Whoops!!

So I wrote a post yesterday but posted it on the wrong blog!  It's been a long week!  So here is the blog from yesterday!

Amazing Worship

So today in chapel the Beyond Idols Tour was there.  It was really  really good!  The worship was amazing!  One thing that I found myself doing was watching the band in the back.  It was amazing to see them playing their instruments with such joy and worshiping the Lord with everything they had.  I could see their passion for God shine through.

Be praying today for the girls that I work with through Upwards.  Cassie and I are presenting the Gospel message tonight at our practice.  Also be praying that God would speak through Cassie and I.

God Bless
KJA

Missions Week

This week at Huntington we are having a week with chapels that focus on missions.  Missions is something that I have been thinking alot about lately....I feel like it may be something God could use me for after I graduate.  As of late alot of things have come up that are missions oriented.  Last week, A guy spoke to the education majors about teaching in a different country at a Christian school (I could see myself doing this).  At the retreat this past weekend, some people talked about their mission work in Africa.  And then this week we are focusing on missions.  This will be something I need to be praying about. 

One thing from the chapel today that really stood out was that Dr. Fetters said that my generation quotes Francis of Assisi alot , "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words."  He said that someone has to use words.  Someone has to talk about Jesus.  It really made me think!

God Bless
KJA

Exhaustion

I am very tired after my weekend at camp.  It was an amazing weekend!!!  It was just what I needed after a not so good end to my week.  This is going to be a short post because of the amount of stuff I need to get done tonight.   But the band that played at camp played a song I hadn't heard before...I love it!!  Enjoy!

God Bless
KJA

30 minute challenge

So today instead of having a typical chapel, our campus pastor sent out a 30 minute challenge for us to do.  It was amazing how awesome spending that 30 minutes doing nothing but listening and talking to God.  It was really good for me.

One of the verses that was sent to us to read was Psalm 9:2 which says, "I will be filled with joy because of you, I will sing praises to your name, O Most High."   This verse really knocked me back.  This is the verse that I had chosen to be my focus verse this past summer at camp.  I wanted to focus on joy and finding joy and God in every little thing.  Well as of late, I feel like I have let things creep into my life and I find myself being negative about a lot of things.  God reminded me of my focus to be find joy in everything through this verse which I had totally forgotten about.  So my challenge to you today is to find joy because you will be filled with joy because of God our King and Savior!

Spend sometime with God today....it is amazing!

God Bless
KJA

Prayer for the weekend!

This weekend I will be heading up to camp for the Senior High Winter Retreat!  I am really excited to see everyone!  Be praying for the kids who are going to be there.  Pray that God will work in their hearts and minds!  Also pray that God will use me to touch these kids lives.

I'll leave you with a picture from this summer of us pumping the kids up for a game!

God Bless
KJA

Song to Enjoy

I really really like this song.  I sang it a while ago and I just fell in love with it!  So enjoy it!



God Bless
KJA

Update!

So this weekend I came home on saturday to do some things.  It was a very productive weekend! 

I also got my first financial update on how much I have raised thus far!  I have raised 825 of the 4,000 I need!  Still a long way to go, but thank you to all who have helped thus far!

God Bless
KJA

Bracelet

So as a way of raising a little bit of support money for my trip (every little bit counts!) I am selling a bracelet.  I know it sounds like selling bracelets will not even come close to raising any money at all....well of the main points of the bracelet is to also remind friends to be praying for me as I prepare for my trip and when I am actually on my trip.  If you haven't already figured it out, I think that having people surround you with prayer is a power thing!

The symbol on the bead is a traditional Irish symbol traditionally found on Claddagh ring.  I actually have a claddagh ring that I wear almost everyday.  The heart stands for love. The crown on top of the heart stands for loyalty. And the hands surrounding the heart stand for friendship. 

Let me know if you are interested in supporting me by buying a bracelet and committing to pray for me.

Pondering many a thing....

So this is going to be a pretty short post.

Shane Claiborne talked in chapel last night and today.  Being that my favorite book is Irresistible Revolution, I was more than excited!  He most certainly gave me some things to think about in terms of the comfortable lifestyle in which I live.

That is all for now....I will most certainly be posting again soon and with more expansion on those thoughts (I just need to formulate them into words that make sense!).

Ireland Update: God is good all the time....All the time God is good.  Look for information in the near future about bracelets I am selling (slightly cheesy and elementary like, I know....but I love it!)

God Bless
KJA

p.s. My dad came to chapel today and then ate lunch with my brother and I!  It was wonderful! I highly recommend eating with your parents!

Joesph

So today in chapel, the speaker talked about one of my favorite bible stories....The story of Joesph.  I have always really loved this bible story...probably because I loved the musical Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat!  So after chapel I came back to do my devotions.  I decided that today I would read the story of Joesph because I must admit it had been a while since I last read it.

It really struck a chord with me.  Joesph has some really crappy times in his life...his brothers turn against him and sell him....he is accused of trying to rape his employer's wife....he is thrown in jail.  But what really stuck out to me (and the speaker talked about) was that everytime something crappy happened to him the bible also said that the Lord was with Joesph.  In chapter 39 alone, it says that the Lord was with Joesph 4 times. 

I have been having a rough time myself lately although it isn't anywhere close to being thrown into jail or being sold into slavery!  But I know that the Lord is with me and through this rough patch I am being taken care of and it is part of God's will for me event though I forget that sometimes.

My challenge to you today is to read the amazing story of Joesph and to know that through everything (good and bad) the Lord is with you.


Ireland Update:  I am continuing to work on raising my support and though it seems like I will never have the money needed, I need to remind myself that with God things happen.  Be praying that I will be less stressed about money!  I also as of late have been struggling with encouragement (it's a long story, one that I don't feel the need to share on the internet!) ....so if you are out there in blog world (yes i just made that world up hehe) send some encouragement and prayers my way!  They would be much appreciated!

God Bless
KJA

Wretched and Beautiful

I am not one for sports.  So tonight instead of watching the super bowl, I did some homework and spent some time reading my bible and the book Irresistible Revolution.  I am not going to ramble long tonight.  I just want to leave you with a paragraph from the book that really stuck out and hit home for me...

"The gospel is good news for sick people and is disturbing for those who think they've got it all together.  Some of us have been told our whole lives that we are wretched, but the gospel reminds us that we are beautiful.  Others of us have been told our whole lives that we are beautiful, but the gospel reminds us that we are also wretched.  The church is a place where we can stand up and say we are wretched, and everyone will nod and agree and remind us that we are also beautiful."

Thank goodness for that.

God Bless KJA

Seeking Prayer and Encouragement

Today in Chapel at school we had a guest speaker.  She mentioned the verse James 5:16 which says, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."  This verse really stuck with me throughout chapel. 

It is only the second week of the semester and already I am stressed out of my mind with everything that I need to do!  This stress has begun to seep into my alone time with God.  I find myself justifying when I am laying in bed and forgot to spend some alone time with God.

So I ask that you be earnestly praying for me and keeping me accountable.  Be praying that I will continue to daily seek time with God...time to reflect...time to pray...time to dig in to his Word...and time to just listen for his voice amoungst all my stress!


God Bless
KJA

Irresistible Revolution

So if you asked me what my favorite book was, I would immediately tell you that it was The Irresistible Revolution: living as an ordinary radical  by: Shane Claiborne.  Reading this book for the first time my senior year of high school really changed my way of thinking when it comes to living out my spiritual walk.  I suggest it to anyone and am willing to lend my copy to anyone! 

I was super excited to find out that Shane Claiborne will be speaking at two Chapels at my university next week!  I pulled out my copy of the book and was drawn to the pages that I had marked up.

So today I leave you with a thought from the book....

"Jesus never talked to a prostitute because he didn't see a prostitute. He just saw a child of God he was madly in love with."