Broken

So those who know me best know that am extremely personal and do not like letting people into my personal life. I have never been known as an open book, and still really do not have any plans to change that.

This week has been extremely hard on me emotionally, and Satan has been having a field day. He has attacked me professionally, personally, and spritually. I have spent the last hour or so truly seeking the comfort of my Savior. I wrote down some words in somewhat poetic form. I feel like God is asking me to share them even though I have no desire to. But maybe He is asking me to be very real, I'm not sure.

Broken

"I sit here today with tears flooding my eyes,

Wishing I knew the secret to overcoming the evil one's lies.

No I am not naive, for I know the answers are written out clearly for me,

But honestly I admit that saying yes to satan's temptation has allowed me to be badly bit.

It's so easy to blame all of life's distractions that are swarming around me,

But the truth is quite simple, the blame for all of this lies squarely on me.

Forgive me dear Lord for not just ignoring your Word,

But also for refusing your company, companionship, and your love.

I sit here broken and I am not sure how to make all this right,

But I do know if my heart will simply say yes to trusting you again, then one day life will once again be bright."

So not a great poem, but that's where my heart is right now. I have found comfort in His truth that He is ever so willing to mold and shape my life, if I will just be willing. How about you, are you living secure in this truth?

Thanks for reading

Alicia Anne

Beginning Year Four!

Well I am sitting here at 10:37 at night watching the Ranger game! My bags are packed, and I will be leaving here at 4:oo in the morning to head to the airport. I can hardly believe that I will be starting my fourth year living and teaching in Singapore. I am excited to see all my friends and my students, but as I sit here I am also feeling sad knowing that I will be saying goodbye again to my AMAZING family, and friends. Please pray for me as I fly, and also that I would allow God to use my life this school year however he see's fit!

Here is a cute picture of David. He decided that he wanted to come to Singapore with me!

Home For the Summer

For the last six weeks I have been back in the States for Summer break. I flew into Florida, and I was able to spend some time with my church family for a few days, and squeeze in a trip to Disney with Cris and the kids. For the rest of the time I have been here in Arlington, Texas. I have been enjoying some MUCH needed family time! I am already missing my sweet niece and nephews, and I haven't even left them yet. I have also been able to spend some time with my friends, and I am forever grateful to God for reminding me how much He has spoiled me with all of their continual love. I have added a few pics from the Summer. Hopefully in the next couple of days I will post a couple of videos from this past school year!

Well.....................

So I have decided that I am officially the world's worst blogger!! Well maybe not, my roommate just told me she hasn't updated hers for over a year and a half!! I really am going to try and be more faithful to updating this.

I have pics and videos on my computer at school, so this week after work hours I am going to be updating this blog. So stayed tuned, changes are a coming to the page!!!

Starting The Third Year

I am currently sitting here at my sister's house in Clermont Florida!! It is great to be back in the Sunshine state to visit with my church family, and friends that I have missed soooooo much. I had the joy of sharing my testimony with Elevate last night, and I was able to catch up with a lot of my former students. I am very much looking forward to Sunday mornings services at Corner Stone!

I think most everyone knows this already, but I have signed up for another year at ICS in the country of Singapore. Once you complete you 2 year contract then you decide year to year if you want to stay. I cannot believe that I have already finished two years in Singapore, and I am super pumped to see what God is going to do in year 3!!

I think I have told most people, but I am going to be the new Athletic Director at my school this year! I am a little nervous but I know that God is going to do great things with our athletic program. Please pray for me that I will not be overwhelmed and that above all I will always strive to glorify God with all my actions!

I know that I have been horrible at updating this blog, but my goal is to at least update this once a month.

I will be flying out of Florida to head back to Singapore on Aug 3rd, so please keep me in your prayers!!

Alicia Anne

Merry Christmas Cornerstone

Hello Corner Stone friends,

I just wanted to thank you all very much for the Christmas gift this year, but even more for all of the prayers that you have offered on my behalf this year!! I feel the prayers so very often, and I am so very very thankful for them!

I hope each one of you are having a stink'in awesome Christmas! I am getting to spend mine here in Texas with my family!! I have loved every precious moment I have had with David, Matthew and Kylie. The make my heart happy! Matthew told me that "Pastor Mike is soooo cool Aunt Alicia." I totally agree!!

I love each one of you more then you know. Every Friday night, and Sunday morning I think about you guys and the elevators, and often wish I was there with you.

Keep on loving and serving the King of all Kings!!

I will see you at the end of June!!!!!

love,

Alicia Bandy

Trip to KL, Malaysia

We went to KL, Malaysia this past weekend because we had a three day weekend. KL is the capital of Malaysia, and it was really cheap to fly over there and enjoy it for a couple of days. I hang out with some great people that love the Lord, and who love to randomly talk to people like I do. We took some stuffed animals with us, because we realized that the people love them over here, and its a sure fire way to get them to talk to you and take some pictures. It was awesome. We were able to talk to over 60 people and get pictures. Hopefully some joy was brought to their hearts.

While we were there we also made some videos like always. There were a couple of funny ones. This first one is the invention of the yo-yo!

This second video came about when I saw a sign at the train station there. It inspired me in the naming of my future children!!

We had a lot of fun, and it was a much needed break. Next weekend I will be going back to Malaysia in about the same area to work at an orphanage for the weekend. Be praying for that short trip. We will leave Friday night and come back Sunday evening. I am excited to see what God will do in the lives of the children, and in my life!

Living for Him,

Alicia B

Are You As Bold As An Eight Year Old?

So a couple of weeks ago at school we had about 60 men from the U.S. Navy come to our school over a period of two days, 30 each day. They were stopping in Singapore before going on over to the Middle E. We have a parent at our school that works with the Navy so he set it up for them to come and help out the school any way we could think of.

The kids just loved them all soooo much! It was pretty awesome! My favorite moment came when three of the men were being interviewed by the 5th grade classes. The very first question of the session came from Tessa, "Are you guys Christians?" It was cool. They all just kinda of looked at each other like "is she really just flat out asking this?" So my principal leaned over and said, "we tell our students here that they can believe in whatever they want, but to be BOLD in what they believe." So one by one they answered. The first two said no, and after each no there was a sigh from the kids. But praise the Lord the third one said yes, and relief filled the air!!

Another story just as cool as that one is about the boldness of a third grader, Ben. Ben was eating lunch with one of the officers. When he came to a stopping point he pulled his cross necklace out from under his shirt and asked the officer if he knew what it was. The officer said, "it's a cross," to which Ben replied, "it's not only a cross, but it represents the one that Jesus Christ died on!" How awesome is that.

So here is the question I have for you and myself. Do we have the boldness in our faith as an eight and ten year old. Who have you boldly shared with today, this week, this month, this year? Who have you boldly questioned?

Oh to be like a child. Jesus says several times in the Enemy Slayer (Bible) to have the faith of a child. Its moments like these that remind me of these verses, and challenge me to rise up to the faith of an eight year old!

Join me this week, and bring out the BOLDNESS!!!

Enemy SLAYER!

So this school year I get to teach a Bible class three days a week from 8:15 in the morning till 8:45. I teach the same lesson three different times to the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. I have already enjoyed it sooooo much! This year we are having the elementary students learn 26 memory verses (A -Z), plus the school's theme verse, I Corinthians 10:31. So I am going in each work to help them with learning the verse, plus looking at the background and text of each verse.

Last week we talked about why we should read the Bible, study the Bible, and memorize the Bible. I did an acrostic for the word Bible:

Bread for our lives
Inspired
Book of Law
Lamp and Light
Enemy Slayer

The kids really loved it when I called the Bible a Enemy slayer. I told them how the Word says that the Bible is like a two edged sword, and that if we know the scripture then we can cut the devil with our Sword when he tempts us to do wrong.

So this morning while I was teaching the third grade I told them to take out their Bibles, and one of my students replies, "Ms. Bandy, you meant take out your Enemy Slayer, right?" :) Made my lips and my heart smile!!!

Talk to someone about the Enemy Slayer this week, and don't forget to read it yourself!!

AAB

Three Weeks & Counting!

So I know that I was suppose to probably have written at least three posts since I have been back, but that just hasn't happened! As soon as my feet walked off of the airplane I feel like I haven't stopped since I have been back! Which is both a good thing and a bad thing.

I had a wonderful Summer, but it wasn't one that I would call restful, but it was awesome none the less. The entire time I was home I longed to be back in Singapore. I missed the Asian culture and the food. I missed my students and their families, my friends, and the school. I just missed being in Singapore.

August 5th was my first full day back and it was great. I went up to the school and decided to go with the new staff on the hippo tour around Singapore. I was able to talk to the new faculty and then know what kind of goofy person they would be working with! I don't think I scarred any of them away! We have a great new group, so please be in prayer for them as they continue to adjust and make the transition here. Their names are: Crissy Mallinger, Helen Brownell and Steven Moore (the single teachers), the Miller Family, and the Kappe family.

We just completed our second full week of school, and tomorrow begins week number three. I cannot even tell you how pumped I was to see all my students again. I missed seeing them, and annoying them with my presence!! I thank God that they seemed to miss me a little bit too!! :)

I feel like so much has happened already since I have been back and it would be way too long to post, so my goal is to be way more consistent with this thing.

I will tell you that as much as I missed Singapore this Summer, I am already missing my family, and friends from the States sooooooooooo much. I feel like I am on a emotional roller coaster. When I am in Sing Sing I long for the States, and when I am in the States I long for Singapore. I have been really homesick these last couple of weeks. I think its because I was able to have so much quality family time while I was home. This past week I was able to teach chapel and it really helped refocus why I am here. I taught on Jonah, and how with our choices we affect three people: Ourselves, others, and possibly the Kingdom of God. I pray that God will use my life here in Singapore to make an eternal difference. I miss my family, but I know I am suppose to be here. PLEASE keep this in your prayers. I don't really remember being this homesick last year.

Serving Him

AAB

Happy Birthday Alicia Anne

I am now at the beginning of my 33rd year of life!! I got to thinking how Jesus only lived 33 years, and I started pondering on different parts of His ministry. One of the things that sticks out most to me is people. His whole life is all about people, and His love for them and for me personally is second to none. Before He was ever born He was impacting people. Look at Mary and even John The Baptist before he was ever born.

I have decided to really focus on people this year, and I want to reflect on many of the people who have had an impact on my life. I plan to journal this year about many of those different people, and who knows maybe someday God will let it be published.

This has been a great week spending time with my family. I am starting to get tears in my eyes just thinking about saying goodbye to them again, but I am excited about the thought of being in Singapore and Asia once again.

Tell someone about Jesus this week, and don't forget your life is one to be lived for HIM!!!

aab

Home For The Summer!

My Pastor asked me to start this blog so that my church family could keep dibs on my life in Singapore. Most of you know that I have spent the last year living and teaching in the country of Singapore. It was a great first year, and I am excited to see what God has in store for our school (ICS), and for the Country of Singapore.

I am currently back in the States for the summer. It has been a very fast paced summer so far, and I am looking forward to the couple of weeks here with my family. I had a great visit with my church family in Florida, and I was very proud to be apart of the Quain/Wiggers wedding!

I am heading back to Singapore on August third, so please keep me in your prayers that day as I travel! I will try to keep this updated frequently!!

living 4 Him!!
aab