Mary

I have never actually blogged before in my life, so this should be a very exciting adventure. My name is Mary Cordle and I am a sophmore at Western Oregon University. I grew up as a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea having a fairly good idea of what Christianity was about. I knew how a Christian was suppost act, and what the Christian was supposed to believe, however I didn't really have a clue as to what it meant to have a relationship with Christ. After my senior year of high school I went on a mission trip to Mexico and while I was there I finally had enough courage to ask one of the missionaries what it looked like to walk with Christ and not just know about Him but to know Him. He explained it to me, and since that time, that has been my desire to know my savior more and more everyday.

I am an outdoors kind of girl. Anything outdoors gives me goosebumps. God's creation amazes me everytime I step outside and I am reminded constantly of His great love for me. One of my life time goals is to learn how to fly a plane and get my flying license. I like making faces at cameras and I could listen to the sound of rain on a tin roof for hours on end. Yet one of my greatest dreams is to work with kids. My major is elementary education, as to whether or not I really want to teach elementary kids I don't know, all I know is I love kids. I had the opportunity once to work with an autistic child, and for some reason God blessed me with the joy of seeing this little boy learn how to do something he had never done before. God had given this boy hope, and God had chosen to use me. I felt blessed and amazed that God would use me and I was reminded that God chooses to us to bring His message of hope to the world. It was just a matter of yeilding to His leading and letting Him mold me into He is creating me to be.

My freshman year at college was a tough one, yet God was showing up everywhere. I remember asking God that summer to use me to spread His word, I had know idea what God had in store. He placed me in a dorm where girls just started coming to me, asking me questions about Christ, the Bible, and who God is. I was overwhelmed and terrified, asking God why He had placed them in my life, I was inadequete. I had forgotten two very important things that have been a huge growth area in my life over that first year in college. One God answers prayers. Second He is our strength -- for His power is made perfect in weakeness. Although these girls never accepted Christ last year, I learned to trust that God has them in His hands, and that I need not be terrified for He is God. These girls still are searching, and it is my prayer that they come to know Christ and the wonder of His love. God has also opened up a door for spreading the gospel to International students. This is very new for our campus and needs a lot of prayer. Gods fingerprints are everywhere, what can I say other than He is good. Glory to God!

Psalm 42 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirst for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?...Why are you downcast, Oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God...By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me -- a prayer to the God of my life.


-Posted by Matt for Mary