TST Elite A '09

oh. my. word. i just returned from probably the best two weeks of my entire life. i left for michigan about two and half weeks ago and had no clue as to how fun Springhill's summer teen service team program was going to be. we were able to serve both on and off the camp; my team working mainly on building electric fences for horse pastures and painting fire escapes for a middle school. though work took up the majority of the day, each afternoon we were able to do activities like the blob, gusher, high ropes course, and zipline. i met so may amazing people in my group, and throughout the two weeks we grew closer and closer together. during my two weeks at Springhill I was able to not only have a BLAST, but also to grow closer in my walk with God. we talked a lot throughout our time about the "Jesus Movement" which explained how Jesus came to Earth and completely shattered an entire cultures pre-conceived notions about God. we talked about what being a Christian and living completely for Jesus looks like in our culture today. on monday we had a prayer walk. my small group all walked together and we all silently prayed. there were stations that we stopped along the way at, each with a specific theme which lined up with a part of God's gift of salvation for us. during the prayer walk, i realized how i had been living as a Christian just so i could have my "get out of hell free" card. i was used to the whole routine of Christianity, but wasn't really living my faith out because i loved Jesus. i also realized how many things in my life i haven't given God control of, namely-my career choice, college choice, and relationship with my boyfriend. so on that monday i decided to give God complete control of all aspects of my life. i'm letting Him guide me, and i'm following His will instead of relying on myself. let me just tell you how UNBELIEVABLE it feels to have made that choice. now i'm living out my faith in Christ because i want to serve Him, praise Him, and love Him, instead of being a Christian to get myself out of hell. TST at Springhill has forever changed my life, and i am so grateful to have gotten to go!

My God is Mighty to Save!

By far my favorite worship song EVER!!!

Everyone needs compassion
Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus
Shine you light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen king

New Best Friend

I'm just feeling rather sad. It seems all but a couple of my posts have something to do with leaving Michigan, so I hope not to sound redundant, but it lays heavy on my heart some days. In a few days time I'm sure I'll feel fine once again with living here, but right now I really miss everyone there. It would probably be easier if we just didn't go back and lived in our own bubble here. Sometimes I think I should just let go of my contact with people there and just forget about them. It sounds awful, but it seems it would be a far less painful way to live. 

     I know I've posted earlier about how I feel like God has put my family in the right place with our move, and I still feel that way, however, I'm beginning to wonder when God is going to give me one really good, lasting friend here. I have a lot of acquaintances, but am still searching for a strong friendship. I suppose its kind of my own fault for not reaching out, putting myself out there, and attempting to form relationships. I just have a real difficulty doing that for some reason. I just want to snap my fingers and end up with a best friend like I have in MI. Hopefully there is someone out there right now in my area that God is preparing to be my new good friend. May I have the courage to reach out in relationships with others this summer and coming summer so that maybe, just maybe I will find the one He has set in place for me. 

SUMMER!

I am so excited for this summer! AH!!! We just got back from a week in MI which was super fun! I got to see all my friends and my boyfriend. It's hard to be back, but my whole family had a lot of fun. Now we're home for a couple weeks and then we're headed up north to Quarry. After that I'm going to spend two weeks at Springhill's TST camp. Now I'm just praying that one of my counselors will be a runner so that I can get up early while at camp to run. I need to keep my aerobic base up so that my first olympic distance triathlon is a success. Until we had to Quarry I'm just workin at the pool as a lifeguard and training for the tri. 

On Sabbatical

Woah. It's been a really long time since I have updated this! You may be surprised to find that a few things have changed since the last time I posted.

About two weeks ago I decided to not swim year-round anymore. It was a really tough decision for me...I've been swimming since age8! Nonetheless, I found that I wanted to use my talents elsewhere. I have no doubt that swimming with this new team would have set me on the right path to being really fast, but the fact of the matter is I just didn't like it anymore. I didn't think I should be putting in so many hours a week, wake up at 3 in the morning, etc. for something I didn't love. I don't really like the word "quit" even though technically I did. Around my family and friends I prefer to say "I'm on sabbatical" or "I have reevaluted."

You are probably wondering what I'm doing now as I'm not just one to sit around and be a bum. Well, after having done two small sprint triathlons in previous summers, I have decided to pursue triathlons more frequently. Currently, I am training for an olympic distance race.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get a bike soon (can't train that well when my bike happens to be a mountian bike and only has half a pedal on one side.

Wish me luck =)

Learning

I stopped the other day to think about the past year of my life. It really has been a whirlwind. There has been lots of smiles, lots of laughs, even lots of tears. It's been a year of many firsts-my first year at public school, my first serious relationship, my first big move. And guess who's been there through it all, guess who's stood by my side- He stood there when I was angry at Him for turning my whole life inside out, He stood there when I praised Him after I finally realized it was part of His plan, and He's still standing here, every day, for me. 

In service on Sunday, the message literally brought me to tears. There was a video afterwards that showed how Jesus can change lives.

go to: jdgreear.com and scroll down to the February 10 post.

Back from MI

Since the time of my last post, I've been a pretty busy bee! Let's see, we went to Michigan two days after Christmas and stayed for a week!! I had SO much fun!! Seeing all my friends again and of course my boyfriend was much needed. The only bummer is coming back...I kind of get into the rhythm of day to day life without them down here and it's not so hard. However when we go to visit then come back down here, I almost feel like I've had to do it all over again. No worries though, I'm getting back into the swing of things, but still missing everyone!
Other than the "big trip," everything at our house has been the same usual stuff. For me just school and swim, preparing for exams, etc. My dad is doing well, up and about on his cane.

Daddio Update

Since my dad has been home, its been a little crazy around our house. Of course, we're taking very good care of him, making sure he gets his cherry popsicles and such. The first couple nights he was home were pretty hard on him, and my mom too, as she had to stay up with him. I will confess, I've been feeling pretty selfish lately, hoping he will get well enough just so we can come back to Michigan. These past couple days or so he has gotten better at getting up out of bed and walking (with the "old man walker" of course) on his own, but my mom fears that he may fall if we are gone and he is home alone. I guess we'll see what the doc says on Monday...

Thanksgiving in Florida

 

These are a few of my favorite pics from our trip to Florida for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun!!

Realizations

As most of you probably know I moved away from everything I had ever known in August of this year. Though it seemed impossibly difficult at first, I've come to realize that God really does know what He is doing, despite my thinking at one point that He didn't. When I first had to come down to here, I really wasn't sure what He had in store for me. But badabing, here I am 5 months later, praising His name that I'm here. He's given me so many new relationships: my youth pastor Jason and small group leader Sara, the girls on my swim team, and new friends at school. Not to say that the great relationships I had in Michigan aren't still there. In fact, now I can have twice the amount of awesome people in my life. The first month or so here was so, so hard for me. I felt myself just really angry a lot which if you know me is not general behavior. I could sure put on a "brave face" but inside was not so hot. At some point in the months following, I began to slowly realize what God had in store for me. You know that feeling when you work on a math problem for what seems like forever, and then suddenly you get it. That was what it felt like for me with God's plan. Suddenly I got it! To know that there was a purpose for me to be here was such an overwhelming joy! Though its definitely not easy to have left my friends in Michigan, I'm learning that being far away does not mean leaving those things behind. I'm so grateful for God's plan for my life (though I don't know everything yet).  

First post!

So here it is...Ellie's new blog!! I've been wanting to make one for a while, and finally got around to making one. So as a "first post" here are some happens in my life as of late...

1) On Wednesday, Dec. 10 my dad had his hip replaced at Duke Med. He finally came home today HOORAY!!! but is definitely still in tons of pain. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for him! Please continue to pray that his pain will ease and will be up and moving asap as he isn't one who likes just sitting around.

2) Gma and Gpa are here for the rest of December...so excited to have them! Grandma is such a sweet lady that happens to have a knack for decorating which means the new B's house is looking mighty fine. Gpa is a funny guy, who keeps the mood light which is so nice to have around each day.

3) As new sweet little Lydia Lan comes home (finally) to her loving, amazing family, I can only wish to be there to greet her. However, since I am stuck here until December 26, I will just have to wait to see her precious face in person.

So yay for my first blog post ever. Stay tuned! =)