chiara mai, i love you so much and i am SO thankful to the Lord to be here with you for this season! oh, this is going to be a good semester!!!

1 corinthians 15:57-58

love,
chiiiiilllaaaaaaaaaannnnga!

how amazing that the Lord has a specific and perfect plan for each one of us. last night he was so faithful to remind me of that...i went to a home group at Tobi and Luci Sangers house we read the first chapter of Jonah, so cool to me not all about how jonah rebelled or whatever, becuase i dont feel like i am rebelling, but how even though he did rebel there was a specific calling God placed on him and he couldnt get away from it. if God would do that for someone who is rebelling how much more for his children who are seeking to know and do his will? this is my last semester as an intern in germany and i have been here long enough to know that it will go by so fast. this is the first time i have not really had a plan or a "next semester" where i know what i am going to do, it is kind of a wierd feeling for me, but i am encouraged by the desires he has placed in my heart and that he does have a plan and he will bring them to pass.

Above all else (by Vicky Beaching):

Jesus, my passion in life is to know You

May all other goals bow down to

This journey of loving You more

Jesus, You’ve showered Your goodness on me

Given Your gifts so freely

But there’s one thing I’m longing for

Hear my heart’s cry

And my prayer for this life

Above all else

Give me Yourself

Savior, the more that I see Your beauty

The more that I glimpse Your glory

My heart is captured by You

Jesus, You are my greatest treasure

Nothing this world can offer

Could ever compare to You

So, hear my heart’s cry

And my prayer for this life

so amazing how the Lord works in such natural ways...i was craving pizza so bad this evening so me and chiara headed to the pizza shop, she left to go to the bank and i stayed to wait for the pizza, the couple who owns the joint is from argentina and italy so i got to practice my spanish and out of the blue they started to ask questions about the bible and the door opened to share the gospel and i was asked specifically about what my hope was, and i got to share that it is christ and eternal life with him. they are both JW's and they tried to share their beliefs with me. the wife wants to keep talking to me and encouraged me to bring my spanish bible around so she can show me that what she believes is biblical. so please pray for them and for another door to open to share the truth of God's living word...

....i love pizza :)

friend left today. we had a really good time together and i have the same empty, lonely feeling i have when i have to say goodbye to my family. please pray for her as she seeks and steps into the next step of God's plan for her.

the craziness begins again this week, getting ready for the pastor's conference and then the semester...oh God get my heart ready!

The fear of the LORD

i have been wondering for a long while, why i have not been seeing or experiencing the power of God in my life the way i read about it in the bible or the way bible teachers talk about it. i wondered about that not just for me but for a lot of the body as a whole. i have been wondering why i do not have so much power over sin, why i am not ready when it is time to minister, why i come up short and feel like i am barely keeping my head above water in my christian life...
i think it comes back to those verses from 2 timothy i posted a few posts back. who am i living for? me and shannon listened to a bible study where the preacher was talking about how the Lord does not fill much of the church because we compromise. much of the church today is living too much like the world, not being set apart and that is what those verses are all about: sanctification. why would the lord fill a vessel that is compromising, unfaithful to him, that has ulterior motives and seeks to glorify itself? he wont...i miss so many of the chances for an abundant life the Lord has given me because i still have one foot in the world and one foot in the things of God. it really is one of the most miserable places to be, a lukewarm christian trying to balance the world and a relationship with God at the same time.
i have been reading in proverbs about the fear of the lord. the lord is giving me a little bit of a clearer understanding of what the fear of the lord really is. it is to hate evil (8:13), it is to depart from evil (3:7). it is being afraid of missing out on the fullness of God because of sin, it is being afraid of severing that relationship again. i am tired of letting the enemy keep me in bondage as he steals away my opportunities to be a vessel of honor "prepared for every good work."
what else does proverbs say? the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. wisdom is something everyone desires!!! i encourage you to read the book of proverbs and see the fruits of wisdom, they are so many and so beautiful, who would want to be a fool??? and best of all the lord delights in it!

i am not trying to condemn anyone or say anyone is a fool, i know sometimes i am, but i long for so much more and i think it will take a lot of mortifying the flesh and its deeds, a lot of hating the evil i sometimes so much enjoy, and truly be set apart for our lord but the fruits it yields are so much greater, they are everlasting!

"the Lord knows those who are His, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 timothy 2:19

HANNOVER TRIP PICTURES!!

our faces make me laugh haha!

me and shannon went to hannover this weekend...we walked a huge circle around the city trying to find our hotel which turned out to be not that far from where we started but it was nice to just walk around and see something outside of the siegerland. we went to calvary chapel koinonia there, its a pretty sweet church, and the message by pastor peter will was pretty sweet, relating somehow to my "vessel lesson" the lord is giving me now. i have a stinking cold now from walking around in the rain this morning trying to find the church. grrrrr...anyways im sure shannon will put pics up on her blogg of our little outing maybe ill steal some and put them up! goodnight everyone.

may the grace and love our lord guard your hearts and minds in christ jesus!

mit lieb,
michelle daniela.

"if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the master, prepared for every good work." 2 timothy 2:21

the principle of this verse is something the lord has been challenging me on for the past few days, what am i? i would love so eagerly to say that i am a vessel of honor...

well, we finally took the cameras out! shan and me are having a good time, just chilling, staying up till 3am and waking up at 3pm, holidays are amazing! christmas was pretty sweet , you can read more about it on shan's blog if you are really that interested...i dont know what else to say only that everyone should try the game PIT its pretty sweet! something to consider: "by faith he (abraham) dwelt in a land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with isaac and jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is god." Hebrews 11:9-10

p.s. thanks chiara for lending me your beanie and your sweater hehehe :)

Puppies! My dog lady loo had puppies a few weeks ago...here are some pictures. We are gonna keep one named Christmas Joy, I can't wait to see her in June. Arent they cute?

ok, just to clarify my most recent post by BF i meant best friend not boyfriend ahahaha...a few of you have asked me so just to be clear shannon is one of my best friends in the whole wide world and I cant wait until she gets here. that would be wierd anyways to have a boyfriend named shannon....

well, the semester is almost over, 9 more days en counting. even though its been an amazing semester i am ready for a break. my bf shannon is coming in 9 days for 3 glorious weeks. i cannot wait to see her!!!!!! ill post all our adventures once she gets here.
on a personal note, i have been going through the gospel of matthew just focusing on the ministry of jesus. so amazing how much he gave out. he was all about people. i am excited for a new semester to really pour into people from the very beginning. that is what ministry is all about anyways, people.
i read chapter 16 today. "for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." sometimes i dont think i really believe this verse, that if i loose my life for christ's sake i will find it...i keep trying to find my life. it is such a basic principle if we pour into him he will pour into us. that is one thing he has been challenging me so much in surrendering everything to him, to hold absolutely nothing back and dive into all that he is. basically, to seek him with my whole heart. what an amazing promise, "and you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart." jeremiah 29:13
its basically up to me how much of him i want to experience, the more i let go of myself and cling on to him the more life i experience, the more i will see him. what do we have to loose (verse 26)? God give me an undivided heart to seek you!!!
"Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart." Psalm 119:2

"With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from your commandments!" Psalm 119:10

stay strong the end draws near, beloved bride...

Oh, I miss them!!! 6 more months....

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." Genesis 15:1

tonight we had a theme night at the bible college , the theme was old people christmas party. it was a lot of work but a lot of fun. there are only two weeks left of school. the lord blessed us with a great group of students and staff, i will miss them when they are gone! enjoy the pictures!
the balcha san

joshie

the waldrops

and my personal favorite, my roomie christy!

way to go guys!!!

Thanksgiving pics

Preparing for the feast!

the Girls, thank you God for Christy, Chiara, and Lyds!

thoughts from motherwell, scotland

i was looking though my old journal rereading what God was teaching me this summer, and i was blessed by some notes taken while listening to a calvary pastor from motherwell, scotland on the life of gideon:

the trip from egypt to the promised land only should have taken eleven days but because of disobedience and disbelief it took 40 years! dont let disobedience and disbelief rob you..dont be merely content with having escaped egpyt, step into the abundance God has for you. the failure of israel was that they never made a complete end of their enemies. later they became a hindrance. abundant life comes from being God-centered not self-centered. it was easier for God to get his people out of egypt than to get egypt out of his people.

hope these notes are encouraging...

Complete Abandonment

seems like the lord has been bringing up the same theme all this week and i think it is one i will forever see and think upon. the importance of abiding, i in him and he in me, the key to the whole christian life. how amazing a relationship. it is all about me surrendering daily more and more until there is nothing left of me and him filling me until all there is, is him. how my spirit longs for that, but the truth is there are so many things that fight against it. my flesh especially really wants to have its own way. it wants to plan its own future, to do what it wants. it does not want to trust that the lord has something far better than i could ever imagine, after all his thoughts toward me are good to give me a future and a hope. i cannot have my way and the lord's they are too exclusive, i must choose one or the other. someone's will must be given up. by faith, let it be mine. i will trust you lord, because i know your character, that you are loving and good, that you only desire what's best for me. it is a daily descision to choose to abide. how greatful i am to be only a branch, not worried about producing fruit, my only care in the world is simply to abide! and the more i do the more fruit that comes; marvelous, tasty, lasting fruit.

i read this poem in a biography on the life of john and betty stamm martyrs in china:

and shall i fear

that there is anything that men hold dear

thou wouldst deprive me of,

and nothing give in place?

that is not so-

for i can see thy face

and hear thee now:

"my child, i died for thee.

and if the gift of love and life

you took from me,

shall i one precious thing withhold-

one beautiful and bright

one pure and precious thing withhold?

my child, it cannot be."

--Betty Stamm

PSALM 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

We have been in Sweden the past 5 days and its been amazing. I have seen the Lord do cool things, not only in the city but a lot in my heart. We were really blessed to meet Mike and Sofia Ortiz and Joel Wickstrom the missionaries here, their hearts and passion for Christ are very evident, they were a real encouragement to me and a lot of people here. The work here is slow in coming but very productive, right now they are mostly just praying over the city waiting for God to break down strongholds the enemy has in this city and they eventually want to start a church. I am very glad to have been a part of it for the past week. Thanks all for your prayers!