Stronger

I'm definitely a fan of Hillsong and I'm also a fan of singing Hillsong songs during church on Sundays.  This past Sunday we sang this song:


Stronger


"There is love that came for us
Humbled to a sinners cross
You broke my shame and sinfulness
You rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny
Through the storm and through the fire
There is truth that sets me free
Jesus Christ who lives in me

You are stronger, You are stronger
Sin is broken, You have saved me
It is written, Christ is risen
Jesus You are Lord of all

No beginning and no end
You are my hope and my defense
You came to seek and save the lost
You paid it all upon the cross

So let Your name be lifted higher
Be lifted higher, be lifted higher
So let Your name be lifted higher
Be lifted higher, be lifted higher"


This song was somehow an anthem for me this past year.  It was a breath of fresh air to have the privilege of singing it to the King this week with His church.  Jesus, You are Lord of all.

Get a Stress Ball!

I've been waiting for this day for a while now.  I made a hair appointment for a day after I got home from Africa, but because my schedule filled up I couldn't go.  The next time my stylist had an open appointment was when I was in Alabama, so we scheduled it for today.  Almost a month after being home!  I know this seems very trivial and silly, but it had almost been a year since I had a haircut and for my hair that's unacceptable!  It was to the point where I could hardly brush through it.  Curse this thin, curly hair of mine!

So with 3-4 inches gone, my hair is now looking good and healthy!  Yay!  However, something that was interesting to me was that my stylist asked me what happened to me recently.  She asked if I had somehow been pulling out hair or if some way I was wearing it was causing it to fall out.  I was confused so I asked her what made her inquire about that.  She said that all over, not just on top from wearing a ponytail, but all over there were short hairs, new growth coming in.   Isn't it interesting how she could tell something had happened because of something like hair growth?  

I mentioned that October and November were incredibly stressful months for me.  Without going into to detail I basically said I had a situation that caused me to be unable to sleep and was just very stressful for a good six weeks.  She said that it was obvious that something happened because normal "shedding" and new growth doesn't happen in such a drastic way. We all lose hair and it grows back, but not in such large numbers.  I have these short little hairs sticking out everywhere.  Praise the Lord that it's growing back (because with hair as thin as mine I can't afford to lose more), but I had no idea the physical toll that I had taken from those weeks. 

I knew I wasn't sleeping, but I didn't have hardly any days where I felt exhausted because of it.  I made it through each day.  At the time I didn't think so much about how tired I actually was.  Since being home I've slept more than I did those entire 6 weeks.  It's still amazing to me though, that I made it through al that without some kind of freak out.  

Sitting in that chair today, getting my hair done all I could think was, "thanks Jesus for getting me through."  I knew then that it wasn't my own strength or I would have broken.  But just seeing the physical results of that time today was eye opening.  I'm continually grateful for the ways that the Lord carries me.  He never ceases to amaze me!  Today I'm thankful for new growth and a reminder of God's strength.

'Bama With My Brothers

3.5 weeks.  It feels longer.  Maybe it's because I've packed so much stuff into those weeks.  The week after Christmas was spent hanging with my lovely youth kids and my family.  My birthday was a quiet affair this year... unlike most years.  Most of you are aware that my birthday is my favorite day of the year, but I didn't even go get my birthday haircut this year.  Everything just feels different right now.

Anyways on the 31st I flew down to Birmingham, Alabama to hang out with the Ackers and Lino and Angelo.  It was a major blessing and incredibly refreshing!  Lino and Angelo left Uganda in August to do their senior year of high school in Canada.  Jade and Shelah's family lives in B-ham, so of course the boys came home to be with their family.  It was Lino's 2nd time to the States, Angelo's first.  I thought it would seem so weird seeing them in America, but somehow it wasn't.  It was simply like being with family.  It was relaxed and easy.  Jade's parents housed all of us and it was just a really good time with my brothers. Being teenage boys neither of them showed a ton of emotion at all, but it was still really special for me to be with them.

The first night we ate yummy Indian food (common in Uganda) and shot of fireworks since it was New Years Eve.  The next day we went to church, out to lunch, and then played sand volleyball for a few hours (which we did nearly every day in Uganda).  Luckily the weather was nice enough to play.  That evening we played games and just hung out.  Monday was a holiday, but the McWane Science Center was open in downtown B-ham, so we spent the day there.  It was a blast and really funny to see the guys do some of the experiments.  We played all day there, then watched an imax movie playing there.  Afterwards we headed to a movie theatre owned by a friend of the Ackers where we got to see a movie for free and eat all of the snacks, candy, and pop we wanted.  Needless to say we didn't feel like eating dinner that night so we just hung out and chatted.  I straightened Lino's hair, while we watched a little tv.  The next morning the boys left around 10 to go hunting, so the girls and I hung out at the house until I left for the airport.

Lino and I at church

Volleyball!

Playing at the McWane Center

With all of our goodies about to watch MI3

His hair was only long on top- this is the straightened result

Saying goodbye to the boys before they left to go hunting

It was a quick trip, but just enough to make me miss Uganda really bad!  The boys are back in Canada and Jade and Shelah are back in Uganda as of today.  My heart aches to be with them, but I know that there are things I need to do here (mainly get my masters) before I can go back on any sort of permanent level.

That being said, I'm signed up to take the GRE February 7th.  I have a little under a month to study it up and do well.  I'm pretty set on where I want to go to school, but my GRE score has to be pretty high in order for me to get in.  I've sent my resume to a few churches for youth ministry positions and I'm praying that something works out.  I think I'd be a good fit with one of them in particular... we'll see what they think.  :)  I'd like to hear something soon in regards to a job as my bank account is pretty empty and I have a car in need of some big repairs.  Would you please join me in praying for these rather big items?  Pray for grad school and the GRE, for just the right job in the right church, and for the funds to fix my car.  Hopefully I'll get a job soon so I can fix the car, but it's hard getting places, like to interviews without the car.  Right now my parents are loaning me their's, but it's in use all day every day.  I only really use it when I go to youth group on Wednesday nights.

Please continue to let me know how I can be praying for you.  Blessings!