Scavenger Hunt!

Elevate was officially kicked off at 6:00 p.m. yesterday. The food was great & the scavenger hunt was sweet (my team won!) but worship and Ricky's mini message were the best. Earlier on that day I read Matthew 7:21-23...you know, the one about calling on the Lord & Him saying depart from me, I never knew you. That is a scary reality. Well Ricky said something about it in his message and then the verse was brought up two more times in random conversation before the night was over. I used to be unsure about my salvation & I know I would have been one of those people calling on the Lord & getting rejected. But that changed a while back...since I know that He is my righteousness & that we have a real relationship. I feel like God brought that piece of scripture up in my day so many times to show me my calling: Not only to witness to the lost, but clarify the truth to those who believe they are saved.

Recap: Fed from the word, fed from a hotdog, fed from worship, won a neon green shirt that says, "The greatest scavenger hunt your mother has ever seen." It was a definite success.

Some Thoughts

• My brother is here :D
• My sister will be here around midnight & we are going to go to school together!
• School starts in app. 11 hours. AH! I'm excited about what God is going to do in our high school this year.
• I am so blessed

Thank you Lord for putting me in a family that is caring & loving. Please use me this year. I'm done sitting on the sidelines. I'm jumping in!

Fast much?

My accountability partners are Mallory & Jennifer. I love these girls. They are amazing. Together we decided to get ready for the school year by doing a little fasting today. It was only one day but my eyes were opened so much during that time. All three of us spent time praying for our school & the students appointed to tell the lost ones about Christ. We prayed for softened hearts, open minds, & broken spirits. There is a crazy amount of power in prayer...its inconcieveable. We tried to humble ourselves infront of God and seek His face. It is amazing knowing that I have two strong women to help keep me rooted in Christ this year. We are expecting huge changes in our school...changes that are so extreme that they would totally fall through if God wasn't at the center of them. && For this to happen we know we have to give our lives up completely for Him & His will. So, please pray for us & the other students at Berryville High School...pray for radical change, pray for God to set this town on FIRE for Him.

Family

My dear sister Rachel has been having some difficulty deciding whether or not she wants to move back to Berryville. There are many reasons why she should and she shouldn't. I think that she has finally reached a decision. She should be here Saturday. I am so excited. I have seen God work in her life before & it was amazing. She wants to truly seek His face again and I pray that happens when she gets down here.

For those of you who don't know, I have a brother also (Chris). I'm guilty of not talking of him as much as I should. He just turned 20 yesterday and is still trying to figure out what he wants to do in life. Well...I just found out that he may be coming (from Charlotte, NC) to visit my mom and I for three weeks. I am syked. I love him so much & I'm ready for him to see what God has done in my life, & what God has in store for his own life.

I was thinking of these two family members coming back into my life & I realized that it is not a coincidence. God has planned for this to happen. Wednesday, Ricky spoke on Leadership & I asked God to use me for His glory in any leadership position that He might put me into. This is one of them. Although both of my siblings are older than me, I know that they look up to me in some small way. I pray that I can take advantage of this & that God will use me to draw them closer to Himself.

My Righteousness

I know that I just blogged like 30 minutes ago but I just read something that needs to be shared. I was reading this guys blog & he stated so clearly what God has been speaking through Ricky for the past two months or so...Please take time to read it

http://totheword.blogspot.com/2004/11/battle-in-flesh.html

He is my Escape

I was reading through some random scripture today and I came upon one that I hadn't really noticed before, but it really spoke to me.

It is: No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. -1 Corinthians 10:13

I can faintly recall Ricky mentioning this verse during one of our Wednesday night services but apparently I didn't think much of it at the time. My favorite part of this verse is "...he will NOT let you be tempted beyond your ability..." I haven't encountered many temptations but I know they will arise later in my life. This verse gives me immense comfort. Our God is so merciful that He will never put us into a situation that we cannot overcome. Thank You Lord

This is definitely one for the memory bank

Two of the Same

Tonight I went to two different church services. I went to my home church first, Southern Heights, & heard Brother Scott preach on growing through circumstances. He is an amazing man of God & is getting better at preaching every time he does it. Russell is a great worship leader...his hearts is in it & he seeks God's face during our worship. It's pure.

Afterwards I drove to Green Forest to my mom's church...Soulpurpose. They were just finishing worship when I walked in. I love this church because God's presence is so evident. Southern Heights is a blessing in my life, but I like a little spice every once in awhile. At Soulpurpose the altars are always filled...during worship, & during the message. Most of the members are "delivered" drug attics and alcoholics. They don't care what anyone thinks. Everyone there allows the Holy Spirit to move. They aren't ashamed to praise the God who saved their souls. It was refreshing.

I pray that my fellow believers at Southern Heights will allow God to truly set us ON FIRE for Him. I pray that God will strip away everyone's pride & leave us broken at His feet. I pray that we will all seek His face in our lives and allow revival to begin. That we won't go to church just to receive the Christian nametag...but that we will go to get closer to Christ & give Him the praise that He so deserves and longs for. He is my righteousness, my portion...I need nothing this world has to offer.

Step Out

About a month ago my mom came home and asked me to do something that I was iffy about. She told me that she had found out about this 23yr. old guy named Jesse through her business and that she wanted us to go visit him. He is the son of one of her clients. She told me that Jesse was quadraplegic. He was involved in a serious auto accident two years ago & is now paralyzed from the neck down (I think). Then she told me that the highlight of his life is when people go visit him. I was so selfish...I let the devil get into my head and tell me it wasn't something I needed to do. My excuse was, "I won't know what to talk about, it will just be akward mom." Looking back on this now I just want to bite my toes off.

I kept putting it off every time my mom would ask. Then I went off to M-Fuge. When I got back and my mom brought up the subject again my whole mindset had changed. I realized that I was the most selfish person in the world, unwilling to step just a little out of my comfort zone for Jesus. Why? Why? God placed this amazing opportunity in front of me to reachout & witness to someone and I just shot Him down. I'm sorry Father.

So I told my mom that I was ready whenever. && that was about two days ago. So please pray for me. Pray that God gives me the right words to say when I do go over there to see him.

Thank you Lord for the opportunity to spread your light. Please totally rip away my comfort zone. As Ricky says, You are my righteousness. I need nothing else.

:/ The End

I tried to blog about M-Fuge for a month straight but the truth is, I only completed about 4 blogs. :( & to tell you the truth I'm getting burnt out on it. Don't get me wrong, M-Fuge changed my life & I loved every single milisecond of it but I think I'm through blogging about it. Here's a little summary: I learned that God has a specific will for my life...missions. & I am so not worthy to be a child of His.-That's pretty much it summed into two sentences...

So the next time I blog, it will be about what is hapenning in my life that day. Sorry if you are disappointed...it is what it is