Christmas: The Big Picture

It's Christmas Eve. Presents are wrapped, jammies are on, It's A Wonderful Life is playing, and the house is at peace. Praise be to God for this beautiful night.

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.'"

{Luke 2:10-14 // NKJV}

Jesus is the reason for the season. It really is Merry CHRISTmas rather than Happy Holidays. But there's more to Christmas than throwing these phrases around. There's a deeper meaning.

Our Savior is born unto us because of His love for us, and this is good news.

The big picture is one true God, holy and just, has a fierce, unshakable love for His people. A nation is troubled. Sin creates barriers between God and man. The Law is given, but impossible to hold by human beings. Something must be done; a sacrifice must be made. A Son must be given.

Jesus is our living hope. He is the long-awaited Messiah Israel was waiting with anticipation for. His purpose was to come and save, and He did.

For this, we fall on our knees. We hear the angel voices. We come and adore Him. Our Savior lived, died, and was resurrected on earth for us; being born in a stable to Joseph and Mary is just a chapter of the story. And He invites us to be a part of His story! We simply accept the invitation and participate. Thank You, Lord for such an honor.

So Merry Christmas friends! Enjoy the greatest gift we have been given. Rejoice that Emmanuel has come to save! He is God with us.

"O Holy Night" - beautiful song. Powerful lyrics and dripping with worship. Love. Plus these chicks rock.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Africa On My Mind

For the past several months, the entire continent of Africa has been on my heart after hearing one family's testimony of adopting two children from Ghana; one of them is my student. :) I began praying for sweet babes who live in poverty and suffer from disease and tried to do some research here and there. Recently, I came across a book entitled Kisses from Katie which is currently rocking my world.

The author of this book, Katie Davis, is an average American teenager who tells of her adventure of obeying God's call to pack her bags, move to Uganda, and eventually adopt fourteen (yes, I said fourteen) beautiful little girls. Jesus' love overflows out of her. She finds that living a life dedicated to serving others selflessly is the most rewarding, fulfilling life she could ever live. It's an incredible story.

While this book is making my heart leap for little African babes, it is also truly opening my eyes to the devastation of poor and sick children with no one to take care of them, no one to feed them, and no one to nurse them to health.

In fact, did you know:

16,000 children die daily from causes related to hunger.

3,000 children around the world will die from diseases that is both preventable and treatable - Malaria.

143 million children are orphaned.

8.5 million work as child slaves or prostitutes.

2.3 million children have HIV.

There are about 164.8 million needy children in this world.

Yet, there are 2.1 billion people who claim to be Christians.

If only eight percent of Christians cared for only one child, statistics of needy children would vanish.

I don't know about you, but this infuriates me. All we have to do is take care of one child, ONE CHILD, and we can change the world through His power and might. Obviously, we are not doing are job. Something needs to change.

While talking about this randomly at school, one person suggested that instead of paying for medical care in third world countries, we should be preventing human reproduction in those places all together. Basically, because you cannot provide a "good" life for your child and you are poor, you should not have children. This broke my heart in two.

I completely respect her opinion and understand where she is coming from. If no one had children in the first place, there would not be any suffering kids. I get that. But, that's not the solution. They are God's children. He created them in His image. They are fearfully and wonderfully made. He loves them so incredibly much and holds them close to His heart. All He asks is that we take care of the less fortunate so they may tangibly see His love. Through this, Jesus will be glorified.

We have a responsibility as followers of Christ. We are commanded to take care of the poor. The sick. The orphans. The widows. The brokenhearted. And they need us to help them. They need Jesus to save them.

Lord, give us Your eyes. Help us to see the hurting, the weary, and the brokenhearted all around us, even in our comfortable country. You have called us to serve others and love unconditionally just as You have. Give us opportunities to meet their needs and tangibly show Your love to everyone around us. Send Your angels to heal the sick children across the globe. Hold them close and send Your followers, including me, to help them. They need us. They need YOU.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me,
for the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the LORD's favor has come,
and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.
To all who mourn in Israel,
He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the LORD has planted for his own glory."
{Isaiah 61:1-3, NLT}

Much love,

All statistics were found in Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis, published in 2009. To learn more about Katie and her ministry in Uganda, Amazima Ministries, go to amazima.org.

#givethanks2013

Yes, I know. It's been practically forever since I've written on this sweet little blog. I'm back. :)

Something that has been on my mind the past few days is thankfulness! Obviously. It's November. Thanksgiving is going to be here in like five seconds. Anyways, there are a lot of little social media challenges during this thanksgiving season, so I thought I'd join in, even if already the fourth day of the month.

#givethanks2013

My challenge to myself (and to you!) is to Instagram, Facebook, or Tweet once a day for the month of November something we are thankful for. Simple as that. Find your thankfulness, be grateful, and share with others. I pray it will change our perspective as we give thanks to God each day and become filled with His joy.

Today I am thankful for this cloudy Monday morning in my home with a warm cup of pumpkin-y coffee and extended time with Jesus. Oh, how true quiet meetings with the Lord refresh my soul. My heart is at rest, and for that I am thankful.

What are you thankful for? Share your thoughts!

A True Once Upon A Time

{photo source}

Have you ever watched the television program "Once Upon A Time"? If you said yes, you're now my best friend. If you said no, do yourself a favor and watch it on Neflix ASAP. This series is based on the beloved fairly tales we all know and cherish, but with a creative twist. We can see a side of them we have never seen before. And it's AWESOME!

The first episode opens with the classic happy ending of Snow White being awakened by her Prince Charming with true love's kiss. After the spell is broken, Snow White takes a breath of fresh air, looks deep into her prince's eyes and says, "You found me." Charming replies, "Did you ever doubt I would?" "Truthfully, the glass coffin gave me pause." "Well, you never have to worry. I will always find you." Swoon.

Don't you just love it?! What makes me adore this story so incredibly much? Why I am so consumed with Prince Charmings and lovely princesses living happily ever after? How is it that all I want to do is put on a ball gown and tiara and be the belle of the ball?

Because God designed my heart to long for romance.

Our love of "love" is wired into us! We have a captivating soul that yearns for the romantic love of our knight in shining armor. Oh, how true it is. But think about it, we are made in the image of God. Our hearts are modeled after His heart. Therefore,

Our God is a romantic God.

What?!

Yes, He is! He wants to romance you with Himself and glory and splendor of His creation. As His church, we are the bride of Christ and He is our husband.

"For your Maker is your husband,
The LORD of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth."
{Isaiah 54:5, NKJV}

He is your Lover! Your Savior loves you in a deep, intimate way. He pulls you in and invites you to delight in a divine romance.

"God delights in revealing himself to those who will seek him with all their hearts. He is an extravagant, abundant Lover, and he loves to reveal his heart to us again and again." 
{"Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge}

He is pursuing you daily. Ask Him, "Lord, how are you romancing me?" and you will begin to be romanced by your Creator in ways you never thought were possible. For me, I swoon over the sky. When I see a breathtaking sunset or a stunning sunrise, I know it's for me. He is pulling at my heart strings. It's almost as if He leaves a rose on your doorstep or a note on your car. Friends, He LOVES you in a fierce, passion way.

Jesus is the original Prince Charming who fights for His bride and even gave His life for her. This is the best fairy tale ever; it's a true story that we have the privilege of living! It is a true "Once Upon A Time".

Love you all!

Back to School Peptalk

{Photo by cfisherphotography. Also found on PicMonkey, my new favorite online toy}

I survived my first week of school.

{cue Hallelujah chorus}

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit overdramatic. My first week of school was actually quite fabulous! I'm anticipating a tough, tiring, "I want to pull my hair out", but also an interesting, fun, and even "I think I like being a college student" semester. #truth

Highlights:
~ My Psychology teacher spent the fist class talking about his vacation.
~ In Public Speaking, our teacher told the class she loves controversy. And even encourages it.
~ Our first assignment in Political Science was to talk about someone famous we want to meet. (Ms. Audrey Hepburn, duh!)
~ I saw a dead body. Up close. YOU GUYS IT WAS SO COOL. It was.

This shall be a good year.

About a week before school began, part of me wanted to get stressed out and overwhelmed. I need what for this class? Our first test is in two weeks? How does this online class work? I still have to be in a boot at school? Do I really have a late night class two days a week? AM I EVEN GOING TO SURVIVE? 

Oh, come on. You know you do the same thing.

So I just started praying. I prayed a lot. I prayed for favor, for strength, for tenacity, against laziness, against sickness, against stress and anxiety. Even though I barely have any homework yet and I still have the first week high (for example: Yay! I'm going to go ready my book for fun! Doesn't last. I'm sorry, it just doesn't), I feel at peace about this load of work. It's going to be good. I think I can even say that I'm excited. Yippe!

So just remember:

The Lord never gives you more than you can handle. Trust Him with everything, even school stress, and He will give you peace. You can do this, in the name of Jesus!

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
{Philippians 4:6-7, NLT}

OH!

Another big thing.

Your school is your mission field.

Before the semester begins, I usually start praying for divine appointments and good opportunities to either show my faith or verbally share it. True confession, I kind of forgot this time. Not good. Whether your school is a public middle school or a private Christian college, your school is your mission field. Be bold. There are a lot of hurting people on your campus who NEED Jesus. Be the light. Be different. Don't let those teachers or students beat you up about what you believe. Stand firm in the faith. Fight the good fight. Share Jesus. They NEED Him.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
{Matthew 5:16, KJV}

"Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach what you shall say."
{Exodus 4:12, NKJV}

"And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town."
{Matthew 10:14, ESV}

Work hard. Do well. Pray always. Show Jesus. Share Him. Be encouraged. HAVE FUN.

I hope you enjoyed my peptalk. ;) Have an amazing semester/year!

Attitude Matters

Hey y'all!

In case you hadn't already noticed, I gave the blog a makeover! Yahoo! I'm still in the process of ironing things out and trying to make everything look as pretty as possible, so bear with me. But, I hope you enjoy the new look. ;)

As most of you probably know, a couple weeks ago I fell during rehearsal as I was dancing, more specifically jumping, and broke my fifth metatarsal and sprained my ankle. I know...yikes! When the incident first occurred, I thought to myself, "Oh well. I hurt my foot. Big deal. Happens all the time. The doc said I'd be as good as new in a week." Later on, I came to find out that it was not getting better. I continued to crutch around everywhere and hop back and forth. We decided to take another trip to the doctor and they said, "Surprise! It's broken." Woops. They didn't catch that the first time around. I am sentenced to wear a boot for four weeks, praying it will soon heal. Oh, fun times.

What I thought was not going to be a big deal at all turned into a pain in the rump. I can't drive, because it's my right foot, so that causes some issues. Walking is possible, but it hurts sometimes. And I can't even really fully walk correctly yet. A trip to Target is a doozy. Bottom line, having a broken foot is NO FUN. I'm sorry. It's just not.

So guess what I'm learning right now: attitude matters. 

Sigh.

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." 
{Philippians 2:14-15, NIV}

(covers ears) LALALALALA.

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had."
{Philippians 2:5, NLT}

...ouch.

In those moments when the Holy Spirit catches me with a lot of frustration and a bad attitude, I take a second to pray and ask the Lord for a new attitude. Let's try again. Alright...die, flesh, die. I have the mind of Christ and I am to have His attitude as well. Help me, Lord.

A Christ-like attitude is something I have to work on. Especially under these circumstances. I'll surely mess up, but I can try again. A good attitude sets a good example and we are to glorify the Lord at all times, even when it's hard.

So I encourage you all to have a good attitude today! Maybe you just started school and you're already moaning and groaning all day. Perhaps you're injured too! Or maybe there's something else going on! Whatever it is, remember to have the same attitude as Jesus.

Feel free to Facebook, Instagram, and/or Pin this verse everywhere. Share the encouragement!

And just for kicks...

I know. I'm cool.

Love you all!

The Doubt Dilemma

Can't sleep. Let the rambling begin.

Today as I was reading Matthew 21, this super cool story in verses 18 through 22 really stood out to me so I thought I'd share. Here's how it goes, with my random thoughts included.

"Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry." 
{verse 18, NKJV}

Jesus was hungry. I get hungry. Oh yeah, Jesus was human. Sweet!

"And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again.' Immediately the fig tree withered away." 
{verse 19, NKJV}

Uhh...okay. That's pretty legit. And slightly random, I suppose.

"And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, 'How did the fig tree wither away so soon?'" 
{verse 20, NKJV}

Yeah, how come?!

"So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." 
{verses 21-22, NKJV}

Wow...this. is. AWESOME.

How amazing is that?! Told ya this story was cool.

What I really loved about this is how Jesus addressed the subject of faith versus doubt. So often it's easy to become full of doubt and discouragement. I've struggled with this. Heck, I still do from time to time! The truth is that doubt is the opposite of trusting God completely. This gets you nowhere. Not good. Faith, on the other hand, declares total confidence and belief in the Lord and what He will accomplish. This moves mountains. Much better.

This is what He is saying to us:

"Listen to Me, you saw what I just did to this fig tree; you know what I'm capable of. I'm telling you that if you just believe wholeheartedly without a shadow of a doubt, you can accomplish much greater things through Me! Pray with that faith. Believe and you will receive."

What type of doubt do you struggle with? Maybe it's not major, but it tends to sneak up on you, doesn't it? Perhaps the devil is using it to distract you from the truth. And you know what the truth does, don't you? It sets you free. Walk in freedom! Stop doubting and just believe! I know it's easier said than done, but have faith. God is ready to wither fig trees and move mountains through you.

"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
{Mark 9:24}

xo,
AKG

Summer Craftiness Fever: Decoupage a Journal

For most of you, it's getting to the point in summer when you find your self saying, "...now what?" The thrill of relaxation and slumber has faded and boredom has arrived. Shesh, that was fast! How can we cure said boredom? Get crafty! Today I'm going to attempt to walk you through a process known as decoupaging. You can decoupage pretty much anything! Hat boxes, books, chairs, tables, and so on. My favorite project is journals. I have a serious passion for lined pages bound together and I love making it personal by gluing photos over the covers. Now, you can too! Ready? Here it goes.

Materials:
A plain journal (B&N has tons of plain, simple ones for super cheap. I believe I paid $5.95 for mine.)
Mod Podge matte glue (I found mine at Hobby Lobby.)
A sponge brush
Tons of photos!

Mod Podge glue and brush

Step 1: Pick, print, and cut your photos

Personally, I enjoy having a "theme" among my photos. I search Pinterest and the web to find the ones I like, print, and cut. One of my journals was Disney themed, which was super fun! For another one, I used black and white photos. The journal I'm working on today is a vintage theme. I scanned old family photos and used other cool finds that seemed to match. Side note: You might also want to find a print or a background to use for the binding. Sometimes I print out cool patterns, but this time I used tissue paper from Starbucks. Whatever works!

Starbucks tissue paper I used

One example of a decoupaged journal. Random photos I like. :)

My Disney themed journal. Also, I always like to incorporate a verse onto the journal. Side note: I KNOW Anastasia is not Disney, but she's awesome. Just clarifying.

Step 2: Glue on the binding first

If you decide to do the pattern or whatever else for the binding, glue this FIRST. Try to approximate how much you will need, cut it to the size of your journal, and glue. (Always overestimate when cutting. It's always better to cut off excess than come out short.) All you need to do for the gluing is dip your brush in the glue, apply the glue directly to the journal, put the paper over the glue on the journal, and paint more glue on top of the paper or photos. Make sense? I'm sure you got this. :)

Finished product. You can see the tissue paper on the side.

Step 3: Arrange your photos

After the glue is dry, which shouldn't be too long, start playing with your photos. Where do you want them? Which ones look best together? How do these shapes work with the others? Sometimes it's like a puzzle. You try to put it together but get trapped in an empty corner. Just keep playing with it until you're pleased. Once you solved the puzzle, take a quick snapshot of it! This is just in case you forgot what you did. It's always good to have it to refer back to if you get stuck in a pickle.

Arranged photos. The empty space will be filled with a handwritten note which says, "Bind my wandering heart to Thee."

Step 4: Glue your photos

Now you are at the fun part...gluing! Apply the glue, stick the photo, paint more glue. Over, and over, and over again. Remember, be GENEROUS with your glue. It will dry clear; don't worry. Once you've done the front of the journal, let it dry. Then, apply one more coat of glue over the entire cover and let it dry again.

Glue, stick, glue. You get the idea.

Step 5: Repeat arranging and gluing process on the other side

Arrange your photos and glue them to the back side of your journal. You're probably pro at this after working so hard on the front.

Step 6: Clean up the edges and clean your mess

If you have any excess paper hanging off the edge of your jornal, cut it off. Make sure everything is completely dry before you use the journal. Clean your brush and all your mess and you're done! Voila!

Front and back. Ta-da!

So that's that! Remember that it will so NOT be perfect. I think it's more fun with crocked edges and messy glue. Now it's your turn! Start those creative juices flowing and get some Pinsperation. I hope this helps your summer craftiness fever! Good luck!

xo,

AKG

Only Jesus

So it's been a little while, eh? I just looked at the date of my last post. Woops. But you know what? I haven't really had anything to write about. Nothing big. Nothing exciting. However, I have a lot to cover. If you stick around to read all of it, kuddos to you. Jesus, take it away.

Alright, there is this book called 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess written by a fabulously hilarious author, Jen Hatmaker. Let me explain. This woman felt it necessary to choose 7 areas of her life that were extra fluff and fast every area to a certain degree for one month each. These areas include food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress. For the food month, only 7 ingredients were used. Clothes? Only 7 articles of clothing worn. Spend money in only 7 places. Give up of 7 media/electronic related devices. Get rid of 7 items away a day. Try out 7 green ideas and habits. Finally, take 7 "sacred pauses" each day to pray the stress away. Make sense? (If not, google away. It's okay; I had to.)

Now for some of you, it may sound like a dream to escape from the machine of excess in America. Others, you may think it's some radically bizarre idea that is never worth trying. Who really lives like that anyways? Well, Jen decided that she wanted to create space for God to move in her. In those areas of discomfort, He would show up even more. I could go on, but instead I'll tell you just to go read her book.

Why am I rambling about 7? Well, my gal pals and I decided to try this crazy fast out. We are experimenting 7. Before you get too wound up, you should know we are only enduring each area for one week, not one month. We are kindergarteners when it comes to this sort of idea, not college students.

That was just the intro to what I want to get across. Whew.

Today marks day 3 of our clothing week. Last week was food...we survived! Here's what we ate for 7 days: chicken, eggs (I substituted nuts), whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes (I substituted carrots), avocados, apples, and spinach. Sigh. I had never felt so healthy in my life. There were some days when I felt like I could eat like this forever. Then, there were other days when I questioned myself for ever trying this crazy thing. About mid-week, it dawned on me:

God gives me what I need, not want.

"Give us today the food we need."
{Jesus, Matthew 6:11, NLT}

So I really don't NEED coffee? 
(As I am sipping my Starbucks while typing this.)
I don't NEED everything I want?

Nope. I'm extremely well taken care of, even with only 7 ingredients of food. (Side note, half the world lives on less than $2 per day. Just some perspective.) God takes care of us more than the birds in the air and look how well they're doin'! Sadly, most of the world is not getting all of the food they need. We are sent out to help fix that problem. Not exactly sure how I will do this yet. Lord, give me Your eyes.

The last day of my food fast was the hardest. Actually, the last five hours or so. I was so close, yet so far. I knew that when I woke up in the morning, I was going to have coffee and a Kashi mocha granola bar. Laying in my bed I thought, I'm going to feel wonderful when I eat that food. I'll feel so much better. Really? Is it all about food? Dear, oh dear, I have so far to go.

Remember that song that says, "You can have all this world, just give me Jesus." Am I really able to honestly say that even when I don't have all the food I want? The clothes I want? Is Jesus another one of my "things" I'm really into? Shouldn't it only be about Him? Do I need Jesus to fill me, along with other stuff that I really like instead of just Him? Have I gotten too comfortable? Can I really live without anything else on this world and still be satisfied with only Jesus? Am I trying to mix Him with other stuff this world has to offer to fill my space for joy and fulfillment? AM I MAKING ANY SENSE?!

I can't believe how much I am rambling on the internet.

Readers, if you are still with me, you rock. All five of you deserve a gold star sticker.

Bottom line, all you NEED is Jesus. That's it. Nothing else. At all. Zip. Zilch.

Wanna know what Paul said? He said he found that he could be content in every circumstance, and I won't even go into what Paul went through here on earth. {Philippians 4:11-13} Wanna know what David said? He said that the Lord is his shepherd. He has no reason to want; he has everything he needs {Psalm 23:1} Finding a trend? Only Jesus, friends, only Jesus.

Right now, I'm draining extra stuff out of my life so Jesus can fill it even more. Today is week 2, day 3. I have a feeling I will learn much more.

So that's that.

Encouraged?

I hope so.

Tired of reading?

Sorry.

I had a lot to get off my chest.

Jesus, move in this space!

xo,
AKG

Speak Truth

I dare you to read this. 

Then, I dare you to read this out loud.

Friend, do it. This is powerful. Speak truth into your life.

My God is with me to strengthen me, help me, and uphold me. Therefore, I refuse to be afraid. All who rage war against me will be disgraced and perish. The Lord my God takes hold of my right hand and says, "Do not fear. I will help you." I am a servant of the Lord. He delights in me and places His Spirit upon me. I am called to righteousness and to be His witness, that He is God. It is essential that I forget the past, for He is making me new; He creates a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 

I am loved by the Almighty God.

Amen!

{Isaiah 41, 42, 43}

xo,

AKG

There Will Be A Day

You know those moments you have with the Lord? Those Jesus moments? The ones where you know so clearly what He is speaking to you? Well, I sure do!

Let me start by saying this, I love the sky. I adore the use of each color the Lord paints with to create a unique masterpiece every single day. My heart swoons when I see a sunrise, rain clouds, clean, crisp blue, a sunset, and stars against a black sheet. I admire His creation most when there is a special sky in the background. Sorry if that is far too overdramatic, but seriously, the sky is really cool. Just look up and see for yourself.

Now, the Lord knows me inside and out. He knows that the beauty of the sky pulls at my heart strings. He knows that I especially love to see the clouds frame the sun to cause its brightness to shine through gloriously. So how does He romance me? How does He get my attention? The sky. Always.

When I was driving home yesterday in the evening, I caught myself staring at the sky. It was gorgeous. As I struggled to keep my eyes on the road, (It's okay Mom, I really was paying attention. I promise.) I was listening to the song "There Will Be A Day" on the radio. What perfect timing. As I looked at that heavenly sky with the setting sun radiantly beaming through the surrounding clouds, it was a Jesus moment. It was a Heaven moment.

"There will be a day with no more tears
No more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place
Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face."
{Jeremy Camp}

Maybe you're having a rough morning already and you're not too optimistic about your day. Maybe you're going through a time when you don't want to fight the fight of faith. Maybe you're you're weak. Maybe you're hurt. Maybe you're frustrated. The list goes on and on, people! But if you're a believer, you have hope of eternal life. In Heaven. WAHOO!

I feel like the Lord wanted me to encourage y'all with a couple things. One, whatever your circumstances are, do not forget your hope of Heaven. There will be a day. Also, how are we promoting His Kingdom here on earth? What would change about what we did today if we solely sought Him first? (Hint, Matthew 6:33.)

I hope this made sense. I hope my points got across to you clearly. I hope the Lord uses this to touch your heart. And I hope for Heaven.

Have a great day!

"He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken."
{Isaiah 25:8, NKJV}

xo,
AKG

When You Realize You're A Cow

My friends! Happy Thursday! What a great day it is.

It's a cloudy day.
It's a coffee day.
It's a Bible study date day.
It's a Pinterest project day.
It's a restful day.
It's a blogging day.

Oh happy day. :)

This morning, I met my (adopted) aunt at Starbucks for our new, exciting study through the book Preparing To Be A Help Meet by Debi Pearl. (I highly recommend it, especially for single and dating women.) Today we discussed chapter two which brings up the topic of stubbornness. Oh dear. To prepare for this week, I searched the word stubborn on Google. Dictionary.com defined it as, "fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute." Collins English Dictionary defined it as, "refusing to comply, agree or give in; obstinate. Difficult to handle, treat, or overcome. Persistant and dogged." Wowza. Something clicked in my head and I realized this:

I've totally been stubborn with the Lord before.

When I didn't want to surrender, commit my plans to Him, or do things His way, I was a stubborn girl. I knew that I went through periods when I struggled with letting go and letting God take the lead, but I never really connected the dots that I was clearly demonstrating a stubborn attitude. In Preparing To Be A Help Meet, Pearl states, "Stubbornness can wreck your life" (26). To me, stubbornness sounds like:

I have my own plan.
I want to be in control.
Lord, it's okay; I can handle it.

Oh how this does indeed wreck your life.

During our discussion while sipping our morning coffee, Auntie Kim brought up that she studied the word stubborn on Blue Letter Bible. The Hebrew word for stubborn (סָרַר) is used in the Bible to describe Israel's rebellion and unfaithfulness to God. Hosea 4:16 says, "For Israel slideth back (סָרַר) as a backsliding (סָרַר) heifer." {KJV} Being stubborn is like a rebellious cow?! How totally awesome. I love being compared to a heifer. Ew.

The super cool thing about this topic is its timing. Yesterday, I just began day one of the She Reads Truth study through the book of Hosea, which means for the next sixteen days I will be reading and studying all about how my stubborn actions relate to an adulterous woman AND how the Lord continues to love me through it all. Just thought that was kinda awesome! Don't you just love when the Holy Spirit works like that?! Woo, this is gonna be good. :)

I encourage you to search your heart to see if you find any stubborn qualities in yourself. I know I can! Also, if you want to jump on board with me and hundreds of other women to study the book of Hosea, sign up here! You're only one day behind; I just know you can catch up and take the challenge. DO IT!

Thank you, Auntie Kim.
Thank you, #SheReadsTruth.
Thank you, Thursday.
Thank You, Jesus.

xo,
AKG

Glorifying God Through a Wooden Boy

Happy Tuesday my friends! As many of you know, this past weekend we put on an incredibly diverse, goofy, heartfelt, worshipful dance production entitled "Pinocchio: A Story of the Prodigal Son". Yes, I just said "Pinocchio" and "The Prodigal Son" in the same sentence. It was all about the Lord. (Keep reading.)

I remember when our director first called me after having a vision about this production. As she laid on her bed fighting a serious illness in the midst of our December show, God spoke to her. She told me we were going to put on a show in April that was a spin on Pinocchio with the message of the prodigal son. Uh...okay, I thought, Sounds fun! So, we set out to do what God had told us. And boy was He pulling out miracles left and right throughout this whole process. Even as the Lord was demonstrating His faithfulness over and over again, I still had my doubts. Heck, I bet we all did! Putting on a whole new show in only three short months? Like that's gonna happen, the devil would say. The Lord would say, All things are possible with Me. Yes Lord, I know, but I still had my doubts. I even wanted to call it quits a week before the show! I was done being Pinocchio! I didn't want attention, added stress, more rehearsals, and time away from homework. I was done. BUT, God reminded me that it was all about Him and His glory, not about me and my comfort.

So, we pulled it off God worked through us to accomplish His will. The gospel was preached to many people. Hearts were touched. I believe that lives were changed. And all because we answered when God called, even when it was tough.

With all that being said, here are some (well, maybe far too many) closing thoughts.

I loved being a part of "Pinocchio"*

* I loved the special peace that surrounded my heart and body the day of the show. Jesus was with me.

* I loved being able to flex my feet whenever I pleased. No one cared. I was a wooden boy for goodness sake!

* I loved that people thought my usual goofiness was golden humor.

* I loved wearing one costume the.whole.entire.show. It's really the best thing in the world.

* I loved the awkward moments on stage due to technical difficulties. It challenged my abilities as a dancer, actress, and comedian. ;)

* I loved hearing the audience laugh, swoon, gasp, cry, and applaud all at once.

* I loved that I stuffed my face with cookies while onstage and not having enough time to chew and swallow. I picked up the Bible and read it in front of the audience, conveying a serious message of conviction and repentance, as I was trying to gulp the remains of chocolate down my throat. I almost lost it and starting laughing. True story.

* I loved the moms backstage who were constantly asking me if I was drinking enough water or eating enough food. You guys rock!

* I loved the sweet times of prayer I had with others before showtime. So encouraging.

* I loved that I turned my head every time someone said, "Pinocchio". My brain has now adapted to that name.

* I loved greeting young boys and girls after the performance like I was a Disney character. Dream come true right there.

* I loved speaking in front of a rather large audience for the first time in a Pinocchio costume. Also, I just loved speaking. It was all the Lord.

* I loved my first sip of coffee after fasting for over thirty days. My goodness, how enjoyable it was.

* I loved that our idea of partying was eating pizza and talking with everyone about the show and the shows to come.

* I loved that everything was all about Jesus.

Just for laughs, here's a sneak peak of our show.

(Giggles) Fun memories. :)

I hope your week is going well! God bless!

Love,
Pinocch- ...I mean, Ashton

"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth." 
{Psalm 115:1, NKJV}

xo,
AKG