I just watched a documentary about Haiti and thought you guys might be interested. Because I'm super lazy and don't feel like writing my own summary, I stole the summary off their website. So here you go:

This week has been so incredible. The topic is the Holy Spirit, which is something I've always believed in but never really put in to practice. I always viewed it as that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, but that's about it. I've been learning what it is to really be in relationship with Him, in constant conversation. I've been learning about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and how it's not some weird thing that crazy people do to put on a show. It basically just means to have Him filling you more and more.
Last night, we had a night of worship. I can't even describe how amazing it was. God was definitely there. Our speaker and some people from different schools went around laying their hands on everyone and asking the Holy Spirit to fill them. The things people did when He came on them were crazy. There were people who fell on the floor laughing, people crying, people dancing, people drunk on the Spirit, everything. It's so weird how I'm so okay with everything now. During corporate week, everything was freaking me out and I was angry all the time. God has given me so much peace about everything going on around me. He's been reminding me that it's not about what I'm seeing them do, but what He is doing in their heart. I don't know why, but one of the ways He chooses to work is through this. He uses this process to break off lies and restore people's hearts. He's breaking through to so many through this. So many of us come from conservative backgrounds and we've just been coming to the realization that God is so much bigger than the box we put Him in. All of this is completely biblical too, it's just that we are so uncomfortable with it because it's not what we're used to. But God doesn't need to make us comfortable. He doesn't work how we want Him to all the time.
Towards the end of this worship, something crazy started to happen. We started to sing this song without words. It got louder and louder and louder until all of us knew it wasn't just us in the room anymore. The presence of the Lord was so strong - stronger than I've ever experienced before in my life. Even our speaker, who has been through some crazy stuff, said that it was one of the most intense nights she's ever seen. People said they saw angels in the room. It was so crazy and way better than I can even explain. It was like a tiny tiny glimpse of what I imagine heaven like. Everyone worshipping God with all they have and dancing like they've never danced and shouting as loud as they can. It's going to be so good.
Anyways, the night was so great for me. I cried, I laughed, I felt like I was floating, and at the end of the night I just couldn't stop smiling. He's so wonderful. I can't even believe the love He has for me. He loves me like He loves no one else and it just makes me so happy. I'm actually falling in love with Him.
I guess what I'm really trying to get across is that God is doing something crazy with this school. I don't know what it is and I don't know how to explain it, but He is starting to show a little bit of Himself  to us. Even that tiny tiny bit that we saw last night is not anything compared to the greatness that He is. He is capable of anything. He is starting a revival across the earth. Our speaker was telling us this morning of stories of people who God is working through with healing and teleporting and raising people from the dead. Really crazy stuff. But why should God be limited to anything?
If you'd like to read some of the notes from lectures this week, you can go to our speaker's website. She has all the notes on there. I don't agree with everything she teaches, but she does have some good points and helped me understand this so much more.
I know that some of you will read this and start to think that I'm in some sort of cult or something. Believe me, when I first came that's what I thought too. I would really encourage you to seek God on this. Read the Bible - there is some pretty crazy stuff in there, too. You can really look at anything Jesus did as being crazy. But it's not, He's God. Seriously, I was probably one of the biggest doubters of this, but God has done so much in me through this and I'd really encourage you to look into it for yourself.

I just finished reading our next book, called The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Shane is the founder and one of the partners of The Simple Way, a faith community in Philadelphia. This community is based on simplicity, non-violence, spirituality, relationships, jobs, the kingdom of God, togetherness, healing, accountability, local assembly, structure, the arts, projects, growth, balance, play, rest, justice, hope, and beauty.
The book is all about ordinary people living in a radical way. He talks a lot about helping the poor in any way they need, voluntary poverty, and eliminating all war and violence. I found the whole book really confusing. He seems to think that every person should sell everything and give money to the poor but also support ministries like his. If every person were poor, how would anyone give money? While it seems like a great concept, the more you think about it, the more it doesn't make sense.
He wrote a lot about different protests he took part in. When Philadelphia wouldn't let the homeless eat or sleep in a particular park anymore, a group of he and his friends went and ate and slept there. What happened to the part of the Bible that says that God has placed every authority in our lives for a reason and we should respect them? You can't pick and choose which parts of the Bible you want to follow. He put such an emphasis on leaving everything behind, but then doesn't obey the law. While he is right in thinking that the American church doesn't help the poor enough, he takes it to a bit of an extreme. He says that if we throw away food and a child dies of starvation, we are guilty of murder of that child. This just seems ridiculous to me.
So while he had a few good points throughout the book, most of it was just way too extreme. What I do like about it is that it makes you think while you read it, but is still an easy read. I think what he is doing to help the poor and needy is great, but he cannot expect everyone to live the way he does.

This past week was all about worldview. It was a lot different than I was expecting. We talked a lot about how our culture affects us, the expectations put on men and women in the western culture, how our nationality affects who we are, stuff like that. There were so many times this week when I started getting mad at the speaker for things she was saying, but then when I really thought about it, this week was all about opinions. It really didn't matter if she loved Obama (which she really didn't, she was just trying to find something good about the US) or if she didn't believe in a literal 7 day creation. They were her opinions and it made us think, which I love. I think it's great to hear other people's opinions about the world. My german roommate and I stayed up super late last night just talking about culture and what she thought about Americans. She was telling me about how most germans just think of Americans as fat and lazy and sitting in front of the t.v. with a bag of chips and a coke. It got me thinking about how true that really is for a lot of the country. But then I asked my Korean roommate what she thought about America, and she said we're all workaholics, which is also true for a lot of the country. A lot of what she knows of us is from the movies. She thinks we all work like the people in the Devil Wears Prada. So, it's just weird to see how we're viewed.
My little sister had her first date last night. Isn't that crazy? She's so grown up. I really can't believe how mature she is for her age. But then again, it doesn't seem like she's old enough to be dating yet. And she is, but it's just so strange for me. She's so happy and I'm so happy for her. He seems like a great guy and I'm so excited to meet him sometime.
We had a dinner to bless all the guys in our class last night. It was so much fun. I helped with the scavenger hunt that they had to do to figure out where it was. I think they had a great time and I had such a great time putting it together with some of the girls. Pictures will be on Facebook soon.
I've really been starting to miss home lately. I miss Seattle and Bellevue and just being in some sort of city where there are actually things to do. I miss Mars Hill and Community group. I miss seeing my family every day and just talking about random things. I miss driving with K and screaming to the music as loud as we can. I miss serving and laughing about stupid customers. But, as much as I miss it there, there are so many things here that I'm loving. I love having the ocean within walking distance. I love waking up to the birds chirping. I love worship with Steven (it really is the best - hear him here). I love my roommates and funny conversations about weird english words. I love frozen yogurt. I love my Haiti team. I love being around people who love Jesus all the time.
I'm getting so excited for Haiti. We're going to be making a trailer soon for this movie that one of my teammates will be making there. It's going to be the best. It's called Eyes of Hope, and it will be all about how in the middle of so much poverty and destruction, there is hope and love. I'll probably put it up once it's out. It will definitely be on Facebook, so keep an eye out for it. If you'd like to make a donation to my team, please let me know. It will cost $5,000 for each of us. We're also looking for cameras to be donated for the kids in the refugee camps. We'll be teaching them some photography while we're there, so just contact me if you'd like to donate a camera.

So, it's been really hard to eat here. I basically have salad every day for lunch and dinner. But one of my friends here who also can't eat gluten told me she's been taking these pills for lactose intolerance but they've also been working for her gluten problem too. So, I figured I would try it. BIG mistake. Started taking them last thursday, and then over the weekend I splurged on just about everything. Pasta, muffin, sandwich, and graham crackers. I didn't have any digestive problems, but now I am waking up all the time during the night. I went to bed at eight last night. EIGHT. Seriously. I never do that. I'm exhausted and just SO sick of having to eat so carefully. Please pray that I'll be able to sleep through a night sometime soon.

We've been learning this week about the Father heart of God. It's been such a great week so far and I know it's only going to get better. Here's just a few points from lectures the past few days.
-Jesus loves me, this I know. Get this wrong and you'll live a christian lifestyle. Get this right and you'll live a christian life.
-God's original intent was that we would walk with Him, know Him, and be known by Him.
-We should be comfortable with God's presence as we are comfortable with a Dad.
-You either live for or from your father's approval.
-Your heavenly father can give you what your earthly father never could.
-We should burn for God, but not burn out.
-If we don't expect much from God, he won't do much.
-God cannot change your past, but He can alter your future.
-The only way to get free from junk in your life is to go to Him first and let Him get rid of it. You shouldn't wait until you get rid of it to come to Him.
-The more creative you are, the more you must guard your mind because that's where the enemy will attack you.
-Quit living by emotion and live for what is true. Then your emotions will follow that truth.
-An imagination may be on e of the most powerful tools for good or for evil.
-When a person is deceived, they are deceived in their imagination.
-The enemy will use your senses to influence your imagination and manipulate your mind.
-When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future.
-The devil is not creative, he is just a good liar. He uses two lies: 1. God didn't really say that. 2. You can be like God.


I've been reading more old testament lately, and today I was reading in Hosea and found this passage. You're gonna love it.


Hosea 2:14-20:
Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.' For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.

This week has been all about freedom in Christ. I've learned so much this week and it's just been so great to be able to relax and not be stressed out about weird things that are going on. We went through a process of asking God to reveal unconfessed sin to us. This morning we didn't have lecture, but instead spent the time confessing that sin to each other and to God and asking for forgiveness. It was so freeing. I just feel so much lighter and happier. It feels so wonderful to be free of disgusting things in my past. I'm am so grateful to God for being so forgiving and loving. I can't even comprehend how wide and long and high and deep His love is for me. It's so hard to put into words.
We had a Haiti meeting today and sort of found out what we'll be doing, to some extent. Nothing is for sure, but we'll probably be staying in a refugee camp in Haiti for 2 months, documenting everything that's going on there. We'll be doing some stories for Unicef and Voice for the Voiceless and some other organization I can't remember. We'll also be working with a bunch of youth there and running some sort of program for them. So, basically, I won't be bringing much at all. We'll probably only bring about 3 laptops between our whole team and a bunch of external hard drives, and then we'll be sleeping with our equipment. Then we'll spend the rest of the time in the DR, showing our work to the people there. I'm super excited to be finding out more about what we'll be doing! Here's my team, except the girl on the left won't be coming and there's one girl who isn't in the picture. So excited to get to know them better!

We had to read another book this week, also by Loren Cunningham, called Making Jesus Lord: The Dynamic Power of Laying Down Your Rights. It was a perfect book to read last week and it talked a lot about laying down the rights that you have to live for Jesus.
One of the chapters that impacted me the most was the chapter about laying down your right to comfort. He talked about people who work interdenominationally and how it's more important that we agree in spirit than in understanding. Basically, as long as we all believe the major things doctrinally, little things don't really matter. As he puts it in the book, "A greater degree of humility is needed within the body of Christ if we are ever to move together in the spirit of unity and cooperate in the task of world evangelism. Each one of us needs to realize, 'I don't have exhaustive truth. I don't understand all things.'" He talked about how we don't agree with what others do all the time, but it's not a big deal because God doesn't agree with what we do all the time either, yet He still loves us. Another quote that really inspired me: "We must be committed to the cause of Christ more than we are committed to examining our personal differences in the body of Christ. We've had enough walls built in the body of Christ. It's time for some bridges!" This has just been a huge part of what the Lord has been teaching me. Who cares if they speak in tongues or worship differently than I do? We all love Jesus and He loves each of us the same. We'll do more working together for His glory than fighting about who knows the right way to do things.
He talked about so many more things than this, but this was just the one that effected me the deepest. Other topics were laying down your right to family, your right to wealth, and your right to your reputation. It was such a great book. If you ever get the chance, read it. It's so good.

Random things I did this weekend:

- Went to kareoke at a bowling alley
- Talked to a bunch of homeless people
- Interrogated my baby sister about her stalker (she knows nothing...boo)
- Finished my homework early
- Ate too much chocolate
- Rode in a tiny car with 6 other people
- Made makeshift guacomole
- Went to the farmers market and bought my mommy something super secret
- Tried to watch glee with my roommates until the internet turned off
- Slept in!
- Got a package from my family!
- Got asked how I'm so social and if I had friends
- Played I have never
- Talked to anna and emily
- Jumped in puddles

And right now I'm watching people play screaming ninja. Hilarious. I love these people.