Praise the Lord! (PTL)

Hey all you fellow bloggers out there :) PTL I have finally gotten my act together and committed to putting Christ 1st and foremost in my life. It took me long enough but the Lord helped me to finally realize that I needed Him and I could only survive with Him...
Part of the commitment I made was to let go of certain temptations in my life that were pulling me away from Jesus. Some would think they were silly things but in truth they had all really began to effect me. Things like: fiction books, to much time spent on the internet, and then making the commitment to be in the Word each and everyday...making the commitment to MAKE time to be in the WOrd every single day no matter how busy I am.
Being in the Word everyday was the really inmportant thing that I wanted to focus on...
I want to be in Women's Ministries, in fact, that is what I am (as of right now) going to major in. I realized that I can not expect the Lord to allow me to minister to others in His name when I am really not living 100% for HIM. How will I or anyone be able to really council someone if we ourselves are not constently drawing from His Word and Prayer/Fellowship with Him. In the long run, it is really not possible! I did not make this commitment because I am legalistic or just trying to put on a show. GOd brought me to the end of myself and I realized (once again)that I am nothing without Him.
I was having my devos the day after I made this commitment and I found this really neat article of the Rebelution blog (which you can get to from my links section):

"Now it might seem confusing that we are telling you to not despise the day of small things, but also to avoid getting stuck there, and to keep going. We quote Jim Elliott saying, “Wherever you are — be there 100%” while also instructing you to pursue every open door. It could seem like we want everyone to “stay where they are” and “move” at the same time.

In reality our hope is that you would learn to throw yourselves 100% into the small things God has in front of you, but to not get so comfortable there that you miss the next thing, the bigger, better opportunities He brings your way when you keep your eyes open for them. We want you to be like someone who has been faithfully exercising, but is constantly looking for opportunities to use the strength that he or she has developed to serve others in a productive, real world situation.

One of our mother’s favorite sayings is the line, “Hustle while you wait.” She might tell us that after dinner when we are all sitting around waiting for dessert but the table hadn’t been cleared. She would get the dessert all served out but often wouldn’t bring it to the table until everything was completely cleared. ‘Hustle while you wait’ meant that something good we wanted depended on our quick and cheerful execution of a task immediately in front of us.

In a way, that is God’s command and promise to you today. Don’t despise the day of small things — do them with all your heart — and as you are faithful with that which is little He will put you over much. Keep moving, hustle while you wait, and the door of opportunity is sure to open to you. That is the kind of God we serve."

Isn't that great? So, my challenge to you today: Live 100% for the Lord...we only have a limited time here on earth, don't waste it. May God bless you all richly this day...

Great Article!

Changed from the Inside Out
by Max Lucado

When you believe in Christ, Christ works a miracle in you. You are permanently purified and empowered by God himself. The message of Jesus to the religious person is simple: It’s not what you do. It’s what I do. I have moved in. And in time you can say with Paul, “I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).

If I’m born again, why do I fall so often?

Why did you fall so often after your first birth? Did you exit the womb wearing cross-trainers? Did you do the two-step on the day of your delivery? Of course not. And when you started to walk, you fell more than you stood. Should we expect anything different from our spiritual walk?

But I fall so often, I question my salvation. Again, we return to your first birth. Didn’t you stumble as you were learning to walk? And when you stumbled, did you question the validity of your physical birth? Did you, as a one-year-old fresh flopped on the floor, shake your head and think, I have fallen again. I must not be human?

Of course not. The stumbles of a toddler do not invalidate the act of birth. And the stumbles of a Christian do not annul his spiritual birth.

Do you understand what God has done? He has deposited a Christ seed in you. As it grows, you will change. It’s not that sin has no more presence in your life, but rather that sin has no more power over your life. Temptation will pester you, but temptation will not master you. What hope this brings!

Hear this. It’s not up to you! Within you abides a budding power. Trust him!

Think of it this way. Suppose you, for most of your life, have had a heart condition. Your frail pumper restricts your activities. Each morning at work when the healthy employees take the stairs, you wait for the elevator.

But then comes the transplant. A healthy heart is placed within you. After recovery, you return to work and encounter the flight of stairs—the same flight of stairs you earlier avoided. By habit, you start for the elevator. But then you remember. You aren’t the same person. You have a new heart. Within you dwells a new power.

Do you live like the old person or the new? Do you count yourself as having a new heart or old? You have a choice to make.

You might say, “I can’t climb stairs; I’m too weak.” Does your choice negate the presence of a new heart? Dismiss the work of the surgeon? No. Choosing the elevator would suggest only one fact—you haven’t learned to trust your new power.

It takes time. But at some point you’ve got to try those stairs. You’ve got to test the new ticker. You’ve got to experiment with the new you. For if you don’t, you will run out of steam.

Religious rule keeping can sap your strength. It’s endless. There is always another class to attend, Sabbath to obey, Ramadan to observe. No prison is as endless as the prison of perfection. Her inmates find work but never find peace. How could they? They never know when they are finished.

Christ, however, gifts you with a finished work. He fulfilled the law for you. Bid farewell to the burden of religion. Gone is the fear that having done everything, you might not have done enough. You climb the stairs, not by your strength, but his. God pledges to help those who stop trying to help themselves.

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6.) God will change you from the inside out.

"Trust"

“Trust”

I got accepted to Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA (BBC)! I am so incredibly excited! I got to visit the college and spent 2 nights in Carter Dorm L suite. It was really fun and everyone was so nice. Seriously, the only way at you could not make a friend is be staying holed up in your room with the door locked and not speak to anybody.
The campus itself is absolutely gorgeous. It was originally a monastery so the architecture is breathtaking. Plus, it is on a summit (Clarks Summit) so the whole valley just stretches around it. Absolutely gorgeous…
It is so neat how the Lord has been providing already. When I got back I kind of started to panic. I mean, not only does it cost $20,000 a year but that does not include actual living expenses. I was sitting on my bed just thinking and it was almost as thought God spoke to me. Just asking me if I could trust HIM to provide... So I had to make that choice.
That evening I gave a testimony of what the Lord had done in my life since I went on a trip to a mission’s conference in Michigan. One of the quotes I shared that night had to do with trust:
“If I can explain it…God didn’t do it.”
How true that is! That night I told everybody that I didn’t know how I was going to Get to BBC and how in and of myself I know I couldn’t but I knew my God could!
Once I made that commitment to trust Him no matter what happened things really started to happen!
This may sound so dumb but, one of the things I had been worried about getting was dress pants. Basically you have to wear them Monday-Friday to classes and chapel. After that you are allowed to change. Anyway, dress pants can be really expensive and I knew that I would need quite a few pairs. The day after giving my testimony and making that commitment Mom and I went shopping. I decided to just stop at the thrift store and see if they had happened to have any dress pants. Did they ever! I walked out with four pairs of dress pants, p.j.’s that were originally $17 and warm stockings for $17.30 total! Now is that God or what! I did not realize how much of it was really God until I went home. One pair of pants had the original tags still on them. I found the price tag and it turns out that that one pair of dress pants was originally $34.95. And I got all that other stuff for $17 dollars! Again:
“If I can explain it…God didn’t do it.”
The Lord has also provided a laptop for me which I needed desperately for school. It just goes to show how great our God is!
Even though it may seem a little tacky, I have that price tag on my dresser and every time (seriously) I have started to doubt God since He brings $34.95 to my mind as a reminder that He is my Provider. What a blessing to be the child of such a wonderful Heavenly Father! Praise His Holy Name!

Vacation Recap!

Hey all you fellow bloggers out there!
I am really sorry that it has been so incredibly long since I have updated :( This vacation has been so incredibly crazy, wonderful, tiring, exhilirating, scary, and just a time of total trusting in Him (or at least trying too :-) ) So here is a recap:
Well, I went on a Missions conference trip to Michigan like 2 days after Christmas. We left on Thursday and returned on Saturday so I spent 16 hrs. in a stinking car over 3 days! In spite of that it was the most amazing experiance of my life. This is our whole group:



~1st Row: Tim Monger (the leader and organizer), Brian and Ethan Thompson (our group).
~2nd Row: Sarah Britton, Me, Stephanie (our group), Cynthia Nickols, Mrs. Nickols, and Dan Nickols (their family was the worship team).
~3rd Row: Brad (our group), Charlie Mack (Campus Crusades for Christ), Tyler (our group), I can't remember his name but he was really nice, Ashton Raduns (our group leader), Mr. Nickols (rest of the worship team).
~4th Row: Ron (missionary to Japan for 24 years), Bruce (a missionary), Jack (youth pastor and speaker for the general sessions), Brian (student), Big Ed (missionary), Katie Scarborough (my friend who I came with), Sarah Scarborough (Katie's sister), Nathen Radens (Ashtons husband and our leader).

In the 400 churches that were invited we were the only one that came. There were only 24 of us but what a slice of Heaven it was! I have never experianced the closeness and intimacy that we experianced with other Christians that I have never experianced ever. It was so wonderful and none of us wanted it to end :) I made some forever friends there and God really worked in me personally...

Besides us 5 girls (including Ashton) there were 2 other girls Sarah and Cynthia. We bonded so quickly it surprised all of us I think :) God was the focal point of our time there and I think that is what really made our relationships with eachother so deep. Here is a picture of us girls, what a group we were!:



On the left: Katy, Sarah, Cynthia, and Me
On the Right: Ashton, Stephanie, and Sarah

There were 2 Sarah's (yes same spelling) and 2 Katy's (Katie's) in a group of 6 girls! That was fun :-)

Another thing that God did was totally confirmed to me was BBC. As many of you know I had been considering transfering there in the fall of '08 and had even gone so far as to put in my application for review. During the conference that is what was going on. GET THIS! In the 14 other people that werer there 4 of them where a family. Mr. and Mrs. Nickols, Dan and Cynthia. Dan is currently going to BBC and Cynthia was already accepted there for the fall of '08! How amazing and what an amazingly awesome miracle that was :-)
Me and Cynthia (pictured below) got really close especially when we realized how alike we were and that we both wanted to go to BBC. That was a definate God-thing!



So, after weeks of waiting and wondering and stressing I got THE CALL...Dun, dun, dun...I AM GOING TO BBC IN FALL '08!!!!! I got ACCEPTED :) I am so excited :-) God is so good!! I am going to visit this upcoming weekend and am kind of nervous but I think I will enjoy it. :-)

So what else have I been up to? Well, spending time with my friends and family. Elisha and Valerie are home so it has been really nice :-) Here are some pics we took together:

I will continue this later I have to go... Blessings!