Game Day

These last 2 weeks of training in Indianapolis at the National FFA Center has been exciting/challenging/full of new information/exhilarating as we think of the organization we get to serve!

Each day we’ve gotten to walk into a room that bursts at the seams with potential to learn. There are walls covered with flipcharts, color splashed everywhere, a table brimming with supplies, and faces of people that I care deeply about. This one poster in particular has really captured my attention.

This perspective is not just applicable to a classroom or to a sports arena, but as a person seeking a greater purpose in life.

Thinking back to high school, on Thursday morning everything changed because it was ‘Game Day’ for our cross country team. I ate differently, dressed differently, spent my time differently over lunch, parked in a different lot, and packed a different bag for the meet. All of these changes led to me acting differently on those days.

If I’m willing to change habits in order to prepare for a running meet, why wouldn’t we change to live a life serving the God of the Universe. Surely, we can see the greater value that we can find in a life lived for Christ versus how I changed basically every single habit of my time for a cross country meet.

Every single day is ‘game day’ in the sense that once we are saved God has a great commission for the work of our lives. When we wake up there is a greater calling on our life than the selfish pursuits that we may desire. No longer do we have to try to seek or even earn our own happiness or contentment. It’s not up to us to secure safety in the next lifetime. He has already done this.

Currently, I’m reading “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper (rave review!!!). Piper helps to clarify over and over that there is nothing greater than committing our lives to seeking a relationship with Christ.

“What is the one passion of your life that makes everything else look like rubbish in comparison? Oh, that God would help me waken in you a single passion for a single great reality that would unleash you, and set you free from small dreams, and send you, for the glory of Christ into all the spheres of life and to all the peoples of the earth.”

Game day in this sense is the fervent chase that we have after  the cross. When we call on Jesus as the man who died for our sins and saves us from our own judgment, we have a purpose that calls us to have a passion for serving Him that supersedes  anything else that we could imagine investing our lives in.

A verse that really helps remind me that everyday is game day is:

“Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered and that my life is fleeting away.”

                                                         ~Psalm 39:4

We should be intentional in every conversation, every interaction with people, and every investment of our time. Life is brief. It’s short. Why would we waste it?

Everyday there is work to be done. Everyday there is a noble mission to be fulfilled.

Are you living as if today is game day?

 

Uniquely You

Recently, retaking the Strengths Finder assessment, I was reminded of how much I LOVE learning about people’s differences. I am so intrigued by what makes people tick and  how their unique qualities are expressed in their life!

(My Top 5 Strengths: Input, Connectedness, Includer, Developer, and Belief)

Isn’t it incredible to think that with over 6 billion people in this world, there is no one else alive that has the same talents and abilities that you offer?  

You have a responsibility to be Uniquely You!

This is one of the most important truths that we must remember.  We were uniquely fashioned by our Creator.

As we were perfectly created, we also are each granted a specific purpose to fulfill with our God-granted gifts. Paul teaches of some of these gifts in Romans 12 and Ephesians 4.

Over the last week I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how important it is that we are able to identify what these gifts are. In the book “Worn-Out Woman” it spends page upon page providing ideas and insight on how to ‘win’ your life back. This book intrigued me because my heart ache for people who find themselves in this situation-not enjoying life and questioning their purpose and gifts.  I don’t want to discount some of the advice and encouragement that this book offers to people, but it really has made me question how NOT to end up in that category.

• How can one live a life that completely misses the beauty we’re surrounded by?
• How can the challenges of life become so consuming that there really is no room for light among the darkness?
• How does one wake up one day and realize they wrongly invested their entire life?

The solution to each of these problems: asldkjfa;lsdkfjTake on God’s Perspective.

Look at nature through His eyes. View challenges from God’s seat. Invest your life in way based on His truth and His commission.

Most importantly, see yourself as God’s unique child.

Take time to notice the differences between you and your friends. Be observant of your unique laugh. Notice what makes you insanely happy. What is it that makes you motivated to change the world each day?

Strengths vary; some have a sense of humor, others are extremely focused and disciplined. Natural leaders, problems solvers, athletic, musically gifted, inclusive of all people; whatever it may be know that it’s uniquely you.

You’re not meant to be the same as your sibling or best friend, nor are you to be a copy of your co-workers or classmates.

It would be discounting to God if we didn’t live our lives in a way that fully utilized our gifts He’s given us. He desires you to be uniquely you!

May your life be as full and unique as what God had in mind when he fashioned (insert your name here)!

 

 

My New Adventure

I have moved back home. I’m not taking classes, and  I’m going to be living out of a suitcase for the majority of this next year. And I couldn’t be more EXCITED about it!

In October at the National FFA Convention, when I was elected to a National FFA Office I had no idea how vast the changes were ahead. For the next year, I’ll travel to a projected 40 different states, rack up over 100,000 frequent flyer miles, talk to 1000s of people, and live an adventure unlike any other!

My fellow teammates: Alex, Chase, Chelsea, Levy, and Rand a are amazing!  Just in the short amount of time that we’ve gotten to spend together, I know I’m blessed with these new friends!

Over the last month my life has been flip-turned upside down!

I’ve moved out of “The 306,” been working to finish all of my classes as a distance student, and have said ‘good-bye’ to my greatest friends.

Many people have asked why in the world would someone put on hold their college education, miss out on time with friends-who have become family at K-State- and chase after a dream like this?

Why?  I believe that over the next year there is no greater way that I can glorify God and make an influence for Him.

When I began to consider pursuing a National FFA office once again, I wanted to ensure that I was doing it for the right reasons and drew purpose rooted in God’s Word.

My decision was driven by these verse:

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.                ~Matthew 28:19

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.:”    ~Jeremiah 29:11

For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.                                                ~1 Timothy 2:10

I made the commitment: elected or not Praise God.

During the time that I was preparing, I strived to keep my life’s commission as a focus in all that I did. This will continue to drive me during my actions this next year while away from campus.

Before leaving my hotel to go to the final session of convention, I opened my Bible to Acts 13:2-3.                                                         

“One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting,” the Holy Spirit said," “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work I have fore them.” So after more fasting and prayers, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.”

This is part of my special work! I get to interact with incredible people this year in all capacities from all different parts of the nation. Each person is someone that I can serve and radiate God’s beauty to!

This is my new adventure while Chasing the Cross!

A Place to Belong

\Find Peace in knowing you are accepted for who you are….

                            God’s Masterpiece. 

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to return back to Labette  County High School where I graduated from. Attending an FFA meeting in the Little Theater, checking out my old locker, and sitting in the Ag Ed classroom to eat lunch brought back many memories from my time there.

Walking back down the high school hallways, I felt so at home. For 4 years of high school this is where I belonged. The last time that I had been in these halls I was surrounded by some of my best friends, laughing I’m sure, and assured that I was accepted by the people I was with.

A place to belong…isn’t this what everyone is looking for?

We may actually spend our entire lives searching out a place to belong. For some of us we found it in high school, maybe in the lunch room (my friends and I had ‘The Lunch Table Club’), drama program, FFA chapter, track team, or cheer squad. And perhaps we feel most accepted at home with siblings or at our grandparents house for the weekend.

As humans we have a longing to be accepted and loved.

Being accepted and a part of the crowd boosts our self-confidence, we become more comfortable in our capabilities, and we think that we find contentment.

Belonging to a place here on earth brings contentment, but it doesn’t last throughout eternity.

Sometimes I fear that people won’t stop at anything in order just to feel like they belong. We hear the words peer pressure, subjective norms, or the ‘cool’ factors which seem like easy ways that we can find this temporary contentment. Perhaps these outlets do offer instant gratification.

But why invest in temporary joy, when God so willingly offers up eternal joy?

Eternal joy is offered to us as a free gift from God. Here in some of these Psalms God reminds us of the place of comfort that we can find in Him.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.      Psalm 91:1

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.                                              Psalm 23:2-3

The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger, I trust in Him will all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.                                    Psalm 28:7

We can know that God does offer us a place to rest and belong. It’s in His embrace. Seeking Him in His word and prayer, we can accept the gift of eternal joy He freely gives us. In His embrace, we don’t have to question if we belong or are accepted because we are God’s Masterpiece. We’re loved. 

As I was saying good-bye to many of my friends at K-State today, I had some time to realize how blessed I’ve been by the friends in my life.

These individuals came from all different aspects of my time at college. Some from campus organizations, others were faculty and advisors, and others were my coaches.

                                            What made this group of people so special to me is that at one point of time or another they made me feel as if I belonged. A true blessing from God!

Find contentment in knowing you are loved for who you are….

                           in God’s embrace.

Our Master Artist

One of God’s endless acts of showing us His Love is His work as Our Creator. “In the beginning…” God is the artist. He is the sculptor of the greatest masterpiece of all time.

The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface. ~Genesis 1:2

Before the Spirit of God swept over the earth and created light and darkness, space between the waters the sky, trees, seed-bearing fruit, the moon, sun, and stars, fish, birds, small animals, wildlife, and livestock----it was just a formless mass. Mass by one definition is a lump; a body of matter that forms a whole but has no definable shape.

Do you ever feel as if you’re just taking up space in your classroom? As you walk around the mall, does no one seem to notice this mass of a person strolling by? As a person, do you feel as if you have no definable shape or purpose to your life?

Viewing ourselves as nothing more than a formless mass, cloaked in darkness is allowing sin to control our lives. Believing that you were made without purpose is not taking hold of the promises that God provides, instead you are holding onto the whispers of Satan. If we truly believe that we are an empty mass it will result in a multitude of negative effects on all aspects of our lives.

I’ve been caught in these fears myself in the past. Not remembering that our Sovereign Lord molded me with His own loving hand darkness has seeped into all areas of my life. I find that as I question God’s creation in my life quiet times become less intimate and more mechanical with God, praying becomes more sparse as I spend more time contemplating if I’m even worthy of God hearing my voice, and my relationship with other people suffer as I struggle with wondering if they value me. I fall back into the world’s thinking that beauty is solely dependent on outer beauty, and I think that true love can only be found here on earth.

This is NOT the way that God created us to live!

In fact living this way is defaming to God. Losing focus of our Creator puts more focus on the creation, which will never lead to joy and contentment.

As the first paragraph in Genesis continues it recognizes the presence of the Spirit of God. Acknowledging God in our life will alleviate the weight, guilt, and shame that we may feel.

A few promises that I focus on when I fall into this thinking,

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.

~Romans 8:15

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

~Ephesians 2:10

Lord, You have made so many things! How wise you were when you made all of them! The earth is full of Your creatures.

~ Psalm 104:24

Recognizing we are Masterpieces, created by God stands as a truth that we are Loved.

These last few weeks at the National FFA Convention I got to spend time with people who recognize their Creator’s work in their life and are fervently seeking Him. One night as we stood hand-in-hand praying over God’s work in our life, there were prayers that each one of us would recognize His work, we would see ourselves as He views us, we would know His Love, and that nothing would hinder our relationship with Him.

Surrounding myself with these people was a reminder that God creates each person after Himself, in His perfection. Every person was beautifully different, but each had the capacity to radiate their Creator’s beauty.

There was no need to compare, no need to question….just a need to know we were loved by our Master Artist.

Know You’re Loved

 

If I could do just one thing to change the world….it would be to help every single person know they are Loved.

I spend time frequently trying to figure out how I can make this dream/mission/vision a reality. The BEST part of my schedule is the one-on-one conversations that I  get to share with people. Whether we meet in the library or the union, at somebody’s house to study, or at one of Manhattan’s fine coffee shops.  lasdjfalsdkfjalsdkf    (Radina’s is a favorite!)

                  While hiding away in Radina’s, with a cup of coffee and a great friend, it’s amazing how quickly a conversation can reveal the joys and trials we face in life. Getting to share in these troubles we generally face in life, stands as a constant reminder of how miniscule and small they really are.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

  alkdjfal;kdsjflkjadflk                   ~2 Corinthians 4:7

As each of these small investments in another person’s life comes to a close, I find walking to the parking lot that my prayer is the same for each girl that I meet with.

1.) They can know God’s Love even deeper than before

2.) They can see themselves as the beautiful creation they are

 

If we miss the basic fact that we’re each made perfect in God’s own image, we will struggle in chasing the cross in all other aspects.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female he created them.                                               ~Genesis 1:27

Not kidding, almost every time… it’s the same. Every single woman, struggles with being content and with being reminded that they were beautifully fashioned by the God of this universe.

The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. llkasdfl;kajdsflkajdflajdfladdfljadldfjas~Genesis 2:22

To an extent, it’s comforting to know that I’m not the only who struggles with being reminded of my Creator, but on the other hand with so many others struggling… when are we going to change? Who is going to go against all that we’ve been told in this society and believe that we were made perfect?

When we, ladies, don’t remember this fact of our Creator, we lose sight of who we were made by and what we were made for. We easily forget that we are loved by the Holy God of this universe.

How do we reverse a discontentment that takes a strong enough grip on our life that it affects everything else?

Obviously, not knowing how this works out in a man’s life, I can only speak for most women that discontentment eventually reveals itself in all other things that we do. Our interactions with people and our performance in school or work is more difficult. We find we struggle in the continuum of maturity that comes in a personal relationship with Christ.

On this blog, since this aspect of contentment is so important and evident in many people’s lives, I’d like to take some time and focus on some of God’s promises. In applying these promises to our lives, how can we not only view ourselves differently but how we can confirm these promises is our lives.

A person will radiate God’s beauty the most when they know they are LOVED!

As He Sees

The City of Brotherly Love, Home of Ben Franklin, and the where the Legend of Rocky was born…My mom and I were able to escape from our normal lives of work and school in Kansas to a few days in Philadelphia.

Neither of us have ever been to Philadelphia and honestly weren’t sure what to expect. I was looking forward to some quality time in coffee shops catching up on studying and reading, while mom had a few meetings. But during my first afternoon in Starbucks I had no idea how a single lady would come to mark our entire trip.

This woman’s name and age remain unknown to me. I’ll never know her story or how she ended up on the bench along Market St. Yet her need that morning was so evident.

She sits there every single day hoping that someone can provide her with food or spare a cup of coffee. The window into this woman’s life was an experience that I’ll probably never forget. Each stranger that stopped to offer her something was extending a form of love that she rarely saw. Every bite of food she got was reciprocated with a huge smile and gracious ‘thank you.’

As my heart broke for this woman and tears came, I wondered what I honestly had to offer her. Had this woman ever heard the Gospel? Had anyone ever taken the time to even share with her the name of Jesus? Did she know that a man, who died for her 2000 years ago, knows her pain? 

Throughout the week we were in the city, Mom had to continuously remind me to be safe. To an extent that we weren’t in Kansas anymore…haha. I wanted to stop and talk to the homeless, give them food, and simply hear their story and find out how I could help. I began to really question “why I would rather spend my time with these people than in the safety of our hotel?”

Studying through the beatitudes this week answered my question.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,                                    for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.               Blessed are those who mourn,                                for they will be comforted.                                 Blessed are the meek,                                             for the earth will belong to them.”                     God is Love God is Love, God is Love ~Matthew 5:3-5

How does one come to fully possess these characteristics?

The Beatitudes are a profile of the very spirit of Christ. I use to look at them as proverbs/guidelines on how I should live my life. Through reading them and hearing sermons I never actively made a commitment to pursue them. But the single purpose of my life is to glorify God and to do this by becoming more Christ-like. Matthew 5 clearly lays out the kind of person that we should strive to become.

God’s blessing comes to those who least deserve it, to those in the most pain, and most importantly to those who realize they have a need. I wanted to spend my time with these people because it’s what Christ would have done.

He sees their need and wants to fulfill it. 

God blesses ALL peoples. He blesses the man begging for food, the man in the trench coat standing in the doorway, the person talking to himself on the corner, the mother with her young children, the man with the scrawled sign asking for help, our taxi driver asking advice for his son’s homework, and even the woman outside of Starbucks.

Even if just for the afternoon my spirit got to see these people as Jesus would. Every time I met their eyes, they were eyes of God’s children desperately wanting to know who can help them.

Walking down the street,         I got to see as He sees.

 

Jumpers Before Us

  On the playground there was always the ‘cool’ thing to do. In first grade jump rope, 2nd grade the swings, 3rd grade kick  ball, 4th grade, four-square, and in 6th grade football. If you weren’t apart of these games you simply weren’t apart of the group, unfortunately people got picked on and talked down to if they didn’t play these ‘cool’ games.

Thinking back, I wish I would have always been the person who didn’t just conform to playing the games of everyone else. Sure I did it a time or two, but being the oddball wasn’t really what I wanted to be known for back then.

Yet now, that’s exactly who I want to be.

I want to be the person who goes against the grain, who stands up for their beliefs even when their unpopular, I don’t want to be swept into the tide of taking the easy way out. I want to JUMP the FENCE.

Some of the greatest jumpers that we can look to for an  example are characters in the Bible. Queen Esther, when she  used her position in society to avert annihilation from her people. Moses, who was scared of speaking before a crowd of people. Abraham, when he was asked to kill his son Isaac. Mary, when granted the privilege to bear God’s only Son.

Also, Paul’s writings, throughout the New Testament, exude the risk in jumping that he was willing to take on for His Lord.

I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. ~2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Paul illustrates in his 2 Corinthians writings that God’s grace is more than enough for any trial that we face. No matter what your fence may be, how long you’ve been staring at it-waiting to muster up the courage to jump, or how many times you’ve jumped before and failed, God’s promise is clear. The Lord’s power is made perfect, without flaw, in our weaknesses.

If these people’s examples aren’t enough to be convinced of jumping the fence. Seek out someone around you who has made this decision and JUMPED!

It is WORTH it!

Anyone who has decided to leave behind the normal game of life and decided to be the person who jumps the fence, who plays their own game at recess, and the person who is chasing the cross, will share that it was the most important decision of their life.

 

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. ~2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Why Jump?

I'm diving in, I'm going deep in over my head, I want to be caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head, I want to go the river's deep, the river's wide, the river's water is alive sp sink or swim,                 I ’m diving in            ~ ‘Dive’ by Steven Curtis Chapman

 

These song lyrics take me straight back to a high school cross country meet, where my friend Lyndsey and I were stretching out  before our race listening to this song. While we were getting warmed up, I remember simply asking the question ‘Why wouldn’t someone dive in?’

This simply question has stumped me ever since.

I mean, to me the decision is so easy. It’s almost comically  at how easily we miss the opportunity of something so much bigger, better, and grander than anything we, as society, could ever imagine.

So, maybe the better question for me to ask isn’t why don’t you jump? But a more searching of a question for myself… why did i?

Growing up in the church, I believed that Christ was my Savior since I started Sunday school and learned that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. But it wasn’t until I was in high school, and had to start making difficult decisions on my own, did I realize that I couldn’t live  just for my selfish wants and desires. I began to question what was the most worthy thing that I could invest my life in. What fence would I jump and commit to being on the other side? And I found it!

There is nothing more worthy of having than a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jumping the fence and committing my life to making Christ my Lord, was not a decision that led to a radical transformation over night. But it has included a commitment every day to seek out God to know Him more and to make changes in my character and behavior to be more Christ-like. Each day making a decision to chase the cross.

No trophy, plaque, or medal; no paycheck, resume’, or career; No relationship (no matter how fulfilling)-can possibly compare to the undeniable joy that a relationship with Christ can offer.

Are you seeking something beyond the difficult decisions of today? Something beyond the American Dream that everyone else is chasing? Have you considered jumping the fence?

Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures.    ~John 10:7

 To jump or not to jump…the choice is yours!

Over the Fence

So let's create this scenario....

You're a centerfielder for the Beat Boppin' baseball team.
This big bruiser from the opposing team, the Bruisers, comes up to the plate and nails one clear out to your part of the field. You immediately start backpedaling nearly to the fence. You bend down, pick up the ball and prepare to throw it to 2nd base to get the runner out...but STOP!

There is a choice that we must make.
1.) Throw the ball back to the infield (like any normal player would)
2.) or take the ball and throw it over the fence

Granted the second option sounds crazy, ridiculous. But what would happen if you actually did it? The crowd would think you're nuts, your team would start hollering and screaming, and the coach wouldn't be any too happy with your decision.

No one would understand why you did it.

A life chasing the cross isn't suppose to make sense to unbelievers either.

In our lives, if we choose to throw the ball over the fence what could happen? (I just want to clarify that I'm not trying to get anyone kicked off of their ball team. However, I'm going to challenge the natural thought process of simply doing what everyone else does.)

The infield, for me, stands for mediocrity; for me it's the American Dream. It's what everyone is going for. A big house in suburbia, a husband or wife, two kids, and a dog in the backyard; all in the confines of a safe neighborhood. This i dea of life after graduation seems safe and protected.

Beyond the fence is everything that is unknown. What kind of job will I have? Where will I live? Will I be married? Will I have children? But there is this great power in this unknown because over the fence is a life fully committed to not living my own dreams but living out God’s will. It’s frightening, but so worthy. The possibilities are limitless. There is no fence out there to confine us. There is an influence to be created, a path to be traveled, and a life to lead far greater than anything I would ever imagine.

Many question then “Why leave the safety of the infield?”
I question, “Why Not?”

Standing between mediocrity and a life foreign to limits is the fence. In my life, expectations from others is the fence that confines me. If I hurdle the fence, who and how many people will I disappoint? If life on the other side isn’t all that I think it may be will they mock me? Is it worth the embarrassment if I fail?

What is your fence?

Are you willing to jump it?

Over the next few weeks, I want to spend some time questioning if I’m willing to jump the fence; if so at what cost and how. Why would we do such of a crazy thing? What would motivate us to do so? What could possibly be worth making such a radical decision? The next posts that I make are going to dive into some of these questions and explain my thoughts on this idea of throwing the ball (our lives) over the fence.

Hello Kansas

I love JEsus! I love J

Kaleo 09 has finally come to a close.

I made it home in one piece-10 fingers and 10 toes.

I never could have imagined what Florida had in store

but lessons were learned that rocked me to the core.

I love Jesus!

First and foremost "God is so worthy"

He deserves our praise to the highest degree.

Whether as a student attending StuMo each week

or one laboring overseas, it is onlyHim that we should seek.

Everything we did from Bible study to campus prayer,

I was surrounded by students wanting the same cross to bear.

The 90 K-Staters prayed that our campus be prepared

for the promise of God, to which nothing can be compared.

TNT and TVT equipped us with training

not to mention was always quite entertaining.

D-group dates from Disney Movies to crabbing

always resulted in lots and lots of laughing.

I love Jesus!

But the greatest part of all-who would have guessed...

was the friends that I got to share it all with.

Living with 7 other girls and my D-group of four

meant nothing short of memories galore!

Mandy, our fearless leader and candy maker (this we enjoyed!)
Has a laugh to match her heart full of pure joy.
Julie, our cook and driver everywhere,
took pictures this summer and documented every, single affair.

I love Jesus!
And then Cindy who was flatmates with me

experienced my alarm clock each morning and loud rustling of keys. (poor girl!)

She has a such humble heart that she compassionately shares.

Our favorite of all is pillow talk-nothing compares.

The next couple of weeks may be different for sure,

but pulling in the driveway made the 15 hr. drive easy to endure.

This summer was lifechanging and my joy is so hard to express.

For now however it's good-bye Florida...hello Kansas!

I love Jesus!

The unfailing love of the Lord never ends.

It is by His grace that's we've been kept from complete destruction.

Great is His faithfulness.

His mercies begin afresh each.

~Lamentations 3:22-23

Beautiful Design

The ocean, a starry night, sunrises, and sunsets are breath-taking. Little girls playing dress up, my Kaleo group, and my friends are stunning. A soon-to-be mom, a grandmother with her grandchildren, and a sister holding her new brother for the first time are radiating.

As I think about the exquisite design of life that I'm surrounded by, I'm just humbled by our Creator.

Many times this summer, I've questioned what a non-believer could possible think while standing before the ocean? It's amazing! It's possible the water is the same water that unreached tribal people fish in, the same water Jesus may have walked on, the same water my ancestors sailed to America on, and the same water that laps at my feet each time I go to the beach.

to you Lord i want all praise to be directed, to you my life I dedicate. no man, no need for approval, or earthly desire will keep me from serving you! Simply put... it's beautiful. But the beauty of the ocean does not even compare to the most beautiful thing that we have...the cross.

The cross's beauty is captivating.

In the book, "The Gospel According to Starbucks" by Leonard Sweet, it reads "Why is the cross beautiful, but not pretty? Not because it's a vertical torture chamber, but because it tells the whole truth: the story of a God who loved us so much that God would go to well-curves extremes to show us that love. The cross is beautiful because it reveals love, the substance that bonds beauty, truth, and goodness together."

This passage completely caught me off guard. We would never consider a medieval or modern day torture chamber beautiful. But it's because the cross signifies more than the death of an innocent man it is stunning, breath-taking, radiating, glorious, alluring, and most beautiful of all.

We are commanded to radiate this beauty...

to bear the maker's mark,
to exude the creator's signature.

You are a chosen people, a holy nation,

a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God

that you may declare praises to Him who called

you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

~1 Peter 2:9

As humans when we see beauty, we are drawn to it. In the book, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," Joshua Harris sets up a scenario of how a fashion designer and model relationship can correlate with our relationship with God.

Think of a model walking down a runway as the media and 'experts' whoa and ahh over the clothes. These commentators don't give credit to the model for the clothes, but their praises are directed towards the designer. The same should be true in our relationship with God. As people look at the our lives, they shouldn't give praises to us for our good works or witness that we live. When people see our lives as being different from the worlds they should be looking for the designer behind it.

Be so beautiful people ask,

"who is that Designer?"

True Contentment

Why does it seem like we always want what we don't have?

dear lord...

i thank you for the contentment that you provide for put adam to sleep.

When we are at work...

we can't wait to be at home.

When we are over scheduled...

we want some down time.

When we have nothing to do...

we claim to be bored.

When we are alone...

we want someone to talk to.

When in large groups of people...

we can't wait for a moment of silence.

When on summer break...

we can't wait to get back to K-State.

Why does the world, or at least me, struggle so much with being content?

Definitions of the word content include: satisfied with things as they are, having one's desires limited by that which one has, or at rest.

I was laying by the pool this afternoon with a new book, a cool bottle of water, and great music flowing from my iPod. But I was restless. I went over my mental 'to do' list; almost everything was accomplished, nothing urgent left. I tried to start reading again. I was still restless. I couldn't understand why was I having such a hard time being at peace...especially with the day off from work? I was NOT at rest!

Starting to pray, verses from a few days ago came to mind.

put me to sleep just as you did to adam.

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get

along happily whether I have much or little.

I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.

I have learned the secret of living in every situation,
whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
For I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:11-13

Verse 13 was one of the first verses that I remember memorizing when I was younger, but I don't ever remember looking at it from the context of contentment. Paul writes that even in times that his earthly condition appeared to be in great need, he knew that true contentment only comes from our Father above.

Before leaving to come down here my dad asked what I hoped to accomplish this summer. With a laugh, I shared that one of my goals is to learn how to sit still and do nothing. Sounds crazy...I know. But my roommates and family can testify that I can't sit still. "The 306" gets slightly frustrated with me because I can't just sit down and watch a movie. My hands have to be doing something. There is a need to continuously be accomplishing something...anything.

But it's been shown to me over and over that this lifestyle and pace are tiring. It's exhausting, and eventually I find myself more discontent than ever before. For most of my life I've drawn my personal contentment from my surroundings and specifically the people I'm with. People's expectations and their approval have driven me. When others are happy...I'm happy. When they are not...neither am I.

That's not the way that God has meant for us to live.

You keep in perfect peace those who trust in You,
whose thoughts are fixed on You.
~Isaiah 26:3

My soul finds rest in God along...

~Psalm 62:1

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule

in your hearts. For as members of one body you are

called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

~Colossians 3:15

Unfortunately, with the mentality that I've become accustomed to- wanting what I don't have- requires some radical changes in order to chase the cross. Being joyful with what we have and longing for nothing more is not an attitude that we are born with. It's learned.

put me asleep to my own desires and throw my life to you.

Every unfulfilled dream or expectation can serve

as the perfect classroom to seek out contentment.

The book "Lady in Waiting," reminds that 'learning contentment will require complete dependence upon Jesus, for difficult circumstances without the strength of Jesus can rob you of potential contentment.'

God does not make companionship or anything else outside of Himself mandatory for contentment.

I may never reach my goal of being able to sit still and do nothing, but the rest of this summer are going to be marked by a continuous search of finding true contentment in His word and presence!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
—Philippians 4:4