Big Girl Stuff

Today I got asked to be a bridesmaid in my friend Teddi's wedding, which is NEXT January! Ha, so a long time from now. I am just so excited, even though I have no idea where I will be at that time. Wherever I will be, I will just be one plane flight away and $300 short. All worth it for a friend I love and support greatly :)

I am starting to think that I might, JUST MAYBE, be the person who will be in a lot of peoples wedding, maybe 27 before I get married. Who knows. I hope not.

On another note, I feel like a big girl because I am taking the admission counselors advice from USC. He keeps calling me and telling me about their teaching program. I keep insisting that I am not going to apply to USC and he has told me at least three times, "Angela, you need to expand your options." At first I was thinking, "Why is this guy that I don't even know telling me this!?" And now I am thinking, "Ha, he is probably so right!"

Even though I am set on MTR, that does not mean that I should not explore my options. I mean after all if I do not get it, that does not mean I should stop pursuing the teaching route. So ladies and gentlemen, I am going to complete my application for Teach for America and apply to UCLA's Master in Education Program. High hopes... I know.

Although the future is exciting and not set in stone... I need to pay a little bit more time on the present.  So here we go.

straight up truth

"Cruciform love is inclusive. Cruciform love, continuing the story of God's love in Christ for all the world, includes all: believer and nonbeliever. Gentile and Jew, woman and man, friend and enemy. It is a love characterized not by 'exclusion' but by 'embrace.'"

-Gorman in Cruciformity, p.391

Kingdom & Blessings

Mother Teresa once said, "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." When we stop and think about our God and His desire for the kingdom to be more bright in this world that could not be more true. We are living in the already but not yet stage of the kingdom. I have been thinking about the individualistic view of salvation and the gospel. God never desired the gospel to be a sin management gospel or a three step plan. The gospel is so full of life, it is whole, it is more than just salvation... it is a way of life. It is about caring for the poor, loving our enemies, surrendering our lives, endless grace, redemption, fighting for good, etc. It is a big picture that sometimes we miss. I think Biola does a fine job of making sure that the gospel really is full. As far as I know, most people do not see a hole in the gospel here on Biola's campus. We talk about social issues, have outreaches, feed the poor, and go serve among those who need love. 

Mother Teresa was one smart lady. She understood God's love for His children, that is for sure. God uses every single one of us in some small way to bless others. Sometimes I say "It's just your life" in response to people freaking out about the future and how they are going to serve. God wants to use us. God wants to open our eyes. God wants us to love others the way He would love. God desires for people to have abundant lives. God desperately wants people to know that they are loved and valued- after all He was the one who created them in their Mothers womb, so don't they have a purpose on this earth as well? What about the homeless man who walks across the street barefoot- doesn't he have a purpose? I believe so. 

So we are an instrument for God. We are the aroma of Christ... so let's be a pretty smell that attracts people to knowing that there are bits of the kingdom here on earth. 

On Wednesday I had a phone interview with Memphis Teaching Residency and found out that I got selected for the Fall Selection weekend in December. When I found out I went from the nervousness of asking "When will I find out" to jumping for joy and shedding a few tears. This Memphis journey has gone from a city that God put on my heart to a city that I have fallen in love with, all through prayer. God has his way of blessing- even if it is just to make it to the next step. Now I don't know how I am going to pay to go out there- but I know that I will make it out there. 

God loves to bless. Today Shannon asked me if I wanted to go out on a boat with her parents and Joel and let me tell you... It was SUCH a blessing. The water was beautiful, the weather was gorgeous, and I was with some of my favorite people. It was family time to me. 

I say let's let God use us in His love letter... after all He already wrote it already. 

Farmer's Markets

I was just exploring LA Times this morning... getting my morning update. I lingered over to the Living section and then to Food... and found this GLORIOUS link. Click below.
Farmer's Markets in LA

Looks like someone is going to be hitting up a bunch of wonderful places.

Russia

I am working in SMU Right now and one of the lovely secretarial duties is to check to the mail every day. Most of the time when I check the SMU mailbox it is a lot of newsletters from different Missions Organizations. As bad as it sounds, I do not have time to read them so I end up just throwing them away.

Today's newsletter, from a Missions Organization that I will not name, caught my eye. The newsletter said with a big heading "Pastor: Murdered in Russia." It is not unlikely that pastors are murdered in Muslim populated areas, but this really hit me. Russia? Really?!

This man who was murdered was spreading the gospel and loving on lots of people in the community. A lot of people were coming to know the Lord through this man. People were yearning for Jesus and the church was growing. He was killed because of it.

Please pray that these believers would not be scared, that they would continue seeking the Lord, and that the church would continue to grow!

Jesus, Memphis, and Skid Row

I want to go teach in Memphis so stinkin' bad that I cannot see straight, literally! P.s. I am almost done with my application.

I also think that Jesus is the most beautiful person EVER. I am continuously in awe of his ways and how he loves people so deeply. He meets us where we are at and cares for the lowest of low. I saw his love so real and raw on Skid Row this weekend. People worshiping the Lord who had drug addictions ... but redeemed. People who wanted to kill themselves... but captured by his love. People who wanted to kill someone... but were calmed by the gentleness of the spirit. People who were demon possessed... but couldn't get away from the worship. Urine filled the streets... but God's love POURED over that street.

Jesus is the smartest man that ever walked this earth. I wish I could do everything he said. This is a life time journey for sure.

I also realized the perfect man for me when I was on Skid Row. Don't worry he didn't live there. The Lord gave me a picture of the perfect man- no joke. Here it goes... One who I can serve with, who is a prayer warrior, who loves unconditionally, who delights in serving the lowest of low, and who will be a protector/provider.

There you have it. Bring it Jesus.

lo siento

Between taking 17 units, working 15 hours a week, applying to programs, trying to get involved in ministries, and being gone for three weekends this month... I have neglected my blog.

So I am sorry blog. I will return to you soon with some exciting stories.