Pray for me please!

The Lord was so so faithful in providing the money that I needed to get back here this semester! My semester is completely paid off!! As I get closer to the end of this semester, I'm faced with the reality that in order to come back in January and graduate with my class, I have to come up with approximately $3,500-$4,000. Whereas in the past, I've either had enough savings to be completely covered or I've had time to get a job and work to raise money, this time, I'll have about a month in between semesters. I had $700 left over this semester, however, within the last few days I've gotten 3 hospital bills from the beginning of the semester amounting to either $350 or more like $600-ish.....all depending on if I'm reading right and understanding it. It doesn't look like my insurance is going to cover it, so it's coming out of my pocket. Ouch.
I know that God is in control of the situation. I know that it's not the end of the world if I have to take a semester off and work and then finish up next fall. But we're a close class and it would mean the world to me to be able to graduate with them!!!
I would like to ask you all to please pray for me! Pray that the Lord would provide and ultimately, please pray that I would be able to trust God and rest in Him. I know that nothing is to big for him, as daunting as this seems. But I really need to trust him completely!!!
Thanks so much for your prayers!!!

Meet Hazel & Domingo :)

So you've all heard me talk about Hazel and Domingo from my church....at least I think you have. They have adopted all New Tribers that have attended their church for many, many years. Every Sunday afternoon we head over to their lovely house where they feed us, and then we just hang out....sleep....do homework....talk...hike through their woods and feed the fish in their lake....ah yes, it's lovely. They are two lovely, loving people. They love to make me sing for them in Spanish as often as possible. Domingo can also be called Cupid...he loves to matchmake...sometimes not so well. lol But he is wonderful and adorable. I call him Abuelito. When I came to their house after being away for the summer, he gave me a huge hug and said "Welcome home." I truly think that people like Hazel and Domingo and the Potters are the reason that I have hardly been homesick since I first came to NTBI. I am truly blessed!

Pictures courtesy of Abigail Smith (and doctored up by meeeee)


Meet Domingo. :)

Meet Hazel, Domingo, and my wonderful friend Steven.

And here are some pics of their lovely property.

Aren't the fall colors phenomenal?! I love this time of year. :)

He is forever faithful!

I'm so amazed at the greatness of our God!
In my last post I asked you all to pray for Matty. He was $700 behind and had 2 days to come up with the money. One day in, I asked for an update and he had managed to get$100. He was keeping a smile on his face and just kept saying, "I'm on the right track! God can do anything!" Well, the day of doom finally came and he hadn't come up with the money, so he went in to the Dean of Students, Dan Falls, to hear the verdict.
Dan asked if he had the rest of his tuition money.
Matt said no.
Dan says...."really?"
Matt says............."um.....yes."
Dan says "you have all of it."
Matt says.....what?!?!?
Apparently, someone had put $1250 on Matt's account! Not only did he have the money that he was behind on, he is now way ahead in his payments!
God is so incredibly amazing!!
Thanks to those of you who prayed for Matt!

Please Pray!

My friend Matt has been having financial struggles and they've set Friday as the deadline. If he doesn't get enough money by then, he's going to have to go home. He's been trying so hard to find a job since he arrived here and it seems impossible. In the words of the very dated, but very good song Dream Big..."I love the word impossible because that's what God does best!"
Matt is here for God and God alone and it would break my heart to see him have to leave.
Please pray for him!!

Kindergarten

Sometimes I think I'd like to return to kindergarten. School was easy. We got nap-time, snack-time, and recess. Coloring was a daily part of life (boy do I miss that...). The world was seemingly carefree. Every time I fell down I got a band-aid and a kiss from my mommy. Decisions were made for me and heartbreak was healed by a simple hug from someone who cared. Spiritual responsibility was limited to Jesus loves me and children obey your parents. Life was easy and I was cared for.

However............is easy always better? No, Grace. Easy isn't always better.

The world seemed carefree....but I was just blinded to reality because I didn't have to deal with it yet. Just because I couldn't see it doesn't mean that it wasn't there. Sure, life is more fast-paced and busy. I don't get naps and all the comforts of life. But there are so many people out there who have no idea what comfort is. Why am I complaining? Rather than having my main project be coloring, instead I get to be creative in learning how to bring color into other people's lives. Sometimes those colors are bright, sometimes I have to use darker hard colors....but that's just the shading that makes the final picture beautiful. Praise God for dark colors in the painting of life! I now have to make my own decisions....but accompanied with this responsibility is the opportunity to talk to God and look to His Word for guidance and then comfort if I have to do hard things for Him. When my heart is heavy, I still get kisses from my mom and dad. More recently, I get visits and hugs from Becky. I get love, hugs and comfort (also comfort food) from the Potters. I get caring words, hugs, and prayers from Tori, Chrissy, Kaylee, and Don. I get beautiful flowers from Elisabeth. I get so so so much love, more than I've ever deserved. AND instead of sticking with Jesus loves me and obey your parents, I get inexpressible joy, unfathomable riches in Christ, boldness to come before the throne of grace, eternal life, and so so so much more!!!!

So kindergarten....was great. But, harder doesn't always mean worse.
God is faithful.
God is sufficient.
I can trust Him in all things.
I am loved.

Thank you Lord Jesus!!!!!

These are the lovely flowers that were waiting in the office for me today. :) Thank you Elisabeth!!

Blown away...

I'm still speechless. This semester has been extremely difficult and over the past few days, I've just been overwhelmed. There have been many tears, much seeking of counsel, and a ton of praying. Tonight I'm watching the clock, waiting til it's time to call my daddy and talk to him. But in the meantime, I have a dear friend here who sat down with me this afternoon, and listened as I told him a little bit about what's going on in my life. I was sitting there thinking "don't cry Grace...be tough.." just to look up and see tears rolling down his face. That's the second time this week that someone has shed tears for me. This is the body of Christ at work. This is the true, genuine love that Christ exemplified and desires us to communicate to one another. I'm just so blessed to be the recipient of such love and care.
Thank you God!