days in spain....

here are a few pictures of mine.. some of the girls and i went to palma last week and it poured, like, POURED rain. so, we decided to make it a photo opportunity :)
oh, and my roomie melissa and i were tackling the shower in dorm cleaning together.. haha wit till you see pictures of how small my fridge is.... :)

love you guys!

Thorn

Spiritual Clinic: The Purpose of Suffering

The Thorn.

The world and all whom are in it seem to be at a constant antithesis amongst each other. Whether the world disagrees on statistics, politics, morals, fashion, or example, the world does not share many mutual commonalities. Though, is it undeniable that we all do share trials and great adversities from time to time.
Being here in Spain for a second time would seem to everyone as a “great opportunity” or “such a blessing” or even “oh! You are so lucky, that’s something that I would love to do, if I was still single”. But in a harsh reality, the first few weeks here has been everything BUT. What is so amazing is that even though these words come off so negative and ungrateful, they, like many rough beginnings, end with the sweet realization of the love of the Lord.
There are many who know my story and how the Lord has beautifully and completely redirected my path and desires. Though I was completely untrusting at points, the Lord always continued to be so faithful, patient, and loving. As I gave the Lord one semester of bible college, He led me to my second, and left me with a “peace” to continue my third back out here in Mallorca. As the summer came to an end, so did my peace. The week before my departure, my feelings, emotions, and comfort was a wreck. I loved the ministry I had at home, the relationship I had with my family, and the fellowship I had with my friends. I had such a great ministry and environment at home, why should I go 9,000 miles across the world to find “another” ministry? Why can’t I stay at home, and watch “my” family bible study continue to grow? Why can’t I just stay at home and finally start “my” schooling for medicine? Why cant I stay and make sure “my” grandma and her kidney gets prayed for? … All these questions intruded my mind and hardened my heart… and when the time came, I uneasily boarded the plane.
These past three weeks have gone by, and I have prayed night and day that I was in the Lord’s will. I prayed so fervently that the Lord would pick up my heart and mind at home, and reunite it with my body in Mallorca. My desire was spoken, that I would truly seek His will here, and that I would enjoy and utilize this blessing that He had given me. I wanted to bring reality to the things that all the people back at home “thought” Bible College was. I truly did desire that my desire would be parallel to His. I even cried in women’s discipleship class last week! … Hoping that maybe, just maybe, it was the Lord that was breaking me and reminding me that this is where he wants me. And prayer after prayer, the Lord stayed quiet, until now.
The third chapter of the book “A Spiritual Clinic” is titled “THE PURPOSE OF SUFFERING”…. Okay, so yes, it sounds a bit dramatic, but wait until you see how the Lord may use it for you too…
Because these last three weeks I have felt like I have been living in a complete “chick flick” movie… going out and eating ice cream when I miss home, or calling the people that I miss so much every chance I get, or listening to every depressing slow song that come onto my computer, I have also had the privilege of reading every scripture that has to do with dying, suffering, doubting, hating, stressing, and you know, all the horrible ones. Haha! …. Anyways, today I came across the definition of the word “Thorn”. A thorn is a synonym for the word splinter, stake, painful idea, migraine, malaria, epilepsy, and a bunch of other painful diseases and stuff… okay, so I realize that I’m not dying of malaria and I’m not being stoned to death out here, but it truly spoke to me…
So Paul the Apostle, I’m thinking, probably earned the right to say that he “suffered in the name of Christ”, well up until today I thought that I earned that right too. In many ways I felt like Paul. As he began to pray impulsively and persistently for the removal of pain that he felt, he began to inquire to the Lord why He wasn’t removing it right away. Most believers so easily get it into their minds that God would never refuse to answer a prayer for the removal of something morally or spiritually evil. So every time something painful happens to us, we usually take the time to, now, pray real hard, right? We use our big words and all of a sudden throw out all of the Lord’s titles “Father who art in Heaven, Who created the Heavens and the Earth, and the Sea too, and Who Knows all the hairs on all the peoples heads in here, and Who … please help me right now!” Though all these things of the Lord are indeed true, it is also here where we need to realize that there is no such thing as purposeless pain to God’s children. God’s “unanswered” prayer to heal us, is probably the best thing that will ever happen to you in your relationship with Christ. We must be reminded that we are made weak, so that we might obey. Our personal thorn will vary between a physical limitation, a temporal weakness, a deformity, or a physical loss (homesick)… whatever it may be just know that the thorn had never lost any of its sharpness, nor ever became less severe; but it is by the grace of God that makes the pain so loving .The Lord is there and is not going to take it away, but He will be there to watch you grow. So we can either choose to accept the pain and have the Lord, or not have the Lord and just have the pain. [What can’t be cured, can be enjoyed], So I have come to the conclusion that though ice cream is good, and depressing country songs are quite catchy, I would rather trade that time in for spending it with the Lord, and finally appreciating what He has given me. Coming to the realization that the Lord doesn’t need me back at home. Knowing that the ministry is still continuing, and in some ways continuing even better than when I was there, and knowing that my prayers are the same here as they were there, and knowing that He has me here because He loves me; that knowledge alone, is worth getting on that plane and being here, writing this encouragement to you all.

I love the Lord. I am so excited to know that He has “home” under his wings, and I am forever thankful for this “home” I have here in Mallorca.

… Oh yea, and about the whole “peace” thing. Turns out the peace I “had”, never left. I just had to let go of “my” definition of it as being this fluffy, pillow of a feeling and realize that it can be simply, movement without friction… in other words, even if times are sucky but you can still move forward for the Lord, you are going in the right direction, sooo keep on truckin’ !

Man, God is good.

-Adrianna

yup...still in spain

Acts 18
AFTER these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth.
come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
by occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.
Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.
Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; "for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."


In verse 3, Paul says he found some friends and they happened to build tents, just like him so he stayed close to them. it mentions him goin to the synagogue next, but first he earned a living. He built tents. nothing special, nothing profound. but he did it to the lord. i believe no matter where u "work" it is important to "work". we often say..."oh, my job is my ministry" but god has called us to work and he will bless us. its HIS ministry anyways so just work and work hard.
next, when he actually reasoned with the jews and greeks, he did not loose hope, nor did he give up, but he preached the gospel. especially in america, we tend to separate those two. i encourage you to not be discouraged in work with the world but work for the LORD.
from this passage i also was encouraged when Paul was very open with the gospel with the jews, but when they did not recieve it, he was willing to go reach to others. he was not discouraged but open to sharing with all. i often get discouraged but paul is one who is there to reach the masses...
at the end God speaks to paul and ensures him that he is his protection. I get so scared of this world and what could happen... i concentrate on the ifs and forget that god will protect his flock. i have been praying for peace lately. Peace that i am doin his will and peace that everything will work out in His timing. I was reading this book today and the author had a new definition that i had never thought of before...."peace is movement without friction" i had been praying for this... and never realizing that he had givin me this the entire time! god is sooo good... once my heart is open i feel like i learn soooo much....
its gonna be a good semester but hard as always....

heres some more pictures to laugh at... we do actually do a lot of work... i know alot of you think we dont... you should see how much homework i have to do!!!! craziness....


our address is....
Calle Huguet de Mata Plana 22a

07180 Santa Ponsa Mallorca Spain


we are welcoming: hot chettos, peanut butter, tortillas, enchilada sauce, almonds, cranberries, oatmeal, brown sugar, chocolate chips... and anything else you can think we would enjoy.... like.... letters, pictures, underware (just kiding), sparkling cider, and early christmas presents...

love you and miss you all!
mandy

spain

This last week has been full of craziness... i have finally found time to sit down... It has been a fairly busy schedule with many stories already.
Since our arrival we have experienced our first Kebab (a shreaded chicken sandwhich on peta bread with cabbage and other stuff type of thing) soooo amazing!!
Our flates are in the same building separated by 7 sotries. Pretty close huh? :) it is about a 3.75 minute walk to the church and internet (which is regualted!! crazy) Everything is with in walking distance like everywhere in Europe. Both of our apartments face the Mediterranean Sea. My bed is literally in an inclosed balcony. The sun beats in around 11, so no sleeping in or I will be sunburnt!!
We had church on Sunday with a very pleasant BBQ at this German couple's house. They are loaded!! Their house feels like Egypt with riches. there was even a statue of Cleopatra.
there was a medival market where the tourists get ripped off... hookah is hudge here as it is in Israel...
right off the balcony of the church is a stage where there are different performers each night... its always amusing and entertaining!!
We have always picked our classes...
Mandy:
Lessons in Ministry
Church History
Community Service
Missions
Romans
1 & 2 Peter
1 Corinthians
Genesis
Plus all of the required credits including, chuck tracks and m199, devos and other lectures. This all adds up to 26 credits!! CRAZY!!!
Adrianna has to take:
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Genesis
Romans
Church History
1 Corinthians
1& 2 Peter
She will be having 24 credits
this semester is going to be full of JESUS!!

they are not ready for us .. nope

oooooookay....
so we have landed n this country they call spain. with unpromising thoughts and uneasy hearts, we boarded the plane. joining us were about 80 kajillion students in white shirts, meaning we could not sit next to eachother on this 11 hour flight to london. no biggie right? .. WRONG! haha this meant we had to go back and forth and "visit" eachother ... in this, we were able to see a woman fall down the isle (haha!!) .. not funny. and we also saw this skini black male run down the isle to make it to the toilet :) haha!! ... the flight kept going and going and going. we got to london... then to madrid.. then finally to mallorca. we arrived at like 9pm local time... after great delay, we got our luggage and then jimmy picked us up.... we drove like 45 min to our apartments. Mandy and i both live in Cesars... which is pretty much like a resort. we are in seperate apartments like 7 levels apart.. but nothing that a smelly elevator wont fix.. hiiii five! :)

we all woke up like noon... got ready and wen to get kebabs for lunch. we also went grocery shopping. and took a nap and now we are here at the church hanging out. we have orientation tomorrow .. we will up date with more details sooooon but for now just know that we love and miss all of you guys more than you will ever know. seriously. this semester is already a tough one, but God is so good and He is always with us. Amen.

pray that our hearts and minds are here for the remainder of the semester, and that we stay faithful to HIm as He is so fithful to us.

adios.....


anna and mandy

3.40

PLEASE PRAY!!!

nuber one for adrianna's health... she isn't feelinf well at all!! i cant have the seat next to me full of puke!! i hate satan! he jus needs to leave our stomachs alone!
number 2 the plane... that we BOTH get on...
number 3 that spain wouldn't be amazing... but that we would learn and do what ever it takes to be in HIS will.
pray god know and i know He knows just pray!!

our plane takes off at 3.40 pm today septemeber 3... wow... thats today!