Attitude of Gratitude

Hey God,



Thank you so much for another day you have given me. Thank you for blessing me beyond imagine. Thank you for continuously pouring your love and grace and mercy on me. Lord, thank you for this SUMMER.



God, I remember being nervous while driving to Brandon early this summer. I was nervous that I would get lost driving around, nervous about staying with a family I didn't know, nervous about meeting everyone, nervous about what I was going to be doing, nervous about Uganda, nervous about my abilities... BUT, I laid all my nervousness down at your feet, and now I can see how much you truly rewarded me.



You rewarded me in so many ways, Lord.



Thank you for allowing me to stay with the Slays. They are such an amazing family. You really have blessed them, and they know that. They taught me a ton this summer. I know for a fact that you placed them in my life to help me learn about being a good steward of my time and money, how to be encouraging in every situation, to truly listen to someone when we are talking, the importance of family, putting my faith into action even in the small things... the list goes on and on. God I pray for the Slays. I pray that you continue to bless them. I pray that you shine through them in everything. Lord I pray that others will see the difference in their life because of you. Thank you so much for them God!



Thank you so much for the oppurtunity this summer to serve FBC Brandon alongside such an amazing staff. Lord, you know how legit they really are. I remember the first week in the office I immediately noticed a FAMILY. I noticed that people didn't see those around them as co-workers, but as brothers and sisters working together to further the gospel. I wanted so bad to be apart of that family. I remember how I slowly got to know many of the staff starting with Rushing and Scott. And then Beth and Christi. And moving to Debbie and Nahna. Until eventually I had gotten to know most of the staff. Thank you for placing them in my life to be a huge encouragement and example this summer. Lord thank you for letting me be apart of the FBC family this summer.

Thank you for the amazing student ministers. I have gotten to see that they all have such a heart for you and the students. Thank you for putting Kevin, Tyler, and Rushing in the position they are in. I know that you are going to use them in far greater ways than what you have shown us this summer. Those students really are blessed to have them in their life. God I pray for patience and joy in their life. Thank you so much for them.



Thank you so much for the oppurtunity to serve some pretty amazing youth this summer. God, you truly did teach me about my abilities that you have blessed me with through them. Thank you for all the girls in the youth group that I got to be close to and hear their hearts. Many of them touch my life in ways I can't even explain. You gave me many oppurtunities just to hang out and have fun with the students like on Road Rules, swim parties, Chaos, TNT. But you also gave me the oppurtunity to connect and grow alongside these students. Thank you for the Kum By Ya's at Beach camp. Thanks for taking a group of 13 students and me and unifying us so that me may learn from you. Thanks for my discipleship group. Those girls have become lifelong friends. Although I was discipling them, you taught me so much through those girls. Thank you for those on Mission Port Arthur. It was amazing to see many of the students put their faith into action like you call us to do. They didn't just put their faith into action when we went out serving those in the Texas community, but they put it into action around each-other on the bus rides, in the gym, in their rooms. Lord, thank you so much for every single youth I got to know this summer. They all have a special place in my heart.



Thank you for my fellow interns this summer. We met as strangers and aquaintences, but we left as lifelong friends. I know for a fact that if I ever need anything, I have 4 people that I can call. Thank you for unifying us and using us to encorage eachother. You gave us some amazing memories that will last a lifetime. We all had different strengths and abilities, and you used that so that we could reach out to many different types of students. Thank you so much for these amazing people!



Thank you for closing the door to Uganda, but opening a new door in my heart. God, I know at first I just didn't understand why you shut the door, but now I am so thankful you did. I have the 25,550 day challenge now. :) You have sparked my heart this summer to share your love with others. (even if I am in the United States) You have helped me see that I have a mission field all around me. God help me to see the oppurtunities you place right in front of me to share your love and your gospel to others. Give me courage to tell others about you.



Thank you for stretching me in ways I could have never imagined. I am sorry Lord for second guessing the abilities you have blessed me with. Thank you for all these abilities. Lord, there were many times this summer when I got a little stressed from my busy schedule. There were many times when I just wanted to lay down and forget about everything that was going on that day. But I had a joy this summer that I have rarely experienced. Despite my busy schedule and tiredness, you gave me a joy that trumped anything the devil could throw my way. I had always heard that when you completely give everything to God, he will give you this joy. Thank you Lord for showing this to be true this summer. Thank you for being the only thing I could put my full trust in this summer. Thank you for using me this summer Lord.


Thank you for loving me despite my fears and failures. Lord, I know I am not perfect. I know that I mess up daily. But I also know how vast your love is for us. Thank you for forgiving me each time I screw up. Thank you for still using me when I think I have sinned to much to be used. Thank you for shining through me. Lord, you are amazing. I can not comprehend how much you love us. Help me to love others in the same way you love me. Thank you, Savior.

Lord, you are so amazing that all i can do is thank you.

THANK YOU JESUS

James 1:2 Consider it pure JOY my brothers when you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

My family this summer!

I have found this verse to be so true and define my summer. It's not that I have many trials or anything like that, but its the fact that I have had to totally rely on God. This summer has been amazing and life-changing, but it has also been hectic. In the past few weeks we have had Upward Camp, started discipleship groups, beach trip, and have been gearing up for VBS and Uganda. There is never a dull moment in the Youth leadership world. I have learned that God is our strength, and when we realize that he will do BIG things!

Me and my boo.. :)

Discipleship groups are going great. I have the amazing opportunity to lead 5 eleventh and twelfth grade girls through James. This group is like none I have ever been in. In most groups there is awkward silences, but in this one its different. The girls just enjoy chatting about life and growing in Christ together! As Danna put it today when we were talking, I don't feel just like a leader in the group, but I feel like a friend in the group. Which is a great place to be. :)

The Beautiful Senior Girls!

Beach Camp was rocking! David Platt was the speaker and he talked a lot about missions which was cool. It got my heart in the right place to start pushing Project Lovemore and being whole hearted about it. God just brought to my eyes that I have everything. I have my needs met, family, friends, and Christ. Some people have none of those. God really spoke to me about telling others about him. It's so easy to be selfish and be too concerned with how people will judge me to tell them about Christ. But the fact of the matter is someone could die tomorrow, and I missed my opportunity to tell them of my Savior. It makes me think of the story of the good Samaritan. Who am I in that story? Am I one of the first two who walk by who are consumed with where they have to be to help or am I the Samaritan who stops everything to help the man. I wish I could say I was the Samaritan, but truthfully, I don't think I can. I want to change that. I want to live out the great commission of telling all nations about my Lord. Also, I really enjoyed camp because I got to bond with the Senior girls. They are amazing. All of them mean the world to me. Our chats about life and some other things were funny and legit! My small group was a lot of fun too. It was good to get to meet all of them. Only we will know about the bottle example of Jesus. It was funny, but so true. Praise God for all he does. I pray that these students will live out what they learned at camp and show Christ's love to all they come in contact with.

The Kumbyyas!

When I got back from camp, I washed clothes and took a shower and them 2 of my best friends, Jen and Megan, came to visit. It was a much needed visit. We did a lot of fun things. We got to hang out with the Anthonys, swim, bowl, eat. You know the usual Brandon thing! I love these two girls to death. I know I could tell them anything. It was good to have my accountability here. It was a short visit, but it really meant a lot that they would drive this far for just a day! :)

Well, going back to the James verse-- I have thoroughly enjoyed this summer so far. Sometime things don't go the exact way I may want them to go, but it's good to remember that God is in control. He has a plan for everything. And I am growing stronger through this. Please pray that I will trust Him wholly!

Lovemore.

So, I am no longer a teenager. That is crazy. I remember looking at people who were in there twenties and think about how old they were. Now I am one of them. I have done some reflecting about the last few years of my life lately. I have seen how some of my friends, values, personalities, and even I have changed in a good way. I have went through trials, and learned how to persevere. I have went through good times, and learned how to enjoy them. I have learned how to live in the moment. I have learned how truly blessed I really am.

This summer is going great. The girls here are amazing. We started discipleship groups last Sunday. I am with the 11th and 12th grade girls. I am super excited to watch God work. Beach camp is next week. Woot Woot! I am so excited for this. Charlie Hall will be doing some worship for us, which will be rediculously awesome. Keep the youth in your prayers this week and next.

One thought that keeps coming to mind before I quit blogging... How great God is. How much power he has. How he is so big that we can not even fathom it. And with all this power, he love each of us. And he desires to have an intimate relationship with us. This just blows my mind daily.

Lovemore.

Simply Blessed.

I am so blessed. I have an amazing family, friends, job, etc. I don't understand why I get all these blessings. I have come to a humbling experience where I have realized all that that I take for granted each day. Like just today at Upward Basketball Camp we were talking about creation. What if God didn't create the nighttime. We would always be in the dark. Thank God for light. It's the little things that we never think about that could change our perception of life. I am 1 of few in the world that lives on more that 2 dollars a day. I can't even imagine doing on that. God is so good. It amazes me how he put the world into motion and is so vast, yet he desires a relationship with us and has a plan for our life. He is so SWELL.

This summer is going great. I just started on week 3 of being a youth intern for FBC Brandon. I love it. The girls here are amazing and beautiful. This week we are doing a mission trip to Jackson each day. We are putting on an Upward Basketball Camp for some kiddos. It's going great. Scrimmage time was a little rough. Just trying to help the girls know which was their goal and that they couldn't slap eachother was hard, but entertaining. During devotion today, I was humbled by a little girl's prayer. She was so real in her prayer. She was really thinking out what she was saying. Sometime I feel like I know all the right things to say, but they don't come from the heart. This girl was a light to me. It's cool how God can speak to us through people we least expect. Praise Him.

I will no longer be a teenager in a few days. That is crazy to me. I still remember the first time I had a friend stay the night when I was 6 and we played in the leaves. It seems like that was just a few years ago, not 14. It just goes to show that life won't slow down for us. We can't live in the past or the future. We should live in the present taking each minute as a blessing from God. 20 years old.. Crazy.

I need to put pics up ASAP. I will do that soon.

Love More.

:)

So, I am officially in Brandon. It was a crazy, rewarding, and fun week last week. I was constantly busy, constantly meeting people, and constantly having a blast!

at the Braves game!

I am working with some pretty amazing people. The other interns are Megan Upchurch, Macy Hall, Chris Wilson, and Spencer McCorkel. I think that we all add different elements that are going to make this summer amazing. We have decided that it is a necessity to get intern fanny packs for the summer! I am super excited about getting to know these people's hearts. God is doing some amazing things!

Amelia Badelia and me

I started out on Road Rules last sunday which was a blast. Nothing like competition and fellowship! Oh and the GREEN NINJA TURTLES definitely won! :) Tuesday we had chaos for the middle schoolers. We played some apples to apples and Rockband. I am now apart of the coolest band ever... BMSKAFOO! On wednesday we had a cook out at Kevins. There were a ton of people there. Thursday was thursday night throwdown. We got to play some glow in the dark capture the flag which was a BLAST! Friday we went to a Braves game. Saturday I got to hang out with Tyler and then we had a cookout at Pastor Scotts house, which was FUN! Sunday was church and I saw a movie and went to eat with some girls. And here we are on monday. What a crazy week, filled with millions of stories to be told.

I am staying with the slays and they are amazing! They are so sweet. :) Craig and Anita are so hospitable. They have already pinned my love for sweets! I always wanted a sister and now I have 2! Caroline is going into the 10th grade and Anna Beth will be a big middle schooler. They are 2 amazing girls. I am excited about growing closer to this family!

Big and little sisters!

That is probably the shortest way I could explaing my first week here in Brandon. It's going to be exciting. I am ready to see God do some big things. The middle schoolers left this week for camp. They are going to have a blast and meet with God in an awesome way. As this summer begins, I want to ask for prayer. Prayer for safety, strength, and energy. Prayer for me to allow God to work. Prayer for big things. Prayer for love. Prayer for God to be glorified. Pray.

Project Lovemore

I am headed to Brandon, MS in the morning. Woot Woot! What an amazing opportunity that God has given me. He continues to amaze me with new blessings each day. As I write this, I am just thinking about how much God has done for me. He has put me into an amazing family that is full of humor and surrounded by love. I have some of the best friends in the world that teach me Godly principles by just living their life. I have been given many skills. The opportunities that God continues to pour on me are endless. It makes me wonder-- Why am I so blessed? Why did God choose for me to have this family, friends, skills, opportunities? Am I using what God has given me to bring glory to his name? All I can say is that I hope I am. I mean I know I am with some of the things he has given me, but not everything. I take a lot of things for granted. Sometimes, I just don't understand how I can take things for granted. God has done everything for me. He has given me the best gift of all, Jesus Christ. Without his grace, I would be nothing. We did nothing to receive this kindness. He did everything. He lived a life that was perfect, a life that we can look up too and follow, a life of peace, a life of fellowship, a life of love. He loved us so much that he died so we could be saved. Why can't we love him so much to live for him daily?

God gave me a vision my freshman year, a vision of LOVE. If we truly love like God calls us to, others would see Him in our words and actions. If we truly love like God calls us to, we can change the world one person at a time. If we truly love like God calls us to, more will come to know God as their savior. God began showing me this vision of love when I went to a Shane and Shane concert with some friends. World Vision was there with all the kids that you could support for a monthly fee. For the first time, I was interested in this. When I got back, I searched the site for all the other kids you could support. It was 35 dollars a month to support. I didn't have enough money to do it by myself, so I put it off for awhile. Then God reminded me when JR, my college pastor, began a series on the greatest commandment: Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. . LOVE! It was about a 8-10 week series, so I finally started to understand how big of an impact LOVE can make. So I asked some friends if they would like to help sponsor a child with me. Megan said she would like to so we got on the website. We looked through pages of African children. Then we came across a boy. When we saw his name, we knew we were meant to discover him. His name was Lovemore. We have sponsored him for about a year and a half now. Through writing him letters and providing funds for food, health, and education, he has changed my life. His name became a daily reminder for me to LOVEMORE in everything I do. I came to the point where I thought if I can love and help out one boy, why can't I love and help out many people. I told Jennifer Tucker about this and we decided to get on the compassion website to see how else we could help. We saw that you could send animals or wells to a community. That seemed cool, but then we saw it... a health care center. How cool would that be. We could raise $25,000 to get a health care center that would help many people not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. This idea got around our friends and there was a lot of people who wanted to help. So this is how Project Lovemore came to be-- 10+ college kids who wanted to make a difference in the world. It's much more than just a health care center though; it's a way of life! How can we love more in everything we do? How can we show God's love more? I have decided the only way to do this, is to make it the heart of all you do. Show God's love to each person you come in contact with. Whether it's the lady that checks you out at the grocery store or the guy who fixes your car or your coworkers or your friends or the guy that looks like a creeper or the homeless man or the person that tests your patience. ANYONE and EVERYONE. Yes it is hard to do, but think about the impact we can make. Think about how God's name would be shown. Right now we have raised around $11,000 for the health care center. Praise God. He is doing amazing things. Project Lovemore is all because of God, all about God, and all for God. So as I end I challenge you with one question...

HOW CAN I LOVE MORE TODAY?

More information on Project Lovemore can be found at:

http://www.projectlovemore.webs.com/

www.myspace.com/projectlovemore

Living in the present

My time in Bryant is winding down. I got to go to Monticello earlier this week and hang out with my grandparents. We fished and played scrabble and dominoes! I met up with Chelsea Weaver at the coffee bean and we got to chat about our summers. It was a very relaxing and needed trip. Also this week I got to go to the lake with my family and megan corbett. Who knew that a few hours tubing, skiing, and boating could leave you tired, sore, and burnt to a crisp! I couldn't even finish a game of horseshoes, I was so tired!

In the past few weeks, God has been teaching me about being patient and that He is in total control. I have been so excited and ready to go to Brandon, Mississippi. But I feel like I have neglected some of my time in Bryant looking forward to Mississippi. A few days ago I read James 4:13-17. It was just a reminder that we aren't guaranteed tomorrow. I can't focus all my attention on tomorrow and forget about my life today. It's good when you have friends who live out principles that you are learning. This weekend, Megan Corbett was a pure example of this. She always is, really. She is so good at making the people she is talking to feel like they are the most important people right then. You can tell that she truly cares. I want to be like this, but I feel like in the past few weeks I have had my mind in Mississippi, but my body is still in Bryant. This last week in Bryant, I am going to live in the present and not the future. I am still super excited about Brandon, but that time will be here soon.

Some pretty legit people, Torri and Lindsey Ellison, had a garage sale in their hometown for project lovemore. They raised 1100 dollars! :) That is amazing. That puts the total raised to around $11,500. We really are chipping away at getting this health care center. I am super excited for what God has in store. Just the other day I was at Mardels wearing a Project Lovemore shirt and the guy checkin us out was like "you support project lovemore; thats awesome." It's cool how the message of Project Lovemore is spreading all over Arkansas. God is so good!

I have decided to start blogging on Mondays and Fridays, so be looking forward to a new blog on Friday. :)