A Little preching Plee...

Oh yea... I have a blog.
Hey guys.

So sometimes all I want to do is preach. Like right now...
I want to talk about how life is worth it. I don't know the answers better than anyone else out there, but I've chosen to believe... I've chosen to believe that there is a God and that God has a plan for each and every one of us in this world. I believe that His plan for us is far better than our plans will ever be. One thing I know though, it that there is NO WAY His plan is for us to die by our own merit. Choose life guys. I know that sometimes it might not seem worth it and we want more... more answers... more... but this side of heaven we aren't always going to get that more.

We simply have to have a little faith. I chose to believe. I choose to believe each day. My doubts try to take over sometimes and this might always be a struggle I have, but life is worth it guys... and an eternal life after death is worth it too.

I know that life without God is so pointless. Without God my life had no purpose... with God, my life has a purpose. I want to follow His plan for my life, whatever that may be. I try to be as open to whatever He has for me as often as possible. God's plan is better than our plans. Don't try to take your life into your own hands. Put yourself in God's hands and let Him guide you.

And if you're ever second guessing this life you're living, don't keep it to yourself. Please share it with someone. Maybe a pastor... maybe me. Keeping it to yourself isn't the answer. I might not know the answer either, but together, things can be worked through. Choose life. You are loved. <3

A Day to be Remembered 9.1.12

Today was a simply beautiful day. God was in this day and His glory shown through so many different things, it's hard for me to even know where to begin.

A wedding and a birthday and a love.

A love so strong, no one can break it or buy it or replicate. The love I'm referring to is Agape love... the love poured out to us from God. This love will NEVER fail us, ever! And for that I am truly to be eternally grateful.

Benton and Kristen Oglesby. They are MARRIED now! The ceremony was so special. Vows that they each wrote for the other. Communion taken by the bride and groom. Worship music played and sung by those they love.

The worship song was beyond appropriate. "How He Loves Us..."

"He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all...

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about the way...

He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us,
Oh, how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh, how He loves us...
Oh, how He loves us...
Oh, how He loves us."

God is indeed jealous for us. So many different things of this world are fighting for our attention... sports, relationships, school, the list goes on... But here God is, waiting... just waiting for us to come to Him. He loves us so much that it honestly is SUPER hard for me to grasp. We are a tree and His love is a hurricane. That's how great and powerful HIS love for us is! When we finally realize just how great this love is, it is a beyond amazing feeling that is SO overwhelming! ... all we can say is how much He loves us... He loves us...He loves us.... thank GOD He loves us. Even though we have fallen so far from Him at times... even though I have fallen so far from Him at times, He still loves us and waits for us! THANK THE LORD FOR THAT! 

Something that stuck out to me that the pastor said was that Benton and Kristen each found someone who love God more than they love each other... and I can see and know just how much they love each other, and to think, they love God more than that! That's crazy... crazy AWESOME! I am honored to be related to such great examples and servants of the Lord. Their wedding was such a blessing to me, not only was I blessed to be there at all, but I was also blessed to be able to hear and see such a great message play out in this day!

The weather was perfect too... although I'm sure some would disagree:) 

The wedding was supposed to be an outdoor wedding, but due to uncertain weather, it was moved into the barn. During the wedding the open-barn-door-backdrop was perfect. Not too sunny, not too rainy. Not long after the ceremony ended the rain really picked up it's pace. Soon it was pouring... but before that, we were able to watch the storm roll in over the grassy Tennessee hills. Even the storm clouds seemed like some of the prettiest storm clouds I've seen! The wind picked up speed and we got some real nice rain and my phone even alerted me there was a tornado warning in the area! CRAZY TN! 

The torrential downpoor didn't last too too long though, and soon someone spotted a rainbow, as the sun began to poke it's way out again. I LOVE rainbows! ... and not just because they are breathtaking to look at, but also because of the fact of what it represents... God's promise to us... to His creation!

The storm passed and the sun came out, and the day ended with a beautiful sunset... the trees on the horizon making beautiful silhouettes that I could probably stare at ... or take pictures of, for hours if I ever got the chance... the chance and about the longest sunset EVER! :)

When the bride and groom finally joined us back at the barn after a picture or two;) ... they were able to share a first dance together. That dance was very special to be able to witness. I for one am NOT a dancer and never have been, annd have always sworn I would NEVER have dancing at my wedding... but this dance almosttt made me reconsider... key word, almost:) 

The speeches given by the best man, three brides maids, and Kristen's father were also beautiful. Everything about today reconfirmed to me that even though wedding's can be a HUGE hassle (it seems) and occasionally some drama can present itself, wedding's are still a beyond beautiful thing. In a time where more people seem to be getting divorced than married, weddings are great... but it's not just the weddings that are great, it's the marriage to follow that wedding. As Kristen's dad said (I believe) ... while Benton did pursue Kristen during their dating days... the wedding today is the first day of the rest of their lives together, and Benton plans to continuing pursuing Kristen each and every day. That is awesome guys!!! 

In the wedding ceremony another point that was to be conveyed, was that the marriage covenant is mirrored after the church. While I don't personally know much on this subject, I am now very interested in hearing more about this.... marriage to church.. church to marriage. These verses from Ephesians seem to be a good place to start: 

^{22 "}Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church

in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also nourishes and cherishes the church, ³⁰ because we are members of His body. ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church."

Ephesians 5:22-32

...I also thought Benton's best man said some really great things in his speech that are SO true: 

"...that sacrificial and unconditional love that God has for all of us... it can't, it will not last until death do us part unless you have that. ... it's not easy to have... it's always a struggle...but I look at this couple and I see a couple that is more than ready to take on that challenge...to take it until death do us part!" 

ISN'T THAT AWESOME?!? 

Congratulations to my very 1st, first cousin on his marriage to Kristen, the newest cousin to the family. May everything that was said on this day hold true and be a reminder to you both, for years to come, of what God has given you in each other. Love you both! 

OH annnd, HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY BENTON! <3 <3 

God moves at SBC!

This week at Somerset Beach Campground I am able to say that I truly saw God at work...yes, God has been at work other weeks here at camp, MANY other weeks... but this week I personally felt God's presence more than ever before. 

 
On the first night of camp I was totally defeated by the time I crawled into bed. Things had honestly just gone pretty horrible to say the least. Registration was said to be bizarre, with more upset parents than maybe ever before… room assignments had somehow gotten all mixed up and campers were ending up in all the wrong rooms without their requested roommates. Some campers didn’t want to stay at camp and were practically forced to stay in the room with their counselors. On the last night of camp I am actually forgetting what else went wrong on night one, but that just goes to show that the week got so much better as it went on.

On Wednesday morning we discussed in our girls staff meeting that the night before had maybe been one of the most “hellish” check-ins we’ve had for youth camps in the last 13 years or so. I think we were still just feeling all around defeated as a staff, but not to over spiritualize things, like one staff member said, but if you think about it, we thought that maybe the devil had been overly prevalent during check-in because he knew the week coming up was going to be a beyond awesome one for God and for all those involved with the two youth camps.

At the time this idea was mentioned, I honestly doubted… doubted God I guess. Who was I to doubt the God of the universe… and boy was I wrong. This week was full of God! Wednesday night when the gospel was presented to the Young Teens, the teens were very hesitant to come forward. I was feeling a little defeated and began thinking that maybe no one would respond to the message. Finally one boy went forward and then another and then a few girls from another cabin. It just takes one to get things going.

Skip over to Thursday night… I hear that the gospel was presented to the Explorer campers. I also hear that not one explorer camper stepped forward or stayed after in response to the gospel. As you would imagine, many people were once again feeling defeated… but not for long. Afterwards at the evening snack I hear from one of the explorer guy counselors that after the speaker presented the message and after the counselor and his guys were back in their cabin, the ENTIRE cabin of guys wanted to accept Jesus into their hearts! I believe there were ten boys in this cabin! What an awesome thing to hear!

Not long after I hear this, a camper from the teen camp runs up to me during his snack and excitedly tells me that he had given his life to the Lord that night after chapel time. His cabin had been in their small group time when this camper decided he was ready. The counselor had all the boys gather around this camper and lay hands on him while he accepted Jesus into his heart! What an awesome thing to have the support from his entire cabin! They were all SO excited for the camper and the excitement was contagious! 

Friday morning at chapel the speaker had this particular camper come forward and tell his story, and the entire teen camp cheered on this guy and his new found relationship with Christ! For me, this was such an awesome thing to see!... not something I normally see in camps honestly. The excitement from the camp as a whole just seemed to light a fire for God!

Friday night chapel was where I truly felt God the most. The message was great, but what happened post-message was the even cooler part to experience. The speaker had the chapel band play a song and said that if any campers were feeling lead to come forward during this, feel free to do so. The speaker prayed and then the band began playing and singing. Right away two boys went forward. I hurried down to lay hands on them and before I knew it, the ENTIRE teen camp had come forward. The song was beyond moving and the hands being laid were amazing. Tears were most definitely shed… a few even coming from me. When the song got to the part where it said, “I stand with arms high and heart abandoned,” everyone’s hands were raised up to God… God was in the Friday night chapel and God was in the Young Teen and Explorer Camps. Even with the things the devil had been trying to do to stop this fire, the devil could not stop the movement this time. It’s so awesome that we also know that this is exactly how the spiritual battle really will end. Even with the foothold the devil tries to have in this world, God will ultimately come out on top and defeat satan once and for all! I cannot be more thankful for everyone who was a part of this week of camps at Somerset Beach Campground. I am the most thankful to God for all He did this week! YAY GOD! 

What "gets me"

Recently I've just felt like a super passionate individual... sometimes my passion for things scares me. This sort of passion and love is so new to me that for the most part I really don't know what to do with it. One thing I do know that is that if this passion is of God, there is no way I plan to let anything or anyone get in my way or discourage me... so anyways, here is a (hopefully) simple list of the things in life that just really "get me" ... if that's even the phrase I'm looking for... which I believe it is. Honestly ya' all... I need sleep... but sleep can't come... just thought, after thought, after thought... so here goes a blog done by one very tired, emotional individual.

What "gets me"

1. kids. KIDS! They are so great! I can't even begin to fathom why anyone would treat a child in an inappropriate manner. I have such a heart for any and all kids, but probably even (a little) more of a heart for kids who don't receive the proper love and respect they deserve.

2. God. And yes of course, God is before kids... I could go ahead and move Him to the number one place... but I won't... because I'm tired. But honestly, He is my number one passion... and I know that God gave me my passion for kids to be used for Him. Before just recently, I can honestly say that God probably did not hold the highest position in my life. I was always looking for something to fill that void whether it be pictures, or social media, or certain relationships... None of those things mean anything if it is not ultimately going to glorify God.

3. Worship music. I was the person who used to judge the songs being sung in a service or make fun of "worship prayers," calling them "just a bunch of words that pastors throw together to try and make them sound holy enough." Until I truly started listening to the words and taking them in, yes, the songs and prayers were just a bunch of words... but really, worship and worship music and prayers are so much more than that. This summer, between the Wellspring groups from Spring Arbor, or the Jerry time music or the "Lissa time" music being lead by a 21 year old guy on a guitar and a 14 year old girl on the drums, I kinda just fell in love with worship music... if I'm even allowed to say that... but these songs made me fall even more in love with God, so I wouldn't say its all bad to say. Some examples of songs that we sang throughout the summer included, but were not limited to:

-roaring like a lion (god's not dead)

-he is jealous for me (oh how he loves us)
-the stand (i stand with arms high and heart abandoned)
-the earth is yours by gungor
-beautiful things, gungor
-lead me to the cross, hillsong
-oh happy day!
-lord i lift your name on high
-every move i make
-i wanna see jesus lifted high (a banner that flys across this land)
-open the eyes of my heart lord (i want to see youuu) 

-"Remind Me Who I Am" by Jason Gray

4. Summer camp... or even winter, spring, summer, and fall camp. Growing up at Somerset Beach Campground, people tend to wonder if this place has maybe lost it's specialness to me... and if we're being honest, at times it has... but this summer in particular... I couldn't feel more blessed to be working at SBC! Being surrounded by people who share a love for the same things you do, God being the biggest, is a super awesome feeling! ... also, providing a place for kids to just have an amazing week while constantly being shown God's love is more ideal that I can even believe sometimes!

5. Nature... sunsets over a lake or especially an ocean... anything that God has created... I don't always notice it's beauty right away... but I can promise you I will always be extremely impressed and awestruck with any sunset God puts in the sky for us. He didn't have to make the world so beautiful, but He did it for us, that it would ultimately bring more glory to His name! Oh and stars! Don't even get me started on stars... star gazing anyone?!:)

6. Christian communities. JACKSON FREE METHODIST CHURCH! ... I love that place. I truly feel I can be myself there now after 21 years and not be afraid of what others will think. While service seems to sometimes be all about me and what I may have taken away from a message, at the end of every service I love comparing notes with others who also heard the message or just hearing about peoples lives... and not just the "I'm good" answer... but getting real, honest stories and hardships that the people I love are going through. ... ps. I am SO pumped for SAU chapel sessions next year... the whole campus getting that into worshiping God TOGETHER sounds like it's really going to be amazing! Alsooo, looking forward to maybe (hopefully.. really would like to!) leading a small group for the Spring Arbor Free Methodist middle school youth group. Lots of kids from camp go to that youth group as well, so it will be awesome to re-connect with these teens I care about so much that I would usually only get to see one week of the summer.

7. Honesty. That person who can be SO honest with you, but they are this honest with you to ultimately make you a better person for God and His purposes in your life. While yes, I think there is appropriate times and places for this honestly, it is just a very refreshing thing in this society. Just be straight up with me and do not sugar coat whatever it is you may be trying to say... now if what you say to a person isn't done out of love, then the honestly is more hurtful than helpful. But a real honest person just "gets me."

8. Seeing others happy. Making someone's day. ... like if there is anything I can do for you, just tell me! Help others to help yourself even. I love to be able to make a kid happy... make them smile... especially if they didn't start our conversation smiling. That is the coolest.

9. Servants. Those who are so extremely servant hearted. They are obviously trying to be more like God, which in turn means I want to be more like them, who wants to be more like God... I look to these servants as an example of Jesus on Earth. While I may not have been able to witness Jesus on Earth, these servants of God, living out each and every day for God, are people I can look to as an example, other than the example of Jesus that I am able to read about in the Bible.

10. Other people who are in love with God. Those people truly captivate my attention and make me want to do better for myself. If they can be that madly in love with God... so can I.. and not only is it possible, it's also possible they could help me along. Thank goodness God gives us people here on Earth to challenge us, encourage us, and love us. .. And to think that the love some people possess for me is no where near the love God has for me... that is crazy! ... crazy hard to wrap my mind around. God sent his one and only son to die for me... and loves meee...and the whole world enough to do so!... Welp, I think I've probably preached enough for one day. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone in this post. I don't mean to do so at all. Sometimes I just really would like to share my thoughts with the world... or just whoever decided they want to listen(read)... and sometimes writing things down works a lot better than verbal communication would. This is me, and all I can really do is keep hoping and praying that the me that God wants me to be is in there somewhere and will continue to show itself over time.

Change.

So I'm laying in bed on this July morning and a slightly morbid, but true thought comes into my head. "The day I stop changing, is the day I die." Okay, so it's not like I'm laying here thinking about the day that I die or anything of the sort. Instead I'm just laying here thinking about change. That word has been a HUGE word to me throughout my life. Change used to be thee scariest word for me growing up... and even really up until pretty recently. I didn't see change as a good thing. I saw it as something to run from and to work to keep it from happening as much as possible. I'm not sure what changed since then, but somehow that word got altered in this stubborn mind of mine.

I'm gonna go ahead and say God had a pretty big part in this alteration. The word change. It is a very biblical word if you think about it. God wants us to be constantly changing, and for the better at that. The day we stop seeking this bettering change should be the day we meet God face to face in heaven. I'm about to get a little preachy here, so excuse me... when I think about an unchanging person, I think of the verses on being a lukewarm Christian. God doesn't have much good to say about that. "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I will spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16. If those verses doesn't make us a little scared of lukewarmness, I don't know what would.

The point of this post is not to make you all scared into changing... I guess it is mostly just to say how awesome being open to change has been in my life. The minute God knew I was open to change, however small that openness might have been,  change began taking place. For example, transferring from Greenville to SAU. Never did I ever think that change would actually happen. Change can be good, and is good. Being open to change and striving to change to be even closer to the person God wants you to be is really truly super rewarding. I am no where near perfect or no where near being fully changed. I have accepted that I will probably be changing for the rest of my life, and I am finally okay with this and welcome the change. Every day may not bring about a huge change, and some days I'll probably feel like I made a change for the worse... but I know that with God on my side, the change in my life and heart will ultimately be for the better, as long as God is the one directing the change.

 "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Romans 12:2

Beauty is found in the eyes of THEE Beholder.

God made each of us exactly how He wanted us to be made... in His image... totally and completely perfect to Him! Why then, do so many people want to alter the way in which God has created them? I know that so many different articles have been written about subjects such as these. People are trying to change what they look like to better themselves. While some body alterations are needed and completely understandable, others I find so extremely shocking.

The other day I posted a picture to Facebook without even giving it a second thought. I didn't find the picture while reading an article or anything of the sort. It randomly popped up on my news feed and I copy and pasted it (probably illegally) to my Facebook page. Anyway... so here's this picture...

...and I find myself looking at it, but wasn't thinking anything more than "WOW!, check out the power of makeup." NO, that picture is not just showing us the power of make up. So much more was done to that woman's face than a little addition of makeup. She completely altered one side of her face, and I'm sure the other side eventually, for some reason or another... To make herself appear prettier to others most likely. Why, why, why does it matter whether or not we are born with an extra fold in our eye lid or not? Who is to say this is prettier? What would God say?

I would think our God would say, I made you JUST how I wanted you to look! YOU are beautiful, daughter(or son) of mine. Rest in that assurance. Don't look to others for approval... for approval alone only needs to come from the Lord! I could go on and on about this subject, but seeing as how I am way past my point of exhaustion, I think I will close with posting this not so sort article I just read, thanks to Daniel Eads, about some of what I am talking about above. I think once you read the article, its words alone will probably sink in possibly more than mine. Please take a minute to read this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/world/asia/in-south-korea-plastic-surgery-comes-out-of-the-closet.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4

 <3

ps. i am now realizing that maybe it appears i am judging any and all who took part in these sort of eye lid/plastic surgery sort of procedures. i am not. no judging here. what i am trying to say is that you, all of you, are beautiful exactly how you already are. changes already having been made or not, God is totally and completely in love with us. that is an awesome thing to remember! outward appearances are not going to alter God's undying. unconditional love for us. rest assured in that and remember where true beauty comes from, myself included in this remembering. #workInprogress 

Heart shaped pizza

This is part of a journal assignment I was assigned to do in my COR 300 class at SAU, and I thought I'd share it with you all. What beliefs do you hold most dearly, and of these, which are you willing to die for? Maybe take time to make your own list and think about what really matters in your life or what should really matter.

Top 10 beliefs I hold most dearly:

1. My belief in God. That he sent his son to this earth to die for every person’s sins, including my own. 

2. My belief in love. God loves me and I love Him, more than anyone else in this world. I also love others. I am commanded to do so. And on top of that, I know others who love me. 

3. My belief in relationships. God gave me people in my life to intermingle with and develop relationships with. More than anything, my relationship with God is the most important. 

4. My belief in family. More than just an average human relationship is the blood bond of another. My parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents… These people that God has blessed me with, who I believe I will be blessed enough to always keep strong relationships with. 

5. My belief in marriage. I have yet to marry, but I know marriage can and does last. I have many awesome examples of such relationships in my life. God has someone out there for me, whether I have found him yet or not. 

6. My belief in forgiveness. Christ has forgiven me, therefore I should forgive others, no matter what it is they may have done to “wrong” me.

7. My belief in heaven. Jesus has joined his father in heaven to prepare a place for me… a place for anyone who has accepted Jesus as their personal savior. This is where I will spend eternity with God and with those I love and that love God.

8. My belief in creation. God created all there ever has been on this earth. Whether He created the human being who then went on to create Microsoft, or whether He directly placed trees on this earth, all was created by God. Nothing is here by chance or even CLOSE to chance! No explosion or bang created who I am and what this beautiful world around me looks like.

9. My belief in myself. I think can, I thank I can… No, I know I can! I believe in myself. God is in me, and through him I can do all things through His strength in me. If it is God’s will for me, I believe and know I will be able to accomplish the tasks He puts before me. 

10. My belief in sustenance. What I am mainly referring to through this belief, is that I believe I am alive today one, because it is God’s will that I am, but two, that I have been provided with enough food and water to live off of. This “sustenance” has kept me alive this long, and will continue to do just that as long as I am provided for. 

Well there's my list of ten beliefs that I hold most dearly. Seen above, the bestest sustenance around, Marios Pizza in Greenville, IL. I am now craving it times a million and three. If anyone would like to ship me some, I wouldn't complain... I don't think, that is. Although here I am thinking about number 10 on my list. Maybe I need to get my priorities straight here:)

Also, seen even abover, is my grandparents, Art and Judy Osborne's hands with their wedding rings on them, placed upon the Bible. They have been married for over 50 years as have my dad's parents, Ish and Joanna Smith. SO blessed for examples such as these! Speaking of heart shaped pizzas, I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day! Whether your day was spent thinking more specifically about a significant other or maybe even thinking about how much God loves you and therefore we should love Him and others. I was blessed to be able to celebrate the day thinking of both God and others, and even more specially a certain other. Evan showed up on Monday and surprised me after class with roses and dinner! What a guy:) Anyways, hope this list could maybe get you all thinking. <3