Thankful for Family

The days are passing by so quickly and I can hardly catch my breath. One minute I'm having a nice conversation just hanging out with a friend and before I know it, it's the next day and I am on my way to meet up with another friend to hang out with. I seem to miss a lot when I blink. Anyways, sometime this week my youth group family held a goodbye party for Tyson and I. It was deff. the highlight of my week. As I looked around the at all the friends/family members I have made over the years I can't help, but think of all the memories we've made over time. I would look at each individual person and see how much they've made an impact on my life weather they knew it or not. I would remember each time we hung out, or laughed together, or (for some of the kids there) babysat them. It seemed like just yesterday I would be planning meetings to hang out or plan out my babysitting schedule for the week, and now here I was saying goodbye to all I held dear. It was deff. a weird feeling, it's as if I was saying goodbye to my own family members fully knowing that I might not see most of them ever again. No more sleep overs, watching movies, hanging out at Greco's, random inside jokes, and most of all the talks we had about our Spiritual lives that encouraged me beyond anything. It was like getting a breath of fresh air when hearing about someone else's walk with Christ and how we can just walk through life together. I knew there would always be someone I could count on praying for me and encouraging me through the hard times in life. I knew there was always someone to run to when I needed help and they always had me too if they ever needed it. We are a family, that's what we do. Just thinking about leaving them behind breaks my heart to think that I can't do that anymore, but at the party all I heard was encouraging words for the life up ahead. They assured me that we could still be family no matter what part of the world we will be. They knew that God had amazing things ahead and how He would use me there in ways I can't even imagine at the moment. It was hard accepting that promise at first, but I know that they were right and even if we don't meet in this world, we'll all meet in Heaven. And I like that alternative :) I just wanted to use this blog post to thank everyone who has been a part of my life while I was here in Egypt. I know for a fact ya'll have impacted me in so many ways, maybe more than you'll ever know, always encouraging me towards our Lord Jesus and helping me become the woman that I am today. So I thank you guys so much for all the laughs, craziness, and all the fun times we had together. I will miss ya'll so much! I am so thankful that God put each and every one of you in my life. Thank you for everything, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I'll close off with a part of a poem I wrote.

"We are special in God's eyes. We are bonded with special ties.
That can't be seen by human eyes, but we know it's there.
Strong and unshaken. Forever more it can't be taken."

Love Lots
Marie

Bloom Where You're Planted

As I look at this picturesque flower, I can’t help but think of how it got there. A seed that was thrown into the ground with a purpose of growing through the soil somehow by an unfortunate occurrence found itself in a crack in the pavement. All alone, stuck at the bottom with nowhere else to go, and no strength to begin growing its root- it was hopeless. But out of nowhere it felt a bit of soil beneath it and a ray of sunshine crept through the narrow crack. And with its last bit of strength the seed pushed through and sought out a better future. Then it relied on the little resources it had to get through life. It would go through hard times, enduring a storm or going through days with no sunlight. Nevertheless its difficult journey only adds to the beauty of what it becomes over time. This lovely blooming image is all the more precious to the sight of those who know its story and the amazing journey it has been through. Though many trials may hit us in life, let us look for the hope that is in Christ to endure the painful suffering that may befall us and keep on living the life that He has called us to. And in the end His light will shine and bloom in us for the world to see the miraculous hands of our amazing God :)
Picture by John Waltz

The Potter and the Clay

Picture by Rachel Robers

Moving can be a huge annoyance in different times of life. You TCK kids would know what I’m talking about. First of all cuz you’d have to pack all your stuff in a limited number of days while saying goodbyes to people you’ve learned to treat as members of the family. Then you would have to get used to the next environment in the next country you are moving to and unpack the things you packed a few weeks back. Being a TCK myself, you would think it get easier over time to let go of your current environment and move on to another. It’s true that in some levels you don’t get too attached, but it’s still the same feeling you get in your stomach when you give the people you care about a last hug and sometimes having the mentality that you might never see them again. If there is something I learned through all this, it’s that the only permanent thing in this world is change. Nothing ever stays the same, time changes everything. As I longed to stay in Korea my entire life I knew I couldn’t stay. God was calling me elsewhere, and He had a better plan. Through my life I have always known that God would never harm you, but give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), but being young I didn’t understand that to its fullest. When God called our family back to the Philippines I had no clue what God was asking of us or me for that matter. Well long story short, it was just a hard transition time for all of us, especially for me who’s lived outside the country all her life and didn’t understand any of the culture. It was during my brokenness and lack of comprehension of what was going on around me that tendered my heart and allowed God to mold me into what He wanted me to be. Just like Him being the Potter and I the clay. (Isaiah 29:16)

Making clay pots with the kids during VBS reminded me of that last week. And for those of you who have never tired making clay pots, they are hard! Especially when the clay is stiff and hard to mold! I had to turn the pedal at the same time try and form this piece of clay into something beautiful (or at least in this case into something someone can identify). It defiantly required a lot of effort and energy in order for it to take shape. I can just picture the same thing in my life when I harden my heart and choose to go my way instead of following what God asks of me. So the next time I think about doing what I want to do, I’ll remember the Potter and clay as I make my next decision.

Security in Him

As I walked out of the airport doors to search for familiar faces that I've only seen in pictures, I began to feel excitement build up inside me. I apparently came out the wrong door and I had to walk a bit further to find them. But as to walk around I started feeling lost cuz everything was new to me and I was scared of being all alone. Fear began to seep in my heart as thoughts of being lost and never finding them found its way in my mind. I eventually found them all clumped up together with their eyes glued to the door of the exit I was suppose to come out at. So those thoughts were completely useless and time consuming. When I found a figure that looked similar to my *Twin, I yelled her name, she turned to see who called her and we both ran towards each other for a hug. I finally found security, knowing I wasn't going to get lost in this unfamiliar land.

All too often that’s how I would feel about walk with God. He would take me down different roads in life; some familiar but mostly not. I tend to get comfortable in the life I live in and forget to go out my comfort zone to do things for Him. I get so used to doing the daily routine of life that I miss the importance of what He’s teaching me. When God leads me down an unfamiliar road, I start to fear. I question Him about His plans and if He really thinks I’m “good enough” for whatever He called me to. Doubt would fill my mind about whether or not I am capable to go through it in the first place. But the thing is it’s not about me or my own strength. It wasn’t even about me going down the certain road to begin with. It’s all for Him. The reason He takes me down different paths is so that His glory will be revealed. I’m merely a tool He uses to bring about His plan. It sometimes embarrasses me to think I question an Almighty God who knows everything. So I should look beyond myself and look at the big picture He has in store. Instead of asking “Am I good enough for this task that He has given me?” I should be asking “What can I do to show God’s glory in this situation?” It’s a win, win situation all together, because if we do good things for Christ despite it being uncomfortable, He will bless us through that. Even if we “mess up” we have a forgiving God who welcomes us back with loving arms in where we can find security. So even though I get lost in the journey of life, I can guarantee to find my loving Father in the midst of an unfamiliar world. :)