I may be weak, but Your Spirit's strong in me.

Is it possible to get writers block when writing a blog?

Sorry guys, I'm totally slacking. I just haven't been feeling very "inspired" lately. Which, is pretty silly given that I am a journalism major. I should always want to write, right? Nonetheless... I'm writing now. :)

So, the title of this blog is from this song... Give Me Faith. It's incredible. Go listen to it. :)

The way the Lord has been moving in me is just incredible. Breaking my heart daily for the daughters and just allowing me to grow to desire Him more and more. I've gotten to the point where more days than not I sigh when picking my dress up from the back of my chair.

So, has it really become that? Just a chore? Something to check of a list?
No. I don't think so.
Sometimes I'm worried it has, but then I think about all the victims of human trafficking and I know my heart is breaking for them and if wearing this dress can help others learn about this huge issue and hopefully do something about it, then I'm going to do it.
And I'm going to do it joyfully.

I just talked to a girl the other day that honestly had no idea that human trafficking was so prevalent in the United States, let alone in Ohio.

I talked to another girl who had definitely noticed I've been wearing the same dress for a good three weeks, but didn't want to say anything. I was able to talk with her about human trafficking then and why I'm wearing the same blue dress.

But think about that for a minute... She noticed, but didn't want to say anything. How often do we do that? We notice something is a little off about someone, we think something may be going on, we think that they may actually need help. But, oh no... We cannot, under any circumstance, get involved in someone else's business. If they want help, they'll ask.

Right.

Just like we always reach out to others when we want someone to talk to. I'm not saying that we should intensely question everyone we meet about their life and their circumstances, but what if she is a daughter? What if she is a victim. What if he is a victim. Take time to notice others, human trafficking is happening all around you. 


Sorry, no pictures this post. Most of them from the past week are on my roommates camera. Some are on mine, but I felt the urge to write, so I didn't want to take time to upload them. Perhaps later tonight I will. I was reading some Scripture last night and it was so... awesome. I don't know really how else to describe it. The Lord is just SO good. 


Check out Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. You can read Psalm 22 as though it is David who is speaking, or as if it is you who are speaking, or as if it is Christ who is speaking. In Matthew 27:46, Christ says, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?") Which is how Psalm 22 begins. Let me know what you guys think!

I need You to soften my heart. I need You to pierce through the dark and clense every part of me. Because all I am, I surrender. -Give Me Faith, Elevation Worship

Pray without ceasing: making time for God.

Yikes, it's been a while! Sorry about that.. These past few weeks have been crazy concerning school work. I very appreciative that today is the weekend and the Lord has given us some sunny weather to lift our spirits from this dreary week we've been having.

I have less than two months till I graduate, wow. I'm so excited and have been anxiously waiting for this day, I just can't believe it's almost here already. Honestly though, classes the last couple weeks have been crazy intense and I've fallen into the trap of "saving" my intimate, precious alone time with God till after everything else is done for the day.

Ugh.

I don't like it. Last night I had so many things on my mind. Thoughts racing and I didn't even know where to start. I had so many things I wanted to share with our Father: thoughts, questions, praises, requests... Then He showed me. I haven't been spending adequate time at all with Him for the past week or so. And it was evident. I had all these things stored up that I couldn't even remember everything and sort through any of it... He knew what was on my heart and my mind, but the fact that I had been neglecting Him and then was trying to push a week of intimacy into 30 minutes, just wasn't working.

It was bad. I felt so defeated. I had let the priorities monster win. School is more important. Friends are more important. Clubs are more important. They're all more important than Him.

False.

But that is how I was living. How blessed I am to be able to spend so much peaceful time with Him. Knowing I'm safe, knowing I (most likely) will not be interrupted, knowing that people are not going to find me and persecute me for it. But I chose to neglect Him instead. The girls that I'm wearing this dress for may not have those options. They may get beat if they pray. They may get mocked if they cry out the our Savior in the middle of the night. But I don't... and I totally take it for granted sometimes? Not anymore.

That week or so of trying to only rely on the Lord a little bit was crazy. It was stressful and exhausting. he is my everything and I won't let other priorities rise over Him again. I read this somewhere once, that truly, He shouldn't be "our number 1," because then that means we are putting Him in competition with other things.

There are no other things that are even worthy to be in a race with Him. How beautiful.

Here are a bunch of photos! I'm missing days 10-13 - they're on my roommates camera. I'll put up soon! :)

Day 5 - Haha, trying to get a picture jumping.

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9 - Becky, Kelsey (this was her first day!!) and I

Day 14

Our beautiful roommate, Heather, and her husband, Steve on their wedding day this past Saturday. Not a dress she'll be wearing everyday, but definitely one worth showcasing. :)

...And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Well, today was day four. And so far, it's been pretty easy.

Easy? Do I really want this to be easy? Hm..

We'll see what tomorrow brings. I have the same classes tomorrow as I did Monday, so maybe someone will notice that I have the same dress on. And maybe that'll make me feel a little uncomfortable, wondering what they're thinking. And maybe... I'll be even more reminded of why I'm doing this. For those girls who are always uncomfortable. That truly never have the freedom to even choose what they wear.

A lot of people already know that I'm wearing the same dress for a month (plus) and they know why. However, I don't know everyone in all my classes, so they don't know yet. I'm nervous about tomorrow.. and so excited.  :)

In other news... I got to be encouraged today by one of my friends. We've decided to start meeting weekly to share our lives and share our faith. We got to talk about Scripture and truth together and we were able to pray together. We were in our student union during one of the busiest hours - lunch time. My friend said, "I kind of just want to do it right now.." Talking about praying and asking the Lord for the things we'd been discussing. And then she said, "But.. in the middle of KU (our union)?" So, she was bold and decided to follow the Lord and do what He was leading her to do and we prayed together. In the middle of all the noise, all the busyness.. we stopped. We got to be alone with our Savior, in the midst of everything that was happening around us.  It was wonderful. I'm so excited to see where the Lord takes our relationship.

Yesterday, I went on somewhat of a cleaning spree of my room (it needed it pretty badly...) and realized it was time to change my calendar. The one I have now has pictures of paths and scriptures for each month. This month is a country road in the middle of an expansive green pasture. The road continues till it crosses over a hill and out of sight. The scripture is Revelation 7:17,

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

How beautiful. And how fitting for this month of wearing one dress. What a reminder for my life and for the lives of those that I'm sporting this dress for. He is our Shepherd. And He is the only one that is able to lead us to the living water. And though there is suffering here, there is none where He is on His throne. And the picture... God has a narrow path for us. Just like the narrow road in the photo. And sometimes we can see for ages - it seems - just what He wants us to do and where He wants us to go. But sometimes, we can't see. We simply must trust. Knowing that over the hill are more green pastures - though they may not always be what we think they should look like. He does lead us to springs of living water, giving us eternal life and the gift of His Spirit. He will never deceive us and never lead us astray, even if we can't see where the path leads next.

Here are more pictures - days three and four!

Myself and Becky - Day 3

Becky and I - Day 4

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. - Psalm 23