The Biggest Loser

"What have you done today to make you feel proud?"- Biggest Loser Theme Song

I'm not sure if you have ever watched this show but I hadn't until this Season which started earlier this Fall. I had never tuned in, but had always heard it was an inspring show. I watched this season because my friend Mandy said that a woman that she knew from her hometown (who lost her husband, daughter, and son in a car accident two years ago) was going to be on the show. I decided I would watch because I remembered this story from then. I never knew that a simple show could inspire me and change so many perspectives on health and working out than this show did over the course of this Fall. This season was called, "Second Chances", as most contestants had big things happen in their life, like Abby's story above, Rudy lost his best friend/sister at the age of 14, Allen a firefighter who felt that he was useless at his job, Amanda a 19 year old who America picked to be on the show at the season finale of season 7, and the winner Danny who had struggled with weight all his life. The stories go on and on, but many people who have watched in the past all agree that this has been the best season yet! The trainers, Bob and Jillian, never let any of them quit when it's all they wanted to do in the beginning. The transformations that happened over the course of seven months for these people is unimaginable. Unless you struggle with weight, you will never know what it's like to be overweight. My wake up call came this summer when I woke up as a 25 year old who did not feel good. Since then I have changed my life, my eating habits, and from working out once every few months to six times a week. I'm on a journey to a new me, and this show has been a huge
huge motivator.

For all results check the shows website: http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/

Season Nine starts on January 5th. wanna get inspired? Watch it!

I'm going to share a few pics so you can see what they accomplished:

My personal favorite: AMANDA!

Started at 250 lbs!
And is now at a healthy 163 lbs!

The at home winner was Rebecca who started at 279 and finished at 140 lbs!














The winner Danny started at 430 pounds:
And is now: 191 Pounds!
The dude lost 55% of his body!

My current thoughts on College Football ...

In my previous post I talked about the fact that I loved UT football. I need to clarify after feeling really convicted earlier today in "loving" something to that sort of depth other that the Lord. Shocking to hear this die hard UT fan say. I like UT football a lot. Earlier today there was a lot of trash talking going on about how TCU deserves to play and we do not, etc. etc. I put in my own two cents, and was quickly deleted by a friend who I have know for over 10 years. It was sad to say the least.

As I was at the gym tonight riding on the elliptical I felt the Lord really speaking to me about how much my heart stirs for college football, but not for the souls of people. Sometimes we (I) care more about a glass football, than we do about the soul of a human being that will spend an eternity apart from Christ if they do not know Him. Why doesn't that stir my heart?

Human trafficking is going on all around the world, with an estimated revenue of 32 BILLION dollars a year. (http://love146.org/slavery)

And yet we argue about college football.

Two children are sold in human slavery every minute.

And yet we argue about who deserves to be in a National Championship Game.

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day (http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats)

And yet we argue about being "screwed" by the BCS. TCU this year, and Texas last year.

More than 2 million Sudanese refugee ORPHANS live in Egypt with little to no hope for a future. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudanese_refugees_in_Egypt)

And yet we care more about a glass football to display in a trophy case.

THIS (http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/) is going on in Haiti.

And yet we argue about college football.

Friends that I know live in the Dominican Republic and give their time, energy, and patience everyday for the sake of the gospel: (http://makariosinternational.org/)

And we are more stirred to cry over a football game than a child in poverty.

My friend Constance (http://congraced.blogspot.com/) lives in Thailand to educate girls, so that they can change the world and realize they don't have to go into prostitution to LIVE. (http://elfthai.blogspot.com/)

And still we are more concerned with college football than the world around us.

My friend Rebecca (http://rebeccainphilly.blogspot.com/) chooses to live in Philadelphia to teach, and to provide a glimpse of hope to her students in one of the poorest cities in America.

And we argue about college football...

We are free to pursue Christianity, and in Saudi Arabia this is what Christians face: "Besides foreign workers in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of Saudi citizens as Christians tends towards zero, as Saudi Arabia forbids religious conversion from Islam. Some Saudi conversions to Christianity are known only through their being killed by a near relative for the crime of apostasy."

Why don't we care? When did we become so numb to the world around us? When did I become so pathetic?

Lord, I repent of this sin. I repent that often my heart is stirred toward football and not the injustice that is going on in the world. May you detach my hands from the things of this world, and attach myself to you. You are the only thing that is truly Good.

Hook'em

12-0

Hook'em.

Up Next: Big 12 Championship, with a win we secure a spot in the National Championship.

Holy cow.

I LOVE UT FOOTBALL.

something to think about...

And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
And the LORD will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

Isaiah 58:10-12

If I died tomorrow would I be known as someone who was a restorer of the streets? That's my desire. I gotta get there, praying that God would use me however he desires...

Stop... just please stop.

I live in America, land of the most prideful people (myself included) in which I ever seen. I hear and sense pride in a way that is truly disgusting at times. I am tired of hearing about how much money you make, that you got a promotion, that you can run 10 miles, that you drive a Porsche, etc. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

Piper says it way better than me:

You don't have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, and then be willing to live for them and die for them. The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by a few great things. If you want your life to count, if you want the ripple effect of the pebbles you drop to become waves that reach the ends of the earth and roll on for centuries and into eternity, you don't have to have a high IQ or EQ; you don't have to have to have good looks or riches; you don't have to come from a fine family or a fine school. You have to know a few great, majestic, unchanging, obvious, simple, glorious things, and be set on fire by them.

In other news: WE'RE GOING TO WRECK ON TEXAS TECH.

HOOK'EM HORNS. AND GOODNIGHT.

3 days....

3 days my friends, 3 more days! HOOK'EM HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Harwood House

Yesterday I turned in the keys to the beloved Harwood house that Laurin and I had the privilege of living in for one whole year. A year goes by SO SO quickly, but it was a good one. I will always cherish my time in this house, in this neighborhood, with that roommate. I will miss it SO much.

Things I loved/memories about this house:
1. It's GREEN! and it's old, but it was SO cute!
2. Our Pumpkin/House Warming party back in October!
3. Hosting our college small group girls here every Wednesday
4. My 25th birthday party!
5. Watching LOST with Laurin
6. Seeing the house next door go from a piece of crap, to be 800,000 beautiful home
7. Being close to downtown/UT/church
8. sitting on the couch with Laurin, just browsing the internet on each of our laptops
9. The adorable kitchen
10. The back porch.

I could go on and on. But I LOVED living here. I will miss it so much, but know the Lord is leading me elsewhere for the time being. I'm now a resident (again) of South Austin. I live about two minutes from a Super Target. Life is still good.

Being disciplined and refined by the Lord...

"And still he seeks the fellowship of His people and sends them both joy and sorrow to detach their hands from the things of this world to attach those hands to Himself."- J.I. Packer

You might be wondering what this post is all about based on the title and the quote above. I'm going to get a little vulnerable on this post, because let's face it only about four (not two) read it. I'm going to be honest about some struggles, confess some ugly sin, and wrap up with what I've learned in the process.

I like (actually love) community, a whole, whole whole lot, and by community I really mean friendship and fellowship more than anything. In college I was nicknamed "Social Butterfly", and even today people joke about the amount of friends I have on facebook because no one understands how I know so many people. Sometimes I think I should be a networker instead of work at a school, but I'll save that for another blog. Anyway, this summer the Lord has been really working in my heart, He's showing me some of the ugly sides of my desire for community. See, I think community is biblical, but I also think that for so long I desired community for my own selfish desires, so much so that it became a really big (huge) idol in my life. To be liked, to have lots of friends, is something that thrilled my soul. NOTHING should thrill my soul other than Christ Himself. This summer the Lord has broken down my idol of seeking friendships for my own sake. He's taken people out of my life this season more than any other season of my life. This summer has been good, but it's been one of the most lonely summers of my life. Let me explain! Sure my calendar is usually still full of social activities but it wasn't doing to my soul what it did in the past. I've felt rejected, and not a "part" of many different groups. I've felt left out of group activities by people who I would call my close friends. And in my sorrow and hurt about a lot of this, Christ has refined me to understand that I should never seek the things of this world to fill my spirit. I used hanging out with people as an excuse to not "hang out" with the Lord. And He finally said ENOUGH is Enough and brought alot of my "community" to an end this summer. I can tell you that this process hasn't been easy, but it's been so so so good.

Christ had to detach my hands from the community of this world so that I would be in community with Him. Let's face it, when I'm not in community with Him I can't offer much as a friend anyway. This summer I feel like I've truly learned that nothing compares to the greatness of knowing the Lord. Nothing compares to the intimate relationship I have with Him. While friends are great and community is too, those things will often fail me the way that Christ never will.

So in a nutshell I took something biblical and turned it into an idol and Christ ripped it out of my life this summer. It's been ugly, painful, but in the end the refinement of my life felt by HIS hand has been wonderful.

July...

...has almost come and gone without a post from me! I only think two people read this blog so it probably doesn't even matter that I haven't written in so long!

Anyway at the end of June (the 26th to be exact) I started my vacation from work!!! It was a glorious 16 days of FREEDOM. I started out my vacay with a weekend of relaxation in Austin, Texas. It's so nice to be here in this city without having to work. That weekend I got to meet my favorite celebrity of ALL time, Lauren Conrad, star of the reality TV show, The Hills. Judge me all you want :) It was fun! She was at BookPeople signing her first of three books in a series called L.A. Candy. And to be completely honest I've only read about five pages of the book. It's kinda cheesy. Let's face it, I just wanted her autograph!

That next week I spent in Dallas catching up with some old friends. I'm not sure if all of you know this, but my first year and a half of college were NOT spent at the University of Texas at Austin. It was actually spent at UT-Arlington in the metroplex area. That year and a half will always be so special to me as it was then where I found and fell in love with the Lord. I became a Christian the summer before I went to college, and being at a small school with an awesome community of believers was just what the Lord had in store for my life. I will cherish those friendships forever because they were with me in the midsts of the most amazing experience of my life. I love you, Bridget, Jaclyn, and my faithful roommate Melinda!

The rest of the week and over the fourth of July was spent in my hometown, Brownwood! It was nice to be at home for a week and not do a thing! I relaxed, spent time with my great family, ate good home-cooked meals and celebrated the 4th in the USA for the first time since 2006! It was great! The second week of my vacation I spent back here in Austin. I layed low, and just hung out with a few friends and caught up on my lack of sleep! When I went back to work on July 12th, I felt more refreshed and alive than I had in a long time. It was a really great vacation, and I'm so thankful. Even though my "vacation" didn't take me farther than three hours from Austin, I'm thankful for the rest.

The rest of the month I've been working and hanging out with my great friends. It's kinda the calm before the storm. If you work for a school you know what it's like. It's pretty crazy in August and September. I'm enjoying the laid back workdays, and just trying to get ready for the new school year to begin. I can't believe I'm starting my THIRD school year at American YouthWorks. . Sometimes I wonder why I've stayed so long, but the good days definitely outweigh the bad. I work with a great group of people who have a huge heart for the youth of Austin.

That's all for now! Five more days of July, and then August brings me my LAST month in The Harwood House! I can't believe I have to move out! This year has flown by! I hope this next one does too, because I know the Lord has something BIG in store for my life next year! :)

Over and out!

P.S. I've also discovered I like to read! I read Jen Hatmaker's book, "Interrupted" and I'm now halfway done with Francis Chan's book, "Crazy Love". My next post I'll tell you how each of these books are changing my life.

AARON IVEY CD!!!!!!!!!

If you like music (which I'm sure you do) be sure to check out Aaron Ivey's new CD! It released on Tuesday, and is absolutely fantastic!!! The lyrics of each of these songs are truly incredible. I love love love this CD! Go buy it :)



TEXAS BASEBALL

We beat Southern Missisippi in a battle of horrible pitchers in the first round of the College World Series. We won when the bases were loaded in the bottom of the 9th and they walked in the winning run. It wasn't the best way to win, but we'll take a win however we can get it. Next up: Arizona State tonight at 6pm on ESPN. Two wins away from the Championship Series! Yeah!

79 days till TEXAS FOOTBALL. HOOK'EM

Sports :)

If you know me at all then you know that I LOVE sports. Especially the Texas Longhorns! On Monday night the boys clinched the 8th and final spot for the COLLEGE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!! The last time we were there was 2005 and we won! It was the summer before my senior year of college. So yes, my senior year we won baseball and football national championships! Jealous? You should be.
If you didn't go to UT, you will never understand our fasination with all things burnt orange and our love for sports. You just won't get it. Especially if you went to aTm where you are use to losing all the time :) haha.

In other sports news, a guy from my hometown who just graduated was drafted #19 in the MLB draft tonight! He went from Brownwood Lion to St. Louis Cardinal in a minute. Very cool!

Also it's the NBA finals... I don't care for either team really, but i HATE the Lakers. So I always root for anyone who is playing them. Let's go Magic!!!!!! Too bad they are down two games. Hopefully they can win tonight, they are up by 4 right now.

And last but definitely not LEAST....

86 days till TEXAS LONGHORN FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!
Hook'em HORNS!!!!!!!!!

New Seasons....

Random fact: I'm listening to Pandora, and the song that is playing is Chris Tomlin's "Here I am to Worship". That was the song that was playing that I remember of the night I got saved. The line that got me was "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross". And in that moment I wept and repented of my sins, and said Yes, Lord I need you, all of you in my life. That night I felt the Lord prescence for the first time in my life. Every time I hear this song I go back to that night in the July 2002, and I'm so thankful for what the Lord has done in the past seven years. Amen.

In other news, I feel like the Lord is about to bring so much change into my life. In my job and in my personal life. Job wise our schools are consolidating into one school. Many of my co-workers have lost their jobs, and everything will be SO SO different next year. Thankfully my job is secure (for the time being at least, fingers crossed). I dont even know what to make of all the things that will change. Two of my great friends have left to pursue other jobs, and I'm glad they get to get a fresh start somewhere new. For me, I still feel called to be there, and until I feel a direct pull otherwise I think I'll stay put.

As far as ministry goes, I will no longer be leading a small group. I stepped down from college leadership. I stepped down from my position in phi lamb serving as alumni council. I know some of you might be asking why I would step down and leave two things that I LOVE so much. And while both of those ministries are really really great, I felt the Lord leading me to let them go for the sake of proclaiming the gospel to those who do not know it, or maybe who have never heard it. I'd been feeling like some change needed to take place ever since I got back from Egypt, but I didn't know what it all meant. I just kept praying and knew that in His timing He would reveal where He wanted me to devote time to. A few weeks ago I was reading in Luke where Jesus called Levi,

"After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick."I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:27-32

All of a sudden a thousand lights went flashing in my head, and I could hear bells and whistles. These verses made absolute sense to me.... FINALLY. For so long the Lord has allowed me to serve in ministry, whether it was on campus or at the Stone, and while I feel like He's really blessed those times, and created many opportunities for me to serve I realized that most of my time is spent with the "well" and not those who are "sick" or without Christ. While I was doing good things for His sake, I was not bringing the gospel to anyone who hadn't already heard it. I haven't been able to have a lot of non-Christian friends because my schedule is filled with ministry with other believers. So what does this all mean? I'm not even sure yet. But I know that God called me away from Phi Lamb and away from College Ministry to find out. The Lord took me to Egypt and showed me the urgency of the gospel. I'm praying that He would open the doors He wants me to step through for this next season of my life.

I truly want to live my life for the sake of His gospel, only. Period.

A Thorn in the Flesh...

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, ^K)">for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

There could not be better verses to sum up a situation I've been dealing with for quite some time. I'm a relatively nice person, and get along with almost everyone I come in contact with. But of course there are some people I naturally connect with easily and others that are more work. However, I've been giving a THORN in my side. A thorn that has been very very very tough to deal with. It's caused so much distress in my life, that sometimes it makes me just weep. But I know that I have to believe that because I am weak, Christ is the only one who can make me strong. I spoke with a dear friend of mine today over lunch about this situation, and she spoke some really good truth into my life. She said, "Leticia, your identity will never be found in what others think of you, but only in Christ. People who know you, and know your heart would never be convinced otherwise." Those were words I absolutely needed to hear. It's just a tough situation when you hear over and over how bad of a friend you are, who how much someone "hates" you it gets so frustrating, especially when I've tried to rectify the situation and have gotten no response. Part of me has believed a lot of the lies I've been told.

Matt preached a sermon last year sometime and he said something along the lines of this, "You can't expect the lost to treat you how those who have the spirit inside them would. Just let it go. You have to quit holding them to the same standards of your Christian friends." I do need to let it go, but letting go is so hard when there is so much hurt.

Please pray for me! I'm sorry I can't be more specific, just know that I've been dealing with a lot and I just needed to get it out there.

where did May go?

Well it looks like I let an entire month pass without posting anything on this blog! I don't really think anyone reads it anyway, so I don't think anyone noticed.

This past month has been a whirlwind. Work has been NUTS as the last few weeks before summer are always crazy. I work in the summer, but even just trying to get the kids out the door is still alot of work for the entire staff. Graduation is on Saturday, and I'm so excited to see some of my favorites cross the stage! Our school is combining forces (downtown location & south location) next year all at the South Location where my office currently is. There are TONS of changes this upcoming year, and I'm not even sure what to make of all of it yet. We shall see...

Im so glad it's SUMMER! And even though i have to work, I feel like it's summer, and work will be much less stressful, even just in decreasing the amount of people that are around. I hope to catch some sun, hang out with friends, and figure out what the Lord wants me to do with my life.

anyway... I'll leave you with a picture. my dear friend, Candace got married in the middle of May and this is a pic with her. These three girls are three of the greatest girls I've ever known. I can't wait for Mandy (on the far left) to get married in October! Yay!

Over and out. Have a great weekend!!!!!!

P.S. Texas is playing in the Super Regional this weekend here at home against TCU. HOOK'EM HORNS!

My dear friend...

The Lord has really blessed me with a lot of good friends in my lifetime. One is pictured below. Her name is Tanya! She and I were pretty much instantly friends upon meeting in February of 2008, and have walked together through so much over the past 15 months. There have been many joyful times, and some sad times. I think we've both seen each other at our best, and our absolute worst. She's been a constant source of encouragement in my life, and I'm not sure what I would do without her advice. We are completely opposite, as she is a DIE hard aggie, and I bleed Burnt Orange, she's super girly, and I'm not, she could shop all day, while I'm content with finding exactly what I need :) But despite our differences, our common love of the Lord is what has made this friendship what it is today. I'm so thankful for many friends in my life, and I hope to post more about my great friends in the future.

How I love you...

My soul will forever sing how I love you, Christ.

Btw, I love that song. If you've never heard, you should download it.

I was reading in Philippians last night and came across this verse that I've been pondering on a lot today,

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all thing to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus MY Lord, fo whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, bu that which is through fiaht in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His ressurection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11

I want this verse to be true in my life. I want the things of this world to be rubbish to me for the sake of knowing Christ. I want Him to be enough for me. But I know that often times He's not. I know that often times I fail Him, and chase after the desires of my own flesh. It's such an ugly thing to admit, but I know it's the truth. My prayer is that every day I would live for the sake of His gospel, for the truth found in this verse. I know it's easy to say, but it's often hard to live. It's hard to live for Christ sometimes. This world, America, has everything my heart could ever want, but has nothing that I need. I needed that reminder last night when I read that verse. This world can fulfill some of my "wants" for a short time, but Christ will fulfill all of my needs for eternity. I want to live my life living out that truth and know that Jesus Blood is the only thing that will never fail me.

Do you find it difficult to live out that truth at times? Am I the only one?

I hope you have a great weekend!

A glimpse of Heaven...

Every Sunday during worship at the Austin Stone, I feel like I get a small glimpse of what Heaven will be like one day. A glimpse where every hand is raised and in awe of our precious, Savior, redeemer, and lover of our souls... Jesus. The way the spirit moves in those services is like nothing that I have ever experienced. Last night was just ridiculous. I opened my eyes at one point and every single arm around me was raised. It was beautiful. The love of Christ that's poured into my life overwhelms me. Last night I had one hand raised and one hand over my heart and my heart was racing. His grace and love overwhelm me to a point that is indescribable. I'm so thankful to be a part of a Church that lifts his name above All names. Yesterday's message was amazing, and the video after was like nothing I have ever seen. I've already we watched it this morning, and it brings me to tears each time.

I love Jesus, and what He's doing through His people at the Austin Stone. May we give Him the glory today and forevermore.

Please take a moment to watch this:

http://www.vimeo.com/4125092

He is Risen.

Feels like Home...

This is the actual slogan for my hometown, and it could not be MORE fitting for what this place feels like. I'm actually headed out of the office here in a bit to hit the road to go home for the first time in 3 months. This is the longest amount of time that has ever passed in my time away from home, without going back for a visit (I left in August 2002 for college). It's so crazy! But I'm so thankful to go home... where the streets aren't busy, where it's quiet, where I can drink really good sweet tea, and listen to country music.

Brownwood, Tx.... truly does feel like home.

Over and out! have a great weekend!

NYC pictures...

Alice's Tea Cup. If you are in NYC any time soon, GO EAT BREAKFAST HERE. best tea/scones I've ever had!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Broadway!

Us hanging out in the City!

In The Heights

I went to the D.R. (sorta), I went to Washington Heights and ate a traditonal Dominican meal and it was fantastic.

Juniors Cheesecake. Yes please.

.... we are not "tourists". So we have no pictures of the Statue of Liberty, The Wall Street Bull, Rockefeller Center, etc. Hahah :) I love New York City.

I am Wholly Yours.

I am Wholly His, my friends.

So here I am, all of me
Finally everything
Wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly Yours


I caught the end of this song today as I sped over to my FAVORITE sandwich place, Foodheads, to have lunch with one of my dear friends Skipper. I've talked before about how God speaks to me a lot through lyrics in songs, and music in general. I love having alone time and seriously just sitting and listening to worship music on my ipod. It's honestly one of my greatest pastimes despite how freaking busy my life seems to be! Spring break was awesome, but when I got home it was very much go, go, go, and Monday morning I woke up and was SICK! I had to stay home from work I couldn't even get out of bed. How pathetic is that? I literally slept till 2 that afternoon. So a week of rest wasn't exactly the case for my spring break even though it was super fun!!! I loved NYC (how can anyone not honestly?) I love that city a ton! We honestly didn't do any touristy things, but instead ate some places in "Hells Kitchen" which is the area of the city we stayed in (W. 45th street by 8th avenue) and saw one really awesome show, In The Heights,. Anyway! it was a really great time. My friend Jaclyn and I named our trip "Laugh Fest 2009". It was a great, great, time and I'm so thankful I got to spend some time with an old friend who's so hilarious and fun!

Anyway! This has been a crazy/busy week! I wish I could elaborate more, but it's just been sort of a whirlwind! I'm really really excited for this weekend! Tonight I get to hang out with my EGYPT people, and tomorrow I don't have too much lined up. But I'm excited about that! On Sunday my family is coming in for the day! yay!

Here's to the weekend... live it up.

Learning to say no....

I'm going to vent for a second because this is my blog, and I want to.

I need to learn to say "no" whenever someone asks me to do something that I don't really want to do. I wind up saying "yes" to anything, and then it stresses me out to the extreme because I don't really want to do it! AHHHHHHHHH. I don't love people through acts of service. It drains me. It's not like I'm twiddling my thumbs all day, and don't have a 40 hour a week stressful job, and about 15 commitments outside of that, on top of meeting with my small group girls weekly for lunches, disciplining someone, keeping up with phi lamb stuff, etc. There are not enough hours in the day for me at times (often). I want to slow down, but I don't even know where to start! :(

the end.

spring break: t- 6 days away. AND I get to go to my favorite CITY! woo hoo.

How bad is it that I'm most looking forward to relaxing in one of the busiest cities in the U.S.? I'm just looking forward to not answering 50 emails, 50 text messages, returning calls, etc. I'm so ready for a freakin break!

Reign In Us

We've been singing a song at church for the past couple of weeks, Reign In Us, and I can't seem to ever get to lyrics out of my head. The Lord speaks through me a lot through music, especially when the lyrics speak SO much truth into my life! Since returning from Egypt a few weeks ago, I've been constantly in prayer for what the Lord desires for my life, and these lyrics are close to what I've been praying for. My one desire for my life is that Christ would reign in my life all the days of my life. I want to offer my life as a living sacrifice for that very purpose. I've had a lot of thoughts these past few weeks about my future, thoughts that make me just want to pray, thoughts that are scary, thoughts that can be stressful, thoughts that keep me up at night, thoughts that get me pumped, thoughts of things I never even dreamed of for my life. I know that Christ desires more than the ordinary for my life. I'm sorting through what that's supposed to look like. I can't pray to go somewhere, and I can't pray to stay here, all I can pray is for the Lord's will. I am willing and ready to go all in God's timing. I can rest in the fact that I know the Lord has complete control over my life. He is the King that reigns, and I'm just a girl trying to follow His will. Join me in prayer!


Reign In Us - Starfield

You thought of us before the world began to breathe
You knew our names before we came to be
You saw the very day we'd fall away from you
And how desperately we need to be redeemed

Lord Jesus come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

Oh Great and Mighty One with one desire we come
That you would reign that you would reign in us
We're offering up our lives a living sacrifice
That you would reign that you would reign in us

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh again
Come search our hearts and purify our lives
We need your perfect love
We need your discipline
We're lost unless you guide us with your light

We cry out
For your love to refine us cry out
For your love to define us cry out
For your mercy to keep us blameless until you return

So reign please reign in us
Come purify our hearts we need your touch
Come cleanse us like a flood and send us out
So the world may know you reign you reign in us

I promise this isn't going to be a picture blog....

.... but isn't this picture awesome? I heart Egypt!

Just a picture...

Christians CAN be described in three ways: They Go. They Send. They Disobey.

I wanna GO places.

You?

I love Egypt.

I miss these people so much right now.

Egypt was wonderful. I can't do the trip justice with words. Just know that the Lord is faithful and His grace is amazing.

I love Egypt!

If you want to hear more about our trip, stories, pictures, and have questions answered, come to The Stone at 7pm in the Library for our "Return Celebration".

Thanks for your prayers!

8 Things...

I saw this on Leah's blog and even though she didn't tag me I wanted to fill it out.

8 TV Shows I Watch:
1) LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Season Five Premiere tomorrow!!!! OMG.
2) Gossip Girl- (don't judge me, stop...)
3) The Hills
4) The City
5) The Bachelor/Bachelorette (I have a love/hate relationship with this show)
6) The Real World (but only if its in cool cities like Philly, Austin, and now Brooklyn)
7) Food Network (any show)
8) College Football (not a show, but I love this)

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1) Hut's Hamburgers
2) Cheesecake Factory
3) Homeslice Pizza
4) The Kitchen Door
5) Melting Pot
6) Moonshine Patio Grill
7) Freebirds
8) Chuy's

8 Things that Happened to Me Today:
1) I woke up late, per usual.
2) I had half a real day of work, and half a day of a meeting. Sick.
3) I read my material from Sunday's Egypt training I missed.
4) I ate mom's chicken pot pie for lunch. Delicious.
6) I spent some time with Christie, my dear friend, this afternoon.
7) I had dinner with my old roomies, Candace and Tonya.
8) I caught up on a lot of emails.

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1) EGYPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9 DAYS.
2) Spring Break 2009 :)
3) Summer in Austin!
4) friends weddings (maybe someday my own.... someday!)
5) Growing in my relationship with the Lord
6) traveling the world
7) life in the Lord's will
8) hopefully a career change...

8 Things I Wish For: (don't know if "wish" is the right word for these...)
1)For each day that I live to grow more passionate about the Lord
2) For love to fill each day of my life.
3) to live in a big city with bright lights...
4) To wake up each day for the sake of the Gospel
5) to live a life with no regrets
6) to not be afraid of change, and to know that the Lord grows us most through it.
7) Not to be rich or poor, but to manage a normal, healthy lifestyle.
8) For every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that Christ is the Lord.

Life is good, people. Really good. I'm so thankful to be a daughter of the King of Glory. May His name truly be lifted high all the days of my life.

2009

Is it just me, or did 2008 fly by? 2008, you were good to me. Thanks!

It's been a while since I've written, but I'll give you a brief recap of the past few weeks.

- Dec. 19th-30th were spent in Leon, Guanajuato with my family! It was a glorious 10 days seriously doing nothing but relaxing, catching up on sleep from the semester, and enjoying hanging out with my family. I couldn't have asked for a better 10 days. Seriously, it was wonderful.

- Dec. 31st- I made it back to Austin, TX just in time to catch dinner with some friends, and then go on a party barge on Lady Bird Lake overlooking DT Austin. It was a fundraiser for our team for Egypt and it was a huge success. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves and it was a great night with friends!

-Jan 2nd- I got to see one of my best friends in the world get married to the love of his life! My dear friend, Barrett Raven married the beautiful Kristen Camp in a small ceremony here in Austin. The whole MAK family was back together to celebrate their marriage. Even though I don't get to see this group of people often. They will forever hold a very special place in my heart. That summer I learned more about the beauty of community than any other season in my life. I know that we will be friends for a lifetime. I love these guys SO dang much.

-Jan. 5th- Back to work. Blah. It's work, and it's nothing spectacular, nor nothing horrible. This was also the day that the amazing Texas Longhorns put up another win for the season. We were playing in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State, and with seconds to go in the game Quan Cosby did this...

Remember that time we are so awesome? We should have played for the national championship, but that's a whole other argument that I don't feel like getting into right now.
- Jan. 8th- Bob Stoops and the OU (sucks) Sooners yet AGAIN blew a BCS bowl game. That's five in a row. Way to reprsent the Big 12.... not. GATOR CHOMP GATOR CHOMP GATOR CHOMP. I, of course, was rooting for Florida to win. And Tebow came through :) He's beautiful by the way.

I leave for Egypt in TWENTY DAYS. 20 days. Holy stinkin cow. Please pray for me, and my team. It's going to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. I'm beyond excited, and nervous at the same time. The Lord is good. I'm so thankful and humbled to be a part of this team, and very much looking forward to everything He has in store for our time in this country.

That's the jist of what's been going on lately. Things are going well.

Over and out.