Colorado...

I had a VERY close friend get married in Colorado and it was also a good chance to see and say goodbye to some great friends! I got to see friends that I haven't seen in years, the wedding was amazing and I made many new great friends! There is a family there who have impacted my life in huge ways and have become so precious to me over the years and it was such a blessing to be able to spend time with them, although, there were some tears saying goodbye :( I've come to realize that friendships are something that I really value. I've also realized that I have a lot of great friends in Colorado so this trip was really special to me - to connect, reconnect and say a good goodbye to many friends :)

Precious Friends...

Lucy and I :)
Jenny and I :)
Stacey and Kyle
Clearwater Gals - Helen, Stace, Jenny, Me, Ivey, Claire, Dana and Lauren!
Helen, Vic, Dana and Claire - miss em!
The Beautiful Bride and I!
Clearwater friends reunited in Pcola! haha. Ivey and I

North Carolina Road Trip...

If you know me really well, you know that I love my bed! My bed is really the only nice thing I own and well, I think it is the most comfortable thing on earth :) As you know, I'm leaving for 2 years and won't need it (sadly, I can't take it with me - believe me, I would! :) I've wanted to give it to Tommi and her husband and the only way we could get it to NC was to drive it up. So my roommate and I set out a week and a half later with a trailer (with my bed) hitched to the truck and drove the 13 hours to North Carolina! I had a blast and made a lot of unexpected new friends through Tommi and her husband! It was a great time of fun and fellowship and I am so glad that it worked out that way! (Although, I'm still a bit sensitive about giving up my bed...haha) We didn't run into any problems with the drive until the last 7 hours! We were pulling out of Athens, GA and as I glanced in rearview mirror and noticed the trailer was completely lopsided! Yea - one of the tires on the trailer was totally flat! Thankfully, Tommi's father in law was there to help us - it only took an hour or so!! haha!

Funny Story: We stopped at starbucks on the way back from North Carolina to caffeine up after we got the tire changed. As we walked out to the car - I grabbed the keys and attempted to turn on the car. The key would not budge! We sat there for 20 minutes and tried over and over again to start the truck - no such luck! After a few more minutes, I looked at the keys closely and noticed that my jump drive was on there. I dug through my purse and pulled out another set of keys - yes - the keys to the truck! Yes, I am a big dork and didn't notice we had been trying with the wrong keys the whole time BUT I would like to redeem myself (or try to) with the fact that the keys themselves were exactly the same along with the keychains on the keys! The only difference was that I had a jump drive on mine and Ren had a grocery store card on hers! You can laugh at me - its okay - I laughed :)

Ren and I at the Marine Corp Fair - on the zipper :)

Watch out - this could be trouble :)
Precious - Tommi and Micah
My favorite Pic - Ren, Tommi and Myslef
Ren + Vic + 6:30a.m. + a flat trailer tire

Boston!

My friend, Tommi, and I went to Boston at the end of April/beginning of May, primarily as a fundraising trip - but we managed to have some fun too :) Tommi is from Boston and has a lot of friends/supporters in the Boston area and I had the opportunity to meet many of them. Tommi was the person who discipled me all through college and taught me what a real relationship with Gd looked like. All of the people that I got to meet in Boston knew me from Tommi's emails and have lifted me up all through my college years. It was the neatest thing in the world to be able to go back and say, "Thank you for lifting me up. You have been a part of my walk with Gd since you started to lift me up years ago and the Lrd is continuing to use your pryers!" What a joy it was to meet everyone! Boston was a great trip and I am more than thankful to have met everyone and to see Gd's faithfulness!

A sweet group of new friends :)

Yup, Tommi - with her highschool jacket on with her Michael Jackson Album. No words.
Tommi and I!
Boating :) It was chilly
Driving? haha
Plymouth!
This is Plymouth Rock (or the version of it I got) Sad :(

The Quilt...

Have you ever had something happen to you and your only reponse is: "My Gd is so sweet...?"
Well, I just had one of those days and I want to share it...

We had a women's tea on Saturday at my chrch. It was a great time - tea, food, fellowship, a powerful testimony. I always love times of fellowship there! Anyway, the chrch was decorated with quilts and at the end of our time different women stood up and told the story behind the quilt that they brought. You know, the stories of how great great grandma so and so gave it to my grandma who gave it to my mom who gave it to me type of stories? I mean - these are stories that dated back to the 1930's! I looked at my friend Becky and said, "you know - I've always wanted a quilt - I think it would be a fun thing to have and pass down, but I really don't know many people who quilt and our generation barely knows what it is - let alone quilts themselves!"

Anyway, after the tea, I went home and watched a movie. After the movie was over, the doorbell rang and it was the mail man - he had a box for me. The box was from a dear friend and mentor, Lucy. I am close friends with her daughters, so I know the whole family pretty well :) Before I was a believer, in high school, Lucy and I met once a week at Atlanta bread company and she shared the gospel with me, EVERY week. She has been and still is a major impact on my life and my walk with Gd. We have been able to stay in touch over the years and it is an unbelievable joy to have her in my life!! In the box was a sweet, sweet note from her and the family. Then, wrapped in tissue was....Guess??? YES...a beautiful quilt!!!! I could not believe it! It is absolutely gorgeous - perfect colors (totally me). I was overcome with awe. Not only that she had put so much time and effort into it but that the Lrd would have it delivered on the very same day as the tea! How sweet is our Lrd!!!

Here are some pictures of the quilt!

His Will...

This is just a short blurb on what I have been learning...

I have learned a great lesson that relates to support and getting to where I so badly want to be, that I want to share. I have been a little down and out because my support raising isn't going quite as quickly as I had hoped it would. As usual, G has a plan and teaching in everything. I realized on Sunday that I am not living in G's will for me, now. I am 110% convinced that G's will for me is to be in Kazakhstan, BUT the reality is that His will for me right now, at this present time, is to be in Pensacola raising support. What I have realized was that while I am content of what His will is for me in the near future – I haven't been content with what His will is for me right now. If it were good for me to be in Kazakhstan at this moment I would be there – "For Jehovah Gd is a sun and a shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory; No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." –Psalm 84:11. My attitude has changed and my spirit feels at peace for the first time in a while because I know that G is good and that He knows what is good/best for me! I am still praying for a specific time frame, but ultimately it is up to Him!

I've learned as well that this is really the first thing in my life that I feel like I am not competant at. I've always been able to do everything I have set my mind to. I think we all say, "I trust Gd, He is in control" but the truth is, while we are trusting Him - we have a part in most things. Well, this is the first thing I have ever done that I really truly have to trust G with all of my heart because He is the only one that can do this! It is so freeing to trust Him and to know that control is not in my hands! His timing, His will, His control - it is all perfect and good!

"Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LRD rejoice!
Seek the LRD and his strength; seek his presence continually!"
Psalm 105: 3-4

People

My parents and I at my graduation!

My sister, Alexandra and I :)

The team

Matt, Jonna & Baby Caleb :)

Teri, Don and Kids :)

Caleb (Matt and Jonna's cutie pie)- what a ham!

Tara and I at some training! A great pair :)

Matt, Jonna, Caleb, Jennifer and Andy!

Tammy!

O My Beloved

O My beloved, abide under the shelter of the lattice for I have betrothed you to Myself, and though you are sometimes indifferent toward Me, My love for you is at all times as a flame of fire. My ardor never cools. My longing for your love and affection is deep and constant.

Tarry not for an opportunity to have more time to be alone with Me. Take it, though you leave the tasks at hand. Nothing will suffer. Things are of less importance than you think. Our time together is like a garden full of flowers, whereas the time you give to things is as a field full of stubble.

I love you, and if you can always, as it were, feel My pulse beat, you will receive insight that will give you sustaining strength. I bore your sins and I wish to carry your burdens. You may take the gift of a light and merry heart, for My love dispels all fear and is a cure for every ill. Lay your head upon My breast and lose yourself in Me. You will experience resurrection life and peace; the joy of the Lrd will become your strength; and wells of salvation will be opened within you.

O My child, look to Me directly, and rest your heart in Me. Do so with as little distraction as would be easy to do if you were the only human being in the world and therefore would have no one else to look upon and no one else with whom to converse.

Praise Me. This I ask of you in times when it seems indescribably difficult to do so. I ask it of you in love that is stern at this point because I know unequivocally that praise is your only hope for survival.

Let His peace flow in you like a river, carrying away all the poison of painful memories, and bringing to you a fresh, clear stream of pure life and restoring thoughts.

- Come Away My Beloved-