Updates!

I'm SORRY! I never remember to post on here, but I promise I'm trying!! BUT I do have short updates for you before school lets out in 3 1/2 minutes...

1) I decided I will be attending Milligan College right outside Johnson City, Tennesse next August. I will major in Children's Ministry and possibly minor in something else such as Spanish or Photography. But maybe not.

2) I got a part in the Southeast Christian Easter Pageant!! This means that I will be devoting almost every day in February and March to at least 4 hours of daily rehearsals. I'm SO stoked.

3) God is good. But that never changes, does it?

Well, the bell's about to ring! Hopefully I'll have more time and more to talk about in the up and coming days of life!

It's Been Awhile

So... Apparently I haven't been on here in 2 months, but I've just been super busy (I think).
GSP. Was AWESOME. If I had a choice, I wouldn't have changed a single thing that happened there (except maybe falling for the boy thing). To this day I still talk with about 5 people from there, and one I believe is in the process of becoming a very close friend and confidant. Amanda is a Godly woman, who relates to me in so many ways, and we are always there for each other!
So... NonChristians. I LOVE THEM! Hahaha this summer I had so much fun getting out of my little Christian bubble, experiencing so many new things! No, I didn't have some conversation with an atheist, and with my knowledge helped them find Christ; actually, I didn't have a truly religious conversation with any unbeliever there. I spoke through my actions, my stances, my differences. I didn't have to pray in public or carry my Bible around to let others know I was a Christian.
You see, I went to GSP with not a single soul knowing I was a believer, and that was so freeing!! Without always realizing it, Christians usually do good works so that others will notice and think of us as "better or Super-Christians". I'm guilty of that probably more than anyone else out there. No lie. But when no one expects you to be a virgin, to not curse, or to believe in Creation, but you are, you don't, and you do, it comes as a shock. I didn't have to be super spiritual; I just had to live out my faith and how I had been raised. By the end of the 5 weeks, multiple people told me how I had encouraged them or challenged them in their faith, and I hadn't even had a true conversation with them about Christ. Our God is an awesome God!!!
This leads to college. Since Bible and Beach God has put it on my heart to attend a secular college, living my faith out so others could see Him on a daily basis. GSP made this calling even more profound. As of late, I have applied to Asbury, Transylvania, and Milligan, with Transy as my secular-private school. I'm visiting on the 30th, with Amanda, and I hope I love it!
College. Whoever gives me the best scholarships is where I will most likely go... God will provide and will communicate clearly His path for me! So, I guess I'll know by February, or at least have a better idea. :)

GSP

OK so in 72 hours I will be heading back to my normal life, AKA life without GSP. So I decided to write a little bit about my experience before I get overemotional... Ha.

So here is my post from the day I learned I got accepted into the program. As you could see, I was torn between wanting to come and staying at home with my friends all summer. Looking back now, I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything.

Sure, I fell for a guy as he fell for me. Too bad he got up and walked 4 weeks into the program, while I was left fallen. Good thing I had made girl friends and they were there to pick me up :) But all those hours he and I spent in deep conversation and silly antics were there to make these 5 weeks the best they could be. He truly is a good friend, and anyone's lucky to be one of his.

Amanda and I had so many conversations about worries, boys, and our faith. She was here when I needed a hug to cry into, and a laugh. Oh my goodness, she's amazing!

My General Studies/Seminar class. I'll never ever meet a group I've connected to as quickly and deeply as these 17 scholars and 2 leaders. Emily R, Emily S, Chris, Justin, Kaylee, Amanda, Marci, Matt, Ryan, Andie, Abi, Samantha, Gabby, Tyler, Shelby, Connor, Alaina, and Trevor. Guys, you've challenged me, made me laugh, inspired me to be greater, and were there for me when I was stupid or needed a friend. Great conversations while painting the outside of an entire house, going to Serpent Mound (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA), and many other times were my absolute favorite parts of my time here.

Journalism and Mass Media was fun, spending hours upon hours on Facebook (oh yeah, and that ELEVATOR thing). Laughing with Jimmy Carter and listening to boring speakers. Loads of laughs... :)

Pizza 6 times a week, hardly any fruit, and 1434 stairs a day (I STILL NEED TO COUNT), I hope I didn't gain any weight.

And shoutout to my favorite teacher, Alaina. I would write more about her here, but I still need to write her a letter longhand... And it's time to go to one of my last classes!

Homework :)

So now having a blog is an assignment for my Journalism & Mass Media class. And I don't mind one bit! Our assignment this evening is to just write. Write about anything. Small to big. So here I go :)

How do you respond when you are pushed out of the normalcy of the world you live in and are forced into another you've never even touched? For me, all I've ever known is the private school world. All my friends proclaim to be Christians, most of my teachers pray prior to class starting, and I can be consoled by a spiritual mentor if I just ask. Here, it's different.

Throughout this GSP process I've already gone through slight homesickness and issues with boys, and yes, I have new friends here I can talk about it with; but no, none of them know me well enough or have the age experience to talk with me about what the best way to handle each situation is.

I walk into my General Studies class, and my teacher reminds me so much of my mentors at home. Wise. And all I want to do is sit down with her, talk to her, and let her pour her life experiences into me like so many women do at home. Although she doesn't proclaim to have faith in Christ, I'm not just asking for spiritual console. I can see it through how she carries herself, and by the way she treats others that she has so much to share, and I just want to talk life with her.

But how do I do that? Say, "Hey, Alaina, I was wondering if you could just talk with me about a situation." No. I don't currently feel comfortable asking for that because 1. I don't know her very well and B. It's not exactly a direct question.

Maybe (hopefully) time will change that. Or maybe God's just testing my faith and trust in Him. Either way, it is definitely hard right now walking through each day without someone physically here to guide me through life situations almost every teenage girl deals with.

Tonight

So I'm just typing this on my iPod real quick before I turn in, so bear with me with grammatical errors.

Tonight at first FCA meeting for GSP, my friend Matthew and I had to lead the group. We were scheduled to talk about Joy, my favorite fruit of the spirit. We had it all planned out, and pretty much stuck yo' the plan, but whAt God did was incredible.

I didn't plan on talking much, but I ended up speaking for at least 5-10 minutes. NomLly when I speak I get nervous. And I mean REALLY nervous, but tonight words were just flowing. The holy spirit led me to say things with such conviction I'd never experienced, it just blew me away!!

Afterwards we were gonna end with a song, so we asked for suggestions and got "mighty to save". Great song! Well, Shaela started us off becUse we didn't have any music.. So all occapella or w/e and singing is not my deal, especially in front of 100 people. But we sang, and she encouraged us to keep praising our Lord. It was beautiful!!

Well, the times came during the next 3 songs when no one really knew how to start it off. Except me. So, with my horrible singing voice, I belted it out.

Except it wasn't half bad.

Anyone who knows me knows I can't sing well, and in no way am I saying it was good, but it didn't hurt everyone's ears.

The spirit showed Hiself tonight, and I got goose bumps. People were telling hearwrenching stories, crying, and making challenges and suggestions for the next 4 weeks. Gods doing something big y'all.

GSP [[3 days in]]

So, I'm here! A week ago, I was bummed about spending 5 weeks away, but when all my best friends went to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip I was DYING to go on, and I was stuck in Louisville, I thought to myself, "Well, I might as well go to GSP now..."

When I first arrived on campus, I was nervous as heck. Since I only knew one person, my reputation I'd spent 17 years building had no effect. I was starting over, and I wasn't sure if I'd make friends easily. Since middle school, it's always been a struggle for me.

But.. I DID! I met great friends, Christian and non. My two closest friends right now are Elizabeth and Amanda. They're wonderful Christian women, and I'm glad to be walking this journey alongside them.

I joined many clubs... Swing Dancing, Spanish, Step Team, FCA/Bible Study. Not sure how many I'm gonna stick with, but new things are wonderful!

My focus area is Journalism and Mass Media, and I like it so far. All we've done up until now is name games, watch the US vs. Algeria, and watch "All the President's Men". I like it!

My seminar just has done ice-breaker games, but we'll be debating about things such as homosexual marriage, abortion, and other BIG topics. It's my chance to defend and argue my faith, and I'm praying for the right words to say and the right way to approach topics... God is my guide.

General studies, we're learning about civilizations. For the first week we'll focus on the first civilizations, and after that we'll build our own! Own laws, own capital, own flat.. I'm kind of excited :) I hope I grow to like it more and more!

So that's all for now.. Gotta get back to the amigos ♥

P.S. No boys!

Lately..

OK, don't shoot me (all 2 of you that read this); I know it's been a while and SO much has happened, as it has been doing the past 3 years of my life. I've recently realized that life changes far more often than it did earlier on in life. New jobs, new friends, new relationships, new faith.

I haven't talked about it on here yet, but since I returned from Bible and Beach, I've started a new challenge. The speaker there challenged all the girls to spend as much time in the Word, "training" in our walk as we do in front of the mirror "training" our looks for the day. It was just the encouragement I needed to get into the Word more often, for I'd been lacking the discipline.

So, here I am, 1 1/2 months into the task, and I'm still going strong (by the grace of God). I decided to go through the New Testament chronologically, so I've thoroughly read, taken notes on, and asked questions about I and II Thessalonians, Galatians, and I'm about to finish up Romans. It's taken me a month just to get through that last one... so many questions! so much unknown! It's amazing to see how I thought I "knew" the Bible, until I began actually paying attention to what each verse said. God is doing a great thing through this.

School is almost out. I am 3 days and 3 finals away from becoming a senior! That's such a scary thought! I remember like it was a year ago, walking into high school for the first time. Now I'm about to walk out of it. Have I left the mark I wanted to? Done what God's asked of me? I have one more year. There's no turning back.

AND, of course I must say, I now have a wonderful boyfriend. Haven't had a real-go-on-dates kind of boyfriend EVER, and no "boyfriend" since March 2008. Out of all my closest friends, only 1 has not had one yet, so it's been awhile comin'. Jon is such a blessing, and I'm excited to see what's in store for us :) A heart for the Lord, a sweet, sweet spirit, masculinity, compassion, and some good looks make me quite the lucky gal.

Well, must be going now... watching little Zoe-face! :)

GSP

So today I found out I got accepted into the Governor's Scholar Program. Apparently it's a big deal, and I can now go to any state school for free! Too bad I'm not going to a state school...

ANYWAYS. I have total mixed feelings about it. When I first applied (in December), I was SO ready to leave behind school, family, and friends (or lack thereof) and begin a new season of life. I was tired of routine and heartbreak, and it was just time for me to get away. THEN, in January/February I got nominated, and I also got friends. WAHOO! God was doing incredible things in my life, and I started thinking, "Hey, maybe I don't want to be gone for 5 weeks of the summer."
After that I realized I
1. Couldn't go to the Dominican
2. Couldn't go to elementary camp
3. Would be very stressed with my sister's wedding the week after GSP ended.. and I have parties to throw!

So I TOTALLY did not want to get accepted.
A couple weeks ago at Bible and Beach I felt the Holy Spirit call me in SO many different directions. One of which was to consider going to a public university for college (which I have NEVER thought of doing!). The other was to reach out to people that aren't of the faith and become friends with them, showing the love of Christ through my actions.

Um. HEY. GSP focuses on BOTH of those areas! WOW. So now, with my new friends and restored relationships with old ones, I felt torn between my desires. Of course I want to spend the whole summer with my friends, having conversations with my mentors, and growing in the deep, deep love of Christ. But, alas, God has placed on my heart a yearning to reach to the unsaved. Either way, whether I got accepted or not, I'd be fulfilled and happy.

So, today the news came. I will be spending 5 weeks on Bellarmine University's campus, with no physical contact with any family or friends. It will be tough, and I sure will GREATLY miss conversations that would have happened with friends and mentors, but God will certainly show up this summer, and it's just time for me to place it all in His hands.

"Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Spring Break

I'm about to completely crash from exhaustion, but first I must write down a few thoughts from this week..
I don't care about dances, or movies, or grades at the moment. Right now I just want to make His love known to everyone I come in contact with. Ever.
I'm changing, completely. Motives, thoughts of college, and the way I talk to people are things consuming my head, and it will probably be hard for me to go to sleep with all these thoughts buzzing around.
Friends. They're everything.
I don't want this feeling to go away for anything. It needs to stay.
Satan is currently trying to deceive me into thinking this week was a waste or a "high".
Bible and beach is so much more fun when there is absolutely no boy to think about.
I hate sand.
I've been in the same clothes for almost 24 hours.
Right now I just want to be with my CGroup and talk life. I could do it for an entire day straight and not even get bored. I've learned stories that I haven't fathomed in the past 3 years.
I don't want to graduate and move away.
I need to pour into the lives of those younger than me. Specifically. One on one.
My God is good! So good!

Secrets of a Babysitter

Here are some secrets to being an awesome babysitter... for the parents AND the kids to like you =)

1. My mom always taught me, "Leave the house cleaner than when you got there." Sometimes I'm having so much fun, or time does not permit, but usually I do a load of dishes or clean up a few toys.

2. Climb trees.

3. Do backflips on the trampoline.

4. Walk/ride bike to buy them ice cream.

5. Know every single Disney Channel theme song.

6. Comment on how young the parents look (but don't lie).

7. Show up early. 5 minutes is perfect.

8. Make the parents laugh.

9. Cameras. Kids LOVE cameras.

10. Make sure the kids know that you're not old-fashioned or boring. Let them know you're cool and can relate to stuff they feel. For example, let them know you hate eating vegetables too, but eat them alongside them, and they'll think it's cool.

11. Make sure the kids know who's in charge. Although they don't like it momentarily, they will soon appreciate AND forget you helped lay down the law. Not too harshly, of course. Just keep them mindful =)

12. Drive.

13. Remember birthdays.

14. Quote their favorite movies.

15. Hold them and swing them around (upside down optional).

16. Pray before bed!

OK those were just some off the top of my head =)

Joy

God has given me an overwhelming amount of joy this past month or so. On days when I used to dread school, dread each minute, I now face with a humongous smile and tons of laughter. I don't know why. Not much has changed.. OK maybe that's not true. I have since reconnected with the woman from this post, and we now have a stable friendship. Not like it was before, but it's better and healthier for both of us. It's really made a difference. =)

Also, I have "obtained" a new mentor. She's a WONDERFUL woman of God, and the 20 minutes or so we get a week to talk are so full of stories of growing, learning, and challenging my faith. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

So I guess those are kind of HUGE things that would strengthen my joy, but I don't think they are the sources whatsoever. HE has removed this weight from my heart that had been on there for so long, it was so strange when its presence no longer was there. No, it's not going to be gone forever, probably not even for a while, but there is a season for mourning and a season for laughter and dance like it says in Ecclesiastes. Through the joy I will worship, and through the pain I will worship. Joy brings thanks, and tears bring complete dependency.

If you haven't heard Desert Song by Hillsong, click here, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

"I Know How You Feel"

My English teacher got me thinking about this the other day. She said that we are the worst at telling people "I know how you feel" whenever something goes awry in their life.

The truth is, we don't. People (more often girls) say this in situations when another person talks about losing a parent, a pet, or a job. When someone fails an important exam, has their heart broken, or gets stood up. Yes, they certainly may have gone through a similar situation-type, but no, they aren't and didn't feel the pain and respond the same way. Loss, rejection, and hurt hit people different ways, and no one can truly ever mean the phrase "I know how you feel".

People probably think they will appear thoughtful and meaningful by saying those words, but in reality, I think it's selfish. They try to turn the conversation from the hurt being displayed by the person to their own personal experience.

So, next time, why don't we say "I cannot imagine what you're feeling, but I'm here to help you in any way", mkay?

My thoughts of the day :)

Random

A fellow blogger (Molly) has written a few posts featuring random things about herself. No, I'm sure you guys don't care, but I think I could amuse myself by writing oddball stuff about me. So.. here goes try #1:

~ I secretly want a pair of every color Chuck Taylor's. My mother despises them, so I've momentarily ended my buying spree. So far? Light pink and Tennesse orange (fake, but $7).

~ I have an odd obsession with Qtips. I use an average of 5 a day to clean out my ears.

~ I am slightly germaphobic. Wash your hands after using the restroom (EVEN AT HOME). Don't sneeze on your hand (and then grab my stuff). Don't touch anything but soap and water directly after fiddling with your feet. After playing outside, use sanitizer or wash. It's just a little fetish.

~ I am very competitive. Very. Pride issue.

~ I don't like it when people use the wrong forms of "they're/their/there or your/you're". Learn.

~ I've always wanted to know someone elses life as intricately as I know my own. Maybe not feel all the hurt, but know everything and every thought that consumes them. I think it'd be cool to see if other people are as random or as deep as I am.

~ When I run (an average of 4 times a year), I only like to do it on a treadmill. Most people hate it because it's a constant motion with no new scenery. I either read, watch TV, or listen to music. Guess what I do the whole time? Look at the numbers on the treadmill a figure out my average speed, how long I have to run to reach this many miles, how many calories I'm burning a minute, etc. It keeps my mind occupied.

Well, right now I have to go to the bathroom, and I'm at school. Therefore I cannot leave the computer up, and this post must come to an end.

Song of Songs Chapter 8

The series at church we are currently studying is called "I Do" based on the Song of Solomon. I love the way our pastors are approaching it. Usually when we study things like this we always go back to the "God is our one, true love. We need to have this type of love with Him." Stuff like that. Oh, I absolutely believe it, but I know it. Sure, I don't know it all, but sometimes when you hear stuff over and over again, you just stop listening. Is that bad to say? It has its moments when it sticks, and those are wonderful.

Anyways. Today there was a different spin. Matt Reagan spoke of intimacy based on Song of Solomon chapter 8. We spoke of how intimacy is more than sexual relations, and how we are supposed to build it up. Here are some notes I jotted down (plus a few thoughts I didn't write down at the time).

-Love is an incredible thing, but more than portrayed.
Song of Solomon 8
vs. 1
The only person they could show affection towards in a public setting was a sibling.
vs. 2
vs. 3
Above all else in the world, we want intimacy.
******************vs.4******************
vs. 5
Their love story. All love starts with its own story. She figuratively saw her man coming along the horizon, and she wished to share the story of their love.
vs. 6
Death is a permanent thing (except for the whole Jesus rising from the grave thing:). HE is jealous for us.
vs. 7
Love is worth everything. For the one you love, selling your home would be nothing. It's more than all the riches or anything you could imagine.
vs. 8
This is like us saying today, "I have a friend who wants to know ________." "My friend wants advice to handle this (____________) situation." It's so they can know what to do and how to find the love their friend has experienced.
vs. 9
The integrity of a Godly, whole, and righteous woman needs to be built up and exalted! In the case of her being a door (which most women are), this means they have more than one love story. We are meant to have only 1 (physically).

We need to try to build intimacy.

*People who stay committed to one person are more sexually intimate than anyone else.

You can listen to the message on Collide TV here starting sometime later this month (hopefully!).

Boy

Boy meets girl. They fall for each other. Boy takes girl's heart and runs.

I've been head over heels for a boy for almost a year. I seem to get him out of my head, but as soon as I see his smile, or he playfully touches my chin, I melt into a pool of.. well, I don't know what I melt into, but I definitely melt.

Crazy, the effect the opposite sex has on us.

Words

Lately I've been surrounded by adults who just simply encourage. They tell me how proud they are of decisions I've made. Told me I'm beautiful. Tell me they want their kids to turn out like me. Tell me I'm funny. Don't get me wrong, I love that :] SO SO much.

Today I was sitting in church, completely surrounded by parents who I babysit for, all encouraging me, patting me on the back, etc. As I was soking in how great it felt to be loved this much on Valentine's Day as a 16 year old without a boyfriend, I realized something. This is why I hang out and gravitate towards adults. People my age don't say encouraging words half as often, and even more often they have things to say or actions they take that tear down.
So, why don't kids, teenagers, encourage? I assume it's because for the most part we're creatures of selfishness. I don't know... But maybe if people my age began saying nice and kind things, all of our lives would be better. I know mine would be.

That's my challenge for myself: Encourage, encourage, encourage.

Comfort Zones.

Comfort zones. Undoubtedly we all have them. Few friends or a party. Talking to strangers or keeping to yourself. Extrovert or introvert. Personality types help define our comfort zones.

Christianity does not call for us to be comfortable. Look at Abraham, Moses, Rahab, Joseph, Daniel, Nehemiah, CHRIST.

I Believe...

I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.

I Believe....
That no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe....
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with
Loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe....
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe....
That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs
to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe....
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe....
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down
will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe....
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe....
That it isn't always enough,
to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe....
That our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find
Out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe....
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of
Hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you -
you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.

-Author Unknown

On My Mind

School. Trying to figure out my purpose there. How I play a role.

"So that leaves me 7 hours every day being different in a world of original."

It's OK to judge

Yes it's true. It's OK to judge those who proclaim to be believers in Christ. It's actually Biblical (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).
Most of the time you hear people saying, "don't judge! It's up to God! It's a sin!" but you have to think of it in context. Yes, God will and does judge all people, and yes, we as humans are not to judge nonbelievers at all. My mother once advised me, "Danielle, you cant expect nonChristians to act like Christians." No, we are not to judge believers in a demeaning manor. We are to judge them in a form of godliness to match them with His standards of who we are to be. To build up the faith. To encourage and assist those who are our brothers and sisters.To make His Name great.

If I am unknowingly mistaken or you have any advice, please comment :]