Some of this I'm going to have to save for the general post, but I wanted to show you just how personal God is with each of us!!
I really feel like God spoke to me through the movie Tangled (remember how I said that God is really personal??)...which honestly would've been my favorite princess movie if it was around when I was little, but since it's out now, it's my favorite now ha. :P
Anyway this is what I think about the story line and how I feel that God spoke to me through it:
Rapunzel was trapped behind walls, not completely by her own choice...and yet she was so afraid of what her "mother" would think, that she didnt really try until she met Flynn to actually spread her wings and fly. Even though she was trapped....her prince still found a way to her and fought for her heart (even though she made it really hard on him for the first while). He helped inspire her to really come out of hiding and live out in the world the way she was meant to. She had a gift and beauty from birth...her "mother" saw it and knew that she couldn't have Rapunzel's power without her permission, so this "mother" kidnapped her and convinced her that she was keeping her safe and that she loved her. However, she kept Rapunzel behind the walls of the tower and went out of her way to make the world seem unappealing and far too dangerous. This only worked until Rapunzel started to have trust issues after meeting Eugene (Flynn). There were several times where Rapunzel didnt really want to trust Eugene but chose to anyway. She had dreams she was going for, and she had fears but she didnt let them control her. It was when she started to get out and discover her gifts etc that the stepmom tried to convince her that the world wasn't worth it. She told Rapunzel that she had no power, beauty, and that no man would want her because she wasn't worth it. She convinced Rapunzel that she shouldn't trust Eugene and she tried to do everything in her power to make it look like Eugene wasn't trustworthy and that he didnt care about her, and she tried to keep Rapunzel from her destiny. YET, love found a way even when everything looked impossible. Rapunzel saw the lies and realized WHO she was; her value and beauty (both inside and outside). She stayed hopeful, trusted her gut and was right with Eugene even when her eyes were telling her otherwise. She didnt let the lies control her and in the end the step mom got destroyed, and Rapunzel was able to go back to the kingdom and take back her identity and got to live in her destiny!! To me, this is such a beautiful story and I honestly feel like pretty much the whole thing is something that I relate to. I really feel like God was showing me how the step mom is like the devil in real life. He sees that we have a gift and a beauty that he cant take unless he convinces us and he will honestly make it look so good and believable, and make us think that we're safe so that we're never able to find the real destiny that God would have wanted for us. I mean when you think about it, you can see the different spiritual lessons in a Disney movie of all things haha. I hope it encourages and inspires you just as much as it did with me!!
Monday, May 27, 2013
Feels like an Awakening :D
Yikes I cant believe how long it's been since the last time I wrote!! Things have been getting so busy lately because we've been starting to put the actual production together. First, it was mainly just skill training (where we learn a different style of dance every day from 1-3pm) and then the specified dances that we were put in (for me it was Hula, and group dance). Now instead, we work through the production (all the dances and acting etc) from 1-5pm. We've had singing classes on Monday nights and then other things. I'm so thankful and excited that some of you have watched our live streaming on Thursday nights...now you've gotten to see a little bit of what my school is like!! If you get the chance, you should read these passages (they are some of the many scriptures that have really been impacting me this month!) : Isaiah chapter 51, and Psalm 139 :)
There are so many things that I want to share, that I'm going to leave out the things that I'm going to share in the general blog...and I'll share the more vulnerable things on here. :)
So something that I decided around the time that I last wrote an update, was that I want to really see this as a honeymoon that I'm having with God. It's so easy to see Him as my father, my friend...but to let him really truly be my LOVER is another thing. Something that I've been realizing more lately is that even though I know in my head that God loves me, I just haven't really let it sink in and let myself fully believe it yet. I know that something else I learned this past month and just the time that I've been here in general, is that the more you understand God's love for you, the more you'll be able to love others. I kind of was a little skeptical when I heard that cause I was like uhm yeah I dont know if that's going to work for me cause I dont know how much more I can try to understand God's love for me. But let me tell you, God has been just blowing my mind!! From seemingly small things like letting me see dolphins (I think I mentioned in the last post that it was a childhood dream of mine to be able to see dolphins), getting to watch my favorite Chick Flick...and then bigger things like nudging me to accept love from friends; yeah, he amazes me everytime. You only think you have God figured out when you're living in a place of ignorance. I dont mean that in a negative way...I just mean that for you to think you have him figured out, is to think that he is a limited God and you're basically shutting yourself off to the other obvious things that God is using to reveal himself. I know that I've been ignorant for a long time...but when you open yourself up to him showing more of who he is to you...he will take you up on that offer and you will never be the same and it will be the best kind of scary you could ever experience. :)
So little fun things that happened since the last blog post...I got to skype my best friend Missy!! Not only once, but twice too!! :) I always get to talk to her at the right time and she always knows what to say, I love it. There was this amazing prayer time a week or so ago for the intercession part of our class and although we were praying for an injustice issue in Africa, it ended up being something where all the guys that were around us women started praying for us that we would start to see ourselves the way God intended, cause if we dont see ourselves with the beauty that God gave us, then we're not going to be able to fight the injustice issues that are against women in other countries as effectively. We cant expose lies if we're believing them for ourselves.
So last week was Holy Spirit week and we learned so many things that I never knew! I feel like that's kind of saying a lot since I've been a christian since forever (18 years..19 in October) The main thing that I wanted to share is how our speaker that week encouraged us to accept all the parts of God...even the ones that we're not that comfortable with. Sometimes God needs to offend our minds to reveal what's in our hearts...so true!! The thing that I wasn't comfortable is the area of manifestation...basically when people are so filled with the Holy Spirit that they are able to speak in tongues or fall over...cry or laugh uncontrollably. Let me tell you,it was probably the weirdest thing I've seen in person and experienced but totally amazing. I learned a lot more about who God is and how he works (and of course we cant ever know fully, but I learned more than I knew before). :) We learned about prophecy and the different forms of gifting it comes in. Our speaker prophesied over all of us either in class or separately and honestly it was a huge answer to prayer. I wasn't really sure what to expect since I had never been prophesied over before but I really feel like God used our speaker to kind of help me see where God might be leading me in the future and I'm so excited!! Something that I've kept hearing is that God wants us to have fun with him. He doesnt just want the moments where we pray to him, sing at church, or only read our Bibles. Although he does want those things too, he wants us to just crave to BE with him. He wants us to have fun with him. Anything we do, we can do with God...something as small as throwing rocks, or if you like to drive around etc...just do it with God chillin with ya. :) I've been learning a lot more about myself lately about the woman that God is turning me into and I have to admit that I really feel like he is using DTS to prepare me for marriage (Lord willing). It's so weird how the smallest things can be used for those preparation moments.
There were several cool things that I felt like God was trying to show me in the craziest ways (songs, movies, things friends say). I actually have another story to tell on that, that I wanted to share with you all so I'm just going to make a separate blog for it ha. :P
There are so many things that I want to share, that I'm going to leave out the things that I'm going to share in the general blog...and I'll share the more vulnerable things on here. :)
So something that I decided around the time that I last wrote an update, was that I want to really see this as a honeymoon that I'm having with God. It's so easy to see Him as my father, my friend...but to let him really truly be my LOVER is another thing. Something that I've been realizing more lately is that even though I know in my head that God loves me, I just haven't really let it sink in and let myself fully believe it yet. I know that something else I learned this past month and just the time that I've been here in general, is that the more you understand God's love for you, the more you'll be able to love others. I kind of was a little skeptical when I heard that cause I was like uhm yeah I dont know if that's going to work for me cause I dont know how much more I can try to understand God's love for me. But let me tell you, God has been just blowing my mind!! From seemingly small things like letting me see dolphins (I think I mentioned in the last post that it was a childhood dream of mine to be able to see dolphins), getting to watch my favorite Chick Flick...and then bigger things like nudging me to accept love from friends; yeah, he amazes me everytime. You only think you have God figured out when you're living in a place of ignorance. I dont mean that in a negative way...I just mean that for you to think you have him figured out, is to think that he is a limited God and you're basically shutting yourself off to the other obvious things that God is using to reveal himself. I know that I've been ignorant for a long time...but when you open yourself up to him showing more of who he is to you...he will take you up on that offer and you will never be the same and it will be the best kind of scary you could ever experience. :)
So little fun things that happened since the last blog post...I got to skype my best friend Missy!! Not only once, but twice too!! :) I always get to talk to her at the right time and she always knows what to say, I love it. There was this amazing prayer time a week or so ago for the intercession part of our class and although we were praying for an injustice issue in Africa, it ended up being something where all the guys that were around us women started praying for us that we would start to see ourselves the way God intended, cause if we dont see ourselves with the beauty that God gave us, then we're not going to be able to fight the injustice issues that are against women in other countries as effectively. We cant expose lies if we're believing them for ourselves.
So last week was Holy Spirit week and we learned so many things that I never knew! I feel like that's kind of saying a lot since I've been a christian since forever (18 years..19 in October) The main thing that I wanted to share is how our speaker that week encouraged us to accept all the parts of God...even the ones that we're not that comfortable with. Sometimes God needs to offend our minds to reveal what's in our hearts...so true!! The thing that I wasn't comfortable is the area of manifestation...basically when people are so filled with the Holy Spirit that they are able to speak in tongues or fall over...cry or laugh uncontrollably. Let me tell you,it was probably the weirdest thing I've seen in person and experienced but totally amazing. I learned a lot more about who God is and how he works (and of course we cant ever know fully, but I learned more than I knew before). :) We learned about prophecy and the different forms of gifting it comes in. Our speaker prophesied over all of us either in class or separately and honestly it was a huge answer to prayer. I wasn't really sure what to expect since I had never been prophesied over before but I really feel like God used our speaker to kind of help me see where God might be leading me in the future and I'm so excited!! Something that I've kept hearing is that God wants us to have fun with him. He doesnt just want the moments where we pray to him, sing at church, or only read our Bibles. Although he does want those things too, he wants us to just crave to BE with him. He wants us to have fun with him. Anything we do, we can do with God...something as small as throwing rocks, or if you like to drive around etc...just do it with God chillin with ya. :) I've been learning a lot more about myself lately about the woman that God is turning me into and I have to admit that I really feel like he is using DTS to prepare me for marriage (Lord willing). It's so weird how the smallest things can be used for those preparation moments.
There were several cool things that I felt like God was trying to show me in the craziest ways (songs, movies, things friends say). I actually have another story to tell on that, that I wanted to share with you all so I'm just going to make a separate blog for it ha. :P
Monday, May 13, 2013
Dreams come to life
Hi my friends!! I have to try (wink, wink) to keep this really short but I just wanted to give a quick update on all the things that have been going on since the last time I wrote! We're (my class) still not sure when we're going to leave for South Africa cause we've not gotten the tickets yet and then we also are still trying to get things together for LA since we think we have most of the locations that we'd perform all figured out, but still trying to get the info on where we'd be able to stay. Please be praying for us in those areas! Also, I just found out that we're going to have to put in a $3,500 deposit by this coming week otherwise we're either going to have to buy our tickets ourselves which will cost more, or not be able to go. Please be praying in this area for me as well since I really dont know whether God wants me to go now or maybe wait. I'm really at peace with all of this because if I do have to go home, I know that I've learned a lot and I know that I can have something to take home with me. If I do get to stay and go to outreach, it's going to be amazing but really hard since I'm already having home sickness. It's not really bad at this point and I think that its mainly because I'm so busy that it keeps my mind off the fact that I miss everyone so much. However, there are random times where it will just hit me out of the blue.
Before I go, I wanted to share with you just how amazing God has been to be every day. I want to share with you what happened yesterday because I really feel like God showed me so much about himself. Just when you think you have God all figured out, he blows your mind! So, my class went to the beach for the day and that was just amazing in and of itself. It was a resort beach though so it made it even better. I have this fear of deep water and being in the ocean, and yet God gave me my courage and I had the time of my life! I experienced him even in the sense of taste, because the bbq that we had was simply out of this world. I experienced Him when I got to see dolphins in the afternoon! We went to a really fancy hotel but little did I know there would be dolphins there! For those of you who dont know, this is something that I dreamed of since I was little. I would've been happy just seeing them jump in the distance but I got to see them within a couple feet! To top the night off, I got to watch the movie Pride and Prejudice with some awesome friends!! It just proves to show that God really does care about the little things in your life and he will go out of his way sometimes just to show you how much he loves you. This is really big for me because I always knew in my head that he loved me but had a hard time believing that in my heart. This honeymoon with God has been incredible. I will try to write more soon and I'm sorry that I've been so scatterbrained lately. I never remember what I have or haven't shared and I will try to be more on top of that. I want to share about what I've learned and such so I'll do that here soon if I can. Thank you all for praying. My friend with the bad rash and swelling is getting better, thank you!! If you have any questions or thoughts, please let me know! Also, I do still need to raise a lot of money if I'm going to Africa so please pray and if you'd like to support me, please contact me! Love and blessings...and a very Happy Mother's day to all the amazing moms out there! We really wouldn't be where we are today if it werent for you!! Thank you for teaching us how to give and receive love. You have the amazing gift of helping human beings learn what it means to love...whether or not you may know that!! Love you all! :)
Before I go, I wanted to share with you just how amazing God has been to be every day. I want to share with you what happened yesterday because I really feel like God showed me so much about himself. Just when you think you have God all figured out, he blows your mind! So, my class went to the beach for the day and that was just amazing in and of itself. It was a resort beach though so it made it even better. I have this fear of deep water and being in the ocean, and yet God gave me my courage and I had the time of my life! I experienced him even in the sense of taste, because the bbq that we had was simply out of this world. I experienced Him when I got to see dolphins in the afternoon! We went to a really fancy hotel but little did I know there would be dolphins there! For those of you who dont know, this is something that I dreamed of since I was little. I would've been happy just seeing them jump in the distance but I got to see them within a couple feet! To top the night off, I got to watch the movie Pride and Prejudice with some awesome friends!! It just proves to show that God really does care about the little things in your life and he will go out of his way sometimes just to show you how much he loves you. This is really big for me because I always knew in my head that he loved me but had a hard time believing that in my heart. This honeymoon with God has been incredible. I will try to write more soon and I'm sorry that I've been so scatterbrained lately. I never remember what I have or haven't shared and I will try to be more on top of that. I want to share about what I've learned and such so I'll do that here soon if I can. Thank you all for praying. My friend with the bad rash and swelling is getting better, thank you!! If you have any questions or thoughts, please let me know! Also, I do still need to raise a lot of money if I'm going to Africa so please pray and if you'd like to support me, please contact me! Love and blessings...and a very Happy Mother's day to all the amazing moms out there! We really wouldn't be where we are today if it werent for you!! Thank you for teaching us how to give and receive love. You have the amazing gift of helping human beings learn what it means to love...whether or not you may know that!! Love you all! :)
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