What I miss about Colorado

One of the things that I miss most about Colorado is my dog, Doodle Bug:



What has God been teaching me?

Well, God is infinite. I will never reach a limit of His amazing teachings because they have no end.

I've just been reading Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the entire Bible, and I realized that it is entirely about God's laws and what they are to some random people in King David's time. In the midst of hard struggles, these people have seen God's word and laws as "a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path"-Psalm 119:105. They describe how their entire life has been devoted to keeping His commands, and when they have been searching for the 'meaning of life', they have returned back to God's promises. They realize that God's commandments are meant to bring joy and everlasting fulfillment into their lives. They aren't to strictly limit our lives so that we don't have fun.

Examples:

"This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments." -Psalm 119:56

"I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws." -Psalm 119:59
"O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me your decrees." -Psalm 119:64

"My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees." -Psalm 119:71

"You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands." -Psalm 119:73

"May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word." -Psalm 119:74

"All your commands are trustworthy." -Psalm 119:86

"Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans." -Psalm 119:91

"I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life." -Psalm 119:93

"Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit." -Psalm 119:96

"Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart's delight." -Psalm 119:111

"You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope." -Psalm 119:114

"Truly, I love your commnads more than gold, even the finest gold." -Psalm 119:127

"Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil." -Psalm 119:133

"Your laws are prefect and completely trustworthy." -Psalm 119:138

"Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live." -Psalm 119:144

"The very essence of your word is truth; all of your just regulations will stand forever." -Psalm 119:60

"I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure." -Psalm 119:162

"Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble." -Psalm 119:165

"Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me." -Psalm 119:175

Phew, that is alot of verses! But to me, that shows me how important His commands are. We need to be taking delight in following His commandments and instructions becuase He gave them to us so that we might LIVE!!

But God didn't just give us a strict set of rules to follow, He gave us His Son, Jesus.

How exciting it is that we may have life through Him!

So, now, an update on what life in Costa Rica is like:

Saturday Futbol Tournaments

And some fun with the children in our backyard:

Week trips to Panama!

And giant starfish, some with 6 legs:

And random inspirational moments seen on the lawn:

Funny moments with children:

Girl's night out to the Mall San Pedro:

And group outings to the Lone Star Restaurant in Coronado, Costa Rica:

It's been really fun with lots of photography opportunities, so here's a sampling of my photography:

The First Post in 6 Years...

So it's been 6 years since the last time I posted something.

But that doesn't stop me from beginning again.

So here it is:

The My Life In a Nut Shell (Susie 101) Blog,

and

The Ultimate Costa Rican Portantorchas Bible School  Blog,

Written by Susie Bissett.

I have an AMAZING, magnifico familia.

There's Mom:

Her name is Linda. She is the most beautiful, fun loving, relaxed, caring and magnificent mother, and I love her with unbelievable amounts of love.

There's Pops:

He's Bruce. He's the smartest, most talented, most wonderful, most enjoyable, most awesomest Daddy ever whom I love with an indescribable amount of love.

There's my brother:

His name is Ben. He is the funniest, laid back, coolest, best hockey player, best skateboarding brother anyone could ever wish for and I love him more than he even knows.

There's the other two dogs:

Doodle Bug:

  And Zoe:

They are the craziest, most adorable little pooches there are out there.

So that's my family.

We are Christians:

We believe that God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ to the earth to serve and to die on the cross for the sins of the world. We believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead 3 days later. We believe that He healed the sick, gave life the to dead, made the blind see, and we believe that He forgives sins. We believe that Jesus Christ is one in the Father. We believe that to know Jesus Christ is to know the Father. We believe that there is only one way to enjoy eternal life with the most beautiful sacrificial lamb and the most sovereign, merciful God. We believe you must accept that Jesus is God, you must ask the Holy Spirit (who is also God) to come into your life and you must accept the unconditional love of an all-powerful Father. That is it. No "good deeds", no "reaching a certain level of perfection"; Just acceptance of the most captivating, glamorous, free gift ever to be offered in the history of creation.

That is what we believe.

That is also why I go to a Bible College called Portantorchas.

I spent last semester in San Jose, Costa Rica as well, and God changed my heart and brought me to a deeper understanding of His love, His grace and what it means to have Faith.

Here are some pictures from last semester to catch you up on what has happened so far:

I made some awesome new friends: Damian, Amy, and Krista.

I milked a Costa Rican goat, or cabra.

We had Club Biblico for the neighborhood kids. This kid's name is Kivan.

I went to Santa Teresa beach with Rachel and Amy. B-e-a-utiful.

Then we went to Arenal Volcano.

We also had a ministry for the teenage girls of the neigborhood to come and have a devotional and play games. This is Katy Spence playing "Un-tie the Knot" with some of the girls.

And in October we went to Panama for a week. We saw dolphins, gigantic star fish, and swam in the warmest waters I've ever been in. 

Oh, and laid around in some hammocks on the beaches of Panama!

I shared some priceless moments with my small group girls: Becca, an amazing small group leader, Rachel, and Adri.

Then I went white water rafting on the Pacuare River with Kara Bentley's family. What a blast!

And then we visited a beach named Punta Leona with Kara's family. I saw some amazing sunsets while down there.

And at the end of the semester we all dressed up for graduation. Here I am with my family group: Katja, Kara, Me, Katy, Krista, Tobyn, and our awesome parents Tom and Sara!

So that is the update on the last 6 months of my life.

I am excited to see transformations in my heart this semester. I am excited to trust my future to God. I am excited to get to know Jesus better as my friend and as my Lord. I am excited to live the life God gave me.

The first Bible verse I am sharing with you all has been my favorite verse since I first went to Christian Camp 10 years ago. My dad gave this verse to me when I was going to camp because I was nervous about leaving home for 2 days. But now look what God has done with my life. I am in college more than 2,500 miles away from home, in a different country, emerged in a different language. And yet, this verse still applies, and I still use it. When I am anxious, I remember that God has promised those who have faith in Him that He will deliver them since Adam and Eve. He brought the Israelites out of Egypt and into the Promised Land of Canan. He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He gave Esther the authority to save the entire Jewish race from king Ahasuerus and Haman. And then He sent His very own Son, part of Himself, to hang on a cross with his body weight hanging from nails driven through the center of both hands and both feet. To save us, we who belive in Him, we unrighteous sinners, from a Hell that we so rightly deserve. 

So if He did all that, for ME, why should I not trust Him with my future? Why should I not trust Him with my relationships? Why should I not trust Him with my schooling? Why should I not trust Him with my life?

The answer is simple:

I have no reason not to trust Him.

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, and I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

Follow-Up For New Christians

"So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God--all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God" (Romans 5:11).

You have just helped someone become a new Christian, or have been given the responsibility to do the follow-up of a new Christian . . . so now what do you do?

First of all, you can be excited about this opportunity. Second, you need to be serious about this responsibility. Read Romans 5:11 again. You have the privilege of helping someone grow in his or her new relationship with your friends Jesus Christ. Here are some ways you can help a new Christian and Jesus grow closer. Remember, we all need FRIENDS:

Follow up with your new Christian friend by getting together regularly.
Get together within 48 hours after your friend receives Christ, and at least once a week during the next six weeks (Matthew 28:20).

Reinforce what Christ has done in your friend's life.
Do this by lookin at Scriptures that affirm God's commitment to Christians (John 14:20; Hebrews 13:5; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 5:13; Galations 5:25).

Involve your friend in a Bible-teaching church and/or youth group.
Take your friend with you and help answer any of his or her questions (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Exhibit Christ in you life through your actions and words.
You don't have to be perfect, just someone who wants to obey and please God (Colossians 3:17).

Nurture your friend's spiritual growth.
A new Christian is like a newborn baby who needs spiritual food and care (1 Peter 2:2-3).

Do things together.
Spending time together will give you opportunities to encourage your friend and put you faith into practice (acts 14:21-22).

Stand by your friend in both the good and bad times.
Your friend will fall down spiritually. Get ready to help im or her to get up and go again (Ephesians 4:11-16).

You have recently trusted Jesus Christ to be your Savior . . . so now what do you do?

Firts of all, you must know that through Christ you have become friends with God. Read Romans 5:11. Remember:

• You realized that your sin was keeping you from a relationship with God;
• You understood that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin and that he rose again from the dead;
• You prayed, asking Jesus to forgive your sins and be your Savior.

Next, please understand that you have begun an exciting and lasting friendship. As in any relationship, getting to know someone takes time--it doesn't just happen by itself.

You can grow closer to God just like you crow closer to people. God created you to have a relationship with him, to be his very own son or daughter. Now that you're his child and friend, he will patiently help you get to know him better and better.

Here are some ideas you can use to help you and God become close friends. Remember, all it takes is TIME:

Talk to God through prayer. Talk to God as if you were talking to a friend.

Investigate God's Word. Decide on a time and place to read your Bible each day.

Make it practical. One of the best ways to lear is by doing.

Express your thoughts. You know how important it is to show apreciation to a friend. As you finish your faily time with God, tell him thank you. Try to keep a personal journal. Simply write down your thoughts, your questions, and, most important of all, why you're thankful to God!

Taken from the Student's Life Application BIBLE - NLT, published by TYNDALE

Powerful Verses

AIDS

• Leviticus 18:22
• Proverbs 2:16-19
• Romans 1:26-32

Anger

• Numbers 22:29
• Proverbs 12:16
• Matthew 5:21-26
• John 2:14-16
• James 3:5-6
• Numbers 19
• Numbers 25:10-11
• 1 Samuel 11:6

Approval

• Matthew 10:32-33
• John 8:54-59
• John 12:37-43
• Joshua 23:12-16
• Psalm 97:10

Attitudes

• Judges 17:2-6
• 2 Samuel 1:1-12
• 1 John 2:14-17

Authority

• Proverbs 21:1
• Matthew 3:17
• Acts 4:7-12

Balanced Life

• Luke 2:40, 52
• Luke 10:30-37
• Romans 6:12-14
• Colossians 3:9-17

Believing In God

• John 20:24-31
• 2 Corinthians 5:7
• 1 Peter 1:8
• Romans 1:18-20
• 1 John 2:18-19

Boredom

• 1 Samuel 17-32-53
• Romans 6:4-11
• 2 Corinthians 5:17

Caring For Others

• John 11:32-44
• Acts 20:21-38
• Romans 1:6-9
• 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Choices

• Genesis 3:1-11
• Joshua 24:15-28
• Deuteronomy 30:15-20
• Matthew 13:47-52

Clothing

• Matthew 6:25-34
• Matthew 22:11-12
• 1 Peter 3:1-5

Communication

• Proverbs 10:19-20
• Proverbs 11:13
• Luke 6:49

Comparisons

• Matthew 12:41-42
• Matthew 18:1-6
• Galations 6:4
• 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
• Philippians 2:5-11

Compassion

• Mark 3:3-5
• Mark 5:41-42
• Luke 10:30-37
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
• 1 Samuel 30:11-15

Confession

• Psalm 32:6
• Psalm 66:16-20
• 1 John 1:8-10

Dating

• Proverbs 7:6-21
• Amos 3:3
• 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
• Ephesians 5:19
• Philippians 4:13

Decisions

• Matthew 10:34-39
• Matthew 12:30
• Hebrews 11:13-16
• James 1:5

Depression

• Proverbs 15:13
• Prverbs 17:22
• Isaiah 1:18
• Ezekiel 36:25
• John 16:33

Doubts

• James 1:5-8

Eternal Life

• Proverbs 11:30
• Matthew 7:13-14
• John 3:16
• Ephesians 2:8-9
• Revelation 3:5

Evolution

• Genesis 1:1-31
• Genesis 5:1-2
• Psalm 8:4-5
• Psalm 33:4-11
• Isaiah 42:5
• Colossians 2:8
• Galatians 6:7

Faith

• Matthew 8:5-13
• Matthew 9:18-26
• Luke 17:6
• Romans 4:3-5

Fear

• Genesis 15:1
• Deuteronomy 1:19-26
• Proverbs 29:25
• Luke 21:25-28
• Acts 5:17-29
• Isaiah 41:10

Forgiveness

• Matthew 18:21-35
• Hebrews 9:22
• 1 John 1:8-9

Leadership

• Jeremiah 17:7-8
• Matthew 20:26-28
• Matthew 12:18-21
• Titus 1:7

Love

• Matthew 5:38-42
• Matthew 5:43-48
• Matthew 23:37-39
• Romans 8:35-36
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
• 1 Corinthians 13:13
• 2 Samuel 13:14-15
• Luke 6:27
• John 13:35
• 1 Corinthians 23:4-7
• 1 John 2:9-11

Peace

• 1 Corinthians 1:3

Persistance

• Exodus 32:1-14
• Matthew 13:21
• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Popularity

• Matthew 10:32-33
• 1 John 2:15-17

Prayer

• Psalm 3:4-5
• Matthew 21:21-22
• Exodus 32:9-14
• 1 Samuel 28:15
• 2 Kings 2:9
• 2 Kings 19:1
• 2 Kings 19:15-19
• Isaiah 37:8-10
• Isaiah 38: 1-5
• Daniel 9:3-19
• Mark 11:24
• Colossians 1:9-14

Problems

• Deutoronomy 29:29
• Psalm 3

Purity

• Psalm 119:1-20
• Matthew 5:27-30
• Philippians 3:7-11

Salvation

• Matthew 8:18-22
• Romans 3:8
• Romans 8:38-39
• Romans 10:9-10
• Philippians 3:4-11

Serving others

• Matthew 8:14-15
• Matthew 20:28
• Philippians 2:5-8

Witnessing

• Jonah 3:1-10
• Matthew 5:14-16
• Matthew 9:9-13
• John 15:27
• Acts 1:8
• 1 Corinthians 9:22
• 2 Timothy 4:8

Taken from the Student's Life Application BIBLE - NLT, published by TYNDALE

What is a Contagious Christian?

A Contagious Christian is somebody who lives for Jesus and will share their knowledge of Him to anybody who will listen, or simply letting God's light shine through them. You can share Jesus with anybody by telling them your testimony, telling them a few Bible verses, or answering any questions that they might have for you. Letting God's light shine through you is as easy as smiling at a stranger on the street, volunteering to do manual labor, loving your neighbor, loving yourself, and loving God.