Sunday, August 23, 2009

h o p e

so after going to urban promise wilmington this past spring break, i told casually one of my nursing major friends jazmine about the program and how it reaches out to youth living in urban neighborhoods. to my surprise, she turned out to be very interested in the program and she served as an intern in camden this summer :) i just finished reading her journal that she emailed to me and wow i was so blessed. these kids are still able to live life joyfully with what they have. it's not about our own wants and desires. that's how God works.

it reminded me of this verse that was printed on the back of some shirts at up wilmington:

"but let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
--amos 5:24

i was also looking at jazmine's photo slide show that she uploaded online and one of the pictures was of this beautiful mural that read "i want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees." and i was like whoaaaa... that's like what God says to us! we're like the cherry trees and spring is like His Spirit. He wants to make us blossom and look beautiful and full of life, joy, and peace! it's just so romantical :) that quote is actually a line from a poem by pablo neruda. it's really beautiful!

ok so the real reason why i started this entry was because i wanted to share a poem that my friend jazmine wrote and she included this at the end of her journal.

Young Child
Dear Young child,
I commend you for still knowing fun
Your childhood is not ideal
Your neighborhood is not safe
It’s filled with drugs, violence and women selling themselves
Yet you still find peace in riding your bikes
You get joy from the parks and basketball
You have the same smiles as others your age
Although to the naked eye there is not much to smile about
Young child,
I pray for you
I pray for you because despite what the statistics say you can and will make it
I pray that even when you are left motherless and fatherless you know that God’s love is like an eternal embrace
I pray that you can lead your friends and destroy generational curses
I pray for you so that the enemies that walk the streets among you and in the spirit realm will not have the victory over your lives
Young Child,
You are me
You are the past, the present and the future
You represent all walks of life
Young Child
Be bold …be true
Follow your heart and not your peers
Listen to God as He speaks to you
Find your gifts young child
Be the exceptional child in the hood
Don’t let childhood pass you by
Still smile young child
Still love young child
Still pray young child
And still hope….young child
~Jazmine H.

Friday, August 14, 2009

creativity

just found this girl's blog through sarah and i feel like she's the urban outfitters store in human form hahaha.

all of her photos are so aesthetically pleasing to me and romance and creativity and fun is just weaved through her words.

heh just wanted to share :)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

wisdom speaks in the bathroom

so i just came back from dear aecha ahjuma's house where i talked with jenna and sonia for over 3 hours and it was just a wonderful and honest iron sharpening iron experience. wow. such great fellowship.

anyway i went to go use their bathroom and while i was pooping, i was reading this bible that was wide open on top of a bunch of magazines. it was open at proverbs 8. the verses 12-36 really struck me though. i didn't even read all of it but the title of that section, "wisdom speaks" really caught my attention. the whole passage is in first person so it's like wisdom itself is talking. but man, it made me long for wisdom and for it to be strong and loud in my life.

Wisdom Speaks
12I am Wisdom --Common Sense is my closest friend;

I possess knowledge

and sound judgment.

13If you respect the LORD,

you will hate evil.

I hate pride and conceit

and deceitful lies.

14I am strong,

and I offer

sensible advice

and sound judgment.

15By my power kings govern,

and rulers make laws

that are fair.

16Every honest leader rules

with help from me.

17I love everyone who loves me,

and I will be found by all

who honestly search.

18I can make you rich and famous,

important and successful.

19What you receive from me

is more valuable

than even the finest gold

or the purest silver.

20I always do what is right,

21and I give great riches

to everyone who loves me.

22From the beginning,

I was with the LORD. I was there before he began

23to create the earth.

At the very first,

the LORD gave life to me.

24When I was born,

there were no oceans

or springs of water.

25My birth was before

mountains were formed

or hills were put in place.

26It happened long before God

had made the earth

or any of its fields

or even the dust.

27I was there when the LORD

put the heavens in place

and stretched the sky

over the surface of the sea.

28I was with him when he placed

the clouds in the sky

and created the springs

that fill the ocean.

29I was there when he set

boundaries for the sea

to make it obey him,

and when he laid foundations

to support the earth.

30I was right beside the LORD,

helping him plan and build. I made him happy each day,

and I was happy at his side.

31I was pleased with his world

and pleased with its people.

32Pay attention, my children!

Follow my advice,

and you will be happy.

33Listen carefully

to my instructions,

and you will be wise.

34Come to my home each day

and listen to me.

You will find happiness.

35By finding me, you find life,

and the LORD will be pleased

with you.

36But if you don't find me,

you hurt only yourself,

and if you hate me,

you are in love with death.


omg, i just read the whole passage. so basically...wisdom is what made God create the heavens and earth and us. it was there the whole time. WE can have this wisdom through our Father! oh my stars...knock my socks off...

i was listening to a sermon by mark driscoll on biblical womanhood and at the end, he had his wife grace answer some questions that the congregation had. as she spoke, i was astounded by how she composed herself. i was listening to this through a podcast so it's not like i could see her but i could still tell from her voice and tone that she just had this godly confidence. and wisdom and godly knowledge was just exuuuding from her. i thought wow, there really are women out there like this. the hand of God is really upon her. there really are women who speak with boldness and confidence and conviction and truth. all women need that. God can really transform us in this way, to hold onto who we originally were supposed to be before all the corruption of sin.

Lord, send me, mold me, shape me, break me.

Monday, August 3, 2009

bore-dumb

today i was...bored. wow. what an uneventful day.

i feel like i'm waiting for my life to just get started... but maybe it has started but i just don't realize it yet. i feel like i'm doing nothing but maybe it's because i choose to do nothing. hmmmmm i think i'm trying to be all deep and philosophical but it ain't workin.

well, my life belongs to Someone. and He's writing it all out...moment by moment. (i didn't mean to but this entry ended on a cheesy note buuuut it's true)

Sunday, August 2, 2009

oh so crooosh...

August 02, 2009
Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?
*courtesy of facebook

Saturday, August 1, 2009

12 hr shift at mrs. t's house...


this was one of the four movies i saw with my new client today and man it just struck a chord in my heart. not only was it entertaining but it also just blessed me and maybe helped with some emotional healing hahaha. :)

i feel delirious...i dunno how i'm gonna do real 12 hr shifts as an RN x_x