Each and every day I am just so amazed by how incredible our God is! We learned this week about the Character and Nature of God, and in that we learned so much insightful information and if I was to write all of it here, the post would be more than 10 pages! So I will just share with you the things that stood out to me most:)

The first chapters of Genesis and how God is uncreated and he is the creator. I marvel at how he spoke and things came into existence. The fact that he was and is and has never changed and never will. The whole concept of God to me is unfathomable, something I cannot grasp. Our God is the first and greatest scientist, he made light! There is a million questions running through my mind of how is this or that possible? But I think it's good to have unanswered questions, in fact there has to be a little mystery, or else there would be no faith. I have faith that God is everything he says he is even if I can't wrap my mind around all the little details. God is God, the creator of the whole universe! 

He is such a selfless God as well. He had the Holy Spirit and Jesus, he was not lonely, God doesn't get bored. So when he spoke the world into existence he did it purely for us. We serve such a generous God. The fact that he created human beings, knowing that he would have to send his one and only son to save us, is so humbling. He did all of this for us, to give us life on earth and as well as eternal life with him in heaven. 

One thing I found really cool about this week's teaching is that God wants us to aim to be holy, and he has high standards for who he wants us to be, "Jesus my Son, be like Him", But he knows were just kids in a sense, He's not looking for perfect, but He doesn't lower His standards, however He leads us through a process of growth to be more and more like him.  He forgives us for our sins and shows us grace. You should be dependent on Him, He should be your focus. For you will never really understand how God views you until you learn to view others through his eyes and with his heart, in the way you talk to others, view others, talk about others when they're not there. He brings revelation because he knows you want to be more like him. It's not about whether or not you hit the target, it is what you are aiming at. 

I have already learned so so much about who God is, and about who I am in Him. Guys, we serve a Holy God, He is everything, everywhere, He is our shepherd, shelter, our provider, He is life and He is Love. Everyday I am just overwhelmed by who God is. We tend to try and to shrink him down and fit him inside a box, but that is just impossible. You can't contain a God as big as ours. He spoke the universe into existence! Can you even fully grasp what that means? I can't even. He is the architect behind each and every type of plant, every animal, every star. He is the one who made the milky way, He created light! It is just mind blowing to me! This fire just swells up inside of me, a fire for this God, this Trinity, that is so incredibly huge, he knows everything and is everywhere and is able to have a personal relationship with anyone who chooses. Isn't that incredible. He has the ability to know 7 billion people, to listen and answer there prayers, to guide them through life, to give them hope and encouragement, to forgive there sins and show them grace. I just get so in awe, as I am writing this, and I hope you can feel it to. Our God is Perfect, He is so many things, and He is so huge, He is Whole.

As I look back on the first week of DTS, my heart is just so grateful! I have two wonderful Norwegian roommates, Johanne & Emely. I feel so blessed to have these girls along for the journey we are about to embark on!

It is so crazy to think I have already been in Norway for 5 week & on my own for 3 of them! I am still standing strong, loving every second that I spend in this beautiful country! But of course I miss my family and friends!

This past week the DTS went on a wilderness trip about 3 hours away from our base, Grimerud. We had so much fun in fellowship as well as enjoying God's incredible creation! We went on a 5 hour hike up to the top of a mountain (compared to Colorado it is a hill, only 2,100 feet but it was still a beautiful view at the top!) and we also had a campfire! The forest has wild blueberry bushes everywhere and by then end of the trip our mouths were blue from all the berry juice! :)

I can see God's hand in all of this already, I have already seen how he is starting to work in me and in my heart. He has laid some ideas on my heart pertaining to the future, which is crazy because it is only one week into the school, but I will continue to pray and see where he leads me!

A little off topic but here are some of my favorites parts of Norway/Dts/Grimerud so far!

1. The PEOPLE! So many incredible stories and such lovely people, I am so lucky to be surrounded with so many who are on fire for Christ!

2. My view from my window! I love to look out over the wheat fields and over Mjosa Lake, it's the little things that make it even that much more special!

3. Brown Cheese! For you americans who don't know what I am talking about, you can get it at safeway for about $6.99 and it is called Gjetost! (It comes in a little square cube with red packaging) My favorite way to eat it is on bread with some yummy homemade jam! soooo delish!

4. Rice Porridge! For all my oatmeal fans out there, this will blow your mind! You eat it with butter, a little sugar, and cinnamon! And surprisingly we eat it for dinner! Fridays are my favorite because it is rice porridge day!:)

5. The sense of community! My favorite part of the day are either the fellowship meetings or meal time because everyone gathers together and you never know who you'll sit by that day! It is a great way for shy folks to get out of there comfort zone:)

6. Everything is so cozy, wherever you go there are candles lit which makes it feel so much more homey and comfortable!

7. Bible reading! Each Monday night we all gather together in the cafe and read the bible out loud for an hour! It is so wonderful to get to dive into the word each day, but especially when we read it together.

I could go on and on about how much I love this place, but I will spare you the lengthy post.

I will however mention some prayer requests!

I still need to raise around $500 for the outreach phase of DTS, Please pray that God would provide in ways I never thought possible.

Even though I love my roomies already, there can be conflict with anyone your living with and spending pretty much 24/7 with. So just prayers that we would have very little conflict and that we could create life lasting friendships, and that we would include every one, three is always a hard number, especially with girls! So prayers that we would still like each other at the end of the 7 months ;)

And just prayer for DTS, for the teachings, that the Holy Spirit would reveal himself to us, and that we would really open up our hearts to what he wants us to hear, And that we would all grow closer to the feet of Jesus.

Hopefully, I will be inspired soon to right a more insightful post but until then blessings to you all!

Tusen Takk! (Thousand Thanks)

Eliana

On my flight home from London I read the verse of the day on my Bible app, Sometimes they don't seem applicable to my life at the moment but others seem like God wrote it out just for me. Today was one of those days.

Hebrews 10:35,36

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, 

you will receive what he has promised."

I tend to struggle in the area of confidence whether it be in a sport setting, or just internally. The majority of people do. Especially in the mission field you can let your mind wander to what is "practical", what will set you up for a successful future, what if this or that goes wrong. You can drive yourself mad. I think this verse was really a reminder to stay confident in my choice to do mission work, and that this is God's will for me right now. And even though some people may think it isn't practical, God may think that a bachelor's degree is not practical for me.  He is the one who see's the big picture where we just catch a glimpse.  It's like a movie, where we only see the trailer but God see's the whole film, and he knows how the story unfolds, he knows every twist.  He has us in the palm of his hand, & if we just stop and listen to what the still small voice is saying, he will lead us in the right direction.  And if it is the Creator of the universe who is directing your steps, you should be overflowing with Confidence, Faith that he will lead you on the right path. If you turn your ears and open your heart toward the Lord, nothing can stop God's purpose and plan for your life. And that my friends, should put your mind at ease.

You also should have confidence in yourself. Be confident in who you are in Christ, He makes no mistakes, ever.  He made you in His image, and the fact that he thought of you and planned out your life is incredible.  "You are fearfully and wonderfully made" and don't you ever forget that. And for my ladies out there, one of my favorite verses, Proverbs 31:30  "Charm is deceitful and Beauty is Fleeting, BUT a Woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"  And as cliche as it is, it truly is what's on the inside that makes you beautiful. I have met plenty of people, guys and girls, who to me are beautiful not because of what they look like but because they have the joy of the Lord in their hearts, they are compassionate, hospitable, humorous, caring, not because they have great hair or a pretty face. Anyone can get that with a little makeup and a curling iron. It is so much more genuine if your beauty comes from within. So be confident in that. Rock who God made you to be, he made you beautiful, it's time to start believing it. And so I leave you with one of my favorite quotes that ties in to who God made you to be...

"I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of;

 for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God,

 is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking"