Scotland, Paris, & London.....Oh my!

Saturday I am leaving for Europe and could not be more excited!!! My first stop is St. Andrews, Scotland "The home of golf" to visit my Dad & to attend The Open! I can't wait to see some of the worlds greatest golfers play the most famous golf course in the world! It is also the 150Th anniversary of The Open so it is going to be a neat experience! Make sure you watch the golf channel they are doing a special on my Dad and his hotel...so exciting!!!

My next stop on the trip will be Paris, France! I have never been here before so I am super excited about this! I'm not sure what we will do except of course visit all of the historical sites and eat lots of good food! :) The Tour de France riders will be finishing up while we are there so that will be fun to watch and experience!!! I have a feeling I am going to fall in love with this city!

Last stop London! I love this city so much! It is so much fun and full of life!!!

BRX Pictures!!!

So I haven't blogged in forever! 2 weeks of Beach Retreat and then being sick for another full week I'm a little behind! I wanted to share some pictures from High School and JHigh Beach Retreat! It was an amazing two weeks and The Lord did huge things in the lives of students and leaders! I am so unworthy and blown away that The Lord has me in this place right now. To get paid to love on and minister to students & to see them fall madly in love with Jesus. There is nothing better!

My Jhigh girls at rec!

My High school Condo!

World's largest Volleyball game!

The worship was incredible!

Silent Sounds....thousands of students getting still before The Lord!

Mark & Britt's Wedding....

This weekend my two friends Mark & Britt got married! It was a fun weekend full of sweet memories and friends...I had the privilege of being apart of her house party! Here are some pictures from the day!

Sweet friends...

The happy couple...

Small group girls...

Britt!

Daniel, Ashley, & Walker...check out his tux!

BRX!

On Sunday I am headed to Gulf Shores, Alabama with our High School ministry to love on and serve a condo full of High School girls...this is seriously one of my most favorite things to do! Please be praying for the staff, the sponsors, and especially the hearts of the High School students. That The Lord would do BIG, BIG, BIG things in their precious hearts and that the lost ones would enter into a relationship with Him for the first time! I am super expectent of what He is going to do this week! Please be praying for me as I am teaching one of the classes. I am a little anxious about it because I haven't ever taught anyone over the age of 6! :) You can follow us on the Beach Retreat Blog for daily updates, pictures, videos, and a live stream of the worship service at night! Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers!!

LOST...

Sunday night millions of viewers tuned into their TVs to say farewell to the show LOST & I was one of them. I have been a faithful viewer after watching seasons one & two while recovering from surgery while in college & became hooked. Even though I didn't have my own theory. I loved the show. The writers are brilliant and I loved learning about all the characters each week. I have mixed feelings about the ending but was so glad all of the characters ended up together. Am I still LOST....Absolutely! We had viewing party Sunday night complete with an island themed meal with LOST themed names! Here are some pictures of the fun themed spread we enjoyed that night!

Extendend Family...

Tonight the word family is on my heart. It's the one thing in life that you don't choose. The one thing you are born into. The one thing you can't change. However, I think there are two types of families. One that you are born into and then others that you stumble across along this journey of life...an extended family who becomes your real family.

To me my extended family looks like this...

They love and accept you no matter what your flaws...

Hold you accountable...

Cry when you are hurting...

Push you to be better...

Pray for each other without ceasing...

You want the best for them no matter what that looks like...

You don't have to say a word. They know if you are hurting or sad...

Been through every emotion together. Laughter, tears, screaming, yelling...Y'all, I'm talking EVERY emotion out there & it doesn't matter...

No matter how badly you've hurt them or they have hurt you. You love them anyway...

You can show up announced. Walk through the door. Not even knock & know it's OK...

They get offended if you don't feel welcome...

They treat you & talk to you like one of their kids...They even compare you to their kids...

They trust you with their kids...

Their kids list you as a sibling on Facebook & call you sister or brother...

It could. My list could go on and on but tonight I am oh so thankful for my "extended family". Even though at times we can be just as if not even more dysfunctional than my blood related family they are a precious, unexpected gift from The Lord. Every single one of them who have changed my life and will be forever be apart of it. Because somehow along this journey of life they have. These people have become just as precious to me as my real family & I couldn't imagine what my what my life would be without them.

They get it...

On Sunday mornings a lot of people who pass by my room think that what I do is babysitting for two hours. I beg to differ and would debate it with anyone. I have the privilege every Sunday to tell Preschoolers about my sweet Jesus & lead them in praise and worship. GiGL (growing in God's love) is what I do. It's what I'm passionate about. It's what I love. Sharing God's love with the precious little ones who come through my doors each week. Today The Lord gave me several sweet reminders of how they get it. Of how He works in their little hearts. Of how they are experiencing His love at such a young age.

It came in the form of a little girl who hugged my neck and whispered..."I'm going to shine my light at my cheerleading practice today." You see....that's what we've been teaching them these last couple of weeks. That they can shine their lights. Even at a young age.

It also came through Kindergartner telling me she didn't want to go to JUMP in three weeks.

The last way The Lord used one of them was through a little boy in my backseat. I had the Passion Awakening CD playing and when Crowders' song He loves us came on sweet Kason was belting the chorus at the top of his lungs. It didn't stop there. He continued to sing Our God is greater by Tomlin too. You could see it all over his face. He was praising