2 Weeks

God willing, in exactly two weeks I will be boarding a plane to Honduras. I'm so excited! It is almost more agonizing getting closer to the date, because I am so close and yet so far. Today I talked with the highschool students at my church about my upcoming trip. That was hard. I am really (in my own opinion) TERRIBLE at talking in front of people, especially when they are my own age. God really helped me to speak today, and I hope that He touched at least one person through my simple words. I've been thinking a bit about prejudice lately. This past year, I've had to deal with it a lot more than I wish I would've. The evil one was just chomping at the bit, trying to discourage me and get me off track from God's plans for me. People have judged me and my plans for many different reasons. Some of it has come from the people closest to me, while other times it has come from nearly total strangers. And truth be told, I only recently have been truly giving all my anger resulting from this prejudice unto God. I harbored bitterness towards those who I thought would be there for me, but we negative instead, I was angry at those who hardly even knew me and yet judged me. Then I took a deep breath. Well, actually, God gave me the strength and the wake up call to take a deep breath. I hate when others are angry with me, and I try to make any broken relationship better right away; I have a problem with wanting to please everyone. On the flip side, I may try to forgive someone relatively soon after they hurt me, but I subconsciously store up bitterness inside of me. A little while later, be it minutes, days, etc., if someone else makes me mad, that bitterness wells up inside of me, and I jump back and go "WOAH! I do NOT want that inside of me." It's a really good spiritual check-up. It's hard to look at yourself and pick out things that you and God really have to work on, but it is so rewarding and helpful in the end. It matures you spiritually, and helps you to know what to do next time you encounter the same problem in yourself. Anyways, back on track, God has been teaching me so much about Himself, and even about my own self. He has been showing me that I need to rely on Him, and the people who really support me, my immediate family and close friends, instead of getting angry at, or worrying about the people who are not my 'biggest fans'. He has also taught me that this trip is not about me. Can I say that again. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU DELANEY!! I didn't earn this trip. Any hard work, any acts of service, any Bible reading, any passionate worship of mine, its all to give credit and glory to Him who enables me to run this race. It's not about me, it's not my work, it's the work that God is doing through me. Today we talked about money in church today, about how God is the owner, and we are the stewards, or managers. It is the same with life. God gave it to you, and He could take it away. He owns it, I manage it and utilize it to further His kingdom here on earth, to do His perfect, pre-thought out plan. My point is, if it's not about me, why am I feeling hurt? Why do I care so much about what others think about me and the way that I am living my life? If God is on board, if this is what He has planned for me, then that is all that really, truly matters. A big thank you to my family and friends, who are sticking with me and rejoicing with me over the wonderful things that God is doing in my life and through me in order to build up His family here on this earth. You all are pretty mind blowing. I am super mega blessed! :) Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Ephesians 6:7-8 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. May God bless you all today and always! !Que Dios los bendiga a ustedes todos, hoy y siempre!