John 10:10

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly"

 

Just wanted to brag about Jesus for a minute :)

So, I have NEVER been one to balance my checkbook or watch my bank account or budget my money etc. However, this past summer, God really laid it on my heart to be diligent with my money - to be a good steward of what He is giving me.  I planned out a budget and started tracking every cent I earned and spent, and I started checking my online account statement daily to make sure that everything was in order.  He gave me the grace to do this, and I actually started enjoying it because it kept me on track.  For example, once I realized how much money I was wasting on eating out, I cut back, and I saved SO MUCH MONEY by the end of the summer.  This has given me money to pursue music lessons and go on retreats and give to different missions organizations, etc.

Fast forward to a few days ago:  I was checking my online bank statement, and I saw a mysterious debit from a hotel.  I called customer service to report an unauthorized transaction, and they told me not to worry because the hotel had issued a credit in the place of the debit - in other words, they took money from me and immediately gave it right back.

I was still kind of dazed by this event, and I prayed for God to protect my money from any futher charges.  I even quoted John 10:10 as I prayed, saying that satan COULD NOT steal my money!  I thanked Him for protecting my account from the hotel incident.

Fast forward to this morning:  I wake up to an email from my bank asking me to call them immediately because they noticed suspicious activity on my debit card and needed me to verify my transactions.  I called, and apparently there was a $150 debit from a grocery store in Florida that occured yesterday, but my card had been declined, so it couldn't go through. PRAISE GOD.

I talked to the woman and explained that I hadn't used my card at the grocery store in Florida or at the hotel a couple of days ago.  She immediately froze my card, so now my account is protected from futher misuse.  I'll receive a new card in the mail in a few days.

My point through all of this is that I am a victim of identity theft, but God is bigger than a little punk thief named satan who tries to kill, steal, and destroy.  Jesus came to protect and restore, and He not only restored my money from the hotel charge, but He protected my money by causing my card to be declined down in Florida.  I am SO THANKFUL and SO GRATEFUL to be called a child of God :)

On a side note, I have no idea how my card was compromised.. the only thing I can think of is that I must have used it somewhere online that wasn't as safe as I thought.. so everyone be careful!  and trust God!  He can and will look after those who are His!  So don't fear :)

Back!

i feel bad for neglecting this :( i feel like there's just so much to say, and i never know where to start, so i end up avoiding it entirely.

to sum things up, i love where i'm at right now. not saying that it's easy or enjoyable all of the time. it's definitely stretching! but it's so good for me.

i love being able to be plugged into my church again. i really, really missed it when i was at Purdue, even though XA was so great! i'm able to take voice lessons through my church's School of Worship Arts, and God is really putting grace onto the whole process. it has been SO DIFFICULT, but i see progress. plus, it has forced me to face some heart issues, so that's always good! i love being close to my spiritual mother, and i love seeing my best friends from church more often. i might be taking classes at my church's college (Living Stones College) if my schedule at PNC lifts a little. i would seriously love to do this because I want to pursue an Associate Degree as a worship leader at some point in my life :)

it's really good living with my family, even though it's really difficult at times. God is teaching me a lot about love and forgiveness and walking in the Spirit through it. i love having my grandparents around me as a support system. that was hard at Purdue.

PNC (purdue north central) has been pretty good. my classes aren't too taxing, and i see God moving in my speech class. it was weird adjusting to the small campus and small classes, but it has been an easy transition!

I've been on the Maker's Diet since the beginning of August, and i'm seeing a lot of positive results.  (The Maker's Diet is basically levitical food laws mixed with exercise, prayer, and fasting. I'm following it as a lifestyle - rather than a diet - in hopes that God will use it to heal me of Crohn's disease, if He wills.)  I have a lot more energy, and i'm feeling better overall.  God has given me such grace.  Basically I eat everything straight from the earth - organic, unprocessed, unrefined, no additives/dyes/preservatives/additives/etc, unpasteurized, no hormones/antibiotics/etc.  It's expensive, but it would be way more expensive in the long run if i ended up in the hospital again. God has really kindled a passion for cooking in me through this. so weird. but i love it.

God is doing so much in my heart.  I'm learning to give and receive love for the first time in my life.  I'm learning to yield to the Spirit.  I'm learning to abide, to trust, to rely on God for everything. I'm learning to become His daughter. He is teaching me more about my identity in Him and what it means to be one with Christ. I feel like i'm growing in the prophetic and in creativity and encouragement and compassion, and I feel like He is slowly waking me up. I feel so in tune with beauty and revelation.  I'm learning that He is my Rock, and i'm learning to run into the fortress of His name. I could go on and on.  I'm so thankful for what He's doing <3

I hope everyone is doing great!  I miss you guys!  It was so good seeing many of you on Labor day.. i'm hoping to come back and visit again over October break, if all goes according to plan.  Love you guys.. be blessed <3