hello blogging world,
when i get into something, i get into something. i mean when i put effort toward something i want, i do it. and i mean i do it with a lot of energy & heart. not to brag, but i feel like sometimes i can get in the extreme perspective of this, which can sometimes be unhealthy depending on the priority it becomes in my life. the reason i explain this is because of my blogging trend. i have kept up with this blog & have tried to write every day. another example, i am a runner...i like to classify myself as one at least. i started running like 3 miles a day after a little encouragement from my dad. trust me, it was not easy to actually start "enjoying" running. i remember that first 3 miles, it was awful. i made my first lap and felt sick. then i did my second lap and felt a little sicker. then i made it around my 3rd lap & it started raining! it was horrible! but all of that to say, i'm really trying to keep up with my blogging. i like to think i am putting my heart into it.
so i'm trying to multi-task- read plan b, blog, talk to my friend rachel, & read an article about baptsim & answer questions about it. but before i do all of the above, i'll conquer writing about what we talked about at the plan b study last night/bachelorette watching night. it was such a good discussion, and like i said before, everyone should read this book! here are the questions we discussed that were at the end of the chapter:
- do you remember a time when all the circumstances of your life led to believe a certain dream was going to become reality, only to have that dream shatter?
- do you see any similarities between your life and the first half of David's story? (He ran away from his problems & God)
- James 1:12 says, "blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him". can you think of a time when perseverance & patience have paid off for you in the midst of a plan b? can u name a time when you think your perseverance & patience did not pay off? why do you think this is true?
happy tuesday!!!! post answers to these questions in the comment box!! i would love to hear some feedback!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
ohhhhh monday....
this past weekend i went home for a wedding & father's day---
i pretty much have the best dad in the world & am so thankful for him and what he does for our family and how much he loves my brother and me.
the wedding was ginny & kevin's and it was beautiful. the ceremony was so worshipful & the reception was a blast. our group of friends is definitely the best group of dancers i have ever seen. it was so much fun. on sunday, i met with my associate pastor to talk about baptism, and when i could do that. i have never gotten baptized before, and i feel like it is something that we are called to do as believers, we are to follow Christ's example and that is something he did out of obedience. it isn't necessary to my salvation, but as my pastor put it, it is not optional either if you are a believer in Christ.
this week is going to be so long!!! i can't wait for vacation---which will be in less than 1 month. i love weekends but they always fly by.
happy monday!
i pretty much have the best dad in the world & am so thankful for him and what he does for our family and how much he loves my brother and me.
the wedding was ginny & kevin's and it was beautiful. the ceremony was so worshipful & the reception was a blast. our group of friends is definitely the best group of dancers i have ever seen. it was so much fun. on sunday, i met with my associate pastor to talk about baptism, and when i could do that. i have never gotten baptized before, and i feel like it is something that we are called to do as believers, we are to follow Christ's example and that is something he did out of obedience. it isn't necessary to my salvation, but as my pastor put it, it is not optional either if you are a believer in Christ.
this week is going to be so long!!! i can't wait for vacation---which will be in less than 1 month. i love weekends but they always fly by.
happy monday!
Monday, June 13, 2011
recap:
of what, you ask? well if you're thinking this...
you're sort of right...
if you're thinking about specifically who got voted off tonight...
you're again sort of right...
if you want a recap of my favorite bachelor on this show...
you're getting closer.
but if you're reflecting on my last post about plan b...you are totally right on. the other people & reflections above are semi-correct and relative, only because after watching that glorious show, we talk about plan b...aka we watch the bachelorette and THEN talk about Jesus. all i can say in defense of that statement is we are women....emotional women.
anyway, tonight was our first, very successful discussion on this book. it is amazing to see everyone open up & i am so so excited to see how the Lord uses this book in our lives. i am excited to see and learn more about what to do with our frustrations and wailings and groanings about where we are in life and turn those over to the Lord for HIS use to bring about joy in our lives and ultimately glory to Him. i was reminded over and over tonight even as my friends were sharing about their plan b's and when i was hearing myself talk that this life & world are not about me although i like to think so SOOO often...instead whatever phase of life or wherever the Lord is using me is where He thinks is best for me right now because it is bringing Him joy & honor. one of the quotes in the very end of the book talks about trust is what you do when you don't have understanding (that is definitely paraphrased because it sounds better in the book). but i LOVE that. what do YOU do when you are frustrated, hurt, lost, confused, etc by your plans? do you trust? what do you do when you don't understand where the Lord has you or is leading you...and that where you are is NOWHERE close to the plan you had for your own life? what do you do about it as a believer in Christ? do you run from it...do you turn your trust to other things or your mind to try and gain your own understanding and wisdom or do you trust in God. do you soak up Scripture & spend time in prayer? what do you actually believe about GOD? i know i believe He exists and He is truth and everything about His Gospel and salvation are TRUE...but sometimes i doubt His presence in my life and if He'll actually reveal Himself....and most of the time that doubt comes from impatience and unwillingness to trust.
what does trust mean to you? ALLLL of these questions and thoughts ran through my mind tonight as this group of young growing women discussed the deeper questions. my prayer is that the Lord uses this book as an encouragement but also as motivation to really trust and study His Word and truly know Him & see His goodness even in the waiting or pain or suffering or doubts. i pray our moaning and groaning about life & our different "plans" will turn into praise, joy, and acclamation to our loving Father who created us and does in fact love us and has a plan for our lives.
get this book NOW!
looking forward to next week's discussion...a 3 day work week this week...continuing education classes thursday & friday...& memphis & a wedding this weekend! YAY! and trivia & vball this week!
off to bed
(pics- okmagazine.com, xfinitytv.comcast.net, igossip.com)
you're sort of right...
if you're thinking about specifically who got voted off tonight...
you're again sort of right...
if you want a recap of my favorite bachelor on this show...
you're getting closer.
but if you're reflecting on my last post about plan b...you are totally right on. the other people & reflections above are semi-correct and relative, only because after watching that glorious show, we talk about plan b...aka we watch the bachelorette and THEN talk about Jesus. all i can say in defense of that statement is we are women....emotional women.
anyway, tonight was our first, very successful discussion on this book. it is amazing to see everyone open up & i am so so excited to see how the Lord uses this book in our lives. i am excited to see and learn more about what to do with our frustrations and wailings and groanings about where we are in life and turn those over to the Lord for HIS use to bring about joy in our lives and ultimately glory to Him. i was reminded over and over tonight even as my friends were sharing about their plan b's and when i was hearing myself talk that this life & world are not about me although i like to think so SOOO often...instead whatever phase of life or wherever the Lord is using me is where He thinks is best for me right now because it is bringing Him joy & honor. one of the quotes in the very end of the book talks about trust is what you do when you don't have understanding (that is definitely paraphrased because it sounds better in the book). but i LOVE that. what do YOU do when you are frustrated, hurt, lost, confused, etc by your plans? do you trust? what do you do when you don't understand where the Lord has you or is leading you...and that where you are is NOWHERE close to the plan you had for your own life? what do you do about it as a believer in Christ? do you run from it...do you turn your trust to other things or your mind to try and gain your own understanding and wisdom or do you trust in God. do you soak up Scripture & spend time in prayer? what do you actually believe about GOD? i know i believe He exists and He is truth and everything about His Gospel and salvation are TRUE...but sometimes i doubt His presence in my life and if He'll actually reveal Himself....and most of the time that doubt comes from impatience and unwillingness to trust.
what does trust mean to you? ALLLL of these questions and thoughts ran through my mind tonight as this group of young growing women discussed the deeper questions. my prayer is that the Lord uses this book as an encouragement but also as motivation to really trust and study His Word and truly know Him & see His goodness even in the waiting or pain or suffering or doubts. i pray our moaning and groaning about life & our different "plans" will turn into praise, joy, and acclamation to our loving Father who created us and does in fact love us and has a plan for our lives.
get this book NOW!
looking forward to next week's discussion...a 3 day work week this week...continuing education classes thursday & friday...& memphis & a wedding this weekend! YAY! and trivia & vball this week!
off to bed
(pics- okmagazine.com, xfinitytv.comcast.net, igossip.com)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
plan b study (week1)
Currently my Bible study girls and I are starting a new topic/book. we sortof got behind with So Long Insecurity, and since the bachelorette has started up again...we probably would have gotten more behind or off track. but i am loving the new book we have picked, which is Plan B by Pete Wilson. here is what the book says about him to give you a little background of the author. and we heard about him from kairos:
"Pete Wilson is the lead pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN. Pete aspires to lead churches to become radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to 1 another, and relentlessly dedicated to reaching those outside of God's family".
and random side fact my friend told me is Pete is the dad in the Taylor Swift "Mine" video. small world.
anyway, I heard about Pete from Kairos...he spoke one night about plan b- which is also the series that kairos started a while ago. the main theme i am seeing throughout the beginning of this book is encouragement...and also the common scenario or occurrence in peoples' lives. we all have "plans" and things we hope and want for ourselves at any given time in our lives...such as "i am (this age) and thought i would be married with a family" "i am (this age) and thought i would be done with college by now starting a career" "i thought i would know what i am doing with my life by now, i am such and such age" "i thought my marriage would have turned out differently" "i thought my kids would have turned out differently than they did". i think as humans we all process different scenarios, obviously, based on what we picture for our lives or what we want them to turn out to be. i know in high school, maybe even college, my "plan" was have a career, be married, and have a family...my plan for my life was to be married at such and such age. another common thread Pete talks about is how easy it is to look around and compare our lives to someone else's and even if we're not "comparing" we may just look at others our age or in our category and think- man, they have it all together. they have a house. they have an awesome job. they have a family. they are married. etc. they look like they have their lives together. but what i am learning not just from this book but from just living and being with people is that EVERYONE has a plan of some kind, which we'll say is "plan A" but somehow we are living plan B, C, D, E, etc. so what i hope over the next weeks is as my Bible study friends and i go through this book, that we will see deep encouragement and the Lord really growing and working out our trust in Him alone...and i don't think that we as Christians really doubt He actually EXISTS, but somehow and sometimes we doubt if He's going to show up when we want Him to reveal His plan or we doubt His timing we doubt His ways and we doubt if He really has a plan. we want Him to reveal. we want Him to clearly and plainly show up in our lives. SO i hope this book will be encouraging and ultimately will deepen our trust in HIM.
there are so many interesting eye-openers (at least for me) in this book and i recommend everyone get it! i am only in the beginning of it and already can't put it down. i have a lot of things i want to share in the blog about it....so this is to be continued.
happy thursday- almost the weekend!
"Pete Wilson is the lead pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN. Pete aspires to lead churches to become radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to 1 another, and relentlessly dedicated to reaching those outside of God's family".
and random side fact my friend told me is Pete is the dad in the Taylor Swift "Mine" video. small world.
anyway, I heard about Pete from Kairos...he spoke one night about plan b- which is also the series that kairos started a while ago. the main theme i am seeing throughout the beginning of this book is encouragement...and also the common scenario or occurrence in peoples' lives. we all have "plans" and things we hope and want for ourselves at any given time in our lives...such as "i am (this age) and thought i would be married with a family" "i am (this age) and thought i would be done with college by now starting a career" "i thought i would know what i am doing with my life by now, i am such and such age" "i thought my marriage would have turned out differently" "i thought my kids would have turned out differently than they did". i think as humans we all process different scenarios, obviously, based on what we picture for our lives or what we want them to turn out to be. i know in high school, maybe even college, my "plan" was have a career, be married, and have a family...my plan for my life was to be married at such and such age. another common thread Pete talks about is how easy it is to look around and compare our lives to someone else's and even if we're not "comparing" we may just look at others our age or in our category and think- man, they have it all together. they have a house. they have an awesome job. they have a family. they are married. etc. they look like they have their lives together. but what i am learning not just from this book but from just living and being with people is that EVERYONE has a plan of some kind, which we'll say is "plan A" but somehow we are living plan B, C, D, E, etc. so what i hope over the next weeks is as my Bible study friends and i go through this book, that we will see deep encouragement and the Lord really growing and working out our trust in Him alone...and i don't think that we as Christians really doubt He actually EXISTS, but somehow and sometimes we doubt if He's going to show up when we want Him to reveal His plan or we doubt His timing we doubt His ways and we doubt if He really has a plan. we want Him to reveal. we want Him to clearly and plainly show up in our lives. SO i hope this book will be encouraging and ultimately will deepen our trust in HIM.
there are so many interesting eye-openers (at least for me) in this book and i recommend everyone get it! i am only in the beginning of it and already can't put it down. i have a lot of things i want to share in the blog about it....so this is to be continued.
happy thursday- almost the weekend!
Monday, June 6, 2011
amazing lyrics
You Are For Me
kari jobe
So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.
You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
and You love for me to sing to You.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.
So patient, So gracious,
So merciful and true…
So wonderful in all You do.
You know me. You see me.
You know my every move.
You love for me to sing to You
Lord, I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me that
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You will come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me of who You are.
kari jobe
So faithful. So constant.
So loving and so true.
So powerful in all You do.
You fill me. You see me.
You know my every move
and You love for me to sing to You.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.
So patient, So gracious,
So merciful and true…
So wonderful in all You do.
You know me. You see me.
You know my every move.
You love for me to sing to You
Lord, I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me that
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You have come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me who You are.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You are for me.
I know that You will never,
forsake me in my weaknesses.
I know that You will come now,
even if to write upon my heart.
To remind me of who You are.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
heavy with love
so i am reading through the book of 1 john...which i don't remember if i have mentioned. my pastor back home has had SUCH a great sermon series on this interesting and deep book of the Bible. my favorite sermon was on chapter 3..i'm going to type all of these verses out because every single part of this is so great and so full of meaning and truth for the believer. and before i write out the verses, let me preface them with some sentences i wrote in my journal during his teaching: (and PLEASE look up his sermons online!!! you can find them at www.firstevan.org...under resources & sermons). LOOK THEM UP TODAY!! or you can download his podcast- cole huffman or first evangelical church memphis tn. he also has a blog i have just started following- "where is the fourth?" google that too.
"we are and do absolutely nothing to merit the Love of God, we are GREATLY LOVED..."
"loving 1 another is a function of abiding in Him"
"The life of the 1 who abides in Jesus is defined by relationship and response to JESUS and relationship and response to Jesus' people"
"how we respond to His grace is very telling and very revealing if Christ is in you.--a noticeable quality
here are the verses:
-how great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! and that is what we are! the reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
-everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. but you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. and in him is no sin. no one who lives in him keeps on sinning. no one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
-dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. he who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. he who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. the reason the Son of God appeared was to DESTROY the devil's work. no one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. this is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
overruling theme: God is love, love is of God, we love because He is love.
http://flickriver.com/photos/pumariapi/3119782352/
Saturday, June 4, 2011
an update & peaceful night
it has been a while since i last blogged. i keep thinking about blogging and when i sit down to finally get all my thoughts together, i can't seem to motivate myself to type them all out! so i finally feel like i have a second to breathe...and here i am. back to the blogging world!
well what has been going on...mainly just working. i went home last weekend for memorial day, which was GREAT. i had almost a 5 day weekend. i got home thursday night and had friday, saturday, sunday, and monday to enjoy! i feel like even with those days it went by so fast. it always does. i was able to see michael a lot, which was great. we ate with my fam some, saw a few of our friends one night, which 2 of our really good friends had a "going away" get together dinner because they are in india for about 3 or 4 weeks! or maybe longer...i can't remember. anyway, a long time...so it was good to see them! we also got to go biking and shooting at the range.
next time i go home will be for a wedding- yay!
this weekend has been relaxing and busy somewhat. my friends and i are putting together "bags" for homeless people...which is kindof a roundabout story, but it is through kairos and 2 guys from there who are helping at a church in downtown nashville- mainly for housing and ministering to homeless men. they are in need of basic life things...so today my friend and i went to the dollar store...and bought like 12 or 14 items for 4 people...all under 50$! Wow!
i've also really gotten into the bachelorette. why do i get so hung up on silly shows like this?
over the weekend (last weekend at home)i developed POISON IVY! so i have been dealing with that...for about a week now :( i had to get some prescription drugs to get rid of it, which haven't kicked in yet.
michael starts his job this coming monday- i can't believe it. i am so excited, he is so excited. he is REALLY excited, actually. little wiggs is growing up.
i feel like other things have come about but i keep forgetting them and then i'm sad that i didn't blog about them!
i have some photos that are from random things that have happened since the last time i blogged.
i need a new "project" and a good book recommendation. any ideas are very welcome!
loving the summer- and speaking of summer weather, i have vaca time in july, and am going to the BEACH for a few days!!!!
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