24 February 2010

Dear Beth Moore

My dear Beth,
Can I just tell you that you make absolutely every nervous experience that much easier?! God definitely used your voice to put me at ease tonight.
I had the first session of my first Bible study (one that I'm leading, I mean). We're doing the Patriarchs. There are five girls who are all sophomores here at Berry that are doing it-Juli, Sarah, Abigail, Lizzie, and myself. Each of us come from different backgrounds, just like the Siestas that met with you in Texas a few weeks ago....but we are going to connect over God. We did tonight, though we only did the introductory session! Tonight it was just three of us - Juli, Abigail, and me - but it was still fantastic.
I was nervous, to say the least. To bring people together to not only meet with you, Beth, but to meet with the Most High God...wow! What a privilege - an HONOR! I was a bit intimidated starting about an hour before we were to meet, though the nerves started showing themselves last week. I've never taken on something like this, but I've felt God calling me to it lately - and I just can't wait for next week!
The books are a little hard to come by because they are only at LifeWay and Rome, GA isn't fortunate enough to have one of those...but God has orchestrated absolutely every part of this entire study - from me getting the videos from a dear friend of my mom's to location and each of the girls involved. He has already started working on the books - I'll be getting three from my best friend this weekend who just finished the study at Nachamu Ami with the ladies there!
To watch HIM orchestrate...and have a hand in even the smallest things...like a Bible study...which is really a monumental small thing - it is just humbling.

Abba! I thank you so much for the girls I met with tonight - for their hearts, for everything we've experienced - good and bad in our eyes! I praise You for creating them in the most unique ways! Father, You have brought us together for a reason - for a purpose! Nothing happens that is without Your knowledge! We are all coming together with different problems and challenges right now - may we be accountable to each other, lifting each other up in You as it says in the scriptures. May we find new meaning behind who You are - behind each of Your names - write them on our hearts, Lord! Bring them to fruition in our lives and give us the burning desire to LIVE like we have promises from You - WE DO!! In Your very name we have promises! Father, may we lose ourselves in Ha-Shem - in The Name!!
How can I not praise You for everything You are doing? I see SO much, yet I see so little of how You move! Take me there to the place where You are! Father, I just want to be there at Your feet, at peace, at rest. You have blessed me so much that I cannot stop singing! WOW, Lord! WOW!!! I am in awe of You!
"Who is like You, Lord?!...All I can say is 'HOLY!' All I can do is fall on my face and cry 'HOLY!!'"

22 February 2010

Shaun King's interview w/ 11 Alive

Shaun King's interview with NBC's 11 Alive in Atlanta - help spread the word and collect tents for aHomeInHaiti.org.
How willing are you to go when Adonai calls you?
Hineni

Help the Haitians!!

 A letter from the lady herself::

Hello, my name is Hannah Rosbrook and I am contacting you on behalf of 700,000 Haitians who lost their homes last month in an earthquake. On March 1, they will begin a four month rainy season followed by hurricane season starting in June. Due to the massive destruction of their homes and buildings, they are now living under government-issued tarps and blankets that will not stand up to the impending rains. Through aHomeInHaiti.org, an organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, tents are being delivered to relief efforts already on the ground in Haiti.

When this need came to my attention and I realized I could, I knew I had to help. That's why I'm emailing you. I have volunteered to be the tent drive leader for the Middle Georgia area. Together we can collect waterproof tents to be sent to Haiti for free through this organization. Tents may be bought online at ahomeinhaiti.org as well as in stores. Monetary donations can also be made online - this can be taken off your taxes! However, combining our efforts and collecting donations locally will allow us to buy tents directly from manufacturers at an extremely discounted price. A 4-person waterproof tent is regularly priced $109. We can get them in bulk for $42 a piece.

MidSouth Federal Credit Union has graciously allowed us to use their locations during business hours as drop-off sites for tents. More locations for drop-off will be added in the next several days.  Also, local bands will come together to hold a benefit concert on March 6 to raise awareness and collect monetary donations for this cause. The location will be announced this week.

We can be the solution to their problem. It simply takes each of us giving a little. Please help me get the word out about this drive and benefit event. Forward this email, announce the event, add it to your calendars. We are more than capable of making a difference.

If you need more information or have questions, feel free to contact me.
My email address is nan1489@gmail.com and my phone number is (478) 397-1023

Thank you for your time and consideration.
Have a blessed day,
Hannah Rosbrook

21 February 2010

NT journal

We have to do journals for my New Testament class - simple one page reflections on interpretation and the Scriptures. Because I was sick, I have to do at least two extra credit ones to reconcile the two quizzes I missed in class. This is one of them..

Growing up it was easy to take verses out of context and interpret them to fit one's own desires and still claim to believe "the whole Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:20." More often than not, those out-of-context interpretations came from the New Testament. Some of those included 1 Corinthians 11:15 ("but a woman who wears her hair long enhances her appearance, because her hair has been given to her as a covering.") and Acts 10:13-15 (Peter's vision) among others. Some came from the Old Testament as well - such as Deuteronomy 22:5 ("a woman is not to wear men's clothing, and a man is not to put on women's clothing, for whoever does these things is detestable to Adonai your God.")
Interpreting the Bible in the context it was written is a fairly new concept for me. At times we would discuss the Israelites or the Jews of the Old Testament, but never what we believed in the way it was meant for the context in which it was said. This separated way of looking at Scripture plagues many church groups today. understanding where our beliefs have come from or what they are grounded in - even if simply in the verses surrounding them - is overlooked.
Taking a verse out of context is like the media piecing together bits and fragments  of a quote to have the interviewee say what will get the news channel/organization the most viewers, feedback, or simply a better story. It is not defined as slander, but at its core it truly is.
Like a person watching their interview on the news or reading a quote in the newspaper, I wonder if God ever looks at us and throws His hands in the air saying, "That is NOT what I meant! That's not even what I said! There was something before/after that part that makes it make SENSE.."

19 February 2010

THIS BIG

I exaggerate sometimes, yes....

but what I'm about to tell you, I'm not exaggerating about (and I don't exaggerate about God. is that possible? no. it's not. so deal)


but I have to get more details first. until then................ buy a tent :)

aHomeInHaiti.org


-----


OK GUYS! here's the deal::

February 28, 2010
2-5pm.
CENTRAL CITY PARK - Macon, Ga
Benefit concert - local bands...that are basically great. so come check it
please bring a tent or donation! - Let's be God's hands and feet and help the Haitians!!

Tents need to be WATERPROOF, please - the rainy season is coming. Please get the word out to everyone you know in the middle Georgia area!

Haiti's rainy season starts in 10 days.

If you are a band that would like to perform - LET ME KNOW!

my email: bananagurl0508@gmail.com

If you are interested in helping or have other questions, please feel free to ask me!

"Wash yourselves clean! Get your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing evil, learn to do good! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend orphans, plead for the widow." Is 1:16

aHomeInHaiti.org



DONATE TENTS HERE

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 calls us to be united as the body of Christ, UNIFIED. For those of you who went to Passion Twenty-Ten, you understand this. Louie Giglio only said it a FEW times.
Not only does helping people in Haiti address a direct need for these people, but I PROMISE it will serve as common ground for every church in your community. If they love the Lord, they have a desire to be His hands and feet regardless of denomination, religion, creed, doctrine, or any other wall that we have put up to separate ourselves. Put all of that aside and help OTHERS. You, in turn, will be impacting your community in a huge way.

I know the representative for Middle Georgia who is heading up the tent drive and will be glad to pass along information to you if you need to drop off a tent or are interested in helping.


*For those of you in Rome, I'll be glad to collect tents and drop them off in Peachtree City on my way home if you have some to donate. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or resources to head up a tent drive here, myself. If YOU want to take the initiative, pray about it and contact Shaun King at aHomeInHaiti.org. He and the people working with him will help you out.


You can BUY tents directly from the website or drop them off at local drop-off points. You can also simply donate money. That, as well, can be done online or in person.
If you need more information, please let me know. I'll be glad to help in any way I can!

18 February 2010

calculus and mindblowing numbers

11 handwritten pages...and I should have 20.
well, it will have to do for tonight.

I also just sent the most random email to my dear Mama Gentry. How I love that she will listen and read my ramblings that to the eyes of most are pointless, but somehow must bring excitement to her. She tells me so.
It must be my satirical use of sarcasm.

did you know taxiing is spelled with two i's? it's kind of like your face.
don't take that the wrong way...but if you look in the mirror, you have two eyes too. don't hate on the wordage.

coffee is good...didn't finish my popcorn. haven't studied for my lit test. gotta run do that. or sleep and do it tomorrow? lunch? oh anti-socialism.
I really haven't been social today. I only ate and worked and went to class! Otherwise I have been right here writing and/or typing away.

Believe me, doing both at once is a hassle.


Oh how I praise Adonai for His control over me! Especially in times like now when sleep deprivation and a spice of coffee have my mind and fingertips awry with intentions.

goodnight dears. more insight and thoughtfulness after my 2pm test tomorrow. Father, please keep me awake during Sense & Sensibility tomorrow morning at 9:30am!

17 February 2010

until March 9

Jason Upton's "Freedom Reigns" is just about as good as you can get right now until March 9th when the Passion 2010 CD, Awakening, is released. At that time, you will be so marvelously blessed to know ... well, the whole CD is legit. I recommend it. Those songs are written on my heart now after Passion this year. Three days of singing them....how can they not be?
It can be awkward when you walk into a place of worship and don't know the words to the songs. You end up mumbling and staring at the words on a screen, if there is one, and you don't get much out of the worship. We have a hard time letting go of the words...of the control of how we worship.
Let me tell you, by the time we got to Passion - all of us, 26,000 students, not just our 10 - were ready to let go. We were ready to just let.go. and worship. It didn't matter that we were in a room full of thousands we didn't know. It didn't even matter that we may or may not be sitting in the order on the row that we wanted to sit in or that the people around us were people we knew. We all battled to get there, struggled against principalities and powers, against time and emotions, against mentality and organization, against sickness and "impossible."
To struggle to get somewhere, knowing that satan had a red flag on every single one of our heads, and finally reach the goal, SUCCEED - yet not by our own strength, but HIS - and to find UNITY there!..how incredible.... Better yet, to rest at the feet of Yeshua. wow. To say that He "leads us by the still waters" is an understatement. We had mini lives just trying to get to Passion! Sitting at the feet of Yeshua we sang to Him the songs that are on this "Awakening" album. We worshiped Him. We found sweet peace and mercy at His feet. Grace DID abound, and His love overflowed in us. We would not have made it to Tuesday had we not entered the GWCC and Philips Arena to find such souls as Christy, Chris, Matt, and Kristian to lead us to the throne room.
Adonai gave them a vision, gave them words, and led them there with the talent and sincerity that HE needed to get us to where He wanted us. They served as intercessors, preparers, ushers, servants to the King. For the next three days we were poured into, broken, burned, filled, and restored. The Spirit of the Lord was there; there we found liberty, freedom, reigning...raining.

16 February 2010

new rule

BBQ Chicken pizza tastes good at the time, but is not for the irritated of stomach.
Zach and I know this now.

however, today has been better. snow flurries all the day long.

today's all-access pass song from Passion is...........A Mighty Fortress..performed live at P2010 by the one and only Christy Nockels.
Gotta love her.
Gotta love that song.
Gotta listen to that song LOUD.
=D

on another note:
"the same power that conquered the grave lives in me"
-how POWERFUL a statement?! how powerful the power behind that powerful statement?!
intense.

own that today. it's yours.

13 February 2010

carmex and a little dark chocolate

Days like today are just good.

[my blog is turning slightly towards a journal...uhoh]

Hannah came over last night to have a movie marathon.
HAH
as.if. 


We ended up talking for 8 hours straight. I can not seem to recount exactly what we talked about, but I can tell you it was some good stuff. It amazes me that we can still have so much to talk about.


I finally fell asleep on her sometime around 1:45 or 2am only to wake up at 8:30 to roll over until 10:45. After having a bit of lunch [some tasty bowtie alfredo - love me some pasta] we returned to my room and just talked, again, until around 5...and we still weren't done. 
But all of today was spent talking about the Bible. We started out talking about Nazarite vows, ended up in 1 Corinthians 11, brought up The Google for some background research on the church at Corinth (ohmagoodness - if you've never done BG on some of the stuff in the Bible if not ALL of the stuff there, you will literally shock your pants off when you read some of it. The way it is all interconnected and woven together ... LIKE A TAPESTERY ... wow amazing). 
Sidenote: tapestry is important because the slam-poet last night on the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Vancouver...and consequently a note written by Mrs Cheryl. It's just good. I can't begin to explain it.
From the research on Corith we ended up in Romans, which somehow lead us to Exodus and then to so many other things. I don't remember where it went from there. It just got jumbled. I DO know that Romans 14 is now one of my favorite chapters of the Bible for at least right now [it's so hard to have a favorite....because it's all good. Literally]. The Lord definitely used Rom 14 to open my eyes to a lot of things - to humble me and smack me about  my pride and really just bring some things full circle. It was good.

I love coming home if for the very reason that Nan and I get to sit together and search and read and learn. It's the best kindergarten class, I promise. You'll find no other better one anywhere. 

I dare you guys to do some research!!!


Tonight I'm not sure what's on the agenda but I'm about to dive into one more essay that I have to turn in from last week. Then I'm praying there will be a coffee rendezvous, but whatever is in HIS will! 
Sad NA was canceled this morning due to snow/ice and I will not make it back to Rome in time for CR's services in the morning. =/ Praying this Bible study takes off sometime soon!!

I hope all of you are doing well. :) Can't wait to share what the Lord does next. He shows me more and more that He is leading me.  

12 February 2010

nexeum

Came home late wednesday night because i was hurting so bad. mom and dad took me to the doc yesterday and I got some bloodwork done & a CT scan. it was a little weird. the contrast is gross...and I just had a headache all day, but i'm feeling better right now.
the doctor said everything basically came back normal, but my stomach is definitely really irritated and I need to lay off of so much caffeine and bad foods..like fried ones. but I haven't eaten fried ones in a month because they're gross. I have had lots of coke, though...and that's not good.

I would like to make it official - I am not allergic to the Butlers. P.G. hahahaha =)

About to go and eat some alfredo...at least that I CAN eat. it will be good and not too acidic like tomatoes or something. weird. but we'll see.
Nan is coming. can't wait. it's always such a treat to talk with her!

10 February 2010

prilosec

I would love to wait until tomorrow and see if the Prilosec will work, but I am in so much pain right now. I think mom and dad are going to come tonight and pick me up. I get paid friday, thankfully, but I know this next paycheck will be small because of me being out so much this week.

I don't know if it is for SURE an ulcer, but the nurse said that all the symptoms point to it. I hate that I'm in one of those "instant gratification" sort of mindsets right now, but I really want this to be fixed ASAP. I can't handle it anymore.

And more than anything, I just want to be home so mom can take care of me. Being sick when you are away from home is probably the worst situation to be in.

09 February 2010

full

My heart is just overflowing tonight.

"A three chord strand is not easily broken" - Ecclesiastes 4:12

Tonight I was on the phone with my best friend, my Diana. She told me that I was her "three."
Three is a significant number Biblically - it denotes divine perfection. (Seven denotes spiritual perfection).
It's really hard to explain without tons of background information exactly what she meant, but let me just tell you that it made my heart just overflow.
What a fantastic feeling to get off the PHONE with a friend...and feel like you've been in the presence of Adonai. That is how I feel every time I get off the phone with this beautiful woman of God! She is so precious to my heart.

Another cool three-stranded chord [that's really 4-stranded if you think about it] that I just want to mention involves another beautiful woman of God! See, Hannah used to talk all the time about this Cheryl person - little did I know that she would be a kindred spirit, much like my Nan. What a blessing to have two beautiful, sincere examples of the Proverbs 31 woman in my life!!!! AH!

Today I have had intense nausea. It's horrible - but it's finally subsiding. It usually does at night. I'm finishing an essay then talking with Nan on skype...then to bed it is for me. Tomorrow will be a long day, but I'm kind of excited about it all. :) I don't know why. I have essays and tests this week - mostly Thursday - but I will make it through. This will be my first weekend here in a while. I'm a little sad about that, but I think the Lord is going to work it for His good. :)

more on fun things later. :) until then..

08 February 2010

hey pepto

lots of nausea this morning.
nothing coming out though...just upset tum.
It's time for this to end.

Jehovah Rapha - God my HEALER
Exodus 15:26 He said, "If you will listen intently to the voice of ADONAI your God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvot and observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am ADONAI your healer."

07 February 2010

Option Two

Jeremiah 23:23: "Am I god only when near," asks Adonai, "And not when far away?"
Elohei Mikkarov - God who is near
Elohei Merachok - God who is far

Psalm 109:1 "God, whom I praise, don't remain silent!"
Elohei Tehillati - God of my praise

Elohim Chayim The LIVING God (Deut 5:26; Ps 42:2, 84:2, etc)
Elohei HaChayim - God of the living (Mark 12:27)

Tsaddik means "just, righteous"
El Tsaddik - Isaiah 45:21

El Shaddai - the all-sufficient God
Gen 17:1 "I am El Shaddai: walk before me and be perfect"
Psalm 22:10, Psalm 91:1

Yeshua means "Salvation"
"Same power that conquered the grave lives in me, lives in me, your love that rescued the earth lives in me, lives in me." - Hillsong
- evidence that we are MORE than conquerors through Yeshua...He IS our salvation. Death has no sting and grave no victory. We ARE ALREADY victorious in Adonai!!!


I can't write all this down...go here. read this. it's ridiculously good.
here here here

ahhhhhhh I have lost ALL OF MY SOCKS!!!!

It's official

No discount on the Beth Moore Patriarchs books, but that's okay. Adonai has worked this all out so far. I trust Him with the rest. :)

Going home is so much fun. I enjoy spending time with Hanah and y family and friends so much. It's grand. Cai, new friend, was great. He's not a new friend though. He knows so much about me already because of our obnoxiously long facebook message started about three years ago! hahaha We are crazy indeed.
Zach's last regular season game was Friday night - they won.
The boys of COH played at the 567 Friday night and did such a wonderful job. They have an anointing for worship. It was incredible. I can't wait to hear them play more!!! Saturday's service was grand. :) Worship was grand - Damien has a way of putting the songs together that just makes the whole experience phenomenal. I got to see my Amen Sista - Jenn!! TOO much fun...definitely missed her a lot! There were lots of faces there. It was so good to see so many people there to worship the Lord! Nan does so well with the kids too. They love her. :) The little girls did a dance that was absolutely beautiful and practically had me in tears. It was all about their worth in the Lord....and how he actively pursues them. It was just beautiful. Game night Saturday night was fantastical as well. We watched Medea's Family Reunion and it cracked me up, made me angry, and almost had me in tears. I guess that's a sign of a good movie......but at the same time it was a little slow and annoying.
Waking up so early to come back to school was gross. I wish I could've slept the whole day- which I did when I got here. A 4 hour nap was necessary.

I want to go to Israel. I want to learn Hebrew. I want to spend all of my time just researching and learning and doing.
I wonder if I can study abroad in Jerusalem....that would be exciting.

my headache and stomach ache are on and off. I wish they would both go away.
I have an essay to write! The superbowl is on!

I love that Adonai assures us that our walk with Him will not be easy, but regardless, He has provided an escape and THE Way to make it through. We must trust and inevitably we will feel like we're walking on nothing, but truth is we are walking on the most solid, holy ground.
He told Moses to take his sandals off...he was walking on holy ground in the presence of Adonai.

06 February 2010

withdrawals

things I'm learning:

1. I did not watch enough barney as a child - I have the hardest time sharing my friends.
2. I am selfish.
3. I easily get upset with those who monopolize the time of people that I want to be with.
4. There was a penguin on my head a few minutes ago.
5. Wind makes people sneeze - I'm convinced.
6. I really want to squish Rome and Macon together into one big city with all the people
7. I really need some coffee from Quincee at The Nest (thenestcoffee.com)
8. Money is such an annoying thing.
9. You can't get the member books for The Patriarchs study by Beth Moore ANYWHERE...and I need them for my Bible study
10. Citizens of Heaven (http://myspace.com/citizensofheavenband) was fantastic tonight at the 567 Cafe in Macon. I'm so proud of the boys :)
11. Shabbat will be so much fun in the morning. I WILL be there.
12. I am so blessed...with so many friends that I love. God is so good to me. wow.

p.s. check this vid::

HERE

04 February 2010

Fri...I mean, Thursday

College is grand.
College is great.
God is doing great things here in my life.
BUT
I get to go home this weekend. =)


Today has been much better than yesterday when it comes to stomach pains. My friend Hannah likes to sing the 'Mi shebeirach' while she's on the phone with me because my dear roommate is sickly - but I think it's just a prayer of healing over this whole room! The Lord works in grand ways.
The weather is wet, but God's glory still shines on these 26,000 acres. I am HOPING to start my Beth Moore study next Wednesday night with some girls here on campus. Jeanenne, a friend of mine here who is also the assistant for Josh Roberts, the pastor at Connect Rome, has to get back to me about getting a few more people to come. My only worry is the books. I don't know anywhere around Rome where the girls can get them and Amazon takes at least a few days. The nearest LifeWay is in Kennesaw, but there's a Christian bookstore in Cartersville that carries them...I just need to check with Lifeway and see if they will give me a discount for buying 10 or 15 of them. I am praying so hard that this Bible Study works out. You guys have no idea. I just want so much to do this with some girls. My heart is in it.

I am so excited about my church up here - Connect Rome. The entire staff and the whole congregation have such hearts to serve the Lord. It's incredible and such a blessing to know them. Check out Josh's blog HERE I promise it will rock your socks.
I'll be missing it this Sunday morning because I'll be home and that almost kills me, but I'm stoked to go see my friends and family at home.

Cai is coming tonight around 8 from West Virginia to pick me up on his way down. Then I will be spending the weekend with him, the Butlers, and my beautiful best friend, Nan. It will be a fun, yet FILLED, weekend. =) Here's a rundown from now until I come back up Sunday.

5 to 6 - relay for life committee meeting [which reminds me go here to donate!!!]
6 to 7 - food with Juli and Jeremy
7:30 - leave to meet Cai with Jeremy
8:30 - leave with Cai for Middle Georgia!
10:30 - arrive at Nan's
sleep at some point

Friday:
-home until around 2:30 to see Mom and Riley
-to Warner Robins to grab Nan from her work
-CoH at the 567 in Macon!!! can't wait to see these boys perform!
-Zach's basketball game in Macon [at the same time might I add]
-probable chillage with said Butlers

Saturday:
-service chehhh!!! painting involved I DO hope
-nommage aka lunch
-game night with Butler Boys

Sunday:
-possible church with mom & dad
-lunch
-back to college!


Busy? yes. Fun? psh. DOES A ONE-LEGGED DUCK SWIM IN A CIRCLE?!

I will leave at this. adeu :)

02 February 2010

RAWR said my tum

The rain has been nasty, but it puts me in the mood to paint since I can't do much else. I need to catch up on my reading for Austen, though. That's definitely important.

But besides that school stuff, I painted a picture for Mrs Cheryl! It's a tree - probably the best tree I've ever done. I really like it. Not even kidding, when I finish a painting and look at it, I wonder who painted it. I know there's no way it came from these two hands!!

I'm trying to think what to paint on Hannah's, but I really don't know....it will take some prayer.

I need to get a baby canvas and paint it black.....for Mr. Keith...it will be a ninja painting. =D


Today I am sick....sick of cramps and sickly wanting to be home already. This weekend seemed like winter break again...I tell you, it's that dang Excursion! So much happens in it.

I miss all those people.

01 February 2010

connect-the-dots

Do you guys remember those pictures in coloring books or that you'd get in elementary school where there were parts of the picture you could see...but for the rest of it, there were dots with numbers?....You had to draw a line connecting consecutive dots to finalize the outline of the picture.



I spent three hours this morning connecting spiritual dots from verse to verse to passage to verse to verse to longer passage to fact to faith to belief.


Connecting the dots was never more fun - I feel like an elementary school kid..but in the best kind of school. =)

quickie

This weekend has been a rush so I'll only recap the main points, if I can help it, then tell you some exciting news that came up tonight...then this child has GOT to go to bed - no more late night mochas for me!


Friday I left in a rush to get from Rome to Locust Grove, just south of Atlanta, to meet some beautiful dears of mine - the Butlers and my Hannah! I got there a bit early and managed to spend two hours meandering around Tanger Outlet - not something that happens on a regular basis...I honestly can't remember the last time I was there. It was probably before Old Navy was invented, no kidding. I stood outside my car clutching my few belongings for the weekend and some BK, topped by a black hat, when my carriage arrived - big black Excursion full of funny people. They laughed at my self-proclamation of being a homeless person in the parking lot. We made our way to Carrolton in the rain for Zach's game and arrived just in time for the last quarter - long enough to see him play and wonder about some of the parents there. Oh, and congratulations to Strong Rock for their accreditation - sorry we forgot to clap while we were there...#12 on the girls made us not want to anymore! Post game = DQ for RedBeard's birthday nommage. Nan and I managed to get a discount, the place was all decorated with streamers (for Seth's birthday, not valentine's day of course), we got a huge knife to cut his cake-log, and the people even came JUST to sing happy birthday - how cool was THAT?!
Song of the evening: "Restoration" ... unfortunately, I don't know who it's by.

Saturday....I'm still upset about Saturday morning. Me and that punk, Satan, are seriously not friends. My stomach started hurting Saturday morning. Hannah told me later that she knew it would happen. That made me feel twice as defeated as before, but I feel like the Lord worked in the situation anyway - I was able to get the "Patriarchs" study of Beth Moore's from my mom...which will play a HUGE role in a minute. Mom took me to Mactown to meet with the B's at Zaxby's...and we made our way back to Locust Grove for Zach's next game. - it was grand. Nan planned out all the volunteer work they'll be doing - what an incredible inspiration to watch! WOW! And we cheered Covenant to a victory...with some pretty nasty coffee.

Wait...am I getting my schools mixed up? I don't remember who we played other than SR, I just know there were two games....great!! I think Strong Rock was SATURDAY and Friday night was some other random place. They spelled Senior wrong on their sign so that's probably why I don't remember them.

ANYWAY, we then returned to Tanger and shopped like maniacs for a minute - Banana Republic is so expensive, even on sale. The Bible Outlet no longer exists - sad panda! But Kirklands has this beautiful picture of a tree that I just about fell in the floor over. I just about tripped over my jaw - it's a good thing I managed to control myself...there's so much breakable stuff in that store! The kind where mom would tell me to "put my hands in my pockets and do not touch ANYTHING." After getting picked up by Sensei Keith, we nommed chocolate and made our way to the IMAX where the kids got tickets for Avatar. After realizing that TGI Fridays was too full of ghetto furry boots, we decided on Moe's. I had to order for Nan AND me - she had to run to Sally's for hair dye - but I've never enjoyed Moe's more! The conversation is probably what did it...and the lack of huge bumps afterward - JENNIFER PARR AND JESSIE FAULHABER! =P The end of Moe's was such a sad feeling. I knew I'd have to leave. There were a few prolonged goodbyes, but of course my friends had to get into the movie. Red Beard was NOT going to miss his birthday present, and what a good one..or so I've heard! The drive to Rome was uneventful, but a praise: Ben didn't act dumb about shifting when going up hill!! GLORY TO GOD! He can even heal cars!! Not just people. :)

Today was grand- Jules picked me up for church around 9:30 and we rocked out to some Phil Whickham [well, not HIM, but his music] and received such an incredible message from Josh about SERVING and giving ALL to the Lord! Romans 12:1-2. It definitely hit home for me and confirmed in me so many things!!
The cool stuff starts after that - I came back and did a lot of talking with Hannah, thinking, praying, and planning. And the Lord has just worked so much out - I am 99% positive I will be starting a Bible study for some of the girls here on Wednesday nights!!!!!!!!! See - my getting Patriarchs from mom was just DIVINE! TAKE THAT SATAN! Even when you think ya got me, HE MAKES IT WORK FOR HIS GLORY!!! YOU HAVE NO FOOTHOLD!!

I have been painting and working out details with that tonight, as well as meeting with a few kiddies from Relay about tomorrow night's meeting. My weeks are only getting busier, and here I sit unable to go asleep because I decided to buy a white chocolate mocha at 8:30 at night...and I am just all excited inside about what the Lord has planned. I don't know what it is, but freedom in HIM is so much better than captivity and bondage in my sins! I don't have to know what's coming next - I trust HIM to make it work!

"We know where the Spirit of the Lord is - where the Spirit of the Lord is there is LIBERTY!" hallelujah - can't wait for Awakening (Passion 2010) to come out in March! The songs are written on my heart!

Alright, I will leave you with a two-liner that I wrote after service this morning. It's almost a combination of two songs, but it is so much my heart right now! God bless all of you in this upcoming week. I pray He renovates your lives and turns you to Him! May you taste and see that He is gracious and joy in His infinite glory!!

I will abandon my heart for you
I will run and chase after you
and desire no other escape