My mission trip

So, in case you didn't know, I recently got home from a 2 1/2 week mission trip to Malaysia with the Awana M-I-T (Missionary In Training) program. I was on a team with Mr. and Mrs. Bidwell, Hannah Sexton, Jenna Guthmiller, Bobi Ezell, David Schild, and Brett Hartt. I love my team so much. They are like my second family. I lvoe them each soooo much!! The trip went really well. I did not want to come home. The only part of the trip that I did not like was the long flights and the humidity. To get to Malaysia, we flew from Chicago to LAX (4 hrs), from LAX to Taipei (18 hrs), and from Taipei to Malaysia (4 hrs). On top of that, we had about a 2 hour drive to where we were staying. But, I think that the end results of the trip made the flights all worth it. We worked at 2 different church camps running a children's ministry. Each camp was 3 days/2 nights. The first camp was in a city called Port Dixon. We were at a hotel on the beach. The other girls on my team and I would get up in the morning and watch the moon set and the sun rise off the ocean. (sometimes we watched the sun set, too, if we weren't doing ministry until late). The second camp was in a city called Melaka. The hotel we stayed at there was very nice (something like a 4 or 5 star hotel. It was REALLY nice). The ministry we did involved running games, songs, puppet shows, skits, pantomimes, and teaching Bible lessons. Both camp had the theme of Faith, which was interesting because the whole theme behind the program I did the trip with is Stepping out in Faith. So, that was cool. At the first camp, we worked with 4 to 14 year olds. At the second camp, we worked with 4 to 12 year olds. The kids were so awesome. I miss all of their smiling faces. I saw God work in so many awesome ways. He revealed Himself to me during the second camp. I can't even begin to describe how awesome He is. We also worked at a third camp, but it was not a church camp. It was run by a church, but it was a community outreach camp. The church was in the middle of a Muslim community, so we could not evangelize. We had to simply build relationships and show the kids that we loved them. It was hard to talk about why we were there without mentioning God, but when we told them that we were there because we loved them, there were gasps in the room. At that camp, we worked with 3 different age groups back-to-back: 5 -7 yr olds, 8-9 yr olds, and 10-12 yr olds. We mostly ran games and crafts at that camp. But God still used us in great ways. God revealed Himself to me in so many different ways. I have a new understanding and a new love of God that I probably wouldn't have if it weren't for this trip. I also have a new perspective on worship. God is SOOOOO amazing! I am completely in love with my God and my King! This trip is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.

So, last night, there was a gorgeous double rainbow in the sky. The first rainbow (shown here) was a beautiful, rounded ark. So, I took a bunch of pictures of it, and here is one of the best ones with the single rainbow. Remember, a rainbow isn't just pretty, it's a symbol. A symbol that is there to remind us that God will never again destroy the earth like he did when Noah lived. In a sense, it's a promise of the new future we will have with Christ. "No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting." Rainbows always lift my day, and I hope this one lifts yours, too. Always remember, your rainbow is ahead of you

Ow

Tonight I went to the skating rink, looking forward to night of roller skating fun. Well, it was only fun for about the first 35 minutes of session. I was skating backwards (something I'm usually good at), minding my own business, and I tripped or lost balance or something and fell. The floor guard told me that I did a back flip. I hit my head, my elbow, my wrists, and my tailbone (really hard). I'm soooo sore. I wasn't able to skate the rest of the night. My tailbone hurts and my elbow is extremely rugburned. But, I'm alive; just very, VERY sore. Anyway, that's my sob story for the night. good night.~Suzanne

Choir - Drama Tryouts and Results.

Last week were the drama tryouts for the choir play called "Christmas with Little Orphan Hannah." The play's a spin off of Little Orphan Anne with a mix of Oliver Twist in it. I tried out for the part "Missus Curmudgeon." Missus Curmudgeon is the owner of the orphanage. She's number one, and she and her "sidekick," Persnickity, keep the orphans in line. They're really mean to the orphans. Curmudgeon believes that the orphans are out to ruin her life. The character is TOTALLY awesome. So, that's what I tried out for. I was a little nervous about the tryouts, afraid I wouldn't be able to sing the song she has to sing. Today, we found out what part we all got. And, guess what?!? I GOT MISSUS CURMUDGEON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm soooooo excited!!! The play is typical of my director's style. Funny, serious, sarcastic, and a little corny, all in one. But I just love the part I got and I'm super, super happy!!!

Who can God use?

God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change,
the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember... Noah was a drunk; Abraham was too old; Isaac was a daydreamer; Jacob was a liar; Leah was ugly; Joseph was abused; Moses had a stuttering problem; Gideon was afraid; Samson had long hair and was a womanizer; Rahab was a prostitute; Jeremiah and Timothy were too young; David had an affair and was a murderer; Elijah was suicidal; Isaiah preached naked; Jonah ran from God; Naomi was a widow; Job went bankrupt; John the Baptist ate bugs; Peter denied Christ...3 TIMES; The Disciples fell asleep while praying; Martha worried about everything; The Samaritan woman was divorced more then once, and living with a guy; Zaccheus was too small; Paul was too religious; Timothy had an ulcer; ...AND Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's me.

3. Growing old is Inevitable. Growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math? Count Your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead. may God Always Bless You and Yours!

Uhhh... Sinus infection.

Yesterday, I had a REALLY BAD migrain, I was really dizzy, someone talking normal sounded like they were shouting at me, my nose was plugged, and all that "fun" stuff. So, my mom thinks that I have a sinus infection. Well, I felt a lot better this morning, but my headache came back at like 4:20 or so, and it's still here (though not as bad as yesterday). So, yah, that's my day.

Intro

Hi, my name is Suzanne, and this is my blog. I'm 17 years old and loving life. I'm a senior in highschool and a freshman in college, so my life is busy. I have a dog, a cat, and a bird. I have 2 brothers, a mom and dad, and the most awesome friends in the whole wide world. I love Jesus Christ with all my heart. He rescued my soul. I believe that He shed His blood for my sins, died, rose again the third day, and is living in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the throne of God.