Giving thanx on Turkey day...

Happy THANKSgiving!!! This year's Thanksgiving was a little different for me, there was no smelling the turkey cooking, no Macy's parade, no watching football, no big turkey dinner, and no trying to create a reason for not doing the dishes... Instead, I was in the car with my parents and brother for 6 hours driving through North Carolina trying to stay awake since I had driven to Ohio the night before and I was going on 4 hours of sleep. I decided that I was going to list everything that I was thankful for, and it wasn't long before I was asleep. Not because I'm not thankful, but mainly because I was only going on 4 hours of sleep... :)

I'm beyond thankful for God and His love for me. We've been through the ringer this year and I'm sad to say that there were many times I was disappointed, frustrated, mad, and feeling that God was so far away. Even though I've been through those emotions I've come to the conclusion that God loves me and has great plans for me! They may not be the plans that I had for me, but they're better than what I had, and I'm embracing them with open arms.

I'm so thankful for friends and family who love Jesus. They serve as inspirations and examples to me of the life and relationship that I want to have with Jesus. They constantly challenge and support me in my desire to change my life and pursue Jesus, no matter the cost. How amazing is it to be able to sit and have a conversation with any of my closest friends about what Jesus is teaching me and how I'm falling more in love with Him every day, and they get it!?!

There are so many other things that I'm thankful, but well, my attention span is shot, so it would just be a bunch of ramblings... Basically, I choose to focus on the amazing things that I have in my life and be thankful for all that I have the priviledge to have and be a part of.

Obsession at it's greatest...

People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back... People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress... People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him... Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on thie earth... A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known... People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people... People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world... A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them... A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being... People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace... People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages... A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God... A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Thank You!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God...


Crazy Love by Francis Chan... AWESOME!!! :)

Passionate Dedication

This morning I had the absolute priviledge of observing the most amazing baptismal service I have ever been to. I grew up in the church, I've seen plenty of people be baptized, and I've been baptized myself, but never have I been brought to tears like I was today. It was amazing to hear the stories of the people being baptized, listen to what God means to them, and then see them be surrounded by their friends and families as they made a public declaration that God is the most important thing to them...

Over the last few months I have come to know and love God in a much different way than I ever have before, and it is because of that change that I saw the absolute beauty of today's baptism service. I've always thought it was an important step and I love my own baptism story, but I now realize how intimate and special it is. I'm so thankful for a loving God who loves me and desires a passionate and deep relationship with me!

In love... <3

I love Jesus! Like, really really love him. I always had a 'plan' for my life, and other than having a cat nothing has turned out the way that I expected it to... But that doesn't bother me because I know that I have followed God's leading in my life and that every day I'm falling more in love with Him. The other stuff doesn't really matter... Not that I don't have hopes and dreams, because I do, but they all pale in comparison to my desire to know Jesus more intimately and to live my life for him. I'm so thankful for his unconditional love and presence in my life, even when I get distracted or turn away from Him. My hope and prayer is that every day I fall more in love with my Savior and that it is evident to the people around me...

Leaving it all behind...

Sometimes God gives and takes away, and you know what, it's painful. It's never easy to walk away from a situation or person, and you will always leave a peace of you behind, but there is something absolutely refreshing about knowing that you're moving forward and leaving your past behind. I'm so thankful for the people that God has brought into my life, and even though some come and go, they all play an important part in who I am. I believe that we have a choice to be thankful and grow from a situation or to wallow in self-pity and blame others for the pain that we go through. I'm so thankful that I serve a God who has great plans for my life, and I will rejoice in that! :)

true passionate love

I love Jesus! That's seriously the best phrase that I can use to describe myself to anyone right now. Life isn't so great, it's got its ups and downs, its struggles and joys, and really none of that matters compared to my relationship with God. I was talking to a friend tonight and I realized, again, that I had gotten focused on me and my problems, and taken my focus off of God and His love for me. At least I'm realizing it sooner and I know what to do to fix it... I hit the floor on my knees and beg God to transform me and for Him to be the center of my life. I need to remember that my focus is to remain on God and Heaven, and that everything I do here is to glorify Him and show His love to others. I am called to love God and love others, and I will live my life to follow those commandments. That doesn't mean I wont fail and I wont have to go back and make ammends, but it means that I will strive to be closer to Jesus daily and that I will strive to live my life so that He and His glory shines! Praise the Lord that He is forgiving and that He loves us more than we can ever imagine, and with His help we can become the people that He created us to be...