September Photo Challenge

This month I decided to do a photo challenge. The only problem is, I started today... half-way through the month. So instead of taking a picture today, I took a few that I'm going to share with you. Here are some of the topics in the challenge and pictures I took to go a long with them:

Self-portrait(s):

Instead I just taking a selfie, I got my siblings to have some fun with me!

Something that makes you smile:

This isn't technically a picture that I "took", but Bible verses always make me smile!

What you wore today:

Something, or in my case someone, that you miss:

This is a picture of some of my cousins, my siblings, and I with my grandpa.

Something orange:

Flowers:

Black and white:

This is a figurine that my dad got on a mission trip to Mexico to remind him to pray for the people there. He gave it to me so that I can remember to pray for the people of Central America since we just went on a mission trip there!

Here is the photo challenge that I used (that a friend of mine found) in case you all want to try it!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Hey guys! I know I haven't done very well with blogging lately, but we have been so busy!! I have lots to catch up on but right now ill just share a "few of my favorite things" that have gone on the last few weeks! ...(I got the idea for this post from one of my friends).

A mission trip to Costa Rica (which I will talk more about later!!). But I will tell you now, God did AMAZING things!

A village on a mountainside.

A classroom that we visited.

the Gringo Market!

A lady accepting Christ after hearing about His great love!

Field trips... On this one we went to NC State to hear about a language program.

Cousin dates to the Tea Room!

A new photo editing app that I got...

(this picture is from a couple Sundays ago when some ladies from my parent's Sunday class and their girls went to an outreach called Covered with Love where we made blankets for moms who lost their children. It was sad but I'm glad we got to help!)

Spanish-English Bibles

Reunions... My best friend came back from West Africa and boy are Parker and I excited!!!

African gifts... Love!

... and last but not least, Bible verses to remind me of God's faithfulness!

One of those days...

I think we've all had "one of those days" at some point or another. I know I sure have. Actually, in the past 2 weeks I have had many of those days. Nothing seems to go right, you have a seemingly impossible amount to do, you are getting upset over the littlest things that usually don't bother you.

We went back to school 2 week ago and boy has it been stressful! This year, we have had SO much homework. In addition I've tried a number of things that I've never done before. I began my first AP class. I tried out for musical theatre. I got permit. I did cross country conditioning and considered trying out for the team. All in the first 2 weeks of school! 

On the first day of school I come home from boring class after class of syllabuses.  I absolutely loved my teachers, classes, and the people in my classes. What is so bad about that do you ask? Exactly. There wasn't anything terrible but I wanted my way to the dot. I didn't like that I was overwhelmed by 3rd period. I didn't like that I didn't get to sit with my best friends in majority of my classes. I didn't like that when I got home I was trying to fill in for my mom since she was still at work. I especially didn't like that I broke down crying (cause I guess that's what emotional teenage girls do) because I would much rather be the all-together one in my family than the one that needed the comforting. Some of those things like trying to be my mom when I just needed to be me I could help. But God reminded me that day that He has it all under control. He has a reason that I wasn't sitting by friends all the time. He doesn't want me to be overwhelmed or to try to be everything for everybody. He just wants me to trust Him. In showing me this, He brought up a Bible verse that I had seen a number of times but that I really noticed that night. 

"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares The Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

Being the worrisome person that I am, I certainly didn't learn my lesson the first time. I will still have more stumbles than I can count, but I am reminded that all I need to do is trust God, even with the details.

     

Another year under our belt!

A little over a week ago we finished yet another school year! I finished 9th grade, my first year of high school!! We learned a lot, worked hard, did our best (most of the time) and finally finished.  Even though it has been a challenging year, it has been a great one!

Here are some pictures looking over the school year:

Here is our "first" day of school picture. Well, we forgot to take one our very first day so we took one a few days later. (and yes, this is a rough picture but what more can you expect on a bad hair day at 7 in the morning with a brother who loves crazy faces!)

 This is a picture from after our Christmas dance recital.

 These pictures are from our Christmas Chorus concert.

 Here is a picture from one of my younger brothers, Luis's, chorus concert!

Getting awards for dance after our last number

 Getting ready to sing "Jar of Hearts"

 Getting awards for Chorus. Two other students and I got awards for good character!

Taking a final bow after the Showcase

                                   

These last few pictures are from our spring chorus concert/dance recital. Our last song was "You can't stop the beat" from Hairspray. Jazz band, Chorus, and Dance all performed. It was a ton of fun!

After our PE final we were bored and were snapchating people. 

Here is a picture of two of my friends and I after our English final. We were bored, again, and took over 200 crazy photos!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters...

Colossians 3:23

"Go making disciples of all nations..." including your own!

"Go, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

Often times when we think about telling others about the wonderful news of our sweet Savior, we think about mission trips and oversees. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this bad. It is amazing! I'm going on a mission trip this summer, one of my very best friends and her family are missionaries overseas, and I want to be a missionary! The problem is though, we don't usually associate our schools, our sports teams, our friends, etc. with the mission field. But this is the greatest and hardest mission field of our lives!

I definitely struggle with this. I get restless and wish I could be doing something greater. I want to go on another mission trip. I want to go overseas. I feel more comfortable sharing Jesus with somebody I don't know. But the greatest thing that I can do is right now, and that is reaching out to the people all around me. I have to remember that the mission field that God has given me right now is my high school, my dance studio, my neighborhood, my church, and even my own home. And it is a big mission field. Everyone has their very own mission field. This means that I am a missionary and so are you!

So don't forget, God tells us to make disciples of all nations... even your own!

Track-Out

I know it that it seems that I post about this topic a lot . . .

We are tracked out!! We made it through the first part of our school year. For me, the first part of my first year of high school! I can't believe it! It has been great though, a lot of work but in the end it will be worth every minute of it!

Now that we are tracked out I decided I'm going to do my Pinterest project! I'm going to make different recipes, try crafts, and different random things that I find on Pinterest. I will also post about them when I do them. How fun!!! I can't wait to get started! :)