What are your Expectations?

So I have been very sick since Tuesday. I have had a terrible headache and a fever which is no fun. I have layed around but that is starting to get annoying. I keep telling everyone that I got on Spring Break the easy way....everyone else's starts tomorrow but I got sick so I have already started my Spring Break!! Just not the way I would have liked to start it. But one of the best things that I did today was watch a S. M. Davis DVD. It was called Expectations. It was a great encouragement to me. He preached on how alot of times whether we are husbands or wives, brothers or sisters, church members or coworkers, we all have expectations. And many times when those expectations are not met, then there is alot of discouragement and anger or bitterness, because we didn't get what we wanted. He preached on the Shunamite woman that Elisha would often visit. She made a room for him to visit. She didn't expect to get anything in return, but she wanted to be a blessing and an encouragement for the man of God. The man of God asked her what he could do for her. I love her answer because she said, " I dwell among my own people." She was content with what she had. Many people today are not content with what they have. But we should always be content for the place and position that God gives us in life! Expectations ruin relationships. When we expect ppl to do things for us, we are discouraged and bitter when they don't act or do something for us. Our friendships and relationships are then ruined. He gave the quote that we should never endure our positions in life, but fall in love with them! I really liked that quote, because so many times it is easy for women to see that their lot in life is not always that exciting and easy, but God has a purpose for everyone and rather than look at all the negatives, we should fall in love with it. :) Anyways I enjoyed that DVD today!! It was such a great encouragement to me, and I hope it was to you as well.

God's Will- Nothing More Nothing Less, Nothing Else!!

God is so good! Last week was an awesome week. Kirstein (one of my college friends) was kidding around with me, and I with her. I made the comment a few weeks ago, that I could see her being a pastor's wife. She looked at me and said"no, but I can see you being one!." So from there we have always been going back and forth on that issue. It is amazing to see how God works though, because I have never envisioned myself as a pastor's wife, and I knew I never had anything in me, no talents or anything to be a pastor's wife. But God kept speaking to my heart about it. Last Wednesday, there was a pastor from TN who came for our chapel. He spoke on how he was just a backwoods guy, and God spoke to him and asked him to preach. He didn't understand how or anything but God wanted to use him. That was his message and He spoke on just obeying God, it doesn't matter what you are or what you think you are God can still use you! He went to Isaiah and Moses where Moses made a whole lists of reasons he couldnt serve God, but God knows everything. He made you after all, do you think He doesn't know what you are capable of? It was an awesome message, and I surrendered to be a pastor's wife that morning. It was an awesome thing to be at peace in my heart, because I know that whatever God wants out of my life, I am willing to do it. Sometimes God just wants a willing heart. He may not want me to be a pastor's wife, but He does want to know if I am willing. And its awesome to realize that God is with me whereever I go and whatever I do. I am so excited to see what God is going to do with my life!!

Put a Smile on Someone's Face :)

Ok can I say that I absolutely LOVE my Pastoral Epistles class?!! Ok Good- cause I LOVE Pastoral Epistles. My pastor teaches this class, and it is always a blessing and conviction in my own life when I go to this class. When I first started taking it, I didn't understand why I would have to take this class. It was for Pastors, why then me a girl studying elementary education would have to take this class in order to graduate? Now me several weeks into the 2nd semester has realized that this is my Best class, I seriously have learned so much! Pastor goes into detail about the qualifications and duties of pastors and deacons. Along the way, he applies everything to girls since the majority of the class is girls. It has been awesome to look at the way the church is run, and then to get insight on how to be a good pastors wife. Although I must say, I am not planning on being a pastor's wife, so I don't understand how all this could benefit me. But the information is definitely a help. Today he talked about how Paul was encouraged, and how we don't have to be a pastor to be an encourager. It doesn't take you to be famous to be an encouragement. You can be great because you are the best servant that God can use! May we all open up our eyes to be an encouragement to those around us. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." This includes encouraging our brothers and sisters in CHrist.

What's on My Mind Tonight?

Several things race through my head as I prepare for bed tonight. Devotions read and homework accomplished, I wrack my brain for further preparation the next morning before school. I am a senior!! How in the world did I end up here already??!! God's grace is so sufficient for me. He has been with me every step of the way, and it has been an awesome adventure. I sit here and listen to the words of a song, asking God to hide me behind the cross. I really don't know where I would be without God. I sometimes think about living without God and a personal relationship with Him, I really don't know how people can do it. My own troubles are hard enough for me to trust in God for His every plan. I just thank God that He has saved me and promised me a home in heaven.
But what does trusting in God really mean? People always say "trust in God". But how hard that is to do. When I finally give my problems over to God, I feel like taking them back and worrying about them again, but I can't do that. Its Gods problems now, and He is more than capable of fixing them all and making an awesome future for me.
I can't wait for God to look at my life and say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, Enter thou into the joy of the Lord!" Even in the Valley, God is sooooo good :)

Relationship with Jesus Christ...

"It doesn't matter how far you are from the world, but how close you are to God." Marne Palmani
God is looking for some Christians who will be faithful to Him. It is hard for me sometimes as I look around at the world and the Church. There are so many Christians who call themselves "Christians" but they look and act and dress and talk exactly like the world. At work, I do my best to uphold a Christian testimony, but it is very hard when there are other people who call themselves Christians but do not have the same convictions as I do. Even worse, the world looks at the two and gets confused. It is hard to understand why there are Christians who act like the world. I do not blame them, because it is hard to understand. God doesnt care how far you are from the world, He cares about how close you are to Him! What is a real personal relationship with God? Only until God takes you and brings you to your absolute lowest point, will you understand how wonderful God is. It is at your lowest point that you seek God like youve never ever done before. God will always be there with open arms ready to accept you and wrap His huge arms of comfort around you. I would so much rather be closer to God than to have anything else of value in this world. Its only in God's arms of comfort that I truly realize how awesome He is for saving me. The story of crucifixion of Jesus Christ is so convicting, because I come to grips that Christ loved me so much that He was whipped, He was mocked, and He was dragged, and had a crown of thorns PLANTED in His brow...He suffered so much that I might have a home in heaven with Him someday. God is truly amazing. God is my best friend. He is truly always there. Thank-you God for everything you do for me!! If only every Christian could come to grips and realize just exactly what Christ did on Calvary...and then maybe they would give up conveniences for the cause of Christ....

My Favorite Picture!!

Holy Land Experience!!

Today our college took a trip to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando. It was awesome!! It was amazing because it was an activity that we got to see how the Bible come to life. Going to the Holy Land brought conviction in my personal life. I got to see how much persecution there was just for the American people to have the Bible in their own language! It is sad how many Christians have died just to print the Bible into the language of the common people. We take the Bible for granted, and it gets thrown in the backseat of our car, or falls behind the bookshelf, or dashboard of the car. Many ppl do not realize that blood was shed for that Bible. We also were able to see several shows,one of which was the Tabernacle, and all that goes into the order of that. We saw a show-The Passion, which was a show of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was very intense, but it was a huge conviction to see how Jesus died just for me and only me and thousands of other people. It was an accurate stage where they showed how much Jesus was mocked and whipped and suffered so much for us. The show was so crowded it was hard to see what was going on. Many people were crying and taking pictures. It was definitely something to be rememberd. We had fun taking pictures and walking around. FBC activities are always fun :)

Holy Land Experience!!

Thursday Night....

Church was awesome tonight!! Today is Thursday, and we had a missionary family to the soldiers come and present their work. It is sad because in America there are already billboards up about Muslims taking over Christianity. Very sad...but then Jay Stephens preached. He preached from Revelation 2. My co-worker Shannon came to church. She just got saved on Sunday night!! I was soo happy for her, and she seems to be more happy too...I really glad she got saved and baptized. :) We went to Denny's afterwards, and had a blast!! I thank God everyday for saving me. Im so glad He knows what is best for our life, and intervenes on our behalf. :) Thank you God.

God Bless Little Girls....

Today at work, I waited on a group of eight people. The table was very sweet to me, but there were three girls who were like in K-4. They all had blonde hair, and blue eyes. They were adorable!! The kids said the cutest things too. One of the girls kept repeating what everyone wanted to drink. And she looked up at me and said, "I would like a diet coke too please!" she had the biggest blue eyes, and she made me laugh because it was so unexpected! A short while later when I came back with the drinks, and they were ordering the food, this same little girl was watching her mother. "Sweetie, what would you like to eat?" she said nudging her husband that I was taking orders who was busily engaged in conversation. He looked up and apologized and began to tell me. This cutie pie tapped her mom and said, "Mommy, why did you call him sweetie?" Her mother began to explain that it was because she loved him...but she was so cute and adorable. I love little kids :)
Anyways, its in the middle of midterm week so I must prepare for them....my last midterm week!!

Senior Pictures!!!

senior pics :)

Senior pics :)

Senior Pictures!!!!

With the help of my sister, Debbie,I was able to get my senior pictures done!!! There's more to come :)

When God Changes Plans.....

"The End of Yourself is the Beginning of God" Bro. VanGeldrin said this the other day in our FBC chapel and it hasnt left my brain. It's really weird because it is soooo true. God often takes everything away so we can truly know God. I made plans and dreams for myself, and God had to take those all away. The only place I could safely look up and trust was God. It was then during the trials and storms that God held my hand all the way. It was no easy task. I wanted to know why. I searched for the reason this happened to me. Finally, I stopped looking and trusted the hand of God. I gave everything over to God, and He has shown Himself strong on my behalf. Its so true that you never know how strong your anchor is until you need it!! But I would never know God or have a personal Best Friend relationship with God today if He had never brought me face down. Our Plans don't change, our Changes are Planned!! God saved me from the worst mistake of my life, and for that I am truly thankful!!!

Friends.....

The best of friends,
Can change a frown,
Into a smile,
when you feel down.

The best of friends,
Will understand,
Your little trials,
And lend a hand.

The best of friends,
Will always share,
Your secret dreams,
Because they care.

The best of friends,
Worth more than gold,
Give all the love,
A heart can hold.

Another work day...

Hey Guys!!

So today at work, my coworker decided she wanted a picture of us all. It was a very fun and interesting night! Here at steak n shake we are more like friends than just coworkers. Oh by the way, Im not being rebellious, but the reason I wasn't wearing a bowtie like the rest of them was because I was on break and I had to take it off. :) In this picture from left to right is: Crystalle, Deanna, me, and Stephanie. We have alot of fun while doing our work at the same time.

It was a busy night. I was glad because gas prices are going up and I really need the money.

It was funny because two of my friends from FBC came in while I was working. We have a toy machine in our steak n shake, and there was some red dice that had the words 'Boston Red Socks' printed on them. I had been wanting them since yesterday, but I couldn't get them. I told my friends to get them for me. I gave him a dollar and he had two chances, and he missed both times. He was like, "" give me another dollar, I promise I'l get them this time!" I was a little nervous but I gave him another dollar. He GOT them on thehook and they made it into the trap door! I was sooo happy. B ut then he told me he was going to give them to his girlfriend!! I was like, "No you can't do that...lol..that was my money.." He kept teasing me, and then finally got them for me. It was cool.

School was great today! We had chapel today and Bro. Keith Smith from Venture of Faith Camp came and preached to us. We had an awesome time listening to him! One quote he made was,"Immature faith fears the discipline of God, but mature faith fears the disappointment of God." That really convicted my own heart because as you grow in God you hate disspointing God more than you hate the discipline part.

Well I have to get my Algebra II homework done tomorrow. Thank God for something before you fall asleep tonight :) I thank God today for the messengers He brings down my path to instruct and teach me how to grow closer to God!