Best friends

God designs such beautiful friendships, but the one I'm currently most amazed about is the one that God has clearly put together - and kept together - through the past five years. And it has me asking God why He chose to bless me with this friendship. I am so thankful for Alicia.



I met Alicia during the fall of my sophomore year in high school when she was visiting her aunt, who happened to be one of my close adult friends from church. Bonnie had always told me about her niece Alicia who lived in Missouri, and she thought if we ever got the chance to meet, we'd get along great. Boy, was she right! It was just one of those God-things. And ever since, Alicia has been one of my closest friends. The craziest thing is that I lived in Louisiana (and now North Carolina) while she's lived in Missouri (and Kansas). We've only actually been in each other's company three times - twice in Louisiana, once in Missouri. And yet, God has really held us together and given us the ability to always pick up right where we left off. It's really beautiful.

Take for instance tonight, we just picked up right where we stopped several months ago when we last talked. And to hear what God has been teaching her and the work He has been doing in her heart encourages me. I am so thankful. We can talk for hours and never run out of things to say or do.

The funny thing is how different and yet alike we are. But I firmly believe the reason our friendship has worked is that we are both constantly trying to put Christ at the center of our lives. I just love that she's the person I can most be myself around...I really think that's the markings of a best friend.

We have a LOT of fun together...


Crawdaddin' (AKA catching crawfish with your hands in a river)


We eat the same foods.


We can be super silly together.


We go glowbowling.


We get matching (fake) tattoos.


And at the end of the day, God knows we need each other...so He keeps bringing us back. And in talking with her about the future, I know that God has a plan. A good plan that will bring us good AND Him glory. I know that when I let go of my life and my plans is when God will work and move. And I know that one day, Lish and I will live closer together because we've always wanted to raise our kids together!

"A true friend is the gift of God, and He only who made hearts can unite them." - Robert South

Public schools are the battlefield; Teachers are the good and bad guys; and Kids are stuck in the middle.

I just watched a documentary called Waiting for "Superman". It's about America's public school system. I knew some of the facts already; some were quite alarming...I mean, even the ones I knew already were alarming. However, the whole time I watched this, I couldn't stop thinking about how that makes me want to do Teach for America even more.

I have so much respect for good, hardworking teachers. You know, when you think back pre-college, those few teachers who pop into your mind because they obviously love what they do and made you love it too? Well for me, a handful of teachers come to mind. Growing up in Louisiana (last time I checked, third worst school system in the country), I was very blessed to attend private school through eighth grade and then one of the best public high schools in the state. But I saw and heard about those schools in inner city New Orleans that were failing...the ungodly dropout rates. The crime rates, the poverty...another story for another day, though.

But in high school, I had several great teachers. The funny thing is that two of them taught my two lesser favorite subjects - English and Social Studies - but they love what they do and actually were able to get me excited about the classes. My other favorites taught math and science, which have always been my favorite subjects, but after my experiences with those teachers, I just knew I wanted to go into the math or science field. They really helped me find my passion for those areas. But the great part is that the other teacher who impacted me the most never actually taught me at all - well "teach" in the formal, in the classroom, setting. She was the advisor for the service organization I was involved in. But what she helped me find was possibly greater than what any of the others did for me...she helped me find my passion for serving others. She located my heart for serving and loving on people. She taught me what "servant leadership" means. And she really cares about my life.

Honestly, other than teaching me coursework, the other reason these teachers left such a huge imprint on me is that they care about my life. And I say care because when I go back to visit, they ask me a slew of questions, everything from classes to boyfriends to family...They know me, and they remember me. They know my brother and ask him how I'm doing. They even remember things about my family they've never met. Really, they care about my well-being and success and happiness.

This is what inspires me to be a teacher...at least for a couple years with Teach for America. I want to get involved in kids lives and consequently in the lives of their families. So many of these children come from broken homes, bad neighborhoods, and rough backgrounds. But I'd love to attempt to show them a glimpse of hope, to give them something to work towards. They need that. They need education because, really, it is the only way out of the lives they're in right now. And I want to just love on these kids - the "unlovable" - and get to know them and their families. And it's an incredible missional opportunity!

I truly believe that education is the way to improve the future of our country. If it keeps spiraling downwards, then the young men and women our schools are spitting out will keep decreasing in quality. They won't qualify for jobs because they won't be capable of learning. And really, if huge percentages of kids are dropping out of high school, they have no hope in America. I want to show them hope. I want to be one of those great teachers who actually help improve the educational system, who actually loves my job and wants to see kids succeed.

Really.

And props to Whitney who is actually doing Teach for America for the next two years. I get so excited for her because she's getting to "live the dream", so to speak.

The most frustrating thing about this whole documentary was the teachers' unions and tenor. We can't fire bad teachers. So really, it's just like socialism where no one has any incentive to work any harder than anyone else because everyone gets paid the same. Yes, there are teachers who will put 110% into their jobs no matter what the pay-off, but we should be able to fire those who don't do their job right. The unions - the teachers who are in this for the kids, supposedly - are what's actually getting in the way of educating out children. We need to get back on track. Being the world's superpower, we really should have a more solid education system to support that.

But really, it's not just that our school system is broken, though it is. Our whole world is broken. And although the man in this documentary laments that Superman isn't real, which means that no one is coming to save us and be the good guy and push all the bad guys away, I know that there really is this hero - Jesus. He's coming back one day and will save us, redeem us, restore us, and fix this broken world. As Michal put it, there will still be learning, but there won't be bad, lazy teachers. It'll be great!

But until then, we wait patiently, seeing where God has put us to live out our Great Commission calling, and seeing the brokenness, crying out "Abba, father" with all of creation.

"Thank You" could never say enough...how the Atwood family has impacted me.

The Atwood family.

Trevor, Keva, Micah, Isaac, Chai.

A family I will never forget...could never forget. They have influenced my life more than anyone else outside of my family. And they have radically changed my walk with Christ. As they prepare to move to church plant in Murfreesboro, TN, I cannot help but reflect on the impact they have made on my life and what I've learned from them...

As the college pastor at Summit for my first year-and-a-half of college, Trevor preached some great and challenging messages that God used to convict me and to grow me. But there is one constant, overarching message that I learned from Trevor - the importance of displaying the gospel in every aspect of my life, in every circumstance. Through this family, God has opened up my heart to adoption. Listening to Trevor talk about his sons, their experience adopting them, and watching him and Keva as they raise them, has completely transformed my view of adoption. Through this, God has taught me deeper truths about the gospel. And the amazing thing to me is that adoption puts the gospel on display - and Trevor has so honestly preached this over and over again. Trevor taught me how to read and meditate on scripture, reminding me to read the Bible looking for what it teaches me about GOD, not about what I should or shouldn't do...after all, God is the center of the whole story! And he taught me about life-on-life discipleship, how to love the people around me AND share the gospel with them. He challenged me to become a member of the Summit and made sure I actually did it. And he challenged me to get plugged in to leadership in college ministry. Most importantly, he taught me this concept: to remember and wait - to remember the already and wait for the not yet.

Trevor and Keva together have been a beautiful picture of marriage and parenting for me. I have learned so much about marriage through knowing them and seeing how they treat each other. And I have learned equally as much about parenting from the two of them. As I already mentioned, they have taught me about adoption, and consequently the gospel. They have shown me how to parent, how to love and cherish your spouse even when it's difficult, and how to glorify God through your family.

As I've gotten to really know Keva through the past year of coffee dates, I have learned so much about what it means to be a godly woman. She has been extremely truthful and vulnerable with me, which allowed me to learn from her. She's asked me hard questions and taught me about discipleship...and she's answered many questions for me that I wouldn't have known how to ask anyone else. Keva has shown me the effort that being a mother requires, and the constant pursuit of God that we have to live in. She challenged me to pray about becoming a small group leader next year (which I'm excited to be doing!). She counseled me through some difficult family / college issues this past fall. And she encouraged me to find a discipler and a small group - which led to one of the beautiful friendships God grew in my life this year. She helped me think about friendships and encouraged me about the places God had placed me in to live missionally.

Wow, Micah and Isaac. These two boys have changed my life. Hearing their adoption stories and seeing how they are now Atwood boys - but more importantly, sons of Christ - has been amazing, encouraging, and gospel-reminding. I love playing with these boys. I love how much Micah loves and cares about Ike. And I think it's funny how much Ike pretends like he doesn't like me...as Micah put it, "He doesn't like girls." (definitely a good thing at 4 years old...) I love rolling around on the ground with them and rough-housing because it reminds me of my two brothers. I love playing baseball with them - well attempting, I'm not any good at all. I love it when they tried to teach me about Star Wars and Harry Potter. I love seeing them at church and getting smiles and hugs. And I love sitting in bed with them and reading stories. One of the recent times I hung out with them, I watched them jump on the couch, holding back tears thinking about how much they're going to grow up and how I won't be there to see them. I was reflecting on our times together building sand volcanoes, taking videos on my iPhone (another favorite), and jumping on the couch. And at bedtime, we read the last story in the Jesus Storybook Bible - about Revelation. It talked about the streets of gold in heaven, and we talked about playing baseball and eating ice cream and Micah being able to eat gluten in heaven...and it ends with:

"'I'm on my way,' said Jesus. 'I'll be there soon!'
John came to the end of his book. But he didn't write 'The End.' Because, of course, that's how stories finish. (And this one's not over yet.)
So instead, he wrote: 'Come quickly, Jesus!'
Which, perhaps, is really just another way of saying...
To be continued..."

And we talked about what "To be continued..." means. And I thought about how real heaven is to them and how much they must look forward to it. At the same time, I realized that I need to see heaven as that real too, thinking about it always and actually living my life as if it's real...not just dismissing heaven for another time, another day.

Chai is a constant reminder to me of the gospel. He is a reminder of the hope that we have in Christ and of the groaning and longing of creation as we wait for Him. He is a reminder of this broken world. And as a result, I need to be joining in the "Abba" cry, screaming out to God to fix this place and make everything new. He is a reminder of pain and suffering but joy and redemption at the same time. He is with Christ, which gives me great joy, but at the same time, I'd love to see him here...just another reason to eagerly await the returning of Jesus...

"Does the life you have been graciously given scream the truth of the gospel?"

I am thankful for the time God has given me to get to know the Atwoods and spend time with each member of their family. I am thankful for the friendships I have had with them and for what awaits them in Murfreesboro. I will miss them here in Durham, but hey, we get to spend eternity together...and in the light of eternity, a few years isn't that long...right?

To the Atwood family, I love you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives. I obviously plan to visit you because I miss you already (and you're not even gone yet). But most importantly, I am praying that God uses you to bring the gospel to Murfreesboro, TN...and I'm envious of those college students who get to have y'all around. ;)

A passage that will be read in my wedding...

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Summer reading

I have a LONG list of books I'm reading this summer (I've read a couple so far), and I'd like to share them with you along with some comments. If you have any more suggestions, please tell me! I really am not a huge reader. I have to admit that I only made it halfway through The Hobbit because I'd just rather watch all the Lord of the Rings movies and just assume I know what happened in The Hobbit. Same goes for The Chronicles of Narnia. But it always, never fail, seems like books beat movies. So maybe I'll read them one day. I also have always loved Agatha Christie books and some books like that, but since my time to read is usually so limited, I'm currently choosing to read books that teach me. So here they are...Enjoy!


ALREADY READ:

When God Writes Your Love Story
by Eric and Leslie Ludy


I learned a lot from this book (see my previous blog post), but mainly that God, the King of Kings, also wants to be intimately involved in writing my love story. Through this book, God really showed me that I have to trust Him with my heart because He treasures it even more than I do. And that's very reassuring.


"We're Just Friends" and Other Dating Lies
by Chuck Milian


This was a really great book about more of the "how-to's" of Christian relationships. Milian really emphasized guarding your heart, particularly in the physical aspect of a relationship. This was so great to hear in a world that is so consumed with physical affection. In reality, the spiritual component of a relationship is the most important part, yet that is the easiest part to neglect. Definitely helped me think through how I want my relationships to function.


CURRENTLY READING:

Desiring God
by John Piper


So, I've been reading this book for a LONG time. For me, it's a GREAT book, and it's really deep. I've learned so much from Piper, and God has used this book to teach me how to pursue Him and long for Him. But since it is such a deep book, I've taken a lot of breaks from it and come back to it. Incredible. Read it.


Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches
by Russell Moore


God has used the Atwood family through the past two years to radically change my view of adoption. As I've spent time with Trevor and Keva, I've learned about my adoption into the family of God and how their adoption of Micah and Isaac just mirrors that. After I realize that I have been adopted by God, it really just makes sense that adopting children would be something that should be a part of my family and part of our church family. I started reading this book with all of these things in the back of my mind, and Russell Moore has even further taught me about my adoption by God. I began this book thinking I was just going to be reading about adoption and why it is important to us, particularly as Christians; but in reading it, I'm learning so much about my walk with the Lord. This is definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone, and I can't wait to keep reading it!


Coming Back Stronger
by Drew Brees


I was reading this book every night for a while then stopped for a month or two. I love football. Seriously, one of my favorite things in the world. Up on that list is also New Orleans, the Saints, and people who strive to use their lives and careers to make an impact on the world around them. Drew Brees is one of those people. He has been the leader our team, but even more, our city, needed. And this is his story of the road that took him to New Orleans and kept him there. The coolest part to me, though, is the personal look into his life that Brees gives. His walk with God is incredible and inspiring.


LEFT TO READ:

Passion and Purity
by Elisabeth Elliot



The Four Loves
by C.S. Lewis



Weight of Glory
by C.S. Lewis



Freakonomics
by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner



Radical
by David Platt



A Praying Life
by Paul Miller



Screwtape Letters
by C.S. Lewis



Through My Eyes
by Tim Tebow



The Shack
by William P. Young


**I've already read this, but it is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It has changed my life. So I'm going to read it again.**

Let part 2 of summer begin!

Wow! I've been back in North Carolina almost two weeks, and let me tell you, it has been CRAZY! This has been an adventure (as life always is), and I'll try to share a few highlights with you. :)

The drive up here was great! My brother drove up with me (yes, it's like a 14 hour drive), and we got to hang out, chat, and the best part - listen to sermons! We listened to some GREAT sermons, and I learned a TON on the drive! I think the highlight sermons that we listened to were from a few years back at Summit from JD's Song of Solomon series. I learned a TON about relationships and really how God created love and romance to work. I also read a book earlier this summer called When God Writes Your Love Story.


One concept that I just thought was so cool is that God is the creator of love and romance. Yes, I know that. I mean, God created everything. He, himself, IS love. And yet, I always want to take my love life under my own control. I tell God, "No, your way isn't good enough. I want to be in control," and I take my heart out of His hands and into my own. But what this book talked about (and maybe JD's sermons, I don't remember) was that if I want a fulfilling love life, I have to submit it under God's control. I have to let the author of romance write my love story...and He'll write me one more beautiful than I could ever imagine. This is just so beautiful to me that God even cares about my love life - my singleness, my relationships, my marriage - and wants to be extremely involved in the process.

And then I'm living with an amazing family this summer with three beautiful children. I cannot even begin to say how much I'm learning living with them. I'm learning so much about parenting from Michal and Chris. I'm learning so much about being patient with kids and loving them in spite of how much you want to punch them sometimes. And I'm really genuinely learning how to love. The love that can't be faked. The love that goes past a smile and a pat on the shoulder. I'm learning how to love even when it's hard and I'm tired and all I want to do is kick my feet up and sleep. I'm learning how much love really is a decision. And it is so rewarding, so wonderful, and just a blessing! I am so incredibly blessed to be living with this family. They are so generous and care so much about the gospel.

I feel like I've spent the past two weeks at Summit. In fact, I've been at Summit for seven days straight. Crazy, right? We just finished Kids Week (formerly known as VBS). This really was one of the best weeks of my life! I was challenged, energized, picked on, and loved on...but most of all, I was able to be a part of sharing the gospel with kids and their families. This week, God reminded me of the importance of teaching kids about Him. Really, when we love on kids and teach them the gospel, it will filter through to their families. It just dawned on me this week. And I realized how large of a task God has given us in kids ministry. But God hasn't left us to do it alone. It was really cool praying with Brad Beamon last night as we said goodbye and thank you as he leaves Summit Kids and moves back to ECU to pursue the career God has laid out before him. He said that God has showed him so many cool things in his quiet time and has just spoken through him to these kids. That is my prayer as I begin teaching these kids - that God will show me more of Himself and that He will speak through me to these preschoolers on Saturday nights. I am amazed at how much God has done in Summit Kids just in the Saturday night preschoolers that I work with, and I'm so excited to see what he's going to do in the future. I'm so excited and honored that He has chosen to use me in kids ministry. Kids are really what my heart is for. I love them so much. They never fail to bring a smile to my face and to re-energize me, even after a long crazy week!

BUT back to Kids Week...I got to be crazy, silly, and goofy all week for the kids. I got to work with Matt Allison, one of the Summit Kids staff, in leading the boys vs. girls Penny Wars. Here's a recap:

- Day 1: Boys won. I had to eat baby food. The idea was gross, but it actually tasted like ground up, watered down tuna, and I like tuna, so it was ok.

- Day 2: Boys won (again). Matt put a pantyhose over my head containing four or five eggs and cracked them all, so they ran down my face. THEN, in an effort to be "nice", he told me to sit down in a chair, on which the rest of the eggs sat. It was quite a sticky adventure. And I had to wear a bunny suit (and got to eat Trix) all the next day.


- Day 3: Girls FINALLY won. I decided that the worst possible thing you can do to a little boy is make him touch/wear girly things. So, I painted Matt's nails purple - yes, after a day of looking at them, I was even freaked out. And the next day, he had to wear a red tutu and pretty glittery fairy wings.

- Day 4: Girls won (AGAIN!). With some help from Jeremy Pollard and Josh Navey, it was decided that Matt would do a cheer about how great girls are (I think it went something like "G-I-R-L-S I think that girls are the best!") and then he had to do part of the Dream Hands dance. That was definitely one of the funniest moments of the week, hands down! The videos of that had better be somewhere and will make it on here at some point.

- Day 5: Boys won (I almost cried just knowing that). We got on stage, and Matt pulled out one of those containers of worms you buy when you're going fishing. I literally felt like I was about to die right there as I read, "Nightcrawlers" across the front of the tub. I was completely freaked out - partially because I didn't know what Matt was going to make me do with a worm. So he pulled out this really long and wiggly worm and started talking about the worm, as I tried to relatively compose myself and not lose it in front of 300 people. I almost cried, and I am man enough to admit that. Matt realized that and moved from his original plan to make me either kiss or lick the worm to trying to get me to hold it. But he decided to be even more merciful and just made me touch it. That was a pretty traumatic experience, but apparently people enjoyed it, so that's what counts. Then we both got to take turns in the dunking booth - cold water and mean kids...but it was fun all the more.

So in spite of the craziness, a couple things that were really great came out of the week (well more, but I'm only going to say a couple). I realized how much you can minister to kids just by being silly and losing your sense of pride and importance and really getting down on their level. The coolest thing was when a mom walked up to me after one of the nights and told me that the only reason her son came back to Kids Week every night was because of the Penny Wars stuff, and that was how he was hearing the gospel. Wow! I realized that I wasn't just being silly for no reason - I really was getting through to the kids. And that's the point of Kids Week, right?

I continue to be amazed by God. And I hope you do too.

Home

Home can mean so many different things depending on who you talk to. For me, home is a place of comfort and safety. Home means family. Home is New Orleans, LA, where I have lived all of my life (prior to college). Home means stopping everything else for a family member who needs help. Home means growing up trying every sport - mainly so we could get coached by our dad. Home is football in the fall - going to high school games on Friday nights, watching college games on Saturdays, and watching the NFL on Sundays. Especially the Saints...We grew up watching the Saints lose week after week, and yet we still are the best fans in the NFL. Also with the fall came hurricane evacuations...and they came far too often. I always try to explain hurricane evacuating to my friends at school, and fail miserably. But I grew up watching the TV to see where these storms were going, videotaping our house, and moving photo albums up higher, and then leaving...never quite knowing if we'd come back to our house and stuff or not.

Then came winter...well, a month or two of cold-ish weather. I'll never forget my senior year of high school when IT SNOWED while I was driving to school. That was my first time ever seeing snow, and it was amazing! But spring and summer were always beautiful (no matter how hot and humid it got). Spring was birthday time. And it was Mardi Gras. Our favorite part of Mardi Gras was baking homemade king cakes. And then the summer brought days biking and up at the pool with the rest of the kids. School always started in early August and got out in mid-late May.

But yes, recollecting parts of my favorite childhood memories began this evening with some fun family time. Today, I got to help my daddy change oil in two of our vehicles. He's teaching me some great wife skills. And we got to all go to church together tonight, which was a great time because we haven't all gone to the same church service in a while. And then my dad bought crawfish (another of my favorite things from living in New Orleans). Having a crawfish "boil" with dad and Jonathan was so much fun! And then, Jonathan and I decided to bake a cookie cake - while doing the chicken dance. hahahaha my family is wonderful!



I really appreciate my family. I appreciate home. And I know this is a place I will ALWAYS be able to come and have fun and be completely myself. I have great parents who have taught me so much about life, growing up, parenting, and following Christ. And I have three great siblings who will be three of my best friends for the rest of my life. They are great godly young men and women. Home, sweet home. I am extremely thankful!

A day with my little sis (who's not so little anymore...)

So, it's 12:30 AM, and yes, we are up taking silly pictures on my webcam and then picniking them. Today, we got to spend the day together. Yes, it included creating and editing this blog...BUT we also did some other fun (and super cute) things, like...

• Breakfast at Cafe Du Monde, which consisted of beignets, coffee, and chocolate milk
  
• A trip to Old Navy to buy two v-neck shirts...but we ended up with four shirts, yoga pants, and white shorts
  
• Blog-making
  
• Going to see Something Borrowed at the movie theater (see previous blog)
  
• Clothes sorting and donating (MUCH needed!)
  
• More blog-creating
  

I love Lindsay! She's growing up so much - and is now taller than me. But I love spending time like this with her. She's becoming such a sweet and fun young lady, and I am proud to be her big sister. And I am proud to say that she is one of my best friends. Love you!!!!!

Thoughts sparked by Something Borrowed

Today, I went to see Something Borrowed, which yes, was a super cute movie. But it left me thinking about life, love, and friendship, as do most chick flicks. I always get choked up watching movies like this or Bride Wars where the two girls have been best friends their entire lives. I think that's so sweet and so special. And then usually, I get caught up in thinking about how I will never have that because I barely talk to anyone from high school anymore. But today was different...I was sitting with my sister, who is quickly becoming one of my best friends, and thinking about the special best friend she's had since they were four. For her, that's so sweet and so great. For me, I realized how blessed I've been these past two years at UNC because God has given me some beautiful friendships. So today, I chose that instead of throwing a pity party, I will be thankful for the friends in my life right now. They encourage me, bless me, and challenge me.

And then, of course, there's the part of the chick flick that's about love. And of course, I usually leave feeling sorry for myself that I'm single (and blah blah blah). But today, I realized how blessed I am in my singleness. God has been using this time in my life to teach me so much and to build my relationship with Him - something that still needs work. And today, I can genuinely say that I am thankful for this time, for my singleness, and I'm asking God to keep my heart content in Him. What better place to be in?!

As I describe my friends to my family at home, I realize how blessed I really am - and how much we've all been through together this year. I've learned that "I love you" isn't just something to be said between a husband and wife - although indeed it is - but it's something said between friends. Something that means, "You mean a lot to me, and I'm striving to treat you like Christ wants me to treat you." Love...it's a powerful word. 1 Corinthians 13 says, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." That's the kind of love I hope to show to the people around me. And when I say, "I love you," I mean that I am striving to love you like that.

But my all-in-all, the source of my love, my hope, and my joy, is Christ. To quote C.S. Lewis, "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."

My first blog post

So, I have been considering keeping a blog for a while, and I think I've finally decided to do it. So, here it is. I've got a lot of thoughts to share and things to say, so get excited!

Also, an encouraging scripture for today:
"Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18