New Website!

Hi ladies.

I'm sure you are all wondering why in the world I am suddenly posting more.

There's really only one simple explanation.

School's out.

When school is in session, I have no time to do the things I love. 

I'm so excited to have the summer to be on here a little more, read some good books, and travel a bit.

Today, I have a fun announcement for you all. Recently, I have been approached about establishing monthly supporters for my mission work specifically in the Philippines. Long story short, for tax purposes, it was necessary I create a personal non-profit, which I prayerfully decided to call Hope for the Hopeless.

As a means of spreading the word, and creating a much more efficient way of keeping everyone informed on what the Lord is doing in my life, I have been working on quite the secret.

A new website.

The sole purpose of this website is to first of all keep those informed who consistently support me, and also, to raise funds. I hope you all will go check it out!

www.hopeforthehopelessministry.weebly.com

Sunshine & Afro Sheen

As I sit down tonight to journal and reflect on the weekend, I am already having a few regrets. Overall, I would give my first weekend of summer a fantastic review.

There was laughter.

There was sleep (with no alarm, which totally rocks. my. world.)

There was a wedding.

There was time with Jesus.

And then, there was sunshine.

Lots of sunshine.

And lots of Afro sheen.

As I sit here writing this post, face lathered in Vaseline (because that's what my BFF cosmetologist told me to do to remove the nastiness which has taken over my once moisturized, smooth skin), I ask myself one question.

What the HECK were you thinking?!

Folks, Mississippi weather is pretty crazy. Mother Nature has been tempting us with pretty spring days every now and then, but she hasn't brought her full blown summertime weather.

Until Thursday.

Thursday, the sun was bright and warm, and it was the most perfect day to lay out at the lake.

I found myself enjoying the peacefulness that surrounded me.

The birds were singing. 

Breeze was blowing. 

and before I knew it, time had slipped right on by.

I had been laying out with bare minimum covering my almost fully exposed body, and soaked in Afro sheen....for six hours.

SIX HOURS!

With Afro sheen.

For SIX WHOLE HOURS!

Needless to say, as a result, I have raccoon eyes from over sized shades, and a scaly face that would make any reptile envious. But hey...I sho got my tan on ;)

Here's a few pictures from the weekend. I almost regret I failed to take pictures of the gorgeous wedding and reception I attended on Saturday, but then I remember how much fun I had on the dance floor without my camera, and well, sorry but I'm not so sorry!

We got two new babies at Rosemary's!
Meet Venz and Leehra 

My best friends brought me home some coffee from the Philippines.
Usually I'm not a fan of instant coffee, but oh my goodness.
DELICIOUS

Meet Cotton.
I got to puppy sit while his family was out of town.
Isn't he just adorable?

Ahhh.....summer, at last.
Pretty flowers.
Fresh mani.
and a cup of Florida Coastal Coffee.
Heaven.

Read this in an hour.
Yes, I love me some Dolly !

Ps

I need more summer reads. Suggestions?

Made from dust.

It is very rare for me to travel anywhere in my car without the radio set to one of my iPod playlist in accordance with my current mood. However, after 7+ hours in the county office, listening to non stop complaints about the school system, the economy, and well, just life, I'm typically not in the mood for a bumpin' ride home. And folks, I'm talking about music, not the knee deep unavoidable potholes that grace our lovely North Road.

A lot of days during my work week, Monday-Wednesday, I tune in to one of my podcast. Recently I've been stuck on David Platt, who I have heard several times at Secret Church.
Ladies, if you aren't familiar with him, seriously look him up. Someone on Pinterest posted something very wise, "David Platt. Not someone you read if you want your life to stay the way it is." That's truth.
He is the definition of radical.

Pinterest

A couple of days ago, I turned on one of David's most recent sermons at the church at Brook Hills. It was about the urgency to share Christ, and sacrifice all for His glory.

The Urgency of Eternity

The title of this particular podcast caught my eye immediately because of it's title. Urgency. It seems that has been a reoccurring word in my life for the past few months, as I went back and forth with whether or not God sought to send me to the Philippines this summer solely for evangelism, or whether He was guiding me to serve at an orphanage. The answers were so unclear to me, as I begin to blur what God wanted vs what I wanted.

Until God spoke loud in clear.
 . The urgency to share Christ is imperative as our world continues to deter from Him.
The importance of reaching the lost before time exist no more, is becoming more real everyday.
Their is a great need to forsake all for the gospel.

The end is near.
Why are we being still?

Where I live, in the rural parts of Mississippi, you flash your lights at oncoming traffic if there is a wreck or a roadblock in their future. You just do it. Why?
Because you want them to beware.
You warn them that there's danger ahead, whether it be an accident or a potential traffic violation.
You warn them.

Why is it we can manage to warn people to slow down before encountering law enforcement, yet we can't manage to warn them that they are headed for a blazing hot, eternal hell if they don't redirect their lives?

I don't know how to witness.
I don't know enough about the Bible.

Excuses. God doesn't accept them.

My favorite thing that David said in The Urgency of Eternity, is this simple truth...

we are dust.

God doesn't look down at His creation, His children, and say, "Wow. Look at that dust. It's capability of sharing my story is almost incomprehensible." 

Instead, God looks at His children, those who are at least making an attempt to share His story, and He says, "That dust. It's faulty and it's sinful. But, I, I am perfect, and I will take that seed that precious child just planted, and I will water it, and it will grow."

Friends, that's God.
He is bigger than our fears.
our failures.
our sinfulness.
and even our pride.

As a dear brother in Christ once said, "Friends don't let friends go to hell."

Go tell 'em Jesus loves 'em!

Pinterest

Why do you go?

Why do you go? 

Why the Philippines?

Why don't you spend your money on other things?

Don't you know there's plenty of work for you to do locally?

Shouldn't you focus on school and save missions for later? 

Those are just a few of the questions that have been quite frequently asked of me lately. I would be lying to say it hasn't been frustrating to me. People who act s if they whole heartily support me in life, then shockingly don't understand my heart. 

God's heart. 

Why can't we grasp the urgency to share Christ?

How have we gotten so far away from the purpose of this God given life that we put mission work on the back burner  and seek after worldly pleasures instead?

Recently, I was asked to put into words the why behind why I regularly make the trek to the Philippines. 

I wanted to share with you all a small excerpt from that, and encourage you to continue whatever work God has called you to. Don't let the naysayers discourage you.

"I go because I see lost souls. I see a hunger deep within the eyes of starving children, broken mothers, and feeble elderly. I see people who have never even heard Jesus’ name spoken. I’m driven to reach them with the Gospel of Christ before there is no more time. I feel compelled to go, to forsake the comforts of America, and to risk it all so that they may know Him. If I don’t go, who will? My heart aches to be there, to love on children, and to continually share hope with them. Hope that this third world country has never heard of. To win the lost souls….that’s why I go."

"In me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but TAKE HEART; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

P.S.

I finally created a Bloglovin' account. You should probably go follow me ;)