Coming Home

"I'll be home for Christmas"

Well this post is to inform you all where I will be and when I will be where.

Please give me a call if you want to get together. I don't want to miss seeing my dearly beloved due to lack of contact. I can't wait to see ya'll.

Thursday, December 18th: Fly to Fort Worth and stay with Kasey that night.

Friday, December 19th: Meet Cousin Chad and drive to Houston late that evening.

December 19th-22nd: Humphrey family Christmas

Monday, December 22nd: Ride back to San Angelo

December 22nd-Jan 2nd: In San Angelo

January 2nd: Ride with Dalgliesh's to Fort Worth

January 4th: Fly back to Louisville.

Tis' the Season For Ugly Sweaters

As most of you know, as of 2:30 on Friday afternoon, I completed my first semester of my pursuit for a Masters of Arts in Biblical Counseling at Southern Seminary! And, what better way to celebrate than with dear friends...

U-G-L-Y...You ain't got no alibi,

your ugly yeah yeah your ugly

I am not sure if any of you remember that horrible, unedifying chant from when we were in school in the yonder years and less that mature. It seems appropriate to pull it out and dedicate it to the sweaters for this occasion. Let me make that clear...it is dedicated to the sweaters...the people in the sweaters are ridiculously good looking.

So, needless to say, what do you get when you put together: wassail, snacks, Christmas decorations, Mad Gab, Taboo, $1 gift items for a white elephant gift exchange, and beautiful friends dressed in horrible, repugnant, hideous, ugly sweaters....well, see for yourself....

A JOLLY GOOD TIME!

I would also like to take the time and thank the Free Store on campus that made this party possible. Without the donations of these horrendous sweaters the smiles may have not been as big nor the pictures so wretched. So thank YOU free store!

Deck the Halls of the Eyrie

On December 1st, here in Louisville, we had 3 snow falls and the roomies and I got together, made dinner, played the classic Christmas music, put up Christmas decorations, arranged some furniture and ended the evening with coffee (decaf) and the movie Elf. It was a fun time and needless to say things got a little out of hand (Sarah! haha)

TADA! next post....'Tis the Season for Ugly Sweaters'

A Texas Thanksgiving in Louisville

I am pretty sure I can confidently say that fun was had by all, and this Thanksgiving was a hit. Friends and food arrived at my place at 1:00.

We gathered around and shared what we were thankful for, prayed and then the devouring began.

The food was phenomenal and the fellowship was sweet. After we ate the clean up was fast and easy (Praise the Lord for dishwashers). The girls went for a walk by the river and reservoir while the boys watched football. Upon our return I set up a coffee bar and we partook in the delicious desserts.

The final element that made the evening that much sweeter was the laughter that filled my home from the game Boxers or Briefs.

The guests left at 9:00 and I retreated to my destination for the next few days. So...here I sit..reminiscing by the fire of this beautiful home that I am house sitting at...could this day have been better?

All praise, honor and glory be to the God that saved me, sanctifies me and has been ever so gracious to me. Truly I am blessed.

I have a blog?

Of course I know that I have a blog, yet the number of recent posts would prove otherwise. I do apologize to those of you who take thirty seconds to click on my blog only to realize that it is the same ol' same ol'.

School has been great and time consuming. I have written 8 small papers, 2 big research papers and 2 big projects since the last post. One of those research papers took me 23 hours total to complete. I have also continued the great amount of reading required for each course. I can say assuredly that I am thankful for the Lord's provision and plan of bringing me here. Although it can be overwhelming at times, since there are huge concepts being thrown at me in short periods of time, the nuggets of truth my mind can grasp have been ever so sweet. I am thankful for the Professors at Southern and for the Lord that has gifted each of them with such wisdom and knowledge to equip us all.

The Lord has been teaching me a lot about being faithful. There is so much to be said in that one little word. More than anything I am praying that the Lord would continue to grace me with faithfulness not only during my time here at Southern, but in all that I do. May I be a faithful daughter of the King first and foremost. In all that I do it should be for the glory of God and my enjoyment in Him. May I be a faithful friend that is willing to serve, love, rebuke, edify and be true to my word. May I be a faithful student, not only at Southern once again, yet in all my relationships. There are so many thing to learn rather it be from the kids I care for or my almost 90 year old grandmother. I could continue, but I must wrap this e-mail up to be faithful with my time. Haha.

I want to give thanks to the Lord for bringing me here and surrounding me with such incredible people. Though home and the relationships there will be hard to be so distant from at times, I can truly say that I love this place.

Future post to look forward to:

-The Texas Thanksgiving in Louisville

-Deck the Halls of the Eyrie

-Tis' the Season for Ugly Sweaters

I ask that you pray for me as I study for finals that will take place December 1st-5th. Pray that I would retain the material well, not merely for the test but for the glory of God for the years ahead of me.

"What just happened?"

I have to tell you that i had the oddest experience on campus today. My roomies boy friend is a music student at Southern and for one of his classes he has to teach personal voice lessons. Needless to say he talked me into being his voice student. Today was the final lesson that took place in front of his class. The beginning went well and I felt pretty comfortable. He had warned me that his prof's practices are crazy and she tends to touch people quite a bit. In the middle of the lesson she approached me and suddenly started prompting me, "Are you ready, ready! Go UT, ready to sing..." as she was touching me and then she went to the piano and told me to start singing...I did as she said and then she said, "ignore me" as she proceeded to stand up, grap my hand and frolic around the room pulling me along with her shouting, "Sing, Sing!" I looked at Brennan and he was horrified. There I was...running around the room behind this professor singing in front of the whole class. Oh, my! Thoughts? Comments? I am just trying to figure out...what just happened?

The Serenity of Fall

Since my last post I have had my first mid-terms, my first canoe trip (in Kentucky at least), my first fall season filled with colors and my first visitor. Time here proves to stay consistently busy and very sweet. I have been homesick at times and have discovered the distancy of distance. Though at times home seems to me to be distant and a memory, the Lord is continuing to be so faithful in establishing a sweet community of friends and familiarity here.

On my way to work I pass a pond. Next to the pond is a Weeping Willow that sets the whimsical stage and framing the pond are trees dressed in their fall colors. The air has a crisp feel to it and yet is not uncomfortably cold. Beyond the pond I drive down a road whose trees arch over as if to create a tunnel of divine nature. The view is stunning and I pray that I never forget to praise God for the beauty of his creation and for His provision in bringing me here. Though the scene is a delight to the eyes, may I be delighted in God as exemplified in the story of George Muller's life.

When it comes to studies (such as George Muller) and mid-terms I can't help but think about what Dr. Stuart Scott stated in class that "I was not commanded by God to come to Seminary in the Scriptures and my A will not impress the Lord. I was, however, commanded to love the Lord, love others, etc..." I am continually realizing that I cannot perform to please God or even others at that. The important thing during my time of equipping here is that I am sanctified and that I would be able to be a tool to teach and disciple others for years to come. As you can see in the picture above the books can seem overwhelming. Yet the things I learn are to benefit others and glorify God. At the point I loose this mindset and begin to worry about grades over the education, I will have then missed the purpose of my being here. David Platt questioned whether we were training to be receivers or reproducers. There are applications and truths that I am learning, yet I should never keep them to myself. I pray that the things I am learning here would overflow in my speech for the edification of those around me for the Lord's namesake. The more I am learning in my study of God (theology), the more I am learning about myself and others. I am left with the truths discovered and my heart to be searched and sought by the Holy Spirit.

I have also be so blessed recently by a taste of home through a visit with Shea Polite. Our time has been precious to me and so edifying. Her hunger for God and her personal discipline has left me encouraged and spurred on. Tomorrow we take her to the airport and it is going to take everything for me to not want to climb on the plane to see my dearly beloved in Texas. I do look forward to that trip during Christmas break though. Until then, fall break for me dwindles. It is time to hit the books and start retaining and writing again. I am still in the midst of a church search. In the midst of this search I have gained such a love and appreciation for the church and have had narrowed my choices. Thank you for your prayers in the midst. I cannot proclaim my love for you all enough. Please continue to keep me updated on your lives and prayer requests.

I love you all and until next time...grace and peace.

IKE!

Hurricane Ikes winds caused considerable amounts of damage around the Louisville city and suburbs, and were the cause of lost power for over 340,000 customers. My friend Blake White posted these pictures from his friend. Click here to see Ike destruction in Louisville, KY.

I survived the storm

I write to you today with electricity. That is a big statement here in Louisville. On Sunday we experienced Hurricane Force Winds from Ike. There are trees down on most streets and the power is out in more that 70% of the town. It has been wild at grocery stores and gas stations. I am learning to be thankful for the little things like hot water and electricity. It is humbling to know all that we have and how little so many others have elsewhere. I have found myself complaining about taking a cold shower and realize just how comfortable I am here. I am glad that the Lord takes away comforts for us to be glad in Him alone. The seminary has been shut down throughout the entire week which means that I pick up more hours at work and convince myself to stop procrastinating and start catching up on school work.

Many are asking how my time here has been and how school has been going. Well, in short, my time here is great and school is enlightening. Haha. Ok, so really...I am so thankful for my friends here. They have been great! Not only am I blessed by my Texas friends, but I am so thankful for the others that are coming into my life. For instance, Corrie Ann has been a doll since day 3. I cannot thank the Lord enough for the encouragement and spirring on that I have received. I am challenged daily by the lives of these people. As for school...fantastic. I can honestly say that I am not sure if I like the writing much, but if that keeps me under the teaching of this great institution, then I will gladly write.

Now, in reguards to work, the boy have been great for the most part (hey, we all have our moments). Today we went to the Zoo and Q'Dobas and they learned how to wink. It was so precious. I can say that these two boys have also taught me so much thus far. August is in this inquisitive stage and every other sentence out of his mouth is a question. There have been occasions where I have been able to share the gospel with him, but overall he is teaching me to think upon things. There is a sweetness in seeking and knowing and I am gaining a thankfulness for the position I am in to seek and know the Creator and Redeemer during my time at Southern and forevermore.

I know this is a short update and hope to update soon. I will leave you with this ....

The Bebee's and friends came over for the great reveal:

Is it a boy or girl?

It's a GIRL! Congrats Bebees!

First Month Home

The picture that starts this blog is one that I took at Huber's Farm. The Plevans were gracious to take me with them to this U-pick-it Farm, Orchard and Winery; and I must say that I loved it. We picked raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and peaches. We had a picnic near this pond where this swan and fish were being fed. The swan would be annoyed by the fish and would nip at them with his beak on their heads. I am sure that you could use this picture in a sermon and talk about the sin that so easily entangles us as we strive for purity as a beautiful swan...but it is probably best to leave it as a pretty cool picture. My time here has been sweet and I would like to give praise and adorations to our lord for the provisions and growth he is already granting.

I started classes last Monday and in 1 and 1/2 weeks I have read about three and 1/2 books along with some other small readings. I am learning so much about the Holy Spirit in my Systematic Theology class. It has been so neat to see us as Christians as annointed ones that through the Holy Spirit we are equipped with wisdom and power. In my Spiritual Disciplines class we have started accountability and have been learning the discipline of journaling. There is something to be said about the spiritual evaluation and legacy that can be left behind when a pen hits the paper. In my Biblical Counseling class I am reading "Seeing With New Eyes" and truly my eyes have been opened to ministering to souls as well as examining my own life. I highly recommend this book. I will also be doing a Sanctification Project in that class. Basically I will be counseling myself through the area of contentment throughout the semester and in the end I will have the tools to be able to counsel someone else through the areas of contentment. Though it will not be easy to combat this area of sin, I look forward to the end result...sanctification. I was able to attend my Shepherd Group today and sat once again under the care and direction of Dr. Stuart Scott along with 4 other guys. We will meet monthly throughout the semester and I look forward to continue to place myself under such wisdom and counsel. Finally I have been learning how to write "Southern" style in my Written Communications class. There is no MLA format here...no sir. At chapel this Thursday, Dr. Moore taught on the Doctrines of Election. Everyone needs to listen to this sermon. He speaks through the authority of the scriptures and urges and encourages the church. You can listen to it here. I have been blessed every Monday with his teaching and look forward to the rest of the semester.

It is still weird to say that this place is my home, yet the Lord has been gracious in making it feel that way. I praise him daily for the people and the classes he has placed in my life. I am also very thankful for my job. I started as a nanny this week with August (5) and Charley (3). We have already had a picnic, bike rides and fun at Cherokee park and I look forward to time at the zoo, museums, library, etc... I have been to three churches and have enjoyed them all which makes me think that I have a hard decision ahead. Which leads me to my prayer requests:
1. Contentment
2. A Church Home and discernment
3. Studies- that I may no only retain the information and write the papers well, but that I would be more concerned with being sanctified in the midst.
4. My dad- He is in California with my grandparents and aunt. My grandfather had a stroke this summer and they have been struggling through some short term and now long term memory loss. Pray for peace, patience and joy in the midst.
5. My Cousin Blake- He found out today that there is a mass on his spine in between V4&5. On September 11th they will take out the mass and biopsy it for cancer. Pray for him, his wife Kel, his son Brandon and his baby Ryan (Mr. Baby). May the Lord grant peace and healing.
6. My computer is not working for some reason, which could pose a problem since I need to write three papers in the next two weeks. I am going to the IT department at the school tomorrow to see if there is something we can do.

Love Ya and I hope to keep up with this blog at least monthly. I may also include some of my book reviews for those of you interested. Until next time...God bless and keep me posted on how I can pray for you.

I am a Kentuckian?!?

It's true and not only do I have to preach the gospel to myself daily, but I also have to remind myself that I live and reside in Kentucky. The first few days were rough to be honest. The Lord was gracious to provide my dad and great helpers to move me into my new home. In 24 hours I had the place together/unpacked and shortly after all picture were hung. My roommate called me a little Texas Tornado and below are the before and after pictures of our "Flip that Apartment" episode. I remember sitting on the couch across from my dad and hearing the first voice form home and bawling. It's true I am a girl and not only do I have that against me but I am a girl who has never moved her entire life. I looked at my furniture in this unfamiliar place and said, "the people that I picture sitting on this furniture are in Texas and I already miss them terribly."

Well...graciously, the Lord has provided incredible people here in Kentucky that not only have taken me under their care but they fit well in the furniture. The furniture was put to test when we had a little get together of about 14 of us and it was a joy to show hospitality and fellowship in my new home. I celebrated my birthday at a great Cuban Restaurant with fun friends and roomies. After resigning from Dorothy Sayers after two days of training, I now have a job as a nanny with the Rothpletz family. The boys are 3 and 5 and I am excited about the days ahead of us at the zoo and museums. Oh yeah...school starts Monday. I bought my book and in my bedroom picture you can see the stack of reading the Lord has blessed me with this semester on the floor next to the couch. I have been busy and have met some incredible people and am starting to think...I just may like this place. A fun weekend awaits me and I hope to update you soon with that. Thank you for your prayers, wisdom and support through this time of change and transition in my life. The Lord is so faithful to me and I am overwhelmed by his grace, mercy and provision. I should write a blog soon to glorify the Lord in His provision for school. Until then know He is a great provider. To God be the glory...

DINING ROOM BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER

LIVING ROOM BEFORELIVING ROOM AFTER BEDROOM BEFORE BEDROOM AFTER

Preparation

As I write you I am in awe of the Lord's work in preparing me for what is ahead. I have 9 days left before I move and continue praise him for his provisions and providence. This last month has been busy and the next few days will speed past me I am sure. In the last month I traveled to Cali for a week and a half. It was a great week and yet hard. My grandfather is still not well and I ask that you pray for him and his salvation. After Cali, I returned for a mere 2 days to unpack and pack again. I spent a great weekend floating down the Guadalupe River with my Texas family. We shared laughs and pain from sunburns together. It was truly splendid. Since then and until I leave I have recorded for Kasey's CD and will spend time with family and friends while working on bidding farewell. I am horrible at goodbyes.

I am very excited to see all of you Kentucky folk and will truly miss everyone in Texas. For those of you in Texas...if you aren't busy we will be packing the truck on Wednesday July 30th. And for those of you in Kentucky...if you are in town I would love it if you can help unload the truck on Saturday, August 2nd. Please continue to pray for me as I transition. I can testify that the Lord is good and I look foward to the journey ahead. Below are a few pics from my trips and recording.Recording for Kasey's new CD.The reason I went to California: My grandparents.

Down by the bay.The cutest kids ever! My niece Baylee and nephew Logan.

California, Here I Come!

Well, it's true. I am going to California tomorrow. My dad has been up there for two week due to my grandfathers state after his stroke. My grandparents, aunt and uncle were supposed to come down this last week and since plane tickets were canceled, they were able to buy a ticket for me to come see them. I had prepared myself to not have the ability to see them again (if you know what I mean). In the last year my grandmother has lost her sight fully due to macular degeneration, so this will also be the first time since the loss of eye sight. I am excited to take my cousin Candice kayaking while I am there, along with a visit to the beach of course.

Upon my return I will work and repack in a 36 hour span and head out to San Antonio and Ingram to spend some quality time with my dear family in a 100 year old cabin on the river. I love my cousins so much and we have no problem having a blast. I will then return on the 20th and spend my final week and a half with my dearly beloved friends and fam here in San Angelo.

This summer has gone by so fast thus far. I am trying to stay on top of all that needs to be done. I am praying overall that the Lord would grant travel mercies (especially with my car). I also pray that we will be able to fit all items in the truck on move day. I will have Jason and Cara's, Brandon's and my stuff in one 28' truck. Pray for my grandfather also. He is not saved and it seems time for him is short.

For all of you in Louisville. I cannot wait to see you. I am pretty sure my roommates and myself will have a gathering of sorts once we get our place put together. And for the San Angelo beloveds, I am already heart broken with the fact of leaving you. My time with you has been so sweet and the Lord has used you immensely in my life. I am so blessed and all praise to the Lord for the numerous relationships I have had in San Angelo. Thank you for befriending me. Love ya and I hope to update upon my return.

Delicious Healthy Treat!

My Step-Mother and I are on a Catabolic Diet and in the evenings we have been having an incredibly delicious treat. Here is the recipe. Feel free to add whatever frozen fruit you want.

Yeilds Two Drinks:
Fill Blender with Frozen Strawberries
Add Two Cans of Sprite Zero
Put in about 5-6 drops of Vanilla Extract
Blend and Drink.
Seriously this is so good, filling and we just had them with frozen peaches and fresh pineapple. Excellent!

Namaste

I have just returned from spending a week with my cousin and his youth at Student Life Camp. The group I worked with was rough around the edges to say the least. They are so precious to my heart, yet they have come from circumstances that I am not sure I will ever understand. My cousin has not merely ministered to the kids that come to church on a regular basis, yet he has found these kids in the woodworks and is gladly coming alongside them. These kids are hearing the gospel for the first time and are either thirsty as every or hardened by the life they have lived in.

This week was stretching for me. I had to learn patience to the utmost since all but one of our kiddos were in Jr. High. They vomited their lives on us and we poured the hope that we have in Christ into them. And poured and poured. Not only did we pour, but The Smith Band poured and Matt Carter poured. Every single one of our kids had encountered the Word and works of God. During our final worship service on Thursday night, Matt Carter's message from the Lord opened my eyes and convicted me on a new level. The sermon was also given to his church and you can find it here and is the Amos 5 :21-23 sermon called "Why Churches Die: Impure Worship" given on 9/23/07. This is where the title of this post comes from. Namaste- In everyday life, "namaste" is not necessarily considered a religious gesture by everyone. However, many believe it has a spiritual basis, in recognizing a common divinity within the other person.

I pray that more than anything that these kids from Santo, TX were able to see Christ in us. The fact is that we will be able to see if their responses to the gospel are true from the fruit of their lives when they return to the conditions at home. I pray overall that the seeds that were planted have fallen on a good soil. Please pray for Chad and Angela as they continue to invest in the lives of these students that have not so lovely lives. Check out the above sermon. You will be glad that you did.

The smile on my face in this picture cannot express the joy and excitement that I am feeling. The day that I was ready to call Housing at Southern Seminary, I received an e-mail from dear Anna Gibson of Louisville, KY. Anna and I met during Spring Break and she has been such a servant in helping me find a roommate and or a place along with the Plevans, Whites, Bebees and Butts. The search ended yesterday as I made yet another attempt to see if the situation would work. After talking for 15 minutes, we totally hit it off and she kindly asked, "So...would you like to be my roommate?" I could not have been more thrilled. The place is a complex called Eagles Eyrie. It is a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, two story apartment. She told me that it is a great place to entertain and is way cute. It is less than two miles from the Seminary and there are alot of seminary students that live in the complex. I am very excited and it is so sweet to see the Lord's provision once again. We are still looking for a third roommate, so you can still be praying about that. Thank you for your prayers and all of your hard work to help me find a roommate/home. I have truly been blessed and all praise be to our Father. More updates to follow soon....

Surrender

Proverbs 24:10- "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."

We could stop with this verse and stay for quite some time. This last week has been one of the hardest weeks. Looking back on this last year there has been quite a bit of fainting in my life. Last weeks circumstances happened to hit me in the area of lonliness. I found my strength so small to a point at which my arms were weak and falling and i felt like the battle was being lost (Ex 17:10-12). I recalled a time that Ryan had held my arms up in battle> I had called him and cried out "how do you do this..how do you stay single for so long?" Ryan replied, "women think emotionally and men think logically, so I began with logic." I found myself at this point once again, weeping and mourning, with little strength I picked up the phone and pleaded for Ryan to once again hold my arms up in battle and speak logic (truth) in my life.Majority of what I write today is fruit of that conversation and i praise the Lord for using Ryan to rebuke the sin in my life.

Truth Remembrance #1-

My strength has proved to be small because I have been relying on my own strength and not the Lord's. My human effort in warfare needs to be overshadowed by divine power. Isaiah 40:28-31 states, "He gives power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." I have to realize that I am powerless apart from Him. John 15:4 says, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." Which brings me to...

Truth Remembrance #2-

Lonliness can kill my ministry and growth in the Lord. Ryan asked me, "On a scale of 1 to 10, what would you say is your desirer for a husband?" I confidently answered 10. Then he asked, "On a scale of 1 to 10 what is your desire for the Lord and his will?" I answered 10. My answers were the same. I have allowed my desire for a husband outweigh or equally weigh my desire for the Lord. I hope you see the irony in this as I did. My heart was no longer seeking his will for me now, yet seeking future blessings that the Lord may or may not have in store for me. It was clearly sin that the Lord was no longer first priority nor was my desire for God greater. I was comparing my lot to others. I sought charm that was deceitful and beauty that was fading (read Plevans recent read on the Booked Blog) and lacked in fearing my king. May it not be thus forward.

Truth Remembrance #3-

Yes I am lonely and sure my heart hurts, but I have to return and approach the throne of God and trust once again that He is faithful. It brought me comfort to hear Ryan say that he too struggled with thoughts of being forgotten when he was single. But it is a lie I must not believe. The Lord is good to me. He provides for me and I am not forgotten, but trully remembered as His beloved. In no way has he forsaken me. He is faithful even still. And....

Truth Remembrance #4-

I have been called beloved by God and I need to reflect that sweet disposition. I often forsake loving myself by keeping record of wrongs (1 Cor 13). My sin has overshadowed his grace and I need to surrender to allowing his grace cover my sins. Micah 7:8 states, "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." May that light make me...

Truth Remembrance #5-

Eternally minded. "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." (James 4:14). In Hebrews 11 the thing people hoped for was an eternity in the kingdom of heaven. My thoughts need not to focus on the things of this world that are fading. My life should reflect the hope I have in Him. May my desire for him and his glory be greater. May my life be one that is pleased with God despite of my circumstances. May I once again find my hope and strength in Him. May He create in me a steadfastness instead of life of fainting. May I constantly preach to myself the gospel and the things God has previously revealed (such as these truths) that have been character building. To God be the glory in the midst of this refinement and restoration.