2012: Sometimes a Cup of Tea Can Change Your Life

Here I am, sitting in my living room writing a blog post with only a few hours left of 2012
 and man, it's been quite a year.
  1 year ago I was going to a different church, hung out with different people and was, myself, a very different person.
 I've learned so much this year it'll make your head spin, a whole lot of my beliefs have been challenged (in a good way) and I've changed the way I've thought about a lot of things. I've come out of my shell quite a bit, I've learned to let go of things (and people) and am just all around different. So how did this start? with a simple cup of chai tea served by an Australian in a coffee shop in Nixa, Missouri. How did a cup of tea cause such commotion you ask? why do you doubt the life changing powers of an exceptionally good cup of tea? but if you insist on further explanation here's the story:

This coffee shop is owned by said Australian who also happens to be the senior pastor of the church next door. Now, I was not looking for a new church, and while my parents had a few minor complaints about our former church I don't think they were looking for a new one either. We simply heard that this Australian pastor made a mean cup of chai. So on January 2 2012 (yes, my memory is that good sometimes..(it was a Monday)) my mom and sister and I went to try this chai, and it was exceptional. We spoke with the Australian about his church a little and next thing I know we're visiting the church. Then we come back the next week and I'm on the worship team, after that things got so crazy and happened so fast I can't tell you everything here.
 Looking back on this year I can't help but thank God for it, for the friends He's given me, for the things He taught me, for that cup of tea... and yes, for Pastor Jeff (and his chai making skills ;) )
 As we move into the next year I know God's going to be doing cool things. Be looking out for those everyday miracles that can sometimes come in the form of a cup of tea :)
Happy 2013!
 

Unwelcome Miracles or Here We Go Again...

So since starting this blog, called needle and haystack life and described as trying to find miracles in every day life, I have found that not all miracles that happen in our everyday lives are welcome at first, yet I have found that, in time we find that the "unwelcome" miracles turn out to be the most important ones.
 I'm talking about losing your job..and end up getting a better one, not getting accepted to one school, but getting in the one you were supposed to be in, having to move (in one way or another) but ending up exactly where you're supposed to be, but not realizing it till you're there. I know I've posted about change before, but I'm still trying to get it through my thick skull that it can be good ;) So here's my case, worship leader is stepping down to focus on school and family, which means worship team is taking a break till a new person comes along, not a big deal right? unless you're me and change is a near death experience and worship team was your life!
 See so often we (or I at least) get caught up in what's going on right now and think it should last forever or only change in ways we think it should and we forget that God has bigger plans for us then we think.
   Jessica (worship leader, and dear friend, in question) spoke to me later about finding out what my next step is, of course going anywhere or doing anything different hadn't entered my mind before, not since joining the team anyway, that was different enough. She told me I could go anywhere and do anything, just find out what my nest step is. And so began the search for that elusive needle in the haystack: what the heck am I supposed to do and what do I even want to do and who am I anyway?!
 How I came to the answer of  these questions is long story and I'm getting off subject already, but in the end I figured out what I wanted to do was get some sort of training in worship leading, but didn't want to have to go far from home for it, and after quite a bit of prayer and second guessing myself I found out about a new online worship school by Bethel (who's worship school I wanted to go to but didn't want to go to CA) called WoshipU, man I got so excited about it I did a happy dance :) enrollment isn't even open yet but I signed up for more info and already have 10% off tuition!

 So how does not having worship team lead to this? It got me moving, got me thinking about what to do next. (well actually Jess did, if she hadn't said anything I would probably still be pouting and complaining about..well life in general ;) ) and I need to get a job to pay for tuition and I'm getting involved with the youth group at church, those are also parts of my next step, so if I'm working, doing school online and doing youth stuff, that doesn't leave me time to be as involved with worship team as I was. I'll still be involved later I'm sure, but not as much.
 
 All this is to say, when unwelcome miracles come your way, keep your eyes open, they may be happening to get you moving. those changes in your life that you're not happy about might just be making way for the next new thing that will take you to the next level..and trust me, the next level is always better than the last.

 So when living in this needle and haystack life, keep your eyes open for the "unwelcome miracles" they might just be the best ones :)

Let's face it, This Blog thing isn't easy, at least not for me

Yes, I realize it's been 4 months since my last post, and it's not that nothing has happened, it's just that I never think to write about it here or I forget I even have a blog, or I can't decide what I should post for the world to see or shouldn't, so please, be patient with me, I promise to try a little harder in the future.
 So basically here's what's going on, I'm still on the job search but that's ok, worship team is going really well, in fact better then I thought it would..in fact I really should be going to bed because tomorrow is sunday and I need to be up early for sound check. and I picked out all the songs this week (hope no one complains about them)
 So what I'm I writing this post for? Mainly so that I can post it on facebook and when I see it on there later I'll remember to take time to write something more significant (awesome I spelled that right on the first try!! :-^) ) that will cause you all to think and hopefully get more then 5 people reading my blog, not sure why I want more then 5 people waiting 4-6 months for me to post something, but I'm pretty sure the point of this blog thing is to get as many strangers reading it as possible, right? However, if you're reading this post and, perhaps, even enjoying it, you just might be one of the strangest people out there..but I bet you're pretty cool ;)

So I need to end this post with something that kinda pertains to what it means to live a needle and haystack life, hmm....I know; Don't ever settle for being normal, it's more overrated then you think ;)

The Only Constant is Change

Alright, so I'm not very good at keeping up with this blog, I tend to forget about it, but now I'm posting so be happy ;)
This has been quite the year, first off, and this maybe be news to some of you (or maybe I'm over estimating who reads my blog), we started going to a new church, I wasn't planning on leaving James River at all, I just saw the church sign and knew we were supposed to go there, didn't think we would start going so quickly though. Now I am playing guitar on the worship team at Transforming Life Church, honestly I didn't think I would ever get to do that at any church, at least not until I was older and more experienced, but this kinda fell into my lap.
Something I've been learning is that life is not only full of change but it IS change, it can change for better or worse, but "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). 
 It seems the only constant is change, but actually there are 2 constants: change and God, who makes and/or allows the change to happen. 
 I got a job babysitting last month, this month I lost it, but I know God has something for me, so it doesn't bother me, He told me awhile back, while I was looking for a job, to not worry about it, so that's what I'm going to do, trust Him for something better. When God changes or takes away something in my life, I've learned to, instead of freaking out like I used to, just wonder what God is up to, and it's usually something really cool that I couldn't have done if that change hadn't happened. 
 So to live a needle and haystack life, don't fear change, if there was no change, miracles wouldn't happen

What Was That?!

Hello! It's been so long since I've posted on here that I almost forgot I had a blog.
Well it's been a very...interesting 5 months, can't elaborate on all that happened or even the half of it, but lets just say things have been changing and changing fast. One thing I didn't realize about living a "needle and haystack" life is that it's unpredictable, (for a brief explanation of needle and haystack life, see my first post: "First post! About the title") 
 Have you ever been confused about where you're supposed to be and what you're supposed to be doing? Has God ever dropped something in your lap for you to do when you didn't even ask for it and wasn't even looking for it?
 Needless to say, both those things have happened to me in the time between my last post and this one, it's a little hard to explain, a couple months ago I thought I might be writing to you, dear readers, about a decision to go to OTC...if that doesn't surprise you go through my archives. But that was so confusing, I had no peace about it, no I haven't completely shut out the possibility of ever taking classes, but now is not the time, because I'm pretty sure God has something different for me right now.
But I'm not gonna tell you what it is just yet ;)  but don't worry, Lord willing, you'll find out sooner or later.

 So the advice I have for you is this, don't limit yourself to what you think you can or can't do, if you're willing, God will use you in ways you never even thought of.

Impacting your needle and haystack world

Everyone wants to have an impact in their community, if not the world. What if I told you you already make an impact?..don't believe me? I'll prove it to you...who is it that has made the biggest difference in your life? Was it Billy Graham? Bono? Gandhi? the President? perhaps, but not likely. More likely you're thinking of your Sunday school teachers, school teachers, close friends, family, and other mentors that are close to you.

 People tend to think of making an impact as something really big and noticeable, like a tent revival, or giant fund raiser or even running for office, if you're into that sort of thing. But I'm here to tell you that just by living, by interacting with the world around you, the choices you make, the words you say, the things you do, all on their own, make an impact. And you do not know who the people you impact will impact in turn. You don't know how a little thing can make a huge differences in someones life, where that life will go as a result, what other lives will be touched by that life you touched. Everyone has a purpose and everything happens for a reason..The people that made the biggest differences in my life where not the people who put on the concerts, who spoke at a big conference, who raised tons of money for a good cause. It's the Sunday school teacher who had me memorize memory verses and taught me valuable lessons, the friends that were there for me even when I didn't think I needed anyone, the friend that told me that I was worth more than I thought, my family that teaches me just about everything, and all the other people in my life God is teaching me to love.
 Those are the people who made (and are making) a difference in my life. Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't do things like fund raisers or run for office, somebody's got to, but not everyone is called to, and if you're one of those that isn't, don't be discouraged. God made you for a purpose greater than you can think of, I once thought I was supposed to do something big like the things I mentioned, but I found that what God is having me do now is much better. And maybe you are one of those people, it may not be your time yet, be patient, it will come only when you are ready, not when you think you are.
If you are successful in something big, don't let it get to your head, that's not your greatest achievement, the little differences you made in the lives of those around you are your greatest achievements.
 That's what it means to live a needle and haystack life.                                              
                                                    "In this needle and haystack life,
                                               I've found miracles there in your eyes.
                                                   It's no accident we're here tonight.
                                                     We are once in a lifetime" -Switchfoot

I did it!

Well I'm just letting all you blog readers know that I did graduate almost 2 weeks ago on May 6th, at the SHEM homeschool graduation. Rick Boyer spoke and we threw our hat's in the air (even though it was against the rules of the convention center to do so ;) ). I waited so long to post because I was waiting for pictures to be uploaded, then I got tired of waiting and just uploaded them my self.
 So now begins the next chapter in my life, where I wait to see what God has for me....and write a lot of thank you notes...Are thank you notes really necessary if you already said thank you in person? I'm just wondering..Anyway, here is the best picture I have right now: