Mark 5

We had campaigners with the high schoolers tonight, and I felt so encouraged. I feel like everyone was listening and discussing, and really getting a lot out of it. Steve talked about the story of the dead girl and sick woman from Mark 5:21-43. 

I'm just going to make bullet points for the things I liked. I think that's easier to read :)

* Love that Jairus came to Jesus in faith asking him to come heal his dying daughter, and that he stuck with Jesus while He decided to stop and talk to a woman he healed on the way, and when someone came to tell him that his daughter had died, and when people laughed at Jesus when he said his daughter was just sleeping. So many things could have made Jairus say "nevermind" or to try to rush Jesus, but he didn't. 

*Love that Jesus was a constant presence with Jairus, encouraging him, when he hit lows in his faith. He is always there for us, to push us on when we feel like there is no point. 

*Love that Jairus didn't get his wish in his own timing, and in a way he would have chose. He learned a lot about faith and patience and Jesus's goodness despite His plans being different from ours. If we are patient and willing to walk with Him, letting Him call the shots, we will grow so much more, both in faith and character. 

*Love that when the little girl came back from death, she got up and started walking, and that Jesus told them to get her something to eat. This is us when we start out on our walks with Christ. We have this new life, immediately start our walk with Christ, and we NEED something to eat. That can be community, church, really anyone that will come beside you and push us and encourage us to keep growing. Without this, our walk will come to a stop. 

*Love that Jesus was not too busy to stop and talk to the sick woman. If anyone ever had an excuse to keep walking, he did. When we are too busy to stop for people, we miss out on the Lord moving. Our eyes are so fixed on ourselves, and our schedule, that we miss out on so much that He has for us. 

The thing about all this that is awesome, is that I read Mark 5 this morning in my time with the Lord, and didn't walk away with all of this. It just shows the value of reading His word and digesting it with other people. Very cool. I am so blessed to be able to do this with high school students. 

lauren & brad [engagements]

I had the opportunity this past weekend to take a few engagement shots of my friends Lauren & Brad. They were juniors at TC when I started leading, and I really liked that they dated [which says a lot, since they were in high school]. 

Now they are getting married! I'm so excited to celebrate the big day with them. I had such a fun time taking these pictures. I laughed the majority of the day. That may have been partly because Randi was my assistant, dressed to fit her description. Don't worry, you'll see what I mean if you look through all the pics :)

Anyway, Lauren & Brad are such a fun couple to be around. It was very cold outside and nobody complained once. Click here to see the final cut from the day! 

Here are some favorites [if you don't have time to click there]: 

DIY calandar

100% of my crafting ideas come from someone else. Blogs, friends, you name it. I feel especially excited about this craft. I saw my friend Jen making one at her house one day, and knew I needed to make one.

It's a little journal calandar! There is an index card for each day, and every day you write the year and a sentence about your day. You can use it for a few years, and then that way each day you write, you can look back on what you did the year before. Right now my little calandar just sums up the things I did. I have one day that said something more along the lines of "God working on my heart", and I would like more to look like that .

All you do is cut an index card in half, 180 something times, cut out pieces of cardstock, or vintage post cards, same width, and stamp the date on top of each index card (with no year), place it in a holder, and you're finished! That easy. Here is mine. This picture is from the 13th, because I meant to blog about this a week ago...

[Here is the original site of the idea & Here is Jen's little calandar]

..if you decide to make one, share your pictures! 

heart shaped pies:)

 Yesterday I went to grab lunch with Shannon in Northern KY before meeting Scott to drive to Ohio. We went to McAlister's, ate great food and caught up, then went to Borders, where I bought 2 Penguin classic books [you know, the ones with the cloth old fashioned covers? I had a gift card, so couldn't resist]. 

We headed to Shannon's to bake to our hearts content. We made mini blueberry heart-shaped pies. I got her the mold for the pie crust for her birthday this year, so we figured we might as well make pies :)

We also had bumped into our old roommate, Jeana, in the parking lot earlier, so she came over to eat pies with us. It was great catching up!

Wow I've missed taking pictures. Shannon made the first 3 or so pies, while I photographed, then she let me make the last ones. They were delicious by the way. Here are my favorites! Enjoy :)

[lots of flour..i've learned my lesson]

[you can buy pre-made crusts, or make your own]

[cut out the pie crust shape with the mold]

[fill with 2 tablespoons of filling]

[place on other side of mold, place the piece with the cut-out on top, and press together]

 [melted butter and sugar on top]

[bake @ 375 until golden]

Yeah, I will be purchasing a mini-pie crust mold asap :) 

Also, one of my resolutions this year is to learn how to cook and bake more, so pass on any delicious recipes you think I'd like to try!

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,

we wait for you;

your name and renown

are the desire of our hearts.

 My soul yearns for you in the night;

in the morning my spirit longs for you.

Isaiah 26.8-9
 

I just like this. I also like that my bible study is getting close to my favorite part of Isaiah...the last half :) I'm pumped. 


I want my spirit to long for the Lord and His renown, for it to yearn for Him. And to walk with him patiently, soaking in His grace and provision and goodness in each season.


...On another note, I'm getting antsy for spring. I want some of this:

i like lists.

1. I woke up at 7 today in a panic because I thought I was working for some reason. I jumped up out of bed, grabbed scrubs, grabbed my phone to call and tell them I was going to be late, only to finally realize I don't work today [once I got them on the phone]. It's fine. I got right back in bed :) I did realize that this is the second day in a row where my phone alarm didn't go off. I'm going to need to figure that one out...

2. I looked back at my resolutions from last year, and feel excited I did a good amount of them, but a lot of them (the top half) remain resolutions this year. I think that they are just the kind of things you work at always. I want to keep working on them though. I may or may not write a post about resolutions. We'll see :)

3. I saw the 3rd Narnia movie on Friday. I loved it. It didn't line up with the book 100%, but I still loved it. It was full of great parallels, of course. Gotta love that C.S. Lewis. 

4. I had a fantastic weekend. I met A LOT of people that are wonderful and got to catch up with a favorite friend I never get to see :)

5. I met baby Sawyer. So excited. She's adorable. I'll just put a picture here.

6. Today I get to see Katie Lindeman again :) She's going back to school too soon. I'm going to miss her. 

7. Fayette County starts back to school tomorrow, so I am ready for a new semester of Tates Creek YL! There are going to be some different things, which breaks my heart, but I'm excited to get in there and watch what God does at TC and in the lives of students. 

8. I want to read a lot of good things this year. Including scripture. I may try reading the bible in a year. I know, this should have been decided yesterday, but I don't think it's too late :) I've got my eye on a few books too..