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LilTers
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Name: Teresa
Birthday: 4/16/1990
Gender: Female
Interests: God, guitar, singing, youthgroup, DDR, googling everything, talking on the phone with KT 'n J gangsta, Cranium, Chipotle, temporarily obssessing about bands/songs, collecting plush snowmen with green hats, Mafia!, dancing like a retard, movies, Smallville and flamming hot cheetos!
Expertise: taking long naps :O)
Occupation: Retired
Industry: Textiles
Message: message meEmail: email me
AIM:  LiL T E R S
Member Since:
4/4/2003
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[IV New Student Retreat, Fall '09]
This semester has been very different on many different levels.
-School has suddenly gotten three times harder. Never, have I studied so much in my life.
-New faces and old faces in the dorms/classes (including my new freshman roomie!)
-I live in a much bigger room (yay) so I am no longer tripping over my stuff everywhere I step.
-Small group leading has been busy, challenging, exhausting, and all the while very rewarding through just seeing the excitement and growth of my small group girls.
-Having a bike on campus, has made transportation A LOT easier. Too bad winter is coming.
-Many friendships have gotten stronger, and many have weakened from time and distance. However, oovoo/skype has helped maintain the distant, but still strong ones ;)
-I haven't had as much time to visit home on the weekends :( I miss the family.
-I have moved on.
-I have learned a lot more about patience and grace and acceptance through one particular acquaintance.
-I am trying to rely more on God's word.
-And of course, I must add, the U of I campus suffered through a crazy infestation of first soybean aphids, and now a mass amount of vicious ladybugs.
But all jokes aside, I feel different and much more dependent on the Lord. I haven't felt this good in a long time. Last year, I went into college feeling like I knew most of the Jesus talk, the Jesus walk, feeling like I didn't need any more spiritual guidance. At the time, I really thought God had taught me enough and I could live my life however I wanted to because I was so "rooted" in God. But in reality, I was still human and susceptible to sin and distractions, and well, I was wrong. I was going through the motions, and I was kind of dead inside. I was a very naive freshman and I had so much more to learn. And I erred, but I have finally learned to humble myself and I am learning more and more each day. Praise Jesus :) I definitely forgot how it felt to actually feel God changing you "from the inside out." A few days ago I attended an all night Revival/Worship Event, and it felt so great, to praise Jesus with my arms out, in such an undignified manner that was just saying "Take me now, use me however you want, and however weak I am, use me!"
...So I wonder where else God will take me the rest of this school year. There are so many paths to take in this road of life. Where will the spirit take me?
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." --John 3:8
[IV New Student Retreat, Fall '09]
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| It kind of bothers me how some Christians react when I bring up God or spiritual things in everyday conversation. Going to a big ten party school where the environment is generally "secular," I can see why bringing up "super holy" topics can seem awkward. But, we are Christians in this broken world, we are supposed to be that light that shines out; so why should it be unnatural, especially when Christians are talking to other Christians about God? I have so many Christian friends here at U of I, many of which I am tight knit with in christian fellowships...So how come, HOW come, it sometimes seems only fitting and proper to share about my faith or God when I am in a bible study or church-like setting? Why do we have to be commanded by a worship leader or pastor or bible study leader to pray or speak about God?
A few days ago, I was having a conversation with a close Christian friend of mine, and somehow brought up how I saw God was working in my life and how his plan had actually proved to be better than the one I sought out years ago. My friend reacted with a few assuring grunts, nodded and somehow directed the conversation elsewhere into some secular topic. It didn't really upset me that my friend didn't feed off my spiritual openness, it's just that whereas if we were in a church-like setting, I know my friend would've been much more attentive to my testimony and would have responded with some encouraging words of Christian mumbo jumbo. It just.. *sighs* it just doesn't make sense to me. And it doesn't help that many people and friends at this school are non-Christian, and yet I talk to them about the same issues/topics on a day to day basis. The only difference is that we Christians bring up church events and the people involved in church every so often. Bleh. I'm not making generalizations about any people in particular, and there are A LOT of amazing spiritual friends God has placed in my life, but I would ultimately want to establish some level of spiritual relationship with all my close Christian friends. I want me and my friends to bring up Jesus naturally in everyday conversation, outside of the church setting. This is definitely a work in progress.
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| I have been so crazy busy this past week of summer but have been enjoying every moment of it. God has been filling my life with quality time with my church, my family, friends, and community and I couldn't ask for more. I have been thinking about all the things God has chosen to take away from me and I have also been thinking of all the things that God has blessed me with in return. And as painful those things that he took away from me were, as much as they made me sad, made me stressed, made me angry, and made me cry, they were worth it for all the multitude of blessings he has filled my life with. They were worth it for his love, for me to see a glimpse of God just today alone in his beauty in his nature in his fellowship.. in his word. The shadow does prove the sunshine. Everything bad i have endured in the past was worth it just for life and joy and peace and love and hope. And i cant wait till it gets even better, beyond my imagination, in heaven when I see God face to face in his full glory.
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| - I need to start sleeping earlier, and stop waking up so late.
- Abercrombie stinks for giving me so few hours.
- Chicago thrift stores are fantastically chic, cheap, and don't support sweatshop labor. I should do all my shopping there from now on!
- I want to bike more... correction, start biking (with Meli G!)
- I absolutely hate waiting. But I'll continue waiting.
- It's ridiculously difficult to even attempt to eat healthy. Greasy/fried food is just too good. Mmm.
- I can't wait for the release of the new Harry Potter film next week!
- Meeting up with old friends in the summer takes much effort... but it's worth the effort.
- Taking the easiest online course in the world can still seem like the hardest task in the world when you are hit with summer ADD.
- My iTunes are dry. Need a new band to listen to.
- I need to catch up more on LOST! Been slacking a bit.
- I need to finish reading the books I have attempted to start reading this summer (Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, New Moon, and of course, the Bible)
- I love my mom so much!
- I want to go to the beach... real bad. The weather is fair, but it should be getting better.
- Jesus is too too good to me.
- I need to consistently pray for every person I promise to pray for.
- My guinea pig Dr. Chocolates is coming back for a month!
- I am near broke. Woohoo.
- I have only 6 weeks left in my summer, oh em geee.
- Should sleep now! Busy day tomorrow
[chocolate face mask!]
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