/:..:::...``praise``...:::...:/

So many things have been going on in my life lately. The school year started slow, but now life is getting hectic and crazy and we have more to do and more to study. I have almost 3 jobs now!! Ha, definitely not what I was looking for but I know I will grow in each and enjoy each of them. I got a job at the assisted living just down the road from me as a part-time bath aide for about 12 hours a week! They also needed another person to babysit a bunch of kids for 2 hours on Friday mornings for CBC's Women's Bible Study Group. Which I could do this for my SLT for school or for some extra cash. I have decided to do my SLT with Christ for the City International- today I just did office work, but I really want to become a facilitator/leader for the Urban Plunge. This is basically a group of youth from churches mainly who go to 9 different ministries throughout Omaha and basically preach the gospel and help out in anyway. Some include the Hope Center, Angels on Wheels and also sharing with homeless people and prostitutes. It goes from Friday afternoons to Sunday early afternoons, and of course I wouldn't have to lead every week! I know- "lead". What exactly does that mean? I'm not totally sure yet, but I wouldn't be organizing everything, I just basically go with them to every ministry and tell them where to go. I dont necessarily do the work either, I just kind of supervise and watch and listen. Sounds great to me. I also think this would be great experience for being a missionary or doing cross-cultural ministries overseas someday. I also get paid for it and can use it as my SLT! So Praise God, maybe He overdid it this time, haha, I shouldn't complain AT ALL!! Thanks Jesus.

~*~beauty in itself~*~

Wow. I am so amazed and grateful.

The more I seek God, the more I find Him.
The more I find Him, the more I love Him.
The more I love Him, the more I can't get enough of Him.
He is AMAZING!
I've seen Him do so many little things since I've moved to Omaha. He's provided a close, great job (well actually 2), I'm trusting He will provide for Swazi this coming summer, I've come to learn more about Him, I feel His presence in my heart so often, I'm pretty sure I know where He is calling me to, and just wow!
Even my.creations, my small business, is picking up just from living with a bunch of girls in the dorm! Who ever thought this would happen. Now I've been offered an online instructor position for scrapbooking classes, in which I get to use my own ideas as well as make some profit off of that. My craft show is also coming up in November, which I'm not sure at all how many things I need to make for this show yet!! Who knows how much I'll sell. Oh God, I give this all to you, but I am not worrying about it.

I love lilies, as you see in the picture. For some reason they bring out the word "beauty" to me. The remind me of Jesus, personally.

I've also been reading this new book called "The Shack" by William P Young. Wow, I've never read such a book as this. There's a big tragedy, but this book is about how we connect personally with Jesus. It's already changed my view on the Trinity. God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Son are all equal. I dont know about you, but I've always pictured God the Father as the "boss" of the 3 in 1 gang, which is pretty easy to do. We look at a Father as being the head of everyone else in the family. It also talks about how we think this way because of our fallen world and sinful nature. Thats how our world is, but that isn't how God is. God is = to Jesus who is = to the Holy Spirit. 3 in 1 is the same thing. It's amazing. I'm learning how closely Jesus really wants to be and why God became a human form and why He decided to come to earth. Jesus is in a human form for a reason- he isn't human, he is God, but he came here for us so that he could relate to us in a different level than God the Father. I dont know about you, but I view God as a high authority figure, like a dad. Jesus- I view as a loving friend who really does want to just be a friend and guide us through each day. But I have learned that Jesus was brought to the earth so that we could learn in a more intimate passionate way because he was human like us, but more of a perfect, supernatural human.....if that makes sense? Are you following?

I will be talking more about this book in the future so stay posted. It's amazing and you can borrow it from me when I'm done- just ask!! I'd be happy to let you share this with me.

Application Sent

I applied tonight to Adventures in Missions.
Now we'll see what God has in store for me next. :D

...//Swazi//...

From becoming overwhelmingly excited about looking towards spending 2 months in Swazi,
to becoming discouraged about it from a
parent's view,
to praying about it,
to asking God to bless my parents and to
work through them so they would support me,

I am at an all time HIGH! PRAISE GOD!

**I had a conversation when I came home with my step-father who didn't even know I was considering this trip. He has been to Botswana before, so he knows a little bit about Africa. He also is very scared for me as looking from a father-to-dauther's point of view. A number of things could happen, because its Africa. But, the same things happen here in the States...

So anyways, he stated that he knows I have a passion for missions and especially Africa and he doesn't want to take that away from me. PRAISE GOD. I just had asked God to open my parent's hearts to listen to me and not just throw it out the door. And now they are.....

And because I have my parent's blessings, I am very encouraged to say that I want to move on and send my application in. I dont know if this is God's yes, but "Father, I am going to go straight for my passion until you shut the door. Until you say that my desires aren't matched up to yours, I will continue down this path".

I will update more information about Swazi soon! So please keep reading and checking out my blog for more news.

Please pray for a support team- prayer team and a financial team. I am not worried about the finances. God has all the power in the world and can do whatever He wants.

"ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE" Matthew 21:22, Luke 11:9

..:::..passion..:::..

So many of you who know me also know my heart has been desired missions for quite some time. Particularly Africa. I was once told that God places a nation/country on our hearts for specific reasons because we each have something unique to bring to them. I have the opportunity to bring glory to God in a way I've never done before. Sharing eternal life with those who are in their last stage of AIDS. Loving the many many orphans. Being who God intended to be and experiencing life in which we all should, from the bottom up. Swaziland- Africa- May 29, 2009-July 29,2009. Two months. Sharing the gospel. Love. Compassion. God's heart. Changed lives. Heartache. Joy. Pray

My passion is people. My passion is serving God. My passion is seeing the love in other people as well as sharing the love. My passion is serving the poor. My passion is the heart, not the wealth, s.e.s., etc. My passion is the unique cultures. My passion is seeing a change from worldliness to godliness in a person's eyes. My passion is trusting that God heals. My passion is children. My passion is loving and holding the hands of those who hurt. My passion leads me to the feet of Jesus. My passion makes me cry. My passion makes my heart skip a beat. My passion leads me to the core of my being. My passion allows Jesus to use me and mold me in to the "bride of Christ". My passion is GOD. My passion is "compassion". My passion is faithfulness. My passion is hoping. My passion is waiting to see God in His pure white robe sitting at His throne. My passion is heaven. My passion is seeing my brother and my father in heaven someday. My passion is my inner most being. My passion is to be set-apart from the world. My passion is radiant femininity. My passion is Song of Songs 2:2. My passion is Jhonatan Saul Toaquiza Chimba. My passion is beauty. My passion is Africa. My passion is crafting. My passion is worshiping. My passion is decorating. My passion is from the One and thee Only. My passion is Jesus IS COMING BACK SOON.

.::.art.::.

New Art!

TreasureBox

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New.Creation

Hey everyone, so tonight I was working on this project- my newest creation. I bought a plain wooden box from Hobby Lobby that the top opens up so almost like a jewelry box or something. All I did was use my new Basic Grey paper and glued it on the sides, inked up the edges and made the top look pretty! It took quite a long time to finish it up, but is definitely worth it. I've gotten lots of compliments on it in my dorm hall already so that is a good sign! Hope you enjoy...more to come!!

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Small and Medium MAGNETS

Clothes-pins Magnets

My clothes-pin magnets are my newest collection to my.creations. These are so cute and guaranteed to make you say "Oh, these are so cute!". They are great for dry-erase boards, dorm rooms, refrigerators, offices, etc. Use them to clip items together or to display your pictures and notes/reminders! Hope you enjoy!

Visit: http://amandalarsen7.etsy.com

Joy

Wow, I'm having such a great time hear at Grace. I was a bit taken back when I went to class for the first time and the professor prayed! WOW! I don't know why I was surprised, but I've never had this experience through a public school before so that is why. I absolutely love it though! Another great thing that I've really enjoyed here is the dorm life. Yes, it's tight and people get annoyed and cranky, but it is such an enjoyable experience that I think everyone should go through. We learn to get along even when we don't want to but have to. We put up with our roomies and friends even when we would rather lock the door. I love keeping my door open though, because people pop in and out all the time. I even meet new people when I leave the door open because they see my colorful curtains right off the bat and say "Awww, I haven't seen this room yet....." We're also going to be starting a Beth Moore Bible Study "Jesus the One and Only", and I heard theres lots of reading and homework with it, but its what I want to do. We talk about wanting to be on fire for Jesus, but yet we don't do it. We have the desire to be all Jesus wants us to be, but we seem to let go and fall between the cracks. Why don't we just finally for once and all say "Jesus, here is my life, lead me and I will follow. You are in control, I will obey with everything I have". I desire that but I don't do it. Now is the time...

Precious Memories

I altered this frame and made it to sell at my craft show in November. I was going to put it on Etsy, but then figured that shipping would be quite pricey and it's heavy and the glass is fragile so I decided that I will wait! Let me know what you think!