The Trip

"How beautiful upon the mountains 

Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”"

Isaiah 52:7

We're there!

Comments: Wow!  I don't know where to start!  This week has definitely been a week I will forever remember.  My sister and I are already planning on going back next year.  I so appreciate the prayers...I could feel them the whole week!  I had the privilege of working on a huge deck for an elderly man with a whole crew of people I fell in love with!  I can't explain the unity and love we all experienced that week.  You could definitely feel the Holy Spirit all around us and flowing through us.  What a blessing!  I went to Kentucky hoping to bless someone and I returned blessed- only our God could do that!

The beginning of Day 1

The finished product of Day 1

The finished product of Day 2- the floorboards are down!

 The Work: Now, anyone who knows me closely knows I'm not much of a handy woman, especially when it comes to tools and power equipment.  But I can assure you that at the end of this week I felt that I could effectively drill in a screw in my sleep :).  With the help of my sister and a friend we drilled in at least 2,000 screws into this deck.  My sister even tried to drill my finger but thankfully I was too quick :) (but seriously she did drill just a little bit of my thumb...ow!).  Besides the fact that I was able to assist in filling a need for an old man, I also learned skills that may be useful to me in the future.  Maybe my husband and I will build our first house (FYI, I do not have that husband yet and neither does he appear to be anywhere on the horizon...not that I'm waiting or anything ;)).  Maybe he'll be a construction worker.  Maybe I will be able to assist someone else in need.  Who knows; I look forward to learning more skills next year.

The finished product of Day 3: railings, spindles and steps done!  Unfortnately I don't have a picture of Day 4 but we finished the railings on the stairs and put up half of the rafters for the roof.

The Things I learned:  Every morning or evening we would have a devotion led by someone in our group.  I learned so much from their lessons and the discussions afterwards.  Two things that really stood out to me was to be bold in
proclaiming Christ (as we don't know how much time we have left on this earth) and to always be aware of God's grace in our lives.  Without the knowledge of God's grace in our lives we can easily become prideful.  But God's grace does not just fall on special people- it's for everyone.  Understanding that enables us to be bold in proclaiming to lost people their need for the grace of God in their lives.  Another thing I learned was that I must never allow fear to stop me from doing God's will.  Even though I may not feel like I can do, He gives me the strength in due season.

Group devotions and praise time one night.

The verse at that top of this post was one the Lord impressed upon me as we drove through the mountains on the way there.  I felt like that was my whole mission for the week.  Through God's grace it was accomplished.

The homeowner, Mr. Teague and his girlfriend (apparently A.T.V's and lawn mowers were the cars around there :).

Me and a sister-in-Christ, Amber!

To find out more about the ministry we partnered with (Christian Appalachian Project) and how you can be used there click HERE!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah



  

A Journey

"It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while He is the end of our journey, He is also at every stopping place."

 Elisabeth Elliot

Tomorrow my sister and I leave on a journey.  This is something new, a journey we've never taken, and yet one that I know the Lord is present.  Early in the morning we leave for Kentucky for a couple days of ministering to and serving the people in the Appalachian Mountains.  Would you mind praying for us that we would be used by the Lord to touch lives for His glory this week?  Thanks so much and I hope to have an update for you all late next week!

"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness."

2 Corinthians 9:10 

This is my prayer for this week; that the seeds we sow will grow and become useful to the King.  I pray that many of those I meet this week I will have the privilege of spending eternity with too!

Learning to delight in Jesus,

Hannah       

Recipe: Yogurt Biscuits

This recipe is light, simple, and tasty.  We've been enjoying all the fresh summer fruits in this breakfast bread.  Enjoy!

Yogurt Biscuits

3 cups freshly milled soft white flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1/2t. salt
1 T. cinnamon
3 T. dark sucanat
6 T. cold butter

Combine above dry ingredients and cut into the butter.  Then combine...
1 1/4 cups yogurt
1 egg
1 T. vanilla extract
...and add to the butter and dry ingredients.  Stir well then gently fold in your favorite berry (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.) or chocolate chips.  Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Enjoy!

Serving suggestion:
Great served with freshly scrambled eggs or omelets :)!

"In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord..."
Isaiah 6:1a
Have we seen the Lord today?

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

An Award....again :)

I've been blessed by Jaime at Diligently Waiting with the Beautiful Blogger Award!

Here are the rules for receiving it:
#1. Thank the person who nominated you and give the link.  Many thanks Jaime!  You're one awesome piano student!
#2 Tell us how the idea of having a blog popped up and why you continue it.  Well, I had desired for a long time to encourage girls.  My sister had started a blog and I thought it was a great way to reach out to young people.   I also wanted a place where I could sharpen my writing skills and my faith.
#3 Describe a usual day of your life.  In the summer my life varies from day to day but is usually very busy harvesting, washing, cutting, canning, etc.  Here's a preview:  wake up at 6 am, do quiet time, run, finish quiet time, play the piano for family worship, breakfast, chores, 1 hour of science (still trying to finish that up :), gardening/canning/washing/peeling/making butter/etc., help make lunch, check email/blogs (throughout the day), make bread, help make dinner, play with siblings, read, eat dinner, clean-up, eat ice-cream with the family, good-night prayers, bed!  Phew!  Mamma does a very good job at keeping us busy but she balances our work time and free time excellently! 
#4 The best collaboration with a blogger?  Um, I'm not sure I have one.  Does my sister count ;)?
#5 The worst collaboration with a blogger?  Sorry, no answer for that one either.
#6 Explain what having this blog means to you.  It means that, through the technological advances of the internet, I have the ability to share Christ and encourage girls across the world!  Not only am I reaching my community but people I might never meet.  What a privilege! 
#7 Now nominate 5 bloggers for this award.

Bianca!
Sarah Jane!
Erin! 
Madalee!
Kimber!

I leave you all with a verse:

"Be strong, be courageous; for the Lord your God He is the one who is with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 32:6

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Which fear do we have?

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because 

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

1 John 4:4 

Don't you just love it when the Lord's been teaching you something and the pastor at your church just happened to preach on the same thing?!  It is such a confirmation to me of what I need to be working on.

Lately I've been struggling with fear.  Now, there are several different types of fear.  Here are two definitions of fear in the Websters 1828 Dictionary:

1. To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of some expected evil.
2. The worship of God.

The first type of fear weakens you and leaves you useless to the King.  I've been learning that the devil tries very hard to control people with this one.  If we're so afraid we're no longer a threat to him and his plans.  After honestly searching my heart I discovered that the root of my fear was self.  I've been so worried about me, what's going to happen to me, how this will work out for me that I've lost sight of my mission.  My mission is not to make a lot of money, be famous, or even be successful in the world's eyes.  My mission is to be a witness for Jesus; to serve Him and no other.  The Bible frequently encourages us to not be controlled by this fear (see this post).  He wants us to overcome and He wants to use us if we allow Him.

In today's sermon I learned that the second type of fear, the fear of the Lord, is the antidote for the wrong type of fear.  If I'm so focused on the Lord and the vision He has for me {and He does have one for me it just hasn't been revealed yet.... :)} then I will not be scared away by silly little things.  If we're focused on the eternal and not the present, the spiritual and not the physical we will find the fears of yesterday disappear!  Wow!  How freeing, how incredible simple yet so hard to practice.  What do we do when the fears start bombarding us on every side?  Well, what did Jesus do when He was tempted by the devil?  He responded with Scripture.  This is one reason why it is so important to hide God's Word in our hearts!  Now that I know that fear is an issue for me I should be diligently memorizing verses that combat fear.  I need to be ready, armed, prepared for battle.  Ultimately we have nothing to fear when Jesus is on our side!

There's a little peek of what I've been struggling with and learning in my spiritual life.
I'm interested to know what the Lord has been teaching you.

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)       

Compassion International

In my previous post I mentioned how my sister and I are going to Colombia to visit our compassion children sometime this fall.  Daddy gave me the idea to write a little bit more about Compassion International.

My little girl, Jennifer!

Founded in 1952, Compassion gives Christians an opportunity to tangibly effect the lives of young children in poorer countries who do not have the privileges of education and religion as we do, through a small monthly fee.  This fee pays for the child's education, health-care needs, and assists them in rising above poverty and being effective for the Kingdom.  You have the ability to write letters to them and encourage them in their studies and their walk with the Lord.  Unlike other such organizations, Compassion is distinct in it's Christian approach to everything and encourages you to pray not only for you child but also for his/her country.  They frequently send updates in the mail regarding your child and the country he/she lives.  These updates will open your eyes to the world they live in and the small way in which you are helping them to be overcomers, regardless of their circumstances.

Jennifer is 10 years old as of April 7th and I have been writing to her for the past 3-4 years.  I can't wait to know more about her in person; her personality, the way she receives love, and the way she shows love.

We have participated in Compassion International for over 10 years and have been exceedingly blessed by the relationships we have made with our "children".  Kimber and I look forward to actually visiting them in person and experiencing their world.  If you would, please pray for safety and that God would use us to encourage and bless them.  Also, that we would learn from this new experience.

I highly recommend for you to check it out!  Please go HERE!!  

May the Lord bless you all this week!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah    

Graduation!!

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  

Psalm 37:5 

 

First things first, I apologize for my tardiness in getting this post up for your viewing!  Things have been pretty busy over here on the farm but I'm back...for now :).

I had the wonderful privilege of being able to graduate with one of my best friends- my sister!  Kimber and I have shared so many memories together over the years and it's been a blessing doing school with her over the years!

We were able to get ready at our grandparents house, which was about 15 minutes from the place where the ceremony was being held.  Alexis, my wonderful sister, took pictures of us while we got ready.

Don't ask ;)...

My lovely sister!!

About 9 months ago we found some beautiful, modest dresses online which my generous grandparents bought for us as our graduation gift.  After getting our make-up on we slipped into our "princess gowns".  They fit perfectly and we loved them!

After getting things situated and decorated we headed to the Richmond Convention Center for the graduation!

Virginia has one of the best graduation ceremony's available for homeschool grads.  Thanks to the hard work of HEAV (Home Educators Association of Virginia) we were able to participate along with 196 others.

My sister is 2nd from the left (blonde hair) and I'm right behind her.

 After our 2 hour long rehearsal we graduates got to know each other a little better while waiting for the actual ceremony to start.  Finally, it was time to enter the ball room.

My sister and I are somewhere in the sea of blue and white :)

 This picture do not give full justice to just how big this room is.  I think it could hold about 20,000 people!

"Greatness- no excuses" was the title of the address given to us graduates by Rick Boyer.  He challenged us to be "Josiahs" in today's society; to stand up for the truth and to be great for the Lord....no excuses.

Having a last name that starts with a "W" means we were (almost literally) very last.  But we had a fun time getting to know the people in our row.  It's so neat to see that many homeschool graduates at the same time.  After listening and participating in 2 hours of clapping it was finally our turn to receive our diplomas from our wonderful parents.  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures but I do have one of us after the ceremony.

L-R: Mamma, Kimber, Myself, Daddy

My kind Paw-Paw and Na-Naw allowed us to host our graduation party at their house since our house is sort-of a mess right now due to the new kitchen addition in progress :). 

FOOD!!!

 We all enjoyed the fresh fruit, veggies, chips, pasta salad, gold-fish (what...I like goldfish :), and pizza.  We enjoyed wonderful fellowship with friends and family while eating.

My friend Kelly and I

Then we had cake...mmm!

Home-made ice-cream cake.  Delicious!

  

After cake we had present time.  Everyone was very generous in the presents they gave to us!

The last gift we opened was from mamma and daddy.  Inside a cardboard box was a beautifully engraved photo album with a card that informed us that we were to fill this album with pictures from our trip to Colombia!  That's right, sometime this fall daddy is taking us to visit our Compassion children in Colombia.  We're looking forward to it!

Saying "thank you" to papa-bear!

A hug for our beautiful mamma!

After all the presents were opened and "thank you's" were said Kimber and I stood up and read our letters to mamma and daddy.  We really wanted to do something special to thank them for all the time and energy they invested in not just our education but also our lives.  I have attached a video of both speeches for you to view below (see next post).  It was a tear-jerker but I'm so glad we did it!

While some of the adults finished cleaning up the rest of us gathered in my grandparents living room to watch a slide-show that we made of our growing up years. 

 

Watching.

 Finally, after a long and exciting day it was time to say "good-bye".  

June 9th, 2012 will forever be a memory that I will look back upon with pleasure.  Everything went exceptionally well and it was so special to celebrate our special day with family and friends that we love!

Well, there's my graduation story...do you have one?

Learning to delight in Jesus,

Hannah

P.S.- You can view some of our graduation pictures HERE.

Video of our Letters to Mom and Dad

Here is a video of the letters Kimber and I gave to our marvelous parents!

Learning to delight in Jesus,

Hannah

Convention Tips

This weekend I was able to enjoy with my wonderful family the annual Virginia Homeschool Convention, hosted by HEAV.  This convention hosts many speakers and covers many topics which we all enjoy.  My sister and I attended one session by Woody Robertson, the co-founder of CollegePlus!, about after high school.  I would like to share some of what I learned below.

The title of his session was called, "Eight Practical Steps to Life After High School".
Step #1~ Identify Your Purpose.  God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us and it's our responsibility to find out what it is and to follow it with the best of our ability.  One way to discover what your purpose is to know your passions.  What books, music, movies, speakers do you gravitate towards?  These things could easily point out your passions and interests.  Your purpose will always have something to do with people.  Unfortunately the world today defines purpose by what you possess, what is pleasurable, and the pride of life.  God's Word says differently.
Step #2~ Build a Foundation of Character.  "People don't care how much you know until they see how much you care."  Here is a list of character traits he believed were most needed in today's society.
Diligence
Creativity
Initiative 
Enthusiasm
Wisdom
Committed to Excellence
Honor (make others successful) 
Step #3~ Develop Communication Skills.  People form 75% of their opinion of who you are in the first 5 minutes.  Attempt to be slightly above everybody else in the way you dress (that is the first thing a person sees :).
Step #4~ Find A Mentor.  Not just a spiritual mentor but perhaps a mentor in business or something else you're interested in.
Step #5~ Land an Internship.  The best way to learn is in a one on one relationship.
Step #6~ Be Purposeful in Marriage Relationships (young men); Guard Your Heart (young women).  Marriage is a huge step in life and we need to seriously consider all angles of a relationship.
Step #7~ Know What Businesses Are Looking For.  Like my daddy always says, "It's not hard to find a job you just have to be willing to do what nobody else wants to do."  If you see a need see if you can fill it (if that's the Lord's will for you).
Step #8~ Land Your First Job.

Well, that's a little bit of what I learned this weekend.  Next post will be about my graduation (with my sister)! :)  Stay tuned....

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah  

Do Not Fear

"Do not be afraid...I am your shield."
Genesis 15:1b
"Fear not, for God has heard..."
Genesis 21:17
"Do not fear, for I am with you..."
Genesis 26:24
"Do not fear to go down to Egypt..."
Genesis 46:3
"You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you."
Deuteronomy 3:22
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord you God, His is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6
"Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed..."
Joshua 8:1
"Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand."
Joshua 10:8
"Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong...And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them."
Joshua 10:25-26
"Peace be with You; do not fear you shall not die."
Judges 6:23

"Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.  And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
2 Kings 6:16-17
"Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God-my God-will be with you..."
1 Chronicles 20:20
"Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you."
2 Chronicles 20:17d
"I will fear no evil for You are with Me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 23:4
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid."
Psalm 27:1
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear.."
Psalm 46:1-2a
"In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust, I will not fear.  What can flesh do to me?
Psalm 56:4
"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?"
Psalm 118:6
"The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be safe."
Proverbs 29:25

"Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear!  He will come and save you.""
Isaiah 35:4
"Fear not, for I am with you..."
Isaiah 43:5a
"Do not fear, O Jacob...for I am with you;"
Jeremiah 47:28
"You drew near on the day I called on You and said, "Do not fear,""
Lamentations 3:57
"O man, greatly beloved, fear not!  Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!"
Daniel 10:19
"Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
Matthew 10:31
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
1 John 4:18

Learning to delight in Jesus :),
Hannah