Happy New Year!!!

I can't believe 2008 has come and gone!!!! It's amazing how quickly time flies and how much you can change over a year! 2008 was a year of blessings and change for me-I am thankful for both of them! Here are some pictures of some of my special memories of 2008! I am looking forward to 2009 and very expectant of what The Lord is going to do in and through me! Hope you and your family have a very happy New Year!!

Puerto Rico Vacation-February 2008

Joined an amazing Small Group-January 2008

Came to the West Campus-February 2008

Sugar and SPICE....

So I must confess that I love to shop! The story goes that ever since I was a little girl I would want to stay in the stores for hours. Even at the age of 4 years old I was picking out clothes for my older sister to take to college with her....well it has never stopped from there! There is a store in Waco, Texas that I am going to stop by today on my way back to Houston called Spice. Whenever I visit my family in China Spring Spice is top on my list of things to do and see! I am super excited about going there today and seeing what I can find!! 

Christmas reflections...

As I sit down to blog this evening I can not even believe that the month of December has almost come and gone. Friends, let me tell you that it has been one jam packed month. And let me tell you-it was full of fun and exciting things! A month filled with family, friends, parties, shows, and of course the most important celebration, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! This Christmas I was able to see the Christmas story through a different pair of eyes, the eyes of a preschooler. Going through the Christmas story with them for four weeks gave me a different perspective on the story that I have learned about since I was a little girl. To walk the road to the manger each week with Mary, the Shepherds, and the Wisemen was a unique and special experience. I can assure you with all of the "Christmas craziness" it was a sweet and constant reminder of why we celebrate the greatest time of year! I am so thankful for the birth of our Savior and why we celebrate the season-Jesus truly is the best gift we were ever given.

The person I have found myself reflecting most on in the story is Mary the mother of Jesus. She submitted to God's plan even though it was not her own. I'm sure as she thought out her life with Joesph that was not in her plans. She submited to God even though it was not her "ideal plan." She said yes. One little word that is sometimes so hard for me to say when His ways don't look like mine. I have been praying this season that I will say yes the first time God's plan doesn't look like mine and walk in obedience-trusting and believing that his ways are far better than mine. Because lets face it.....deep down I know that is the truth.

"Thank you Jesus for your plan and how it is perfect for my life. I pray that I will submit to it with a joyful spirit no matter how different it is from my ideal plan for I know that your ways are higher than mine."

I hope that you and your families had a very Merry Christmas this year!

The Nutcracker.....

Last night I went with some friends to see the Nutcracker put on by the Houston Ballet. The ballet put on a fabulous production that was so magical. I had no idea that there was so much history behind this production. The premier performance of the Nutcracker was on December 18th 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is amazing to think that it is still around today, especially since the papers and even Tchaikovsky himself thought the first performance was not a success. Since then the Nutcracker has been seen all over the world for over 116 years! It has become a Christmas tradition to many families!

Last night brought back memories of being a little girl in ballet class. The picture above is from my favorite dance of the night-or maybe it was because the costumes where my favorite! The ballerinas spinning and their dresses twirling was magical for me! Mostly because that was my favorite part of my ballerina costumes-the skirt-it had to twirl! Oh my goodness, I would stand in the middle of my living room for hours upon hours just spinning and spinning until I couldn't spin anymore! If you haven't seen the Nutcracker I would highly suggest it! Why not start it as a family tradition-especially if you yourself have a "little ballerina" at home!

Kids Crazy Christmas Show Pictures!

Just wanted to remind y'all that if you haven't seen the Kids Crazy Christmas show yet you are still in luck! There are plenty of shows for you to see this weekend! This past weekend was so much fun to be apart of-I hope you can join us before it is over!! It was so neat to stand at the door and listen to the kids reactions as they walked through the door and saw the set for the first time-it was priceless! Here are some pictures from this past weekend with my co-workers and friends!

If you haven't been yet here are the times and dates for this weekend. December 19th-23rd: 5:30 & 6:30 in the JUMP Theater. There are four shows on Saturday at 10:00, 11:00, 5:30, & 6:30! Also, make sure you join us for the Character Breakfast on Saturday morning!!!! Hope to see you this weekend!

My Little Shepherds....

When we started planning The Stars of Bethlehem we wanted the kids that come each week to feel like they where apart of the story. Our goal was to them to feel as though they where walking the streets of Bethlehem each week searching for the true star-Baby Jesus! We have done this several ways but my favorite one so far has been cutting out squares of fabric so they can be little Shepherds in the story. I must admit as I was cutting out over 400 squares my heart was not in the right place. However, on Sunday when I saw the excitement on the little ones faces as they walked through the doors it was priceless! They where so excited to be Shepherds in the story! The simple head dresses made them feel so special and it added a new element to GIGL that day! When you are thinking of creative ways to tell your kids Bible Stories try to think out of the box! Think of ideas that will make them feel apart of the story-like they are there with the characters! Here are some pictures of some my "little Shepherds".

This Christmas in GIGL will be one that I will cherish for the rest of my life! I will think back on these past few weeks with precious memories of these kids learning about the true star of Bethlehem! It has been so neat to ask them what we talked about the week before and they remember with excitement and joy! I love that I am getting the opportunity to instill in these kids the love of Christ at such a young age. I know that some of them will look back many years from now and remember the time in GIGL that they walked the streets of Bethlehem to find Baby Jesus!

Dad's new website!

For those of you who don't know my Dad is living his dream in St. Andrews, Scotland. If you are a golfer this is the place you dream of going to have the opportunity to trace the footsteps of some of the most famous golfers in the world! I have been to there many times throughout my life and you can just feel how special this place is!

My Dad owns a place there named The Dunvegan Hotel. It sits a nine iron from the golf course-how do I know this? Well, one day a man hit a golf ball from my Dad's front step and it landed smack dab in the middle of the 18th hole! My favorite thing to do while I'm there is watch the golfers from America come and live the dream of playing the Old Course. Most of them have waited their whole lives to play this course and they are finally getting to-it is so neat to watch and see! If you have a chance check it out! I am so proud of how successful he has become in the "world of golf". I always joke around that he is famous because people from all over the United States come through the doors of the Dunvegan wanting to meet him! If you are ever in St. Andrews you should definitly stop by and say "Hi!" I promise that you will find the best food and atmosphere in St. Andrews, Scotland!

For some time now I have been telling my Dad that he needs to update his website! Well, he finally decided to do it and it looks great! You can check out his new and improved website here!

Christmas Questionnaire.....

I LOVE Christmas time and am head first and loving the Christmas season-it's hands down my favorite time of the year! In honor of that I decided to conduct a little Christmas survey!

1. Fresh Tree or Fake Tree
Real and the bigger the better! I LOVE the smell of a freshly cut Christmas Tree!

2. Favorite Ornament
She's an angel that I have had ever since I was a little girl. I thought she was the most beautiful ornament in the whole world growing up-she always has and will have a special place on the tree.

3. Favorite Christmas Song
I adore Christmas music so this is a hard one-it changes every day-right now it would have to be Travis Cottrell's Ring the Bells....and of course All is Well by Point of Grace!

4. Favorite Tradition
Going to the candle lit Christmas Eve service at church then coming home to eat some "heavy snacks" while the family plays games.

5. Favorite Gift Ever Received
My first microphone as a kid. I remember begging my Mom and Dad for it and anticipating Christmas morning to see if it was under the tree. I was around 5 years old and didn't stop singing until the thing burned out!

6. Favorite Christmas Meal
Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, hot rolls, and any kind of dessert!

7. Favorite Christmas Cookie
My families secret sugar cookie recipe with homemade icing....this is a recipe that will continue to be passed down from generation to generation!

8. Favorite Place To Be
Wherever my sweet family is!


9. Favorite Christmas Movie
White Christmas & Elf (One is old and the other more recent!)

Simple Things....

I am a such a sucker for the simple things in life. I must confess though that sometimes I get caught up in whatever season of life I am that I can quickly forget about these things. So many times I find myself taking the simple things for granted and lately they have forced me to stop and slow down! I like to be a busy bee and the word "no" is not exactly in my vocabulary. However, I am working on it and slowly become less of a "pleaser" to those around me and realizing that they will still love me. Even when I can't do it all....because let's get real-I can't do it all. This I have to tell myself daily....alright, maybe even 3 or 4.....well, you get the picture! Since I am such a sucker for them I don't want to take the simple things for granted at all! I want to soak them in, enjoy them, treasure them, and turn them into precious moments that will bring a smile to my face 10 years down the road. I want to encourage you this Holiday season to slow down and enjoy the simple things in your life! Here are just a few of mine....I would love to know some of yours!

• Laughing so much it causes my stomach to hurt
• A tight hug and hearing "I love you Miss GIGL" from a preschooler
• Surprises
• Dinner at my favorite restaurant
• Going through old pictures that bring back sweet memories
• Girl nights with popcorn, pajamas, and movies

My list could go on and on......Here's to you enjoying the simple things in life....

Kids Crazy Christmas Show!!

Kids Crazy Christmas show starts this weekend and you will not want to miss it! This is a puppet show that Team Kid puts on every Christmas at Second Baptist Church Houston. This however is not your normal puppet show! It is a major production that EVERY member of your family will LOVE-it is such a neat way to learn all about the Christmas story-plus it is free! You will experience singing, dancing, puppets, and fun music during the show! After the show be sure to stop by the cookie corner for your Christmas cookie! This is sure to be an fun and memorable event for the entire family! Here are the dates and times for the West Campus, all performances will be held in the JUMP theater!

• December 12th: 5:30 & 6:30
• Decemeber 13th: 10:00, 11:00, 5:30, & 6:30
• December 19th: 5:30 & 6:30
• December 20th: 10:00 & 11:00, 5:30 & 6:30
• December 21st: 5:30 & 6:30
• December 22nd: 5:30 & 6:30
• December 23rd: 5:30 & 6:30

We hope to see you there during this Christmas season!!!

Monday Nights with the Girls and the book of Ruth!

Every Monday night I attend a small group with a group of girls at a friends house. Can I just tell you how much I love Monday nights? The reason we come together is to study a book of the Bible and challenge each other to grow more in love with Jesus Christ. We have almost been meeting for a year now and it is has been so neat to see how The Lord has knit us together in such a special way! We are all so different and bring so many unique/great things to the group.

We have studied several different things by this time, but our last and current studies have been on Matthew and Ruth. It has been so great to dig into these books verse by verse! Of course Matthew is FULL of lots of challenging things but oh my goodness, Ruth has challenged me in a whole new way! She was a woman who showed humility, faithfulness, obedience, and so many other Godly characteristics! Two weeks ago we were studying chapter two and the verse that spoke the most to me was, Ruth 2:12 "The Lord recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." I love that Ruth found refuge under the wings of her Heavenly Father during this time in her life. I was reading a sermon by John Piper on that verse and he said that "the implication of verse 12 is that God will reward Ruth because she has sought refuge under His wings." I am always so quick to run to my friends or family instead of seeking refuge under His wings-the only person who can give me the comfort and wisdom that I need. I am striving more and more on a daily basis to be more of a Ruth.

I am so thankful for Monday nights and the friends that I have made through this group. It is a group that I am so thankful for and will shoot it to me straight! They are such a blessing in my life-here's to many more years of growing in God's word together!

The stars of Bethlehem!

This weekend we started a new theme in GIGL to kick off the Christmas season! We thought that it would be fun to take the preschoolers on a journey through Bethlehem to find out who the true start of Christmas is! Along the way we will be meeting several different people to help us find out who that is! I wish you could have seen the kids faces when they walked into the room and saw that it was transformed into the city of Bethlehem! That is what we were trying to achieve on each campus, to give the preschoolers an experience they would never forget. It was so fun to see their precious faces as they listened to Mary and how God used an ordinary girl to do an amazing thing! That's what I so badly desire for those little ones to know that God has huge plans for their lives-just like He did for Mary-He is using them like that now, and will continue to do so in the future! These are the characters that will help us out along the rest of our journey:

• Shepherds
• Wisemen
• Baby Jesus-the true star! This weekend we will have a live nativity scene in GIGL!

The battery in my camera died so I will post pictures of the set once I get it charged up!

Thankfulness....

I LOVE the holidays.....everything about them really! The parties, the music, the food, the love that is shared, the joy that just seems to be contagious, and most of all the Birth of our precious Savior-it sure doesn't get much better than that! It seems like it is a lot easier to be thankful during this time-or at least I feel like I am more aware of what I am thankful for. Most likely because I am constantly surrounded by the friends and family that I love the most during this time!

Tonight during small group Mimi shared with us an insert about Thankfulness from the devotional book Jesus Calling. The author reminds us that we are to be thankful not only in the good times, but during the hard times as well. As Christians, we are called to do it as an act of obedience. I thought it was so great and challenging so I wanted to share it with you.

"Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. That is why I have instructed you to give thanks for everything. There is an element of mystery in this transaction: You give ME thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience. To people who don't know me intimately, it can seem irrational and even impossible to thank Me for heartrending hardships. Nonetheless, those who obey Me in this way are invariably blessed, even though difficulties may remain.
Thankfulness opens your heart to My Presence and your mind to My thoughts. You may still be in the same place, with the same set of circumstances, but it is as if a light has been switched on, enabling you to see from My perspective. it is this light of My presence that removes the sting from adversity."

"Always give thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father....." Ephesians 5:20

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindess is everlasting." Psalm 118:1

"How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Thy countenance." Psalm 89:15

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

My Best Friend is Getting Married!

My Best Friend and roommate is getting married in February! I am so excited for her and it has been so much fun to walk through this season of life with her. This past weekend was her first shower and can I just tell you how much fun it was? I know that this is just the beginning of so much more fun and many more precious memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life! Here are some pictures from the shower with the other bridesmaids who just happen to be three of my closest friends which of course makes the parities even more fun! I am so thankful for these girls and the friendships that we share! I can not even begin to explain what huge blessings they are in my life. We balance each other out so well....what one of us lacks the other is strong in-they are a true blessing from the Lord-I love you girls!

Ecclesiastes 4:12 " Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken."

We had to do it....this picture is tradition.....

We are always laughing together....
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CAMBODIA

Last summer I had the privilege of going on a two week mission trip to Cambodia. This was my first international mission trip so I was experiencing every kind of emotion possible. Excitement, joyfulness, fearfulness, eagerness, hopefulness....the list goes on and on. Let's be honest, I am a creature of habit.....I can not stand change and knew that in 24 hours I was going to be thrown into a world of it. However, I was very expectant of how the Lord was going to grow and stretch me during these two weeks. Our main mission was to go and share the love of our precious Savior with some oprhans at a place named the Shelter of Love. Let me tell you, love is definitely what you feel at that place. Not just any kind of love though, the love of our Savior-it is all over the place!His love shines through the smiles of these precious children, the way they served us....yes, us-even though we where there to serve and love on them I was given it ten times in return. When I left the states a question I got a lot was "what do you think you are going to learn?" Well, I can tell you that my answer was not what I learned. I left Cambodia with a new insight on love and what loving God's people looks like, and how important it is to love with an unconditional Christ like love. Have I gotten it? By all means no way-but I am striving everyday to love more like Him! It is my prayer that His love would shine through me every single day-even on the days when I am tired or cranky!

I had always heard that you could fall in love with a country after going but I never though that would happen to me. Well friends, my heart for this country is huge! Second Baptist is taking a group back there during the summer of 09' and I hope I get to be apart of that trip! I didn't get to travel back there this past summer because of a foot injury so you can imagine the longing I have to go back! I found some pictures the other day and wanted to share them with you!

Romans 10:15 "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things."

Shelter of Love

The team I served with

Sweet Alice....

Teaching the kids.....

GLOBAL GIGL PRACTICE!

Sunday afternoon the GIGL Teams from Woodway, North, and West got together at the West Campus for a practice to learn the choreography for the songs we will be doing this Christmas! It was a ton of fun and just so great to have over 50 JHigh kids in one room together! Anna Lee, Meghan, and I wanted to make it fun for them so we had them dress up in Christmas clothes and played games as well as just learning the dances!!!

New Theme!

Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my! We have started a new theme in GIGL this past Sunday and are going on a Safari! Yesterday was so much fun to see the kids faces as they walked into the room and said, "I feel like I am in the Jungle!" Which of course was the goal of hanging vines all over the ceiling-thank you Chelsea! I am loving the new curriculum we are using for GIGL which will take each preschooler through the entire Bible by the time they graduate to JUMP! Yesterday through the story of Moses and the burning bush we taught them that we are supposed to obey God! The Safari theme will go for week and then we will start Christmas!!

Father Son Adventure this Friday Night!

This Friday night we will be having our annual Father Son Adventure! It will be from 6:30-8:00 for 3 year olds-Kindergarteners! This is a night when Dad's bring their sons for a night of fun! We will be going on a Pioneer Adventure which will include food and lots of fun! James Conney Island will be providing the hot dogs and there will be lots of games and activities! You will get to experience the life of a "Cowboy" with activities like panning for gold, carriage/hay ride, and making s'mores! Don't worry the girls will get their opportunity in the Spring with our annual Dad Daugther Soc-hop! We are going to have a blast-hope to see you Friday night in your best western duds!

Redeemed Girl Ministries!

Last night I got to celebrate the second book release of my former roommate and close friend Marian Jordan! It was such a great time of fellowship, food, and to hear what The Lord is doing through her ministry! Her second book is titled Wilderness skills for Women and is all about surviving that season of life when you are in it. I lived with Marian during the writing process of both books so to see the end product has been so great! I think that every girl High school age and up should read her books! God is using Marian's story of redemption to change the lives of young girls everywhere! Her writing is so real and transparent-you feel as though you are literally having a conversation with her as she shares her story! Not only is she an amazing author but also speaker-I think she is the next Beth Moore for young girls, but then again I may be a little bias!

INTENTS

This weekend the JHigh ministry hosted an event called Intents! 7th and 8th graders came and camped out in front of the church on Saturday night-it was so much fun! I decided to camp out because a bunch of my GIGL team attended the event. I didn't want them to have the excuse of being "too tired" in the morning to serve in the hour they do. It was also a great opportunity to hang out with them outside of practice and Sunday mornings!

Brian Mills spoke to the kids after a time of praise and worship and many of them accepted Christ for the first time! I got the opportunity to counsel two sweet girls that night, during that time one of them named Carly was so excited to have just made that decision! After we walked through everything she looked at me and said with such excitment, "So, when can I get Baptized?" She could not wait to outwardly show her commitment to The Lord that she had just made! The Lord used Carly as a sweet reminder to always be that excited in my walk with The Lord. In fact, looking back I should be even more excited because of where I am today with Him.

Michael, Lauren, & Kenny are doing an amazing job in the ministry they are doing! I am blessed to have the opporunity to serve with them!

Tiny Tots and Tunes!

Tiny Tots and Tunes is a music program for Mommies and their babies that is offered here at Second. It ranges from ages 0-3 years old. This Fall I am teaching the little tiny baby class and they are just precious! You may be asking yourself how does this class work-they are so young! Well, it's not only for the babies but also for the Mommies to have the opportunity to learn fun things they can do at home. In our class we sing several "types" of songs. They are: instrument songs, body awareness songs, marching songs, fun songs, animal songs, and of course our Jesus songs! I strongly believe that music can impact a child's life at any age! It is never to early to intoduce your little one to music!

Yellowstone Academy

This morning I had the opportunity to hang out with some great kids from Yellowstone Academy! Yellowstone is a non-profit organization that seeks to give kids is the fifth ward of Houston a faith based education! I attend a small group on Monday nights and several of the girls are teachers there! The staff and volunteers are truly making an impact on the lives of these precious children. Without this school many, if not most of them would get the chance to have an education.

This morning they hosted an annual breakfast to raise money to help fund the school. The kids I hung out with were singing in the choir and let me tell you how precious they were. Of course, if you know me well I think most kids are adorable but these guys had me rolling on the ground laughing! Hanging out with them made every bit of the early morning worth it!

Lately.....

So it's been a while....here is what I've been up to lately:

These past few weeks Tuesday night has quickly become my favorite night of the week! Why you ask? I get the privilege to attend Beth Moore's study named "Lit." During the hour and a half study we are learning all about the Bible, why it was written, how they got the Old and New Testement, & lots more information that can make your brain hurt! For example: [written over roughly] 1500 years, 66 books, over 40 writters, and 3 languages. It has been so great to learn these facts about the most read book of all time that I myself have been reading since I was a little girl. Last week Beth took us through the entire Bible: Genesis to Revelation in an hour and a half! Talk about an intense time! It was so great to chart the entire thing! Talk about a woman who is annointed by the Holy Spirit! She speaks with such passion and convitction-you can tell this woman is madly in love with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I am so excited about the new curriculm we are using in GIGL....when a preschooler is done they will have gone through the entire Bible Genesis through Revelation! We started a new theme in GIGL called the GIGL Outrageous Art Studio! During the next four weeks the little ones will be learning all about creation! I have turned the GIGL room into an art studio and they are helping me decorate it by drawing pictures of something God created. Let me just tell you how precious the ones I have gotten are! My preschoolers are such a blessing to me! They can turn any rainy day into a sunny one by pretty much anything they do or say to me! I am crazy about them and am so blessed to get the opportunity to teach them about Jesus each weekend!

Why I love my job.....

There are just so many reasons but I was reminded of this sweet story the other day......

During one of the Sunday night programing here at church one of our sweet Mom's came up to me and told me this precious story.

"When Taylor got up from her rest time today she had layed out some of her clothes. Well, she picked out a pair of blue knee length cotton shorts just like Miss Joy's. She brougth them to her Mommy and said, "Mommy, these shorts are the same as Miss Joy's. They are blue like Miss Joy's, they have a line down them like Miss Joy's, and they don't have pockets like Miss Joy's. Oh, and I know Miss Joy's name....not everyone does!"

OK-seriously, how precious is that! It was such a sweet reminder to me of how much preschoolers watch and observe what is going on. I mean, she knew that I don't have pockets on the shorts I wear every Sunday! I am so thankful to be in a postiton where these kids are looking to me as a roll model. I want to show them the love of Jesus in everything that I do! Thank you, thank you, for letting your child be apart of my life-they are the biggest "little blessings" I have from this job!

Beauty from Ashes

You know when you can't escape what The Lord is trying to teach you? Well, I am totaly there right now. Everything I read, listen to, conversations with friends, I tell you EVERYTHING has to do with our sweet Jesus and how He uses our past and the broken pieces to create something beautful.

Anyway.....I was surfing the blog world when I stumbled upon one named Bring the rain. The Lord used that days entry titled Blink to meet me right where I am so I just had to forward it on to my friends that are so precious to me! Well, as it turns out one of them had read her blog before and passed along one entry titled "The past and the present." I knew I was in trouble when she added....get your kleenex! As I lay in bed about to fall asleep I started reading what Angie had to say. Let me tell you-this woman has been blessed to write. To make a long story short during the morning of her child she broke a pitcher and then put it back together again. Hereare the words The Lord used to minister to me.

"I began to realize that this pitcher was my life, and every piece was part of story that He had chosen to put together. I started crying, and remembering things I thought I had forgotten. It took a long time to finish, but it was time well spent. Every nook and cranny whispered to me, until at last it stood in all its imperfection."

Let me explain....In my last post I wrote about how I feel like The Lord is trying to break me of my people pleasing tendencies, I try so hard to be that "perfect person" on the outside when in reality inside I am crying out, "please help me!" When I read the line "I began to realize tha this picture was my life, and every piece was part of the story that He had choosen to put together." I began to thank Him-Yes, thank Him for my imperfections! Without them I would not be me, the person that my precious savior has so softly and tenderly put back together time and time again from the brokeness that has only caused me to need Him more. For that I am so thankful!

Just when I thought The Lord was done dealing with me He wasn't. As I continued to read her words He used another line to speak to me.......

"He loves the gaps because there is the potential for more of Himself revealed in you. Let him help you smash and rebuild his most coveted posession...you."

After reading this I hit my knees and my prayer went something like this:
"Lord Jesus, thank you for the gaps and the broken pieces in my life. I pray that you will use them for Your glory-that despite of whatever circumstance I may face that your love and faithfulness would shine through the gaps. Thank you for revealing yourself to me through those gaps. I praise you for my imperfections and where I may fall short for they force me to depend on you more. Thank you for catching me everytime I fall. I pray that you will continue to mold me into a woman who is seeking hard and fast after your own heart."

The Lord is clearly teaching me a precious lesson right nowduring this season of life. I can't wait to see the beauty that comes out of the cracks!

"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

THE WEEK OF VBS!

WOW! That is the first word that comes to my mind as I sit here and reflect on the week of VBS I have been having....and it's only Wednesday! It has been such a blessing to take part in this amazing week! We have around 700 preschoolers here this week so it has been crazy/busy! My favorite part of the day this week would have to be when I get my hugs! Oh how I LOVE the hugs I get from these precious kids! I am in charge of the master teaching room that they come to each day! This room includes: singing, dancing, the memory verse, and of course the most important part: the Bible story for that day!

For me, Vacation Bible school has been an amazing journey for me with LOTS of lessons learned! Today for example, I was reminded of WHY I do my job and WHO I do it for! You see, by nature I am a people pleaser and I truly believe The Lord is trying to break me of this one! If one thing doesn't go my way I go straight into "criticism mode" and pick apart what I did for the day. Was the show perfect, did the kids listen, did they get anything out of it, did the GIGL team remember all of the moves they were supposed to do? When really I should have walked away asking myself: Did I show these kids the Love of Christ today? That is what I am called to do as the GIGL director! Yes, there are more things that are in my job description but that is the most important one! Well friends I was reminded by my sweet supervisor of this verse in Galations today: "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond servent of Christ." Gal 1:10 This verse is now on my desk where I can view it as a reminder everyday while I work at my desk! My goal in life is not to please man but my precious Savior who has created me to live my life for Him! I was also reminded of something Christy Nockles spoke of when she visited Second Baptist a while ago. She said, "Be open to receive validation ONLY from HIM." Psalm 139 "God may be withholding validation that you seek from someone, because if we received that then it would be enough. We would stop going to The Lord for that validation when in reality He is the only one who can give it to us!" Such a sweet reminder!


Praise The Lord for what He is doing in the lives of these kids this week during Vacation Bible School! He is an amazing God that is faithful in every situation! Please keep the last two days in your thoughts and prayers!

First Blog!

Hello everyone! This blog was created to keep you the parents up to date with what we are doing in GIGL and the preschool ministry at Second Baptist Church-West Campus! I hope you will use this page as a resource to find out what your preschooler is learning about each week and to get to know me a little better as well!

We will not be having GIGL this weekend because of the holiday, but I'll look forward to seeing everyone the next week! We are having some fun themes this summer every week so don't forget to come dressed as your favorite super hero in honor of VBS starting up!

Spekaing of VBS.....don't forget that Vacation Bible School is coming up soon! July 14-18th! It is going to be an amazing week that you will not want your child to miss out on!

I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!