Look at my Boo Boo

So I had a rude awakening the other night while I was in Illinois. One of the BMX ramps fell on my leg while we were doing load in and I must say it HURT! Those ramps weigh like 200 pounds a piece. Definitely brought tears to my eyes.

Take a look at my battle wounds...

Yep the whole thigh is purple

It covers all the way around! Gross

Hopefully it will heal quickly!

Heels killed the competition

I'm proud of my boys! GO HEELS....No. 1

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Danny Green has made coming off the bench something of a show for top-ranked North Carolina this season.

First comes his gyrating dance moves from the Smith Center sideline just before tipoff. Then comes a solid all-around game that has made the Tar Heels deep and dangerous.

The junior matched his career-high with 20 points and sparked the decisive second-half spurt Sunday night to help North Carolina beat Valparaiso 90-58, keeping the Tar Heels rolling as they head into the final games of their nonconference schedule.

Tyler Hansbrough had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Tar Heels (13-0), who are off to their best start since winning 17 in a row to start the 1997-98 season.

With just one game left before opening Atlantic Coast Conference play at Clemson (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP), North Carolina has been repeatedly rolling up big-margin victories and cracking the 100-point mark in crowd-pleasing fashion. The Tar Heels eventually made this one look the same way despite blowing an early 17-point lead, putting the game away with a big second-half run sparked by their steady -- yet often overlooked -- producer off the bench.

Green, a 6-foot-6 junior, came in averaging 12.6 points despite starting just one game. But he finished 8-for-10 from the floor and 4-for-5 from 3-point range against the Crusaders (10-3), including four rebounds, five assists, three steals and four blocks in 20 minutes.

"As long as we keep winning and as long as we play well, I'm fine with it," Green said. "I don't need to start."

North Carolina's fans would probably prefer Green stays on the bench, if for no other reason than his pregame sideline antics.

With the rap song "Jump Around" playing over arena speakers just before every opening tip, Green has made a ritual of showing off his dancing to the cheers of the home crowd. His carefree moves had Ty Lawson and the rest of the starters watching and laughing from midcourt Sunday, while Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams and his assistants couldn't help but chuckle.

But when Green enters the game, he's been about as reliable as any other Tar Heel, scoring in double figures in all but three games this season.

"He's a big part of this team," Hansbrough said. "I'm not sure everybody overlooks him. We know how important he is for us."

Jarryd Loyd scored 14 of his 24 points in the first half to lead Valparaiso, which fell behind 13-0 and 19-2 early before fighting back to tie the game at 37 early in the second half. But the Tar Heels responded with a 27-2 run over 8 1/2 minutes, a stretch that Williams called "probably our best basketball of the year."

Green was at the center of the run, scoring 11 points and knocking down three 3s.

The Tar Heels also got key contributions from Deon Thompson (11 points, eight rebounds, career-high five blocks) and redshirt freshman Will Graves, who ended the spurt with a 3-pointer followed by a jumper from the left corner to make it 64-39 with 8:57 to play.

Graves finished with a season-high 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including 4-for-5 from behind the arc. Those performances offset an off day from starter Wayne Ellington (five points on 2-for-10 shooting) while Lawson had just six points.

"They needed to step up because we were trying to key a little more on Ellington and Lawson," said Valparaiso coach Homer Drew of Green and Graves. "They really shot the ball well and broke the game wide open."

North Carolina shot 51 percent and took a 47-31 rebounding advantage while holding the Crusaders to 11-for-32 shooting after the break.

It was North Carolina's first game without key reserve Bobby Frasor, who is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee against Nevada. The injury robbed the Tar Heels of a versatile junior who can play either guard position, and North Carolina's depth at the point was further depleted because senior Quentin Thomas sat out with a sprained left ankle suffered in Friday's practice.

The injuries forced junior swingman Marcus Ginyard, the team's top individual defender, to spend time at the point behind Lawson.

Youth Encounter, FX Style

For the past two days, I have been in Springfield, Illinois for their annual YEC! This year they wanted something a little different so they brought in the Freedom Experience team. Well we definitely brought something different! The FX team was there and I must say we were on our A game.

We did three sessions, each lasting around three hours. It was incredible! Usually when we do these events we see about 80% un-churched, but his event was a little different. Because it was a youth conference, it was about 95% churched. But that didn't stop the Lord from doing what he does best. We still witnessed hundreds of kids get saved and re-dedicated their lives to the Lord. It's amazing how God uses this team of people to do his work.

The performance team for this event was Eleventyseven, Group 1 Crew, Outcast BMX, Pocket Full of Rocks, Tim Byrne and of course Brock Gill! We also brought an amazing work crew as well. That group consisted of Brad, Kyle, Greg, Brandon, Jacob, Gresham and I guess I would be included in this:) Without this team, nothing would go as planned!

We had an amazing time and witnessed some amazing things! Hopefully we can do it all over again next year!

Frustration sets in!

So what do you do when everything around you seems to be more than you can handle? You can never seem to catch up or catch a break! Times are trying and you feel like if one more person asks you for something, you will explode and yell when you don't mean to!

I'm at that point! You see, I'm that type of person that will give till I can't give anymore. I don't really expect much in return expect maybe a "thank you" or an "I appreciate that."But when you feel less than you're really worth, it just gets to you!

I saw a movie this past weekend that stated "you can change the world by just doing one act of kindness at a time." Now that's definitely a true statement but a some point it wears on you. It's hard to keep giving when there seems like there's no appreciation.

It's hard to imagine how Jesus felt when he gave everything and didn't expect anything in return. He gave and gave...most of the time to people who didn't believe in Him or love Him! But he did it with no whining or excuses! He did it.

How can I get to that point? How can we get to that point?

Christmas Moments!

Here are a few moments from Christmas!

Me and Heather under a huge tree

Murphy under the Christmas tree

Mama and Summer opening up some fun gifts!

These were just a few of the hundreds of pictures I took! For all of you that know me, you know that I take way too many pictures. Where there are moments...I'll be there with my camera:)

It's Christmas to Me!

The tree is all decorated and there are gifts underneath...
There's an angel on top and a beautiful wreath hanging on the door! The manger scence is set in place and smell of Christmas trees is in the air. I woke up to the smell of turkey this morning and to my dad working outside in the yard(trying to figure out how to get Mama's gift here without her knowing).

Oh, I love this time of the year because there is just something about being home for Christmas! I love visiting my aunt's house and getting to see all my cousins, who now have like three kids a piece, ha! I love watching my grandma open all her gifts and then telling everyone how she doesn't need any of them. I love seeing my niece all dressed up in some adorable Christmas outfit and watching her around dessert time, that's my uncle's favorite part too!

Christmas means a lot to me because it's the one time of the year where I can see some of my friends I graduated high school with. We all live in different states now and it's hard to get together. It's a time when I don't have to work and I can just sit back and relax. No phone calls, no waiting tables, no aggravating anything, just peace(except for the occasional fight with the sibling)!

I get to watch movies to my heart's constent, eat yummy food till I can't stand up and sleep till I absolutely have to get up! I can visit my old church and see how much the kids I used to babysit grew. I thank God for this season. I love this time of year!

What is your favorite part of Christmas?

Go Pirates

Check this out! Today was a good day to be a pirate!

ECU edges No. 24 Boise St. for first postseason win since 2000
HONOLULU (AP) -- Ben Hartman kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to give East Carolina a 41-38 win over No. 24 Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl on Sunday night.
Chris Johnson set an NCAA bowl record with 408 all-purpose yards for the Pirates (8-5), who won their first postseason game since the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
Johnson rushed for 223 yards, caught three passes for 32 yards and returned six kickoffs for 153 yards. But he committed a costly fumble late that almost sent it to overtime.
With East Carolina trying to run out the clock near midfield, Marty Tadman scooped up Johnson's fumble and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 38 with 1:25 left.
The Pirates took possession at their 39 with 1:16 left and drove to the Broncos 17 to set up Hartman's kick.
The Pirates stormed the field in celebration and chased after Hartman, who dashed toward the locker room.

The ECU Pirates played an awesome game tonight to beat the Broncos in Hawaii! I had so much fun watching the bowl game with Janis, Joey, Don, Gray and few others! We sure did make a spectacle in CPW's! But who cares...GO PIRATES!!



How many of you watched the game?

Letting go

It's amazing how we continually say that we're going to let go of something and let God take control but then we continue to grasp so tightly to it that God can't even get a finger on it. Why are we so scared to let go of things that in the long run, won't matter?Do we hold on in hopes that something will change or someone's mind will take a different look? Do we hold on because we're scared to let go? What is the reason?

They say "when you love something, let it go, if it comes back to you it's yours." I haven't met one person that believes that or even practices that logic! When I love something I hold on tightly. I'm constantly worried that if it's out of sight then it will not be in my mind and I'll forget. I don't want to forget. I'm so worried about losing something or missing out on something, that I fight for it and often get hurt in the process.

I wonder if there's a way to let go of things and not hurt in the process. Like when you let go of dreams, jobs and relationships(whether it's a friend or a crush). There's always this pain. One that just aches and leaves you feeling incomplete. Is there a way to avoid all that? I wish I knew...

All I know, is letting go is hard to do!

11 hours later

Yesterday I made the drive from Nashville to Winton! It is a rather long drive and it seems to take a lot of gas to do it, ha! I was on the road for about 11 hours and I learned that I don't have enough songs on my Ipod!

Driving home, I began to think about everything that's going on in my life right now and I realized that there is a lot stuff I have to figure out. I was thinking about moving arrangements, job requirements, money and just the whole change in general. It's quite overwhelming. I also had a chane to talk to God a bit about my fears and the blessings that he has given me lately. I told him how scared I was about leaving my community of friends and my office of joy. Let's just say we had a lot of time to talk and I had a lot of time to listen.

One more thing, I was sad about missing out on some Cocoa Tree action last night. Those chocolate marshmellows and all the laughes will be missed more than anyone knows! Hope you all ate a marshmellow for me:)

my quote for the day

The only things that stays the same is everything changes!

my weekend

Today I am exhausted! I went home this weekend for my brother's graduation and I had a great time. Brock is now a college graduate and he is expecting to go back to school in the May to get his MBA. I am so proud of him and all that he has achieved so far! He is going to do some great things.

I also went to my Aunt's house this weekend for my Mom's side of Christmas. Every year we all get together to eat yummy food, exchange gifts and just catch up with one another. It was awesome. My grandma gave a special gift this year to all her grandchildren...it made my aunt and brother tear up! She had my granddaddy's wedding ring melted down and turned into six gold nuggets. It was such a surprise and it was very sentimental. I am the only grandchild that got to meet this wonderful man! This gift made such a huge impact and made us all stop and give thanks!

It was a great weekend and I'm so glad I was able to make it home for all the festivities.

I am exhausted though and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it through the rest of the day=(

Driving School

So I had to attend driving school tonight so that I could get my ticket dropped without effecting my insurance! What an experience that was, haha! There was quite a variety of people in that classroom and I honestly had a pretty good time (never thought I would say that).

So, the class was 4 hours long with 1 break that only lasted 15 minutes. They didn't let you bring in food or drink in so you can imagine that all of us were extremely hungry, or at least me! My stomach pretty much grumbled the whole time!

We talked about railroad crossings, emergency vehicles and basic driving stuff. I felt like I was 15 again taking driver's ed over. At one point we had to tell everyone why we were in the class. I explained how I was speeding to pass a truck and got pulled, nothing too great! This one girl had the most fascinating story though. She apparently rear ended Kanye West in Nashville and put a large dent in his Escalade. Now that's a good reason to be in driving school...way better than my story, haha!

Stage Presence

So a couple of weeks ago Wes(my co-worker) and I went to an event down in Atlanta called Youth Specialties! I'm sure that I wrote a blog about it already, so if you already knew I went this comes as no surprise!

Anyway while we were there, we saw some amazing concerts and hung out with some amazing people. One thing we were both fascinated with was the stage set up. It was incredible...so I wanted to share it with you!

I know that it may seem dumb to be fascinated with this but I guess my job has taught me to look at things like this, haha!

What A Party

Last night Brock and Auny threw the best Christmas party. Brock cooked his famous turkey and Auny cooked some yummy food that included her famous banana pudding which is the best in the world. They are quite the lovely hosts and everyone always loves going out the their house for fun and food.

Everyone arrived between 6:30 and 7:00 with sides, desserts and one gift for the gift exchange game! It was so great to sit around and have dinner with all my friends in one room. Our table had conversations about wedding cakes, dual shower heads and olives. Strange I know, but delightful! We laughed and just carried on because some of us hadn't seen each other in forever.

After dinner we played what some call White Elephant which is a gift exchange game. There are all sorts of rules like you can only trade three times and number one gets to chose anything at the end. I got some yummy chap stick and my roomies brought home sponge things, a Christmas decoration and some coffee I think! We followed up the night with some magic by no other than the amazing Brock Gill! You should have been there!

It was fun times and we created some funny stories to tell over and over:)

Atlanta visit

I just got home from such a great weekend. Have you ever had one of those relaxing weekends that just left you refreshed and feeling like yourself again? Well that's what I just experienced!

After an amazing week with my parents I set out on Friday for A-town(Atlanta). Kim and I packed the car and headed to visit some friends for two days. It was great just to hang out with absolutely no plans and nothing to do. We played in downtown with Kyle on Saturday. I laughed so much that my stomach hurt by the end of our adventure. After our fun filled day in the city we headed back to the house for naps, dinner and late night chats. I absolutely love talking to Lindsay! There is just something so peaceful about the way she explains things and I thankful to have her in my life.

Waking up to little kids screaming and dancing to Family Force 5 while jumping over their father's legs like a hurdle, now that's a sight, ha ha! Brad is so great with his boys. He loves those two so much. Have you seem those two adorable children? I"ll try to post some pictures of them soon!

I love Atlanta visits and I hope to visit them again soon:)

Choices

Life is about choices and with the choices that we make comes consequences that aren't always the the greatest on the heart. You could decide something that makes total sense one second but seems so hard the next! Why is it that in life we are always scared of making the wrong decisions that every decision we make seems to cause regret!

Choices should be easy like "I like chocolate ice cream therefore I will get some!" Or "this makes me happy therefore I will do it!" Yes those seem easy but somewhere along our path we have learned that we should analyze every detail of every choice we make just so we can explain it to others! Explaining it to others helps us to rationalize things and often change our minds. Why is that!

If I say "I like you despite where you are" then that's how I feel and I shouldn't allow others to change that choice. We all need to learn to make choices based on God and what we need for us not for what makes sense to everyone else!

The Rockettes at Orpy

Last night my parents and I went to see the Radio City Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry! It was absolutely amazing. The Opry was decorated so beautifully with Christmas lights and wreaths. Now, I did feel like the youngest person there but it was still a great experience!

I still can't get over how those girls dance for that long without a break. I was exhausted just watching them but that's probably because I'm not in the best shape, ha! The stage set-up was incredible. They did everything from The Nutcracker to Rock 'n Roll Santa. The recreation of the Nativity that was the best I have ever seen! It was such a powerful portrayal of Jesus' birth.

If you haven't seen this show you need to go!

God Sees All

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
~Psalm 147:5

Some years ago a friend of mine was standing on top of a mountain in North Carolina. The roads in those days filled with curves, and it was very difficult to see very far ahead. This man saw two cars heading toward each other. He realized they couldn't see each other. A third car pulled up and began to pass one of the cars, although there wasn't enough space to see the other car approaching around the bend. My friend shouted out a warning, but the drivers couldn't hear, and there was a fatal crash.
This is how God looks upon us in His omniscience. He sees what has happened, what is happening and what will happen. He also sees us when we foolishly think we can get by with breaking His moral laws, or we act out of sinful pride or lust or anger. Like the man on that mountain, He shouts His warnings at us-but we are too busy or too stubborn to listen.
God sees the whole picture. He knows what is best for us and He knows what will destroy us. Don't think your way is better than His, but listen to His Word-and obey.
~Billy Graham

God knows how our lives will turn out. Every person's life is like a book! If you skip to ending you would miss out on the greatest story ever. God knows the ending but we may only be in Chapter 4. If we listen to Him, our story will end according to His plan!

Today's adventure

Today I went on a fun little journey to The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville! It was for the NAMB conference which is an annual thing where all the big whigs from the 50 states come together to learn more about reaching their state. I had a fantastic time hanging out with some familiar faces like Merrie Johnson, Doug Couch, Scott Kindig and Tim Binns.
I guess I never realized how much people remember me from past events. It was great to walk into a room and be greeted with genuine faces and sweet smiles. One aspect of my job is to get to know people. For the past year I have gotten to know some pretty great people from all over the United States. It makes me feel good that God is using me to make an impact all over...What a great feeling!

Tourist attractions

So I've been MIA for the past few days because my family is in Nashville and we have been taking in all the attractions! My sweet Heather came to visit as well and I was so thrilled! I have lived here for a year and I have never experienced what being a tourist is all about, ha. People actually come to this city as a vacation and there is really more stuff to do than dinner and movies.

I walked down Broadway in the evening and saw all the live music as well as the people playing on the side of the street. We went to the Ryman to see the Grand Ole Opry show. It was so great! Vince Gill and Diamond Rio performed along with many others. We also went to one of the restaurants downtown which actually had really good food!

I kind of enjoyed being a tourist for a few days, ha!

Our love was good

Our love was good
and our love was right
and i don't regret it
no, not a single night
because i knew you
now i know of.
and i know that, i want more of..

the thing that poets right about
the thing that singers sing about
the thing that flowers bloom for
the thing that stars shine for
the thing that babies laugh for
the thing that jesus died for
the thing that winners wait for
the thing that trees reach for
the thing that addicts stop for
the thing that widows die for
the thing that proud are humbled for
the thing that lonely are looking for
the thing that made me come alive
the thing that made me realize
that love is the most beautiful thing
that anyone can happen to

and i know that
because i knew you
and for that
i say thank you
and i'm bitter
and i'm not mad
i'm just thankful
for the times we had
so this is farewell
this is good bye
i know you're a girl
but you don't have to cry

because our love was good
and our love was right
and i don't regret it
no not a single night
so good bye
my love.
good bye
my love
..goodbye

~Bradley Hathaway

Data Entry

So for the past three days I have been entering in contact information from an event we did last weekend called Youth Specialties. I have learned that data entry is definitely not a field I want to go in to!

All I have done for the past three nights is sit and stare at my computer screen. The numbers start to run together and all the names start to look the same! My right leg keeps falling asleep and I swear I've developed this annoying nail taping thing inbetween typing.

I have started to think about each one of these people individually and I feel as if I have 900 new friends in the world because I have been staring at their information over and over, haha!

Basically I want to say thank you to the people who do this for a living so that I don't have to!

I want a hug

There's something about a hug that makes you feel so much better. It must be the embrace when someone wraps their arms around you that just makes you feel perfect. You can almost feel how much they care and every part of you seems to get the tingles.

I can remember hugs that took my breath away because of the feeling that took place inside my soul when I was enveloped by another. It's a warm feeling that takes over your thoughts sends chills that raise the hair on your arms.

Now I know you're thinking to yourself, A hug? Can a hug really do all that? You must be describing a kiss. But I'm not!

A hug brings joy to my heart, especially when the person scoops you up in a big bear hug and doesn't let go until you're ready!

You see there was this moment...I can remember standing there with my face nestled into his chest, he was so warm and for that moment I felt protected and loved. It was the best feeling and I miss it!

What I wouldn't give for a hug like that again.

Celebrating, Tennessee style

I ate way too much food!

The past two days have been so amazing between the food and the fellowship! On Thursday our whole group prepared a feast which included everything from turkey to cranberry sauce. We went all out and let me say, "It was absolutely delicious!"

We had quite the gathering as well. So far I've seen Manwell, Pablo, Blanca, Jonathan, Kelly, Amber, Clay, Kara, Steffy, Kyle, Lucas, Brock, Auny + all my roomies. The fun doesn't stop there! Today Kristen and Matt are coming into town for another fun filled day.It's always so great when all your friends come to town to celebrate the holidays!!

I have so many funny stories like dancing to Group 1 Crew around the bonfire to breaking and cutting down limbs for the fire... I'll just show you some of the moments!

This was the amazing spread we had. Look at all that food!



Jonathan and Brock trying to break that limb. We had to get the saw out on that one.



Don't we look cute by the fire and all in our vests, ha!





I'll have more tomorrow! How was your Thanksgiving???

Thanksgiving away from home!

There are just somethings that take time to get used to and then some things that will never bring you peace. This year is the first year that I won't spend Thanksgiving with my Mom and Dad. I'm sad that tomorrow I won't wake up to Mama cooking way too much food and Daddy working on some project in the garage with Brock. This is something I don't think I can get used to. Time away from your family makes you understand how great the times are that you did get to send with them. Oh how I'll miss the lemon pie and baby hugs from Summer...the decorating of the Christmas tree and just hanging out in the den till late in the evening. Basically, I'm gonna miss home tomorrow!!!

I will be spending Thanksgiving with a family. My Nashville family! We are going over to Brock's house for some amazing turkey and fellowship. Although it will never compare to Thanksgiving at home, I think that I'm in for a good time!

Do you have Thanksgiving plans??

Psalm 17

Psalm 17

A David Prayer

Listen while I build my case, God, the most honest prayer you'll ever hear.
Show the world I'm innocent—
in your heart you know I am.

Go ahead, examine me from inside out,
surprise me in the middle of the night—
You'll find I'm just what I say I am.
My words don't run loose.

I'm not trying to get my way
in the world's way.
I'm trying to get your way,
your Word's way.
I'm staying on your trail;
I'm putting one foot
In front of the other.
I'm not giving up.

I call to you, God, because I'm sure of an answer.
So—answer! bend your ear! listen sharp!
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
take in your frightened children who
Are running from the neighborhood bullies
straight to you.

Keep your eye on me;
hide me under your cool wing feathers
From the wicked who are out to get me,
from mortal enemies closing in.

Their hearts are hard as nails,
their mouths blast hot air.
They are after me, nipping my heels,
determined to bring me down,
Lions ready to rip me apart,
young lions poised to pounce.
Up, God: beard them! break them!
By your sword, free me from their clutches;
Barehanded, God, break these mortals,
these flat-earth people who can't think beyond today.

I'd like to see their bellies
swollen with famine food,
The weeds they've sown
harvested and baked into famine bread,
With second helpings for their children
and crusts for their babies to chew on.

And me? I plan on looking
you full in the face. When I get up,
I'll see your full stature
and live heaven on earth.

Girl's Day Out

Today was such a wonderful day! I had the day off because I worked all weekend in Atlanta. For the first time since I moved here, my three roommates and I went out to lunch and just enjoyed hanging out. We went to this great little place called Dumplins in downtown Franklin. It was so great to just sit and spend time with each other. We laughed and talked about lots of different situations in our lives. After a fabulous lunch Kim and I took pictures in the leaves. Our yard is completely covered with orange and yellow speckles. It's so pretty, we couldn't resist taking pictures...

Days off are like little blessings from above. I love being able to sleep in and enjoy the day instead of worrying about traffic, emails and headaches. I need more days like today!

My silly puppies

I miss my sweet puppies....

This is Cambi and she is my sweet girl. I've had her for going on six years now and she was the best addition to my family ever. She has the greatest personality and makes me smile whenever I am sad. I wish she lived in Tennessee with me everyday.





This is Arley and she is my baby girl. She is the baby of the family and has brought so much fun since I got her. She loves to play and has such an energetic spirit. She makes my heart happy and I wish she was here to make me laugh.

Aren't they precious?!

YS Day 3

Today was another full day of work at Youth Specialties. I feel as if I have talked to thousands of people about Vertical Ministries and our passion for reaching the lost. I think I finally understand why some speakers lose their voice after speaking at several events. Wes and I both woke up with scratchy throats today.

The Superwow booth decided to display the Georgia/Kentucky game today during our break. It was so much fun to just sit and watch football with friends, especially considering we were in the middle of a HUGE congress center, ha! It was great. Family Force 5 played at the late night session tonight and we rocked out with them to top off our wonderful day.

I've had so much fun this weekend and I'm a little sad that tomorrow is the last day!

Here is a picture of our booth...

Pretty nice, huh?

Youth Specialties

So my voice is kind of slipping away because I have been talking for two days straight at the Youth Specialties event in Atlanta. Wes and I arrived yesterday and immediately began or session. We are here to promote Vertical and all of our ministers.

So far we have had a blast, besides being exhausted. We were up at 6:00 AM today in order to make through Atlanta traffic. I only about 4 hours of sleep so I was dragging a bit around lunch time.

I've run into quite a few friends while being here...Chris Norris, David Gantt, Jennifer Lynch and a few Superwow staff members. It's been great to see everyone and to catch up with the few I haven't seen in years.

Tomorrow we should be better rested because we don't have to start until 12:30 PM! Yay for sleeping in:)

Family Force 5

I went to the Family Force 5 concert tonight at Rocketown and it was amazing as always! I never get tired of seeing those guys. They have so much energy and personality on stage that you just get sucked in to dancing the whole show!

We had a pretty big crew with us tonight and every single person danced until the last song was over. All I got to say is "Ugly people put your hands down..." haha!

I wish all of you could have been there to experience what we did.

Silly moments

For some reason I get a British accent whenever I'm in a hammock! Not sure why but this video of Emily and me makes me laugh every time I watch it.



We act so silly sometimes!

Colors

While riding back from the Atlanta area today, I stared out the window at the beautiful colors scattered across the wooded areas. There were reds, yellows, oranges, greens and browns. It looked like God picked up a paint brush and carefully painted this picture of beauty and wonder.

I was thinking about each color and what I felt when I looked at them. Yellow brought me a since of joy because it makes me think of golden rays of sunshine. I love how the warm sun feels on my face in the middle of the summer and those yellow leaves took me back.

Orange makes me think of the music in my head. I think of vibrant lyrics and beautiful voices singing. I can remember when I was young, singing softly while sitting under my favorite tree in the fall. It was a pine tree and I always sat there when I needed time to think and reflect.

The red leaves made me think of caution and warning. Sometimes I have all these great ideas in my mind and all these changes that I would like to make but I know I should stop and think. Ask for direction instead of taking the path I want for myself.

Brown leaves make me think back to all the people I have known and have passed along my journey. Makes me miss my Grandma and remember the amazing things she shared and taught me along the way.

The green leaves make me think of life. Possibly a new life. After being in Corpus Christi and seeing thousands of people being born again, green makes me remember them.

Fall is the most beautiful season in my opinion. I love the chilly weather and the magnificent colors. What do the colors mean to you?

My roomie Emily

I don't know if all of you know this but, I have a fantastic roommate named Emily. She makes me laugh and she has always been there when I needed someone to talk to! Emily is an amazing woman of God and teaches me more and more each day. She has a heart for service and just loves on people.

We share a room here in Nashville and we have had many late night talks about Jesus. She makes my heart happy and I am glad she is in my life!





All smiles!




We were in a cocoon... we emerged beautiful butterflies:)




I love this girl!

Night Three

I can't really explain how amazing this week has been! No words could ever be enough to tell all of you how God showed up. We saw over 11000 people this week and over 1300 people made decisions for Christ! How amazing is that....

God showed up and to Him be all the Glory!

Night Two

I'll sum up night two in a few bullet points for you...

*Over 4000 in attendance

*One incredible outreach

*Over 400 decisions for Christ

*One amazing God

Tonight was not about words, songs or tricks. Tonight was about God!

Thanks God

Night One

God showed up! In a huge way...

Tonight was the first night of FX and we saw a crowd of over 1500 people! That's big for a first night. I recognized some faces from the schools we visited today. It was so great to watch these kids enjoy themselves.

But the most amazing thing was the number of decisions that were made tonight. Over 350 people dedicated their lives tonight. What an amazing sight to see kids and adults flood the aisles just to learn more about Jesus.

It was truly an amazing experience!

A Broken City

We have arrived!

Today after some extensive travel, we arrived in Corpus Christi, TX! Our team came in from all over the United States and we are geared up and ready for what God is going to do this week. Satan has already started his attack but we are going to keep pushing through because we have a mission. A mission to share this great love! A love that is so pure and so strong that it can mend broken hearts and heal broken spirits.

I met a man in the airport today named Marty. He is from Corpus Christi and he was telling me all about this broken city. He said that only 10% of the population here is churched. The pregnancy rate and high school drop out rate is extremely high. Middle school girls are having not one, but two babies between the ages of 13-16.

God has brought us to this city for a purpose and I am so excited about watching Him move. Please pray for us as we go into battle against a city that desperately needs the love of Jesus Christ!

On the road again...

"On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again"...

We leave for Corpus Christi, TX tomorrow and I am super excited! The chaos begins and God is going to move like never before! This Freedom Experience is going to be the biggest one this year...

We are hoping to see over 10,000 people this week. We're bringing in all the big guns this week with Group 1 Crew, Eleventyseven, Outcast BMX, Boarders For Christ, Team Faith Motorcross and of course, Brock Gill!

I can't wait to get on that plane tomorrow:)

Look for pictures and God stories in the next few days!!

Office Fun

This is what we do when we get bored in the office, haha!



I love that puppet:)

Happy Halloween

A night dedicated to fun costumes, sweet candy and being silly! I used to love getting all dressed up and heading downtown Greenville for a crazy night with all my friends. It was the biggest event of the year.

This year, I decided I would dress up as a soccer player but for some reason I never actually put the costume on! Haha...sucks getting old!

So what did you dress up as for Halloween??

Relentless

I witnessed this absurd act today at a local restaurant that took me back to my waitressing days. One thing I know is that sometimes people have a way of making days worse than they already are.

Kim and I went to Backyard Burger today for some yummy food. While we were there, these two ladies and one fellow came in with attitudes from the start. I felt really bad for waiter who was obviously having a really hard day. The three people placed their order and somehow the order got all mixed up. I believe one of the burgers had a tomato on it when it was ordered without it. The lady threw a fit and started yelling. She stated several times that she wasn't going to pay for her food and that it was ridiculous that they got her order wrong!

Honestly, how hard is it to take off a piece of tomato. It blows my mind how rude and relentless people are especially when all they want is something for free!I think that everyone should take a class in college on how hard it is to work in the restaurant business! It would definitely change some people's minds and hearts when they realize what waiters and waitresses have to put up with!

OK venting session over:)

Homecoming, ECU Style

I went home this weekend and I had the greatest time ever! I wish I could type out all the details but it would be the longest blog ever! Here are the highlights...

Seeing my parents and getting to hug them
Staying with Janis and Joe
Starlight Cafe and strawberries
ECU killing UAB
Yummy CPW's( which I miss all the time)
TKE sober drivers
Running into all of my sorority sisters in 519
Catching up with an amazing guy
Losing my license in 4th Street
Janis wanting to fight the girl in 4th Street, haha
Hugging my favorite Kristen
Haivng a heart to heart with Jarrod
Couch swap with Mike
Seeing the Johnson's
Boston winning the World Series
Making Pookie look at all 2200 picture on my computer
Eating Parker's BBQ
Just being home

I could go on and on... but instead, I'll show pictures!

You all should have been there!

Photo Shoot

So my friends Natasha, Kim and I decided to do a photo shoot this past weekend. And what better placed to make memories, than downtown Nashville!

Here are a few:

It was so much fun to be silly and capture moments:)

Going home

I'm leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again....

I'm going home tomorrow and I'm super excited! I get to see my parents and friends for three days and I'm not really sure what could top it! You never really know how much you miss something till it's not around anymore! I miss home!

Can't wait to land in Raleigh, NC:)

My doctor's visit

So I've had some pretty traumatic experiences lately but yesterday just took it all! I laugh now but yesterday, not so much!

I went to another doctor yesterday because I had been on meds since Friday and my ear infections were not getting any better. They were actually getting worse, so I needed a second opinion. Well, I went to this amazing lady in Cool Springs who took one look into my ears and told me they were beyond infected(not good). So she told me she was going to give me a shot of antibiotics and she was going to give me a new prescription which would clear everything up quickly! I love quick recoveries!

Well, they gave me this shot in my hip, which I hate shots! From the second she injected me which this medicine, I became light headed and I had to lay down. It only got worse from there. After 15 minutes of laying in the patient room, the doctor told me I was fine to go. As I walked to the front desk, I became very nauseous and I dropped to my knees because my head was so light.

So, to speed the story up, I threw up in a trash can while all the nurses watched then I laid on the cold bathroom floor in agony for 30 minutes from stomach pains. My 20 minute doctor visit turned into a two hour drama!

Lesson learned, DON"T get shots!

Cleansing

This amazing lady in my life said something to me the other day that has been stuck in my mind...

She was telling me a story about a tough time in her life when she was so low she found herself screaming out to God, "God why are you letting me drowned like this?" She knew that I had been struggling lately. In was in that moment when she cried out to God, at her lowest point when He spoke to her and said, " I am not letting you drowned, I am cleansing you!"

WOW!

Sometimes when God is teaching and cleansing us, it's when we are hitting rock bottom with no one but him to turn to. He cleanses the filth and sin from our lives so that He can rebuild us...from the bottom up!

REFRESHING, huh?

We're going to the World Series!

Tonight the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians to advance them to the World Series! I am super excited and I'm not even going to lie, I jumped up and down with my Sox hat on when the final catch was made. This was just what I needed to bring a smile back to my face!

Now if only there was a way to get tickets to the game at Fenway, haha!

GO SOX:)

My ears hurt...

Not in much of a writing mood tonight!

I've had a rough couple of days between tragedy and ear infections!

Have you ever had an ear infection? I think it's the worst pain ever. I have inner ear infections in both ears and enough medicine to cure cancer. All I want is to wake up tomorrow and feel 100 times better than today! I want my ears to be healed and my heart to not be broken.

Let's pray for that!

a lost treasure

When tragedy enters my life, I find it easy to write words to comfort me. I wrote this tonight for a friend that I will miss.

His face was so genuine and his eyes were so sincere.
He seemed to have this gentle spirit that remain pure and dear.

His love for youth was compelling and his heart for God beamed true
His love for sports was overwhelming and you could see it with every clue.

Laughter can ease the hurt and pain and he was great at creating true fun
I wish that time would take me back to that place that seemed so undone.

How can I create the words to describe this amazing yet quiet man
I never got the chance to know him or listen to his future plans.

His path has abruptly ended and the reason seems so unclear
I question things more and more with every single tear.

I pray that he is safe and that he is resting without the pain
I pray that God is with him, possibly watching a Colorado football game.

You will be missed and treasured! You have pierced our hearts with love
You taught us about true joy and you will continue to do so from Heaven above!

I know I don't reveal a name or any type of detail, but if you could pray for peace and healing, it would mean the world to some heartbroken people tonight!

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
~Timothy 2:3

Purpose

Your touch can cause the skin to tingle as it trickles to the soul.
Your chocolate eyes can melt the heart but still I sense the cold.

My mind was simply captured and you seemed locked in from the moment that we met,
But now your heart seems to change faster than the colors of the sunset.

Can you see me? The person that you were intrigued to see?
Are you craving moments and dreams or has that addiction turned to sympathy?

I don't want your pity, I've seen it too many times before!
I don't want your comforting words, I'd rather you just close the swinging door.

Your excuses are redundant and you never seem to compromise.
Wait, I take that back! You showed a bit of mercy because of my tear filled eyes.

They say that words a cheap and that time will heal the pain
But advice is so damn costly when you don't understand the game.

One day you will have struggles. One day you will have hardships.
You'll see a cookie cutter world where all is made of plastic.

A regret may come and linger or it may not ever surface
But maybe you will think of me and understand my purpose!

Needtobreathe video

You have to check out this video! If you like Needtobreathe, you'll love it. For everyone who hasn't heard of them, for whatever reason that is, I just want to inform you that this video was created by Daniel Rankin from East Carolina University!



ECU grads are amazing:)

Galatians 6:7

Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

~Galatians 6:7( The Message)

Crying makes it better!

Have you ever felt better after a good cry?

I must say that today, my world was completely different after I let tears flow from my eyes. You see, I have had a bunch of things piling up on me for a few months now and I've tired really hard to be strong by fighting back the tears and emotions. Today I couldn't fight it anymore! As those little tear drops were running down my cheeks, I began to feel a sense of relief, a sense of vulnerablility and a sense of just letting go!

What I let go of I'm not too sure yet, but even if I only let go of bottled up emotion, I'm glad I did!

Humm, who knew crying would make things better...

Wonder

Why is it that wonder always seems to capture the soul. It seems that there is always something to wonder about.
I wonder where I'll eat lunch today? I wonder if my family is happy today? I wonder if today will be a pretty good day or an awesome day. We all do it! We all have this sense of wonder built in to our every being.

The dictionary describes the word wonder in three different ways...

The first being a verb stating that wonder is the quality of exciting amazed admiration.

The second is a noun. It describes wonder as a cause of astonishment or admiration, giving the example... miracle!

The third is an adjective and it describes wonder in two ways. "A rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience" and then gives an opposite stating " a feeling of doubt or uncertainty."

Now when I think about the word wonder, I think about all the times throughout my days that I think about things. The things I want to happen. The things I don't want to happen. I wonder if I'll succeed? i would if God is pulling me in this direction? I wonder if I'm obeying? I wonder if I'll meet "THE ONE" tomorrow or if I've already met him and he'll realize it tomorrow? These are consisitant. Consistant feelings, concerns, fears, hopes, dreams, admirations...They're just constant! A constant wonder.

I did it!

I have been wanting a different look for a few weeks now because my hair was pretty uneven. I just haven't been happy with it so today i fixed that problem! i chopped it all off...and I mean all!

Take a look...





So is it me or not???

Sleepy!

I am soooooo tired!

I think I will go to sleep:)

night night

What's so great about North Carolina...

I know I tend to talk about home way to much, but seriously, it's an amzing place!!!

Things that I miss about the amazing place I call HOME...

Cotton fields that you can run and play in
The smell of cut grass and the blades sticking to bare feet
Going fishing on the weekends
Playing softball in the summertime
Getting dirty for no apparent reason
Bojangles

Being only a few miles from the beach
Being only a few hours from Caswell
The smell of salt in the air and the beach breeze
Eating Burger King on the tailgate in the parking lot
Laying under the stars for hours
Hanging out at yam's house
Sunsets on the beach




Chasing lightening bugs in the cool fall weather
Watching the huge oak tree at ECU turn from red to orange to yellow
Eating a CPW's with Janis and Joe every week
Downtown Greenville on Halloween
101 Rotary
My puppy Cambi




Being able to drive home for day trips
Watching Summer play in the hot tub
Christmas shopping with Mama every weekend in November and December
Going to eat dinner with Daddy in the big town of Ahoskie
Yard Sales with Grandma
Mama's food (that's a big one)

I guess there are lots of things I miss! I wish...well I'll just leave it as I wish...

Yield

Think about the word "Yield!"
I know that's not a word that comes up in everyday conversation, unless you are slowing down at a yield sign or you are frustrated because people are yielding instead of merging on the interstate. But just think about that word and what comes to mind when you hear it. I think about slowing down just long enough to see past the small tree blocking my view on the road I'm about to enter on to. To some people this word may bring another picture to mind.

The word "yield," according to Billy Graham has two meanings. On one hand it means "to relinguish or abandon," on the other hand it means "to give." It goes in line with Jesus' words from Matthew 10:39, "He who loses( or abandons) his life...will find it."
Those who submit to the will of God do not fight back at life. They learn the secret of yielding-relinguishing or abandoning- their own lives and wills to Christ. Then He gives back a life that is far richer than anything every imagined.

That's what I need to do...slow down, pause, abandon and just yield to God!

Dorks...

We are such dorks!

Mal and I always find something fun in Atlanta:)

Nature Helps

I had a such a wonderful day today! I was able to sleep in, which always makes a good start.

I met Mal and Carmen for lunch and then we went on a little nature walk! It was so great to just escape everything and see the beauty that God created. We saw several deer walking among the trees and one gorgeous cardinal hopping from branch to branch. Sometimes walking around and just talking helps you remember how great life can be.

It's the simple things that help to ease stress and calm your nerves. It's the laughter that makes your heart forget the pain. It's the friends that make everything come together, create the funny moments and cause you to have fun!

Today was just what I needed!

I want to dance

Oh to dance on the pier one more time...

...that would be so great.

I wish Summer was here again!!!

Something so special...

Tonight I opened up one of my old Bibles and found something that truly brightened my day!
Last summer one of my best friends gave me a sweet note that said...

"I just wanted to tell you that I have so much faith in you Scoot! You can do it. Believe it in your heart. I know I do."
Love you Scoot, Ryan

"Close your eyes and just believe"

He drew a picture of me playing guitar in front of a whole room of stick figures, haha!!!
It's notes like this that make my heart smile! I'm glad I found that sweet memory.

Psalm 143

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

O LORD, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.

Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.

The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.

So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.

I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.

I spread out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah

Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD,
for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.

In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.

God please help me to get through this rut in my life!
Show me what is out there waiting for me and open up a door to happiness.

Comfort

Have you ever just sat outside and stared up at the stars?

It's one of my favorite things to do. I think it's because I look up and see how amazing God is. He created all these gorgeous glowing objects that shine billions and billions of miles away, and I can see them. And the moon...how amazing is the moon! I like to talk to the man in the moon. I tell him my thoughts and sometimes I throw out a little wish. He is pretty good listener and some nights I swear winks at me, haha! I gave him a name...his name is George and we're pretty much best friends:)

All thoughout my life the stars and the moon have been comfort for me. They were there to enchance romance. They were there to help dry tears. They were there to spark a memory. And most importantly, they were there!

What brings you comfort in your life?

If you can't think of anything then go outside, lay down in the grass and look up! I promise you'll see something amazing!

Cutest commerical

During Grey's Anatomy, the cutest commerical aired!
This take me back to Kindergarten...



Priceless and Precious!

Singing again!!

Last night was so much fun!

You see, my friend Daniel just moved to Nashville and he lives 5 minutes from my house in Franklin! I am so excited that I have someone familiar to hang out with, swap stories about North Carolina and just laugh. Last night we decided to record some music and I must say, it was so much fun to actually be singing again! It felt good and it felt comfortable...

Here are some pictures of our recording project...

The recording part was fun but who knows how it will sound, ha!!

Look what we did...

Courtney and I went on a little happy, fun trip on Friday!

We took a trip to Turner Field to see the Braves play!
Sporting events always make the weekends better!!

close calls

There were two close calls in my life tonight!

Tonight Mallori and I were driving back from Atlanta...
First off, we probably shouldn't have been driving so late but, it's always so hard to leave!

OK so we're driving back and I see this guy with his brake lights on up ahead. I firgured he was just slowing down but I was wrong! He was completely stopped in the middle of the lane because there was a three pile wreck in front of him. I slammed on brakes and my tires were vibrating so much I felt like they were going to fall off. Mallori was following behind me and she almost crashed into the back of me because of the abrupt stop. I missed hitting the truck by a few inches and Mal missed hitting me by a few inches as well. Close call number one!

A little further down the road I was passing an 18 wheeler when his back, right tire blew. It made the loudest noise ever and sparks began to fly. My heart jumped and it was beating so fast as I pulled as far off the road as I could to get away from him. Mallori did the same and then called me so we could share how freaked out we were! Close call number two!

What an eye opening 3 hour drive. We're not sure if God was keeping us awake by giving us some surprises on the way home or if it was just one crazy night on Interstate 24!

Dan

Did I ever tell you about my friend Dan from this summer?
If not, let me show you an adventure that we took this summer to Disney World...

Didn't that look like an amaizng trip? HAHA

hide behind

Sometimes we hide behind our fears. Sometimes we hide behind our pride. It could be insecurity, sensitivity and even hiding behind change. Life can be so funny sometimes...You think you have certain things figured out but then out of nowhere it's those things that look radically different.
Why do we think there has to be some magical way to understand certain aspects in order to live happy. Hiding is not a source of living. Hiding only causes us to miss out on the things that were given to us for joy. Things to make us laugh. Things to make us blush. Things make us love. Who wants to miss out on that?

Leave the hiding for a game of Hide -N-Seek!

Start embracing the joy. Embrace the laughter, the blushing and the love!

Name Meanings

My roommate had a surprise for me when I came home from FX...
She had looked up the meaning of my name and she couldn't believe how well it described me!
For those of you who know me, see if this sounds like me:

Shannon

After an Irish river "Irish"

Energetic and courageous you stand up for your beliefs and for what you desire. You are independent, strong willed and fiercely competitive when needed although your ambition is tempered with patience. You maintain a positive attitude and with a more organised or practical approach to life material success is very likely. Your immensely loving and generous nature brings joy into peoples lives and ensures your happiness.

I wonder what your name means?

Powerful

For the past four days I have been in the mountains of Virginia in a little town called Grundy! What an experience... a true Freedom Experience! The atmoshpere was intense and we saw such a reaction from the kids here. God's presence was in the venue each night and it was truley powerful. The venue was completely packed with people from all over the surrounding counties. We saw so many kids dedicate their lives to the Lord but in a way that we have never seen before. There was a need for hope in this town and God spoke through our whole team to give this community true hope and joy. He has big things planned for these amazing people.

It was amazing!!

God also did a bit of work on me while I was here and He began to reveal some pretty powerful things. I plan on continuing to press forward and listening for what God has planned.

Again

I won't be the circus for you to star in
I won't leave you roses to watch them die
You won't be the heartache that keeps me sleepless
You won't be the songs that I could never write

I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall
I don't want to have to see you leave me
I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall in love
Maybe I'm a fake, maybe you're a lie
Maybe our last chance died with last night
I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall in love with you again

I won't be a fortress for you to hide in
I won't be the first one you think to call
You won't be the regrets that I can't live with
And we won't be the last ones to ever have to lose it all

When we're scared and lonely
We will tell ourselves we're only
Just a word from what we needed
But we know that this ain't right

I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall
I don't want to have to see you leave me
I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall in love
Maybe I'm a fake, maybe you're a lie
Maybe our last chance died with last night
I don't want to stay, I don't want to fall in love with you again

I can't stay
I can't fall for you again
-Needtobreathe

Atlanta

Let me see if I can sum up my Atlanta trip in a few words...

rainy
full of laughs
too close for words
pizza and football
10 episdoes of FRIENDS
a few cuddles
my brother sleeping the whole afternoon
outlet shops
one pink blanket
too much traffic
two funny Will Ferrell videos
great conversation
a wedding proposal
phone call from a sweet friend back home
a feeling of not wanting to leave...

That about sums it up!

This made me laugh...

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/74

You have to watch this!
Excuse the language...It just really makes me laugh:)

proved it

Me and my friends wanted to prove that you can fit three people in a hammock comfortably...

...and we did!

cosmic vending machine

When you pray, do you ask God for things? Of course, but when you do this, do you expect your prayers to be answered immediately? For most of us the answer to that question is yes with a hopefully behind it.

Sometimes people misundertand what it means to have a "relationship" with our Heavenly Father! Basically, it's not about us. We spend so much time asking for things that we forget our purpose is thank God for the things He has allowed us to have. We think that our relationship with God is a cosmic vending machine. You just push the J4 button and all your wishes come falling out and into your hands. It's not like that! God blesses us with what we need, not always what we want. Our wants are sometimes not what is best for our lives and sometimes that's hard to see.

I wonder what our lives would look like if God gave us everything we asked for? I see us being lazy, unhappy and spoiled! Everything would seem meaningless and nothing would bless our hearts because we wouldn't see the value in anything. When God blesses you with special things, you appreciate them and you treasure them. And you know when it's a gift from God. You feel completely overwhelmed by an unexplainable joy!

Why would want to give that up for all your wants and an empty feeling?

What if...

It's a question that we put in front of so many things through out our lives.

What if?

Often, we think about what would have happened if we had made a different choice or what would something be like if it was completely different from the way it has always been. I was intrigued by a sentence I read today that asked the question, "what if the streets of Heaven turned to brass? Would they still be as beautiful if they were not made of gold?" It caught my eye because it was such an astonishing statement. Of course they would still be beautiful! Who decided that gold was perfect?

I ask myself questions all the time like, "what if I had chosen that path?" or "what if I wasn't so anxious, would my thoughts and ambitions be the same?" I always look for the "gold" in life because it's beautiful and I figure it will make my life perfect. But what if my life was meant to be silver or brass, would it matter?

Now I know these are dumb comparisons but my point is, sometimes we look so hard for the perfect that we walk right by the magnificient.

hiding or drowning?

I haven't been sleeping well lately! My mind seems to be fully charged whenever I lay down to sleep. It has a hundred different thoughts running through it and I can't seem to slow them down long enough to rest. I've had this happen a few times before but never for this long.

When I was little I couldn't sleep on Christmas Eve but it was only because I wanted to catch a glimpse of Santa. Just once...but I never did. I can remember not being able to sleep everytime my mom went to the hospital. My dad would always say "she's gonna be fine, don't worry," but I worried. I would lay there and pray that she would come home fixed and that she would never have to go back, but she returned countless times. Each time I would have a wrestling match with my covers until I finally drifted off.

You see, sleep is something I love! I would sleep all day if I could. I love to crawl into bed when the room is super cold, bundle up under my comforter and hibernate. I love to dream! There are some amazing things that happen in dreamland, who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

I can't figure this one out...what could be wrong or what am I waiting up to see?

Could I be hiding from dreams or drowning in my thoughts?

The Bible talks!

But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you.
He's gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.
~Isaiah 30 :18 (The Message)

It's amazing what God will say to you through passages of the Bible if you just open your heart and listen! It was like the Bible was written for guidance or something..haha!
What has God said to you lately??

Come on get higher

Everyone needs to buy Matt Nathanson's new CD! It is amazing....

I miss the sound of your voice
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in

If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love

I miss the sound of your voice
Loudest thing in my head
And I ache to remember
All the violent, sweet
Perfect words that you said

If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love

I feel of your heart
I taste the sparks on your tongue
I see angels and devils
And God, when you come on
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on

Sing sha la la la
Sing sha la la la la

So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love
So come on, get higher, loosen my lips
Faith and desire and the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me, drown me in love

It's all wrong, it's all wrong
It's all wrong, it's so right
So come on, get higher
So come on and get higher
'Cause everything works, love
Everything works when you're on

I absolutely adore this song and the delicate meaning behind it!

Little porcelain cheeks

I have my moments where I miss home so much!
I had a few of those moments yesterday when I was talking to mom and dad on the phone, when I ate Oh's cereal at the office and when I saw these adorable pictures of my niece. She is my little munchkin. She makes me miss home so much I can hardly stand it. I would give anything for Summer size hug.

You see, she is a special little girl. She is only five but she is one of the strongest kids I know. She has been through a lot but still has a beautiful smile on her little porcelain cheeks.

I wish I could see her everyday.

Pure, Sincere, Expressed Love

Hands and Feet. Love and Fear.
What was once dirty is now clean.

The puzzle begins to be shaped, each piece being so precise and perfect.
What does this look like when it's all placed together...LOVE!

Pure, Sincere, Expressed Love.

What does each piece look like?
Well, Emily has a leadership about her and Auny brings wisdom to the circle. Kyla expresses grace while Amy provides protection. Laura brings lots of laughter to the group and Mallori brings joy into hearts. Stephanie provides acceptence as well as faith while Heather expresses serventhood with her youthful spirit. Charmene shows kindness in all she is and me, well I guess I add Mercy to the circle.

What do we all have in common?
A bond that cannot be broken and the Father of the Heavens. An Abba that placed us together for comfort. for advice. for smiles. for tears. for so much more than we know yet!

Candles lite the room, creating a vibrant glow across the faces of my sisters. The music played softly as the book of Romans began to be read. The words serve, teach and encourage jumped off the page and into my heart. You see, my favorite verse was being read. A feeling of wonder filled my mind as I glanced at the small bucket placed beneath a draped chair. Was i worthy?
One by one we washed the feet of our sisters blessing them with prayers. I prayed for joy as well as pure happiness for each one. I wonder what was prayed over me? Hopefully direction and wisdom.
Jesus served his disciples by washing their feet, showing them how much he loved them. Tonight we expresed love and serventhood for one another by doing the same.
We painted a picture, a beautiful one at that. There were hues of gold with white accents. It was one of the most beautiful sights seen since I moved to this new place. This picture was painted so carefully. So much time was put into the beauty.

What was the picture of...LOVE!

Pure, Sincere, Expressed Love.

So we decided to Share!

You see, I always get pushed to the front when the bride throws the bouquet! I decided this time I would stand in the back with my friend Carrie because I am tired of catching the beautiful arrangement but the tradition not working on me!
Well I stood in the back and still that bouquet came my way. I guess flowers are attracted to me, haha! Anyway Carrie and I decided to share it. Take a look...

We'll see who's next!!! I'm sure it's not me:)

Joy

Things that have brought me joy this week....

Getting letters from my mom and grandma.
Peanut Butter and Banana Reese Cups.
Sleeping till noon.
Watching Rush Hour 3 for the second time.
Rock and Republic jeans.
Bachelor parties...haha, yes I said Bachelor.
FX hoodies.
Strawberries and Cream frappacinos from Starbucks.
Watching ASU beat Michigan.
Talking to an old friend on the phone for two hours.
Dancing with my Caswell boys.
The book on James.
Thunderstorms.
Goose down comforters.
Text messages at 1 AM from a special person.
My 6 year old Rainbow flip flops.

These are just a few....
What brings you joy??

A special day

I can't believe it! My friend Dave is married.

This weekend, I ventured down to Birmingham, Alabama to watch Dave Pace on the biggest day of his life. It was the precious thing I have ever seen. Not to embarrass Dave, but when he teared up at the sight of Lindsey, it was such a special moment. You could see the love they have for each other written all over their faces. I hope to find that love one day:)

I have known Dave for years now and he has been one of those friends that I can confide in. He is someone who has helped me through so many tough times in my life. He always seemed to know what to say. We bonded over our past experiences and how God has moved in our lives. Dave's love for the Lord is moving and he is going to make such an impact on so many. He already has!

I wish him and Lindsey nothing but happiness in their marriage and joy found in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

It's tough getting older

Waited all my life, for this day to come.
I feel like letting go,
Life goes on.
Wasting no more time,
so much to be done.
Everything works out, so they say.
Over my shoulder, it's tough getting older.

Seems like nothing is black and white anymore
Shades of grey and I feel the weight over my shoulder, it's tough getting older
Always thought that I knew where I'd want to go, but now I'm here and I find that I'm still getting colder.
It's kind of tough getting older

Here before my eyes, many roads ahead.
Time for me to choose, one way now.
If I take a chance, what lies down the road.
Feeling so confused, turn around.

On and on

Seems like nothing is black and white anymore
Shades of grey and I feel the weight over my shoulder, it's tough getting older
Always thought that I knew where I'd want to go, but now I'm here and I find that I'm still getting colder.
It's kind of tough getting older

Never thought I would feel this way
Always knew that my life would change
On and on...

Waited all my life, for this day to come.
I feel like letting go,
Life goes on.

Seems like nothing is black and white anymore
Shades of grey and I feel the weight over my shoulder, it's tough getting older
Always thought that I knew where I'd want to go, but now I'm here and I find that I'm still getting colder.
It's kind of tough getting older.
(Colbie)

Seems like we can all get stuck in this grey area...

It's become foggy

What a rough day!
I have reached the point of being tired. So much that I can't sleep at night because I have so many things on my mind but there is no where for them to go! I wish I could explain all the thoughts, fears and frustrations but my blog would become about 10 pages long if I wrote it all out.
I'm sitting here staring at the same four walls that I stare at all the time. They are off white and the look of them saddens me. Everything has become foggy and certain things are not making sense anymore. Where once I thought I was on a path laid out for me, I feel like now I'm trying to hard to follow a path of misdirection. What that means, I can't really explain! All I know is that the excitement I used to wake up to, is no longer there. Instead I wake up with this sick feeling in my tummy and this heaviness on my heart.
How do I fix it? I wish I knew the answer. One thing that would help is if you would pray with me! Here are a few things you can help me out with...
Prayer for direction
Prayer for wisdom
Prayer for understanding
Prayer for some sort of healing
Prayer for rest.

Sustaining

When we hear the word suffering we usually think of physical pain. But psycological suffering is just as real-and sometimes more devastating.
It may be an inner grief or sorrow you cannot express, even to your dearest friend. It may sap your strength or paralyze you with anxiety. It may harm your relationships, or even grip you so tightly that it becomes more then just a temporary problem, but serious psycological illness.
Paul knew what it was to experience psycological suffering; he told the Corinthians he had written them "out of much affliction and anguish of heart"(2 Cor.2:4). Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, "being in agony,...prayed more earnestly"(Luke 22:44). After denying His Lord three times, Peter "went out and wept bitterly"(Luke 22:62).
But when such times come(and they come to us all) God still loves us. He does not abandon us. Remember: "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms"(Deut. 33:27).

That seems to help....If only for the moment!

Intimidated

Here's another question I have been pondering... Why are people, guys in general, intimidated by girls who are independent?

My dad raised me to be an independent lady and to know how to take care of myself. He taught me all about my car and how to deal with situations, among other things. Girls who can hold their own or can carry on a conversation about football seems amazing to me. It's almost like a plus.
Needy, clingy and superficial girls doesn't seem appealing in my book! So why is that what most guys turn to?

Here's some advice to the all decent but clueless fellows out there...look around! Girls that care more about there shoes than their future isn't going to get you far in life. Think about what you really need in life instead of what looks pretty on paper. I bet your option will look a lot different!

What do I do?

So people often ask what I do and i try to explain. Honestly though, I do a lot more then I tell people.
Here let me show you...

I paint stage props...in 108 degree weather!





I make show schedules inbetween merch set up and sound cues.





I pose at the merch table for pictures:)




I help check tires on a semi truck!

Now you're probably wondering what does all this have to do with being a ministry assoicate? Everything my friend, everything!