You're Making All Things New

Who am I

that God would make me completely pick up my beautifully detailed schedule (written in INK in my planner) and trash it to dive head first into something that would make me so uncomfortable. And do it gladly. 

Thinking about it, I'm even a little shocked about the last part. I was just caught up in the moment. I got a text just days before this past weekend began about being a part of a retreat that people have been registered and mentally prepared for for MONTHS. They were asking ME to come. -- God turns the tables on me like that from time to time. Like you sign up for retreat/workshops, you don't get texts basically saying "Hey you've been paid for so.." .. like, is there an out to that? I guess in some cases, possibly, but not in mine. So after a drawn out practice at Strutters filming promos for our spring show (APRIL 12th&13th put it on your calendars now!) me and two of my teammates drove about 4 hours to Glen Rose to meet up with our school's FCA at FCA's College Advance Weekend. About 30 universities from Texas met up in one place and got crunk for Jesus. The second I got there I was like "Crap, I'm not athletic."  I've been in FCA since I got to this school and other dancers are in it, it's just like whatever really. You don't have to be a labeled athlete to be in a room and talk about Jesus with us. But this was the first time I was made well aware that there were a lot of athletes in FCA.. who knew. I was in for a fun weekend. Day two of advance we had huddle games. all. day. it was a competition. I sucked. It was hilarious. My poor teammates were so patient with me and encouraged me when I would faceplant or miss getting the basketball in the hoop or whatever else we were doing. That whole day we learned how to honor God in our extra curriculars and it was awesome and is really a renewal of the mind. It's so easy to slip back into old habits. Aside from learning that life tactic, I think God brought me there for relationship.  

Each person got placed into a huddle with people from other schools so you don't know anyone. There was one girl in my huddle from San Antonio that I met, she was super sweet. Then the last night new believers prayed the prayer of salvation, you know the usual, and then the new believers stood up. I turned around to look and there was the girl from my huddle. I started bawling. Here we are at a retreat for fellowship of CHRISTIAN athletes. If you're stupid like me you kind of just assume, hey everyone who comes here is a christian. WRONG. Aside from the girl in my huddle there was about 40 people there that night that stood up. I was so taken back by all of my new beautiful brothers and sisters! 3 girls in my huddle accepted Christ and I was just crying happy tears every time I looked at them. God is so good. 

That night my school's FCA met up after all of our group stuff and we stayed up late getting to know eachother. I was there with some wonderful people.

Retreat was great, it ended then we drove back home. Where I barely had any down time and I was off to my first leadership training for Young Life!!!!! 

It was amazing and God is doing new things already. I'm going to be in a new small group and I have a new LTG on top of that. I had dinner with my LTG last night and I am so excited to continue to train with these people.

Monday night I had the privilege of leading worship for FCA's G.L.O.W with my talented friend Garrett. It was a blast. The Lord is so good to me. 

Hope you have a blessed rest of the week friends!

God is here and God is good

My weekend consisted of going to Austin for a book signing with my mom, we went shopping and out to lunch too! It was a fun girls day.

Sunday I visited two new churches, it was physically and spiritually draining but I got to revive my spirit by walking around Austin with a friend and then through a cute park. I'm liking nature these days. Who doesn't love some beautiful natural scenery?

I'm done with the first two days of the spring semester! It went well besides the fact that it's freeeeezing. I'm not a fan of the cold, I'm definitely a baby. Like I complained so much today because I had to do so much walking out in the cold. I hate complaining, but it was really awful. My face hurt from the cold. Never a good thing. 

After every class today I ran into my roommate on campus, that never happens so it was shocking seeing her a jillion times at school haha. After we were done for the day we went shopping and got us some warm Starbucks drinks. It definitely hit the spot. Then tonight me and my other roommate had soup for dinner -- ahh so good on a cold day like today. All three of us were at home and ate dinner together, which also rarely happens because all three of us are so busy and our schedules usually don't match up to the other's. I was physically cold, but my heart was warmed up by a night in with those two! 

It was exciting to see my teammates again this week too! We're getting ready for basketball season and our spring show, so this should be a fun semester! Can't wait to see what Daddy has in store for Spring 2013.

Wanting God More Than My Craving

I haven't forgotten! Believe me, with my social media fast going on I have a lot more time on my hands. I've just been waiting for a breakthrough day so I have some substance to write about. Today was a breakthrough day :)   I woke up early, hit the gym and ran 3 miles. Then I rewarded myself by picking up two packages at the clubhouse. (Which just so happen to be two pairs of shoes I ordered. That's another topic for another day. Shoes are another "craving" I'm going to have to limit soon.) I carried my packages back to my cute little house, did some crunches and push ups, grabbed some celery and started my Made To Crave studying for the day. Today's was so good! 

Today I found myself asking God to strip away anything that could turn my heart from Him. Today I found myself longing to be a woman who denies myself daily and follows the Lord -- just as He commands me to. [Luke 9:23]

Praises to Daddy-  

~I have gone 4 days without social media. This is huge for me, I'm a people person (Except for when I don't want to be, hehe) so this progress is SO not by my own strength.

~ Today, I picked up a food that I'm fasting from and almost somehow convinced myself that I could get away with eating it with my celery.. sweet Lord gave me strength to turn it down!

After denying myself something I was craving, I read my Made To Crave devotional which was about Eve and Jesus and how they handled Satan's temptations.

 Eve, when confronted in the garden, focused on the object of her desire (the forbidden fruit) and didn't even care to ask God what she should do. "She saw it. She wanted it. She bought the lie. She took it. She suffered for it."  

Then there's Jesus. Satan confronted Him while He was fasting -- OF COURSE HE WAS HUNGRY. Satan offered Him food, but He resisted because His physical needs were being met by God.(Physical Craving)  Satan also tried to convince Jesus to have His angels come save Him. Of course if anyone should show off to make themselves look good, feel powerful and be elevated in other's eyes.. it's Jesus, but Jesus' security came from being a child of God -- not His human achievements. (Craving to feel significant) 

"While Eve focused on the object of her temptation, Jesus kept His focus on God's truth, He refuted each of Satan's lures with scripture."

"He saw it. He wanted God more. He quoted the truth. He resisted. He was rewarded for it."

What a perfect day for that to be my devotional! It was so encouraging.

I also went to my friend Connor's apartment and made her work out with me too. So I have 4 miles down for the day! Halleluyerrrr,

I'm feeling so great. I'm also feeling sore, which I love. These days it's about "doin' me" -- with Jesus. I can always use prayers for more progress.

And as always, I would love to pray for any of yall's needs!

Happy Friday!

First Post of 2013

Hello lovelies!
I am currently one of "those people" who is on a little break from social media. -- I'm just doing mine for the rest of the week, I knew it would be a smart thing to do, I need it right now. This is my first complete day without checking my facebook, twitter or instagram. It is very freeing, it is also slightly driving me insane. When I'm bored (or even when I'm not bored) I love interacting with people through all of my little social media outlets. Blogging may even be considered social media, but I'm not necessarily interacting with people so here I am.

Obviously I've had a little more free time. I'm trying to move all of my music from my family's computer + a bunch of music my friends send me on a regular basis to my iTunes library. This means listening to and analyzing a lot of songs. During school I felt like I barely had time for myself to do that, so this is nice.

 That's my journal over there on the left. Excuse some of my handwriting, it changes every day so I never know what it's going to look like. Along with my personal notes to my Daddy, I write lyrics (from whatever style of music speaks to me that day) or sayings or stuff like that. This is today's.
TODAY is my revival. I've been holding onto a lot that I'm ready to start letting go of. Maybe I'll write about it one day. We shall see.
For now, if you keep reading, you'll find out how is God speaking to and pushing me these days.







Since we last talked, I had a white Christmas. It was wonderful. My family didn't open any presents on Christmas this year so it didn't really feel like Christmas, but it was still fun seeing the family and playing in snow.

My New Year(s)? haha was also very chill, which I loved. There was just three of us, we played Just Dance 4 literally all night/morning. We took a break at midnight and watched fireworks and drank some fun bubbly drinks. Then proceeded to play Just Dance 4. We also played other games and had a little photo sesh throughout the night. So laid back. (And we burned a bunch of calories! What more do you want?) I was dead.


New Years Day for as long as I can remember my family goes to one of our church family's houses. A bunch of families go and play football and eat and WE SING. Which I love and always look forward to. It happens without fail. The lady of the family was actually one of my choir teachers at church when I was in elementary school and she was the first person to (literally) force me to sing on a microphone. She has played such a big part of my life because of her encouraging me to express myself with worship, which is still one of my favorite things.

To bring in the New Year I started a new book and devotional. I'm not a big reader.. at all. The only kind of books that can keep my attention are not books you read for entertainment, which is odd, but I love me some devotional/ christian living type books. LOVE 'em. I'm currently reading Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. The Lord is already doing things in my life through this book -- one of them being my little break from social media.

The book basically started out by calling me out on my obsessive thoughts. Majority of girls (Maybe even boys! -- I don't know because I've never understood the male mind) have them, whether it be wanting a better body, more acceptance from the people around you, attention from a boy (or girl) or money to buy material things -- if you just had this it would make you happy. I am guilty of a lot of those, to the point where they control my life. I think about them 24/7 and they affect a lot of my life decisions. It's exhausting being controlled by the things consuming the forefront of your mind. The fact that any of those things listed above could satisfy you once you had them .. is a lie. And the obsessiveness? It needs to be replaced by something not of this world.. The One who made it.
The Made To Crave devotional is a little different and focuses on craving God and not food. Whether you overeat or have a eating disorder or you just want to come along for the ride of trying to glorify your Father with that beautiful temple that is your body, it's an awesome motivator. I have also fasted from one of my ..famous "food groups" if you will. I say this to encourage you. Push yourself to do what you need to do to be healthy, and if you don't have the will power get a friend to help you along!

I will try to keep yall up with my progress and what I learn throughout my Made To Crave experience. If any of you decide to start reading and acting on Made To Crave I would love to hear from you!

Hope you are all having a great start to your new year!