slideshow

http://www.slide.com/r/5Q8MRbM74D-uq6lGmEoeMB0fgrvaenjN?previous_view=lt_embedded_url

this is a slideshow heather made of the weekend!!! check it out there are some aweshumness pix!!!

spread this love like dandelions

This weekend was absolutely amazing. From making new nicknames to the best mac-n-cheese ever, from the fat camp hill to the chicken's water breaking, and from hilarious candid pictures to pigging out on Cheez-Its, the mission trip was probably the best one I've ever participated in. God was definitely with us and He helped us to do much more physical and spiritual work than I ever expected we'd do. Although singing in the black church was awesome and helping to renovate that house was a great experience, I believe my favorite part was when we were on the prayer walk and got to go in that church and sing with them and hear them sing. Although I never expected it to have that big of an impact on it, while we were in that church singing and praying, I realized how blessed I am and how much God has covered me with his grace. That ever-famous BJ Stricklin once defined grace and explained its differentiation from mercy. Mercy is like this:

A little kid whose mom tells him not to go play in the mud. The kid plays in the mud anyway, then he comes inside and his mom forgives him and gives him a bath and puts clean clothes on him.

But grace is like the little kid comes in all muddy and his mom gives him a bath and clean clothes, and lets him get cookies out of the cookie jar too. It's like even though he disobeyed, he repented, was forgiven, and BLESSED BEYOND JUST FORGIVENESS.

Over this weekend I realized how much I am like that little kid. Over and over again God tells me not to play in the mud, filth, and sin of the world. But I do anyway. And then when I come to Him with and humble and repentant heart, he forgives me, then blesses me with the chance to bless others with His love- just like he did this weekend. The one main thing I took away from this weekend is that ministering to people like the homeless, sick, and drug-addicts is not a thing that should make me feel good inside because I did something good. It makes me feel good inside because I got to spread God's love that he "poured out on me abundantly". (1 Timothy 1:14)

life is sweeping me away
i am flying through each day
dont have time enough for you
to hear what you want me to do

so make time in my life for you
i want to hear only whats true
not the lies that i hear constantly
that make me cry myself to sleep

im tired of living like this
not enjoying your heavenly bliss
not even noticing the beauty you've made
or remembering the price you paid

please change me, o God
i need your renewal
put a fire in my heart
and you be my fuel

song i wrote

victorious
lyrics and music by me

You're telling me to turn around,
to jump and trust You to be there
it's hard to get off the ground,
to push myself into the air
without a muscle underneath me
i need Your strong arm to help me

but i know i can do it
You told me i could
You wouldn't let me do it
if you didn't know i would.

when i need a little lift
or even if i'm flyin high
the thing keepin me there's Your Gift
the Gift that i can't let die
Your Love livin in me
Your Grace flowin through me

and i know i can do this
you told me i would
i would never try to do this
if you hadn't said i could

if all i see is the mountain
and the fog just seems too thick
then come be my Eternal Fountain
full of water that heals the sick
You can heal me
and bring Your life back to me

and we know i can do it
i told myself i would
You'd never put me through it
if You didn't know i could

i'm gonna make it when i try
push past all that's in my way
never let Your Spirit die,
it keeps me goin through th day
Your hand upholds me
Your breath supports me

this time i really did it
just like You said i would
cuz i believed you'd help me do it
when i never thought i could.