Marriage Letters

Okay....obviously I am not married.  BUT one day I hope to be and I think it is a neat idea to write letters to your future husband, so here I am.

Dear (insert husband's name here),
I pray for you everyday. That you make decisions that glorify God and you are putting Him first in your life.  I really hope you like coffee and tea and want to run a coffee shop ministry with me. I hope I know you now or meet you soon. (God's timing :)) This seems a little strange but I REALLY LOVE THIS IDEA!! !  I am the type of person that hates confrontation...so let's not fight. I love hugs. If you make me coffee it will make me happy. I love watching movies and listening to music.  I want to travel with you....so let's plan an awesome trip! <3 
love,
Your Wife. 

Angela

Angela is here to stay with our family for four weeks. She is such an amazing girl it just overwhelms me when I think about the whole situation. Sus so much more than what I expected, which is how God usually shows us things (greater than our expectations). She really enjoyed the music and skit at church last night which is really cool that they did a skit because i think it was easier for her to understand. Today she opened her presents but she was more excited to give us gifts. I was so excited that she made us stuff and the fact that she was excited to give was just breathtaking. She gave us each 3 cards: one that played music, one that had a funny picture, and another one that she liked the picture. she got me a snow globe and a journal. one of my cards was Ukrainian which was pretty cool. Everything she does I am amazed by. I am so curious about her life, I want to know more but I know i have only been home for a few days. I know that she has four brothers and one sister. I went to see my mom for Christmas and daddy and Kristina said Angela was ready for me to come back!!!!!! She was very open tonight and you could just tell she was comfortable. I get so excited about her and how amazing she is that my mind always wonders and starts saying "she has to go back" "you will not ever see her again" This really upset me today because no one is wanting to see her leave however we have strength in God for whatever comes our way. <3

Lately.

Where do I start?
Well, it is Advent season and I have been doing a devotional series with She Reads Truth. I have got to experience this in a special way because my family has been blessed to be able to host an orphan from the Ukraine. Her name is Anzhela and she is 15. She came to stay with us the day after I got to Colorado (I am here visiting some family).  She is going to stay with us for four weeks. So during the season of us waiting and celebrating the birth of our Savior.  I have been anticipating her arrival and realizing how amazing it is that God put it in this season. I will tell you about her when I meet her.  In the meantime I am in Colorado with my aunt, uncle and their three children. I haven't seen them in about two weeks so it is nice to be catching up with them.

Romania.

Where do I start?

If you do not know already I was just in Romania on a mission trip with my church. We were working with orphans and just loving on them the whole week. We threw the kids a summer camp and the team does this every year, but this year was my first experience.  

I am so thankful that God gave the the opportunity to experience what I did in Romania.  I experienced His love on a entirely new level.  He taught me patience, humility, and so much more. I am so grateful to have such an amazing team. The kids....wow. They just were the perfect example of  love. This was the biggest thing I noticed during the week. The kids had this outlandish capacity to love on us despite all they have gone through. This just brought me to tears just about every day.  When the kids first got there some of them just came up to me and gave me the biggest hugs.  there was a young lady, Olivia, who would come up to me any time she saw me and would just swallow me in her arms and give me a sweet kiss on the cheek. she would always say, "I Love you so much".  God showed me in that very second that His love is greater than I can ever try to imagine. In my mind I was thinking, "How could this girl love me? She does not have people telling her that they love her on a regular basis. She does not have a family that cares for her and she is alone. Yet she still chooses to love me." This sweet girl made me realize how much God loves them and me so much. Even through the unimaginable times they live through, their hearts can love because He loves them.  Now that I am home I miss Olivia's hugs and her I love you's more than ever and I cant wait until next year to see her  again. 

I will have more stories and pictures up soon. 

Recently

It seems that I have been busy all summer, but in a relaxing way (if that makes any sense).  The past three days we have been at ATLANTA FEST, which is a christian music fest. I saw Toby Mac, Lecrae, Casting Crowns, Jeremy Camp, Jamie Grace, Rush of Fools, Disciple and Many many many more! I think my favorites were Rush of Fools and Casting crowns. Rush of Fools lead singer had a case of "I cant talk" so the back up singer lead us all in worship, but they were praising God so much and You could just feel is presence in that field, It was just an amazing worship experience.  Later on that night Casting Crowns was up and after the first song Mark Hall began to loose his voice. He told us he was not going to give up because it just meant that someone Really needed to hear God and there was no way the devil was going to make him back down.  So the crowd began to take over which was amazing, because it was echoing and just sounded beautiful.  They said that day a total of 4 artist had lost their voices but in the end God won and he always will. Mostly I have been preparing myself for Romania (trying to do it myself). I have realized it is not for me to get ready but to step back and let GOD get me ready! I get in the way to much and I think that he is trying to show me.  

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13:5-8

There are only 12 days until Romania!!!!!!!!!! WOW! I am excited, scared, anxious and ready! Please pray for our team and for me. 

PICTURES! 

Only 21 days!!!!!!!!!

Wow, I thought it would take forever to get close to the day we leave, but now it is only three Weeks away!  Todays psalm is psalm 21:

I went to the gym today and listened to a band Shane and Shane. I absolutely love them and how they worship God! I get so excited when the song "without you" comes on. when I was listening to more of their songs I discovered
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSaGkS_f37Yg&v=SaGkS_f37Yg&gl=US
love love love it!!!!!!

I am exited to be going to Romania and I am preparing my heart before I leave! :)  I have a few favors.
-pray for out team, so that we will be servants for God.
-also that we  become humbled.
-we get all of our funds in before we leave
-we travel safe and sound

Graduate...oh that's me!

Class of2012. I have heard this for the past 12 years and never realized the big deal of the class.  But the class of 2012 finally graduated, I thought it would never get here!
I thought I would be extremely stressed but I laid my worries and anxiety aft the feet of Jesus and held his hand tight!
I imagined all of my family being together for graduation little did I know it would not exactly turnout how I pictured. I have been asking my Memaw to come to graduation since the beginning of April but she always avoided giving me an answer. On the other hand Kristina's mom was coming down from Illinois, which was pretty exiting. however I was still bothered that my Memaw was not coming.
So the week of graduation started and we got quite busy. With senior night, baccalaureate, practice, Kristina's mom coming, and church.  (let the festivities begin) 
Ok the morning of graduation the school hosted a grandparents breakfast. Kristina's mom was going with me and we were getting ready. Well I turn around and my Memaw is in my hall way. I was so surprised! I could go in about how excited I was but there is still a lot more to share.  While shedding tears of joy I realized Kristina's min wasn't feeling so well. So she decided to stay home and get some rest. after w got back from breakfast she still was not feeling well and she Todd me that she just wanted to go back to sleep so I left her alone. Once Kristina got home she checked on her mom and she could not talk or move. I automatically thought she had a stroke but I had to push that to the back of my head because we needed to get her in the car. I couldn't lift her so Memaw got her other side and I pulled the car up to the door. once they left the emotional break down began! I was  thinking the worst, and thinking they weren't going to make it to graduation (which should hasn't not even gone they my head). Finally my Memaw told me to pray which I know is a powerful thing. I also r read my last day of my anxiety devotional which flat out told Mr not to worry about what happens because no matter what happens God its still glorious.
they did not make it to graduation but that was okay it is just a silly traditional ceremony. I was just glad to know that her mom was okay.  she just had a very critically low blood sugar. But she its up and moving now. 
Yesterday we had my party which was fun we cooked way to much food though. It was nice to have my family and s some friends together after a stressful day.
God showed me that things don't go according to our "safety zone". But every stressful situation made me lean on him more and more which caused me to have no stress at all.
So thank you God for such a humbling graduation!