Remember how I mentioned giving my testimony at church a few Sunday mornings ago?

I still can't believe I did it.

I surprisingly was not the least bit nervous... (I always get nervous when speaking in front of large crowds... microphones scare me, (all last summer every Sunday we would have to introduce ourselves in front of more than the whole camp because parents, grandparents, siblings were all there too, I would become very, very nervous after lunch before campers and families arrived) my voice gets all shaky which makes me more nervous and then I get choked up because it's not going the way I wished it had) I got ready for church, making sure to eat breakfast... nothing is worse than being hungry in church time seems to slow down and you just pay more attention to the grumbling of your tummy than to the sermon and message God intends for you to hear.

Anyways, my parents and I arrive at church (the whole across the street walk we have seemed like nothing and out of a natural habit) we were greeted and found seats I insisted on sitting closest to the aisle. I then proceeded to read the church bulletin (it has an outline for the service) my name was four lines down (definitely did not expect to see my name that close to the top of the page). That is when I thought, "What did I get myself into?". We heard the announcements, sang 1 song, prayed, (right about now I was shaking my nerves were catching up to me) Scripture was read...

I was introduced to the congregation...

As I walked up the steps to the pulpit, I was more than nervous, all eyes were on me!

"Good morning" I started out listening to my own voice shake. "I was asked to share my life story, but as you all have watched me grow up and have guided me in my walk with Christ; I decided to share with you my journey." By this time I think I got teary eyed from being nervous, I'm such a girl!
"In high school I felt a calling into the ministries from God, I've always been good with the youth so it just stuck as where God wants me to be in the future. I got very involved by volunteering with the youth programs at church. That was just the beginning of God's plan for me. I became the Youth Intern for Janelle awhile after I started college. I was her intern for a little over a year. I felt God calling me to do greater things outside of the church, so I applied and got the position to be a counselor at a Christian Camp called Frontier Ranch, I grew as the campers asked questions, I witnessed hundreds of youth accepting Christ in their hearts, and helped teach them ways to use their newly founded relationship with Christ outside of camp, and how to grow and build on that relationship. While at camp I discovered that Azusa Pacific University had accepted my application to attend in the fall. While I was attending APU I was given many obstacles and seemed like I was at a disadvantage. It was probably the best thing that God could do for me because, I had never relied in God as much as I did in that semester at Azusa. Jeremiah 29:12-14 says 'In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. i will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.' I wound up finding my way back home and only God knows why. I chose not to take a semester off and get back to my academics so I registered for a few classes at Merced College. Currently I have been helping with the high school youth group. I will be assisting or co-directing Fun In The Son. In my future I hope to graduate with my associate's in psychology, transfer to a state college (which ever one will have me) to get my Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, after that I plan on getting my Masters of Divinity. Who knows I may be back, standing behind this pulpit giving the sermon one day."

Gary Indiana

Ok well maybe not... My best friend since 4th grade was in California this past week to celebrate her 21st and to show a friend around some northern seen and unseen parts of California. I got to see her briefly during her visit home. I really wish I could have done more with her but it just happened to be my finals week... ugh! Tomorrow she and her friend are flying back to Indiana (where they go to school). She will be graduating a semester early and moving back home before Christmas! It's great news for me since I'll still be home finishing up at Merced College. So today I said "goodbye and see you in 6 months!"

Now, how much do you think a one way plane ticket would cost to go to Indiana in December?....

Friday Fun Fact

Only male turkeys gobble.

School's almost done. As of today at approximately 8pm I will officially be on summer break!!! Can you tell that I'm excited? I think it's more so that I'm co-directing the kids summer program at church, helping out with the high school group at church, going to LA for my cousins wedding, guest counseling at Frontier Ranch, and trying to visit as many friends as possible while on break... I'm stoked to be done with school for the semester... if you couldn't tell. I also get to start my break off by getting my hair cut... nothing to drastic I'm growing my hair out well I'm trying to let it get longer.... if my impulses don't intervene then my hair will be long in no time at all.... just a trim is all I want, I love the feeling of freshly cut hair its all smooth and soft and straight and not dead looking...

I have a few blogs in the making stay tuned to find out what is in store!

Brain fart... I have the day "off" but there's too much to do! I'm speaking at church on Sunday. I've been asked to share my story of what God has been doing in my life. So where do I start?! Should I talk about the last year or like my WHOLE life story? I'm completely stumped, I've been praying about it since I was asked on Saturday on what the message God is wanting me to portray. I need a few ideas so if you have a suggestion please leave a comment!

I can't travel without my pillow

Swim Suit
you never know even if it's December...

Pillow
I'll use my own thanks!

toothbrush/ toothpaste
Really I have to explain the dragon like breath I have when I wake up in the morning?

iPod
I need something to keep me from losing my mind...

Purse
It has all the everyday necessities in it.

etc
I always seem to over pack because I have to have my options

Busy, busy, busy... my life is almost non-stop. Here is a little heads up (my schedule for the month of May)

May

12-- Turn in HW #9 and take test on Powerpoint
13-- Turn in paper on presentation (5 pgs). Take notes Ch. 14
14-- Courtney's Birthday
Jazz concert paper due (3 pgs)
ALL late work due in computer applications
Journals due in English lab
15-- Dinner at BJ's for Courtney's Birthday
16-- Watch Wizard of OZ
Brianna's Birthday/Party
17-- Speaking at church (pray for me)
Youth Group leader meeting @4pm
Youth Group @ 6:30pm
19-- Last week of LAB!!!
English research paper due
20-- Take notes Ch. 15. Review for FINAL
21-- Jazz FINAL
Last day of LAB
Portfolio due Computer Applications
22-- Catering?
23-- Abby comes home!!!
Catering
24-- Kari's Birthday
Catering?
Last Youth Group for the school year
25-- Abby's Birthday
STUDY FOR FINALS
26-- Political Science FINAL 9-10:50am
Sell books back!!! :)
27-- Study Group 5:30pm (library?)
Psychology FINAL 7pm
28-- English FINAL 3-4:50pm
Computer Applications FINAL 6:30pm
29-- Relax
Go to Monterey Bay Aquarium?
30-- Abby leaves :(
Michelle's Gradutaion Party :)

I will need lots and lots of prayer to get through this month!

I was reading my wikihow to of the day sometime last week and somewhere in the perusing around I stumbled upon some cool how to's for your boring old T-shirts.
Now these t-shirt makeover's gave me an itching to make something out of those freebie shirts that you wear to workout, sleep, paint, or whatever else you do with your old shirts.
I started to dig around found a shirt that my mom bought for some crafty thing that she never got around to making and now bedazzling isn't as cool to be flaunting around... anyways I learned and have been making a few alterations and taking notes on making sun dresses out of t-shirts. I'm almost done with my example/practice dress and it looks really cute it doesn't quiet fit me because the shirt I used would fit me perfectly as a shirt but is quite skimpy when I tried it on...

...maybe I shouldn't have had the "BIGGEST" piece of ice cream cake last night...

I'm thinking about making more and selling them for a small wage.
I'm sorry that I am definitely NOT a model, I don't have a mannequin or a model that can fit this dress, I'm working on one that will fit me for sure!!!

You entered: Kaitlin Elizabeth Montague

There are 24 letters in your name.
Those 24 letters total to 107
There are 11 vowels and 13 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

Irish	Female	Modern phonetic form of the Irish name Caitlin from Catherine meaning pure.
Greek	Female	Variant of Katherine. Pure.

Your number is: 8

The characteristics of #8 are: Practical endeavors, status oriented, power-seeking, high-material goals.

The expression or destiny for #8:
Your Expression is represented by the number 8. The 8 Expression is well-equipped in a managerial sense. You have outstanding organizational and administrative capabilities. You have the potential for considerable achievement in business or other powerful positions. You can expect to receive the financial and material rewards. You have the skill and abilities to establish or operate a business with great efficiency. You have good judgment when it comes to money and commercial matters, and you understand how to build and accumulate material wealth. Much of your success (or lack of it) may come due to your ability (or inability) to judge character. With the number 8 Expression, you exercise sound judgment in most of your affairs; you are realistic and practical in your approach to business matters.

The positive 8 Expression produces individuals that are very ambitious and goal-oriented. If the 8 energy is not in excess in your makeup, you will no doubt express these traits to some extent. No one has any more energy that a person with the 8 Expression who has a plan laid and is starting to work. No one has any more self-confidence, either. If you are expressing the positive qualities of 8, you are an outstanding manager because you can plan, initiate, and complete projects; you are very dependable and determined.

As it always happens, there can be too much of a good thing. If you have too much of the 8 energy in your makeup, you may express some of the negative attitudes. A negative 8 can be very rigid and stubborn. Ambition sometimes has a way of becoming over-ambition, and you may express an unreasonable impatience with the lack of progress. If your negative side is showing, you may be too exacting, both of yourself and of others. Sometimes this can even becomes a case of intolerance.

The number 8 is very materialistic and also very desirous of status and power. Neither of these drives are inherently negative unless they are taken to an extreme. You must avoid the tendency to strain after money, material matters, status, or power, to the detriment of the other important factors in your life.

Your Soul Urge number is: 9

A Soul Urge number of 9 means:
With a 9 Soul Urge, you want to give to others, usually in a humanitarian or philanthropic manner. You are highly motivated to give friendship, affection and love. And you are generous in giving of your knowledge and experience. You have very sharing urges, and you are likely to have a great deal to share. Your concern for others makes you a very sympathetic and generous person with a sensitive and compassionate nature.

You are able to view life in very broad and intuitive terms. You often express high ideals and an inspirational approach to life. If you are able to fully realize the potential of your motivation, you will be a very self-sacrificing person who is able to give freely without being concerned about any return or reward.

As with all human beings, you are prone to sometimes express the negative attitudes inherent to your Soul Urges. You may become too sensitive and tend to express emotions strongly at times. There can be significant conflict between higher aims and personal ambitions. You may resent the idea of giving all of the time and, in fact, if there is too much 9 energy in your nature you may reject the idea. You may often be disappointed in the lack of perfection in yourself and others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 8

An Inner Dream number of 8 means:
You dream of success in the business or political world, of power and control of large material endeavors. You crave authority and recognition of executive skills. Your secret self may have very strong desire to become an entrepreneur.

http://www.paulsadowski.com

For the last few weeks I decided that I would "step out of the boat" meaning trust in God while I go out and serve where ever he leads me. Right now my church is going through a lot of reconstruction... no not fixing the exterior of the church--the buildings-- we are fixing the interior of the church--the people. Learning and reconfiguring what the congregation needs, to be fed by the Holy Spirit and how to draw more to come into our church family. I received an e-mail from one of our pastors:
"I encouraged the church to think about how they smell to those that don't know Jesus. Are they sweet smelling and giving off an exquisite fragrance? I like Star Jasmine and go to my garden to smell it every day. I can't help it. For those of us that follow Jesus, do we have people that do not know Jesus that are lining up every day to "catch a wiff" of us? For those "on the way of salvation" do we give off "an aroma redolent with life?" These are good questions and ones that should make us pause."

I really enjoyed receiving this message, it really made me think about how I am perceived as a Christian.

This is an excerpt from an e-mail written by the same pastor:
"When I asked you to pray about being the "aroma of Christ" it seems the Lord is giving us a picture to that from what happened yesterday. If we want to see people come to faith, then scratching them where they itch (common values or points of agreement), we will be able to live the gospel in our community in a way that will draw people to Christ."

Because of all the redirecting of our church, there was a congregational prayer meeting on Monday. Of all the people from the congregation that showed up I was the only one under the aged of 44; with that being said and out of the way, the gathering went well. We prayed and prayed and prayed... OK so you get the idea... but what was said in the prayer and how God moved through us and spoke through us is what mattered. At one point in prayer
Jeremiah 29:11 was laid on my heart to recite and as I recited my favorite verse I felt the Lord's presence lift the weight of the shoulders of the church. What an awesome feeling!

Just yesterday as I was in class my professor wrote a quote up on the board that struck me

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the staircase"

--Martin Luther King Jr.