Wednesday, October 30, 2013
RD
Sorry I haven't been able to blog recently. There has been so much happening lately. I took my RD exam in New York and by the grace of God I passed! So now I'm a registered dietitian :) Right after that David and I jumped on a plane to Colorado and we are here with his family until we leave for Chad (November 4th!!). Things have been crazy with getting our visas, tickets, making travel plans, and the rest of the gear we need. I probably won't blog for a while, but please pray that everything works out with our visas.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Study Tips
I've been a student for 18 years and now the last thing that stands between me and three little letters at the end of my name is an exam. I had to take a pre-test before the exam and I failed the first time and got very discouraged. I then took the pre-test again and passed!
Before I passed the pre-test, I was in search of how to study most effectively. I have this horrible habit of cramming which means when the exam is finished the material goes with it. I asked my good friend who has his masters how he studied for his exams and he said, "after all my education I still don't know how to study." He went on to say that I was stressing out about the test too much and that I just have to relax and then I'll pass. I'm not sure if he understood everything I tried in college. I tried relaxing. I tried cramming. I tried flash cards. I tried exercising and studying (stexercise I called it). I tried cutting out sugar before exams. I tried study groups. I tried study partners. I tried reading the text book. To me, I had tried everything and my results were still marginal.
After years of my very inconsistent study habits God showed me how to study effectively and this is what I learned:
First and foremost, give the exam, your career, and your life to Jesus. I'm serious. Just before I took the test I dedicated my future career to God and that is what made me realize that as long as I tried my best God was faithful to take care of the rest because it was His now, not mine. Everything in His timing is perfect.
Consistency, routine, and review helped the most. I also tried to incorporate all the different ways of learning into my regiment. I listened to an audio file of my study material as I followed along by reading. The review I have (Inmans) tells you when to "note" important pieces of information so I would write those facts on a different piece of paper and continue on until I finished for that day. Before I went to bed I reviewed all the facts that I wrote down from all the domains by reading the material out loud. Sometimes I would dream about the material in my sleep :). One time I was reviewing and my family was listening to me and were very interested in the material so that helped me teach it to them and learn that way.
Lastly, I asked my church family to pray for me and David texted all my friends and his family to pray for me and I know that helped me to stay calm and remember the material much better during the test.
For the first time in my student career I was confident that I tried my hardest and confident that no matter what happens it was God's will. I was guilt free from worrying that my efforts were not good enough and that I would never pass. Victory was mine already, that is victory from the old studying habits and the guilt. When I found out I passed I praised God and could not stop smiling. I let everyone know and it was a blessing to them as well since they helped by praying.
I hope this helps someone. Like I said before, I still have the RD exam to pass (the real deal), but I am confident He will get me through and all that doubt and worry is gone. Praise God. If you are studying for a test or going to make an important decision claim the promise in James 1:5-6 and He will be faithful and just to give you knowledge in every situation. After all His promises are true!
Before I passed the pre-test, I was in search of how to study most effectively. I have this horrible habit of cramming which means when the exam is finished the material goes with it. I asked my good friend who has his masters how he studied for his exams and he said, "after all my education I still don't know how to study." He went on to say that I was stressing out about the test too much and that I just have to relax and then I'll pass. I'm not sure if he understood everything I tried in college. I tried relaxing. I tried cramming. I tried flash cards. I tried exercising and studying (stexercise I called it). I tried cutting out sugar before exams. I tried study groups. I tried study partners. I tried reading the text book. To me, I had tried everything and my results were still marginal.
After years of my very inconsistent study habits God showed me how to study effectively and this is what I learned:
First and foremost, give the exam, your career, and your life to Jesus. I'm serious. Just before I took the test I dedicated my future career to God and that is what made me realize that as long as I tried my best God was faithful to take care of the rest because it was His now, not mine. Everything in His timing is perfect.
Consistency, routine, and review helped the most. I also tried to incorporate all the different ways of learning into my regiment. I listened to an audio file of my study material as I followed along by reading. The review I have (Inmans) tells you when to "note" important pieces of information so I would write those facts on a different piece of paper and continue on until I finished for that day. Before I went to bed I reviewed all the facts that I wrote down from all the domains by reading the material out loud. Sometimes I would dream about the material in my sleep :). One time I was reviewing and my family was listening to me and were very interested in the material so that helped me teach it to them and learn that way.
Lastly, I asked my church family to pray for me and David texted all my friends and his family to pray for me and I know that helped me to stay calm and remember the material much better during the test.
For the first time in my student career I was confident that I tried my hardest and confident that no matter what happens it was God's will. I was guilt free from worrying that my efforts were not good enough and that I would never pass. Victory was mine already, that is victory from the old studying habits and the guilt. When I found out I passed I praised God and could not stop smiling. I let everyone know and it was a blessing to them as well since they helped by praying.
I hope this helps someone. Like I said before, I still have the RD exam to pass (the real deal), but I am confident He will get me through and all that doubt and worry is gone. Praise God. If you are studying for a test or going to make an important decision claim the promise in James 1:5-6 and He will be faithful and just to give you knowledge in every situation. After all His promises are true!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
I Met Jesus Yesterday
I met Jesus yesterday. His face wore a sweet and tender smile and his eyes looked deep into my heart. I want to finish the work (God's work) and his eyes looked at mine as if to say, "you too?". His voice was soft and melodious. His whole demeanor was sobering because he looked like something was weighing upon his heart, yet he was the most happy (that true deep subtle happiness) I've seen anyone in a long time. He was human, yet divine. He wasn't glowing, but I could feel a radiation from him that is hard to explain.
I have been praying about whether to get my credentials or not since the test is the biggest obstacle that I have to finish before going to Africa. We just found out it will delay us a month more and time is gold to us right now. Our goal was to get to the nutrition center before it opened to in-patient on September 15th, but it looks very unlikely now. I was so discouraged and I thought Jesus was going to get us there before, but I have been talking with Him about this and he didn't seem to be answering me, but now I know why. He was waiting for Sabbath.
There David and I were with Jesus. He had walked toward us to greet us and to commune with us. He thanked David for speaking for Sabbath school about us going to Chad and how he was blessed by it. Then he talked to David about mission flying because he is a pilot too and the whole time he was asking questions and never gave us advice unless we asked for it. He didn't force his opinion on us and beat us down with his experience or talk the whole time, oh no! He was quiet and listened after he asked his questions and was fascinated and excited with all our recounts of answered prayer and guidance. Then I asked him if I should get my credentials or not. He thought about it for a minute and crossed his arms and had his thinking face on. He slowly nodded his head and said, "yeah, I think that would be a good idea to get them because you never know when you might come back to the states and need a job." He remembered other missionaries that he knew that were very grateful for their credentials after coming back to the states. His voice was soft and quiet and then he smiled at me. Jesus gives answers right when we need them most. I love Him so much.
After David and I left we knew we had been with Jesus. The day was brighter, the trees were greener, and there was peace in our souls again. It was weird though, because it wasn't the Jesus I was picturing. You see, he attends Centerville SDA church and had just lost his son a few weeks before our encounter. He would occasionally sob, but was comforted by the assurance that God makes the most beautiful things come from this evil sin-sick world. All of this made me want to be more like Jesus so I too can minister to those who are searching.
"Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus." ~Acts 4:10-13
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Secrets of a Happy Marriage: Year 1
Marriage is easy. That is what I thought for the first six months of it at least. I have learned since then that if you want a marriage that will last there are a few things that need to happen. Here are some things that I have learned through this year that have made our marriage a happy one:
1. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgiving means never bringing it up again. When you forgive you can't use it as ammunition for the next fight or problem that will come up. That mistake they made is gone. We both learned from it and are both moving on. That means you have to forgive yourself too. Give it to Jesus and believe he has taken it away. I always had to turn to Jesus to give me the strength to forgive David, and just seeing His quickness of forgiveness of my sins, I couldn't help but forgive David. Another thing that helped me to forgive was the fact that I was putting whatever had happened that offended me before my marriage. In other words I was holding a grudge or a wound as more important to me than having a healthy happy marriage.
2. Pray. Everyday David and I pray together and it's so nice to know you actually have someone fighting your battles with you. Nathan, the pastor who married us, and his wife gave us the books: The Power of a Praying Husband and The Power of a Praying Wife. Those books helped us to start the habit of praying for each other daily. Getting on the same track spiritually has made us so close and our relationship with God is always growing.
3. Divorce is not an option. I can depend on my marriage to be there. If it is something you can depend on then it's something you'll invest in.
4. Date. Yep, take your wife on a date every week. It makes marriage fun again and brings you together through each experience. Some date ideas that we have done include: going out to eat at Panera (our favorite), candle lite dinner at home (surprising him was a lot of fun), going out for ice cream or smoothies (yes, we like food), frisbee golf (or any other sport you enjoy doing together especially one where it doesn't get too competitive which can ruin a date), star gazing, board games!, building a fort in the living room with all the blankets in the house, learning French and writing all the names for each different body part in washable marker on your husband (hehe), walking and watching the sunset/sunrise, mini golfing, go to places that have a lot of meaning to each other in an aircraft simulator, picnic, etc... Get creative!
5. Do the little things. David washes the dishes (which I don't consider a little thing, but he does) and it shows me that he loves me enough to lighten my load in the kitchen. He also gets me a flower every Friday. I pack his lunch every morning sometimes out of habit, but mostly because I love him. He tells me that I am the most beautiful woman in the world at least twice a day. We kiss every time we part and come together which I think is important. We celebrate milestones and job success together. We brush our teeth together (it's important, keeping up your appearance for your husband and vice versa portrays that you care about yourself and that you still are trying to attract them to you.)
6. Hang out with other couples your age. I don't know what David and I would have done this year without our beloved friends Christine & Ryan and Brooke & Jeremy! It is so so so nice to have separate girl time and for David to have his time with the guys. Every Saturday night (with the exception of maybe 3 nights this year) we have hung out with couples our age and what a blessing it was! There are some things guys just can't understand the same way a girl can and vis versa. And yes the fact that they are married too is important. There are so many things that is shared and can be related to it's crazy!!
7. Laugh. Laugh at his jokes even if you have heard them 3 times already.
Laugh at your cooking mistakes. This year I made a huge cooking blunder that was suppose to be TVP wrapped in pie crust (I'm not sure why I thought that it would be good), but once I pulled it out of the oven it reminded me of the dead mink I had to dissect in anatomy and physiology at Southern. Once David got home and asked what was for dinner I said, "dead mink" with a smile on my face. I served it with spaghetti sauce to make it look authentic and David and I joke about it to this day. :)
We also joke about the time when we were at Kroger and David and I were picking out a certain birth control and the box advertised, "ultra thin" to which we looked at each other and David said, "I just don't know if we should go with the cheaper option on this and noted that it was a very big decision to make." We picked up a box and went along to get some milk. Recently we had just been changing from soy milk to almond milk so we grabbed the almond milk and went on. As we were walking down the aisle I stopped and looked at David and said, "that was a big decision, your right what if its too thin?" To which he replied, "you're right, maybe we should go back and get the soy milk."
Writing this list brings back so many good memories with David and with friends. I love being married and sharing my life with my best friend. I'm looking forward to so many more memories with the coming years!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Carnivore Religion
I am almost a dietitian and am currently studying for the RD exam. Yesterday I studied vitamins. I learned again that mostly all vitamins (with the acceptation of Cobalamin, or B12) are obtained from consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried beans. The very fact alone that we can get our vitamins from plant-based sources, which are the richest, makes me a happy (mostly) vegan.
If I was a carnivore it would look like this: animals receive the vitamins from whatever plant source they are eating and then meat eaters get the vitamins second hand by eating the animals. This way of eating is very survivable and many people do it. Although, I would rather thrive than merely survive so, like I said before, I try to get the best food by eating from the source.
My husband is (mostly) vegan as well and his coworkers are all carnivores. They like to give him a hard time about it to which he just smiles and laughs with them. One joking comment one of the guys said in response to David's lunch was, "That's what real food eats."
Other funny comments I have received over the years include, but are certainly not limited to:
"How do you milk a bean?"
"Fast food to you is stopping in a near by field."
Anyway...that's not why I was writing this post.
Spiritually speaking I have been a carnivore. For devotionals in the morning I usually read my bible for awhile, devote some time to memorizing scripture, then read some spirit of prophesy, pray with God, and then my husband and I pray together for each other. Recently though, I have been reading a few passages in my bible and then look up a sermon and listen to that for awhile. It was great for a while, but every time I would hear the preacher quote scripture I would just get this longing for a deeper connection with the bible and with God. I was taking the nutrients from the pastor who was drawing their message form the source and it left me just surviving.
I want to thrive. Jesus is the true source of all our vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that our body needs with no exceptions. It's kinda confusing in nutrition because there are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all found in different sources and that is just the beginning not even getting into the micronutrients, but when it comes to salvation, it's Jesus! He is the source of all our needs.
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, then he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesch I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51
If I was a carnivore it would look like this: animals receive the vitamins from whatever plant source they are eating and then meat eaters get the vitamins second hand by eating the animals. This way of eating is very survivable and many people do it. Although, I would rather thrive than merely survive so, like I said before, I try to get the best food by eating from the source.
My husband is (mostly) vegan as well and his coworkers are all carnivores. They like to give him a hard time about it to which he just smiles and laughs with them. One joking comment one of the guys said in response to David's lunch was, "That's what real food eats."
Other funny comments I have received over the years include, but are certainly not limited to:
"How do you milk a bean?"
"Fast food to you is stopping in a near by field."
Anyway...that's not why I was writing this post.
Spiritually speaking I have been a carnivore. For devotionals in the morning I usually read my bible for awhile, devote some time to memorizing scripture, then read some spirit of prophesy, pray with God, and then my husband and I pray together for each other. Recently though, I have been reading a few passages in my bible and then look up a sermon and listen to that for awhile. It was great for a while, but every time I would hear the preacher quote scripture I would just get this longing for a deeper connection with the bible and with God. I was taking the nutrients from the pastor who was drawing their message form the source and it left me just surviving.
I want to thrive. Jesus is the true source of all our vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that our body needs with no exceptions. It's kinda confusing in nutrition because there are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all found in different sources and that is just the beginning not even getting into the micronutrients, but when it comes to salvation, it's Jesus! He is the source of all our needs.
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, then he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesch I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51
Monday, June 17, 2013
House-Sitting
After playing a long game of indoor soccer with some high school boys, David and I were feeling all too old for our age. I looked so red and was sweating all over. If you want to know how old you are quickly, play soccer with young energetic boys!
I was sitting in the lobby of the school guzzling down my water when all of the sudden I overheard a women talking to a man about needing someone to house sit for her family over the summer. During my eves-dropping, I heard her list all the benefits of house sitting and how she couldn't believe that no one she knew wanted to do it.
I was thinking of how we needed a place to stay this summer as our lease was running to a end all too quickly. My eyes darted to David as he was overhearing the same conversation. We both stared at each other with our jaws dropped for some time as the lady went on and on how great of a deal it would be for anyone.
As the women was headed out the door, I couldn't stand it any longer. My sweaty, red-faced, panting self stood up from the corner of the lobby and marched right over to the women and blurted out, "I happened to over-hear that you needed someone to house sit for you this summer." Looking at me with a look of surprise (and I imagine the look of me at that very moment in time was not the best for first impressions, especially if I was wanting to inhabit her house while she was away.) "yes, I am looking for someone" she said while taking another look at me. I smiled and told her our story and was ready to give her our contact information when she said, "well, you are friends with Brooke (a teacher at the school standing next to us) right? I'll get ahold of you through her." "Yeah, that sounds great!"
Later I found out that she asked Brooke about us before contacting us (which was VERY understandable considering my appearance after the game!).
After a nice dinner with the family (perhaps getting the approval of everyone), we are now house sitting for the whole summer.
God is so good. We had been trying to work everything out this summer in getting prepared to go to Chad that we were swamped with trying to find options for summer housing, but he worked it all out for us. He had a plan the whole time. We moved in about a week ago, and yes there are challenges with housesitting, but he assures us our needs will be met by Him.
What an awesome God. He is faithful and just in keeping his promises.
Matthew 6:25-33 says,
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Trust in The Lord with all your heart and you will be blessed.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Going Where He Sends Us
This August David and I are planning on going to Africa and working as volunteers with Gospel Ministries International. If you are interested in following us and our journey, check us out at goingwherehesendsus.wordpress.com. God Bless!
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013
RD
Sorry I haven't been able to blog recently. There has been so much happening lately. I took my RD exam in New York and by the grace of God I passed! So now I'm a registered dietitian :) Right after that David and I jumped on a plane to Colorado and we are here with his family until we leave for Chad (November 4th!!). Things have been crazy with getting our visas, tickets, making travel plans, and the rest of the gear we need. I probably won't blog for a while, but please pray that everything works out with our visas.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Study Tips
I've been a student for 18 years and now the last thing that stands between me and three little letters at the end of my name is an exam. I had to take a pre-test before the exam and I failed the first time and got very discouraged. I then took the pre-test again and passed!
Before I passed the pre-test, I was in search of how to study most effectively. I have this horrible habit of cramming which means when the exam is finished the material goes with it. I asked my good friend who has his masters how he studied for his exams and he said, "after all my education I still don't know how to study." He went on to say that I was stressing out about the test too much and that I just have to relax and then I'll pass. I'm not sure if he understood everything I tried in college. I tried relaxing. I tried cramming. I tried flash cards. I tried exercising and studying (stexercise I called it). I tried cutting out sugar before exams. I tried study groups. I tried study partners. I tried reading the text book. To me, I had tried everything and my results were still marginal.
After years of my very inconsistent study habits God showed me how to study effectively and this is what I learned:
First and foremost, give the exam, your career, and your life to Jesus. I'm serious. Just before I took the test I dedicated my future career to God and that is what made me realize that as long as I tried my best God was faithful to take care of the rest because it was His now, not mine. Everything in His timing is perfect.
Consistency, routine, and review helped the most. I also tried to incorporate all the different ways of learning into my regiment. I listened to an audio file of my study material as I followed along by reading. The review I have (Inmans) tells you when to "note" important pieces of information so I would write those facts on a different piece of paper and continue on until I finished for that day. Before I went to bed I reviewed all the facts that I wrote down from all the domains by reading the material out loud. Sometimes I would dream about the material in my sleep :). One time I was reviewing and my family was listening to me and were very interested in the material so that helped me teach it to them and learn that way.
Lastly, I asked my church family to pray for me and David texted all my friends and his family to pray for me and I know that helped me to stay calm and remember the material much better during the test.
For the first time in my student career I was confident that I tried my hardest and confident that no matter what happens it was God's will. I was guilt free from worrying that my efforts were not good enough and that I would never pass. Victory was mine already, that is victory from the old studying habits and the guilt. When I found out I passed I praised God and could not stop smiling. I let everyone know and it was a blessing to them as well since they helped by praying.
I hope this helps someone. Like I said before, I still have the RD exam to pass (the real deal), but I am confident He will get me through and all that doubt and worry is gone. Praise God. If you are studying for a test or going to make an important decision claim the promise in James 1:5-6 and He will be faithful and just to give you knowledge in every situation. After all His promises are true!
Before I passed the pre-test, I was in search of how to study most effectively. I have this horrible habit of cramming which means when the exam is finished the material goes with it. I asked my good friend who has his masters how he studied for his exams and he said, "after all my education I still don't know how to study." He went on to say that I was stressing out about the test too much and that I just have to relax and then I'll pass. I'm not sure if he understood everything I tried in college. I tried relaxing. I tried cramming. I tried flash cards. I tried exercising and studying (stexercise I called it). I tried cutting out sugar before exams. I tried study groups. I tried study partners. I tried reading the text book. To me, I had tried everything and my results were still marginal.
After years of my very inconsistent study habits God showed me how to study effectively and this is what I learned:
First and foremost, give the exam, your career, and your life to Jesus. I'm serious. Just before I took the test I dedicated my future career to God and that is what made me realize that as long as I tried my best God was faithful to take care of the rest because it was His now, not mine. Everything in His timing is perfect.
Consistency, routine, and review helped the most. I also tried to incorporate all the different ways of learning into my regiment. I listened to an audio file of my study material as I followed along by reading. The review I have (Inmans) tells you when to "note" important pieces of information so I would write those facts on a different piece of paper and continue on until I finished for that day. Before I went to bed I reviewed all the facts that I wrote down from all the domains by reading the material out loud. Sometimes I would dream about the material in my sleep :). One time I was reviewing and my family was listening to me and were very interested in the material so that helped me teach it to them and learn that way.
Lastly, I asked my church family to pray for me and David texted all my friends and his family to pray for me and I know that helped me to stay calm and remember the material much better during the test.
For the first time in my student career I was confident that I tried my hardest and confident that no matter what happens it was God's will. I was guilt free from worrying that my efforts were not good enough and that I would never pass. Victory was mine already, that is victory from the old studying habits and the guilt. When I found out I passed I praised God and could not stop smiling. I let everyone know and it was a blessing to them as well since they helped by praying.
I hope this helps someone. Like I said before, I still have the RD exam to pass (the real deal), but I am confident He will get me through and all that doubt and worry is gone. Praise God. If you are studying for a test or going to make an important decision claim the promise in James 1:5-6 and He will be faithful and just to give you knowledge in every situation. After all His promises are true!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
I Met Jesus Yesterday
I met Jesus yesterday. His face wore a sweet and tender smile and his eyes looked deep into my heart. I want to finish the work (God's work) and his eyes looked at mine as if to say, "you too?". His voice was soft and melodious. His whole demeanor was sobering because he looked like something was weighing upon his heart, yet he was the most happy (that true deep subtle happiness) I've seen anyone in a long time. He was human, yet divine. He wasn't glowing, but I could feel a radiation from him that is hard to explain.
I have been praying about whether to get my credentials or not since the test is the biggest obstacle that I have to finish before going to Africa. We just found out it will delay us a month more and time is gold to us right now. Our goal was to get to the nutrition center before it opened to in-patient on September 15th, but it looks very unlikely now. I was so discouraged and I thought Jesus was going to get us there before, but I have been talking with Him about this and he didn't seem to be answering me, but now I know why. He was waiting for Sabbath.
There David and I were with Jesus. He had walked toward us to greet us and to commune with us. He thanked David for speaking for Sabbath school about us going to Chad and how he was blessed by it. Then he talked to David about mission flying because he is a pilot too and the whole time he was asking questions and never gave us advice unless we asked for it. He didn't force his opinion on us and beat us down with his experience or talk the whole time, oh no! He was quiet and listened after he asked his questions and was fascinated and excited with all our recounts of answered prayer and guidance. Then I asked him if I should get my credentials or not. He thought about it for a minute and crossed his arms and had his thinking face on. He slowly nodded his head and said, "yeah, I think that would be a good idea to get them because you never know when you might come back to the states and need a job." He remembered other missionaries that he knew that were very grateful for their credentials after coming back to the states. His voice was soft and quiet and then he smiled at me. Jesus gives answers right when we need them most. I love Him so much.
After David and I left we knew we had been with Jesus. The day was brighter, the trees were greener, and there was peace in our souls again. It was weird though, because it wasn't the Jesus I was picturing. You see, he attends Centerville SDA church and had just lost his son a few weeks before our encounter. He would occasionally sob, but was comforted by the assurance that God makes the most beautiful things come from this evil sin-sick world. All of this made me want to be more like Jesus so I too can minister to those who are searching.
"Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus." ~Acts 4:10-13
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Secrets of a Happy Marriage: Year 1
Marriage is easy. That is what I thought for the first six months of it at least. I have learned since then that if you want a marriage that will last there are a few things that need to happen. Here are some things that I have learned through this year that have made our marriage a happy one:
1. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. Forgiving means never bringing it up again. When you forgive you can't use it as ammunition for the next fight or problem that will come up. That mistake they made is gone. We both learned from it and are both moving on. That means you have to forgive yourself too. Give it to Jesus and believe he has taken it away. I always had to turn to Jesus to give me the strength to forgive David, and just seeing His quickness of forgiveness of my sins, I couldn't help but forgive David. Another thing that helped me to forgive was the fact that I was putting whatever had happened that offended me before my marriage. In other words I was holding a grudge or a wound as more important to me than having a healthy happy marriage.
2. Pray. Everyday David and I pray together and it's so nice to know you actually have someone fighting your battles with you. Nathan, the pastor who married us, and his wife gave us the books: The Power of a Praying Husband and The Power of a Praying Wife. Those books helped us to start the habit of praying for each other daily. Getting on the same track spiritually has made us so close and our relationship with God is always growing.
3. Divorce is not an option. I can depend on my marriage to be there. If it is something you can depend on then it's something you'll invest in.
4. Date. Yep, take your wife on a date every week. It makes marriage fun again and brings you together through each experience. Some date ideas that we have done include: going out to eat at Panera (our favorite), candle lite dinner at home (surprising him was a lot of fun), going out for ice cream or smoothies (yes, we like food), frisbee golf (or any other sport you enjoy doing together especially one where it doesn't get too competitive which can ruin a date), star gazing, board games!, building a fort in the living room with all the blankets in the house, learning French and writing all the names for each different body part in washable marker on your husband (hehe), walking and watching the sunset/sunrise, mini golfing, go to places that have a lot of meaning to each other in an aircraft simulator, picnic, etc... Get creative!
5. Do the little things. David washes the dishes (which I don't consider a little thing, but he does) and it shows me that he loves me enough to lighten my load in the kitchen. He also gets me a flower every Friday. I pack his lunch every morning sometimes out of habit, but mostly because I love him. He tells me that I am the most beautiful woman in the world at least twice a day. We kiss every time we part and come together which I think is important. We celebrate milestones and job success together. We brush our teeth together (it's important, keeping up your appearance for your husband and vice versa portrays that you care about yourself and that you still are trying to attract them to you.)
6. Hang out with other couples your age. I don't know what David and I would have done this year without our beloved friends Christine & Ryan and Brooke & Jeremy! It is so so so nice to have separate girl time and for David to have his time with the guys. Every Saturday night (with the exception of maybe 3 nights this year) we have hung out with couples our age and what a blessing it was! There are some things guys just can't understand the same way a girl can and vis versa. And yes the fact that they are married too is important. There are so many things that is shared and can be related to it's crazy!!
7. Laugh. Laugh at his jokes even if you have heard them 3 times already.
Laugh at your cooking mistakes. This year I made a huge cooking blunder that was suppose to be TVP wrapped in pie crust (I'm not sure why I thought that it would be good), but once I pulled it out of the oven it reminded me of the dead mink I had to dissect in anatomy and physiology at Southern. Once David got home and asked what was for dinner I said, "dead mink" with a smile on my face. I served it with spaghetti sauce to make it look authentic and David and I joke about it to this day. :)
We also joke about the time when we were at Kroger and David and I were picking out a certain birth control and the box advertised, "ultra thin" to which we looked at each other and David said, "I just don't know if we should go with the cheaper option on this and noted that it was a very big decision to make." We picked up a box and went along to get some milk. Recently we had just been changing from soy milk to almond milk so we grabbed the almond milk and went on. As we were walking down the aisle I stopped and looked at David and said, "that was a big decision, your right what if its too thin?" To which he replied, "you're right, maybe we should go back and get the soy milk."
Writing this list brings back so many good memories with David and with friends. I love being married and sharing my life with my best friend. I'm looking forward to so many more memories with the coming years!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Carnivore Religion
I am almost a dietitian and am currently studying for the RD exam. Yesterday I studied vitamins. I learned again that mostly all vitamins (with the acceptation of Cobalamin, or B12) are obtained from consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried beans. The very fact alone that we can get our vitamins from plant-based sources, which are the richest, makes me a happy (mostly) vegan.
If I was a carnivore it would look like this: animals receive the vitamins from whatever plant source they are eating and then meat eaters get the vitamins second hand by eating the animals. This way of eating is very survivable and many people do it. Although, I would rather thrive than merely survive so, like I said before, I try to get the best food by eating from the source.
My husband is (mostly) vegan as well and his coworkers are all carnivores. They like to give him a hard time about it to which he just smiles and laughs with them. One joking comment one of the guys said in response to David's lunch was, "That's what real food eats."
Other funny comments I have received over the years include, but are certainly not limited to:
"How do you milk a bean?"
"Fast food to you is stopping in a near by field."
Anyway...that's not why I was writing this post.
Spiritually speaking I have been a carnivore. For devotionals in the morning I usually read my bible for awhile, devote some time to memorizing scripture, then read some spirit of prophesy, pray with God, and then my husband and I pray together for each other. Recently though, I have been reading a few passages in my bible and then look up a sermon and listen to that for awhile. It was great for a while, but every time I would hear the preacher quote scripture I would just get this longing for a deeper connection with the bible and with God. I was taking the nutrients from the pastor who was drawing their message form the source and it left me just surviving.
I want to thrive. Jesus is the true source of all our vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that our body needs with no exceptions. It's kinda confusing in nutrition because there are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all found in different sources and that is just the beginning not even getting into the micronutrients, but when it comes to salvation, it's Jesus! He is the source of all our needs.
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, then he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesch I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51
If I was a carnivore it would look like this: animals receive the vitamins from whatever plant source they are eating and then meat eaters get the vitamins second hand by eating the animals. This way of eating is very survivable and many people do it. Although, I would rather thrive than merely survive so, like I said before, I try to get the best food by eating from the source.
My husband is (mostly) vegan as well and his coworkers are all carnivores. They like to give him a hard time about it to which he just smiles and laughs with them. One joking comment one of the guys said in response to David's lunch was, "That's what real food eats."
Other funny comments I have received over the years include, but are certainly not limited to:
"How do you milk a bean?"
"Fast food to you is stopping in a near by field."
Anyway...that's not why I was writing this post.
Spiritually speaking I have been a carnivore. For devotionals in the morning I usually read my bible for awhile, devote some time to memorizing scripture, then read some spirit of prophesy, pray with God, and then my husband and I pray together for each other. Recently though, I have been reading a few passages in my bible and then look up a sermon and listen to that for awhile. It was great for a while, but every time I would hear the preacher quote scripture I would just get this longing for a deeper connection with the bible and with God. I was taking the nutrients from the pastor who was drawing their message form the source and it left me just surviving.
I want to thrive. Jesus is the true source of all our vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that our body needs with no exceptions. It's kinda confusing in nutrition because there are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins all found in different sources and that is just the beginning not even getting into the micronutrients, but when it comes to salvation, it's Jesus! He is the source of all our needs.
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, then he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesch I will give for the life of the world."
John 6:51
Monday, June 17, 2013
House-Sitting
After playing a long game of indoor soccer with some high school boys, David and I were feeling all too old for our age. I looked so red and was sweating all over. If you want to know how old you are quickly, play soccer with young energetic boys!
I was sitting in the lobby of the school guzzling down my water when all of the sudden I overheard a women talking to a man about needing someone to house sit for her family over the summer. During my eves-dropping, I heard her list all the benefits of house sitting and how she couldn't believe that no one she knew wanted to do it.
I was thinking of how we needed a place to stay this summer as our lease was running to a end all too quickly. My eyes darted to David as he was overhearing the same conversation. We both stared at each other with our jaws dropped for some time as the lady went on and on how great of a deal it would be for anyone.
As the women was headed out the door, I couldn't stand it any longer. My sweaty, red-faced, panting self stood up from the corner of the lobby and marched right over to the women and blurted out, "I happened to over-hear that you needed someone to house sit for you this summer." Looking at me with a look of surprise (and I imagine the look of me at that very moment in time was not the best for first impressions, especially if I was wanting to inhabit her house while she was away.) "yes, I am looking for someone" she said while taking another look at me. I smiled and told her our story and was ready to give her our contact information when she said, "well, you are friends with Brooke (a teacher at the school standing next to us) right? I'll get ahold of you through her." "Yeah, that sounds great!"
Later I found out that she asked Brooke about us before contacting us (which was VERY understandable considering my appearance after the game!).
After a nice dinner with the family (perhaps getting the approval of everyone), we are now house sitting for the whole summer.
God is so good. We had been trying to work everything out this summer in getting prepared to go to Chad that we were swamped with trying to find options for summer housing, but he worked it all out for us. He had a plan the whole time. We moved in about a week ago, and yes there are challenges with housesitting, but he assures us our needs will be met by Him.
What an awesome God. He is faithful and just in keeping his promises.
Matthew 6:25-33 says,
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Trust in The Lord with all your heart and you will be blessed.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Going Where He Sends Us
This August David and I are planning on going to Africa and working as volunteers with Gospel Ministries International. If you are interested in following us and our journey, check us out at goingwherehesendsus.wordpress.com. God Bless!
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