N.E.W.

It may be hard to believe considering my last post...
but week 1 of the internship and life in Warrenton is going great!

Here is an update:

Life with work-
While my organization doesnt really stand for being "NEW", because we are over 26 years old. I still think of saying "new" vs. N.E.W. which stands for National Electronics Warranty. It was changed to N.E.W. because we do a lot more than just that now. I work in the corporate office but we have many call centers across the US and even in Canada. Basically we provide service warranty protection plans, etc for a lot of organizations, such as Best Buy, DirecTV, Zales, and lots more.
I work in the training and development department of HR as an Instructional Design Intern. This week is mostly becoming familiar with a lot of systems N.E.W. uses and a lot of jargon. I will be developing a course in the next 2 months specific for call centers and W@H (work at home people) on customer service care.
Next week, N.E.W. is paying for me to go to the ASTD conference in Washington, DC. Almost everyone I work for or with or am taught by is a member of ASTD, so this is a really cool opportunity for me. I will be staying with Steph in Alexandria for two nights!
At work, I have my own cubicle. There is a 24hr gym, free coffee, and I have a badge to get in and out of every door. There is a lounge with a massage chair, pool table, big screen tv, foosball table... The enviornment is relaxed and friendly. I have a pretty sweet schedule. 10am- 6pm. It works well for driving on 66. I got lost and it took forever the first two days... but now Ive got it down and it is only about 45minutes. I just listen to sermons =)

Okay, life outside of work-
I am staying in Warrenton with Micah's mom. Warrenton is a charming little town that no lie... smells like honeysuckle and flowers. Mrs. Downs and Brodie have painted a bedroom a sunny yellow color with white trim, that is where I am staying. It is so comfortable. I love their house, it was built in the late 1800's. Last night I learned about the history of it. Mrs. Down's is awesome, we usually have dinner together every night and talk a lot =) The first night I was there she had flowers on my nightstand and said "I can do that because there is a girl in the house". She has three sons. hehe I feel like a princess. We pray together every day. She is a lot like my mom. I am so grateful for this living situation and the chance to know their family more. Tonight I am going to a bible study that Andrew teaches.


Micah called yesterday after a couple of days in the Yukon with no service and said it is absolutely beautiful, light for all but about 5 hours a day, and they have seen elk, wolves, caribu, moose, etc all about 10 feet away! No grizzly bears yet, but they have bear mace just in case... haha

I have a feeling this summer is actually going to go pretty quickly... between all the driving, plans on the weekend, work, etc...

I am realizing I adapt very easily. I miss my roommates, I miss Harrisonburg(especially the roads), I miss discipling my girls as regurlarly as I would like... but my God is the same every where. As long as Ive got Him, I need for nothing, really... I'm good to go.

Phillipians 4:11 tells us:
"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content"

I am not only content. I am happy.

Here is a Brooke Fraser song I always think about when I see the word new, or even N.E.W. lol

Shadowfeet
"Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet
toward home, a land that i've never seen
I am changing, less and less asleep
made of different stuff than when i began
and i have sensed it all along
fast approaching is the day

You make all things new
You make all things new
You make all things new
You make all things
You make all things"

Acts 5:20
"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."

I've been happy and content ever since having a new life in Him =)

Leaving a Legacy

i love the song Legacy by Nichole Nordeman.
It really speaks to me as a young woman trying to live her life purposefully for her Savior.

This world is so temporary, and the older i get, the more i experience and see that. The more i realize how precious life is, how precious each season of life is. i dont want to always be waiting in vain for the next thing to come a long, i dont want to look at the past so much that i dont live in the here and now. i dont want to look to the future so far that i dont enjoy where He has me right here and now.

Here are a couple facts i know:
i am in school
i am working
i am in living in harrisonburg next year
i am in a relationship with an awesome godly man
i am 23 years old
i am passionate about women's ministry
i am doing the best that i can do be obedient
i am learning
i am thankful
i am writing a book
i am at peace

all of those things are huge blessings and i am so grateful.
Sometimes i wonder though if i should be doing something radical, something out of this world for Him.

am i making myself available enough to Him?
am i surrendering whatever i need to so He can fill me with whatever He wants?
am i resting enough and taking the time to listen for His voice?
am i living my life out as a sacrifice?
am i investing in what i should be?
am i living each day like its my last?
am i telling everyone i know about the most amazing news ever?
am i being a true servant?
am i being faithful?
am i seeking?

am i truly living for "I AM" and showing Him, being like Him, leaving traces of Him every where i go? Whether it is coming out of my mouth, my heart, my mind, or my actions?

honestly... i dont think i can say i am...i am going to try to do so more.

i know we are loved by Him no matter what, but i want to leave His legacy. i want people to know Him through me. i want people to see Him through me in every season of my life. so that someday when i reach the season of life where my time on earth is here, i will be more than ready to go, no regrets, no wish i could have done that, should have done this, etc

Think about it, when someone passes away.
People want to carry on their memory right?
How is that done?
Depending on that unique individual it is done differently of course.

Do you still make your grandma's special cookies?
Do you have a golf tournament?
Do you start an organization?
Do you have that tradition?
Do you talk about them?
Do you share their stories?
Name how you carry that person on.

i am my parent's daughter and when they pass away someday. They will live through me because i will carry them on, not only because physically i am made up of them, but because they are apart of me, i was taught by them, i was loved by them.

There are so many ways we can carry on our Savior's story, our Saviour's legacy. Our heavenly Father made us, He loved us by giving His son for us, He teaches us (and sometimes it takes way more than one time... ya know what im saying on that one?... haha)
He recorded His legacy for us. He asks to be lived on through us. He asks us to be His body, while He isnt physically here with us. He asks us to speak of His name. He asks us to be like Him. He asks us to be holy, because He is holy.

i want to leave His legacy. His legacy of love.
are you leaving His legacy wherever you are? with whatever you do? to whoever youre with?

He is ALIVE, and He is coming back for us, help people remember that =)
KEEP HIS LEGACY ALIVE =) His is the greatest there ever was, or ever will be.

Lyrics to the song I mentioned-
Legacy- Nichole Nordeman
I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

23

Psalm 23

1 Yah is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Yahuah Forever

I thought Psalm 23 was an appropriate devotional for today.

Today I am 23.

I know I am only alive at 23 because of His good grace and mercy.

Two years ago, I was excited to be able to legally drink.
Today I am excited because I am alive and I know what a gift that is and how precious life is.
He has restored me and made me a new life.
His rod and staff have guided and lead me these last two years.
I love that my purpose in life is for His name sake and not my own.
No matter what this life brings, He is with me, now and for forever.
I couldnt begin to express through words my gratefullness and how thankful I am for a life to live for Him, all the days of the rest of my life.
I have been blessed, not only with life but more fellowship/friends/famiy and circumstances than I could count. Nothing though compares to knowing and living for Him.
My cup runneth over. My heart is full of gratitude.

Thank you Abba, I am but a vapor in the wind, but I am yours, today is yours.
Thank you for your son's life.

No matter what your circumstance in life, if you are alive today and reading this. You are blessed to have eyes to see, and a mind to read. I am thankful for YOUR life =)

To Making It Count

This is my first attempt in the blogging world. I never created one before because I never thought I had anything interesting enough to write about that people would want to read. I probably still dont but I am going to write anyway. It seems appropriate to practice given my current assignment from God (stay tuned to read more about that).

I titled this blog Living Purposefully because that is what I will attempt to exemplify through my postings. God has brought me to a point in my life where I am going to respond to every day with a purpose. No matter what the given situation or circumstance. I've learned over the past year that we as humans have the capability of responding rather than reacting. Well I am choosing to respond to each day as a mission. I carry a valuable message and I dont want a day to go by that I am not purposefully fulfilling my role designed by God in some way shape or form.

We have the free will to choose life or death in the spiritual sense but when it comes to living or dying in the physical sense, it's not up to us. So until the decision is willed that my alloted physical time is up, I am going to choose life in the spiritual sense every single day. My God gives me purpose for living, He gives me assignments, He teaches me, and He makes this life worth living, because I am doing it for Him nowadays(I didnt always...but that is a post for another time).

Remember in high school, the principal would always say on the announcements, "make it a great day or not, the choice is yours".
Well we also have a choice, to live for truth, for the greatest love ever known, or ever will be. Or, to live for this world, and the empty things in it. The unsatisfying and mundane things of this life. The first option offers eternal life. The second option, well, who knows how long that will last, but I can guarantee you it wont be forever.

“Whence proceeds the great stupidity of men, who, bound fast to the present state of existence, proceed in the affairs of life as if they were to live two thousand years…. In short, men are so dull as to think that thirty years, or even a smaller number, are, as it were, an eternity; nor are they impressed with the brevity of their life so long as this world keeps possession of their thoughts…. How speedily our life vanishes away. The imagination that we shall have long life, resembles a profound sleep in which we are all benumbed.”
- John Calvin


“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”— Psalm 39: 4-5

Make every breath count for something. Make it count for Him.

more on how to choose and live for Him in the coming posts...