Forgiveness and Love

In Luke 15, we read a story that shows the love of a father for his son. Even after his son has done wrong and has turned his back on him by going off to another land, the father still loves him and welcomes him back home with open arms and embraced him. the father gave him the nicest of everything when he returned home because his son was found. This is the same principle today, people do wrong, realize it, come back to the 'good people' wanting forgiveness and love. They deserve it, they, too, once were lost but now are found.

I was thinking, do I do this in my own life? My parents, friends, brother, strangers, people at school, everyone?

I'd love to think I welcomed everyone back 'home' with open arms and a feast, but I don't?

This is something that I really, really, really need to work on. I need to forgive no matter what happened or what I feel like. Who cares how wrong someone has done me. Who cares if I don't agree with choices people make, but how am I going to impact their life in anyway if I don't accept them and their flaws with love and open arms? They aren't going to see any good in me if I just give them the cold shoulder.

What is a way that you can improve in this area? Is it that you put on a good front of love, acceptance and forgiveness, and your heart needs work? Or are you like me and your heart and actions need work?

I pray that I do a better job engaging in the act of forgiveness. I pray that love is the only thing that fills my heart, I pray that this love comes from the Lord. I pray that others see this love and forgiveness in me and know that there is no other person it comes from except for the Lord.

Spring Break Plans - Miami

I have always had this little tiny tug in my heart, that I ignored for a long time, but last year I decided I wasn't going to ignore it anymore.

I prayed about it a lot last year, especially after Campus Harvest. I felt that last year wasn't really the right time for me to go on a missions trip. I feel like through prayer I got a "just wait maybe next school year or summer." Well, I'm pretty sure now is the time.

A group from VCM and other universities are going to Miami over spring break with Ten Days Missions. I went to the information meeting on Wednesday night and I'm going to go.

It's definitely not going to be easy for me, for many reasons. One being that I'm going to raise support, I know that my parents could send me if it came down to it, but I'm going to trust God for this trip financially. I am also not completely comfortable flying, I've never flown before so I'm a little bit nervous, thankfully I've got other girls going that I know well. Also, I really have never done missions work before, so this will be new for me. I have gone with my youth group to summer camp where we went to the underprivileged parts of the city to hold a vacation bible school for the kids, but that's it! I'm really praying for this trip, praying God's will, and working on completely turning over my anxiety and worry to Him and trusting Him fully.

On the other hand, when I told my parents my plans, I got responses I didn't expect to. My Momma is all for it, but not Daddy. Which I was expecting to be the opposite way around! Oh well, I'm not going to let Daddy's hesitation be my hesitation.

I think this will be a experience that will benefit me as well as others! I do ask that you pray for this trip, for the people going to serve, for the people we serve that we will impact there lives in a way never before, and that this trip will be a blessing from God and perfectly in His will!

oh, and this was the devotion, on my phone, for the day....

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you - Matthew 28:19-20

Here Jesus succinctly sums up the entire purpose of his church, the commission he has given us.

Go. We are not to simply wait for God to bring people across our path that may have an interest in the gospel. We are to go to all nations (which includes our own neighborhood, city, and country) in the wonderful and powerful name of Jesus.

Teach. Our job is to disciple those who have never heard the gospel, or who have never seen it lived out seriously and joyfully. Inherent in Jesus' command to disciple is the claim that all faiths are not equal, and that Christianity has an exclusive and authoritative message. You are to teach others, because in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).

Baptize. Our teaching is not simply for the sake of information; it must be a call to action. When we accurately and uncompromisingly present the truth of Christ, it will necessarily include a call to commitment and it will require a public profession of faith. Baptism is only fitting for those who have been discipled, those who have come to believe in the triune God of the Bible.

Teaching them. Too often churches focus so much on outreach that they neglect the vital, tough work of ongoing training and instruction. Our goal should be for God's people to actively pursue all things that Jesus has commanded concerning them.

Are you going? Are you discipling? Are you publicly professing Christ?

Starting the Semester Out Right

Everything has fallen in to place! Praise!

I couldn't have asked for a better way to start the semester! Everything just feels "right"!

I love it!!

My prayer life has just come leaps and bounds it feels like in just a few short weeks, I have really gotten back into the groove with my devotionals, etc., I'm loving church in Greenville, I'm loving spending time just hanging out with my awesome friends here, I am loving the new worship songs I have found, I'm loving being back on a schedule, I'm loving being organized for school, I'm loving sleeping in my super comfy bed at school, I love having my own space and doing things my way, I'm just loving Greenville and all aspects of my life right now. I just feel at peace and happy.

I couldn't ask for better!! I'm on a high and just to leave you with my current favorite song...

Furious by Bethel Church

I hope y'all all have a wonderful week and take time out of your day for your quiet time, that has been a big part of my "loving life" attitude!

First Hunting Experience

I went country the past couple of days.

It all started on Monday when Daddy, Josh and I went out to the farm to shoot sporting clays/skeet. I was h.o.r.r.i.b.l.e. at first but once I figured to that my cheek wasn't touching the gun, I was a whole lot better. I shot 9 out of the 10 skeet thrown. That's pretty good for not shooting a gun in about 2 years, I think.

So on Monday night Lauren and Kris came over to my house to watch The Bachelor and i mentioned that to Lauren and she invited me to go duck hunting with them.

I bought a hunting license and such and we had to jump through some hurdles for me to be able to hunt with them but it all worked out.

We woke up at 530 yesterday and Coty meet us at Kris' house (I spent the night at his house with Lauren so we wouldn't have to drive there) and we got out to prepare the pond around 6.

This requires throwing out decoys and finding a place to stand, to blend in so the ducks won't see you when they are flying over. Y'all should have seen me and Lauren, it was hilarious. Thankfully, Lauren had a little bit of "know how" about her but we really were guessing about what to do.. We just made do, basically and tried to "think like a duck."

I was the only one with a gun on tuesday, Lauren didn't because we only had one duck stamp. And guess what ?!?!?

Yes! I killed a duck!! My first time ever hunting and I kill something? I say beginner's luck maybe?

I'm hooked I can't wait to go again! My toes may be frozen at the end but it's completely worth it!!

Oh, and I even tried duck and it's pretty good. I know what to shoot if I ever need to kill for food! haha! Thank the Lord for Kris he did all of the dirty work for me :)

ps- I'm trying to figure out how to get pics off my iPhone and onto this computer

Merry New Year

Yes, I just said merry new year BECAUSE that is what i have wanted to say the past couple of days when wishing people a happy new year. I literally have to think about what I say to make sure I'm saying "happy new year!"

But, I think its kinda fun to say merry new year! I mean I do hope everyone's year is filled with fun and joy! To save myself from sounding half cray cray, I make myself say happy instead.

Anyway, this past year has been a good one. Of course, there have been "off" days, shoot maybe even weeks. But doesn't everyone have those any given year?! I think the most important part is that I have handled those "off" days with grace and patience. At least I hope that what others think...

This year, I don't really want to make any changes to my life, I just want to continue last year. I mean, there weren't any crisis situations close to me, no deaths close to me, no sickness, nothing to major that was life altering and I'd like to keep it that way. I think I have grown closer to the Lord, I have figured out what I want in life, I have found and started to form into the person I want to be (that was worded weirdly?). I'm perfectly content with where my life has traveled over the past year!!

Here's to 2012!! I hope it treats me just as good as 2011 did! And you too!! If you have new years resolutions, I hope you look back when 2013 rolls around and are satisfied!

Merry, or Happy, New Year!!