Zenith 2006...finally!

Hi All! Apologies again everyone about the time it took to finally post this. Anyway, here goes...

Camp Zenith was fabulous this year, like it always is...full of smiles, fun, laughter, new friendships, reunions, awesome worship, funny comedians, relavant and thought-provoking classes, challenging speakers, dedicated camp and ministry staff, and a whole bunch of awesome teens. For some, it's a week of spiritual renewal. For others, it's a week of new beginning with God. For some, it's a week of sharing their faith and spiritual insights. For others, it's a week of listening and watching.

There were several different kinds of entertainment that week, but none impressed me like the band Poor Rich Folk. I couldn't take their CD out of my car CD player for more than a month! It's not normally the kind of music I listen too, but they are so talented and they lyrics keep me reflecting for days! To check them out, click here.

I and my co-counselor had great group of kids this year! It's always a blessing to me to get to know a little bit of each and every one of them. I always pray that they have a good time at camp, that they build new relationships, and that they connect with God. I always pray that I love them like Christ loves me. I always pray that they know how much I care about where they are spiritually. Here are some pics of our group. You guys rock!

Caitlin and Alisha

 

Sam, Shana, and Alice

 

Calley, Molly, Connor, Leighann, and Kellie

 

My co-counselor Dave, Caitlin, Alisha, and Justin

 

Connor, Kolby, and Parker

 

Me and some of the girls

 

We always have an awesome staff of counselors and youth ministers, and it's always a blessing to see some of them again each year. Here are some more pics...

Chris Robey (youth minister from Texas), Niki Nowell (women's head counselor from Colorado), and Matt Lee (youth minister)

 

Hershall, Julie and Mia Craig

 

Me and Natalie (camp counselor from Oklahoma)

 

Me and Liz Gibbs (camp counselor from Texas who was unexpectedly promoted to dorm supervisor this year! LOL)

 

Niki, Angi, and Max picked me up at the airport the night I arrived in Oklahoma City, and we headed to campus for the counselor's orientation meeting, which was the night before camp started. Max is Benny and Niki's oldest son who is six and a half now. I haven't gotten to see him but maybe once or twice since they moved away from Indy. On the way to campus, Max told me all about how Adam and Luke Copeland came to stay with them for a week in Denver and how he was really looking forward to seeing Adam at Zenith. The next day, youth groups started to arrive in the early afternoon and Max was patiently waiting for Adam and his youth group from San Antonio to show up. When I saw Max that afternoon, he said "Sarah, I just keep looking and looking for Adam, and I just keep not seeing him." I assured him that Adam would arrive soon and not to worry. Later on that night after everyone had arrived, I told Angi what Max had said about Adam, and we chuckled. She said that was funny because when she saw Adam, one of the first things she heard him say was..."Has anyone seen Max?" Go figure... :)

After leaving Zenith on Friday, Niki, Max, Angi and I drove to Kansas where we spent the night. They had a huge waterslide in the pool at the hotel, so Max went down the waterslide 328 times the next morning. LOL Max is a cool little dude. The best pics I have of us are on my cell phone though, so I can't post them on here. We sat together in the back seat all the way to Kansas and then to Denver. Hours of playing with fart-puddy, happy meal toys, singing and telling stories, and playing with more fart-puddy. Max kept messing with me, so of course I messed with him. The phrase of the day from the backseat was, "Mommy, Sarah Downey is torturing me!"

Max Nowell

 

Benny and Niki Nowell

 

Me and Benny

 

We arrived in Denver late in the evening. It was so good to see Benny and spend time at the Nowell residence, although we all agreed that one night was not enough. Niki and I had to get up at 5:00 am the next morning to have me to the airport. Too bad we stayed up until 2:30 am talking and catching up!

It was so worth it though-the whole trip. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it was too short. I look forward to Zenith every year-it's just something that goes on my calendar every year until further notice. :) My God is pretty awesome! He allows me to witness so much in the lives of others and has blessed me so much with a network of believers to lean on, laugh with, encourage, confide in, and love. I don't know what I'd do without my sisters in Christ! Praise God for the safe travel that He allowed, the lives He changed (and continues to change), and the friendships rekindled that week!

Busy, busy

I know that some of you are wondering where my post from Zenith is...here it is more than 2 and a half months later. I started that post the week after I returned from Oklahoma and Colorado, but I have had the worst on-going problems with getting the pictures to post correctly. I finally figured out that they all need to be reformatted and saved differently for the web, then my computer at home with all the pictures on it stopped working right, then I scanned them again at school and saved them all there only to find out that I was missing some. On and on...I just got overwhelmed with it and stopped working on it for a while. I took 4 classes this summer (roughly equivalent to 18 credit hours) and with work and everything else going on...[sigh]. I've been so overwhelmed and I've felt regretful that I'm not even really in the blogging community anymore. I even thought about closing my blog account. But I can't. I really love blogging, and I love being able to see what my friends in other states are up to. I'll try to do better...forgive me? I miss all of you. I'll try to get that Zenith post finished up this month-I had such a good trip and wanted to share it, and I wrote about my time in Denver.

Class is going well, fast-paced, but well. This semester I'm taking 2 psychology courses-Cognition and Capstone Research. I'm also taking Environmental Geology, which I really enjoy. I'm so excited that I'm able to do my research in one of the areas that I absolutely love-Health Psychology. It's a growing passion for me. I specifically will be studying health behaviors, like eating and exercising. I'm also working on my certification so that I can be an addictions counselor. I already have the 1000 hours that I need from working at the treatment center, and now I'm looking into the testing. While I'll be excited to be certified, especially after I have my degree, I'm really wanting to look into graduate programs in health psychology. That seems to be where my heart is, but we'll see what God has in store. I have hopes and dreams, but they belong to Him-to be used in whatever way He deems and in whatever way will bring Him much glory.

God continues to give me opportunites at work in my Spiritual Study group to share my faith and plant seeds for His kingdom. Mark Cahill's books go like hot cakes-I can't seem to keep a steady supply (praise God!). And because my schedule is different this semester, I'm able to be more involved with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship more at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue Univerity @ Indianapolis). I feel that it has been the missing piece-I finally have that authentic fellowship with other believers my age on campus, and I've met lots of new friends and partners in the gospel who want to be a witnessing community and a presence on campus for Christ Jesus. Oh, and I've met some people to play volleyball with as well-I'm mean c'mon that's important! :) By the way, I was playing with them on Thursday night and burst a blood vessel in my right wrist after slamming the ball. I'm fine now, it's just turning pretty colors, but wow was it scary-looked like a golf ball was under my skin...I had a blast though and played well-it was worth it I guess. :)

Some good news to share that was unexpected... I got Lady of the Month at the gym I go to since I've continued to loose weight (about 50 lbs total now). I still have a little more to go, but God has been so faithful to give the desire to take better care of my body and honor Him with it when I pray for that.

Work is going well...sometimes it's really hard to work in this field (addictions) and to watch people not do well, but thank God that some make it. It's the rewards of the few who stay sober and go on to live wonderfully full lives that drown out the discouragement of the many who are unable to stay sober. It's so heart-moving to watch peoples lives change, to watch life spring up inside of them. It's even more precious to watch people come into the kingdom of God and watch the Holy Spirit make them into a new creation! That's what LIFE is about to me-planting seeds of truth about eternity and watching our Mighty God transform lives. God is in the business of transforming lives. He is like no other.

Alright, alright!

Back, by popular threat! (And chiding about how even someone in medical school is able to make time to blog more often than I am! LOL) I've missed you guys too, and although I don't have time for too many details, here’s a quick update of what I've been up too the last 6 months...

I met someone in November, and after the first of the year we really started getting to know each other. We spent so many nights on the phone, and we have months of handwritten letters from the other. Not only were we interested in each other, but we began to build an awesome friendship. He's a wonderful Christian man with a heart for ministry (and politics!) and service. He's kind, sensitive, and has a great sense of humor. Oh... and he puts up with me! :) I would post an adorable picture of him, but he'd probably kill me! I spent Valentine's Day with him in KY and had a wonderful time!!! But not too long after that, everything came to a screeching halt...

I can't go into details, and probably shouldn't here. But I do know one thing...either he is not the one OR now is not the time. The Lord made it abundantly clear to each of us that we shouldn't pursue anything more than a friendship right now. Since that long conversation with him a few months ago, I've never doubted that this is the Lord's will. Especially after I realized how much heavier of a class load I will have to take to graduate next May (YEAH!!!), I realized that I wouldn't be able to devote time to a courtship even if I wanted to. And I'm probably not as ready for one as I'd like to think I am. As always, the Lord has been showing me some things in my heart that need to change...emotional issues from past relationships, among other things, that I need to work through and get rid of. I don't want to carry that stuff into a marriage someday...that wouldn't be fair to my husband.

The last few months have been really hard. It was harder in the beginning, and even now, some days are harder than others. Probably the most frustrating, and even hurtful, part of it all is that the Lord is choosing to delay in revealing to me what His will is. Right now I honestly have no idea what the future holds with him or anyone else. I know that God is sovereign though, and that He knows better than I do what I need. I can only trust that if this man and I are not to be together, that God will change one or both of our hearts. And if we are, that He will deepen the way we feel about each other and sustain us through this time of waiting. I know that the Lord knows what I need in a husband and what he needs in a wife, and that may or may not be each other. No matter what my heart wants, deep down I really want what the Lord has for me. His plans have proven time and time again to be better than my own. Even though I don't always understand...I trust Him.

I am really grateful though for the way we can still talk, relate, and laugh together. The friendship and laughter we share is truly a gift from the Lord.

I've also been in summer school this summer, running myself ragged as usual between work and school. :) But I'm doing really well in school, and have somehow found the motivation to forth all possible effort. It feels good to be working up to my full potential, and I know it's more honoring to the Lord.

I'm flying out of Indy on Saturday to be a camp counselor at Zenith again this year in Oklahoma City, on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University. I can't wait!!! I look forward to Zenith every year...I think most of us who go end up falling in love with it! I'm also spending a night or two in Denver at the end of the week with Benny and Niki, and I'll fly home from Denver that Sunday. Benny was the youth minister several years ago at the church I grew up at. I got to have them as part of the ministry team at Southeastern, but I got more than that out of the deal. I got some great friends and a dear brother and sister in the Lord!

I'll have a report of Zenith 2006 when I return and take lots of pictures to post. Please pray for the hearts of all of the teenagers who will be on campus that week at camp. Pray that God would open their hearts and prepare them to hear the truth, and that He would strengthen the faith of those who already know Him. Please pray for the counselors and ministry staff, that the love of Christ would be seen in us and that we would be faithful in sharing the Gospel and planting seeds of truth.

The Downey Christmas!

The Downey Christmas was great, as usual, this year with lots of laugher, conversation, gift-opening, and eating! Can't forget the eating! I was a little sad though, because mom hurt her hip that morning and wasn't able to be there with us. Aunt Barbara kept joking about cutting out pictures of mom and pasting them in the pictures from this year. LOL And you know how women are...always wanting to know what gifts the other ones got. All the women wanted to take a vote to open mom's gift to see what she got and then have someone wrap it back up for dad to take home to her. Unfortunately, we were out voted because the men just didn't care and there were more of them. :)

We usually rotate whose house to have Christmas at, since the family is too big now to have it at grandpa's house. This year it was at my uncle Tom and aunt Carol's home up in northern Indiana. There are 11 grandchildren, me being the oldest. My cousin Adam is the second oldest and he and his girlfriend Jessica are engaged now, but everyone keeps razzin' them about setting a date. I'm happy for you guys! Here are some of the pictures from the day...

Grandpa and his five children (from left to right) Eric, Kim, Carol, dad, and Kevin

 

Grandpa (sportin' Purdue!), Adam, and Jessica

 

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Barbara, Michelle, Adam, and Jessica

 

The three brothers, who could hardly stop laughing long enough to take the picture...Eric, dad, and Kevin

 

Uncle Tom, Aunt Carol, and cousins Aaron, Gracie, and Katie

 

Uncle Eric, Aunt Jacquie, Adam, and Jessica

 

Uncle Bobbie (the jokester), Aunt Kim, Adam, and Jessica

 

Me, dad, and my sister Alice

 

And here are all of the grandkids, plus Jess

 

Some of you may rememer Papa (Wilbur), my mom's father who passed away in July. This was our first Christmas without him. I ran accross this picture the other day of him from a few Christmases ago and it brought a smile to my face. He had just got done opening a present and then stuck the bow on his head...Papa, we'll miss you!

 


And I had to post a picture of my roommate Samuel (we call him Sammy), posing by our Christmas tree. Although he really doesn't help much with the rent, he's my little bud! :)

 

To the Downey family:
If I haven't ever told you...I'm grateful for you. Grandpa I'm grateful for the example that you and grandma were and for the the family you raised. I miss her so much! To each of my aunts and uncles-thank you for staying together and for the families you've built on your own. You don't know how blessed I feel to be in a family that is committed to marriage and family, where everyone is still together. Mom and dad-thanks for your commitment to each other, even when things get tough and for your unconditional love, acceptance, and forgiveness. To Alice-thanks for being more than just a sister, but a good friend also. And to my cousins-as each of you grow up, I can't wait to get to know you more. We're the future of this family and I pray that we will always carry on the things our family has taught and given us. I pray that in 2006 we can be more of a family who loves God and who loves each other! I love you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!


Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
He's the One who will keep you on track.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)

Chapel

Hey everyone, I have been so busy with school and my new job, and I have fallen out of the loop. I have missed my blogging buddies...it's going to take me awhile to read and catch up with everyone! I pray that each of you had a good Christmas. To those of you I may have not talked to on Christmas, know that you were in my thoughts and prayers!

My job is going well! I'm so excited to be there, and I know it's where the Lord wants me right now. I can feel it deep down inside. I hired in there as a counselor tech, which is kind of like an assistant to the addictions counselors. But I knew from the first day I trained, that I was there for another purpose. Let me explain...

Before I turned in my two weeks notice at my previous job, I decided to train for a day at my new job to make sure it was what I wanted to do. In the middle of the day, my boss took me to me over to the women's facility to show me around. Not long after we got over there, she said, "Oh, chapel is getting ready to start. Why don't you sit in on it to get a feel for things." So, I sat in on chapel, which is roughly a half an hour, and it was lead by one of the cooks named Linda. She let the girls listen to two Christian songs, read a passage in the Bible, and spent the rest of the time sharing her experience with the girls. Some of the girls had questions and there was somewhat of a discussion.

At that moment, I knew. I said to myself, "God, are you doing something in my heart? This is why you have me here, isn't it?" On the way back to the main facility, I told my boss, "If Linda ever needs help with chapel, I'm extremely interested." I just wanted to throw that out there, but Linda seemed to have things going well. I talked to her later that week and told her how much I appreciated what she was doing. She is a humble lady and thanked me, and she said, "These people really need it. Anything that I can do to share it with them, I want to."

Then in late November, Linda put in her two-week notice and started looking for a new job. When our CEO asked her if she could still keep coming to do chapel with the guys and with the girls, she said that she would love to until she found a new job. But she did, the next week, and was unable to continue. So week after that, my boss asked me if I could lead chapel! I knew that was what God was calling me to do there, but I couldn't believe it was happening so soon! I was so excited that I would have more of an opportunity to share my faith with our clients and be able to plant seeds of truth into their lives! Praise God for His faithfulness! He is so faithful to place us exactly where He wants us. He has plans for us before we even know, and He never ceases to amaze me in revealing His will! When I applied for that job, I had no idea...

So, the next thing for me to do was to put together curriculum for chapel and have it approved by the clinical coordinator. So I was pretty anxious...I know that the enemy wants to sabotage any opportunity we have of sharing the truth with others and that it could come in the form of denying what I had given her to review. I tried to be careful in the things I chose to use for chapel, but still making sure that good seeds could be planted through them. I was almost sure that my boss would find something wrong with it...but for the two weeks work of curriculum I've given here...she said I was doing a really good job and that she had approved me use it all! Praise God!

Last Friday was my first day to do chapel at the women's facility. We had about 6 or 7 women of all different ages and backgrounds. I followed a little of what Linda had done, starting chapel with some music. I believe music can be so powerful, especially when it is about the Lord. I remember the first time I really listened to contemporary Christian music-I didn't even know that kind of music existed! I was good, just the kind of music I liked to listen to, and it really touched my heart and made me think about things. So I chose two different songs by Kutless. If you haven't heard Kutless, you definitely should. J Especially you youth ministers or those of you who like rock. They are so talented and they they are really godly men. I typed up the lyrics to both songs and after we had listened to each one, we discussed the lyrics. Like what they identified with, what they thought about them, what they meant to them, etc. I got such good feedback about the music, especially from the girls who like hard rock and alternative music. They wanted me to leave the CD there so they could listen to it over the weekend!

So many people that are in recovery and in 12-step programs have had bad experiences with church or professing Christians. For a lot of them, talking about God or church is a turnoff and they want nothing to do with it. So at first we talked about what hypocrites are. The actual definition means: pretender, fraud, fake, counterfeit, and deceiver. Many of them related that those words described them in active addiction, and that everyone has been hypocritical at one time or another. We also talked about some of the experiences they had with hypocrites within the church and how it had affected they're relationship with God and their desire to even seek Him. Then I chose a excerpt from Mark Cahill's book "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" about hypocrites and his conversation with someone about them. Here it is...

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"I was talking to a yuppie in a mall one day who had no faith in God but said his parents were committed followers of Jesus. He blamed all of the hypocrites for keeping him away from church. I asked him, 'If I walked up to you drinking a beer and smoking a joint, and shared Jesus with you, what would you think?'

'You'd be just another freak in the world,' he said.

'You're exactly right,' I said. 'That makes me 100-percent wrong, but that doesn't make God wrong at all."

I was trying to help him make the distinction between the actions of followers (or supposed followers) and God's character. I continued, 'There are hypocrites in the mall today, and it didn't stop you from coming to the mall. There will be hypocrites at the restaurant tonight when you and your girlfriend go out to eat, and it won't stop you from going there. So why in the world would you let hypocrites stop you from finding out about the one true God who loves you unconditionally and wants to forgive all of your sins?'

He liked the answer so much that when his girlfriend walked up, he had me repeat the entire answer for her!" (p. 166)
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It was perfect. I could see some of their wheels turning. One girl said, "Wow, I've never really looked at it that way before."

I shared with them a conversation I had with a girl at school one day who had told me that she had had some really weird and negative experiences with people her family knew from church. I asked her, “When you die, and you will someday, and you have to stand before God, are going to be able to point to those people and say ‘But look what they did.’” She hesitated, but then said "No." She knew, deep down, that what those other people had done had absolutely nothing to do with her being right with God on the day she died.

One of the girls who was sitting right next to me had that look on her face, the one that is somewhat in awe and shouts, “I’m really going to have to think about that for awhile.” She said "Wow! That is really deep!" And it was-I pray that she thought about it that night when her head hit the pillow.

The second week, I picked some songs by Jeremy Camp, who is also an amazing and talented man of God, which they really seemed to like too, and we read half of chapter 3 in Mark Cahill's latest book "One Heartbeat Away: Your Journey into Eternity." It is geared toward people who are seeking and want to know answers. He does a really good job addressing questions logically, realistically, and with truth and love. He also does really well at presenting both sides and really looking at the evidence. He tells the reader, "Don't believe me until you look at the following evidence. Then decide for yourself, one way or the other." The particular chapter we read dealt with other beliefs and religions, and what evidence there is that the Bible stands alone in it's supernatural origin and in it's historical, scientific, and archeological evidence and accuracy (both books are available at www.markcahill.org). The girls took turns reading, and several of them were extremely interested and couldn't wait to read the next part of the chapter next week. It sparked a few questions and a really good discussion. All people really have it deep in their logic and in their conscience to want to seek out truth. These girls are thirsty for it. Our God is so good!

Please pray for me, that God would help me to be a godly witness to those guys and girls, and that he would continue to lead me in providing material that can be used for His glory to further His kingdom. Isn't that what it's all about? Isn't that what's really most important? And please pray for their hearts, that they would be open to receive the truth. I care so much about where each one of them spends eternity.

God, help me to be bold and proclaim the truth, but let my words and actions be bound with love and compassion!

The traveler comes to Indy

There is a guy, who is currently attempting to travel to all 50 states to meet people, experience America, and grow in his faith. His name is Luke, and although I don't know him very well, I almost feel like I do because I've read his blog a little, and I've read alot about him on his brother Adam's blog. In early November, he was in Indy, and a friend of ours, Angi, called me to let me know he was here. We went out to eat at a great little hole in the wall with the best pizza around, and we had a great time. When we were eating dinner, we were all just trying to get to know each other, and based on the questions I was asking, he informed me that I'm really up on my Copeland family trivia. :) Luke is the bearded one. Here are some pics from the weekend.


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And us having a little more fun...


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Check out his journey through the states at http://www.lukecopeland.blogspot.com.

And then later that evening, my little sister and I went to my friend Kelly's house to have a video game night. I'm a little ole school-I like Super Nintendo. I used to be pretty good, so I was anxious to see if I still had it. :) And I found out...I do! Now we can't stop playing. I stopped by mom and dads the other night around 10:30 or 11:00 pm and started playing with Alice. Got so sucked into it that I didn't leave until 2am!!!! I never have time for stuff like that, so it's nice when I get the time. Here is a pic of me and Alice playing...


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And us being the loving sisters we are...


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Can you feel the love?

Gratitude

You know, sometimes we go through things and seasons in our lives when we struggle, hurt, or are afraid. Sometimes it's hard for me to trust the unseen, when all along I know God is whispering "Child, trust me." My prayer is that no matter what I'm going through, good or bad, I want to bless the Lord and honor Him through that circumstance. I may not always have what I want, but I always have what I need. And while I may have earthly needs, my eternal needs have already been met through Jesus Christ. As I was riding home tonight, I slipped my Nichole Nordeman CD into the CD player and began to sing. I listened to a song called "Gratitude" tonight that I've heard many times before...but tonight it spoke to me. I pray that it would be a blessing to you too-the words are so powerful.

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Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If you never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up
And warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace.

But Jesus, would you please...
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Wow...I want to be there spiritually. If I lost everything, and I mean everything in this world I had, how would I respond? Have you ever thought about that? I would hope that I would cling to Jesus more than ever before. Where else would I go? God, help me to trust like that.

Last Day

Well, it's been a long time coming, but today was my last day at work. I start my new job on Monday. Since I transferred back home in 01, I've been working with people who have developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. I've worked as a direct care staff, in their homes, and have been a team leader for the last 2 years. The last year has been especially stressful. I've had to deal with repeated sexual harassment at work from clients, staffing and co-worker issues, and the last client I worked with was just emotionally exhausting and demanding. There are so many rewards too! Like watching the excitement in someone's eyes when you've just taught them something new and they understand...or the smile on their face when you're out doing something with them that they enjoy...or when the tell you they're going to miss you!

Lord knows, with my busy schedule, I haven't had time to look for a job. Even just the thought of it overwhelmed me. So, the Lord dropped one in my lap! I'm going to be a counselor tech at a treatment center in Franklin, IN. I'm still plugging away at my BS in Psychology, with a concentration in Addictions. I only have a few more semesters until I graduate. This will definitely help me to find out if addictions counseling in really what I want to do!

But what does God want me to do? That's what I've been struggling with. I feel prepared somewhat already for the field of addictions because of school and my own recovery, but I also have developed such a passion for health. But my passion for Jesus Christ and for serving Him and furthering His kingdom supercedes all of it. Is there really anything more important than where you or I will spend eternity?

So, as I was somewhat sad to leave today, I have so many rewarding memories to cherish and take with me. And I'm so excited about my new job! I can't wait to see where God takes me in this new transition!

Opportunities

Early last week, after I got out of class, I was walking across campus. I was in a slight hurry, since I needed to go straight to work. But as I was walking, I was stopped by someone who was trying to talk to people, and he had a book in his hand. He said he wanted to talk to me about some things I could do to destress and relax. Then he opened the book and pointed to something about yoga. I glanced at the cover and said "Is that the Gita? Does that have to do with Hinduism?" He said "Yes, but it's only for open-minded people. Are you open minded or closed minded?" Panicked at the question and in a hurry, I said without thinking, "If it's that, I'm closed minded." I began to walk off, when I heard him say to me again, "It's only for open-minded people."

I thought about the conversation all the way to my car, a little shaken at how it had gone. I was quite angry at myself for answering him that way and then walking off. I was also angry that Satan had me right where he wanted me-taken off guard, out of my comfort zone, and in a hurry! What an opportunity that could have been to plant seeds with that guy. Using his line of thinking, if I would have been cordial and listened to what he had to say, I could have asked him questions about eternity and maybe even shared MY faith. "After all", I could have said, "it's only for open-minded people." Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in pushing what I believe on anyone. I think if your going to shove your beliefs down someone's throat, the best thing to do is to keep your mouth shut. You'll do more harm than you'll ever do good. But as believers, we are called to be witnesses, with the way we live, love, and share our faith. Alot of times, the best seeds that are planted with others are in conversations where we simply ask them questions and really get them to think about eternity and why they believe what they believe. God said He's put eternity in the hearts of men. They'll think about it when their head hits the pillow at night, if we've engaged in a good conversation with them and forced them to do some searching. And so I ask myself..."What Sarah Downey, are you willing to do for the kingdom of God today? Are you willing to take the opportunities laid before you? Are you willing to get uncomfortable for the one who was mocked, rejected, and killed for you? Are you willing to have the courage to speak and compassion for the eternity of others today?" All that is in me cries out "Yes Lord!" But my actions displayed a very different attitude. So I asked God to forgive me and for more opportunities...

Later on last week, I was debating in the morning whether to where this new T-shirt I got. It has a set of handcuffs on the front and says "Arrest me. I prayed in school today." I loved it when I first got it, especially with all of the court cases we hear about prayer in school, wanting to change the pledge of allegiance, etc. But I hadn't worn it yet, and I finally asked myself "why?" Maybe I was scared I'd get some strange looks, or that others wouldn't take it the way it was meant, etc. "Who cares?" I finally said to myself. I decided to wear it.

I've been going to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship prayer meetings on Wednesdays and have been blessed by it. Our campus minister, John, is great, and I can really tell he loves the Lord. The main focus for Intervarsity is to be a witness for Christ on campus-which I love. While we were having a discussion, John started talking about a guy he'd been witnessing to on campus, whom he had talked to several times. The last time they talked, the guy told John, "I understand what you're saying...I just can't accept or believe that God would be that loving and forgiving." Wow! This guy was starting to think about the unexplainable love of God that our finite minds can't understand. I felt lead to share some of my experiences and some of the questions I ask people when I'm trying to witness to them. Like, "What do you think happens when we die? What do you believe? How do you know that to be true? Where do you get your information?" It's amazing to me how many people believe so many things, but have no idea where they got those ideas and what the basis is for them. Just because we believe something, doesn't necessarily mean that it's true. It's amazing that people stake their eternity on beliefs that they don't even know to be true or how they got them! I know, I was one of those people. The most important thing to do when in a conversation with people is listen, listen, listen. Too often, we don't want to hear, we just want to speak. That's why I was so upset at a myself for walking away for the opportunity with that guy.

Anyway, Intervarsity went great, as usual. And as I was leaving, I asked John, "Have you ever heard of Mark Cahill?" He said, "You know, that name sounds familiar." I said, "He wrote a book called One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven." And then He said, "Yeah! You know what, a good buddy of mine just gave me that book!" We serve an awesome God, don't we? For some reason, I felt really prompted to ask him about it and here he has a friend who felt prompted to give him a copy! I told him about how powerful and biblical it was and how I've witnessed to more people since I've read it then I have during the entire time of being a believer. I encouraged him to read it, and he sounded very interested and said he would. (www.markcahill.org) Then he thanked me for all that I've brought to the group and hoped I would keep coming. I think he meant all that God had brought to the group through me. :)

Later that day, I'm sitting in an advising appointment with my advisor. We're good friends too-I did research with her when I worked in the department last fall. We were talking about how people have different concepts of God or spiritual beliefs and she made the comment, "People in church are SO judgmental!" I stopped, and said, "I'm so sorry that you've had that experience. I know others have had that experience too, and it really saddens me. If people in the church were really living the way they say they believe, they wouldn't be that way." I didn't really think it was the right time to say much else, since she seemed a little anti-church, but hopefully a seed was planted. She thought for a second and then said, "Yes...right!"

Then I went upstairs to turn in an application to request my senior audit. There were two young women behind the counter in the Dean's office, and the first question out one of their mouths was, "What does your shirt say?" I told them, and then beginning to get a little nervous I said, "It's a joke. You know it's a crime to pray in school these days!" They agreed and both started talking about how they couldn't believe how things had changed, even since they were young. One of the girls asked me if I'd read the e-mail that had the response of Ann Graham Lotz when she was asked where her God was on 9/11. I said I did and it was so powerful. If you haven't read it-find it. Read it. Wow! Anyway, then she started talking about all of the hurricanes, earthquakes, and the tsunami, and how she didn't believe it was all a coincidence. All of the sudden, I remembered that I had some gospel tracts that talked a little bit about that. So I got one out of my purse and handed it to one of the girls and told her it had to do with what we were talking about. She said "thanks!" and the other girl asked me if she could have one too! I said "Of course!" I thanked them for the conversation, and when I left, they were both reading them. The conversation probably wouldn't have even started if they hadn't have asked me about my shirt...no wonder the enemy had me doubting!

Let me say quickly about tracts-I was never really big on them, until I heard testimonies of God using them to plant seeds with people and to bring people to know him through them. Like the story of the girl who found one that someone had slid into her 24 pack of beer that she bought from the grocery store. She was at the end of her rope, suicidal, and kept reading the tract for 3 days before giving her life to the Lord! I know some people may not be as optimistic about tracts, but the Lord really showed me that the gospel on paper is better than no gospel at all! I used to think it was as little weird for people to pass out tracts, and the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "At least they're doing something for my kingdom! At least they're trying, Sarah. Are you?" Can God use a measly piece of paper with a message of the gospel on it? Absolutely! The best tracts I've found don't look like tracts at all! They're at www.livingwaters.com and they're sold at cost. I usually leave them places where people may pick them up and read them...like at pay phones, in bathrooms, stuck in books, magazines, and newspapers, grocery carts, etc. I get so scared sometimes that people will react badly and alot of times I don't get in that conversation and I don't hand out that tract. But in my heart of hearts, I care about where others spend eternity. That's only something that came after I repented and surrendered my own life, after I was able to see what sin had blinded me to for so long. So, God answered my prayer last week. He brought so many other opportunities, and I pray that I responded in a way that was honoring to Him. It's the least I can do. I can never do enough...I'm so grateful for His grace and mercy on a sinner like me.

The day I've been dreading for years...has come.

I've been thinking about it, praying about it, and trying to somewhat prepare for it for several years...but we're never really prepared for loss. Yesterday morning I had to put Katie to sleep. I still can't believe it-it's all so surreal. I've been somewhat avoiding going home since then so that I don't have to look at her stuff. She's had congestive heart failure for several years, but it's been controlled quite well by medicine. With congestive heart failure, fluid accumulates around the heart and lungs, making it hard to breathe. The last several weeks I noticed that she had some labored breathing, but other than that she seemed to be fine. But Thursday night when I got home, she was breathing so hard that it sounded like a cross between a weeze and a cough everytime she breathed out. I laid some bedding on the floor so that I could sleep next to her and hold her, but she wouldn't lay down! It was starting to bother me until I realized why...when she laid down, it was even harder for her to breathe! I just burst into tears. I knew that now she was really struggling and that it was time. I called my best friend Kelly (at about 1 or 2 am), and she was over in about 10 minutes. Thank God for her! We cried together. We prayed together. I was seriously contemplating taking her to the 24 hour vet at the airport and putting her to sleep then. I felt so terrible that she couldn't even go to sleep because she couldn't hardly breathe! But Kelly and I watched her for a while, and her breathing got a little better...enough to where she was napping. She loves the dining room-I don't know why, but she has always preferred to hang out and sleep in dining rooms. (Mom says it's because when she was young we always kept her in the kitchen. Who knows.) :) So we call her dining room girl! She wanted to nap in the dining room so I slept out on the couch so I could somewhat watch her. I went into work at 8am yesterday, and found someone to come in for me around 10am. As soon as I left, I got her an appointment in at 11:15, and ran home to spend every last moment I could with her. She ate some Frosty Paws (for those of you who may not know...it's doggy ice cream!) and I just held her and wept. My mom and Kelly both came over and we rode to the animal hospital together. Friday is the only day that both of them are available during the day. Thank God-He knows that there is no way I could have gone through that alone! I was able to say goodbye, and to hold her and they put her to sleep. I felt her pounding heart slow down, and stop beating. I was right there with her, telling her how much I loved her...I wouldn't have it any other way. And so while I'm in so much emotional pain-it's almost unbearable, my prayer has just been for God to get me through each day, thanking Him for the gift of Katie, and for Him to help me to honor and glorify him in how I handle and surrender the pain. She will be missed so much! 17 is an old age, and I couldn't have asked God for more of a long life for her! We grew up together. We were close. We had history.

I'm so grateful for my little Sam. He's about a year old now. When I woke up this morning, he was purring in my ear as usual and he lounged on my pillow and licked my face with his sandpaper tongue to let me know he loves me. I love the unconditional love that animals bring to us-on a very small scale it reminds me of the unconditional love that God has for us through His Son as believers. There is nothing we could do that could ever separate us from that love. Not matter what happened or what I did...my Katie was always there wagging her tail, following me, watching me, comforting me, loving me. She had that love. Unconditional. She was my little companion! What a feeling to be loved unconditionally, especially by the God of this universe! Praise God for His unconditional love and for the way he demonstrates love to us, even though the unexpected, like the love of a faithful pet!

Vibe, anyone?

Okay, so 3 weeks ago, I had a rental car for almost a week while my car was getting some body work done (A girl backed into me at work-minor though). The rental car was an 05 Pontiac Vibe. Now mind you, I had been playing around with the idea of leasing a new Civic (I have a 97 Civic) sometime within the next year or so. I'd prayed about it, and I really didn't need a new car-mine is fine. So, when I rented this Vibe, it wasn't no time before I began to fall in love! By the end of the week, I had definitely decided that instead of a new Civic, whenever I did get a new car-it would be a Vibe!

That was three weeks ago. About a week later, my dad tells me that a guy he works with is interested in buying my car! (My dad sometimes talks alot, and I'm sure he told the guy I was going to look for a new car). So, I took it over to him, and he test drove it and looked at it. He liked it and told me he was going to go to the bank and talk to them about it! I was a little excited until it hit me-I had to find another vehicle!!! So, I began the exhausting search of finding the right car, with the right amount of miles, that was the right color, the right year, and the RIGHT PRICE! 4 times in that week, I contacted someone about a car who told me "We just sold it yesterday" or "It just drove off the lot."

So, finally I found one in NewCastle, which is about 50 or 60 miles east of Indy. I drove out and looked at it, test drove it, and loved it! I got a carfax report and everything came out fine! I went to the credit union and was approved for a loan with great low monthly payments! The entire time, I'm praying, "God, I surrender this situation to you. You know what I need, not I. I'm grateful for the transportation I have-please show me what I should or shouldn't do. If this is not your will, please prevent it. Thy will, not mine be done." I couldn't believe things were happening so fast when I wasn't even planning on it right now! So last Friday at 5pm, 2 weeks after I turned in my rental car, I drove off the lot in my own 03 black Pontiac Vibe!!! I was so excited, until...

Friday 6:00pm-No horn. Airbag light on.

Saturday 3:30pm-Car overheats and I'm stranded.

Saturday 4:00pm-Notice antifreeze spewed all inside the hood.

Saturday 4:15pm-Locked myself out of the car. $45 bill.

Saturday 4:30pm-Fan on engine coolant system not working.

Saturday 9:30pm-Noticed no taillights or inside module lights.

Saturday 1:55pm-Air conditioner stops working.

Sunday 2:00pm-Overheats. Stranded again.

Monday 8am-Water pours onto my left thigh...while driving! Leak!

Monday 8:15am-Drop off at my mechanic's.

Monday 9am-Called Attorney General-not covered under Lemon Law.

Monday 11am-Talked to dealer.Said he would make it right.Thank God!

Monday 3pm-The wiring needs to be completely redone.

Monday 5pm-Waiting for authorization from dealer to get work done.

Tuesday all day-Still waiting...

Wednesday 9am-Authorized. Mechanic begins work.

Wednesday 5pm-Still not done...

Thursday 9am-Car is done, but needs more work. Take elsewhere.

Thursday 10am-Get authorization from dealer to have more work done.

Thursday 12noon-Found remaining problems, will be done at 4pm.

Thursday 3:30pm-Need a part not in stock. Needs to special order.

Thursday 4pm-Part will come in at noon tomorrow. Left car overnight.

Friday 8:30am-Picked up car & took to NewCastle to fix leak.

Friday 12:45pm-Returned to mechanics to finish work.

Friday 1:15 pm-Drove new car home!!! Finally!!!

Friday 4:15pm-Leak not fixed!



Meanwhile, the guy who wanted to buy my Honda has decided he's not sure (my parents were going to buy it for my little sister anyway if he didn't), so I've had it all week to drive while my new car has been elsewhere!

Two morals to the story:

Our God is faithful! He provided so much for me this week! I had my Honda to drive, and the guy I bought the car from has been so willing to make sure things are working right! I've been so upset about things all week until on Thursday I finally realized that it was all just because things weren't going my way-I wasn't getting what I wanted when I thought I should have got it! That's it! So even though things definitely didn't go as I planned this week, God was still in control and provided for my every need and much more!

And the hurricanes and those devastated by them have left me quite humble this week. Even after Katrina, when they started really talking about Rita and evacuating the Gulf in Texas, I began to see things differently. Here I've been whining about my car all week, and people are fleeing their homes for their lives! If car trouble is the biggest problem I've had this week...I think I've got it pretty good. Thank God I have a car! I pray that I would use it, and all the countless other gifts that God has given me, for one purpose-for His glory.

I'll post a pic of my new black beauty when I get some...

Vibe, anyone?

Bump, Set...Spike!

I just got back from camping all weekend, and what a blast! Those of you who know me know that I love camping and most sports! We were at Lincoln State Park in Lincoln City IN (way down by Jasper), and the park was beautiful. God's creation is always beautiful! Although I wouldn't call this REAL camping-we slept in cabins. None the less, I was with tons of friends and we had a blast! I must say that one of the things I look forward to most when I camp is being able to play some volleyball. I get way too psyched about it and I finally figured out why this weekend-I only get to play two or three times a year, so I soak up all I can! One of the regrets I have was that I didn't pursue playing in high school. I let way too many girls initimidate me. I was also a softball junkie in high school, and devoted most of my to pitching. I still love softball too, but nothings like playing fast pitch...something that's just not available for recreation.

I went camping in late July/early August of this year, and we spent three or four hours playing volleyball on that Saturday...I was so sore the next morning I could hardly move-but it was worth every bit of it! It was at that campout that I realized something had changed...I was shocked to find out how much weight-lifting had improved my serve! I think I'll keep lifting! So anyway, I woke up this morning as usual the day after a good hard day of volleyball-SORE! But I'm excited because the light bulb went off...I can join a league in Indy! So sometime soon, I'll be looking into that! How fun!

Some pics...finally

I finally figured how to post pictures. This is me and my adorable beagle-look-alike Katie (for those of you who don't know, she was a birthday present to me for my 8th birthday, and she is now 17!) She poses so well, doesn't she?




This is her and I again. Please disreguard the bedding-I went through a flower/frog phase a while back...just glad it's over!




This is me and Niki Nowell, the wife of our former youth minister who is now in Colorado. I think this pic is from one of the first years I counseled at camp Zenith in Oklahoma. Miss you guys!




And finally, this is me and our former pulpit minister and his wife, who are now in Tulsa. Miss you guys too!