"Regarding Zion, I can't keep my mouth shut; regarding Jerusalem, I can't hold my tongue; until her righteousness blazes down like the sun and her salvation flames up like a torch. Foreign countries will see your righteousness, and world leaders your glory. You'll get a brand-new name straight from the mouth of God. You'll be a stunning crown in the palm of God's hand, a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God. No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined. You'll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beluah (Married), because God delights in you and your land will be like a wedding celebration. For as a young man marries his virgin bride, so your builder marries you; and as a bridegroom is happy with his bride, so your God is happy with you." Isaiah 62:1-5 MSG
I think all of us forget all too quickly that not only does God love us, he also delights in us. When I look at this past year I find myself wanting to focus on all the mess-ups, the wrong choices, the words I've regretted saying to others, but in all reality, God still is overjoyed with me. He's overjoyed with US! The past few months He has been emphasizing to me how delighted he is with me. It's a hard thing to swallow when you feel like you disappoint so many others in your life, but an incredible thing when you begin to see it, even just a glimpse.
I'm starting this next year, and this next season in my life, with that in mind. To say I am ready for change is the understatement of the year. I'm not one that can easily live with routines, with 9-5 jobs, with sameness. It chokes me, in a sense. But that's not to say that God hasn't used these past 2 years back home for his good. So much good has come from being here; I just fail to recognize it at times.
I leave on Sunday, January 4th for Colorado to do more training with YWAM Denver. The school will be held up in the Rocky Mountains for the entire 3 months, and I'm hoping to go overseas again on outreach, but that depends on God. I have almost enough money for the tuition (yay!) but no extra, which I'm honestly stoked about. I'm selling my car and getting rid of so much extra crap I don't need, and I'm thrusting myself off this cliff of comfortable predictability and into God's plans for me. I'm tired of trying to make sure all my bases are covered, that all my planning will work out. It's that feeling knowing that change is coming, not just with my actions and surroundings, but within me. It's like shedding a layer of skin. I need it, and a softer heart.
Some things God has laid on my heart to do/goals for this next year:
Grow deeper than ever before in my relationship with God
Learn to love people without an agenda of my own & without condition
Do more photography
Learn the Norwegian language
Leave the country at least twice...hopefully more
Cook some dang good food for people more deserving than I
I hope all of you had the most amazing Christmas season. Thank you for all you have poured into my life, and for helping me to make this next step. Be blessed!
-Bethany
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Fundraising
Alright, so tuition for my secondary school at YWAM Denver is $3,400.
Currently, I have a little less than half.
I leave in 2 1/2 weeks.
During other times in my life, I think I would've looked at that and been absolutely intimitated and just given up. Thankfully, God has done some things with my faith level this past year and I know without any doubt that He's totally going to provide more abundantly than I can imagine.
I've been reading a lot in both 1 & 2 Corinthians lately, and this jumps out to me everytime:
"...What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. I has never even entered our minds!" (CEV)
That makes me smile. God is so faithful, even when we're not, and not only does he love us, but his plans are incredibly more than we could ever dream for ourselves. I'm pretty stoked for those plans, and even more excited to see how he is going to surprise me.
As far as this next step, Doug and Stacey Wollman have donated some of Doug's cds to be sold to help for my YWAM fund. (They are incredible people. If you don't know them, it's time to change that). Anyway, they are both instrumental worship cds that I'm selling for $15 (suggested donation) and all the proceeds go to help me. Let me know if you're interested in buying any; they make good last-minute Christmas gifts for anyone on your list or for yourself!
For those who haven't received a support letter and want to help out or drop me a line, my address until Jan. 3rd is Bethany Roth, 23191 Custer Trails Rd, Rapid City, SD 57702. After that, please send any support to Bethany Roth, c/o YWAM Denver, WISE 2009, 12750 W. 63rd Ave, Arvada, CO 80004.
Thank you so much, everyone. You guys are amazing.
Currently, I have a little less than half.
I leave in 2 1/2 weeks.
During other times in my life, I think I would've looked at that and been absolutely intimitated and just given up. Thankfully, God has done some things with my faith level this past year and I know without any doubt that He's totally going to provide more abundantly than I can imagine.
I've been reading a lot in both 1 & 2 Corinthians lately, and this jumps out to me everytime:
"...What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. I has never even entered our minds!" (CEV)
That makes me smile. God is so faithful, even when we're not, and not only does he love us, but his plans are incredibly more than we could ever dream for ourselves. I'm pretty stoked for those plans, and even more excited to see how he is going to surprise me.
As far as this next step, Doug and Stacey Wollman have donated some of Doug's cds to be sold to help for my YWAM fund. (They are incredible people. If you don't know them, it's time to change that). Anyway, they are both instrumental worship cds that I'm selling for $15 (suggested donation) and all the proceeds go to help me. Let me know if you're interested in buying any; they make good last-minute Christmas gifts for anyone on your list or for yourself!
For those who haven't received a support letter and want to help out or drop me a line, my address until Jan. 3rd is Bethany Roth, 23191 Custer Trails Rd, Rapid City, SD 57702. After that, please send any support to Bethany Roth, c/o YWAM Denver, WISE 2009, 12750 W. 63rd Ave, Arvada, CO 80004.
Thank you so much, everyone. You guys are amazing.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
3 weeks!
Hey all of you.
A quick update for you wonderful people. Thank you all so much for what you have given so far, whether through prayers or finances, toward my next endeavor.
I leave January 3rd for Denver, and as of today I have a little less than half of what I need for the tuition for my YWAM schooling. I have no doubt that the rest is going to come in time for me to leave. God is so dang faithful beyond our comprehension and he knows our needs before we do. I’m really stoked to see how he’s going to provide this time.
Thank you for your friendship and encouragement throughout this past year. So many of you are what kept me going and let God work through you to bless me.
A quick update for you wonderful people. Thank you all so much for what you have given so far, whether through prayers or finances, toward my next endeavor.
I leave January 3rd for Denver, and as of today I have a little less than half of what I need for the tuition for my YWAM schooling. I have no doubt that the rest is going to come in time for me to leave. God is so dang faithful beyond our comprehension and he knows our needs before we do. I’m really stoked to see how he’s going to provide this time.
Thank you for your friendship and encouragement throughout this past year. So many of you are what kept me going and let God work through you to bless me.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
An unforgiveably long time between updates. :(
I am terrible at getting online these days; I think it’s because I’m not really a “blogger” or whatnot. I’ve started a handful of updates, only to run out of time to finish them. One thousand apologies.
A ridiculous amount of time has passed since my last update; the election is obviously over. Thank you so much if you were one who helped in any way, shape or form with the VoteYes on 11 campaign. So many of you spent hours volunteering tirelessly, whether through canvassing, praying, working at the office, or even dropping food by to feed us. None of it has gone by unnoticed, and I am incredibly grateful for all of you. I truly believe that the only way we will stop abortion is through actual relationships with women struggling with crisis pregnancies, not just legislation. I encourage you, if you at all have this issue on your heart, to stop by your local crisis pregnancy center and see how you can help. We cannot truly effect change on our community, state, or country, without some ACTION. While I completely agree that we do need to inform women about the dangers and atrocities of abortion, can we get past all the rhetoric and genuinely love these girls and women who don’t know what to do with their unplanned pregnancy? I’m trying to avoid being on a soapbox here; just some frustrating things I’ve encountered these past few months.
In other news,
It’s been almost three weeks without employment. I’ve wrestled so much with the idea of going and getting another job right away. To tell you the truth, I’ve had no peace about doing just that. I really hate admitting it, but for so long I’ve struggled to trust God with my finances. I say I give him all of my life, and yet there is that one small area that I always want to control. I think it’s due to our culture, and possibly that I am, in fact, a human being. :D But really, the biggest reason I thought I needed a job was so I could control my little pocketbook; it’s so easy to try to do. I look at my bank account, and see that I only have a tiny amount, and I need $6,000 for YWAM in about a month. In human terms, that’s really quite impossible. But thankfully, I serve a God who is so much bigger. Truthfully, I have no idea where the remaining funds will come from, but he is faithful and promises to meet our needs. He’s proven it time and time again to me. Proverbs 3:5 comes to mind: “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume you know it all.”
This time of not having a job has been incredibly restful as well. I’m staying with my parents through the holidays before I head out, and just being out in the middle of a forest with some of my favorite people has been something I didn’t realize I needed. Good stuff. Chris is coming home from New York on Monday, and is staying through Christmas. This is the second year in a row that our whole family will be together on Christmas….I’m stoked. God is so good. Really.
Random tidbits: I finished reading The Shack yesterday. You should go pick up a copy and read it right now.
I'm really starting to hate the fact that I have to re-dye my hair every month. I'm debating letting it grow out and chopping off the false color. Any thoughts on that?
I'm really quite thrilled for change.
There’s so many little things that I regretfully admit I overlook each day that make me so happy to be alive. (I’m so sentimental these days, I know). Like the smell of autumn leaves or how the sky looks at certain times of the day. Or the laughter that seems to envelope every dinner and conversation in this house ( you should really come over for dinner sometime--it’s quite the experience). Or just going outside & taking photos. Just sitting and listening….even as I type this the sound of my mom’s piano drifts upstairs where it mingles and regretfully clashes with the sound of Sam’s metal guitar riffs one room over. I could ramble forever. There is so much to be grateful for.
If for no other reason, I hope you come away from this reminded that life is full of so much joy. Even when things are seemingly hopeless, there is still joy to be found. There is still a God who loves you.
-Bethany
A ridiculous amount of time has passed since my last update; the election is obviously over. Thank you so much if you were one who helped in any way, shape or form with the VoteYes on 11 campaign. So many of you spent hours volunteering tirelessly, whether through canvassing, praying, working at the office, or even dropping food by to feed us. None of it has gone by unnoticed, and I am incredibly grateful for all of you. I truly believe that the only way we will stop abortion is through actual relationships with women struggling with crisis pregnancies, not just legislation. I encourage you, if you at all have this issue on your heart, to stop by your local crisis pregnancy center and see how you can help. We cannot truly effect change on our community, state, or country, without some ACTION. While I completely agree that we do need to inform women about the dangers and atrocities of abortion, can we get past all the rhetoric and genuinely love these girls and women who don’t know what to do with their unplanned pregnancy? I’m trying to avoid being on a soapbox here; just some frustrating things I’ve encountered these past few months.
In other news,
It’s been almost three weeks without employment. I’ve wrestled so much with the idea of going and getting another job right away. To tell you the truth, I’ve had no peace about doing just that. I really hate admitting it, but for so long I’ve struggled to trust God with my finances. I say I give him all of my life, and yet there is that one small area that I always want to control. I think it’s due to our culture, and possibly that I am, in fact, a human being. :D But really, the biggest reason I thought I needed a job was so I could control my little pocketbook; it’s so easy to try to do. I look at my bank account, and see that I only have a tiny amount, and I need $6,000 for YWAM in about a month. In human terms, that’s really quite impossible. But thankfully, I serve a God who is so much bigger. Truthfully, I have no idea where the remaining funds will come from, but he is faithful and promises to meet our needs. He’s proven it time and time again to me. Proverbs 3:5 comes to mind: “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume you know it all.”
This time of not having a job has been incredibly restful as well. I’m staying with my parents through the holidays before I head out, and just being out in the middle of a forest with some of my favorite people has been something I didn’t realize I needed. Good stuff. Chris is coming home from New York on Monday, and is staying through Christmas. This is the second year in a row that our whole family will be together on Christmas….I’m stoked. God is so good. Really.
Random tidbits: I finished reading The Shack yesterday. You should go pick up a copy and read it right now.
I'm really starting to hate the fact that I have to re-dye my hair every month. I'm debating letting it grow out and chopping off the false color. Any thoughts on that?
I'm really quite thrilled for change.
There’s so many little things that I regretfully admit I overlook each day that make me so happy to be alive. (I’m so sentimental these days, I know). Like the smell of autumn leaves or how the sky looks at certain times of the day. Or the laughter that seems to envelope every dinner and conversation in this house ( you should really come over for dinner sometime--it’s quite the experience). Or just going outside & taking photos. Just sitting and listening….even as I type this the sound of my mom’s piano drifts upstairs where it mingles and regretfully clashes with the sound of Sam’s metal guitar riffs one room over. I could ramble forever. There is so much to be grateful for.
If for no other reason, I hope you come away from this reminded that life is full of so much joy. Even when things are seemingly hopeless, there is still joy to be found. There is still a God who loves you.
-Bethany
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
