Enchanted

♪Unafraid, unashamed. There is joy to be claimed in this world. You even might wind up being glad to be you♫ -Carrie Underwood "Ever, Ever After"

This is song number two in my attempt to describe myself in ten songs.
Okay, this is confession time...I am a hopeless romantic. Personally, I LOVE this song by Carrie Underwood. Like the lyrics say, deep down we all believe that fairy tales still come true. Maybe not the prince and the princess sharing in a magical life and living happily ever after (although I did witness William and Kate's wedding within the past 48 hours), but I definitely believe that happy endings and happy lives are within the realm of reality...admit it, you do too. Although this song can be referring to love, the part I like best about it is the lyric above. Basically this song is about being happy with your life and who you are. I have random days where I am not as confident or optimistic as other days, but for the most part, I am very satisfied and even happy to be me! In addition, I am a very logically thinking person, so for me to become enchanted with an idea or with happiness is to let go of the more uptight side of me and to embrace the natural and very girlish side of me.  I challenge you to be a little more carefree if you are uptight and to be enchanted with living life to the fullest.

"Ever Ever After"

Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true

Deep down inside we want to believe they still do

In our secretest heart, it's our favorite part of the story

Let's just admit we all want to make it too

Ever ever after

If we just don't get it our own way

Ever ever after

It may only be a wish away

Start a new fashion, wear your heart on your sleeve

Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe

Unafraid, unashamed

There is joy to be claimed in this world

You even might wind up being glad to be you

Ever ever after

Though the world will tell you it's not smart

Ever ever after

The world can be yours if you let your heart

Believe in ever after

No wonder your heart feels it's flying

Your head feels it's spinning

Each happy ending's a brand new beginning

Let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through

To ever ever after

Forever could even start today

Ever ever after

Maybe it's just one wish away

Your ever ever after

First of all...

Since I began my blogging adventures back on January 1, 2011, I have had some very heartfelt blogs along with some Top 10 lists thrown in there for more of a light-hearted feel. These next 10 blogs are going to be a little different though. My next 10 blogs will be the 10 songs that describe me and my life.  I feel that the type of music a person relates with can tell a lot about them, and I hope that you will learn a thing or two about me through these next blogs and the 10 songs that describe me :)

♪You would be first, You would be all, You would be everything. Whatever it takes for my will to break and Yours be done. If I rise or fall, won't matter at all, only that You receive the praise. For better or worse, that You would be first♫ -Carl Cartee "First"

This song is probably one of the few songs that I will post without a youtube link.  It is not on youtube because Carl Cartee is not well known.  I first came across Carl Cartee at Crossroads Camp in the summer of 2004. He has many worship songs that are great, but I find his song "First" to be the best. I decided that this song deserved to be at the top of my list for a few reasons. First of all, the title is "First." :P After that, the song is about having Jesus first in your life no matter what happens.  This is something I have to work at everyday because it is super easy to put other people or things in the place where He belongs. This song has basically been my prayer for the past 7 years since I heard it..."If I rise or fall, won't matter at all, only that You receive the praise. For better or worse, that You would be first." This song may not be an exact reflection of me because I am still human, but it is what I strive to live like. The lyrics are below and I challenge you to make your own prayer out of them and to take that prayer seriously. 

"First"

The day unfolds before me,

And my heart turns to You.

Lord, there's only one thing I will ask,

It's that in everything I do...

You would be first.

You would be all.

You would be everything.

Whatever it takes,

For my will to break,

And Yours be done.

If I rise or fall,

Won't matter at all,

Only that You receive the praise.

For better or worse,

You would be first.

The night sweeps in around me,

And the shadows build my fear.

And this test of faith

Has warn me thin,

But Your purpose is so clear.

You would be first.

You would be all.

You would be everything.

Whatever it takes,

For my will to break,

And Yours be done.

If I rise or fall,

Won't matter at all,

Only that You receive the praise.

For better or worse,

That You would be first.

Serve It Up

"Looking in the mirror, "Camp Staff" stared proudly back at me. It was a dream come true. No, this wasn't a uniform. To me, this was a legacy. I had joined the long list of those before me who had reached out to thousands of kids like me and altered their lives."

This quote was in a article that was sent to the Camp Longridge Super Summer Staff of 2010 right before the summer began. I have had it saved on my computer for almost a year now, and I often come back to it as a reminder of why I do what I do and to reflect on how lucky I am to have the job that I do. As a staffer, I am all about leaving my legacy and the legacy of Jesus Christ with every camper that comes through the gate.  I am just one of many that dedicates my summer to a wonderful job that is rewarding and phenomenal (and that is an understatement).

Anyone who is even kind of close to me can tell you that in the past year camp has become my life. But to me, its more than that. It is a job and it is a big part of my life, but it is also my mission field.  I honestly feel like I am in the prefect will of God when I ride past that sign at the front gate and enter onto the sacred grounds of the camp. You can just feel it...God is there and His hand is all over that place. As a returning 2nd year staffer, I can attest that the things that we say, the stuff we wear, and the things that we do are all for a greater purpose. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:7, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord not men." We are there to make an impact and most importantly to serve. Also, like the quote says it really is a dream come true. I get to be with kids, on sacred grounds, serving God, and being with the best Christian friends ever for my whole summer. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I challenge you to pray and actively seek the mission field that God would have you in. Wherever that may be, get your butt there and get ready to serve and then to be blessed.

Study Day

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." -2 Timothy 2:15

So here at good old Winthrop University we have a little day called Study Day. It is the day before all the madness of exams begin.  However, studying is the least likely thing you will see going on.  Just to give an example, my day has considered of a trip to Target, a baby shower, a nap, and will continue with pancakes with all my BCM friends later tonight.  Surprisingly when I think of Study Day, Winthrop was not the first thing that popped into my mind, but the verse above was.  I learned this verse years ago in AWANA because it is the key verse, Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed.

I got to thinking about how much I study my Bible.  I am currently in the process of reading the whole Bible, not from Genesis to Revelation exactly, but by reading whatever book God calls me to read next. He's recently had me skipping about the Old Testament covering 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. But I began thinking "what is the real purpose of studying our Bibles?" God is not going to give us a test, we don't always need verses to stir peoples hearts, and what's the point of knowing exactly where things are in your Bible with all the reference books we have today?  I was then reminded of this verse. We study our Bibles to show that we are dedicated to God's kingdom.  Everyday of our lives should be considered a Study Day and we should be preparing to accurately share our faith. There are many people who twist Bible verses and if you don't know the Bible, you will never catch the false teachers that the book of Jude warns us about. This is why we must be ready to "accurately handle the word of truth."

Lastly, I thought about the verse that comes from 1 Peter 3:15b which says "always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."  We should always be willing and ready to share our faith.  However, it is a little hard and unnerving to share something that you know very little about. I challenge you to read and memorize more of your Bible, to not be ashamed of God, and to always be ready to defend your faith.

*Someone suggested to me one time that a great way to memorize verses is to put them in your shower. It works!

Man Up

"If I were a girl, I'd despair. The supply of good women far exceeds that of the men who deserve them." -Robert Graves

Okay guys, here's a blog just for you. Never have I ever been a guy, wanted to be a guy, or ever plan to be a guy, so I may be rambling on about a pointless subject, but feel free to give me feedback on anything I say that may be out of line.  But here's what every girl in the world wants you to know...man up. A while back, our BCM campus minister gave a challenge to the guys in BCM (all 4 of them) and told them that they should man up and be the godly men that God has called them to be.  In addition, when it comes to girls ask that girl out, when you kiss her, kiss her like you mean it, and when you are doing something, put 100% into it.  I (along with every other girl on this earth) would be fine if I never come across another bum, jerk, or D-bag.  God (along with most girls) are asking you to "Stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong [and] do everything in love." -1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Honestly, if guys could get this simple verse down to an art, I think many of our problems in the world would be solved. War? How likely is a war if we are doing everything in love? Domestic violence? Ditto. Sin in general? If we are standing firm we are guaranteed to demolish sin. "The rain came down. the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock." -Matthew 7:25

A while back I stumbled upon the "International Man Day" facebook page...and was actually impressed to an extent. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=39581454903 There were definitely some parts of this that I do not agree with, but seriously guys be a guy. Most girls don't care if you blow something up with your friends, or kiss them out of the blue, or love on your momma! Either way, seriously guys, man up and be responsible, God fearing men.

I think you can figure out the challenge for this one. Stand firm, be courageous, be strong, love and MAN UP!

*Props and shoutout to my boyfriend, Jason, and most of the other guys at Camp Longridge who are great examples of how to man up. I love and appreciate y'all.

Reason for the Season

"The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances." -Robert Flatt

Easter. The word itself means "to be released." Its not about the eggs, the sunrise service, the candy, the bunny, the cute dresses, the church...it is about the Savior of the world overcoming death. Easter is a release and a revitalization.  I like to think of it as a spiritual New Year.  Along with the resurrection of Jesus, we are renewed, restored, and resurrected.  Those who avidly follow God should anxiously await this day to mark the anniversary of the rising of our Savior...the Savior that has overcome death, sin, and darkness and is alive today, and returning soon! In His resurrection, we find the opportunity to cleanse ourselves and be renewed on a daily basis, and we will never find that God has run out of forgiveness.  As the old hymn says, "my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord praise the lord oh my soul!" Jesus died but He is more alive today than ever before! He deserves all the praise, honor, and love that we have within us.

I had the trite phrase "Jesus is the reason for the season" stuck in my head today. Although this is a Christmas phrase, I found it useful for this blog. Not only is Jesus the reason for the Christmas season and the Easter season, He is the reason for every season of our lives.  In the good times, the bad times, the hard times, the joyful times, and the grieving times, Jesus should be the sole focus of our lives.

Challenge:  Make Jesus the reason for the season in every season of your life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6xcY5IqU

♪Rising He justified freely forever, one day He's coming oh glorious day!♫♥

Live Like You Were Dying

There are precisely 43 items on my Bucket List. 5 are already crossed off and not on this list, and the remaining 13 are a little more personal so they are not on the list either. 

1. Go Skydiving
2. Go to Times Square for New Years
3. Get married
4. Donate Plasma
5. Learn sign language
6. Go up in a hot air balloon
7. See the Northern Lights
8. Learn ballroom dancing
9. Be a vegetarian for 2 weeks
10. Fly first class
11. Visit a volcano
12. Go to Alaska
13. Go to the U.K.
14. Visit at least 35 countries
15. Go to the Olymipics
16. Visit Israel
17. Drive Route 66
18. Go parasailing
19. Read through the entire Bible
20. Make a gingerbread house
21. Dye my hair blonde for a very short amount of time
22. Learn to play an instrument (preferably guitar or piano)
23. Ride a mechanical bull
24. Visit at least 35 states
25. Be fluent in a language other than English

*Let me know if you think there's anything that I should add to my list, and I will take it into consideration.

That's Not Fair!

♪The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair♫ -Relient K "Be my Escape"

Grace-undeserved acceptance and love granted by a superior to an inferior. 

Mercy-one's consideration of the condition and needs of another and doing what is possible to lessen a burden.

Many people find these two definitions to be synonymous. They, however, are not. In Matthew 2:13, the Bible says, "for judgment is without mercy." Notice it says mercy, judgment is without mercy. Now one may stop and think "if God's justice is without mercy, then there can be no hope." Here is the bright side though...his judgment is without mercy, but is not without grace. In fact, his judgment is full of an unending waterfall of grace. Just when you think He's done pouring it out on you, more comes.  Through God's grace we are able to cheat life and overcome death just as Jesus did. The lyric above is what Relient K is trying to get across in this song "Be My Escape." Jesus is our escape from everything..from life, from death, from sin, from the devil, and everything in between.  And the beauty of grace is that just when the devil and our sin has ruined our earthly lives, God steps in and offers his undeserving acceptance and love and we are able to overcome life, death, sin, and the devil. In Hillsong's song "To Know You're Name," the chorus sings "Cause I know you gave, the world your only son for us to know your name, to live within the saviors love and he took my place, knowing he’d be crucified and you loved.. you loved, a people undeserving!" It was only through great sacrifice that we are offered such unconditional and undeserving love and acceptance.  If you have never accepted God's free gift of grace, the place is here, and the time is now. Tomorrow is not promised.

Challenge:  Thank God for His grace that He offers to us everyday and remind yourself daily that since you have done nothing to earn His love and acceptance that there is nothing you can do to lose it either.

There's no one like Him

♪Hakuna Wakaita Sa Jesu. Hakuna Wakaita Sa Ye-e. Hakuna Wakaita Sa Jesu. Haku-u Haku-u China. Ndamhanya-Mhanya Kwese-Kwese. Ndatenderera Kwese-Kwese. Nda Tsva-ka-Tsvaka Kwese-Kwese Haku-u Haku-u China♫

♪There's no one, there's no one like Jesus. There's no one, there's no one like Him.There's no one there's no one like Jesus. There's no one there's no one like Him! I run and run everywhere, I turn around everywhere, I search and search everywhere. There's no one there's no one like Him.♫

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mikB4Wz-2vI

Six years ago, I traveled across the world to Zimbabwe. As a thirteen year old, I had no idea how to act on a mission trip, all I knew is that we were going to share Christ, and that I was supposed to be on that plane.  I expected to go and be a blessing to all of the people I came across, but anyone who has been on a mission trip can tell you otherwise. The people you encounter usually end up being your blessing instead of the other way around. The lyrics above are from one of the songs I learned while I was in Zimbabwe. Our group leader taught it to us and assured us that all the kids we would be working with would know it. So one night, we were in this small mud brick stucco like church with about 100 kids. We ran out of stuff to do, so we decided to try this song. We said "If you know the song, sing along. and then proceeded to sing "Hakuna wakaita..." and before we could get anymore of the song out of our mouths, almost every child had jumped out of their chair and was singing and dancing, praising the Lord their God.  

It was at this point that I had one of the biggest realizations of my life...God is greater than I can ever imagine. He spans beyond national boundaries, He cannot be constrained by American views or lifestyles, and He is so much more than we can even fathom. These kids were a 19-hour plane ride away from where I lived, and they were worshiping the same God that I know and love. This concept has stuck with me ever since then and recently, I have been thinking about it a lot. Between reading the books Radical and seeing the documentary "Beware of Christians" I have had my everyday thoughts about Jesus transformed. Usually, I picture Jesus as the humble man who died for me on the the cross and was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures...blah blah blah(...and I dont mean "blah blah blah" to be blasphemous in any way)...but anyone who has been in church for a decent amount of time can admit to falling into this repetitive thinking pattern. But the other week my pastor said something that hit me hard. He said, "we no longer fear God. We think of Jesus as the humble man on the cross who lived as a man and died and was buried. But here's the thing, God is no longer the humble man on the cross, He is no longer the dead man in the tomb...He is surely alive and we should fear Him because He is great and mighty beyond anything we can measure, and He is God" Wow... 1 Samuel 12:24, "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you."

I'm gonna leave this blog at that and just give you a little something to think about.  I challenge you to fear God and give Him the respect that He so lovingly deserves. He is mighty and He is greater than we can fathom. Also, if you have never participated in a mission trip, I challenge you to do just that. It does not have to be halfway around the world, but just go somewhere out of your comfort zone and let God work in you and through you. You will never be the same.

*...and yes that song is in the same language as Hakuna Matata from the Lion King :)