Wow! This is the only word that I can really say right now. Over the past couple of weeks, God has really showed me so much.
It's amazing how God works and uses different things to show himself. All we have to do is listen and he makes it so clear. I couldn't even begin telling you how awesome it is to be able to clearly see what God's plans are and how everything just comes together on his time.
A friend was asking me earlier how I know that what I was hearing was really God. The only way I knew how to describe it was by saying that I have a peace about it and that I just now. You can't really describe it. One thing I do know for sure is that our God is not a God of confusion and that if we seek him and pursue him, he will guide and direct our paths. We just have to open ourselves up to him and allow him to speak.
It's hard many times for us to not let what WE want get in the way of what HE wants. We have to put all of our selfishness behind us and look to him for all of the answers.

"Yes Lord!"

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" -John 12:27-28

At the beginning of this it is clear that Jesus did not want to die on the cross. We see this when he says that his heart is troubled. He even asks God if God himself will save him from having to die on the cross. Jesus knew though that for the very reason He had come here, was to die on the cross.
Many times as Christians we face things that we necessarily don't want to face. Being a Christian and being like Christ isn't always easy. As humans we naturally want to run from the things that God may be asking us to do. It's important that we learn to walk in obedience and say "Yes, Lord!" Walking in obedience takes faith and courage and doesn't just come over night. This is something that we have to work at. When we come to the point to where we automatically say, "Yes, Lord" and not think twice about saying when God tells us something is when we find ourselves right in the middle of God's will. When we find ourselves in the center of God's will, this is when God's glory is revealed, which is our ultimate purpose here on Earth. This purpose is to bring glory to His name!

Doritos = Walk With God

Well i was sitting at my desk eating Doritos and was thinking to myself... wow I have almost ate this whole bag of chips. It got me to thinking...
Our walk with God should be like eating a bag of Doritos. You know how if the bag of Doritos is just sitting there and you are thinking about eating a chip, but you know once you eat that first chip, you are going to want another one. You know you can never have just one chip.
Our relationship with God should be that of one to where we can never get enough of him. He should become the number one desires of our souls and we should constantly want nothing more than to pursue our relationship with him. The only way we are going to grow is if we become hungry for God and yearn to be closer to him.

In His Arms

I love the lyrics to the song "In My Arms". The words are so encouraging and help me remember that I'm not walking my journey alone. God is with me every step. With every step I take, he is also there. He holds me during the hard times and even when I have left him all of the other times when I didn't think I needed him. He loves us no matter what. His unconditional love will never fade. It's comforting knowing that my God will never leave me and that he is always holding me safe in his arms no matter what.

In My Arms - By Plumb
Your baby blues
So full of wonder
Your curly cues
Your contageous smile
And as I watch
You start to grow up
All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Story books full of fairy tales
Of kings and queens and the bluest skies
My heart is torn just in knowing
You'll someday see the truth from lies

Knowing clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
But you are never all alone
Because I will always
Always love you

Clouds will rage
And storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms
Rains will pour down
Waves will crash all around
But you will be safe in my arms

Just as this tree is planted near the water... this is what we as christians should do. If a tree is planted near the water, even in times of drought, the tree still is able to receive the water it needs in order to bear its leaves and stay alive. Think of Jesus as being the water (which he is the living water) and if we put ourselves near him, we will always bear good fruit and be who he has called us to be. Even during the hard times of life, if we put ourselves near him, we will never loose our fruit. To put ourselves near God means to submerge ourself in his word and to make our whole life about him. We must rely on God for everything and make every aspect of our lives centered around him.

Empty Me

Empty Me - Chris Sligh

I've had just enough of the spotlight

When it burns bright

To see how it gets in the blood

And I've tasted my share

Of the sweet life

And the wild ride

And found a little is not quite enough

I know how i can stray

And how fast my heart could change

Empty me

Of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition

And the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me

So i can be

Filled with you

Ive seen just enough of the quick buys

Of the best lies

To know how prodigals can be drawn away

I know how I can stray

And how fast my heart could change

Empty me

Of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition

And the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me

So I can be

Filled with you

Cuz everything is a lesser thing Compared to you

Compared to you

Cuz everything is a lesser thing

Compared to you

So I surrender all

Empty me

Of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition

And the poison of my pride

Empty me

Of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition

And the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me

So I can be

Lord empty me of me

So I can be

Filled with you.

Filled with you

Empty me

God,

I want to rid myself of everything that doesn't bring glory to your name. I belong to you God, so please draw me close to you and bring me to my knees. I want to follow in your way and just live for the day. I don't want to worry about the past, for I know that my future is in tact. I am just going to focus on today instead. I am going to set my mind on the here and now, this is how I want to live my life.

Life gets so crazy, but God I know you are holding my hand all the way. You walk every step with me.

So here I am... make me more like you...

HOME!

I came home yesterday for the first time since school started. It was so good to be home and to see my family. I have an identical twin sister who goes to North Greenville also, but the rest of my siblings are younger than me. Melanie is my twin and I have a sister, Morgan, who is 14 and in the ninth grade. My other sister, Marissa, is 12 and she is in the seventh grade. Then, last but not least, my little brother, Matthew. He is 8 years old and is in the third grade. I call him my little man. There is a ten year age difference between my brother and I and I think this is the reason we are so close. I have always helped my Mom with him and so now I feel like I almost have a motherly instinct with him.

My parents are Mark and Nikki and they have been married for 20 years. They have always done a great job at raising all of us and I couldn't ask for any better parents.

I love my family and miss them while I'm at school. It's hard coming from a big family, to school where it's just my twin and I. My family has always been close and we always do things together. So coming home this weekend has been great so far because we all have just spent family time together.

Surrender

"In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33

Hmm... I read this during my devotion today and it made me think...

Have I been giving my everything to God? What does this mean?... Surrender. Surrendering my life to him means to let go of whatever has been holding me back from what God wants for my life. Surrendering to God means to let him take complete control of my life and acknowledging that I own nothing, it's all His. If I lived my life like this and completely did away with the thought that I control my life and let go of all of my selfishness, I would automatically want God's way first.

When walking in complete surrender to God, we must also walking in obedience. No matter what it is that God wants of us we have to learn to respond with one answer, "Yes Lord!" This is such a hard thing to do. Especially when it's something that requires us to step out of our comfort zone. The cool thing is that we can never go wrong walking in obedience to God.

This is a hard topic for me. I like to be in control, but I often get lost in what I want instead of what God wants for me. I yearn to live a life of complete surrender and I know that although it may seem hard when thinking about giving EVERYTHING up and giving it to God, but in the end it's all worth it.

God,
Help me to live a life of complete surrender. I don't own anything and I know that it is all yours. I give you complete control of everything in my life.