Around the World

I'd like to give a big thanks to those in Russia who are following along with my blog! I appreciate your support and your visits. I hope you have been able to laugh and learn along side me.

I give everything over to You Lord

Butterflies

Season 1 Episode 2 "Butterflies"

{And this part of my life I call Friendship}

Have you ever felt like you knew someone for years after meeting them for the first time? Well, how about knowing someone for years except feeling like you don't know them at all? In your lifetime you will probably never have two friends who are exactly the same. Some you may be able to build a deep and personal relationship with, while others may be fleeting friends who never get to know the real you. Either way we will all at some point experience friendship, bad or good, meaningless or quality.

Often times I feel like it is easier to either be friends that don't really know much about each other or be in a relationship and skip the whole friendship part. Although, it is only within the past few weeks that I have grown a deeper appreciation for the true meaning of friend. And even though I still feel like I am working on what it means to be a friend at all times, I am learning to love the in between stage. Where it isn't quite acquaintances and still to far from relationship, but smack dab in the middle of em' both! The process of what it really means to learn about someone and understand how they operate is often times overlooked and seldom a priority.

I have been able to see friendship as a very powerful force in this world. I have seen friendships save lives. I have seen friendships encourage. I have seen friendships turn into prayer worriers, and an unstoppable forces of God. Friendships can be taken advantage. They can be ruined and destroyed. They have the ability to build up a generation that is made to be an agent of change. Friendships are important.

So as I embark on my "Episode 2" of seeking to understand friendships in a different light, I give Glory to God that He has been my sole reasoning in trying to learn when He has planned in the stage of Friendship!

I give every to You Lord

"The BIGGEST Loser"

If you have struggled with weight loss or trying to get fit, watch this and take it as an encouragement. Your body is a temple. Treat it like it's worth something.

I give everything over to You Lord

adVENTURE

Season 1 Episode 1 "Venture"
And this part of my life I call Adventure....

I have, throughout life, been able to see the journeys and stages of life that God has brought me to and through. I have been able to feel when a season is coming to an end and when a new season is beginning. It was about 7 months ago when a season of my life ended simply because God asked me to be obedient. So I listened. This was the first time I didn't have any "If" "&'s" or "But's". I have, ever since, been on a emotional and Spiritual detox. It has been a renewal phase in my life, that has allowed me to center my everything on the Creator of life. God has been so faithful with getting to know me, all the good and all the bad. I could never thank Him enough. I have been feeling like God has placed a destination in front of me and I am slowly catching glimpses of what it is looking like. But it's BIG and it's Beautiful. It's been quite the adVENTURE. I am very expectant, hopeful, excited, nervous and ready. God has held my hand thus far in my life, He has never let go, so I am going to dive in head first into His plans that are ahead.

When you think about your life what do you envision? What gets you excited to wake up in the morning, to keep on living? What ignites a burning passion under your feet, causing you to be so excited you can barely even speak? Let God be your morning, afternoon and evening, setting you apart by the air that you are breathing. Give it to God. Your life and all your thoughts.

I give everything over to You Lord

Mat Kearney

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Mat Kearney


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I give everything over to You Lord

Filling Up

Lately, I have been so passionate about living. Literally, passionate about being alive, breathing, walking, talking. I feel so comfortable yet not complacent with where God has me. I am at a place of complete submission to His will. I have "thrown in the towel", so to speak. And no, I'm not implying that I have given up on life, just given up on my ways being more important then Gods will. I have been trying my best to drain my inhibitions and let Gods vision for my life fill me up. It's exciting. More exciting than I thought it would be, honestly! I am a "go with the flow" kind of person, and I have left all my joys, pains, and trails in Gods hands to smooth them out and mark the map of my life.

I am willing and ready to leave, to stay, to travel, to encourage, to conquer, to build new relationships or mend old ones. You know that antsy feeling you get when you know something big is coming up? That is the feeling that rages wild within the Spirit and body. I am just excited! I have spent a lot of years trying to "figure" things out, while, in a way, turning my back to seeking God. So if you feel like you are at a place where you just want to "be there", where ever you feel like "there" is, be patient. God really is concerned about your character, your journey, your growth, your battles fought and won! Also, if you are at a place where you actually don't have excitement for living or to face another day, I have been there too. You are not alone. There is HOPE! If you are willing to drowned yourself in prayer, the Bible, and strong people, you will be able to find the spark for life! Do what it takes to get to where God needs you, trust me, it's worth it!

I give everything over to You Lord

Hate it or Love it

VALENTINES DAYS! For some those are cuss words, others it's another excuse to remember and express their feelings to their boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancé or husband/wife! Through all the years of despising this "holiday" I have finally come to enjoy February 14th. Not because its a day of roses, chocolates and soppy romances, but because it reminds me to always love, and unconditionally. Before you start thinking - "Oh here she goes, it's about to get all girly and emotional," let me stop you in your tracks!

Personally, I love loving people! I am passionate about the people I know, and the people I have yet to call friends. I have been reflecting on this upcoming valentines day because it is hard for a lot of girls and guys that I know. Dictionary.com defines love as:

love   Spelled [luhv]
1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

Can I say, coming from a very single girl, singleness is awesome, if you learn how to work it! I look at it like this - More time for God and more time for whatever else I like! How is that not awesome?! So if you are single this year on February 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and yes the 14th, just take a second to stop and know that singleness can be a blessing if you stop looking at it as a curse. So my challenge to you this lovely holiday is to find joy in a new day to live and love. If you see a happy couple, don't make gag reflex gestures and roll your eyes, instead appreciate every happy couple. It's okay to be thankful for what someone else has, it is okay to let your walls down and feel the longing and the desire to have a healthy and happy relationship one day! You are NOT crazy for feeling lonely at times and maybe feeling desperate for a romantic relationship. But let me just remind you, God has written the most romantic story of His love for us, His desire to know everything about us. Our secrets, favorite coffee shop, wildest dreams and biggest fears. God died on a cross for me, just to save me from eternal suffering. I now have hope and freedom because of my God! So until you find someone who is literally willing to lay their life down for you, stick with the One who has already provided you with the reassurance that He loves you.

Flowers will never define your worth or even come close to your beauty, no matter how many dozens of roses you get

Chocolates will not ever be as sweet as the love you are deserving of - even if they are the finest truffles, you will still be finer!
A card can not be written with enough classy words to even come close to your note-worthy life, Hallmark's got nothin of you!
A 5 star dinner is nothing compared to the God who put the stars in the sky for you

Lastly, why do people insist on calling Valentines day being the, "National Single Awareness Day"? I agree that it should be a day to be aware, but not just about your singleness. Although Christmas is the one day that has the most suicides of all holidays, Valentines day is right up there. & people are killing themselves, FOR WHAT?! The "great" marketing techniques of business men and women, and the fabulous job their doing by telling the world that singleness is bad. It is nothing to beat yourself up about.
Be single and appreciate it!

XOXO

I give everything over to You Lord

Gracious

When you have known someone for so long and, overtime, there is growth in that persons life, it is easier to tell the change in the individual. I have been lucky enough to witness a beautiful display of God and His grace. My families long time friend Robert decided to publicly dedicate his life to Christ by doing a water baptism at City of Grace. Although fear shook his insides and even though he literally left the church because he was scared, God pulled on his heart to trust Him. So Robert stood at the end of the line as, I'm sure, tons of thoughts ran through his head. I feel so honored that I can witness such an awesome journey from where God has taken Robert from until today. God is really concerned about the journey, not just the destination.

Here is his water baptism.

For the fear that may knock on Roberts heart, I pray that God will give him a measure of Grace that it leaves him so fulfilled and satisfied. I also ask that God would grant Robert an extra sensitive Spirit to what God wants of him and where He is leading Robert. I am excited to see the next 13 years play out in our good friends life. Tears came to my dad eyes watching this video because he also was able to see how far Robert has come. It is such a testament to Gods goodness and faithfulness in each of our lives. Your loved by the Starks family Robert!

I give everything over to You Lord