Weddings Galore!

So this past weekend was my friend, Trista's, wedding. I was a bridesmaid in the wedding and I am so happy that I was able to do that for her. It was a beautiful wedding, and everything went just perfect. I looked pretty good too =). It made me really excited for my other friend, Tiffany's, wedding which is this summer. I am the maid of honor in that wedding, and I am very much looking forward to all the festivities for her wedding! Both of these weddings are making me think about what I want and don't want in my own wedding. Which is good I guess, it seems like that's all that has been on my mind lately. So right now I pretty much have my picture perfect wedding in my head, and all I'm missing is a groom. Hopefully he will come some day. I know God is preparing both me and my future husband right now for each other, so it can be that much more special when we find each other.

Now that the wedding is done though, I have the rest of my break to just lay back and relax and enjoy Christmas, and spending time with friends and family. I have so many books that I am reading right now, and want to read in the next couple weeks. I am looking forward to reading them without having to worry about school, or textbooks on the side. That is all for now really, I don't have much going on in my life right now to blog about, which is a-ok by me!

My Semester is DONE!

I am DONE with my first semester! I don't even know how well I did on my finals, but right now I can't even care, because it just feels so good to be done and stress free of school for 5 whole weeks! I got to come home today, or should I say I got to come to my parent's house today? I guess I technically have 2 homes, and they both feel like home to me. It is good to be home, and just relax and enjoy the Christmas holiday. Once I am done with the wedding this weekend I will be able to relax EVEN more.

Last Wednesday night I slipped on the stairs and fell pretty hard, bruising my tailbone pretty hard. And it has hurt ever since, some days very badly. It hurts to sit down and stand up, it hurts to lay flat on my back, it hurts to climb stairs, and get into my car, it hurts to even bend over to pick something up. It seems like every little thing I have to do turns into a big task, which frustrates me sometimes. I just hope the pain goes away soon, because it hurts more than anything I've ever experienced!

And something that I am very much looking forward to is at the end of this month, right before Christmas, my aunt and uncle and two little cousins are coming out to visit us for Christmas! I have not seen them in a very long time, and I am so excited to spend some time with them, and celebrate Christmas with them!

The shootings at New Life Church have been on my mind A LOT over the past couple of days. I could write a whole blog just about my feelings towards that. In fact, maybe I will tomorrow. It was a scary and sad thing that happened, at the church I go to, and so close to my home! Maybe I can work myself up to writing about this in the next couple of days. Until then, this is all for now.

One Armed Barbie

It's wordless Wednesday! And even though there is a long story behind this ornament (why she doesn't have an arm), I can't share it =) Because I can't use words. Maybe I will share the story sometime closer to Christmas. But in the meantime, this was my favorite Christmas ornament growing up. And in fact, still is my favorite.

Tuesday Night Thoughts

Yay! Classes are officially over in a week from tomorrow! And then I have a whole 5 weeks off to do absolutely nothing! Well maybe not nothing, but at least no school work =) And I switched my major to Geography so I will NEVER have to take another English class again in my life! I'm so excited and thrilled that I don't have to worry about that!

I had dinner with one of my old roommates tonight. And it was weird and good at the same time. Weird because aren't close anymore, and our friendship might be reached its limit. And at the same time it was good to catch up. Her and one of my other roommates from last year are both transferring to CU Boulder next year. I hope they are happy there, but at the same time I will miss not having them here.

As far as my roommates now go, they are still great! There are a few problems there with one of them, but roommates can't be perfect all the time. I'm still so thankful that God put me in this house with these girls. I couldn't be happier and I can see these friendships turning into life long friendships.

One of my bestest friends ever, Trista, is getting married in a few weeks. And I am in the wedding! I am soo happy for her and I hope the wedding goes well. Another best friend, Tiffany, is getting married over the summer too. I have heard a lot of other people who are getting married too. Why does everyone feel like they need to marry so young? Some of these couples have only known each other for a few months, and it just seems crazy to me sometimes that they are about to make a life long commitment with somebody who they have only known a few months. But what do I know? I guess when you find "the one", you just know. I hope it's like that for me. But I know that I will know him and date him for more than just a few months before I decide to get married. I can't wait until my wedding =) I just know that God is preparing both me and my future husband for each other, and when we find each other, it will be great!

I've also been reading a lot more lately. I know I probably shouldn't be reading as much as I am, with finals and everything. But I've just found some really good books, and I can't stop! I love getting wrapped up in a story, and forgetting my own life just for a little while. It's one of the best feelings in the world! And I just love a good book!

That's all for today. Those are just some of the thoughts going through my head at the moment, and I felt like I should write them down, since I know I don't blog as much as I should. But maybe that will start to change, and I might start blogging more...maybe. Keep an eye out though! ;-)

Praying With Faith

In the past week or two I have been going back and re-reading parts of scripture that have really spoken to me in the past. James is a book that always conveys something to me. And in this past week James 1:6 really stood out to me. The first part of James 1:6 says this, "But when when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone..." This verse stuck out so much to be because of something that one of my roommates told me a few weeks prior.

A few weeks ago I was on the Navigators fall conference in Estes Park. I was really discouraged over a lot of different things, and my roommate, Casey, sat down with me and told me about "praying with faith". She told me that if I pray with the mindset that God is listening, and can and will do anything, then I am more likely to believe in my own prayers. Ever since then I have not just been walking through the steps in my prayer life, but I am really trying to put my faith into God when I pray. Since the retreat I can see a huge difference in the way I pray, and my attitude when I pray. And then when I open up my bible I just see little reminders from God, like James 1:6.

Even if I can't convey into words Casey's theory on "praying with faith", I know it's helped me spiritually so much over the past couple of weeks. And I hope that God will show me how to pass it on someday to another person who needs to hear it.

To read more "More of Him Monday" blogs, go to: http://www.sunshine-on-my-shoulders.blogspot.com/

See It Everyday!

It is amazing how you find the most perfect verses at the most perfect times. It's times like this that I feel like God is talking to me the most. I came across a few verses this week that really stuck out to me, and God was really trying to talk to me through.

The first verse is Galatians 1:10. It says, "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." This verse was really something that I needed to hear again, because a lot of the times I am trying to impress people, and win their approval. I think it is human nature to always try to impress people and get them to like us more. But something I learned in Navigators the other night is that it is okay to have those feelings, God gave them to us, but instead of acting on them we need to focus that energy somewhere else. Okay honestly, the speaker at Navs was talking about an entire different subject matter, but I feel like it applies to this. Instead of focusing on what other people think, and trying to impress them, I need to re-focus that energy on what God wants, and getting the approval from God. Just like the verse says, by focusing on winning the approval of God, and doing what God wants, you are truly Christ's servant. And that is what I want to be.

One other verse that stuck out to me is Galatians 1:15-16. It says, "But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles." This verse doesn't necessarily speak to me in the way the previous one did, but more so gives me a good and happy feeling. It reassures me to know that God chose me and made me even before I was born. He chose me and made me how he wanted me, and that is such a great feeling knowing that I am perfect in God's eyes. It goes back to something that Aaron Stern said at The MILL a few weeks ago...that when we judge people, we are really just judging the creator. That quote reassures me as well, because when I know people are looking down upon me and judging me, it does not bother me as much because I know God created me the way he wanted, and He CHOSE me, therefore it does not matter what anybody else says or thinks.
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There are so many things I have experienced over the last week that I can see how God is working in my life. However, I don't really know how to get it all out on words. Participating in communion this past week as a big deal for me, it felt so great. It was something that I needed, and God allowed me to experience it again, the first time in a very long time. I have also been dealing with some issues with one of my old roommates, and God finally took it all off my heart. I no longer feel a burden with her anymore. All of these things and experiences are God working in my life. Plus so much more! I used to not see things like this as a sign from God, but now I can see God working in my life every single day.

go to http://www.sunshine-on-my-shoulders.blogspot.com/ for more More Of Him blogs!

More of Him!

I am going to start challenging myself to do "More of Him" Monday's! I think it will be very good for me not only to blog, but to put into words how God is working in my life. So to start, I am going to write about certain passages that I have been meditating on lately, as well as talk about how God has been working in my life.

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Every week in bible study we are encouraged to memorize a bible verse. And while doing my bible study I come across many verses that speak to me. Sometimes I feel as if God is tapping me on the shoulder, and talking to me directly through his word. This past week though I came across a bible verse that was not even in my bible study. I felt like God was trying to tell me something, so I chose that verse to memorize this week. The bible verse is...

"Look around at the nations;
look and be amazed!
For I am doing something in your own day,
something you wouldn't believe
even if someone told you about it."
--Habakkuk 1:5

This passage really spoke to me. It spoke to me because it shows that God really can do anything, and that he WILL. He can and will work wonders in my life that I cannot even foresee right now. Look around at the nations, look and be amazed! It is just letting everybody know that he created this world, and therefore can do anything! It is a very reassuring and comforting verse to meditate on, and I am thankful that God showed me this verse this week.
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The other night in bible study my roommate (who is also my bible study leader) asked us how God shows his love to us. When first thinking about this question I could not really think about how He shows us his love. I mean, I know he loves us unconditionally and more than we can even fathom, but how? There must be a way that he shows his love right? Not a minute later that it dawned on me.

At least in my life anyway, I can see his love all around me! God provided me with a Christian home with 4 Christian girls as roommates, who have ultimately become my best friends. Best friends that support me and encourage me through ANYTHING. And even more importantly, they do not judge me. This is the type of friend I have wanted me whole life. And even though I have had best friends before, I have never had Christian best friend that can give me such a positive outlook on things. I just know this was God's doing, and his way of showing me how much he really truly loves and cares for me.

He also provides for me the things I need. Not necessarily the things I want, but when I come across a struggle in my life, God usually shows me a solution. After a sermon one Friday night, I was feeling very guilty, and felt like I needed to tell somebody some things. God showed me exactly what to do, and exactly who to tell. He just provides me with the things I need given the circumstances.

These are just a few of the MANY ways God shows me how he loves me. The Navigators is another way that God is working in my life right now, but I will save that for another blog. Ever since that question was asked in my bible study, I see everyday the ways God works in my life, and how he shows me his unconditional love for me. I cannot even describe the feelings I feel. I just wish everybody would open up their hearts and be able to experience some of the same amazing works that God does in our lives.


To check out more "More of Him" blogs, check out... http://www.sunshine-on-my-shoulders.blogspot.com/