God Answers Prayers

For the past several years I have been very burdened for my friend Ray who is in the Army. He was unsaved and quite content that way. He's had some very close calls during his three deployments (he is still in his third). In June he was home on leave and we spent quite a bit of time together. During that time I was able to talk to him a little bit about God and my dad also talked to him some this year and a year ago when he was home.

Last night I chatted with him for the first time in well over a month. He was recently moved to another base and was without access to a computer for a long while. During our chat he told me that he had become very close friends with the assistant chaplain and they had a lot of really good talks. We then proceeded to have a discussion about having a religion versus having a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. In the course of this conversation he told me that he had admitted that he was a sinner in need of a Savior and had accepted Christ as his personal Savior! I was floored. A rush of about a thousand emotions ran through me, at first a little bit of apprehension and disbelief, then the realization that this was actually happening, he had really become a believer. Years of praying and begging God to save him had payed off and Ray is now a fellow Christian.

As I considered all of this, my thoughts kept going to a phrase I use quite often, "Oh me of little faith!" How I had despaired of this day ever coming. I thought that God had probably just written him off, but how wrong I was! I am so thankful for a prayer hearing and answering God. A God who loves the whole world and is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. A God who loves each one of us individually, and cares about us and our burdens. Praise the Lord!

Struggles

This year has been one of many ups and downs. Frankly, from a human perspective it has been one of the worst years of my life. Things simply have not gone well at all. The beginning of the year outwardly was the hardest with so many things happening to my family that it appears terrible. And it was in one sense, however, when it comes to Spirituality, it was the closest, most sweet time I have ever had with my Lord. I was at a point in life that I had to fully rely on God to get me through each day. I drew close to Him as I spent much time in His Word and on my knees in prayer. Every new day brought more pain and anguish, and each day I learned more and more how much I needed my Savior by my side. It was a time of sweet fellowship with God, and great learning of God. I learned to have sweet peace even in the midst of great adversity. I felt the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and I felt a true sense of joy that went through my entire being.

Recently, on the outside life has calmed down. It has been quite some time since an "emergency" has struck my life. It would seem like right now I would be using this time to discover more about the greatness of God. I hate to admit it, but this time right now I find it more difficult to focus on God than I have in a very long time. Now, instead of outward, visible struggles, I have deep, inward struggles. Although not evident, these seem to be worse than the outward hard times. Rather than depending on God, and trusting Him to see me through, I catch myself trying to work everything out on my own. Doing this causes me to lose focus on the important things of life, and instead concentrate on the parts of life that I have no control over. Rather than spending time reveling in the goodness of God, I find myself fighting Him over minute details that really don't matter in the end. I keep forgetting that God has plans for my life, and those plans are meant for good, not evil, plans of hope for the future. (Jeremiah 29:11).

I would greatly appreciate prayers as I try to refocus my life by truly depending on God and trusting Him for all of my needs.

I John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him,

that if we ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us,

whatever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

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

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.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/

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.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7225

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/19/missing-skiers-in-gtnp-randosteves-report/

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.

http://gtnpnews.blogspot.com/

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7225

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.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7223

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/22/us-wyoming-skiers-idUSTRE73L3OM20110422

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!

http://www.islandparknews.com/atf.php?sid=9813&current_edition=2011-04-14 -- This one includes a picture of Greg.

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.

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/19/missing-skiers-in-gtnp-randosteves-report/

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_17893756?source=rss

http://www.fox13now.com/news/local/kstu-missing-skiers-rescue-teams-resume-search-for-missing-skiers-20110420,0,1270742.story

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.

http://m.missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_d0ecb548-6aa7-11e0-9014-001cc4c03286.html

Decision Making

When it comes to making big and exstremely important decisions, it seems that most people my age are making the most important decisions of their lives. We're figuring out where to go to college, what to major in, what to do after college, which grad school to go to, who to marry, where to live, and on the list could go. We live life in a pretty confused and often topsy-turvy way. One day we're going here doing this thing, and the next well, we've done a complete 180-degree turn and we're doing something completely different. Our lives are on a constant roller coaster ride of emotions and uncertainty. We are in a process of discovering who we are and what our purpose is.

I happen to be at a crossroads of decision. One way would be a lot easier and honestly makes more sense. The other choice is much more difficult and humanly speaking doesn't make nearly as much sense. I'm torn between the two because neither is a bad decision. Unfortunately this is not a decision that I can take several months to make, in fact I must make it in the next two to three weeks max. My plans for the next few weeks are to do a lot of praying, reading my Bible, and getting counsel from people I trust about what to do. I know that God will lead me the way that is best.

"Receive [wisdom's] instruction, and not silver,

And knowldege rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things that one may desire cannot be compared with her.

~Proverbs 8:10-11~

Update

Mrs. Williams went to be with the Lord around 8 am Eastern time. Obviously this is quite a shock to everyone. Please pray for her husband and family at this time. No funeral arrangements have been made, but they are hoping for a Tuesday funeral.

HUGE Prayer Request

Please pray for a friend, Mrs. Williams. She had a massive heart attack tonight. Apparently her aorta exploded! She is in surgery now, and it is expected to take 8 - 10 hours. Most people do not survive this surgery. She is a believer. Please pray for the doctors and nurses, as well as her husband and family. She has had no prior heart problems, so this was very unexpected.

Prayer for a Friend

I would like to ask all of my blogger friends to pray for one of my best friends, Randy and his sister Amy and the entire Smucker family (names have been changed).

Over the past few years Amy has run away several times, and she once again ran away a few weeks ago. She went with a guy who was not at all good for her, but was convinced by good, Christian family to live with them until things could be worked out. She was safe, everyone was relieved. Randy and Amy were always close, and Randy was able to spend some time with her talking to her, and encouraging her to come back home. He was very pleased with her reaction to him.

Yesterday some sad news came...Amy ran away from the other family with the same guy, again. Randy and the entire family is very upset and distraught over the situation. I do not know all of the details, but I do know that she is in a very bad situation and Randy almost cried when I talked to him on the phone yesterday. She has done a lot of things to hurt her family and close friends.

Please pray that Amy will come back to God and her family. Also pray for the Smucker family as they go through this difficult time.

A Few Prayer Requests

Hey everyone! This is just a really quick post to ask everyone to pray for me right now. I have a lot of stuff on my plate and it's getting rather overwhelming.

First on the list, and really this request is for every college student, pray for finals. I know that mine start tomorrow, and most colleges have already started or will be starting within the next week.

My second request is because on Saturday I took a really bad fall at work and landed smack dab on my rear end. Sunday I went to the doctor and they did x-rays and stuff, nothing is broken, but I'm bruised really badly, my hip is insanely swollen, and I'm hurting like crazy. Orginally the doc just told me to take ibuprofen every 4 hours. Well, that wasn't working so I started rotating asprin and ibuprofen every 2 hours and still that wasn't helping. I called the doc's office today and asked if I could get a prescription from them, which they did give me one. The only problem is that it's making me REALLY dizzy and nauseated, which makes studying almost impossible. So please pray that all those little complications go away and I can once again focus on what needs to be done.

Finally a third request is for what God wants for me this summer. My original plans were to stay down here in Louisville for the summer and work. However, in the past 4 weeks I've been off 2 of them from the ammunition factory because they keep running out of supplies! I haven't worked there in over a week and I have a school bill to pay. I'm praying about finding another job down here, or possibly trying to find a job at home for the summer. A really good friend of mine told me about a restaurant where they are pretty sure they can get me a job waitressing.

So right now I have a lot of things on my plate. They seem so overwhelming, and to be honest I've cried more lately than I have in quite awhile. I know that God will get me through all of this and I've been praying almost constantly. You're prayers will be greatly appreciated.

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things thou knowest not."

~Jeremiah 33:3

Back to School

I arrived at Shawnee late last night and today was registration and book buying and all of those fun things. I'm now officially a second semester sophomore...isn't THAT thrilling?! The sad thing is that I'm only 6 credits from being a Junior! Oh well...that will come soon enough.

Here is my schedule for the semester:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: US History II, 8-8:50
Thursday, Friday: Biology, 8-9:40
Biblical Ethics, 10-10:50
Friday: Christian Womanhood, 11-11:50

I'm also taking 3 independent studies, they are "Intro to Youth Education," "Handwriting," and "Prayer." I will also be interning in the Christian school, I'm just not sure which class I will be in. I'll find that out sometime this week.

I'm only taking a total of 17 credits this semester!! I wanted to take more, but they weren't offering very many classes that I needed.

Please also pray that I find a job with a lot of hours. My job is hardly giving me any hours and I can't really afford to do that. I already spent 3 hours today filling out applications. I have 2 good leads so far, one at a consignment bookstore, which sounds like a lot of fun, and would be something I would really enjoy. My other job possibility is at Office Depot. I filled out an application today and the manager said that he would get back with me tomorrow. I'm also planning on filling out applications at several restaurant. Please pray that God will provide for me.

*****All of my books except for Biology and Prayer*****

Absolute Surrender

Well, I've been having a hard time writing this blog, because I haven't been exactly sure how to write it, so I'm just going to write it as it is.

Sometime around the end of April or beginning of May a friend of mine, known as "Rosebud" started telling me about this guy that she thought would be a great match for me. I was like, "Whatever!" Well, she was quite persistent about it, and finally on June 16 I gave in and typed him and email, hoping that would get her off my back. I never expected anything back from Jason. However, that was not meant to be. The next day I got an email back and I replied and thus was the beginning of a very good friendship.

Jason is in the Navy and currently stationed in Japan. At one point he told me that he had really been struggling with loneliness. Being a Christian in the Navy isn't very easy and to add to that the fact that he is thousands of miles from home doesn't make it any easier. Finally he had surrendered his loneliness to the Lord, and accepted the fact that God was trying to teach him a lesson. Soon after that took place he received the first email from me!!

As our friendship continued I began to develop some feelings beyond friendship for Jason. However, I didn't think that the feelings were returned. I was really struggling with this, because I knew that God wanted me to give my feelings to Him, but I was afraid to do that. One Sunday in jail Peggy and I sang "I Surrender All." We sang the first verse and then 2 verses that Peggy had written, they are as follows:

All my plans and destinations,

All the stuff I think I need,

All the hurts I've done to others,

Take them Jesus, take them please.

All my time and all my money,

All my rights I fight to keep,

All my health and friends and loved ones,

Take them Jesus, take them please.

As we were singing the last verse, especially the last 2 lines I broke down and began to cry. Many people assumed it was because of some of the health issues that I've had and am having. Little did anyone realize that I was really struggling with giving up Jason. The following day I spent a lot of time in the car working and getting a new cello bow, etc. During those hours in the car I battled with God BIG time, I spent hours talking to Him, giving all sorts of reasons why I couldn't give him up. Finally I gave up and surrendered all that I was desiring to God. The amazing thing, a week later Jason sent my parents and email asking if it was ok for us to continue our relationship. They said "Yes!"

It's amazing how God has continued to work. My parents have been getting to know Jason, and I have talked to his family. So far everyone who is involved is very happy. Jason is coming home on leave in December and will be spending some time here in Warsaw.

I am asking for your prayers as we continue this relationship, that we will listen and obey our authority and that we will continue to keep our eyes on God.

Life in the Fast Lane

Ok, I know that if I put every little detail about my week down in writing it will take a LOOOOONG time! So, I will just briefly sum up each day.
Thursday I worked for Wes in the morning and in the evening I attempted to sell a vacuum! It came SOOOOO close! Seriously, I'm still trying to figure out why in the world I didn't sell one! At the end of our shows we almost always do a "phone closing" where we call some of our bosses and they will talk to us and sometimes the customer, and they can a lot of times convince the customer to buy. Ben and Krista were already really close, then I called Matt, who is the manager of the store in Valpo. He talked to Ben, and got him even more interested. After the phone call Ben all of a sudden decided he didn't want to do it! UGH!! Soooo, no sale. It's too bad cuz that would have been my first sale on my own. It was so close that Matt called me while I was on my way home asking if had done all of the paper work! Neither one of us are sure what happened! :(
Friday got really exciting! All day it had been stormy and yucky! We were, at the least, under a severe thunderstorm watch all day, and a couple of times it elevated to warnings, and tornado watches. Nothing new for Northern Indiana, it happens all the time. I was supposed to go to South Bend in the evening to do a show. Where I was going in S. Bend was about an hour away. I really didn't want to drive up there all by myself in the wacky weather. So, I talked to the people at Rainbow and they said that Damon could go with me. I was very relieved. We were supposed to meet at the office at 5 and then proceed to S. Bend. As I was leaving home dad called and said that there was a tornado in Mentone, which is about 6 or 7 miles from us! Oh well, I had a show to go on. So, I got to the office and the tornado sirens were going off when I got out of my vehicle. Creepy. Soon after we left the office I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the storm that had gone over us, it was BLACK! We didn't sell a vacuum, nor did we even show it, which is a really long story.
I went to the jail Bible study Saturday morning, but had to leave early cuz I had a show in Logansport, which is about 1 1/5 hours south of us. Damon went on this one with me as well. We did sell a vacuum which was WONDERFUL!! PTL!! Then Damon, bless his heart, drove a few miles further south and went to Kokomo and stopped at Dunkin Donuts for me!! YAY!! I got a large iced latte, with whipped cream, of course, and totally enjoyed it! ...sigh... We got back about 5:30 and I went to the Hampton Inn in Warsaw where Wes was showing the PowerPoint to a group of his friends so that they could critique it! UGH! It would have been one thing if these were all people who understood what you can and can't do in graphic design, but most of them weren't! There were only 2 people there, mom, and a recording engineer, who understood. I only got in on the last half of the presentation, which was actually a good thing, cuz if I had been there the whole time I would have been crying! By Saturday I had only gotten about 14 hours of sleep the entire week, cuz I was trying to get this project completed for Wes, and then to have people who had NO idea what they were talking about critique it, well, lets just say I was slightly frazzled!
I went into the jail on Sunday morning. It was really good. Unfortunately one guy, Michael, who is actually one of my former bus kids and neighbors was in the solitary confinement cuz he had been wrestling! I told him I was gonna smack him for doing that, but I couldn't cuz he was locked into his cell. Pray for him, he has a lot of potential. We had several people over for Sunday dinner since it was Father's Day. That was fun.
I took yesterday off. I did NOTHING when it comes to work. YAY! At 6:3o there was an open house for Rainbow, so I did go to that, but there was really no work involved there!
Today it is nice and hot and sunny!! I was outside for a loooong time, just enjoying the sun! :) I also did a little bit of mowing, which was fun cuz I haven't mowed at all this year!!