To The Parents I Took For Granted

   Two months ago I moved two and a half hours away from my hometown and my parents to start college. Since being gone, I have learned so much from being on my own. For the first time I have had to pay for my own food, gas, and necessities, done my dishes, taken out the garbage, and more. I have learned to be a responsible and independent individual and made sure to keep my priorities in line. However, the biggest thing I have learned so far is that in my 18 years living with my parents, I definitely took them for granted.

   Mom and Dad, let me start by saying I am sorry. I am sorry for failing to tell you how awesome you are. I am sorry for all the times I left my dirty dishes in the sink after you asked me to wash them a minimum of ten times. I am sorry for all the times I got annoyed with you for asking me to do something I did not want to do, for talking back when I disagreed with you, for not asking before I went somewhere, and for not spending time with you as often as I should have. I am sorry for all the times I may have disappointed you. I am sorry not giving you the whole world when that is actually what you deserve.

   Next, let me say thank you. Thank you for disciplining me when I was younger and for spanking me twice in a row after I informed you that the first time did not hurt. Thank you for raising me in a Christian home and teaching me to be a morally grounded young adult. I have seen so many people here who seem to have no sense of right and wrong and I owe it all to both of you that I have a level head on my shoulders. And also, thank you for never forcing me to follow Christ. I have seen too many people stray away from their faith when they got out on their own because they were tired of feeling like they were in bondage. Thank you for giving me the freedom to choose to love God on my own and experiencing Him for myself. Thank you for showing me the importance of prioritizing academics so that I could be successful in life. Thank you for providing me with everything I needed and so much that I wanted. Thank you for showing me how to love like Jesus.

   I miss having your shoulders to cry on, your listening ears to vent to (in person anyway), and your arms to hold me tight, but I am so thankful that God chose you two to be my parents. I am who I am because of the two of you. I know I did not cover anywhere close to all the things I should tell you I am sorry for and thankful for, but I just want to let you know that you did an excellent job raising two crazy children, and we will forever be grateful for every moment.

Love Always,
Your Little Girl

Life Lessons From a New Environment

   I have now officially been in college a month, so I am constantly being swarmed with questions like, "so, how's it going?" "do you like it?" "is it stressful?" etc. My typical reply is just to say, "you know, it's college." However, there is so much more behind the past month than I have ever offered to anyone. Do I absolutely love college? Honestly, not yet, but I am getting there. But I do love what I have been learning and the spiritual growth I have been experiencing. Here's a few things that I have learned in my short time here than can be applied to not only the life of a college student, but to anyone in any situation.
 
1. It is OKAY to feel lonely sometimes.

• And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:20

 
   To be fair and honest, this is not something that has come easily to me, but I have learned to accept it. Coming from a small town, I have honestly never felt completely lonely. There was always someone to talk to, and always someone who cared enough to check on you. College can be very different. Moving away from home can be scarier than you expect, and in your first couple weeks the reality that you don't really know anyone definitely hits hard. But in your moments of loneliness, you can always see that God is there. I read a quote recently that said, "loneliness comes to us when we forget the fact that God is our supreme companion". Use these times to grow spiritually. Failing to spend time alone with God is absolutely detrimental to a Christian's walk. When you let God completely take over and truly become your main focus in life, beautiful things arise from what you see as nothing, and you will be filled with unfathomable joy.

2. Need a friend? Be a friend.

• As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. -Proverbs 27:17

   Notice how in my first point I said "sometimes". We all know that godly relationships are essential, so it is important to seek strong friendships. The fastest and easiest way to gain a new friend is to first be that friend. Introduce yourself, start a conversation, be friendly, invite them to have lunch with you. Everyone around you is in the same boat as far as meeting new people and being out of their comfort zones. You are not the only one who feels like an outcast, I can promise you that.

3. God can multiple your efforts.

• Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen! -Ephesians 3:20-21

   This has really been on my heart lately, and I have seen it from several different angles. On my second night on campus I decided to go to the Baptist Campus Ministry (BCM) building for "survival" which was basically a game night. It honestly took everything in me to go because I was going to have to go alone and I was not sure what to expect. As soon as I got there, I was greeted by so many kind people who genuinely cared for me and loved me. Through that one effort, God gave me some amazing friends, and we have honestly been inseparable since that night. Through the BCM, I have gotten to worship, fellowship, be encouraged by likeminded people, and I have been taught some great things by some incredible speakers. And all it took was that one time, stepping out in faith, and going somewhere I felt God was leading me. I have also seen this point to be true in my classes as well. There are some days where I just do not understand, and quite frankly I just want to give up. But I have found that when I keep pushing, keep studying, and pray fervently over my work, God blesses my efforts and gives me knowledge and understanding. That's not to say that if you study and pray, you will get excellent grades. However, I do absolutely believe that the Father blesses his children when they seek him in their circumstances.

4. God's hand is in every aspect of every day.

• You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. -Psalm 16:11

   This is something I have always been told, but quite honestly have just not payed attention to. Since I started college, every time I need something God has just absolutely provided for me in ways that are undeniably Him showing me his love, grace, and mercy. From big things like receiving a call that one of my scholarship forms was lost, and that I would be awarded an extra $500, all the way down to something as small as getting a front row parking spot when I had a lot of stuff to carry, God has provided for every single need. His love is so clear, and he communicates with his children in such special ways. Watch and listen.

5. It's hard to listen for the Shepherd if you don't know his voice. 

• My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. -John 10:27

   In a world and society that is filled with so many distractions, it is so easy to lose focus. There are always so many things shouting at you and trying to gain your attention. We must remember to ignore the things that can so easily be put before God, and listen to what he is trying to teach us. The more time we spend in prayer and in the scriptures, the more we get to know God and who he is. He speaks to us through his word, and there we get to know his voice. It's hard to seek out God's voice among all the others if you aren't used to hearing it and familiar with it. Scripture intake and quiet time in prayer are so important. They are more important than grades. They are more important than the party you want to go to. They are more more important than everything. Do not neglect them. Spend time with God, get to know him, and get to know his voice.

-Amy

Am I Worthy? Am I Called?

        Yesterday was a very productive day for me. I caught up on some laundry, cleaned my room and bathroom, made my bed with clean sheets, and even got in a good workout. After I finally finished everything on my to-do list, I was ready for my much needed Bible study time. Right as I was getting ready to start, I thought to myself, "I am absolutely disgusting right now. I need to shower before I can sit down for my quiet time with The Lord." This thought triggered so many more thoughts in my mind. Then a question came to me...
       
Why do we feel the need to "clean ourselves up" before we enter into the presence of God?

        As soon as this question entered my mind, I sat down at my desk. Sweaty clothes, messy hair and all, I immediately began researching people in the Bible who once felt unworthy to be in Jesus' presence because of the sin in their life. The first example I came upon was Isaiah. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 6 Isaiah recalls that he "saw the Lord, seated on a throne, high and exalted" (v. 1 NIV) After witnessing the presence of the Lord, Isaiah called out, "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips". (v. 5) The second example I found is Simon Peter. In Luke chapter 5, Simon Peter had been fishing all day, and had not caught a thing. However, Jesus instructed him to let down his nets. Simon Peter assured Him that he had been trying all night and hadn't caught anything, but said, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (v. 5) They caught so many fish, that their nets began to break. When Simon Peter saw this he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (v. 8) Both Isaiah and Simon Peter felt unworthy as soon as they realized that they were in Jesus' presence. But check what happens next!! This part is so exciting to me...
     
        Back to Isaiah...after one of the seraphs flew up to him with a coal he had taken from the alter, touched it to his lips, and told him his sin was atoned for, Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord. "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And Isaiah spoke up and said, "Here I am. Send me!" (v. 8)
After Simon Peter had fallen at Jesus' knees, saying he was sinful, Jesus replied, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." And Simon Peter left EVERYTHING and immediately followed Jesus.

     So what does it mean for us? You do not have to clean up and be spotless before you enter the presence of God. He just wants you. All of you. All of your guilt, shame, scars, and sin. Because when you come to Him in your brokenness with a heart of repentance, He is able to cleanse you from it all because He already went to the cross on your behalf. And the good news is, He still wants to use you. He has called you to do great things. To be witness, a light in dark places, and a disciple among the nations. Are you saying, "here I am, send me!"? Are you ready to drop everything to follow Him? You ARE worthy because He made you worthy. You ARE called because He has called you. Body of Christ, it's time to rise up.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."-Romans 8:28

                -Amy

Change My Heart, or Change My Circumstance

     In the past month, my life has been defined by one word: change. For a person who has gone to the same school for 11 years, the same church for 6 years, participated in the same activities for 6 years, and pretty much had the same set of friends for 8 years, change has not really played a big part in my life. However, in the past month I have become a "has-been" cheerleader (sad face), graduated from high school, started my first job, and signed up for my first semester as a college student. And let me just tell you, it has not been easy.
   
     These past few weeks, I have had a really hard time finding peace in my circumstances. Three days ago, I made a trip to Troy for my freshman orientation. During my senior year, I pushed myself and worked so hard to be able to attend Troy, so needless to say I was super excited. However, when I got to campus, it just seemed to me that if something could go wrong, it would. I didn't get to room with anyone I knew, I was going to have to take an extra semester of classes before I could graduate, I had a scheduling mishap, the light was out in my bathroom, I had no toilet paper, the list just went on and on. While some of these things were significant, most were just small things that in the grand scheme of things have no significance. During my over night stay, I had plenty of time to think (overthink) about things, and begin to pity myself. "Why, God can nothing go right? I am already moving 3 hours away, I won't hardly know anyone (only a small handful), I haven't found where I "fit" yet, now all this?! I mean seriously, can't just one thing go my way?" I got myself so worked up, that I was not even sure I wanted to go to Troy anymore. After all the doors God had opened for me, all He had provided, I was ready to give it all up. That's when, to put it bluntly, I decided I needed to get my crap together.

     One thing I pray over myself a lot is this: "Father, change my heart, or change my circumstance." I get so caught up in my pity parties, and the "why me"'s that I forget that God has it handled. So I began to pray this on my way to work yesterday. Then the song "Just Be Held" came on and this line absolutely captured me and hit my like a ton of bricks: "Your world's not falling apart, its falling into place." All the sudden I realized that it was not my circumstance that needed to be changed, it was my heart. If you are truly seeking God with all your heart in your situations, He will not let you get on the wrong path. Yes, we as sinless people will mess up, But in the end, God's plan will prevail, and He will have you right where He wants you, and all for HIS glory. It is absolutely impossible for me to think back on how I ended up at Troy, and not see God's hand all in it. I have no doubt in my mind that I will be right where the Lord wants me. Things are not falling apart for me, they are just now starting to come together.

     Have you been praying for something in your life to change, and you haven't seen it happen yet? Maybe you need to start praying for a heart change instead. Ask yourself: How can I use this situation to glorify God? What is God wanting from me? For me, I believe that God is wanting to stretch me. He is wanting to take me far beyond my comfort zone, and make me fully trust in Him. He wants me to step out in faith. He wants me to grow. He wants be to become more like Him. And I am ready.

     -Amy

   



   

   

Blessed to Be a Blessing

This past week I had the opportunity to go to Memphis, Tennessee with 26 of the best teenagers ever (and some pretty cool chaperones) and preach the gospel and work on various other projects. It was my 4th time at this particular location, and it was amazing like all the other times have been. On Monday, we began a sports camp with the sweetest kids ever. Throughout the week, they learned more about football, basketball, and cheerleading, but they also learned more about Jesus. It did not take long at all for each one of them to steal our hearts! We watched them become more advanced in the skills they were learning and we watched them grow more eager to hear the Word of God. The Lord did a great work in the kids' hearts, as well as in the hearts of our youth group. For me, leaving on the last day gets harder and harder every year. I have learned so much from these trips over the years, and I believe that a lot of what I have learned could be beneficial to many people, so I thought I would share.


For starters, I have learned what it means to put others before myself. Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." There were many times on our trip that I could have chosen to be selfish. There were moments when I was tired; it was an exhausting trip! However, I had to learn to not let that get in my way. I had to put 100% of my energy into loving kids, teaching them about Jesus, being the best example I could be, and everything else that related to our mission. The struggle of selfishness is not just something that happens on mission trips! It is something we (including myself) must strive defeat everyday in order to have a more Christlike attitude.


Another major thing I have learned is that God has us where we are at any given moment for a reason. From all these trips, I have discovered my heart for children and for missions. I would pack my bags and move to Memphis tonight if I could! However, I know that's not God's plan for me right now. That doesn't mean I can't find somewhere to serve where I am currently! There will always be someone I can share the love of Christ with wherever I'm at. I have seen a lot of people become discouraged because they have some big dream for their life and they know exactly where they want to be, but it just won't come soon enough. I am guilty of this as well. God has shown me to be patient and to make the most of where I am right now.


A third thing I have learned is how to love like Jesus loved. Jesus loved boldly. Jesus loved graciously. Jesus loved unconditionally. All too often we stay in our comfort zones because we are scared. Sometimes we don't want to forgive someone because they have hurt us. We even pay more attention to the outward appearance of others rather than what is on the inside. The Lord has called us to so much more than that!! Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." That means we are called to love everyone, no matter what they look like, where they come from, or what they have done to us.


Through these mission trips, I have been blessed to be a blessing. I hope what I have learned will help others as well!


-Bekah

Why not the bikini?

Summer is here and you know what that means...swimsuit season! Some dread it, while others dream about it all year long. Regardless of how you feel about it, if you want to participate in 90% of summer activities, you'll need to chose one. So what now?

For most, the answer is obvious: the itsy bitsy, teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini. Ok, so maybe not that specific, but the bikini it is. But what about for others? What do they wear? Introducing the tankini!

Every summer I am flooded with the same questions. "Why don't you wear bikinis?" "Do you think you're fat?" "You're too small to not wear a bikini." The list goes on and on. I'll be honest, the idea of trading my bikinis for tankinis originally came from self confidence issues that I used to (and sometimes still) deal with. It seemed to me that covering myself more would leave less room for me to judge myself harshly. However, after much prayer and scripture intake, I finally grasped who I am in Christ: a confident, young woman who is fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. (And you are too!) My body is perfect how it is, because it was made and formed by the perfect Creator to whom I belong. After finally grasping this concept, I again began to consider wearing a bikini. "I am confident now!" "My body is fine how it is!" "I should be able to show my body off!" These were just three of several thoughts that crossed my mind. However, one day I was asked this question by someone who I view as a very strong and trustworthy Christian man. "Why is it unacceptable to wear your bra and underwear out in public unless there is a body of water near?" It wasn't long after hearing that question when I made a commitment not only to myself, but also to my Savior to keep it modest, and stick with the tankini. By doing this, I feel like I am honoring God with my body. ("Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Before I go any farther, please understand these two things.

1. If you choose to wear a bikini, I am not casting my judgement on you. Nor am I trying to convince you that I am right and you are wrong. Everyone has their personal convictions and this happens to be mine. You are beautiful, and I'm sure you wear your bikini with grace and poise.

2. This is not some blog post I have quickly thrown together to defend my choice of clothing, or to gain anyone's praise. I am simply here to answer questions and share my personal thoughts. I have spent several years now thinking and praying about this subject, and I have done some research lately that led me to writing this post.

To gain a better understanding of the bikini, it is important to know where it originated from. The bikini was invented by a French engineer by the name of Louis Réard in 1946. Louis came up with his design in his mother's lingerie shop. The design was first noted to be so scandalous, that no French model would agree to wear it for Louis. This left him with only one other option: to hire someone who would wear it- a stripper. Once again, I am not casting any judgement on anyone who chooses to wear a bikini. Many of my best friends wear bikinis, and I love them just the same. While I understand that modesty standards have come a long way since the 40's, it still blows my mind that what is regarded as the only "socially acceptable" thing to wear near a body of water was once only even considered at all by a stripper.

In a video I watched recently, a woman laid out the results of a study done by a professor at Princeton University. (I will link the video below.) In this particular study, men were given pictures of women in bikinis, as well as pictures of women in modest clothing. While looking at the pictures of women in bikinis, the part of the male brain activated was the same part in which men view tools such as hammers and wrenches. This seemingly showed that men view women in bikinis as objects to be obtained, rather than a beautiful woman who deserves to have her heart pursued. The study also showed that men used 1st person terms to describe women in bikinis, such as "I take" or "I want" while they used 3rd person terms to describe the modestly dressed women, such as "She wants" or "she takes", showing that they lost sight of the woman's wants or feelings, and jumped straight into what they wanted at the sight of a bikini, while they considered what the woman wants for herself when she is modestly dressed.  Please also understand this: I am fully aware that not all men think in the same kind of way as the men from this survey. I know there are men out there that still see women for what is on the inside. Which brings me to my next point.

As a Christian young woman, I'm sure I know what you're looking for in a man. You're looking for a man who loves the Lord, and whose desire is to be more like Him with every passing day. In 1 Samuel 16:7 it's says, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  If a man is truly seeking to be godly, he will want to see straight to your heart just as God does, and I am pretty sure that is the type of man we all want to attract. If I choose to wear only a bikini, it will be harder for a man to see to my heart, because my exposed body will be a distraction, or I may even attract attention of a man that has no godly intentions at all. Although, if I wear a more modest swimsuit, it is easier for a man to see my heart because there is less to distract him. 

The Bible tells us that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28) Let me just say, I never want to be the cause of anyone's sin. It is a man's job to physically protect ladies, but as a lady, it is our job to protect the eyes of men. It is our job to dress in a way that leads men to our hearts and not to our bodies. 

Always remember, modest is hottest. 

       -Amy

Here is the link to the video I mentioned above. I HIGHLY recommend you watch this: https://youtu.be/o_RIROWqhe0

Praying in Faith

I'm sure we've all heard the verse, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move." (Matthew 17:20) But, recently one of my best friend's mothers (shoutout to Mrs. Kelly if you're reading this) presented a question to me that rocked my world. Just how many of God's blessings do we miss because we're just not paying attention?

At the beginning of my spring break, I got together with 8 of my closest friends to have a fun little senior photo shoot. In the middle of taking pictures, the sun came out and it was beautiful! However, the brightness was not making our photos turn out how we wanted. Somewhat jokingly we all  thought of Matthew 18:20 (Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them) and decided we would just pray for the clouds to cover the sun so we could get the perfect lighting. We turned to face each other, grabbed hands, and I said a somewhat (or to me it was) silly prayer that went something like "Lord, thank you for the sun and how beautiful it is, but could you please just cover it up for a bit?" When I finished praying, we went on about our business and were cutting up like usual and just talking and having a great time. So much so that we didn't even notice that within just a couple minutes or less, our prayer had been answered  and the clouds had covered the sun. Mrs. Kelly, finally noticing what was occurring, quickly got us turned around and we got some of the most beautiful pictures we took all day. 

How often do we pray for things to transpire and get so occupied and distracted with other things that we fail to even realize the wonderful things our Heavenly Father is working out for our good right in front of our eyes? How many times do we pray and have little faith supporting even our smallest requests? I may have prayed that prayer, but I didn't trust that the Lord would actually fulfill what I had asked. We know that God makes all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28) so wait patiently with an expectant heart knowing that He will fulfill that promise to you. Don't become so distracted that you completely miss out on His blessings. (Even the small ones.)

God loves us so much, that even our most frail prayers or simple requests are taken seriously. What's important to us is even more important to him. Even something as simple as a picture.

-Amy