465

I have 465 friends on Facebook.
Even more than that on Myspace and I am wondering to myself, "How many of those people, the people I know and see almost everyday, are suffering? How many of these people are experiencing real pain, and I just ignore them?"

God has surrounded me with all these people. He has given me a passion for these people for a reason and I just am wondering if I am truely living my life for them. Am I truely loving them without agendas and loving them even when it's inconveinient? I have the opportunity to be a glimpse of Jesus to them. I have the opportunity to love them when they feel as though they have nobody else.

I want to be that person for them. I am going to live me life FOR those people. Not just the people on Facebook, but the strangers I come into contact with. This summer was the summer was incredible and I felt God everywhere. I went to Mexico and got to love people without even thinking about it. I want that to be my reality. I want that to be OUR reality.
Let's do it together. Make this coming school year count.
I know I'm actually excited about school!

465 people. Plus the trillion others in my school. I'm gonna love them.

Peace
Liz

Thanks

Be sure to thank God for the people He has placed in your life.
When I think about the community He has surrounded me with and the people that have influenced my life...it reminds me of how good God is.

I have so many amazing people in my life. So many people that have been there for me through everything. So many people who have taught me so much and who have had countless conversations with me. So many people who have prayed with me and for me and who always have my back...who always love me.

Thank you so much...you know who you are.

Just thank God for those amazing people in your life...and then thank those people.
They were put in your life for a reason.

Peace
Liz

What's It Going To Take?

I'm sitting in my room at 2:45AM and I can't stop thinking.
I can't stop thinking about the people I saw today. The honest eyes I stared into and the cries for help I may have ignored.
I can't stop thinking about the upcoming school year and my excitement...but also my worry. My worry that I won't take advantage of God's gifts to me...the opportunities He will give me. I am worried that I won't love like I did in Mexico and the bucket of cold water has been hitting me since I stepped off the bus coming home from the most life changing trip.
I'm worried that Mexico is an extension of life...but then everyday I spend here in Missouri...in my comfort zone, won't be.
I can't stop thinking about my passion for people and how much LOVE is going to change my life and change the world.

I can't stop thinking about the conversations I have had lately. The community God has surrounded me with and the support and love I have just been drowning in.

I can't stop thinking about that old woman's eyes...gratitude...love. I can't stop thinking about how I SAW A GLIMPSE OF WHAT LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE. I saw beauty in it's finest. I saw love like never before. I saw joy like never before. I saw community like never before. I saw God reveal Himself CONSTANTLY and I have to wonder...WHAT IS IS GOING TO TAKE?
What's it going to take for my life here to be like it was in Mexico?
What's it going to take for me to love without an agenda...inconveiniently...everyday?
What's it going to take for me to feel surrounded by His love and mercy and grace?
What's it going to take for me to sit with the guy who has no friends? Or love the girl who can't stand being fake anymore? Or have a conversation with the guy who greets you at the supermarket in a wheelchair?
What's it going to take for US to make this our reality? To live life the way God intended it to be lived? WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE?

Be the difference you want to see in the world. LOVE IS THE MOVEMENT. Let's move. Let's love. Let's live.

Peace
Liz

He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane I am a tree. Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclisped by glory. And I realize just how beauiful you are and how great your affections are for me.

HE LOVES US. OH HOW HE LOVES US.

We are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, If grace is an ocean we're all sinking. So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, And my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don’t have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way…

HE LOVES US. OH HOW HE LOVES US.

I Remember.

This performance by Damien Rice is pretty much the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.
He is so totally boss.



Enjoy.

Peace
Liz

P.S. It's my birthday! If you see me, sing! Haha...just kidding...not really.

Worship

I am starting to understand worship and it's purpose and it's importance in my life.

I understand that it's a GIFT from God. Being able to worship Him...especially since we are undeserving is the most amazing thing. To be able to do something so beautiful and true and authentic as nasty, dirty, unworthy humans is absolutely INCREDIBLE.

I remember coming home from Mexico, sitting on the bus, and listening to "Beautiful" by Shawn McDonald and just crying. Just realzing those lyrics and making them so absolutely real to me.

As I look into the stars

Pondering how far away they are

How you hold them in your hands

And still you know this man

You know my inner most being, Lord

Even better than I know, than I know myself

What a beautiful God

What a beautiful God

What am I that I might be called your child?

What am I, What am I?

That you might know me, my King!

What am I, What am I, What am I?

As I look off into the distance

Watching the sun roll on by

Beautiful colors all around me, Lord

Painted all over the sky

The same hands that created all of this

They created you and I

What a beautiful God

What a beautiful God

What am I that I might be called your child?

What am I? What am I?

That you might know me, my King!

What am I, what am I, What am I?

That you might die that I might live!

What am I, what am I, what am I?

Just...worship God. Because He is so beautiful and we are so undeserving.

Be beautiful because of Him.

Peace

Liz

Mexico: Seeing God

Words will never be able to explain it. I would title the week as...Seeing God.
I saw God in Mexico through people I never thought could show Him to me.

There was this old woman that we gave food and toiletries to who just touch my heart and soul like no other with her gratitude.
She was very old, with many wrinkles and hardly any teeth. She had long, gray hair and an old bathrobe on. She smelled like she hadn't showered in a while and her body was so frail, I was afraid she could fall over any second.
And I wish I could be as beautiful as that woman someday. Her love for God was completely radiant.

Man...it was the coolest experience just feeding those poor people. Just loving them without even thinking about it. Not caring about their age, or their clothes, or where they lived...if they had the latest phone or the coolest hairstyle or the best car (or even a car at all). I love every one of them more than I can express and they had none of what I just mentioned.
When we were at the church we hung out with sweaty, sticky, smelly, dirty kids and I never wanted to let go of them. I didn't care that they were dirty. I didn't care when they did something annoying or when they were mean to me. I didn't care when they stole my camera and stole extra snacks. I loved them so much. They gave me a glimpse of God's love and for that, I thank them so so much. They helped me out and did more for me than I did for them. The kids, the poor, the old, the lame, the blind, the starving...They gave me such a gift and giving them food and shampoo and my time is just the least I could do for them.

I also wasn't just changed from the people in Mexico, but from the people I went with. Our community changed and grew so much. We prayed for each other...I had life changing conversations...we did the most AMAZING thing on the last night where we whispered encouragement or something into everyone's ear. Hearing the encouragement was amazing...but I feel more changed from giving it. Just realizing what an amazing group we have and how many extraordinary people God has surrounded me with was so amazing.

Just through my week in Mexico...I've started to experience God all the time. I was even experiencing Him on the bus. Just through music and prayer. Listening to lyrics that are so beautiful and feeling God work through me.
Worship is starting to become something so much more to me. I believe it's starting to become the thing that is making me beautiful. Feeling God move inside of me and feeling His arms around me...I feel beautiful.
I love God. I love what He has and is doing in my life.

Mexico in a nutshell: I can't tell you in a nutshell. You need to experience it for yourself. I can only tell you so much as far as stories and such go, but you can't understand something fully until you really experience it yourself.
LOVE ON PEOPLE. Inconveniently, completely, passionately, as closely to God as you can. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD and someone's life.
I may never ever see that beautiful, old woman again, but I will never forget her and she will never forget me. I will never forget her eyes or her hug or her lips on my cheek. I will never forget those kids and the tears in their eyes and in mine when we had to leave them. I won't forget their smiles and how they loved me...even when I was sweaty, dirty, without makeup, whatever...

What if we loved like that? What if we sat with the guy who has no friends at lunch? What if we listened to the girl who has been crying out for love from someone for 2 years? What if we stopped ignoring everyone around us and stopped being selfish? What if we loved?

What if?

Peace
Liz

Truely Be Apart Of The Movement.

I notice a lot of people just at my school or on the dreaded Myspace and other places, who wear TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms) t-shirts or have Love is the Movement on their profiles and whatever. But, I wonder how many people actually get it or understand it? I wonder how many people are living their lives like they believe that love actually is the movement?

Love is just...I can't explain it. Love isn't a cool t-shirt or just "being apart of something" like a trend or whatever.
Love is huge.
It's beautiful.
It's inconvenient at times.
It's messy at times.
It's pure.
We can't achieve the right kind of love and we can't make love the movement, if we aren't living our life FOR love. And this is hard. It's really hard...but we were made for love.

There is so much crap in this world and the world deserves our love...and they deserve for it to be real and all the time, even when it's inconvenient.

Examine your heart. Are you loving like you were MADE to love? The way that God intended us to love? Or, is this just a cool t-shirt and a trend to you?

I believe in you. Love is the Movement...we need to make it happen. Let God use you.

Peace
Liz

I Can't Believe It's Finally Here!

Tomorrow we leave for Mexico. TOMORROW! I can't believe it!
This blog isn't really anything special, just letting everyone know that we are leaving and asking you all to keep us in your prayers!!!

If you are interested in keeping up or whatever, Freddy and Khris will update with journal entries and hopefully pictures everyday on realmnoise.com/freddysblog.

I have no clue what to expect, but I also think that's a good thing...it leaves more room for God to surprise me. :)

I'll definitely fill you all in when I return!

Peace
Liz

God Is So Much Bigger Than This.

"Its hard not to feel like I'm a fuck up and I can't help anyone else, because I can barely save myself. So why do I chose to mask my pain and try to never let go again? I almost cut for the first time in 2 years last night because of the things that are still echoing through my mind and soul all the heartbreaks and being called a fuck up. I still scream it at myself. I fear failure. I can not sleep at night without thinking what a fucking fuck up I am because of the feeling that my mother and abusive stepfather were right. All I am is a fuck up, a mistake, a dreamer, and a failure."

I read this in a forum on my TWLOHA Street Team profile.
I didn't feel it was necessary to censor it...so I'm sorry if you were offended or whatever.

Can I just say that I am absolutely heart broken?! Not only is this just a sad story, but he doesn't understand how much God loves him...how much God wants him to come to Him and to just rest in His arms. He doesn't see how this situation isn't even close to being as big as God and that this is an experience that can turn into an opportunity.
If I could snapped my fingers and make all his pain go I away...I would in a second. But I can't. I am just going to continue to pray for him.

If this is you....if you see your situation through his, DON'T GIVE UP ON GOD. And don't give up on yourself. Just like I said, God is so much bigger than this. THIS WORLD HAS NOTHING FOR YOU. Follow Him. I believe in absolutely every single on of you and I love you.

Live your life. Don't let Satan win.

Peace
Liz

p.s. I am here for anyone who needs someone to talk to, or someone to cry and snot all over. :)
Just message me, text me, call me. I love getting coffee and just having conversation. Seriously. I'm here.

Opportunity=Great Joy

My friend, Vee sent me this verse that she has been going through for a little bit and I think that it's absolutely perfect.

James 1:2-4-"Dear Brothers and Sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

I've never realized what a wonderful word opportunity is.
op·por·tu·ni·ty- n. pl. op·por·tu·ni·ties:
A chance for progress or advancement.

God gives us opportunities ALL THE TIME. Are we taking them?
Why aren't we? Don't you want to ADVANCE and move forward in your relationship with Christ? Don't you want intimacy like you have never even known? I know I do.

I just love that God is SO much bigger than ANYTHING we are going through. And just the thought of how big and loving and powerful He is, is an opportunity for GREAT JOY. Don't you just love that?! God can provide JOY in our toughest situations.
That just excites me and I pray that I can recognize the opportunity everytime I've hit a bump in the road...because I believe it could cause intimacy and pursuit like I have never experienced, which is what I want most in life.

Just go through this verse on your own. Hash it out. Make it mean something to you. Share what you got out of it!!! I would really love that.

Peace
Liz

Ch-Ch-Changes

This year has been CRAZY. But, in a good way. :)

I was just thinking about how different I am compared to like 7 months ago. I can't believe the work God has done in my life and the change in my heart in only a few short months. And everytime I think about the opportunity God has given me and the second chance...it gives me hope all over again, no matter what situation. And it excites me.

I wish my friends changed with me. It's frustrating when you go through this big journey and you aren't even really the same person and your friends don't really understand who you are anymore, or it causes you to lose contact...
More than frustrating, it's sad. But, movement costs something. It's just something I have always had to remind myself, even now...like everyday. But, this new life, this second chance, this intimacy is absolutely worth it in the end.

I recieved a text last night: "Be praying that you want God because sometimes we can get so distracted and lost and confused and jacked up and simply miss wanting God in His essence."

I want God.

Peace
Liz

Meant To Live

Who needs prayer?

The most simple question can have the hardest answer. This was the big question asked Wednesday night at camp. At first you just think, "Oh, it's just Freddy and his crazy questions! This will take us 10 minutes and then we will learn."

I learned more from that night than any other night at camp. And most of the nights in my entire life.
The vulnrability.
The love.
Taking care of each other. Wait. Can I just stop there for a second? TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER.

I texted Khris the other day with a problem of mine. It was kinda late and I know that Khris is busy and he probably has better things to do than stay up late texting a teenage girl about her problems! But he talked to me about it anyways (emailed me later) and, I don't know. I just won't forget him ever because of the love that he has shown me. I sent him a text just thanking him for always being there and for just showing me love. He sent me one in response saying, "Welcome to life...when people actually care about each other. This is how we were meant to live."

THIS IS HOW WE WERE MEANT TO LIVE. I love that.

So, seriously. Who needs prayer? I'm here for you. We are hear for you.

Start taking care of each other. This is how we are meant to live.

Peace
Liz

What Makes A Friend A Friend?

I don't really have the answer to this...but I've been thinking about it a lot.

I recently (like...two days ago...) had a conversation with my "best friend". I put that in quotations, because even though we do everything together and we spend every second together and I love her a lot...she didn't know me and I didn't know her. We were sitting at Starbucks and I decided that that was the day I was going to tell her everything about me. It was a tough conversation. She doesn't really know how to talk to people, because she hasn't done it a lot....it's uncomfortable for her. But, I tried to let her know that the more you do it, the easier it gets. I hated talking to people to. Not like "Hey, how ya doing" kinda thing, but deep, messy, crazy, real conversations. I HATED THEM. Until...I guess it was December when I had a deep, messy, crazy, real conversation that absolutely changed my entire life. Now, I can't get enough of conversations. CONVERSATIONS SHAPE LIVES.

Where am I getting at with the whole "What makes a friend a friend?"
Freddy once said, "You may think that your best friend is your friend, but if you aren't have deep, authentic conversations with them, then they are just an acquaintance."

I think that there are a few people out there who need to have a few conversations.
I am so passionate about conversations, because I have a had a few that have made me who I am today...

Do some deep thinking this week. Pray this week. Talk to your "friends" this week.
Make this week count.
And then it should be habit; every week will count.

Don't let life just happen.

Peace
Liz