Love

"Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale." -Anonymous

Formal

There are no words to describe how much fun it was to dance for three hours straight. While I admit to acting like a fool a couple of times (ok the whole time) I have no regrets when it comes to my moves. I'm a white, Baptist girl from the South. What can I say? :) Here is a picture of my future roomz and I at formal.

Where Has The Time Gone?

Oh. My Goodness. Seriously where has the time gone??? I swear everytime I look at my calender two weeks have passed. People have told me my whole life that time flies as you get older but I never fully understood what they meant...until now. As freshman year comes to an end (rather quickly I might add) I continuously find myself thinking about how much I have changed since school started. It's truly incredible to reflect on all the incredible things God has done in my life since August and how He began preparing me for things to come years ago. Never will I understand His plan or ways but they never cease to amaze me.

The past two weeks have been difficult to say the least. I have been filled with feelings of doubt, insecurity, and others along those lines. In return, I am slowly learning the importance of fully relying on God for everything. EVERYTHING. Did you hear me say everything??? God doesn't care how trivial each situation is, they all matter and mean the same in His eyes.

An opportunity has recently become available (and by recently I mean yesterday) for me to take classes at UMHB in May and June. At first I was so excited, and still am, but now have to deal with the logistics, specifically the financial factor. And let me tell you, this is the biggest factor. I so badly want to stay here and get caught up on my classes so I can graduate in four years, but don't know if that's what God wants me to do. I turned down several opportunities in the past couple of days either because the timing didn't work out or because I was not excited enough about them. Maybe God was preparing me for this. Not completely sure yet, but I must decide by tomorrow what I want to do. At this point all I can do is talk to financial aid (lovely) and ask God to make it evident if He wants me to stay here or go home.

Well it's Play Day today. Get excited! Students at UMHB will be participating in games and activites in hopes of releasing stress and anxiety as school comes to an end and finals approach us. I hope to experiment with paintball. Pray for my team. We're playing boys. It seemed like a brilliant idea last night. Then again, it was after midnight and we had just finished laughing histerically while eating pancakes. Oh the joys of college life.

I leave you with a song that has given me hope through everything. Just listen to the words and allow God to speak to you. Have a wonderful week.

Hallie

Dear Rosebud,

Today you will try out for cheerleader for the very last time. How did this happen? How did you grow up so quickly. It is evident that God is transforming you into a beautiful, courageous, strong-willed young woman. You project your faith onto others and allow His light to be known. You have a tender heart that seeks compassion and grace. While you appear to be very independent on the outside, I know you better than anyone else and know that you are very sensitive to those who are hurting. I pray each day that God will use you wherever you attend college. I pray that people will take notice of your love for Christ and in return desire to know Him. You are going to be incredible today at tryouts. Remember to relax and breathe. You have been through this process five times already...you're a pro! Let those judges see your joy that is revealed through cheering. Smile and have fun! Enjoy today...and be thankful that you'll never have to go through it again :) I love you dearly.

Love,
Ash

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs." Psalm 100:2

In the Midst of Difficult Times...

Remember that God has an unfailing plan.

"The more Satan sees something crucial on that next step, the more he will fight you. Why does God allow such warfare? Sometimes God uses the fight to strengthen muscles we'll need at that next level. If yesterday's wimp is going to become tomorrow's warrior, something has to happen today."

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Quotes

Here are a few quotes that have really encouraged me lately.

On Life
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." Philippians 1:3

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

On Love
"...he is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights

On Medicine
"It's a beautiful day to save lives. Let's have some fun." Grey's Anatomy

On Beauty
"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you." Song of Solomon 4:7

God's Letter to Girls

My sister recently showed me this "letter." She received it from her small group leader at church and it definitely spoke volumes to both of us. I hope it will bless you as it did us, and allow you to think about each word and what ot truly means.

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
to have a deep soul relationship with another,
to be loved thoroughly and exclusively, but God says to a Christian:
no, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone,
with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to me,
with having an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone,
discovering that only in me is your satisfaction to be found,
will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.
You will never be united with another until you are united with Me
exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing,
one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best.
Please allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things I tell you. You just wait. That’s all.
Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things others have gotten
or that I have given them. Don’t look at the things you think you want.
You just keep looking off and away up to me, or you’ll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you’re ready,
I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would dream of.
You see, until you are ready, and until that one I have for you is ready
(I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time),
until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I prepared for you,
you won’t be able to experience the Love that exemplifies your relationship with Me,
and this is the perfect Love.
And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful Love.
I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with me,
and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty,
perfection, and Love that I offer you with Myself.
Know that I love you utterly. I am God. Believe it and be satisfied.

So many girls, both young and old, rush into relationships. They are either insecure and need to be loved by someone or they are unable to function alone. I have witnessed so many of these relationships. Everytime the girl ends up broken hearted because she gave her heart to her boyfriend. She did not guard her heart because she believed he was "the one." I am not judging any one of these girls. It truly breaks my heart to see this happen over and over again. I pray that girls will read this "letter" and realize that a man will not solve all of her problems. Only God is capable of that job.