Tuesday, June 29, 2010

There is surviving and then there is thriving

God is revealing to me this morning the things he has been trying to get through my head the past week or so. He is teaching me about surviving and thriving and the difference between the two ... and that sometimes (most times) we ask for help to survive when we really want help to thrive.
Here are the definitions of the two words.
To Survive:
1. To remain alive or in existence.
2. To carry on despite hardships or trauma; persevere
3. To remain functional or usable

To Thrive:
1. To make steady progress; prosper.
2. To grow vigorously; flourish

I am a person that is very used to thriving. I do very well at most things I attempt (other than spelling). I thrive and have thrived in most of the settings of my life... but then this week came along and I was miserable...My back went out, my phone was broken, my only source of contact with my support system was facebook and with the time difference I kept missing the people I wanted to talk to the most.
I began to pray to God to give me the things I"needed" to "survive" ... and he gave them to me... a phone that stayed broken, an understanding supervisor and his wonderful wife, pain meds, some amazingly encouraging conversations with my dearest girl friends and lots of time to cry and be by myself before Him... and I did just that... Survived.
But I didn't feel like I was surviving... I felt like I was going crazy and dying on the inside because I am so used to THRIVING that i think my SURVIVING is me actually THRIVING.
It wasn't until this morning after 5 days of praying for strength and healing to survive that what I really needed to be praying was for the strength and healing to thrive!
God is teaching me that sometimes as a child of his he sometimes needs us to be only in survival mode so that other children of his own can thrive, so that his love will be shared with exactly who it needs to be shared with. He needs us to be broken down with no clue what to do next to make things better for ourselves so that he can grow us in a new way that we never even imagined.
Although this week has been the most miserable physically that i can remember (simply because there was so much i wanted to do but couldn't) It will always rest well in my mind the week that God taught me exactly what i NEED to Survive!
All my love
-Chels

Sunday, June 27, 2010

adventures of the bed-ridden

ok... so i am not officially bed ridden but it is the least painful place to be these past few days but God and his wonderful ways has used them to bless me. He has taught me that ministry can happen from a bed with no contact with the people i am supposed to be ministering to... it just happens through other people who may not have the time or courage to go if i were well enough to do the things we had planned. He allowed me to make a friend in Wal-Mart waiting on my prescription and although she wasn't completely there, I brought a smile to her face and gave here the attention that even her daughter did not seem to have time to give her.
God also blessed me with $2o on the floor in the doorway of walmart to pay for my meds... praise him!
although i am more than ready to get back out into town and see people again i am even more eager to see what else God has planned in this time of pain and slowing down!

sorry that was all over the place but its just alot of info that fits together but doesn't(if that makes any sense)
love you all!
-chelsea lou

Friday, June 25, 2010

your hands

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

moose and belugas

i am trying to figure out what to write to let you all know what is going on here but all that comes to my mind and sounds right is this...

This place is exactly where God wants me to be
this summer... his summer,
loving these people... his people,
doing this work... his work,
and seeing this part of creation.... his creation.

He has removed every thing that was in the way and protected those who he needed to protect. He has given me a great family and amazing friends that want me here as much as he does.
He is good.. so good... i've been telling him that over and over and over today.

that is all that feels right on this page... no stories no info just
GOD IS GOOD!!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Wedding Fever is over... sad day

So yesterday we were just walking around in wal-mart waiting on our other teammates to finish up shopping and i was quickly drawn to the beautiful and elegant cover of the new Real Simple Weddings.

thumbing through the pages i slowly realized i haven't a single wedding to plan anymore, which is a TOTAL change of pace from the last 2 and a half years with all my dear roomates getting hitched.... so i reluctantly put the 13.99 magazine down and realized sadly wedding fever is over for now ...

But there is hope because... It will return!!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

week 2 ... what an adventure already

So.. i have been in girwood a week and i love it... I know that this is exactly where God wants me to be this summer.
I have met so many interesting people and with the natural counselor tendencies hidden within my bag of tricks i have successfully heard many of their stories. And God is using it in a profound way.
One thing for you all to know about resort missions is that its all about the relationships. God loves people in the circumstance that they are currently in and being Christians (little Christs) we are supposed to exhibit that love and show it to the people who need it most. So that is what we are doing here... showing love in a real way... not in a words only way but in a I want to be your friend and serve you no matter if you love my Jesus or not... if you come to love him this summer through encounters with me... GREAT!!! Praise God!... but if not... thats ok... i still want to be your friend.
God in a great turn of events led me to several Christians the first day I spent out in town.. it was so encouraging. God knew i needed that the first day.
Every day since then I have been meeting interesting people left and right who are more than happy to share their stories with me. One Girl came here for the summer last year and stayed. (don't worry naenae or beverly, I love girdwood but i love starkvegas more). One christian lady shared her salvation and the process God took her through to meet her husband and now they are doing ministry together here. One guy worked on a goat farm.
I am finding that everyone is an interesting person and everyone has a story and WANTS to tell it. They are just waiting for someone to ask and stop and really listen to what they are saying.
I Challenge all of you who are reading this to ask a stranger about their story this week. or even ask someone you know but want to know better and let me know how it goes. I know that God has blessings left and right for those who search for them!
Love you all!
-Chelsea Lou ;)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

HI from Alaska!!

ok so... i made it... and this is definitely where God wants me to be this summer. I'm made for Girdwood.(which is the town i'm living in this summer) however i am not made for bike riding... but that is another story all together. Girdwood is located about 40 miles south of Anchorage along the Turnigan arm(i am sure i spelled this wrong) and its full of artsy young families with amazing kids and very friendly people who i know i will grow to love. Today we went and worked at a soccer camp for kids and i loved it even though i know almost nothing about the sport.. But all you need is to know God and have a willing spirit and believe it or not.. he will use you to bless the ones you are helping so tremendously
Yesterday we went into Palmer and spoke at a VBS and got to meet an amazing lady named Ms. Kay. Ms. Kay is the definition of hard core and she loves the lord and her only purpose in life is to lead others to him. She told us some amazing stories about her life here in Alaska as well as the time she spent in the lower 48. Her stories went right along with something God has been teaching me about himself this past week or so... God truly provides for his children. God more than provides for his children, He gives them Everything they need as well as some of the things they would never even ask for. So many times we forget this.
well now it is rest time!! I've heard Jet Lag is killer so i am going to try to beat it this time!
Talk to you guys later!
-Chels