Rescue is Coming...

Keep Your Head Up

2012-01-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Reading through Psalms 3* this morning the verse that says that God is the lifter of our head made me think of a song on the read. Whenever I hear Andy Grammer's "Keep you Head Up" song it always helps put a little pep in my step. We all want to live carefree right? It seems that so many things keep us from that. But here's a secret, we can have peace throughout everything we do. It's not just the times when we are fishing, or laying on a beach, or on a run that we can be at peace.
In Isaiah 66:12 the Lord says "peace like a river". How many have you have ever been white water rafting on a river before? I sure have, and it is by no means "peaceful" in my mind! Rapids, huge rocks, raging waters...you get the picture. This is a great way to see how God has peace for you throughout all of life, rough waters included. When Christ is the captain of your life, we can trust him that he will get us through safely. We can be at peace knowing He will never leave us and loves us so much.
Let's change the way we think about peace in our daily lives, it's not only when we step back from everything that we can be at peace [these times are SO necessary though too, don't get me wrong!], but it's throughout every part of our day.
Once we let go of the tight grip we have on our lives and trying to be the own captain of our proverbial raft, it's then that we can open up our arms, throw our head back and let God fill our lives with Him.
God wants us to live in His freedom. In Galatians 5:1 it says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." When we live for Christ instead of living for this world and when we put our hope in Him, there is this unbelievable peace that comes from that. The kind of peace that fills your heart, your mind and spills over into everything you do. It makes me think of the photo at the top of this blogpost... a releasing of all worry, stress, expectations, hurt and fear and just asking to be filled with Christ's love. "God here I am, all I want is you...and all I have is yours". I'm all in.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Callie Goodwin

Listening to: Elevation Worship- www.elevationnetwork.com

Living our faith? How?

2011-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Christian Teens...

Why can we go on mission trips and be pumped about sharing Christ, But are afraid to mention God's name in school?

Why can we love the people in other countries when we can't love the nerdy kids?

Why are we on fire for Christ after a church trip, but fall back into the crowd and the "cool" thing when pressured?

Why do we live 2 lives?

In doing this, we are showing people that it's not that importaint to us to live what we believe ALL the time. and why would we want to show people that? When we conform to the world's ways, we are showing people that Christ must not be our most important priority if we are resorting to the worlds way to become popular. Do we really want all those people to look at us and get the idea that Jesus isn't that important? What if you actions were the reason they decided that Jesus wasn't too important? What if that was their last day on earth? Where would they be? We are suppose to be a unified body, We are all different parts with different purposes. If everyone got serious about living their faith, there would be 100's of us. Think about 100's of us in all the different cliques at school...Think about if each of us was surrounded by at least 5 people that were changed by how we live. that is over 500 people who see Jesus' light.

We need to get serious about our faith. Personally, I can bare to loose another one of my friends and not know if they chose to accept christ as their savior or not. it's something I think about daily, and always wonder if I lived and shared my faith the way i should have, if he saw enough Jesus in me to know that he is the only way.

I never want to experiance it again, and don't want you to ever have to as well.

think about this, and let me know your thoughts.

As Stuart always says.

We have inhearited a mess of this world. We are going to change it into something. The question is what are we going to change it into?

Think about that.

In Christ,
Callie

Listening to: Battle by Chris August

Brazil 2011

2011-07-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

"Brazil 2011"

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This trip can not be summed up in words.

There is no way to convey what was truly done in this city.

You won't understand what we experienced unless you were there. But this is an attempt to tell you what God did, and how it impacted my life.

As we drove away from our friends and families on July 14th, many things started changing. Our attitudes were ready to serve, our hearts, Ready to give and love. Our minds, filled with emotions and anticipation fro what God had planned for the next 11 days. but with all that was within us, we were ready to go.

This is a hard blog to write. I have to dig down deep, get past my emotions at the moment of feeling sad and wanting to be back so much. I actually feel homesick. Not from my home in Chapin, SC. but my home in Rio vermalio, Brazil. Its a weird feeling. I met so many people while there. People who would point me straight to God, People who made me test my faith. I was challenged physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Its difficult. I'm not going to lie. But I know God did great things while I was there. He taught me what Divine appointments were. He set up exact appointments. He showed me how he could use my imperfectness in a great and mighty way to further his kingdom. Its amazing! He showed me how even if we are from 2 different tribes and tongues, we can sing the same songs and God knows we are giving all the praise to him. He showed me that simple things such as bubbles made a difference and that it didn't matter whether you spoke English, Spanish, Chinese, Blowing bubbles and painting nails is a universal thing. He showed me that I don't need things like my phone, computer, and iPod. All I need is him and to be completely consumed by him. Let him be the center of my life. If he isn't. My whole world comes crashing down at my feet. He showed me how peaceful it is to not talk and to just listen for an hour. What it’s like to leave everything behind and just hike a mountain with my bible and lay my life before him. He showed me that I could develop a special type of love for someone in a short period of time. He showed me I needed to learn to trust. I needed to be able to trust our translators. I need to trust them with what I was holding back. It’s weird how I have to go to another country to realize all these things.

One thing I did realize while here in the USA, is how much I'm loved. How much everyone cares for me. as we got off the bus, just hearing all the screams, yells, tears of family greeting us, It was like God placing his hand on me saying, why didn't you see this before, why didn't you see that you were loved this much. While in Brazil, He placed his hand on me saying, why don't you trust I have a plan, you don't believe me? My response was yes I do. He said if you do, Lay yourself down, set everything aside and follow after me. Don't look back and see the entire tragic event, see it as I’m calling my kids home. Don't see leaving as a good bye, but as an "I can't wait to see you in heaven!" See your glass as half full, not half empty. I took that advice, and am now looking at things in a new way. I see that God hasn't made the people of Brazil poor, but has just humbled them and made them grateful and caring. One thing I saw in Brazil that was a big difference was that in Brazil, People are relationship and God centered, everything revolves around God and Relationships with other people, their family. As I came back to the US, I could see we are opposite. We are centered around Money, about the economy, about how much stuff costs, and buying. There, if they don't have it, they believe they don't need it. That’s a 180 degree turn from us. It is really humbling to see that.

Now I know you thought you would be hearing stories...I can't share specific stories, without it losing its meaning. As we talked about in Brazil, sometimes, the meaning of what we were saying sometimes got Lost in Translation as our translator translated. It’s the same now. The meaning, the excitement, just isn't the same to someone who didn't live it, and doesn't know what it's like. I can tell yall that we built houses, hung out with kids, did VBS, Door to Door, dressed as clowns, shopped, and made bracelets, but if you didn't experience it yourself, the emotion and its meaning gets lost, and when that happens, it gets really discouraging. Feel free to ask about how stuff went. Like specifics, but when you just ask, so how your trip went, what you did...It just gets so overwhelming.

If you've reached this part, you’re a real trooper through my ramblings. Good for you! Thanks for reading. A couple of ways you could be praying for me now is:

- That I wouldn't forget what the Lord taught me everything he showed me about myself and about my life
- pray for my post-missions-syndrome as I adjust back to normal life even though it feels like it can't happen.
- That the Lord would put His word in my mouth
-that I might be broken for the sake of the Gospel

These lyrics to these 2 songs meant the most to me while in Brazil. Check them out if you want to!

Tempos melhores estāo por vir obras maiorse se farāo neste lugar
(Greater things have yet to come, and Greater things are still to be done in this city)

Where you invest your love, you invest your life.

Thank you for reading. Feel free to leave me a comment, I would love to read them. Also, don't take this in a way that you think I don't want to talk about Brazil. I do. I just am not sure how to convay the emotion of the reality.

Love,
Callie

Listening to: God of the City

Grace and Orange

2011-04-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today...

A lot has been on my mind.

I have wondered where I would be if some of life's challenges hadn't been thrown my way. Would I have the same relationship I have with Christ? Would I be here at all? I'll never know, because that is not the way things are. I am saved, by grace. Something that is so hard to grasp. Grace. Do you know what that truly means?

Grace is complete forgiveness that I can't, by any means earn. It's a pure gift from God that we don't deserve and it can't come from any one else.

For someone like me who likes logic and likes to wrap my mind around stuff, this is a hard one, but Christ has been working so that I don't have to understand it. We can't fit God into the small window that our mind can comprehend. He is so much bigger!

Another thing i've been thinking about has to do with this really awesome children's ministry conference called Orange! If church and parents come together and collide, the 2 can make a much bigger impact that 2 separate influences. I was invited to attend, but God didn't have that in mind for me this year. I have had the chance to watch some of the worship time and group time online though, and all I can say is WOW! God has been stirring some thoughts around for the past 2 days. I may not be there at the conference, but God is teaching me some awesome stuff! and I'm getting really excited about what God is going to do through me and the other leaders at CBC. Things are getting ready to change at CBC, but instead of looking at it as a loss, I'm choosing to look at it as a new chapter. There has been a few times where I have always wondered what it would be like to be apart of a church such as Elevation or Newspring where they see people getting saved by the 100's and their pastors are well known...I thought, why can't I be apart of one of those church's that are obviously making an impact in 100's of peoples lives...This week, God has opened up a new idea in my head. He asked me, "Why can't CBC be a church like that?" Wow! I haven't even thought of that! I haven't even thought of praying for God to do that in our church.

What if we did start praying that?

What if we gave God the opportunity to expand our ministry?

What if we completely hand our ministry over to God?

I believe the possibilities could be endless!

I admit, I haven't been praying for this ministry the way I should be. I haven't prayed that God will be doing awesome things through us, and that he take full control. Some might say that's because of my age, and it's not. It's because up until now, I had not set any expectations for our ministry.

I believe God is calling me to work with these kids. I believe he moved me from one place to another in order to strategically place me where I would grow the most, but also where he wants me to lead and ultimately bless me and the ministry I work with. Yes, I am a teenager, I'm 17 and proud of it. I seriously dare someone to put limitations on me because of my age. God doesn't put limitations on age. I've seen some 3 and 4 year old's who get the gospel better than some adults.

I am 17, fully devoted, and set on seeking God's will for me and my life.

Lord,

I come before you praying that you will take full control of our ministry. Lord, I believe that you can expand it, bless it and make it fruitful, you can make it into an effective ministry that's sole focus is to help families become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Lord, here I am, arms and heart wide open. Transform my heart into a heart of a servant and leader for you only. You alone are in control.

In Christ,

Callie Goodwin

Joy Prom

2011-04-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

No words describe it.

40 Days...Who is ready to be changed?!?!

2011-02-23T17:43:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try something new to completely revolutionize my life. I'm a little scared, but I know the outcome is going to be beyond amazing. I'm going to take a 40 day challenge! I'm going to try and make my bible as used as my facebook and email is. and not the bible on my phone. I'm talking about my hardcopy bible. My legit bible :).

For every time I check my facebook or email, I am going to spend 2 minutes in my bible reading scripture. and if you know anything about me, I check my facebook ALL THE TIME! It's on my phone as well as my email. I pledge to spend 2 minutes reading the Love Story God wrote to me everytime I check my facebook. My ultamite goal is to spend more time in the bible, and grow to love reading it more than I do now. I admit, I struggle to make time to read it. but it shouldn't be that way, and this is something that is going to make me remember to make that time. I mean...Who doesn't have 2 minutes when I spend way more than that on facebook?!?!

I hope that some of yall will join me and revolutionize you lives. God is going to use that time you spend with him to totally make a difference in your life, and I hear that if you do something everyday for 3 weeks, it becomes a habit...and that's only HALF of the time I challenge you (and me) to do this!

So who is with me?!?!
Let me know by leaving a comment. I plan on trying to update this blog regularly with what i'm reading and what God is teaching me. I would LOVE if some of yall would join me. This is going to make a difference. The question now is who is willing to allow it?

Thanks and I can't wait to see who is going to join me! I start tomorrow!

In Christ,
Callie

Listening to: Give Me Faith by Elevation Worship

Thinking...

2011-02-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today, I spent a lot of time thinking...
and when I get really thinking, I end up finding how far I've turned from Christ.
Today has been an emotional day. This weekend was amazing. I got a chance to spend it with both churches...Friday night at chapin baptist at the Some Kind of Zombie Lock-In. The rest of the weekend was full of amazing speaker, worship band, and service projects in a cool event we like to call IMPACT at Gateway. This weekend, Brian spoke on having stuff in our lives that is keeping us from focusing on Christ.

Quote of the Weekend:
Faith is living according to His truth and His truth alone despite circumstances, emotions, or cultural trends.

This weekend I've been struggling. Not just with lack of sleep, but with emotionally. I've been trying to get to a point where I don't miss Michael, Zack and Amara as much, but that point just hasn't come. I'm pretty sure whoever came up with the saying, Time heals, was wrong. Time doesn't heal, Jesus does. I'm praying that my heart will be healed, that I will remember to praise God during this storm. I have a few song lyrics that have been playing in my head this week.

Praise You in this Storm:
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Who You'd Be Today

Sunny days seem to hurt the most.
I wear the pain like a heavy coat.
I feel you everywhere I go.
I see your smile, I see your face,
I hear you laughin' in the rain.
I still can't believe you're gone.

It ain't fair: you died too young,
Like the story that had just begun,
But death tore the pages all away.
God knows how I miss you,
All the junk that I've been through,
Just knowin' no-one could take your place.
An' sometimes I wonder,
Who'd you be today?

I'm Not Alright
I’m not alright
I’m broken inside, broken inside
And all I go through
It leads me to you, it leads me to you

Burn away the pride
Bring me to my weakness
Until everything I hide behind is gone
And when I’m open wide
With nothing left to cling to
Only you are there to lead me on
Cause honestly, I’m not that strong

I'm praying that God will give me a peace that can only come from him. A peace that will surround me completely and fully. I'm praying that will be able to live according to His truth and His truth alone despite circumstances and emotions.

Thank you Jesus for everything you have done for me. thank you for allowing me to have an amazing group of believers that you use to always lift me up. Thank you for being my constent, and not giving up on me...Ever.
I can only find myself in you.
In your mighty, holy, all powerful name I pray,
Amen.

Thanks for Reading,

Callie

Listening to: Who You'd Be Today.

This is Good...

2011-02-17T06:33:00.000-08:00

I found this, and it relates so much to my life right now. Thought i'd sare the encouragement with you. More is to come...

If your life was like a painting,the strokes that are being added to the canvas today may not make much sense when viewed alone. However, God doesn't waste any strokes...for He sees the final picture...You may think the color being used today is too gray...[but] the time will come when you will see that the meaning of the painting would be weakened if the gray strokes were not included in the exact places they appear.~anonymous

gray in one spot on a painting could look like a blob, whereas in a carefully placed spot, it adds depth and sets off something vitally important to the point of the painting. this "gray" is being carefully stroked into the exact place it needs to be, so that it brings your future - the very masterpiece of your life - to light.

because i'm a nerd and like to say things like "in conclusion" this is where i'll end. in conclusion, i'm in a gray spot. and yes i started a new journal. and yes i changed my blog. again. but i'm learning to embrace this gray spot for all it's worth, and see the beauty in every tiny curve and bend in it's stroke

The mission shouldn't be just 1 week long-Costa Rica '10 Debrief

2010-07-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

okay. well, I've kinda been putting this blog off for a while. I've been going through Post Mission-trip Syndrome. Anyway. This is a hard blog to write. I have to dig down deep, get past my emotions at the moment of feeling sad and wanting to be back so much. I actually feel homesick. Not from my home in Chapin, SC. but my home in Rio Naranjo, Costa Rica. Its a weird feeling. I met so many people while there. People who would point me straight to God, People who made me test my faith. I was challenged physically, emotionally, mentally and Spiritually. Its difficult. I'm not going to lie. But I know God did great things while I was there. He taught me what Divine appointments were. If it hadn't have rained, we probably wouldn't of had 6 people accept Christ one day. We weren't even suppose to go door to door that day. But because it rained. He set up those exact appointments. He showed me how he could use my imperfectness in a great and mighty way to further his kingdom. Its amazing! He showed me how even if we are from 2 different tribes and tongues, we can sing the same songs and God knows we are giving all the praise to him. He showed me that simple things such as bubbles made a difference and that it didn't matter whether you spoke English, Spanish, Chiniese, Blowing bubbles is a universal thing. He showed me that I don't need things like my phone, computer, and ipod. All I need is him and to be completely consumed by him. Let him be the center of my life. If he isn't. My whole world comes crashing down at my feet. He showed me how peaceful it is to not talk and to just listen for an hour. What its like to leave everything behind and just hike a mountain with my bible and lay my life before him. He showed me that I could develop a special type of love for someone in a short period of time. He showed me I needed to learn to trust. I needed to be able to trust our translators. I need to trust them with what I was holding back. Its weird how I have to go to another country to realize all these things.
One thing I did realize while here in the USA, is how much I'm loved. How much everyone cares for me. as we walked in the airport, just hearing all the screams, yells, tears of family greeting us, It was like God placing his hand on me saying, why didn't you see this before, why didn't you see that you were loved this much. While in Costa Rica, He placed his hand on me saying, Why don't you trust I have a plan, you don't believe me? My response was yes I do. He said, If you do, Lay yourself down, set everything aside and follow after me. Don't look back and see all the tragic event, see it as i'm calling my kids home. Don't see leaving as a good bye, but as a "I can't wait to see you in heaven!" See your glass as half full, not half empty. I took that advice, and am now looking at things in a new way. I see that God hasn't made the people of Costa Rica poor, but has just humbled them and made them grateful and caring. One thing I saw in Costa Rica that was a big difference was that in Costa, People are relationship and God centered, everything revolves around God and Relationships with other people, their family. as I came back to the US, I could see we are opposite. We are centered around Money, about the economy, about how much stuff costs, and buying. there, if they don't have it, they believe they don't need it. that's a 180 degree turn from us. It is really humbling to see that.

Now I know you thought you would be hearing stories...I can't share specific stories, without it loosing its meaning. As we talked about in Costa, sometimes, the meaning of what we were saying sometimes got Lost in Translation as our translator translated. Its the same now. The meaning, the excitement, just isn't the same to someone who didn't live it, and doesn't know what it's like. I can tell yall that we painted, hung out with kids, did 3 VBS's, Door to Door, Zip lined, shopped, and played Animal Crossing, but if you didn't experience it yourself, the emotion and its meaning gets lost, and when that happens, it gets really discouraging. feel free to ask about how stuff went. like specifics, but when you just ask, so how did your trip go, What did you do?....It just gets so overwhelming.

If you've reached this part, your a real trooper through my ramblings. Good for you! Thanks for reading. A couple of ways you could be praying for me now is:

- that i wouldn't forget what the Lord taught me everything he showed me about myself and about my life
- pray for my post-missions-syndrome as i adjust back to normal life even though it feels like it can't happen.
- that the Lord would put His word in my mouth
-that i might be broken for the sake of the Gospel

In Christ,
Callie Goodwin
Romans 12:1-2

Listening to: Our God is Greater by

You say/God says Part 1

2010-06-03T21:43:00.001-07:00

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me

When he calls out to Me, I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)

Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you

These verses have been really meaningful lately. Sometimes i feel all alone, and sometimes I say i just can't go on, that this world is just to big... but in the end, God is there, he's there comforting me, he is giving me a reason to go on, he's giving me a friend, "I will never leave you or forsake you. He's not going anywhere! He loves me! I'm not alone!
Psalms 73:28
But as for me, it is good to be near God!

Thanks, Until next time,
Callie

Listening to: Jesus Loves You by Steller Kart

Quiet Time/ Hero

2010-06-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share a poem i've written this past week. In everything I do to keep busy, I still have to have my time with Jesus each day. Without that, Nothing will go right. (and i'm not talking about hurting myself...that happens no matter what. Stop laughing!) I hope your getting a chance to spend that time with Jesus each day. Wheather you are just listening, Reading your bible, or praying. Just spend time with him. You would be surprised at how it helps you get through your day and just the peace it can give you...just from spending time with your maker! So here is just something I wrote. Let me know what you think.

My Hero

My hero is someone you cannot see
But he is still here, he died for me
He gave up his life so we could all live
In heaven above and without sin

He took the pain and endured every wip
The men they all teased the man they all hit
He fell three times but got right back up
He carried his cross onward and up

They hammered nails into his hands and feet
But the love he has for us they cannot defeat
He hung on the cross and suffered and died
Was buried and rose on the third day to the sky

He knows what we do he sees everything
His love we feel, he helps the pain
I talk to him as if he were here
He answers back to my heart not my ear

Blessings around everywhere that I see
He created this Earth for you and for me
He created the sky and the sweet smell of spring air
He created this world for us to all share

He asks not much but to believe and obey
And to live my life in a Christian way
I want to stay on the path he has chosen for me
But sometimes it's so hard I just want to flee

Then my heart is overcome with a feeling of peace
I remember my hero and drop to my knees
I love my hero he is the most
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

When I do wrong he always forgives
In my heart he'll always lives
I strive to do good, to bring people to him
I can feel his warm smile and I know then;

When I die I will go
To heaven and live with my hero
I will walk right through those golden gates
And there all my love ones await

My hero is for everyone but the choice is up to you
It's very simple just believe thats all you have to do
My Jesus my friend he means so much to me
He picks me up when I am down and loves unconditionally

I need him and love him so
Jesus is my hero

This post isn't going to be a feeling dumping one. Maybe next time. let me try and sort through these feelings before I spill them.

Have an awesome day...Spend time with the Lord.

In his grip,
Callie

Listening to: Praise you in the Stom by Casting Crowns (The words are so close to what i'm feeing right now)

Collections (warning: Its a long one)

2010-05-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

I feel like posting again, even if no one reads this.

Alots been going on.
Praying hard for the Hewitts and their baby girl.
Praying for Lindsay.
School is almost out (thank goodness!)
Loving my job!
Had a chance to Celebrate our kids on May 21st. That was a really emotional day for me. Putting aside lack of sleep and stress...I still was really emotional. I had not been back in the sanctuary since my grandpa died...And that was really hard to do. and when I finally stopped crying and walked in, I heard the 4's singing I believe I can fly, Now....a few months ago, this wouldn't have made me cry.but this song was sung after Michael's funeral, and emotionally, I couldn't handle it. I had to leave. Another thing that was getting me down, was knowing that Haley wasn't going to be there that night. She wasn't going to graduate with the rest of her class. Now, I know that she is WAY better off than we are! She is sitting on our daddy's lap in heaven, with no more pain,tears,hurt,sorrow, and she is being loved on by the greatest lover of all time! She's playing with her brother, and looking down on all of us and sending us signs saying they are having a grand old time. if after reading that, and your not smiling...something's wrong. how can we not be excited for Haley and Parker! I know they will be greeting us at the doors of Heaven and will be so excited to show us around. How I can't wait for the day I'm reunited with Haley, Parker, Papa, Michael and I hope..Zack.
To finish up on what happened at Celebrate Kids...It went amazing! All the age groups got to sing, we watched video's of the 4's, Babies and then everyone else. and at the end, We passed out little flameless tea lights with the bible verse from Matthew about shining your light for all men to see. We then challanged everyone to shine their light for the world to see and we sang this little light of mine with the lights cut out. This turned out to be WAY TOO COOL! Here is a link to the pictures from Celebrate Kids
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=174403&id=710259341&l=0bf2da1ee4

Lets see what else I can share...
Love my job. Love the kids. They make my heart melt everyday. Sometimes it's just their smile, something they say, how they always run and give me hugs. Its like, How can you not Love a job like this?! These kids are the bomb and nothing you say will change how much I love them! Nothing can take away my love for the daycare and the kids and the amazing people I work with! ah!

Bible study time:
So lately I've been reading this book called Living with Quetions. Its a great book, really digs deep first helping you identify what truth and real truth are. then based on that, sorting out why things happen and how the devil tries to break his way into your life...I can't really explain it, and since the book is at work, I can't put the passage I want to up here. so I'll save that for next blog entry. I'm also working on my bible study for Costa Rica (Which is in less that 2 weeks! Ah!) Its Philippians 1. Good stuff! Ask me about it some time and i'll let you know what I have. AND I'm apart of the bible study group for Costa Rica...So this means Me (and the other 3 people in my group) have a HUGE responsablitiy. we are in charge of the bible study, which is the basis for the rest of the day and this is our only shot of sharing the gospel. we are still struggling with how we are going to approch this, so help and ideas would be greatly appricated! We are doing it basiclly on Jesus dying on the cross and rising for us! I know its a story we have heard a million times, but these kids haven't ever, and my prayer is that we won't get caught up on worldy stuff and that we can be open and let Christ use us to relay his words, not ours. Will you join me in that prayer?!

Well, I'm going to wrap up by saying this. God has a plan. God has a plan for everything that goes on in our lives. If he brings us to it, he will bring us through it. He also has a reason for taking certin people out of our lives. I know that's something I struggle with. I ask God, Did you really have to take Michael? did you have to take Haley and Parker? Why Zack? Why Suzanne or Papa? Haven't you taken enough people out of my life? But I hear him whispering to me, Callie. Don't you understand? I have a plan. trust me. Be still and trust me. Someone told me the other day that God doesn't show us the whole path. He just shines enough light for us to take a step. We have to rely on him for him to lead us in the right direction. and that is what i'm slowly learning to do. I've tried for so long to hide my struggling. and I don't have to. Everyone does, and its not like i'm going to be a freak if I don't struggle. I'd probably be considered weird if I didn't struggle. But hiding my feelings ands struggles is something I'm still dealing with. Call me out on it if you see me doing it. okay?! Please! I hope you have a great week. Praying for all of you!

Thanks for reading.

Until next time,
Callie

Listening to: Let your light shine by Hillsong kids and Praise you in this storm by Casting Crowns.

Breathe you in.

2010-05-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

So. Song for the Week!

Breathe you in by Thousand Foot Krutch

Taking hold, breaking in
The pressures all need to circulate
Mesmerized and taken in
Moving slow, so it resonates
It's time to rest, not to sleep away
My thoughts alone, try to complicate
I'll do my best, to seek you out
And be myself, and not impersonate

[Chorus:]
I tried so hard to not walk away
And when things don't go my way
I'll still carry on and on just the same
I've always been strong
But can't make this happen
'Cause I need to breathe, I want to breathe you in
The fear of becoming
I'm so tired of running
'Cause I need to breathe, I want to breath you in
I want to breathe you in

I'm going in, so cover me
Your compass will, help me turn the page
The laughing stock, I'll never be
Because I won't let them take me

[Chorus]

Took awhile to see all the love that's around me
Through the highs and lows there's a truth that I've known
And it's you

I've always been strong
But can't make this happen
'Cause I need to breathe, I want to breathe you in
The fear of becoming
I'm so tired of running
‘Cause I need to breathe, I want to breathe you in
I want to breathe you in
I want to breathe you in

This song means alot to me. I fear all the time that I will become tired of running hard after God, and that my ministry will fail and that I won't reflect the light God has for me to shine. Sometimes I'm scared that my worldly thoughts and feelings get in the way and hinder my way of shining God's light. I know this isn't possible because 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

just some thoughts....
Be praying for me this week that I will be overcome with a feeling of peace about some stuff and that stress of everything going on in my life from exams to busyness to home...everything, that God will give me a peace about it all and show me that I have no reason to worry.

Love you guys,
Thanks for reading!

Until next time,
Callie

Listening to: Breathe you in-Thousand Foot Krutch

Whatever Your Doing.....

2009-08-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have recently come across a new song. i can't explain my life anymore clearer than this song. it says it all. perfectly.
listen, reflect,listen again, and pass it on. its amazin.
it is called whatever your doing by sanctus real.

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will?
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...To...

(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

this is my heart.

Listening to: Whatever your doing by sanctus real

thoughts...

2009-07-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

People aren't confused by the Gospel
They're confused by us
Jesus is the only way to God
But we are not the only way to Jesus
This world doesnt need my clothes, my hoodie
My denomination or my translation of the Bible
They just need Jesus
We can be passionate about what we believe
But we can strap ourselves to the Gospel
'Cause we're slowing it down
Jesus is going to save the world
But maybe the best thing we can do is just get out of the way

Silance is Golden but duct tape is silver.....

2009-06-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

hmmmm....silance, this is something i'm lacking in my life right now.

Be still and know that I am God.

Just be still. Stop thinking, saying, moving, doing. Be still.

The more you know God the more you love God. The more you love God, the more you want to be like God. The more you want to be like God, the more you learn to love people as He loves people.

This is something i really need to remind myself daily. I need to know God to love him. after i learn to love him, i need to be more like him. after that i need to learn to love people as much as he loves me.

Be Still. Learn to know and love God, and the love others as he loves us.

Have a great night

Callie

Listening to: Grand Design by Jill Phillips Powerful song in my life right now.

How can I stand here with you, and not be moved by you?

2009-06-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

so i was greatly encouraged this Thursday as i attend the Gateway Student's Thursday night bible study. So going in, i figured, this will be fun, we'd hang out most of the time, and maybe get a little time in for actual bible study. I was wrong. Zac Baker lead us in the most amazing bible study I've ever been to. If you haven't heard this guy preach, haha, your missing out. He's so awesome. He speaks exactly what God wants him too, and doesn't try to rely on his own strenghts, this for me, is what makes a great leader and preacher. So as we got into this bible study, i found out we were going to go through the book of Colossians. and if your like me, (which i hope you aren't!) i totally forgot there was a book in the bible called Colossians. I know. I know. but I did. Its one of those books, that isn't the main books like Matthew, mark, Luke, or john. anyway, its a really good book.
Here are some notes i took from it:

Faith, Hope and Love are the basics of the Christian Life.

A quote by a person who's name i didn't write down (oops!) said "The christian life isn't difficult, its' imposable without God's help."

A question you can ask yourself is, "What does it take to remember that knowing God isn't a "one time" event?"

Another question to ask is:
What does an authentic christian look like?
Some answers we got as a group were:

Humble
perceives Christ
honest
knows what it's like to be real with people
full of grace
knows how to receive and give grace
has a teachable heart

another quote is "The standard's high, Thank God for grace.

Last but not least was a picture Zac painted in each of our minds about what it was like for Christ
this story takes place in a court house with a girl being fined for speeding. The judge gives her the option to go to jail or pay the price. she chooses the price. The judge steps off his stand, takes of his robe of power as the judge, and hands the girl the fine. The girl happens to be his daughter. The girl goes on to pay the fine, and the father steps back up and puts his robe of power back on after a few minutes.
This is just like what our father did for us.
we all owed the fine, we all had to pay the price. if we didn't, we would go to jail (hell) But the judge is our father, he stepped down off his throne, and takes off his robe of power. He pays the price for us his sons/daughters. so that when the court looks at us, they see we paid the price, even though we were given it by our father. God/Jesus.

This really helped paint a picture in my mind.

I just want to say Thanks Zac for making this click!

If anyone needs anything cleared up, just ask :)

With Love,
Callie

Listening to: Rescue by Desperation-Please listen if you haven't. such a good song!

Life Verse....

2009-06-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys!

Only 15 days to go!

I have figured out my life verse: its Romans 12:1-2

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

www.biblegateway.com

anyway, that's all i have for today.
Hope you guys think through this, let me know what you think!

With Love,
Callie

Listening to: Desde Mi Interior- hillsong united (spanish of from the inside out)

Goldfish and Ducks

2009-06-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys!
Dang,I've gotten so far behind! What a mess....I'm going to start keeping this more updated, with my learning, and as i prepare for Costa Rica in less than a month!

So Right Now:

My mind is a whirlwind right now, i can't even describe it...even though i have been told i have the attention span of a gold fish (10 seconds FYI! :) ) my mind goes back to things quite a few many times before I let it go. one example is this morning when I went to turn the duck eggs...i couldn't remember if i had turned them this morning, or if it was last night...so i decided to put X's and O's on them so i could tell, all i know is that if it's an O in the morning, I need to turn them. Another things is my chapter for the bible study in Costa Rica. I'm freaking out! I've read it 4 times today...and its all new every time! wow... But God will come through,

As I leave you today....read this last little bit...i loved it!

A father wanted to read a magazine, but was being pestered by his daughter. To keep her busy, he tore a sheet out of the magazine that had a picture of the world printed on it. He tore the picture into small pieces and said "Here, now go into the other room and see if you can put this picture of the world back together again."

A few minutes goes by and he daughter appears in the room and hands him the picture all correctly fitted together.

The father was surprised and ask her how she was able to fit all those little pieces of the world back together again so quickly.

"Oh.." she said, "On the other side of the paper was a picture of Jesus and once I got Jesus in the right place, then the world came out alright."

With Love,

Callie Goodwin

Listening to: Can't stop by Leeland

Jesus in Blue Jeans

2009-04-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have recently bought the book "Jesus in Blue Jeans" by Laurie Beth Jones. I just started reading it this morning. Even though I just started it has really made a point in the first few sentences. The books starts off like this

One day when I was ten years old, i came home from school to discover that Harriet, my pet duck, had drowned. not only had she drowned, but she had done so in the backyard pond i had so lovingly prepared for her, my parents were as saddened and baffled by her death as I, so they summoned our vet to the scene. "was it homicide or a suicide.?" we asked, looking at the victim. "Neither." he replied, lifting up her small waterlogged body. "This duck did not groom herself properly. you see, ducks have to coat themselves with a special waterproofing oil that is produced beneath their wings. For some reason, she didn't, so when she started swimming, her feathers took on water, and she sank like a stone."
Just as ducks depend upon a unique oil that allow them to be "in" yet not "of" the water, we, too, need to cover ourselves with a grooming oil in order to be "in" yet not"of" the world. we need to daily cover ourselves with prayer, praise and poised reminders of who we are both to-and in-God.

This book is showing me so much. I never looked it as that we need to be in the world, but not of the world. And this is a great example as to what happens when you are in something and not of it. Another example that relates to me is school. I can be in my school. But I don't have to be of it. I can attend it, but only if i don't coat myself every day with the word of God, I can be dragged into the worldly stuff of our school. I could be dragged into the cursing, and drugs and other stuff.
Thanks for reading :)
Callie

I'm listening to:
Majesty (Here I am) by Delirious?

Shhhh!

2009-04-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Silence...
Listen to what God is telling me is what I need now.
Take the time today to just be silent. turn off the TV, music, phone, and just rest in the fact that God is God!
"Be still and know that I am God"

I'm not alone

2009-04-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Worth and Love

2009-03-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
(John 3:16 & John 3:34 )
For God so loved the world he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him will not parish but have everlasting life.
For God sent Him, and He speaks God's words, since He gives the Spirit without measure.

These are some problems I have recently been dealing with, Self worth and is it worth it...
God has been so good and is teaching me so much. I recently watched a video that talked about going down a path that is either pleasing God which leads to the "room of good intentions" or going down the path that is Trusting God, which leads to the room of Grace, in which on the back wall says "standing with God with my sin in front, working on it together"
Those words have been on my mind all the time lately...
Standing with God with my sin in front, working on it together!
such a truthful verse....but what is important to getting to that is the trusting God, not pleasing him, and coming into the room of Grace and being completely honest, no masks, and letting yourself be transformed.

Thanks for reading!
Goodnight!
Callie

Little of my learnings....

2009-01-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

So, I am starting to work on facing my fears, stepping out of my comfort zone, and learning what it truly means for God to be my "rock". I love how he is blessing me in being able to be part of our church band, how he has given me a loving family, how he has given me such amazing friends. i don't know what i would do without him. this isn't easy for me...i know i fall flat on my face everyday. but he is giving me the power to stand back up again, and again, and again. some people say he is the God of second chances. I don't believe that...I believe God is a God of second and third, and fourth, and fifth and sixth and so on...He knows our entire future. he knows what is goin to have in 5 years along with 5 days.as I learn to rely on him everyday, i hope that you too will see that you need him. we can't do anything with out him.

anyway...more to come at a later date

thanks
callie
matt. 5:13
psalm 73:28

lessons and thankfulness

2008-09-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

so... i learned 3 things today.

Hold on tight to a bag of candy, when surrounded by hungry middle schoolers
Even when it seems unpopular, stand up for the kid who is getting picked on
and last. high school steps leave big bruises when you fall down them. so don't do it!

The lord has given me so many awesome people in my life, to help guide me, and to help me not make stupid mistakes, i pretty much have no idea what I would do without these people. they are the ones who have what I lack, and have so much more knowledge than me. I am so thankful for them.

I have the best church family. They are always there...even when I don't have it all together. they make us do crazy things *cough cough . eat bake beans, chocolate syrup, corn out of diapers * but they love us, and are great teachers.

I am in high school now. I wish that it was easier, but it isn't. I wish that I wasn't surrounded by cussing and all that other junk that goes on during school for 7 hours a day.

but yeah.

I have found this verse, over and over again. I love it!

Matthew 5:13

Salt and Light 13"You are the salt of the earth,(A) but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14(B) "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15(C) Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so(D) that they may see your good works and(E) give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

and

1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone make fun of you, just because you are young. Set an example for other followers by what you say and do, as well as by your love, faith, and purity.

Think about these verses...and let me know what you think :)

In his grip,

Callie

Gettin Started!

2008-09-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys!
Let me know if you have even seen this page by posting a comment..that way i can know if anyone is looking!
Thanks

And if anyone knows of a good title..let me know! :)