Enjoying Christmas and Preparing for Upcoming Transitions

So it's been a little while since I've blogged. Mainly because life has been so busy, full and preparing for transitioning to Orlando!

Christmas was good to see family, buy presents for people (I love gifts! Giving and receiving) and snow! It's been a while since I've experienced a "White Christmas". It was different this year as many cousins are now married with kids and live far away.

New Years was so fun (I also completed my 2012 picture a day album on Facebook)! It was my first time spending New Years Eve in Grand Rapids. The four years of college (2006-2009) were spent at Indy Christmas Conference as a student with Campus Crusade.  2010 was spent overseas while on STINT and last year in 2011, I rang in the New Year again at the Indy Christmas Conference, this time as an intern.

New Years 2010 - Interlaken, Switzerland

I was able to introduce my boyfriend, JP, to many close friends from Grand Valley (though several were also out of town), go snowboarding and show him around Grand Rapids. It's a great city with much to offer. Eventually, we headed back to Northville and spent some time with my family, watching movies, sledding, exchanging Christmas presents and sharing good conversation.

After he headed back to Chicago, I started the packing process for Orlando. And it's quite a process! I've decided against installing a trailer hitch to my little Mazda3, to instead ship a few boxes to my new place in Orlando. I'm really not bringing much, as my new housing is furnished and I am borrowing a bed and dresser for a while. All my other belongings just won't fit in my car :)

Packing up my clothing was kind of exhausting.

I LEAVE EARLY MONDAY MORNING, January 7th and begin the trek to Orlando. My sister, Gracie - who recently graduated from Central Michigan University, will be helping me make the drive! Our goal is to be in Orlando at least by Wednesday, with some stops on the way.

For the first week, I will be staying with friends, as my new roommate's current roommate doesn't leave till AFTER I head out for MidYear Conferences. Logistics of moving my things into my room will be tricky, but I am thankful for helpful friends to make the move happen.

It really won't be until February 1st that I really get to start settling in to my new abode. BUT I would still love getting mail! I feel like that always helps make the new location seem more like home. I will be sending out my new address in an email very soon.

As early January brings fresh and new beginnings, I thought I'd share some New Years Resolutions or Goals.

1. Floss my teeth - I think this has been a resolution for the last 6 years... one I've yet to accomplish.

2. Stretch each night before going to bed. It helps the body relax and be more flexible!

3. No pop. Not that I drank much anyways, but water is always the best choice.

4. Read at least one chapter of the Bible a day and take time to meditate on it. It's the active WORD of God. I totally take it and my freedom to own a copy of it, for granted.

5. Just try to smile more often. 

Happy New Year!

Merci in November

Life in the Booth household is always crazy, hectic and fun when all seven of us are back under the same roof. With me living at home for a few more weeks and my sisters back from college, Thanksgiving break was great – we even managed a family photo WITH the dogs!

This is my first time home for Thanksgiving in two years. My first year, I spent it across the ocean, living in France. (Side note: France does not sell Turkeys. We bought rotisserie chicken instead to feed to our 29 guests). My team and I hosted a feast for our new friends and explained the meaning of the American holiday. It was a great foundational event that allowed us to get to know our neighbors and some of the locals, on more of a relational level.

Thanksgiving in France 2010

Last year, I spent Thanksgiving in Orlando. I specifically chose to stay because I had randomly met (God’s divine plan) my UK friend, Meena a couple weeks prior. She and I had talked about many things, including American culture. I thought Hello, what other country celebrates AMERICAN Thanksgiving (Keyword: American… I know Canada has a Canadian thanksgiving – a bit different)? Invite Meena to celebrate with you! Which as we all now know, was somewhat of a pivotal point in Meena’s life as she met Bryn and other Christians during our Thanksgiving party!

This year, I was nice to be back home, celebrating with extended family, playing games, watching movies, and doing some Black Friday shopping with my siblings… (Though, I did feel a bit guilty going to Target at 10 pm on Thanksgiving night….) Traditions are still lots of fun.

Waiting in line at Target

Living at home in Michigan this fall, I’ve realized I have much to be thankful for: being home for Thanksgiving, my growing family, having cool hair and knowing how to do it, my new car, the ability to vote, a nice camera to take family pictures, freedom, watching football, meeting friends like Meena and seeing a change in her life, my support team, the use of all five senses, traveling for my job,  and great friends, among many other things. God is so good and always faithful. #Iamthankful

Provision

God provided big this week. Not only is financial support still coming in (praise for that), this week about 10% came in AS WELL AS I finally found a car and bought it- cash. Straight up, the car is just what I wanted: sporty, yet practical; cool color (I think the official name is “Indigo Lights”), sun roof, A/C that works (my old car did not, which made Florida even hotter), an iPod jack, low mileage and a key fob. Those were generally my criteria.

This isn’t to say that God isn’t a provider during “dry spells”. He is the faithful One who knows all my needs before they even exist, and in His timing, and through His ways, somehow ends meet. They may not always look as I would have pictured, or planned for, but His plans are better anyways, right?

And during those down times, He might be teaching me patience, to trust Him, to get on my knees and pray more – and maybe that’s because He desires a deep and daily relationship with me. An effort that I sometimes, too many times, I don’t offer or give my 100% to Him in it.  This is something I think every Christian struggles with – yet God still continues to be gracious and faithful on His side of things. He’s a pretty great Guy to be in a relationship with, if I do say so myself!

During my car search, which started in July… well actually when I moved home from France, and ended up with a temporary Buick (hey, I moved to Florida, “Buick- central” with all the old folks. My brothers now drive it to school and football, which left me car-less for a couple months. My family has been very accommodating and helpful in letting me borrow their cars as needed.)

Soooo… since July, I’ve been praying for a car daily. There were even a few I made offers on. I think God had this car picked out even before I moved to France two years ago. Each time I have walk up to it, unlocked it, I praise God and see my car as a daily reminder of His provision. I am very thankful for it!

It's here! It's here!!

Praise God!!! The Jesus Film App has now been released for download in the Apple Store, with the Android app soon to follow in the Google Play store.

Please download it, play with it and let me know what you think! Tell your friends, post it to Facebook, Twitter or email your friends.

Know of some missionaries overseas? Share this with them! Think of how this will help them communicate the gospel in the native tongue of the country they are serving in.

I would also love to be in contact with any missionaries you may know of - email me their contact info so I can encourage, inform and share ideas with them. As someone who has lived overseas in a country where I did not know the language very well, I can see so much potential for this ministry tool!

Thankfulness, Prayer and Hope: September

Things I am thankful for...

• A supportive family who believes in what I am doing with my life
• Reaching 50% of my support raising goal
• The season of fall: changing color of leaves, apple cider, football games
• Dark chocolate and it's wonderful flavor
• The ability to laugh at myself

Things I am praying and trusting the Lord for...

• Connecting with the other 50% of my support team
• Searching, budgeting and buying a "new" car
• Relationships - a lot of my genuine community is at a distance and I want to use this 'solo' time to draw closer to Him
• The official release of the Jesus Film Media app for Apple products (sooooo soon - check my blog again this week maybe!!!) 
• Daily surrender to trust Him and His leading

Things I am hopeful and looking forward to...

• Eventually buying my own, first, nice car
• Reporting to my job with Jesus Film Media in Orlando
• The New Staff Follow Up conference in October
• Hopefully running the Turkey Trot in the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade
• Snow... can I say that? It's almost been 2 years!!! I want to snowboard so baddd

"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus"

On Sunday, this song was played at church. I loved it.

When I drive, it's crazy how many times I find myself on "auto-pilot" driving by places, landmarks and roads I've seen hundreds of times before. As I was driving down a familiar road this morning, I found myself looking off into the distance and up to the clouds in the sky. Amazed by it's great vastness, it's unique beauty, it's unending horizon - I remembered God created all of that. Meaning not only is He creative, but He is HUGE.

He is a big, artistic, creative and caring God. In as much thought that went into that scene I saw for a few moments, how much more does He have precious thought, care, love, patience, and desire for what's best for me.

Often times, I find myself getting caught up in the here and now. I start grabbing at the "steering wheel of life" to steer it myself, rather than trust in where the Lord is leading. Sometimes, I take time to reflect on past life situations and experiences; (which I should do more because...) every single time, He has proven faithful. Looking back on the whole story, I can see where and how God was leading. Hind-sight is always 20/20 right? In reflecting on these moments, I want to continue to grow my trust in Him.

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
2. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood;
   And in simple faith to plunge me
   ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease;
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that Thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end.

4th of July

This 4th of July I spend with friends camping! It was nice to get away from the busyness of life and just relax . Since we did not bring fireworks and could not find anyone who was shooting them off, we just played with sparklers. If you can tell in the picture, I actually drew out my name with the sparkler -- the camera was on a long shutter speed so it captured every way I moved my sparkler! So cool!

Needless to say the trip was a ton of fun and truely enjoyable. As we sat around the campfire, roasting marshmellows, we all started talking about the unfathonable greatness and largness of God. [These are 3 of my favorite things to do ever!] He is everywhere at every moment in time! Our minds were going a little crazy because we couldn't fit that into our brians.

It is like trying to put God in a box. You can't.

It is sort of a humbling to remember that our minds can't contain His wholeness. It is also comforting knowing He is EVERYWHERE. Keeping this in mind, I know God will be keeping me safe as I travel this upcoming year. I know cause He's already there with me. Bah! God is bigger, and I can't even try to imagine just how big. Plain and simple.

So why is it so hard for me to trust Him sometimes? He will always pull through for exactly what is best for me. I think it will be a continual lesson of laying my pride aside and being patient for whatever He has instore for my life. That is a prayer request for sure.