true relationship

i don't know how many times i've seen my facebook news feed fill up with stuff like,

-so and so went from being "single" to being "in a relationship"-

or, -so and so went from being "in a relationship" to "single"-

(these two usually make the news feed within two weeks of each other)

or, my personal favorite, -so and so went from being "in a relationship" to "it's complicated"-



yes, there is a point to this post. read on.

i learned last night that studies show that the number one thing my generation wants is relationship. we want to love. we want to be loved. we want to know that other people find worth in us. we want to feel as if we are valued. we want to have someone who wants to talk to us and who we can talk to about anything, anytime. someone who will be there for us when our day just isn't going the way we want. we want someone who will wrap us in their arms and tell us that they love us more than anything else in the entire world.

that's why i think so many teenagers settle for meaningless relationships that lead nowhere but to heartbreak and sorrow way before they can even begin to think of long-term commitment (i.e. marriage).

why?

see above. we're lonely. i believe that teenagers are too often victims of low expectations. we long to have something to fulfill us, so we turn to earthly love.

so what's the problem?

we've left God out of the equation.

read that above paragraph again. God wants to be all of this and so much more to us every single day. God is love. He loves us more than anything else in the entire world, and he wants us to love him so much that our entire lives are a testament to his glory. He finds crazy amounts of worth in us. He looks at us as His most precious creation. the Bible says that we are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. God thinks about us non-stop. He is always on the edge of His seat, waiting for us to talk to Him. He loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die a horrific death so that we could live with Him forever. now that is true love.

so my question is, what would happen if my generation took this want, this need for relationship and applied it to their relationships with God? i believe that our world would be changed. if every teenager, every person,  stayed in constant contact with God, we would be enabled to do things this world has never seen before through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." we live in a world that wants to be able to do everything. we don't want to be held back or restricted. so why do we set up restrictions for ourselves in our spiritual lives? what if we took 1 Timothy 4:12 to heart and actually developed relationships with God that set an example for all those around us? our lives and our world would be forever changed.

i don't have some incredible closing words of wisdom for this post. all i want to say is that it is my hope that myself and all those around me will take this to heart and will begin to develop relationships with God that change the world.

yes, i knit.

ok, i'm sure most people know this.

i am a knitter.

i have too much yarn. i spend too much money on knitting related supplies.

i <3 to knit, so i decided to use this hobby to glorify God.

right now, that means running a knitting group for girls to make hats for preemies in NICU's in hospitals,

and running a small business, mission knits, to raise money for my mission trips by selling some of the things i make.

i use a facebook page to promote my knitting. it's a great way for people to stay updated.

i also use this blog for my knitting projects.

and, last but not least, check out my etsy shop! here are some of the things i have made:

well, now i feel that i've gotten all my knitting geek out.

hopefully you've enjoyed looking at my knits, and i hope you will check out my links!

-maddy

isaac jerehmiah

as many of you probably already know, i went to Uganda in May of 2008 with my mom

to work on our adoption of my big brother David and to do some missions work.

while we were there, I visited an orphanage and saw this insanely cute little guy:

{please keep in mind that this was three years ago when you see how i look :)}

one thing that really stood out to me about the little boy is that he didn't run away from me

like some of the other kids did. some of them had never seen a younger kid like me with white skin and blond{ish} hair!

well, we thought that that friendly little visit to the orphanage would be the end of it, but, well, it wasn't. after much thought and prayer, we decided to see if God had any other children

in mind that we were supposed to adopt. he did.

see above picture.

we have now been in the process of adopting Atuhaire Isaac for two years.

mom is in Uganda right now, going to court to become his guardian and to bring him home!

his full name will become isaac jerehmiah atuhaire pittman. my brother.

mom got the incredible blessing to be able to have isaac with her while she works on the adoption, so naturally, she's been teaching him the important things about life in America.

the most important being, of course...

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!

lovely, isn't it? another child raised correctly.

in a family that loves him.

with a team that's worth loving.

-maddy



mission

did i mention that i love missions?

i don't think i have yet. well, i do!

missions is my passion.

I love Jesus, and missions is the overflow of the love that he has shown to me.

last summer, i had the opportunity to go to inner city Dallas, Texas, with Global Expeditions. Here are some pictures from that trip!!!

this is me and one of the little boys at our vbs. excuse how i look in this picture,

i was running on very little sleep!!!

this one is of my team at one of the apartment complexes we ministered at. i fell in love with those kids!

partly because of the WONDERFUL experience i had in Dallas,

and due to God's call on my life for missions...

i had decided to go to japan with global expeditions this summer!

unfortunately, due to the unstable situation over there,

i have officially decided that panama is my destination this summer! i leave on july 9th.

here are a couple pictures of panama:

i cannot wait for this trip. God is so good, and it is a great blessing to be able to carry on his work throughout the world! if you have never been on a short term missions trip, i would HIGHLY recommend it!

(global expeditions is a wonderful choice)

therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -matthew 28:19-20

hello!

Hello!

    Maddy here. I started this blog to write about my life. I believe you will find it far from boring, inspiring, challenging, and altogether lovely (: at least, i hope so!

    the title of my blog is based on galatians 2:20, which says, "i have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, but Christ lives in me. the life i now live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." i love jesus, life, and laughter. i can't wait to share my experiences with you.

god bless!
-maddy