It's all about LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...

Yes...amazing I know...I'm actually updating...wow...so this weekend was absolutely amazing...Some people just completely get me...and i don't really feel like i deserve them, but God thinks different...

First Bradelyn...Just to know that there is a woman who will call me out of my bull and love me even though i'm fighting tooth and nail makes me feel like I can make it...and that i shouldn't give up...Every doubt I give she provides me with scripture to speak truth into my heart. 

Then Mark and Cathy...I feel so spoiled when i leave them...they are the most generous people in all the world...Even though sometimes I wonder how I will ever make up to them all they have done they just remind me that sometimes others are just going to take care of you for a change...

Finally Pastor Furtick...When I go to Elevation, I get nervous because I know that God is going to change me when I walk through those doors.  Pastor is like neosporin to my soul.  He reminds me of what Christ has said and my heart begins to heal...his words push me straight into Christ's truth to be put back together...

I guess it was time for me to come home...

Top Five...

So I've been wanting to do this forever just because i love this stuff...I was probably the only person in the world who enjoyed doing those stupid forwards of surveys so anyways...Here are my top fives...of everything!!

Top Five Christian CD's:

1. Conversations: Sara Groves...seriously get it...it will change your life

2. We are Alive: Elevation Worship...i mean really these guys are amazing just like the CHURCH!!!

3. Share The Well: Caedmon's Call

4. Pages: Shane And Shane

5. Purest Place: Watermark

Top Five Books:

1. In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day-Mark Batterson

2. Captivating-John and Stasi Elderidge

3. Let the Nations Be Glad-John Piper

4. A Chance to Die-Elizabeth Elliot

5. Terrify No More

Top Five Most Influential People in my Life (besides Jesus)

1. Bradelyn Levi/ Nana  (they have to tie because of nana's never ending love and Bradelyn loves and knows me better than anyone!)

2. Stephen Furtick

3. Cathy and Mark Lewis

4. Erica Long

5. Samantha and Toph Elkins

Top Five Favorite Activities:

1. Traveling

2. Talking over coffee with my favorite people

3. Reading

4. Movies

5. shh...but i secretly do like hiking once i'm doing it!

Top Five Movies:

1. Hairspray

2. High School Musical

3. Harry Potter

4. When Harry Met Sally

5. She's the Man

 

Let's see...how bout we play tag since ya'll are probably the only two who reads this!....Bradelyn and Stefanie...why don't ya'll post the same!

I will be who I will be

Being in seminary is a crazy life to say the least...I feel like I have grown up so quickly in the 3 short weeks I have been here.  I know that I'm where I should be, but I struggle sometimes if I am capable of doing this...I feel like the last kid to get picked for the softball team or the runt of the bunch.  But the other day in my Old Testament class, my professor said something that really made an impact on me.  We are in the book of Exodus and we were talking about the passage where God reveals His name to Moses.  There are so many suggested translation of that phase...mine says I am who I am, some others say I am that I am, or I am the self-sufficient one...But Dr. Thomas said that the best way to understand it is "I will be who I will be"...You see God was talking to Moses about who he should tell the Israelites sent him.  The I am who I am or the I am the self-sufficient one does not seem to fit the context.  This almost sounds like "Why do ask such a question...I am who I am..."  The Israelites have already seen God as self-existing...they understand that He doesn't need them...He is their creator...They know He is God Almighty...But the "I will be who I will be" is a new way of God revealing Himself to His people...I will be who I will be can be completed with..."I will be whoever I need to be to accomplish my purpose."  How amazing that God will be whoever He needs to be to accomplish His will for my life?  It's not who I am. It's who He is!  He will complete this work in me...He will teach me what I need to know...He will give me the strength to make it to the other side...He will be who He needs to be!  We put so much pressure on ourselves to accomplish the plan for our lives...but God Himself design that plan and as Mark Batterson says "He wants us to get there worse than we want to get there!"  So hang on...Cause He will be who He needs to be!!!!

Putting the puzzle together...

So I don't know about everyone else but I love to watch movies or read books and figure out the ending.  I guess I love feeling like I was right.  But what I love more than figuring out the ending is being surprised by something I didn't see coming...like when Professor Umbridge had the locket in Harry Potter or when I think the husband committed the crime but it was really his mom on Law and Order.  Those are the moments that take by surprise and keep you interested.  Those are the moments you get excited about...so why can't I see that in life?  Last night I laid in bed trying to go to sleep and I couldn't.  If you know me you know that not sleeping is highly unusual for me.  My mind was trying to form around how God was going to provide for me financially or who God was going to bring along side me to be my husband or how was i going to get in shape to be a missionary.  The thing is I know you should plan...that is not the issue.  And I know that you should be faithful in the little steps...once again not the issue.  Be faithful in little and you will be faithful in much.  My trying to figure out how was not about planning or being faithful...it was trying to figure out how all of this would work...how God would provide.  After doing some more calculations and tossing and turning a little longer God spoke to my heart...He said "Stop trying to figure out the puzzle"  It hit me...I'm trying to take the fun out of the story.  I don't want to know how He will provide...what fun is that?  It won't be a miracle when I see all of bills paid and money left over to support my best friend going overseas...it won't be a miracle when the man God has prepared for me steps onto the scene and reminds me what I have been waiting for...and It won't be a miracle when I've been trying to get in shape but my little efforts are multiplied ten fold and i reach my goal early.  God won't get all the glory He deserves because I figured out the plot line.  Now i know some of ya'll are thinking He still gets the glory because He'll change the plot and that is very true, but my point is that what fun is the ride if you know all the turns to get there?  So let God write the story...He's a lot more creative than we are!!

Why not join the band wagon...

I tried this blog thing once before but it wasn't very consistent. I've always had a problem with self-discipline, so I'm going to give it another shot!  Who knows...maybe I'll keep up with it this time.  Who would want to read my ramblings I'm not so sure...but it's just as much for my benefit as anyone else's.  No clue what I'm going to write about.  Probably whatever God is teaching me. So we shall start with this.  I'm being completely amazed by the call of Abraham right now.  It seems like so many classes I'm taking are talking about it and each class as a different application.  It just shows me how I don't dig into the scriptures like a should.  It's so rich in truth and can be used to teach us so much...I was listening to one of Perry Noble's sermons the other day and he reminded me of a point that I have been taught many times...so many times we want to know God's will for our lives...what is the next step?  what should i do in this situation?  We almost want a neon sign or it written on the wall.  But God's will is written in scripture.  Repeatedly the Bible says...this is what the Lord says.  To borrow what Pastor Furtick always says not what doctor phil or oprah says but what the Lord says...and you know what...if i could just get those right...if i could just follow what scripture says maybe the rest of God's will would be easier to see.  Follow the clear commands and see where that takes you...that is a big enough job!