Y-E-S to V-B-S!

Hey friends!! So it's Friday night of VBS week (aka: the end) and boy am I exhausted.

However, the exhaustion I'm feeling is nothing compared to the JOY I'm feeling. I have just come to absolutely adore VBS, the children's ministry, XA Camp, our youth ministry, our church as a whole this past week. I got to be a part of something bigger than this world for the 4th year in a row, but this year was by far the best. My 4th graders were so wonderful and so many of them have the most innocent, loving hearts full of Jesus I have ever seen. I love VBS because I always get so much out of it. It's going back to the basics, everyone sins, that sin separates us from God, and in order to be in the right place with God and get to Heaven, we accept Jesus as Lord, repent from our sins, and tell other people about Jesus.. it's simple, really. One thing I have always struggled with is being comfortable to share Christ with others, but this week changed that. On Wednesday, I taught on the ABC's of becoming a Christian, and yesterday and today, I got the opportunity to sit down with a 4th grade boy and really see his heart change into a heart for the Lord, praise Jesus for another friend in Heaven! :) and as of Thursday, 20 more children were added to His Kingdom.

There was also XA Camp this week. It's "VBS" for the 6th graders. Kind of like a transition into the youth group. I got to hang out with all the girls I went to GA Camp with last year and it was SO fun reconnecting with them! I've also met a lot of our current youth girls and I'm getting to hang out with them a bunch, talking about college and boyfriends, you know, the works :) I'm so SO beyond thankful that I have the opportunity to be interning at FBC this summer. It's already changing my life SO much. Next up is Missions Camp for grades 1-6 next weekend! I can't wait!

love <3

You put the light in me.

'Cause in Your perfection, I'm just a reflection,

So pull me closer to You,

I catch like a fire, and I'll hold You higher,

You put the light in me.

The spark, the shot to the heart,

You are the hope that leads me out of the dark,

You let Your love shine down, so that the world could see,

You put the light in me."

I heard this song on the radio today, instant favorite. It's called "The Light in Me" by Brandon Heath. I swear I'm going to need to get his CD sometime soon.

Anyways, the song inspired me. It made me think back to before I was saved, before I knew Christ, and where I could've been without Him. It was a time of darkness. A life before it is saved is a live overshadowed by sin. Isn't it an amazing thing knowing that my God, OUR God, the Creator of the universe had (and still has) a plan for everyone of us? He had a plan for the day He would reveal Himself to us, a plan for the day His spirit would consume us and live inside of us.

And now we flash forward to the present, and here I am, saved, forgiven, and washed clean. I'm a sinner, unworthy of His love and grace, but He died for me, taking my sins (ALL of our sins) on the cross, and rose again, so that we could be forgiven and set free. Now it's my turn, our turn, to be something beautiful, to be the light. "The light" is the light that He put in me. I am commanded to be the light to others, especially in dark times, to live a life according to the Word of God, and show the world that Jesus is Lord. So, as I've been challenged by this song's message, I encourage you to listen to it, (click here) and be challenged in the same way.

there's my thought for the day, I'll leave you with this:

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they will see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." -Matthew 5:16

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." -John 1:4-5''

Now, go be the light! :)

wedding fun!

so this weekend, I went to my very first wedding for some friends my own age: Brittany and Chris. As scary as it is that people my age are getting married, these two were made for eachother. It was an absolutely beautiful fairytale wedding, and Britt was the prettiest little bride i've ever seen. Their reception was just like a dance party with all of our favorite friends from school. Everyone was so happy, it was wonderful :) Coley got to come visit for the weekend too, which made me really really happy. summer's tough being 250 miles apart.

in other news, I got my calendar for my summer job, and im already feeling blessed by it! I get to do the funnest things, like the rodeo, rollerskating, waterparks, arcades, VBS, camps, and SO much more!! :) I can't wait to start work! :)

happiness.

if you havent looked at that little things blog, yet.. GO NOW.

it brings me happieness, and i know it will bring you happiness, too!

and it's summer..

I'm getting kinda sick of this whole "time flying by" thing.. I never believed it when people told me that it happens, and now.. i do. It's scary and exciting, a bittersweet deal. I can't believe my Junior year, the best year, of COLLEGE is over, DONE. I'M A SENIOR, OH MY GOSH. it kinda freaks me out. okay, really freaks me out.

let me do a quick reflection on the year for ya:

-first time in college being single
-moved into an APARTMENT...finally!
-met SO SO many new people
-tried two stepping...fell in LOVE with it (went almost every week)
-played lots of sand volleyball
-won FIRST place family at Welcome Week
-got plugged into a church, finally!
-did pageant steering committee (reception committee head)
-met MORE new people
-went to lots of fun concerts
-got a 3.7 gpa in the fall (made Dean's List)
-planned and helped out at a lot of awesome CAB events
-Earned the honor of being chosen for Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.. SO blessed!
-Became a College Younglife leader, best decision ever.
-went to Destin, Florida for Spring Break and had the time of my life.
-Was on Cru Knights steering committee (awards/judges committee head)
-Junior Class Stunt Night co-director (we won!)
-found a new love for bowling
-I turned 21!
-Got a new boyfriend that loves the Lord with all of his heart, such a blessing.
-and somehow, by God's strength managed to get a 4.0 in the hardest semester of my life, Praise Him!

It was, in ALL honesty, the BEST year of college yet! I'm so thankful for every one of my friends that helped make it that. I can't wait to see how God uses me this summer in my internship, and I already have so many fun things to look forward to next year, my SENIOR year!

-I was asked to be in the Miss MHB pageant this fall
-CAB events
-STUDENT TEACHING!!!!! (4th and 2nd grade)
-Crusader Knights 2012 assistant director

Eep! So exciting! :) God is so SO good to me, and I am SO thankful.

the heart of life is good

Hey friends!

So, I'm getting better at this whole "blogging" thing again.. maybe because i have time now, ha.

This weekend was so joyful! :) I spent the weekend with one of my best friends, Brooke! She lives in Deep Ellum, kind of a rough part of downtown Dallas... an experience for sure! I am just so so blessed by her friendship! It was a spiritually refreshing weekend with her, so thankful for that!

I've finished 3 of my 4 classes.. all A's so far! :) last final tomorrow morning, fingers crossed!
Graduation is on Saturday, sad to see some of my friends leave UMHB, but nonetheless so excited for where God leads each of them! It's scary that my friends are graduating and getting married and stuff.. but its REALLY scare that in one year, ONE YEAR i will be graduating college.. WHEN THE HECK DID I GET SO OLD?!

I don't really have much else to tell you, other than life is so great right now! I am so so so blessed and just simply overwhelmed with joy right now. I seriously have the best friends, boyfriend, and family a girl could ask for, and if i could stay in this exact moment forever, i'd be alright. :) God is so unbelievably faithful, and so good to me.



SIDENOTE:

My sweet friend Nicki posted about this little blog. It's called the Little Things, and it has a list of all of life's little things that we should enjoy,

such as this one (which I happen to LOVE)

Check it out! Click here :)

oh the busyness..

sorry i haven't posted in FOREVER... life got real crazy, real quick after spring break.

So, let me catch you up, like always:

1. SpringBreakOhEleven. BESTWEEKOFMYLIFE. I went to Destin, with Younglife :) it was awesome! Lots of crazy fun memories, and lots of God's presence, sooooo amazing! :D I am so thankful for every person that went on that trip. AMAZING.

2. StuntNight- so this year, I took on the role of junior class co-director with Mr. Chris Whitehead. For those of you who know nothing about Stunt Night, it's a night where each class gets to put on a 20 minute performance (dance, video, skit) relating to a central theme. This years theme was video games, and juniors had action games, so naturally, we went the zombie route. Long story short, we won, and it was incredible. Such a wonderful process, and wonderful people.

3. I turned 21! This is a picture from my birthday, with my best friend. I got to celebrate with my roomies and my co-YL leader Jen, and some other friends. It was a happy happy day! :)

4. So, since i kinda introduced you to a "neat guy" in my last post, let me explain. I have a new boyfriend :) His name is Coley and he's super great. He challenges me to be more like Christ, everyday :)This is a picture of us at formal. I don't really wanna get all sappy on here, but Spring Formal was one of the best nights ever. We got to dance and hang out with all of our best friends, and it was just great.

Oh, P.S.. He's playing the role of Jesus in Easter Pageant next year.. yeah, I'm a proud girlfriend :)

5. I got an internship at FBC Allen for the summer as a Children's Ministy intern, and I am super pumped about it! I get to hang out with kids and tell them about Jesus all summer.. two of my favorite things, combined! :) I had so much fun hangin out with those kids last summer, so I can't wait to see what God has in store!

So, that's the main points... but school has kinda consumed 75% of my life lately (which is pretty normal, i guess..not like i'm in college or something) but i can see the light! I have my finals next week, and then life will be super great! Yesterday was my last day at Raye-Allen with my sweet first graders and my incredible mentor teacher, I was so sad to leave them. I'm student teaching in the fall, that's extra scary.. I'm graduating in a year, that's even more scary. I'm not quite sure how i feel about this "growing up" thing, but I guess I should start getting used to it...

:) love.