Rules to live by...

In all my years of life (20, to be exact) I like to think I have learned a few things. However, since becoming a youth leader last August, I have learned more than I would have ever imagined. Here are some of the things I have learned: (also check them out on my new page!)

1. 
   Love others.
2. Never, and I mean never, gossip. It is ugly.
3. Always let every girl know how beautiful she is.
4. Let every young boy know that he can become a great man.
5. If you know Jesus, you ought to be smiling.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/57370793/give-good-in-brown

Post 200

First of all, I'd like to recognize that this is my 200th blogger post. That is all.

Now on to more important business.

This week has been kind of weird for me. I tweeted on Monday that I was determined to make this week fabulous. Did that happen? Yes and No (that's always the answer). It was fabulous because this week my faith has been tested and James 1:1 says "Consider it pure joy my brethren when you face trials of many kinds because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance." So, this week,  I consider the trial pure joy. Too, when I go through something my relationship with the Lord always improves. I know that I should spend just as much time with the Lord in the good times and in the bad, but I am human and this week I realized that more and more.

I blogged earlier this week about a situation with a friend of mine, and that has definitely been a reoccurring theme in my prayer life this week. I have found through this whole situation that it has become an opportunity for me to intercede on the behalf of others (which is cool) and to put someone else before myself as well as learn to control my tongue... and my anger. So all in all, it has been a growing time for me and, I am sure, will continue to be.

Enough about that. Tomorrow night (or I guess tonight) I am going to a youth rally in Hop-town, where my sisters and I have been asked to lead praise and worship. This is something else I have really been praying about this week. I want this rally to be about young people finding Jesus and being filled with the Holy Ghost. NOT. ABOUT. ME. My constant prayer this week is that I would find songs that would glorify the Lord and that would lead the young people to worship and draw close to the Lord, not songs that simply sound good or are just pleasing to the ear. I want these songs to change these kids.

Also, I was talking to Bro. Joseph, who is the speaker for this shin-dig and he mentioned that we will get out of the service what we put into it. Now, at my home church we do a lot of stuff for the young people: special worship services, prayer meetings, etc. And I always prepare and plan in advance, but what Joseph said really hit home for me and I just began to wonder what would happen if I gave it 110%. I mean, I like to think that I always do in my worship and in my leading, but I'm talking about 110% in my preparation. So I have been working on that this week and on getting my heart in the right place to lead worship. I think God is going to show up and do big things. I'm so excited.

Besides that, school is winding up and I've been up all hours of the night this week trying to finish all of my work. My to-do list is growing shorter and shorter each day. It's a wonderful feeling. I have recently become addicted to this website called Pinterest, where people "pin" things they are interested in and I have been looking at lots of craft ideas. I'm such a nerd, but I can't wait for school to be over so that I can use my creative juices in ways besides writing book reports.

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life… He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego. The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.” They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?” The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Solid Truth.

courtesy of pinterest

"Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sin." James 5:20

Prayers for a Friend

Ephesians 4:26 says "In your anger do not sin." That's the NIV. I like the KJV better. It says, "Anger, and sin not." So basically, I like this verse because it gives me the right to be angry about things... as long as they do not cause me to sin, right? Right.

Sometimes this is easy. Sometimes, it is not.

Today has been one of those not-easy times. I have a friend whom I really love and that friend has made a really bad decision. The worst part is that they (which I know is bad grammar, but I'm trying not to give away who it is here) knew better. So my first instinct is to get angry. My next instinct is to vent to someone, which I can't do because that is actually gossip and gossip is a sin, and remember, we are supposed to "anger and sin not."

This is my question: What do I do with my anger?

I have found that the best place to go with questions like this is: the Bible (who knew?) and this is what I have discovered today...

• Ephesians 4:27 says "Do not give the devil a foothold." This explains why it is bad to sin in our anger. It gives the devil the upper hand. He can use our anger against us if we sin.
• Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen

You see, my problem is not really gossiping to other people about my friend. My problem is I want to find my friend and tell them EXACTLY what I think of their decision and how I do NOT approve and GOD PROBABLY DOESN'T EITHER. But do I know that? No. That is my flesh and my emotions getting in the way. And would my telling this person off edify them or build them up? No. So what do I do?

• "Love each other deeply" 1 Peter 4:8 "because LOVE covers a multitude of sins."
• "Remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:20
• "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs." Proverbs 10:12
• "LOVE is not rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13:5

These are all verses I found today when I was trying to figure out what I should do. It all comes down to love. No matter how angry I am, I have to still show love. Which is hard because I want to be mean, I want my friend to know what I think, but I have to love them. Love will be what saves my friend.

So pray for my friend. But pray for me too, as your friend. 'Cause I'm gonna need it.

Easter Weekend

This past weekend was absolutely fabulous. On Friday night, Chaley and Katrina came home with Rebekah and me and it was fun to once again have that many girls in the house (seven, including my mom and sisters). We were really missing Tichina though. On Saturday we woke up and went to Murfreesboro to help support the Bible Church of Jesus at their block party. Praise the Lord for good weather. I had been worried all week that it would be gross and rainy on Saturday, but the 'Boro was sunny and eighty degrees. So nice. We hung out there all day and listened to local bands (as well as a few more popular ones such as Sidewalk Prophets), ate funnel cakes, got free massages (at least I did), hung out with amazing friends (shout out to Jara and Joseph)and made new friends! It was a blast... but being in the sun wore me plum out.

Sunday, of course, was Easter. I can't say as much for the beautiful weather on Sunday since we had a day full of thunderstorms. I guess it goes without saying that our Eater egg hunt was inside. However, Easter definitely isn't about the eggs.

So I had this thought on Sunday as I was listening to the sermon about Jesus' resurrection. Maybe you've heard the song by Brian Littrel, "Wish I Could've Been There"? It's on that one CD he came out with that was "Christian." It's a really cool song. It talks about how he wished he could've been there when Jesus walked the earth, how he wished he could've seen him face to face. I definitely feel the same way, especially around Easter. How cool would it have been to be standing there with Mary and the other women when Jesus rose from the dead?!!?! So stinking exciting! But then I had this great moment where I remembered that we can have an encounter with Jesus Christ right here, right now. First of all, if we are filled with the Holy Ghost, then Jesus lives inside of us. Secondly, we can go to Him and ask to see Him, ask to feel His presence and He will allow us to... and not just on Easter!

I want to stop wishing for an encounter with God and start experiencing an encounter with God.

Anyways, Easter Sunday was great. I love when the Lord shows up and teaches us something. It's so awesome, as well as humbling, to serve such a great and mighty God.

For those of you who are keeping up with my fast, I've gone back to the make-up. Though it was a great experience, I don't really feel convicted or anything about it, if you know what I mean. However, as far as the country music is concerned, I'm pretty sure I want to make that a permanent change. It's amazing how focused on the Lord I am when I only listen to music that glorifies Him. It's also so uplifting! Today I got on that same shuttle here at WKU that plays Christian music and when I got off I thanked the bus driver for playing it, because it means a lot to me that someone out there is trying to make a difference, even as a bus driver.

Next weekend is the "One Body Youth Rally" in Hopkinsville. I'm so pumped. I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do!

People are getting saved all over the place!

This week has been very encouraging for me spiritually. I have found that many times in my life I get really caught up and going going going and I forget to stop and love on the Lord. However, there are also times (like this week) when I make a conscious effort to spend more time with the Lord and the results are always so immediate and evident! I don't know why I ever stop!

There are a couple of really awesome things that have been going on this week. First of all, in my life the Lord has really answered a big prayer. I have been very anxious about a certain situation in my life and I found out Sunday that God has taken care of it...WHOA. Hold the bus, I just remembered something. The Friday before last a preacher at church came and told me that the Lord had revealed to him that I had been fighting a certain situation in my life and that I had won over and over, but the devil was continuing to fight me on it (this is true) he also said that he felt in his spirit "9 days." Honestly, at the time, I just let it go. People say all kinds of crazy stuff in church sometimes, and sometimes I really have to let the Lord work on my unbelief. Anyways, all of that to say, I realized that God answered this big prayer for me on Sunday, which was the ninth day. So cool. I know that you want to know the prayer and how God answered it, but I just can't share that with you...yet :)

The second really awesome thing that happened was at the church in Bowling Green. There is a beautiful young woman who comes to church at FAC and she has two kids, a daughter (to whom I give piano lessons) and a son, Ty. They are SO cute. Anyways, her husband does not come to church with her and every Wednesday night Bianca (her daughter) and Ty request prayer that their daddy will come to church (precious!). I wish the awesome story was that he came... but it's not. Actually, it's better. On Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning there were some bad storms here in Bowling Green and this lady from church got up out of bed so that she could watch the weather and protect her children, like any good mother would. So she and her husband were sitting there in the living room and she began to pray. Well, out of nowhere her husband said, "What are you doing???" and she replied, "What do you mean?" EVIDENTLY, she had been praying and all of the sudden started "speaking in another language." WHAT??? So awesome! This girl was filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues right there in her own home, in front of her husband, who is not a believer! What a testimony!

She gave this testimony Wednesday night at church and we sang the Kim Walker song, "Oh Happy Day," which is my favorite song ever. It makes me so happy. I'm so stinking excited. I just want to praise Jesus all the time... I think I will :)

He'll make a way

When I was in elementary school I had an amazing P.E. teacher of whom I was scared to death. When I got to about the fourth grade (after he moved) I realized what a great teacher he was and that I actually might have liked him, despite the boa constrictor he kept in his room. His name was Mr. Bates, and Mr. Bates always said on Wednesdays, "You know what day it is kids?" and we would reply, "HUMP DAY!!!" I always thought it was silly to call Wednesday "hump day." I mean it's just flat out weird. However, now, as I have gotten older, I realize that calling Wednesday "Hump day" is not that silly... though it is kind of weird.

All that to say, "Thank God I made it past hump day!!!" And let me tell you, despite the cliche, I must say I am too blessed to be stressed. I have a million and a half assignments due by next Monday, but at this moment none of them are more important than getting to tell you what God is doing in my life, and in the life of others around me.

First of all, is the fast. So this week I'm keeping away from the make-up and country music. I'll start out by being honest and telling you that I cracked and put on a little mascara today (my eyelashes are blonde!) but I'm okay with that, because I feel like the sacrifice God really laid on my heart is the country music, and I know He wants me to give it up because He has confirmed it twice today... which is the cool part.

First, I decided to come back to my dorm between classes today and get some work done (did I? no). And instead of walking all the way back up the hill, I opted for the shuttle. When I got on the shuttle, "I can only imagine" by Mercy Me was playing!!! Now, while I was waiting for the shuttle it never even crossed my mind that the bus drivers ALWAYS play country music; I was just concerned with not arriving to Math class panting and sweaty. However, when I got on the shuttle and heard those sweet lyrics, I remembered. I know that God provided that for me. So I listened to a song about heaven all the way to class. How cool. Secondly, tonight in youth group I talked to the kids about making choices. I asked the kids what some small choices they make everyday that reflect Christ were and the very first response I got was "choosing to listen to Christian music." What? So cool.

And I know there might be someone out there who wonders what the big deal is anyways with only listening to Christian music. The thing is, I'm a praise and worship leader in my church and music is a big part of my ministry. I feel like if I constantly feed my mind and heart with music that doesn't glorify the Lord then I'm not preparing my heart and mind to lead others... plus country music can really get a girl down in the dumps sometimes.

Anyways, I have a lot more to say, but this blog entry is already too long. So maybe tomorrow. Ciao!

Ronnie Freeman: The only thing.

If you could walk
The hallways of my heart
See things as they really are
I wonder if you might be surprised
Seeing faded walls of pride and fear
Rooms I've filled
With faithless tears
And corners
Where I've stood in compromise
Oh! but you'd see
The work His grace has done
You'd know just how far I've come

Goodbye Monday :)

I have a lot of homework to do... as you can see, since I am blogging, after spending the better part of an hour giving my blog a makeover. Anyways, today is Monday and let me tell you, it has been Monday all day. Now, I have never been one of those people to "hate" Mondays. But when I think about it, they really are pretty bad. The badness this time, however, started last night. Here's how it all went down: (the following is a just a bunch of venting, feel free to skip down to more important parts)

My truck has to be taken to the shop because the speedometer is broken, so I am driving my granddad's truck this week (this is not bad haha). Well, I got all the way to Bowling Green when Granddad called to tell me that I had left my parking tag at home. I didn't think anything of it at the moment, I just figured I would park in "Egypt" and everything would be okay. So I went on and stopped at the Hudson's for the end of their service and to go get Dairy Queen, as is our Sunday night tradition. While we were at Dairy Queen I realized that I would not be able to park in Egypt without a permit. This was a problem. I didn't want to park on some shady street and have to walk a million miles. Not at all. Well, blessed as I am, Chaley offered to let me park my truck at their house and she and Lisa brought Beka and I back to school. Unfortunately, we didn't get back to school until 10:00. I had an assignment due at midnight, a test the next morning, and I HAD to do laundry because I had no clean clothes. When Bek and I went to do the laundry, the change machine was broken: go figure. So Beka graciously walked to another dorm to get change and I finally got the laundry going. Then I did all my homework and didn't study for my test, which turned out to be okay because the test isn't until Wednesday, which I didn't know. Then I didn't sleep well. I couldn't turn my mind off, which is the worst... and which also leads me to my next point.

About a month ago, I decided to give up facebook for a little while. My motive behind doing so was that I wanted to see new families in our church and I fasted from facebook until we got them. So, a few weeks later, we had three new families at church, one of them has stuck around since then, and I got facebook back. The thing is, when I didn't have facebook, I noticed a change in my life, emotionally and spiritually. Every time that I would have gotten on facebook, I prayed and read my Bible. It was awesome. I guess I could've stayed off, but honestly, I do a lot of ministry on facebook and it is one of the ways the kids from youth group and people from other churches keep up with me. So, I have been thinking over the past week or so about what else I could put aside in my life to get closer to the Lord. I have come up with a couple of things.

The first, I stole from a fellow blogger, Just Me, and I think is a really good idea. One of the issues I struggle with sometimes is self-esteem. It's not horrible, I'm not attempting an eating disorder or standing for hours analyzing what I don't like about myself (at least not all the time) but I am willing to admit to you that this is something the devil uses against me quite often. So for this week (at least) I am giving up wearing make-up. I just going with the face God gave me. Not only is this going to help me in my battle against low self-esteem, but it is also going to give me more time in the morning to spend with the Lord.

Secondly, I'm giving up country music. My parents raised me to never listen to anything but Christian music. If it didn't glorify the Lord, it wasn't allowed in our house. As I have gotten older, I have gained quite the appreciation for country music. Honestly, there are some really great songs and singers out there, and I love country music... but it does nothing for my relationship with the Lord. There's just something about a worship melody that lifts my spirit in a way that country music can't. Actually, country music really only makes me think of two things: the break-up and my future husband. And since those are two things I don't really need to be thinking about all the time, I'm giving it up.

I'm just really ready to move on and move up with the Lord. No more holding back. I want to go all the way with Jesus.

"At Pentecost, the disciples prayed for 10 days, preached for 10 minutes, and 3,000 people believed in Christ. Now at our "revivals", we pray 10 minutes, preach for 10 days, see 3 people believe in Christ, and say it's Pentecost all over again." -- The reason I don't see God do great and wondrous things is usually because I do not take the time to truly ask him.

One More Thing

My previous post was a list of all the things I learned today (quite a bit, eh?). However, there is one thing I learned that requires a post all to itself. Over the past few weeks, maybe two months, I have learned something about myself that I am not so sure I like. I have realized that I have the tendency to suppress things I do not want to remember, almost to the point of no return. So here I am, at the age of (almost) 20 realizing that there are things in my life I do not remember and I have no clue why. On one hand, I'm glad I figured it out now, rather than when I'm 67 (my grandmamma realized she does this too). On the other hand, I wonder if maybe it's okay.

First of all, I think it is partially due to human nature. There are things we don't want to remember, for whatever reason, so we simply forget them. I remember learning about suppressed memories in my psychology class last year. I have known other people in my life who have told me they just "forgot" stuff they didn't want to remember and I almost looked down on them for not being able to just "deal" with stuff. I mean, this is just so weird to me. I didn't realize I was this kind of person. Maybe it's something new, but I think I want to get over it; I'm not so sure I like it.

I realize this, first of all, because since J and I broke up I cannot remember hardly anything about our relationship. This is a big deal. Of course, I remember things like where we went on our first date and our first kiss, the first time we broke up (haha), and other things of that nature, but I have completely blocked quite a bit of it from my memory. The thing is, I've suppressed the good memories as well as the bad memories ( I know this because when I think really hard or am reminded, then I remember them). And not necessarily because I hate the memories, but simply because it makes me sad to think about the good times, and the bad times, well, they were bad! Why would I want to remember them?

The second thing that made me realize this is that I have completely and I mean COMPLETELY blocked out the "talk" that my mom gave me when I was becoming a "young woman." Evidently she talked to me and my sister at the same time because Bek remembers it. I, however, cannot for the life of me recall the talk. It must've been horrible; I have no idea.

Funny that these are the memories I have suppressed huh? Maybe there are more. I don't know. I wish I could get them back because I think I need to deal with some of this stuff so that I can get healing and move on with my life. It's something to pray about for now, and change for the future.

Things I Learned Today:

At the Ladies Conference:

1. "Sometimes we have to go through pretty hard bad-ships."
2. Doctors just have a license to "practice," Jesus is the only one who can heal us.
3. Onions are, and will always be, gross. And they ruin anything they touch
4. You can't feed a baby that's not hungry
5. WHAT'S UP??? JESUS is up!
6. I, nor anyone in my family, will EVER win a door prize. Period.
7. The one thing they definitely teach you in Bible college is how long to preach. And its NOT two hours
8. "Making a long story short" actually means nothing.
9. Warning: Pentecostal women will shout. If you don't like it you can leave.
10. When God says do something, you better do it.
11. Men never claim guilt. Women always claim their guilt.
12. It's good to be a woman.

From Grandmama:

1. A grandmother's wallet is bottomless when it comes to flower pins and headbands
2. If you don't want the Holy Ghost to get on you, it won't get on you
3. "You know that time we felt the Holy Ghost and got scared and wanted to leave? Well it was real then and it's real now!"
4. If you're not in love with someone, don't marry them.
5. On the same note, if you see two people who aren't in love, don't encourage them to get married.
6. When it's time to go, it's time to go.   

Band

I was a band geek in school. I played the clarinet in middle school and tenor sax in high school. I don't regret a second of it, it was amazing. I can also proudly say that all three of my younger sisters have remained faithful to the tradition and are band geeks as well. Rebekah played the flute and the bassoon, Christina the clarinet and bassoon, and Jessica the trumpet.

Today I got to see Jessica perform at Concert Festival, here at Western. Concert Festival is this event where all Kentucky middle school and high school bands from the region come and perform and are scored. The top score is a distinguished. 

You know where I'm going with this. Today Jessica played and they got all distinguished ratings...AND she had a solo :) That's my sister!!!

Religious Studies

There is an epidemic sweeping across Western Kentucky University's campus among all Christians. It's called "everyone's-becoming-a-religious-studies-major." Several of my friends have caught it, and I, myself, have even experienced the symptoms. It would be so awesome to just take classes and learn about all the different religions and then graduate and get a job in a huge church that can pay their workers or get paid to work church camps over the summer. Seriously, it would be the life. But I had to tell myself (and now I am telling you) this:
1.Just because you are a Christian does not mean you have to get a degree in Religious Studies.Actually, majoring in religious studies does not make you a better Christian. I know that not everyone feels that way, but by the way some people act, you would think so. 

2. Where are you going to get a job? Especially when everyone else has the same degree as you? I know that not everyone who gets a religious studies degree may plan to use it to get a job, but still. Also, how can you justify getting paid to teach Sunday School, go on mission trips, or work church camps? I know that jobs aren't "just about the money" but Jesus put a lot of emphasis about being good stewards.

*Side note: The church needs people with real jobs to support it. There are people who have given their whole life to go on the mission field. We need Christian doctors and lawyers and other professionals to make the big bucks so that they can give them away. There's no shame in that.

3. If all the Christians are working "Christian" jobs then who's going to reach out to schools, doctors offices, and businesses? I believe that God has placed us all in strategic places to win a lost world. If you are good with numbers then by all means be an accountant or a math teacher because someone might not know Jesus at the CPA office or at school. If you like to write, then write a book: Share the Gospel.

I'm not upset about this because I'm going to be a teacher and I want everyone to be a teacher or anything like that. If you don't want to teach then please don't teach. I understand that a lot of people, whom I know, in the religious studies department just want to "help people." You can do that in a real job. There are millions of people around the world who just want to see a smiling face when they go to get their teeth cleaned or buy their groceries. You can show God's love anywhere, doing anything and you don't need a degree to prove that you are capable of doing so.

I just found the most charming blog ever. www.1001rulesformyunborndaughter.tumblr.com
Check check check it out.

"This is how it works:
You’re young until you’re not
You love until you don’t
You try until you can’t
You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath"
-Regina Spektor

Sick... blah.

For the first time since I have been in college, I am sick. My throat is really swollen, my ear hurts. I'm tired. I'm kind of hot and cold at the same time, but I don't have a fever. I hate being sick. Being sick at school is even worse, because I have things to do... like blog.

But today I took a nap from 2:30-6:00 and now I'm about to get back in the bed. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've probably just about run myself into the ground, but I have plans this weekend... so I'm gonna rest now and have fun (at church ;) ) later.

Anyways, I know you all wanted to know that I am sick. But really, if you have a diagnosis for me, I would appreciate it. I don't want to go to the doctor. I may have diagnosed myself, I think it's overactive allergies... but oh well.

Also, now my cousin Rachel and my sis Rebekah have blogs. Such copy-cats. But it's okay. They're cool and I love them and I read their blogs more than my own. Check them out at www.inthelifeofaweirdo.blogspot.com and www.beingjoylink.blogspot.com

Waiting

Acts 1:4

“On one occasion while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:12

“Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath’s days walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to a room where they were staying…They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Acts 2:1

“When the day of Pentecost came they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Acts is one of my favorite books of the Bible because it is so exciting. This is when the church first began and there were people getting filled with the Holy Ghost and the church was growing and there were being miracles performed and great sermons preached etc. I love it when people ask me about Pentecost because I get to say, well we believe what the church in the book of Acts believed, and it’s just really great.

Acts is the record of really the first revival. In Pentecost we talk about the Azusa Street Revival and around here people talk about the Red River Meeting House Revival and all these times that the church has grown tremendously. However, Acts was the first revival. Acts 2:41 says that three thousand people were added to the church in just one single day. Can you even begin to fathom how crazy that would be? That’s like the entire population or more of Adairville, Ky. I know there are revivals in other countries where that many people are added to the church, but here, for us, it’s almost unimaginable.

The book of Acts is something to get excited about. I want to focus on the first 63 verses though, all of chapter one and part of chapter two.

The point I want to make here, though, is that there was a lot of waiting done in the book of Acts. I know it’s only like the first chapter that they are waiting, but can you imagine being stuck in a room waiting for ten days for something you know is coming? We get upset when we have to wait one hour in a hospital or at the doctor’s office, or in line for something, the disciples had to wait for ten days.

The waiting room is where God prepares us. The disciples were preparing for the promise God had made to them. They were praying, they were taking care of business. After they had waited for ten days, God sent his Spirit.

Now, I’ve talked about promises a lot. We know that all of God’s promises are yes and amen. And he is true and he is faithful. But here in his word, the promise was not that thousands would be added to the church. The promise was that He would send his Spirit to all those who believe in him. The thousands being added to the church came after the Spirit was poured out. So guess what, we don’t have to wait anymore! We have been filled with the Spirit, we have received the promise.

What’s cool about God though is that He always wants to give us more. He made the promise, he fulfilled the promise, but in 2 Corinthians 5:5 we read that “God has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

So yeah, maybe it stinks to wait. But if you are waiting then you know that something good must be coming.

Psalm 27:13-14 says “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart, wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 40:1-2 I waited patiently for the Lord, eh turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, he set my feet on a rock.

Isaiah: 40:31 They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength, thy will soar like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Being filled with the Spirit, if you are waiting on the Lord, do not weary, do not be downhearted, because those who wait on the Lord will receive a great reward.

Love Love Love

One I love,
Two I love,
Three I love, I say;
Four I love with all my heart,
Five, I cast away;
Six he loves me,
Seven he don't,
Eight we're lovers both;
Nine he comes,
Ten he tarries,
Eleven he courts,
Twelve he marries.
-Mother Goose

I'm so glad the Love of Jesus isn't so fickle. He loves us all unconditionally, so much so that he gave his life for our sins so that we would not have to suffer death, but rather that we would have a promise of eternal life with Him. Its good to know Jesus.

Its Her Birthday!!!

By the way, today is my mama's birthday. She is____ today :)

Hahaha like I'd ever get away with telling you how old she is! She reads my blog... I think...

American Girl Spring

Something very strange just happened... but I must tell a story first.

When I was little I loved the American Dolls. I had the Felicity doll (okay,still have her) and all of the books and the clothes and I watched the movie on Hallmark; I was so cool. My sister Rebekah had the Kirsten doll and Christina had the Josephina doll (we used to call Christina "Josephina" because she literally wanted to be the character, not just play with the doll) and Jessica had Bitty Baby... because she was a baby. 

We had so much fun with those stinkin dolls... so much fun that I decided it would be cool to attend the American Doll workshop during Spring Intercession. I don't know if other elementary schools had spring intercession, but it went a little like this: there were classes that the students who were behind could attend to get extra help, then there were classes where over-achievers like me could attend so that even during spring break I was going to class. I was such a nerd. So I picked the American Girl class... big mistake.

It was the first time I had ever been to Logan County High School. I was about eight years old. Everything was big there, even the clocks. To be honest, I didn't even know I was at the high school. I thought the class would be at my school, so when I got on the bus and it took me 20 miles to this big place that looked really scary... I FREAKED out. The first day was horrible. We talked about the American Girl Doll Samantha, who I didn't even like and made tea cakes, which were nasty, and talked in English accents. It all lasted about three miserable hours. 

The next day I cried and faked sick so I wouldn't have to go.

But the next day my mom showed me that she was smarter than I was and made me go anyways because she had paid $20 so that I could go to the stinkin thing. I think I had fun. I made a friend named Courtney and I called her on the phone once. When I got to high school I had a class with her and realized we were not going to be friends during high school. I don't remember anything else about that week besides making a cookbook and then going to Pizza Hut with my family as a reward for sticking in there all week. When I started high school about four or five years later, the memories came flooding back when I saw the clocks.

All that to say, I just walked out of the computer lab here at WKU and smelled a smell in Java City that reminded me of that American Girl Spring break long ago... funny, right?

MIM 2011

It's Sunday!

Well folks, Jesus is alive and well and His Spirit dwells in us. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. When we look around at the world, and all it's troubles, and even when we look at our own lives and troubles, we may be tempted to get down and out... but God wants to lift us up in Him.

Do I sound like I am excited? Because I am. I'm dancing right now (on the inside, evidently, I'm actually typing). I just wanted to make this short post right here in the middle of Sunday morning service, kids' choir practice, and Sunday evening service to tell you that God is doing some great and wonderful things and that He is on the move! This morning at Hope we had two brand new families, and two other families who returned after previously visiting. That's good news! That's enough good news to last me the rest of the week, but God never wants us to be satisfied, he wants us to continue to desire more from Him, so that is exactly what I am going to do. I want to see these families tonight! And I believe we will!

The Bible says they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they will mount up on wings as eagles, and they will run and not faint. I'm thankful that God stays true to his promise that if we wait for the promise, as Abraham did and as His followers in the upper room did, He will fulfill it. Today is proof of that.