Hello 2012, Goodbye 2011

What a wonderful year 2011 was! I transferred to Stout in January and lived in the dorms, then moved to Tony and Tara's house in May, then got MARRIED in July and moved into Andy's parents rental house in August. In November I was offered a 2012 summer internship with SMC in Summerset that I accepted and in December I hosted Christmas for my family at my house, and went to the International House of Prayer's Onething conference in Kansas City.

December was a very busy month, finals were busy and I didn't get all the grades I had hoped to get :(
And then there was the busyness of Christmas, we had 5 Christmas's within 3 days, but what a joyful time that was.
Then this last week I went down to Onething in Kansas City and it was a Blast. I felt like I learned so much from that time! I am planing on buying the CD of the conference so that I can revisit all the teachings that I heard... there was simply too much information to get retain in such a short time. I went with a group of about 40 people from the Prepare ministry in the twin Cities (Prepare is the bible study I go to in Menomonie). We took a school bus down which wasn't the most comfortable ride but it was fun to be able to talk to more people on the trip and on the way back we were able to have a testimony time where people shared what God had worked in their life the few days of the conference. I was amazed at how much so many people have been through and how much God was healing them through the conference.

On the way down to the conference our bus ran out of gas (it was totally out). We had not seen a gas station for 40-50 miles and we were only 4 miles from the gas station we planned on getting gas at. Well 4 miles is a little far to walk so we decided to pray. we made it another mile off that prayer and then it quit again so we prayed again and it made it to the bottom of the ramp.... now we had to get up the ramp and over a bridge to get to the gas station..... but through our prayers we made it! That was quite the experience and a great way to start the trip off. Our group saw many other miracles through out the week as well.... a few people prayed for a man and healed his two bad knees, and one of the guys on our trip had a really had migraine that was healed after prayer.

The trip was a huge spiritual booster for me and I am excited for what God is going to bring this year. I learned how God is a God who is requires justice... that we Christians are his bride and he is a jealous husband, he gets protective when people hurt us and if they don't repent in this lifetime they will pay for their sins in the next. I also learned how much God simply wants our time, he wants us to love Him. To read and pray even when we don't "feel" him in the room because we love Him and not simply because we want to feel loved. There are other things as well, in the setting of the speakers calling people to become missionaries and me wondering if that meant me, I felt like God told me he wants me to use the talents he has given me to finish my degree with excellence. And then perhaps be a missionary with my money, by giving much to him with what he gives me.

here is a picture from the conference during one of the worship times... and this is from less than half way back.  (and also from my phone so sorry for the poor quality).
There were around 25,000 people that attended this conference!