i'm already improving my blogging frequency which isn't that much of an accomplishment if no one reads your blog.. but this is more for me than for anyone else so, yay me!
yesterday was valentines day, but you already knew that. i used to be a "ba-hum-bug" when it came to this day- focusing on my lack of a 'special someone' in my life but after the valentines day i had last year, who can not like a day focused on love?! sure, commercialism has had its way with the celebration of this day but i choose to focus on the meaning of love and the author and perfecter of it.
let me start at the beginning- last valentines day. so on feb 14, 2010 i left for manila, philippines with about 10 other people in order to feed 5000 people. through this trip i saw God in a new way and experienced His love with a new excitement and intensity. being able to hand them food for their bellies and food for their souls was an experience like no other. this changed the way i thought about valentines day. being used by God to show and give His love on the day we set aside to celebrate love was beyond words. now i am a valentines day lover!
this year was not nearly as exciting as last but still fun. sunday night our house was full of glitter, poster board, markers and ribbon, not to mention the smell! pink pancakes & peanut butter cookies were in the making as we cut, glued and glittered. talk about a great way to spend a night with great girls in love. last night i went out with a few friends and celebrated being single with some mexican food! we had so much fun girl talking and then ending the night with a chick flick, none other than.. valentines day!
a whole lot has changed since last valentines day. a lot that has changed began when i returned from that trip to the philippines. this was my first valentines without 'my valentine' aka my dad. i'm not going to lie, it was so difficult to hear my friends talk about how their dad sent them flowers or bought them this or that. my dad was great about making me feel special and reassuring me of how much he loved me but this year i was comforted by the love of my Heavenly Father and He reassures me through His word that I am beautiful, lovely, precious, and much loved by Him.
this past weekend i led a disciple now weekend in decatur. i spent that time with 10 7th grade girls. talk about an interesting weekend! God spoke His truth into my life over and over again and is opening my eyes to a better understanding of who He is and what He requires from His children. the theme of the weekend was live pure. not only in body but in mind, soul, and heart as well. the past two weekends i have been fed the Gospel, sugar free, by great men of God. what a blessing!
this weekend is going to be AMAZING! my mom is coming into town on thursday (YAY!) i haven't seen her in a month! i will be able to attend the village church for the first time in 2 weeks and i'm so looking forward to it. i have really missed being at my church.
James 4:7-10:
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."
I can't believe it has been 5 months since my last post! I would love to have an amazing update full of interesting tidbits and exciting stories but that isn't the case. Since my last post not a lot has changed. The Fall semester ended and now the Spring semester is in full swing. These past couple of weeks have been pretty interesting considering DBU was covered in ice and SNOW! I don't think I've ever experienced snow like we had last week. School was cancelled Tuesday through Friday and then again today! I am loving this time off but my brain doesn't seem to be able to keep up as well. It goes into shut down mode and doesn't want to think once school reconvenes.
My last post was in a state of pure bliss and this one comes from a very similar state. Although my surroundings are very different the state of my heart is even better. God has shown me just how patient he is and is now teaching me to have patience of my own. I am sitting in 'my circle' at Vgriff listening to the buzz of the overhead lights. The sun is setting, traffic is backed up on I-20, people are not in the car looking mood in this 20 degree weather. In my last post I was basking in the freshness of the cool breeze, now I'm shivering by a tiny heater to escape the bitter wind! Don't mistake that for complaining because I certainly am not. I LOVE the cold weather. LOVE. Even though I make silly faces walking in it and can't feel my face after having spent any time outside, I LOVE it. I will be happy to see spring come but so sad to see the cool/ freezing weather go.
We have a new roommate in 4D! Katie is a great new addition not only to our little house but to my life! She is great. We have all become friends quickly and mesh well together. Alyssa (my current roommate), Katie, and I are going to be living together again next semester as well. Oh the fun we will have! Being 'snowed in' provided us with the perfect excuse to break out the pots and pans. Last week we baked, cooked, crockpotted, brunched, lunched, and so much more. We were constantly making food. We had a movie night every night as we anxiously awaited the text from DBU informing us of another 'Inclement Weather Day'! When we got those beloved texts we would celebrate! Many a fingernail was polished, movie watched, and morning enjoyed by sleeping in. What a great way to spend a week:)
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to get to be a leader at FBC Meridian, TX. The Lord continued to open the eyes of my heart and mind. The speaker for the weekend was amazing and presented the gospel truth, sugar free. So often at DNow weekends you hear some sugar coated message about behavior modification, not this weekend! The theme verse was Matthew 7: 13-14:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14: But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it."
I've heard this verse plenty of times but this weekend we fleshed this out and really looked at our relationship with God and examined the condition of our hearts. I had an amazing group of mature 9th & 10th grade girls. I miss these girls already! We learned about entering the Kingdom of God, counting the cost of being a disciple of Christ (Matthew 16:24), and then about treasuring God above all else(Matthew 13:44-45). I was so encouraged by this weekend and look forward to going to Decatur this weekend for a Live Pure weekend!
As far as my daily life goes, it is pretty routine. School, class, work, rinse & repeat. I love my little red house, the little roommates that inhabit that house with me and all the crazy things that transpire when we're all together. God is teaching me so much about Himself and I love the time we spend together. I am so blessed and thankful for His grace and mercy. Where would I be without it?
Psalm 23- pretty much sums up how God has been taking care of me.
1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
