i am weak, but you are strong.

Just wanted to send out a few words of encouragement through the world wide web and into your hearts. My devo today focused on the Lord’s attraction to weakness. What a cool thought, not only does the Lord put up with all of our weakness and inablilities, he is acutally ATTRACTED to them. incredible, just another reason why he deserves all of our praise and Love. So, i know everyone is a little busy this week, especially Beth and Ash and i just wanted yall to know that you are in my prayers. Take heart in knowing that the Lord is especially attracted to you this week because you are weak and tired, get your rest in HIM. LOVE you girls!!

bec

A post on wasp attacks rather than terrorist attacks. (Baruka)

So, I was leaving Panera today after an hour and a half of studying and stealing multiple choc. chip cookie samples (thanks guys!) I hopped in my car and answered a phone call from Care. Her first word, “Brooke” was filled with agony. I said, “oh my, what happened Care?”.. thinking something pretty big happened. Well indeed, something big did happen. Care’s hand was inflicted with pain and swelling due to the harmful defense mechanism of a wasp: the dreaded sting. I was luckily about three minutes down the road, so I met her at the local CVS to ask the pharmacist what precautions we should take. (sidenote: Care was allergic to bees when she was a small child i.e. this could be dangerous.) Her hand was the size of a small grapefruit. It was tingling and starting to cramp around her wrist (never good.) The friendly CVS tech suggested we “get it looked at” down the road at Urgent Care. He said it looked like it was “pulsating.” Yes, indeed it was. The pain and blood was pulsating through lil’ Care’s fragile hand.

We get to the rather sketchy looking Urgent Care. A male nurse at the front desk told Care she might have to get a steroid shot. I joked with her about it possibly having to be in her behind.  Care did not like that idea, but I had a feeling it would be. After pointless and endless paper work, we are finally called back. I told the nurse I was there for moral support. She was not of American descent and laughed, saying, ”yeahh” mimicking my possible morale boost.  baha. She directed Care to a chair and began taking her blood pressure and temperature. (BETH I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU! You took Care’s blood pressure way better than that joke-of-a-nurse. kidding. she rocked.) Mind you, when Care and I get together, just about anything is hilarious. We were trying to hold back our giggles at the humorous scene of Care’s arm stretched out on the table for BP and a thermometer in her mouth.

Crammed back in a sketch room, the good ole doc comes in and tells Care he’s going to send a nurse in to adminster a steroid shot. He said swelling and reactions could flare up in two days, so this shot was the best idea to knock that possibility out. He left and Care said “it better not be that male nurse.”  Care was wearing a little less than a full pair of undies (if you know what I mean.) HAHAHA. We practiced how to pull down one side of her shorts to make it as least awkward as possible. Then the door open and low and behold, it’s the male nurse. I start laughing straight up. I mean that’s just funny. He was really nice, but only like ten years older than us. SO AWK.  So, Care pulls the side of her shorts down and is like “is that good.” He was like “no I need to get more lower on the backside.”  hahahaha so she had to pull it down even more. Care took the shot like a pro. He left and we died out laughing. Ask Care for more details of her feelings. GOTTA LOVE IT! Hope you enjoyed this story.

Seven years for His glory. (Baruka)

September 11, 2001- September 11, 2008. Seven years and counting.

This morning on my way to class, the radio had a moment of silence at 7:46 a.m. for the first plane hitting the World Trade Centers. Big surprise, I teared up while praying (with eyes open since I was driving, ha! no worries.) Sitting in class, I kept thinking about the whole ordeal. I couldn’t help but think about all the questions and anger of those Americans who were personally affected by it. We were blessed enough to not lose anyone close to us. My heart honestly breaks for the suicide bombers who were so lost and twisted as to think they were doing this for God. Even more so, I get a pit in my stomach for the souls who didn’t meet eternity that day.

Instead of learning about the history of magazines in class, my mind kept wondering to, ”Why DID God let that happen?” (Funny I’m blogging about this b/c I had a discussion last fall with a class friend, Brian, who asked me basically that very question about 9/11.) It is so legit to see why those personally affected would be so conflicted and angry. I believe it’s definitely ok to think about those questions and struggle with the answer. You must come back to the truth. There are two kingdoms: Hell and Heaven. There is a battle everyday. Battles in the form of our thoughts, our relationships, our behavior, our emotions and even on a larger scale-catastrophes like 9/11. Although evil implented their tatics that day, the Lord has the glory. He had it under control. He already knew. He has glory in the fact that it brought our country together. American pride was enstilled in our hearts; people praised God for our freedom. He brought many of His followers home that day. Many people have found their salvation after the confusion and pain of the events. At the point of desperation, the only source of comfort and HOPE is Him.

“Source of comfort and hope”- I pictured the cross and then I had a cool thought. It’s kinda neat to think about the cross as an image of the Lord standing there with his arms open wide waiting for His children to come to Him. He was there that day with His arms open wide to the hurting and anger that day. Those are the burdens Jesus carries for us. He is always saying, “Run to me.” We are promised troubles and heartache, BUT “He has overcome the world.” We must face them with security in the Lord. We are only safe in the Lord’s arms.

Ok and y’all I just kinda got chills. I left class this morning and while walking out to my car, I started humming “None but Jesus”- that Hillsong United song. It honestly just came to me out of nowhere. I don’t really remember the last time I listened to it. I kept kinda humming the “crucified to set me free, now I live to bring Him praise.” I was like hm, I need to listen to that when I get in the car. I forgot when I got to the car and just remembered it now. I looked up the lyrics and guys..look at what some of the lyrics are:

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will

Seriously, I did not plan that. SUPER COOL! Go God.

Blog blessings. Love and miss y’all (even the AU folk!) -Baruka

How much do we love the Lord? Let me count thy ways.. (Baruka)

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER
     by Maya Angelou    

   A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ
   that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.’

When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not shouting ‘I’m clean livin”
   I’m whispering ‘I was lost, Now I’m found and forgiven.’

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I don’t speak of this with pride.
   I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not trying to be strong.
   I’m professing that I’m weak and need His strength to carry on.

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not bragging of success.
   I’m admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not claiming to be perfect,
   My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I still feel the sting of pain..
   I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

   When I say… ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not holier than thou,
   I’m just a simple sinner Who received God’s good grace.
Jahnna Hall shared this at chapter a few weeks ago. Just wanted to pass it along. 

..about to go start Francis Chan’s book “Crazy Love,” and I’m SO stoked! Care lent it to me, and Camil is reading it right now as well.

Be encouraged. Live in Love. Blog blessings. -Baruka

I’m still freefallin

Hello Beautiful ones!

 Happy Thursday! Hang in there…tomorrow’s Friday! yay! Just wanted to tell y’all again how much I enjoyed spending the weekend with y’all. As always, it was such an encouragement to be with everyone for a few days and be encouraged with y’alls words! On a note of praise, for the past few weeks, I have been very “dry” as far as my spiritual journey goes. I just had no drive to read the Word and be on a continual prayer relationship with Christ. But once again, God pulled through for me. Just the other day on the transit, it was like God suddenly lit the flame again! It has been so cool to see how God alone can revamp you. you don’t need church retrreats, mission trips, etc to lift you back up again-only Christ! Just wanted to encourage everyone with that! I love each of you so much!

 -care

a tad overwhelmed…

i feel like i heard recently that you should not be underwhelmed because then you have time on your hands to spare..and you should not be overwhelmed because then you are too busy, but you should just be whelmed. i’m not sure that is a real word, but i think it serves it’s purpose. i actually happen to like it, just be whelmed. I have been going non-stop since i got up at 7:15 this morning, literally. Just sat down for the first time to eat dinner. I realized how much time we can spend doing things, that, while neccessary, have no end in the kingdom of the Lord. So i ask that you would pray for me that i would be mindful of how i am filling my time and that it would be used to expand the borders of our heavenly kingdom. Remember who’s you are and who deserves your praise. Love yall a TON!

Peace- bec

One way ticket to paradise.. (Baruka)

So.. when are we all moving to the same city? I was thinking.. the only legit way to do that right now is to all quit school, move to a foreign country and spread the gospel.  Jesus and best friend time–important agenda and motives.

But for reals, y’all mean so much to me–as a whole, but more importantly individually. We are like a puzzle. We all have unique edges and Jesus is the glue that holds us together. Praise Him for our blessing. Let us not take it for granted.

On a personal note, I’ve really been missing my Granny a lot lately. When I find myself missing her, I say a prayer and ask Him to give her a hug for me. Cheesy, but I find comfort and truth in it. I know that hug is delivered. I am still awed by my experiences back in May. I can still hear her telling me the last night I saw her, ”Me and you were always buddies.” The presence of the Lord and His angels were surely in the room with us. ..and now I’m tearing up. Her death has also continued to bring Mom and I closer. The Lord is still teaching my mom so much through her death and it’s so encouraging. I know mom appreciates it when I talk about Granny.

Well, that’s all for now.

May we live in love, Baruka : )