Potlucks and Challenges

This week's post is a little late, and for that I apologize. It has been one long, crazy week! I have been brainstorming some ideas and think I have found some cool ideas for making this blog of mine a little more interesting, and I am very excited to get the ball rolling.

First off, I read the COOLEST blog today. If you haven't come across it already, GO BROWSE THROUGH IT. It is called The Pollock Potluck...and it is super cute. Ashley went to my youth group and was a few years ahead of me in school; I always thought she was just the prettiest, most put-together girl. But seriously, I remember she got a senior superlative in my freshman yearbook, and I thought she was like, the coolest. I barely knew her, but knew she was someone I aspired to be like one day. Her blog, in a nutshell, makes me STILL want to be like her. She is a dedicated wife, amazing mama, and sweet sister in Christ. Her posts are humorous, and her how-tos are super relatable {see the stove-top cleaning post}. Overall, its just a good read...so turn off the Golden Globes and go browse through.

***

On another note, I heard a really cool acronym {for lack of a better description} in church today. It was a review of what the students learned last week, but Joe and I weren't there. {Joe and I, after serving in youth for almost 4 years, are finally getting to attend our OWN adult Sunday school class, once a month! First Sunday of every month we get to connect with other young couples at our church, and I couldn't be more excited! :)} Our friend Tom had taught last week, and he shared with the students a challenge for 2013:

2 = Make TWO friends.
0 = Have ZERO tolerance for caplacency.
1 = Live for an audience of ONE...God.
3 = Share the gospel with THREE people.

I am excited to challenge myself with this! Are you willing to take the challenge?

Have a wonderful week, friends. Xo

Hello, 2013!

Hello, there!

 

2012 was a crazy one, was it not?

Was anyone else a little relieved when the ball dropped and a new year - a new start - was given to them?

 

If I could describe 2012 in one word, it would be this: change. Change in job, change in living situation, change in income, change in dating outlook, change in marital status, change in youth leadership, change in family, change in friendships, change in my relationship with God. Some of them were far more for the better, and some were far more for the worse.

If there is one thing that people can tell you I don't cope well with, it is change.

 

Ironically, our sermon on Sunday {taught by Gary Vaughan} was centered around the idea of a new year bringing the opportunity for new change. The statement was made that "change is not working hard and willing circumstances to be different...real change comes from submitting your life to Christ and living out of that relationship." Colossians 3:1 was referenced, which points us towards the idea that we are raised in a new life with Christ, and that real change begins with that new identity. It reminded me of II Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." It just brings such a renewed sense of hope for new beginnings - excellent way to view a new year!

 

Tonight, while assisting in leading the 11th and 12th grade girls' small group, we asked the girls what their spiritual commitments were for 2013. One said to get more involved with activities at church, another said to read her Bible more. I remember having similiar answers at their age, and I even have the same answers now.

 

But then I realized: without the real change that Gary spoke of on Sunday, aren't those resolutions just "working hard and willing circumstances to be different?" Is there a real change of heart when those resolutions are made?

 

Whitney {my co-leader} mentioned an example she heard in a Beth Moore study years ago: "What ugly wallpaper do I have on the walls of my heart, that needs to be removed before I can replace it with something new?" What steps do I need to take to empty myself of the bad, to make room for the good? Furthermore, what is the "bad" in my heart? We asked this question for the girls to answer, and their answers were insanely relatable: cussing, bad attitude, anger, impatience, laziness, and selfishness. What is the "good" I should replace those characteristics with? More good answers from my girls: compassion, peace, patience, selflessness, humility, gentleness.

 

I came to the conclusion that I will resolve to give my heart a makeover: too often do I lose my patience at work, or get irritated with my husband (still weird to say!), or allow a curse word to slip out in a moment of frustration or pain. Too often do I let selfishness win out over selflessness, and a negative attitude declare victory over a positive outlook.

 

2013 will be another year of change, that is without a doubt.

Here's to it!

 

P.S. I also am resolving to begin with a post per week...if I do more, that is GREAT. But one post per week is achievable, I think.

 

What are YOUR resolutions in 2013?



oops, I've been MIA!

well hello there, love!

my apologies for it being SO long since i've blogged--this holiday season has been a busy one for sure! how was your christmas? did santa bring you anything good that i should know about? {leave a comment and let me know, i love seeing that i have comments!}

i came across a pretty cool photo while celebrating the holiday at my grandparents': some snapshots of my aunt peggi in 1958. they look EXACTLY like my baby pictures!

{i will have to scan some of my baby photos in a later post--this is seriously freaky how identical they are!}

let me think back to all of the happenings since my last post: i went to another amazing concert, got my hair done, did a lot of christmas shopping, welcomed home a friend from iraq..and man, has God showed me some awesome things in the last few weeks!

as for the amazing concert: i was blessed to be able to see the story tour. one word for the songs/performances: breathtaking. the idea for the music came from a book by max lucado that profiles major persons in the bible. the lyrics to the songs, made to be each historical person's "song", were written by nichole nordeman, and to say she was given a unique insight into their lives is an understatement.

growing up in church, i've heard most of these stories since i was a toddler in the nursery. adam & eve, abraham & sarah, joseph, moses, joseph, ruth & naomi, david, daniel, esther, and job make up the old testament line-up; mary, Jesus, the thief on the cross, mary magdalene, the disciples, paul, and the Lord's return make up the new testament. ever since i was 5, i could probably give you a detailed account of what each person experienced in their unique mentioning in the bible. yet this musical compilation helps you to really understand what they felt..how they thought.

my favorite songs on the cd are abraham & sarah's, and david's. david's song, "your heart," has the powerful lyrics: "i know that i've crashed and burned, and lives have been overturned, but You redeem everything; yeah, even me. at the end of the day, i want to hear people say that my heart looks like Your heart.." how challenging of a request is that? yet i've found that being my heart's cry; will i fail, yes. but will God love me through my attempts, absolutely.

(i saved the best for last!) :) gosh, i have learned SO MUCH from the song about abraham and sarah. i'm just going to post the entire song here for you to experience:

tell me that doesn't both break your heart and want to just praise God for who he is? the lyric, "you think somehow i'd let my heart believe it's time to let go of lullabies,"..for me that just paints a picture of how sarah felt, disappointed and heartbroken that she had not been given a child. but God promised -- and God stays true to his promises. it blows my mind when i remember that THAT God, who fulfilled promises to Abraham and Sarah, is the same God who promises me that he is here for ME.

my journal entry from 12/15/11:

my God is that God. amen.

my heart is happy!

so i know i already posted today, but God is awesome and doing work in my high school girls and i just needed to share :)

my girls read my blog regularly, and one of my 9th graders was inspired to make a blog of her own. the lovely mauren just posted this blog post:

Tonights Echo group was AMAZING! It was full of Laughs,Two Awesome Leaders, My Beautiful Fellow Echo groupers, and (of course) Jesus.♥. We had a Great conversation. I'm so glad God gave me the strength to share with them. (I have Been praying about that for a while) I'm So Thankful They are in my life!(: Oh! aaannnd I'm so Happy Riley Joined our group.( : Shes Awesome!

..love this! seeing these girls growing in their faith and loving Jesus is the greatest thing in the world! my wednesday nights with them are most definitely the highlight of my week. and yes, ms. riley, we are so excited to have you with us ;)