Almost 4 years!

I can't believe how fast the time went! It feels like I've had her for about a year now.
{ I've decided to do our "4 year anniversary post" early because I probably won't be home for the 'official' day. }
On January 20, 2007 at about 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon, I was given this beautiful horse... Shelby.  This was one of our first rides.



2007 Giving my nephew, Tyler, one of his first rides! :-)


Photo Credit: Caitlin Savino
2008
2009
2010

She was a complete gift from a family friend. She had originally wanted $3500 for her. There was no way I could afford her, I was only 14. So after a few months of NOTHING, she told my dad she'd give her to us for $1500. Still, I couldn't do it. More months past. Then, she spontaneously decided to just GIVE her to me! She said she had been praying for a girl who just wanted a horse to ride and have fun with........ :)


}God is so Good{

His love is unfailing...

I am so thankful for Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that He loves me even when it seems like no one else does. Even when it seems like I'm having a bad day or nothing's going "right", He's always there to pick me up and help me to 'start anew'. I am so thankful that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for me. To save me from my wicked ways. To give me a hope and a future. I am so thankful for His Word. I am so indebted to Him that I can never-ever repay Him for all He has done, is doing, and continues to do for me. He is amazing. He is my Savior. He is my everything. He is the Risen King. He is my Heavenly Father. He is God only wise. He is my Maker and Redeemer. He is the Everlasting Father. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the reason for the season. :-)


"He is teaching me to follow Him — joyfully, expectantly, hopefully, and faithfully."

Happy Day!

Happy Thanksgiving from the whole Savino family!!!! :)

~Life Lessons from God~

Well... I'm back at HQ. I got here somewhere around 5:30 this morning and I'm super tired! And I have to be up by 5:30ish tomorrow morning. But God is good and I will survive. ;) I'll be going back home Wednesday night and then I'll come back here the following Monday. I kind of feel like I've had a lot of moving around and such lately but honestly, I don't really mind. That much. And besides, God's teaching me to be flexible! ;)

It's been really good for me here though. As much as I really, really want to be home, I know that God wants me here for a little while. I'm not really sure how long, but I trust Him with those details. ;) He's in control and He knows exactly what's going on and why it is. My job's not to plan, my job is to trust and follow His leading. It's extremely hard sometimes....okay, a lot of times..... but God is faithful, just, kind and loving. All I need to do is rely on Him completely. Which is easier said than done, but He's teaching me!! Actually, He's been teaching me a lot while I've been here. For example, a few weeks ago I was taking an order for a homeschooling mom over the phone and she was in her "nice phone voice". Ya know those voices mothers get when they're on the phone with someone outside of the family? ;) Well, she was in her super nice voice. And if there's one thing that sort of annoys me, it's a "nice phone voice"!
So, the whole time she's telling me which books she'd like to order I was thinking to myself how she should just talk in her "normal" voice. Well, right when we were exchanging our "have a nice day"s, she asked how to spell my name. I thought it was kind of awkward, but just thought she was taking it down just in case she'd call back asking questions about her order. Wrong. She was writing my name in her prayer book so she could pray for me! She then asked how she could pray for me. No, you can't even imagine the horrible feeling I had inside of me. That stunned silence for a minute made her ask if I was still there. I almost started crying right there on the phone! But I didn't. She then left me with a verse of encouragement and blessed me with joy and peace and then hung up. Wow.

God knows exactly how to get us. He knows exactly where it's going to hurt and exactly where it's going to help. He is always faithful in teaching me these "little" lessons. Daily.

God is amazing. He's becoming more and more real to me everyday. I love how He teaches me HUGE lessons in little things. I love the small things He does to show me that He loves me. Like the time I was sitting at my desk and it was the day God had "officially" told me He wanted me there (that's another story in itself!) for a little while longer. I had said a quick prayer in my heart saying, "Lord, I will follow You where you lead me. Just please help me to do so and be with me." Immediately after I was done saying that, my eye caught something in my Journal.... it was the verse at the end of the page that said, "Surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age." I mean, if that doesn't say "I love you", then I don't know what does!!!!

I love even the smallest of things to others is a huge mountain top experience for me! And personally, I like small, effective lessons. :) I like the little things.
For example, big, huge, hour long testimonies aren't as heart moving to me as the smaller ones on how people conquered the little "thorn". Now don't get me wrong, big, huge testimonies have their place and praise God for all that He has done in your life, but I just enjoy the testimonies that are about the one thing that meant so much to you personally.

Well, anyway.... yes, God has been amazing to me as of late, and I pray that He will continue to teach me His "little lessons of the day", and that I will stay faithful and not stray!



Many Blessings to anyone who reads this!!! :)


In Christ Alone,
~Gianna

~Fall~

....beautiful fall. I love the colors of the leaves. Especially this............... :)

My "Journey" Testimony...

Okaaaayyy...... I don't exactly know how to start or end this. Hmm... :p

Well, on September 11, 2010 my sisters and I went on a 10-day journey. Journey to the Heart, to be exact. It was one of the sweetest 10 days, and the worst 10 days!! And I will never forget it.

We spent 2 days at the Oak Brook Headquarteres preparing our hearts for the journey. One of the sessions Mr Gothard spoke on was having a clear conscience. Wait... let me back a up a few years here....... when I was about nine or ten, I did something really bad and never told mom and dad. No one saw, so I just asked for forgiveness from God, and thought it would all be over. Wrong!!

For years it tormented me. I would consciously watch what I was eating, I would do a ton of sit ups so that my stomach would stay flat. I made sure I didn't gain any weight, I had to look perfect on the outside, because if I didn't..... everyone would know that I wasn't perfect on the inside. It made me bitter towards a lot of people--including my parents. Which also made me disrespectful towards them. I had an attitude and I felt sick to my stomach when I thought about that one little sin that I just wouldn't confess!

Soooooo you can only imagine how horrible I felt the ENTIRE time Mr. Gothard was speaking on having a clear conscience!!!! It was ridiculous... why couldn't I just confess? I had a cell phone I could have just called them right them and confessed and asked forgiveness!! But my horrible self just wouldn't do it. I had given a little "ground" to Satan, and he was holding on with all his might! And I let him.

On Monday, we got our group picture taken and everyone was all excitedly getting on the bus ready to head to the beautiful North woods!!! Everyone except for me, that is. If you were to look at me, you would have probably thought I was really happy about going up there and spending hours of quiet time alone with God. I had put on a smile, made myself look happy, and talked the walk. But inside I was dreading the hours of quiet time with God because I knew that He would want me to confess my past sin to my parents. The bus ride was horrible.

So when we got there that evening, I couldn't stand it any longer!! So I asked my team leader if I could use my cell phone. (They had to take them away while we were up there so that they weren't a distraction or a competing affection) And thankfully, she said yes.

Well... it was dead. I thought, "oh, good! Now I won't have to call them!" Then God reminded me that the charger was in my purse. It took me a few times to hear Him tell me to go and get it, but I finally did plug it in. It charged for a few minutes and I ran outside to the runway to get reception. (BTW I was in my pj's and white socks:p ) So I called home and started crying right when I heard mom's voice!! *just to let you know, I do not cry! Really, ask any of my sisters. It takes a LOT to get me to cry!*
"Hello..."
"Mom? WAAAHAAA!!"
"Gianna?? Greg, she's crying! Gianna, are you okay? What happened?!!"
"I"m fine, really.... kind of, well, can you and dad please just put me on speaker phone and go somewhere to be alone?"
*talking between each other and footsteps*
"Okay, we're in the bathroom, go ahead...."
"*crying* Well, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to tell you....."
**BEEP** .....the phone died. NOoOoO!!! "Why do I have to be tormented!?!!"

I ran back into my room, plugged in the phone and waited. And waited. And waited. After what felt like an eternity, I looked down at my watch, and it was only 4-5 minutes. I didn't care. I thought, "good, this'll give me just enough time to tell them and then hang up!"
So I ran back out to the runway in my socks and tried to call again....

Well then the phone wouldn't turn on. I tried about 100,000,000 times and it wouldn't turn on. I was SO full of emotions I didn't know what to do!! Do I try again, do I just forget about it and be tormented for the rest of my life??
I help the phone up the sky, and prayed outloud, "Lord, if you want me to tell mom and dad tonight, you will turn this phone on!!" Immediately after praying, the phone lit up and turned on. Whoa! I've never had anything like that happen to me before. I knew that He wanted me to tell them. So I tried again.

*Call Failed* Satan was holding on tight! So I tried again. *Call Failed* ..."maybe, I shouldn't. It's already 11:00, mom and dad are probably really tired." But God was prompting me the whole time. Telling me the whole time to just try calling again. So I tried ONE MORE TIME. And I got through.
They answered the phone and I finally spit it all out. (Not without crying though.;)


What an amazing feeling it was to just tell them!!! How free I felt!! How happy I was!! What pure joy!! The heavy burden was gone, lifted off my shoulders! Praise God!! I had finally told them! After about 8-9 years of carrying that heavy weight, that wicked sin, that burden that Satan
loved to torment me with.... it was amazing to get rid of it!!

My dad asked how I felt and I told it was as if I could fly around the world!! And it was.
I felt as if I were weightless. I didn't know what to do with myself, so I went back to my room and thankfully my roommate wasn't in there yet because I started doing jumping jacks, push ups and a LOT of praising God!! It was amazing, and I will never forget it as long as I live!!!

What an awesome God we serve!!! The rest of the week was pretty much amazing too. I saw God work in the hearts of all the girls on my team, and I felt God working in my heart as well. He brought to light all the horrible hidden things I had in my heart that were hindering me having a close relationship with Him. Our team prayed for about 3 hours straight one night, and it was incredible!! We were all on our knees crying out to God for our brothers to grow into Godly young men that would follow Him no matter what, we were praying for one another, we were asking God for forgiveness, and we were all crying like babies. But it was worth it. That amazing joy that floods your spirit and soul, that amazing forgiveness, mercy and love that our Lord and Saviour gave us afterwards was all worth it!!!

I had such sweet quiet times with God while we were up there in the Northwoods, and I am SO thankful for it!!



Soooo..... if by some chance someone reads this, and you have not yet been on a Journey to the Heart, I STRONGLY encourage you to do so!! It could change you life.



~Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! Praise Him all creatures here below! Praise Him above ye, Heavenly Host! Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!!~

Proverbs 31:10-31

What's in your heart?

"The complexion of your face does not matter at all, it does not matter how many pimples show themselves there, what matters is the complexion of your heart, how many idols show themselves there? You do not need to makeup who you are, your heart shows who you truly are. You can stick your best foot out for awhile but eventually all will see the ugly foot that you tried to hide -- the desires of your heart."


This has challenged me far greater than words can describe!! It's made me really think about my priorities. It's made me think about a lot of things...

What am I really putting first in my life? Do I have idols? What is/are my idol(s)? Am I putting God first? Is spending time with God the most important thing in my everyday life? Am I doing everything I can, in every situation, to bring glory to God? Am I making Him my TOP priority?


To be truthful, I can't say that I do/have. Does this make me sad? Extremely. I WANT Jesus to be my everything, my life and my very top priority... but why is it so hard? Why do I have to let my flesh rule and put other everyday things above God?

I am a sinner. I am not perfect. I am human. From my very first breath here on earth, I entered into this world with fleshy desires.... I am sinner.

However, through God's awesome grace He has saved me; sanctified me- and continues to. He is showing me areas in which I was not trusting Him with. He has shown me things that I can change, need to change and have to change. This doesn't mean it'll be easy and smooth from here on and I'll be able to change "just like that"!

Sure, it'll be bumpy, and at times I may feel like giving in to my wants and my own desires and will... but through these trials God will be working in me, and that is my greatest desire. To have God be working in me. To have Him be the Ruler of my life. To be my Hero. To be my everything.


Psalm 19:14- "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."



To God be the glory forever and ever Amen!!

~Gianna

Lately, God has been showing me that there are certain areas of my life that I had not fully surrendered to Him; trusted Him with. I was not willing to give up my will for His. I wasn't giving Him my everything. I was leaning on my own understanding and not His--"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." ~Prov. 3:5-6
Sometimes it's so hard to trust Him. Sometimes it's easier to just do it ourselves-(or think we can, anyway) And so the Lord has just been working on my heart, showing me and teaching me these things.... asking me to trust Him. Someone recently told me, "The closer we walk with Him the more we learn to trust Him." My prayer is that I will cling to Him as He reveals His will to me, that I may fully surrender my will, and follow HIS leading.... joyfully! Whatever He has in store for my future, wherever He is leading me, may I always be trusting Him and looking upward as I move onward!

Many Blessings,


Gianna

Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge; it gives us the ability to understand how to think and act in a situation so as to please God.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

My sisters (Dana, Caitlin, Stephanie) and I decided to surprise my mom with a quilt. It was kind of hard sewing it without her knowing! But we did and were able to finish it without her ever knowing about it! So without further ado, here are the "progress" pictures...

Cutting out...

...lining it all up...

...and the finished product!

I love you so much and am so blessed to have you as my mom :) Thank you for all the time and energy you've spent on me in the last 17 years! I love you and hope you had the very best of birthdays!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!