Monday, November 10, 2008

Not Me...No Way

I am not shamelessly participating in Mckmama's Not Me Monday as an effort to get more people to read my blog! Who in their right mind does that! That is totally prideful and selfish! I would never be selfish!

I did not shove clutter in drawers and under the furniture only minutes before company arrived this weekend. I don't have clutter! My house is perfectly clutter free!

I am not typing this post from my desk at work. I am completely focused on my job and would NEVER complete personal tasks at the office.

I did not take Caleb to Burger King on Friday and allow him to eat anything he wanted. I want him to eat healthy and would never encourage him to eat all of his french fries.

What did you NOT do this week?

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Let the Journey Begin...

I've been thinking. I know that is a dangerous thing at times so maybe I should say I've been reflecting. I've been reflecting on life. I know that my purpose is to glorify God by enjoying him forever, but at times that seems so vague. My life is a journey. There are times when I'm walking on the mountain tops, lost in the valleys, or wandering in the desert. There is so much to learn in this life through all of the stops along the way. This blog is my way of sharing my journey along the path of life. Let me catch you up on the Journey so far...

I was raised in a Christian home by a single mother. She made sure that my brother and I were in church whenever the doors were opened. My mom remarried a couple of months before my 10th birthday. As a family we visited churches to find one that we all enjoyed. After much searching, we joined a small 'country' church that had less than 100 people in attendance on Sunday mornings. Church was filled with potlucks and parties. The summer of 1988 my mother sent me to a camp in the North Carolina Mountains. It was at Camp Crestridge that I first realized that there was a major void in my life. Jesus was missing. Sitting in the front row of the open air chapel I asked Jesus to take control of my life and he adopted me into his family. I was truly a new creation. I remember the joy that consumed me. I was His! After returning home I was starving for more of Jesus. I struggled for the next several years in my walk with the Lord. I was never extremely rebellious. I didn't live a party lifestyle. I was never tempted by the stereotypical teenage struggles, but I did struggle. I struggled in my spiritual growth. I new what prayer was, and that reading the Bible was important, but I never had someone encourage me in my walk. Sure I went to church, but it seemed more like a social club where you went to hang out with your friends a few days a week...I continued my journey with Jesus...alone.

The fall of 1995 I started my freshman year of college. I was never a lover of education and choose my college based on where it was located...Nashville, TN! It sounded like a fun place, and there were a lot of opportunities for music there. I had heard of David Lipscomb University through my brother. He attended Basketball camps there. It was a pretty school and it was a Christian school. My college years were where, for the first ,I was totally on my own in my spiritual walk. My mom didn't make me wake up early to go to church. No one cared if I went to the weekly Bible study. Most importantly, no one told me what to believe. I grew up in church remember. I thought what my mom and my pastor said were true. I never doubted what they said, and honestly never checked what they said against God's word. I had a few room mates at DLU who had very different beliefs that me. It was so hard for me to meet people that I felt I connected with. I went to church with friends and disagreed with what I heard. This caused me to really dive into God's word for the first time. This was the beginning of true spiritual growth for me. God did not leave me completely alone though. My freshman year I did meet a wonderful girl who I still consider a close friend. We both decided that God led us to DLU for the sole purpose of meeting one another...and to learn how to defend what we believe with God's word.

After 2 years I transferred to a school closer to home in NC. I was able to drive home on weekends and began visiting a church that my brother joined. My parents and I joined a year after Walt. I am still a member of Concord and feel extremely blessed by the people that I have met there.

In 1999 I spend a summer in Panama City participating in a Campus Outreach Summer Beach Project (SBP). The theme was By All Means (BAM) "I became all things to all people that I may BY ALL MEANS save some" SBP was an amazing 10 weeks of spiritual growth. I was discipled one on one, learned the importance of scripture memory, and the Lord began to burden my heart for the lost. SBP was a turning point in my life.

After graduating from college I joined an team of 8 girls to teach English in China. This was the hardest and best year of my life! This was an amazing journey! God used this year to show me what it means to totally rely on Him. He proved himself faithful. This year not only opened my eyes to others need for Jesus, but it also taught how too look at people through the eyes of Jesus. I could go on and on...but I'll save that for another day.

After returning home from China I started teaching school in the states and loved the students and being able to impact their lives. After 6 years of teaching, I decided a career change was needed and the direction of my 'journey' changed. In the spring of 2007 I began working full time for Strong Rock Camp! Summer camp holds a special place in my heart. I met Jesus at a Camp. My life changed because someone took the time to see me as an individual, and chose to share their hope with me. I want to be apart of changing lives!

There are field trips on my journey of life. I still have a desire to see the nations turn to Jesus. I have spent 3 spring breaks in Brazil and I'm planning my first trip to India this Christmas! I'm so excited about the journeys of life! It is my hope that this Journey of mine would point to Jesus and lead others to him as well.