Happy Easter

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

John 14: 6-7

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5: 17

My precious Family on Easter Sunday

Happy April Fools Day

      Its hard to believe its already April, which means only about a month left of school and then I'll be a SENIOR. Ahhhhh super scary, I'm not ready to be a real person!
      April 1st means April Fools Day. Of course my church back home just happens to be having a fundraiser for missions that involves pink flamingos. Naturally my first thought was I had to put these in my Nana's yard. One Sunday when I was home the first thing she told me when I sat down in church was I better not put any flamingos in her yard. Immediately my mother and I turned and looked at each other and I knew we were on the same page. The more money you pay the more flamingos you can have put in someone's yard. The recipient then has to pay to have them removed and the more you pay the faster they get removed. Clever, right?

This morning my grandparents woke up to 45+ (my dad lost count) pink flamingos in their yard. 

      Last night I got a phone call from by grandmother and in her serious voice the first thing she says is. "You're in trouble!". I had no clue what she was talking about because I hadn't talked to anyone in my family in a day or two. Then she says, "There are 40 or so flamingos in my yard!". Whoops on my part! Guess I got her real good for April Fools along with some help from my mom aka my partner in crime. 

     

Today also marks the Multiple Sclerosis Walk in Fayetteville. I wish I could have been there and my mom knows I wanted to be more than anything else. 

I encourage anyone to check out when an MS walk is coming near you and go out and support a great cause. My family and I along with so many others would appreciated it more than you know. 

Opening Day

The road to Omaha begins today!

Time to go for back-2-back-2-back National Champions. 

pictures and video via Justin King Media

Go Gamecocks

Valentine's Day

Today a friend/mentor of mine tweeted something that really made me put today in perspective. 

"Lets see, He created flowers, He spoke chocolate into existence, He wrote an amazing love letter & died 4 me...Jesus: the eternal Valentine!" 

Jesus will not forsake us and will love us no matter how much we may sin.

My Valentines Day consisted of chocolate fondue at my Greek Impact Leadership Ladies bible study followed by seeing The Vow with my Kappa sisters. Couldn't imagine a more perfect way to spend my night. 

Cinnamon Toast Crunch cupcakes I made for family and friends via Pinterest

Fruity Pebble Rice Krispie Treats for bible study via Pinterest

"We love because he first loved us"

1 John 4:19

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

Philippians 4

       These past two weeks have been filled with great anxiety coming from school to sorority stuff to friendships. Its hard being away from my parents during times like this because sometimes just a phone call isn't good enough. I told a friend of mine some of the stuff that has been on my mind lately and she immediately turned in her bible to Philippians 4 so I though I would share the verse she showed me.


 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4: 4-9

       This passage has given me comfort during those times when I am feeling most anxious about something. Instead of letting those feelings of anxiety overwhelm me I REJOICE in to Lord, knowing that the God of peace will be with me. 

Happy 2012!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

from my family to yours!

Fratty Fall Retreat

     Sorry this post has been so late coming but life has been a little hectic lately...

     Halloween weekend a group of us with Greek Impact headed to Pigeon Forge, TN for Fall Retreat. The whole point of the weekend was to experience authentic community and just to have fun supporting our Gamecocks at the game on Saturday. I would say we accomplished all that we set out to. 
     This weekend allowed me to have a little mini vacation from school and escape all of the things that were stressing me out. School has officially taken over and I don't see it letting up any time soon with the end of the semester quickly approaching. An escape to the mountains allowed me to take in the beauty of God's creation and brought me back to Him when I truly need Him most.  
     Joel, one of our leaders for Greek Impact, spoke on Saturday morning on The Rich Ruler found in Luke 18:18. In the passage the man seems to have a distorted view of himself, of who Jesus is, of God's law, and of life. In verse 18 he asks Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The man believes that good actions that out way the bad will cause us to have eternal life. The man also calls Jesus "good" and Jesus simply responds "No one is good--except God alone." Even knowing that only God alone is good we must still rightly seek God for who He is knowing that we will vastly fall short. We must also realize that we will never be able to achieve His list of the 10 commandments and He knows this, which is why God has provided us a way to live without achieving the list. 

     Eternal life starts when we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ!

I encourage you to read the story about The Rich Ruler (Luke 18: 18-30) and afterwards ask yourself these questions:

1. How do you view yourself? How do you think God views you?

2. Who is Jesus to you?

3. What is it that is keeping you from having a real intimate relationship with your creator?

4. How do I view Christian life?

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" Romans 5: 1-5