Crazy in LOVE :)))

Dear Blog,
I am sorry I have ignored you all week. God has been so awesome, it has taken me days to prepare myself to share with you how awesome He is. I am just now to the point that I think I may be able to find words to begin.
Love, Anna

I have literally been trying to write this blog for an entire week. Seriously, seven days have gone by since I started the first draft. I type and delete, type and delete. I just cannot seem to find the perfect words for what is going on in my world right now. So I am just settled to define this blog entry as random. That is exactly what it is going to be.

So, this past week I moved back to Bowling Green for school. Classes start on Monday and I can already tell this is going to be a difficult semester. However, I believe I will make it; I cannot really say much about that yet since classes have not started!

I also moved in my younger sister Rebekah, who will be a freshman this year. Its so interesting to look at all the students who are just entering into this phase of their life and knowing that only a year has passed since I was in the exact same position. One of the things that I truly love about college is how much God can do in one year.

Last year I started school utterly alone. I was confident that God would take care of me, but going to college changed my life way more than I ever thought it would. I found a great connection with Campus Crusade for Christ and this year I am starting the school year with a whole ban of friends who are on fire to win the campus for Christ. I find that when I am with them I long to improve my relationship with Christ, not only that, but I am also empowered to tell others about Him. It is amazing how God has shown me that He is much bigger than I know.

I have found that in certain areas of my life I fail to ask for all that God can give me because I believe that I am undeserving of them (which is definitely true, I am SO undeserving). However, I forget that as our Heavenly Father there are so many blessings God wishes to pour out upon us. The other day I had a bit of an epiphany. There have been so many times in my life where I have put other things (i.e. relationships, activities, television shows ;) in front of God and my relationship with Him soon became stagnant. This week, a dear friend of mine used the phrase "returning to my first love" which refers to the book of Revelation in which God tells one of the churches that they have left their first love: Him.

So this is the thought that I had: Every time I have turned to something other than God, every time I have put something in my life before him, that counts as leaving my first love. I truly believe that. So I got real with God and I repented for ever putting Him second to anything. The truth is before I knew about success, before I knew about boyfriends and books, and singing and blogging, I was in love with Jesus Christ, head over heels crazy in love with Him. It is high time I return to that crazy intense love that I once knew. And you know what? When we make God the center of our lives, everything else will begin to fall into place. All of the things I have longed for will be right at my fingertips. Even more than that, God wants me to have those things! In Psalm 37:4 the psalmist writes "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

What an awesome God we serve to not only die on the cross for us, but to forgive us over and over again. And He doesn't stop there! He wants, WANTS to give us everything we ever desired. I am so amazed by Him.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known, but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." ~1 John3:1-3

"The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." ~Romans 8:6

Teach Me to Fish Again

If you ever want to hear God's voice, go to the river. Seriously, I have found that nature can teach us so much about our God.
I have lived in the same area my entire life. My parents built a house in front of the woods; there is a creek back there. I live literally five minutes (or less) from Red River. One would think many of my childhood memories stem from a place such as this one. However, one would soon find that to be very untrue. I have few memories of the river. I remember camping once, wading a couple of times, and, vividly, two baptisms (though I know I attended more).
My Dad always tells us that he spent more time on the river as a child than he did in his own home. He would fish for hours on end. Even after he and my mom were married my dad would go fishing with my grandad, or on his own. However, in the past... lets say 10 years, my dad has found little to no time to go fishing. In fact, he hasn't at all.
He has reasons. He works every single day in a factory and when he comes home he is very tired, but still hauls around us girls wherever we go. On Wednesday nights we go to church, Tuesdays and Thursdays my sister Christina has band practice, Monday nights he gives guitar lessons. Our weekends are always booked. When he doesn't have something planned, he sleeps. I don't blame him!
But something changed this year. My dad pretty much woke up one morning and told my mom, "Gwen, I'm gonna start fishing again." It was like he woke up from his slump. My dad got out his old tackle box, strung the fishing poles, and went and bought his fishing license. He has been fishing at least three times a week since that morning... and its been a few weeks. Tonight, my dad took me fishing.
When I was little and we went camping (my one memory of it) my dad would fish. Every now and then he would ask me to come hold the line while he got "a drink of water" or had to "wash his hands." Every time he asked me to hold the line, I caught a fish. Back then, I thought it was me. Now, looking back, I know he did it on purpose.
When my dad took me to the river tonight, I held the fishing pole, and though the fish really weren't hungry, I finally caught a fish. One of my very own. Want to know how many my dad caught? None.
Nothing against my dad, he can cast a line ten times better than I can and he knows exactly where the fish are hiding. However, I kind of found that sometimes it doesn't matter how talented of a fisherman (or woman) one is, or how long one has been fishing really. Sometimes, it all comes down to chance. To the right moment, the right opportunity, the right time.
And, I think about how we are called to be "Fishers of men." Standing there in the river tonight, I saw some things that stirred up the Spirit within me. I could probably write a whole series of blog entries on them, but I want to share them with you in a more abbreviated format.

1. The further out into the river one walks, the harder it is to see, and the more one has to walk by faith.
2. One can make the perfect cast and catch nothing and one can make the most unprofessional cast and catch something. (You don't have to be a professional to win people to Christ).
3. The deepest, darkest, farthest places are where all the fish are. Do not be afraid to go where the Lord has called you.
4. When one cannot see the bottom, stand firmly and cast. When you stand firm, both feet planted, you cannot fall.
5. There will be rocks, snakes, and other things to trip you up. Keep on walking
6. My dad taught me how to fish. Be a good example.
   
7. The fish we catch will not always be the ones we want to catch. We can't catch the ten-pound bass every time. Nonetheless, a fish is a fish.
8. When you can't see the bottom, step out on faith. You have no other choice.
9. You will meet interesting people along the way (literally).
10. It is always easier to keep swimming forward, than to turn around and go back.
    

I must say, my back-to-school sleepover was quite the success :)

Chasing Sunrises

It has been a very long week for me. I have been longing to blog since about Wednesday, but, as you see, that has not happened. My week has consisted of my truck breaking down, spending the night away from home (unexpectedly), several sleepless nights, visiting friends (also unexpectedly), watching the first season of "Grey's Anatomy," and learning a pretty big lesson from God.

So lets get started shall we? I want to tell you all about it, and let you know how God used my problems to fulfill a purpose. I started out Wednesday morning chasing the sunrise to Franklin, Ky, to babysit two of the cutest one-year-old twin boys in the world. We had a great day. At about three in the afternoon, the boy's dad came home and I went out to my truck to leave. It was dead. It didn't even click. So, in efforts to save the life of my poor little truck, we charged the battery for over two hours and nothing ever happened. I had to have a new battery! Well, by this time, it was late and my parents would be getting ready to go to church. The Calvert family allowed me to stay the night, since I would be coming back the next morning to babysit anyways. Well, this is where God steps in and uses all this mess!
There is a family in Franklin who is very dear to my heart; I have known them for a very long time. About two years ago they started a church there and for about two years I have been trying to get the family I babysit for to go visit that church. So Wednesday night when my truck broke down, I told them I had to go to church! And as much as I would like to say the whole family came with me and decided to become faithful members to that church, it did not happen that way. However, when the boy's mom came to pick me up from church, I asked the pastor's wife to come out and meet her. After a pretty lengthy conversation, we found that they already knew each other, and several people from that church knew her as well! It was so awesome. I ask that you pray with me for this family that God would lead them to the church in His timing. (Which I like to think is now :).
*Shout out to my dear friend Cassie, who married one of my favorite boys in the world, Joel. She is pregnant with their first child!!!!
The next day came and went, my dad came and brought me a battery. He saved the day, and my wallet. I thought I would finally get some much needed sleep when I remembered my family and I had been invited to a revival service at another church that night. So we went and it was awesome.
The next day I had to go grocery shopping (what a chore, right?) and I had a hair appointment during the day. Then, Friday night, I went to Nashville with my dear friends Kristen and Maggie to the engagement party of my best friend Hannah Burney. She was stunning, and so happy. It was so great to spend time with my wonderful college friends whom I have missed so much. Saturday (that's today... nope, that's two hours ago haha) I was awakened by my younger sister yelling up the stairs that breakfast was ready. I spent the day cleaning and preparing for the sleep over that I just finished throwing for all the girls in the youth group at church.
This week has been an absolute blast. Yes, I was very busy, but God was there with me the whole time. From allowing me to introduce my employer to one of my favorite women of God, to bringing all the girls in our church together in fellowship, He has been by my side. He is a great God, and I will continue chasing sunrises until my work for Him is done.

A long drought calls for rain, whether one is talking about the ecosystem or one's spiritual life.

It rained today. Finally.

"If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose. Eyes will open."
-unknown

Rachel

In my Sunday School class, I am teaching the girls about women of the Bible. Yesterday, we learned about Rachel. It's kind of funny, I've been in church for 19 years (my whole life) and never have I thought of the story of Jacob and Rachel from her point of view. Check it out:
Rachel and Jacob were in love and Jacob, because he had no money, offered to work seven years for Rachel's father in order to be able to marry her. From this point on, as children in Sunday school, we learn that Jacob slaved away working seven years for Rachel. After seven years he was given permission to marry her. They had the wedding, it was beautiful, but the next morning Jacob woke up, not to Rachel, but to her less-attractive sister, Leah. So Jacob works hard another seven years, blood sweat and tears, and finally marries Rachel, the love of his life.
However, I want you to look at this story from Rachel's point of view (bear with me here). Rachel is out taking water to her father, the sheep herder. She finds him speaking with a young man, an attractive young man. His name is Jacob and he is running away from home. She catches his eye, he smiles at her. Jacob begins working for her father, she finds excuses to see him, before long, they are in love. But Jacob has no money to offer Rachel's father for her hand in marriage, so he strikes up a deal. He will work seven years if Laban will allow him to marry his daughter.
Over the next seven years Rachel prepares for the wedding. She picks out her bridesmaids and their dresses; she begins working on a quilt for their new home, she gathers advice from the ladies in the house. Finally, the day arrives, it has been exactly one year. This is the day Rachel will marry the man she loves. Laban, Rachel's father, comes into the room. He pulls her aside to talk to her, give her the fatherly wedding day speech. It is then, that things begin to change. He is not giving Rachel the wedding day speech, on the contrary, he is telling her this will not be her wedding day after all, but her sister's.
Can you imagine how Rachel must've felt? She waited seven years! Seven years for a promise from her father that he was now taking away from her! Yes, Jacob had worked hard for seven years, but Rachel had planned and prepared. Her heart was set on this day, and all for nothing.
If you know the rest of the story, you know that Jacob soon realized he had been tricked and worked another seven years for Rachel. However, even after they married, life was not great for Rachel. She was unable to have children while her sister Leah had many children. When Rachel was finally able to conceive, she gave birth to a son named Joseph. Joseph was favored, but his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery; Rachel believed her only son had died. Years later, Rachel had another son, Benjamin, and she died during childbirth.
Now, why would I tell you this seemingly horribly sad story? Because, though Rachel went through so much in her lifetime, God had a purpose for her pain. Jacob, through Leah, Rachel's maidservants, and Rachel, gave birth to the twelve tribes of Israel. Not only that, but Rachel's son Joseph, went on to work in the palace of Pharoah, and in the end, saved his people from starvation after interpreting Pharoah's dream.
Just think about it, had Rachel married Jacob after seven years, when she thought she would, there would be no twelve tribes, there would be no Joseph.
God's timing is not our timing. Yes, He cares about us so much and does not want to see us suffer, but He also sees the big picture when we can't.

Favorite Quotes

"Maybe the question, 'Do you think I'm beautiful?' is for the purpose of taking me by the hand and walking me into the presence of my creator." -Angela Thomas, from the book Do You Think I'm Beautiful?

"Keep God always first, cheer for the underdog, dream, never give up on your dreams, sieze the day, don't let anyone determine how high you can fly. Spread your wings and fly!" -Shelia Couch, one of my mentors.

"When you realize that life is war, you will know what prayer is for." -John Piper

"When we are in a situation where we realize God is all we have, we will soon realize he is all we need." -Gigi Graham Tchlvidjian

"Sometimes we miss wonderful opportunities from God because we are busy waiting for what we think He should give us. Be less of a reactionary." -Greg Pitts, my uncle and mentor

"So often times it happens, we live our lives in chains not knowing we have the key" -The Eagles

"And the time came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was much more painful than the risk it took to blossom." -Anais Nin

"All I know is, I've got to sit on that throne!" -Francis Chan, from his book, Crazy Love

"Sometimes you just need a day to be fragile." -Becca Jean, my cousin!

"Justice means getting what you deserve, mercy means not getting what you deserve, and grace means getting what you don't deserve."

"In the center of a hurricane there is absolute quiet and peace. There is no safer place than in the center of the will of God." -Corrie Ten Boom

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -Helen Keller

"Your future is in your mouth!" -Tommy Gandy

"Loyalty to others is one of the greatest elements of courage." -Church Sign

"With moral excellence we receive virtue." -My Grandad, Pastor, and Mentor

When I Say I'm a Christian via Facebook Tyne Appleton

"When I say 'I'm a Christian,' I'm not shoutin 'I'm clean livin;' I'm whisperin: 'I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven.' When I say 'I'm a Christian,' I don't speak of this with pride; I'm confessin that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide. When I say 'I'm a Christian,' I'm not tryin to be strong; I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on. When I say 'I'm a Christian,' I'm not braggin of succes; I'm admittin I have failed and need God to clean my mess. When i say 'I'm a Christian,' I'm not claimin to be perfect, my flaws are far too visible; but, God believes I am worth it. When I say 'I'm a Christian,' I still feel the string of pain; I have my share of heartaches so I call upon His name. when I say 'I'm a Christian,' I'm not holier than thou; I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace somehow."

Message in a bag

Tonight at church we tried something a little different, it was so incredibly fun. Instead of having preaching we played... a game.
So here's how it goes. There was a bag of random items and everyone in the church (who wanted to) would come up to the front and draw something out of the bag. They would then precede to "preach" a message, or really just a one-liner, to the rest of the congregation. So here I just want to share with you some of the great thoughts that came forth during our service :)

Item: Wash Cloth
Preacher: Me!
"Jesus will "wash" all your sins away!"

Item: Troll Doll
Preacher: Rebekah (My sister!)
"When the storms of life mess up your hair, God will tame the storm!"

Item: Detangling Hair Spray
Preacher: Becca Jean
"God will "detangle" the "tangles" in your life!"

Item: OFF Bug Spray
Preacher: Aaron
"Sometimes our lives are bothered by pests, they cause us to itch, swell, and become inflamed. But God will give us a covering that will keep the pest (the devil) away!!!"

Item: Glue
Preacher: Greg
"Jesus is a friend that "sticks" closer than a brother."

Item: Exercise Band
Preacher: Rachel
"You could use this as a slingshot, which God can then use to shoot you somewhere else!"
(Not sure if that one really made that much sense... but she's ten, give her a break.)

Item: Box of Crayons
Preacher: Mike (My Dad!)
"If you really want to know about all the colors of the rainbow, go back to Genesis! God created the rainbow!"

Item: Fruit Scented Bubbles
Preacher: Christina (My other sister!)
"The Spirit of God is "bubbling" in my soul! (In her best black-preacher voice)

Item: Flashlight
Preacher: Nikki
"Jesus is the light in the darkness!"

Item: Ruler
Preacher: Melanie
"God is without measure in my life!"

Item: Flute-o-phone (sp?)
Preacher: Sis. Wanda
"Jesus is the music of life. He is our song in the night!"

Item: Shower Cap
Preacher: Jessica ( my last sister!)
"When life rains on us, God covers us!"

Item: Board Game Hourglass
Preacher: My Mom!!!
"There's no time like right now to serve the Lord!"

Item: Cell Phone
Preacher: Dawn
"You can "call" on Jesus anytime!"

Item: Battery Charger
Preacher: Bro. Pitts
"Charge up with Jesus"

There were so many more who participated, I just can't remember all of them! What I do remember is that it was so fun, and there was so much laughter in the church tonight. It just goes to show that it is possible to have fun in the house of God, while still being inspired by the word of God. Also, it is important that we be instant in and out of season. That our words are always seasoned with salt... that's Biblical!