Fun Chicago

Hello all!

So I'm still in Chicago, but I'm going home after the Cornerstone Festival. I'm so excited to be going home too. :D

I miss everyone there. I miss you so much!!

I have been having so much fun here! I've enjoyed this place with everything in me. I'm learning a LOT from God as well. The main thing I'm learning is love. Pure, raw LOVE.

I feel like i've been very judgemental my whole life and I'm finally learning that if God isn't bashing someone for their sins, why should I? I don't know them as well as Jesus, so why should I be trying to take His place in speaking to them? Granted, there are times to confront someone--but I think that it should be up to God to tell me when and how. The love has been lost to a lot of people in the church. A lot of people think that if someone is sinning they should be shunned, or told constantly that they are doing wrong. I strongly do not agree with that. So thats mainly what I am learning.

I've been downtown a LOT for many different things. :D I went down there a few times with my friend Mary Alice. She is awesome. I'm using her computer right now as she sleeps...its about 130 right now...oh well. I don't have work in the morning. She is the one--just by her witness--that seems to be teaching me a lot of what I'm learnign. Like LOVE and embroidery, and patience, and just how to have fun! Life is not a drag! People are not a drag! I should learn to love everyone, and if they don't fit my personality and I would rather not hang out with them...I don't have to. I should pray for them, but I don't have to hang out with anyone unless Jesus says so. The catch is that I should LOVE them. I should treat them with the same respect that I would like to be shown. I shouldn't accept the way that they treat me, but I should show them Jesus' love and grace and compassion.

this whole love thing really boggles my mind.

here are some pretty pictures of me downtown. Mary alice has a camera, so that is how I have these.

This is Mary AliceAnneliece and I pretty city. Not so pretty arm
Blues Fest. I don't know why so few pictures....

Heres fun with the big bean :D

Mary alice's friend Aaron.

Fun with Mary on the El and waiting for the el
go ahead and TRY to interpret....

STORY TIME!!! Heres how this goes. "Hello sir, would you mind this picture I took of you to be posted on the internet?" THE END

Chicago

Hello everyone!!

Thank you so much for those videos! That was so great!

I'm showing them constantly to everyone :D

I laughed really hard. I guess it was an answer to prayer because I remember praying that the whole family wouldn't sing in one big group to me at my graduation...so this is WAY better!!!

I'm sorry my graduation was COMPLICATED:) But thats just me.

Although the poll on my site says that I'm more theatrical than complicated...so go figure.

Anyway.

As some of you know, I've moved to Chicago. I am working at a homeless shelter while living in a community called JPUSA (Jesus People USA) I'm really glad I'm here and I feel like Ive been given rest from all that has happened.

Living here and working at the shelter isn't really what I was expecting. It's not like I'm spiritually shot at people everywhere (or physically shot at) but I also don't feel like it's a vacation from the ministry. This place isn't a missions trip its...a way of life. Its like I am living a normal life. I'm doing chores, working, cleaning my room and so on. This is the way that people here live. Its not some battle field where we're out on the streets everyday doing skits and bake-give-aways. Needless to say, it is a homeless shelter and we are all christians (mostly) so we are all-together moving toward the same goal.

I am really enjoying my time here and I don't even know why. I feel like God is enjoying me here too. I've been making more and more friends slowly, and I've been invited to a LOT of "get together" things. Whether its watching a movie, going out to eat, or going to a party (Non-alcoholic)

I was just given a buddy named Bethany. Her job is to be there for me. To hang out with me and to help me with my spiritual walk. She is to show me around the place, answer my questions, and talk with me. She is exactly the type of person I was hoping to have for my buddy. She and I have a lot in common. She is 24 and just got married in October. She hangs out with the same people that I found myself wanting to hang out with back at home. she seems to have the same lifestyle that I was hoping to live myself. I am very happy that the house chose her as my buddy.

The house (JPUSA) does have to know what my plans are for the summer and my future. I've kind of changed them more than I was expecting. I was actually thinking of staying for the whole summer, but that was turning out to be difficult to work out with my schedules that I had to have for NMU. That college was becoming increasingly further from my heart.

When I had finally decided to go there, I was really disappointed because I was expecting God to lead me through my next step in life, but He never said anything. I've always seen NMU for myself in a certain way; I would go there because God hasn't decided to lead me somewhere yet. Either that, or I wasn't listening to His calling. It was difficult because I felt like God was allowing me to be a leaf blown in the wind, led by whatever direction took me. I believe in God. He knows whats best for me. Should He not put his say in for my life?

This really got me down, but I tried to make the best of it and be happy and excited for college--even though I didn't know what I was going to major in.

When I got here, I spoke to God about my situation with NMU. I told Him how I felt and asked Him what He thought.

Here in JPUSA God is runnning rampant. but on the streets, He is not even noticed. Why would He be? The city is made by man! Even His stars are covered by the city. I tried to talk with a man on the L-train about God. He was a good example of how these people are and live. It wasn't that he was hard toward Christ, but that Hes not important. Life takes over so much that He never even comes up as a passing thought. This was a good point that he made. I wan to be someone who can bring God  up in the people's minds. I want to remind the people of the way they're living and how they must be missing something. Why do these people wake up every day? WHat good are they to this earth? What is their purpose? 

This is why I have decided to stay. Although NMU can offer me skills that I may use maybe one day, here in Chicago, I am offered a thousand chances a day to lead someone to Christ and give them a true meaning of life. I have prayed and asked the Lord for direction and He has made it clear that I must stay. Please pray for me in my mission to reach these completely lost people. I am very excited to be a part of this. I love you all. Thank you for your gifts, love, support and prayer. I hope to see you all visiting sometime!

Love you, Hannah

(And watch for the next Jonny Depp movie--a LOT of people from the house will be in it as extras. I was too late :( But I'm still excited!)