Outside of my comfort zone.

Moving to a new country moves you outside of your box. It is a new place, a new language, a new culture, people group, food, government, primary religions, etc. etc. etc. There are so many new experiences that just when I grasp the idea of something new and it becomes familiar, something even newer comes along and tries to teach me a lesson on humility and relying on God. I emphasize the word "tries" because a lot of times I am resistent to obey. I have seen time and time again, the faithfulness of God though when something else tests me, I doubt and worry that it isn't in his hands. I know, I'm dumb. It's like looking in a mirror and knowing every detail of your face but then walking away a moment later to forget what you look like at all. I know that he is faithful, I know that he is good, but head knowledge is completely different from heart knowledge. I tend to become easily jealous and easily discontent with my situation... common thoughts such as "why am I living here?", "God has a very strange path for me..", "why is he doing this to me?", "my friends are in the states having fun without me while I'm here living with NO friends and no life." Can you hear the sin in my thoughts? You should be able to. I'm ripe with it. I love how the Lord uses small things to pull me from these selfish thoughts, today I read a story about a man whose wife just had a child and then 14 days later, died of cancer. Our lives are not so tragic as this and yet, why do I continue to complain? My dad used to quote someone famous, I believe it was Charles Spurgeon, when he said "discontent and not in hell?" really.. it's sad. I complain about my life and yet the Lord has saved me from the grips of hell and has given me eternal life with him. He has been so good to me, to me and to you. I feel like I, as an American, am addicted to the world of comforts. We are spoiled beyond belief and when I stepped into a culture, ah, I believed everything would function better if they did it like America. (While some and a lot of that is true... it's not biblical nor right.) Who are we? What is our goal in life? Is it not to glorify God, our maker, and enjoy him forever? To preach the gospel to the ends of the earth? While I sat for 13 years in an American church without understanding the need for the Gospel right outside of my box. Right outside. I'm not talking about "oh! I have to go have way across the world to preach the Gospel.." I'm talking about sharing the good news with our neighbor, with our colleagues, with our friends, anyone that is willing to listen. You don't have to become a "missionary kid" to reach people for the Lord. This is one thing that you can do anywhere, anytime with ANYONE. Let's reach out to those that need it most. Let's help one another to look around and see the people hurting, crying out for something more. I'm willing Lord. Send me. Send the person reading this blog. I want to show others your love. Help me to be more like you. Let's challenge one another to reach out beyond ourselves, beyond our comfort zones. Don't let fear stop you. Amazing things happen when you step out.

Idols of the Heart.

I wanted to write a post on idols after watching a short devotion on this topic put out by "Gospel in Life." I would encourage everyone to go and get this study as it is very powerful and convicting. I have heard many sermons on idols but I would usually think "oh, I know I have some idols but not as many as other people." After going through this session it struck me how many things are idols in my life. There are even many good things, that, when I place them before the Lord, they become idols of my heart. For instance, relationships. I long for good, strong, Christian, relationships but sometimes I put so much focus on them that I forget about my most important relationship. My spiritual relationship with the Lord. There are many other things as well, family, material things, money, a longing to be remembered and known, school, technology, the list goes on and on! I know many of these things are good as well so how do we know when these things have become or start to become an idol? Richard Keyes in his essay The Idol Factory notes,

All sorts of things are potential idols...If this is so, how do we determine when something has become or is becoming an idol? ... As soon as our loyalty to anything leads us to disobey God, we are in danger of making it an idol... An idol can be a physical object, a property, a person, an activity, a role, an institution, a hope, an image, an idea, a pleasure, a hero.

This quote makes me wonder how many other things I make into idols without even realizing it. Not only have these things become idols in my life but I am trying to gain happiness and satisfaction from these things instead of from the Lord! The only one who can grant me true happiness and fullness of life.The pathetic thing is is that these idols will NEVER satisfy, we always want something more, something better, more fun, to fill the emptiness within. It is only by the Lord's help that we can stop living for these idols and start living our lives out for him as "living sacrifices."

These following questions are really helpful to understand what our idols are and even show us the hidden idols of our heart.

1. What is my greatest nightmare? What do I worry about the most?

2. What do I rely on or comfort myself with when things go badly or become difficult?

3. What makes me feel the most self-worth? What am I the proudest of?

4. What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?

I think we should all reflect on these questions and ask the Lord to help us remove these from our hearts.

Lord, I see how repulsive idolizing this mere idol really is. In yearning after this, I was trampling on your love for me. I realize now my lack of thankfulness, my lack of grateful joy for what you have done for me.

Resting in God's Love

Hello friends,

How are you? I hope well. I decided to write another blog post about things that have been happening recently in Italy. God is so powerful and immense and even though he doesn't need us to accomplish his will; he uses us as his vessels to bring others to himself and his Gospel. This is an amazing thought and very encouraging with some of the stuff that has happened more recently. I can honestly say that before moving to Italy, I didn't really understand nor had I truly experienced true spiritual warfare. The devil knows the things that drive us to our breaking point and tries to use them to pull us away from God and toward himself. Just recently, our car (which we bought only a year ago) has been brought into the mechanic over 10+ times for strange and unusual problems, numerous computers have crashed and died, windows have broken, shelves destroyed by the heat, innumerable health problems, important documents have evaporated into thin air, pipes ruined in the fridge, more technology problems then I care to think about, and so on and so forth. I don't tell you these things so as to complain or for sympathy but for your prayers and encouragement and so that those who don't feel or see the spiritual battle may know that this battle is being fought and to remember that whether or not we win the battle, the Lord has already won the war. I would also like to encourage those that are experiencing this battle to remain steadfast in your faith and trust in the Lord, to keep him as your #1 priority. The Bible encourages us with these verses:

Ephesians 6:10-18
¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

I am also incredibly encouraged by this verse in Romans:

Romans 8:38-39
³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What an incredible promise, we will NEVER be separated from the LOVE of our Lord. Absolutely nothing can separate us. Isn't that an amazing promise? I can rest peacefully knowing that whatever happens in this life, I will rest in the love of the Lord. No amount of demons or power of Satan can pluck me from my Savior's hand. I hope that you remember this promise and are encouraged by it.

Resting in his love,

Hannah

To the end of the world and back again.

Hi again! :)



Ahhh...summer. It feels good. Well, I am officially back from my trip to America. I had an amazing time and it seems like it went by WAY too fast. I loved every moment though and the Lord blessed me with many opportunities to spend quality time with good friends. Aren't good friends just the best? I love them. They definitely made my summer fun. Though it seems as if summer is flying by and as it drifts away, I am taking some time to evaluate my priorities and goals for this next year. I can honestly say, without doubt, that I have no idea what I am doing or where I am going in life. I can also honestly say that the previous statement is very freeing knowing who's hands I rest in, the Lord's. I have many ideas and plans for my own life... what is commonly referred to as "Hannah's fantasy land" ;) but the Lord's plans are greater than my own and I can rest peacefully knowing that he promises to never leave me nor forsake me. I hope that in this next year; I will search and pray for the will of the Lord no matter where it might take me. That I will not confuse my own will with his and try to make the two coincide. Lord, make me more like you, give me a heart that is pursuing of you, Jesus. We are currently taking some vision trips in order to find a place where the Lord would lead us to bring his Word. We are now in Genova, it's crazy! There are so many people but the town is so small that everything looks crammed in. I like it though, the city is right in between the ocean and the mountains. =) We are having fun, yesterday we went to Portofino and Cinque Terre, it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I love how everything in Italy is so old. In America, you can rarely find anything that is older than 100 years. There is so much history here, it's insane. I just finished the book, "A Voice in the Wind", by Francine Rivers. I would recommend it to ANYONE. It is so convicting and amazing. The story is about a young girl from Judea whose family was murdered by Romans. She was then taken to Rome and sold as a slave to a wealthy family where she lives and tries to honor the Lord while serving this worldly family, I won't give much away but it is so powerful. At first, I thought "This book is kind of slow.... but I will keep reading.." I'm glad I did. I couldn't put it down. The way the young girl, "Hadassah", remains faithful to the Lord even in the hardest suffering and trials, it's incredible. Seriously, read it. You won't regret it. Ok, book-plugging over. ;) I am very excited to go to Rome this next month as the book I just read is based mainly in Rome and it is based a lot upon actual history and the martyrs that were killed in the Coliseum. So sad how the people took pleasure in the deaths and torture of these innocent people. It makes you wonder what kind of things are happening in other parts of the world where Christianity is not allowed and even to speak the name of the Lord would bring punishment upon you. Well, ok, I should go but thank you to anyone who reads this. I know I am not very faithful with it, I am trying to be better. ;) Love you! How has the Lord brought you through trials and suffering? How has it made you stronger?

"You are my strength when I am weak..."

Hello all! How are you? Well it's officially the start of Spring here in Italy. Thank you Lord! If I had to spend one more day behind the gray clouds of winter... it would not have been good. For those who I have not told yet.... I'M COMING TO AMERICA! I feel like a Russian, mail-order bride when I say that... Anyway, I am coming or going...what would be the correct verb? hmm.. I am going May 13th-June 13th! I basically have no plans besides my best friend's graduation and hanging out with friends and relatives. The Lord is so great and I can't believe he has provided this amazing opportunity. I am somewhat in denial in thinking that I am really going after almost two years but I think I will believe it when I have the ticket in hand and I'm getting on the 9+ hour plane. I am sooo excited but I also have fears but I know that God's grace is sufficient for all my weaknesses, not just the small ones but ALL! In fact, I think this blog is going to be about "all." Giving the Lord my ALL, making the Lord my ALL, spending ALL my time trying to glorify and honor him, wanting ALL to know him as their personal lord and savior, obeying him in ALL things. The list could go on forever. I just think that sometimes I can get so wrapped up in myself and my plans, my life, my thoughts, that I forget about others around me and especially the Lord. I don't want to compartmentalize him, I want him to be in ALL parts of my life. I don't just want to think about him when I go to church or when I lie down at night. I want him to be my one and ALL. I think my outlook on life has definitely changed since moving to Italy. By the grace of God I can say that he has "popped" my bubble that I was living in and has opened my eyes wider to the pain and suffering of those around me. I used to get so wrapped up in me, myself, and I that I forgot about the needs of others. I still do a lot but the Lord has been gracious in awakening my heart more. Thank you, Lord! I want to be more like him. Anyway, that's about it for now. What are ways that the Lord has awakened your heart? How is he moving in you right now? Let me know! I would love to hear about the ways the Lord is working in your life.
Love you,
Hannah

"I think about you in the summertime..."

Hello Friends,

What's new? Thought I would just drop by and say hello. Life is kind of slowing down right now. For the past twelve days my parents were in America and I got to play "mommy" and "house." Boy, was it tough. I think most siblings don't see their big sister as an authority figure but mine really don't. Thank God for Skype so mom and dad straightened them out a bit. :) Well mom and dad are back now and life is back to normal. They had a great time in Orlando with friends and family and got to spend a lot of time with my big sister, Bethany. I hope to be able to do the same during a possible trip this summer. I am currently teaching English to a neighbor boy in order to raise money for the trip. I even have a special envelope so as not to be tempted to spend it. Anyone who knows me, knows that money burns a hole in my pocket. I am also hoping to acquire some money for my birthday on March 31st. :P After 16 years of living, I still think it's so crazy that I was born on the VERY last day of March. Thank the Lord I wasn't an April Fool's baby... my birthdays would be miserable. hahaha. Also, I am still continuing in school and am almost done with English III, I am a little sad because it was my favorite class but thankful that I will only have two classes for the rest of the semester, those being Geometry and Marine Science. I am also spending a lot of time with my Italian & American friends here... I also miss all of my friends in America! I love you guys. I think about you all the time. Lets see, what else is new, hmm... I am hoping to get my license this summer! We shall see about that.. I haven't touched a steering wheel in 1 1/3 years. The only time I have even been behind the wheel was in my sisters car in my grandparents gated community. How fast & and the furious of me, I know. :-) My sister has agreed to teach me in the hopes that I can acquire my license while in the states. yeaa.. scary. Anyway, that's about it for now! What about you? What are you going to do this summer? road-trips? vacations? I wanna know. Love you guys! Hope to see you in summer.

Tuscany!

Hi! so I am back from Tuscany!... I was back a bit ago but I'm slow to post! :-) I had an amazing time experiencing one of the most beautiful regions of Italy. Not to mention, the weather was 12 degrees warmer! A-mazing. Unfortunately, I left my camera charger so I didn't get many pics but I did get some. We also stayed an extra day which was really nice because we got to see the coast and some more beautiful cities. Here are some pictures from the trip:We had a really great time and I wish I could go back right now! :P We were also able to go to Viareggio and experience their "Carnavale" which is sort of a Halloween without all the scariness. I have now started back to school and my parents are preparing for a trip back to America this Friday. Please pray for my mommy who is not feeling well with a stomach infection and pray for my sanity when I am with my brothers and sister for twelve days! thankfully, the Lord has provided friends and people to help me. :) Thank you Lord! I know my mom is really sad about leaving us because she knows we would all like to go to the states but it's ok. We will be fine and the Lord has a plan for everything that happens. Thank you for reading this and I really truly ask for your prayers in these coming weeks and always. Love,
H