Stuff Stuff & more Stuff

So last night I received a text message from my dad about 15 minutes before girls started showing up at my apartment for Bible study, It simply read, "Fire close but likely east.  But is there anything in your room that we need to put in a car to save if needed?"

Well that took me a little by surprise.  I sat there and tried to think for a minute about my house and what might still be there that i would "need" or want.  Very little came to mind as I sat there and pictured my old room.  There are still a few dresses hanging up in my closet that I wore to various dances and banquets, but really although they hold some special memories with them will honestly probably never be worn again.  The only thing that I could truly come up with was my scrapbooks that are in the back of my closet up on the very top shelf.

I'm thankful that the fire ended up being controlled and that my house completely avoided the fire, but this short chain of events truly put into perspective how little our stuff really matters.  I had no trouble sleeping last night because I knew that my family was safe and even if the house burned down that all I would lose would be stuff, and one day all of that stuff would burn anyways because I wont be taking it with me to heaven.  May I never let stuff get in the way of my sweet Jesus.

This is My Prayer

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.  Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.  Psalm 34:4-5


When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.  Exodus 34:29


Whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out.  And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Exodus 34:34


I pray that I will be radiant from spending such intimate time with my God.  May I shine with His presence and reflect His glory.  May EVERY part of who He has made me to be bring honor and glory to His holy name.  May I seek His face each and every day! May His name be lifted High! 

Home sweet Home

We always laugh at this picture
because it looks like Dad is
in a wheel chair.

Tonight I'm going to jump on an airplane and spend 6 hours traveling to OKC when it would only take me 5 hours to make it there in a car.  Although it will take me a little longer to fly there,  I am so very thankful for the time that I will be able to sleep and read while being a few thousand feet in the air, those things would be very difficult to accomplish safely while driving.  I am so very excited to see my family, but every time I make this trip "home" it is always hard for me to leave.  I have been blessed with what I truly believe is the best family in the world!
I have a little sister who is my absolute best friend in the entire world.  We are nothing alike, but we are everything alike at the same time.  My brother and I are so very close, and he happened to marry one of my best friends, which makes liking the sis-in-law super easy!  My mom and dad are two of the most caring people in the whole world.  They have taught me the importance of being kind, working hard, dreaming big, serving others, and loving my God with ALL my heart, soul, and mind.  I thank my awesome God for my family.  It is always a blessing to spend a few days with them, laughing and catching up on life.  
Through moving to Little Rock a year and a half ago my God has taught me some very important things about "home" and "family". I grew up in OKC and never lived more than 10 minutes from my church my whole life.  Oklahoma City was my home for the first 21 years of my life.  It felt like home, I was comfortable there, I didn't get lost while driving there, my friends were there, and my family was there as well.  When I moved to Little Rock I hit a weird transition.  OKC wasn't home anymore, but Little Rock didn't really feel like home either.  After the first year of living here I became way more familiar with Little Rock, no longer got lost every time I tried to get somewhere new, made some great new friends, and I had a job here; but Little Rock still didn't feel like home.  As I struggled with this concept of where home is for me I believe that my God revealed to me that there is no place on this earth that is suppose to be my home.  It is okay that I don't feel at home in OKC, and it is okay that I don't feel at home in Little Rock because truly this world is not my home.  This realization has given me a hunger for my true home in Heaven that I had never experienced before moving away from "home".  I love knowing that my Awesome God has prepared something so much better than this world for me, and that one of these days I am going to run to my only Home to see Him.


The other thing that God has revealed to me while living in Little Rock is the cost of discipleship.  As I mentioned earlier, I have the best family in the whole wide world.  I love them so much, and often times I miss them like crazy.  I miss having slumber parties with my little sister, I miss kicking everyone's booty in Mexican Train dominos, I miss playing basketball in the driveway with my Dad, I miss family dinner and bowling, I miss going to church and sitting with my parents and siblings, I miss holding hands during the closing prayer, I miss coming home to a hug and a kiss from my mom each day, and I miss just sitting around and laughing with my family; but God has called me to Little Rock and so I will miss my family, but thank Him for the beautiful family He has given me here through the Church.  


A few months back I was having a really hard month and my family got together and sent me a surprise care package.  Inside the box was 28 little gifts and over 30 separate notes.  The box didn't come with instructions so I didn't know that I was only suppose to open 1 note each day for the entire month so I opened all 30 of them right there on the spot!  I was just so excited, I couldn't help myself. 


A few weeks back I spotted all of the notes on my dresser and decided to open them up and read them.  As I laid on my bed reading through all of the notes from my family I started to tear up.  For those of you who know me, you know that it doesn't take too much to make me tear up so that isn't too weird, but this time was different.  As I'm lying on my bed I started to pray, and I poured out my heart to my patient and loving Lord.  I told Him how much I miss my family and how difficult this past year away from them has been. I told Him how much I love them and how thankful I am for them. Right after I tell my God how much I love my family I hear His voice that I know so well speak straight to my heart.  He said to me, "I know you love your family, but you love me more right?"  His voice was so clear, and it spoke directly to my heart.  I sat there on my bed and told my sweet Savior, "Yes, I love you more than them. Send me wherever you want me to go." I remember the words of my Bold Jesus that He spoke to His followers in Matthew 10:37-39- Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." 

So here I am in Little Rock, but Little Rock is not my home.  My home is not in this world, it's being prepared for me in heaven.  I don't know where my Powerful God is going to call me to next, but I know that wherever He leads me I must go, because He above all is the desire of my heart.  I am so thankful for my incredible family, but I pray that I will never make them an idol before my Lord and Savior.  I pray that I will daily choose to pick up my cross and follow my Jesus.  May I always remember that the cross isn't comfortable and ultimately it led my Jesus to His death.  May I be willing to follow Him ALL the way to the end.   

10 Reasons why I have the best job in the WHOLE world!

1. I get paid to read my Bible- This just amazes me.  Often times when I'm in my office studying or preparing for a class I just sit there and thank God that reading His word is part of my job!  What a blessing!
2. I get to hang out with incredible teens- I am so blessed to have 150 of the most amazing teens I know.  I love sharing my life with these kids and I love getting to be a part of their lives.
3. I get to see God at work constantly- I know this can be done no matter what your job is, but I feel like I get an extra great opportunity to see how He is working in and through me and in and through my teens.  I love hearing how He is answering my prayers and the prayers of my kids.  He is so so so good!
4. I get to work with some of the most amazing people in the world- The staff at PV is truly a family.  I have been so blessed to be a part of such an awesome working environment.  It truly gives me a family away from my family in OKC.  It doesn't hurt that I'm the youngest one on staff and they all feel the need to look out for me!

5. I get to travel different places to share God's love- Since I've been at PV I've had the opportunity to go to OKC, Kentucky, and Paragould for different mission trips with my teens and I am looking forward to going to many more awesome places Lord willing in the future!
6. Praying is part of my job description- I love being able to spend time each day in prayer for God's church!  It's such a blessing to see how God is at work through the people here at Pleasant Valley.  I love being able to lift up my family in prayer to our awesome God.
7. I get to see teens be transformed by God- There is nothing more awesome as a youth minister than seeing it "click" with one of your teens.  To know that they truly are starting to grasp a little more of what this is all about.  I love when my teens go from just coming to church to truly loving Jesus with ALL of their heart!  It's such a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of!
8. I get to act like a 15 year old again- Where else would I get to throw eggs at teens and cover their faces in flour.  What other job would call for weekly slumber parties?  I am so blessed to get paid to have this much fun!

9. I get to share my story on a daily basis- Each day God gives me different opportunities to share His story that He has given me.  I pray that as I tell people about what He has done in my life that I am able to bring honor and praise to His most holy name!

10- I know I am right where God wants me- God has confirmed to me time and time again that I am right where He wants me to be, and there is nothing more exciting and awesome than living in God's plans for your life!  Thank you Jesus for giving me the opportunity to serve you here at

He is Good!

There have been so many things going on around me recently and my sweet God has been taking the opportunity to remind me that in ALL things at ALL times He is good.  There are some moments when His goodness is so easy for everyone to see, and then there are moments when to see His goodness I have to remind myself to trust in Him. I have to remind myself that I don't always know what is good. 

See, if my goal above ALL ELSE is for the name of my sweet savior and awesome God to be glorified then I can praise Him and know that He is good when times are hard.  A little over a month ago my mentor and dear friend Tonya found out that her husband had a brain tumor.  The very next day they went in to remove the tumor and diagnosed Eric with cancer.  Although the things they are going through right now with daily radiation and chemo are challenging, I have no doubt that our God is good!  Eric hasn't been able to stop telling people about Jesus and ALL that He has done in his life.  I asked Eric how his treatments were going the other day and He said, "It's great!  I get to wake up each morning and spend time with my God in prayer before I go to my radiation.  Then I walk into radiation and I have the chance to make somebodies day.  I ask everyone who works there if they know about Jesus.  If they tell me yes, I ask them, then why aren't you telling people about Him. Then I go in for my radiation treatment and I have to be super still, but I get an incredible time of intimate prayer with my God."  WOW! God is good! 

Even when times are hard if my goal ABOVE ALL ELSE is for my sweet savior and awesome God to be glorified then I will praise Him for His name is being glorified through Eric's cancer.  I truly believe that God is not withholding good from me.  He knows what is best in view of eternity!  I trust in Him. Satan is tricky.  You see, the one lie that he has been using since Adam and Eve in the garden is that God is withholding good from us.  That's how he got Eve to eat the fruit, he told her that God was withholding something good from her.  What a tricky lie that was.  God was never withholding good from her, He was protecting her, He was doing what was best for her.  Satan still tries to use that same lie on us, he whispers to us that God is withholding good from us.  He tempts us to take things into our own hands, but I know that he is a lier.  I know that my God is good and that He is not withholding good from me.  He is God, who am I to tell Him what is good and what is not.  I trust that He is constantly at work doing what is best.  I pray that my life will magnify Him during the happy times and during the hard times, and I pray that my heart will always trust and know that He is Good!  

May His name be praised!  May I always be able to say, "He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes." 1 Samuel 3:18

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." -Zephaniah 3:17

This verse has been following me around this past week.  This has always been a verse that I love.  In fact, I actually have it on a small plaque in my living room, but everywhere I have turned this past week my attention has been turned to this verse. It's been on twitter, it's been in my daily Bible reading, it's been in my memory verses, and it's been texted to me by a friend.  After the first few times it popped up I started thinking, I should probably pay attention.  I don't believe in coincidence, I believe in my God speaking to me through various different people and things.  He is good and He does whatever He needs to get my attention!

So as I meditate on this verse this week I have peace.  God knew that this was exactly what I needed to hear this week.  He knew that my heart needed to be reminded that my God is Mighty to Save!  

As I think about each part of this verse my heart is flooded with peace and joy!  To know that the Lord my God is with me is an incredible thought to truly wrap my mind around.  He fills the heavens and the earth.  He fills my office where I am sitting right now while typing this.  He is with me! That brings me such peace, but it also brings a sense of fear and respect of who He is.  He is so good.  

He is Mighty to Save!  Praise God for this!  I am so thankful for how He saves me.  I'm so thankful that He is a Mighty Warrior and that he thinks I am worth going into battle for.  My God knew that I was going to need saving.  So often I feel like Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15-17-"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners- of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.  Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever." Thank you God for being Mighty to Save!

He will take great delight in you.  I pray that this will be true.  I pray that my Lord will look on me with delight.  I pray that my heart will be anchored to Him.  

He will quiet you with His love.  Being quiet is one thing I struggle with.  I use noise to escape from everything.  The quiet can make me uncomfortable, but I am learning that there is something about being still and quiet in the presence of my Father that restores my soul.  I'm finding that in the quiet I can hear his voice more clearly than ever before.  I'm finding that in the quiet His love for me is so obvious.  I'm finding that in the quiet my soul finds peace and rest in Him alone, so may His love draw me into peace and quiet!

He will rejoice over you with singing!  To imagine my God the ruler and creator of the universe singing over me gives me chills.  He rejoices over you!  My God rejoices over me!  That fills my heart with so much joy and peace.  Sometimes I need to be reminded that I am worth fighting for!  Sometimes I need to remember that my God rejoices over me.  He rejoices over me!  May I rejoice at what He has done in my life!

Praise God! Thank you sweet Jesus for being a Mighty Warrior, and for showing me that sometimes being a Mighty Warrior means sacrifice, humility, gentleness, and death.  I pray that I will be mighty in battle for you as I hear you sing over me! 

Run!

Recently I have gotten to spend a lot of time soaking in the truths that my awesome God speaks over me.  I have been bathing in His Word and being renewed each and everyday.  It amazes me how when I run to Him and ask Him to fill my cup He floods my heart with joy, peace, wisdom, grace, and mercy.  I am so blessed, and I can't help but praise His holy name.  


But it never fails, Satan is sneaky, and just when I think I have things figured out the evil one attacks and tries to pull me down.  It never turns out well, when I think I have things all figured out.  I'm so thankful for the patience of my Savior, and I pray that I will learn to fall humbly before Him in every situation.


Satan knows where I am weak and he does everything he can to tear me down.  He tempts me to run to him, to take the easy way out and to follow this world.  But I am thankful for the voice of my Lord.  I know His voice because He is my good shepherd (and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice - John 10:4-5).  His Word has made me so familiar with His caring voice, and I know that He wants what is truly best for me.  So this week when I heard His voice I knew that I had to follow Him.  I heard Him so clearly, He said to me, "You have two choices.  You can run to me or you can run to this world, but you can't have both."  


My reply to my sweet God that night in my journal was this...


God right now I want to throw off the weight of this world and run faster to you than I ever have before.  I'm sick of caring what this world thinks of me.  You and you alone are the one I want to please.  May my eyes be fixed on you as I run as fast and as hard as I can to you.  I can't wait for this sprint to be done and I fall before your throne.  I don't want this world anymore.  I want to run to you!


So my prayer today and from this day forth is that my eyes will be fixed on my savior and that I will run hard and fast to Him.  That I won't look back to the ways of this world, but that I will desire Him above all.  That He will be displayed through me and that I will bring as many people with me as I can in this sprint home to my God.