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HAPPY NEW YEAR (almost)!!!!!!
I am excited about a new year, although I haven't really prepared myself for it yet--good thing I have about 11 hours to do so ;-)
So I haven't posted in a while, but SO MUCH has been going on, so I feel that it is necessary for an update.

First: Way back on December 16th I celebrated my 19th birthday with a few of my friends and my parents. We went to a place called Feed My Starving Children where we package up meals that will be sent to third-world countries. I thought it was a great thing to do with friends and family--and everyone had a great time, so it was fab! It was also great to see two of my friends from college--Chels and Mary! Then on the 18th (the actual date of my birthday) My family had free tix to the Celine Dion concert, and they were really good seats! I had a great time--she is a great vocalist. AND, I got the only gift that I asked for: a CD that both Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson sing on. It's beautiful and I loved it. So overall, my birthday was like 500 blessings rolled into one, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Second: CHRISTMAS! Ah, the most wonderful time of the year. It was a great few days with family, and celebrating with God. I was so excited to go to church on Christmas eve, and the service was great. From there we went to my aunts house, which was kind of weird. We never really go there for holidays, we lost my G-ma earlier this fall, and a few members on that side of the family considers themselves agnostic, so it was a bit discouraging knowing that they weren't carrying true Christmas spirit with them. I thought I would be kind of down in the dumps while we were over there, but I'm coming to learn more and more how to not let outward factors affect my happiness or contentment with God, so I was just fine, and it was a pretty good time. Christmas day was even better! We celebrated traditionally with my immediate family in the morning, and then we went to my cousin's house in Minneapolis, and I got to see family that I don't get to see very often. It was very fun, especially since I got to see my four-year-old cousin, Ricky. He is so fun, and adorable of course, especially when he insisted on calling me his darling. Ah, I can hear it now, "want to play monster trucks with me, dawling?" (he can't quite say his "r's" perfectly, which just makes him all the cuter!) It was a nice time, playing games and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.

Third: And that kinda brings us up to date. I have just been relaxing a lot, and working. It's been nice to earn a little money while I'm home, but being a cashier is BORING. Oh, well. I have also been changing in a lot of ways lately, and I will explain how. The first is that I have been reading the book, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris. It is an amazing book by a Christian Author that explains the many defective patterns that almost everyone (including myself) exhibits in the way they choose to date today. I like the book because it doesn't say "dating is bad, and you shouldn't do it" but instead it points out that if we are consistently searching for someone to give our hearts too, we are becoming very distracted from serving God. It points out that singleness is actually a gift from God; a season in which we have time to serve and build our identity in Christ. Joshua also points out that when we date short-term we are giving our hearts away to many different people, and when it comes time to give our hearts to the one we marry, it's kind of like saying, "here's what's left of my heart, and that is for you." Also, short-term dating doesn't give us an example of a long-term, committed relationship, but instead gives us a template for a marriage headed for divorce. It has many good points, and I struggle ANY Christian who is struggling with the single life to read it. In fact, I joked the other day that it should be a pre-req to dating: you must read this book first! Haha.
The next thing is that I have been discovering a lot of new Christian music that is very soul-touching. Thanks to my friend's sister, I got a beautiful CD called "Paper Heart" by Francesca Battistelli--a wonderful Christian artist. Some of her lyrics really make me examine my relationship with God.
I have also been getting into my bible again lately. All I'm going to say is read Romans Chapter 12. I enjoy and value its message.

Lastly: I just wanted to point out PROJECT 2009. It's a vision that God placed on my heart, and I have been contemplating the idea a lot lately. You will hear more about it through this blog, facebook, and through me. I am actually going to approach me about it, and to consider it after we chat about it =)

I hope all of you have a very blessed New Year celebration! May it be everyone's goal to spread more L-O-V-E around in 2009!

Kayla <3 Love

"Test me and know my thoughts..."

So, I have this calendar that I bought from Northwestern Bookstore that has all different quotes/scriptures about beauty. Today's said:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
-Psalm 139:23-24

I really value this scripture because of the ways it makes me think. Like I said in my last entry, a lot of times we complain about the struggles we face from day-to-day, but that is life, right? I think it is a very important aspect of life; the true reason that we are all able to grow. I mean, just think of what it would be like if we didn't struggle. Would we even have faith? I think it would be too easy to trust God, and our faith would diminish to nothing.

Think about something that is challenging you in your life right now. Better yet, look back on your life and pinpoint a tough struggle that you have faced. I challenge you to spend some time really contemplating how that experience has transformed you into the person you are today. How much stronger are you? How has your outlook changed on life? How has your connection with God changed?

Personally, the more I struggle, the more beauty I am able to see in God's love, and in myself. I L-O-V-E in the scripture above where it says "test me and know my thoughts," because GOD KNOWS! He has a beautiful plan for all of us, but we must be tested in our faith. Doing so will strengthen our spirits, our faith, and our understanding of God's beautiful plan.

I would really like to hear any thoughts you have related to this post. Did the scripture make you all thinky like it did to me? Comment me back, or better yet talk to me!

With endless love for Y-O-U,
Kayla <3 Love

Sweetly Broken; an oxymoron?

“Sweetly Broken, Wholly Surrendered.”

Ah, the lyrics of that song are perfect.

Since accepting Christ as my savior, I think one of the biggest changes I have noticed in myself is my ability to deal with pain and/or disappointment. I must admit that I have had quite the temper ever since I was a little girl, however, now instead of getting immediately angry, I am able to see how God can mold us from our experiences—enjoyable or not.

That makes me think of another point though. So often we say that things “just aren’t going right” or they’re “too rough” or “God just won’t give me a break," but is that really the case?

In church on Sunday, our pastor, Rick, said something like:

People always want to know "why?", and they want to know now. They search for what God is trying to show them, and they may find every reason, except for the true heart of their issue at hand. Well, there are some things that God just will not show you because He doesn’t have to. God has your best interest at heart, and He will show you in His time, but there is a reason He won’t give you the answer RIGHT NOW.

I connected with that SO WELL because I am one of those people! I talked to a good friend about a problem that I want an answer to RIGHT NOW, and I swear that God spoke right through her and comforted me by telling me what I needed to hear. It’s like I got so wrapped up in my own issue that I couldn’t even see another perspective until I had that conversation, and everything she said totally put my racing heart to rest.

After talking with her more I came to realize this about myself: I have to STOP thinking that I am right all the time! Like Pastor Rick said God doesn’t have to show me the answer to everything right now, so instead of me coming up with “solution” after “solution” to my problem, maybe I should just trust that God has it all taken care of; trust Him the way I want to and the way I am meant to. The whole experience was a big “slap in the face” type realization when I realized that I wasn’t trusting God as much as I thought I was.

Anyway through it all I realized that I have been broken by painful experiences in my past, I am still dealing with the brokenness today, and I will be broken countless times in the future. However, now I can say that I realize how beautiful the brokenness is because 1.) I trust God’s plan for me, and 2.) I know I can always grow from the mistakes I make, people I meet, and the experiences that God places in my life.

I am wholly surrendered to God’s will for my life.

Ah, beautiful.

Peace, L-O-V-E, trust and joy,

Kayla <3 Love

Opening words

I have officially joined the blogging world! I have come to realize that this stage of my life is very important, and an essential time to grow and learn about myself. I seem to figure out so many life lessons on a day-to-day basis and I just want to share my perspectives with the ones I love! (or anyone that wants to read them I suppose.) Which brings me to my next subject: L-O-V-E. Ah, everything about the word makes me so happy. That may sound corny to some, however I am completely captivated by the importance, meaning, and value of love. Coming to Christ is what has inspired this the most, I believe. God is so incredibly great, and shows me new things about love every day. I can't wait to share everything that He is opening my eyes to! Although she isn't a proclaimed Christian artist, Sara Bareilles must have similar feelings about love. In her song, "Bottle it Up" she sings it perfectly: "you're only gonna get, get what you give away, so give love." I encourage you to give it a listen if you've never heard it. Her whole CD is wonderful actually, so BUY IT. =)
As for now, it is finals week, and although I would love to type my little heart out, I also know the importance of passing Spanish class--off to studying I go!

May you trust in God's beautiful plan for you! ~Proverbs 3:5-6~
Kayla <3 Love

Ok, I think I have a little time for some random background. Ready... GO!

*favorite color: green, although it must be the right shade.

*role models: Above all, Christ. Also: Sara Bareilles, Christina Aguilera, my beautiful mommy, there are more....

*fruits and veggies: I enjoy delicious strawberries and pineapple, and moderately enjoy cucumbers and carrots.

*perfect weather for a day would be: sunny, about 7o degrees with a slight breeze, and after the sunsets, a soft rain shower.

*if I could meet anyone at this moment it would be: Lacy Mosley--head singer of Flyleaf.

*song of the moment: Sweetly broken

*if my plan to become a nurse fails i will: work a part-time job to raise enough money and join YWAM Christian missions for a year.

*the word I despise most is: moist, ugly... I guess i have two.

*leo buscaglia inspires me. That man knows Love.

Ok that's enough for now...