Fall 2010

School has started once again.....It has already started to take over my life. ugh. 15 weeks until graduation, 15 weeks until graduation, 15 weeks until graduation.

Summer Fun

Here is what Im excited for this summer:

*Project 192 with the Kunklers
*Watching way too many World Cup Soccer games...If only I could go to South Africa
*Summer Camp
*Jake and Caley's Wedding
*Going to look at Grad Schools (immmm soooo close to graduating)
*Reading lots and lots of books....crazy love, when God writes your love story, the pact, a thousand splendid suns, picture perfect and so much more
*Finding new recipes
*Weekend Long Runs
*Training for a half marathon with Jenny!
*Running on trails
*Spending my weekends in AKRON
*Relaxing
*Random adventures

Im excited, its going to be great :)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst...

Quote from a Rob Bell Sermon

*"Blessed are you who ache because the world is not how its suppose to be, blessed are you when you get frustrated enough to throw up your hands and say 'God I cant do this', blessed are you when you try to make the tension go away no matter how hard you try, blessed are you when you run out of will power, ideas, self-control, hope, fortitude and energy, because its in that space, ache, frustration, ache, hunger and thirst that God is with you."

http://odeo.com/episodes/25242509-Mars-Hill-Blessed-are-those-who-hunger-and-thirst-Rob-Bell-Audio

El Salvador

There is this part of my heart that yearns for my favorite little place on earth....

I want to see smiling faces, kids running up and down the driveway, my favorite little pupusaria, the little tienda, children singing to their King...

I want to see El Salvador.

LA X (Latitude Adjustment 2010)

Im waiting for pictures from Florida/LA X to finish loading on facebook, so naturally I decided to blog....

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and that included leaving Florida with my 200 friends from Campus Focus. God was good to us, Florida was great and LA X was fantastic....I loved every moment of the trip!

We spent the week going through the first 3 chapters of Colossians....First we talked about how Paul was telling Colossians about the two different worlds they are living in--there is the world that revolves around myself and the world that revolves around Jesus. We talked about how Satan's claim is that we have to qualify ourselves and that the most important thing is ME. However, Jesus already qualified us and that gives us so much freedom to live within.

Next we talked about the Supremacy of Christ and how He was here first and how He created everything. In the OT, the first born received all the rights and inheritances, however Jesus already qualified us to receive all the inheritance. Jacob challenged us to let God be supreme in all parts of our lives--our words, thoughts, actions, relationships.

Third, we talked about how Jesus, the high priest could atone for ALL our sins, as opposed to the OT where the israelites had to constantly atone for their sins.....Jesus's blood on the cross was 100% complete--not lacking in anything! Well, it was complete except for the proclamation and that is our job in all of this....How much are we willing to suffer so that the Gospel may go forward?

During the fourth session we were challenged to look at our lives and examine what laws have been holding us captive. You see, there was this really cool thing that happened when Jesus died---all the OT laws died too. By the grace of God, we dont have to do ANYTHING, because its ALREADY been done for us. We talked about Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." and how Jesus is begging us to stop trying to atone for our sins as we are no longer bound by the OT laws, because they have already been paid for. Kevin made a couple comments that really made me think....he said we CHOOSE slavery over FREEDOM, we would prefer to mechanically follow meaning less laws rather than live in the freedom HE has given me. How many times have I caught myself trying to make lists of ways and things that need to be done to 'fix my sin,' and the reality is that Im living like an Israelite....

Our last night we talked about our Identity in Christ.....Chapter 2 of Colossians says we died AND were raised with Christ. Paul commands us to put to death our old ways because they cause us to be focused on earthly things and to put on things like compassion, humility, patience, gentleness because were were CHOSEN, HOLY and LOVED.

The trip started a little rocky when after dinner I realized what the actual date was, you see January 2nd is kind of a big landmark date for me....I immediately started beating myself up because I was so disappointed in myself for not having this whole sin thing figured out and under control within a years time. I wanted it all gone....done, finished, away--anything but still in my life, and unfortunately a year later that is not the case. As the week went on, I was constantly convicted of my short comings had to change, in order to make 2010 much better.

Somewhere during the week something clicked and I realized that sin management is not the way to freedom and the only real way is to simply pursue holiness. Well....that sounded easy enough....and then I realized that "pursuing holiness" is a really BIG phrase. In one of our break out sessions we talked about what it means to pursue Christ and I just found myself more confused.....What IS the difference? How do you do the same thing but in one way its sin management and in another way its pursuing holiness? I'm still not really 100% sure....what I have discovered is that motives plays a huge part in all of this...For example, I can read the Bible because that is what Im suppose to do (sin management) or I can read the Bible because that is what is pleasing and glorifying God (pursuing holiness)....It isn't much but that is where I am on this journey....still trying to figure things out but not trying to figure so much out that Im binding myself in slavery to rules....

As I start on a new leg of this journey, I keep finding myself struggling to believe that something will be different this time around....Im struggling to believe that I CAN make it through and that God can and will change me. As I was reminded...."kristen, you are a daughter of the King....Just ask him--Jesus help me with my unbelief."

These next couple months should be good....I just found out that The Chapel is doing a 12 week study over the book of Galations and it is entitled, "life, liberty and the pursuit of holiness." Im excited to see what will happen in the next several months.

Grace and Peace
Kristen

Life

Daddy loves you, He always will, no matter what.

here i am

Show me Your heart. Show me Your ways. Show me Your Glory.

A friend of mine wrote this in their facebook status: "Today, I start with the LORD."

I really like that comment because so many times I get up and start with myself--I start thinking about the long list of everything I have to do today. Its hard for me to start my day by spending time in the Word because Im already so focused on wordly things. As a student I keep falling into this trap where reading my Bible becomes one more homework assignment and because I already have enough homework, the last thing I want is one more thing to do. However, when I think about starting with the Lord...it just completely changes my perspective and I eagerly look forward to spending some time with Jesus. I cant wait to see what he has for the rest of today :)

Arms High and Heart Abandoned

I wish it were easier to stand with arms high and heart abandoned in awe of the one who gave it all. I really wish it was, but its not and I just can't. I struggle to let go of all the things that I think Im in control of, because I need to feel like I'm in control. I thrive off of being in control. Yet, every time I just get frustrated and upset when things dont go the way I had planned them...

Luke 14:27 and 35
Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 35. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot by my disciple.

I've been thinking about this a lot in the last 10 months or so, because that idea of giving up everything is so frightening to me. Let alone that Jesus says that if you don't, you cant be my disciple.....

So, what does it look like to completely surrender? What does it look like to die to ourselves so that the gospel may go forward? What does it look like to worship God through being a student? What does it look like to be ok with not being in control and being completely content in Jesus?

I'm not 100% sure.....when I find out I'll let you know ;)

Fall 2009

After taking a break from blog world, I suddenly feel a little bit more motivated to blog. So hopefully, I will be able to get a little bit more about El Salvador and other random things happening.

School is starting in two weeks and I'm filled with so many bitter-sweet feelings. I am not ready to study for the never ending string of tests, work, do homework and repeat over and over and over again. Life gets mundane and stressful as there is always one more thing on the long laundry list of things to do.

However, I'm filled with excitement for this next semester....After lots of prayer, I am going to spend this next year seriously serving and concentrating on loving the city of Akron. As Chris Tomlin says it best, "Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city."

Sarah and I were talking about what it looks likes for me to serve Akron...I love 707 and not being there tears my heart and to know that it is not where I will be serving hurts even more. In some ways I almost feel guilty about 'leaving,' even though I know I am not. Sarah put it into words that make much more sense for me....This year in sorts, I am out on loan. I am being commissioned to spread the gospel in Akron and disciple younger women so that in a later season of life I can come back to 707, and they can recieve the interest that I earned while on mission.

So this semester I look forward to being able to serve the freshmen as they wonder through campus without an idea as to why they are here or what they want to do with their lives. I look forward to being able to serve inner city children through Reach Akron. I am also looking forward to being able to walking through life with other women by discipling them and also by being discipled.

I think most importantly what I have been learning is that it is not so much where I serve that is important (also not saying that we can do what ever we want), but how you serve. God needs people to serve and be the light of Christ in Medina, Akron, Cleveland, Ohio, El Salvador. Not one of these places in necessarily better than another. I am not going to win more brownie points with God for serving one places than another....The bigger idea is that I serve where I am with everything that I am...

If I am at home in Medina--How am I serving my family, my neighborhood, my co-workers?

If I'm in Akron--How am I loving the other women in my life, my housemates, the homeless, college students?

If I'm in El Salvador--How am I loving the tias, the children, the neighbors, the community of Plantaneo?

So this semester I will be thinking about how, to the best of my ability, serve the community in which I live. My prayer is that this semester I may stand with arms wide and heart abandoned as I am open to what God has for me.

May we go and serve....bless others, endure, and answer kindly....

Grace and Peace
kristen

Just a little from my favorite place on Earth....

'

El Salvador. Beautiful. Hot. Love. Kindness. Grace. Hope.




Hope for the future. Kevincito is a 6 year old with some gastrointestinal problems, and because of it he only weighs 15 pounds. There is hope that in the next year Kevincito will be coming to Cleveland with his adoptive parents to get the medical help he needs.




Only by God's grace is Love and Hope able to have this beautiful baby at the home. Eliseo is about 1.5 (I think) and he is gorgeous. There are no words to describe him....As Alyssa says she describes him as somewhere between divine and perfection. I agree.



Absolute beauty....from the mountain behind the orphanage (looking at the San Salvador volcano) to every person I met.



Kindness and understanding towards each other. The kindness of Americans who spent an extra $15 on a couple shoe boxes for children all over the world. Kindness towards the 'gringos' who spoke slowly and couldn't keep their pronouns and conjugations the same.


Loving the least of these and the ophans who would normally be raised on the side of the street with nothing to eat. However because of Love are able to attend a Christian school and receive a top education.

months later.....

I've been been home for over 1.5 months and Im just now getting around to blogging...Sorry. I am here to say ITS COMING SOON!


kristen

Im home! I had an awesome trip, but unfortunately I came home with some sort of virus...So in the next few days when Im feeling better, I'll post a little bit about my trip.

Peace and Love
Kristen

Here it goes.....

Im leaving Tuesday, May 19th at 6am (nice and early!) I should arrive in El Salvador by 1:11pm EST. Im very excited, but obviously a little bit nervous. Please be praying for me and the people of El Salvador that I come in contact with! Hopefully I'll be able to stop at an internet cafe and update you about whats going on!

Peace!
Kristen

Faithfulness

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 105:1

It is hard to believe that in 9 short days I will be boarding a plane and heading off to Nejapa, El Salvador! I've been talking to anybody and everybody who has been to El Salvador (and probably stalking their pictures as well,) and I must admit that with every picture I see and every conversation I have I get more excited, because I can't believe this actually happening!

I say that because I truly believe that you can't understand where you are today with out looking to the past...So here it goes. A month and a half (march 27th) Amber and Sarah opened up their home to the lifegroup leaders for a little fiesta. While I was there, Dean found out that I wasnt going to El Salvador and decided to remind me, in that special Dean way, that I need to go to El Salvador and stop making excuses. I left somewhat excited that the door for me to go to El Salvador had been re-opened. However, I was a month and a half out with no passport, no money, no support letters, no idea about anything....Over the next month and a half I continuously worried about the trip--I doubted God everystep of the way. There were nights after lifegroup that I would fall apart and my lifegroup would graciously remind me to trust, but it was always easier said than done and I continued to worry...Yet, God is God and some how a trip that should have taken a lot longer to plan came together perfectly.

Although I fail pretty miserably, I'm slowly learning to trust God, give up control (that I dont really have in the first place), and realize just how faithful he is. Slowly Im learning to stand with arms wide and arms abandoned in awe of the one who gave it all....

Its May!

In the next 18 days:

*I have 4 finals
*I will finish my sophomore year--3 more semesters to go!
*Pack up my life into boxes and move back home...I'm going to miss Exchange 346C (maybe not the fire alarms). Although, I am pretty excited about the house : )
*Work about 60 hours between EJ and SHC
*Spend a few days with a friend that I haven't seen in 5 years!!!
*Run a 10K (6.25 miles)
*Hopefully get my first passport before May 19th...They told me I could expect it in about 2 weeks, so I will be cutting it close!
*Pending on the previous statement, leave the country for the first time in my life : )

Psalm 57

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:9-11

I can't say enough about God's faithfulness! I have to admit that I really doubted that God would provide financially, and over the last several weeks I've spent a lot of time stressing about it. However, God is good....all the time! He is providing way beyond what I ever believed would be possible. Praise God!

May it all be to his glory!

Flights....

Well, it is official that I, Kristen, am going to El Salvador. I just purchased my airplane tickets!! Now, if only my passport would get here, I would feel sooo much better.....

In case anyone is wondering, my flight leaves on May 19th from Cleveland Hopkins at 6AM (ahh!!!) and I will arrive in San Salvador at about 11AM! June 3rd, sixteen days later I will be saying my goodbyes to my friends at Amor y Esperanza, and will head home to Cleveland...if weather is good I should be in about 10:30PM.

Im so eXcItEd!!!!!

Mauricio

Today, I went to Tertullia for Spanish class, which is basically an opportunity for people to talk in spanish. I randomly sat down with a 4 or 5 other people and was just started listening to their conversation. My friend Caitlin C, from the Chapel, asked me how my plans (referring to El Salvador) are going? I told her that everything is coming together really smoothly and that God has been so faithful to provide. Well, there happened to be a native speaker, Mauricio, sitting in the group and he asked where I was going...I told him El Salvador and he just looked at me and chuckled, so I figured that I'd ask and find out where he is from...and what do you know--Mauricio is from EL SALVADOR! Long story short--later in conversation we found out that Mauricio lives 10 minutes from Nejapa (the city to which Im traveling!) HOW CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!

This just reminds me that I serve a great God, and a God that really is involved in the little details.

All praise and Glory be to GOD!
Kristen

One Month : )

Hola

Since I've been blogging for spanish class, I figured it was time to turn this space into something useful. Over the next month, I hope to keep everyone updated on El Salvador...everything from flights, fundraising, exciting information and of course daily reflections of my time in El Salvador.

I'm so excited and cant even believe that I have this opportunity to go and spend 2.5 weeks at Amor y Esperanza!!!!

Much Love,

Kristen