Thursday, September 13, 2012

Maynooth

I have arrived to Maynooth safe and sound.
I moved into my flat last Sunday and I've had orientation all this week.  It's been a blast getting to know the area and exploring the campus.  I start classes on Monday, I cannot wait to meet my profs and dig into the material.

I like my apartment a lot, I have 4 other roommates.  Two of them are from America and only staying for this first term, the other two are from Ireland and are full degree students like myself.  I have my own room and bathroom which is very nice.  There's a shared kitchen/dinning room and living room.  The campus is absolutely beautiful (pictures to come!) and the town is super quaint and cozy.
Other than my roommates I've made a few friends, mostly people from the international community.  The university is very good about putting on events for the international students.  I've met people from Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, China and Holland.  The Irish have been super friendly and helpful, as per usual to the Irish culture.

At this point I still need to check-in with immigration and do some pre-lecture reading that some profs have assigned online.  My major is Anthropology and I am taking two other courses this year which are, Spanish and philosophy.  I'm also signing up for clubs and campus societies.  This is really exciting to me the clubs I plan on being a part of are:
-International Society
-Basketball
-Ultimate Frisbee
-Composers Club
-Music Society

That's about it.  I might be overestimating myself, but I figure the best way to meet people and make friends
is to just get really involved.

That's is for now from me.
Some prayer points:

  • Meet/Make friends
  • Find a church
  • Abiding in God and having the confidence He is with me.  
Ellie O'Connor

Friday, September 7, 2012

A New Beginning

Hello everyone!

So I sort of lost track of keeping up with blogging in the last few months of being at JIMS.
Since my last post, I got accepted to the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, I finished up my commitment at JIMS, went home for the months of August, and now I am back in Kilkeel getting ready for school to start.
I arrived in Kilkeel yesterday and have spent my time connecting with my friends again and seeing everyone. I'll be here until Sunday, at that time I will move to Maynooth.
I am so excited to start university and live in a whole new town...it's like a whole new beginning for me (cleverly tying in the title of this post).  I'm a little anxious to start, just because there is so much that needs to be done.  I am practicing my trust in God and more so, giving all my worry and anxiety to God.

Being back in Michigan this past month was so good for me.  I came back and it surprised me how God has been moving in my town.  There is such an evident hunger for something more among the people of South West Michigan.  Hearts are turning to Jesus, and others are showing and exploring their curiosity of God and what's even better even MORE people are living out their faith.  Since I had been back, I heard numerous stories of mission trips and outreaches in the community.  It's amazing to see God on the move like He is.

I will try to be much better at updating this blog.
Prayers for:

  • Moving in and getting settled in Maynooth
  • Give thanks to the Father for all the opportunities and open doors He presents to us
  • My family as we start a new school year
  • That God shows up and shows off in this new beginning and having the eyes to see Him do it.


In Christ
Ellie O'Connor

Friday, March 23, 2012

Lent Day 31

What a week it has been.
I've been keeping up with my Marathon training. I ran 5 miles twice this week and 3 miles once. I took yesterday off because I was in Dublin.
My cousin Krystal is doing a wee tour of Europe and Ireland is her first stop. So I got to meet up with her yesterday at Bewely's Cafe.
Here is us. It's been about 10 years since we've had a proper conversation. Well, I she came to my sister's wedding six years ago, but we were all so busy (as you are at weddings) that we didn't get any real quality time together. It was so good to see her! Hopefully, now that I'm older I can make it more of a priority to see her and my other cousins more often.
Dublin was fun. After lunch with Krystal, I did some window shopping. So many things I want...if only, if only. I got to walk around Stephen's Green, the weather was gorgeous and warm-ish, I just sat on a bench and read and relaxed. I walked around saw some statues including the very famous Molly Malone:
What a...emmm....women, wouldn't you say? I found this little pub a few blocks from O'Connell Bridge and the bus station and I spent most of my time there sipping Guiness and reading "Sacrilege" by Hugh Halter. An man came up to me while I was reading, because he was confused as to why I would read a "religious" book and drink alcohol at the same time. We ended up having a good conversations about why I'm a Christian and think it's absolutely fine to comsume alcohol as well.
The book, "Sacrilege", is really good so far. I've only read the first chapter and I can already tell that this is going to be one that challenged my faith and traditions. In the first chapter he talked about the images we hold of Jesus and how we have strayed from the real Jesus that the early disciples knew. He talked on how Jesus did NOT come to start a religion, but to end it and how religion actually gets in the way of the real Jesus. At the end of each chapter Halter has 1) Things to consider and 2) something to do. I am going to challenge yous to go over the next few things and challenge yourselves to think of Jesus in these different ways:
To Consider: What is your image of Jesus? Write down your honest thoughts about how you view Him. Where did you pick up these images?
To Do: Begin drafting a letter to your children or friends about your heart for them to know the real Jesus.
Well, now I have to get on with work.
I hope you enjoyed this post. And take to thought the challenge
Ellie O'Connor

Monday, March 19, 2012

Lent Day 27

WOW.
40 days (46 counting Sundays) of fasting is a lot longer and harder than it would seem.
So the rumours are true...it is indeed day 27 of Lent and all that comes with that. I have not consumed any sweets, scones, biscuits or desserts in 27 days. It's funny because I keep having these dreams where it's like, the day before Lent ends and I break the fast! And I'll wake up flipping out because I really want to see this thing through, so I do.
But dreams aside it is going really well. I've stumbled a few times with my quiet times and prayers, but I got to keep going...right? I've had a few spiritual break-throughs since I've been fasting...
I'm finding that whenever I crave sweets or desserts I points my thoughts towards God and I rely on Him so much more to give me the courage to refuse these things. I'm also finding that my heart is more susceptible to hearing God's voice and submitting to His Spirit. It may sound crazy but I have had times when I am just engulfed in God's Spirit and they are such moments of clarity and purpose. My first encounter with God/Holy Spirit was on Day 5.
Looking back on my journal entries it's amazing...because the day before I was praying and talking about how I needed some kind of awakening or I needed to be shaken up. Then the next day at Souled Out God shook me. My friend Jason spoke at Souled Out and it wasn't even Jason...it was God so clearly speaking to me. God basically revealed to me that even though I became a Christian 2 (almost 3) years ago, I need to make the choice everyday (and sometimes a couple times a day) to accept Christ into my heart. I think of the film "50 First Dates".
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore are the main characters. And I think in ways, God is like Adam Sandlers character. He works so hard everyday to make Drew Barrymore fall in love with him. And sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't. That's the relationship I have with God...at least as of the past 2 years. Christ is Adam Sandler and I am Drew Barrymore. Jesus works to gain my affections...for me to fall in love with Him everyday. And I want to fall in love with Him everyday, all over again. This was my first break-through...I have come so far from who I was before Christ. My life before Him was hollow and I was so broken and trying to fix myself and fill my life with that would just take life from me. And now, I never want to know that life again. I don't want to ever again know life without my God.
The second break-through come on day 19. I had been journaling and I realized that it had been a good long while since I had a good heart-to-heart with Jesus. See, I write letters to Him. These are my prayers and I just pour my heart out to Him and listen to what He has to say to me.
Well, I was writing Him and He talked to me. I'm serious. It wasn't like a voice, so it wasn't...no it was like a strong feeling in my entire body. But I could hear Him, speaking to me. I had just been telling Him about how I want to minister to my friends back home, but I don't know how.
And He said, "how about writing a letter all about Me."
I was just like,"Should I? Really?" And God said, "Yes."
I asked Him, you know, "Who first?" And immediately one particular friend came to mind. She has been so heavy on my heart the past few months and I just knew God wanted me to reach out to her. And I kept questioning God. Questions like, what if I lose her? She's my friend and I don't have that many. And God basically told me who do you worship? Who made you? Who pursued you? Who made her? Who has not only your life, but her life and the lives of every living being in the universe planned out? He told me, don't worry about it...put Me first and tell her about My love for her.
And so with all of God's help I wrote her a letter telling her about God and His love. I have never done anything like that before. And it's a step of faith and trust in my Father that I have taken.
Well, that's all I have for now. I will try to update again either this week or in another 23 days.
Ellie O'Connor

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Lent Day 1 and 2

The season of Lent has officially begun! I am really excited for this year...I have this sort of expectancy feeling.
First of all, for those of you who don't know what Lent is, let me explain a bit of what it's about. Lent is a forty-day season of reflection and preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus. If begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. It is a time of repentance, of considering Christ's sufferings and rethinking how we are called to take up our own crosses. Some of us give up things like chocolate or television during this season as a sort of fasting, and others try to integrate something new into their lives, like visiting folks in prison, sewing clothes, exercising, or praying. It's a good season to rethink how we live and to let some things go, or maybe even to develop some new "holy habits."
This year I am fasting from facebook and sweets. That includes scones (that'll be the hardest!), biscuits and desserts. One new of the new "holy habits" I'm trying to start is setting aside specific time for prayer at least three times a day. I'm also studying the book of Acts for the season.
So far things are going quite well...the first day was harder than I expected and I don't feel like I had a very strong start. I didn't cave and get on facebook or eat sweets, but I was very tempted throughout the whole day.
I'm really hoping that this season of fasting will strengthen my relationship with Christ. I was always sort of taught that one fasts to rely on Jesus more. The point is the cry out for Jesus and rely on Him whenever you feel the craving for what you're fasting from. I'm really intrigued by the act of fasting. To take away from your human desires so that you look more to God.
I dig it.
I dig it.
And I want to try and keep this blog updated throughout the season. And let yous know my progress and what I am learning from all this. And I'd love to know if any of you are fasting or trying to start new "holy habits." Just comment or send me an email at ellieocsmail@yahoo.com
Until Next Time

Ellie O'Connor

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Happy New Year everyone!!!
I am glad to be back in Kilkeel after a nice a wee holiday break in Stevensville with the family. After my holiday I feel refreshed and ready to go! And good thing, my first week back to Kilkeel has been awesome. I've loved catching up with all my kids and getting back to work.
On thing I have started since I've been back is running.
Most of my team (Megan, Jason, Peter, Keri and I) are doing the Belfast Marathon. It is in May and we will be going the distance of 26.2 miles. Sounds intense I know...but none of us plan on running the whole thing. I mostly just want to do it to say that I finished The Belfast Marathon.
I have been running 2 miles everyday since Tuesday and yesterday I ran 4. My plan for training is to run 2 miles Monday through Thursday, rest on Friday, run 5 miles on Saturdays and then rest on Sunday. As I progress I will start to run further distances. My hope is by March to be running 5 miles Monday through Thursday and 9 or 10 on Saturdays. For the marathon I will start by running the first 5 miles, then walking a mile, then running a mile and a half, then walk a mile, ect.
I am very excited for this. I think it's gonna be some craic. Already I am seeing progress in my running time. I can get the 2 miles in about 22 minutes. The hardest part so far is psyching myself up before I go running, especially on cold/windy/raining days...like today. The weather was rubbish but the run was the best time yet for me.
Like I said it's been great catching up with my kids and my friends. Everyone has so much energy after the break we've had. Both Friday and Saturday night we had 50+ people in; and it's just been great energy. Friday night one of the girls decided to give me a few new hair styles and before I knew it there was a queue for kids to mess with my hair. An example of one of the many hair styles that graced my head.
Saturday night I got go out with Nite Lite and it was great. (Nite Lite is an outreach programme we have each Saturday night. It aims to draw along side young people who would not normally use our facilities; in effort to build positive relationships and help young people make positive choices.) At Nite Lite Saturday night, my group(David Henderson, Peter and myself) came across this young man we've gotten to know pretty well from doing what we do. He was very drunk (not unsusual) but he really wanted to talk to us. So we went back to JIMS with him and just had a really great chat with him about God. He was really upset because he understands that God loves him and forgives him, but he said that he didn't deserve it...he felt like he owed God his life...like a debt that needed paying off. I don't know how much of our conversation will stick with him, but I hope and pray that God will continue to do big things in his life.
That's all I got for now.
Until Next time.
Ellie O'Connor

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Christmas time is here and it is all around us.
Northern Ireland is no exception. I have been very busy within JIMS this month as I prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth. On the 2nd JIMS had their annual volunteer Christmas party, complete with free Chinese and a classic game of Pass the Parcel. Then on the 3rd JIMS held a lock-in with the Kingdom Youth Centre. It was a great time for the JIMS kids (who are predominately Protestant) to mix with Kingdom kids (predominately Catholic). It was great craic staying up all night making Christmas cookies, playing pool, video games and just chatting.


This past weekend was quite full as well. On Saturday night we had Acoustic Cafe in the Drop-In room. We had a few of our kids play some live music; there was hot chocolate, coffee, tea, milkshakes and tray bakes for sale. At the same time we had a concert in the Function room...Godfry Burtil. He came and held a concert/worship time for anyone 18+. Over all a great weekend.

I finally got to do some Christmas shopping. I was suppose to go to Belfast to see the light and buy some presents. I was anticipating this...

The Belfast Christmas market. With shops full of handmade goods and fun gifts.


But let's not for get this...











(To the left) The Belfast Christmas lights.





Unfortunately I missed my bus to Belfast so I had settle with Newry. Just as fun...not as big. I was able to buy some very nice gifts for my family and have a wee dander around the town with two of my girls from JIMS.

Today I have the GAP Christmas party then on Wednesday I am going to see the school musical. This year they are doing Footloose. The kids have been preparing for this for the past two month and I am very excited to see it.


Until Next time


Ellie