One of my new favorite songs, "Your Love", Bluetree. 


"Your love, Your everlasting love
Transforms me
It brings me to my knees again
And worship on my knees again
Great is Your name
In all of the earth
Your grace, your unending grace
It lifts me
It brings me to my knees again
And worship on my knees again
Your blood, your unfailing blood
It saves me
It brings me to my knees again
And worship on my knees again
Great is Your name
In all of the earth"


I'm thankful for N today. For his precious friendship. His gift of leadership. His servant heart. His bold spirit. His love for the gospel and for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. His consideration and kind heart. His joy and easy going personality. His flexibility and optimistic outlook. I'm thankful we're best friends.
I'm thinking about my future. Where I see myself in ten years. I'm nervous. I don't want an ordinary lifestyle. I want to travel. I want to proclaim the love of Jesus to the ends of the earth...literally. I want to love on orphans and on widows and on the lonely. I want to lead worship and teach English and Bible classes in Africa and India and Venezuela and Mexico. I want to explore. I want to give hope to the hopeless. I know that there is so much need here in the states, and I know that being a Christian, my life already isn't ordinary. Every word I speak is to be for the glory of my Father. Every action is done out of the love that has been so abundantly given to me. I can give hope here. I can be a missionary here. I can love on orphans and widows here. I can do all these things here, because I know that wherever I end up, God is faithful. He promises to use his people. I am His hands and His feet. I am His servant. My life is not my own. I pray that in every circumstance, I will be overwhelmed with thanksgiving. I want my life to give off an aroma of peace and contentment.


Greater is He that is in you, that he that is in the world.

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice!
//philippians 4:4.

I'm rejoicing in this day. Gorgeous weather, laundry to do, house ready to clean, brunch with my sister, many books to read, clothes to fold, kindred spirit bonding time later, duet music research, toe nails ready to cut and re-paint, blank pages ready for prayers, words of life [bible] open, worship music on full volume. How great is the love of God. He has lavished His blessings on my life. He is faithful and just. His promises renew my fainting spirit. He has overwhelmed me with His mercy. 
I'm learning a lot about relationships. About humility: it's necessity, beauty, and power. My eyes have been opened to the reality of my pride. The hold it has had over my relationships. Pride hardens my heart towards the ones I love the most. Pride only strengthens my sin of selfishness. 
God, break this heart of mine. Replace this heart of stone with a renewed heart of flesh. May my eyes ever be fixed on you. For "the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love." //psalm 33:18. Thank you for your faithfulness to me, even when I am faithless. You are wonderful. ABBA Father.
May you be present in this day.

Lord,
prepare me 
to be a sanctuary,
pure and holy,
tried and true.

a good friend reminded me today of something very important. something i needed. right at that time.
trust. 
i'm a worrier. i like to be in control. i'm always second guessing. getting my stomach tied up in knots about a possible outcome of a situation.
i'm scared. 
to let go. to give up that control that is held so near to me.


sara groves also reminded me of something today.
peace.


God, 
you give peace. a peace that passes understanding. that wipes away ever worry. every fear. a peace that calms every anxiety. 
put your hand over me, Lord. give me that peace. Your peace.
i love you, Father.

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years

and bring you prosperity.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name

in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and shun evil.

This will bring health to your body

and nourishment to your bones.

Honor the LORD with your wealth,

with the firstfruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

and your vats will brim over with new wine.

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline

and do not resent his rebuke,

because the LORD disciplines those he loves,

as a father the son he delights in.

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,

the man who gains understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,

by understanding he set the heavens in place;

by his knowledge the deeps were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,

do not let them out of your sight;

they will be life for you,

an ornament to grace your neck.

Proverbs 3:1-22.

So Much To Be Thankful For.

- Journaling. Pen on paper. Smooth. Messy Penmanship. Pouring out heart and soul. Written prayers. Crying out to our Lord through ink.
- Encouraging notes. Care cards. Uplifting bible verses.
- Challenging conversations. Catching me off guard. Full of wisdom and understanding. Teaching and stretching me to be more.
- Trust within relationships. Secrets - but more than that, trusting one another with our emotions. Our hopes and dreams. Our struggles and growth.
- Health. Not ever thinking/questioning if I'm going to make it to the next day due to a health issue. I take this for granted SO often!
- Heart-to-heart talks. Hours long. Venting. Figuring thoughts out with each other. Taking another persons perspective.
- There's too much to say about my beloved family and friends.


Lord, you are good and your mercy endures forever!

My eyes are being opened to all of the wonderful souls around me.

So much to be thankful for.

You are so good, Jesus.

so many lists to be made.

anxious.

"Trust in the Lord; be strong and take heart."
[psalm 27:14]


God,
pound this into my head. bind it around my neck. place it forever on my heart.

Random Thoughts.

4th of July. Downtown. Thousands of people around. Noticed that we're all pretty much the same. We're all relational. We all need companionship. We all need LOVE.

I wish I drank coffee. I know it's true what those people say about it being the intelligence drink. It's such a great thing to do. Make a coffee date. It's where all the good conversations happen, I know it.

There's just no greater thing to talk about than the Word of God.

I'm anticipating the autumn season. Burnt colors. Warm clothes. Cross country racing. Football games. Leaves falling. My favorite.

My friends are a lot more unique than I thought.

I love photography. Everything about it. I could take pictures all day. I could look through a million books filled with pictures - all from different photographers points of view - how they view the world around them. It intrigues me.

College is over rated.

Looking forward to a breakfast date tomorrow with my pal, Emma.

Chattanooga, TN mission trip on Saturday: bring it.

There's just nothing better than a day filled with smoothies, bike rides, teeter totters, swimming, and kindred spirit bonding time.

Everyone has a kindred spirit.

Homemade gifts are the only way to go. 

As is letter writing. Do it.

Bedrooms are supposed to look like a tornado hit them.

Sometimes you just need a car ride with no conversation. Especially when you're listening to 91.3 WCSG and all you can do is listen to the words and worship Jesus. [Thanks Nathan]

Stay Hydrated. Both physically and spiritually. Quench the thirst after a night of swing dancing. Quench the thirst of a soul in need of some words of life. a.k.a. the promises of God.

Speak love.

Their sorrow will be turned to joy

Currently listening to Bon Iver, Skinny Love.

Mixed feelings this morning:
Peace along with anxiousness,
Joy along with sorrow,
Thankfulness along with selfishness,
Contentment along with jealousy.


thankful for this verse today.

"and the ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

Isaiah 35:10.