God is faithful, no matter what!

God has been showing me daily, especially over the past three weeks just how faithful He is.

As Christians, we feel like we're supposed to proclaim that "God is faithful," even when we feel that He isn't for some reason. Hebrews 11, the great chapter of faith, says in verse 6 that without faith, it is impossible to please God. But do we really believe that God is faithful and that He wants His children to experience His BEST?

God has been so faithful to Daniel and me. I know that I have done nothing to deserve the Lord's faithfulness, but I do know that in everything that He has given me, He expects it to be used for His glory. If I look back over the past 23 and a half years of my life, God has proved faithful in the hard times and the good times. Isn't it cool to look back and see every single little detail pointed straight to Him? Even when we didn't see it at the time?

The first, and number 1 step, has been for me to know full well that without God, I am nothing. I am learning slowly but surely, that God has made me His masterpiece, created to do great and wonderful things in life, but this is only because of His grace. (Ephesians 2:4-10). As I surrender my life, detail by detail to the LORD, I see that without Him I am nothing, but with Him I am unstoppable.

Just in the past several weeks, He has:

--given me a job that I love (A job that can eventually turn into an even bigger opportunity at this school in August).

--He has practically given us a house, that has started being built!! And we should be moving in at the end of August. I mean He has given us a freaking house! I know He'll continue to provide us with those mortgage payments too :)

--He has sustained Daniel's job, and used him in so many people's lives through the hospital. I'm so proud of him.

--He has given us food to eat every single day, and occasionally, we even get to go out to eat, and somebody else cooks for us.

--We live above the means of 99% of the world's population, so we are rich. (ps: if you're reading this, you probably have a computer, so in all fairness, if you really stop and think perspectively, you'll see that you are rich, too) (if you make more than $45,000 a year, you are in the top 1% of wage earners in the world. So that would make you richer than 99% of the world as well) So we are rich by the world's standard, but the real issue is: "how do we honor Him with what we've been given?)

--He has led us to an awesome church that we LOVE here...NewSpring Church. It was hard to leave such a spirit/love/God filled church like Connection Church, but He has provided for us here. There is no better gift than the local church!! We've already had 2 open doors to serve Him and help build His kingdom. Daniel has started serving and volunteering with kids with special needs in the children's ministry), (which is a really cool ministry at our church), and I've been given the opportunity to volunteer and serve on the care team on Sundays. So God has been faithful in giving us the opportunity to serve Him.

--He has led us to meeting some cool people in the community to help. Hopefully we'll take full advantage of those opportunities as He keeps presenting them. We've failed at some, and probably didn't handle them the way He would have intended, but He has been faithful in giving us more opportunities.

--He has brought us into a small group through our church, which definitely shows His faithfulness because we've been praying for that! And it has already helped us to meet people, build community,and be changed and challenged by His word. This has really been pushing me more and more to come to the conclusion that in every aspect of my life, I have to let Him speak through me, and He will one again prove He is faithful. I have deep pride issues that I didn't even know I had, and He is showing me that all I need is Him for people to like who I am as a person, and if they don't, it's ok :)

--He has been faithful in teaching us so much about Him!…especially the principles of being generous, and I cannot tell you enough how much more He has blessed us.

--He has given us times with each other and with friends, that we will always remember. We got to go to Carowinds this past Monday with Mandi and Matthew, and this weekend, we're going to see U2 in Nashville! Dang, God is faithful! haha.

God really has been faithful to us, but He does expect it to be used for His glory and kingdom. I'm terrible when it comes to comparing myself to others, and it has only left me feeling sad, and it made me think less of my God. But God gives us according to His plan to make HIS name great. How cool is that?--That He gives us the opportunity to serve Him and honor Him with what He has blessed us with. Luke 12:48 says, "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." Also, one of my favorite verses, Luke 16:10-12: "“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?"

Anything that He has given us, He can take away. But isn't is amazing to know that God knows what is best for us and He is patient with us, so when He does take something away from us, it is for His glory, and He will continue to take care of us: (2 Peter 3:9 and Romans 2:4)

We need to remember God's faithfulness, even when things aren't working out perfectly for us. He gives us HOPE in the hard times, through the bible! If you are His child, and you know He is faithful, you know you are nothing without Him, and you have really put your trust in Him, and you've told Him that, then there is no hard time in which you can't look back and say, "you know what, even during that time, God was and is faithful." Think about it, be glad about it, believe it, and read about it in the bible. Even in the hard times, God is still God, and God is still good. Do you believe that?

**In Lamentations 3:19-27, things are rough for Jeremiah. He is frustrated with the people around him, and God may seem absent, but he declares: "The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him! "The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline."

**2 Corinthians 4:16-18 never gets old: "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

**Revelation 3:8: "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."

**2 Peter 3:9 demonstrates that the Lord is patient and always keeps His promises: "The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."

**Romans 2:4: "Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?"

And of course, Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

I can read His word, and remember His promises, and then inscribe them on my heart so I can rejoice and praise Him (and not myself) in the good times, and also remember His promises, so I can be prepared for the unfavorable times.

How are we using what He has given us? Are we taking advantage of it, into our own hands, to meet our selfish desires and make our name great? Or are we using it to make HIS name great?

Anyways, this is our life. God is faithful. We have a lot to be thankful for at the end of every day!

The past month has definitely been a season of favor, with so much to be thankful for.

In the past week we've joined a church up here and gotten plugged in and started serving through it, survived being sick, had some health tests come back with no problems, checked out Haven of Rest some more, and….I GOT A JOB! It's pretty cool how it all worked out, and completely not of me. I was looking for a job, but not really looking, (if that makes sense) because we've been trying to get pre-approved for a house, but long story short, our mortgage loaner told me to not get a job until the end of August when we'll probably close on the house. Well, a family friend of ours, Ms. Minister Kathy Borders , works at the Montessori school here in Anderson, and she's heading up the summer program there for the 3, 4, and 5 year olds. Well, they needed an assistant, so she told me to put in an application. Well, after a day, I had a job! Didn't see that coming! I guess my major should have been child and family development. jk. I'll learn by experience. I love people in general, and I know that this opportunity has come from nothing else but my faithful God, and I know that He has and will give me everything I need to bring glory to Him through it. (2 Peter 1:3). God even made a way for the job to work out with us getting approved because for right now, it's just considered a summer job. However, in August, it could lead to something else! :) Maybe it will lead to something more, maybe not. But how cool is it to be given an opportunity, and to just throw yourself into it, and rely on God to give you what He knows is best for you.. God really is faithful and never-failing, and I'm so excited about the opportunity. I'm pumped to learn from Ms. Kathy because she is amazing with the kids and she is such an awesome woman of God, so it's just a great experience all the way around. Montessori schools are so cool too. They focus on interactive learning and learning through experiece, and the kids are so independent. I was able to meet some of the kids and observe the program for a little while last week, and I had so much fun. That is such a cool age. There is no 3, 4, and 5 year old that is the same. All of their personalities are so fun and unique, and I know I'll learn a lot!

As things continue to work out in our favor, and God continues to confirm that He has plans for us here, the more that I have this fear of becoming too comfortable. Last night, in a little authentic Mexican restaurant, Daniel and I talked about what we truly desire, which is to not have a boring life…and to be able to just get up and go help those who need it when we are able to. Ephesians 5:15-17 says: "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do." James 4:14 says that our life is like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Our world is so content with just being comfortable, and being like everyone else. But I want to do things that other people think are weird.

Speaking of Weird, I'm reading this book right now called "Weird" and God is kicking my butt in the place that I struggle with the most, which is how I manage my time. Mark Driscoll says that whatever you do, be all there. My head is constantly racing with things that need to get done, what's going on with other people, and what I can be doing better. I can't even give the people I'm with my full attention. I'm one of those people that tries to take on way more than I can handle, and then I'll burn out and quit all of it. So, I think as believers, we have to take a step back and know that even the good things in life may not be in the will of God for our lives. Instead of trying to take on every single thing (although they are good things) that is thrown at us--every opportunity to serve, every opportunity to volunteer, helping with every single need in the church, etc.--we need to pour our time into what is "better" for us. If we don't then we can't be most effective. Anyways, it's a great book. It was actually an amazing feeling to go observe something in our church last week and decide not to commit to it because of the dreams we have that just so happen to be better for us. Although it was an amazing ministry through our church, we both knew that it would only be adding another thing to our lists because there are other things that we're more passionate about. We're pumped about the Care ministry(me) and special needs part of the children's ministry(daniel), but we know that we want to still have time to devote to outside the church walls. And we're still growing in the original dreams we've had. So, we'll see what comes from all of that :)

The past 5 weeks have been heavenly. I'm learning so much about what it means to love someone to the core of who they really are. I've learned things that I'm weak in, and I'm slowly working through those things :) I'm learning how Daniel and I are different, and most importantly, I'm learning what an amazing witness a marriage can be. I've been able to truly rest and take a breather. Now that we're members of a church here and we're getting involved, hopefully we can meet some cool people outside of our jobs. Everything will come in its timing. Life is good. Praise God!

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." --Colossians 4:23

"Good and Perfect"

I don't think words can ever express how incredibly happy I am. The past month has certainly flown by, and there have been so many changes in my life and the lives of those closest to me. Daniel and I are living in Anderson, SC, and married life is even a hundred times better than I ever thought it could be. For starters, I get to live with my best friend…but not just live together, but experience life to its fullest with him. I mean, we still don't know too many people our age, but life has been so amazing, and we know that will come with time. Right now, it's been great to just rely on each other and rely on God. The gift of marriage is truly amazing. Living with Daniel Stall never gets old. Our apartment doesn't look its finest, and we don't have furniture, but I'm sure we'll eventually get everything done and unpacked! I know I'm in that "honeymoon phase," and I'm not going to say that living with a boy hasn't taken some getting used to, but I never thought that things would fall into place this perfectly. I've even improved on my cooking skills, which has led us to cook almost every night! We're sooo thankful for everything we received as gifts, and we've been able to make homemade ice cream (which is da bomb, by the way), quesadillas, gourmet salads- haha, homemade pizza, chopped up vegetables, amazing smoothies, good chicken, etc…. All of the eating made us finally join a gym, and since Daniel works at the hospital, we get to both go for $30 total! It's not 180 fitness or anything, but it's still that hometown gym feel..We're determined not to gain that married weight! haha..The eating has been good though! My aunt is always here too to feed us and give us her leftovers from Trader Joe's! I'm thankful for the time we've had with my aunt and cousins too! And I think us moving here couldn't have come at a better time as far as that is concerned. We miss our families in Statesboro and Savannah too, but we know that we're supposed to be here, and that feels good :) And like I said, living with my best friend and experiencing all that married life has to offer has been amazing! Oh yeah, and I've been able to watch TV again..it's crazy…I've barely watched tv over the past 5 years, but I can tell you anything that's going on in the world right now thanks to Fox News, and we're even starting to watch LOST again, and I would have never said this, but it's soooo good!

We're already blown away by how much there is to do here! This is the start of my third week here, and while I miss everyone, I'm so pumped about the ministry opportunity here. We're joining our church this Sunday night, and then we can start volunteering, and hopefully join a small group sometime soon. We've known from the time Daniel moved here last September and we got engaged last October that we didn't want to just move here and be comfortable. We both know that we're supposed to be here for some time ( I mean, Daniel was literally just given an amazing job with awesome benefits, after only a week after he showed interest!) And we know we should settle here with the expectation to be here for awhile, but we still don't want to get comfortable with life, and we're expecting HUGE things. About 2 to 3 months ago, NewSpring told Daniel about a ministry called Haven of Rest. We've been talking to them a little bit more, and I had the opportunity to get a tour today and talk about some opportunities through the ministry. Haven of Rest is a Christ-centered ministry that is more than just a homeless shelter, and more than just rehab for addiction, but it's about a total body recovery. They provide food, clothing, shelter to homeless men and women through several different homes and programs around Anderson County. It's non-profit, and 50 years old!!, which gives glory to God that it has sustained itself through donations and a lot of volunteers! But the thing I love the most about it is the thrift stores, farm, food service, and other projects that the people in the program get to take part in, in order to give them purpose and integrate them back into society, thus rehabilitating the whole person! ---> which is the most important thing I have learned over the past 5 years. They're already letting me get plugged in and help plan the annual silent auction/dinner night they're having in August, and I get to go with Heather (one of the coordinators) tomorrow to the women's house to meet everyone there! Anyways, they have a cool website if you want to learn more: http://www.havenofrest.cc/index.html

The main reason why I've been so ecstatic over the past month is because I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. God has completely paved this path for Daniel and I, and He has provided us with everything we have needed. Our prayer has been to not grow ignorant to the world around us, when we have been given so much. It has also been for Him to provide us with our daily bread everyday and for a house to live in!…ANNDDD…HE HAS! We were given a realtor through a family friend (Gwen Burnette through Prudential Realty in Anderson..if you're looking for a great realtor in Anderson, she is great!) And we put an offer on the perfect house, not thinking the builder would take it, but HE DID! We have pretty much been given the most amazing deal on a house, in a perfect, cute little neighborhood, in the perfect school district…We were required to look for a house in a certain district, but we couldn't find that perfect house before we got married, and then a couple weeks ago, there it was! Basically, it's perfect, which shows that it is from God alone, and I cannot tell you enough how much He deserves the glory. James 1:17 says, "Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." Anyways, if everything this week continues to work in our favor, then they will start building (the house plan that we got to pick out!), and it should be finished at the end of August (fingers crossed), which is the exact time our lease runs out here!

We've been learning individually and collectively what it truly means to give. I have to be honest, over the past several years, I have not given abundantly based on how God has given to me, but over the past 6 months or so, I've been breaking down some barriers as I've been learning more and more what GOD says about giving, and not just giving based on what I want to give. Daniel has encouraged me so much in this, and although it could always be much more, God has blessed us for what we have given. Finances is the only subject in the bible that God says to test Him with, and I could talk forever about how He has blessed us. We feel rich..for real. Money just keeps showing up. We're reading a book by a pastor out in Texas, named Robert Morris, called "The Blessed Life," and it has already given us a new perspective! You should read it!

Although things are great in Anderson, it has taken quite an adjustment to leave our friends in Statesboro…especially the ones that I've gotten so close with over the past 5 years…people that have played a huge part in my life in so many ways...definitely the best friends I will ever have. We felt sooo loved before we got married, and we will forever be grateful for all the love, support, prayers, and encouragement we both got from our friends and family. Basically, our wedding ceremony would have never been the same if it weren't for all of them. I mean, people threw us showers, gave us gifts, gave us the best bachelorette/ bachelor weekends, took me skydiving!, gave us food, and made our dream wedding come true. In the midst of missing everyone, I know that this is life, and it helps when I look at every single one of my friends and am almost brought to tears by how great each and every one of them is because of how God has changed their lives and given them sooo many opportunities too!! So, then I go from missing them and bring sad to being filled with *JOY* because of the potential for Daniel and me here, and the potential for everyone in Satesboro…I see all of the incredible, amazing opportunities that all of those closest to me are experiencing...from going to poverty and crisis stricken Guatemala, to internships, to ministry opportunities, to new jobs, to married adventures, to leadership opportunities, to student teaching and a month in England, to new teaching and job opportunities, to door-openings at church, to learning what it means to live day to day and not worry…to awards like Teacher of the Year, and I could go on and on…There is so much anticipation and joy that I'm filled with happiness for everyone.

Sorry this has been so long. I really want to try and Blog more now that I'm married and have sooo many adventures with my husband. We are probably the weirdest people you will ever meet, but we're also learning that normal is so lame. (ROMANS 12!!!). I know that I'm in the perfect place with the perfect person, and feeling more confident than ever that although life may not always be this happy and perfect, I DO know now that any trial that comes before my husband and me has to go through God, and the more we seek Him and are content with just HIM,the more life will continue to make sense even when the world is in chaos. I also know that one day a long time from now when Daniel and me may face trials in our marriage (apparently people love to tell you this), we will know 100% that it is only because of God that we were brought together in the first place, and therefore nothing can tear us apart. So much makes sense now. I know now why marriage is a *GIFT* given from God, and when it's based on His plans, it is amazing and perfect. I really do see it now. Anyways, we'll see what happens here! Please come visit us! Everyone is invited!!

Romans 12- Place Your Life Before God

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good."