Update!

I was just recently reminded that my blog hasn't been updated in quite sometime. So...I decided to do a quick summary of the past 10 months. I can't believe it's been 10 months since I've blogged... time is definitely flying. I am now just six classes away from graduation from HIU and I'm very excited about that! God has been incredibly good to me, as always, providing for me financially, spiritually and so faithful through every stressful situation of life.

In May of 2010 I debated moving into a cheaper apartment to ease up some of my expenses. During a hectic month of apartment searching and sitting down to figure out numbers, it ended up being cheaper to stay right where I was after calculating moving costs, deposits and the sacrifice of a smaller, generally older, place. After deciding to stay here, I added a few updates to my place I had been holding off on. Pictured are the new drapes!

I think they add so much to any room, especially my living room and bathroom! My friend Jessica who is also an interior designer, helped me choose the drapes and stayed up till 4AM helping me install them one weekend! :) We had a lot of fun drilling holes and measuring everything... memories for a lifetime!

In the beginning of August, I was the instigator in a rear-end accident involving me and two other cars. After driving home from Western District Camp Meeting in Santa Maria, CA, I was exhausted, drained and running off of 4 hours of restless sleep. I came home around noon on a Friday, and went straight to work. After a stressful afternoon, I left work a few minutes early to get a head start on a youth event taking place in Ontario that night. My mind was completely elsewhere which caused me to rear end the person in front of me while I was getting on the freeway. Unfortunately, because I did not have time to react or brace for the impact, my foot was still on the gas pedal when I crashed. CHP officers predicted my speed between 45-50mph. Needless to say, the damage was quite extensive, causing my airbags to deploy and my head to rip back and forth from whiplash. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. Besides some extensive bruising I received from the selt belt which prompted a visit to Urgent Care and ER the next day, no one else was seriously injured. Thank God for that! My TSX was ultimately totaled and then came the stress of purchasing a new vehicle. God completely provided for me and I was in another Acura just 3 weeks later. I've posted some pictures of the accident. Did you notice my airbag was pink?

Through the grace of God and His protection, I am okay. I honestly think the accident was an attention-grabber for me. I have a foolish tendency to run 100 mph constantly, quickly losing focus on the important and simple things of life. It has allowed me to be satisfied with an occasional weekend at home with nothing to do but relax. I have also learned how to exercise my "no" muscle more often. As much as I enjoy ministering through music, I've had to commit less to functions outside of my local church. This has been a sacrifice for me because it is my passion to sing! But God has allowed me to grow during this process and I have been trusting Him at a new level. It has reminded me yet again, God is in control!

Recently I had the privilege of attending the Hyphen tour. Hyphen is specifically designed for young adults ages 18-30 who are in that "in between" stage of life, right where I am. The two-day conference was life altering and has given me a new desire to be satisfied with the life God has given me right now, so that I can be reaching the community right around me. My childhood dream has always been to be a missionary in Africa. This conference reminded us that we are all missionaries, and our mission is where we are. There are just as many people who need Jesus right here in southern California, as there are in Africa. If I cannot do what I am called to do here, how would I ever do that in Africa? It would not happen. God has empowered our generation to be one full of applicable knowledge about Him that we have been commanded to share with the lost. I have to ask myself daily, "Am I doing everything I can to tell others about Jesus?"

I know God has great things planned for my future, but my focus is on the now. What can I do now to impact my community and mission field? I am dedicated to a higher calling that I am drawn to answer on a greater level because of what has taken place in the past 10 months of my life.

May you be encouraged to do more for God after reading this.

Abundant blessings,

~Sarah