giving thanks

wow.  The past 4 months have flown by here in Raleigh.  So much has happened and so many new things have blessed my life.

I am so thankful for my family. I don't think I could ask for a better group of people to call mine.  My dad always providing a good laugh, making some...interesting food choices for us and never a step behind in my life.  My mom is the sweetest lady ever.  Don't think you could find a more humble or understanding person, unfortunately this does make her an easy target for dinner table jokes.  Sarah.  My not so little anymore squirt.  That girl can light up a room with that cute smile and crazy weird laugh.  Its amazing how much you appreciate people when you are placed out of your comfort zone.  If you had asked me this summer what I was most excited about for the upcoming year it would be living on my own.  Looking back, I couldn't have been more wrong.  I am so thankful for these people.  The first ones I call when something good happens like making an A on my calculus test, and also the first people I call for help....when I get stuck in an elevator.  Having a family that is rooted in The Lord is the most rewarding thing I could ask for and I don't think I have ever been so grateful for them.

windy gap

Carley and Kristin

Coming to college, the one thing on a freshman's mind is am I going to make friends? Well I don't think I could ask for better friends.  Our common passion for Younglife has brought us so close.  Having friends in your life that keep you accountable for what you do is so rewarding.  We are probably the weirdest, craziest and most dysfunctional people you will meet but one thing is for sure.  We love Jesus and each other more than anyone can imagine. Friends like mine don't come everyday.  I am truly blessed beyond words to have met all these people, and I don't               know if Raleigh is ready for what's coming next with us.

go pack

Carley and Sarah

best leader ever

The biggest change overall though through the past 4 months has been my relationship with Jesus.  I went from loving Jesus to falling madly in love with Him in these short 4 months.  It wasn't anything I did or the people I was with, but it was all Him grabbing my heart and not letting me go.  I have never felt so full of joy.  It is amazing how you can go from being so consumed by worldly struggles and things, to being fully consumed and fulfilled by the love and grace of our Lord.  Having Him call me by name and calling me His beloved is something that I took for granted before.  Now, I fall on my knees in thanksgiving to Him.  Through Jesus I have found a life that is abundant.  I have been radically pursued and radically changed by my King.  What more could you be thankful for that that?!

So many new things he has brought into my life.  Younglife, friends who are on fire for Him, a church that challenges me and helps me grow, a school that is seriously the BEST,  a calling in life, and a deep relationship with him.  

I think I can say I have much to be thankful for this year. 

 

Vintage Church

"Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the world know what he has done".
 1 Chronicles 16:8

death to life

Wow.  What an awesome day. I represented my renewal of life in Jesus through baptism. Through believing in Christ I was brought from death to life.  I was wrapped in the arms of my Savior.  It was not an act of me finding Jesus, but a celebration of Him finding and capturing my heart.  No other way would I have wanted to spend this precious time than with my brothers and sisters in Christ that I have met at NC State.

No amount of words can describe the joy that I feel after being bought by the blood of Jesus. I am now energized and eager to experience the Lord.  I thirst for his righteousness and his plan for my life.  Having a Father who loves me enough to call me by name and pursue me is enough to fill me forever.  I want to continue to yearn for Him and search in every nook and cranny of my life for Him to expose himself to me.  I admire his grace and persistance of me as a sinner. Being baptized has filled me with living water.  I no longer hold onto the temporary desires of the world, I am no longer spiritually malnourished but my thirst is quenched through Jesus and I cling to the unconditional love and mercy of the Lord. I was called as a discipline to lay my life down, before Him.  He has taken all my broken pieces and made a masterpiece in me.  I was Barabbas.  The sinner, wrong doer and human that deserved punishment.  But then Jesus showed up at my trial and fell on His knees, washed my feet and died for me.  How precious and humble of a Father do I have.  I have been set free by Christ and am now a fearless disciple for him.
I follow his command because I am called to obey and I obey because I have acceptance.  There is no greater pleasure in my life than pleasing Him.
I am madly in love with Jesus and being baptized this Sunday was crazy awesome. I am so thankful that Jesus found me, washed me, and calls me His beloved.

"Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable or responding to God.  God brought you alive-right along with Christ. Think of it! All sins forgive, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross". [Colossians 2:12-13]

hands

I can not think of anything better than sitting with great friends and having what we call "intentional talk."  A time to be vulnerable and share with friends, not only to better understand each other, but to also see a glimpse of how Jesus is working in each of our lives.  Talk could range from "tell me about your family", to "who were you in high school", to "How has Jesus grabbed your heart."  All of these are questions that my friends and I opened up about this weekend.  

I am not going to lie, I get really nervous when people ask me to talk about my past and how I found the Lord.  It is refreshing coming to college and telling myself that it is okay to tell others my story.  I am now learning that we all go through struggles, and what better support system could one ask for than an amazing group of college students perusing the love of Jesus.  

After this weekend and our talks, I found myself thankful that I opened up.  I now see that God has turned my scars and broken pieces into his masterpiece.  Now I feel as though God can completely use my life and my story in ways that I can't imagine.  God consumed my life and now I feel his call to continue to be bold and step out in my faith with my heart and my hands. 

Jesus,

I pray that you will take these hands and use them.  God help me to reach out to those who surround me that are lost.  We are often caught up in our own life and our own worries and stress that we forget to share the gospel.  Allow me the conviction to share even when I think it is inconvenient for me, because it is not.  

Lord I pray that you will continue to prepare my hands and my heart from the people in Honduras.  I strive to be a disciple for your Kingdom.  When I think about the children and families in Honduras that I will encounter that don't know you, I used to feel a hurt, but Lord now I feel an excitement and a joy that you will bless me with opportunities to share your Word and my story. I know I am not perfect Lord, but I am so thankful that I follow and am perused by a perfect man in Jesus.

Lord let me use my story to reach others and tell them of your nailed hands which tell the glorious story.  

"Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains.  I pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Ephesians 6:19-20

the gap that is windy

John 13:3-7
"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

This is one of my favorite parts of Scripture to visualize in my mind.  Can you image being at dinner with Jesus and all of a sudden he gets up, goes to the kitchen grabs a towel and then lowers himself to your feet. When I think of Jesus getting up from the table I see him getting off of his throne, being sent by The King to this earth and laying down his life before us.  When he wrapped himself in a towel I think of him wrapping himself with humility as he humbly approaches the cross.
The disciples must have been freaking out.  Why would the Sovereign Savior wash their feet, when it was the lowest job of any servant and this is what they should be doing for him.  Matthew 20:28 says he came "not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many." Jesus was displaying servitude to these disciples who a few minutes ago at dinner where arguing about who was better.  Not knowing that one of them is soon to betray the One they adore.  But hey, lets not forget to give some credit to Peter, when Jesus started washing feet he yelled "You shall never wash my feet!"  Then Jesus said something that must have shocked Peter: "Unless I wash you, no have no part with me."  Peter who loved the Savior beyond words was silenced by this statement from Jesus.  Then Jesus took the time to explain to Peter why he was doing this.  Peter, like many of us have experienced the cleansing of salvation.  We are drenched by the life and love of Christ.  The life that you gain through salvation is a lifelong journey with Christ.  Jesus washed our sins when he gave his life for us. By washing his disciples feet he was expressing that even though you have already been washed by the water, we will still sin and fall short and become dirty, but Jesus washed our feet and took to the cross.
Later that night, Jesus said, "I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:15) As bold followers of Christ we strive to be like him in everything we do.  Serving one another in lowliness of heart and mind, seeking to build each other up in humility and love.

This weekend I was blessed with another great weekend at a Younglife camp in the mountains of North Carolina called Windy Gap.  Literally the most beautiful place on the earth.  Our group from NC State did workcrew which is helping serve the campers meals, preparing the meal and cleaning.  It might not seem like the best job ever but wow, it is the most rewarding.  Jesus humbled himself and washed the dirty, tired feet of his followers and was pleased.  This weekend we were able to display the service of Christ by washing dishes.  But with that, gave campers the chance to experience the love and joy of Jesus love.  We washed dishes, while he washed feet of those campers.

Windy Gap 

   
I am learned that Jesus still humbles himself to us through a relationship.  He calls us and says; Hannah you are dirty, sinful, and broken.  But my beloved daughter, I love you so much.  Come to me and let me wash your feet and your sins off and take them upon myself so that you can shine my light onto others.
Serving Christ is not for reward, but out of gratitude and longing for others to gain the love of Jesus.

direction

Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God".


Thank you so much for the direction that you gave me through this verse.
Instead of taking pride in what I bring to you God let me be selfless and fully consumed by your grace.  Take the focus off of the deeds I do Lord and instead let me shine the spotlight on you.  Allow me to humbly recognize that no amount of personal sacrifice can gain your favor or replace your sacrifice on the cross.  Through this verse help me to recognize that I need to focus on outwardly living a Godly life for others to see your beauty and your righteousness by acting justly.  God help me to live inwardly by thanking you more and more for  your amazing and radical love that you mercifully and freely gave to me, one who falls short everyday and cries out to you when I do.  Help me to focus upward by pursuing a relationship with you by walking humbly through your word God.  By setting  my pride aside, setting my eyes on you and running humbly to the foot of the cross.  I can't thank you enough for your salvation and constant pursuit of my heart.
"The sinless King who died for me when I deserved His death. Your love shines at Calvary"
i love you
amen

Spittin' verses

"Who breaks the power of sin and darkness
Who's love is mighty and so much stronger.
Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder
Who leaves us breathless with awe and wonder.
The King of Glory
The King above all kings.
Who brings our chaos back into order
Who makes the orphans a son and daughter
The King of Glory
The King above all Kings.
This is amazing grace.
This is unfailing love.
That You would take my place.
That You would bear my cross.
You would lay down Your life.
That I might be set free.
Jesus I sing for all that You've done for me.
Worthy is the lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave.
This is amazing grace.
This is unfailing love.
What other king leaves his throne?
What other king leaves his glory to die?
This is amazing grace.
This is unfailing love.
That you would take my place.
That You would bear my cross.
You would lay down Your life.
That I might be set free.
Jesus I sing for all that You've done for me."

"Let your face shine on your servant, save me in your unfailing love"
              Psalm 31:16

amen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn5zk3yCRr0

Washed By the Water

Yesterday, my dear friend Sarah got baptized.  Watching her enter into the Kingdom of God was so special.  I really enjoyed this baptism because it was very different than the baptismal services that I grew up with.  It is so powerful watching the representation of being covered by sin and letting go and letting God take over your life.  We as sinners, are involved in the worlds greatest paradox.  We judged the One true judge.  The grace of God overcomes us once we realize that we do not deserve this love but are blessed through his Son with this amazing promise.
Watching Sarah be baptized reminded my of the call that we have as children of God.  We are washed clean, and that doesn't mean that we won't mess up, but it means that we know who to run to when we do.
The perfect love of Jesus never ceases to amaze me.

Sarah at Vintage Church in downtown Raleigh Sept. 15th