Pictures from my trip

In the snowy mountains of Norway about 200 Christian medical students got together...

Here we are getting ready to go for a walk while others were preparing for a major snow fight!

Playing cards and chatting... Getting ready to get on the bus back to Oslo:
Ingunn and Gunnar at the Ethiopian restaurant:
The food tasted GREAT!
Hangin' out at Silje and Andreas' place
Tore:
Loving sisters :)
Silje and her husband Andreas:

In the snowy mountains of Norway!

I spent this weekend in some snowy mountains in Norway with about 200 other Christian medical students! We had a blast! There were seminars, Bible studies, worship meetings and a Sunday service that we could go to. The seminars focused on different subjects and some of them on how we as Christian M.Ds can tackle different ethical situations that may occur in our work. The lecturers were really really good and did a great job. The Bible studies were very inspiring and gave me a lot. My "spiritual-fuel-tank" was filled up again ;o)

Inbetween seminars and meetings we had snow fights, went on a walk, played in the swimming pool area, sat around chatting, ate greatfood and just enjoyed each others company. It was so refreshing!

On my way back I spent the night in Oslo at Ingunn and Gunnar's place. We went out to eat Ethiopian with a bunch of people, kinda like a tiny Missionary Kids reunion :) We had some dessert at Silje and Andreas' house. There was a lot of laughter and talk about Ethiopia. Man do we have some great memories from there!!!

All in all this was a awesome trip! Just what I needed to reload my batteries!

I will post some pictures in my next entry, so stay tuned ;oP

Are you wise and understanding?

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

- Proverbs 9:10

That is very deep and important truth! It's the kind of wisdom and understanding I want to have and grow in each and every day of my life. The great thing is there is ALWAYS more to learn about God because He is greater than we can ever understand ;o) Just remember no matter how much we learn about God this is still the case: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Cor 13:12) What an awesome day that will be!!!

Hurt--to heal!

I cried, "Lord, use me!"
He answered, "Wait."

Then came the hurt.
Loneliness--I walked through desolation
to share His fellowship.
Doubt--I wept through despair to seek His faith.
Fear--I wrestled through darkness
to seize His freedom.

And the Balm of Gilead flowed
into the depths of my soul.
It cleansed; it soothed; it healed.

Again I cried, "Lord, use me!"
This time He answered, "Go!"

"I send you forth to heal.
Walk with the lonely--
share with them my fellowship.
Weep with the despairing--
seek with them My faith.
Wrestle with the fearful--
seize with them My freedom.

And the Balm of Gilead will flow
into the depths of their souls.
It will cleanse;
it will soothe;
it will heal."

He spoke again: "My child,
I spared you no hurt--
that I might use you to heal!"

Peggie C. Bohanon

wait....

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”- Psalm 27:14

Wait... I really don't like that word very much. Does anyone really like waiting? I guess it depends on the situation. If you are waiting to go in to the doctor's office... or waiting for the results from a test... then maybe you'd rather just get it over with and not wait. Waiting can be nerve wrecking. Or... if you are waiting to meet someone that you haven't met in a long time the waiting can be full of anticipation and excitement. Then there's also the situation where someone is late and maybe you've waited so long that you are just impatient and tired.

Wait...

That word implies that something is going to happen... you are WAITING for something to happen, someone to come, the results to appear... SOMETHING. There are a lot of situations in life where we need to wait and there are so many different feelings connected to that... nervousness, anticipation, excitement, impatience, fear, restlessness, happiness... I could go on and on. All this just because I read that verse. But just think about it... What does it mean to wait for the Lord? I know that God teaches me patience through waiting. It's when I don't want to be patient that it gets tough! Sometimes I just don't want to wait. I just want whatever God is having me wait for to happen NOW... yea, that's me being impatient. Being impatient is not fun either - so maybe I should just wait in patience. Like I said... the fact that I'm waiting for the Lord implies that something IS going to happen... it's just a matter of when ;o) That is pretty exciting.

Hmmm... maybe noone understands exactly what I'm saying in this post, but that's ok... just wait, and maybe it'll come to you! Haha

Fun at the dentist's!

So... I went to the dentist today to have my last wisdom-tooth removed. He took pics and it all looked like a piece of cake. Everything was ready and he made a cut to get to it and started pulling and pushing at my tooth... nope, it wouldn't move... it was not ready to be taken out, part of it was still underneath the bone. I'm glad he stopped there though, because he could have gone on and just done a bigger operation in my mouth, breaking part of the bone away and stuff like that... THAT would really have sucked. I'd be in a lot of pain afterwards and there'd be a risk of damaging some nerve endings and stuff... All in all, this was the best thing to do in the situation, now I'll just have to wait till my tooth comes out from under the bone and go back again! YAY! Looking forward to that! Haha!

Life...

Life doesn't always treat us well. It doesn't always seem fair... in fact it isn't fair. When I am tired and broken-hearted I often turn to God with a million questions in my head. I'll feel like I've been let down and I pour my heart out to God asking why...

The Creation asking the Creator... hmmm... ring a bell? Yea... I've talked about this before.

It's silly, but but that's what I do, time and time again. I ask God what He is doing and why. That's when I realise that I am not completely trusting Him. I know full well that He is the only one that can be trusted 100%. He is faithful no matter how many times I fail, no matter how often I doubt, no matter how stupid my questions are, no matter what I do... He is ALWAYS faithful!

Trust in You

You have always been
You will always be
Faithful

When I cry out to you God
And my heart is overwhelmed
You will hear

And I know I can trust you at all times
Cause the one who is higher stands by my side

Hide me God
In the shadow of Your wings
Draw me close
I'm secure in Your holy embrace
I'll trust in You

God you are the one
Who is steadfast strong and true
Always, always

And I know I can trust you at all times
Cause the one who is higher stands by my side

Hide me God in the shadow of Your wings
Draw me close
I'm secure in Your holy embrace
I'll trust in You

I stand in awe of God, because when I feel little and so insignificant, when I am confused and overwhelmed - I can ask Him to draw me close and hide me in the shadow of His wings. He has promised that He will not turn away from anyone that cries out to Him, no matter the circumstances.

A few great verses...

I don't think this is the first or the last time I post these... hehe... they are just too great. They've kept popping up here and there the last couple of days and I've really needed it. Surprising how God puts little things like these in my way when I need a reminder or some encouragement. It's awesome :)

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”- Jeremiah 29:11

Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.
Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
-Proverbs 19:20-21

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." -Proverbs 16:9

Finals are OVER!

... and I am exhausted! That's all I've got to say for now...

This is how I feel today...

Had enough! My brain is FRIED! I just want to get the final over with!

Life as a bacteria...

Higher ways...

If I could only fly
I'd go up and look down from the sky
So I could see the bigger picture
And Lord if I could sit with You
At Your feet for an hour or two
I'm sure I'd ask too many questions
'Cause there's so much going on down here
That I must confess I just don't understand

BRIDGE
But I have prayed
And at your feet my whole life has been laid
So I wont worry I wont be afraid
'Cause my soul is resting on Your higher ways
Let the road ahead become unclear
I am Yours so what have I to fear
If my soul is resting on Your higher ways

CHORUS
Your higher ways teach me to trust You
Your higher ways are not like mine
Your higher ways are the ways of the Father
Hiding His children in His love

BRIDGE
So let it rain
And if my eyes grow dim with tears of pain
This hope I have will not be washed away
'Cause my soul is resting on Your higher ways

Maybe then You will take me aside
And show me the bigger picture
But until I'm with You
I'll be here with a heart that is true
And a soul that's resting on
Your higher ways

(Steven Curtis Chapman)

I'm learning more and more about this each day! It's pretty amazing to be able to rest in this knowledge :)

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55)