Brasil Part 2: Make it Rain

Okay, fine. "Make It Rain" wasn't the phrase our team leaders, Stephanie and Tucker, used when they told us that we were each individually responsible for raising $2,900 for our Brasil mission trip. To make matters more complicated, we didn't have any fun chocolate bars, magazines, or other paraphernalia to incent people to make a donation. Instead, we were encouraged to write letters to friends and family members simply asking for money, eeeek.

At first, I considered the old fashion trick of sending a letter in the mail, along with a pre-addressed stamp envelope. The stamp is the key, because really, who would do nothing and let an ENTIRE stamp go to waste, when the price has been increasing exponentially over the years and is at an all time high of $0.44??  However, due to time restraints, I instead opted for the go-to mass email. One blind carbon copy email later to 235 of my closest friends, I was confident my time spent fundraising was done. WRONG. My fundraising journey was extremely long, and I soon found out that only seven people had responded and donated a total of $460. (Note, I was extremely appreciative of all these donations!!!)

I knew I had to step it up, especially since I had only a month left to raise this money, and some of my team members had already raised half if not all of the $2,900. On November 5, 2011,  two weeks after the mass email, I decided to individually email 30 of the people on my original list, hoping that my last attempt would be a success. I got several responses almost instantly and was so excited, until I opened the emails....

 "I would love to support you financially; however I'm unable to do so at this time.  I've already exceeded my giving budget for the year." 

 "We are currently committing all of our tithing to XYZ at the moment, good luck!"

"We'd love to support team Brasil. In fact, we already donated to several others on the team."

" We'd love to pray for your trip."

Shoot. My team leaders had recommended to not reach out to people more than 2 times max for donations... what on earth was I to do? The only options I had left were gain new friends, reach out to relatives who I never normally contact, or possibly give some money myself. I decided to go with the give money myself, and wrote a check for $250 which was my parents' early Christmas present to me. In addition, I posted a G-chat status stating the real-time amount I had left to raise, hoping this would non-aggressively encourage people to donate. 

There was one thing I was forgetting though, and that's God. The Bible tells us repeatedly that God is in control, and that if it's in His will He can make anything happen. As such, we are to be bold and ASK for whatever we need, and have confidence that God is capable of delivering:

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  Matthew 7:7-12

Not only is he capable of giving us anything, we have to be patient and wait sometimes...which is very difficult for a type A person who likes to be in control.

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord" - Psalm 27:13-15

Once I remembered this key ingredient missing from my plan, I began praying and waiting. So what was the result of all of this? As of December 2, the day I left for my trip, to my knowledge, I had raised $2,970, $70 more than I had ever needed! What's even more crazy is the fact that when I returned, I found out that I had actually raised $4,150....$1,350 more than was even required!!!! WOW. Below is the slow and gradual process by which the dough rolled in.

The funny thing is, I never would have even considered to pray for God to give me MORE than I needed to raise.... but I guess that just shows how limited I am in my thinking. This was a great reminder that He is able to do ANYTHING beyond our wildest dreams. 

 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

What's even crazier, is that my team as a WHOLE raised $4K more than we needed to!!! Don't worry, the money will be put to good use. We have been told that the money will first be used towards helping other Global Impact trips that are underfunded, but most likely be given to Open Arms, the organization our team worked with in Brasil. We should know for certain where the money goes within the next six months.

So what is the morale of this story? Is it that God is just a genie in a bottle at the disposal of Christians who are in need of wishes to be granted? ABSOLUTELY NOT!  The point is that we should be BOLD in our prayers, come before God and ask Him anything that is on our heart! Does he have the capability to make it happen plus 10 fold? Absolutely. But does that mean he always will make it happen? No. We must remember that God wants our desires to become His. The more time we spend with Him, the more we will want what God wants for us, and it's at this point that He will give us our hearts desires. "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 

That's all I've got. Thank you to the many financial donors and prayer warriors who supported me in this process :). I couldn't have done it without your help!

The Real World: Brasil

This is the true story, of nine strangers, picked to go on a mission trip together, have their lives changed. Find out what happens when people stop being efficient, and start operating under Brasilian time. This is the Real World: Brazil. 

How did you end up on this trip?

The church I go to, Frontline, has a ministry called Global Impact. Global Impact sends 8-10 people on various mission trips throughout the world (Peru, Brazil, Tanzania, Ethiopia SE Asia, Guatemala, Burundi,)  in a given year. Anyone that wants to go on a mission trip has to apply online and go through an interview process. I know it sounds odd, why would I have to interview to volunteer, right? But it's done to ensure that people going are wanting to go for the right reasons (ex.get closer to God), and not just going as a way to have a cool vacation. Interviews are also conducted to communicate the level of commitment required for a trip (i.e. having to fund-raise a couple of Gs per trip, having 5+ four hour meetings months prior to prepare, etc)

For me, I had always wanted to go on a mission trip through Frontline, but  but due to logistical reasons (i.e. didn't have enough vacation at work, would have to miss two weeks of school etc) I was never able to go. However, this summer I noticed there was a trip heading to Brasil for 10 days, which would allow me to miss only one week of class! What's more , a good friend of mine was set to lead the trip which got me even more excited. So I prayed, then applied, had my interview, and voila! 

Where exactly were you?

Assis Brazil, a small city within the state of Sao Paulo. From what I experienced, Asiss is a very poor city, which has a ton of violence and almost everyone is a drug trafficker (even grandmas) as it is in the middle of the typical drug route (Bolivia/Columbia to Sao Paulo city). 

What did you do there?

LOTS OF STUFF! But this is what made it in the top 10

#10. Fed monkeys

 -we went to a random sugar cane farm that was conveniently beside some jungle like area, started doing typical calls to let the monkeys know we had arrived (ooo ooo ooo ah ah ah! ) , and then waited for 20 min. Soon enough about 100 came out of the jungle and we literally handed the monkeys bananas and papaya. 

#9. Ate tons of meat and drank amazing drinks of all shapes and sizes

- breakfast lunch and dinner. Chicken, Ham, and about 100 different variations of beef, even something which was allegedly better than filet mignon ! Oh and dinner is usually served between 10pm-12pm, obviously!  drinks were mainly fruit smoothies.... acerola & pineapple, acai & strawberry, and peach juice, guava juice, oh and coffee that was served in tiny cups that hold the equivalent of a shot.

#8 Worshiped with locals via Lucas playing acoustic guitar

- sang aloud to tons of familiar songs alternating between English and Portuguese. Songs included Mighty to Save, I Want to Know You More, Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord. 

#7 Starred as Eve in a no-words skit 

- our team performed this skit for kids at the Christmas party and for inmates in prison. The idea was to show using actions and background music, a simplified story of Christianity. As Eve, I had to   pretend to eat an apple, feel ashamed/naked, get caught up by the world/sin, and then finally meet  Jesus and have my relationship stored with the Father.

#6 Delivered free vegetables to impoverished families

- every Tuesday, Open Arms picks up free vegetables from a grocery store and delivers them to the families of the kids that come to Open Arms activities. some of the vegetables were starting to rot, but we were told this was better than nothing :( . Although some people weren't very receptive to Americans helping to deliver the veggies, Holly assured us that they would ask the following week where we were, which would then allow them to share why we came, talk about Jesus, etc.

#5 Hosted Christmas party for kids

- our team hosted various craft stations, one of which allowed us to take Polaroids of the kids and let them decorate a frame to keep (none of them ever had a picture of themselves). the site for the party also had a ginormous pool, which the kids loved even though most couldn't swim

#4 Asked to play Mighty to Save on the piano

- at church last minute without practice! Thankfully the guitar was super loud haha

#3 Shared my testimony at church in front of 50 people while Mike translated to Portuguese

#2 Built an entire playground

- made entirely out of tree trunks! 

#1 Visited a prison and played with inmates ( sans cuffs, chains or fiberglass)

- for the record I won one game of ping pong but got completely schooled in checkers

What did you learn?

Patience, humility, joyful service, and so much more! The next few posts I plan to dive into more about what I learned during fundraising, building the playground, and visiting the prison.

Oh, and in case your wondering, the copy in the picture translates to "Love that changes". Tutto bom!

DISCLAIMER: MTV Real World is not involved in this. The logo was used as a parody. sank you!

My Secret Crush

It's true. As much as I hate to admit it I have a crush on a 17 year old. Since his debut two years ago, I kept telling myself that I was just watching him on Ellen and listening to his music to see if he would succeed. Then, for my birthday this year, when I decided to do a Flash Mob to his hit "Somebody to Love" I rationalized it saying that I wanted people to laugh at the ridiculous song choice. It wasn't until earlier this week when I stopped denying my true feelings. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I found myself listening to his new Christmas CD!!! I normally NEVER listen to Christmas music or participate in anything having to do with Christmas until after Thanksgiving at the earliest.

But oh no, I just can't stop listening to MISLETOE. Best part of the song "I should be playing in the winter snow, but Imma be under the misletoe...with YOUUUUU , shawty with YOU with YOUUUUU, shawty with YOU".

Justin thinks I'm short???? (SIGH). He's amazing. It's no wonder he finally exceeded Lady Gaga in popularity, racking up over 2 billion YouTube hits. Oh and if you think I'm crazy for liking a 17 year old, and incorrectly try and label me as a Cougar or Puma (I'm not that old), just know that someone paid Ellen DeGeneres $40,000 to buy a lock of Justin's hair... just sayin.

Anyways, I think its safe to say that most girls will be really excited if they get Justin Bieber's CD for Christmas...But what about little boys? I don't think they will like Bieber even though this CD showcases his new manly/deep baritone voice. Personally, I think a great present for both boys and girls would be a new PLAYGROUND! Think about it. A playground would help kids stay active/healthy year round, and provide an endless source of fun/freedom!

In fact, I have the opportunity to travel with my church's Global Impact ministry to Assis, Brazil and build a NEW PLAYGROUND for kids this Christmas! Here are some details about the kids and how we will make this happen!

The Kids: The children of Assis are often affected by poverty, alcohol, drugs, and violence at young ages.

Gifts for Kids: We will be building a playground for the children of the community as well sharing the love of Christ with them in a Vacation Bible School setting, all culminating in a Christmas party for the kids! This playground will be a tangible gift that we leave behind for the Brazilian kids who have nothing but run-down homes and fields to play in.

Our Partner: Open Arms Brazil will be helping us build the playground. Their mission is to help shape a God-honoring, bright future for the children; a future that allows each child to overcome his present circumstances and be able to give back to his community while serving God. Open Arms Brazil is a not-for-profit, Christian organization dedicated to the physical, emotional, moral, academic and spiritual enrichment of children who live in under-served and forgotten neighborhoods of Brazil, neighborhoods with a high risk of violence, prostitution, drug and alcohol addiction, and abuse.

Cash Money: I need to raise $2,900 (These contributions are tax deductible and will cover travel, lodging, construction materials and other related trip expenses).

Sounds cool right? Well I'd like to ask you to consider donating money to the trip so that we can provide a memorable Christmas for these boys and girls! If you would like to make a financial contribution to this team, you can Donate online [at www.frontlinedc.com/globaldonate] Click on ‘Donate Here’ and follow the instructions. You may be asked to log in with a username and password but you will not be added to any mailing lists or promotional materials. Select ‘GI –Brazil (FLTY)’ and type in my name when it asks for a team member. Please cc: chessy.soccoli@gmail.com so I can track my online donations. If you choose to make an anonymous donation to the team you do not have to type a team member’s name, just type ‘General - anonymous’. All contributions are tax deductible. If the team is successful in raising our financial goal, all excess funds will be applied to either the needs directly related to the ministry of this trip or to fund additional outreach efforts within Impact Ministries.

Thanks so much!

Best FBook Mobile Upload of 2011!

The above was in my news feed circa the evening of July 28 2011. Note: I have blotted out the names to maintain privacy and reduce my chances of getting defriended haha.

Anyways, I wanted to share this because in my opinion this is by far the BEST mobile upload of 2011 hands down. Typically, when people upload a mobile photo to the facebook it's to brag. " I'm in a helicopter in Hawaii"... "She said yes!"..."Homemade dinner of steak and taters"..."Front row Nats game”, etc . Other times, people upload a mobile photo to showcase a "FAIL" moment or complain about a circumstance. While these can all be somewhat entertaining, when have you seen someone unintentionally promote the gospel?!

I guess it's true when people say there is no such thing as bad publicity. I mean sure this person's intention was certainly not to share the gospel, but check out the next picture this person uploaded. The caption was " weird business card the refrigerator repair man left”


When I saw this, I remember having the following reactions

Rocks Cry Out = Facebook
GOD is sovereign ya’ll. He will find, make, and create a way for the gospel to be known. It is our responsibility as Christians to share the gospel with all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). However, if we as Christians can’t get over our fear of people and tell them about the most important thing in our life, He will have the rocks cry out! And in this case, Facebook cried out.

"When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-38)

Motives are Irrelevant
I am not sure what this person’s motive was for posting these photos…attention? venting? trying to be funny? boredom? ….but it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day God was able to take this event and turn it into good. The gospel was shared with potentially hundreds of friends that saw this in a news feed.

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. “ (Philipians 1:15-18)

Keep Planting Seeds
I would be willing to bet my life savings that when Darren left his "business card" for my fbook friend, he never expected 1.) that person to share the card with his/her fbook friends 2.) me to write a blog post about it. Folks, we never know where are efforts to share the gospel will go. Yes it stinks that often times, we never see any tangible results, but don't give up!!! The Lord is capable of doing more than we could ever ask or imagine. So keep on planting your seeds, and know that God will take care of the rest

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

Darren, if you are out there, thanks for being bold. You have way more courage than I do.

Invisalign Braces...Oh My Joy and Grievance!

I got my first set of Invisalign braces yesterday and can't help but feeling duped! Okay, so maybe it's my own fault for not doing my own research, but no one told me the true COST of Invisalign….not even my own friends that had Invisalign! All they told me was how much they liked how their teeth looked and how glad they were they did it. I mean yes, I am aware of the $3,000 price tag, but there are so many more costs (pain, sacrifice, etc) that no one told me about...They were so surprising that I even considered abandoning my original decision all together.

Has this ever happened to you before? For me, this was exactly what it was like the first time I went to church and met other Christians. I heard a lot of anecdotes about the joy and peace that came from being a disciple…but no one initially told me about some of the costs… No one told me about the pain, how people would laugh at me, and how I would have to change my lifestyle. Real quick, let’s see what I mean when I say there is a high cost with getting Invisalign and being a disciple.

1.) Lifestyle Change Required

Invisalign: During the 22 hours a day that I am required to have my trays in , the following are off limits: No snacking, no coffee/tea or anything other than cold water, no gum. Oh and there is a chance that for the REST OF YOUR LIFE, you will have to sleep with a retainer, FML.

Disciple: For the REST OF YOUR LIFE, Jesus is the only priority. We should love Him wholeheartedly even at the expense of losing friends, family, and community. He is more important than money or career success (Matthew 8:21-22, Matthew 16:24, Matthew 10:32-39) . Don't get drunk, instead fill yourself with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) Don't look out for #1, but instead consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3). Don't have sex outside of marriage (Hebrews 13:4 1 Corinthians 7:2)….etc.

2.) People Will Make Fun of You

Invisalign: = LSIP... oopth!!!! sthorrrry....thith hath really been a thlippery thlope! I can't help that I am thspesthal and prethith!

Disciple: "Haha, seriously you haven't seen your boyfriend naked yet?" "Christianity is just a crutch for weak people" "She's just a Jesus freak"

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.“ John 15:18-22

3.) There Will Be Pain

Invisalign: I guess I never actually thought about how exactly the trays would move my teeth. Last night my boyfriend made me a wonderful dinner for our anniversary, but my teeth could only handle eating the mashed potatoes. Most of my teeth felt sore and taking bites or chewing only made matters worse. Allegedly this will only happen the first few days when you start on a new set of trays.

Disciple: Unlike the false doctrine being preached via televangelists, the gospel NO WHERE promises health, prosperity and wealth, but it does promise suffering :/

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:12-15.

Final Thoughts
So what to do now? I have a choice in both instances. I could stop Invisalign treatment all together and try and get my money back, or I could stop following Christ and go back to being self-sufficient, but neither is appealing when I think of the PRIZES at the end of this. In 10 months, my smile is going to be gorgeous and my teeth will be straight. What's more, according to Invisalign Smile Survey, I will be more attractive, more likely to get selected for a job/promotion, and more likely to be offered to try a bite of a friend’s sandwich or ice cream cone! Whenever my teeth hurt, I just close my eyes and imagine myself with a perfect smile and it makes everything more bearable. The same is true only to a much greater extent with being a disciple. When I die, I will be in paradise with the Creator of the world, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and with Jesus who loves me unconditionally! I will be in a place, where there will be no more pain, suffering, or tears. Did I mention I will be like this for the REST OF ETERNITY??? Being a disciple is like running a race for all of my life. By keeping my eyes on Jesus/the prize, I am able to persevere through times when I want to quit. I’ll leave you with this verse that reinstates this very idea:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

P.S. I want to clarify, that it’s not the changes in lifestyle or other works, that give me eternal life. I have been saved because of faith and God’s mercy/Grace (Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9). Sthank tsou!

A Bad Eugoogolizer

Derek Zoolander: Or are you here to tell me what a bad eugoogoolizer I am?

Matilda: A what?

Derek Zoolander: A eugoogoolizer... one who speaks at funerals.

[Matilda looks at Derek confused]

Derek Zoolander: Or did you think I was too stupid to know what a eugoogooly was?


Apparently Derelick is not the only person who feels that he is a bad eugoogoolizer....veterans in Texas are also questioning their skill set. Recently, the Department of Veteran Affairs has been censoring all funeral prayers, insisting that the use of the words "Jesus" or "God" are strictly prohibited at Houston National Cemetery (read here). I think we can all agree that this is a blatant violation of our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. However, what is far more interesting to me is the question "Is there a right or wrong way to pray" ?

As a kid, I always seemed to think that prayer was a fixed script that you would chant multiple times a day because the church said "I told you so". There was no emotion or relationship associated with it. It was simply something I did out of requirement, guilt, and fear of horrible consequences if I didn't. My prayer would start with the typical "Our father who art in heaven" and end with "Hail Mary full of grace..." . When I got older (age 10), I would try and slip in my own verse and rationalized it's acceptance by vowing to always make it the same every time " God bless mom, dad, chessy , brother, don't let anything bad happen to us let everything good happen to us, let us all stay in good physical and mental health. Amen".

My perspective on prayer didn't change until fall 2006, when I heard a sermon about prayer on a church retreat. The pastor started off by clarifying that as Christians, we have a direct relationship with God. We don't need to go through a priest, or a virgin (Mary) to talk to him because that's the whole point of Jesus! Jesus paves the way for us to speak directly to God. The pastor then told us to imagine God as a best friend who is available 24-7 for us to talk to. My main take away was that prayer was meant to be conversational and personal. The pastor wrapped up by giving us the A.C.T.S model for prayer as a loose guideline to help structure our prayers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT-
"Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, My lips will praise Thee." Psalms 63:3

This is a time to recognize the Lord for who He is. If you are looking for a starting place, the scripture offers multiple names for God

• El Shaddai:“God Almighty.” (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Ex. 6:1; Ps. 91:1, 2).
• El Elyon: “The Most High God.” (Gen. 14:19; Ps. 9:2; Dan. 7:18, 22, 25).
• El Roi: “The God Who Sees.” (Gen. 16:13).
• Yahweh Jireh (Yireh): “The Lord will provide.” (Gen. 22:14).
• Yahweh Nissi:“The Lord is my Banner.” Stresses that God is our rallying point and our means of victory; the one who fights for His people (Ex. 17:15).
• Yahweh Shalom:“The Lord is Peace.” (Jud. 6:24).
• Yahweh Ro’i: “The Lord my Shepherd.” (Ps. 23:1).
• Yahweh Tsidkenu: “The Lord our Righteousness.” (Jer. 23:6).
• Yahweh Shammah: “The Lord is there.” (Ezek. 48:35).

CONFESSION
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8-9

We aren't perfect and the Lord knows that. This is a time to demonstrate great humility and come to the Lord and confess the ways in which we have displeased God...whether it's an issue of idolizing work, not spending anytime reading our Bible, or gossiping about a co-worker behind his back, confess this to the Lord.

THANKSGIVING
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thess. 5:18

I always think of this as a time of praise. I think, what's going well in my life right now? Maybe I'm grateful a friend got a job offer, or I'm thankful that I was able to spend a day relaxing at the pool. Sometimes, it can seem nearly impossible to think of something to be thankful for because all of our circumstances at present are MISERABLE. During these times, I often either look to the past and thank God for awesome things He has done in my life or I will revert back to Acknowledgment and just praise the Lord for who He is.

SUPPLICATION
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phillippians 4:6

Admittedly, sometimes I just skip right to this step and present a laundry list of my demands as if God was a genie in a bottle. Regardless, this is a time to present prayer requests for the world, for others, and for ourselves. God wants us to express to him the desires of our heart.

So what do you think? Is there a right or wrong way to pray? How do you pray, if at all?

I Survived the End of The World 2011

What were you doing at 6:00pm this past Saturday May 21, 2011? I was with two of my close girlfriends at Johnny Rockets. We had heard about Harold Camping's prediction that the world was going to end, and so we decided to delight in some of life's simple pleasures one last time. They got strawberry shakes while I nibbled on sliders and enjoyed an ice cold Root Beer. We also made sure to contact our boyfriends via text to say our goodbyes, "heart you. see you in heaven!". We were clearly JOKING, at least in part. Are we confident we are going to heaven? Yes. Did we really believe the world was going to end while we were at Johnny Rockets? No. And here's why.

Not only has this man WRONGLY predicted that judgment day would occur May 21, 1988, September 7, 1994, and May 21, 2011, but also the Bible very plainly states that it is impossible for anyone to know when Jesus will come back for a second time.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Matthew 24: 36-44

So even if we can't predict the very moment when Jesus comes back, are there at least signs that will signal that it's getting closer to that time? YES. There are 3 signs that come to mind. Note: this is not an exhaustive list, I am sure there are tons more in the Bible and even signs to come that we will not recognize or know.

Sign #1 Dramatic increase in natural disasters, famine, & warfare
The disciples asked Jesus for a sign to know when Jesus would come back at the end of the age. Jesus answered, saying: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:4-8

Sign #2 Rebuilding of Jewish temple in Jerusalem
The Bible states that the end of times will occur in a temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4). Note the original temple of the Lord was built in 966 BC by King Solomon and destroyed in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar. The temple was rebuilt in 520BC by Zerubbabel but later destroyed in 70AD by the Roman empire. The temple has not been rebuilt in Jerusalem since it's destruction in 70AD and would thus need to be rebuilt for the end time events listed in the scriptures to take place.

Sign #3: Use of one-world currency
When the Antichrist comes it is believed that he will establish his world government and have control over all commerce. Some suggest that this could be revealed in the form of enacting a one-world currency. "The beast also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name" Revelation 13:16-17

It is very clear that at least two if not all three of these signs have yet to happen. Some might think sign #1 is already underway with the recent surge in tsunamis, earthquakes, floods and tornadoes. However, I don't think we've seen all that is to come.

So do you see how foolish it was for Harold to attempt to predict the end of the world? What's perhaps more troubling, is this guy won't even admit defeat. Since his failed prediction, Harold Camping has once again revised his statement claiming that the rapture happened "spiritually" on May 21, 2011 and insisted that the true judgement day would be on October 20, 2011. I will be the first to admit, when I heard the terms rapture, judgement and second coming, the details were a little fuzzy. I went ahead and compiled a summary of events that will happen during the end of times. Note, no one is certain of the timing, execution, or order in which these events will happen.



In conclusion, I think Harold should stop using FUZZY math to predict the end of times and instead focus on more important things like oh I don't know loving God, loving people, and sharing the gospel. Oh, and I also pray that trucker hats don't come back in style. Thank you and good night.

Osama bin Laden's Dead- Do We Need a Photo?

Nearly 10 years after the 9-11 attacks on the US, Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind this horrendous terrorist attack, is DEAD. Navy Seals were responsible for this incredible feat, and Americans wasted no time celebrating…only minutes after Obama’s announcement, citizens were found outside the White House celebrating while others chose to virtually celebrate, posting Facebook status messages such as “Ding-dong the witch is dead” , “Bin Laden is dead….SUCKA” and perhaps my favorite “ F-Yea America!” . Since the release of this “good” news, Americans have been debating whether or not the government should release photographs of bin Laden’s dead body. Today, however, President Obama affirmatively decided to NOT release the photos, stating that people who don’t believe Osama is dead wouldn’t be convinced by gruesome photos either, and besides there is no need to gloat over this victory.

At this point, unless Osama’s body shows up on national television with him holding a Wall Street Journal and rebuking America for their hasty conclusions, I think it’s safe to say he’s a goner. For once, I tend to agree with Obama. There comes a point when you just have to except that there will always be skeptics who refuse to believe the truth and there is no level of evidence that will ever satisfy them. Heck this was even the case 2,000 years ago when Jesus resurrected from the dead. This time, we didn’t have the president of the U.S. telling us the news, we had GOD telling us the "good news" via the Bible.

Unless Jesus’s dead body was discovered, no one could say with any level of certainty that the resurrection didn’t happen. Because of this, skeptics instead suggest that Jesus’s body was not found because His disciples stole and hid the body. Now to me, this is perhaps more ridiculous than the theory that Osama bin Laden isn’t in fact dead. Why might you ask? Whelp, several reasons. First, and perhaps most important, it’s highly likely that the disciples were completely confused and had no idea that Jesus was going to rise from the dead three days later. I mean sure, Jesus told them at least THREE times that he would die and then resurrect, but based on their reactions , it seems like they never really understood what was going on. Let’s take a peak at their reactions below:




Based on their reactions, do YOU think the disciples had a full understanding of what was going to happen to Jesus? Clearly they didn’t! Take for instance the third time Jesus is like 'um hey guys just wanted to let you know I have to suffer greatly and die', the disciples decide to change the subject and ask who will have what royal positions when Jesus enters His earthly kingdom… really??? If the disciples really knew what was going on they would be filled with sorrow and weeping, but alas they had misconstrued Jesus, his teachings, and Old Testament prophecy; they believed that Jesus was going to be a military leader/ king who would reign over the nations and they wanted to position themselves so that they would receive a sweet position when this all came to fruition.

So yea, given that the disciples were clueless, the chance that the disciples on Saturday were like “hey man whatchu got going on, ahh nothing bro, sweet well uh you wanna go try and steal Jesus out of the tomb to keep this whole hoax going on, count me in bro.” is close to ZERO. Also keep in mind many years later each one of the disciples died TERRIBLE deaths because of their passion for Christianity… it’s one thing to be willing to die for what you believe in, but to be willing to be beaten, whipped, and become a martyr for something you KNOW to be an absolute lie is very unlikely.

What’s more, there was an entire GUARD of Roman soldiers guarding the tomb, and there is no way a couple of fisherman and tax collectors could overpower them. I think Stan Campbell explained it best in his book Jesus The Empty Tomb: Inside the Mysteries of the Bible: New Perspectives on Ancient Truths:

“Could Christ's followers have taken the body? It would have been difficult. Roman soldiers found guilty of leaving their posts were generally put to death. And it was common knowledge that the penalty for breaking a Roman seal was execution. Disciples bent on body-snatching would have first have had to overpower the battle-tested Roman soldiers, then break the Roman seal. Yet even if they succeeded they would face a final challenge: moving aside the two-ton stone door that covered the entrance to the rock tomb." (pg. 64)

So what do YOU think? What kind of proof do you require to believe that Osama is in fact dead and Jesus did in fact rise from the dead?

Origin of The High- Five, according to How I Met Your Mother

In honor of National High-Five day, I feel it is my civic duty to let you in on a little secret... the origin of the High-Five.. I'll defer to Barney from How I Met Your Mother (a racier, funnier, version of "Friends") to educate you on the High-Five's rich 2000+ year history.

Barney: You can't call her, you have to wait three days to call a woman. That's the rule!

Ted: Barney, that rule is completely played out. Girls know exactly what you're doing. Hey I got a new rule, it's kind of crazy, it's called you like her, you call her

Barney: I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I don't speak "I never get girls" . Jesus waited THREE days to come back to life. It was perfect! If he had only waited ONE day, a lot of people wouldn't have even heard he died. They'd be all, "Hey Jesus, what up?" and Jesus would probably be like, "What up? I DIED yesterday!" and they'd be all, "Uhh, you look pretty alive to me, dude..." and then Jesus would have to explain how he was resurrected, and how it was a miracle, and the dude'd be like "Uhh okay, whatever you say, bro..." And he's not gonna come back on a SATURDAY. Everybody's busy, doing chores, workin' the loom, trimmin' the beard, NO. He waited the perfect number of days, THREE. Plus it's SUNDAY, so everyone's in church already, and they're all in there like "Oh no, Jesus is DEAD", and then BAM! He bursts in the back door, runnin' up the aisle, everyone's totally psyched, and FYI, that's when he invented the high five. That's why we wait three days to call a woman, because that's how long Jesus wants us to wait.... True story

So why did Jesus think it was appropriate to give a High-Five? According to today's standards, people dish out High-Fives when a person does something awesome... so let's see what things Jesus did that were awesome to merit a celebratory High-Five, mmm k?

Do Something Awesome #1- Set a World Record!
Up until the time of Jesus, ain't no body been able to live a perfect life... I mean shoot maybe peeps thought Noah was a "good" person because he listened to God and built and ark, or maybe peeps thought Moses was a "good" person because he helped release the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, or maybe peeps thought King David was legit because he defeated the scary/enormous "Goliath". WRONG. Noah got crunk (crazy + drunk) post chilling in the ark, Moses committed murder and later disobeyed God's instructions, and David committed adultery and aided the murder of some poor brah. So Jesus comes along and is all I'm going to be tempted in every way possible, yet still not sin, aka lead a perfect life!

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

"Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. “ Hebrews 7:26-28


Do Something Awesome #2- Ends Cruelty to Animals! (PETA likes this)Before Jesus, life was pretty crappy. There were 100s of rules that Israelites were commanded to follow (including the 10 commandments). Additionally, the Israelites were told that breaking a rule, or “sinning”, could be punishable by death, AND the sinful act couldn’t be forgiven UNLESS there was the shedding of blood (i.e. sacrificing an innocent, unblemished animal). To complicate matters further, peeps didn’t have the luxury of talking to God whenever they wanted. In fact, only the appointed high priest was allowed to be in the presence of God (located in the Holy Place) ONCE per year to offer animal sacrifices for his own sins and the sins of the community (Hebrews 9: 1-10). So then, Jesus rolls up having lived a perfect life, and is all hey I’ll just thrown down my life as the ultimate sacrifice (i.e. allow peeps to crucify him on wrongful charges), in order to forgive everyone for ALL sins, once and for all. Oh and PS , me doing this will allow you to have a restored relationship with God and you can hablar con Dios anytime you like, 24-7!

“Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:22-28


Do Something Awesome #3: - Raise Himself From the Dead, sans Magic!Jesus rose from the dead 3 days after he was crucified…if he didn’t we would have a dead savior and he would have been nothing more than a martyr. However, since Christ is living today, the sacrifice he made for us is legit and we can have the promise of eternal inheritance, i.e. heaven because of it. HOORAY!

“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. “Hebrews 9:12-15

So there you have it! OH AND BTW, I couldn't find a mention of a "High-Five" in the Bible, so Barney may or may not have made that up. In any event, Happy Easter!

Legit Bumper Sticker

Ever since I was a wee lil one, I've been drinking the bumper sticker haterade. I mean really, I don't care to know that you OBX, put hope in YES WE CAN OBAMA 2008, have a BABY ON BOARD, think you're funny- I SEE DEAF PEOPLE, would RATHER BE RUNNING, are PRO-CHOICE, care to STOP GLOBAL WARMING, take pride in the fact that MY KID CAN BEAT UP YOUR HONOR ROLL STUDENT, support anything Bob Barker does- DON'T LITTER: SPAY OR NEUTER, are too lazy to remove your old stickers- GORE/LIEBERMAN '01, or perhaps worst state the obvious- MEAN PEOPLE SUCK. It wasn't until last Wednesday, at the Sunoco on Glebe in Arlington that I actually saw a bumper sticker I loved. The 2005 black VW GTI was sporting a sticker in the rear windshield that read " Don't be a Fool! 1 Corinthians 1:18". Not knowing what this verse said, Kristen and I looked it up in her car Bible:

^“ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

WOW. This is legit. There really are 2 groups of people. Those that think the message of Christianity is utter rubbish and foolishness, and those that think the message of Christianity is live saving. Which camp do you belong to? Do you truly believe there is a God, that he came to earth in the form of a man (Jesus), led a perfect life, was crucified on a cross to take on the punishment we deserve for our sins, and rose from the dead 3 days later so that we could be reconciled to God, forgiven, and granted eternal life? OR do you hold the complete opposite view, thinking the above claims are absolute garbage and a crutch that weak people use to deal with their pathetic life? If you still aren't certain, take a look at the 2 views from a more in-depth perspective:

WORLD VIEW

I will live my life according to these beliefs.

God does NOT exist.

It’s just foolish to think that there is an all knowing God with a cosmic plan.

That an all powerful God brings purpose to the pain and suffering in the world is a comforting thought.

HOWEVER, it is only wishful thinking.

People can do as they please WITHOUT eternal consequences.

The idea that I am deserving of hell because of sin, IS A LIE meant to make me a slave to those in power.

“The more you have, the happier you’ll be.”

Our existence has NO GRAND MEANING OR PURPOSE.

In a world with no God, there is freedom to be who I want to be.

But WITH God, life is an ENDLESS cycle of GUILT and SHAME.

WITHOUT God , everything is fine, It is RIDICULOUS to think I am lost and in need of saving.

*******Now, completely reverse this thinking, literally, and you have*******

CHRISTIAN VIEW:

I am LOST and in NEED of saving.

It is ridiculous to think, everything is fine.

WITHOUT God , Life is an endless cycle of guilt and shame.

But WITH God, there is FREEDOM to be who I want to be.

In a world with No God, our existence has no grand meaning or purpose.

“The more you have, the happier you’ll be”, IS A LIE meant to make me a slave to those in power.

Because of sin, I am DESERVING of hell.

The idea that people can do as they please WITHOUT eternal consequences is only WISHFUL thinking.

It Is comforting though, however ,that an ALL POWERFUL God brings PURPOSE to the PAIN and SUFFERING in the world, That there is an ALL KNOWING God with a cosmic PLAN.

It’s just foolish to think God does NOT exist.

I will live my life according to these beliefs.

So now, we all likely have a good idea of what set of beliefs we align with....but let me ask you this: How did you arrive at your decision for your belief system? Did you gain your beliefs by trusting what your gut was telling you ? Accepting what your parents/friends/significant other told you to be the truth? Having life circumstances turn out in a way that you didn't like or understand? Reading the Bible? Going to church? Studying science? Having a bad experience with a so called "Christian"? Using logic and common sense? I'd like to challenge anyone who reads this to put in time, challenge your beliefs, do research, and seek out the Truth. If you are willing to put in multiple hours to research your next car purchase, (which will only last you 5-10 years), how much time would you be willing to put in to research the possibility of life after death, which would last for all of eternity?


EPILOGUE: The Reverse Thinking power featured above is courtesy of author David D. Dietrich. ( thank you Jayne for sending this to me :) ). Additionally, Jason, the owner of the VW with the sticker, was gracious enough to send me 10+ bumper stickers. If anyone would like one for their room, car, office desk, etc let me know and I'll be sure to get it to you! Finally, I asked some of the women in my Bible study and Kristen what kind of biblical bumper sticker they would have, if forced by gunpoint to sport one. They listed the following:

Wake up!
Romans 13:11

What is truth?
John 18:37

Keep on Keepin' on!
2 Cor 4:18

Saying Goodbye to Drinking

I decided to join my friend Rachel and drink water ONLY between now and April 23 (not incl. Sundays). This means no Gatorade to rehydrate after a 600 calorie Zumba workout, no fresh fruit smoothie to feel healthy after eating a spicy Chick-fil-A sandwich with waffle fires for lunch....no mid-afternoon diet coke, diet mt dew, or caramel macchiato to stay awake in class... no Tuesday night African tea to help unwind during small group... no Thursday night sangria, or makers mark to celebrate an end to a hectic week...and no milk or OJ to wash down Saturday morning pancakes....So why on earth am I imposing something that is so torturous? Welp, because we are in the midst of LENT! [And yes I am a slacker and should have started this a week and a half ago, but alas I was in Costa Rica. ] Today I want to run through a few FAQ about LENT and also give you more info in case you'd like to join Rachel and I in Blood Water Mission.


WHAT IS LENT?
Generally, Lent is a period of fasting and/or repentance observed by Catholics during the 40 days leading up to Easter (March 9-April 23 this year) . This time is viewed as a period of preparation, preparing hearts for what is to come (crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus). An article from a church in San Fransisco summarized it well: Think of it as an annual self-review for your spiritual life : how can I work/pray to overcome sins I've struggled with, what idols are overshadowing my love for God? , in what ways is my commitment to Christ less than wholehearted?, etc.

WHAT DO PEOPLE TYPICALLY DO FOR LENT?
1. Self-Denial/Self Discipline- Make a change in attitudes, words, or lifestyles ... forgoing or sacrificing stuff we really enjoy. "I am giving up chocolate" "I am giving up cursing" , "I am giving up watching tv", etc.

2. Acts of Compassion- Do nice things for the poor and oppressed. Ex. some people may fast once a day, eating 2 meals instead of 3, and then give the money they saved to the poor.

IS LENT BIBLICAL?
No. It isn't in the Bible, it is a tradition started by the Catholic church many years ago. The only issue arises when people observing Lent

1. Incorrectly assume that our actions can somehow earn favor with God
Our works and good deeds are meaningless, and it is only by faith in Jesus that we become reconciled to God:
"..all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags..." Isaiah 64:6 "
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

2. Incorrectly assume that personal sacrifices atones for our sins and somehow restores our relationship with God
Only through Jesus can a person be forgiven and reconciled to God...
"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— ^" Colossians 1:21-23
"For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" Romans 5:10

IS IT OKAY TO OBSERVE LENT?
Yes! As long as you've got the right motives... Search your heart and ask yourself why you are choosing to do this... are you participating so that you may be granted access to eternal life/heaven ? (won't work) Are you participating to receive praise/attention from others for your religious acts? (God knows the truth) Or are you trying to grow closer to God by becoming more like Christ in the process? (Christ prayed, fasted, helped the poor, made sacrifices, suffered, etc ). Also, keep in mind, we can choose to grow closer to God 365 days a year, and don't have to wait for a particular date and time to do so :) .

HOW DO I PARTICIPATE IN BLOOD WATER'S 40 DAYS OF WATER MISSION?
1. Monday-Saturday drink water ONLY
2. Every time you crave a drink, write down what it would cost you (ex. Tall Skim Caramel Macchiato $3.59)
3. Sunday- FREE DAY . drink anything your lil heart desires
4. April 24 (Easter) - tally up total amount of money you saved by only drinking water during period
5. Donate money you saved to Blood Water Mission to help build clean water wells in Uganda!

http://www.bloodwatermission.com/fortydays.php

I hope you decide to join us!

Georgetown Basketball EPIC FAIL

With school work being relatively light this week, I thought for sure I could kick back tonight and watch the Hoya's secure victory against UConn. WRONG! The game accelerated my anxiety more so than a Management Science assignment involving multiple constraints and parameters. Throughout the game, the lead changed hands multiple times. Then with 4:01 to go, Freeman scored, giving Georgetown the lead 70-69. Tragically, right after that UConn went on a 9-0 streak, and Georgetown MISSED 4 three pointers in a row (any of which would have allowed them to win). I mean really... WTH MATE??? Final score: Georgetown 70, UConn 78. '

Initially, I was disappointed, frustrated and somewhat angry. To make myself feel better I thought, "Well it's a good thing I didn't shell out serious cash for floor seats to the home game against Cuse, because they'll probs choke again". My roommate got pretty tired of my grumbling/complaining so she tried to block out this bad memory by distracting me with American Idol, which worked pretty well. I also was able to calm down when I stopped my "what have you done for me lately attitude" and went back and looked at how Georgetown has performed in the past. How easily I had forgotten how well Georgetown played 4 days earlier against Marquette, or how well they played during any of the other 7 games they had WON in the past month:

STATS:
1/15 @ Rutgers: 74-65 W
1/18 @ Seaton Hall: 80-75 W
1/26 St. Johns : 77-52 W
1/29 @ #13Villanova: 69-66 W
1/31 # 7 Louisville 62-59 W
2/5 Providence : 83-81 W
2/9 @ #17 Syracuse: 64-56 W (First time in 9 years Gtown beat Cuse away)
2/13 Marquette: 69-60 W
(rankings were current when game took place)

After reviewing the stats, I realized that I shouldn't be so quick to lose FAITH in my team. Maybe if the team changed in some way (coach gets fired, starter gets injured) then I would have a legit reason to lose faith. Or maybe if Georgetown wasn't #9 in the country and instead lost frequently to unknown division 1 teams, I would be justified in losing faith.

I think so often we do this in all aspects of our lives. We are all happy when our subordinate is performing well, until he turns in that one crap TPS report and we forget the good work he has done in the past and instead begin to question his future capabilities. Or we are happy with our significant other/ spouse, until that time they forget to say "I love you too" before hanging up, and we forget how they cooked us dinner for Valentines Day a few days ago and instead relabel them as insensitive and unloving. And yea I get it... we lose faith in people because humans are flawed. But what if there was someone who always kept his promises? What if past performance was a 100% indication of future results and there was no variation within that? Surely, we wouldn't doubt this person's capabilities and LOSE FAITH when we were in a time of uncertainty, right? Unfortunately, that isn't the case. If this person is God and we look at how the Israelites complained/doubted God even though He had ALWAYS come through for them in the past, you'll see what I mean...

Complaint: ²² Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. ²³ When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. ²⁴ So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” Exodus 15:22-24

Keep in mind, just days earlier God had come through in huge miraculous was for them...

STATS:
- Freed Israelites from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13)
- Chilled w/ Israelites in the form of cloud to protect them during the day from Egyptians (Exodus 14)
- Chilled w/Israelites in the form of a pillar of fire at night to keep them warm and help destroy Egyptians (Exodus 14)
- Parted the Red Sea so Israelites could cross on dry land, and then closed the Sea so that wall of water crashed down and destroyed their enemies (Exodus 14)

Take away: Don't doubt God's capabilities and dwindle your faith. Unlike the Hoyas, or any other humans, God is perfect and all powerful...if God did it before, He can do it again! Start a prayer journal where you keep track of prayer requests and praises. Then, when having difficulty thinking God may not come through, go back and read some of your old entries and reflect on how He's worked in your life. This will give you courage and comfort. Please note, this is not some health/wealth prosperity gospel where I'm saying that God is some magic genie in a bottle and whatever you wish for he will give you. What I'm saying is the following: when you are going through a hard time, look back on what God has done for you in the past and it will help you to remember his faithfulness and goodness, thereby giving you hope and enabling you to maintain your faith :) .

and yes, I'm still a Georgetown fan. HoyaSaxa!