Yeah, Yeah......it's been a while!!!

In no particular order, here goes an update.....

JAY AND LESSONS FROM THE LORD:

He is awesome. We are doing great. We are seeing just how much work it takes for a relationship to be healthy and successful!!! Never in my life have I put forth so much care and effort and being mindful of my mate's needs before my own selfish desires. I can honestly say that this is the first Real Christian relationship that I've been in. I have said for years that, "Next time, I am doing it God's way!" It's awesome to see that Jay's heart is in the same place. We won't compromise.

One thing that is a bit vulnerable to share but I will share it anyways because I think it could help some people out.....Jay is a virgin and I am not. I come with a past but I have been made new and clean by the life saving and giving blood of Jesus Christ. Jay used to always say that he would never be with a girl that wasn't a virgin. He says that he feels differently with me though and he knows that God has changed me and made me like a "born again virgin." So I am OK that he is a virgin and he's OK that I am not. However, I aint even gonna try to lie.....purity is really flippin' hard!!!!! Oh my GOD, help us!!!!! LOL Let me just say, we have seen that kissing (especially w/ tongue) is a "Gateway Drug".....it leads to other things.....either doing them or lustfully thinking about doing them!!!!! RUN TO THE HILLS!!!!!!!!

This is why GOD gave me this verse very early on in our relationship.....

Song of Solomon 8:4

4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.

I didn't get it when GOD told me that. I mean I took it as He was saying that we couldn't be together or that it wouldn't work. He wasn't saying that at all. He literally was telling me not to arouse or awaken love UNTIL it so desires. So when is UNTIL? Until = MARRIAGE.....

IT IS UNITING...

Genesis 2:23-24

23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman,'
for she was taken out of man."

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

IT IS HONORABLE, HOLY, PURE AND SACRED...

Hebrews 13:4

4Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

IT IS TO SET A GODLY EXAMPLE AND WITNESS...

1 Timothy 4:11-12

11Command and teach these things. 12Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

IT IS TO PROTECT AND KEEP US FROM TEMPTATION AND SIN...

Matthew 26:41

41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

James 1:13-15

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

IT IS FOR OUR GOOD, THAT WE MAY SHARE IN GOD'S HOLINESS...

Hebrews 12:1-12

God Disciplines His Sons

1Therefore, 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. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

MY NEW ROOMMATE, SANDRA:

She rocks the "Hi-zouseeee!".....as I like to say. :-) God was VERY purposeful in putting us in each others lives!!! We have so much fun together and definitely DON'T act our age. LOL :-) To be honest, there is a big part of her that is so familiar to me....that really hits close to home. She reminds me of Tara.....even right down to Diet Pepsi!!! There are aspects of her past that mirror Tara's and my heart can identify and hurt when she hurts and rejoice when she rejoices. One thing that these true women of GOD have that is so amazing to see is......COURAGE!!!! Even when life can seem to hand you "hell on earth", they still keep up their courage and press on. I wish the road wasn't so long, hard, excruciating, dark and lonely at times. I wish I understood their struggles more. But the awesome thing about it is this.....GOD comforts us in our struggles so that we in turn can comfort others in theirs.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

The God of All Comfort

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

MY CONGREGATION, SHA'AR HASHAMAYIM:

I love this family that I have become a part of. I continue to learn so much about GOD and understand the Holy Scriptures so much better. God's word IS living and active!!!! God's WORD-YESHUA IS LIFE!!!!! I feel like I am in bible school, which is good and something that I've wanted. I am actually still considering bible school but I don't have the money for it. We'll see what God does. I know that if He wants me to do something....that He ALWAYS provides a way for me to do it, I am confident about that. I love singing on the worship team and learning more Hebrew and Messianic songs. I am making more friends too which is awesome. I seriously have such a wide range of friends that come from all different walks of life. That is another thing that I love about this congregation. The people come from all different backgrounds.....it makes it so rich and beautiful! We learn a lot from each other and really pull through as a tight family when someone is in need or hurting. Thank you God!!! I continue to grow in confidence in my new role as Treasurer for the congregation. I understand that I am much harder on myself and I need to, as Rabbi Henry says, "Just relax, it's really no big deal." And you know what, it isn't. There are some challenges to it but I enjoy it and am growing.

MY FAMILY:

Well.....my parents and Evan are moving back to their home in Orlando, FL. around September. As sad as this makes me and I feel like I am losing my family all over again......I understand. Mom and Dad are having a really hard time since Maria passed away. Mom said that the only reason they moved back here was to try and save Maria's life. Also, they are renting out their house in Orlando and the tenants are wrecking it, so they need to get them out. And Dad really needs to retire. I'm pretty sure that Sondra and her girls will follow them back to Orlando. We'll see what happens with that. I would be the only one left in Massachusetts. I am OK with that though. I know that this is exactly where God wants me to be. I grow more and more confident of that every day as He continually gives me more and more glimpses into His promises for my future. The one thing that I am happy about is that Laura will have most of her family back as she is the last one left in Florida. My heart is glad for their reunion. And hey, I will visit frequently (I hope) and be able to stay with them. I'll also be able to see all my Floridian friends....I miss them all so much!!!

Matthew 19:27-30

27Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

MY JOB:

They like me and actually just the other day commended me on "A Job Well Done!" So that was pretty cool. I do like my job and am getting to know the people better.....but there's still something missing. I know that something missing is GOD. I think I am the only Christian there...at least that I know of. I miss having the support of others and being able to stop and pray with them. My job pays the bills but honestly it doesn't provide much more than that financially. With just moving in a new apt and having other added bills......I can't really save for anything with what I'm making. I mean the hourly rate is AWESOME, but I don't get enough hours and they can't offer me anything more. So, I have thought about looking elsewhere within Harvard. That way I can keep the same benefits and they really are an exceptional place to work for and have a lot to offer. We'll see what happens. I need to really pray about it.

See ya lataaaaaaaa......

OK, that's enough of an update for now. I know there is more but I'm running on fumes right now. I am so thankful for the LORD'S friendship though. He is with me everyday.....even if I'm not drawing as close to Him as I should be.....he still actively pursues me and draws closer to me.

Thank you GOD for always extending your arms of love.....