hAppY nEw yEaR

Happy New Year everyone!! Passion is a day away...I will be back on Thursday. Have a great new year.........

Love God

Do we really love God? The way He desires. I was listening to John Piper and he is awesome at getting to the bare bones of it all. To love God is to love Him above all else. To love the Word and time with Him more than anything else in your life, your family, your stuff, your friends. He is what we need to cling to for everything. When we hear John 3:16 it says "16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." That word believe does not mean to just believe Jesus is real...it means to cling to Him with all that you are. Everyday, day in and day out. Not based on our feelings, not according to the circumstances He has put in your life, but we are to love Him as an act of our will. We need to choose Him. It is funny because I hear so many people regret their mistakes, which there is grace, but we have choices. We can say yes or we can say no...by the power of Christ (Romans 6). If you have Jesus living inside of you you can beg Him to help you say no. You can choose Him. Yes we will fail, no we will not be perfect. But we can practice loving God. Really learning to love Him first. Beg Him for help to do this. This is something we can only do in His power. I only belong to Jesus by faith in Him...not by the things I do, but as I get to know Him more and more, I want to love Him first, more than anything else in my life. Help me Jesus to love the Father with my life.....

christmas eve

This is my cousin Brityn...we hung out at Aunie J's on Chritmas Eve..I miss my Florida family:) 

SWEET SITES

http://www.desiringgod.org/
http://www.268generation.com/2.0/splash1.htm
www.backtothebible.com (check out devo's streams in the desert and elizabeth elliot's gateway to joy)

why Do i Do?

Why do i do the things i don't want to do.... i am tired, tired of doubting that God is going to pull me through, when in my mind i know He will. He is so good. Sometimes it is so intense that it does not seem real. i have been praying so much to see His face. Because He is much greater than His blessings. So just getting to enjoy the sweetness of Him is good enough for me. But the other day i was driving down the road ya know, and i was praying...Lord I love seeing your face but can i see your hand in my life, just to be assured it is there (which duh I know) but the heart needs the experience. and that's all i had to do was to ask, as simple as that and He showed up in so many different ways. i was short on my paycheck this pay period and God provided...out of nowhere!! He was also speaking verses into my heart and reaffirmed them when I was spending time with Him...just happened:) to read the same verses that were spoken to me earlier. a bunch of other things He did for me as well. I don't deserve any of it...esp after the way i acted on Christmas..selfish, a total glutton!! Being angry that I feel like a lot of Christians miss the point at Christmas and I did as well...i will never be good enough for Jesus and that is the miracle of Chritmas or should i just say Jesus being born at all. Jesus You are so very amazing. I love you and enjoy you immensly. SO much I feel like I cannot keep up with what you are showing me because it is all so great. Let my life be for you...not me, not what I want, but what you want. The rest i am sure will fall into place. You have been, even before i knew you, my stronghold and my defense. Of Father continue to defend me and hold me, so close to you. Lead me in new ways. Help me constantly to point others to You. You are all we need. Not 7 ways to be better for you...help us to get rid of the smoke screens, help us to be a peoplel who long and desire Your name and the spread of Your renown...not because of us but becasue of You. Please fill my life with You and nothing less....

sEekeRs

Hey everybody! This is Kendra, she is a junior. She thinks she is an idiot, but i think that's a lie! Anyway just updating on the weather. It is warm and sunny, ok no, it is freezing and sleeting outside. I am guessing there will be a delay or cancellation tomorrow. Which makes for happy little children:)

I am learning so much right now about how BIG God is. It rocks my face off. I am going to a conference called Passion in Jan. and there is a 28 day prayer journey and I am learning a lot through that. Check it out at www.268blog.blogspot.com God is amazing and is all about His name and His Renown. Memorize Isaiah 26.8, make it the vision of your life, pray it for yourself, friends, family, people who don't know Jesus. He will be honored and glorified!

I hope all is well. Be real. Peace. 

wEdnEsDay fUn

Ok This is Kate...we are just hanging out at guess where Higher Grounds...fun stuff! We are talking about life and spring break...it is cold here. Maybe 18 degrees.

Kate says: "Make it up for me!"

Alright that is all for now....more to come this week hopefully. If you are reading this PLEASE pray for Michelle, her dad passed away this week... 

sitting here at the cafe

just saying hi... i am sitting here at higher grounds messing around on the computer and talking to some of my girls!! life is good. thanksgiving was great...hung out with my fam a lot and just tried to rest. hope all had a great holiday.

GoD is rEaL

i am at the YS (youth specialties) conference right now and what more can i say than GoD is real and moving in my heart in amazing ways just like He asked me to expect. i can't really put into words right now what i am hearing from Him and experiencing but i can express that there has been so much confirmation in the things that He is currently doing in my life. it is amazing to know Truth but even greater to experience it. i pray that as you read this He will penetrate your heart to the core with nothing but Himself.

i will update more on this later with some excerpts from my journaling time!

desiring His renown.....

When the going gets tough....

Today has been a hard day. I know I am lacking, run down, and way tired. Things don't just happen like this over night! But they do happen. I am hearing Jesus say...slow down and come to me. This was my daily devo email today and it was a great encouragement, I hope it will help you like it has me....

Title: Through FaithAuthor: Mrs. Charles E. CowmanSource: Streams in the DesertScripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:9 2 Corinthians 1:8

"Pressed out of measure" (2 Cor. 1:8).
"That the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Cor. 12:9).

God allowed the crisis to close around Jacob on the night when he bowed at Peniel in supplication, to bring him to the place where he could take hold of God as he never would have done; and from that narrow pass of peril, Jacob became enlarged in his faith and knowledge of God, and in the power of a new and victorious life.

God had to compel David, by a long and painful discipline of years, to learn the almighty power and faithfulness of his God, and grow up into the established principles of faith and godliness, which were indispensable for his glorious career as the king of Israel.

Nothing but the extremities in which Paul was constantly placed could ever have taught him, and taught the Church through him, the full meaning of the great promise he so learned to claim, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

And nothing but our trials and perils would ever have led some of us to know Him as we do, to trust Him as we have, and to draw from Him the measures of grace which our very extremities made indispensable.

Difficulties and obstacles are God's challenges to faith. When hindrances confront us in the path of duty, we are to recognize them as vessels for faith to fill with the fullness and all-sufficiency of Jesus; and as we go forward, simply and fully trusting Him, we may be tested, we may have to wait and let patience have her perfect work; but we shall surely find at last the stone rolled away, and the Lord waiting to render unto us double for our time of testing. --A. B. Simpson

Sweet

This is one of my favorite pictures of my neices and nephew...Kennedy, Zoe, and Hunter...Jeff looks amused:) 

Lou Lou

This is one of my favorite pic of Lily! 

Mom and Daddy

This is my mom and step-dad....
They live in Sarasota,Fl. I miss you guys... 

Dad and Kari

These are two of my four parents. I love them so much! They live in Fort Wayne, IN. 

Family

Cris's wedding...
It was great to be together ! In order Lyns,me, Cris, Tammy, Tara, and Sarah. Tara and Cris are my other borther and sister from my step-dad. It is seldom that we are all together but fun when we are! 

Sisters

This picture is from last Christmas,
it is me and my sisters! In order, Lyndsay, Sarah, Kendyl, and me.

I have just figured out how to get pictures up! 

C-LiFe

This is Megan and Laura...... 

Campus Life

Campus Life was at Seekers (a coffee shop) tonight. It was cool. No agenda really, except to hang with the kiddos and get to know them better. Pictured in order is Jenny, Emily and Megan. I love these girls! God is transforming their lives all the time and it is cool to be a part of that!

This is Marlee...she was my dog but is now offically adopted by my parents..... 

Krazy Kidz

This is my little sis and my niece Lily. We love to make funny faces! Kendyl is a senior in HS and Lily is 2. Kendyl is on her way to IU next year...Congratulations!! 

Colorado

 

The Climb

OK. SO lets just say I am not the best blogger in the world. I don't have internet access at my house so it has been a while. And now I just figured out how to get pictures online...so here we go! This is Laura. One of many of my "kids" that I love so much! We are on the top of a mountain in Winter Park CO. We were at a Young Life Camp. Laura gave her life to Jesus that night. It was sweet. She is doing well and growing in her love for the Lord. She is always smiling!!

NYWC

I am so excited! I am getting ready to go to Nashville for the National Youth Workers Convention. I will get to see friends from all over including Molly (on the left). She rocks! I am really looking forward to being re-fueled. I know you don't have to go away to do this, but I am expecting God to do some great thiings in my heart and in those going. If you read this please pray for my ears to be open and thatI would hear from Him! I will keep you all posted. 

Volunteer Slaves by Elisabeth Elliot

"Slave" is not a word most of us nowadays feel comfortable with. It is significant that most modern Bible translations use "servant" instead. For a slave is not his own, has no rights whatsoever, is not in charge of what happens to him, makes no choices about what he will do or how he is to serve, is not recognized, appreciated, thanked or even (except by his absence) noticed at all.
Once we give up our slavery to the world, which is a cruel master indeed, to become Christ's bondslave, we live out our servitude to Him by glad service to others. This volunteer slavery cannot be taken advantage of--we have chosen to surrender everything for love. It is a wholly different thing from forced labor. It is in fact the purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.
Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be your happy slave--that is, to be the happy foot-washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his work commended, his failure forgiven, his griefs consoled, or his button sewed on. Let me not imagine that my love for You is very great if I am unwilling to do for a human being something very small.

I want to know Him more

OK-so I am listening to Louie Giglio preach and I am trying to type at the same time. WOW-I really do want to know Christ. And know Him more than I want anythig else. That is what Louie is talking about and that is what I want my life to add up to Him. How do I do that? What does it look like? I know if I beg He will show me. Like Louie is talking about I want to be one of those people who when I die people say "she knew God". I will have to say God has put me in a position where I am having to wait to find out if there is goign to be a birth of a dream or the death of it. But the coolest thng is that wether God says yes or no, He is showing me that He IS enough. WOW, this is good stuff. He really does satisfy. I am not sure where you are at-you know Christ personally or you don't know Him at all. I hope that either way when you are dying you want people to say "he/she knew God".

Well this is my first blog, I am not sure if any of it made sense, but does it need to?