Exciting Things!

Two weeks!  A full two weeks have gone by, and it seems on the one hand, incredibly fast and on the other, so slow. During this time, I have made further progress in learning about my true identity.  I think the biggest discovery I had about my identity was that I had pursued something of the self-discovery instead of a God-based design.  When I had that revelation, I noticed a few things that need to go.  I think the Ella that has been is about 95% Ella, but there's 5% chaff that God wants to deal with.  I want to be 150% Ella by the end of this.  ;)

This past week was on Active Listening and Rational Christian Thinking, otherwise known as Cognitive Therapy.  Super good stuff!  The listening side of things was something God has been teaching me throughout my life and strangely enough through my job.  In GNC, they emphasize open-ended questions to get to the bottom of the need.  In actively listening to someone, this is key.  So cool how that ties in!  The Cognitive therapy is a work in process.  We learned the A.B.C.D. model.  Or Activator, Beliefs, Consequential Emotions or feelings and Demonstrating action.  Eric Spady was our teacher for the week and he gave us a brand new tool for our tool belt and that is the Heart Chart!  Using the ABCD model, we learned tools to reframe false beliefs about ourselves and others.  And of course, on the practice one, I went deep immediately and spent the next ten minutes hiding behind my hair trying to conceal the fact that I was crying.  But it's good!  Let's start with a good foundation and build a plumb building, according to Abba's specs!  :)

Now, as to the ipod touch situation.  God has answered prayers and of course, as is typical to our creative God, it is not how I thought He would answer.  I thought He would cause my ipod to just show back up, but no.  Greta has been lost for good, I fear.  But that does not mean He has not provided.  In fact, He allowed my ipod to disappear and is now blessing me with something even better!  My parents are blessing me and going in with me on a new iphone, same memory size as my old ipod touch, that will actually work when I'm out of the country.  What an upgrade!  It's one of those things where, it causes my faith in His provision to grow.  Money is no object to Him.  He just has to sell a cow.  ;)

And I've saved the best news for last!  I have not heard where my outreach location for this school will be, but I do know that I will be in Israel come September!  Such a crazy step!  I'm not sure exactly when I'll arrive or the exact duration of my stay.  I do know that God has said I'm to partner up with my friends, the Hills.  I'll be watching their two little boys, Gideon and Ezekiel, for two weeks, while they serve in the Feast of Tabernacles celebration.  I'm so incredibly excited!  Anyone who's known me for very long, knows my heart is to go there, to be there.  And God is giving me this opportunity.  Prayers are much appreciated.  Also, if you would like to partner with this next step, I'll be posting information soon.  :)

Identity and Trust

We have officially made it through our first week of FCM. There are 20 students in total, ranging from 18 to somewhere around 60 years of age. Lots of diversity in ages, which is really good. I'm excited to see how God is going to use that.

This week's theme was identity and our original design. It was definitely an emotionally intense week, but oh the goodness that shall come from it. :) God used people, quite new to my life, to speak truth about who I am and the obstacles to my walking out my original design. So very cool. :)

Today, I met up with a friend from my Summit days and attended church with her. I enjoyed that very much. There is so much beauty in tradition, responsive prayer and things like the Nicene Creed. It speaks to my soul. After I left Jody, I went and picked up some lunch, then drove to Garden of the Gods and had a wee picnic. This is what Sundays were meant to be, I'm sure.

God is meeting my every need. It is incredible the way that He is nourishing me, heart and soul. I am like a crusty sponge that is just absorbing His presence. Thank You Abba for this time. Lead me, guide me.

I do have one prayer request. It might seem silly to you, but it's pretty important to me. I lost my ipod touch last night. I went with friends to a coffee shop called Jives and pulled it out there. I distinctly remember throwing it into my purse, however, when I got home, I couldn't find it anywhere. I went through my car probably a total of 3 times, my bedroom 3 times and then drove back to the coffee shop and together with the guy working there, searched and even went through the trash. I have absolutely no idea where it might be. If it had been any other thing, I could easily replace it, but this is something I had to save up for months for and it's an important tool for research during class, keeping in touch with family and friends (especially during outreach) and of course my music. If you would pray that God would release the Ipod or make the Enemy give it back, I would definitely appreciate it!