Here's the previous blog if your wondering --> http://sovereigntylove.blogspot.com/2009/12/2010-goals_30.html

I thought I would give an account of my year hehe.

Diet: Well a euphemized version of one.
-Also Fail; I can't really do those things.
-Upside: I began cooking for myself more often; Future mother/wife win!

Exercise:
-Fail: Was not consistent at all!
-Upside: I learned the best main ways for me to workout are organized workouts; flag football, dance, working at a summer camp.

Sabbath:
-Working on it: Didn't really begin till Fall though.
-Upside: The Lord is gracious

Budget:
-Fail: ehhh its more like I need someone to budget my food and grocery shopping for me. It's all I spend money on.
-Upside: None =[

Reading:
-Nah: Did not get to 10 but maybe 3 lol
-Upside: I'm going to Barnes and Noble to pick out two books for the New Year and I made a promise not to buy anymore till I finish mine at home. (I'm going to begin the Narnia series yay!)

Increase study of Gods Word:
-Yes: but I long for so much more! I want to be in love and reverence of His Word like David in Psalm 119 ... I will speak more on this later.

Support (financial & time) a local ministry/outreach:
-Not local but it has stolen my heart, Hananasif, an orphanage/secondary school in Tanzania. I went on a missions trip to Africa in June. I plan to still commit them to prayer and financially. I've also with our group have begun brainstorming ways to keep supporting them, like a dance fundraiser we recently had!

Learn how to knit:
-Score; I've also discovered I love crafty projects!

Begin weekly studies for the GRE with Faith:
-Fail ... my plans for schooling alway waver so we'll see when God wants to start preparing me for life after graduation!

Ha, so as I told Faith we were a bit overzealous with our plans. I love how she quoted James 4:13-17. Some days I would really stop and wonder is this all worth it; if I was to die tomorrow, should I be investing, worrying, or taking time on this. Sometimes the answer was yes, others no. I still think goals are a great thing to set, but I've learned they need to be goals that I have worked out with God in prayer first before I commit to them.

Well I'm sure my heart is set on many goals for 2011, but here is one that I know God has been pulling me to... so I'll share. I really want to read all the Bible. Yes, this can lead to many beginnings and no sucessful ending, but I think it will stretch me. I found this 2 year plan that goes in sequential order.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2010/12/29/two-year-bible-reading-plan/

I've realized that my brain works chronologically and jumping from book to book doesn't work quite well. When I first began reading the Bible I would finish whole books, and I feel that I got more out of the scripture that way. Of course I may stray every so often to study a passage with my Small Group, or simply Spirit led, but I am taking the few days before the new year to pray that God would grow me in the knowledge and truth of His Word. I'm excited! Guess you can't get a full update with that till the end of 2012 huh? =]

Let me know if you would like to join me! We can keep one another accountable and have discussions. & If you've never read the Bible, pick it up read a little a day and see what God can do!

This was long, sorry, love you -Stephanie

In the Beginning of the Year I and Stephanie made some goals...lets see how many I actually did
Faith's 2010 Goals:
*Raise Awareness about Chocolate Slave by starting a Campaign in Uf
I have raised awarness and have told people about it, but still haven't been able to do a campaign
*Become a mentor either through Big Brothers Big Sisters or Tutor at East Side
* Keeping the Sabbath and read Christian Books during my Sabbath
I have barely kept the Sabbath. During the Summer I completely forgot you were suppose to Sabbath (smh)
*Praying With My sisters on the Phone weekly
Epic Failure...only did it like twice
*Staying connected with my friends down south by bi-weekly talks instead using txting as my communication to them
I am still in contact with them...but didn't have the time to talk them bi-weekly
*Get a Summer Job
Praise the Lord I did!
*Following a proposed budget (learn how to make your own budget on Excel here: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/how-to-budget.html)
Didn't even make a budget!
*Tithing even before I get a summer Job...hence strengthening my Faith in God with my funds
My tithing wasn't how is should of been
*Learn How to play Worship Songs on the Piano during the summer
Organic 1 and 2 Took over my life plus work
*Start Christian Open Mics with the J Movement
It was amazing!
*Read ahead
Failure

*study for the MCAT & GRE
Epic Fail
My work out plan was an Epic Failure also!!!




To be honest this is all quite embarrassing. I publicly made so many goals and didn't even complete half of it! However, I believe I know why. In the beginning of this year I made all this goals that I believe I could carry out. But who am I to boast in the future? It is actually a sin to boast in the future with out saying Lord's willingly.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
James 4:13-17

For 2011 I don't have a set goals, as of right now. I feel like I am in front of like 5 doors and not sure which one the Lord is going to give me the key to walk through. So, I am taking life one step at a time. Going to concentrate on stewarding what the Lord has already given me this year

a) I am a college student and thus Lord willingly I would like to excel in all my classes and graduate in may 2012
b) The Lord has given me an opportunity to be a research assistance at the United States Department of Agriculture thus, Lord willingly I would like to gain as much skills and knowledge from that job
c) (no reason why this is last) but I just want to draw closer to the Lord and keep my eyes and ears open to the opportunities he drops my way.

I don't want to be sleeping when he has already told me to keep watch and miss his blessings

<3 Faith

I would say that I believe God wants to use me to do something great. I don't know how to explain it but he has given me so much fire and passion for developing countries. I can wait to see how he uses me to glorify his name. Like Sho Baraka said "I just want to make you famous Lord"

Listen to the Song
Famous by Sho Baraka

So today I felt a little discourage in my abilities to share the gospel with others lately. I have been praying for people; praying for moments; wanting to step out in boldness but really just falling flat.

But my discouragements were based on false premises. The same reason that I long for others around me to know Christ is the same purpose that will drive me to share the gospel with others. I am not insufficient because I am but a deliverer. The changing power is not layed upon my shoulders. It is only by the Spirit of God that I can share the mysteries of God, and something happens. It is only by the power of Christ on the cross that the lost around me will get saved. In knowing I am but a lowly servant that the Lord chooses to use, He pleases to make Himself known through me.

You see it's far less complicated than my error full ways; because if it was about me, Christ would not be exalted.

1 Corinthians 1: 21-24 "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

1 Corinthians 2:12 "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words."

-Stephanie

Two unrelated thoughts brought on by a scripture and a quote. (Hey I did say I would blog more)

Ecclesiastes 7:10 "Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions."

So I was thinking we're human! How can we possibly not look back to the good old days? I particularly am very guilty of this. I am a sucker for a recording of notes, songs, sounds, memories. All these things can be great but they also produce a state of comfort, and that is the danger, we cannot become comfortable on this Earth.

It is when I'm comfortable that I don't long to be with Jesus.

It is when I'm comfortable that my heart doesn't break for the lost.

It is when I'm comfortable when I lose faith in the supernatural.

The problems are visible the answer is Jesus...

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." -C.S. Lewis

Now that I think about it the topic is pretty similar. I looked up the definition of rouse. (though context clues is a wonderful skill; I love to discover the exact meaning of words not in my daily vocabulary) anywhoo it means: to bring out of a state of sleep, unconsciousness, inactivity, fancied security, apathy,depression, etc.

Sounds like comfort, eh? So though the world's question is always how can a loving God allow people to experience so much pain, maybe we should question

Who are we to deduce that this pain is useless and especially as Christians, if this pain can cause us to wake from a state of comfort and grow closer to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus, who are we to reject it.

Love Steph.

I've been thinking about unity lately. God really loves unity! So much that in Ephesians 4:3 Paul ask to endeavor (Greek translations includes haste or give diligence) to keep the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace.

God is so creative and has made our world diverse. As people we are all unique almost as much so as the countless animals and plants you can name. Yet instead of forming us initially as a diverse group of people, God formed the mankind with Adam and Eve, 2 humans made in the image of Himself. Now of course they were fruitful and multiplied and bam 6 billion ( I think ) people now live on Earth.

So how can we possibly be united? In Ephesians Paul was speaking to the body of Christ. If you continue to read verses 6-7 you see we are united by the Spirit of God. There is only 1 true God and can you imagine His Spirit dwelling in us is the ultimate unifyier. It's His Spirit in you that draws you to His other children.

So how do we diligently work to unify the body? By humbling ourselves. No not the humbling which truly is prideful because we want our "humble" ways to be acknowledge. We can only learn to be lowly by looking at Jesus our greatest example (Philippians 2). Once again the answer is Jesus! Giving diligence to keeping unity teaches us more about our savior.

Ephesians 4:13 "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

-Stephanie

It's the end of my semester and there have been many moments in my life that I have am at the current state that I am as write this blog....TIRED

I am tired. I have just gotten off the plane of intense studying for my Biology 2 exam. I have two more exams that I need to study for and do well but my brain has become like a mushy sponge and my body is tired.

The only way that I have gotten out of this pool is by asking for the Lord strength. That sounds so simple right. But after like the third time of me trying to get out of this "can't study pool" to study for my next exam I find myself stuck...or not having enough strength to pull myself out!


It was actually frustrating, because I'm like why can't I just pull my self out? and then the Holy Spirit whispers to me "Exactly Faith, you can't pull yourself out. You need my strength. Isn't this what you been praying for, for you to be utterly dependent on me?"


Right then I was speechless because I do want to be utterly dependent on the Lord, to the point that something so simple as studying should be done by the Lord's strength and not mines.

So, as I lay in my bed writing this blog, I know what I have to do. I need to just pray to the Lord for his strength. For him to renew my mind and strength.

-Faith