Tidbits

Well, since it has been a while since my last post, I thought I would share little tidbits about my life.
{3 weeks+ 1 day of finals till Spring break (or Mexico, I should say!) The Lord has graciously provided for this trip-even though I can't SEE all the provision yet-He has given me the go ahead for it! Another way to stretch my trust. If I haven't talked much about it, I will be going-change that to driving down in 2 vans- with about 13 other girls mainly from my house (along with our awesome, amazing cook and a dad) to Tijuana Mexico. We will be staying in an orphanage and mainly helping out there, loving on kids, and possibly helping out in a nearby hospice, etc. I am SOO excited and this will be my first time in a Spanish speaking country. I'm sure you'll hear more about this trip in the upcoming weeks (and definitely afterwards :)

{I had my Costa Rica interview last week (all in Spanish) and PTL I think it went pretty well! I really have no worries about getting in or not because God is in control. This is for my study abroad trip this June 17-July 31st. I am also super stoked for this. But at times struggeling and burdened about the financial aspects of it all

{One of my best friends Whitney (roomie from last year) is getting married this August 7th and I will get to sing and play in her wedding! She is one of the most beautiful women of the Lord I have ever met and am so excited for them. Her fiance is serving the military in Iraq right now and it has been hard for them to be apart for almost 11 months, but they have grown even more so because of it. And a huge blessing, they will probably be moving back to Corvallis next year as he finishes school.

{Even though it was over a week ago, I had a FABULOUS valentines day. One of my best friends (Amy's) dad "Papa Hood" insisted that he take his daughter valentine (me) out to lunch and I was so blessed. Papa and Mama Hood have truly taken me in like a daughter and I am blown away by their generosity, grace, kindness, humor, and example of a great marriage. Then, my roommate and friend Rebecca and I spontaneously decided to go to the beach. 45 minutes later, we arrived to Newport, and it ended up being SUNNY and BEAUTIFUL and not even that cold! It was a glorious, healing day and was just what we needed. Rebecca had just broken up with her boyfriend of 5 years as led by the Lord and it was so cool to sing and dance around on the beach to "I am free to run!". The day ended with a little Yogurt Extreme (the new, most delicious ice cream place a few blocks down). I felt so spoiled by the Lord.

{The sunny weather! The last week was full of sunny (ok, still a little cold :) days and that is always a reason for me to rejoice. I LOVE the time when spring is just around the corner. If you live/have lived in Oregon, you know what I mean. It's like a personal gift from God to me.

{Ok, so I am for sure sharing my testimony with the house this next Monday, March 1! I have felt so much more peace about it, but I would still really appreciate your prayers. I know naturally I will be super nervous and just dreadful. Pray the SUPERNATURAL will come over me and Jesus will wrap me up in His arms. I am spending at least an hour every day this week just praying about it and letting the Lord prepare me. I am super excited to just do it and have it over with!

{BTW the day after those lyrics came to me, I sat down at the piano and Jesus gave me a whole new melody for it and the rest of the song! One girl in my house was particularly blessed by it and I am praising the Lord. This has been a huge year of developing and realizing my gifting--not to take pride in it, obviously--but not to hide it! And not to keep it for myself but to bless and nurture others through it!

{My favorite verse to meditate on recently: 1 Cor 2:9- "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." I can be confident that no matter what dreams or desires of mine ever get fulfilled, if I am abandoned to loving Him and hearing His heart and following Him wholeheartedly, I will never be disappointed. THANK YOU JESUS!

{Which reminds me, in the last few weeks I had been stressed out about my major and what I was going to do with it. I had considered dropping the education aspect of it and just doing Spanish and HDFS (human development and family services) so I could do orphangage stuff someday. I was just trusting the Lord and laying it before Him. Then, last Thursday morning I woke up, and I felt at complete peace to keep my education minor and go in the teaching route. The Lord could completely change this by the time I graduate, but as of now, I am excited to teach!!! I am thinking now of something like ESL for elementary kids. I realized I was hesitant in this area because I didn't believe in my capabilities and was fearful of potential failure. But then I look back at how I was 4 and fist wanted to be a teacher, and how i taught imaginary school every day for countless years. I feel it has always been ingrained in me. I don't think most other children got whiteboards or an overhead for their birthday! I still have such a passion to live abroad and love on poor and needy children, or to work for IJM, so we will see how the Lord will lead! It is exciting..and still far away. My life and plans are held out to Him with open hands...

{I don't know if this is normal or not for a 19 year old, but I have had such an intesnse desire this year just to HAVE KIDS! Somedays I am so impatient to be a MOTHER! I am savoring this time in my life, but many days I can't help but look ahead. I am obsessed with names. My favorite names right now are {Fe, Mairyn, Luceia, Ellarie, Aivelyn} and {Kiam, Abel, Kaedmon, Noam and Job}. Lord grant me patience! Somedays I fear it will never happen...but I am trying to focus on the here and now and the growth the Lord is doing in me now and intimacy with Him.

Well I think that is most of it....I must get ready for class now but more to come in the near future! Thanks for reading! The Lord is good. Love you devoted friends!
Suse

PS Here are some pics of the beach!

Half a Lyric.....Testimony

So last night, I was trying to go to bed early (11:30 ish) and I couldn't. I was sort of just thinking and praying for a while and the lyrics,
{I get lost in Your eyes, and found in Your love}
popped in my head with a melody. I kept repeating it in my head and eventually I knew I wouldn't fall asleep anytime soon, so I took my guitar and journal down to the prayer room and waited to see if more would come. I got to
{I get lost in Your eyes, and found in Your love
Wrecked by Your grace, and saved by your beauty
There is no one else like You}
I was a little frustrated that I wasn't getting any verses or anything else for this song. I was using precious hours of sleep! i thought to myself vaguely.
I learned last night that sometimes He has to use different methods to get me to "come away with Him". I probably wouldn't have spent that little time with Him if He had just whispered..."Get up! I want tell you something..." as lame as that sounds. I probably would have just said, "You can tell me from here if it's important!" :)But he knows how songs get to my heart! :) I love how funny He is. It was a sweet half hour or so with the Lord that I wouldn't have gotten had I stayed in bed. And, I realized that even if the song doesn't come to fruition, the words were meaningful to me at that point in time, and the Lord was blessed just by me singing that little chorus over and over.

Prayer Request: God has put it strongly on my heart to share my testimony with my house (at our mon. night meeting). The last few testimonies have been very vulnerable, very powerful-girls sharing very deep and hard things, confessing things for the first time...and each time I knew I was supposed to as well. I REALLY am not wanting to right now, especially as I will be sharing sins and other parts of my life that are hard to talk about, in front of 46 other girls. But I know that if I want those areas of my life to be healed, I need to "confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." I know that all the girls are so full of grace, and they will still love and accept me the same, but even if they didn't my prayer is that I would put transparency above a good reputation. I think I will be giving it Mon. Feb 22. Please just pray that the Lord would be preparing me until that time, giving me wisdom and things I need to say or leave out, and giving me peace, freedom and joy.
Thank you so much! I appreciate all your prayers, and am thankful that the Lord hears them.
Susannah