Saturday 22 November 2014

Having an emotional past and how God restores us

Each and everyone of us has had some sort of event or something that we have gone through that has not only shaped us into who we are today but has also been hard and emotional. 

My story: 

I have gone through hard times the past little while. In this year alone, my dog died  just before I left for Africa. One of my friends/sisters at the time completely lost my trust in every way possible. She hurt me in many ways including emotionally and spiritually. I felt abandoned, scared and I was full of hate. Night after night I couldn't sleep. All this happened a week before my trip including things with my job, things weren't going well. When I got back from Uganda, I hated being back in Alberta because I didn't want to deal with all of this hurt again. Satan was pretty much in my way and I was so full of hate! I thought I had also lost my job. I was an emotional wreck, almost punched the wall a few times. I was literally going through the lowest valley that I have ever gone through. I struggled with a lot of things  and I was so blind because i didn't see or feel God at all. In about May I really started to find and search who God has made me to be. Since then my relationship with myself has been really good and most importantly my relationship with God has been amazing. He has shown me the love that he has for me and how I am a woman of God! I want to be that woman that when wakes up, satan says "crap, she's up." There are still days where all of a sudden I'll start thinking of the past but I know that God loves me and is taking care of me. We all go through hard times but please remember this....

-God loves you so much and will NEVER love you less but instead he will love you more! 

-if God brings you to it, he will bring you through it! 

-God turns the broken into beautiful. 

1 Peter 5:10- And the God of grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 

Psalms 147:3- He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. 

Exodus 14:14- The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Psalms 30:11- You turned my mourning into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy! 

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Waiting on God's timing!

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years have gone by and I am still waiting. Waiting for Christmas to come, waiting to go back to Uganda, waiting to get married and waiting to see what God is going to do. I almost am finding myself impatient and anxious because I'm waiting for all of these events to happen and not being patient and trusting God and having faith that this will all happen. 


Lamentations 3:25 says "  The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." 


Psalms 130:5-6 “I wait for the LORD,  my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”

We have all heard that saying "Good things come to those who wait." But do we actually wait patiently and trust God and knowing that everything is going to be okay? I don't most of the time but I try! 

I have this countdown app on my iPod which counts down to all the special events like when I'll be able to see Grant again,  Africa and our Wedding but I kept checking that app every 5 minutes and wondering why time is going by so slow. I just want it to hurry up. I then deleted the app because I was tired of waiting and feeling like I was stuck in this machine that made everything stop and that time was going nowhere. 

As I look back on my life, time has sure flown but when I look into the future, time isn't moving fast enough. In just over 2 month, I will be going to Uganda for the third time. In just 8 months, I will be married to the love of my life! It seems like it's an eternity away and everybody keeps telling me that time is going to fly by but then why do I feel like this; feeling like I'm stuck in space or in a slow motion machine? 


I have to live everyday knowing that these special times are coming and I have to make these days count that I'm in right now! Make friendships, work and earn money and enjoy what God has given me right now! 

I am also just waiting to see what God is going to do in my life because I also feel like I'm at a standstill with God. Just waiting for that moment where somebody asks me how God is working in my life or waiting for that opportunity to just feel the Holy Spirit working! I work at a place where I try and talk about my faith but people try and quickly change the subject! Deep down it hurts because I want to live my life for God but things always pop in the way. During this season of life, I'm waiting to see what God is going to do! 

One of my new favorite sayings is "Until God opens the next door, praise him in the hallway." 

Even though I can't really talk about my faith at work, I try and be that Godly example of saying hi to everyone, smiling (I love smiling) and not getting mad. Being that radiant light where God just shines! 

I make sure I pray lots everyday, and even read a verse everyday! I love going to church every Sunday because it's like a charger, I need to be filled up again in order to start a new week full of energy and laughter! 

I have noticed some little blessings everyday that God has given me to just show how much he loves me BUT I am still waiting to see what the next door God is going to open! 


I want to end with a few verses from one of my favorite songs "While I'm waiting" by John Waller. 

"While I'm waiting, I will serve you,
While I'm waiting, I will worship,
While I'm waiting, I will not faint. I will run in the race even while I wait." 









Monday 20 October 2014

Our Story!!!!!

Hey everyone!!!

So on July 10th 2014, Grant asked me to marry him and I said yes!!!!!! That was such a great day, and after I said yes..my brain literally just shut off and I couldn't think! I was so excited!!! Anyways, lets back it up three years. This is how our story began......

On July 7th 2011, our camp..."Camp Harmattan" was hit with a storm which included a few tornado's that surrounded the camp and so we were all put into the bathrooms because they were concrete. After a few hours when the storm calmed down, we either had to be in our cabins or in the dining hall and my friend (at the time) and I decided to go in the dining hall and I saw this guy sitting at a table by himself, so her and I decided to sit down at the table and talk about life and how camp is going so far. After we had talked and ate supper together, I knew he was the one that I was going to spend the rest of my life with! . I instantly fell in love with him! During chapel that night, my friend and I had argued over who liked him and GUESS WHAT?1? I won! Haha!!! That night our camp put on a talent show and I sang, "Blessings" by Laura Story and Grant gave me a standing ovation afterwards which was pretty cool. After I was done singing, Grant and I talked and we laughed alot haha! When it was time to go back to our cabins, Grant stopped me halfway and asked for my cell number but I didn't have a cellphone at the time so I gave him my email. That night, I couldn't sleep and I was so excited!!! The next day came and we had to go home, Grant and I at least said "goodbye" 20 times haha!

A few weeks later, I told my friend 'Jasmine" that I met and liked this guy named Grant and I told her that I was going to tell him during Family Camp that I liked him. Family Camp came and I couldn't get the guts to tell him!! We ran into eachother twice while I was there visiting for a day but I was so nervous! Since we didn't really talk that day, I couldn't tell him :(

In August, I was at a Family reunion in Barrhead and afterwards we went to Calgary and stayed at a hotel and I finally got his number from a friend and so I texted him and I told him that I had something tell him and I finally told him that I liked him...ALOT! He responded with saying that he really liked me too and he was trying to tell me during Family Camp but we really didn't get the chance to talk. I was gleaming and again I felt like he was the one!


On September 8th 2011, he asked me if we could..I guess go steady haha, that wasn't the word but we weren't aloud to date until we were 16 but we still kind of became a couple...we were at that really awkward stage haha! Anyways, in November of 2011 we hung out for the first time since we told eachother we liked eachother and let me just tell you...I was sooooooooooo nervous, I almost threw up. We met up that day at West Edmonton Mall and I met his parents for the first time and that day I couldn't look at him, hug him or do anything because it was really awkward and I didn't know what to do haha! After that day was over, we started texting alot and we actually started talking about getting married one day. When we started talking about marriage we were both 15 years old...yes we were 15!! CrAzY!

The next year in 2012, because we were both 16 finally my dad met Grant for the first time! I stayed at Family Camp for the full week and during that week, we had our first kiss and our close camp friends started calling us Granala and they even made a dance for us haha! My dad and brothers came out and met Grant for the first time and I was waaaaaay more nervous than Grant was and so I hid behind the ice cream shack for quite a while until they were done talking. We officially started dating August 16th 2012!!! Great day:) Again, from then till about last year we were in that awkward stage where I wouldn't hold his hand or cuddle with him or even kiss him infront of family. As we began to start dating we only saw eachother maybe once a month and if we were lucky, twice a month.

In 2013, for my 17th birthday, Grant gave me a promise ring and that was just so amazing because our dream started becoming more real. Over the past year, we really started talking about getting married and the jobs and ambitions we both have. God has blessed us with the gift of serving and missions which has been a HUGE blessing. We have also gotten really close spiritually and we are at that point in our relationship where we can't even be three days without seeing eachother but in reality we can't see eachother everyday due to being in a long distance relationship and him being in college now and as I am working alot it just doesn't work to well, but it is very hard not being with eachother all the time. It gets pretty emotional.

During the early spring of 2014, I wondered when Grant was going to propose and I asked him and he said the latest I would have to wait would be the end of summer and I knew that it was going to be in July because being a girl, we figure things out and we try and plan how things are going to go aswell as we are very suspitious! Grant and I were at Harmattan cabin leading for the grade 3-4 from July 6-9 and on the last day of camp, we hung out with our friends and went to BP's at 10:30 at night which was so much fun and because it was late, Grant stayed at our house for the night and he kept texting and he wouldn't stop texting the next day either and I really didn't think much of it until he asked my if we could go to the lake around 1:30 pm and I said sure so we left for the lake and while we were sitting at the lake, he wouldn't stop talking! While we were sitting at the lake I wondered if he was going to propose but I didn't want to suspect it because what happens if he didn't do it. While we were sitting and talking about our future and how God is working in our life, he looked at me and he said that he had an important question to ask and then he said these words.."Mikayla Andrushko, will you marry me?" I said yes and then I kissed him but it didn't click until he asked me again saying.."Mikayla Breann Andrushko, will you marry me?" I said yes again and I was going crazy because he just proposed!! I was sooo happy! We went to DQ afterwards and we couldn't stop smiling and once we got back to my place, we prayed and committed out engagement to God, and we started calling our family and friends and it was so awesome hearing our friends and families reaction!

As I look back on when we first met till now, we have really grown in so many ways and I wish once we started dating, we would have given our relationship to God but I know that he was taking care of us and we have grown so much closer to God which is an amazing blessing because I don't know where we would be without God in our relationship/engagement. Grant and I want to make sure that we give our wedding day and marriage to God because what is a better way to start our marriage off then by giving it to God? Nothing can start our marriage off better than our amazing and loving God who gave us eachother to do his will together!

I love Grant so much!!!! God has really given me a huge blessing which is Grant and I can't wait to say "I do!"

Mikayla......soon to be Mrs.Sawyer!!

Here are a few pics from out relationship! The first picture was our first picture together!











Tuesday 14 October 2014

For everything there is a season!

"The is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

For everything there is a season!  Many of you are going through grief of loosing a loved one and you will always remember your loved one but through the time of grief and mourning, God is comforting you and when you go through that season of loss, you will go through a time of dancing and just thanking God that he is there with you.

Life is full of hardships and hard decisions but we have to thank God for the good times such as laughing, dancing, and when we are in those moments of wondering what's going to happen next, just take a moment to thank God for what he has already done in your life.

We (Canadians) just had our Thanksgiving and that day is so special because it's dedicated to being thankful, we should be thankful everyday; don't get me wrong but thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, for everything you have and being thankful for the friends and family that you got to spend thanksgiving with.

God said that he has made everything beautiful in it's time. I'm still in the season of trying to find who God has made me to be and I will be entering into a whole new season.....Marriage! I am so excited and I can't believe it's happening and even though it's going to be an adjustment to not ony Grant and I but our families aswell, but during this season we have to remember to thank God for all his many and incredible blessings.  

When I was on my first trip to Uganda in 2013, I did devotions one morning on this verse and this is what it said: "For everything there is a season. We could have come here for just a few days  but God has perfect timing, he knew when we were supposed to come and arrive here. He has set so many outstanding events here. This was our time to come and to help the needy. If you feel the urge to pray or help someone,  don't wait for tomorrow to come but do it in the moment because God is doing work not only in your life but in theirs as well!

For everything there is a season!! Here are a few pics of all my different seasons of life! 







Wednesday 10 September 2014

Looking through the snowflake

Good morning, as I write this post, I am sitting in my living room listening to Christmas music...that's right, I am listening to Christmas music and looking out the window at winter wonderland in the middle of September.

Through all of the business with my brothers going back to school, and I am working 32 hours a week and still trying to wedding plan, I am glad and blessed that I get a time to sit down this morning to enjoy the snow.

I used to hate winter but God spoke to me last winter saying that I need to be glad that we have snow because what happens if we got no rain during the summer and the only moist we had was from all of that snow we got? I took winter to a whole new level and it's my favorite season not only because of the snow but because Jesus was born.

When I woke up to snow the other day, I was the most happiest person on earth because God had answered my prayer. I prayed everyday that it would snow! I wish I could set my tree up now!

We can't look at everything black and white, we have to look deeper and find the color because maybe God is telling us in a way where we have to look harder.

I challenge you to enjoy every part of winter...maybe not the driving aspect but everything else. Watch every snowflake fall and remember that every snowflake is unique and different just like you! God has placed every snowflake on the ground to make it look beautiful just like how God put all of us together on this earth to do God's will.


Have a good day everyone,

Blessings,

Mikayla

Thursday 21 August 2014

How to be a Godly girlfriend/fiance

Being a Godly girlfriend/fiancé

In the beginning of our relationship, I didn't know what it meant to be a Godly girlfriend. I was so new to it, and I didn't know what to do but through these past few years of dating my handsome man, I found an app called "pinterest" and pinterest is awesome! Anyways I was scrolling through one day and I found "how to be a girlfriend/wife (Bloggers below) and I absolutely loved it and I reflected on our relationship and I started to pray and I asked God to help me be a Godly girlfriend. Grant and I both grew up in a christian home but we were so new to this dating business that we didn't know how to start a Godly relationship. About a year in our relationship we started to pray about everything and we gave our relationship to God. Once we did that, we felt closer to each other because we put God at the head of our relationship. I have really learned to be a submissive and Godly girlfriend and honestly God has blessed our relationship abundantly. We are now engaged and getting married! Being an engaged woman is amazing but through all the planning, I've made sure that I have spent time everyday to thank God for blessing me with an amazing Godly man and that he will give Grant and I patience during our engagement while we plan and that we won't forget the meaning of love and why we are getting married. The closer Grant and I get to God and the more we love God, the more Grant and I will love each other. Being a Godly girlfriend/fiancé comes with a lot of things like purity and modesty. As Christians we should be praying about purity and that we will remember to guard our heart and stay pure and wait agreeing to Gods plan. 

Modesty is a huge thing for being a Godly girlfriend/fiancé because being modest glorifies God and that helps having a pure relationship. 

 ~Colossians 3:14 "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

 ~1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."


 Pray for him!
 
-Prayer is so important, and he needs prayer too, so remember to always thank God for him even if he is driving you crazy but pray pray pray! Through prayer amazing things happen!  Through prayer comes blessing and joy! Now as Grant and I are engaged, we are continuing to put God first and thanking him for giving us each other and allowing us to enjoy life together through God. We can't wait to get married and to see all the blessings that are in store! 
Once I am a wife, I will make a post about how to be a Godly wife! 

Encourage him!
 Encouraging him and always tell him how good he is doing at work and encourage him to do things, like going to biblestudy or making some new friends! Encourage him to love and follow God more! 







Bloggers are: http://www.hudsonandemily.com/

http://www.butlerpartyof3.com/

Please check them out!!


Blessings, 


Mikayla



Wednesday 30 July 2014

Update on life

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted anything in awhile. I have been crazy busy but I think things are starting to slow done for now. In this post, I will be writing about what's been going in my life this summer.

In the beginning of July, I had an interview at Mark's Work Wearhouse and I didn't get the job but I thanked God and I praised him that I didn't get that job because I know that he has something else out there for me!


July 6-9th I cabin lead for the grades 3-4 at Harmattan and that was so awesome. Those kids are so stoked on life and it's so cool to hear them talk about their future. On July 7th, I met Grant three years ago in the Dining Hall at Harmattan. We were very blessed to be together on that day.

July 9th, Grant and I went with all of the other staff to Boston Pizza and hung out till about 11:30pm and Grant and I drove back to Sylvan and the next day (July 10th) I was asked a very important question at the lake. Grant asked me to marry him and I said yes!!!!!! That day was an amazing day because we were now engaged and we phoned all of our family and we have been blessed by all of the support from all of our family and friends. Grant and I were and still on cloud 9 and it is starting to sink in now as we are going wedding planning crazy.

July 17th-18th, I worked at the fair in Red Deer with 90.5 Shine Fm which was a blast, I got deep fried cookie dough and deep fried oreos which were sooo good!

On July 20th, Grant picked me up and we headed to camp again for the Grade 7-9 camp and Layla (cabin leader I lead with) and I were so blessed to have 9 amazing Godly girls in our cabin. I will never forget that week. The week was filled with so much fun activities, prayer and chapel. On Thursday July 24th, I turned 18. I had such a great birthday and I got to spend it with an amazing camp! Friday came along and it was a sad day because the kids had to go home. When it was time for the kids to go home, our cabin was in tears. We were connected emotionally and I have never had so many hugs in my life in one day than I did that day.

That night Grant and I drove to Kananaskis and went camping with his family and some friends of ours and we had such a blast hiking and enjoying God's beauty. I got back on Monday and I had a huge surprise waiting in my room....I opened my door and my room was full of balloons, streamers and pink wallpaper! That was so exciting! :D

I had an interview at Wal-Mart this afternoon and I think I got the job but I will know next week for sure!! I am super excited to do some more wedding planning and I am excited to see what God is going to do this next year!!!


I am so excited to start blogging again! Love you guys :)

Mikayla

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Modesty!

It's hard yet easy to be modest in today's world. It's hard to be modest because it's easy to throw on a skirt and a cardigan but actually having the right mindset of why you are being modest is important.  As a child of God, we have to honor him with our bodies.

~1 Timothy 2:9 says "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes."

~1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says " Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

~1 John 2:16 " For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world."

In 1st Timothy it explains how we don't need to be full of pearls or wear fancy clothes because people need to know what's on the inside rather than what is on the outside. 

1st Corinthians says how our bodies are temples of God and we have o respect God with what we wear, say etc. 

1st John says that lust comes from the world and we have to be modest so we won't lust. 


If we wear revealing clothes, that is causing men to sin. It's not just the men's fault if they lust but it also is the women's fault because we are causing our brother in Christ to sin when instead we should bring them closer to God. 

I have done research on what Christian men think about modesty and all of them said that they love women who dress modestly because they are honoring God with their body and aren't causing men to sin. Women are a precious gift from God and men can see God through them. 

Moral Revolution says "Purity is something that we were meant to live protecting not trying to gain." With modesty comes purity and guarding your heart. When we dress modestly, we start to think pure because we are honoring God with our bodies and as well as men start thinking pure because they aren't lusting. 

I found this online and this is so important "Modesty isn't about covering up our bodies because their bad, modesty isn't about hiding ourselves but revealing our dignity. " 

As I was scrolling through modesty quotes I found this one that I think every woman needs to hear, "A woman's body is a gift for her husband to unwrap." I am going to touch on this subject because like I said I think it's important. A Christian women we need to be guarding our heart as well as guarding our body through modesty and on the wedding night we should feel proud that we saved ourselves and that we guarded our heart and waited for the one that God has for us. Keep your heart guarded and keep yourself wrapped up fully in God's love and in modesty. I found this really cool analogy about a Christmas present. Us woman are fully wrapped in modesty (not being revealing in our clothes or else that will spoil it) and are waiting for that day when we get to be unwrapped. 

Girls and Guys....modesty is so important! You are a precious and beautiful gift from God, don't think any less of yourself! You are worth so much!!! We are made in Christ's image. He loves you so much!!!!!!!!! 

Modesty it beautiful :)



Mikayla




Wednesday 11 June 2014

Update!

Hey everyone,


Hope you are all doing well! Congrats to all of you Grads of 2014! God has amazing plans for you even if you don't know what you want to do. I was like that when I graduated in 2013. I didn't really know what to do and I still don't know what I want to do but I know God has great plans and I will have good news coming soon!

I recently went to Grant's Grad which was so much fun, I am so happy for him. After that I went to YC! YC was so amazing and I had floor seats so it was pretty sweet. I bought a camera lens and I love it, I am planning on getting in the photography business more! :)

So when I first started writing my blog, I was working at Shoppers Drug Mart, well I quit on Easter weekend. I miss Shoppers but I am still working with 90.5 Shine Fm and I absolutely love that job! It's a Christian job and I get to work with some awesome people! I am getting my license in July...finally! Haha, I have had my learners for 4 years in July so I am about ready to get my license. I turn 18 on July 24th so I am pretty excited about that!

I got accepted to be an AAI (All Access Internship) at Camp Harmattan for the third year in a row so I am pretty blessed to be spending another summer at a wonderful place with amazing people! I will be going to Family Camp for the first week and a bit in August and then I am flying to B.C, so I am pretty excited for this summer!

I will be getting another job in the Fall and I will be going back to my home around the world in January!


I am in the midst of writing for my next blog which will be about Modesty!!!!!

Have an awesome day!

Mikayla

Friday 30 May 2014

Being the hands and feet of Jesus

I got asked today by my World Vision youth leader if I could write a blog about my experience being a youth ambassador aswell as my relationship with God so thank you for asking me!

In March I had the opportunity to do the 30hr famine at my church with the youth and I had the World Vision table set up and I gave all the teens sunglasses. Breanne spoke about what World Vision does and I got to speak about my trips to Uganda and how they have affected me.   I prayed that the kids would understand and would realize how much poverty there is in the world.
My experience being a youth ambassador has been an eye opener as I haven’t done much but just watching all of the other youth ambassador make memorable events and help change the world with their actions and their love that they have poured out to others.  I feel like I play a different role in being a youth ambassador by encouraging them and by praying for them and by watching them grow.

God has given me gifts of encouraging others and the gift of prayer. I am glad for Facebook and Instagram….yes I do post pictures of food or talk about the weather but that is also how I witness to others and I am also glad that we have a newspaper! I post my Africa trips in the newspaper. I write bible verses and encouraging notes on Facebook and on Instagram. I also let everyone know how amazing God is and the amazing blessings he has given me. He has given me an opportunity to reach to others through being a youth ambassador and he has given me an amazing opportunity to be a light to others all around the world. I have made some Christian friends through Instagram that live hours and hours and hours away. He has also given me the amazing blessing of going to Uganda twice!

My church built an orphanage in a little community called “Ogooma” which is in Uganda and in 2011 we had a fundraiser and the money went towards building a church in Ogooma and I raised over $15,000 in a few months. The fundraiser was whoever raised the most money won a free trip to the orphanage and I was the winner.  I used that free trip and went in January of 2013 and my life was changed. I got to meet all of the kids and I also had the amazing opportunity to meet my sponsor girl. Once I went, I had to go again and I had another blessing from God. I got to again this past January (2014). Uganda is my home!
Being a Christian is an amazing thing! Matthew 5:14 says “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
As Christians we have to live out God’s word and be his hands and feet.  When we have God in us we will shine with God’s amazing love and God will shine through us to reach to people who don’t believe and to people who do believe. We are the body of Christ, God has given us different spiritual gifts to help further his Kingdom.


 You are a light, That is why you are here!

Mikayla

Monday 12 May 2014

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is an amazing and powerful thing! I have felt the Holy Sprit and God's love just surround me. During worship or during a sermon or even prayer, I will get chills and I'll start shaking. It feels so amazing to be surrounded by God's presence. If God is speaking to me, my heart will start racing and I can't keep quite, I'll just start talking to people about God and just his amazing Grace and Love!

Joel 2:28 says "And afterward, I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. "

This past summer of 2013 at camp, we learned to pray and ask God to give us a face or a name that he wants us to talk to and pray for. Wow! That was so amazing and powerful. 

1 Corinthians 14:1 says "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy! 

1 Corinthians 14:5 says "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified." 

I have never spoken in tongues but if it's God's will, I will speak in tongues. I really believe in prophesy and just how powerfully it is. 

I hope that this week, you will feel the Holy Spirit or God's love! 

Saturday 3 May 2014

Hope: YC AB 2014

19 more days till YC Alberta 2014!!!!! The theme this year is hope, I will be talking about hope as we set our minds and heart towards this event as we see what God has in store.

Everyday we use the word hope multiple times. As an example we say "I hope you have a good day" or "I hope the weather is nice." It is an overused word in today's language but do we exactly know what hope means?

God has a plan for each and everyone of us, he has hope for us and he wants us to have hope in him and God is our hope. There are many great verses about hope in the bible:


Psalm 65:5 says "You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth."

Romans 15:13 "Overflow with hope by the power of the spirit."

The greatest gift we can give to the orphans and the widows who are in poverty is the gift of hope that God has given us!

Lamentations 3:24-25 "God is good to those who hope in him."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer



Tuesday 29 April 2014

Jesus loves the little children: Adoption

Earlier today I was sitting on the couch and scrolling through my phone looking at pictures from the past two years in Uganda and how I miss it so much and it's so exciting to see the amazing work that God is doing. 

I have been back since February and I honesty miss the culture, the people, the food and everything about it. I miss the red dirt between my toes, the smell of food cooking over a fire, the glorious and amazing hugs from the kids. I think the most amazing noise is hearing the kids laugh! They don't have much but they have Jesus!
 They are so happy all of the time and they praise God for what they have. 

I have only been to Uganda but they need love as well as all of the other countries in this world. We need to give them love as well as hope! 

I want to talk about another topic about Adoption. Children are truly a gift from God. There are so many kids that live in orphanages or are getting abused and hurt. As Christians we should stand up and show love to these kids and if God is laying it on your heart to Adopt, that is an amazing blessing! Kids are looking for a home filled with love and are looking for parents who will love them:) 


 Genesis 12:1-3 says "  The Lord said to Abram, "leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."



"Children are a gift from The Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3  

"All of God's children are equal in God's eyes." Galatians 3:28

Friday 25 April 2014

God's amazing plan


Hey everyone! Hope you guys had an awesome and blessed Easter! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been busy. God is doing some amazing things in my life right now!

I recently quit my job at Shoppers Drug Mart and my last shift was April 20th, I had mixed emotions about leaving because I made some pretty cool relationships with customers as well as some of my co-workers but I just pray that I blessed them in some way. I also will be volunteering at camp for two weeks this July and I am so stoked for that! I can't wait to see all of the opportunities that God is going to open up this summer! God is going to provide!!!

I am going back to my home across the world soon! I am so excited to go back. It will probably be the last time for a while due to events that will take place that year! 

I will hopefully post something again next week:) 


God has an amazing plan for each and everyone of you! Never give up!


Tuesday 18 March 2014

Joy!

I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart to stay! 

This is the second week of the fruits of the spirit and this week I'll be focusing on joy! 

James 1:2-3

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

When you are going through things, you'll find joy if you praise God through the hard times. 

1 Peter 4:12-13 says "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Joy is an amazing thing to have:) We are happy and happiness can be contagious. God loves when we all have joy but he loves it more when we have joy towards him!!! 

As Christians we should have joy and joy towards God. When we have joy towards God he will continue to give us joy! 


Tuesday 11 March 2014

Love


This week I am starting off with Love, the first fruit of the spirit. Love is an amazing thing especially when you love God. 1 John 4:7-12 says this "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 

There are so many verses in the bible about love and his word is love because God is love! He loves us so much that he died on the cross for us and for our sins. He sent his son to this earth. 

Love is one of the hardest commandments, even if people have hurt us and it's hard to forgive them but we still have to love them. It's so hard. I've been hurt  and trying to love them is very hard to do but with God's love we can love them. 

Loving people can be so hard yet it is the most amazing thing! 

1 John 3:16 says "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." 



1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love NEVER fails! And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 

LOVE NEVER FAILS! Isn't that amazing?!? God's love for YOU will never fail! He will always love you no matter what!! I thought I should end off this week with the love chapter:) 
 


Next week I will be speaking on Joy! I hope that you can apply this lesson to your life. You are loved! God loves you so much. He died on the cross for you. 

Love one another! Speaking of love....I will show you a few pictures of my boyfriend and I:) 


Monday 24 February 2014

God loves you!

As I sit down reading my bible, God just makes himself visible and I have never felt his love and peace like this before. I thought I should share with you what's been on my heart and I want you to know how much God loves you! God is amazing and even through the darkest times he is there even though you may not feel him. He wants you to run towards him and he wants you to be safe in his arms. God is there if you ever need to talk, scream or just cry. He understands what you're going through. You are not struggling alone, there are many people that are going through the same thing. 1 Peter 1:6-9 says "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you may not see him, you love him; and even though you don't see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 

I just wanted to let you know that God loves you even in your darkest times. He is so proud of you even when you have done stuff that you're not proud of. He knows the desires of your heart and he wants people to know you! You are going to help change the world!! He loves you so much that he died on the cross for you! Keep smiling! 

Thursday 13 February 2014

Back in Canada

I had an amazing time in Uganda! The weather reached about +50, very hot! We went to the orphanage for about a week, hanging out with the kids. We handed out sanitary packs to the ladies at a school and at the Ogooma church. We hosted 4 weddings at out church which was so beautiful, we also had a couple come to The Lord that day. After the weddings we were incredibly blessed with a thunderstorm that included lots of rain and hail. 

We went to the kumi hospital where we visited some kids that were really sick. It was so sad to see. So much broke our hearts yet we rejoiced because we knew that God was in control. 

We did some pretty cool things while we were there, my friend and I got to drive stick shift on the wrong side of the road!! We also got to pump water out of a well, we got more involved with the community this year than last year. 

There are so many stories to tell and you will hear them, right now I am really struggling here in Alberta. I don't like it here at all, the only things that are keeping me back here are my family, friends and my boyfriend but other than that my heart is still in Uganda and that's where it will be. My home is there. I can't wait to go back!!!!

Thursday 23 January 2014

Almost there!!!!

Hey everyone!!!!! Just wanted to let you know that there are less than 12 hours away before we get on a plane. We packed almost 30 suitcases/hockey bags full of stuff that we are taking to the Orphanage. It's going to be an amazing time!!!!! Thanks for your prayers and your continued prayers:) I will blog next when I am in Amsterdam! 

Things to pray for:

-Safe travels
-Health


Thanks! 

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Counting down the days!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend. Guess what ?1?!?! 3 MORE SLEEPS!!!!!

I am very excited to be going to Uganda again. God is going to do some amazing things on this trip. There are 17 of us that are going on the trip. Our team is called the "Amina" team. Amina means love. As the hours are ticking by, I just pray that we will be prepared emotionally, physically and spiritually. We have many things lined up for the trip and going to be experiencing some new things.

I am almost done packing!!!!! My goal this year as well as last year was to try to get all of my stuff in a carry on suitcase! We'll see if that happens again this year. Haha! I just have a few more things to pick up at the store, I have to to print off my tickets and then I am pretty much ready to go! I would leave now if I could! I am so pumped and ready to go. Time has sure flown by. On Thursday night, we are having a packing party at my church where we will packing around 30 some hockey bags full of stuff that we are bringing to the Orphanage. Then on Friday we will head for Calgary and fly fly away! I will try and post a blog either Thursday night or Friday morning before I leave, it will probably be a really short blog.

My boyfriend "Grant" will be heading to Belize this weekend on his missions trip which is very exciting. God is going to use in him in lot's of ways to show God's love to the people there.

Things to pray for:

-We will get everything we need and won't forget anything.
-That we will be ready emotionally, spiritually and physically.
-That we won't be stressed as we are getting things ready.

Thanks so much!!!



Monday 13 January 2014

Getting to know me

Hi everyone, this is my first blog so please bear with me. My name is Mikayla Andrushko and I am so glad that I am alive today sharing my life stories with all of you :) Here are a few things about me: I have a huge heart for missions, I have been to Africa and I am going again in 11 days to an Orphanage that my church built. I love photography! I will post a few pictures below. I am done school, I graduated in June of 2013 and I am currently taking a Christian college course called Perspectives. I currently have three jobs...I work at Shoppers Drug Mart, I house clean...(did I tell you how much I love house cleaning?!?!) and I absolutely love it, I am part of the Street Team at the radio station 90.5 Shine Fm where I walk around with the mascot during events. My family is crazy...but I love them! I have two brothers, who are 9 (almost 10) and 6(almost 7), they are very wild and they are so crazy! I used to have a Dachshund dog named Kylie but she passed away January 3/14. I have an amazing boyfriend and if you are my friend on Facebook, you probably see some of my posts are about him. Anyways, he loves the Lord and he is off to Belize on a missions trip in 13 days! We love travelling!

5 things that I love doing are:
-Smiling..I love smiling!
-laughing, I love all the time, laughter is good medicine!
-Sharing God's love. I love telling others about God and how amazing he is.
-Shopping. If you know me, you know I love shopping :)
-Dance parties, I absolutely love having dance parties! They are so much fun aren't they?


Thank you so much for reading my first blog!! Here are some pictures of life...