Life

*~*Rewritten*~*

It has been brought to my attention that the post that was previously in this spot was offensive. For that I am truly sorry. In no way did I intend to offend, and if I offended you the reader, please consider this my formal apology and request for forgiveness... here is my attempt at the rewritten version, saying the same thing with different words that are hopefully not offensive.

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes God doesn't give us answers to questions we ask, and thats ok. God is good no matter the circumstances. His mercies are new every morning, and oh how I am greatful for this. I cannot make it through this life on my own, especially when the pressure gets higher and the stress level rockets. I cannot look back on trials and say "I made it"... the only way that I am here, that I am alive, that I can fake a smile and say "I'm OK", even when I'm really not, is that not I, but God has made it possible. He has carried me.
And the purpose of the original, and this post... please continue to pray for me. Pray for patience, understanding, grace, and the ability to forgive. Pray for my students and our whole school, that I will be able to effectively reach them and their families and that God's plan will continue to be sought after.

Jeremiah 29:11
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.

Raining Relief

An article on the UN's news site (http://www.un.org/) on September 18, 2007 states:

" About 260,000 Ghanaians have been affected by the floods, according to OCHA (the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), which reports that at least nine bridges have collapsed and the water supply systems in many areas have been destroyed, along with roads and schools. An unknown number of crops and livestock have also been lost.

OCHA reports that a major concern is the possible outbreak of waterborne diseases after cases of diarrhoea, dysentery and cholera were diagnosed in the Upper East region, close to the border with Burkina Faso and Togo.

The Ghanaian Government has declared a state of emergency in the three most affected regions and begun distributing relief items to the flood victims while deploying naval equipment and personnel to help with the ferrying of people and goods to and from those areas cut off by the high waters.
In total, some 200 people have been killed and 650,000 others have lost their homes because of African floods, which have hit 17 countries."

And this article was written weeks ago... imagine how the death toll has increased since then...

Our school is making an effort to do our part in the relief... we want to be part of the raining down of relief onto our brothers and sisters in the north

The following is a piece that one of the other teachers wrote for our schools website:

"This fall, Ghana has had a more generous rainy season than in years. This has meant a better electrical situation, but the blessing of electricity has come at much too high a cost. All of the rain has caused flooding in the northern regions of Ghana. This flooding has washed away crops, homes, and other belongings. Two of the AIS staff, Heather Cline, and Sally Clausel recently journeyed to the north and saw the devastation first hand. Storehouses that should be filled knee-high with grain have only a small pile. Trees have been picked clean of leaves, in an attempt to harvest any food possible. One family of nine is sharing one pair of flip-flops. We as a Christian school cannot stand by and do nothing as those in our country are starving, homeless and lacking in clothing. We have begun a drive to provide food and clothing for these in need. Will you join us in our endeavor? We would ask you to please donate money to allow missionaries in the North to provide food, clothing, and shoes for needy children and families."

If you, as my supporter, would like to help us in this effort, there are several ways to do so. If you are in the states, you can write a check to me and pass it along to my mom for her to deposit (and I will withdraw the money and donate it), or for it to be tax deductible, follow the links along the side of this page (How to support my work) and donate online through NICS (please let me know that you would like your donation to go toward the relief fund and I will be sure it makes it there!)

Thank you all so much for keeping up with me on this thing... I would love some feedback and comments :) I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post, I just wasn't able to quite find the words for this particular post, because of how serious of an issue it is, and how much I wanted to clearly convey it to you all. Thank you for your support and prayers!!!!

PhotoBlog #2

PhotoBlog #2 - A day in Aburi (a town in the "mountains" where there is a botanical garden) and Boti Falls (beautiful waterfall "near" Aburi... near meaning an hour and a half away)

I love my roomates :) Amanda, Evie and I under a really cool hollow tree (no, we didn't plan to all wear blue)

Standing inside the tree looking up into its hollowness...

A beautiful view down into a valley below the gardens

A beautiful flower in the gardens!!!

Traffic on the way to Boti Falls... ohhh what a sight :)

Climbing down the stairs to the falls... it was a looongggg way!!


Standing down by the water (it has rained so much lately that we couldn't go any further than the stairs!!)

Daniel and Jonathan ventured over into the bush a ways and got quite close to the falls

My favorite picture I've ever taken :) so beautiful!!!

Amy and Evie trying Coco... it was really yummy!!

and Amanda and I... wrong camera Amanda!!!!!! :)

We had so much fun, and even though we spent hours (quite literally... about 5 in all) in a trotro (a rickety old van that you shove as many people as possible into, up to 15 or 16), were sweaty, tired, and maybe even a little cranky, it was so totally worth it!!! If you are ever in Ghana, I would totally reccomend going :)

(to view the rest of the pictures from the day, click this link to see the Facebook album!!)
http://cedarville.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2032697&l=44fdf&id=141300005

Reason, Season, Life...

This week I am writing about youth group again… I guess I must like it!! Julianne (my housemate from Canada) spoke this weekend and gave her testimony. Several times, she said something that has really, really been weighing on my mind. IN college she had a friend who was a Missionary Kid (MK) in Italy growing up. He must have been very wise because he said these words to her, and they impacted her greatly, and have now impacted me as well.
Some people are in our life for a reason. We may never even realize what that reason was, but sometimes God only allows us the chance to know someone for a short time, and a certain specific reason.

Some people are in our lives for seasons. The season may be short or long, good or bad, but they are seasons. For example, college was definitely a season for most people, and there were close friends there that are lost after. Seasons come and go throughout the year, and some people come and go in the same way. God has placed them in our lives for more than just a simple reason, but for a season full of them.

Some people are with us for life. You just can’t get rid of em! Of course family falls into this category, but there are a very small handful of others… God allows a bond to be created that comes from above and just can’t seem to be broken.

After hearing these things, I have mixed emotions. I am excited to think about those that are with me for life. I know that this includes my family and I am so blessed to have a family that loves me. I also think about the small handful of friends that have been with me for most of my life already, and I am sitting here welling up with tears thinking about how blessed I am to have them in my life. It is so hard to be so far away, and to feel like I am missing things and almost like I am not being a good friend… but I know that I am right where God wants me to be… and I know that they are some of the few who understand that, and love me just the same whether I’m the next town over, or thousands of miles over the ocean.

It is hard to think about those who are here for just a season also… some of these people become so dear to us and it feels unfair for them to not be a part of our lives forever. I have to remind myself that God has a purpose in this, and His intent is for good. I think about those who have been in my life in the past for a season, and smile upon the things that God used them for in my life, the lessons learned and the blessings.

All of these things being said, I want to say thank you. Thank you for being in my life, whether it is for a reason, a season, or for life. Thank you for blessing me, whether it be simply by reading this blog, even if I have never met you, by supporting my in prayer or financially, or being my friend. I am so grateful that you are allowing God to use you in my life, and that He is blessing me through it.

It is the end of rainy season here in Ghana!

Be Blessed

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" ~Matthew 5:8

This weekend I attended the church's youth group, and Mr. Ike, the man who leads along with his wife, spoke about Jesus and the beatitudes. We talked about what it means to really be poor in spirit, merciful, peacemakers, and persecuted. We got the chance to break up into small groups, and I joined a group that mostly had girls of the junior high age. Mariah, one of my housemates, was in charge of that group, and had us all pick one that we wanted to strive to take personally and make it our own. At first, nothing jumped out at me, and I was getting a little nervous that I would not have anything to say when it came my turn going around the circle. I read through all of them again, and BAM, verse 8 jumped out like you wouldn't believe. All of the sudden I remembered all kinds of things that went with this verse, and I actually got a little bit emotional. In school, I remember one professor talking about how we have a vertical relationship with God and a horizontal relationship with others on the earth. If our relationship with God is out of line, those relationships with humans will therefore be thrown off. I think that these two things go hand in hand. If there are things that we are harbouring in our hearts (any sin, whether anger or resentment toward another person, some idol we are clinging onto, a plan that is not God's, etc...), we will not see God clearly. It's like these things are smoke, and when they are inside us, we can't see God through them... not that He isn't there anymore or left us, but that we have clouded our own vision. I think a lot of times we turn it around and blame Him, thinking that it is Him who is "hiding" from us, or not sharing His will with us. This is SO far from the truth! When we keep this "smoke" inside, and don't give it over to Him, of course we can't see through it, but if we breath it out and lay it down at His feet (which never went anywhere), we can then truly and clearly see Him for what He is, our Creator, Master, Provider, Father, and Friend...
That has just been on my heart, and we all made a commitment to really focus on our chosen beatitude this week... I would challenge you to read through the beatitudes in Matthew 5 and choose one for yourself to personalize and strive for!!