Making Dreams a Reality

I don't even think I can begin to describe how excited I am for this summer. One of the things we need to do in order to raise suppport for project is write support letters asking ppl to prayerfully or financially partner with me in this ministry.

So the other night I sat down and started typing one out and I there were so many thoughts running through my head and sooo many things that I wanted to share with people as to why I want to go on this project. I have never been this passionate about a missions trip before.

I first heard about the project back in September and thought "Wow, that is really cool". As I read up on it I was under the impression that they were looking for students to just do full-time ministry, so to clarify I emailed the info link.

To my suprise, my support coach from Calgary project that I went on this past summer (who was also a Staff member on the project) was going to be the project director for Waterloo project (wonderful connection already!).

So I asked as to whether or not they were taking students who wanted a taste of full-time campus ministry and she told me it was a very real possibility but would have to check in on it when she met with the other project directors that week. Once she did that she told me she would email me back with the news.

That week I prayed and had soooo much peace knowing that if God wanted me on that project He was going to open up a position for me.

A few days later I get an email from Beth saying to start applying as they decided that they were going to accept students interested in getting a feel for full-time campus ministry (WOO HOO!).

So I applied and really enjoyed the application process as I felt as though my heart was being poured out onto paper (or computer screen for that matter, ha!). God started to show me my gifts that He revealed to me on Calgary project and how He wanted to use them for His glory (Can I just say, "speechless!!!"). He began to show me that He wanted me to use the songs He had given me to make videos that will really challenge ppl in their faith. How exciting! Not to forget He started to show me that I was also going to be discipling ppl (helping them see who God has called them to be) and do evangelism so I can help others see that life to the full is an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and realizing the gifts He has given you to use for His glory! WOW! On top of that giving me glimpses into my final yr at Queen's, where I saw myself pouring my heart out to others and helping young women make the Great Commission their own! Another WOW!

So after I finished my application 2 of my references came in soon after. However I was still waiting on one more. I sent emails and called this individual and felt as though I was not making headway. I then talked to a friend and thought, "Maybe this is God telling me not to go?" she however did not agree with me. From what I just shared with you above, she felt that God was very much calling me to go on this particular project and that I was just in a season of waiting. So I waited some more and then it was reading week. At this point I was able to see this individual in person and asked how they were making out with the reference and also found out that this person does need daily reminders to do things (my fear of being a pest was put to ease! thats for sure!). With that being said this past Monday my final reference went in and I was accepted as you can see from my previous post this past Tuesday! WOO HOO!

As, you can see, that blog was sooo long and I want to tell everyone in detail what I am going to be doing this summer. When you start to see what God has designed you to do, there is no greater joy! I really feel that right now, this is what God is calling me to. I want to see a generation of ppl rise up and take crazy awesome steps of faith in the direction God is calling them. I believe God gives us dreams for a reason and right now I am seeing mine, going for it and with that helping others seek and reach theirs.

"Water Water Water, Loo Loo Loo"

The title of my blog is a common cheer for the University of Waterloo. The reason I am posting on Waterloo has to do with the fact that I recently applied to go on a missions trip this summer with Campus for Christ to the University of Waterloo and got accepted today (WOOT WOOT!).

Since Waterloo has a functioning campus during the summer (its like they have another semester) because of the co-op and international students their Campus for Christ ministry runs throughout the summer. So when I get there I will be doing full time ministry (Ahh I LOVE IT!). This will entail 5 days a week of evangelism, discipleship and many other things to make the Gospel of Christ known this summer at Waterloo.

I am very excited to join this team of people and work with the ministry already established at Waterloo and I am very happy to see what God is going to do this summer at the University of Waterloo.

If you want more information on what I will be doing please feel free to ask away! I would love to tell you more about it.

Something Tasty

So I am a HUGE fan of sparkling sodas and am always willing to try new flavours. The other day I discovered Life brand Frizzante! IT'S AMAZING!!! It comes in 3 different flavours: Blueberry, Pomegrante and Blood Orange. So far I have only had Blueberry, but I bought Pomegrante as well and intend on trying it tonight! Oh and if you're interested they are on sale all this week at Shoppers for a 1.99 (they come in long glass bottles in the juice section, your key word is Frizzante).

Home, sweet, home?

Honestly, I can't say that about my house right now. I am actually happy to be back in Kingston (in some cases).

Whenever someone was to ask me how my week was, I would bite my tongue and tell them it was good, when I really felt trapped. While at home I take on the role of a second mother as my dad is bi-polar manic depressant and not working so my mom is the main bread winner in the family. When I do get home I try to make meals and do little things around the house to make her life easier.

I guess a huge part of this is seeing how different my life is from my families and how they live in a whole lot of worry and I prefer to live for the moment. My mom especially lives like this and it drives me insane. Constant questions, demanding answers, constantly anazlyzing my life and my every move, my every word...everything about me!

Today, we let off some steam (finally!) and I told her how I felt. I constantly feel as though I don't measure up and then she told me that she feels that I give her the impression that she does nothing right. And I am honestly not trying to complain but 75% of the time when I tell her things she immediately takes offense to them! Maybe I need more grace, but I want to be honest with her, maybe I am doing this wrong, or maybe I am the one who screwed up, at this point I just want wisdom. I want to be able to tell my mom something and have her listen and respect it, not walk away angry.

Then there is my bro. My brother Cory has special needs (autism) and sometimes his anger can get the best of him. I guess what I want to know is when my parents are not steppping in, in an area where I am seeing a need for discipline is that my job? When I am not home I wonder who is raising up in the eyes of the Lord (as with my mom working he can't always get out to youth or church).

So this week has tested and pushed my buttons. I have cried lots and wondered if I am doing something wrong. Right now I am going to ask God for wisdom and that He would start bringing people into my parents life and the life of my brother to speak the truth in love. I can't do it on my own.

God take my family and do with them as you see fit and give me the grace to love them like crazy because I have none.

The Great I Am

I think God's character just baffles me beyond belief! So 2 weeks ago the organization I am involved in Campus for Christ had a large outreach called "Life after Death". Basically it was a panel in which there was a Christian, Buddhist and Muslim speaker and they all spoke on what they believe happens to the soul after death.

I had the opportunity after the event to speak with a girl of the Muslim faith and share my testimony and the gospel with her (yay!). After I shared the gospel with her, she was so shocked! No one ever told her what Jesus did!(really reminds me of Romans 10:14). She then asked me for my contact information so that we could meet on a regular basis to discuss Christianity more.

Sounds like a pretty good way to start a week (I thought so too!). As the week progressed I got into a really cycnical mood. I started getting frustrated at how ppl were not receptive at all to the gospel how ppl were throwing His name aorund and how ppl were being led astray. I really cried out to God saying "When God, when will you stand for your name? and when will satan stop being such a jerk and causing all this division in the body" I was so peeved! And really questioning why I am supposed to be doing this.

That Saturday I opened my Bible and God really spoke to me in Genesis. I was in Genesis 17 at that time. He spoke specifically to me in verse 8, and it says:

The whole land of Cannan , where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession
to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.

Did you catch the last part of that verse? Money will not be their god, nor will anything else of this age, but He will!

God spoke to me directly about Queen's. He said "Amanda, Queen's is yours and don't you worry your little heart, for I will be their God". First of all, God knew exaclty how I needed to hear that. I needed comfort. I needed someone to speak to me in a way only God could and He did.

I think the more I read this verse I sit in awe of God's amazingness. Words just can't describe how I have experienced His comfort/justice/mercy all at once! I am brought to tears everytime I think about it. I am in complete awe of the character of God. What puts me in awe is His undeserving grace that saves, His butt kicking justice that is still so comforting in the sense that He will show Himself as a jealous God (not sure if that makes sense, but words cannot describe who God has shown Himself to be), His mercy, oh my goodness how it overwhelms me! I think I could write a book on the character of God and maybe I will someday to encourage others through my life, but for now the blog will do!

He is great in power and I am really seeing that in my own life. I have never seen this side of God before and I honestly have this image of me with huge eyes in shock and being knocked over b/c of His awesomeness!

Jeremiah 23:29 says "Is not my word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

Soooo good, just sooooo good! The character of God; no words can describe. I think I sat here for 15 mins pondering what to call this blog, b/c I could not think of one name to sum it all up. The name I have given it will have to do and that's cool b/c God knows what I think of Him right now.

mmm jazz...oh how I LOVE THEE!

So today while studying for a midterm I was looking thru my playlists knowing I needed something non vocal to concentrate. That left me with the option of classical music. I wanted something smooth though. So on my itunes I hit the radio function and saw Jazz, so I quiclkly clicked on that. I listened to a few and then I found one station that played song after song of pure WOW factor of 12 on a scale of 1-10 (hahaha). The station is called "Absoloutley smooth jazz on sky fm". So if you are like me and love non vocal jazz, check it out on your itunes or you can google it and listen to it that way! Enjoy (I sure am!)