Eternal Perspective...

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The

Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of

the earth. He does not faint or grow weary;

His understanding is unsearchable.

Isaiah 40:28

Let me just paint this picture! As I sit in the dining room of our condo with the balcony door open, I gaze out the window and reflect on God's glory and sovreignty and, in reality, a perfect picture of God's unending grace! As I listen to the waves crash and watch the ripples of the ocean, I can't help but think that God's love is so much wider and deeper than the vast ocean in front of me! While veiwing this world's paradise, I can't help but think of the true Paradise that awaits me and reflect upon how incredibly blessed I am. I am so thankful for the things that I have been granted and I pray that I not be a bad steward of those gifts. God is so gracious to me and my family!

I have spent the last several days with my family, 16 people, at the beach. It has been a fun time of fellowship with family and a great time of refreshment from the hustle and bustle of this hectic world! The serenity, the calm, the breath of fresh air that the sand and sea bring, I can't adequately describe the scene. As far as my eye can see, from a three story balcony, I compare the view to nothing but the grace of God. His grace has stretched beyond the distance of this ocean and more numerous than the sands on the shore to cover my sin and shame. And just as the sun rises and falls each morning and night, displaying the awesomeness of God's promsise to restore new mercies each day, I rise and consider the blessing that I have been bestowed. I don't deserve His grace, yet so richly given. I can't comprehend His love, yet so sacrificially displayed on Calvary's cross. This side of glory, I will never understand the sovreignty of God, but praise the Lord that He has not called me to understand it! I am called to live by it. To turn from myself and this world each day and proclaim the love of Christ and Him crucified and by the grace of God alone, I have that strength each day. Just as the sunrise restores light to the day and the sunset restores calm to the night, He restores my soul each day.

In the midst of these next few weeks of holiday season, may we be truly grateful, not for the things we have, but the for the ONE that paid it all for us. Yes, I am thankful each day for my family, my mom, my siblings, my precious niece, and I am thankful for the "stuff" that I have, but none of that means anything without acknowledging the price that was paid for me, for my wretched soul. May God continually remind me of the cost of sin, the grace that abounds like the sea, and the promises that outnumber the sands. He alone is the Creator of this beautiful masterpiece in front of me, and He alone is worthy of all glory and honor for the beauty that it brings. That really gives "going to the beach" an eternal perspective. God is so good... :)

WAR EAGLE!!

So, I know this is a very atypical blog from me, but I am super pumped about tomorrow's game and I ran across the funniest thing and wanted to share it with all the Auburn beloved!! I hope you get some laughs from this! FEAR THE THUMB...WAR EAGLE!! haha!! :)

The Alabama Creed:
We believe that this is a delusional world and that we can talk only about what Bear did. Therefore, we believe in the past, the distant past.
We believe in education, and though we did not technically attend the University of Alabama, we know a guy that did.
We believe in honesty and truthfulness, because when the punishment for marijuana possession is ice cream, there is really no need to lie.
We believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid... except maybe a little of thumbs.
We believe in obedience to law, except for the ones concerning money laundering, because they hinder recruiting.
We believe in the human touch, even if we have to pay for it at seedy Pensacola strip clubs.
We believe in our Country, because it is a land of freedom, and where else on Earth could a man wearing a gold chain earn two million dollars a year losing football games.
And because Alabama men and women believe in these things, We believe in Alabama (football) and love it, when we are winning.

Friends...

A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

WOW!! What a crazy week the past seven days have been! I feel like I have been on a friendship roller coaster and, frankly, I am ready for this ride to come to a HALT!! This past week has been one of refreshing and fun beginnings, joyful ups, hurtful downs, and plenty of drama-filled loops! Now, don't get me wrong, I love roller coasters, but not this one. And I'm not really sure what God is wanting me to learn through this, but I trust that He is using these stressful situations to sharpen me and draw me more unto Himself, and for that, I am so thankful!

(First the good!) I am in the midst of developing several new friendships with a few college girls that are younger than me and I am so excited to see what will come of those. So often, I find that it is harder to develop lasting relationships with people younger than oneself because they are, at times, in different seasons of life. Not to say that it is impossible, just hard. But I think that these few friendships that are in the works are definitely worth the effort. I am excited about my new friends and can't wait to get to know them better. No telling what God has in store for our friendship!

(Now the bad that turned to good!) I have this friend, whom I love dearly, that was on the verge of being erased from my life based on the way in which they treated me. It got to the point that I would just rather not have this person in my life at all, disassociate myself from them and any activity that involved them, than to continue to be put down and treated poorly by this person. No need for details, just to say that I felt like I had tried so hard to be their friend and all I ever got was enemy-like treatment in return and, after putting up with that for literally months, decided it was not beneficial for me to continue to call this person "friend." So, after an all-together hurtful afternoon with this person and an evening filled with crying out to God and others for advice and help, I came to the conclusion that it was no longer worth my time to even try. But, the very next day, God proved that He, not my friends, was the ultimate voice of decision in my life and breakthrough occured! I recieved an apology from this person and a truly remarkable plea for our friendship. Stunning how God reveals Himself through difficult situations! And now, the best news from that story, I HAVE MY FRIEND BACK!!

(Now the bad that hasn't turned to good yet, but I trust God!) So, in the midst of all the other friend drama, there was only one person that knew the situation. This person pretty much knows all that goes on in my life, to the extent of talking on the phone at least 3 times a day! And I'm not really sure what happened, but for some reason we haven't said one word to each other since Saturday evening. I mean, I don't if it was my fault, their fault, or what, but I do know that it has been a miserable 72 hours without my friend. I want so badly to not handle this over the phone, but I don't know if I will see them before tomorrow and that may kill me! It is has been my prayer that God would reveal to me the issue at hand and that restitution will be made. I love this friend and truly desire for us to be friends for life and I just want so badly for us to work this out! Pray for me/us!

I have been so blessed in my life to have some truly incredible friends. Friends that know me and are known by me. Each one of my friends has heard me say that I would GLADLY do anything for them and I mean that. Without my friends, I would be so lost. But even in the midst of friend crisis and drama and total melt-down, there is one friend that has never left my side. Jesus Christ has exemplified for me what a true friend looks like and, for that, I am so grateful. I am not at all perfect, but He continues to love me and call me "friend" and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why He loves me and wants to be a part of my life. But I am more than thankful for it! God is so good.... :)

Greater love has no one than this, that
someone lays down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

Happy Day...

I don't think I will ever forget the sequence of events. I didn't know then, but I see now that God's hand was over all that took place. And all of it was for His glory alone and the advancement of His Kingdom. In the midst of great hardship, God revealed Himself as the one, true, living, merciful, and gracious God who is capable of saving the entire world. Not only is He capable, but He has already provided the means and is longing for intimate followers. And when I say longing, I don't mean "in need," but rather, seeking out, pursuing those that He longs to call Beloved. Here is my story.....

I don't think there is a single American that has yet forgotten that day. Where I sat and my first reactions have forever been etched in my mind. I remember it like it just happened. First period had just ended and as I walked into homeroom, I just had a gut feeling that things weren't right. There was a buzz around the campus that I had never noticed before. I sat down and my classmates began reporting what they had heard and seen on television and radio. My first reaction, "That is a sick joke!" Then, our principal came over the PA and made the announcement that, yes, in fact, our nation had come under attack. The mood on my high school campus was quite somper and real for the remainder of the day.

The first stop I made on my way home from school that day was to my youth pastor's home. You see, his wife, Paula, and I were prayer partners and I really just had some pressing matters that needed to be made known. There was not a soul that knew, but prior to the attacks on 9/11, I had been seriously struggling with my salvation. I mean, I was the last person you would expect to hear that from. So, I continued my role as "Christian" and totally ignored my struggles and continued to live for myself while claiming Chirst in my everyday life. In pursuit to "prove" my salvation to my church body, I rose and headed to the microphone at a church-wide prayer meeting the Wednesday after the attacks. That's right, hundreds had just lost their lives and so many more were hurting and here we were to meet and pray for the heart of our country and its leaders and the most important thing to me was ME! Prideful and ready to show everyone how "spiritual" I was, I prayed using big words and Bible terms, and secretly, I gave myself a nice little pat on the back as I walked back to my seat. And for me to have prayed such an "amazing" prayer that evening, there is only one phrase I can remember. At one point, I said "Thank you, God, for our second chances." Not really knowing what I was talking about, in the weeks to come, that phrase rang so true as God's story of salvation in my life unfolded.

In the next several weeks, still avoiding the matter at hand (my salvation), life was not fun! God used every sermon, every Sunday School lesson, every song on Christian radio, etc. to convict me of sin. Slowly, but very surely, in His own timing, He was drawing me to the end of myself and into His light. Then, only because I thought I would get a break from all the conviction, I attended a youth prayer meeting one Wednesday evening. As I sat in the room that we affectionately called "The Upper Room," God used a faithful servant's prayer to open my eyes and break the wall of sin that I had so neglected to acknowledge. As Ben prayed, he quoted Matthew 7:21-23, and I knew that was me. God had just used Ben to paint a very clear picture of my life. I was the one that walked an aisle and was baptized at age 9, came to church every opportunity available, claimed Christ when I was with other believers, but lived for myself when I was alone. And in that moment, I knew that I was a sinner and I had never made Him Lord of my life. It was there, on Wednesday, Nov 7, 2001, in all my weakness that I cried out for my Father. I humbled myself and fell to the foot of His cross and cried out for mercy. And it was in that humility that I found grace and mercy and redemption. In that moment, I was clothed with Christs' righteousness for eternity! PRAISE BE TO GOD!!

Now, looking back over the past 5 years, I can't say that it has always been great. But I can say, it has definately been worth it! If I had 1000 lives to live, I would give every one of them to Jesus! He has changed my life. I can't imagine that I would be here today if that night hadn't happened. And I am so grateful to my Jesus for not leaving me. I tried so hard to run away, but He tried harder to win my heart. He has done it. And the fact that He puts up with me, that blows my mind! He is so faithful and good. He deserves all the praise and glory for seeking me out and providing me with my second chance. What a mighty God we serve! God is so good.... :)

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as

some count slowness, but is patient

toward you, not wishing that any should perish,

but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9