for you will answer me;

give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Moving Forward

Wow. This summer has flown! I don't know why, but I'm always surprised when I start to hear about going back to school shopping, getting supplies and getting ready for the new school year. I've really enjoyed this summer. I've kind of gone all over the Midwest and then some, down to Omaha, the black hills, Minneapolis, Texas and going to different weddings. And now it's nearly coming to an end.

I start school on September 4th, at Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute. It's a bible school in Camrose, Alberta. I have a lot of family there and one of my favorite cousins is going to be there with me too. We pretty much planned going there since we were freshmen in high school :D I'm pretty excited. I'm looking forward to the community, friendships, spiritual growth, learning and experiences.

My best friends are starting to leave for school. One leaves tomorrow, and others follow the next week. I think I'm the last one to be leaving. I don't like saying goodbye. It's such a weird feeling knowing that things never will be the same. I probably won't be as close with the friends I've known throughout high school. In some ways that scares me. I'm pretty comfortable where I'm at right now. But on the other hand, I know that I have to move on. I can't stay here and miss out on what God has for me. Sometimes I think I'm more than ready to leave home, but other times I don't really want to. Ah well. I have a couple weeks to get everything packed up and I think that will help me to "be ready." Ready for school, for moving on, moving forward.

Galveston Discoveries

*i [really] like crab

*ocean water in the Gulf is really warm

*i get really sweaty in the Texas humidity and heat

*a simple prayer can have a huge impact on someone

*you can get stung by jelly fish by just swimming in the ocean

*i learned how to drywall

*PEZ can make people go crazy :)

*AC is sent from heaven

*hurricane Ike was the 3rd most destructive hurricane in the U.S. history, following Andrew and Katrina

*the HS in Galveston has a jail and daycare in the school... crazy

*hard work, like drywalling doesn't exactly show changes in the house, but it's just as necessary to get the house completed

*i love helping, playing and talking with kids, especially cute little black kids

*boogie boards are awesome

*Galveston needs prayer

We had a really wonderful week working in Galveston. Hard to get past to the heat, but at least it didn't slow us down at all. We spent our days working on houses. I drywalled the entire week while others helped finish a roof and cleaned up the yard.

We did bible clubs in the afternoon at a park. Kids around ages 4-13 joined us for games, snacks, and a bible lesson. My friend Whitney and I got to lead the bible lesson one day. It was a cool experience. We taught the kids the story of Daniel and how he continued to follow God even though he was thrown in a lions den. The kids were so cute. I asked them what they thought happened when Daniel was punished for not obeying the king and one kid replied, "He had to go to church?"

The kids were so accepting of us. It was fairly obvious how these kids yearned for attention from us, where as they might not be getting it anywhere else.

One of my favorite things about the trip was going on prayer walks. I've never done this before, so it was a new thing for me. Our group would split up into 2 groups and walk around the neighborhood and lift up the area in prayer, for salvation, for the people's homes, for safety of the town, and pretty much whatever God led us to pray for. One lady, Mrs. Scott was taking out her trash when we walked by her driveway. We started up a conversation and ended up praying for her. She was so extremely blessed that we prayed with her. She told us, " You don't know how much I needed it. Thank you guys so much. I'm going to go call my son right now and tell him I got prayer on my driveway. On my driveway!" I am so glad we could be used by God to touch her life. Definitely one of my highlights of the trip.

Another really cool thing we did on this trip was "Drive by prayer." We gave free meals to people driving or walking by and then would ask if we could pray with them. I know a lot of people were thankful not only for the food, but also for the prayers. While we were ministering to the people there, someone noticed a piece of a rainbow directly above us. I got goosebumps. It was almost like God's sign to us.

All in all, a very good, yet challenging trip. I wasn't expecting the intensity of the heat, but also wasn't expecting the difference connections I made while working in Galveston. Thanks for all your prayers and remembering our team while we were working!

Guess what?
I'm going on a mission trip to Galveston, Texas tomorrow! I'm heading with my youth group to do ministry work by doing hurricane relief and a VBS-like program. I'm trying to get excited, but I don't really feel like I'm going on a mission trip. Hopefully when we get there, the excitement will kick in. If you're reading this, you could definitely pray for our group as we're working down there for the next week. Pray for our safety as we travel the 18 hours from SoDak to Texas and spend the week working on houses. Pray for unity within our team, that we would get to know each other better and each come back with a life-changing experience.

So far, on my summer to-do-list, I'm doing pretty decent. I've read a book, finished reading the New Testament, learned "the call" by Regina Spektor on piano, had a sleepover, knit a headband AND blogged once every 2 weeks (at least as of now). I feel pretty good. Maybe I'll have to write a bigger list next time.

Still on my list to do this summer is dance, write a song, learn more chords on the piano, and listen to one conversation without distractions. Blogging every 2 weeks is kind of a continuous one, so that's not completely off the list...

My sleepover with one of my best friends was awesome. I forgot how good it felt to laugh so hard that your sides ache and tears are running down your face. Very refreshing. It's such a wonderful feeling knowing that you can be completely ridiculous around someone because they're just as weird as you. :)

laughter is

contagious,

refreshing,

restoring,

enjoyable,

rejuvenating,

one of the best feelings in the world.

Hey God.
I miss you. Can we hang out? Like all the time? :) Sometimes I can totally feel you. But right now, I feel like I have to try so hard to remember what you're like. I'm not complaining. At least I'm not trying to. And I am so grateful for all the greatness you have shown me. I am a little scared, though. I know life won't always bee this good. Trials are a comin'. I know that. Please give me the strength to come out victorious. I suppose I wasn't given my name for nothing. double negative... :( I know you are faithful and always will be.

God, I don't really know what you want with my life. I place my future in your hands. What you ask I will do. I have all these dreams and big ideas of what I would like to do. I know you give dreams for a reason, but how big is too big to dream? Everything is in your timing, my life in your hands.

God, bring me back to a place of surrender, of a need for you. I try to get by without you. The really upsetting thing is that I don't even realize it. I want you to be a part of everything I do, of every action of my day.

Thank you for creative outlets that you've given me. songwriting, piano, dance, guitar, knitting, writing, and blogging. Please show me ways to use my talents for your glory. It's all about letting others come to know you and your love. I want to share that love but I don't always know how. Help me.
I need your help everyday.
Become real and personal again.
Speak to me through your holy word.
I love you.

Victoria Audrey

Summer 2010 To-Do-List

-make an altered book

(pages from an altered book I did this Spring)

-read a book (or more than 1)

-finish reading the New Testament

-learn more piano chords

-memorize how to play songs on guitar and piano

-dance

-write a song

-take pictures one whole day, wherever I go

-listen completely to at least 1 conversation, no distractions

-have a sleepover

-knit a headband

-blog at least once, every 2 weeks

So this seems like quite the list, especially with only a couple months of summer left. Maybe it will become a year-long list :) I would be happy even if I did just one of these on my list. I think making lists helps me get motivated to do something. It helps push me to try something new and fun and hopefully get something out of the process.

Yesterday was the 4th of July. We had some visiting family over for fireworks. Some of us cousins got an old blanket and laid out under the stars. It was so beautiful. The stars were so brilliant, they looked close enough to grasp. I don't remember the last time the stars shone so bright, or the last time I even took the time to enjoy their beauty and mystery. It's really strange how some stars that we see today don't even exist anymore, it's just their light that we see. how sad that not everybody can enjoy the stars like I can. One of those advantages to living in the country, I suppose.

I should go outside more often.

And get lost in the stars.