extraordinary

i don't like holy week

it's holy week, and to be completely honest i really don't like holy week. now i love the build-up to christmas, but not holy week. now some would argue and say that is because come sunday, there will be no gifts under the tree. however, i truly disagree, because easter sunday is the day that we are celebrating the rising of Jesus Christ!

He has risen... He has risen indeed!

i am completely and truly thankful for what He did for me, for dying on the cross in our place, for loving us so completely and unconditionally, for being there when we call on Him, for healing, for truth, for realness, for wanting the best for us, for leading us, for allowing us to discover who He has made us to be and so much more.

you see, the problem as i see it is that satan puts in overtime during this week. in fact i think that he works even harder this week than any other week. i know that i am more aware of it and i see it more this week. so far i have seen numerous car accidents, know people who are sick and i have been more sensitive to the needs of many people.

God has spent the last week breaking my heart, and frankly i can use some good right now!

breaking my heart

God has been doing a really good job at breaking my heart... a lot... especially in the last week.

first was the experience with the ywam guys on south ninth street. second was my meeting last night with a guy who runs a one-stop center here in ceres and has had over 2000 kids come through his doors for services. the next was tonight at youth group.

as i was taking the kids through what Jesus dealt with during the last week of His life, most were completely unphased by it. the guys were more concerned with how manly they could be and pour hot wax on their hands without chickening out.

ok God... what's going on... there's a whole lotta breakin' and not a lot of healing.

i am waiting...

wednesday night

took a Jesus journey tonight. i set up seven stations, all representing some significant part of the experience of Jesus during Holy week. most of the kids were pretty in the middle about the experience. one however was not.

sarah (a made up name to protect the innocent or the guilty or however that goes...) really took in the experience. when ever i would look at her, she would have tears in her eyes. she is someone who i have been praying for, and she is one of my favorite kids in my youth group.

she is defiantly on the verge of getting it!

God wins!

an answer to the question that has been perplexing the universe

brandon, the great oracle of wit & wisdom, confirmed to me last night as to why i do not have a man in my life....

ready.... here it comes... brace yourself...

i do not like 80's sci-fi movies.

yep, that's it. if i had only made myself aware of this years ago, then maybe life would be different. i could have attempted to correct this obvious wrong in my life.

the problem now is that just does not fit into my game plan for the last year of my twenties, so i will have to live with not liking 80's sci-fi movies. and from what everyone tells me, it's all down hill once it hit the big 30.

the big to-do

Abby’s to-do list for her 29^th year:

enjoy the current

pray about my future

do my best to look toward God

fall more deeply in love with Jesus

enjoy the relationships that God has so strategically placed onto my path

know that God has created me to be good

just another friday afternoon

this past friday i spent the afternoon with my ywam friends on south 9th street in modesto. i have been to homeless shelters, given food out to people who do not have any and seen a lot of poverty in different areas. but this day was different.

we began our time praying, and my prayer was the Jesus would open my eyes and heart to what He wanted me to see and experience. and sure enough... He did just that!

i will be the first to admit that i have a hard time with adults who make bad choices, refuse help or anything else along that genre. but when it comes to kids, i am not a happy camper. i met two groups of kids, one at the arrow motel and the other at the shiva motel. and although there were a good handful of them, there were several whose faces have been embossed on my brain since friday.

the first is baby d at the shiva. he is a small guy, maybe four or five years old at the most. he loves bubbles and has a wonderful smile. the only way that he knows to communicate and get attention is through hitting. we saw him hitting his brother a lot and he has very few words to use. the second was anjelica at the arrow motel. she was playful and had a great smile. she loved goofing off, running around and having fun.

since friday, i can't seem to close my eyes without picturing them. i want to do something to help, to make their life a little better. truth be told, i want to bring them home. not that i think that i can do better, but it would be doing something and getting them out of the motel.

so here is my plan of action. i am going to go out with the guys at least once a month and give attention to the kids. i want to love on them like Jesus would love on them. i want to bring a little joy and maybe some hope in their lives, where they may not have any idea nor have ever experienced hope and joy.

today is...

my birthday. this is the beginning of the last year of my twenties. as i move forward in my life, like i have a choice, i constantly want to stop and process everything. but, alas i cannot and therefore spend too much time thinking about the past instead of enjoying the current and looking forward to the future.

God has given me so specific gifts and i want to use them to the best i can, but i often trip over myself when trying to do just that. so this year i am vowing a change.

yes, you read right. i am going to take this next year and spend doing just this: enjoying the current, praying about my future, do my best to look toward God, fall more deeply in love with Jesus that i already am, enjoy the relationships that God has so strategically placed onto my path and know that God has created me to be good!