another new phase

Well if you can't tell I've totally been slacking off... mainly because school started and I've got a sore throat that's kickin' my butt. But anways, I'm going to skip the few days of thankfulness and just report on one thing: school :)

I'm super thankful for school actually. I'm thankful for the ability to pay my way through. I'm thankful for the people here. I'm thankful for God preparing me to come to a public college. I'm thankful for what God's done over the past few years to prepare me for what He has to come.

I went to public high school and one of my biggest regrets after graduation was looking back and seeing that I didn't have my "biblical glasses" on (as Ken Ham calls them ;))... I wasn't on my guard or just excited to share the Gospel, like I should have been.

So I've only sat in on 3 classes and I can already see the difference. God has made me aware; I can see He's teaching me to put on those glasses! It's so cool. Sounds like simple stuff but I'm noticing it makes a world of a difference in reality.

Tuesday I pulled out my Bible and read for awhile. I prayed before I ate. I went out of my way to help a few students. In one class one of the questions on our "Get to know our classmates" paper was, "Who attends church regularly?" I think I was the only one in a class of 25 who could fill my name in the blank. Through all these random things, I could see the eyes turn like, "Did she really just pray in school? She goes to church? Wow... a Bible! And she's reading it?!" It was weird. I don't think I've ever had that kind of attention before. And to be honest, it felt awesome. There was no shame in what I was doing. I was rejoicing :) I went home and prayed for those who had noticed or turned their eyes. I prayed it would just make them think. I prayed for their hearts.

Anyways, I've really enjoyed the past few days. God's been working on me for sure :)

seeing Him work... :)

Day 12 - Invited the girls of the Youth Group over to my house Friday night! Not many of them could come, but I'm thankful for every single one of them :) Their sweet spirits, eagerness to get to know each other better, and willingness to learn always surprises me a little. I'm just blessed to be able to have them over, get to know them on a more personal level, and see God working in their lives!



Day 13 - Today I'm thankful for my mom. This time last year I sat in the hospital waiting room for 14 hours, while she was on the operating table having brain surgery. I remember how scared I was. I remember how tiring (emotionally and physically) it was for my family. I remember how faithful and apparent God was in each of our lives. I'm glad that day's behind us. I'm just so blessed to see her grow spiritually through the whole experience. I can see it's still a challenge, but the important part is I can see God working in her. :)


Day 14 & 15- Both Sunday and Monday were a huge reminder of Missions for me: Rob's presentation on YoungLife/London & packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. I just love to be reminded that God is working EVERYwhere... and shockingly, through people like me?! He has called people to spread the Good News here and abroad. I guess what I took from both of these things is 1)I see the poverty and devastation and it makes my heart ache 2)It reminds me of the joy these "unprivileged" people/kids have! It directs my eyes back to Jamaica and the experience I had there. (It ultimately directs MY eyes back to Jesus!) The smile on those kids faces because we brought soccer balls for them to play with or just the ability to communicate with someone who cared for them.

As Leah, a few others, and I were sitting around after OCC stuff, she leaned in and asked, "Bran, if you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?" My response: "I think I'd go back to Jamaica..." I just remember their joy and it was such a passion of mine to be able to connect/communicate with them. That's where I decided I wanted to work with the deaf for the rest of my life. That's where I felt my call. Who knows? Maybe someday I'll be able to go back or maybe there's somewhere else He's calling me? No matter what, I just love to see Him work :)

everything in common

Day 11 - Tonight after dinner, my mom gave everyone 10 minutes to find a "Godly book" and then we all sat in the living room for a half-hour-ish reading by ourselves :) Something we've never really done before, but I think everyone really enjoyed. I hope that is something we continue to do regularly. So today I'm thankful for Christian literature and the challenging of my faith. I'm thankful for a family who can sit in the same room and worship the same God. I'm thankful to know my entire immediate family is saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for growing up in a Christian home. I'm thankful for no "barriers" between us. We have everything in common because we have a God who loves us and sent His son for us. I couldn't ask for anything better...

the lady in the waiting room

Day 10 - I'm not sure if I could pinpoint what I'm thankful for today... it was such an awesome day! And looking back, it was probably because I STARTED my day in God's word. I felt like I had a good attitude throughout the day and was in the mood to "get things done." A few encounters had me smiling from ear to ear though. :)


But the big one... I had an appointment with my Academic Adviser at Cincinnati State today. Walking in I tried to contain my excitement; I just can't wait to start! But I was even MORE excited after I left. The story of a woman I ran into down there made my chin hit the ground. We were both waiting in the same room and casually carried on a conversation. A man walked in and said to her, "My prayers are with you. I heard you have Stage 4 Breast Cancer." I immediately was taken back. I would have NEVER guessed. She had the most positive attitude. She looked great. She looked normal.  She began to share with me what God was teaching her, after I heard her "terrible" news. I never told her I was a Christian and she never told me she was... but then somehow I think we both knew. She's had this type of cancer for quite awhile. She's been in remission numerous times and then it comes back. She has no money. She's concerned for her overweight son. BUT she knows that she can't rely on man to heal her. She's done her part (praying, fasting and staying positive). She knows that God is providing 100% for her.  She's continuing with her life like nothing even happened. She's in the Interpreting program at CinState and a Counseling program at UC. She's GOING to be an addiction counselor and the reason she's in the program at CinState is so she can counsel the deaf too. She doesn't want there to be ANY limitations between her and her "client."

Talk about a woman with perseverance. She's definitely running the race set before her. If only I could be half as positive as she is? Death is before her and she doesn't have a fear in the world... sigh. Doesn't that make you question your own life? It sure made me question mine.

fitting in somewhere

Day 9 - Today I am thankful for the Crosswalk Bible Study group :) It's so great to have a solid group that I can depend on week in and week out. No one cares how long we take to pray or sit around and just fellowship. No matter how many Tuesdays/events I miss, I know I'll be able to jump in right where I left off. And no matter what I say (especially after a long day with toddlers), they still laugh with me at my dumb comments. Good to know I fit in somewhere :)

PS - I start school in ONE week :) :) :) Excited for something "new." Woo hoo!

let the 1st song that I sing be praises to my God & King

Day 8 - Today I'm especially thankful for music! I woke up this morning to Joshua Radin. Someone I was introduced to in college that plays an amazing acoustic. Then as I go down to meet the boys' mom at the door, Will has his drumsticks (aka chopsticks) in hand! So my mom gets out all of our pots and pans and the kids go to town. Normally I might have been annoyed by the super loud click clank clunk's, but not today. All 4 kids sat around, making a circle, and you could see the smile on their faces as they "jammed out" :)

After dinner I sat in my room and just had "me time," looking through old pictures and jammin out to the radio. I just love music. So thank you God for blessing me with various music. It's pulled me out of darkness. It's brightened my day. It's made me stop and think twice. It's allowed me to worship You.  From a tune in my head to singin' in the shower, from a complex piano piece to kids jammin on pots and pans. Music... la la la la la la la :)

creating new "remember when..."s

Well it's always hard to write during the weekends... so time for catch up :) And didn't take ANY pics this weekend so I might use some from the past few weeks.

Day 7 - Today I'm specifically thankful for Scripture. Missed the morning service from teaching 2's and 3's, but the evening service was just awesome. Job 39. A chapter on God just questioning Job about different animals. I can just hear God saying the same to me... "Brandi, you don't think I can handle this situation? Do you think I should have checked it with you first? Well just look at the "Zebras" who can't be domesticated or the horribly mean Ostriches that aren't afraid of anything and can fun 2x faster than a Roadrunner. Explain that to me Brandi." Reading Job 39 I wouldn't have got that question out of it, so I guess I'm thankful for men like Pastor Pat who can apply that Scripture to out lives.





Day 6 - I'm thankful for days with Nanny Joy and Mom. We haven't got to shop or do much in the past few years, but today we went to Waynesville and I realized how much I miss it. It was eventful... to say the least. It's about a 40 min drive and they're all hilly backroads to get there. So needless to say, I got super duper car sick. We pulled over and as the car door opened there went my morning bagel... THEN we go into the very first store... this stuff is real antique-like and "primitive" as my mom says. So I reach out to fix a plate leaning like it's about to fall over (just trying to do a good thing) and sure enough that plate and another come tumbling down. Shattered. The lady comes running over and all I could do is laugh. That's usually how it works out when I'm nervous... not a good predicament to be in. So like I said, eventful :) But fun!

Day 5 - I'm thankful for nights with my family. We all went to Penn Station for $2.99 subs and had a great time (like we always do :)) At one point, we were saying "Remember when... Oh, and remember that one time...!" and we'd just laugh and laugh and laugh. I'm pretty sure the entire restaurant was staring at us, but I think I was the only one who noticed :)

"always teaching"

Day 4 - Today I am thankful for being reminded that I'm always an example. The thought came in the smallest way but with a big meaning I guess. Like I said before, most of my posts will be about the kids I nanny/babysit considering I'm with them most of my day. Ellie, who's 1 mind you, was getting into something today and so I said, "No no Ellie" and I always sign "no-no" anytime I say it. (I have a habit of signing what I say lol) So shortly after I had just gotten done telling her no, the two older boys were "arguing" on the couch and Ellie walked over, signed AND said, "NO-NO!" I was proud that she had caught on but in the same aspect was reminded that what I teach these kids and the way I treat them and everyone else around me makes a difference. I am always teaching whether it be my words, actions, feelings, or signs ;) The questions is, "Am I teaching Christ?"

Isn't it cool to see God work through a simple situation like that? He showed me how I should always be teaching Christ just in a little girl's gestures. :)

--> PS - This might look like a "mean" face, but it's actually not. She's super sweet and has the funniest expressions and she just "gets into it" I guess you could say lol She's signing "NO-NO" :)

the start of something new

I've been wanting to start a blog for quite sometime, especially considering I don't get to see or talk to most of my friends and loved ones on a regular basis. So here it is :) I hope to stay dedicated to writing and I hope others can see what the Lord has been doing in my life.

Since I'm starting in November, I'm going to start with 30 things I'm thankful for. One for each day of the month. I'm going to try my best to post a picture with each one :) Plus a picture is worth a 1000 words, right?

Today (day3) I'm thankful for is FAITH and not living just by sight. Faith is one step at a time on a dark path. It's full reliance on Him alone :) It's when we can decipher between "I can see it's good for me, so God must have sent it" and "God sent it, so it must be good for me." There's a big difference. Read those quotations again and see what category you fall in. Are you making excuses for the sin in your life and saying "God sent it" or are you dealing with it and saying "God sent this and no matter what I'll praise Him with it"?

"Faith raises above our circumstances. Faith enables us to be content, even when life doesn't make sense. Faith is the bulwark that keeps us strong even when we're assailed by agonizing thoughts about what has happened or might happen."

Day 2 - A day at the zoo with the boys and my family :) ...and wasn't eaten by a bird! If you know me, I'm not a huge fan of animals (esp. birds), but I survived! Only freaked out once or twice from the stupid chickens and roaming peacocks. The boys were so cute and mesmerized by the animals. I'm thankful for the reminder of God's amazing creation and how uniquely each animal was made. And soo thankful to get to spend the day with "my boys" and family :)

 Day 1 - Humor! Who doesn't like a good laugh every once in awhile? Considering I babysit for 8 or 9 hours/day, most of my pictures will be of them. Oh, and I live in a house of comedians, so laughter is always high on my priority list ;) Today the boys played outside "fighting" over this lovely mask and Ellie followed me around while I was taking pictures saying "chesssse." Too cute :)