First Year... CHECK!

Well I have officially been in a new city in NorCal for a year now and am getting ready to start my second year of teaching. This year has been a crazy whirlwind and it's amazing how much God has done in and through me. He constantly reminds me and shows me that I need to trust Him more and that His plan is better than my own. I moved up here a year ago and started working pretty much right away and had little time throughout the year to meet many people or explore the area. My plan was to spend the summer exploring and meeting people, but a hip/lower back injury kept me off of my feet and on my butt for almost a full month. So as I get ready to start up another year of teaching, I have to say that I am a little disappointed. I am disappointed that an injury could keep me from doing things that I wanted to do. This summer has been amazing and it has been a huge blessing to actually not be committed to anything, but I wish I had been healthy enough to do things and explore more.

But God is faithful and I know this happened for a reason. I was able to take a long trip home to visit my family. I was able to go to Maui with some amazing people that I would now consider my NorCal family. And I have been able to get more involved in the young adults ministry at church. And even though I go back to work Monday (two weeks of meetings and classroom prep, then the school year officially starts), I can say that I had a great summer and I am so excited to see what God has in store for me this year!

As I get ready to start another year of school, this is my prayer. This is my prayer for myself, for my coworkers, for my students, and for you as well. Build Your Kingdom here Lord. Use me in anyway you see fit. Let me be a tool in your hands and not a road block or a distraction to others so that they might see you through me. I pray that we will increase Jesus and decrease ourselves.

Come set Your rule and reign in our hearts again.

Increase in us we pray, unveil why we're made.

Come set out hearts ablaze with hope, like wildfire in our very souls.

Holy Spirit come invade us now

We are You Church. We need Your power in us.

We seek You kingdom first, we hunger and we thirst,

Refuse to waste our lives, for You're our joy and prize.

To see the captive hearts released; the hurt, the sick, the poor at peace.

We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause.

We are Your Church. We pray revive this Earth.

Build Your Kingdom here. Let the darkness fear.

Show Your mighty hand. Heal our streets and land.

Set Your church on fire. Win this nation back.

Change the atmosphere. Build Your kingdom here.

We pray.

Unleash Your kingdom's power reaching near and far.

No force of hell can stop Your beauty changing hearts.

You made us for much more than this. Awake the kingdom seed in us.

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ.

We are Your church.We are the hope on Earth.

("Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment)