Beautiful Holland

I am in the midst of a two week trip to Holland right now. If you've ever heard anything about Holland, it has probably been that it is cold and rainy and gray. Well, over the past 7 days that I have been here, it has been sunny, mild, and we haven't had a drop of rain. I am here for Field Orientation with Christian Associates! It has been a great trip so far. I am learning a ton, getting to know fellow church planters from other parts of Europe (Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, and Poland), and generally becoming more and more exhausted each day. We have 3 sessions every day. They have been great, but despite my exceptionally large brain and super human inteligence, I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around all that I'm hearing. Hopefully my notes will be a good reminder later when I can fully process all that I am hearing now. I will try to write again shortly after I return home and hopefully include some photos. Until then, make different mistakes!

(P.S. I do know that I spelled intelligence incorrectly above. I was just trying to be funny. HaHa. This is all the humor I have right now. I am tired!)

Beef Stew and Brothers

Yesterday my roommate and I decided that we wanted to make dinner for a friend of ours. His parents are out of town and we just felt that he would really appreciate this. What's the best thing to make for a boy that eats as much as a whole village? Beef Stew of course. It was really fun to make the stew and then surprise him. He was totally taken aback and really appreciative. It was totally worth it just to see the look on his face and hear his question, "Why? Did you make this for me?". I like doing stuff like that for people. It's fun to give unexpectedly. It made me start thinking though.

This friend is basically my brother here in Spain. We pick on each other, fight (just in fun), and I really enjoy hanging out with him and talking to him. His friendship has been such a blessing to me. As I think about how much fun this was, I am missing my biological brothers and realizing how much I really savor and value the brother/sister relationship. I wish that they were here and that I could have made beef stew for them and surprised them. If you don't have brothers, you are missing out, although if you don't have my brothers you are missing out. I have the best brothers in the world. They know when to have fun and when to be serious. Whether they say it or not, I know I am loved by them and they would protect me at all costs.

All this to say, Matthew and Peter I miss you guys a lot. I doubt you even read this, but if you do, know that I love you, miss you, wish you were here, and next time I see you, I'll gladly make you beef stew.
Matt, Mom, Pete, Amy

My Version

Psalm 113

O Hallelujah! O Praise God!!!

You who are servants of God, worship and praise Him!

His name alone is enough to cause you to fall to your knees in praise. Speak His name!

The fact that we can remember God is a blessing - one that will last forever and all eternity.

No matter where you are, no matter the time of day or night, continue raising your praise to the God who alone created place and time.

The highest height has nothing on God. Everything you can see in the sky pales in comparison to the beauty of God.

Who can compare with the God of the universe, my God, who is rightly enthroned in majesty and glory beyond imagination and compare as He mercifully examines HIS heaven and earth?

Those how have nothing, who have been forgotten, who have been ignored and thrown our, our God gently lifts, rescues, and redeems by honoring them as the beautiful creation that He made them to be.

You with no family, He alone will provide a family for you and the joy that overflows.

O Hallelujah! O Praise God!!!

I'm Standing

I really like Patty Griffin. If you've not heard her sing before, I highly recommend you get off your butt right now and go listen to her. Her voice and her lyrics are so powerful! Her song "Standing" has gotten under my skin. When I listen to this song I can see myself standing in the shadow of the cross. I'm not sure if she intended to make it sound this way, but this is how I hear it and it moves me.

I'm standing in the shadow of the hill
I'm standing in the shadow of the hill
Feel the fear everywhere
Hope it don't get me killed
I'm standing in the shadow of the hill
I'm standing in the shadow walking blind
I've been unfair & unkind
Turned away from your suffering far too many times
Now I'm standing in the shadow walking blind
Sister, brother, there's a fire on the hill
And it's burning like a lantern
Making all this time stand still
I'm standing, I'm standing, I'm standing
I'm standing, standing, standing
Mother, I am weak but I am strong
Standing in the darkness this long
But in the deepest darkness I listen to your song
Mother I am weak but I am strong
I'm standing, and I'm standing, I'm standing
I'm standing, standing, standing, I'm standing
Standing in the shadow of the hill

This is just so true of how we should be living. Thank you Patty, God has used you!!!

What does your Jesus look like?

I hope it's not this. I know this is not what my Jesus looks like, because this is creepy! How do you like those subtitles too?! (In case the text is too small, it says: "Makes a Major Comeback and Other Amazing Feats")

Visa, Women, and Soccer

This past weekend was great!!! I experienced a huge answer to prayer; I got my visa for Spain!!! Thank you to all of you who were praying. This is just further confirmation to me that I am headed in the direction that God wants me to.It was also an answer to prayer that my visa came in at a time when I wouldn't have to schedule a separate trip to DC. My mom and I had already planned to be in DC for the weekend so it worked out perfect. Ever since I was 11 my mom and I have tried to go away for a weekend every summer. We have missed a couple of summers because of not living in the same state or even the same country, but we were able to fit it in this year. After picking up my shiny new visa we did the touristy thing for the day on Thursday. Then Friday and Saturday we spent our days with 16,000 other women. We attended the Women of Faith conference in DC. This years theme is "Amazing Freedom" and it was well worth the mile long lines for the bathroom and having to wade through more estrogen than I ever thought was possible in one place. It was so good to be reminded of the freedom that we have in Christ. The theme of freedom in Christ is one that God has really been reminding me of all year.This is a pic of me and my mama at the conference. We had a great time and I wouldn't have wanted to spend this weekend with anyone else. I love my mom and as much as I am looking forward to returning to Spain, I will sure miss this woman. She is my mentor, my friend, and my confidant. I love you Mom!!!

When the conference was over, we met my dad, younger brother Pete, and three extra brothers. I love that with brothers come all of their friends. It feels like they just fit into the family as well. The bigger the family the better. I'm so proud of all these guys and miss them when I'm in Spain. Matt and Mark, I hope that makes me #2 now or maybe even pushing #1!
Sorry it has taken me so long to blog. It just seems like most of the time nothing really exciting happens or I don't know what to write about. This furlough thing just really messes with your head. Hopefully you'll hear from me again before I head back across the ocean.

My Celebrity Look-alikes

Some of these don't quite make sense, but what the heck...neither do I. Enjoy!

My cool celebrity look-alike collage from MyHeritage.com. Get one for yourself.