Reality

Unfortunately Spring Break has come to an end... Which means numerous other things have as well, such as:

1. Sleeping in.

2. Sleep in general.

3. Freedom to be lazy all day long.

4. Being with my family.

5. Eating GOOD, edible food.

6. Seeing all of my friends in Bristol.

7. Not having continuous homework.

BUT it does mean that I come back to some wonderful things, such as:

1. My first grade kiddos at Brookside Elementary-- YAY!!!

2. My wonderful roommate, who even helped me carry my stuff up to my room from my car, and trust me.. it was kinda a lot ;)

3. My GORGEOUS friends- Elisabeth, Hunter, and Courtney :)

4. The little town of Wilmore.

5. Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church

6. Common Grounds

7. ORANGE LEAF AND FIESTA!!!!!! (Yes, I am quite excited about both of these food places, despite them being on complete opposite spectrums of food... They're delicious. Frozen yogurt and Mexican, can't get much better!)

Coming back also means having a butt-load of work to do. This week reality hits HARD.

This is my last week of practicum (insert an extremely sad Grace right here...) and it's going to be terribly hard to say goodbye to my little first graders, and my wonderful teacher! Thankfully, I have nothing Tuesday mornings, so I'll get to go in there every once in a while to help out! But with finishing practicum comes a lot of papers, most of which I got done over Spring Break (Thank the Lord!) but also finalizing anything that will need to be done.

Also, I have a HUGE interview this week. If you think of it, please be praying for me. It's my official interview to be accepted into the Asbury University Education Program! So kind of a big deal, since that's what I want to do for the rest of my life... The equivilant I could compare it to is passing Boards at Medical School that med students take throughout their time there... It's the beginning of one of the Gates that I will have to pass in order to get my teaching liscense! Praying that God will give me wisdom, and that I will be able to clearly speak and show them the passion that I have for teaching kids! On top of that, I have to complete a portfolio to be graded... Just a little bit of pressure! But at least it's for something that I absolutely love and am really excited about taking this next step :)

So as reality hits, so does the tired-ness of it all... You would never know I just slept an average of 10 hours/night for the past week at home with how tired I am! Guess I'm just getting old... I mean... Almost halfway to 20! What is this coming to?? ;)

But I do know that God is good and He is definitely going to be my source of strength this week, as I head back into reality. And I don't know what is ahead... Another reality check right there. I hope and pray I get accepted into the Education program, and that I can continue on in this wonderful journey!

 Remember to praise Him this week for helping you through the week, afterall none of us could do it without Him!

Ponder this:
"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."

Blessings

Blessings sometimes come in the rarest, but most wonderful ways. Other times they can come in the most obvious manner, but it takes a little bit to realize and recognize the blessing.

Blessings that  I can so clearly see in my life is through these BEAUTIFUL girls that you see in the picture above. I couldn't have asked for more wonderful friends that I've found at Asbury University. Each and every one of them have been with me through everything that has transpired this past year, and I couldn't thank God enough for them!!

Courtney:

This girls is so incredibly beautiful inside and out. She may appear to be quiet and reserved, but once you get to know her, she has the most encouraging words to say AT ALL TIMES, and with that comes a little bit of sass, but all out of love, is what I'm told :) I'm so incredibly thankful for her! I'm surprised she's stuck with being my friend with everything that I've complained, cried, or chattered about! She is definitely the definition of a true friend, and is such a blessing in my life! Little did I know that a blessing of a friendship could come out of a class such as New Testament with Neil Anderson... That in and of itself is a blessing ;) Love you Court!!

Elisabeth:

Oh this girl... I could go on and on about her! She has really been a blessing in disguise, in so many ways! It's so fun to have a friend that is just as passionate about teaching kids as I am :) We can go through this education program at Asbury together, and hopefully survive! She is such an encouragement. We've both been through some rough time,s but it's when we open up to each other and just pour out God's love, is when and where our friendship deepens to a whole new level. I could not have asked for a better friend! Through think and thin I know Elisabeth will always be there for me! You are such a blessing in my life, Lis! Despite everything that has happened, I can so clearly see God working in both of our lives, and someday that fairy tale ending will happen, because it's what we deserve! I love you so much!!

Hunter:

Where to even begin... You've been a blessing since the first minute that I met you.. On that fateful night where Dad got food poisoning after eating at Sonny's ;) Won't even let you live that one down! But in all seriousness... I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you, especially with everything that has transpired! Not once have you ever told me to be quiet, or to just suck it up...No, instead you've been there with a listening ear, always willing to give advice and then just give me a hug. You've seen me cry more than anyone else... Which I don't know if that's a good thing, but hey, guess  college changes a lot of things, even tear ducts! I love you LOTS and you are such a blessing in my life; from the texts that we have going back and forth on a daily basis, to our devotional talks on Tuesdays.... Well it's all amazing!

There are so many other blessings that I could talk about... For example:

Nicole-- who I just had the opportunity to spend a day with and go shopping in Pigeon Forge! It was a fantastically wonderful day, and such a blessing just to get some girl time with her :)

Lynnette and Shelby-- whom I got to see while I was up in Indiana! They are always SUCH a joy to be around. True best friends right there. I know I will always have them, no matter what happens. They are true blessings in my life!

Ellen-- Oh this girl... Always making me smile :) A true blessing from Bristol, TN! I didn't know I could have a friend like her after moving away, but alas, God has something fantastic in store!

Sarah-- My roommate is pretty much the best. Ever. That's about all I can say. Despite my crappy moods sometimes, and the lack of even being in the room, I know she still loves me, and she's ALWAYS an encouragement! She is DEFINITELY a blessing, probably more than I even realize it half the time!

And these are just a FEW of the blessings in my life... There are so many more! God has really been showing me the passions and blessings that He's placed in my life, and it's wonderful to see how God-inspired they are! Seriously, I've learned more and more that without Christ in my life I would be nothing. Abosolutely nothing.

One last little tid-bit of a blessing... Though it's more of a fun/crazy/silly blessing that a few people will get :) I have a feel that this 'letter' will [hopefully] become a huge blessing in many lives. And that is......

 

If you'd like to know about it... feel free to ask. Otherwise, feel free to have numerous thoughts/ponderings/wonderments about why that could possibly be a blessing :) (Because I know ALL of you that are reading this will think about this for hours and days on end..... Not :) There are plenty of reasons for it! Just something fun that I've recently thought of......

So all those to say... God's really given me a lot of blessings, whether they've been in disguise or not, they surely bless my life on a regular basis!

Go listen to this song... It's all about Blessings :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ

"What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're real? What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?"

Passions

There's been a lot of thinking going on recently...

Ha. That could be bad, is what a majority of what you are saying as you continue reading this blog! But I really think that it's been good. At least... as of this instance, it's been good!

A lot of this has stemmed out of the time off of Facebook. 

Yes, there are days where I miss it and I feel like I am completely out of the loop. 

But overall, it's been really good. I've invested in friendships that have grown out of just virtually being friends on Facebook... And I've also spent a lot of time in the Word of God. Finally. I've found that I can go there and get all the satisfaction and joy that I should want!

One thing that I've really been learning/reading about is "passions."

According to Websters Dictionary the word passion is defined as this:

"A strong, barely controllable emotion," or "an intense desire or enthusiasm for something."

These could not be more true in relation to my own passions! 

If you're reading this, chances are you've had a chance to talk to me in person... And if there's been one thing that has come up in conversation it's been children or Nicaragua. I can almost guarntee it. As I'm seeing, THOSE things are such a passion on my heart! A God-given passion. I think I'm past the stage of life where those things are just something that I desire because I enjoy them... No, I really think God has placed these burdens and passions on my heart because they are in His plan for me as I head down this road in life! Not everyone know what they are going to be doing at the age of 19, and quite honestly, neither do I. Although I have a sense of where I am headed... 

Teaching is part of me. Whether people accept that or not, it is and always will be something that I am passionate about. No, it's not the best paying job in the world in money on America's standards... But just seeing those kids precious faces on a day to day basis... and when they FINALLY understand the concept... Those are the rewards that are well worth it. I can't even describe my joy of being in the classroom these past couple of weeks. My teacher that I'm working with must have all the faith in the world in me, because she has even left me alone with my first graders! But everytime she leaves, it's almost as if the Holy Spirit is there saying, "Alright, Miss Ries, you got this because this is something I've equipped you to do!" :) If only you could be sitting next to me as I'm writing this... My face is probably beaming, as I can't keep the smile off of my face. So it's been so incredibly neat just to see that confirmation from God that what I am majoring in is right where He has me going!

Secondly, Nicaragua... Oh my. If only I could begin to express the desire and love and passion I have for that country. It faded the first time that I went, which could only be expected out of a 13 year old who lost 10lbs and had 27 cankersores in her mouth when she came home... But since I left last March, I literally do not think there has been a day gone by where I haven't thought about those precious children (Sterling and Nicole are two that are on my heart and mind constantly) and the wonderful GHO team, and just the beautiful country of Nicaragua. Now that I see the passion that I have for this country, I'm not sure where this will fit into the plan that God has for my life. Obviously, not everything has to be worked out at the moment... After all, I'm still just a freshman in college, still trying to figure out where everything is in the cafeteria, much less where I'm supposed to be in 3 years down the road. But I definitely see that passion taking me somewhere for missions.... I don't know if that means I'm called to full time missions (although, don't mistake that... Everywhere that I am is a missions field, I completely recognize that! I meant actually going out on the field, rather than staying stateside on this side of missions...) or if that means I'll take once or twice a year trips with my dad to work overseas... I don't know! I suppose so much of that will depend on if I have a husband, and what his job situation is!

That leads to the last thing... And of course, you may wonder how "husband" will fit into the category of passion. Well, there are a couple of ways. To begin, I've really begun to be passionate about becoming the kind of woman that my husband will need me to be. Still, at this point, I don't know who I am going to marry. Honestly, there isn't even a guy in the picture. BUT... I do know that God is shaping me into becoming the person that he will need to continue on this journey that we call life. I also have become passionate about what I am looking for in a husband. I'm not going to "casually date..." That just leads to too much pain and heartbreak. It's so much easier to just simply be friends with guys, which is all that I am hoping to do at this point in time. The next person that I "date" will, Lord-willing, be the man that I will marry. But I will emphasize the word MAN. That's what I'm looking for. We all go through a point in life where we are teetering on the border of becoming men and women, especially men and women of Christ, but even in the real world... and once we reach that line it's a decision to cross it, and it's then that we become in a position where we are so reliant on Christ that the person of the opposite gender will walk into our lives and sweep us off our feet in a way that still keeps Christ at the center of everything. The best thing that a man could ever say to me is the fact that he loves me second. To God. I want a man that will be the spiritual leader, and love God more than anything, and I could just come as an added bonus for waiting for the right woman to come along. And the same thing goes for myself completely... I want to be the kind of woman that is willing to submit to God and then the man will be an added bonus for waiting and keeping myself pure and completely surrendered to Christ for all those years before I finally find "the one." 

All of these things involve surrendering though... The one thing that keeps coming to mind is the lyric from Chris Tomlin's song, "White Flag," that says:

"We surrender all to you. ALL FOR YOU!"

That's what I'm doing in all of these areas. All of them are given over to Christ. They are all in His hands, and I am just clay waiting to be molded and formed into the woman that He desires and has a passion for me to become so that I might further His kingdom in all of these areas!

Look Alike...

When you're walking own the street, who do people say you look like?

For me... I've been told I look like Susan from Narnia.

Or... Katherine McPhee off of the show, Smash.

Or... Anne Hathaway from Princess Diaries.

All of those I definitely take as compliment, because all three of those ladies are absolutely stunning, and I can only hope I take after them in some kind of resemblance...

But is that how I REALLY want to look like?

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be a leader at D-Now at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. This was pretty much a weekend-long retreat for middle and high school students, in which we studied the Word of God and had chances to worship Him in big groups, as well as small groups.

One of the lessons that I taught, though, really struck home with me. The analogy started out asking the girls how they would recognize a cowboy walking down the street (And that analogy came from the book, not from my own head!) And they answered with the obvious, the boots, hat, belt, and plaid shirt. Then I moved that into, who do people see when they look at you? Do they see Christ?

As soon as I asked that question, I took a deep breath. I had passed into some dangerous territory, not only for the girls, but for myself as well.

When people see me walking around Asbury's campus to they see Christ?

Whether it be through my words... actions... interactions... friendships...

Who are they seeing?

One of the girls then proceeded to ask me how does it look? How does it look to see Christ in us just walking down the hallways of our schools?

Crud.

Hard question to answer when my own question convicted me. 

Although, it truly was the Holy Spirit, that gave me the ability to answer as I did. 

I answered it simply by saying it was by how we carried ourselves, and how we interacted with everyone else. It doesn't mean that we have to be shoving the Bible down peoples throat on a regular basis, quite the opposite in fact. By simply living it, people should see a difference in us that should cause them to question why we are so different. And by those questions that we should receive, it should be them seeing Christ in us.

Now, it is not always as simple as that... Nor is it as easy as that at a Christian school/university. But that should motivate me to be above reproach even more than the "average Christian" that is walking around campus on a daily basis.

So my question to myself is...

Who do I look like? 

Who do I reflect?

Christ? The world? My Friends? Celebrities?

I hope and pray that those of you that are reading this can say that you see Christ in me.