Tonight I saw God in many different ways, through two different inspirational movements. Tonight while sitting at dinner, a boy started singing and playing the guitar in the middle of the room. After listening to his incredible singing and guitar playing, this boy went on to invite everyone in the room to a program going on downstairs for an organization called Friends Of Rachel. I have heard about this organization many times in the past, but I never took the time to really comprehend what it was about, nor to attend any programs put on by Friends Of Rachel. However, tonight was different. Tonight I, along with a group of friends, went to the program put on by Friends Of Rachel. During this program, the organization discussed what it’s all about. Rachel Scott was the first student to die during the Columbine shootings that occurred back in 1999. During her life, Rachel placed an emphasis on the idea that one act of kindness can trigger more and more around the world, sort of like a “pay it forward” action plan. The Friends Of Rachel work to continue Rachel’s work by continuing her random acts of kindness around the world. During this presentation, I was blown away by the talent in two musical acts. The first, was the talent of James Orrigo. If his voice and guitar playing weren’t enough, then his message certainly won me over. While in his sophomore year of high school, James was almost killed by a series of serious concussions. Instead of feeling bad for himself, James turned his tragedy into hope by using his talents to inspire others to lead meaningful lives that can change the lives of others in a positive way, similar to the hopes and dreams of Rachel Scott. 

I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to come in contact with the inspirational and amazing people I met tonight. They helped show me how I can make a difference in the world around me today, starting right now. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that tonight God was showing himself to me through the countless opportunities I have been given to make a difference in the lives of others.

The links to both of these amazing causes are below:

http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

http://www.ladinabattle.com/

On this day back at the end of October, I was going with a community service group to volunteer at a local community center, and I was so moved by what I saw that I came home and immediately wrote my experience down.  This was the event that sparked my idea to start this blog. 

“I was already apprehensive about going to cook dinner at the community center.  All of the other groups in my psychology class get to go to these incredible psychiatric places where they work with individual patients and help socialize them by sitting in on counseling sessions or group therapies, but my contributions include cooking dinner one night a week and walking one woman to some showers at a high school another morning, and in comparison, these activities seem so insignificant and petty.  Needless to say, I started making dinner with a heavy heart and a negative outlook on my volunteer work- until dinner time.  When it was time to eat, everyone held hands and stood in a circle going around saying what they were thankful for.  These were people who slept on a floor at night, who were lucky if they got to shower once a week, and who owned maybe one pair of clothes.  However, when it came time for the prayer, almost every single one found something to be thankful for, even if it was just to have another day or to be alive.  This simple act of thankfulness reminded me of just how much I have to be thankful for, and how much of that I fail to recognize on a regular basis.”

In this night, I not only saw just how much I have to be thankful for, I also saw how much of a difference I can make in the life of others. God showed himself to me through the heart of every homeless member of Our Community Place. <3

Well, hi :). I’m not really sure how to handle this “blog” thing, I’ve never done it before, but it’s something I’ve thought of doing for a while, and I’m finally putting my plan into action.  First things first, this blog is not in any way to impose my beliefs or ideas onto anyone, nor is it to offend someone else’s beliefs.  Rather, this is my way to remind myself how God is present in my everyday life, all around me.  I am at a crossroads in my life where I am seriously struggling with my faith, so I am using this blog as an outlet for me to record the times and places where I do see God present, to hopefully strengthen my faith and if at all possible, maybe strengthen someone else’s walk with God as well.  That being said, I will be positing and explaining situations where I feel God has been present, as well as pictures of nature and other things that I come across where I see God.

…here we go :).