"The greatest threat to America isn't the economy, isn't other nations, isn't one man or woman; it's the hatred and animosity we have towards people with different viewpoints." (Paraphrased, Pastor Mac Hammond).

How fitting and how true.

I've been staring at the wall posts on my facebook for the past hour or so and to be honest, my heart is breaking.

We're a nation fighting against one another instead of coming together as one.

How quickly we've forgotten who our true enemy is; and it's not each other.

How easy it is for us to name call, put down and hurt one another.

And all the while, the devil sits and laughs.  How he hates America just as much as he hates the nation of Israel.  He wants our destruction; unfortunately we are on that path.

And the truth is, the more we stay divided, the more we will fall.

I'm sick of hearing people say "America sucks."  We have no love for our country, no respect for what our founding fathers created; the foundation they laid for this nation, the vision they had for this country.  We don't know our true history..

I love this nation, I'm so blessed to be born here.  I could have been born anywhere, but God put me here, for this time, for this hour.

I think what makes me the most sad is that the Bible says to "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you..." Do we really pray for those who persecute us, or do we pray that they get persecuted in return?  Regardless of what viewpoint you hold, the truth is, that God is "crazy & insanely in love with you.." as my friend put it. 

"For God so loved the world that He freely gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but everlasting life."

The outcome of this election will change this nation no matter what., but I also know God will take care of His kids no matter what.

 It's just time we start acknowledging Jesus.

"Peace of Mind"-Check it out!

So eight years ago now (wow crazy) I went to my first senior high youth Summer Camp! I didn't know anyone..basically I was forced by my parents to go.  However, not w/i 20 minutes of arriving and getting my cabin assignment, I had made 2 new friends.  I've never been more thankful and blessed for friends that I had been in that moment...I can honestly say my life would be drastically different if it weren't for that day :)

Anywho..I wrote all that to say, one of my friends I made that day is an awesome musician/singer/songwriter who just released her first single not to long ago.  It's called "Peace of Mind" written and sung by Melissa Oakvik & CJ Pitts!

I think you all should check it out :) (for those of you who read this anyways)--see below!

1. ITUNES: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/peace-of-mind/id561748767?i=561749012
2. Bandcamp website: melissaoakvik.bandcamp.com/track/peace-of-mind,
-or-
3. Stream for free by typing in "Melissa Oakvik" on your Spotify library.

Dear Friend

Dear Friend,

Today is your birthday--

I wish I could be there to tell you in person

"Happy Birthday"

but it's best that I am not..

there is so much I miss about our friendship

so many moments I wish I could have shared with you.

but I also know that when God speaks, you're supposed to listen.

I know He gave me direction on what I had to do

so I did it.

Sometimes it doesn't make sense to me,

but I know His plan is perfect, so I won't question it.

I would want you to know,

I don't hate you and I pray for you and your family daily.

I hope today was good for you and that everyday,

you're discovering more about God's plan for your life

and know just how much He loves you and that He is for you (Romans 8:31)

God loves you ! :)

so "Happy Birthday"

God loves you!

Me

The Plan...

It's in this moment that I realize how angry, hurt, and broken I had been during the first few months of this year.

 I am reminded of a sermon that James Tan gave out our church last year.  He said that sometimes it is impossible to see our lives different from where we are at; out of a relationship, in a new job, etc.  but God sees the big picture. He knows that the path He's going to take you down, the path He's laid before you, is so much better than where you are at right now.  Things may be going great;  you feel as nothing could be more right in your life..and then God pulls you out of a relationship or a job, away from friends.  You think "But nothing was better than this..nothing.." but God's plans for your future and better than anything you could dream up..and He knows that in order to get to where He wants to put you, sometimes you have to be pulled out of the situation you're in.

I feel like that's a bunch of run-on sentences..but I'm going to get real...I thought I was in the best relationship ever made; the man I liked finally liked me in return. He loved God, He sought God, he spent time with God, he cared for me, he had plan/path for his future. But really, this wasn't where God wanted me to be.  When you're writing things down like this:

"I'm frustrated, I'm tired, I'm worn out, and all you want to do is quit…because it's easy…because you don't have time to think…because your work is more important..because your friends are more important…because I couldn't possibly understand your desire to go on missions..because I’m possibly that dumb and self-centered.  How dare I even consider going somewhere with you on missions because that would be changing myself for you. You have no idea my desires or anything…because you don't want to know.. you don't want to find out..you don't want to care."

let's face it..somethings wrong.

Awhile back now I had someone pray for me regarding this area of my life. When she prayed for me to experience more Joy in my life, she thanked God that this was something I already possessed in me and that all I had to do was access it.  It didn't always feel like I had Joy..but the truth is..I did..and I do.

I am so thankful God's plan for me is greater than my own and that even when I couldn't see it...He was pulling me back to the path I'm meant to be on :)

Sunrises/Sunsets- How God shows me He loves me :)

Pinwheels!

So recently I went on a trip to Daytona Beach, FL with my friend Kacie from high school. And of course, you cannot see Daytona without visiting the Daytona International Speedway (well I guess you can...but how often do you go visit race car tracks??)  While I'm not an avid NASCAR fan, or even a fan at all, I was fascinated by the pinwheels outside of the speedway.  At the time I didn't think much of it, all I cared about was finding the State of MN, which, much to my dismay was linked together with Wisconsin.  Now, I have nothing against WI, one of my best friends lives there, but I more or less believed that "every state should have their own pinwheel" lol. that would be a lot of pinwheels.  But as I watching one of my favorite shows yetserday, "Cake Boss,"  I finally found out what these pinwheels were for.

One of the most famous women racecar drivers in the world is Danica Patrick.  Needless to say, I did not know this until yesterday, but as I'm watching her describe to Buddy the kind of cake she wants, across the screen flashes her friend Michael Kalish, standing next to all of these pinwheels.  It turns out, he is the creator of the pinwheels in order to raise awareness for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD). I thought myself "Sweet! I've seen those."  And now...I share it all with you :)  Maybe one day you too will see the pinwheels in your area as they make their way around the states :)

Check out this site for more about Danica Patrick's Drive for COPD.
 

You never know...

I realized something this past weekend; I am amazed at how easy it is to express my true thoughts and feelings over the internet instead of telling the people who are close to me what it is I'm truly going through.  I've been keeping an online blog for eight years on a different site...which I'm sure only a handful of people in the world knew I still kept.  I liked having a "secret place" to sit and vent about life..to tell people what was really going on behind the fake joy that I repeatedly putting across my face. The reality is..technically it's not really all that secret when over 6,000,000,000,000 people have access to your intermost thoughts and you never truly know who's reading...

I ran across a blog yesterday of a friend.  I've been following her blog for quite some time, but hadn't really kept up on it as of late.  When I read her most recent post from a month ago now, I am amazed.  I see her almost every week.  She seems to be her happy, bubbily, upbeat self...but the truth is, she was hurting and I knew nothing about it.  And the truth is...she really didn't want a lot of people to know about it. I guess I can understand that considering I've been doing the same thing for at least four years now thinking that no I knew followed my blog...but my question is why do I do that?

Why is it so easy to express your thoughts to people you don't know? Maybe it's because I'm afraid of what other people may think or I don't think anyone would quite understand.  I don't want people to feel sorry for me or I just can't seem to find the right words. I don't want to weigh other people down with my problems or burden them with more problems than they already have. I don't want to say the wrong thing or say something out of anger.. It's ok I say....I don't need people..I'll just tell God everything that's on my mind...no one else would really get it anyways..I'm fine on my own ...I've used that one a lot in life. Or maybe I've got it all backwards...and all we really want is a fresh perspective from someone completely on the outside. Someone who's not involved and can see the situation a little more clearly than we can and has some good advice.

I used to think I didn't need people...that I'd be fine on my own.. I have God..He's all I need.  While I believe He is all I really need... in retrospect, God put people on this Earth for a reason..we're supposed to be there for one another..to mourn with those who are mourning and to rejoice with those who are glad...as Pastor Brian Gobar once said "We're imperfect people called to love imperfect people"...whether it be through following a random strangers blog or sitting next to your best friend at lunch...idk...I guess God's not limited to the means of communication I think are most effective :)

Oh!.. please don't get me wrong...I love blogs :) I think they are fantastic (otherwise I wouldn't have kept one for over 6 years now)! I love writing and reading them...I love hearing about other people's lives..what crazy adventures they've had, what insights they have to share, even what hardships they're experiencing.  I think writing is a great way to get out your frustration or pain...I'm more or less talking to myself...wondering why I wanted to keep my life a secret for so many years..and yet in reality..all I wanted was for someone to listen...kinda backwards thinking don't you think :)

So thanks for listening to my ramble...hopefully less confusing posts to come haha :)