Monday, April 25, 2011

I Sing the Mighty Power of God!

Most of my life whenever I have heard this song I have instantly thought of my cousins Greg and Chris Seftick, mainly because I knew that they personally saw so much of God's amazing creation first hand.

Update #7: Arrangements

As copied from Chris' Facebook (Greg Seftick's brother) arrangements are as following:

Sunday, May 1: Visitation probably from 4-8 pm
Monday, May 2: Visitation probably from 10-11 am, Service at 11 am.

Lunch to follow service.
Guardian Angels Church, Oakdale, MN

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Update #6: The End of the Search

Today the bodies of Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl were found this afternoon. Words escape me as I write this...please just keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

An Easter Miracle Possibility/Update #5

I did not post last night, mainly because I was feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and simply could not write. On top of that I did not have much new news. After spending most of the night talking to family, praying and crying I awoke on this blessed Resurrection Day struggling to find anything positive. I went to church and was blessed by the reminder that Christ rose from the dead and is alive. I was also reminded of the fact that God does do everything for a reason, and also that miracles do happen.

After arriving home from church my dad told me that he received a text message from his brother this morning. He said that yesterday afternoon a ranger picked up a faint avalanche beacon signal. It was confirmed and digging began. A few feet down another beacon was picked up! Digging was postponed due to the sunlight fading, but was being resumed today. Please, please pray that both Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl will be found today. Miracles do happen. God does work. Anything is possible, especially on Easter.


Saturday, April 23, 2011

Miracle Required/Update #4

Today marks one week since my cousin, Greg Seftick, and his friend, Walker Kuhl skied into the Grand Teton Mountains and were never seen again. It is with a breaking heart that I write this, because today is the final day of the search for the pair until the snow melts.

Right now the only thing that will possibly bring the two of them back to us is a miracle. We are begging God for one, and I know that if it is in His good pleasure, He can and will perform one.


Friday, April 22, 2011

Update #3

Sadly this update brings no news of Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl being found. Only that once again the search had to be postponed due to nasty weather conditions and should, weather permitting, be resumed tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for their prayers...it's been a long, rough week with many prayers said and tears shed.


Thursday, April 21, 2011

I Will Trust You



I don't even wanna breathe right now
All I wanna do is close my eyes
But I don't wanna open them again
Until I'm standing on the other side

I don't even wanna be right now
I don't wanna think another thought
And I don't wanna feel this pain I feel
And right now, pain is all I've got

It feels like it's all I've got, but I know it's not
No, I know You're all I've got
And I will trust You, I'll trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand, even then I will say again
You are my God, and I will trust You

God, I'm longing for the day to come
When this cloudy glass I'm looking through
Is shattered in a million pieces
And finally I can just see You

God, You know I believe it's true
I know I will see You
But until the day I do

I will trust You, trust You
Trust You, God, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again

You are my God, and I'll trust You
And with every breath I take
And for every day that breaks

I will trust You
I will trust You
And when nothing is making sense
Even then I will say again

God, I trust You
I will trust You
I know Your heart is good
I know Your love is strong
And I know Your plans for me
Are much better than my own

So I will trust You, trust You
I trust You, God, I do
Even when I can't see the end
And I will trust You
I will trust You, I will
Even when I don't understand
Even then I will say again

I will trust You, I will trust You, I will
I know Your heart is good,
Your love is strong,
Your plans for me are better than my own
Yeah, Your heart is good
Your love is strong
Your plans for me are better than my own
And I trust You
You are my God
And I will trust You

Update #2

Not much news to report today on my cousin, Greg Seftick. There was no searching done today due to bad weather conditions. However, tomorrow the plans are to continue operation. I have a few more links for those interested in news stories.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/ -- This is probably the best article so far!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Thoughts from a Saddened Heart

People keep asking me what my thoughts are on everything that has been going on with Greg. Honestly, I'm trying to figure those out myself. I have so many emotions coursing through my body that I find it difficult to even think. Greg is my cousin, he's young, strong, athletic, smart, has a good head on his shoulders, knows what he's doing in the wilderness, has a bright future in front of him, is an emergency room doctor, yet right now, no one is sure of anything. There are so many possibilities, and yet, no answers. People all across the nation and even the world are praying for Greg and Walter, but at this time God has chosen to keep their whereabouts a secret from us. There have been people searching for the two of them since Monday, and here it is Wednesday night, and no sign whatsoever. Not even the dogs can find any trace of them.

Humanly all seems hopeless. There doesn't seem to be any way for them to be found. And maybe they won't be. But I know a God who knows exactly where they are, and I know that He will do His good will. What that is, I don't know. I wish I did. But God in His infinite wisdom, wisdom that blows me away, has chosen to put my entire family through this. Maybe He will use it to draw people closer to Him, maybe He will use it to refine His children. Maybe He will bring the two young men back to us, maybe He won't. All I know is that whatever happens, God did it for good, not evil.

Yes, bad things do happen to good people, why, I don't know. This one thing I know, that God works everything out for good. Maybe it doesn't seem like good at the time, but someday we will see that God's way is best. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my God makes no mistakes. He gives grace and strength.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint."
~Isaiah 40: 28-31~

Update of Sorts

I wanted to write a quick update on my cousin, Greg Seftick and his friend Walter Kuhl who went missing on Sunday in the Grand Teton Mountains in Yellow Stone National Park. Sadly, I have no good news. Only that the search continued today and still no sign of the two men have been found. I am including a few links of news stories for anyone who is interested.



Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Please, PLEASE pray for my cousin Greg Seftick. He and a friend went hiking into the Grand Tetons of Wyoming on Saturday and were scheduled to come out Sunday. Saturday night they got ten inches of snow. They never came out. Search and rescue efforts began Monday night with helicopters, and helicopters and skiers searched all day today and are planning on going out tomorrow as well. There has been no sign of them at all. There have been many avalanches.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Webster's Dictionary

*Copied from American Minute by Bill Federer April 14, 2011*

Noah Webster first published his Dictionary on April 14, 1828. This 26-year project with 30,000 new definitions, standardized the spelling and gave American English its identity. Proving unprofitable, the rights were purchased after his death by George and Charles Merriam.

In the preface of his original edition, Noah Webster wrote: "In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people."

Noah Webster concluded: "To that great and benevolent Being, who has borne me and my manuscripts in safety across the Atlantic, and given me strength and resolution to bring the work to a close, I would present the tribute of my most grateful acknowledgments."

Noah Webster's Dictionary defined "Property" as "The exclusive right of possessing, enjoying and disposing of a thing; ownership. In the beginning of the world, the Creator gave to man dominion over the earth... It is one of the greatest blessings of civil society that the property of citizens is well secured."

Noah Webster wrote to James Madison, October 16, 1829: "The Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government...I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable, in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence."

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Trust

There is one thing that I struggle with more than anything else in life; that is trusting God for everything. I keep finding myself worrying about the typical things people my age struggle with: things like finishing college, paying my bills (I think everyone struggles with that), what am I going to do after college, finding the one whom I will love for the rest of my life, am I really in the middle of God's will, and so many more. It is so easy to get side tracked from God and onto my circumstances and worries.

A few days ago a friend message me on facebook asking that I pray God would show her what college she is to attend. She is a senior in high school and can't figure out where she is to go (she is a very smart, talented girl and has been accepted to several highly scholastic colleges). She messaged me because according to her I'm a strong Christian. If only she really knew that on the outside I may seem to have everything together, but on the inside I'm just as confused as she is, and I'm not nearly as strong of a Christian as she thinks I am. My answer to her was that I would pray and trust that God would lead her, because God always leads His own. I also gave her some advice that someone gave me not very long ago: "pray that God will close all of the doors that you aren't supposed to go through." I told her to read Jeremiah 29:11 and Proverbs 3:5-6.

As I was responding to this girl I realized how much I needed to heed my own advice. I so often get worried about what the next step is that I should take rather than simply trusting God. This is something that I have written on quite a bit, but it is so true, and a huge struggle for me. Trusting God isn't mearly a decision that is made once, rather it is something I have to decide every day, hour, and minute. I have to chose whether I am going to try to figure things out or if I am going to leave it all in God's hands. I often fall short and try to work my problems out, this only leaves me feeling very confused, angry, and troubled.

God wants each of us to throw everything on Him, allowing Him to be our Captain. When we do this our lives aren't necessarily easy, but the emotional pressure is not nearly as big as it would be otherwise. A very common, and wonderful verse is I Peter 5:7, I found a not so common translation that I think says it the best, "Throw the whole of your anxiety on Him [Jesus], because He Himself cares for you." ~Weymouth New Testament. Throwing everything on Christ means holding nothing back to yourself. It means letting go of all of my plans and desires, and allowing the One Who loves me more than anyone ever will guide me. It means surrender, humility and submission. It means losing control.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A Dream

I do not specifically feel that God has called me into long-term overseas missions. I am not opposed to it, but I simply do not feel that is where He is leading me now (although that is subject to change at any moment). However, I do feel a calling to work with people, using my teaching degree as a key to get into places that I may not have be able to get into without it. One of my dreams is to go overseas to teach for either a summer or a year. I would love the opportunity to travel abroad, teach others how to speak my language, hopefully learn some of theirs, and most of all, witness to others.

Earlier this year I was randomly looking for places to teach overseas. I came across Teachoversees.org. I signed up for information out of pure curiosity and boredom. I have emailed back and forth with one of their PR people, and finally was able to talk to him tonight. They have opportunities to go into many unique countries for summer teaching as well as for year long teaching. To teach in the summer you simply need to be out of high school, but to teach for a year, a degree is needed. I had originally thought about just doing a summer program, then as I was thinking about it I realized it would be even better to go for an entire year! I don't know what country I would go to, God will lead me in that, but I do know that I would love to go the year after I graduate (next year).

The down side to this is that it would cost approximately $12,000 for the whole year. This would include my plane fare and room and board which ends up not being a very bad price (however, I would have to save up money and raise money for this). The upside is that I would have a wonderful year experiencing different cultures, learning a new language, meeting new people, and winning souls for Christ. I would appreciate it very much if you would pray that God leads in this.