Man, second blog. The pressure's starting. Hahaha, just kidding. The past two days just have been full of God's love, though. I don't know how, but I have been full of joy. Seriously like pure joy. It's ridiculous!! It's all the little things that I keep noticing. I feel like so many times, it's so easy to see how the Lord works in our lives through huge miracles and sparing a person's life and things to that nature. It's things like that when everyone sees God's handiwork. But what about through prayers of "little" things. The past to days, I have literally gone to bed super late and I simply prayed for the Lord to refresh my soul and to live in happiness in His presence for the day. I hate days where I feel like a complete slob and I complain about literally everything. I just feel like complete crap and not like I am representing Jesus well when I have days when I'm in a bad mood. But Tuesday was seriously such a beautiful day. The weather, the sunshine, the things I was doing, the coffee (gosh I love my coffee), and just everything seemed great. I was supposed to go to Henry Clay High School's club that night too, so I was super excited. My day was going great. I was able to dive into scripture during work, which really makes my day sooooo much better. I am currently reading John for bible study and I just read John 13 and 14 in a way I have never read it before. Just realizing how humble Jesus was in these chapters and how he knew all along what His death was going to come down to. It shows how the Lord comforted his disciples and all of His promises for us. It was perfect for what I am struggling with right now. I am just nervous, yet excited, about leading and what the Lord has in store for my future with it. I just constantly think about students not liking me and how hard it will be, but I was slapped in the face by scripture...

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father." - John 14:12.
 

What an awesome reminder!!! It is so great being reminded that the Lord came down from Heaven - yes, HEAVEN - to save us because we have turned from Him, but yet allows us to do His work?! He gives us the opportunity of a lifetime and lets US be a part of this when He can do it alllllll by Himself. Wow!! He reassures me that I will do great things if I have faith in Him. Gosh, what a motivation!

On Saturday night, a handful of people from College Life went to a night of worship put on by some CSF (Christian Student Fellowship) students (which was absolutely amazing). While we were there, a guy named Pastor Tim was there to pray with people. At first, I will say, I was a little freaked out by this whole shabang, but I decided to have Pastor Tim pray for me. I went with my friend Brittany and everything that came out of that man's mouth was purely the Holy Spirit speaking through him.... it was crazy!! He prayed for self-doubt for me, which seriously hit home. It was exactly what I needed. He said that I would impact so many people while I was in college and that I wouldn't be discouraged.

To say the least, I was utterly amazed afterwards. He hit the nail on the head. No, the Holy Spirit hit the nail on the head. I have been so afraid lately of what lies ahead of me. But I was reassured! Just looking at what I've been reading lately and how it has been applying to my life is eye-opening. It's awesome seeing that if we have faith in the Lord, He will have faith in us to work alongside Him. He believes in me when I don't even believe in myself. He demonstrates being bold and defending my faith. He shows us how to love wholeheartedly, which I what I hope to show some of my girls in the future. I just can't wait to lead and trusting completely on the Lord to provide and protect me. It's just good for the soul.

By ending, I want to share my most recent favorite worship song that we've been singing at leadership and College Life. It's just been super relative and it explains the cry of my heart right now. Please listen! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8PLBQrzWQ8&noredirect=1

I think from now on I'm going to end with a prayer because it just ends these things perfectly.

Father God, let your glory reach every nation. Let it be known the grace and redemption of your love, Lord. I thank You so much for the past couple of days that I have felt Your presence and I have been just completely filled with joy. Lord, I pray that I am constantly reminded of You and Your faith in me. When the world says no, You say go. I am so excited to a follower of the King by being a leader of the disinterested. I pray for a leap of faith into the unknown and you grace my lips with love for my future conversations with these students. I pray that I can continue to see how You have been shaping my life and growing me to love you more. Thank you for putting in a heart of flesh that was made to love You and taking out my heart of stone that rejected you. I pray that when given the opportunity, I choose to let you into my life. Break my heart for what breaks yours. It's in Your Name I pray.

 

 

 

 

 

Just in awe.

Can't even come close to describing how the Lord has been working in me lately. It's just so great to see what He is doing in my life and how His loves covers the depths of my life. It's seriously amazing. I don't have the best writing ability at all, but I just wanted to keep kind of an online journal of how the Lord is impacting my life in Lexington when I never thought He would. Here's a little rewind into my life:

I went to Dixie Heights all through high school. Through being a part of Young Life and going to Rockbridge for summer camp the summer after my freshman year, I made the greatest decision I have ever made - to respond to Christ's offer and surrender my heart and soul to Him.

Summer Camp at Rockbridge 2009.

Since then, it's been a crazy, yet awesome journey. He has brought me closer and closer to Him these past 3 and a half years and I cannot fathom how.


On September 8th, 2012, I lost my mother. She was the greatest influence of love in my life. She had been having heart problems since April 2011 and being in and out of the hospital in between. Yes, it definitely is hard going into your first semester of your freshman year of college (already stressed and scared from the start) with your mom passing away the second week of school. It was a very tough thing to deal with, but the Lord carried me without growing weak.



Mom and I at a Christmas party in 2011. My last Christmas with her.

Now, I am still at the University of Kentucky as a Spanish major just trying to grow each and every day with the Lord by my side and teaching me to trust in Him with every decision and move I make.

I am currently in training down here to be a Young Life leader, which is really humbling me and making me desire the Lord more and more. It's awesome. I get placed on February 15th. Wow, I am really excited. It's just crazy to think that a year ago at this time, I was just deciding I wanted to go to UK. When I visited UK, I hated it. I almost went to Louisville (brb, crying inside)!! But being down here in Lexington, I am slowly but surely realizing that this is where the Lord wants me to be. I am challenged here and that is what I needed. I am beginning to have a heart for Lexington. Gosh, that is crazy. I just can't wait to see how the Lord will use me in students' lives either at a middle school or a high school. But for now, I have an awesome, encouraging community that I can fall back on that I am SO thankful for. Each and every one of them are so great.

First UK football game with my new Lexington friends.

As I finish my lengthy, but first, blog post, I would like to pray for this blog and what I hope to accomplish with it...

Lord, open my eyes to new things. Open give me Your arms to every student that I will come in contact with once I am placed. I just pray for a big heart that desires more of You, Lord, and to be more like You, Lord. Father, I pray that this blog isn't used for pointless things that I use to avoid homework. I pray that it is used to bring You and only You glory. I pray that it allows me to reflect on how You're changing my life, Lord. No matter how prone I am to wander, Father, I pray that I am reminded that You are the same forever and Your love is never ending. I pray "I fall so deeply in love with Your name, Jesus, that I forget my own", Lord. Lord, thank You for the cross and reminding me of Your love and that I have something better to look forward to as hope everyday. Thank You for the Cross, Father. It's in Your Name I pray.