Starbucks in Dubai

Here are a few clandestine photos taken at the Starbucks in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. You can see the Arabic writing on the sign. I'm not sure how they translated Starbucks into Arabic...I guess I should have asked somebody. You can see the Arab women, blurry black hooded figures, rushing by in the foreground. I had to turn my flash off for these pictures since Arabs generally don't appreciate photos being taken of them.

This is the traditional Starbucks counter but neat to see the Arab gentleman waiting impatiently for his frappicino.

Okay, this nice Arab man found a table by himself to enjoy his frappucino and probably would have pulled out the sabre hidden beneath his garments if he caught me taking this.

This was not taken in Starbucks. It is basically a random picture of me and my friend Matt's feet. I have seen the female species take pictures like this of their feet when in groups. I was trying to see what the big deal was. I guess it looks pretty cool?

A Post That Actually Has Pictures!

Can you believe it? I actually am doing a post full of pictures on my blog! I think it's clear that I love to write and share my heart but yes I agree, sometimes pictures are just fun. Actually, my didge camera broke forever ago and I am about to get it fixed so hopefully this will only be the beginning. Now, I think it's only fair that some of you people who post 53 pictures (or whatever the maximum is) on each post need to start writing a little bit and sharing your heart! Please, just a little? :)
Okay, so I was looking through some old pictures tonight which sparked the idea for this post. It was crazy because I have been so many different places and had such different friends each time. Each time has been sweet though and it's just crazy how the Lord has rocked my world and shown his faithful and measureless love! Yeah, God you are amAzing!!

Here are some snapshots back in time that just make me plain smile. The picture above is me on my first ship and my facial expression pretty much says it all. The picture makes me laugh though because I would have never pictured myself in such an environment. On a ship! Crazy!
This next one was a little scary at first but exciting. Me and my roommate Dan made a sign that said "Free Prayer" and took it walking around the mall. We got turned down a bunch but we also got to pray with so many more people than we expected. One girl who I didn't expect to want to pray, was crying by the end of our time praying with her. Totally sweet and eye-opening...

This next picture is me being a velociraptor shortly after I moved down to Norfolk. The raptor used to be more prevalent with many sightings each month but is now endangered and only making rare appearances. Frankly, I view this as a travesty even greater than the manatees' looming extinction. I think I need to bring the raptor back.

Hooray, these are some of my most amazing friends from the Academy who I had so much fun together with, going out to coffee, dreaming about the future, taking random adventures with, and loving Jesus together!

There's nothing like a rest stop on a road trip for a few drinks to stay awake. :) This is my friend Jefferson, a fellow raptor who probably made me laugh more than anyone at the Academy.

Maybe the funniest coffee shop trip I have made. Me, David, and Beka would meet up in Northern Virginia randomly and just have fun times hanging out. This particular time, the only table left in Caribou Coffee was the kids table which, of course, we were more than glad to take, as it came with toy animals and a chalk board to draw on. I forget exactly what we drew but I think we did a pretty good job drawing together.

I spent four years on the squash team at the Academy and over the course of my time there, I learned how not to throw my racquet when I lost and how not to hit my coach with a snowball at a rest stop.

Monopoly! Yes! One of my favorite games! The game has been known to ruin friendships except when you are playing with people who are actually mature and known when is the time to flip the board over and when not to. Sometimes, I think it's better to flip the board over and hopefully save your friendships. Okay, I won't lie, so this may be the sweetest group of people I have played Monopoly with.

This last one was on my missions trip to Romania, the second time I went. This picture doesn't fully capture the sweet fishing sunglasses I had on that even blocked the sun from the side, but I mainly wanted to capture Daniela, the girl on the right who approached me asking questions about the Gospel one night after our leader did a presentation. The next morning when we were at a church, she went and knelt down and prayed to love and serve Jesus. That definitely makes me smile.

That's it for now! Now for a rousing chorus of "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow"! I am so thankful for each place God and has brought and all the different people he has put in my life!

Year's End

A prayer from The Valley of Vision

O Love Beyond Compare (I wish I could read this out loud to you!),

Thou art good when thou givest,
when thou takest away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when the night gathers over me.
Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou doest love me still,
in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness,
in retreat helping me to advance,
when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With thee as the blessed Pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
I shall see thy face sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.

Encouragements From My Father

The Lord has been encouraging me in a couple special ways this past week or so which has been neat. I am leaving to fly back out to the Middle East tommorrow night so this week has been filled with anticipation of that which has involved a mix of emotions ranging from fear of the unknown to excitement at what God has in store. God gave me this helpful image of Him being excited for me to walk into all the new things He has in store for me. And me, I'm dragging my feet and afraid of the future. It really opened my eyes to how silly my fears really are and how much I should be filled with the same excitement that God has.
Today I was reading in The Valley of Vision and was reminded of what Jesus has done to save me and heal me.

"Grant me to hear they voice assuring me
that by thy stripes I am healed,
that thou wast bruised for my iniquities
that thou hast been made sin for me
that I might be righteous in thee,
that my grievous, my manifold sins,
are all forgiven,
buried in the ocean of thy concealing blood."

When I am fearful and straining to hold on to hope in the midst of things that cause my heart to sink, it gives such peace to my heart to be reminded of Jesus' stripes bringing me healing and that He was made sin for me that I might be washed clean.

And on top of all that, there was a verse that was spoken by one of the pastors during the church service from John 14.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also."

There seems to be such passion in Jesus' words here. It comforts me and makes me excited to finally arrive at home and let out a long sigh followed by the deepest smile I will have ever smiled. To think that right now He is preparing a place for me, that is amazing. I am so thankful for my Father who walks through everything with me and answers prayers.