It's been awhile since I've graced you with a bullet point updated post. So, here for your viewing pleasure is my favorite, organized way to update.

• Back in August, I had posted a blog (but later had to take down), about a child abuse case that I got involved in. I prayed to God that I would see her again. I was so scared that I would never see her again, scared that something would happen to her because I had to get the police involved. But at the Christmas services at our church, she came running into the class, all dressed up in her Christmas dress. According to the teachers, she had been coming back for a few months, but I hadn't seen her because I had been in another class. I tried so hard to hold back the tears as she was hugging on my leg. But, I was so happy to see her precious little face.


• For most college students, school is starting back up here in a few weeks. Not for me. This is the first time in a long time that I will not be in school. It feels so weird, I feel like I need to be getting my school books for my classes, start mentally preparing for school. But, not this semester. I plan on starting school back up in another semester or so, once I get settled from moving.


• Speaking of moving, lately I've been checking out the local Goodwill's. There is so much I need to get, I figured if I could start early buying little things, it would be easier. You have to be choosey about what stores you hit up. Like the Goodwill across the street from my house, I dare not go in there. It's a mess! But if you go to the ones down in Gilbert or Chandler, you're bound to find some good stuff. So, far, I've purchased two pictures to hang on the wall, each for $4.99. Sweet, I love me some deals especially when I'm on a budget.


• We had an AMAZING weekend at church again. Over 260 gave their life to Christ this weekend and were baptized. Oh it was so awesome, as Jared was singing his heart out, people were dying to their old selves and choosing to follow Jesus. It was definitely a tear jerker!


• 24 more days until my best friend of 25 years is here! Seriously, it's not coming quick enough.

Alright, I'm outtie.

Quote of the day: "Be gentle with the young." ~Juvenal

Scripture of the day: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ~Matthew 19:14

My life is not my own

Six years ago tomorrow, I walked away from my old life, and decided to follow Jesus. On November 2, 2002, I was baptized by a woman who to this day has a special section of my heart, Nancy Myers. I had inquired about the women's ministry at our church, she met with me one day after church and talked to me. I told her my struggles of deciding to be baptized and I was somebody who would commit to something, but didn't know if I could commit to God. I didn't know if I could follow God all the days of the rest of my life. She took my hand and prayed for me. Two weeks later, I decided following Jesus was something I was going to do and I was honored to have Nancy baptize me.

Here I am six years later. My life has changed so much, you wouldn't believe me if you heard me talk about my previous life. My views of the world are not my own, they are God's. I see the world through God's eyes. Every single thing I possess, every single word out of my mouth, every single smile I show, every single breath I breathe....it all belongs to God. It is all His. My life, this life I live, is not my own. I forget that sometimes, it's very easy to get caught up in this crazy world we live in. But, through it all God has been there, grabbing hold of my hand and pulling me back close to Him when I get too far away. Reminding me who I am, who brought me this far. Showing me that even though I still very much struggle with things in my life, sometimes even trusting Him, He will not leave my side.

Life is so, so beautiful, I manage to see God every day. It might be in a smile, a sunset, a kind word, a small child holding my hand. Every day, I am utterly amazed, completely awed, and found absolutely speechless by God. It really makes my eyes well up with tears just to think about how this life of mine has been saved, how this heart of mine has changed. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't found God. Honestly....I might be dead either from drugs or self-infliction. I wouldn't be a good person, because I had so many bad things coming at me growing up. I had bad paths to take, but chose not to take them.

Every year, I normally celebrate my "second" birthday somehow. This year is no different. And in the 6 years I have been celebrating, I have never celebrated the best way I can think of....

To watch another person be baptized on the same day as me. And this person isn't just someone I have never met, it's Dana, one of the girls who I have watched grow up in Children's Ministry, one of the kids that her mom says I influenced. Many times, I was her teacher, guiding her and her twin sister to follow Jesus. Always remembering that I am to show God's love because all of these precious children are watching my every move. I love teaching the kids at church because once they understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them, it's the most precious thing. Adults become inhibited about talking to people about Jesus, but kids aren't. They will openly tell anyone about this man named Jesus.

My life as a Christian has NOT been easy, I will not lie to you. I have lost relationships with family members and friends, I have been told that God is stupid and the Bible is full of crap, I have been talked about, hated, despised, etc, etc, etc, all because I decided to follow Jesus. I even got a tropical disease that I'll have the rest of my life because I wanted to go tell people in the Dominican Republic about this God I serve.

But I have also felt love, God's love shining through people. And every single hurt I have experienced, every mosquito bite, whatever, it all has been WORTH every single second my life possesses, and I wouldn't change a thing. To be where I am now, watching Dana be baptized is worth everything. As my "About Me" section says....Christ never said it was going to be easy, He only said it was going to be worth it.

Oh and it's so, so, so worth it.

Quote of the day: "I am no where that I planned to be in my life, but EXACTLY where God wants me." ~Me

It's all because of Jesus...

"...I'm alive. It's all because the blood of Jesus Christ."
I have been singing that song lately over the past weeks and now I know why. We have been going through a series called, "Carried Away" and it's about dying to our old self and taking up our cross and following Jesus. Not just believing in Him or just growing in Him, but ACTUALLY following Him, no matter what the cost.

This past weekend at church, they did something they have never done before. We have invitations where the pastor would invite people to come down if they needed and were ready to accept Christ, somebody would pray with them and then tell them their next steps.
But this weekend...oh this weekend was different. This weekend is one that will live in my heart forever. This weekend they did an invitation, however they invited people to come down to be baptized right on the spot.

There is a song by Hillsong United called "Mighty to Save". Part of the chorus goes, "Savior, he can move a mountain. My God is mighty to save." This past weekend, he also moved 427 people to come forward and be baptized. Yes, you read that right, FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN people died to their old self and decided to follow Jesus.

How utterly and completely amazing is that? Seriously, it really doesn't get any better than that. I knew a good number of people got baptized this weekend, however did not even begin to comprehend that high of a number. 427. *Shakes head* It makes my eyes well up with tears and realize once again how AMAZING this God we serve really is.

"At the cross you beckon me...draw me gently to my knees, and I'm so in love, so lost for words, sweetly broken, wholly surrendered."

Everything

There is this song from Tim Hughes called "Everything". That is one of my favorite songs. Ever since the first time I heard it church, I loved it immediately. The song really focuses on how our thoughts should constantly be focused on God. I just bought the album today, here are most of the lyrics:

God in my living, there in my breathing

God in my waking, God in my sleeping

God in my resting, there in my working

God in my thinking, God in my speaking

Be my everything (repeated 4x's)

God in my hoping, there in my dreaming

God in my watching, God in my waiting

God in my laughing, there in my weeping

God in my hurting, God in my healing

Like I said, the lyrics says it all. It's so easy to get distracted and lose focus on God. So many people (including me) get so caught up in the ways of the world. We are supposed to be IN the world, not OF the world. I have definitely gotten better about my thoughts, but I still need some work.

VBS was so awesome last week and by Friday night, we were all exhausted. Someone told me that we had about 700 kids registered. It was so awesome to see them worship and get all excited about the skits. I was kinda bummed the first few days because my most favorite part of the whole week is the worship. I've said it before, I love nothing more than to worship and dance with those kids. I was supervising this year and running from place to place and didn't get to do a lot of worship. But I had to get over myself. I was there to serve, anywhere. VBS was definitely not about what I got out of it, it was what the kids got out of it. The Children's pastor said we had about 30 committment cards for kids who wanted to have a relationship with Christ. Oh dude, that's so awesome. That makes me happy. I love to see kids get baptized. My eyes tear up every time I see one at church.