reality and growth

It has been way too long since I've written a blog post...my excuse basically is when I do think of something to write about, I don't have time to write a post or when I do have time to write a post, I'm usually too exhausted to think of something worth writing about. Thankfully I have the time to write this post and I know I need to write it, for me and for several of you who may need to read it.

This post is pretty much going to be me pouring out my heart about my life, what I'm going through and what God is teaching me so...here it goes.

Here's the truth of it:

College. Is. Hard.

It doesn't matter how many AP classes you take, how much you think you want to be out and on your own, how many friends you'll have going with you to the same college, or how prepared you think you are. The transition is HARD. I definitely didn't learn this the easy way.

The first and probably most superficial misunderstanding I had about college was that classes would be easier after the amount of work I did in high school. I took several AP courses and yes, I thankfully have background experience and former knowledge for some of the classes I am in now, but the amount of information you are expected to learn (tons) in the amount of time you have to learn it (not much) makes studying much more demanding and it has challenged me to look at how I manage my time and learn to do the best I can and rely on God for the strength I need to learn what I need to know.

The second thing I've found hard about college would probably be making intentional relationships. I didn't really see this one coming, but I've discovered I really have to remind myself to be intentional when I meet new people because sometimes I get used to having some of my old friends from high school with me (especially at the church I attend here) so when I go to an event or something where I'm not with my friends, I have to branch out. I don't really know why this is so hard for me, but it is. I guess it's because my mind is always elsewhere and I have a hard time reminding myself to really make the most of every opportunity to make new friends or be a witness, but God has really been convicting me recently that I need to be prepared every second of every day to be a witness for Him, whether it's just by saying "hello" or as much as listening to someone pour out their heart when they just need someone to listen.

The biggest thing that I'm having trouble with though would definitely have to be missing my family. I'm not trying to be "goody goody" or anything when I say this...I am completely serious. I guess around the beginning of senior year, I started looking forward to being on my own and I knew I'd be able to come home and visit and it was going to be no big deal and being independent was going to rock and it was just gonna be great. Well, about halfway through senior year we found out about my family's move to England and everything changed. At first, I was completely excited that I would be going there on vacations and things like that, but once the spring rolled around and school was almost over, I realized that everything was about to completely change. Now I already knew about the basic things that were going to change, regardless of whether my family left or not, such as no more pizza and movie nights on Fridays/Saturdays, no more nightly cups of coffee made by dad, and things like that. But then some serious reality hit me. I wasn't coming back home. At least to that house anyway. My family was leaving, I was going off to college, and I wouldn't be coming back to that house again. No weekend trips. No Thanksgiving with them. When I go back to Birmingham, I can only drive by that house, look at the swing in the front yard and remember sitting on it with my family, just enjoying being together, look at the yard that Dad worked so hard to keep clean, see the backyard where I used to watch Trey and Dad throw the baseball or football while I sat outside or did homework and realize I'm never going back. I'm never eating a family meal in that kitchen again. Never decorating my room for Christmas in that house again. I mean I hate to just list all these things and make it sound so depressing but the thing is...the reality of all these things have really hit me hard as I've come to college. I'm definitely working through them and I'm not depressed or anything, but it's really hard to watch friends go home for the weekend or school break and know they get to actually go home. I've definitely had great visits with people who I love dearly, but I've just had to pray hard for some love when it gets tough. I've had a couple of times where I literally was crying before God, sort of asking and yelling about why He would put me through something this hard, but every time I've come to Him, I've felt Him saying, "Don't you see? You're getting distracted. All these things you're missing, they're superficial. They're earthly. They pass away with time, regardless of where your family is. I'm giving you this opportunity to trust in me more. You need to rely on me. You need to give up these things you're holding on to." and I know He's got something big planned for me. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I need to be going through this to learn how to put every ounce of my being in Christ because He is the one who will NEVER leave or forsake me, will ALWAYS love me, will ALWAYS listen to me, and loved me enough to die for me.

This has been a huge reality check for me. All of these areas. And I just want to add that yes, I have seen my family and the visit was wonderful (although brief) but I'm thankful for it and I know they are where God wants them to be just as much as I am where God wants me to be. I'm just still in the stage of God teaching me what He wants me to learn from this experience.

One major thing I've been doing very recently that is immensely helping strengthen my trust in God is memorizing scripture. My sweet boyfriend sent me a link to a website earlier in the semester that has a ton of verses that directly relate to God's promises during times of stress and doubt, so I have been slowly but surely trying to memorize them all. Even if it takes all of college and even more, I'm determined to learn them because even just the first few I've memorized have been wonderful reminders for me to think about throughout the day. The first verse I looked at helped me completely change my perspective on my "sufferings":

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on the Lord because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:6-11.

(I will admit I had to look this up to make sure I got it all in there and remembered parts correctly. Cool thing about memorizing scripture: you can always go back a re-learn the passages for refreshing's sake and even to gain a new perspective on what the verses are saying)

This passage was perfect for this time period in my life because it starts by reminding me to BE HUMBLE! I'm not the only one on the planet going through a hard time and need to be considerate of others who are struggling as well! I also need to humble myself under God's mighty hand as a reminder that I cannot find strength to carry on on my own. I have to let Him work in me to lift me up in due time. Secondly, I have to cast all my anxiety on the Lord. I can't let my stresses bog me down. And I know I can surrender my anxieties to Christ because He loves and cares for me and wants to take care of me! I just have to give it up and let him! Next, it reminds me to be self-controlled, especially with my emotions, and to be on guard. In other words...don't get distracted! The devil wants for me to be put down in these situations. The devil wants me to give up, have a pity party, and yell at God for putting me through this. But that's because the devil knows God is trying to move in me. I have to be on guard if I want God to be the one in control of my life, not earthly distractions placed in the way by the devil. Then I'm reminded that I can stand firm in my faith because my Christian brothers and sisters are undergoing the same kind of sufferings! I'm not alone! This is why I definitely feel like spending time with Christian brothers and sisters is so important because you have the opportunity to love on each other and support one another. And then God promises that after suffering a little while, when I learn what He needed to teach me, I will be able to share with eternal glory in Christ! He will restore me, making me strong, firm and steadfast! What an incredible promise!

Even as I write this post, I am filled with hope for the future and an indescribable feeling of contentment and love that I know can only come from Christ. I am so thankful that He is challenging me to grow and that Lakeview, the church I attend in Auburn and one of the most incredible body of believers, is pouring in to me and challenging me to grow in my faith.

Also I just want to say thank you for prayers and support that I know are being lavishly poured out on me. It means so much, especially when I think about times when I've been ready to just break down but I've felt God pick me up in ways only He can.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do  you not recognize it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." -Isaiah 43:18-19.

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Grace and Peace.

man I LOVE this band

ok so I kind of stole Mr. Horton's catch phrase and will now apply it to Auburn's band as well as Vestavia's. I'm going to try to make this blog post as short as possible so I can go to bed but I don't really know what's going to happen once I get writing (it's been a while since my last post!)

Well basically, the past couple of weeks have been REALLY intense, going through band camp and preparing the shows for football season. When camp was first starting, I was having a really hard time seeing the big picture and pushing through all of the hard work that had to take place before band could become fun. (because believe me, a total of 9 hours a day spent in the sun working on music or marching is NOT the most pleasant thing in the world). But tonight made all of the hard work worth while. The AUMB performed at a "band-o-rama" tonight where local high schools came and performed their shows for one another just to enjoy seeing some other band shows. We opened the night with our pre-game show and after all of the high schools performed we did our half-time show for them. It was exciting to do pre-game, just to hear everyone singing the cheers as we played and get excited about football season, but the absolute most amazing part of the night was doing the half-time show for them, the closer in particularly. Our show theme to open football season is based off of winning the National Championship so we start with "On to Victory, Strike Up the Band," then play the Rocky theme "Gonna Fly Now," and close with "We Are the Champions." When we play "We Are the Champions," we face the back of the field and turn around when we get to the chorus and play out (lots of fun) and when we turned around and started playing that tonight, everyone stood up to cheer and applaud. I know I should've expected the crowd's reaction, but it still made me tear up a little bit. Just remembering the first Auburn game I went to and thinking "WOW that band is amazing, it would be a dream come true to be a part of it," and to know that I'm actually a part of it now...it really is incredible. The experience of a lifetime. And now I get to be a part of the band that gave me goosebumps when I was in the audience (of course I still do get goosebumps :) ha)

Basically, I'm really thankful for the chance I've had to be in a great marching band at Vestavia and continue that experience at Auburn. A once in a lifetime opportunity that I'm SO blessed to be a part of.

praising Him for the abilities He has given me and for giving me the strength I've needed whenever I surrender to Him.

"Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14

"You did awesome things that we did not expect...no ear has heard, no eye has seen any God like you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways." Isaiah 64:3-5

Grace and Peace.

blessings, blatant or in disguise

sometimes I forget just how blessed I am. The past few days have served as a refresher for me.

1: A clear blessing -- Both of my grandmothers have been fighting cancer for a while (one was diagnosed several months ago and the other just recently) and a few days ago, my grandmother (Dad's side, the one who was diagnosed earlier) received test results that officially said she is cancer free. Seeing both of my grandmothers deal with cancer has been pretty difficult, but deep down I knew God was watching out for them and was in control, even though it was tough to remember all the time. Knowing that He has completely healed one of my grandmothers is a huge blessing in the midst of a time of change and growth for me. Other than both of my grandmothers being sick, dealing with our family's huge move and preparing to transition to college has started to weigh down on me and having a part of those burdens lifted definitely helps.
**For those reading who have been praying for my grandmothers: I want to sincerely thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Please continue to pray for my mom's mom. God is much bigger than cancer and He hears when we call. Your support means more than you know so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

2: A not-as-clear blessing -- Yesterday I spent some time hanging out with some of my friends and we went to the thrift store, just to look around and shop for a few things. I'd never been to a thrift store and had no idea that I would actually learn some lessons while I was there. First of all, there are some nice things at the thrift store! For instance, I found two Auburn Marching Band shirts made in a material similar to Under Armour that would be used for band practice and was able to buy both for about $6. Why anyone would give those shirts up I don't know, but I'm glad I found them! As I was going through the t-shirt rack and seeing old homecoming and special event t-shirts from areas such as Hoover, Vestavia, Mountain Brook, Gardendale, Oak Mountain, and Homewood, I realized just how much we as the "over the mountain" area take for granted. Some students, whether in poorer areas in Birmingham, around the state, or across the globe, are unable to even have nice events such as prom and homecoming yet we do and seem to think it is a right we are entitled to as high school students. After reading "The Hole In Our Gospel" (which I finally finished at the beach last week), I was able to really get a glimpse of just how difficult getting an education is in poorer parts of the world. Children in Africa end up dropping out of school by 4th or 5th grade usually because they are either needed to help at home, have to help with long distance chores (going to fetch clean water, for example), or sometimes to even take care of siblings after parents die due to AIDS or other diseases. Even as I type this, my heart aches for the children I met in South Africa (who I still refer to as "my babies") who have to work hard just to make sure they stay in school while I sit in America and complain about school more often than I look forward to it and although I work hard to get good grades, I don't worry about getting through to the next grade level. My high school band director used to emphasize to us that band as a program is something to be grateful for and we owe it to the people who can't be in band (because of lack of resources or anything else) to enjoy every moment. I owe it to the children who can't continue their education to make the most of mine and give back through it. This is why my goal is to become a nurse and use nursing as a way to go on mission trips and provide health care to the poor and needy. Some people ask why God allows people to be born in rich communities or poor communities and I've begun to realize that He knows the poor will put their faith in Christ alone because they have nothing else while the rich are given resources to share and provide love and support to those in need, thus teaching the rich how to be good stewards and be faithful.

I'm sorry I've probably gone off on ten different tangents by now but seriously...God gives blessings abundantly. Just look for them, they aren't hard to find.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Phil. 4:12-13

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11

Grace and Peace.

bittersweet

I'm sitting at home, looking out the window and the beautiful day the Lord has made, and thinking about how blessed I am. I just officially finished high school and that is certainly a bittersweet thought.

Bitter --

• knowing I will be separated from many of my close friends who will not be joining me at Auburn next year 
• knowing I only have 2 and 1/2 months left with my family at "home". By this, and I'm really not trying to feel sorry for myself because I am definitely blessed with many friends and family members who will be here for me when I leave, but I mean I will not truly be able to come "home" to my mom, dad, and brother again. not for the weekends, not for Thanksgiving. with them being in England for 3 years and not knowing where they will be afterwards, that means I will see them on my Christmas and summer breaks and who knows when else my senior year of college but then I will graduate and be independent... 
• coming to terms with reality that my childhood really is about to end

Sweet ---

• knowing I will still see several of my friends at Auburn next year and have the ability to visit the ones who aren't
• knowing I can visit my family on Christmas and summer breaks (best vacation EVER!) and grow even closer to my family members in the states
• making new friends and growing closer to the Lord as I transition to college
• NO SUMMER WORK for the first time in 3 years...PRAISE HIM FOR A REAL BREAK!!!!

I really have to make it clear that I am very excited about the opportunity my family has been given to go to England. The reality is just that it's hard. I don't want to pretend that I'm completely okay with it or that I will be completely okay when they leave. I know it'll be hard. However, I cling to the hope of my faithful best friend, Jesus Christ, to help me through it all. I know that whenever I'm needing a good cry with my mom, He'll be there. Whenever I need a big hug from my dad, He'll be there. Whenever I need a good laugh with my brother, He'll be there. I know that God has given us this opportunity to trust in Him more for guidance and strength and I'm hoping I will take advantage of this chance to fully rely on Him for the strength I know I will HAVE to have and can only get from Him.

For now, I am just thankful for this beautiful day and for 2 and 1/2 more months of taking each day one day at a time, not letting a single one pass by too quickly. 

Thank you for all of the encouragement and prayers. Even though I've had at least 30 people tell me if I ever need anything to let them know, and some people would think nothing of it, every single offer has meant SO much to me and I really appreciate it. 

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." Psalm 62:1-2

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Grace and Peace.

looking back and forward

Recently we've been going through cabinets and closets in our house trying to organize and clean them, which has been quite an adventure to say the least. For instance, last week when I was going through old Disney movies that I watched over and over and OVER again as a kid, I actually started crying...the reality of growing up started to hit me hard. (I know, pitiful, but I love my Disney movies!)
Well tonight my mom decided to pull out some old home videos she'd been transferring from VHS to DVD on this recording VCR we have and I got to "go back" and see Christmas at age 3 and 4, all the times my mother asked me to sing Jesus Loves Me or other random songs (and I would typically refuse unless I was really in the mood to sing, and even then I really only sang what I wanted, not what she asked), a couple of birthday parties, and some other memorable moments, such as two snow days we apparently had two different years in Florence (somehow forgot about that one...). One of the things she recorded was just a regular old day in May when we had my grandparents (Mom's side) over along with my great-grandmother. I was playing baseball (if that's what you even call it...I mean I was 3 so I was only carelessly swinging the bat and occasionally hitting the ball so everyone in my family could cheer for my great "accomplishment") and my grandfather was pitching, my dad was catching, and my grandmother and great-grandmother were watching while my mom was recording the video. Even though it was probably the simplest most random thing my mom recorded in the whole video, it touched me the most to watch. Just seeing all of us together, including my great-grandmother who passed away not too long ago, was pretty emotional for me. We all looked so different and it was neat to just see us all smiling, having a good time together. It made me wish for those simple days again, of being a little kid, but even more than that, it just made me thankful for the love in my family and the faith that we have to know God is working out everything for our good. This is especially evident in remembering my great-grandmother, knowing she's up in heaven with Jesus, watching over us. Looking back, it's really cool to see where God put us and how He has led us through every step in our lives. All the way from Florence to Birmingham, England.


We sang this song during Wednesday night worship this week and every time I hear it, I think about our family. This week I just listened to every word and let the reality of the lyrics sink in, because this song is  so applicable to me and my family right now...


Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow...

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there's life everlasting
In you there's freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
and I will follow


--Chris Tomlin


Did you notice all of those responses were not little unsure statements but strong, obedient ones? I will go, I will stay, I will move, I will follow you.


Honestly making those words become real is hard. That's where I am right now. Asking myself if I really will go wherever God asks me too, if I will really live for Him alone and serve Him even if it means denying myself and taking up Jesus' cross daily. 


This isn't just a simple checklist kind of commitment. It's one for a lifetime. And I'm working on it. 


"But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts."  
-Psalm 103:17-18


"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3


Grace and Peace.

finally, to let the world know

Hello, all. I'm sure some of you have heard that something big has been going on in my family and if you have, you've heard correctly. For those of you who go to Shades, you may remember that during Sunday morning's message, Pastor Danny talked about 3 different families he knows who are seeking God's guidance in working overseas. Well...my family is one of them!
About 6 months ago, my dad was informed that his company wanted to promote him. Not just any regular promotion, but one that would require moving to the United Kingdom. More specifically, to Birmingham, England. (ironic place, huh? from Birmingham to Birmingham)
Well naturally he was completely blown away and kept praying that God would lead the way if this was the right decision. Only my mom and dad knew about this until this February, when they told me and my brother. We had to keep it a secret until we were approved by the UK government, which has been harder than you can possibly imagine, but has ended up being one of the most rewarding experiences in bringing me closer to God and closer to my family. There have been times of excitement, times of tears. Realizations of new experiences and adventures that await us, and realizations of things that will be difficult to leave behind. (I am still going to Auburn this fall by the way, so I will only be going over during my vacation times when I go "home")
We have faced many obstacles in getting through this process. Our paperwork was actually declined earlier this week for getting into the UK, but because God is in control, it turned out to be a mix-up and we are still on board to be approved in 4 weeks. Countless situations have come up where we have clearly seen God working and we, as a family, know that this is where God is leading us.
I actually knew about this while I was in South Africa for spring break and this really taught me to go to God about EVERYTHING, seeking His guidance first and foremost in my life.
This opportunity has been the biggest blessing for my family and I am thrilled to see how God will continue to use this in our lives. Although this is of course for my dad's job, my family sees it as a great missions opportunity and we are looking forward to seeing how we are able to be a part of God's work LITERALLY around the world!
I am so thankful for all the love and support from our friends and family...I really cannot thank you enough for all that you do!
I know you are probably experiencing mixed emotions, I know I did, so please 1) ask me any questions about anything you may need clarified or are just curious about and 2) pray and seek understanding from God if you are overwhelmed. Believe me, it will bring you closer to Him than you would've thought possible.

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." - 1 Peter 3:15-16

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." - Psalm 5:11-12

Grace and Peace.

ALL the nations will praise Him--South Africa, Day 4

Have you ever thought about how much praise goes on throughout the world on a Sunday? Think for just a minute about all the time zones and all the churches in those time zones...pretty much 24 hours straight of praise and worship to the creator of the universe occurs throughout the course of a Sunday. Is that incredible or what? I mean I know He deserves our non-stop praise all week, but to think that for basically 24 straight hours someone somewhere is singing praises or listening to a sermon or crying out to God is the coolest thing EVER.
This thought hit me in the middle of the church service in South Africa on the Sunday we were there.
The church service was certainly a different experience, but an incredible one. Capricorn Church, like I mentioned in the previous blog post, is a small container like you would use for storage. Adults, teenagers, and children all come together in this small space and praise God with all they have, which creates the most beautiful picture imaginable. Hands are raised, feet are moving, people are dancing, hearts are filled with joy...the name of Jesus is cried out, sung, praised, and held on to.
One of the songs that our team absolutely fell in love with is called Jabulani, Africa. The lyrics go like this:


Jesus life and hope
To heal our land
Savior reaching out
With your mighty hand


Sing for joy, O Africa
The Lord your God is
Risen upon you now


Jabulani Jabulani Africa
Jabulani Jabulani Africa
Jabulani Jabulani Africa
Jabulani Jabulani Africa


Jesus river of life
To our thirsty land
Savior meeting our needs
From Your mighty hand

Sing for joy, O Africa

The Lord your God is

Risen upon you now

Jabulani Jabulani Africa

Jabulani Jabulani Africa

Jabulani Jabulani Africa

Jabulani Jabulani Africa

Now I know you're wondering "What does 'Jabulani' mean??" Well, I'll just tell you :) 

"Jabulani" means to bring happiness to something. So this song is basically saying "bring joy to Africa." I just love this song because when I heard the people of South Africa singing it, I could hear their earnest pleas to God, thanking him for delivering them from their suffering and praising him for giving them a living hope. I seriously am at a loss of words to describe to you just how cool it was to see the pure and passionate praise of the African people. They sing with all their hearts. They express themselves through singing, dancing, crying out, pretty much everything you can think of. I could feel God's presence in that place. The pastor was filled with the Holy Spirit when He spoke and the people hung on to every word. I get goosebumps just thinking about the experience. I truly did not want to leave once the service was over. 

It is interesting though that during the service, children were running up and down the center aisle of the church, either going to their parents, going to their friends, or going outside to play. The service is relatively long (the length of our Sunday School plus the service) so it is typical for the children to go outside to play at some point during the service. But even through all of the distractions, those who wanted to listen to the sermon hung on to every word. These people REALLY care about Jesus. 

Later in the day, we went up to Table Mountain, which is one of the most prominent landmarks of Cape Town. We drove up as far as we could and then rode a cable car to the top (which was a little nerve-wracking). Once on top, we could see the entire city of Cape Town, the ocean, and even some islands right off the coast of Africa. Just another reminder of how big God is and how small I am!

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10

"Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:4

"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples." 1 Chronicles 16:24

I'm sorry that I still feel like I am not fully able to express how incredible this trip was because it's just one of those things you HAVE to experience for yourself to fully grasp, and even then you don't grasp everything just because there is so much to learn, but I do hope that you are able to at least see a glimpse of how amazing God is through these experiences. Thank you for reading!

Grace and Peace. 

children and sunsets --- South Africa, Day 3

I had every intention of finishing my homework before I did this post but I just couldn't stop thinking about it so I figured I'd go ahead and do this so I can hopefully not be as distracted when I go back to my homework. Don't know if that will actually help, but here's hopin'.
So, the first full day we had in South Africa we split up into groups. One group of girls held a Women's Spa Day type of event at the Team House where we brought in the women from the Capricorn church community and had a devotional and prayer time with them and also did some spa type activities with them, like painting toenails and such. Another group stayed at Capricorn Community Church and watched the kids of the women who were at the Spa Day (basically a babysitting group). The last group consisted of guys that did a Men's Prayer Breakfast at Capricorn Community church. I was in the babysitting group and actually was able to learn some lessons through this experience about what passion for God looks like. When our little van of Shades people pulled into the parking lot at Capricorn, the kids immediately started running up to the bus and hugging us as we got out, going crazy. I mean they didn't even know us and they immediately fell in love with us! This blew my mind. We played with them outside for a while, doing small games of four square or soccer or drawing with chalk. We also had some teenagers from the Capricorn church (3 girls) come help us watch the kids. One of the girls introduced herself and said her name was Shanese (not sure if I spelled it right, but it rhymes with Denise). When she said this, I responded "Okay, I can remember that because my mom's name is Denise and your name rhymes with that." Later in the week when I remembered her name, she was impressed. I think (and hope) that this stuck out to her because I'm sure she's used to teams coming down to help with their church and not remembering names, which can get frustrating. Shanese (19) really touched my life because of her pure, passionate love for God, which she made evident at church on Sunday and during the youth rallies (will talk more about that in later updates). Another one of the girls, Taylin (16), was helping a child draw something with chalk and I noticed that after the child finished drawing, Taylin used the chalk to write out "Taylin loves Jesus" in HUGE letters. This simple statement made me grin and even think, "Is that what I would've written out about me? Is that the most important characteristic people should know about me?" (I'll be talking more about Taylin in the other updates as well). At one point while the kids were playing outside, the teenage girls called me over to sit with them so I went over and they started talking to me and we were just hanging out like old friends. I really enjoyed this experience, knowing that they were just like me deep down -- searching for God's plan for their life, going to school, etc. Being around these girls and knowing that we can help encourage each other made me think of this verse..."Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:23-25. This experience just really sunk in the feeling of unity among believers to me. The concept really became real to me. 
Later in the day, while the men were having the prayer breakfast inside the church, we took the kids down to the beach, which is only a couple of minutes away from the church. As mind-boggling as it is, most of the kids live in this community and hardly if ever go to the beach. Most don't go until they are old enough and responsible enough to walk there on their own/with friends. I know this is a foreign concept to most Americans who go to the beach frequently. Seeing the kids play in the sand and in the water  (which was cold, but they didn't care) was fun, just knowing that we were giving these kids the time of their lives. Afterwards, we took the kids back to the church and gave them a snack and let them watch The Incredibles on a projector in the church (which is just a small one room building by the way. it's a portable container, like a storage unit). The entire experience was exhausting...I can't imagine what life must be like for the mothers who take care of these children. We had a nice, long time for relaxing, going to the beach, etc. during the afternoon and evening and I absolutely loved getting to watch the sunset because literally it happened in 15 minutes. I guess that's just how fast it goes when you're that far south but it was seriously incredible and just reminded me of how big God is and how beautiful his creation is. Every landscape there was absolutely breathtaking. The beaches, the mountains, everything. 
Anyway, before I start ranting and spoil the stories for the rest of the week, let me just recap and say God  can teach lessons, big or small, at any time, even when you don't expect it (actually, usually when you don't expect it). 


"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" -Matthew 19:14


"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters." Psalm 24:1-2


Grace and Peace. 

goodbye Birmingham, hello Cape Town -- South Africa day 1&2

After driving 2 hours to Atlanta, flying 16 hours to Johannesburg, flying 2 hours to Cape Town, and driving 45 minutes to The Team House (our home for the week), we FINALLY made it to South Africa. So we basically left Birmingham at noon on Thursday and arrived at The Team House at 11:30 (ish?) on Friday evening (South African time...8 hours ahead, 7 hours ahead after Daylight Savings change). The traveling was probably one of the most brutal situations I've ever been in but it was SO worth it. On the super long 16 hour flight, I spent some time reading The Awakening (novel I had to read over spring break for school...so fun...), watching some movies, and reading scripture/devotional material. I read a whole 20 pages of the novel on the flight to Jo-burg (wow, way to go) and watched "Life As We Know It" (cute, but probably won't watch again). Oh and I also got about 5 hours of sleep total on the flight. WAHOO. The most rewarding part of the flight to me though was reading some devotions I get e-mailed to me daily by Joni Eareckson Tada and reading some in my Bible. The devotion from that day, which fit perfectly, was about how God purposely put you exactly where you are (where you live, what group of friends you have, what decade you were born in) because of His plan for you. The verse reference that went with it was "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." -Acts 17:26. I took this deeper and thought about how if I wasn't going to Shades Mountain Baptist and surrounded by such a strong group of Christian friends and family members, I would not be as strong in my faith as I am. That's just that. I strongly believe God has purposely placed me where I am so that I would be surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses", as God intended according to Hebrews 12:1, and so that I would have the opportunity to go on trips such as a spring break trip to South Africa or a choir trip to New York, all to make His glory known to the world and to strengthen my faith in Him in the process. While I was reading, I listened to some praise and worship music on my iPod to help my mind focus more on Him. I especially enjoyed listening to Leeland, which is one of my favorite contemporary Christian groups. Listening to these words from "Follow You" especially got me pumped for the trip...

"You live among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
All my needs you have supplied
When I was dead, you gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll....

I'll follow you into the homes of the broken
I'll follow you into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow you into the world

Here's my hands, here's my feet
To make your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth until your work is done
Cause faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?
.......
And I give all myself
I give all myself
I give all myself to You
Yes, I give all myself, I give it all to You"

---"Follow You", Leeland feat. Brandon Heath

Even as I sit here typing these lyrics, I am able to look back on the trip and see how these words came to life in my experience in South Africa. Praise Him for the great things He has, is, and will do in South Africa and the South African people.
I hope these glimpses of my experiences can touch your life like it touched mine.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12:1-3

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.'" - Matt. 28:18-20

Grace and Peace.

insert applicable title here.

It's beautiful today. The weather is gorgeous and the temperature is FINALLY high enough that I can comfortably enjoy being outside... and I'm really wishing I was still in Auburn. I just spent the past couple of days there for honor band and pretty much was ready to stay and just start college right then. Now I'm back home and have to worry about all the make up work from the days I missed...sad. but it's okay. I've got plenty to look forward to.

1. Spring Break trip to SOUTH AFRICA!!!
2. Graduation!!!!! whoop whoop!
3. Summerrrrrrrrrrr....New Wind trip to New York, Summer Camp, 18th birthday....last summer before college...
4. going to Auburn in the fall!!!

exciting stuff :)
hopefully these things will help me see the bright side to all of the work I have to go through right now. Disney music always helps too... :)
So for all of you who are struggling with focusing on something now, think about the things you're thankful for/looking forward to that are coming up and you can get through it.

I don't know if this passage really relates to my blog post, but it's a passage that's really been dear to my heart lately so I wanted to share. It is a passage from 2 Corinthians, which Paul was writing to the church of Corinth.
The God of All Comfort
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behlaf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." - 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

I'm just really impressed by how Paul handled the situation he was in. He could have complained about SO many things that were going wrong for him, but instead he chose to say that God was using that situation to test his faith and strengthen his trust in Christ. Amazing.
This is definitely my motivation for the "sufferings" I am enduring. (I say "sufferings" because I don't feel like I can call my struggles "suffering" compared to the struggles Paul faced).
I hope this passage gives you motivation to turn to God during your struggles, too.

Grace and Peace.

reminiscing already?

 *for all of you who know you are criers, just go ahead and get some tissues*
Today I finally decided to clean the most unorganized corner of my room...where my organizer is... Ironic?
I've been putting this off for WAY too long and decided that it was time to tackle the job since I could no longer even sit in my desk chair to do homework or anything anymore. I started by clearing out the stacks of papers, yearbooks, and notebooks so I could get to my organizing drawer and went through EVERYTHING. I trashed stuff, put things in different places, laughed at some of the things I'd actually kept, and was reminded of some things I'd already forgotten about. I didn't think this whole reminiscing on my life thing would happen until I start packing up for college, but no I definitely just flipped through my life in a nutshell for the past few hours.
Some things I found...I'll just stick with the top 10:
1. My ACT scores - I am so thankful that God helped me get EXACTLY the score I needed for full tuition at Auburn. I only had to take the test twice and am SO glad. Thank you, Lord!
2. All of my Children's Hospital volunteering letters and information - this is an opportunity that I have really enjoyed/am enjoying. I volunteered last spring and am volunteering this spring and love just getting a feel for what my potential career (as of right now) would feel like.
3. Old AP U.S. History work - oh goodness, that class. Looking back, I am glad I took the class, learned lots, and earned AP credit, but I have to say I am beyond thankful that I am done with that class and praise God for getting me through it, because there is NO way I could have made it through without Him.
4. Prayer journals and old sermon notes - I loved being able to read back through some things I wrote throughout middle school and high school, seeing how God worked things out in ways I never could have imagined at the time. God is good.
5. Old yearbooks - I'm talking elementary school old. It's amazing to look through those and see how much people change...how much I'VE changed...note to self : hide these from Mom so she doesn't find them after I go to Auburn and starts to look through them and cry. Bad idea...
6. Birthday cards and concert tickets - I too often overlook this fact about my life but I have AMAZING friends. Friends that I go WAY back with, and some that I'm only just now getting to know better and wish I would've gotten to know them sooner. quick shout out to my wonderful friend Rachel Autrey---when my family first moved to Birmingham right before I started 4th grade, my parents had the intention of visiting a few churches they'd heard about before deciding on one and the first one we visited was Shades. We first visited on a Sunday night when they would do a service and have a dinner afterwards and my parents met the Autreys and Rachel just immediately reached out to me and made me feel right at home. Seriously the way her family reached out and helped us influenced my parents' decision to stay at Shades and we never even visited anywhere else. I am so thankful that God knew exactly where my family needed to be and got us there...I can't imagine what my life would be like if we hadn't stayed at Shades. Praise the Lord for great friends, timeless memories, and spiritual growth.
7. South Africa trip information - I am so excited about going to South Africa over spring break!!! I've been on several mission trips with my church before but this one is seriously stretching me to get out of my comfort zone, which is pretty cool to be honest. I need that kind of a challenge in my life. I'm looking forward to what God is planning on teaching me through that trip.
8. Verses from my parents and Sunday School teachers - I found Mrs. Marti's Micah 6:8 verse, the verses my mom gave me during the times I've become beyond stressed over school, and the verses my dad gave me to encourage me to keep pushing on and have "no regrets." I am so blessed to have these role models in my life and definitely don't thank them enough for what they do for me. (Thank you mom, dad, Mrs. Marti, Mrs. Paula, Mrs. Marla, Fernanda Lima, Katherine Crutcher, and all the other role models I have in my life who I know I can go to when I need advice. You always help me get right back on track, giving all the glory to God, which never ceases to amaze me.)
9. Old crafts that my brother made for me - I know, right? precious. Sometimes I forget how great he is, since now he's older and sometimes acts like he's too cool to know me, but he is the best brother I could have ever asked for and am so thankful for him (yes, I really did just say that). although I'm not going to lie, I miss the old days when we were little...
10. okay the tenth thing is not really something I found, but while I was cleaning and dusting my room, I decided to change the clothes on my American Girl doll because she was still wearing her Christmas dress, so I'm counting Kit as the 10th item because I want to talk about how wonderful my grandmother, Bambie, is. When I was little, I wanted an American Girl doll for a pretty long time and when I turned 9 years old, my grandmother got me the Kit Kittredge doll (Kit was always my favorite....a writer with an adventurous spirit, looking for hope during the Great Depression) and pretty much everything else that went with it (the bed, all the outfits that went with her, etc) and I pretty much did everything with that doll for the rest of my childhood playtime career. As I was playing with Kit again today, brushing her hair, remember how special she was (and still is...) to me, I thought back on all of the memories I have with my grandmother. Before we moved to Birmingham, we lived one block away from my dad's parents and I loved to go spend the night with them on the weekends. Bambie would cut out Ann Estelle paper dolls from magazines for me, which I loved and pretty much kept all of them in envelopes to play with over and over again. We would play board games or watch movies (that's probably where I started my love for Mary Poppins) or, once I was a little older and could actually help, would do puzzles. At bedtime, Bambie would let me pick out a story for her to read to me and would come read it to me and stay with me until I fell asleep. These memories are very near and dear to my heart and I'm so glad that I had this opportunity as a kid. My grandmother is one of the strongest and most selfless people that I know (grammatically correct? I don't know and actually don't care for once). She is currently battling cancer and I know that God is watching out for her, even in this circumstance. But just to reiterate my point if I haven't really made it there yet, I love Bambie and all of the love she has shown me unconditionally throughout my life and am so thankful for her, as I also am for my other grandparents, who all support and love me more than I can ever know or understand.

So now that I've probably made some of you cry, some of you laugh, and some of you think "why do I read her blogs when they're always WAY too long," I hope I've at least reminded some of you of all you have to be thankful for and all of the memories you should keep close to your heart as you go into the next steps of your life, whether it may be high school, college, or just the trials of life. I have been reminded today of how fast life flies by, but how wonderful life is when you can remember all of the steps you have been through and see how they are working together to bring you to where you are now. What I've learned today: don't waste your life, have no regrets, keep holding on [to God] during every trial in your life, and hold on to the special memories that you never want to lose.

"Now listen, you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" - James 4:13-15

Grace and Peace.

history in the making

So my family loves to watch movies. It's kind of almost a weekly, or at least monthly, thing for us. We order pizza, kick back in the den, and watch a movie on our super cool big TV with the surround sound blaring (of course my dad claims it's MUCH louder in the movie theater, but I have to say it gets pretty loud in our house when we crank up that surround sound).
Anyway, so tonight was a movie night for the Bruces. We decided to watch National Treasure. One of my all time favorites. It's not only a great adventure movie, but a very historically accurate movie as well. Of course the whole story is fiction, but the way they incorporated so many accurate historical facts to make the story and the treasure seem believeable is just phenomenal.
I think one of the reasons I've begun to love these historic types of movies is because of taking AP History with Mrs. Maddox. I was never really that crazy about history but I definitely liked learning about American history facts more than I did world history facts, so I decided to take Mrs. Maddox's class for that reason (plus getting some advice from older friends that it was worth it). The way Mrs. Maddox taught history made me love it. She always talked about how the study of history isn't just the study of facts. It is the study of how historical events happened, what could have gone differently if those events hadn't happened, and how those events changed the world from then on.
After taking a class like that and really processing every thing that the people who founded this nation went through, plus by watching movies such as National Treasure that really bring that history to life, I have to wonder...what have we done? Would the Founding Fathers really be proud of what has become of this nation? Or would they look at us and say, "What have you done here?" And then I wonder...is God proud of what we're doing here? The nation that was originally founded to be a "city on a hill", according to John Winthrop, has become...what exactly?
This past week for my AP Government class I read Federalist Paper No. 51, written by James Madison, and was moved by this very powerful line in the letter. Madison wrote, "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." Madison wrote this letter as a response to the Anti-Federalist argument that the new Constitution was not necessary (which it definitely was...) and he did so by stating this simple fact: we are not perfect and therefore we must be governed properly. The nation was not holding up under the Articles of Confederation and it was very clear that a new government system needed to be set up. (sorry if I'm losing those of you who don't care too much for history...) But basically I was just amazed by this statement. Madison realized that human beings by nature are not perfect and therefore must be governed. Also, since men are governed by men, the government must be given the right amount of power so that they do not abuse their power because by naturally selfish tendencies, the government would seek the most selfish solutions possible in their governing without the right controls.
I believe the Founding Fathers really got it. They understood what it meant to be given responsibility and do with it what was necessary. And that is why I admire them.
One thing I know I'm thankful for is that we can learn from history, whether the history we learn from is good or bad, and can continue to work towards positive change for the future. History is always in the making.
Sorry this blog post has been so scatter-brained, I can't really piece together what I'm trying to say so I just kind of threw it all out there. Make of it what you will. After all, interpreting someone's writing is usually more fun than just reading it.

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"Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society." -John Adams

"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation." - John Adams

"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have...a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean the character and conduct of their rulers." - John Adams

"By our form of government, the Christian religion is the established religion; and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty." - Samuel Chase

"It is the duty of mankind on all suitable occasions to acknowledge their dependence on the Divine Being... [that] Almighty God would mercifully interpose and still the rage of war among the nations...[and that] He would take this province under his protection, confound the designs and defeat the attempts of its enemies, and unite our hearts and strengthen our hands in every undertaking that may be for the public good, and for our defense and security in this time of danger." - Benjamin Franklin

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." - Thomas Jefferson

"The patriot who feels himself in the service of God, who acknowledges Him in all his ways, has the promise of Almighty direction, and will find His Word in his greatest darkness, a lantern to his feet and a lamp unto his paths.' He will therefore seek to establish for his country in the eyes of the world, such a character as shall make her not unworthy of the name of a Christian nation...." - Francis Scott Key

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." - George Washington

"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed....No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people." -Noah Webster

"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above." - Thomas Paine

Grace and Peace.

tribute to Disney

I've been meaning to write this post for quite some time because thoughts about what to write for this have been on my mind for a while, but I just haven't had the time to write it until now. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to write this blog because I want to give credit where credit is due and make sure I say everything I need to say without rushing or messing anything up.
That being said, now that you think I'm going to write about something important and mind-boggling, I want to talk about how incredible Disney is. (not joking).
This past Monday, we were out of school because of bad weather and I was stuck at home working on some homework. Not the most fun thing ever. I began to get a headache and was having trouble focusing, so I decided to pop in a classic Disney movie. I went with Mulan since it's all about girl power and has some of the best music ever (such as I'll Make a Man Out Of You). It's times like these when I realize just how incredible Disney is (talking about the one and only Walt Disney himself and his company). It's something that you can't really describe, because frankly it's just magic, but the way they can tell a story and make you feel like you're really there, it's just...incredible. One of the things I love most about Disney is the music. Oh, the beautiful music. Every time I listen to "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," I get goosebumps. Of course that happens to me with several indescribably wonderful pieces of music, but no matter how many times I listen to a good Disney song, this happens. Honestly, there is no way for me to explain just how many great things Walt Disney has done because this blog would be too long to read and I would rant so ridiculously much that you may start to lose me. When I start talking about something I love, I tend to go into a little world of my own where my imagination roams free. But I will add this one little fact that I love....Walt Disney is afraid of mice. It's true. Some of you reading this may have known that, but I think it's just so cool. I think this is a sign of pure genius. Taking something that scares you and turning it into something magical and fun. And I believe this is a lesson that everyone can use throughout life. No matter how old you get, you will always be afraid of something. And the best way to conquer these fears is by making the most of it. Looking fear right in the face and saying, "HA. Nice try." Also, it's better if you realize that you don't really ever have to grow up. Not really. As long as you love and believe in the magic of imagination deep down in your heart.
Here are some quotes, just for the fun of it.

"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language." -Walt Disney

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -Walt Disney

Cinderella: "Oh, no. No, it isn't true. It's just no use. No use at all. I can't believe. Not anymore. There's nothing left to believe. Not anymore."
Fairy Godmother: "Nothing, my dear? Oh, now you don't really mean that."
Cinderella: "Oh, but I do..."
Fairy Godmother: "Nonsense, child. If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here. And here I am."

"Listen with your heart. You will understand." -Pocahontas

"Oh, yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it." -Rafiki, The Lion King

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all." -The Emporer, Mulan

Wendy: "But Peter, how do we get to Neverland?"
Peter: "Fly, of course!"
Wendy: "Fly?"
Peter: "It's easy! All you have to do is to....is to....is to....Ha! That's funny."
Wendy: "What's the matter? Don't you know?"
Peter: "Oh, sure. It's just that I've never thought about it before...Say, that's it! You think of a wonderful thought!"

"What do you do when things go wrong? Oh! You sing a song!" -Snow White

Belle: "Gaston, may I have my book back please?"
Gaston: "How can you read this? There's no pictures!"
Belle: "Well some people use their imaginations."

Mr. Banks: "Just a moment, Mary Poppins. What is the meaning of this outrage?"
Mary Poppins: "I beg your pardon?"
Mr. Banks: "Will you be good enough to explain all of this?
Mary Poppins: "First of all, I would like to make one thing perfectly clear."
Mr. Banks: "Yes?"
Mary Poppins: "I never explain anything."

"What did I tell ya? There's the whole world at your feet. And who gets to see it but the birds, the stars, and the chimney sweeps." -Bert, Mary Poppins

Mr. Banks: "These silly words like...Superca....Supercal...Supercali...."
Mary Poppins: "Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious."
Mr. Banks: "Yes, well done! You said it!"

"Even miracles take a little time." -Fairy Godmother, Cinderella

 "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." -Walt Disney

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney

"If you can dream it, you can do it." -Walt Disney

 "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney

random thoughts from snow days

Well, it's been a while since I last wrote a blog post, so I guess I should go ahead and update it.
So I've been enjoying these extra surprise days off of school due to the "blizzard"...very nice! I'm guessing it's pretty sad that I was already desperate for a break from school when we just had two weeks off for Christmas and we have next Monday off...but what can I say, I'm a senior, school gets rough, and I like catching up on sleep every once in a while :)
So...I don't really have anything extremely profound to say, since I just decided to write this as an update, sorry. I guess I'll just talk about how excited I am that I only have a semester left of high school and after that will be headed to the best university in the nation...Auburn!
Haha, seriously though, having these few days off to kind of take a breath and relax, and to watch Auburn win the national championship, have been SO wonderful for me and have definitely helped me remember that balance is always a good thing. Meaning that I've realized if I would stop stressing out about school so much, I may actually have time to just FOCUS on what I need to get done and finish SO much faster, and then have time to do more fun things, like watch a football game with my family, go out with friends, watch a good old classic Disney movie, or even have a longer quiet time (if I could stop doing my homework in the mornings before school and finish it at night like I really should be able to do...). One thing that really hasn't hit me HARD until the past few semesters of my high school career is that life is tough and stressing out about it doesn't make it ANY better. For instance, I took AP History my sophmore and junior year and I continually let myself stress out, even though I knew I would finish my work (even if it meant staying up late and drinking lots of coffee) and I knew that it would all be over soon enough. Still, I was so set on trying to make sure I worked out everything and had control over what I was doing...I was missing the point!!!! This stuff is supposed to be hard (in fact, impossible at times) for me to do on my own, which is why God is constantly having to come back and tap me on the shoulder, clear his throat and say, "Ehem, that's my job. Would you please let me take care of it? Don't worry, you'll help." As I've begun to realize this and calm down about things that I know he will take care of, I've had less headaches over school, less stress...everything. I mean I definitely try to control things every day and have to constantly remind myself to chill out, but knowing that God is going to take care of everything is hands-down the only thing that I know will ever get me through anything in life. And I'm so thankful to know that.
Sorry that was about the most random string of thoughts I've put together, but hey....that's how I write.
I'll close with a verse, since that's kind of become my thing for these blog posts. This verse is one that I memorized with my Core Group once. It has been on a notecard on my mirror for the past two years and is a constant reminder to me to chill out and let God give me the peace I need to accomplish the goals that not only I have for myself, but also the goals that He has for me.
*"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7*
Grace and Peace.

define epiphany

I just had one of those moments where my brain thinks "epiphany." Just to be sure that this is really what I was experiencing, I decided to look up the definition of epiphany. According to the Google Dictionary (oh, I always "google" it.. google being a verb, naturally), the definition of epiphany is "the sudden realization or comprehension of the larger essence of something." Why, yes, I would say that is EXACTLY what I just experienced.
In case you don't know too much about me, I'm a senior this year and will be headed to Auburn in the fall. My plan as of a few moments ago was to major in Nursing. I can't necessarily say I was 100% sure about that at any point in time, but I did spend major (whoops...pun intended) amounts of time praying about whether or not this was God's plan for my life. I love helping people, and I feel like I would really enjoy getting to help people get well. But I also have many other traits and interests that have influenced my thoughts about majors in the past, but I kind of decided to do away with. For instance, I LOVE English. Seriously. Anyone who knows me well can back me up that I am a book worm, a spelling and grammar freak, and enjoy writing (for the most part...I'm not going to lie and say that I've enjoyed EVERY paper I've had to write for school). So a while back, I had considered majoring in English. I think I began to consider what a major in English would lead to in a career and all I could think of was an English teacher. And I just really can't see myself being an English teacher. I don't enjoy speaking in front of people unless I REALLY know them and I don't know that I'd ever feel comfortable actually teaching classes. I mean maybe that is something to still consider, I don't know. But as I was sitting here a few moments ago, reading a short story for my AP Literature class, I was making notes in the margins of the story and I stopped for a moment. I realized something. I really love doing this. I love reading a story, looking for the deeper meaning, making notes about the possibilities of what the author could be trying to tell the reader, all of it. It's something that I could see myself doing. I immediately stopped and began to pray that God would give me the wisdom to realize whether or not this was really something I needed to reconsider. I will still be praying about this for a while (probably until I graduate college...and I would be happy if you would pray for me as well) because I want to be sure that whatever I do...college major, career, life goals...always has God's will at the center. Always.
So what if I'm one of those people who changes majors in college (which I never wanted to be). If that's what God wants for me, so that I can learn why He doesn't want me to do one thing and why He does want me to do another, then I am completely alright with that.
I just wanted to share this because I feel like often times a really small thought can become an epiphany moment if you allowed God to really lay some thoughts on your heart. If you would just pause and listen. So I hope this is an encouragement to you that God can speak to you, even (and especially) when you're not expecting it. And if you just take a moment to listen, it can change your life.

*"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does....Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:6-8,12*

Grace and Peace.