His best in 2010....

Well, today is the last day of 2009. Wow. It's crazy how quickly a year can pass you by. I'm finding as I get older the years seem to slip by faster and faster. This year was filled with sweet memories that I will cherish forever, and hard times too that only molded and shaped me more into the woman Christ wants me to be. Refinement is hard but is something I will always be thankful for. I am very excited about 2010 and the things that will be waiting for me this year. Who knows what The Lord has in store but isn't that what makes it exciting? And better yet to know & trust that He has His best waiting for us in 2010. Not what I think is best, not His second best, but His VERY best. I was reminded of this sweet promise this morning during my quiet time. That His best may not look like my best but it is going to be something even better. Something that will blow my mind and I will be oh so thankful for. As I sat before Him this morning I was reminded that He has never failed me yet & sometimes it takes letting go of what I think is best to only wait on His very best. 2009 will be a year that I hold very close to my heart for I feel as though I've learnt and grown the most this year. However, as I leave 2009 behind I simply can't wait for The Lord to unfold what His best is for me in 2010.

Kids Crazy Christmas Show!

Kids Crazy Christmas Show has come and gone! We participated in the pre-show and were the GiGL Band...kind of looked like the doodle bops. I literally had a little girl come up to me after one of the shows and tell me she watches me on TV every day! Ha! I had so much fun spending time, hanging out, & loving on the students in the pictures below! They were amazing and so much fun to be with! The Lord also taught me some tough lessons about myself during the show that I am working on and changing. I am so blessed to get to do what I do every day....what a fun way to get to tell people about the birth of our precious Savior. I have heard so many fun stories about how The Lord has used KCCS this season in the lives of the people who came. I am so humbled that He gives me the opportunity to get to show others His love with the gifts He has blessed me with on a daily basis.

His Sweet Grace...

Yesterday I got to attend the 11:11 service at our Woodway campus because there was no GiGL. Let me just share with you how blessed I was through the time of prayer and praise we had. You know my sweet Jesus must have just known that was so needed in my life. Being in ministry I don't get to attend a service that often and yesterday was just what I had needed. You see I've really been wrestling with The Lord lately and we all know that can be really, really tiring. I don't think I realized just how tired I was until I sat down in our worship center yesterday & came to the conclusion that I am utterly exhausted. Don't get me wrong I have been spending time with Him, praying, seeking His face I have just been frustrated with where He has me right now in life. Why? because it's not where I want to be...I'm just being real. There is that sentence again...where "I" want to be. I'm going to be completely honest the month of December has been a tough one for me.

Yesterday as I started to pray & get still He reminded me of something I so desperately needed. The sweet promise that He gives us. He doesn't promise us a life that is free of hurt, pain, sickness, or anything else but He does promise to give us His grace to walk us through those times. His sweet grace. Isn't that what keeps us running back into His arms, what keeps us leaning on Him, what leads us back to the cross every single time. What a sweet promise...His grace is sufficient to meet all of our needs. Not some of them... but all of them. And that precious promise alone is enough for me to rest in and get me through the day.

Baby Hank Update...

Hank had his heart surgery yesterday and everything went smoothly in the morning. He was in the Operating room between 6-8 hours and the Doctors fixed the problem with his heart! Praise The Lord!! Some of us were at dinner last night when my friend Trista received a text message from Samantha that said Hank is bleeding out please pray. Of course we jumped in the car and drove her down to Memorial Herman to be with Samantha and Derek to wait to hear some news about sweet Hank. About 20 min. later the nurse came out and told them that they found the bleeding and stopped the problem...Praise The Lord! The next 72 hours are critical for Hank so please continue to be on your knees for this family and this precious baby! You can keep up with them at the family blog... www.theharughtys.blogspot.com

Please Pray!

My friend Samantha gave birth to her first baby boy Hank last night after undergoing a c-section. Hank appeared to be born a healthy baby boy but had some fluid in his lungs so they took him to the NICU just to be safe. Well during the night he was having trouble breathing so a team of Doctors from Memorial Herman downtown rushed to the Woodlands branch to see Hank. This is what they discovered....there is something in our hearts that make a figure 8 that must connect...his does not causing the blood to not flow correctly and difficulty breathing. He has been life flighted to Memorial Herman Downtown where they will perform surgery. Today at 11:00 they will tear a hole in his heart until he is strong enough to perform the actual heart surgery in 4-5 days.

Please lift this precious baby boy and his parents Samantha and Derek up to The Lord right now as they are going through this time. Pray that The Lord will guide the hands and give the Doctors wisdom in how to handle sweet little Hanks heart. Also that The Lord would give Samantha & Derek the peace & comfort that only He can provide during this time.

Thanks for praying!

It's that time of year again...Kids Crazy Christmas Show!

It's that time of year again....time for the Kids Crazy Christmas Show at Second Baptist Church Houston, Texas! If you live in the Houston area you will not want to miss one of these shows full of fun music, puppets, dancing, & singing! You won't want to miss the cookie corner on your way out....and it's all free!!! Can't wait to see you there December 11-12 & 18-23

My Reflection....

Last night at Plugged In Michael Head spoke to the Junior High Students about their reflection. I just happened to be there and The Lord totally spoke to my heart through this message. I'm going to be real...I found myself in the back of the room fighting back the tears. The conversation went something like this...."Are you serious Lord? This is a service for Junior High kids." Little did I know He had something in store for me. 

Reflection. 

What does my reflection show? When people see me do they see Christ or do they see Joy? Do I live my life for me and to make my name known or for Christ & His name? My heart is the later of the statement but everyday I find myself falling so short. 

I do. My hearts desire is to make Christ known. To be a reflection of His love. For Him to be a reflection in my face. To be just like Moses when he came down from that mountain. That when people see me they see the love of my precious Savior. That His love would radiate from me & be contagious. That it wouldn't be circumstantial but would be rooted deep in His love & what He's done for me. 

My prayer is that no matter what my reflection would show Christ and His love. Honestly, that's me. That is my heart's desire. That I would live it, reflect it, and show  it to the precious people that He places in my path on a daily basis.

What does your reflection say about you today?

Use Me...

If you pray these words I promise you He will use you & most likely in ways you could never imagine or think. I learned this sweet lesson yesterday as I was reading through my journal from the past year. Little did I know a prayer I had been praying had been answered. In a way I never would have expected or anticipated.

This got me thinking....am I willing to let Jesus use me no matter what that looks like? To be His hands & feet even if it is for someone else's benefit? I'm going to be honest my answer is yes but sometimes it is so hard to grasp. To grasp that maybe Him using me may not always be for my benefit & might even hurt a little bit. But you know what...that should be OK because it's making me more like Him. It's causing me to be selfless & to show unconditional love to others. It's causing me to show the people in my life Him. The one thing I so desperetly desire to do.

So today I challenge you to let Him use you. No matter what that looks like. Let Him out of the box you have so tightly put Him in & let Him blow your mind with how He can do that! Let Him use you to minsiter & love on the people He has placed in your life today & in ways that you never expected! Let Him use you to be the hands & feet of Jesus to the precious people He places in your life....and along the journey make sure you remember to thank Him for those sweet people...

A Precious Moment....

Here are some more pictures from Drew and Lindsey's wedding. Her Uncle is a professional photographer and is so good that he has even made the cover of Sports Illustrated! These are some precious pictures because right before Lindsey walked down the isle each Bridesmaid prayed for her and Drew. It was seriously one of the sweet experiences I have ever particiapted it. You could just feel the Holy Spirit's sweet presence in the room...it is a moment that will forever be printed on my heart & I just wanted to share this precious moment with you.

Fall Fun!

On Thursday night my sweet friends Lauren & Kate hosted a girls night at their apartment! We ate White Chili, Pumpkin Crunch Cake, Watched Ghost of Girlfriend's past, & painted pumpkins! It was a great time to celebrate fall! Here are some pictures from the night...as you can see my painting skills are not that great....it was still a lot of fun though! :)

My pumpkin with polka dots on it!

Check out my Concentration y'all!

Painting Away....

My name turned out prettier than my pumpkin.....

Under God's Big Top!

We are having so much fun going Under God's Big Top in GiGL right now!

Glee!

My new obsession right now on my tvo is the TV show Glee. It has nothing to do with the plot line or anything else but the phenomenal talent this cast possesses. It's an hour long show that comes on Fox on Wednesday nights & is like no other show on television. The cast of characters normally sings at least three songs and they are so talented! The songs that the glee club sings are not your normal "choir songs" they are popular songs from today's culture. The writers on this show are creative geniuses in my opinion. They are doing things that no one else on TV is doing or has ever attempted to do. For example the high school football team busted out into Beyonce's Single Ladies in the middle of a football game! Watching this show brings back sweet memories from my glory days in show choir....only the songs we sang were not that cool!

Weekend Wedding!

This weekend I had the opportunity to stand up for two very dear friends of mine. I have been in my fair share of weddings but this one was different. I really can't explain it but it was. It was so fun to experience a weekend with some of my closest friends. Drew & Lindsey's story is a true testimony of The Lord's faithfulness in our lives and I simply can not wait to see how He uses it to bless and minister to others. The rehearsal dinner was just as sweet as the wedding. One by one Drew & Lindsey's friends got up and shared about how special they are and how much they meant to each one of them. Let me tell you that room was full of one word....love. You could just feel it. It was such a precious time with dear friends that I will never forget.

One word described Lindsey on Saturday and that was stunning! She was an absolutely breathtaking bride! The wedding was officiated by Dr. Young and was so sweet. He did an amazing job....sometimes I am quick to forget just how gifted he is.

Mr. & Mrs. Drew Daniels!

Our old small group.

Tradition.

Bridesmaids

Sweet Friends.....

My New Favorite Blog!

Thanks to my sweet friend Kimy I have a new favorite blog! You should check it out here at www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com Katie is a girl from Tennessee who spends half of her time in Uganda where she started Amazima Ministries. Through this ministry she is running an oprphanage for some of the precious kids who live in this nation. It is her heart to show Christ and His love to the people of Uganda....did I mention she is only 20 years old? (I think)

Take a few minutes and read her blog. It will humble you, inspire you, challenge you and so, so much more!

My First 5K Experience....

Well Saturday was race day and it was an experience I'll never forget. I woke up Saturday morning feeling both excited and nervous. I was on my way to run my first 5K....something I never thought I would do ever in my life. A month ago if you had asked me if I was a runner my response would most likely have sounded something like, "are you kidding me?" but honestly my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see if I could do it. I had always heard...."anyone can run" I just never thought that for myself. So I signed up and started training...I was going to run this race.

The training was interesting....I really liked .5 and even 1.5 but when it got longer than that I found myself becoming a little discouraged....I never wanted to quit I just found myself wanting to be better. Did I have days when I didn't think I could do it....absolutely but that caused me to push myself even harder. I knew come race day that training would pay off.

And that brings me to Saturday. Race day. I wish I could express to you all the emotions I felt when I finished the race but I can't. There just simply aren't enough words to describe how I felt. I can tell you that I finished at a little over 35 minutes and that was enough for me! I beat the goal I had set for myself and was so excited about that.

I can tell you this. A little encouragement and support can go a long way. I know without a doubt I couldn't have done it without everything I had received from the people in my life! Will I run another race? Without a doubt yes! I am already trying to figure out which one I'll be participating in next & I'll for sure let you know when I decide! Hope y'all have a great Monday!

2 Timothy 2:7"I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Fall Riot is Happening Y'all!

Tonight the Student ministry at the West Campus is putting on an event called Fall Riot! I am super excited about tonight and seeing it all come together. Fall Riot is an community wide event that brings in local football players, cheerleaders, a dance crew and more! It has been so neat to watch the students that serve with me on the GiGL Team get passionate about inviting their friends who are lost to come tonight! I can't wait to see what The Lord does through our talented Student Ministry and the kids who come! If you have a chance please lift up a prayer for this event...the staff working it & every single student who is going to attend!

Katie Warren's CD Release!

I have some very exciting news to share! My sweet friend Katie has been working on her CD for the past year and it is debuting on November 1st! If you are in the area come on out to Second Baptist Houston C gym at 6:00pm.

If you need a worship leader or performer you should contact her! She is an amazing girl with a heart for The Lord. You can tell just by talking to her or watching her worship Him!

When Katie and I first met we instantly clicked it just seemed like everything we talked about we had something in common. A bond was formed & instantly we knew we would be life long friends. I am so proud of her and can't wait to see how The Lord uses the gifts He has given her as she starts this new exciting journey!

Check out her website here www.katiewarrenmusic.com.

love

This past week I have been learning all about Christ's love...I can't seem to get away from it. Dr. Young preached about it, the topic in my Bible Study was on it, we even touched on it in small group on Tuesday night.

Christ's love.

I sometimes find it difficult for me to wrap my mind around His love. To grasp it. To rest in it. To accept it. That everyday I fall so short and yet the one thing that still remains faithful and true is His love. That fact alone should make it easy. His love is constant, never changing, never failing.


Thank you Jesus for your love.

My prayer this past week has been that I would rest in His love & to fully know it. So return I can show His love to others. I do. I want people to ask what is different about me. To be a girl that people want to be around because I radiate Christ's love. To love with a love that is contagious and overflowing. To brighten & bless someones day with His love.

Who are you showing Christ's love to today?

"And I pray that you, being rooted & established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide & long & deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18

Recap....

Get excited Blair...I'm back to my weekly recaps! :)

Last night at small group we started discussing Max Lucado's new book Fearless. Chapter one was all about Fear. Understanding it. Identifying it. Fixing it. It was so insightful and encouraging to sit with these Godly gals & just encourage & challenge each other with our fears. One thing we focused on was the root of our that fear. Where does it come from, why do we have it. After all there is something in our hearts is causing us to fear that rejection, disappointment, people, perfectionism....I'll stop there my list could go on and on.

I don't know.....maybe it's because if I let that person down I'm afraid they'll stop loving me. Or if I let the people in my life see me mess up then *gasp* they will figure out that I'm not perfect. If I love that person big and with all that is in me maybe I won't get that in return. (then why do we even love at all) Or if I let them see the "real me" they will see the imperfections, the cracks, the bumps and bruises (that have made me me) & stop loving me. These are just a few of the things we discussed last night.

One thing that really struck a chord with me was when we were talking about the fear of love. I don't know about you but I know sometimes I can find myself struggling with loving myself the way I love others. It's so easy to sit in front of a mirror and pick myself apart. But then Katherine shared a conversation she had the other day that sounded something like this. As Christ followers we are commanded to love our neighbor as yourself....it is the greatest commandment after all. If you can't love yourself for who Christ has created you to be then it's going to be awfully hard to love your neighbor unconditionally. When I fall short and fail to love me for who Christ has created me to be then that hinders me in loving others. I so do not want to be there. I want to love people big. With a love that is contagious and just causes people to smile! I do. I so desire to show the love of Christ to everyone I cross paths with. Does this happen all the time? Heavens no! But I'm not going to let the excuse "it's not easy" be a crutch or an option. So I challenge you today to love without fear and without the expectation of getting anything in return.

I Did It...

Well I did it. I just registered to run my first 5K ever! I have to admit I am both a little nervous and excited now that I am for sure committed to run the race. I have been preparing now for around two weeks and have really enjoyed pushing myself & am looking forward to acomplishing something I never thought I would ever do!

Happy Tuesday Y'all!

My small group started back up last week and can I just say how good it was to be back? We take a little break during the summer because of our crazy schedules & I didn't realize how much I missed our sweet time together until I was experiencing it last week! There is just something about getting together in a "safe place" to talk about Jesus & just what's going on in life! I am so blessed to be apart of this group of amazing gals....I can't believe we've been meeting for almost two years now!

We are reading the new Max Lucado book Fearless and I am really enjoying it! I am so that girl who will start a book, put it down, and NEVER finish it....let's see...there are around three "unfinished" books sitting on my nightstand right now! So I am super excited about reading this book in it's entirety! Can't wait to share with y'all all that I am going to learn through Tuesday nights and this book!

Pure Delight....

The ladies in Team Kid are going through the Max Lucado study Experiencing the heart of Jesus. If you haven't done it yet and are looking for a new study pick this one up. It is amazing and full of some rich stuff y'all! I am loving it!! This week we started the chapter on Experiencing the joy of Jesus and one of the sections focused on defining sacred delight. I'll admit while doing the study I just breezed through this section but today when we were discussing we focused on finding delight in the scriptures. Not just when I read it but do I view it from the view point of delight?

Here is a little bit from the study....
"Delight is the look on Andrew's face at the lunch pail that never came up empty. Delight is the dozing wedding guests who drank the wine that had been water. Delight is Jesus walking through the waves as casually as you walk through curtains. Delight is a leper seeing a finger where there had been only a nub....a widow hosting a party with impossible things in crazy ways:healing the blind with spit, paying taxes with a coin found in a fish's mouth, and coming back from the dead disguised as a gardener."

I do.

I honestly believe with my whole heart that when Jesus performed these miracles He did it with pure delight. Not with a frown on His face or with a sour attitude. He found joy in everything He did...even the little things. I also think some of His delight was driven by the surprise in it. Think about it...He changed those peoples lives one step at a time in a way they didn't expect.

What an example we would be to a world of hurting people if we showed delight to others in the things that we do....even when it is hard. I can imagine the conversation that would go on in their heads.

I was challenged today to find delight in everything that I do. My actions, the relationships I am blessed with, my job, the scripture that I read...my list could go on and on. Thinking about it can't help but bring a smile to my face....all of the extra joy it's going to add....I'm super excited!

Psalm 126:3 "Yes, The Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!"

Just Give me Jesus...

Yesterday was one of those days that I am not proud of.  And sadly I'm not making excuses for myself because I have none. This morning during my quiet time I found myself seeking some serious forgiveness from my precious Savior because yesterday everything that I was dealing with (that really isn't that big a deal) became a lot bigger than it really was. I let it effect everything and my day all of a sudden yesterday became all about me. If you know me well you know that this is not what I am about and I don't.....no let me rephrase I won't let it become about me. I turned into someone that I was not proud of and when it was pointed out to me that was really hard. 

I don't want to be that girl who is all about herself. That girl who's emotions are based on her circumstances, who's joy is found in her situations, who finds her identity in her friends or her job. I desire to be a girl who is so in love with her Savior that His love and joy is all that people see when they come into contact with me. That He is enough for those days when I feel alone but I'm not because He is all that I need. 

I learned some major things about myself yesterday. Things that are going to change because they make me more like Him and less about myself. I did, I fell short yesterday.....real short but thankfully His grace is sufficient and His mercies are new every morning. Today as I start my day He is enough, He is all I need, & He is all I want. Just give me Jesus. 

Under God's Big Top is Coming Soon!!

In two weeks we are starting a new theme in GiGL called Under God's Big Top! Our team is right in the thick of planning out this theme and I am super excited! I think the kids will LOVE it and it will be so fun to tell them about Jesus' love through this circus theme! More pictures to follow once we kick off on September 13th...I just wanted to give y'all a "sneak peek". My room is going to look something like these pictures below!!!

Summer Reflections...

School started back yesterday which means to me summer 09' has officially come to a close. *sigh* Working at a church your summers fly by pretty fast going from camp to camp and doing three weeks of VBS! It is so much fun and has become my favorite season of this job! God did some big things this summer in my life and in the lives of many people around me. It was so neat to watch Him move in the lives of students at Beach Retreat & Next Level Camp and to have the blessing to start planting seeds in the lives of preschoolers during Vacation Bible School. To top it off I got to have a little R&R when I took a much needed vacation to Kennebunkport, Maine over the Forth of July! I hope you all had as an eventful summer as I did....until next year!!

Beautiful Maine...

Boston....

Next Level Camp.....

Vacation Bible School....

Beach Retreat 09'....

Next Level Camp 09'....

Last week we took our fifth and six graders to Next Level Camp! It was my first time to go and I have to admit it was harder than I thought but so much fun! I had a cabin full of 17 sweet girls going into the 6th grade! It was so neat to watch God show up and do huge things in the lives of these kids! It was such a great way to end the summer with the Team Kid Staff and some of my closest friends! Here are some pictures from the week!!

Worship

Next Level Camp Friends!

Ultimate Frisbee

Ain't no party like the Holy Ghost party...super fun glow stick party to close out the week!

Morning Chapel..

Car Ride up there...

An Audience of One...

When I was around three years old we were eating lunch at Kippy Lodge after church with all of our friends. All of a sudden there was a little girl on her tippy toes, dressed in her Sunday best, trying to reach the microphone to sing along with the band on stage. That little girl was me. I guess you could say I was born for the stage...my family says that any time there was one growing up I was on it. I can vividly remember my first "big girl" show at the age of six. Performing as one of the orphans in Annie....I guess you could say I was hooked. I have been performing ever since.

Last night I was having a conversation and was super convicted about my motives when it comes to being on stage. Performing in my opinion is one of the most vulnerable things a person can do. You are putting yourself out there for everyone watching to judge and form their own opinion....but am I doing what I do for them? That answer is so simple but difficult to practice....no. I am not performing for man but for an audience of one.

More than I'd like to admit I find myself getting caught up in what the adults in the room are thinking when doing GiGL. Did I hit every note, every step, the list could go on. But then I end up kicking myself because I have so lost sight of why I do what I do. The kids. It isn't about performing, or the adults in the room but showing & telling them about the love of my precious Jesus.

I do what I do becuase of what He's done for me. Because of His love, His grace, & to start laying the foundation in the lives of these kids by sharing His love each week in GiGL. I am not doing what I am doing for anyone's approval but His.

Galatians 1:10, “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 bondservant of Christ.”

Next Level Camp...

Tomorrow we are headed to Carolina Creek for Next Level Camp....that is our fifth and sixth grade ministry here at Second Baptist. Please be praying that The Lord will move in the lives of the students, leaders, and staff! I've never been before so I am super excited about wrapping up my summer with this camp!

I'm Learning....

To embrace my flaws*I'm going to let people down*even those I love the most in life*and that's OK*His timing really is perfect*His grace is enough*I'll never be perfect*To be thankful for refinement*I love big and that's alight*To serve others and put them before me*I don't always have to be busy....rest is good*I'm in desperate need of my Savior*The way the world says it has to be isn't always right*People can be down right mean*love them anyway*To zoom out*I'm a constant work in progress (Praise The Lord)*

Learning to Zoom Out...

If you know me at all you know that I struggle with zooming out. I tend to get stuck on one little thing and find myself wrestling back and forth with whatever it is. By failing to zoom out I slowly find myself making that issue much bigger than it is. And just being real I find myself not trusting The Lord with my whole heart because I am wanting to hold on to and control what I am zooming in on. When in reality I need to rest in the sweet promise that my God is a good God who will give me everything I need. I mean He already has and He is continuing to do that everyday of my life. His plan is perfect and He is orchestrating every step in in His precious and perfect timing.

This road is not an easy one for me to walk down but as I'm learning to zoom out He is refining me in some major areas of my life. I am learning lessons right now that I know I will hold near to my heart and come back to throughout this journey He has me on. In these lessons He is molding me into the woman He wants me to be. I am so thankful that He's not done with me yet & continues to teach me these precious lessons as I walk this road with Him. I am also so thankful for the people He's placed in my life that are better at zooming out than I am. That they can be a constant reminder that it is so important to remember to zoom out and see what The Lord is doing in my life and that it is good & so much bigger than I could ever imagine. I know I learned that lesson today and am so thankful for it, thankful that He is doing a new thing in my life and refining me into the woman He wants me to be.

Authentic Relationships....

This morning Chip Ingram was our guest pulpit speaker here at Second Baptist Church. I must confess that sometimes being on staff it is hard for me to concentrate during the sermon as my mind is going through my check list for 11:00 GiGL but this morning I was able to just sit, soak, and focus on what he was saying. He was talking about authentic community and how that doesn't just mean sitting in a Sunday School class or being apart of a small group. Yes those things help but they are not the core of authentic relationships. Here is how he defined authentic community. "Authentic community happens when the real you shows up, meets real needs, for the right reasons, in the right way." Simply put....authentic relationships are not about me, my needs, or waring a mask. They are real, raw, selfless, and so, much more.

Something I was convicted about this morning was wearing a mask & to let the love you show be sincere. I often find myself trying to be everything to everyone but The Lord is refining me of this very thing right now. I am learning that I can not be everything to everyone. That I am me and that's OK....take it or leave it and if you don't like it I'll be OK....really I will. If you know me well you know that six months ago I would not have said this but I am so thankful that I can now say that. Chip explained that if we wear a mask people can not see who we really are & people can't see who you really are if you are wearing a mask.

I do, I so badly want to be a girl who is authentic and real. Someone who shows the true love of her precious savior through the way she treats the people she comes into contact with everyday, and the love that they see is genuine and real. A girl who puts others needs in front of her own and who puts others first. And even though that love may not be given in return a girl who can still love. Authentic realationships is where its at and is where I desire to be. So I challenge you to walk the road of authentic relationships with me....somedays it may be harder than others but as Christians that is what we are called to do.

Cute Little Story...

I know I talk a lot about how much I love my job. This sweet story is just one of the many reasons why I cherish what I do.....

This morning after Jhigh Bible study a Mom of one of my sweet preschoolers came up to me and asked if her daughter Taylor had told me about the conversation at the dinner table the other night. I told her that she hadn't so Mrs. Chapman proceeded to tell me that her four year old son has gotten his first crush.....and it's on me. She said out of the blue he looked up and said.... "Mom, I think Miss Joy is so beautiful & she's going to be my girlfriend one day." Is that not just precious? I just couldn't resist sharing...it certianly brightened my day!

Things I Love...

So I have been racking my brain to come up with something amazing and great to blog about but keep coming up with nothing. I'll start what I think is going to be great post then come to a dead end. I just can't seem to get my thoughts on paper or the computer and that is driving me crazy because I love to write! Blogging has almost become therapeutic for me....I love sharing my thoughts and heart with the people who read my blog. Some of you may think that's weird and I guess it is a little bit but I truly do love it. Since I'm having "writers block" I wanted to make this blog simple and fun....to share with y'all some things that I love and cherish most in life...here we go....

*My Sweet Jesus*

Over these past six months I have truly come to understand the statement "He's all you need."

I feel like I have fallen in love with Him all over again and wouldn't trade that for anything in this world.

*My precious friends*

I'm sure you can tell by my blog that I love my precious friends. They are such blessings to me and my life!

*Monday Night Small Group*

What a blessing this group has been! We've been meeting for over two years now and have grown so close over time! I look forward to and cherish my time in the word each Monday night with these sweet girls!

*The Simple Things*

This lesson I have learned these past few weeks....I LOVE the simple things. Sitting out by the pool with the people you care about the most, a card from a friend, or a hug from a preschooler.... I am learning the simple things mean the most to me.

*My GiGL Team*

I have the greatest team. Period. I am crazy about them.

*My Job*

See above...I get to love on JHigh students & preschoolers while working along side an amazing staff!

Day's Two & Three...

Here are some pictures from days two and three! So far VBS has been so much fun...God is doing huge things and blessing me like crazy!!!

Sweet Mallory & Me....

Super Spy & Super Sweet.....

Some of my GiGL team...

This is my amazing costume...the boots are my favorite! :)

Sweet Girls...

Day One....

Today was day one of Vacation Bible School out at the West Campus! Let me tell y'all I am just so humbled by the place The Lord has me in today. I get to dress up, hang out with Jhigh students, love on Preschoolers all while singing & dancing. Um can you say dream job?

I will be updating my blog daily with fun pictures and stories throughout the week! I can't wait to see the greater things The Lord has in store this week at VBS and the Team Kid Ministry!