I did it!

It is official I completed my first half marathon!! And my friend Liz was right...you do get the marathon blues once it is all said and done!

So last weekend I traveled home in anticipation of Saturday. I left on a Thursday and never have two days gone by so slowly. For two nights I had nightmares about the run. Thoughts of not making it to the start line and not being able to finish raced through my mind day and night. Fears crept in as I anxiously awaited Saturday morning.

Race day was here! Liz and I woke up earlier ate our breakfast and headed to the Botanical Gardens of Clemson bunny ears and all. As they shouted go on the mic we all began trotting forward. The end of a long awaited journey had just begun. I ran and continued running for the next 2 hours and 13 minutes! This race was quite the course for this low-country girl of six years. It was for sure an up hill up battle. My saturday training on the bridge didn't much compare to the continual climb this coarse gave me. But I finished and I was pleased. Liz encouraged me the entire way and I would not had made it make to the finish line had she not been there.

Two things I was reminded of when running and now looking back at the run. One this race much like my Christian faith is nearly impossible outside the encouragement and accountability of community. The Lord put us here and gave us friends and family because he knew and knows better than us all that we can't go through life on our own. We need each other to get to tomorrow, to laugh together, to cry together, to love together, and this list could go on. I am so thankful for this reminder and wake-up call to the blessing of community I live in now. I am so often clouded by my own life that I forget that I couldn't make it without the many lives around me.

The second was that the Lord has been, is, and will be my strength and victory! When I was younger I had a bone infection and came and went on three different occasions. At the time of my first surgery the doctors were shocked I was still walking. The infection once again came back and this time after surgery I was sent home with antibiotics for a year. Still feeling of being defeated and my dreams and goals at the time put on hold. Then again 14 years after the first incident the infection returned and I again had surgery. Months later I pulled half a toothpick out of my foot. It's a miracle that I have a foot. It's a miracle that I can still run. It's a victory that I ran 13.1 miles! The Lord has much more in store for this life is has given me. As I live in His strength and claim his victory I will one day cross the finish line and my prayer is that He will call me a good and faithful servant.

But as for now I will continue running and I'm on hunt and another half! The year of first in this year of 24 is only the beginning of seeking to live fully and that life is found in the Lord.

I couldn't finish without recognizing my biggest fans!

perspectives

So being in the midst of college ministry sure does have its perks! One being...I still get SPRING BREAK! Oh the many thoughts when one hears the words spring and break together. You may think of your own spring breaks or you may go straight to all assumptions of college kids "livin' it up" at a beach a Florida or Mexico.

Well for me I was no where near the sunny shores. From Tuesday to Sunday I traveled through 8 states and spent four days on a road (two days there and two day back). What a journey. Myself, my momma, and my daddy all pack in "Barbara Jean" (that's my car, a blue Ford Explorer). Over the hills and through the plains to grandmother's house we went, Moline, Kansas. The name of the town brings so much truth to all the excitement that goes on in the town..not much. The biggest time we have ever had there was when we were there in May one summer and there was a parade for all the local alumni. They walked down main street and didn't even throw our candy!


These few days in Moline were different though. 1. I had never been there without my brothers. I had no one to share in my humor of this place or laugh at dad with because of his obsession with barn yard stew (toasted bread soaked in pudding and heated. its as gross as it sounds) 2. I haven't been to Kansas in almost 4 yrs! I have changed yet the town not so much.

Since I was in training for my half marathon I went running all through the town which has a beauty all in its own. But I ran across this old house...

To you this could look like an old beat up house. A yard with no color. A house that was once white now covered and has a tint of grey. This house was once my heaven. This house was once a mansion to me. This dirty driveway was once my interstate. This yard now with barely any grass was once my field to roam. As I ran by I couldn't help but stop. I looked forward to summers in Kansas. It was such an adventure to me to live in this house. I learned to ride a bike in that driveway. This is the place I first hopped up onto the back of a horse. This was the place where you couldn't stop my imagination!  Pure joy. 

As I stopped and thought of all the memories that were had both in and out of that old house I almost began to cry, because for some reason this house just didn't seem quite so grand. I thought to myself... Is it just because I am now 24 and not 7? Have I really lost my child like perspective on life? Or am does everything on this earth just seem small to me know because not only have I experienced more of life, but I have experienced more of Christ? This is where I settled and am still reminded of each day since being back. My God is so big. Bigger than any thing, any circumstance, and any being here on earth. 

My prayer as I look at the photo of that old is house is that I will strive each day to not make much of this world but continue to make much of my Jesus. 

a few more photos of our trip...all taken with my iPhone so don't judge the quality. 

Driving out of St Louis. Snapped one more picture and I like it!

The view for miles!!

The moment we arrived in the great state of Kansas!! (GO JAYHAWKS!)

the day of love.

As a girl of my age (hahaha) and being single this precious day and bring so many different emotions! But how sweet is it to know that though the world looks at me today and has pity for me that I poses a love that conquers all things. No greater love will I ever have than the love I had today. I have a Father who in the midst of my rebellion came down and pulled me out of my pit. I am loved by a man who gave his life for me. And because he loves me so I am capable of loving. So as I think about today and how I could get wrapped up in this season of singleness the Lord has me in and "mourn" I refuse because today I will rejoice because I am loved and I can love!

I am loved. I am blessed. I can love. I choose to love with the and by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today I expected nothing, because I have it all. But the Lord has chosen those you know me best to remind me that I am loved (because it is easily forgotten). My momma and daddy have given me their world and I am grateful. They continually give to me and take nothing for themselves. I am too often ungrateful for their selfless love for me! A surprise visit from daddy and a little pink bag with a little white box inside opened to find a beautiful bracelet with a little red heart. An unexpected treasure.

The Lord has blessed me with so many friends. These friendships are like angels sent to push me to Jesus. to make me smile when I can't see the goodness in the day. The friends are young and old.

These friends that I have come to realize I can't live without the past two years and don't know how I have lived life without them. These friends have become like family to me so quickly. They have cared to know me to the deeper parts of my heart. And because they know my selfish ways they know that my love language is gift receiving! They are so special to me not because they gave me a gift but because they took the time to think of me. Thank you Brady and Kelly!

friends and family alike they love me so well because they too have this love that comes from a mighty God. 

So today I do want to love. I want to love my friends. I want to love my family. but I want to send my valentine to my Jesus. 

24: the year of possibilities

So as the year continues and my friends come to join me in this great age of 24 I try to convince them that this just might be one of the greatest years of life! There is so much to be had at the age of 24. Whether or not if I have convinced anymore I do believe this year (i guess for me I have a big 7 months and 16 days left) holds a great deal for me and I praise God for it!

Let me just bring you up to date on the happenings of 24! For the first time in 24 years I spent my birthday at a theme park...that's pretty exciting right? So I started off with a bang! The month of November brought lots of learning from the Lord through circumstances and a small adjustment of adding 4 children to the family. December sent me across the world! Spent 10 days in India with some of my bestest friends. The Lord continued to open my heart and hands to HIS plan not my own. Changing all sorts of perspectives that I have had for many years.

Then we reach the year 2012! Year year's is always exciting and I have been determined to try new things! January gave me a massage. I have been asking for one of these for at least 3 years and I finally just went and paid for it myself! I needed  wanted it after a long December and so I did it. Why? Because I am 24!

Now I find myself in February and time is not stopping and neither are the possibilities or I'd like to call them blessings! I found myself signing up for a half-marathon... I will let you know in April if I regret that decision. And oh the blessings that February have brought!! I found out last night that I myself will be an aunt... sooner or later! My brother and sister-in-law are adopting! They are super excited to start this process and I'm super excited to spoil the crap out of someone else's child!

As I look forward I see God moving and working in me and through me! So the next 7 1/2 months excite me and when I wake up each morning I pray the Lord to surprise me... so that I will never find myself thinking I am in control or living in a life full of easy predictions. (My God is not predictable! He holds great things for those who repent and believe!)

I recently made this 14 layer chocolate cake! I only made one minor mistake...but it still tasted delicious! 

taste and see that the Lord is good

It is hard to believe that it is already February. What happened to January? What happened to cold nights, hot cocoa, and bon fires? I can't believe we are already down one month this semester, but it is never ceases to amaze me how much the Lord can do in so little of time. 

Over the past month I have had so many encouraging conversations with girls just about how there relationship with the Lord has grown and their hearts have been breaking for the things of Christ. I was almost studded when talking to a freshman this week and she explained to me how for the first time she has truly felt compassion for people. Another conversation I had today about just how joyful she had become since being in the fellowship with believers and coming to realize how great of an opportunity she has to influence her friends and teammates for Jesus. So much has been going on at CSU and I could talk for hours of just how many students are excited for the gospel! And how students are already making commitments to give there summer to grow in the Lord. The thought that it's only the beginning of February is exhausting but also super exciting to me. We still have majority of the semester ahead of us and so much it yet to be done. Please join me in prayer for this campus, for these students, and for students who are still seeking the world to find fulfillment. 

At the first of the year I began reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp in much anticipation for her coming in March for the in-house retreat at East Cooper Baptist Church.  As I have been reading her book and her appeal for thanksgiving the one thing that has truly stuck out to be is how thanksgiving makes moments last longer. When we stop to truly enjoy and are grateful we are able to see the goodness of the Lord in all things. Every moment of the day seems to last for hours. As I have been seeking the Lord and searching my heart to have an attitude of thankfulness I have been able to freely enjoy Christ in everything. In the stressful days of ministry when their seems to be no fruit and even in the days full of laughter. Experiencing the change of hearts in my students has given me much reason to be thankful, and these sweet moments with these girls have seemed like days.  I have truly tasted the work of the Lord, seen that it is more than good, and can have an attitude of thankfulness. 

As I continue to read I will be sure to keep you informed on this attitude of gratitude. 

another one bites the dust...

 Another day... another year! Boy does time fly by! I read a friends blog and she recapped her year through photos so I thought I'd do the same!

2010 ended with weddings and 2011 started with weddings

a caught bouquet.. 

new friends and dance parties

a championship! (i still got it in me!)

another wedding

a winter retreat

another wedding...

A princess party

retreat for the SBP

a CONCERT! Hello Usher!

Graduation

The Summer Beach Project

Road trips with good friends!

another concert... country style

CSU football GO BUCS!

Birthday Surprises...or death threats (still not sure)

a scary birthday for Jigs..

a test of my strength... retreat to the woods?

                                         

my first speaking engagement 

   

another wedding

and yet another caught bouquet 

Thanksgiving fun

a trip across the world

a sweet Christmas

And it ended with a bang in Chattanooga... ready for the blessings of 2012

the journey takes me out of the country!

December 2 - December 12 I had the opportunity of a lifetime! What a privilege is was to experience Christ  in India; literally across the world!

This trip had been in the makings for about two years. Debi, East Cooper Baptist Church's women's minister, had been wanting to take a group of women to India and she finally got it all together. I had heard about the trip many times and hadn't thought twice about going. I was going to NYC with a group of friends and was super excited to see New York at Christmas. Needless to say this was no New York vacation! 

When December 1st hit and I hadn't even started packing I think it hit me...I'm going to India tomorrow! But there wasn't anytime to much think about it. I had too much stuff going on with my ministry at CSU. So that evening and the next day I through some stuff in a suitcase ran some last minute errands and hoped for the best. I knew the Lord was going to show me big things, teach me in new ways, and grow me to a greater faith...it was just getting there. December 2 at 7:10 we loaded the plane and headed north! In the air, on several different planes, and through a time zone or two we landed in Kolkata, India.

We arrived at 4 am on Sunday December 4th. This began a week of serving the people of this city. But to me this week was more encouraging to me than I was to anyone. The people of this place where we call impoverished had more joy than I have seen a long while. The children we meet had the biggest brown eyes with the sweetest smiles. They touched each American heart and were clueless they had given us anything. The week went on and we were in constant motion. Visited a mobile school, a slum school, had a women's fellowship in the slum, spent the day with 9 boys who were all rescued from a train station, gave pedicures to 24 women in a slum inside the city, visited a company giving women in the red light district a second chance, visited a Hindu temple, drove 2.5 hours to minister to people in a village outside of Bangladesh, and gathered with women who have given their life to minister to people in India. Our schedule was full and we did little compared to what the men and women are doing every day for the glory of God.

Everyday in India I was reminded of Matthew 5:14-16.  "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  The people we came in contact with had a light that shone brighter than any light I had ever seen. Amongst the darkness they were able to shine. They served our Savior Jesus as Lord and the one true God above any other idol that their friends and family gripped to so tightly. Even though these people would be ridiculed, rejected, or tormented these people chose Jesus! 


As this week continues and Christmas is approaching these people gave me the best Christmas present ever. I pray that everyday I am reminded of these people and the light that they have, the light of Jesus. The light of Christ. The spirit of Christmas all year long!