Winter Part3 ! (and a little somethin' about this past year)

So here it is, Winter Part3... These were taken Christmas day! I had so much fun this Christmas! God has blessed me with such wonderful Family and Friends! Many things have happened in the past year that could be considered spectacular and I have done many things in the past year that could be considered crazy, "special", or just plain silly. But hey, it's life, and I love it!

Here are some of my favorite memories from 2009, not in any special order! (Click on the link to see pictures/videos!)

1)Last years New Years Eve Party! Probably one of the funnest party's I've ever been to! Lots of laughs! Guitar hero, random stuff :)

2)I Heart Prinville/I Heart Sisters
God has used the heart campaign to touch so many people and it's blessed me to be a part of the I Heart events! At I heart Prineville, we got to pray with tons of individuals, not only at the concert but out on the streets, to receive Jesus... Through these outreaches, God has opened my heart more and more and has taught me how to better love the lost. I love Jesus so much!

3)Spring Break Coast Trip!
Probably one of my favorite trips, in a long time.... CLC packed their bags and headed to the coast for a week of blissful fun. We had no rotations, no responsibilities, no homework, and we got to get away from Bend, hallelujah! We played guitar hero, watched movies, hung out at the beach, climbed a massive (and by massive, I mean MASSIVE!) sand dune, some people were drug into the ocean, and best of all, it was the beach... I love the beach!



4)40 Days. For 40 days during April and May, I set aside time to seek the Lord in a way I've never done before. He spoke to me so much and gave me direction and instruction and wisdom. It's something I want to do every year now!

5)MTI Nights! All I have to say about that is this: Andrea, you saved us all with your drawings! Ha ha, no, actually I loved MTI. The lessons taught me so much and our practicum group was amazing! Shout out to Drew and Tami!


6)Adopt A Block and Dream Kids. I loved connecting to other people in our community who needed to feel the love of Christ. I know that what we did not only impacted the here and now, but eternity as well.

7)Cascade Life Commission Graduation! Even thinking back to it now, I get all teary! I remember just how much God did last year and all that he's continued to do and I love it! I've watched my very best friends grow closer to Christ and there is almost nothing that gives me greater joy! Love, love, love!!!!

8)Mexico! All I can say is WOW :) God showed me a lot about my character that I need to change! I was able to help lead worship at the Griggs' church the three weeks I was there. It was very refreshing to get away for a while, even though I will admit that I missed my friends very much! We had a healing conference and countless people were healed emotionally and physically and spiritually. It was amazing!

9)Summer Camp. Relationships rebuilt. Students changed. Families changed. Eternity impacted.

10)New Friends! Getting to know Hope and her family has been so much fun! Hopefully many more good times in 2010!

11)Encounter
God is amazing!

12)I Heart Bend 2

13)The many Ice Skating Adventures!


14)Going to pick up the Africa team from the airport

15)Getting my hair cut short!

16)Knowing the Love of Christ in new ways, every day.

17)Our end of the year party out at the Parsons, water fights and all! (ps. thanks to the Parsons for opening their home to us all the time, you guys are amazing!)

18)Getting a Dog! I love Lola!

19)Moving, again. (and hopefully the last time for a while, sheesh)

20)Starting 2nd year CLC!

21)Getting a job at a daycare.

22)I started going to the Deckers small group in July and have ever since. I love it so much there!

23)Having contact with my real father for the first time and getting to know him more.




There is so much more that happened in this past year, but to list them all would probably bore you if you haven't already been bored, ha ha :)

Thanks to everyone who made this year as wonderful as it was.

You all mean so much to me!

I pray that this new year brings new joys, loves, passions, challenges, ideas, seasons, and most of all, a new start.

I love you!
















All Smiles,
Elyxis

Winter Part2 !

Ice Skating... seriously one of my favorite things to do in winter time!

Some of my favorite people :)

So much fun!

Hope and I

Winter Part3 coming soon,
Merry Christmas,
Elyxis!

Prophetic Hindsight

I could not have known yesterday morning what would transpire from then until this point. Jay has started a second year class about leadership. What is the cost? That's what I've found myself asking... what does it cost? We looked at four places and times in Jesus' life that shaped him. The wilderness, the mountain top, the garden, and the cross. With knowledge comes responsibility. The Word says that its sin to know what you ought to do and not do it. Now I know, not in full, but in part... I am responsible. Hearing him teach, I wasn't aware of how personal and real it would become to me in such a short amount of time. I can't explain what God is doing in my life right now... not that I don't know how, but it runs a little too deep and close to my heart. It's costing me, more than I thought it would. God's asking me if I'm serious about this thing, this pursuit of his presence, will, and call in my life. AM I SERIOUS. This is so hard. I just wanted to share a song that's been consuming me for the past few weeks, it's by JJ Heller and called Your Hands. It's kind of my hearts cry right now. Hope you enjoy it.

Winter!

At the Christmas tea! We had lots of laughs!

Christmas tree lighting downtown! (one of those corny traditions that you kinda hate going to but you go because it's what you do every year :) )

Hopes Birthday Party

I Love Winter Time!

Love,
Elyxis

Knowing His Will

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Knowing God's will is tricky business. I have struggled to know what his will is for me. I find myself getting so caught up in other things and forgetting to walk in a way that is worthy of the Lord. Walking in any mistrust, doubt, sin, unfaithfulness, any of that rotten stuff that taints our hearts, is what defines unworthy walking. I don't want to walk in a way that's unworthy of God. Leaving the joy and love and peace of God simply in my bible, without letting the Holy Spirit transfer it into my heart, is like buying a pair of shoe strings and just laying them on top of my shoes... not lacing them through and tying them. They are useless. Those shoe strings keep the shoes together and on my feet. Walking without the Holy Spirit is like laying his love flippantly over my life, but not actually letting it weave it's way through my heart and soul. I would like to think that I let the Holy Spirit into every part of me, and I have done a fine job of fooling myself... Every stinkin' day, I just see more and more of the wickedness of my own heart and the impurity of my motives and just the stinky-ness of my sin. It's hard to let God shape me! I'm bad at patience, awful at endurance, short in giving thanks, little in understanding, small in strength, and too often slow in joyfulness. In light of all of this, can I just say that God's Grace in incomprehensible. I feel like every other blog that I write conveys another part of the same message, another small piece of a big picture in which I'm constantly messing up God's perfection and He's faithfully mending my brokenness and my mishaps and my feeble attempts. I guess that's just what a life with Christ looks like! Man oh man, I just don't understand! God amazes me continually! The scripture above was from the bible reading today and it just reminded me of God's grace in my life, and I wanted to share it with who ever reads this thing (which if it's just me, that's ok too :) ) I love that God calls me his beloved. I love that he can see past everything that I try so desperately to put up to deflect what's really inside, the good and the bad, and that he still loves me... I love that...

Figuring it out,
Elyxis