Monday, January 21, 2013

Walking out in Faith.

There is a bit of background story here.

When I started college a year and a half ago, (That is really hard to believe that I have been here for a year and a half.) It was time and time ago I heard the sermon about Jesus and Peter walking on water. We have all heard the story. You step out in faith and keep your eyes on Jesus you can walk on water. But every single time I heard it in this period, it wasn't about really the walking on water per se, it was stepping out in faith into this big world unknown and knowing that God is going to take care of you. Stepping out of your comfort zone into a place that is dark, and uneven, and needs to hear Jesus.

While I was going through the Leadership Training Class to become a small group leader for Chi Alpha this message kept popping up about walking on water. Sometimes it was a sermon, or someone quoting that phrase, or a book title at Wal-Mart, or even a song. It never failed that it was going to show up somewhere. At this point I was dead set on NOT being a small group leader. When I started the class I was NOT going to be a small group leader. Then this walking on water thing would come up, someone would talk about it, it never failed. It was like a knock upside the head from God saying "Okay I have tried to give you clue after clue about what you are suppose to be doing, but since you aren't taking it I am going to make it so obvious, there is going to be NO way that you can get around it." And of course he kept to his word. I then became the thing I said I would NEVER do. I became a small group leader.

I use this as a testimony over and over with my girls in my small group. You never know what God has in store for you, and a lot of times it might be that very one thing that you DO NOT want to do. I still don't think they get it. Most of them are still living so much in the world that it is hard to see Jesus through them. That is my goal this semester. Is to show them that living for Jesus is not such a horrible thing with a ton of rules and horrible lifestyle. It is a choice to make for the better of yourself and the world. To honor and glorify our King. To show him that we are giving that up to him. Giving up the world, that we really don't need that since we have Him! It will be a struggle but am excited for what God has in store for my small group girls.

Okay now onto the real meat of this story.
This morning when I was laying in bed checking twitter and facebook since I don't have classes today,  one of the twitter pages I am following posted a picture that said, "Faith is taking the first step. Even when you don't see the whole staircase." written by Martin Luther King. Of course, the thought of walking on water kept flowing through my brain. Not really sure why other than the picture, but then it clicked. If you have been reading my posts lately you know that I am struggling with whether I am suppose to try to go on a mission trip out of the country, (I really want to go to Eurasia) or if I am to stay here, just not sure and have been praying for direction. This was my sign from God. I do not know the whole staircase, I do know that I am to go into the mission field. That is my first step. I have two different people I am talking to at the moment about mission trips, but not clear on which one. As of right now, I am taking that first step, getting all of the information, talking to parents, PRAYING, and then God will lead me to the next step. Again, I may still not be able to see the whole staircase, I may only see a step at a time, but through Faith, I know GOd has what is right for me in mind and knows that I am willing to do whatever He wants me to do. (WOW! Bold statement)

I am ready to do God's will not only here at college, or in my town, or in my state, or even in the US, but also around the world. I am ready to take that step of Faith. (Just like walking on water!) It is crazy how a year and a half later the same message is still applying to me full force! AH. Goes to show how amazing our God is. Just love Him! Keep praying for me friends. If you have any words of encouragement, words from God, bible verses to help me along, your story, or just want me to know you are praying, you can comment or email me at arielpaige5893@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you.

God Bless!

Ariel(:

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Let's go to Egypt.

Before I get started I need to back up just a little bit. Let's go back 3 semesters ago. Now we are in Fall 2011. When I applied for college my major was Special Education and Deaf Education. Special Education was always put before Deaf Education. When I went to orientation I changed my major to Special Education and Dance. My first two-three months of school I prayed, asked what profession I was suppose to be in. I wanted to go into what God wanted to lead me into. Not what I wanted to do myself. I felt that God was leading me towards Deaf Education but never got a clear reading on it. One day I decided I was just going to change my major and that if he didn't like it he was just going to have to show that to me later. Apparently, I was sort of doubting my decision because when i got to the room to change my major, I stood outside the door and told God, "Now you have about 10 seconds to reveal to me that Deaf Education is not to be my major." I slowly turned the doorknob and walked into the office. The receptionist asked me what I was there for. I explained to her what I was doing, gave her my ID# and waited for her response. She asked me again what I was planning on doing, I told her "I am changing from a Special Education, and Dance major to a plain simple deaf Education major" She laughed and said, "honey, you are registered as a Deaf Education major" I simply told her that there must be a mistake. She explained to me that I was not, and I thanked her and left. It was at that moment I KNEW for a fact that Deaf Education is where I am suppose to be, then my next question was WHY? 

They say that little kids love the question WHY? But I have gotten to the point that I have loved saying it as well even as a 19 year old college student. So since then, a little over a year, I have struggled with WHY am I a Deaf Education major. God has a reason for it, and seriously, I want to know NOW! As you can see I can be a little impatient. That, I am working on. My prayer for over a year has been just that. WHY AM I A DEAF EDUCATION MAJOR?! 

A few weekends ago I went to a conference called TWMS3 (I have posted about it in a previous post). I was excited to go to TWMS but I had NO CLUE what it was going to be. I had seen a couple of promo videos, but that was it. I was not ready for what I was going to experience. From the moment you walk into the doors and leave three days later, you are completely engulfed in God and his presence. Missionaries from all over the world took time out of their missions work, and time with family to spend time with us college students, getting to know us, and our passions. It was extremely humbling to know that these missionaries were not there to be glorified themselves but instead to glorify God and get to know us personally. It was amazing. 

While being at TWMS, I was determined to figure out what it is that I am suppose to be doing in my life. What am I to do with my major? I visited a few tables, talked with many different people, and got lots of contacts. When I went to the Eurasia Experience there was something different. Something clicked that hadn't the whole time I had been there. You actually felt like you were in Eurasia, in the Arab world. It was seriously a scary place. I was thrown in jail because they didn't believe that I wasn't a missionary. The whole time I never felt frightened. I felt normal, almost as comfortable as I was at home. Again, it was something that clicked. It was at this moment that I knew what God was trying to tell me. I was meant for missions work. I was meant to work with children in other countries that wouldn't normally get an education. I have the advantage of speaking a different language to those that normally don't get reached. This is my chance to make a difference. 

Fast forward to a few days ago. I was on twitter, as usual, and came across a post by @CopticOrphans, which led me to a video and it broke my heart. Coptic Orphans is in Egypt, and I emailed them about mission opportunities for the summer. She emailed me back with more information and I have been praying about it ever since, if I am suppose to go this summer and which group I am to go with. This might just be me being excited and wanting to go to Egypt but in my math class one of the examples had India in it. (India is in the Middle East near (kind of) Egypt. Then one of the kids in the nursery today brought over a book to read to her. Out of the 50 books we have, she brought the one about moses. A tiny book. On the first page it talked about Egypt. Again, I am not sure if I am just over exaggerating, but I feel like it is a sign from God. I will be praying about it for a few more days and see if God leads me to anything else. 

If it is decided that I am going to Egypt then I will have to talk to my parents. That is the scariest part. My mom would be the easy one to talk to since she is a Christian and understands me more than my dad does. My dad is a completely different story though. That is just a hard situation for me. I know that if this is where I am suppose to go then God will work things out for my good. I am not worried about it and won't worry about it. It is all in God's hands at this moment. He has complete control over it.

What I want to ask you readers. Will you please pray with me, pray for a clear decision, pray for the words to tell my parents, pray for the funds, and means of going to Egypt. (It is not cheap) Pray for a strong heart and a willing mind. Love you guys and thank you for praying with me!

God Bless,

Ariel Vickers

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

What are you giving?

Last night I laid down at about 8 to go to sleep since I was planning on getting up at 5 this morning. I was laying in bed tossing and turning because I couldn't go to sleep. Normally I would just lay there or turn on Netflix until I fall asleep, but last night was different. There was this sense of incompleteness and heavy burden on my heart. I decided to get up, I turned on pandora, and walked around my room multiple times singing praise songs and weeping. Then names started to pop in my head that I needed to pray for. I have this little white board on my wall in my room and for some reason I never wrote my schedule up there so I jotted down all oft he names that came to mind that needed prayer. I then just started praying, and journaling, and praising God.

When I was journaling last night at this time, the thought came to mind that God owes us nothing, yet gives us everything. We owe God everything, yet give him nothing. My question to you is, WHAT ARE YOU GIVING? It is kind of a vague question but the answers are limitless. What are you doing to please God? What are you giving back to God for what he has done for you? As I am typing this, I am asking myself the same question. What am I doing to honor God? What am I doing here on my campus to show God's love to each and every person that I meet? WHAT AM I GIVING? We should be asking ourselves these questions every single day when we wake up. Give yourself an answer and DO IT! Don't just say, "I'll do that tomorrow" or "Ahh I don't have to do that". Is that pleasing to God?

I was really bad about this as a teenager. "Oh God if you just wake me up good in the morning I will get up and read your word" Morning comes, I wake up on time and pretty good, decide that I want more sleep so I go back to sleep. What is that saying to God? How am I giving anything to God when I go back to sleep instead of digging into his word? Being a Christian and living out the life is a sacrifice.  We have to sacrifice things that sometimes hurts. It may hurt for a little while but Joy will come in the morning! God has his rewards for you! How important is sleep when there are lives out there dying every day that don't know Christ. That are not Christians. That have never heard his name. WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A GROUP OF BELIEVERS? We seem to think that we know Jesus and that is enough. We are going to heaven so we are in the clear. You are not! Reach to those around you. They are just as important as you with knowing Christ.

I have to ask again....

WHAT ARE YOU GIVING????

Monday, January 14, 2013

God I need direction...

A couple weekends ago I went to The World Missions Summit 3 (TWMS3) and I pledged to give a year and pray about a lifetime. God has made it clear that I am to finish school first so I can use my deaf education as a tool to get into other countries that are extremely hard to get into being a missionary. When I think about school though I get discouraged considering I still have 3 years left. AHH. Until then, until the time that I am actually to give my year, which I feel it's Eurasia that I am being called to, I kind of stumbled upon this opportunity to go to Egypt. (Part of Eurasia, Kind of ironic??) Well I emailed them about what I could do there and I got a response this morning about two different choices to choose from. The volunteer position I would be staying in an orphanage for at least one week and up to as many weeks as I would like. How AWESOME would that be? The other is a mandatory 3 weeks that are already set.

This is where I am at at the moment. I know it is a great missions opportunity and I would be working with other missionaries and reaching to the children of Egypt, BUT I am still searching for if this is what God's will is for me or if it is just something that I came upon on a whim and think it's a great idea. I am praying about it and seeking for some direction.

If you are reading my blog or happened to stumble across it (maybe that is coincidence as well?) Please pray with me. Pray that God can lead me in the right direction and if this is God's will, If I am to go to Egypt that the funds become available for me. I am not rich and as I have said in the past, I am a college student. Also, if this is God's will it will be hard to try to explain this to my parents so also start praying for divine intervention between my words and their ears and hearts if I do have to tell them I am going to Egypt.

Thank you in advance for the prayers. May God Bless You!

-Ariel

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Why aren't we crying for God?

I started an online January scrapbook a few days ago. For every day of January I make a page in a book to describe my day, special events, amazing friends, conversations, or anything that really pops into my head really. Today while I was writing about my Mom and brother leaving from staying with me since Thursday and how I cried when she left the thought crossed my mind, Why aren't we crying for God in that way?

Let's rewind a few years, I am back in High School with my "I am better than my mom" attitude, and moved out because we didn't get along the way I wanted to get along. Mom and I was not close at all. I never told her secrets, I hid everything from her. She was my mother and was to never be my best friend. Now fast forward a few years and it is my first year in college (last year). Mom and I got really close because we are far apart. All we needed was so space between us and a little bit of age on me, to really realize how important my mom is in my life and how lost I would be without her.

Our relationship with God (for most people) is about the same way. We have the phase when we are little where we really don't know much and God is pretty cool guy. I mean he loves us, what more can a child ask for. Then we grow up just a little bit and he is no longer the "Cool Guy". Instead it is all of the sinful desires of the world that strike our interests. We push God away and forget that he even exists. Reality hits and we come to our senses that Christ is really what we need in our lives. Now we are at the same point. All of us. We know Christ is suppose to be in our lives, and we should worship only Him. Yes that is nice, and dandy, but we all have those moments when the world comes back into focus and God goes out of focus. You all know what I am talking about. We start to slip off the Jesus High.

When my mom was leaving today (and any other time I leave) I cry. I cry like a baby that is stuck in the nursery with people he has never seen before and mom waves and walks out that door around the corner out of sight. Today I came back into my house and cried for quite a while. (I know I am 19 and crying when my mom leaves me. A little weird) I now realize that it is because I grew so close to my mom that it hurts to see her leave. She is just an hour away and a phone call away. I know this but it still hurts. When we start to slip off our Jesus High... Why aren't we crying for God? Why aren't we crying for him, that he (really us) is drifting away. He doesn't want us falling away from him but we do it, and most of the times it almost seems like it doesn't matter to us. If we are truly trying to build this intimate relationship with Christ, just like I have with my mom, then why aren't we reaching for him not to leave our side. Why do we push away, go the opposite way, take a different turn, decide our way is better?

MY CHALLENGE: (for not only you, but for me) Yearn for Him, Cry out for the Lord. When you start falling off that Jesus High, jump right back up. He doesn't want to see you go, but we choose to go. Choose to stay this time. To take his advice. Go the way he wants you to go even if you don't think it is the BEST choice. He knows what is best for us, He made us.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns please email me at arielpaige5893@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you, hear your story, what you think about my blog, anything. Just want someone to talk to? I am here for that as well!

God Bless!
Ariel

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Introduction

Hey blog readers, My name is Ariel. I am a college student in Texas studying Deaf Education. I am part of a college campus organization called Chi Alpha (XA). It is a Christian Organization where I am a small group leader, so I lead a bible study once a week for my girls. Chi Alpha and school keep me extremely busy.
I will be posting my whole testimony within the next couple of days but here is a brief one just so you can kind of get to know me as of right now.

I grew up in a really small town with my single mom and special needs brother. Church has always been a part of my life whether I really wanted to go or was forced to go. Today, I cannot thank my mom enough for dragging me to church even when I was being a teenager and Church was not the "Cool" thing. I accepted Christ for the "second time" (will post more about that later) when I was 15 at a Worth The Wait conference. I have gone in and out of living the Christian life since then. It wasn't until my senior year in high school that I truly started to get my life straight, thanks to my awesome Youth Pastors. Shortly after that I went off to college and was terrified that I would get stuck in the wrong crowd of people. I would get into the drinking, partying, sleeping with guys, and drugs. At this point I decided that I could not do it by myself. I spent all summer before school starting praying that I would find the right crowd, find christian friends, find uplifting people that I would be friends with the rest of my life. My second night at college I found my future small group leader (involved with XA) (more to come about this) which invited me to church the following morning. Needless to say that God answered my prayers pretty early on in my college career. I now have some amazing friends, went through the Leadership Training Class (LTC) to be a small group leader my second semester. Now I am about to start my 4th semester at college and love it. It is not always easy being a Christian but in the end it is so worth it.

The reason for starting this blog...
1) to bring Christ to others through Social Media.
2) to keep track of my walk with Christ.
3) to have a motivational site for those that are trying to stay strong in their walk.

I hope that I can fulfill my purpose with this blog. And I pray blessings over each person that reads it!(:

If any of you have any ideas of posts, or comments, or concerns please email me. (:
arielpaige5893@yahoo.com