Model city Missions 20ten

The only way I know to explain it is ….this past week was AWESOME! It was great to be able to come home and spend time with my family and friends in Anniston. So the week started off with many laughs....to start off the adventure, we stopped for a potty break in Orange, TX and as we were leaving our trailer holding our baggage, came off the hitch!!! What made it even more funny, is we didn't even know about it!, we got several miles down the road before the Austin group called to let us know that they nor the trailer were behind us!! To top everything off, the air went out on the bus!! ahh, it was miserable!

On to a better note, I was able to spend time with all of the teens, watching them shine Christ’s light in the city of Anniston and Oxford.Our teens, combined with the teens from Greenbrier, West Metro (GA), and Western Hills (TX), experienced the Lord in a way only few people get to experience him. The kids did Prayer walks throughout various neighborhoods around Anniston and Oxford, they painted a house, garage, and porch, and they cut almost 20 yards!! We conducted a day camp during the week that consisted of many kids from the community; they rebuilt a roof on a porch, and visited a nursing home each day. All I can say is…The Lord was glorified in a way this past week that is almost indescribable!!

On Thursday we hosted a big block party at Oxford Lake…WOW! There were so many people from the community that came because they heard about everything we were doing, or we knocked on their door, or they saw something different in what we were doing as they walked by….it was FABULOUS! I was really excited for the kids that we had a good showing, because they were able to see some immediate fruits of their labor. We finished the week off with a fun trip to raft the Ocoee River! Of course there were plenty  people that were thrown out of their rafts…there was definitely many laughs, and many memories made! Because we left the next morning fairly early, many of the westbury girls just came and stayed at my house, so we had everyone in one location. We all needed showers REALLY bad because we smelled like River water, and of course....you know this would happen to us...but Ohatchee cut off the water!!! Oh my, we had 14 girls at the house needing showers, and we had NO WATER!!! Oh my....the stories we have come away with from this trip!
 On the way home, the air went out again!! But we made it home safely! Since we have been back three of my girls have accepted the biggest marriage proposal they will ever have! They took on Christ in Baptism!! It has been awesome to be here and experience that moment with them!....
Getting ready for Trek now. We leave Friday afternoon, so there is alot to do to prepare for that! I am asking that you all pray for me! Pride is a big factor here. Being the intern I have this need to keep it all together, and be able to do everything with a smile on my face! BUT having done trek 2 times already, I know what all it demands physically. So, other that the fact that i am COMPLETELY out of shape, I do have issues with my knees. So please pray for me that I make it up that mountain, and also that I drop my pride and am able to surrender to my own weaknesses.
Sorry this post is so long..there was just alot to cover...I will leave you with a few pictures from the past week!
Oh and before I go, I have a friend that has a blog and i follow her pretty religiously:)...but she had a great idea, so Anna if you are reading this, yes I am stealing it from you!...But I do have alot of people telling me at random times that they are keeping up with me...but I would love to hear from all of you! I do miss yall alot!, so feel free to leave comments, that way I can know who all is keeping up with me!!
Love you all!

Get Ready...Get Set....GO!!!!

So, as of tomorrow at 5:30 AM our summer is in FULL swing!!And what better way to kick off the summer, than a trip back home to Alabama!!! I am so excited to spend the week with the teens serving the Lord in Anniston! And what better people to do it with, than my own family!
Well. this week I have been finishing several projects, getting ready for the summer to begin. For the majority of the week I spent my time in the youth room finishing up the painting! I am so excited about how well it turned out....honestly, I didn't know how well it would turn out..but I am SOOO PROUD! Several of the kids came up during the week to help me, which was awesome because I was able to get to know some of them better, and start forming relationships with them! Here are a few pics of how the walls I painted turned out!

Last night the whole church took a trip to the Minute Maid field, to watch the Astros play! This was oh so fun! We all enjoyed many laughs together, I got to know some more of the parents. And then we all watched the Friday night fireworks!...AMAZING!

Today I slept in, I have been trying to rest all I can because I know once tomorrow comes, rest is going to be out the window! but then I got up and got SO MUCH done! Margie and Calvin were out for the day, which means I could clean without getting in trouble! I washed all my laundry, and my sheets, cleaned my bathroom, my bedroom and the upstairs living room...Mom you would have been proud of how fast I got it all done! I was in a rush so I wouldn't get busted:)....Now that I feel better about having a clean living space, on to the packing. Can I just say how weird it feels to pack for going home. As of this writing, I am done with everything, and I am now relaxing, watching Hallmark movies, and settling in for the afternoon! So excited about this coming week. I can't wait to see what the Lord reveals to all of us!..My family has 7 girls staying in our home...how fun is that going to be?!..you might want to start praying for Daddy now:)
This week in my quiet time, the Lord led me to this scripture, and I thought I would share it with you all.I was studying in Mark 5. I have read the story of this woman all of my life, but for some reason today this story just played a whole new role in my life. So close your eyes and imagine this with me:
There is a HUGE crowd gathering....obviously to see the "Messiah". So many people crowding around, pushing through to get the best view. There is a woman, she has been plagued with bleeding for 12 years!. she has visited so many physicians, who have taken her for all she is worth. But here it is, her moment. She thinks.." Oh if i could just get close enough...close enough to touch just the hem of his garment, I know i will be healed." people all around her pushing her away, when she slips up on him and grabs his cloak. Jesus stopped!.."who touched my garment?"...the disciples were in disbelief..."Jesus, how do ask who touched your garments....do you see this crowd...anyone could have touched you"...oh no, Jesus knew. Full of fear and anxiety...she falls at his feet..."Lord it was me...I knew if I could just touch the hem, I would be healed."....
In just one moment, in just one single touch, undeserving grace and healing mercy, were hers. What a beautiful example of our sovereign Lord. I think of times that I let fear hold me back....but if i could just have the faith..to just get close enough to touch the hem of his garment......
I love you all and will hopefully see some of you tomorrow!

Can you say....BLONDE!

I'm guessing I don't even need to elaborate on the title of this post....most of you know me well enough to know that I have enough blonde moments to cover an army of blondes!:)....I feel like since I have been here, my sense of "blondeness" has been heightened! I know Steve must think every time we are working..."what have we done hiring her?"! Even I sit back and say to myself, "What was i thinking?"! Stupid things such as, not opening the doors the right way, and thinking I am stuck...or just asking the dumbest questions!
Now onto my past week living here!One of the girls here, and myself, started painting some of the walls in the youth room. And yes, I did do I fine job!...I know some of you just said to yourself..."uh oh...what were they thinking!"

For the most part this week, Steve and I finished completing the summer calendar.Like I anticipated, I didn't get to do much with the kids until this weekend. Saturday, I went hiking with some of the girls that are going on trek (we did this break in our boots)..and yes, I do have a blister already! After that I went back to the home of some of the kids here. Enjoyed spending time with this family, and getting know them a little more. They are alot like my family!, three girls, and a lot more active in their home!.. It helps me to feel a little more at home in the loudness of their home:) Sunday night, I hosted a movie night with some of the girls here. We had a blast just having some girl time...I really enjoyed that time with them! We watched the movie Up...if you haven't seen it...it is too precious!
Well, Model City Missions kicks off this Sunday, which means, as of this post I am 6 days from getting to go back home for a few days!
Oh, before I go, I forgot to tell you all how proud I am of my sweet brother Heath! He made an A on all of his semester exams! Yay Heath!!!
love you all, and hope to see you in my short visit next week!
here are a few pictures from this week!

The Life in a BIG city!

Well, I have been here for almost a week! I am starting to get a hang of all of the busy roads....well I say I have, I did just get lost....so thankful for my good ole friend Steve!....So I know many of you are wondering what all I have been doing...so here goes my long spill!:
After a long day in the office Friday, one of the girls here and myself attended the Westbury Christian School graduation. I was able to see one of the girls that lived in our home for Model City Missions graduate!...then went over to  Steve's house for a movie night with some of the kids. This was actually my first night to have some one-on- one time with them. And boy was it a late night!...oh but we had lots of fun. Saturday morning rolled around and Margie (my summer mom) and I went to the church to help some women decorate for a special banquet. The banquet was basically a benefit dinner for a sweet woman here named Desiree. Oh is she precious! She coached here at WCS for years, and then all of a sudden a disease took over her body. It is a very long name, and I am not even going to try and spell it but it is along the lines of muscular dystrophy. So obviously she cant work anymore. So the church did this banquet for her to raise some support money for her until she is able to get full disability.
I had my first experience at church Sunday! Love this place, the people are so friendly and caring. I attended a graduation party of one of the girls here, and was able to spend some more one-on- one time with some more of the kids. So all in all my first week has be AMAZING....most of the kids are still in school, so I am still not able to do much with them during the week, so I am soo ready for school to finish, so I can start having some real fun with them!
While I have been here haivng all of my fun.....it seems like anything that could gor wrong back home....has definitely gone wrong. Oh my...my heart is so heavy for everyone back in Alabama. It all started wtih my Aunt Dwaynes brother-in-law dying of a massive heart attack...then Debra Whitaker's (a lady in our small group) aunt died. This is a woman that has been in a coma for a while and our small group has been praying so fervently for her. Then Sunday I got a phonecall from a friend back in Ohatchee...a friend of mine from High School was killed in a car wreck early Sunday morning. On Monday I am talking to mom, and she tells me that Rob Travis is in poor condition. Rob is a resident at Rainbow Omega (an assisted living for adults with special needs). He is also the son of sweet Dottie Travis. dottie is the most Godly woman I know, period. Her love for the Lord is indescribable. And it is so evident throughout Rob's sickness. She has asked for us to pray that the Lord's will be done in this whole situation. She knows that her husband is waiting on Rob in Heaven, if that is the Lord's will....such strength. And it makes the situation so much worse when I am so far away, and not able to be with the people I love.
I am so thankful that I serve such a Soveriegn Lord. A God that can take my weaknesses and create something so magnificent out of it! A God that can take a really bad situation and use it for his glory! Oh I am so humbled by his unconditional love!
Oh don't want to forge this!...my younger sister Emily graduates from the 6th grade tonight...If you are there be sure to give her an extra hug for me!..Emily I love you and I am SO proud of you for making it all the way through Elementary School!!!
I love you all!

I'm Here!!!!

Just a quick post to let you all know that Jennifer and I pulled into Houston around 4:30 yesterday afternoon....and then we cam to a dead stop. HELLO Houston traffic!!!!!! an hour later we arrived at my home for the summer!!
Oh my has the Lord been so faithful in placing me in such a precious home. Calvin & Margie Rodgers have to be two of the sweetest people I have ever known. They are spoiling me already and I haven't even been here for 24 hours! After I arrived and got settled in I sat on my bed to take a breather, and Mr. Calvin came in to check on me, obviously I had dozed off for a few minutes, because he awoke me to tuck me in , by pulling back my sheets, turning on the lamp, and closing my curtains....how sweet is that?....I told him, "Ya'll can' t spoil me like this!"...he said, " tsk, tsk, tsk, this is my house, and I will spoil whomever I please!"...too precious.
Today was my first day in the office! I met Steve at Westbury Church this morning to discuss the schedule for the summer. I had my first experience with Promise Land chocolate milk (yum!) and Shipley's Donuts (yum yum!). This afternoon I am going to hang out with one of the girls here. Catch up with her, and start forming relationships!

 love you all!

Is it time yet?!!!

Oh wow, I can't believe that it is finally here!!!
I have been busy this past weekend spending time with all of  my friends before I leave!
I am including some pictures of the past week, and also me and my sweet friend Ellen loading up my car....only a few more things to load tomorrow, before we head out bright and early Thursday morning.
I was able to talk with my house parents Calvin & Margie today!!....Oh, they are so precious!!!!... I can't wait to spend the summer with them! They even referred to me as their "summer daughter"!!...how sweet is that?!

Ok...so I guess the next time I post will be after I am in Texas....oh, be still my spirit!

*Counting down the days!!!*

Oh wow!...As of this posting I am 5 days away from leaving for Texas. It is so weird, knowing how long we have been working towards this week, and all the anticipation that has occured....it is finally here!
I took my car yesterday to get my tires rotated/balanced and aligned, and Daddy is going to change my oil sometime this week. So here is the plan for the week.

Saturday: Heath has his first Jamboree game at Ohatchee, so we will all be there supporting him. Then we are going to have our last family get together with us all there together (this includes Jenn and Ryan and the girls:))

Sunday: My sweet church family is having a potluck to send me off. I am so blessed to be apart of such an amazing church with some AWESOME things happening! and then....my BEST FRIENDS that have all moved off to college are all home, and we are having a big fun night at my house before everyone heads off to the respective mission trips, music camps, etc. I am so excited to be able to spend some much need time with them!

Monday:  this is my big Walmart day....I wish you guys could see my lists (that is plural) I have made of things that need to get done...other than finalizing student loans, paying car payment, and taking car of finalizing things here at home...there is still so much i still have to get before I can leave!...so I am taking this day to go to Wally world and getting all of my last minute things.

Tuesday: this is my last night to work at Ron's. I am so blessed to work for such a Godly man. Ron has been so supportive of my going to Texas. And for those of you wondering, yes I will be back at Ron's when I return. Ron has been so gracious to allow me to go and have this opportunity, while still leaving my job available to me.

Wednesday: The BIG PACKING DAY!....I will load up my car, and get everything all ready to head out. I have to be ready to leave, by the time we leave for church Wed. night.

For those of you that don't already know Jennifer Wright's (our youth ministers wife), mother lives in Houston. So Jennifer has been gracious enough to make this drive with me. So she is going to stay with me Wed. night, and we will leave bright and early in the morning Thursday.
And as great and organized as all my plans sound, I know the Lord will work his masterwork within it all. It amazes me to look back and see how faithful he has been throughout this whole process. I thought my nerves would be getting the best of me, but my sovereign Lord has put within me such a peace that I haven't dealt with nerves at all!
I just finished my second time reading The Shack. I read this book sometimes when I need a little reinforcement for the might handy work of my God. This  book always succeeds in putting my back into the relationship that I need with my Savior. How often, I feel as more a nuisance than a joy. I am so thankful that he delights in calling me his daughter.
"As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me." Psalm 40:17