I was made for this.

A lot of you know I've been going through training to be a Young Life leader. I've been mentally preparing myself for if this is even something that would be for me since before I even got to this University. Once I actually got to dive in, something clicked that maybe didn't click with the jillion of other organizations that I tried out when I got here. All of them great, not all of them made for this imperfect girl with a fire for the Lord and a childlike heart (and appearance so I've been told..). The sense of belonging was good. I don't know that I've ever felt so pursued for friendship than with the friends I've made through Young Life. We all want to be together all the time. I took that feeling of belonging and happiness that this organization gave me and ran with it and began training this Spring. Young Life at this University is by no means a huge organization.. we're tiny. Because of this, our training process is a lot different than most schools. It's more intimate, which is great. And sometimes even a little nerve racking because you don't just slip through the cracks. Your area director knows your name and how many times you went to college club before you even started training. You know everyone in your pledge class. The interview process is different. The list goes on. Sometimes it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel "Am I ever going to be a leader?!". For homework one week we were told to set aside an hour or so to pray and make sure that being a leader is really what we were called to do. I asked and Daddy showed up. Scripture after scripture confirming "Ali, YOU WERE MADE FOR THIS." So I kept pressing on, eventually started shadowing a WyldLife club. Liked it. Had my final interviews and had a certain school that I thought I would get placed at in the area. It's where I thought I should be placed. With that in mind I anxiously awaited placement day.

This past Sunday I was given a CRAZY awesome birthday gift.

The gift of NOT being placed with the school I thought I should be placed at.

The gift of being placed where the Lord led my area directors to place me.

The gift of a new family.

The gift of being placed at ... WIMBERLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

The second they called my name my heart knew this was a match! I didn't have a single second guess. Three of my close friends that I made through training got placed on my team, but after spending time with everyone who had just gotten placed on the team + the old members.. I was obsessed with all of them. So much that I spent the next night with them (which just so happened to be my 21st birthday) because I just wanted to get to know them more. 

We had club on my birthday, started off the night by blaring / screaming Taylor Swift's 22 and had a blast with our high schoolers. I can't wait to work alongside these hilarious, energetic and loving people.

I am confident in this; 

That He who began a good work in me didn't set a desire in my heart and then change His mind and take it away in the middle of leadership training.

That He who began a good work in me completed it the day I was placed with my Wimbo team.

That He who began a good work is about to start a new work in me 

..called being a Young Life leader.

Acting crazy, Making a scene, Like it's her birthday.

Oh man, birthday week guys.

Blessed beyond what I can even comprehend with this little mind of mine.

The day before my birthday I was finally placed on a Young Life team (I have a whole other blog about that coming later). After placement a few of my friends came over and got me a cake and we just hung out, which was fun. Then I actually spent most of my night / morning working on / worrying about a project. Yes, on my 21st birthday people. Tell me how cool I am. 

I had a really rough start to my day, I was focusing on myself and what I was lacking. 

The day before I had pretty much just cancelled all of my plans to celebrate my birthday with other people, it was stressing me out. So after a long day at school I went to Young Life with my new team. It was absolutely what I needed. Focusing on Jesus and not myself. Having dance parties and screaming songs at the top of my lungs. I'm not your typical 21 year old and it doesn't really bother me. I've never been one for being normal, why start now :)

Both of my roommates are 21 so when I got home late from club they were there waiting for me and we had our first night of being adults together. It was a nice end to the night and I looked back on the day thankful. Thankful God chose me to live this life.

It's always like Spring time with You; making all things new

It's the week after spring break, I figured I should update about it!

I left to go back home a day earlier than planned because my family had flown in and had been at my parent's house for a few days, so everyone was posting pictures of my nephew and I just couldn't wait to see them any longer.We had family time which we never get to do since my older sister lives out of town. We also celebrated my sister's birthday while she was here so that was fun!

After a few days at home I went to Mission Austin 2013 with FEFC.

Me and 3 other college kids (and our friend Kirsten who invited us on this adventure) were leaders of a group of middle schoolers and we fixed up a children's home all week and glorified the Lord while doing it! It was bunches of fun. The kids were crazy and I got to spend the week with some fun people.

I went back home for a few days then went to SXSW with Daddy, so that was fun.



























I spent my last day of break doing a live recording with some friends then went to my last Young Life leadership training! It was such an eventful break and I can't wait to share what all is going on in my life with yall!

Birthdays and Cupcakes

My big sister, brother in law, nephew (and soon to be niece or nephew -- my sister is preggo again!) flew into Texas for me and my little sister's spring break. Today is big sister's birthday so we got to do some shopping and fun stuff today!






Tonight for dessert I baked cupcakes for sister's birthday!

For those of you who don't know, I love to bake haha. If you want to make these cute cupcakes in a cone it's really simple :)
















Get cake mix, the ingredients it tells you on the back of the box (eggs,vegetable oil, etc.), ice cream cones, icing and if you want to make them fun get some sprinkles!
Make the cake batter as usual and fill up the cones halfway (the batter will expand in the oven) then follow the baking directions for the cake. Most say to bake at 350 degrees for about 20 or so minutes, but make sure you check what your specific mix says. Once the cupcakes look done and may have a little browning at the top, let the cupcakes cool BUT get a fork and gently poke holes at the bottom of the cone so that the cake on the inside of the cone can cool as well. Once they've cooled ice, sprinkle and enjoy!

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!