Happy Sunday! Today is pretty much a perfect day. The weather is gorgeous, church was SO good, I went to lunch with all my best friends, and now I'm studying with Caroline and Han...well, I'm supposed to be studying ;)But hey, everyone needs a break to blog, right?


    So I'll start off with the weather. I LOVE FALL. It's my favorite season, hands down. I am so happy it's coming closer and closer! Today the temperature is in the 70's and all the clouds are those ones that are white and puffy on top and darker on the bottom. Ahhhh, I just can't get enough of it. I think now I'll post some pictures from Pinterest, just in case it wasn't clear how much I love Fall...or Autumn...or whatever you say :)

   Next, CHURCH. At home, I go to First Baptist, which I absolutely love! I've gone there my whole life and love the ministry. My pastor always lays out the truths of Scripture so plainly and simply. He's so great! While I'm here at Cedarville, though, I go to Apex. Rob Turner is the pastor there, along with other men. I attend the Xenia region, since it's so close to school. Today, I met Tami Stout, the volunteer coordinator there, and talked about the children's ministries there! I'll be working with the 1st-4th graders on Sunday mornings. I am so excited and am so thankful to finally be plugging into my church away from home. And what good practice it will be for becoming a teacher! It's going to be great. 

  Along with the children's ministry today, church was so good! The worship was incredible in my eyes. We sang a hymn called Rock of Ages, with an added refrain in there. It was so good. Hymns are like medicine to my soul. They're kind of like little treasures that I feel have gotten kind of lost in the more modern times. Part of that song said, "His righteousness is my identity." How crazy is that?! I am not a righteous person on my own, but because of JESUS, that's how my heavenly Father sees me.  And in the message, which Bob Thomson gave, he was in John 17 when Jesus is praying for His disciples. One of his points was that Jesus acknowledged their obedience, despite their failures and mistakes. I can't understand how such a holy God can look at His children and still be able to say, "I know you sin and aren't perfect, but I see that you're trying,and it pleases me." WHAT?! God, do you see my heart?! And you look at me and see righteousness?! Wow. 

   Well, I should probably work hard now. I finished Earth Science...but I have so much more to do! 

My life has been so busy! I love it though :).  This past weekend, the volleyball team had a tournament at IUP in Indiana, Pennsylvania. It took around 6 hours to get there, but being in a nice Buckeye bus with my two seats made it much better! The girls won all four of their games, and improved so much in just two days. They prayed with the teams they played against and also handed out New Testament Bibles to girls they had been praying for all week. It was so fun seeing them interacting with girls who need Jesus. Not only did they show Christ in that way, but they made two honor calls. The volleyball team agrees to make these calls, which pretty much just means that if a ref misses something and they know it should be the other team's point, they tell the ref themselves. It's so so cool to see the reactions of the people involved or watching. What a great testimony of Christ and integrity! I was so proud. So after winning all four games (and going to five all but one of those), we got back around 5:00am on Sunday morning. Hannah, Maddie and I did homework in the new pharmacy building all day an then finished off the night with She's the Man. 

Then today we had practice  at 8:30am and then walked in the Labor Day parade.... In the rain. It was still fun though! After that I got to Skype with Emily and then Nathaniel, which was so nice! 


I do love being busy... But when I am, it's so easy to push spending time with my Savior off to the side. Why do I do that!? He's the most important thing! I need to be better at being intentional. Everything's better when I spend time with Him!

Oh my goodness! It has been so incredibly long since I've blogged!

I am SO happy to say that so much has changed in my life since then. I think a theme of sadness and suffering was definitely evident in almost all of my posts. Not anymore!


Everything that I went through last year, the Lord has seen me through. Isn't He great!? He has definitely made a beautiful thing out of dust. After a summer of questioning, doubting, wrestling, worrying, and agonizing, He has shaped me and molded me. He has brought me out of a deep valley after almost a year. He is so good! I can't say it enough, and I really don't.


I've already started my sophomore year at Cedarville University, near Dayton, OH, and it's already so so great! I'm managing the for the volleyball team, bonding with my friends, meeting lots of new people, restoring friendships from last year, being challenged in my walk with the Lord, and loving my education classes! I cannot wait to see what the Lord does this year!

I don't have much time to type now, but I'll probably be blogging more again :) It's just fun.


Greater is He!

Dear Self...

Please remember that He is more than enough for you, even when it doesn't seem like it. 

Faithful.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about God is faithful. It's overwhelming, isn't it? How many times do I make mistakes, fail, say stupid things to or about someone, do things I shouldn't do or don't do things I should do? Way too many to count. His grace just blows my mind.

I have experienced His faithfulness in new ways while I've been at Cedarville. Being all by myself for the first time, I have learned a lot of things the hard way...but He's been right there the whole entire time. How has He been so patient with me?! Again....mind blown. I guess that's just one of those things I'll never be able to comprehend! 

On a different note, Easter break is quickly approaching! I go home on Wednesday right after Education Profession and I cannot wait. It's going to be so nice to go home and see everyone and go to First Baptist again :) 

As much as I'm excited to go home, I have finally started really liking school and being at CU. This is just another evidence of God's faithfulness to me. After everything that's happened, it's nice to say that I honestly am happy and am enjoying my time here. He has seen me through and refined me probably more than I realize....and I'm sure I have a LOT more to have refined in me...in fact, I know I do! This hymn just popped into my head. One of my favorites!

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
   • Refrain:
     Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
     How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
     Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
     Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
2. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood;
   And in simple faith to plunge me
   ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease;
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that Thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end.

Oh, for grace to trust Him more! <3

What a Beautiful Day

It's supposed to be 84 degrees here today! Phew! And it's only March :)

So I am 19 now. I hope that this year is a pleasing one to my Lord and Savior. I hope that I can implement the things He has taught me since I've been at Cedarville into my life to glorify Him! Here's a picture from Florida that's a good one :) The famous Birthday hat...Bob, Carolyn, Mom and Dad made me wear it!

So today I go to tutoring! I can't wait. The kids at this school in Springfield need Jesus so so badly. The first time I went it took all my strength not to cry. I can't wait to go today and speak lovingly to them! They crave affirmation and love that no one in their lives really seem to give them.

This weekend, I'm going to Indy and staying with Brett and Brinnie. Nick will also be there. Mom and Dad will be there too! And guess who else?!

Alexandria Rhea Rambadt!

I can't wait!  I miss my best friend (and Emily, of course) so MUCH!

This is going to be a great weekend :)

The Hurt & The Healer

Well, I'm back from Florida...sigh. It was a good flight. I traveled for the first time by myself today! It was scary, but crucial to growing up, I suppose. I wish I were back in Tampa, but it was actually really nice here today at the 'Ville, about 70 in fact! Here are some pictures of my last night.

So, the title of today is different, eh? Well, on the way back from the airport I heard this WONDERFUL and appropriate song on K LOVE (equivalent to Pulse in Elkhart). It's a new one from MercyMe. This song is my life right now. Here are the lyrics!

"The Hurt & The Healer"

Why?
The question that is never far away
The healing doesn’t come from the explained
Jesus please don’t let this go in vain
You’re all I have
All that remains

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

Breathe
Sometimes I feel it’s all that I can do
Pain so deep that I can hardly move
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You
Lord take hold and pull me through

So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide

It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all the scars are understood
When mercy takes its rightful place
And all these questions fade away
When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say “It’s over now”

I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When The hurt and the healer collide

Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide 

I have to go finish my speech. :( I turn 19 tomorrow!