So a little over a week ago God gave me this pretty cool story/thing during my quiet. It was pretty cool how it just kind of came out of me and its not very long and you might not even like it but I do and I feel as if I should share it so here goes...
Everyday you desire to be closer to me and I feel as if almost everyday I fail you. Why is it that despite how unworthy I am you still love me and desire to be with me. What is so special about me?
You see a beautiful creation made perfect by your grace. I see a filthy failure incapable of your grace. What is so special about me?
You see someone with the capability to conquer the world. I see someone who can barley handle her house. What is so special about me?
As I sit in doubt of who I am I hear your voice; your still small voice:
"I knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. I molded you and gave you a design crafted by me. I gave you a divine purpose.
I breathed life into your lungs. I planted a desire in your heart to be loved by me. I made my grace available to you so you could live and be with me.
I see a beautiful creation because you are my beautiful creation and you were crafted in my image.
I see someone who can conquer the world because I put the strength to conquer in you heart.
You may stand before me as a broken creature, but I complete you. I have made you whole and worthy.
You are mine always and forever."
About Me
- Nicole Salerno
- My name is Nicole and I am a graduate of Liberty University. I am currently a teacher searching for a classroom. And I will forever be a slave to righteousness
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Understandings
Over the past couple of months I have found myself saying "God I may not understand what is going on but you do so it is all going to work out." God has most definitely been reinforcing this thought around me. In church just this past week Pastor Jon talked about how we don't have the foresight that God does about our life, and we shouldn't make plans but let God plan for us. If you are walking in God's plan he will meet you and prepare you for what come next in life.
I have been trying to figure out what to do with my life after graduation. I basically have three options: 1. find a teaching job either here in Virginia or home in New Jersey, 2. Continue on in my Education and receive a Masters in Early Education, and 3. Look into overseas teaching opportunities. I really have no clue what to do so I am bringing my requests before God. I have learned in the past that if I make my own plans God will change them anyways because it is not what he wants for my life. Now I am asking God to make clear to me where to go next. I don't want to make such a big decision about my life without His guidance because he sees the future.
Right now my heart is leaning towards continuing with my education, which is something I never thought I would do right after I graduate. If you know me at all, school is not one of my favorite things in life. This change in heart makes me believe this may be the path God wants me to walk down, but I'm still not 100% sure yet. I will continue to pray about it and see what God says.
I have been trying to figure out what to do with my life after graduation. I basically have three options: 1. find a teaching job either here in Virginia or home in New Jersey, 2. Continue on in my Education and receive a Masters in Early Education, and 3. Look into overseas teaching opportunities. I really have no clue what to do so I am bringing my requests before God. I have learned in the past that if I make my own plans God will change them anyways because it is not what he wants for my life. Now I am asking God to make clear to me where to go next. I don't want to make such a big decision about my life without His guidance because he sees the future.
Right now my heart is leaning towards continuing with my education, which is something I never thought I would do right after I graduate. If you know me at all, school is not one of my favorite things in life. This change in heart makes me believe this may be the path God wants me to walk down, but I'm still not 100% sure yet. I will continue to pray about it and see what God says.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
East Asia pt. 2
Finally have found some time again to write more about my trip...
One thing that we seemed to do a lot of on our trip was English corners. Basically what we did was meet with college students (sometimes people that were older too) and talked with them. It started out as mostly small talk so they could practice their English, but we were looking for any opportunity to talk with them about Jesus.
At the first English corner we were at, my friend Sarah and I were talking with two girls that were sophomores in college. We talked about the things we liked to do and what were studying in school, it was hard at first to think of things to say but we got the hang out it and the conversation started flowing pretty well. At one point Sarah asked the girls what they did for Christmas because Christmas isn't really something that is greatly celebrated in China. The girl told us she spent Christmas in church one year, that was our door opening. Sarah asked her some more questions but the girl quickly changed the subject. She told us she believes in science and I pray that her eyes would be open to God's truth.
A few days later were at another university for another English corner. I would have to say that this was my favorite English corner. I spent the entire night talking with two girls that were such sweethearts. Our group taught the students some line dances and we got to sing for them as well, mainly fun songs. Our group also got to do our dance that I think I mentioned in my last post. After the song our leader told us to use the song as a way to start talking about God. I did not even have to bring up the song because one of the girls asked me right off the bat what the song meant. I began to explain to her how we are God's creation and we are all beautiful things because we are his. She then asked me about the Bible. I shared with her how God loves us so much that he sacrificed his son just to save us. I shared a bit more, and then the girl looked at me and told me, "I can tell that your love for God is so sincere." WOW! I may not have lead her to Christ but it was clear that His light was shining through me and planted a seed in this girls life.
Well after that amazing night the next day was spent with two different house churches. I loved these because me and one of the other guys on the team got the opportunity to lead a little worship. I was going crazy up until this point because it had been so long since I had sung on the top of my lungs to Jesus. That experience was so amazing and I will never forget it.
Next post I'll talk about the kindergarten.
One thing that we seemed to do a lot of on our trip was English corners. Basically what we did was meet with college students (sometimes people that were older too) and talked with them. It started out as mostly small talk so they could practice their English, but we were looking for any opportunity to talk with them about Jesus.
At the first English corner we were at, my friend Sarah and I were talking with two girls that were sophomores in college. We talked about the things we liked to do and what were studying in school, it was hard at first to think of things to say but we got the hang out it and the conversation started flowing pretty well. At one point Sarah asked the girls what they did for Christmas because Christmas isn't really something that is greatly celebrated in China. The girl told us she spent Christmas in church one year, that was our door opening. Sarah asked her some more questions but the girl quickly changed the subject. She told us she believes in science and I pray that her eyes would be open to God's truth.
A few days later were at another university for another English corner. I would have to say that this was my favorite English corner. I spent the entire night talking with two girls that were such sweethearts. Our group taught the students some line dances and we got to sing for them as well, mainly fun songs. Our group also got to do our dance that I think I mentioned in my last post. After the song our leader told us to use the song as a way to start talking about God. I did not even have to bring up the song because one of the girls asked me right off the bat what the song meant. I began to explain to her how we are God's creation and we are all beautiful things because we are his. She then asked me about the Bible. I shared with her how God loves us so much that he sacrificed his son just to save us. I shared a bit more, and then the girl looked at me and told me, "I can tell that your love for God is so sincere." WOW! I may not have lead her to Christ but it was clear that His light was shining through me and planted a seed in this girls life.
Well after that amazing night the next day was spent with two different house churches. I loved these because me and one of the other guys on the team got the opportunity to lead a little worship. I was going crazy up until this point because it had been so long since I had sung on the top of my lungs to Jesus. That experience was so amazing and I will never forget it.
Next post I'll talk about the kindergarten.
Monday, January 24, 2011
East Asia pt. 1
Alrighty friends, I have finally found some time to tell you about my amazing trip to East Asia. I think I am going to write about in the trip in possible 4 phases, but most likely 3, we shall see. The first part I'll talk about is the first couple of days of the trip...
Wednesday December 29th the team left from Dulles airport around 10 in the morning and we finally arrived at our destination on December 30th around 5pm (I think). I was completely exhausted at this point but we had to stay awake till at least 10 that night. As soon as 10 o'clock came I was in my bed resting up for the busy
day we had ahead of us...
Friday December 31th: The day started out bright and early at 7:30am because we were off to the Great Wall, and it was most certainly great. The day was a lot of fun, but I was really excited for the next two which would be spent at an orphanage. (I'll spend the rest of this post talking about my experience there)
The first morning at the orphanage, the kids were broken up into groups and me and one of the other girls on the team were responsible for one of the groups and took them around to different stations set up throughout the building. There were crafts, line dancing, ESL, and gym. It was so much fun to get to hang out with the kids and watch them partake in the activities. We then had lunch with the kids and spent the rest of the afternoon playing with them
In the first part of the afternoon we had the younger kids inside and I played twister with some of them. Later on the older kids were inside and some of our team decided it would be fun to teach them all how to play ninja. (if you don't know what this game is then you are truly missing out on an awesome time) I have never seen a group of people catch on to the game as quickly as these kids did. They were even teaming up against all of the Americans, and we had no idea what was going on because we could not understand them, but it was so much fun non the less.
After dinner that night the kids put on a performance for us that was life altering. Two of the kids gave their testimonies and I knew after the first one that I was not going to make it through the night without crying. The girl who gave the second testimony was 15 and had a story that would tare your heart out. She had lost both of her parents, and after she had been living at the orphanage she was diagnosed with a heart condition that should have taken her life. Through a miracle of God she was able to receive the funds necessary to save her life. As she told us her story she broke down in tears because she knew that God had saved her life and because of it she was living for him.
After this testimony (with tears already rolling down my face), the kids did their final dance to a song with the lyrics "There are no orphans of God". I am fully aware of the fact that God is a father to the fatherless, but to see these children dancing to this song made it so real to me. These children who have nothing in this world that the world deems necessary yet they know they have everything through God their father.
We were only at the orphanage for the first Saturday and Sunday of the trip, but I knew after those two days that my life had already changed and would continue to do so over the following two weeks.
Wednesday December 29th the team left from Dulles airport around 10 in the morning and we finally arrived at our destination on December 30th around 5pm (I think). I was completely exhausted at this point but we had to stay awake till at least 10 that night. As soon as 10 o'clock came I was in my bed resting up for the busy
day we had ahead of us...Friday December 31th: The day started out bright and early at 7:30am because we were off to the Great Wall, and it was most certainly great. The day was a lot of fun, but I was really excited for the next two which would be spent at an orphanage. (I'll spend the rest of this post talking about my experience there)
The first morning at the orphanage, the kids were broken up into groups and me and one of the other girls on the team were responsible for one of the groups and took them around to different stations set up throughout the building. There were crafts, line dancing, ESL, and gym. It was so much fun to get to hang out with the kids and watch them partake in the activities. We then had lunch with the kids and spent the rest of the afternoon playing with them
In the first part of the afternoon we had the younger kids inside and I played twister with some of them. Later on the older kids were inside and some of our team decided it would be fun to teach them all how to play ninja. (if you don't know what this game is then you are truly missing out on an awesome time) I have never seen a group of people catch on to the game as quickly as these kids did. They were even teaming up against all of the Americans, and we had no idea what was going on because we could not understand them, but it was so much fun non the less.
After dinner that night the kids put on a performance for us that was life altering. Two of the kids gave their testimonies and I knew after the first one that I was not going to make it through the night without crying. The girl who gave the second testimony was 15 and had a story that would tare your heart out. She had lost both of her parents, and after she had been living at the orphanage she was diagnosed with a heart condition that should have taken her life. Through a miracle of God she was able to receive the funds necessary to save her life. As she told us her story she broke down in tears because she knew that God had saved her life and because of it she was living for him.
After this testimony (with tears already rolling down my face), the kids did their final dance to a song with the lyrics "There are no orphans of God". I am fully aware of the fact that God is a father to the fatherless, but to see these children dancing to this song made it so real to me. These children who have nothing in this world that the world deems necessary yet they know they have everything through God their father.
We were only at the orphanage for the first Saturday and Sunday of the trip, but I knew after those two days that my life had already changed and would continue to do so over the following two weeks.
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