BE THE CHANGE

New Blog!

2010-01-25T09:43:00.003-05:00

I decided my blog address should catch up with the rest of my life and new last name, so I changed the address of my blog. It is now: jpatouillet.blogspot.com Check it out!

2010

2010-01-18T09:25:00.002-05:00

I didn't have this for the last post, but here is a picture of me and Nolan on our first New Year's Eve. Sewickley was decorated so pretty for Christmas :-)

Life in 2010

2010-01-11T09:24:00.002-05:00

I have been slacking a bit on the blogging scene lately, but everything is sort of settling back to normal now after the holidays. Nolan and I had a really great first married Christmas and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. We started our Christmas Eve by having breakfast with Kyle and Abbie who have moved far away and were home for Christmas. We went to church that night with my mom and sister and then spent time with my family eating dinner, opening presents and watching Christmas Vacation. We spent the night at my moms and had a very relaxing Christmas day watching movies and playing Mel's new Wii. We were shocked and excited when my mom brought out one last gift--a flat screen TV!! This is something we have been wanting and even started a savings jar for (which ended up being used to buy a TV stand!) This was a great Christmas!!

For New Years Eve, a group of friends came over and we went out to Chinese and then came back to our apartment. It was low key but really great to be with such close friends, and to see Ben and Allyson who have moved to Boston (against my wishes!!)

For Christmas, I gave Nolan tickets to see a show in Pittsburgh called Cirque Dreams. We went out for a nice lunch before going to the show this past Saturday. This was really fun because we don't go on "dates" like that very much anymore! The show was pretty fascinating and the ways those acrobats can bend...wow!

In other news, I have never been one for new years resolutions but I made a resolution of sorts this year. I want to cook something I have never cooked before once a week. So far, I have made a sausage and vegetable pasta and yesterday I made homemade lasagna for the first time. As soon as a meal is pretty enough to post, I will take a picture and put it up!

Almost Christmas

2009-12-23T10:17:00.002-05:00

Well it's the 23rd and as of last night, and my Christmas shopping is officially done! Today is the last day I'm working until next week and I cannot wait to have a few days to relax and to see family. Tomorrow Nolan and I get to see our friends Abbie and Kyle, who both live far away and hardly ever come to Pittsburgh. Merry Christmas everyone! :-)

Movies and Books

2009-12-14T09:57:00.006-05:00

Two of my favorite things are reading and movies, so even in this busy time of life I often make time for both. Nolan recently read the book the The Blindside, and when he was done we went to see the movie. This is definitely one of my favorite movies now. The story of Michael Ohrer, who is currently playing for the Baltimore Ravens is truly an incredible one. I have always had great respect for individuals and families who open their homes and lives to those in need, and the family in this story take a risk and open their home to a young boy they barely even know. They show Michael what it means to be in a loving family, and make him a full fledge member of their family. I always love Sandra Bullock, but her portrayal of this character is my favorite yet! She is excellent, and sassy which I love! If you haven't seen this movie, go tonight! It's a great movie for all ages. I have to admit I have been pretty mad at the Steelers lately, but losing to the Ravens was a little easier after seeing this movie...just a little though!

I have also recently read the book My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (also made into a movie that I haven't seen yet). This is an excellent book about a little girl who was born for the sole purpose of keeping her sick sister alive by donating various parts of her body. She decides to sue her parents for rights to her own body. This book raises some serious ethical questions, and really forces readers to consider them. My favorite part of the book was the unique way that it was written. Each chapter switched back and forth between different characters perspective, each one in the first person. This allowed the reader to read about the same situations from all different points of view, therefore really getting to know each character and how they are feeling. I loved this book and can't wait to see the movie!

Nolan's on the Blogging Scene

2009-12-08T21:28:00.002-05:00

My husband has decided to follow in my footsteps and be a more frequent blogger. I decided I should give a plug to the crowds and crowds of people who read my blog. His new web address is: nolanpat.blogspot.com Check it out! :-)

Thanksgiving with Florida Family

2009-12-07T12:32:00.006-05:00

This Thanksgiving, we headed down to Florida to visit Nolan's parents and also some more of his family. I missed my family in Pittsburgh and all of our Thanksgiving traditions, but it was really great getting to spend some time with Nolan's family and for us to have a getaway from the busyness of life!

One of our favorite foods is sushi, but we don't get to eat it very often. Nolan's parents took us out to a delicious sushi restaurant in Gainesville.

We also spent some time visiting with Nolan's Grams at her apartment in a place called The Village.

During our visit we were very excited to go to a Florida Gator football game! It was really crazy being senior night and Tim Tebow's last home game. We went to the Gator Crawl. This is a tradition of fans gathering to greet the players as they make their way from the buses to the stadium, it was absolutely insane! Those gator fans are crazy!!

Thanksgiving with Friends

2009-12-07T12:01:00.007-05:00

I have learned that growing up and moving away from home makes it a lot more important to have a close group of really good friends. Nolan and I both feel so blessed to have gone to Geneva and have some of the friends that we have. Many of these people have become our family, and we love them! A few years ago our group of friends started a tradition of getting together for a Christmas party, getting dressed up, and cooking a big meal. Over the years, the group of people grew and changed and the past two we have gotten together for a Thanksgiving dinner instead. This year, our friend Scotty hosted all of us at his house. Some of our closest friends were there and also some new people that we have recently gotten to know. We had a ton of fun and the cooks did an incredible job! Everyone brought a little something but it was especially relaxing for me because I am usually in charge of more, but this time I just helped out. Here are some pictures from our night:

Meg was one of the wonderful cooks, and Jammin on the right

was Nolan's other roommate at Geneva

Ally is our neighbor in Sewickley and is dating one of our college friends! Tyler and Noah are from college and Tyler lives in Sewickley now too! Grubby was Nolan's roommate last year, with Scott and Dodd Nolan with the host Scotty and Bacon

Operation Christmas Child

2009-12-01T15:44:00.005-05:00

This is the second year that the youth group has done Operation Christmas Child, with the help of the rest of the church. People have been very generous in their donations and the youth have worked hard wrapping, sorting, and packing all of the presents. These gifts go to children around the world who won't get other gifts. Operation Christmas Child is run by a Christian organization called Samaritan's Purse. This is a really great organization and one which I have truly enjoyed participating in. Thanks to all who helped with this project! We were able to deliver 63 completed gifts! Since the high school students didn't have youth group, the middle school students did the final work for this project and we filled Nolan's jeep with all the gifts!

Jumonville Retreat

2009-12-01T14:05:00.005-05:00

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and we have done so many things, I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to blogging. Two weeekends ago, I went on a high school retreat to Jumonville and it was a wonderful weekend! The weather was beautiful and I really enjoyed getting to know some of the students better. It's amazing that I have been here long enough to see how much some students have grown in their faith over the past two and half years. The girls kept a Mt. Carmel tradition alive by dressing in crazy outfits for the Saturday night activities (that should explain the weird clothes in one of the pictures). Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Pens Game!

2009-11-18T10:28:00.006-05:00

Last Thursday, Nolan and I had the exciting opportunity to go to a Pens game. A couple from our church gave us the tickets, and they were incredible! We were in the third row from the ice, right next to the Penguins bench...you know your seats are good when a group of Steelers is sitting a few rows behind you! Yes, I am THAT Steelers fan who asked for a picture with Jeff Reed! Although, the game wasn't too great for the Pens because they lost pretty bad, we had so much fun! Of course we loved Betty and Jim before, but giving us those tickets sure didn't hurt! Here are a few pictures from the game:

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-11-12T09:41:00.004-05:00

A lot of the students in my ministry and other people have been talking about this movie, and I was very curious because of the variety of responses to it. Nolan and I went to see this film last night, and I have to say I don't even know what my response to it is! It was very strange...the plot was a little boring, but the cinematography was really incredible!

The movie does, however, raise some interesting issues about being a child. The main character Max seems a little crazy when he goes into rages of anger, but the film does a good job of setting the scene and making it very logical for a child of his age to act the way he does, considering his situation. The movie is also a good reminder to be grateful for the people and things we have in our lives, because so often we don't realize how important they are until we don't have them anymore. It's been years since I have read the picture book that this movie is based on and I want to get a hold of a copy now that I have seen the movie.

Anybody have thoughts on this very weird movie??

Laurelville 2009

2009-11-09T16:25:00.007-05:00

This past weekend, Nolan and I took the middle school students on the Laurelville fall retreat. This retreat is always a favorite! We had lots of fun playing in the mud and also getting to know these students in a deeper way. I am exhausted today though! Less than two weeks and I will do it all over again with the high school students!

We got a Mac!

2009-10-30T15:02:00.001-04:00

Nolan and I both had broken Dell laptops from college, so for the past months we had no computer of our own to use. We have been wanting to become trendy mac users for a while now and knew someone who was selling his so we took advantage of the opportunity! We are still learning to navigate the computer, but so far we love it. This means we will be able to do more from home and hopefully be able to update this more too! We can also take silly pictures which is always a plus!

Current Happenings

2009-10-14T10:08:00.004-04:00

Life is very busy right now...and it seems that it will only get busier for the next few months. Nolan started his new job this week which is really exciting! He is working at the Pittsburgh Project in the Northside of Pittsburgh in a mentoring/leadership program for local high school kids. He has already met a lot of people and I think it will be a really great experience because he is so good with high schoolers!

This past weekend was fun because we went to Geneva Homecoming. Eventhough we see a lot of our friends often, it was fun to walk around campus and to see some people who we haven't seen for a while! On Sunday night Nolan and I took some of the youth group kids to see Toy Story in 3D and that was really fun! It's refreshing to watch a movie that really requires no thought and is just silly sometimes!

I have two retreats coming up in the next month: one with the middle school students and one with the high school students. We are also looking forward to going to Florida to spend Thanksgiving with Nolan's family and hopefully go to the Gators game! That's pretty much an update from us. I am also loving fall and my drive to and from work because the leaves are so pretty!!

Reading

2009-10-05T10:59:00.003-04:00

So Nolan and I have both been on a major reading kick lately. I think it is partly because of the chilly fall weather...there is nothing better than relaxing on the couch under a blanket with a good cup of coffee and a good book! I love Fall! I recently stumbled upon a book that was an old favorite of mine, The Giver. I probably read it in 7th grade and remembered loving it, but I didn't remember why. So on Saturday afternoon, I read the whole thing! I never remembered how weird this book was! If you haven't read it, it is a very interesting and quick read. It takes place in a "community" where everything is controlled and everyone is the same in their structured and loveless lives. It raises some very mature questions about humans ability to love and to make choices. I enjoyed reading this with more life experience under my belt!

Mt.Carmel Road Rally

2009-10-01T13:41:00.013-04:00

A few weeks ago, Mt. Carmel had their annual Road Rally. This is the first time I have ever participated in a Road Rally, and it was really fun! There were about 20 teams of people all different ages. You had to follow a map which took us all over Beaver County, all the while looking for activity stops along the way. At some of the stops you had to complete a task that corresponded with that stops Scripture and you also learned more about one of the missions that the church supports. It was a long, but exciting day. I competed with some of the high school girls and our team name was "Pretty Young Thangs." Nolan was on a team with some of the middle school boys. Here are some photos from the youth teams:

Forgotten God

2009-09-29T14:16:00.007-04:00

After reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, I was thrilled to read his new book Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. Just as his first book was, this book is challenging, honest, and truly convicting. I love how Chan bases all his arguments in Scripture and sometimes even tells the reader to put down his book and pick up God's. This book talks about how misunderstood overlooked the Holy Spirit is in the church today. Chan is honest in challenging us to really look at our own faith and he is not afraid to make us umcomfortable with this honesty!

He reminds us that the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who believes and talks a lot about what we should do about it, "The way of the Spirit is not a gentle downhill grade. Often, walking with the Spirit is an uphill trudge through all sorts of distractions and difficulties" (page 93).

If you want to be challenged in your faith and if you need a reminder that God is actually living in you through his Spirit, I encourage you to get a copy of this book!

One of the most powerful parts of the book that has stuck with me is this one: "To submit and give up everything truly is radical and terrifying. However, when I think deeply about it, walking in my own wisdom, contrary to the Spirit's leading, is even more frightful" (page 126).

Gloomy Day in Pittsburgh

2009-09-28T09:33:00.002-04:00

Monday mornings are always rough. Rainy monday mornings even tougher. But rainy, cold, monday mornings after a weekend of Pitt losing and the Steelers losing....that's a bad day.

Youth House Renovations

2009-09-23T09:22:00.004-04:00

Towards the end of the summer, we decided to make some changes in our youth house at church. We are so lucky to have our own space, but we wanted to make it a little more fun and youth friendly. Here are some pictures of the new renovations!

We painted the kitchen and made a coffee/tea spot

The middle school boys worked hard putting together Ikea furniture!

This chalkboard/magnetic wall is everyone's favorite change

We tore out the old carpet to find beautiful wood floors!

New couch covers, rug, lights, and accessories

Yeah...I'm a Regular

2009-09-16T09:34:00.003-04:00

Getting married and moving to a new place has been an exciting adventure and a lot of changes. It has been an adjustment in some ways to make this new place our home, but today I felt a little more at home than usual. I walked into Starbucks to get my morning coffee and the girl behind the counter had already prepared exactly what I get! It feels good to be remembered...and to be a "regular".

Update on Life

2009-09-04T09:50:00.005-04:00

Today could be a big day...Nolan interviewed a few weeks ago for a job at the University of Pittsburgh working in their leadership development office and will hopefully hear back today! This job really is a dream job in a way for him because he would be working a lot with Greek life on campus and a variety of other student groups, which is really where his passions lie! In the meantime, he applied for an after school teaching job at the Pittsburgh Project, and he got an official job offer in the mail yesterday! He would be teaching inner-city 1st and 2nd graders in the North Side of Pittsburgh...I know, so cute! He was really thrilled about the job, but unfortunately it's only 20 hours a week, so we are waiting on the Pitt job! Thanks so much to all of you who have spent hours praying for us and supporting us! The support from family, friends, and church members has been overwhelming during this time!! But keep praying!!

As for me, work has really been picking up as the fall is beginning. I miss my youth group kids though now that they are in school and busy with all sorts of activities. We had our kick-off to Teen Community Bible Study this past Tuesday and it went very well! We did a "carnival theme" with popcorn, sno-cones, cotton candy, hot dogs, and games. I am the teaching director for Teen CBS this year which means I will be teaching a lesson most weeks and also doing a lot of behind the scenes work and encouraging the small group leaders. I am very excited because we are studying the book of Genesis this year, so there shouldn't be a dull moment!

I am currently sitting at Brueggers eating an apple bagel and waiting for Nolan to get off work so we can go to the driving range. I love Fridays!

Angels of a Lower Flight by Susie Krabacher

2009-09-03T10:36:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading this book written by a former "playmate" turned humanitarian. Susie describes her tragic childhood and her time in the world of Playboy as a model in the beginning chapters of the book and how these years led her to travel to Haiti. The suffering and dying children of Haiti became her passion and she committed her life to work there.

This is a story of overcoming extreme obstacles to help the children of Haiti, and it is an inspiring story. I love reading about what is going on in different parts of the world, and it is always a blessing to know that there are people out there loving "the least of these." Although it is not the focus of the book, Susie talks about her journey with God, and how she ends up relying on Him and His Word to serve the people of Haiti.

Susie's organization called Mercy and Sharing has a website: www.haitichildren.com

A calm Friday

2009-08-28T09:36:00.004-04:00

So life has been crazy lately and I don't think there has been one day where something hasn't been going on. But today, is Friday and neither of us have to go to work. I slept in a little, made coffee and am now sitting outside on a lawn chair reading and enjoying my coffee and the lovely morning. Nolan is still sleeping and its just relaxing. I even talked to our new neighbor this morning, which I am really excited about. A group of young people just moved in next door yesterday as part of the Pittsburgh Fellows Program. It's a Christian program where they work 4 days a week and take seminary classes on Friday. I am very excited to have neighbors our age!

Happy Friday!

Our Apartment in Sewickley!

2009-08-24T09:56:00.010-04:00

Bedroom:

Bathroom...yes it is as small as it looks

Kitchen/Dining:

My husband built the cabinet and shelves!!

VERY important part of our apartment!

Living Room:

TV/DVDs...Law and Order is on as usual!

Living Room to Kitchen: One of our favorite gifts:

Pottery Night

2009-08-24T09:15:00.005-04:00

Last Wednesday Night, we had a Middle School Night at church. I took a group of girls to a local place where you can paint your own pottery and then we went out to ice cream. 8 girls came which was a really great turn out and it was a lot of fun! Nolan took 5 boys to a Pirates game and they had a great time as well! Unfortunately we only have one camera, so here are some shots of the girls:

Seniors 2009

2009-08-17T10:20:00.006-04:00

In youth ministry, the end of the summer means saying goodbye to a class of students as they prepare for the next phase of their life. This year, our youth group had a very large group of graduating seniors that will be greatly missed. As a farewell to the seniors, I planned a night out in Pitttsburgh for them before they all head in various directions this fall. We went to Station Square and had dinner at Buca di Beppo, took the incline up Mt. Washington, and then had ice cream sundeas back at the church where we prayed them out and gave them a gift. This was a bitter sweet night because I have really had the opportunity to get to know some of these students over the past two years at Mt. Carmel. I am so excited for each of them and the things that they are headed off to this Fall! Here are some pictures from the night:

Yikes...I officially stink at blogging!

2009-08-10T12:59:00.002-04:00

I am afraid that I may have lost my very small group of blog followers due to my long lack of blogging. But now that things are settling down a little and our schedule is becoming mroe regular I would like to get back to the whole blogging thing.

We have been married for over two months now, and life is wonderful! We have finally unpacked and made our apartment feel more like "home." It has definitely been fun adjusting to living with a boy instead of a house full of girls!

This summer has been full of craziness: moving, our wedding, honeymoon, mission trip, getting a new pastor, New Wilmington Mission Conference, Nolan looking for a job, various friends' weddings, and the list goes on! All of these things have made for a really special time in our lives and a great beginning to this new phase!

The good news is that Nolan starts a new job today! He is working part-time at the Starbucks in Moon Township...and yes this means a free pound of coffee every week which is a huge plus to me!! He is still on the hunt, however for something a little more permanant and something that may fit his ambitions a little better.

Pictures of our apartment and our summer to come....

Sorry for the Silence!

2009-06-17T15:19:00.007-04:00

I realize it has been quite a while since I updated this, but I have been rather busy getting married and all! I won't say much here except that the wedding was truly amazing and I would not have changed one single thing about it (except maybe that the day was longer!!) Nolan and I just got back from our honeymoon and are settling into life together. Our apartment is great and our neighborhood is so much fun! I am trying to be patient waiting for the wedding photos to come which is not easy, but for now here are few of my favorites from our honeymoon in Sarasota, FL.

My American Idol Thoughts

2009-05-20T10:13:00.003-04:00

So until this year, I hadn't really gotten into the American Idol thing, but this year--I am hooked!! Danny and Kris were a few of my favorites from the very beginning so I am happy they made it to the final three, and I was sad to see Danny go.

Unfortunately, I missed the live show last night so I had to watch online today, but of course I am routing for Kris!! Not only do I think he's great, but he's kinda the underdog in this competition. Even the judges seem to have it out for him. He totally got jipped last night when the "theme song" was chosen, because it is such a better song for Adam's voice than Kris'!!

My prediction for tonight: KRIS ALLEN. I'm not just saying this because he is my choice but, I think that the people who vote the most (young girls!) are Kris fans. I also think that the people who were voting for Danny, will now vote for Kris over Adam. Let's see what happens! :-)

PS...on a completely different note: I AM GETTING MARRIED IN TEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

The wait has almost come to an end!

2009-04-08T15:49:00.003-04:00

This week brought some very exciting news for my church, Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church. We have found a new pastor!! Ever since I started at Mt. Carmel, we have been without a pastor. It has been truly incredible to see the ways in which people have stepped up in leadership and the church has grown in numbers and in faith! It has also been very challenging for me as a brand new youth leader to be without the accountability, mentorship, and leadership that a pastor can provide. His name is Mike and he has two kids who will be in the youth group which is also a bonus!

One of the incredible ways God has revealed Himself in this process is the timing. This coming August it will be three years since the church's previous pastor left the church. This is the exact same month that our new pastor obeyed a call from God and started seminary! Talk about God choosing someone and preparing them for His work!!

He still has to preach before the congregation so that they can vote him in as the official pastor, but hopefully this part of the process will go well!

Job Shadow

2009-04-06T12:43:00.001-04:00

Mallory is one of the Senior girls this year that I have had the opportunity to get to know. She attends a different church, but has come on a few trips with us and comes to various events. Mallory will be graduating in June and going to school for youth ministry (wahoo!) As part of her senior project, she had to do a job shadow with someone who does the career she would like to pursue, so she asked me! She came in and spent the morning with me in the office doing odd jobs, asking questions about being a youth leader, and she even wrote an article for next month's youth newsletter!

It's so exciting as a youth leader to share life experiences with my students and it's such an honor to know that some of them want to do ministry! It was a fun day with Mallory, and she is one of the many seniors I will dearly miss next year!

I love my youth group!

2009-04-02T11:35:00.002-04:00

Somedays my job is crazy and stressful, but then there are moments where I sit back and realize that I think that I have the best job in the world! Wednesday afternoons are often a highlight of my week because my high school girls come hang out in my office for small group. Yesterday, I thought it would be a typical Wednesday, but my youth group girls decorated our youth house and threw me a surprise wedding shower!!! It was so sweet and lots of fun! They had yummy food and awesome presents! Thanks girls! This is a picture of a few of my girls raiding my office! They made this picture the background on my computer and it makes me happy every time I look at it! Rachel is the girl in the middle. She is a senior this year and leaving me soon!!! She is the one who put the shower together and I love her! The other two are Jordan and Lauren who also helped with the shower. They are sophomores so I get to hold onto them for a little while longer!

Update

2009-04-01T11:07:00.002-04:00

It has been awhile since I last updated, sorry about that! A lot has been going on around here lately, and things have been very busy!

Last weekend I took a much needed trip to Philadelphia to visit my best friend Abbie. We had a really great time and it was so nice to just not have a schedule for a few days! We did lots of shopping and I bought two dresses that I absolutely love for my shower and rehearsal dinner.

That brings me to what else is new....our wedding is in less than 2 months! Ah! I am looking forward to this day sooo much...and I won't be sad to say goodbye to all the planning, although its been fun! I decided to change the look of my blog for a little while to reflect the wedding (green and brown are the colors).

In a little over two weeks I will be going to Colorado for about 5 days to train for Teen Community Bible Study. I am really looking forward to this trip because I have never been that far west before!

Hope to update again soon!

Climbing Higher Retreat

2009-03-17T12:07:00.004-04:00

This past weekend, a small group from Mt. Carmel joined some other youth groups in the area for a retreat called Climbing Higher. This was a really great weekend, and the small group of Mt. Carmel students really provided the opportunity to get to know each other better. It was also really fun to see all my MLUPC friends who I don't get to see very often!

The band "Brother" led worship, and each session was really amazing! The students learned some new songs that impacted them and it was such a blessing to see my students really getting into worship and praising God. This is certainly an exciting thing for a youth leader!

The speaker focused on these verses from Romans throughout the weekend: "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:1-2). It was so interesting to hear the students' perspective on what the pattern of this world is and how we can change our lives to reflect the pattern of God's world. Here are a few pictures from the group sessions this weekend.

Complete Gratitude

2009-02-24T11:33:00.005-05:00

It's been awhile since I have read a book that was just a story, and I am now reminded of how much I love to read them! I came across this book while on an afternoon trip to Barnes and Nobles (one of my favorite things to do!) Last year, I saw the movie The Kite Runner and was really moved by it, so I thought this was a good choice.

This is the story of two women who grow up in Afghanistan in the late 20th century. The book begins with one young girls story, then moves to another girl, and then continues to tell the story of their lives together as wives married to one husband. Their stories are full of hardship and oppression. They experience the transformation of Afghanistan from a place where they have a life of freedom and carefree childhood to a country in which women are treated terribly and forced to live in fear. Fear of their husbands, fear of the government, and fear for their own safety in the midst of a country full of warfare.

The way in which the author tells the history of Afghanistan through the lives of these two women is incredibly powerful because it doesn't seem like you are reading a history book, although you are learning all the history just the same, and from a very intimate perspective. The history element of the story becomes especially interesting when the day of September 11th is described. There were many times that my heart actually hurt while reading this story. The suffering and loss these two women experience is truly tragic, and I often felt a portion of this heartache right along with them.

It seems cliche to talk about how lucky we are in America to not have the same struggles as these women encounter, but I was reminded of this reality while reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. I am reminded of how blessed I am to be treated as an intelligent and worthy person. I am reminded how blessed I am to be able to go for a walk and enjoy my neighborhood. I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a job, especially one that is typically seen as a male role. Perhaps the biggest blessing I am reminded of is the blessing to be marrying a man who loves me and would never ever want to hurt me, a man who supports me in my dreams and helps me pursue them. So many women in our world do not have this experience.

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in my own life, in my own relationships, and in my own future. These are the times that I need a wake up call to keep me humble and keep me grateful. Reading this book was one of those times. Although it tells a tragic story, there is a sense of hope in the end and a reminder that even in the midst of complete tragedy, we have been given the gift of love, and that we need to recognize this gift and enjoy it! I won't give away anything else, so I will close by highly recommending this very powerful book!

"Spring" Cleaning

2009-02-23T15:13:00.006-05:00

Winter has begun to take its toll on me this year! I long for the days of flip-flops and sundresses and eating ice cream outside! At this point, I would settle for a day when I don't have to scrape my car windows in the morning!

The mess in my office was driving me crazy today so I thought I would do some cleaning and organizing, with the hope that "spring cleaning" would make it seem warmer outside. As you may have guessed...it didn't work. In fact I think it got colder in here! I decided to give into my craving and look online for spring stuff. Come soon warm weather!!

On Cooking

2009-02-12T19:36:00.005-05:00

Since trading in cafeteria cuisine for whatever I can whip up, I have taken a great liking to the art of cooking. I never thought that this chore could be quite so enjoyable! Recently, I was reading one of my old issues of Real Simple (great magazine!...and not many annoying ads!) I came across an article entitled "10 Things Cooking has Taught me About Life." I really enjoyed reading the author's list about things she has learned from cooking and it made me think about the lessons that I myself have come to learn.

Here is her list, and then I added a few of my own!
1. Small gestures can make a big difference
2. Cheap thrills are closer than you think (she encourages readers to grow some of their own food, which I can't wait to do someday!)
3. Control is overrated (I've learned that having others help you is much more important than having it done your way)
4. Sing if you must, but stop thinking so much (it's just like singing in the shower, and it really helps me to enjoy cooking!)
5. There are always second chances (this is huge for me! the good thing about cooking for just myself is that nobody has to know if it turns out bad!)
6. Substance beats style every time (amen sister! I would take a good old hamburger over tiny pretentious portions any day!)
7. We all have what it takes to create something (this is the great thing about cooking...whether it's mac and cheese or filet mignon...it's still cooking, and you still get to eat the final product!)
8. Communicate, any way you can (she shares the story of how cooking with her family allowed for conversation about challenging stuff)
9. your instinct may be the best, but it's your's
10. Less really more (this may be my favorite point because somedays there is just nothing better than a grilled cheese and tomato soup, or a good old PB & J...extra crunchy on the PB of course!)

Now it's my turn:
11. Cooking=total stress reliever! This may be the opposite of some people, but for now in my life, I look forward to cooking after a long day...really takes my mind off of the busyness of life.
12. It really is more blessed to give than receive I totally agree with this when it comes to food...I have found that cooking for others is a great way for me to show how much I care about them! Hopefully they see this as a blessing!
13. Wonderful bonding One of my favorite parts about living in a house of girls this year has been the time spent together in the kitchen. I love sharing recipes and creations with them, and I love it when they share theirs with me!
14. Great excuse to shop If you know me at all, you know I love shopping, pretty much any kind! Since I have gotten into cooking, I have really come to appreciate the wonderfulness that is William Sonoma, Pier One, etc. Sometimes I just like looking at pretty dishes or cool appliances or even mixing bowls...don't judge!

So that's my list, hope you enjoyed it!

Movies

2009-01-26T12:03:00.005-05:00

I have always been a movie lover, but now that I am out of school, I seem to have more time to spend watching movies. Although 2009 just began, I have had the opportunity to see some very great and powerful movies. Here are my thoughts on three of them:

I went into this movie with no idea what it was really about and sort of indifferent towards seeing it. I'm glad I did though! If you are sensitive to cursing, then this is certainly not the film for you. Honestly, I am usually opposed to so much cursing and offensive stereotypes in a movie, but Eastwood depicts an unfortunate reality in this film. Eastwood's character is a Korean War Vet and still harbors serious racism against those of Asian descent. This was sad to me, especially when I realize that there are so many people just like him who are racist still today in America. Although Eastwood's character is very rough around the edges, and is not appropriate for children and younger teenagers, the movie does an excellent job of depicting the power of transformation that comes out of having compassion and kindness. It takes a very unlikely person to make Walt (Eastwood) change his views about others and about himself. A Chinese teenage girl who lives next door decides that she is not going to give up on Walt, no matter how terrible he is towards her. Walt ends up protecting her family on many occasions, and teaching her brother how to be a man. Without giving away the ending, I will just say that this film has a variety of redemptive qualities and it depicts the power of grace and sacrificial love in a way that no other film ever has.

Now this is an incredible film! Defiance is the story of Jewish brothers living in Europe during World War 2 who come home to their murdered family, and realize that they must escape to survive the Germans. The movie doesn't focus much on the war itself, and it certainly doesn't glamorize war, it depicts some very tragic and graphic realities. Rather, it tells the true story of brothers who start a community in the woods to avoid their German attackers. They take the responsibility of protecting and leading all the Jewish escapees who join them in the woods. They are constantly on guard, and often on the movie to avoid being discovered. This movie is an incredible commmentary on human suffering and overcoming obstacles that I can't even begin to imagine. This movie tells a story of hope in the midst of a hopeless situation. One of the most powerful lines in the film for me is when Daniel Craig's character is speaking to all the Jews in the group and he says, "We may be hunted like animals, but we must not become like animals." The journey of these people depicted in the film chronicles their desire to do just this, maintain their humanity. This true story is incredibly powerful, especially because it seems as if stories like this one aren't often told. I would highly recommend this film.

Also, a great movie. Tom Cruise was excellent in this film about a secret mission to kill Hitler. Not only is this movie very entertaining, but it is also incredible to hear yet another story about World War 2 that seems to be hidden from history. I know a thing or two about history, so I knew the outcome of this mission, but the film still had a way of keeping me in suspense.

Family Christmas

2009-01-07T09:46:00.004-05:00

Things are starting to go back to normal after the craziness of the holidays. I can't believe it's already 2009! This Christmas was really great. I got to see a lot of family and Nolan got to spend a lot of time with them too. Here's some pictures of the family downtown.

Luke 6:27-36

2009-01-05T12:12:00.003-05:00

So as a New Year's resolution of sorts, I have really been feeling called to read the whole Bible this year. I had my lesson for youth group on Sunday planned for a while and it was really neat how God decided to bring together my lesson and one of the early readings in my yearly plan. In youth group, I talked about examples of extreme faith and how we are called to live a life that often doesn't make sense to the world we are living in.

I got the inspiration to share this when I read a quote in Francis Chan's book Crazy Love. Chan writes, "Something is wrong if our life makes sense to unbelievers." Wow, talk about convicting. I've been thinking about this a whole lot lately and enjoyed sharing it with my high school students last night. We talked about God calling Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and how crazy that must have seemed. Then we talked about Noah and how people thought he was a lunatic for building a huge boat to protect himself from some alleged flood. But despite the outlandish situations they found themselves in, both of these men were faithful to their calling.
And because they took these crazy steps of faith, God blessed them in amazing ways.

This brings me to the reading in Luke this morning. It was the section about loving your enemies. Jesus teaches: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that."

Jesus has a way of putting things so simply, yet so powerfully. This passage really convicted me today because honestly, if I'm just serving and loving those who are grateful for it, and those who are going to return the love, big deal. If we want to give God the credit he deserves, we need to show his love to those who may not want it or return it. And that's my little thought for the day.

Better Late than Never

2008-12-18T11:33:00.005-05:00

Back in October, Nolan and I took our first trip to visit his parents in their new home in Gainesville Florida. We had the opportunity to see the Gators play, which was really fun! I just downloaded the pictures and thought it would be appropriate to put them up and show my support for the Gators in the National Championship coming up in a few weeks!

Watching the "Gator Walk". This is a tradition where the football team walks from the bus to the stadium and everyone cheers.

With Nolan's parents in front of the Gator Statue

Nolan's aunt, uncle, and cousin came too!

Gator Tailgate Party!

Us with Kirsten

Go Gators!

Jumonville! 2

2008-12-17T09:21:00.003-05:00

Jumonville!

2008-12-16T11:12:00.003-05:00

This past weekend the youth group went to the PYN Fall Retreat, Jumonville. It was a great weekend of speakers, music, skits, games, and just hanging out. We took 12 girls and 3 guys. Each time we go on a retreat, I feel as if our youth group really gets to know each other in a different way than we do in weekly youth group. It's amazing to see how God works in the lives of these high school students and I am constantly in awe of their faith in Him! Here are some pictures from the weekend:

Operation Christmas Child

2008-12-11T10:01:00.004-05:00

The youth group participated in a service project last week called Operation Christmas Child. This is run through an organization called Samaritan's Purse. We asked the members of the church to bring in items to pack shoeboxes full of small toys, school supplies, and hygiene items and send to children around the world for Christmas. I set a goal for the youth group to pack 25 boxes. It was so exciting to see people jump on board with this project, and we ended up packing 56 boxes!! On Sunday at youth group, we organized all the items, wrapped and packed the boxes, made cards for the children, and prayed over the boxes. It is so neat to see the students in my youth group desiring to step outside of themselves and really think about serving God and others!

Cooking Class

2008-12-11T09:36:00.003-05:00

This past Friday, my girls small group took a cooking class together with Leila. Leila is a member of the church who has her own catering business, Wonderfood Catering. She is an amazing cook and a great teacher too! We cooked Chicken Stroganoff, which is a popular Brazilian dish (Leila's Brazilian!) This was just so much fun. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to know each of these girls and to see all the ways God is working in their lives!

God....or His stuff?

2008-12-08T15:08:00.005-05:00

I've been slowly reading Francis Chan's newest book, Crazy Love. So far I am enjoying it and it is causing me to reflect on my response to God. Chan's book focuses on what it is like to truly be "overwhelmed by a relentless God."

As I was reading today, one section really caught my attention, and seemed like a perfect message to be reminded of around Christmas.

"The best gifts in life are gifts from the One who steadfastly loves us. But one important question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we in love with God or just His stuff?"

This question really made me feel convicted. I will be the first to admit that there are times I am desperately in love with what this world has to offer me. It seems no matter how hard I try to resist it, some part of me wants more of this world than of God. I also think its easy to fall into a trap where we justify our love for "stuff" because all of it is created by God. Chan continues...

"Imagine how awful it would feel to have your child say to you, 'I don't really love you or want your love, but I would like my allowance, please.' Conversely, what a beautiful gift it is to have the one you love look you in the eye and say, 'I love you. Not your beauty, your money, your family, your car. Just you.' Can you say that to God?"

I long to be a person who answers YES! to that question, not just somedays, but everyday.

Happy "Peppermint Mocha" Season!

2008-12-03T10:53:00.005-05:00

There are few things that I would say I am "OCD" about. Two of these things, however, happen to revolve around Black Friday.

The first of these things is that I absolutely refuse to listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. (Don't even get me started on the radio stations that start it right after Halloween--I think it gets earlier every year!) For me, it usually comes on our traditional early- morning shopping excursion. All year, I wait with anticipation for the day that I can pop in my NSYNC Christmas CD (which remains in my CD player for the remaining month until Christmas). I realize that revealing this guilty pleasure of mine may be met with judgment and a few laughs, but let's face it, NSYNC just has a REALLY good Christmas album, so judge away! This brings me to the bad news, this year I searched high and low for my NSYNC Christmas CD...nowhere to be found! So I figured, no big deal, I'll get another one when we go shopping on Friday. No luck. I am still on the hunt. If you have any leads, please let me know!

Second, I force myself to wait until after Thanksgiving to get my first Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks, and let me tell you, it is always worth the wait! Once I drink my first one, I'm usually stuck on them for the rest of the winter season. I had my first one the other day, and it just tasted like Christmas! If you have yet to experience Starbucks' Peppermint Mocha, I would highly recommend a coffee run soon! (I recommend asking for it "extra hot", that way it lasts longer!)

It's so fun having silly little traditions such as these, and I hope you all have similar ones! It's also so exciting to think about all the new traditions that come with getting married and starting my own family. Crazy to think about!!!

Proud to be a Pittsburgher

2008-12-02T13:44:00.005-05:00

Usually during weeks like this, when the weather is cold and rainy and when the sun doesn't want to shine, I dream of living in a city where I can wear less layers and where I can feel my fingers. This week, however, I was reminded of how much I love my city of Pittsburgh.

After a midnight shopping excursion the day after thanksgiving, Nolan and I bundled up and headed down to a very chaotic Heinz Field for the traditional "Backyard Brawl" between Pitt and West Virginia. Fans from both sides did their fair share of trash talking and chanting. The game was close and suspenseful up until the last few minutes, but in the end Pitt pulled out a win.

It's amazing to me how sporting events can really bring people together. I love the feeling of high-fiving complete strangers and it being completely normal! Then there's the classic "Go home Mountaineers!" chant that broke out in the stadium.

Still enjoying Friday's win, we settled in to watch the Steelers play the Patriots on Sunday evening. Although, we got off to a rocky start, the Steelers were on fire! I would normally consider myself a compassionate person, but if I am honest, it felt great to see the Patriots turn the ball over 5 times in the second half!!

A win always feels good, but especially when it's against the Patriots!!

All this to say, it's a good week to be a Pittsburgh sports fan, and I wouldn't trade this title for anything! Go Steelers!

Giving Thanks

2008-11-25T16:53:00.006-05:00

On the eve of one of my favorite holidays, I decided it was necessary to have a post devoted to the wonderful celebration of Thanksgiving. It is easy this time of year to have a feeling of guilt because I know I have so much, and I also know there are people who have so little. This year, however, I decided to have a different focus. Instead of feeling guilty, I am going to honor God by actually thanking him that I do have so much, and for the fact that he has blessed me in so many ways so that I may bless others. When I started to make a list of all the things I have to be thankful for this year, it was interesting to me that all my "things" were not the first to come to my mind. Instead, it became a list of simple, and often silly, things that I am the most thankful for. It is these very things that I so often take for granted, but should be aware of daily. This list may sound weird to you, but each one makes me smile just to think about. So here goes...

drinking coffee out of one my favorite mugs

when nolan sends me texts in the middle of the day, just to say hi

living with awesome and fun woman as roomates

knowing that in six months, I'm marrying my best friend!

putting on a hoodie right after its been in the dryer

the clearance rack at Target

slippers

post-it notes that I use to remind myself of things (the main decor of my my office!)

afternoon naps (actually, naps are good any time of the day)

crossing tasks off of my daily to-do lists

being paid to hang out with amazing teenagers

waking up before my alarm and realizing I have another hour to sleep

living in a community where my friends have become a family

cooking with someone

pictures to remember all my life experiences

peppermint mochas from Starbucks (you can order them any time of year, but it only feels right around Christmas!)

putting in a fresh pair of contacts

going for walks

rainy Saturdays

DVR (to record my favorite shows)

"Let the Children Come..."

2008-11-20T11:11:00.008-05:00

Anyone who knows me at all knows my heart for children and how my heart breaks for children in dire situations. Throughout my short life, I consider myself so blessed to have met so many children from so many different places and countries. As the holidays are just around the corner, I have been thinking a lot these experiences and all the children I have met. I often wonder what the holidays are like for them. Often, I think about the fact that there is no difference between me and them: we were all born into this world in the image of God, we are all children of God and we are all loved by Him. But for many of them, they were born into such a different "world" than me! I have spent many hours thinking through these things, and really struggling with them.

As I reflect on all the experiences I have had, I took a little trip down memory lane. I thought about my recent trip to Kenya and my trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic and the summer I spent travelling throughout Russia. What a wonderfully beautiful world full of people God has created! Then I think about all the times I ask God "why?": why did someone so young have to get sick? why do bad things happen to good people? why are there thousands of children going to bed hungry and tired tonight? I could literally go on all day asking these questions. It is easy to wonder where God is in all these things. It's moments like this, however, God shows up. He reminds me that he was already in all the places I have travelled before I arrived, and he reminds me that he is there still today (even in the middle of Siberia where it can be as cold as negative 60 degrees!!!)

Some people that I meet come in and out of my life, and I may forget their faces quickly. But many of the faces of children I have met will probably stay in my mind forever. Because although many of these children have experienced pain in ways I can only imagine, their faces have more joy than anyone, and that's why I know when I remember their faces, or when I look at a photograph, I believe that am truly looking into the face of God. This kinda blows my mind, and I am reminded of how big God is.

There are days where I wish I had all the answers for the questions I struggle with, but then I am reminded not to take things for granted. To go where God calls me and to look at others through His eyes and not mine. I have seen God in so many places and people, but sometimes I have to look really hard! How can you see the Lord's face in the people around you?

Just for fun, here's some pictures of the children I have met over the past few years. I am amazed at how beautiful they are everytime I remember them!

Kenyan School Children

Some of the boys in Kenya

Nenet Children from a remote village in Siberia, Russia

A Russian girl named Tanya who truly showed me what unconditional love is

A few of the orphans in Mexico

This is a sweet little girl from the Dominican Republic

More energetic and beautiful Dominican children

Maybe this post has been me rambling my thoughts. Or maybe not. Maybe you have seen God in the eyes of someone around you. I have been considering ways to act on the passion for children that God has put on my heart this year. As a service project next month, our youth group is going to do Operation Christmas Child. This is a project which takes shoe boxes that people have filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items and distributes them to children all over the world. It's a great opportunity to serve God by serving his children! It's also something you can do together as a family, group of friends, couple, etc. It's not too late to put together a box this year, so I urge you to consider this (maybe even as an alternative to the typical Christmas gift exchange!) Here's the website: samaritanspurse.org

More retreat pictures...

2008-11-12T15:52:00.005-05:00

S.H.A.P.E. Weekend

2008-11-10T11:38:00.011-05:00

Last weekend, 10 high school students, one of my leaders, and I went on a retreat to the Cotter's cabin in Cook Forest. The weather was gorgeous and it was a great weekend! It was so nice to just get away with a small group of students and not be on a rigid schedule for the weekend. We cooked all our own food, slept in, and even had a dance party. On Saturday night I set up worship stations for the students to spend time working through. God really worked through this activity because each student spent time at a station which really meant something to them and helped them to connect with God. Here are a few pictures from the weekend, hopefully there will be more to come!

This is called the Fire Tower, not really sure why it was built but it was very high and had a beautiful view of Cook Forest.

Brandon enjoying the view

Erin, me, and Lexi trying to capture how high up we were

Most of the group

The girls on our hike

By the way...

2008-10-27T12:42:00.001-04:00

By the way, the tree outside my office that was absolutely gorgeous a week ago is now bare....I'm not ready for the inevitable Pittsburgh winter.

It's been a while.

2008-10-27T12:03:00.005-04:00

I realize I have been lacking for blog posts recently, and I would like to put an end to that. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and I have a feeling that life is going to get even crazier!

As so many people have, I've been thinking a lot about politics and the election lately. (It seems as if this is unavoidable in the world right now!) Now I do not think of myself as a political genuis by any stretch of the imagination (or any type of genius for that matter), but over the past few weeks, I have been trying to absorb as much as I can and make informed decisions and conclusions. I am not going to advertise who I am voting for, or rant about something that I know little of, but I would like to share some observations, lessons, and questions I have in light of pre-election America.

First, I have been surprised and impressed with the involvement of young people in the election buzz. As I think back to my high school days, not only did I know absolutely nothing about politics, but to be honest, I didn't really care to. I have talked with some of my youth group students and other young people who seem really passionate about major issues. While I think teenagers should enjoy where they are in life and not try to grow up to quickly, the fact that they are taking an interest in certain issues and questioning what they hear gives me a great sense of hope for our future!

Secondly, I have been utterly disappointed by the media during this election season. I find it very difficult to be well informed because it seems like every media outlet is biased in their reports. This is frustrating. For this reason, I have enjoyed listening to the various debates this time around because that seems to be the only way to hear directly from the candidates and also to hear the information in its intended context. I also find the "smear campaigns" disappointing. I would rather see someone promote themselves in a positive way than spend time and money portraying someone else in a negative light.

Thirdly, I have been struggling a lot lately with what it means to engage in politics as a Christian. There are so many things about politics and politicians that I strongly believe do not come from God, but at the same time I think He wants us to be informed about our world and to actively participate in it. I have heard the opinions of many Christians about all of this. Some are all for McCain, some all for Obama, some are completely apathetic about it all, some are bitter about politics in general, and others are just avoiding the topic at all cost. As I attempt to approach everything from a Christian perspective, I ask myself the questions: "what's more important: the personal morals and beliefs of our leaders or the economic policies they enforce?" "How do I as a Christian approach the military system our country is under?" "As a Christian, should having a Christian president be important?" "Is the role of the presidency overrated in our nation?"

Maybe these questions don't seem like much to you, but they are ones I have really been wrestling with.

When I attended a panel discussion of professors at Geneva about these very issues, one point raised has stuck with me, and has been a ray of hope to me in all of this. The professors were discussing the common notion that young people have no power to change Washington. But they reminded us that where we can make the most change is in our local government and in our community by volunteering and standing firm in the changes we would like to see. This is such a great reminder that I don't have to be some complex political thinker to make a difference in my world, but rather I need to find what I am passionate about, and look for opportunities to use that passion to improve my world. This is exactly what the title of my blog is all about. I am so inspired by the Ghandi quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

The Leaves Are Changing!

2008-10-09T09:20:00.002-04:00

So don't get me wrong, I am definitely a summer girl and I love the hot weather, but there is something about this time of year that just makes my insides feel happy! I've been in a sort of mourning period the past few days because it seems that summer just up and left without any sort of warning. Then I was driving to work today and I realized how beautiful it is outside. I often take for granted my drive across Beaver County each morning, but it really is gorgeous because all I can see is hills full of trees.

Nolan and I are leaving for Florida tonight to visit his parents. They haven't seen the ring yet, so we are excited, and I am looking forward to a weekend of relaxing! Life has been so crazy with ending the summer, starting fall youth group stuff, mission trip to Kenya, and getting engaged. It will be so great to just get away for the weekend and relax :-)

Luckiest Girl in the World!

2008-09-30T15:07:00.003-04:00

I suppose it's normal for a newly-engaged girl to feel like the luckiest girl in the world, but I have been blessed beyond my imagination over the past week! Besides, the thought of marrying a guy I am completely in love with, the best part of getting engaged has definitely been sharing this with all the special people in my life. The fact that everyone else is so genuinely excited for me and Nolan, makes me even more excited myself! It's only been a week, and already I can tell this is going to be a crazy and special time!

My youth group girls were some of my favorite people to tell that I was engaged, they were so thrilled that it made me giddy! I look forward to including them in this process. On Sunday when I came into my office, one of my youth group girls and one of my leaders had snuck into my office and decorated it...this was so much appreciated and such a sweet gesture!! Here's what my office now looks like, I'm afraid it will feel boring when I take the decorations down!

Engaged!

2008-09-26T08:53:00.006-04:00

This past Tuesday night, Nolan proposed at our favorite coffee shop...and as you can guess I said YES! It was a romantic and amazing night. After the proposal, he arranged for our friends to meet up with us and celebrate. One of our friends, Taylor, is a wonderful photographer and took some beautiful shots from the night. Bethany even made my favorite chocolate mint cheesecake!! This was such an exciting night and I feel so blessed to have shared it with some of our closest friends! Here are some of my favorite shots from the night:

Gotta show off that ring!!

Talking with our good friend Ryan

Down on one knee!

I'm pretty much glowing in this picture

Celebrating with friends

Transitions...

2008-09-16T15:44:00.004-04:00

Over the past few days, it has begun to hit me that I'm done with college, and kind of a grown up now (scary, I realize!) Although I started to work full time in June, the summer just felt like any old summer. Then the excitement of preparing for Kenya, and actually going to Kenya consumed my life for a few weeks. I'm finally getting back into the groove, but it just feels weird not going to class and not seeing my youth group students as much.

For a few days I have been in what I like to call "a funk" with the whole growing up thing. I was almost beating myself up about it, but after talking to a few people I trust, I realized it's normal to feel this way. Not being a student anymore, and working full time, and being entrusted with the lives of students IS a big deal. I should be worried if I wasn't feeling all of these changes!

Yesterday, I took my weekly day off and Nolan and I went to the Grove City Outlets. The place was practically empty, and the weather was kind of chilly. This made for the perfect day to just walk around and take our time shopping and talking. It may sound silly, but it was one of the best days I have had in a long time! What a lucky girl I am :-)

That's all for today...

A Few of my Favorite Photos

2008-09-12T10:05:00.016-04:00

I feel like I am finally beginning to process all that God did in my heart during my trip to Kenya, although I know this will be a process. I've been thinking a lot lately about all the people and places I have seen in the past few years. I have had the opportunity to travel a lot: 2 months in Siberian Russia, a school mission trip to Mexico, a leader for a trip to the Dominican Republic, and now a trip to Kenya with a mission team.

While I often dream of touring Europe or visiting exotic locales, I would not trade my "Third World Experiences" for any glamourous vacation! I've met people who walk miles each day to get water, I've met people who are unsure if they will make it through the winter because of the extreme conditions, I've met barefoot children who dream of being doctors and lawyers, I've met mothers who have given up their dreams for their children. It's so easy for me to wonder why me sometimes. Why did I get born in a country where we waste more food than is needed to feed the rest of the world? Why do I get to have a college degree and a bed to sleep in? These questions often lead to feelings of guilt or shame at all the things I take for granted, but God has taught me many lessons in this area.

For the short time I was in Kenya, I encountered more joy than I have in most of my life combined. The very people who have no shoes or no house, taught me that our God is simple, and calls us to live a simple life. The people of Kenya are blessed in a different way than me because when you have nothing, it's a lot easier to give it all up. I have so much stuff, and still I can think of more that I want. This desire for worldly "stuff" will probably never go away for me, but even if I strive a little more to live a simple life of faith, then I've taken a step in the right direction. Maybe all this is just me babbling, but maybe you can relate. Maybe you've seen God work in the little things: a smile and wave from a street kid or a breathtaking view or a man praying for the first time. These things may sound small, but each of these things changed my life over the past two weeks.

Only an incredible God could write the stories I have to tell!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Kenya. The country and the people were so beautiful!

Jambo!

2008-09-08T15:25:00.007-04:00

I'm home Kenya! The past 12 days have been truly and incredible and I have been so blessed to have had this amazing experience!! It's hard to even know how to describe such an experience in words. God is so alive in Kenya and I was so honored to find him there! I had the opportunity to work in a village school, visit a church, help build a well, and go on a safari!

If you know me at all, you can probably guess that working in the school was my favorite part. The children were so full of joy and energy, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced before! There wasn't a moment when I didn't have about 20 children petting my arms, holding my hand, or playing with my hair (my long blonde curls were especially popular!!)

Here are a few videos of the children of Joska (the village we visited). Enjoy!

One More Day!

2008-08-27T11:50:00.008-04:00

In 24 hours from right now, my journey to Kenya will have officially begun! I think it is finally hitting me that I am going to AFRICA! I could not be more excited! As I sit in my church office trying to finish up mailings and lesson plans for while I am gone, it is difficult to focus!

Please keep my trip in your prayers this week. The support I have recieved from so many people until now is such a blessing and a comfort, and I know that will continue while I am away! The leader of the trip is going to have his computer and will be updating his blog daily with pictures and stories of our experiences. If you're interested in checking out the blog click here: kenyablog

"Second Chance"

2008-08-25T21:19:00.014-04:00

After much delay, I finally figured out how to post this video. Jordan is one of my youth group girls and an amazing musician! This song is entitled "Second Chance" and she wrote the music and lyrics herself. Jordan has been such a blessing to the youth group and her music seemed to become the soundtrack of our summer. I feel so lucky to watch her use the gifts which God has given her.

The song is about how we always mess up, but God is always ready to give us a second chance and keep loving us. It's based on the verse 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come." What an amazing message!

It is truly comforting to serve a God who loves us despite of who we are! Instead, he sees us as his children and is constantly blessing us!

Keep Jordan in your prayers because she found out today that she has tendonitis in her hand which means she can't play the guitar as much. Music is one of her biggest passions, so this is not easy news to swallow. (not to mention she leads worship for youth group!)

Summer's Over?!

2008-08-21T10:17:00.003-04:00

Somehow, without my realizing it, summer decided to end. All of a sudden Nolan is back, I am moved into my new house, all my youth group students are going back to school, and I am preparing to go to Africa!! How did this happen?

With each of these beginnings, however, exciting things are happening. Of course it's great to have Nolan home after being gone for three months and I'm very excited about living with my new roommates!! I'm not ready for the kids to go back to school though! I am already missing being able to see them during the day and go out for lunch, hang out at the church, etc. It's amazing to reflect on the past few months though! The growth I have seen in my youth group is only by the work of God! I am so proud of my students' desire to follow Christ and I am so excited to see how God uses them in new ways in their schools!

This is also a weird time because for the first time since I was 5 years old, I am not going back to school in the fall! Although there are many things I will not miss like deadlines and early classes, I am truly going to miss being a student! I really feel like I am growing up, and that is certainly bittersweet in many ways.

In one week from this moment, I will be boarding a plane to Kenya. It's rather surreal to think about! I am so very excited that it's hard to focus on all that needs to be done before I leave. I feel so immensely blessed to have this opportunity and all the other travelling opportunities I have had in the past. There are not many 22 years olds who can say they have been to 7 foreign countries and 5 continents! Visiting East Africa, however, has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Thank you for all the prayers and support up to this point! And I ask for continued prayer! :o)

The Olympics

2008-08-13T10:13:00.009-04:00

So I've been really into watching the Olympics this time around. I've always enjoyed the olympics but, this year I actually look forward to seeing what events will be on that evening. My favorite has always been Gymnastics but this time I've come to appreciate all the diving, swimming, and beach volleyball.

It seems like people have been talking about the Olympics a lot this year, and it got me thinking, what other event attracts so much attention from the whole world?! I know this is not an original thought but, it's truly amazing the unity which emerges during these two weeks. It's pretty incredible that people from so many different countries, perspectives, religions, political parties, and dare I say "worldviews" are alongside one another for these few weeks. It truly is a good feeling to be a small part of it all, even if I am just watching from my couch thousands of miles away from the action.

I especially felt the rush of Olympic excitement last night when I watched Michael Phelps win his 10th Gold medal, giving him more than any other Olympic athlete in all of history! I have been immensely humbled by what Phelps, and other athletes have accomplished at such a young age. It's crazy to think that Phelps is just one year older than me, and the majority of the divers and gymnasts are much younger than me!

However strange it is, one of my favorite parts of watching the Olympics has been the Visa commercials narrated by Morgan Freeman. First of all, I love the man's voice, and would probably be touched by him talking about something as mundane as the ingredients of his breakfast cereal. Then, throw in the emotional photos in sepia tones, and it pushes me over the edge. But seriously, I think the commercials have a really neat message. I particularly enjoy the one about being human. I may not be getting these words exactly right, but after searching the internet, I could not find this commercial. Morgan Freeman says: "It's not the country they are from that make us cheer for them, but the fact that they are human, and we are human. When they succeed, we succeed." I think this is so true. Don't get me wrong, I love cheering for the athletes wearing red, white, and blue, but there's just something wonderful about seeing the white water rafting team from Togo win the country's first medal in olympic history! Maybe this is the reason that reality shows have come to dominate television, because however "real" we think it is, it portrays people who are just like us. We are people with flaws, who, every once in a while succeed in amazing ways, just like Michael Phelps did last night.

So if you haven't been keeping up with the Olympics, I would say jump on the bandwagon!! You won't regret it!

Youth Ministry and Such

2008-08-07T09:26:00.004-04:00

There have been weeks in the past months where I have said: "God, I'm not sure I'm the person for this job." Sometimes I don't feel equipped or worthy or mature enough or just plain exhausted. I'm learning that it's normal to feel this way and also that I am certainly not alone! Then there are weeks though, that the reason I am in youth ministry is so clear and it just feels so right. I'm having one of those kind of weeks. I am continually blessed by the students I get to work with, and I am often humbled by them in so many ways!

God has blessed me so abundantly that when I forget what if feels like to be completely sold out for Him, I can look at some of the students in my ministry! I am finally feeling comfortable enough in youth ministry that I can relax and let small group and one on one conversations just happen, and that's exactly what has happened a few times this week. I am so grateful when a student feels comfortable sharing their heart or their faith, or provides me the opportunity to do the same. I love my job! Although being the youth leader is becoming so much more than a job, it's a lifestyle.

On a totally different track, Nolan comes home in 3 days! wahoo! Then the craziness really begins though because he goes to RA training for a week and shortly after that starts school and his family moves to Florida! I get to keep him here in Pittsburgh though :o) Thanks to all who have been there for me while I have been missing him this summer!!

Lastly, I leave for Kenya in exactly 3 weeks from today!!!

The Secret Life of the American Teenager

2008-07-30T14:50:00.011-04:00

So I saw the advertisement for this show, and as a youth leader, was kind of intrigued. I decided to check it out by watching an episode online. It kinda caught my attention so I watched some more. Although it was kind of entertaining, I am still debating about how I felt about the show. The show is from the same creators as 7th Heaven, and this is not hard to see after watching for a couple minutes!

The main character in the show is Amy, a 15-year-old supposed "band geek" who finds out she's pregnant in the pilot episode. The father of the baby is a stereotypical "player" (as high school "players" go) who Amy had a one night "fling" with (their word, not mine).

More than the pregnant 15-year-old or the many sex-obsessed high school students, however, the portrayal of Christianity in the show is what really held my attention.

One of the other main characters is an outwardly Christian cheerleader whose boyfriend (also a "Christian") cheats on her with the "bad girl". Yet the openly Christian cheerleader devotes her time to convincing her parents to let her get back together with him. The cheerleader goes through the halls in school openly discussing her faith and the benefits of abstinence, all wonderful messages, but I can't help but cringe in the portrayal of these messages. It almost seems like the show is poking fun at Christianity, while at the same time promoting the message of abstinence. (That probably doesn't make sense to anyone but me...sorry).

Anyways, it got me thinking about how Christianity is portrayed and stereotyped in our culture. For some people, Mandy Moore in a Walk to Remember is the closest thing to a Christian that they have seen. I can't help but wonder why there aren't realistic, loving, or dare I say "normal" portrayals of Christians. More than wondering why these don't exist, I've been wondering how to make people see who Jesus is....for real. Not the American-ized Jesus, or the Jesus who hates abortions, or the Jesus who has to wear a tie every Sunday. This isn't intended to sound sarcastic, but I think Christians, myself included, need to face the fact that we don't always represent Christ how we should not matter how hard we try. I know this is inevitable, but I want to work on getting better.

I didn't come to any earth-shattering conclusions on this topic, but I am reminded of something I heard once and never forgot "you may be the only Bible that someone reads, or the only Jesus that someone meets".

So I guess what I am getting at here is a desire to represent Christ better, and the only way to do it is to know him better. In order to know him better we have to read his word, we have to talk to him, and we have to look for his face in the faces of others.

Sorry if I rambled...just some stuff I've been thinking about.

2 Years!

2008-07-28T09:27:00.003-04:00

As of today, Nolan and I have been together for 2 years! In some ways, these two years have gone by so quickly, but on the other hand it's like I can't remember what my life was like before he was in it! As I look back on the past two years, it's so encouraging to see the way we have grown together while becoming best friends. It's so great to have someone who knows me so well that I don't even need to explain things, he just knows!
I am really missing Nolan today and wish we could spend it together, but only a few short weeks and he will be home!! We have both been blessed with so many people to make this journey a wonderful one and I can't wait to see what else God has in store for us over the years to come!!

Mamma Mia!

2008-07-21T14:52:00.003-04:00

Ever since I saw the Broadway show Mamma Mia 6 years ago, it has been my favorite musical of all time (and I have seen A LOT of musicals!) I have been anticipating the movie for months and it finally came out this past weekend!

This afternoon, 8 of my youth group girls and I went to see it, and it lived up to all my expectations. It was awesome!! The only bad part about seeing this movie was fighting the temptation to sing along to all the songs in the theater! I guess I will just have to wait until the DVD comes out!

I would recommend this movie to anyone who just wants to see a fun movie and laugh a lot. It's impossible to leave the theater in a bad mood after watching this movie! Enjoy!

Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne

2008-07-18T21:28:00.006-04:00

I've been meaning for a while now to blog about this book. After taking a class in Political Science and one in Church History this past semester, I actually came at this book with an informed perspective.
Although many of the arguments in this book were rather controversial and the book touched on many issues which the church often avoids. The whole book focuses on the political scene during Jesus' day and what these concepts could look like today.
The first section goes through the Old Testament and explains in understandable language the political culture of the time. There were many times while reading the book that I thought, this interpretation seems so simple, so why did I never think of that before? Whether I completely agree with the interpretations or not, the book certainly caused me to think these things over and think about what it does mean to take the perspective of Christ in a world where people will do anything for money and where wars are raging around the world.
My favorite section of the book, however, was the final one entitled "A Peculiar Party". This section goes beyond pointng out the shortcomings of the church, and all the ways that the world has strayed from the path God intended for it. It talks about the practical ways to apply the "politics" of Jesus in the world: "The idea that the church is to be the body of Christ is not just to something to read about in theology books and leave for the scholars...we are literally to be the body of Jesus in the world. Christians are to be little Christs in the world...You are the only Jesus some people will ever see" (page 228).
The best part of this chapter is a story he shares about a bishop whose church was being robbed, and the robber demanded the "treasures of the church". So what did the bishop do? He went into the church and gathered all the poor staying there and he said to the robbers "These are the treasures of the church". I don't think I will ever forget this story.
The great part about this book is the "postmodern" way its set up, each page is scattered with doodles or quotes.
Overall, this book really made me look at the world in a different way than ever before and challenged what I've always thought. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking to be the body of Christ, but I encourage you to come open-minded and be ready to say "Amen!" to some things, while maybe questioning others, but you will undoubtedly be challenged!

Youth Group Service Day

2008-07-16T10:33:00.003-04:00

One of the members from Mt. Carmel (and one of our youth leader's wife) recently bought a new building to start her catering business. The building has a lot of potential, but also needs a lot of work!! Some of our youth and I went over on Monday and helped tear out the carpet, clean the kitchen and bar area, and clear out the patio area. I was very proud of our youth and the way they were servants! This has been a great way to continue some of the things that we learned on the mission trip here at home! I look forward to watching our youth serve at home in the future!

Weekend in Philly

2008-07-09T19:19:00.006-04:00

This past weekend, my friends Megan and CC and I drove out to Philadelphia to visit the Maravalli girls. It was a really great getaway after the youth group mission trip and a good chance to catch up with Abbie, who I hardly ever see! Kelli started at her new church while we were there so we got to visit there on Sunday. We also did a lot of shopping and I ate my first official Philly Cheesesteak at Geno's (which I guess is pretty famous). At first I was rather skeptical and intimidated by the whole experience. The guy at the window had a shirt that said "Speak English!" and was rather annoyed at any questions pertaining to the sandwiches. Overall, however, it was a good time and I enjoyed the cheesesteak! With five women in an apartment for three days, there was a lot of laughs! What a good weekend! :-)

Cincinnati Week of Hope 1

2008-07-04T21:23:00.001-04:00

This past week, 17 youth and 4 leaders from Mt. Carmel Church travelled to Cincinnati for a Week of Hope mission trip. This experience was so amazing for us as a youth group. I was so blessed to get to know some of the students in a much deeper way this week, and I am eternally grateful for the way in which so many of them opened up and shared their lives with me.

The theme of the week was "Love Out Loud" based on the verse John 3:18: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." All week, we reflected on the way in which God loves us and the way in which he calls us to genuinely love as servants. The way God moved in the lives of students was, in many cases, truly life-changing! I cannot wait to see the impact this trip will have on our youth group.

Each student was put into a work crew with people from all over the country (and Canada!) and sent out to various ministry sites in the Cincinnati area. My group went to a nature center and made a hiking trail by putting down gravel and mulch. This was a huge and physically demanding task, but I am proud to say we finished the job (and with time to stop at Sonic on our last work day!) Some of the other groups did similar outside work while others served at food pantries, a center for disabled children, an elderly home and a day camp for inner-city kids. It was so neat to come together at the end of each day and hear about the ways God worked at the various sites!

Here are a few photos from the week. More to come!!

Busy!

2008-06-19T21:09:00.000-04:00

I'm starting to get used to the whole full time job thing, but I have certainly been busy trying to get everything done! This week is Vacation Bible School at Mt. Carmel and I am teaching 6th grade. It has been great getting to know some new kids and also hanging out with the youth who are helping out. There have also been a lot of things to get ready for our high school mission trip to Cincinnati, OH next week.

Nolan has been gone for almost 4 weeks now and I sure do miss him! He's working for Youthworks (a short term mission organization for youth groups) in Charleston, WV. He is very busy, but is able to call me every few days and let me know how it's going. Although I have been really missing him, I am so proud of all the work he is doing! If you want to check out his summer blog, go to http://www.nolanpatouillet.blogspot.com/

On the Move by Bono

2008-06-16T19:12:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, I have always had a heart for Africa and have spent countless hours reading and learning more about this continent. I, however, have never been so moved by anything written about Africa as I was when I read "On the Move" by Bono of U2. Not only is Bono one of my all time favorite musical artists, but I admire the work he has done in the name of social justice and the faith he displays. Bono also has a huge heart for Africa and has done so many amazing things as a result!

"On the Move" is a short book which includes his speech from the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC in 2006. The book is filled with amazing photos taken while he travelled in Ethiopia.

I certainly cannot explain to you here the magnitude of some of the statements Bono makes in this speech. In his speech, Bono calls for unity among people of all faiths, and all genders, and all races and sexual preferences to intervene where God is moving, "...The one thing on which we can all agree, among all faiths and ideologies is that God is with the vulnerable and the poor...God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house...God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them..."

One thing I really lke about this speech is that it's not just a guilt trip telling us all the places where we are too selfish or too materialistic or too "american" (although I will be the first to admit that I am all these things sometimes), but it focuses on what has been done, and what is in our power to still do if we seek God's heart and love the things God loves.

Although it's difficult to choose the most powerful line in this speech, for me it was "Stop asking God to bless what you're doing. Get involved in what God is doing--because it's already blessed." When I read this line, I literally had to just stop and sit for a minute.

As a youth leader, and simply as a person, it's so easy to get caught up in making sure I am seeking God's plan, when sometimes all I have to do is look in front of me and see all the ways he is moving in my life and in my relationships and in the world around me.

I know this is a long-winded entry, but I hope you won't take my word for it, but you will check out this book for yourself! (You can get it for $5 at Barnes and Nobles, and even cheaper online!) Thanks for sharing in my passion and in my life and I encourage you to keep looking for God's movement in your life!

Car Wash and Slip n' Slide

2008-06-09T10:34:00.000-04:00

This was a weekend full of youth group activities! On Saturday, we had a Car Wash fundraiser and raised $700!! This money will help some of the students go on their mission trip and with activities all summer. This was a really fun day for everyone, except for the harsh sunburn which many of us are still suffering from!

On Sunday, we had a special youth group with a cookout and a slip n' slide. This was so much fun!! Some people were better sliders than others, but everyone enjoyed it.

What a week!

2008-06-06T21:31:00.000-04:00

This has been a crazy, but very good week. This was my first week in the office at Mt. Carmel and I absolutely love it! I feel like I am beginning to get caught up on things as well as getting new things accomplished at the church.

In addition to starting the new job this week, it has been quite a week of hockey!! That monday night game was long and amazing! Being in Pittsburgh over the past few months has really reminded me of being a kid back in the early 90's when the Pens went to the Stanley Cup and my parents even took me to see the Cup in person!

Many times throughout the playoffs, I heard this song on the radio, and it often made me feel proud to be a pittsburgh sports fan! So here's to the Pens! Thanks for a great season!!

Full Time at Mt.Carmel!

2008-06-02T10:07:00.001-04:00

As of today, I am the full time youth leader at Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church! This is very exciting! It is crazy to think that I am old enough to have a real job and even my own office :-) I have been setting up my office all morning, trying to make it my own. I feel so blessed to be here at Mt. Carmel and to be a part of what God is doing in this place! Yesterday was Confirmation Sunday. I have been working with these 9 seventh graders since March and yesterday they became members of the church. I am so proud of each of them and I really enjoyed getting to know each of them over the past few months (even when they asked great questions that I didn't always know the answers to!!)

I'm a college graduate!

2008-05-27T21:03:00.000-04:00

Now that I no longer a student and in full time youth ministry, I decided it was time to jump on the blogging bandwagon! Last Saturday I graduated from Geneva College and here are some pictures from that exciting day!