My half-full cup

Someone once said that a cup could be looked at as half-full, or half-empty.  How true that is!  As many of you already know, my family recently sold our house and we have relocated to Colorado.  Right now, life isn't looking too up for me—I came home from a Colorado camp, just in time to pack and say good-bye to the friends I thought that I would be spending the rest of my high school years (or more!) with.  We moved from Colorado four years ago, and though I am glad to have moved back, it is an ongoing challenge to meet new friends and begin to reconnect with the old ones.  I have been through and learned so much since we moved to Iowa, and now I need to use what I've learned to keep my "cup half-full" instead of half-empty!  I want to share with you some tips I've learned for improving the "view of your cup," and replace it with a God-centered attitude:

1.       Read your Bible!  What does God say about your situation?  Are you tired? Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Are you afraid?  Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

2.       Help others.  This isn't just a tip to keep you busy, I promise!  Helping others always makes me realize that the world is bigger than "me" and "mine."  I mean, since when has wiping a two-year-old's snotty nose and slobbery chin been a big confidence booster?!? Getting my focus off of me makes me able to see Him and what He would want me to think about—not about my problems, but about how I can use my situation to help out others in need.

3.        Pray Continuously.  Don't just pray one or two times a day; pray every time that you think of it.  What—you only think of it one or two times a day?  You can fix that easily!  Start memorizing scripture about prayer, and every time that you see or recite that verse, guess what?  You'll remember to pray!  Some verses to get you started: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (sounds long, but that's just to scare you.  It's a great one if you're not used to memorizing, short and sweet.), Mark 14:38, Ephesians 6:18, and James 5:13.  I have been so much happier when I'm praying more often!  And speaking of memorizing...

4.       Memorizing Scripture!  Start with the passages above, or consider these ones: Romans 8:35-39, Galatians 5:22-26, and James 1:2-4.  If it seems like some of the passages you want to memorize are too long, then memorize only a couple verses, and see where it takes you.  Scripture will bring you closer to God, and at the same time, make you realize that your situation isn't as bad as it seems from the start!

Those are four of my suggestions for making your cup seem a little fuller than what it probably has seemed.  Though going through hard times can be challenging, I whole-heartedly believe that God allows us to go through them for a reason—often for our good.  Sometime in the future, I am sure that you will be able look back on the difficulties you're facing now and be able to say that they were for God's glory.  Just remember—sometimes we can learn a whole lot more about ourselves and our Heavenly Father by keeping a positive attitude during our times of testing and trials! 

More Eagle Lake pictures!

I had to share more pictures of the place that's been a second home to me this year. : )

Enjoy!

The Cross

foothills... in the distance you can sort of see Colorado Springs... it's pretty hazy, though.

This picture (as well as the next one) shows a little bit of Pike's Peak.  I simply like the trees and the rocks in it.

My Colorado!

Eagle Lake beauty... at it's finest!

This beautiful (new!) sign says it all: the pictures following are some of my favorites from my huge selection of camp photos (and take my word for it, this isn't the last you'll see!).

A picture of a boulder... taken while bouldering.

No caption is needed.  It's simply a neat picture.

Pike's Peak... one of the best views in the world

I love the mountains!

Camp, from a bird's perspective

One of my personal favorites, the lake and rocks hidden in fog

An update on life

           My poor blog has sat forsaken for the last ten weeks, while I have been having an amazing (though exhausting) time watching God at work in my and my family's lives.  I want to share a little bit of what God's done this summer:

As some of you know, I left home in early June to serve and grow in the Lord at Eagle Lake Camp (ELC) in Woodland, Colorado.  I was part of the Crew program, which meant that I grew for five weeks alongside other teens, learning more about Christ and working at the camp.  Instead of the usual five-week commitment, God had other things in mind, and I ended up being at ELC for ten weeks.  I did the Crew program two sessions instead of one, and had the opportunity to learn, grow, laugh, and serve double the time I had originally planned.  Halfway through my time at Eagle Lake, I found out that my dad had lost his job.  He found another in late July, and will soon be working for Compassion International in Colorado Springs.  We are in the midst of selling our house in Iowa and are starting to pack up for the move (an adventure with the small children running around everywhere!). 

Throughout the many transitions that have been taking place in my life lately (coming back to the "real world" after 2 ½ months of Christian camp, getting ready to relocate to a different part of the country, beginning to look at the monster piles of school work ahead of me this next year...), I've been able to find God in the middle of everything.  He has been the eye in the hurricane, the safe spot in the center of the storm.  I have been excited to see my faith deepening to new depths, and my hunger for Christ is growing every day. 

            Being at camp in Colorado, away from family and unable to contact them very often, was definitely challenging at times—especially while my dad was job hunting and my mom was trying to get the house ready to sell while pregnant.  I wanted to be there for them to help with my younger siblings, but God's presence in my life made it obvious that I was exactly where I needed to be.  As hard as it sometimes was (though not always—ELC is a wonderful place!), looking back, this summer has been both one of the best and one of the hardest ones yet—and I can't wait to see what God holds in store for me next!