Ahhhhh September!

September is here!!!!!!!
It has always been one of my favorite months because my birthday inhabits it and it also represents the end of summer and the beginning of autumn (my favorite season). I've recently started thinking on what I was doing about 10 years ago. If we were to travel back in time I would have been living in IN, starting my first babysitting job, going into 8th grade, and spending my free time doing carefree things such as riding my bike, piano and art lessons, reading, 4-H, and enjoying the friendship's of my junior high and high school friends, Lauren, Amy and Casey.

Fast forward to now.
In the here and now I am realizing what it means to have boundaries (not the dating relationship boundaries, which Shane and I also have). My dad used to tell me all the time "Julie, you need to practice saying "no." Just look in the mirror and say "no" over and over." Of course I would always laugh when he would tell me this but as I grow older, I'm realizing more and more that he has a point, and not just a small point. I cannot be all things to all people. Life cannot be consumed with the desires of others. Yet it cannot be consumed with the desires of self either. But where's the balance? As you well know by now, I am no theologian. But I have been wondering something. What happened to having a Sabbath? What happened to having a day of rest? God's word tells us that he made the Sabbath for man not man for the Sabbath. I was in a training session with most of the Residential Life Staff that I work with and the speaker was telling us how it could be considered a sin to not care for self. Have you ever thought of the verse that says "love your neighbor as you love yourself?" Here's the questions: are you loving self? Do you run around doing so much for others that you don't do for you (and this is easy to do when working with students or people in general)? Whether it's something as simple as listening to your body in terms of stopping when you have to go to the bathroom, eating when you're hungry, getting enough sleep and water, and exercising, and refueling yourself whether through solitude, time spent with the Lord, music, art, etc.

Not only do Shane and I have a physical boundary contract but we also have a "Sabbath" contract. Wherein we both have a time frame during a specific day of the week (maybe one day we'll graduate to an entire day) where we are committing to spend time resting (and of course this could mean different things for different people). And we don't spend this time together. This past weekend was somewhat difficult in that I chose to ignore three phone calls even though I technically wasn't "busy." Here's a small list of things I enjoy doing during my alone time:

1. Walking by the beach
2. Getting a massage every couple of months
3. Reading
4. Spending time with the Lord
5. Journaling
6. Taking myself out to a nice meal
7. Movie nights

I would just like to encourage whomever is reading this to take care of yourself. If you don't, not many others will. Until next time!

JGB

Someone great
Someone grand
Someone I don't deserve
Someone I'm thankful for
Someone I'm growing to know more and more
Someone who is more than I could ever dream of
Someone I dearly care for :)

Oh Politics!

I'm never been a huge fan of politics or the election season.

You have the Republicans asking you: "How can you vote for a democrat and be a Christian since most democrats support gay rights and abortion?"

You have the Democrats say: "How can you vote for a republican and be a Christian since most republicans care nothing about the poor, forgotten, and ignored?"

My question for you readers is this: whoever is in office or may be in office, would they know that you are a follower of Christ, not by what side you vote for, but by how you conduct your speech and actions? All the sharing of demeaning and disrespectful jokes, rude cartoons, and non respect does not reflect what Christ is all about. Yes! Have your opinion and make it known. But to tear someone down with your words, no matter how much you dislike them, in no means will please the heart of God OR have that person desire to be a follower of God.

Just something to think about.

Content

I am truly thankful for all that the Lord has done and is doing. I was able to visit my two older brothers in Indiana this past weekend. My second oldest brother I hadn't seen in about 5 years and I hadn't seen my oldest in 1 year. You know, no family is perfect, no family has all the answers, no family will do everything that it should. But the fact of the matter is that so many of us have been blessed with families; families that will love us through thick and thin and family members we will love through thick and thin. There's almost a 100% certainty that when I go into the city, I'll see someone who is homeless. And I'll often think "doesn't this person have any friend's or family that can help them get back on their feet?" The fact of the matter is, not everyone have people in their lives that can be or represent family. Of course you also get the people who push folks away from them, not knowing that they're only harming themselves by shutting everyone out of their lives.

I thank God for my family and I thank him for his lovingkindness that is better than life. My lips shall always praise him.

Pictures!

Greetings!

May has been a BUSY month but by God's grace I've made it through!!!!!! Below are some pictures for you to enjoy from highlights of the past month in a half or so. This summer is going to be a good, but busy one. I'll be visiting some friends in D.C., helping at a Bible "camp" in VA for a week, going to see my brothers in IN, and making a couple of trips to NY (I'll tell you why the next time I post) as well as preparing for the next school year.

Mom came to visit me for a few days

One of my "sisters" came to visit me as well

At the Junior/Senior Banquet with a student friend

Spring is here and I'm sneezing like there's no tomorrow!

Hello!
Spring in New England is quite beautiful but I'm thinking the poor plants don't know what to do with themselves. One minute it's 40 degrees and the next it's 90 degrees (like today). Which I think makes the plants populate its pollen even more so. It makes breathing somewhat difficult especially since I do not have air conditioner.

Well some of you probably know this while others have no clue, but my parents have moved across America to the Seattle area. God answered prayers in terms of moving them from where they were from but I'm thinking I should make it a point to be a little more specific in what I pray for next time. ;)Regardless I'm very happy for them and thankful for the Lord's provision. I am VERY excited about Christmas. The farthest west I have been is IL so I'll be able to add a new state onto my travels. In others news, I recently submitted my application to grad school. Hopefully by the time 2014 roles around, I'll have a Masters of Science in Management.

And......it looks like I may be involved with a church plant. I was going to a church in Cambridge but things didn't work out because of some issues with my Bible Study. The chaplain of the school that I work at just informed me that there's going to be a sister church planted in the city that I live in so he put me in contact with the pastor of this new church. I am now meeting with this new pastor and another one on Friday for lunch and I'm pretty pumped about it. Hopefully I'll be able to find out more about their vision and heart beat for the city. As of now, a few of them meet once a week to pray and they are officially starting church meetings in June. So if you think of it, please pray for this as it may be an answer to prayer. Until next time!

JGB

What If?

What if Jesus had never died?

What if God had answered his prayer and had allowed the cup to pass him by?

What if Judas had never betrayed him?

What if Pilate had released Barabas instead of Jesus?

What if angels had come to rescue him?

What if he had not become sin for you; sin for me?

What if his legs had been broken?

What if water and blood had not poured out?

What if the veil of separation had not been ripped in two?

What if God had not forsaken him during his time of despair?

What if man had taken his life instead of him giving it willingly?

If Jesus had not died than I would be lost. If God had answered his son’s prayer then there would have been no cross. If Judas had not betrayed him and Barabas had taken his place then his mission would have not been fulfilled; saving you, saving me. If angels had come to rescue him man would still be lost with no hope, purpose, or life. If he had not become sin for you and me his death would have been in vain. If his legs had been broken, man would have been in control. If water and blood had not been poured out there would have been no proof that he gave up his spirit out of his own will and decision. If the veil had not been ripped in two there would still be a wall of separation between us and God. If God had not forsaken him during this time, then Jesus would not have really become sin since God cannot look upon it. If man had taken his life, prophecy would not have been fulfilled and Jesus would be showing that he had been forced to die for you; forced to die for me. But no! He knew what he was doing and he gave his life for you; gave his life for me, willingly. And he did this why? Because he desires you; he desires me. He is pursuing you and pursuing me to the end of our brokenness. He won’t give up. If man couldn’t kill him, death couldn't stop him and the grave couldn’t and wouldn't hold him then nothing will. Embrace him. He is wanting to embrace you.