Thoughts on Figuring it Out

We all know those people that require extra grace, but sometimes it feels as though some people require beyond extra grace. Well, I'm interacting with one of those people now. My interactions with this person make me feel frustrated, a little annoyed, and inferior. My thoughts say that this person thinks I'm not smart or capable. As humans we collect data that informs ours narratives. And that's what I've been doing for the past three weeks, collecting data and forming a narrative. As a follower of Jesus, I'm called to honor, respect, and above all love this person. I've found this a rather challenging task. This past Monday, I was also informed about a blind spot with how I was relating to this individual. It hit me hard then, I wasn't being who Jesus has called me to be. I felt stuck, unable to see things from a different perspective. So I texted a friend and asked to meet up. This friend gave me a couple of things to think about that I hadn't before...

This is just something that has been on my mind. Sometimes things in life cause you to change your perspective. Or you know you just need to figure it out for your self. This is a combination of both of those things. Does it look like the people that show up at most churches on Sunday? What if we are supposed to show up on Sunday morning the same person that we are and look like the rest of our week? I think it’s supposed to look like a bunch of totally imperfect people who are figuring out how to walk with Jesus. They don’t get it right all the times. They have old habits that die hard. But they are trying their best to seek and love him. They care more about souls than rules or politics. Because rules and politics don’t win people to Jesus. They care about social justice issues because everyone is made in the image of God. They don’t care about the religion, sexual orientation, political party, or anything else of a person...they really just care about the person. For everyone bear...

Potentially my best week in Albania yet! http://analbaniaadventure.blogspot.al/2017/01/for-such-time-as-this.html

Forgiveness. It really is a tough subject for a lot of us. I think for those of us who follow Jesus it can be hard for us to wrap our minds around the fact that God can forgive some people, who we would, in our humanness, consider unforgivable. Think about things like murder, abuse, or rape. How can God forgive those people? I mean in my mind I know that he can forgive anyone of anything, but it's not sunken into my heart. And I don't fully understand or think it's fair. Especially that murder one. I mean to take someone else's life. How can God ever forgive you?  Today I got the answer. It hit me smack in the face. Remember when Jesus was on the cross? You remember some of those words he said? Let me remind you.  Jesus said,  “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 Oh yeah. Jesus, or God himself, asked for forgiveness of those putting him to death. The ones murdering him he forgave. Think about it. If you can forgive those who ...

I love being a ministry child. And I absolutely love getting to know people from literally all over the world. I know people from every continent on earth, minus Antartica of course, and from every world region. But of course this comes at a price. One of those is what I am going to talk about. Knowing people and being invested in their life story comes at a cost. You are in their life story through the good and the bad. Their hurts and sorrows become, in a way, your hurts and sorrows. And it's no different loving and being friends with people from all over the world. You hear things about their countries and to you it hits home so hard. You hear about what their families are going through for various reasons and you feel it too. To a lot of Americans hearing about ISIS and natural disasters are just news happening in some other country. You may feel sorry for these people, but there is no personal connection. No burden to carry because it hits home for you because you have conne...

"My friends, pour out your heart to Him. He can take it. After all, He knows you better than you know yourself. You can't surprise Him. You can't shock Him. So... Run to Him. Rant to Him. Complain to Him. Cry out to Him. Wrestle with Him. Wait on Him. He will hear. He will come. He will comfort. We want the cure, not the medication." -Mike Donehey

This coming summer, 2015, (I know it's still a semester and a half away) I have kind of two options that I am considering. Going back to Madison and continuing the research I am currently doing Participating in another REU, research experience for undergraduates program, at a different university.  Right now my heart is kind of torn. On one side I love Madison and would go back in a heartbeat. I love the research I am currently doing and it is in the field of chemistry, inorganic, I will probably end up in. On the flip side I'm kind of interested in going somewhere else to do inorganic research elsewhere. Madison is guaranteed pretty much, somewhere else is not. Going to Madison would be a benefit to my senior project/senior "thesis", going somewhere else is not. Going somewhere else is a new experience and different research, going to Madison is not. I'm so lost and confused right now and I can't see where I'm supposed to be. I have until the end o...

This summer I am only posting on the Madison page as that is the only thing I have time for. See link above if you're interested.

All Posts for summer 2014 can be found here !

Hello again from I'm sure you can guess where! (Hint look at the post time) we made it! These past couple of days I feel as if I have bipolar disorder, which is ironic considering that is what I'm doing research on, I feel so giddy at times yet I feel down at others. The good thing is that excitement is the more prominent feeling. Tomorrow will be church and then just taking it easy. Maybe a little exploring of the town. On Monday I move and explore more and then start on Tuesday.  I'm looking forward to seeing campus for the first time and especially the labs. (Thanks to you dear one to me) I just want it to be morning already so I can start. I'm so anxious to get this adventure going. And thinking about it I know how fast it will be and thinking how soon I'll be back to you all. I'll keep you updated hopefully by Monday. Love to all!  -The Exploring Kansanj P.S. I'm hungry tonight, Jenni!, and this is a beautiful state if you've never been. 

Let's start with this. I hate hotels. 10 nights in a little over two weeks...let's just say I don't sleep well. (Hence the post at 3 in the morning) but secondly one week! That's it. I go in less than that, but one week till I move in and have a bed to call my own for a while. I'm so ready. So ready to be done traveling. So ready to settle down. And so ready to just start. I'm not all sure what I'm about to get myself into, and it'll be hard, but I'm ready. As I lay here it can't come soon enough! One more week...I can do it. I can make it. I can live through the craziness of the next week and I'm ready to do so. Summer...ready or not here I come!

Three Weeks. That's it. In Three weeks I'll be heading to Madison for the summer. I'm so excited and ready to embark on this adventure. I've so much to do to get ready with some traveling in-between and I can't believe I'm down to three weeks. I wish I could be going and starting today, but I have things to do to get ready. I'll try and keep updated on my getting ready for the summer.

My mom's chicken enchiladas Oatmeal Ice Cream Today I am especially thankful for being funded for my research venture this summer!

I sit here today, writing this, anxiously waiting for my summer in Madison to start. Today it is hitting a little closer to home as I have found out that I will be funded for the summer!! WOOHOO! That now comes with me feeling a little more nervous and excited at the same time. I can wait for this summer, but I can't wait for this summer. But alas I have been funded for this summer and I can't express how excited I am for that fact. This is going to be a summer of growing and I will end up embracing it with all I am.

Three Gifts Waited For: To be done with my exam. I've been waiting for this day for a good few weeks.  My new Sevenly shirt. I really like my new shirt and am glad it finally came! The nice weather, it's finally in the 50's or above for the foreseeable future!

Get Hillsong's new song Calvary FREE here !

I just finished one of the most stressful, frustrating, tiring and gut wrenching weeks of my life thus far, an exam on Monday, a presentation later in the week in which a 5PM meeting with the professor on Tuesday told us to do more research. We did hours of research, which lasted until one PM on Thursday. Thursday night we finalized the PowerPoint and quickly went over our presentation. Come this morning at 11AM we were giving our presentation. I did not feel prepared at all! Reading papers to present on research that others had completed, I felt I knew nothing. In the moments before class I felt I could lose my breakfast. My mom put it best that morning. She told me that I was the one that knew the information the best and that I would be fine. She spoke a lot of truth into my life. I’m so blessed because of her. My performance today does not, I repeat, does not , define me. I’m worth so much more and however this semester turns out I am still Charissa, a child of His. It’s not a def...

I have been so busy so I apologize for not keeping this up, but it's spring break so I'm back and hopefully for a while. Yummy Pancakes Laundry done by my mom Pants that a friend tailored for me

A Gift of Tin, Glass, Wood Fruits and Veggies that come in tin cans Glasses My bed 3 Gifts before 11 AM Time with Jenni Office Hours so I can get help Sunshine and Bird Songs

I find it offensive that Christians would leverage faith to support the Kansas law. Serving people we don’t see eye to eye with is the essence of Christianity. Jesus died for a world with which he didn’t see eye to eye. If a bakery doesn’t want to sell its products to a gay couple, it’s their business. Literally. But leave Jesus out of it.  He later went on to state: "Jesus taught that if a person is divorced and gets remarried, it's adultery. So if (Christians) don't have a problem doing business with people getting remarried, why refuse to do business with gays and lesbians."