The Next Step. . .

Well, some of you are probably wondering what has happened in my life, especially everything involving my quest of a job. All I can say is that God works everything out for the best--every time! Some times it doesn't always seem like the best thing at the moment, but then other times, it works out how we think is the best. In my situation, God saw fit to allow me to re-take the functional capacity test and pass it! Not only did I achieve the required level 3 in my overall score of the various tasks I had to perform, but exceeded it by a whole point and a half! I can only say that it was of the Lord--especially when the lady who stepped me through it all said that because of my score, I would really to have to work hard in order to pass! She really didn't give me much hope to pass, and asked if I even wanted to proceed to take the test right then and there.

Needless to say, I really didn't want to spend days working out trying to build my strength, so I decided to go ahead and try, even though my chances of achieving the required level #3 were slim. My reasoning was that, if I still didn't pass, well then, perhaps that was God's was of telling me, the second time, that this job was not for me.

The result: As I already mentioned at the beginning of this note, I did pass the test, which in turn means that, upon taking the "drug test," I willl have the job! I am still baffled at the possibility of such a varience in the results of the tests; nonetheless, I am thankful for the way God worked this all out! It is wonderful to now be able to see a little clearer the next step that I am to take in this journey along the road called "life."



Thankful,
Angie

A Door, a window, or neither?

Have any of you come to the point where you are not sure whether something happened because it is God's will (I mean, of course nothing happens without God allowing it, but rather, "did this happen because it is a sign that 'the door is closed'"?) or wondered if it was simply an opportunity to exercise your faith and determination in order to proceed, even though there were some obstacles to overcome in order to do so?

My reason is asking this is that I found out today that I didn't quite pass the functional capacity test I had to do for my job. Everything about this job opportunity appeared like the best thing--it seemed like God was working everything out perfectly! What more could I ask for--the pay is better than I was getting at my other job, it is right across the street from where I'll be living this summer, I can even go full-time during the summer months! It all was seeming to fit together like puzzle pieces! But then...I didn't pass this test. Why?

When I first found out, one of my first thoughts was: "Well, I guess God has something better for me." But is that really so? Is He truly closing this door because He has something else in store for me that will be, in the long run, much better for me, even though it seemed like the ideal job opportunity, or is this simply an obstacle to be hurdled? Am I to passively accept this as "God's will" and do nothing more about it--to give up--or does He want something more of me? How am I to determine the fine line of accepting God's will for my life, doing my best to accomplish what God wants for my life, yet at the same time, not push my way into something that God doesn't want me to be in? How do I determine when God has closed the door and there is not a window for me to go through instead?

The lady that interviewed me said that there have been times when someone doesn't pass this test, but then they re-take it and they pass. Is this whole thing because God wants to test my faith? Is He trying to tell me that He has other plans--plans of good, and not of evil? Is He telling me to trust Him--that He is in control, that none of this was a surprise to Him? Or is He trying to show me that I need to try again and press onward, even though there may be difficulties because I feel this is where He wants me?

Interestingly, I read this verse this morning in my devotions: "Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?" (Proverbs 20:24), and it seemed to be talking about me. I really don't understand why God allowed this obstacle to come up; I cannot be certain of the course of that I am now to take. However, I take comfort in one thing: It is all of Him, and He is the One leading me down each path of my life, no matter how dark or unknown it may seem!

Random Pictures

Okay, I get the hint--you want more pictures! Well, here goes some very random pictures from the last few weeks!

Making a snowman from the 18+ inches we got (we're all in t-shirts because it was warm out, in case you thought it looked a little out of place!)

The finished product--Mr. Hunter!

Mr. Hunter became a seat to sit on after he melted apart. (Not sure anyone sat on it for very long though!)

Patrice's birthday

Somone was tired. . .he just couldn't quite make it up the stairs.

Pudim de Leite ("Milk pudding") a traditional Brazilian dessert that was served at a gathering after our Mission's banquet (yes, we actually had a big dinner, then went to someone else's house and ate some more--this time some Brazilian food!)

Squished on one chair, but that's okay because the food was good--espeitinhos, Guaraná, and farofa! mmmm!

Lincoln (otherwise known as Jared) at the Lincoln Museum suvenir (sp?) shop.


Don't worry, Melissa didn't fall on her head!

What happens when we go on "spur-of-the-moment" picnics-- we forgot to bring anything to roast the marshmallows with! (Not to even mention that we couldn't get the fire going for the hamburgers!)

Up in Minnesota--the Lehrman kids with the Geber girls. We had a wonderful evening with them, even though it had been almost ten years since the last time we saw them! Yeah, everyone looked just a little bit different than the last time! :)

Happy Easter!

He is Alive!

Our Savior is Risen!

Years ago, He died for our sins, but did He stay in the grave?

No, He is no longer dead, but alive!

He triumphed over sin and the grave,

and in turn, gave us life and victory!

He now lives in the hearts of all those who believe in Him!

Jesus is the reason for this celebration--

May you all have a wonderful day as you celebrate the ressurrection of our Savior!

My #1 Priority!

"I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I
say, more than they that watch for the morning." Psalm 130:5-6

It seems like every time I've started to do my Bible reading lately, a little nagging voice comes to my mind, saying: "You're just quickly doing this so you can get on to doing something else. You're rushing through this to say that you've done it, you've spent at least ten minutes in the Word, and you can check it off on your 'devotions calendar' that you did it, isn't it? When was the last time you wrote something down in your journal?" And that little voice is right: I fear that my quiet time with the Lord has slowly become more and more a rushed and hastily completed activity than a time of communing with God and seeking His face.

Now, I'm going to let you in on something that I have told very few people: A while back, I decided that I would not get on Facebook until I had done my devotions, as I've discovered firsthand how addicting and time-wasting Facebook really is. And if I may say so without bragging, I have been able to keep that commitment. However, I think I may have to do the same with Blogger. . .ahhh, I think I have discovered something about myself lately--I love to write and express my thoughts in writing! But, even something as good as blogging can be harmful if it comes before and between my relationship with God!

Psalm 130:6 says that "My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning:" The immediate picture that came to mind when I read those words was that of a person who is lying in bed, wide awake, and watching the digital clock on the bedstand change it's numbers, minute by minute. A few minutes seem like an eternity, and still rest is not to be found. The minutes tick into hours, and the person is resolved to his plight: He will have to wait for the first signs of dawn to break the sky for a reason to get up! He cannot wait! It is all he can think about: "Oh how good it will be when morning finally comes!"

In the same way a person awaits morning after a sleepless night, I too should wait for the Lord. I cannot wait to get up and meet with God; I cannot wait to put aside that page-turning book and open up the Bible! I cannot wait to spend a few extra minutes jotting down my thoughts on what God taught me through His Word, even though I really want to do something else! My heart and mind look forward to spending this time with God--it is not just a dutiful reading of a few chapters because I know it is what I'm supposed to do. Rather, it is the most treasured time of my day--it is all I can think about! And until it is done, everything else is insignificant and unimportant! It is the number one priority of my day and everything revolves around it!

Unfortunately, the above paragraph does not describe me. I fear (and in my heart, I know the truth) that I have been giving more time to writing something for others to read than seeking what the Master Author has written for me to read; I have spent significantly more time checking the blogspots of various friends than "checking in" with the best Friend of all times. In short, I've allowed something good to become a hindrance, and I don't want that!

So. . . this is my resolution: From now on, I want my #1 priority of each and every day to be my personal time with God! It's hard, but something has got to change if I am going to take baby-steps forward, instead of backward, in my relationship with God! Nothing else in my leisure time until I have met with God through His Word!

A quick note: I got the job! Yay! I''ll be helping in the "dietary" part, which is a fancy word for helping with different duties that are kicthen-related, but hey! It's a job! I won't be starting right away, as I have to do a "functional capacity" test (which is simply a test to make sure that I won't hurt myself doing whatever I'll be doing) and then a drug test (I don't think I need to be worried about that! haha) Then, once I pass both of those, I'll start training!

My Days

Here are a few things that have been filling my days lately:

• Piano practice--for my recital the end of April, I will be playing a duet of the "Hallelujah" chorus with another girl! I think it will actually sound pretty good after we practice a lot more! I'm kind of excited about it!


• Applications forms--both for school and work. Ahh, it feels soo good to finally get those done and have them sent off! Not to mention all of the references that I had to get for them! I sent off my application for Cornerstone Bible Institute, and will anxiously await word from them; I also am nervously looking forward to getting a job interview over with tomorrow! If everything goes well, I'll be working at a nursing home that is right across the street from where I'll be living this summer, which will help a lot with car expenses!
  
• "Sharing God's Gift"--Last week was the last class for this wonderful class. Wow, it seems like it just started, and here it is, over already! However, even though the class officially ended last Saturday, in reality, it has only begun! I now need to continue to put what I learned into practice in my everyday life! I wish every church had such a class available for the believers to take!
  
• Blog posts--In case some of you haven't noticed, my blog has had a lot of activity on it lately! I honestly don't know what happened--all of a sudden, it is like I am always thinking of something or another that I can post on, and I'm loving it! Hopefully I can keep it up!


• Travels--A little over a week ago, my family and I went up to Minnesota and to visit several relatives of my mom and a couple other contacts that we haven't seen in years. I loved seeing all of the pine trees, evergreens, or whatever those kind of tree are called, but I did not enjoy having to walk in all of the mud that was everywhere--especially on the farms! ugh! I certainly am not a farm girl, even though I did grow up in Brazil where things can sometimes be very rustic! We then went to Illinois for our mission's banquet--they hold it every year, but I do not remember the last time I went to one, so it was good to be able to go to it this year.
• "The Zion Chronicles"--This fantastic book series by Bodie Thoene has occupied more of my spare time than it should. (If I start reading a good book, I cannot put it down until I'm done with it!) If you haven't read it, you should! It is historical fiction with a little of everything: history, romance, suspense and mystery, and Christianity. The third book of the series is by far, in my opinion, the best of the three that I have already read! Oooh, I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen to everyone! "Will he be okay?" "And what about her--who is she? Is she really who she says she is?" Read it, and you'll find out the answers!
• Company--My parent's time here in the US is quickly coming to an end, and we realized that there are a lot of people from church that we still want to have over, so we decided that we just needed to start having someone over every week or so (creative strategy, not?) Last week we had a wonderful time with Pr. Ron, our youth pastor, and his family. This weekend, my aunt, cousin, and my counsin's two children, are also coming over for Easter, so we should have a housefull!

What has been going on in your life? I would love to hear from you--leave a comment or send me an email at ang_lehrman89@yahoo.com if you want!

I Love You!

The radio just played a song that shares a beautiful message in it's simple chorus:

"I love you, I love you,
That's what Calvary said.
I love you, I love you,
I love you, written in red. "

Reminds me of that verse that goes something like "No greater love hath a man than this, that a man lay down his life for another." Isn't God's love so amazing and wonderful? Doesn't it just fill your heart with gratefulness and make you stand in awe of the way He chose to show us the extent of His love for us, destitute, base, and proud sinners? He paid the ultimate sacrifice because of His love for us! No, there is no greater love than this!

Notes from "Quieting a Noisy Soul"

Remember my post a few days ago about spiritual growth? Well, I would like to add something more to that which I learned yesterday in Sunday School. Once again, the series that we have been going through since the beginning of the year is "Quieting a Noisy Soul" by Jim Berg. Yesterday's session was on "discovering my loudest 'noisemaker,'" (which is my conscience).

While the whole lesson was on have a clean conscience, several points struck me as being especially significant in their relation to the progress I make in my spiritual life, and I'd like to share some of my scribbled notes:

1. There can be no progress when I am covering my sin.

2. I must be in fellowship with man and those around me before I can be in communion with God. (Thus, if I'm allowing sin to have it's place in my life and my relationships with those around me, how can I be in fellowship with God? Then, if I'm not in fellowship with God, how can I expect to grow in my relationshp with Him?)

3. Want to get more from the Word? Act on what I have/know of it now--obey it, take the steps to apply what I know I should do now! ("Light received brings more light; Light rejected brings darkness.")

Each of these are all very logical and simple, but their significance and importance in the progress I make in my spiritual life is fundamental! I cannot have the ultimate goal--a close walk with God--without having the rest of my life in order, spiritually, that is!

A Daily Prayer List

Something I always have and continue to struggle with is keeping a consistent and regular prayer time. There are those quick and general prayers prayers that are said in passing and are more frequent than they are specific. There are also the heart-felt and passionate prayers that are whispered to the God of the universe in the deepest part of the soul. Unfortunately, I am not the prayer warrior that I would like to be, and my prayer life probably consists of more of the former type of prayer than the latter. Because of this, I would like to share a wonderful idea that Aunt Rachel Stucky uses and shared with me (hope you don't mind my sharing this, Aunt Rachel!)

1. The basic idea is to make up lists in groups of thirty-one (for item for each day of the month). For example, you could make a list for friends, another for family, another for ministries, and so on. The point is to make whatever lists you do into groups of thirty-one.

2. Then, put one item from each list on an individual page (you should end up with thirty-one different pages with an item from each original list--like each #1 on one page, #2 on another, #3 yet another, and so on.)

3. Then, place these new lists in a simple photo album, and ta-DAH! You now have a compilation of prayer requests for each day of the month!

4. After you have made your final list for each day of the month, it is easy to then add additional requests for a certain day by simply adding Post-it notes to hose days. And of course, these little prayer booklets can be an expression of what works best for you and your own creativity!

I wish I could post a picture of a sample book, but I can't, as I haven't actually made one of these. However, I am hoping to do so soon as this creative idea appears to be a great way to maintain a systematic prayer list (which is what I need!)

Growing--or not?

This morning, as I was sitting on my bed doing my devotions, all of a sudden a thought struck me: How can I know if I'm even growing spiritually? Obviously, a person who is maturing in their walk is growing, but then again, What determines spiritual maturity? I mean, a lot of the spiritual walk is so "unseen" (meaning so much of it involves the heart and not simply "cut-and-dried" steps along the journey of life, if that makes any sense). To walk hand-in-hand with the Lord throughout each day and grow closer to Him differs a lot from building a relationship with a friend face-to-face! It is hard, and sometimes, it is difficult to even determine if this relationship with the most important Person in my life is even making progress!

So, with that thought in mind, I am kind of hoping to start a personal list of the different characteristics of a growing Christian that I find as I read the Bible. Even today, while reading in Psalms, I read Psalm 122:1, which I think gives a good clue to one of the first things that should be happening in the life of a person who is growing in Christ: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."(KJV) How basic can it get? If I don't even have a desire to go to church, well then, that is probably a good sign that there isn't any growth taking place in my life!

In Him,
Angie

Worthwhile quote

Here's a quote that I love, and thought I would share it with my faithful readers!

"Man is never so tall as when he kneels before God--never so great as when he
humbles himself before God. And the man who kneels to God can stand up to
anything." ~Louis H. Evans

April Fool's Day

Well, today is the day that so many people use as an opportunity to play jokes on others or to tell lies and then gleefully exclaim: "April Fool!" While none of my family members really tried to play any jokes on me, I did have an "indirect" April Fool's joke be played on me, but I won't go into that now. . . . I guess I just don't get it--what does April have to do with fools, and why does that call for playing jokes and the such on those around you? The best explaination I've heard for this tradition is that April Fool's Day it is "the National Athiest's Day," as the Bible says that the fool has said in his heart, "there is no God." Now that makes sense!

Anyway, during church tonight, Pr. Dan made the comment that something he likes to do on this enthusiastically remembered day to make it worthwhile is to pray for the lost, to pray for the evangelistic ministries of the local church, to spend an extra time interceeding for those who still believe in their heart that there is no God! Just think of the potential result if Christians would specifically pray on April Fool's Day for the spreading of God's Great Love!



(By the way, please don't think that I believe this American practice on the first of April is wrong--it just seems somewhat foolish and unnescessary for the Christian. )