Truthfully...

Summer has come to an end. With ReFuel coming up, school starting soon, being a captain this weekend at orientation and job hunting to pay for tuition, I feel a lot of attack on my heart. Its not only that I feel the attack, its that there are more and more opportunities to participate in things I just don't need to be involved in. 
Frankly I'm really nervous for the semester. I never anticipated it being this busy, having so much to do... and I don't want to 'loose my soul' in my efforts to do well with everything that's going on. 
The fact is, that God is God, and me not trusting in Him is just saying He can't handle all this craziness. He can. And quite honestly, I know I can't. I shouldn't even bother. Although that may seem as a cop out to a non-Christian, I know that its actually so empowering! I was honestly hesitating lifting up my worries and trusting Him fully because I thought He'd just make it happen. Right. Nothing in life is that easy. But its not like that answer is an olympic marathon in itself either... I simply just have to ask and keep pushing forward.
ReFuel in particular, has been a huge responsibility. Its been almost a decade since some of these churches have ventured outside their denominations and I think God has big BIG plans for this event. 
With that said, I need to get into my bible and take refuge in Christ. I know with my personality, it will be so easy to fall into the same slippy slope as last year. There is a lot at stake this month! God is God, and nothing is too big for Him! Please keep me in your prayers this month. I can feel some spiritual attack on my life right now, and I need to be continually turning to Christ and looking to Him for guidance. 
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.
Glory be to God.

ReFuel and more....

Wow! Its September!!

My summer was full of summer road trips and awesome music.

Life changing friendships and trips to the beach.

Family camping and late night tuck tournaments.

Campfires and yummy potlucks.

Church get-togethers and sunny skies!

Dreaming and planning.

Red dirt roads and late night walks.

Foolishness and outbreaks of dance.

Tears and prayers.

Worship and encouragement.

Last but not least, I had the honor and challenge of preparing for a huge event this month. This event, Refuel, is designed to be a kick-off evening for youth groups and young adults from across the Island to come together to worship, pray and find encouragement. We are expecting about 300 youth and youth adults. 

God has been so instrumental throughout this whole process and I am really excited to see Him move in the lives of those who attend. We have a band, a speaker, an emcee and lots of volunteers! So many different denominations, and I think there is something to powerful about youth coming together to worship. I know so often in high school its easy to get discouraged, but this event will bring us all together and hopefully send everyone away knowing that they're not alone!

Keep this event in your prayers these next few weeks. The fall promises to be busy!!

Once upon a time...

An excerpt from Tim Keller's study book Gospel in Life.

Once upon a time there was a gardener who grew an enormous carrot. He took to to his king and said, "My lord, this is the greatest carrot I've ever grown or even will grow; therefore, I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you." The king was touched and discerned the man's heart, so as he turned to go, the king said, "Wait! You are clearly a good steward of the earth. I own a plot of land right next to yours. I want to give it to you freely as a gift, so you can garden it all." The gardener was amazed and delighted and went him rejoicing. But there was a nobleman at the king's court who overheard all this, and he said "My! If that is what you get from a carrot, then what if you gave the king something better?" The next day the nobleman came before the king, and he was leading a handsome black stallion. He bowed low and said, "My lord, I breed horses, and this is the greatest horse I've ever bred or ever will; therefore, I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you." Bot the king discerned his heart and said, "Thank you," and took the horse and simply dismissed him. The nobleman was perplexed, so the king said, "Let me explain. That gardener was giving me the carrot but you were giving yourself the horse."

If we give God things in the hope that they will earn us blessings or heaven., then we are really not doing anything for him at all-its for ourselves. Only an experience of grace changes us so we do good things for goodness' sake, for God's sake.

things have been eventful!

This summer has been absolutely spectacular! Amazing friends and fun adventures.


1. The beautiful Colleen came to visit!


2. Game board nights with fabulous friends.


3. Sunny Sunday delight.


4. Weekend concerts and beautiful people.5. THE BEACH!


6. Karaoke with camping soul mates.

6. Ben&Jerry's splurging nights!

THE END!

Being refined.

My heart is being refined and its painful. I spent the last year asking God to help me grow in faith. Here it is happening... and its getting really hard. Things were so great until this January, and now I feel like I've been getting so many curve balls.

I keep finding myself in the same situations and struggling through them. I guess its progress that I'm aware and catching it... but now that I see the consequences of my actions, its overwhelming and I am often overcompensating and over thinking.

Looking back on years past and how I've grown in my faith, I know God has been preparing me to deal with this. He has presented me with everything I need... Him. Although this has been a painful year, I know this is where I'm supposed to be.

So as I have been dealing with the sin that's been exposed in my life, God has been so instrumental in revealing to me how much he loves me. Its overwhelming and powerful. Hallelujah, grace like rain is falling down on me.

Not pride... humility!
No guilt... confidence!