Should a Wiser One Take My Place?

Now that I am growing up I am starting to fully understand the importance of Christmas and the everyday lessons we can take away from this season. Christmas is not about the presents, its not about shopping and trying to provide outlandish gifts for our family. Christmas is about love.

When looking at Christmas I like to look at Mary the Mother of Jesus. This Girl must have been pretty awesome. Mary was a normal girl around my age (20) probably a little younger. She was living out her NORMAL life, engaged to Joseph, but God still used Mary. God used this NORMAL girl to do something unbelievable. God used Mary to carry his son. I can only imagine the fear that Mary must have felt. She truly let God be in control of the situation and put 100% faith in him.

In doing my blog reading today I came across this quote that truly captures what God wants us to take away from this Christmas season. "Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts" (Janice Maeditere). As we continue to this new year we need to really open our hearts to the things God is showing us. Through the opening of our hearts we can truly experience the gift of Christmas, the Gift of Jesus being sent to this earth for you and for me. Mary's heart was open to the position God wanted her in. Open your heart to where God has you today, and really seek his direction for your life in this coming year. There is not a wiser one to be in the position you are in, because God has you exactly where he wants you to be.

I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.

xoxo,

Mindy

Tis the Season

Tis the season for hustle and bustle.

Tis the season for Christmas vacation.

Tis the season to celebrate Christs birth, family, friends, and love.

Tis the season for me to start blogging again.

I have just finished my first semester as a Junior. I had all major classes except for one. Lets just say THANK YOU GOD I got through this semester. It was a struggle grade wise, but it taught me a few things, and this semester also brought me a few new things in my life.

This semester taught me that its ok not to make all A's. No matter what my grades are, I am still going to accomplish my goals. There is always going to be that one class you just dont grasp, that one professor you just cant stand, and those tests you just cant seem to pass no matter how much study time you put into them. But one thing is still true. I am still going to graduate ASU. I am still going to find a job (crossing fingers) helping families be the best they can be for there little ones, and Im still going to have an awesome support system behind me telling me that I am going to get there.

Though this semester started off on shifting ground I did not know what God had in store for me. I became Prayer Chair of my sorority, and have grown so much closer to Christ leading a bible study each week with a group of girls. I am so excited about this semesters book bible study that I can hardly stand it. It is going to be great! We are going to be reading the book "A Jewel in His Crown." I know we are all going to be challenged to live a life of excellence that we are called to this semester.

This semester also brought me 35 new sisters! I am so excited about having that many new sisters and I love them all to death! They are a great group of young women and they all have a great passion for God. It is so awesome to see how excited they are about being apart of SAO. It reminds me just how excited I was when I first joined, and the reasons why I want to be apart of this group of girls.

I also was blessed with two very special littles. They are the best! (I know I am a little biased) But seriously these girls are great. They both are very talented and both have a great relationship with God. I am thankful to call them my SAO family. I knew it from the start of things that I wanted these girls because of the bond we shared. We already have so many stories, adventures, and laughs that no one would ever understand.

One more thing the semester brought me (and Im probably going to get "in trouble" for blogging about it) is a guy.Meet Marcus. I was not looking for him when I found him, but Im very thankful that we took the time to get to know each other. We fit together very well and we support each others goals in life.

Now that I am home I am enjoy laughs and lots of family time. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family. They are full of support no matter what I do in life. They provide me with a sense of understanding that God already has it all planned out so you should live your life and not worry about what anyone else thinks of you. We chase christmas lights hunting for the biggest trees, the craziest decorations, and even the lights that go with the music. I truly enjoy being home and growing up like I have. I am so thankful that I can call both of my parents and my sister my best friends and enjoy every moment I can with them during this break.

If someone would have told me how the semester was going to end up in August I would have laughed at them. I am truly thankful for every situation I've ever been put into because it has pointed me to the person that I am growing into. It is teaching me how to deal with different situations and how to grow from different things. I love looking at God putting the pieces of my life together and reminding me that He has everything under control and its not up to me. I promise bloggers this next semester will not be as challenging since I've gotten one behind me with all major classes and I'll make time to blog on a regular basis. Stay with me I havent forgotten you guys yet!

Love,

Mindy

Season Premiere

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF FALL!
Its one of my favorite times of the year. Yellow, Red, and Orange trees spread across campus bring smiles to my face daily. The crisp cool air that allows you to wear cute cardigans, boots, and scarves, and drink endless amounts of coffee-guilt free.
This year as I look at this transition to Fall, I being to think of my new season of life. This is not the season of singleness, this is what I like to call the season of Contentment. With this transition of the real seasons, my personal seasons are also changing. I have found it very easy since my last post to find contentment in where God has placed me in my life. I am hopeful, yet awaiting my time. I am happy for my friends and loved ones who have found their happiness and I use that as a way to personally grow until I meet someone.
"The thing I’m learning is that in order to fully experience the beauty of life, we have to be willing to trade where we’ve been for where we’re going." (The Single Woman) I have been through so much in the past couple of months. Places I never thought my life would go, positions I never thought I could do, and picking up pieces I thought I could never put back together. But God is one great healer and he "knows the plans." He is the author of my story and I have finally given him back his pen.
So with this season premiere of fall 2011, I plan to close the book on my Summer, and fully invest in what God is wishing to do in my life this year. I am going to continue my current obligations, and prepare myself for when its Gods time and also have a blast along the way.

Love,
Mindy

HOLD FAST

This past month God has just been hitting me in the face with things that I have been personally struggling with. No matter where I go I learn a little something that I can apply, something that speaks to me, or something that makes me go "MINDY that was SO GOD!"
The past few months have been a constant struggle for me to find contentment in God's timing for my life. I am such a planner that I want to take away the pen from God's hand. I need to give it back to him, because he knows so much more than what my two little eyes can see. I have had downfalls, shortcomings, and days I just want to give up. That is when God steps in.
I was home the other Sunday from college and a woman who's faith I admire so much told me "well hold fast God has something better in store." Those words were not just about my singleness. Those words were about my life. God has a great plan for it, and I have to give him complete control of the pen. As I look over my life, and where I want to go in the future I know what I want...but what is God calling me to do??? I can only find that when I hand back over the pen.
As I sit in my apartment doing my devotion night after night I have constantly read that we must use our singleness as a time of learning. Learning to carry out our current obligations. My obligation right now is to serve God, attend classes, family, sorority life, and friends. One of my devotions this week was on Rebekah and how she was able to meet God's appointment for her life because she was carrying out her current obligations. Rebekah agreed to marry Isaac a man she had never met after watering his servants camels. Rebekah and Isaac were miles apart during this time, the journey to each other was not an easy one. Rebekah went to this well every night so the night she met Isaac's servant was not anything out of the ordinary. Her willingness to help serve others put her in the right place at the right time for God to match her with Isaac.
As I try to relate this to today's world I realize that we all have our own camels to water. We all have those that we are called to serve according to God, and if we focus on our current obligations instead of our singleness than God is going to put someone in our lives at the right time.
I have been blessed with a wonderful roommate who is going through the same heartache that I am going through. She relates, she understands, and we laugh about our singleness (because what else can you do). Every time I am on the brink of having a meltdown she can tell. She knows my heart, she knows my desires about Love. Just like God. Though we dont like being single-we long for that intimacy, that friendship, and that love , its actually a blessing to have each other because we get to sit and talk with one another, we get to pray for one another, and pray for the others future husbands. We have many late night conversations, but last night we were talking about how God prepares your heart for your future husband or wife. My roommate brought up a wonderful point that I have reflected on the whole day. Though my mind may say "ok I want to find my husband," and I feel like my heart is prepared to meet him, God may still be working in that young mans heart. We have no clue where they are in there lives, so we must carry out our current obligations, be steadfast in prayer, and hold fast because God is going to bless us in so many ways. Now, I am not saying that my heart is prepared yet, because I know it is not. God still has so many things to work on in my heart to prepare me for that special man. But I know I must wait on the Lord, God's timing not mine. God's purpose for my life, not my plan.

Love,
Mindy

Living out Proverbs 19:21

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is from Proverbs 19:21. This verse says "many are the plans in a mans heart, but it is only the Lords purpose that prevails." I have found this verse to be so true in my life through different situations, but NEVER has played out in such a way as it has this week. This week was a very hard, stressful, and confusing week. Its not going to be 100% better next week or the next, but one day the Lords will will prevail and I will understand why I've had to go through the things I've gone through this week.
As I have said on here before I have had one other serious relationship before B. I do know what heart ache has felt like and I have used it to help my friends get through challenging times in their lives. Now that I am experiencing it all over again I am now getting all the advice I once gave them back. And its a lot harder to hear that to say. I do have hope and a heart full of faith that God is not going to give me anything that I cannot handle. I know that Gods plan is so amazing that I just cant even picture it.
Its like when you were a little girl and you dreamed of meeting Cinderella at Disney, when you finally met her she was just as beautiful, just as amazing as you always pictured her to be. But while you were getting to Disney you couldnt even think of how it would be. Thats how my God love story is going to be.
I was so in love with a boy that I can not even begin to describe the Love I am going to feel for my husband one day. People I tell you ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING. So hubs if your reading this get ready for some Mindy lovin!
I dont regret anything, I know this has taught me a lot. It has taught me trust, commitment, and how to love and be a best friend to the person you are in a relationship with. Though my plans didnt come out of this I know Gods plan is going to be so MUCH better than what I can picture for my life.

Pray for Big things-God always wins,
Love
Mindy

Dear Husband

I have started reading "Praying for my Future Husband, Preparing your heart for his" and it is such an awesome book. In this book there was a prayer at the end of the chapter about is your future husband a GOD lover. This prayer really spoke to me and I thought I would share it with you. I am beginning to pray for my husband from the "garden" of my heart. Jesus is the branch and I his daughter is the vine.

"Dear Lord Jesus, its so amazing that You can see my future husband now. You know him.
You love him. Lord, since You know the man You have designed for me, I pray that any other relationship will be unappealing to him. I pray that if he is giving away a part of his heart, his emotions, or his body, You will show him Your better way.
Most of all I pray he'll be a God Lover. Not only do I ask that You distract and keep him from other, harmful relationships but also that You draw him closer to You. May his heart be so full of You that he doesnt need anything, anyone else...until the time You appoint to bring me into his life.
And for every day of his life, hold him in the palm of your hand. Amen." (Praying for your future Husband)

a lesson in patience

This week one of my best friends, roommates, and sorority sisters came and stayed a few days with me. I have not seen her in what seemed like forever, and when we are around each other we are always bound to get into a deep conversation with each other about our lives. Though I will not be putting up the details of that conversation up here, I will tell you that God is working in both of our lives with patience, but in very different ways.
I am learning that my time will come, and though its not my season of blissfulness at the moment it may be someone else time. I know the goals that I want to get out of life, but its all about Gods timing and his will being met.
Right now I am ordering a book called "Praying for my Future Husband" and while reading the blog of the author I found this quote that describes what I am going through.

"Give Him time to do great things. The greater the work He plans, the greater the prayer preparation that may be necessary, including prayer for guidance. God often waits so that He can be even more gracious." Wesley L. Duewel

Maybe right now is not my time, but God is going to be even more gracious when it comes my time. Maybe things are not looking my way now, but when God provides he provides better than I ever imagined. Thank you God, for providing for me despite my gift of patience. I ask that you help me be content and enjoy the moments that you are giving me, and the days that you are blessing me with instead of trying to control the future for myself. Your plan will be done in my life, you will fight for me. I just need to be still.

Let the children come

Yesterday marked the first reason why I am doing summer camp this summer. Yesterday was a monumental day in my life as well as the life of three of my campers.
As we were sitting in our small groups (bible study) and I was doing the lesson, my first and second graders were asking me really good questions about God. They asked how he could just be here and not come from anything. They asked how Jesus and God were two different people. These questions made me think, but they also challenged me to give them the very best answer that I could give them. These questions gave me a flash back to the night I asked Jesus come into my life while sitting in the living room with my mom and dad after asking these same type questions. I responded to my campers that many times these questions are reasons why people are not in Gods family, because they do not have hard evidence on how God was here, but that is where faith comes in. I shared with them my favorite bible verse in Hebrews "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not yet see." (vs. 11:1)
Yesterday was a hard day for me, I could have easily walked up to my boss and told them that I could not do this anymore, that I was done with summer camp. Yesterday I disrespected in so many ways by one of my children that it broke me down and I allowed Satan to tell me that I couldnt do this anymore. After the bible study and talking with three of my campers I will not focus on Satan. I know "satan does not win" and he should not win in my life. Yesterday my faith in things not see was the faith that I would make a difference in my campers lives this summer. By living out Gods love in my life and showing a Christian spirit and lifestyle three of my campers asked Jesus to come into their hearts. They asked to have a relationship with God. As I prayed prayers with each one of my campers and spoke with them about the decisions that they made, I was filled with JOY that the kingdom of God was Celebrating just as I was Celebrating for my campers. As I watched each one of them tell their parents grinning from ear to ear with excitement-I know I am here for a reason, and that reason is to share the love of Christ to my campers, so that more came become imitators of God.
I pray that these children will continue to build their christian principles and values, and will continue to strengthen their relationships with Christ. I pray that God will continue to bless me in helping me live out my faith daily, and be examples for them. I also pray that you too are being imitators of God for the little children watching you in your life. Let the children come to the lord, and walk by faith.

Love,
Mindy

Busy Bees

Hey Bloggers,
So sorry it has been forever since I have updated. But I have real reasons as to why I havent had the time.
1. Fathers day:
I love my father and all the wonderful encouragement he gives me each and everyday. He has truly been one of the many reasons I am who I am today. He models Gods love in his life and makes me strive to live my life for God daily.
2. Two and a half years:
I celebrated two and a half years with the boyfriend last week. I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life and very thankful for being introduced to him. As I have written before I had just come out of a bad break up when I met him, but he took the time and showed me what love really is. I love our friendship, our relationship, and our love. I am glad God has blessed us with each other.
3. WORK WORK WORK:
I am working as a summer camp consular at a church in a near town. I LOVE it, but the hours are LONG. I get very discouraged many weeks and allow satan in my life consuming negative thoughts and attitudes about my job, but I have been praying for a spirit filled with joy and positivity radiating through me. I have had many reasons why I should not be doing what I am doing this summer because of selfishness, but when I feel a child wrap their arms around me giving me a big hug goodbye-I know its worth it, when i see a child singing in chapel with their arms raised praising God- I know I am making a difference, when I hear the excitement in their voice when they say my name in the morning-I know God has me here for a specific reason.

clothe yourself in good fruit

Growing up in church the fruit of the spirits is something that has constantly been drilled into my head. At summer camp this summer we are studying the Fruit of the spirit, and how our lives should look with them in it. When I first heard that we were learning about this I was not too over joyed. But little did I know though these fruits have been drilled into my life every year since I can remember, they now mean something so much more to me. It is how my life should be each and everyday. Not only am I studying these fruit with my children who are eager to learn God's word, I am also having them apply to my life.
How are you wearing these fruits in your life?

Give me Faith

These past few weeks I have been dreading the start of work, a summer camp day camp where I will be a consoler with 20 1^st and 2^nd graders from 8-6 every day. I have dreaded driving to the meetings only to not have anyone to talk to because I was the only one who didn’t know anyone there,. I have dreaded the hours of work that I will be getting also including a summer class, boyfriend, and a life outside of that. I have dreaded having to do something all day everyday for the rest of my summer with no vacations and that put a lot of bitterness in my heart. I kept saying God why could I not find this job, or why could this job not have come available earlier to me. I have questioned the place God has put me in every moment of every day.

As I got ready tonight for our open house I still questioned it. When putting on a BRIGHT NEON orange T-shirt that was required for the staff to wear I kept saying “I look like a highlighter” “I don’t want to go to this” “I don’t want to do this” I made statement after statement about how this isn’t where I was supposed to be because I did not know anyone before interring into this task. When I walked into the church building tonight I still felt the same way, still filled with anger that I had chosen this as my summer job because I was not going to have any free time or any time to do anything for me.

I set up my room with papers that the parents should receive and then I waited. I began to pray and ask God to change my heart. I could not sit and get these children and parents excited about summer camp when all I wanted to do was run to the nearest exit, hop in my car and drive home. I asked God to do a work in me and soften my heart. One by one as the children came to pick up there stuff for camp I was beginning to realize why God placed me here. I will be dealing with children this summer and teaching them about how wonderful God is. Each one of them has a purpose in this world and a place and I hope that I will begin to help them see that their hope is in God.

After meeting the children we had to attend the church’s Sunday night worship. I was still not enthused about this because still I was new, I didn’t know anyone and being a pastors child when visiting churches I always have my family right with me. As the worship team started singing I heard a familiar song…

“I need you to soften my heart
To break me apart
I need you to open my eyes
To see that You're shaping my life
Give me faith to trust what you say
That you're good and your love is great
I'm broken inside, I give you my life”

This is what I have done this summer, I have given my life to God to do his work and help change the lives of my campers. Through God I can make a HUGE impact in everyone that I come in contact with. No more bad attitudes, no more questioning, God has given me the faith to take this new step and this new experience.

attitude of graditude

This week something horrible has consumed my life. My attitude.
My attitude has been negative about work starting up: no more free time, harder to spend time with my family and boyfriend. My attitude has also been bad toward school: i have a summer class online-its not as easy as I thought it would be. Tuition is about to start piling in and loans must be made in order for me to attend. And this week I have also put myself down way too many times.
I now know the true meaning behind that old quote "attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." My attitude has not been what it should be. I need to refocus and look to God more than I have this week and its only Wednesday.
I personally feel that our attitude is one thing that we sometimes let Satan control even though we may not realize it. If we give our attitudes to God, and let him shine through us during each situation then we will be bigger witnesses for him. Its also nice during those times to sit down from what your doing and just pray to God to help you change your attitude about a certain situation and let him give you the words or the wisdom to know what to do during those circumstances.

Love,
Mindy

What it Means to Love

How could I forget Your face
When all it took was just one day
For me to see it wasn't ordinary
I could never be the same

You took my hand and led the way
I didn't even know Your name
But something happened deep inside me
And I knew life would have to change

So how could I go back to life as usual
And how could I return to who I once was
I just want to take your story to the world
'Cause you have shown me what it means to love

You healed the sick, You calmed the sea
But Your heart was for the least of these
You came to love the lost and broken
Your cross has set the captive free

So how could I go back to life as usual
And how could I return to who I once was
I just want to take your story to the world
'Cause you have shown me what it means to love

Now I no longer live for myself
Your words are so clear
Help me live it loud enough so they can hear

So how could I go back to life as usual
And how could I return to who I once was
I just want to take your story to the world
'Cause you have shown me what it means to love
-Meredith Andrews
"What it means to Love"

Thankful

I am back from New York and from visiting college friends and ready to get into the blogging world again. It has taken me a while to also think about what I wanted to say/how I wanted to say these things. A week without writing will do you in thats for sure...so here it goes.

Many of my posts have been about friendships and community, but one community I have not talked about in great detail is the community that I was born into-My Family. I have been blessed beyond measure to have a wonderful and supportive family unit. This week I have come to realize how even more blessed I am to be apart of my family.

While in New York, I have gotten to laugh, cry and push myself to the limit with walking with my family. I have gotten in arguments with my sister and five minutes later we are fine. We talk about how we would never be good Amazing Race partners due to our dispiutes but maybe they would take us just for entertainment. We have laughed at the different ways we can smile, the crazy comments that come out of my mouth (things that I don’t even think about before I say). We have enjoyed each other’s company and just being together.

I am also glad that my family is so welcoming to my boyfriend to make him feel like one of us. Its tuff stuff to be a Hill, and he fits in just fine. He packs up apartments with my Dad like a pro, he makes comments about how I need to try my food of a weird color before I decide that I don’t like it like my sister, and he can pull jokes like them best of them on any of us. I could not ask for anyone to fit in better to our family than Brett does. He goes with the flow during the moments he needs to and cares for everyone that cares for us.

The main reason I got to go to New York was to see my sister graduate from Columbia University with her Masters Degree in Social Work. She completed this degree in one year and that just makes me so very proud of her. Not only did she pack up her whole life in one van and drive up to New York one July night to embark on this Journey she finished it strong and will be one amazing Social Worker. Paula has taught me many things in my life, but being a caring individual is one of the biggest things she has taught me. Paula has taught me to Love people til it hurts and then someone. I know we are so very different, but if I can at least be half as great as a person she is when I am her age, I’ll be doing great.

I have looked up to her my whole life. She is such an example to me of how to live without letting fear get the best of you. She could have told God that she wasn’t going to embark on the journey of Columbia due to financial reasons, distance from home, and the fear of being in a HUGE city without knowing anyone but she didn’t not put a limit to the plan that God had for her and she still isn’t.

As I type this I think about the quote “Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams"

Live your life without limits. Don’t set limits for God, because he has HUGE plans for you. If you tell God you cannot do something (in my experience) your more than likely going to be doing it. Take the leap of faith, trust God and his perfect plan for your life, and live radically for him while doing it.

Remember:
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Many are the plans in a mans heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails" Proverbs 19:21

Love,
Mindy

This week...

I will be...

here. In NEW YORK CITY!
I will get to watch my sister get her Masters Degree in Social Work from Colombia University, and enjoy LOTS of family time and enjoying the beautiful city.
Loads of fun about to happen!!!

These Days

I get emails sent from She Seeks Ministries each week. This morning I finally checked my email and I opened up this video from Mandisa, These Days. This song spoke straight straight to me. I have focused on the crazy stuff that has happened during the days that I have been blessed with. This song has put a challenge to me to be grateful for the days that I have been given, though there may be ups and downs Love each day you have been given.

I hope this song challenges you too!

Mountains and Valleys

This week has been CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY and it has also been filled with many high and exciting times, and also lows that I was just ready for the summer to be over (though I dont know why, I love summer.)

Mountains or my Highlights:

• I got to see two of my girlfriends from school on Wednesday.
• I got to go to an awesome concert and have tons of fun.
• I got to sleep late!
• I tweeted Ashley Spivey from the Bachelor and she tweeted me back and then scream outloud like a little girl when I saw it.
  
• I found out that Mac's were on sale at Best Buy (like $60 off)-I am now in debt for the rest of the summer. (that goes both ways mountain and valley)

• I am one day closer to seeing my sister get her Masters Degree, and also spend time with her and my family in New York.

Valleys or my lows:

• This week, I have had a really bad attitude
• I have not focused on the things that I should, instead I have gotten mad over simple things that should have not been a big deal.

So tonight as the new week begins and an old week ends I am looking back at the mountains and the valleys that I have climbed over this week. And to reward myself for getting throw it alive cause like I said it was CRAZY, not just for me but for all included, I am watching Tangled. I have been wanting to see this movie so badly, and now I finely get the chance. I have heard great things, so I hope it can live up to its expectations.

Love,
Mindy

Things Im Missing...

They say you leave your family and go off to school to create a family of your own. My first year of college I did not have that family feeling, but this year I have a family in Boone. I have a support system that at any time I can call them and say "hey you wanna hang out" and me and my girlfriends will go get coffee, watch movies, shop, or just have fun spending time together. I am so blessed to have this, because this type of community is what makes your college experiences.These are the times that you will sit and tell your children about. These are the people that your children will meet and call your family friends one day.

Now I am home for the summer, and my friends are hours away, and my family is at work everyday all day. My job has not started yet so boredom and loneliness has kicked in. I am very much a people person, and I love being around others the majority of my day. Dont get me wrong, I LOVE BEING HOME! but I am missing my community that I formed in Boone. I am missing the "hey girl you wanna hangouts" that will appear on my phone at any random moments throughout the day. I am missing the laughter with my girlfriends, the tears when we think that we wont pass a class, or we cant get through a project or a relationship problem. I am missing the support of good girlfriends that I know will be there anytime I need them.
I got to reunite with two of my girlfriends on Wednesday and it was oh so good for the soul. I loved every moment of spending time with them! We shared many laughs, many stories, and many memories as we were helping fight childhood cancer while listening to some of our favorite country singers.

Though it was a short time with my friends, I know we will plan another adventure before the summer is over. I thank God for my community and the relationships that I have established at school. It is so nice to finally see how happy I am with the decisions I've made about schools, and how God provides for those that trust his guidance.

.
Katie, Me, and Holly before the concert.

Me and My boy enjoying the concert

our favorite singer of the night. Chris Young <3

praying for Humility

This year I was introduced to Elevation Church through my sorority and also the new Elevation Global:Appstate that is now on campus. I have fallen in LOVE! I love the sermons that Pastor Steven Furtick brings each week. This church is based out of Charlotte, NC but has several Global sites as well. Since Charlotte is a drive I am unable to attend on Sunday's but I always watch the sermons online each week. This week, Pastor Stevens wife, Holly brought the message and boy was I inspired.

The sermon before Pastor Steven said "Before you can speak life into someone, you have to be humble." Holly talked about how to live out humility and be Jesus in our relationships.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
-Philippians 2:1-3

In our relationships we must embrace humility. We must strive to serve others and be Jesus. We sometimes use the excuse that they were not doing this or they didnt treat me this way, why should I be Jesus to them? Jesus humbled himself to serve others, and God lifted him up. As we humble ourselves to serve others God will be there to lift you up too. "You be Jesus, and let God be God. God is asking you to be Jesus in every relationship you are in. Friendship, roommate, marriage, dating, and even family. You be Jesus, and God will work on your behalf.

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
-Philippians 2: 12-13

Be Jesus, and Let God be God.
Pray along with me for Humility to be filled in your life and relationships.

Love,
Mindy

W.O.W

My Mom loves the phrase "Wow is Mom spelled upside down." She loves it so much she even has a tshirt with the saying on it. When she first got it I totally thought it was the corniest but she loved it. She signs all her emails and texts to me and my sister Wow. Not mom. Not her name. WOW.
Truth be told she is a WOW mom! What makes a wow mom you ask? well here we go.
A WOW MOM is...

1. Someone who sits at all your ballgames from 1st grade to 11th grade with no complaints
2. Someone who will drive you, pick you up and take you to practice, tryouts, and then sit with you when you dont make the team.
3. Someone who will stay up late to finish your science fair project and let you go to sleep.
4. Someone who helps everyone before she helping herself
5. Someone who after you get her on the phone, you can sit and tell all your problems too
6. Someone who as you right this comes into your room and sits on your bed to tell you something funny she saw on tv.
7. Someone who encourages me to do my best, and everything will work out.
8. Someone who you can send your math homework too and she will look over it for you.
9. Someone who will walk allover the mall to help you find a prom dress that looks just right.
10. And someone who is your best friend.

Motherhood is not easy, but my mom has done a great job raising two daughters and working as a middle school teacher. I have had a great example of what a mom is and how I should be as a mom when I have children.
Though we had many detours on family vacations to see covered bridges, and back roads she has always made them enjoyable. Esepically when we were both told to be quiet by my dad, but all we could do was laugh. My mom has taught me the art of peeing in my pants when I laugh too hard, and also how to be a woman. My mom has displayed a woman who loves the Lord all throughout my life, and has help mold me into the Godly woman I am today.

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

Celebrate your moms today!

Love,
Mindy

To have and to Hold

I have now realized that many of my friends come to me for relationship advice. It has happened all my life even when I was the one who had never had a boyfriend, never even held a boys hand, they still yearned for my opinions of what they were going through. I am going to start a series of blogs about relationships advice and my opinions. I am by no means the expert when it comes to Love, Love lost, and Love regained, but I have been through it all first hand. I hope these blogs help you by showing you what true love really is like and how we as believers should be willing to die for Christ.

To have and To hold...
I hear many of my single friends say they NEED a boyfriend. I always tell them you do not NEED a boyfriend. Happiness does not come from guys. Happiness should not come from having a boy that you call up every night or go out on dates with. Yes guys and boyfriends bring all those things but bringing yourself happiness is how you do that yourself. I find simple pleasure in reading a good book on my bed. Or watching a movie with my girlfriends. As a human we are made to want that inmate close loving relationship with the opposite sex but we do not NEED it.
I want to point this out though:
To have and to hold love in any relationships we have is important. We must love our Neighbors, love our enemies, love our family, love our friends, and most importantly love our God. We must first have a relationship with him and him alone. This relationship between you and God will become so strong that when another person inters it what a wonderful day that will be. They will bring out new points in the scriptures that you never thought of, and you will build them up in Christs word. Your two relationships with Christ will blend but it all starts with one solid foundation with you and your creator. Holding onto these principles will bring you closer to you and to the one of the opposite sex that God has designed you for. Hold on to these beliefs and capture them in your heart. You were made to crave relationships.
Holding love in your heart will help you build up your relationships with people. We can all think about the one person that is always negative about life. Hold onto love, speak Godly words and aspirations into peoples hearts and let them know you have faith in who they can be.

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.
Oscar Wilde

Hoarding

I am sure by now, you have all seen a episode or a preview of TLC's show Hoarding: buried alive by now. Well that is what I feel like I am right now. I packed all my stuff up out of my apartment between Friday-Monday and brought it all back home. Thankfully we have a basement and all of my big furniture can stay down there for the summer. But trying to figure out what can be stored and what you need for the summer is one hard task.
I am a girl that always likes to have her options. On vacations I always have the biggest suitcase, and clothes that I dont even remember that I brought on the trip-even if its just three days. I can not just pack up what I know I will need and use it. I feel like I have to have everything. Growing up my Dad used to tell me I did not have to bring the whole house. But now I really do have to bring the whole apartment because I will be moving into a different apartment next year. I can not even be in my room for long periods of time because it makes me sick with the stacks that I have in there right now.
Though I will get it worked back into my room and everything will find its place it takes time and I will have to dedicate time to doing it.

Fight Like a Girl

No, This post will not talk about the battle with Cancer that many women these days are fighting, but this post will talk about my fight to get through my Sophomore year of College without a mental break down and keeping my faith.
I want to first off say my Sophomore year despite a few things has been amazing. And this is why.
1. I LOVE ASU
I would not want to be anywhere else. I love the college, my professors, my major, and I love Boone. I love waking up and seeing the work of God as I go to classes. I love how close I am to go home or my parents can come up. I love how Boone reminds me of my own home and I dont mind staying here a few weeks at a time. I love parkway dates and what will soon become Frolicking Fridays with my new roommates next fall.
2. I Have yet again Survived another year of Distance
Me and Brett have survived our second school year in a long distance relationship, and we are doing great. I love that he tries to come up twice a month. I love that he LOVES Boone just as much as I do. I love that he is getting involved in my college life, being friends with my friends, and enjoying my experiences with me and also encouraging me on my bad days.
3. I Gained EVEN MORE SISTERS
I love my sister but she is very far away this year in New York. I have gained so many girls in Sigma Alpha Omega that feel like my real sisters. I can cry with them, I can laugh with them, I can be silly with them, and I even grown in my relationship with God with them. I am so glad that I joined this great God filled organization. I am already praying for the new girls that I'll meet next year and hope I can be just as amazing as the sisters were to me this year!

This year has not been rainbows and butterflies by any means. I have had struggles everyday. I have been mocked because of my faith and my morals. I have been beaten down. But I fought to make it through. On Friday, I thought that I was not going to be able to take much more, but again thanks to my sisters, my boyfriend, and my mom and dad: I pushed through.
Tonight I read a verse that helped ease my mind about this whole situation. It comes from Matthew 5:10 and it reads "blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." God has given me the kingdom of heaven because I have been persecuted for my faith, for my morals and for how I live my life according to Gods will. Not many my age are living their life daring to ask God to radiate through every situation. Though I know that many situations I could have handled better than I did this year, I feel that it has been a growing experience for me. I have been hurt in so many ways, and continued to love. And that is what we as Christians are called to do.
My sister put this quote up on her blog the other day and I fell in love with it. It sums of Christianity and what we as believers are called to do.

"No one can be to the people in your life who you can be to them. No one can offer what you can offer. There are many things God calls us to do, but loving well always comes first. The relationships with the people in your life must be fought for." -Captivating

Be Jesus to Someone despite the pain they have caused you. Be their light during their darkness. We are called to Love and to Love with our full heart. Go out and be Jesus today, and let him fight along with you during your weaker days.

Love,
Mindy

My faith Story

Last semester my sorority was voting between two books they wanted to study for our bible studies this semester. They were between Sun Stand Still by Steven Furtick and The Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel. Both books sounded very interesting to me and I was happy with either way the vote turned out. Sun Stand Still won the vote, and the book was life changing. After reading the book, I knew that I wanted to dive right into another book study on my own. I choose The Christian Atheist to see what it was all about.
In reading the first chapter of this book I knew that it is going to be life changing, and I want to encourage you blog readers as I read this book. We are all sometimes Christian Atheists that do not realize we are one. A Christian Atheists is as defined by Groeschel is where people believe in God but live as if he does not exist. When I first read this sentence I was said to myself, this doesnt define me. I go to church, I read my bible, I pray, I do good deeds but my friends Christianity is SO much more than going to church, reading the bible, praying and doing good deeds. And that is where your faith story comes in. Many people look the part of a christian, but they have not fixed their hearts on a full and complete relationship with God.
As I was reading in The Woman I am Becoming, T. Susan Eller talks about our faith story. She points out three principles of faith:
1. Faith is meant to be personal.
Our faith should be our own. It should not fall into the beliefs of others nor built on sermons you've never investigated for yourself. Faith defines who you are. You could relate to the good girl, always doing right, growing up in church your whole life, and striving to please God in everything you do. Or you could have a different story...you could have known about God, made a lot of mistakes, and then found God again. Eller points out that you must find the depths and heights of knowing God.
2. Faith can withstand intellectual exploration
There is plenty of room for doubt and questions about God and Christianity. Our story will forever be a growing process for our walks with Christ.
3. Faith isnt about your goodness.
Faith is not about YOU. You have "been crucified with Christ" and you are now to let God show you how to identify yourself completely with him. Our faith is not about pleasing God, it is about learning how to trust him with our whole hearts. You and I become smaller as he becomes larger in our lives. Spending time alone with God becomes our tradition because we gain our strength from those hours. When we approach God, we find what we need. We dont have to pretend, or wear masks, or walk in with shame. God loves us despite our weakness and wants us to trust him through the pain.

Your story has already began, now it is time to listen to it. God already knows what is going on daily in your life. Find the strength, encouragement, maturity, and peace through faith with him. You will also see new paragraphs unfold, questions emerge, and exclamation points that you want to shout HALLELUIAH about, but God will be with your through every step.

"And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."
-from 2 Corinthians 3

Love,
Mindy

The Easter Basket I never Got...

Growing up your parents choose how they want their family to celebrate each Holiday. My parents choose for me and my sister to experience Santa, but they choose a different route during Easter. They choose for us not to get Easter baskets, and teach us the real meaning of this Holiday. I am not saying they do not think just because you got or get an Easter basket means you do not know the true meaning of why we Celebrate Easter, but this is something that the two of them decided together when both me and my sister were younger.
Throughout our years, me and my sister have joked about how we were "deprived" children because our parents never got us an Easter basket. I think we may have ONE picture with a basket on Sunday Morning. It was one basket for us to share and consisted of candy. But that is it. When we joke about it my Mom says "Do you really think yall would believe a BUNNY hopped into the house to bring you stuff?" As I grew older, and also grew in my own faith I believe that my parents made a great decision on not to celebrate the secular side of this Holiday. They want us to experience the true reason for Easter- That Jesus went to be crucified on the cross for me and everyone else and rose from the grave.

the one time we got an Easter Basket Growing up.

This is something I want to pass down to my family, and instill in my children. I want them to have the faith background that I grew up in. I want me and my husband to decide on how we celebrate Holiday's and how we show our children the true meaning. I do not want my children growing up thinking for every Holiday they are supposed to get a earthly gift.
On Easter we are to remember that our gift is God giving up his own son so that We can live in heaven with him one day. Jesus was pierced with our transgressions and while one the cross he forgave people who hated him. He called out to God and said "father forgive them for the do not know what they do."
Would you have taken the place of Jesus during this moment? Would you take nails being hammered into your hands so that the whole world could have salvation from their sins? It is mind blowing to me that when asked that question we immediately say "no" or "i'd have to think it over." Jesus did not think it over, he did not say no. He died for us without hesitation. He rose from the grave to show us that he will be coming again.

He died for you, So live for HIM.
Love,
Mindy

Friends a world away

If you know me, then you know I can not go very long without talking about a mission trip I went on to Kenya the summer after my Senior year in High School. While in Kenya, I met one of my very best friends. Though we are so far apart and we can only communicate through facebook, twitter, and skype and any other social media site we might find in the near future our friendship is still strong. I know that if I come to him asking him for prayer, he will pray for me and the same for him.
I am in awe of the fact that praying for someone in a different country means there is always prayer for you happening. When all of us American's are asleep, I know there is someone across a huge body of water, lifting up my name in prayer. It is such a comfort to me. I have loved having this experience of having a best friend across country. It has made me stronger in my faith because I see just how strong they are in theirs. I am always reminded to take my burdens to God, and also to seek answers in the bible. Though its hard not being able to pick up the phone and call my friend, I know if I need him I can pick up my computer send a message and I will hear back as soon as he gets it.
Julius, is working on a music album with some other great Kenyan boys I had the privilege of getting to know that summer. They all have such a great relationship with God, that it makes me want to grow more in my faith just talking to them. They are some great guys, and Kenya's next best rap group! Take a listen to some of their music, and enjoy Kenya! Also be in prayer for them as they travel to preform, and also making there album-which I have been promised to receive a copy three times! I can not wait to have Kenya's biggest group playing through my radio as I travel back and forth to school-So Julius get to steppin!

Meet my best guy friend Julius:

He took me to get French Fries one day!

So We made him try pizza the next night. He feel in LOVE.

Love,
Mindy

Old Journals

Throughout my life I have kept journals or diary's of my most private and personal feelings. Journaling has always helped me just calm down when situations get tough and when I need to get things out. This week as Ive said in my other two blog posts, has been tough. So tonight I wanted to take out my journals and read them and see how God has gotten me through every situation in my life. God has been my constant through everything and he will also get me to the end of Sophomore year. Seeing these Journals not only have shown me what I have experienced but also that I am a strong girl, and I can hold my head up and pray faith filled prayers.

In High School I would always start out my page by writing the verse from my devotion that night at the top of the page.Looking back now it shows me that God has always been there with me through every situation that I wrote about. Most of the verses related somehow or someway to the topic I discussed on that page, and it is amazing to me that at 15 I was so in love with God. I can remember countless rants that I had written about boys I had little crushes on, and then drama of the school day. I fully confided in my journal and put my whole heart into each entry. Reading it now, I still can feel the excitement, the hurt, or the joy that any of the situations I went through caused me through the words that I used. I wrote every detail almost like I was talking to my best friend. Through every heart ache and every Joy my journal has been with me, My GOD has been with me.
I am So glad that my Journals have now become meaningful to my life instead of sappy love poems and crazy boy crushes saying "my life is over" type things. I really had no clue at 15 where God was going to have me at 20 and how God was going to use me during the time in between. Now most of my journaling is shared with you all I do not get into the intense intimate details that I once did when keeping them private. But these journals are helping me grow in my faith by relating everyday situations to God and how he is going to use it some other day-and I hope that they are helping you too.
To all my single Ladies out there Here is acutally something meaningful that I did find in my journal. Still about love, But one great image.

A healthy realtionship with a guy who LOVES God gives me a glimpse
of a part of the LOVE that God has for me.
A guy is not perfect, and never will be.
He is not my Savior. he is not the answer to all my dreams and longings.
I must learn the difference between guys who are healthy emotionally
and spiritually, and guys who are not. And this is Critical:
I must not mistake his opinions for the opinions of God. That guy may never call me
gorgeous or smart or witty. That doesnt change the fact that I am beautiful and smart and funny
and amazing. No matter what a guy says or doesnt say:
GOD IS STILL WILD ABOUT ME!

Remember to be Wild about God, because he is Wild about you!

Also, I would like to welcome one of my dear friends, future roommate, and sister to the blogging world. Check out her blog here and give her some love. She has great things to share with the world.

Love,
Mindy

A few of my Favorite Things

Since my last blog post was a little down in the dumps I figured I would give yall a list of just a few of my favorite things. Yes the list does include rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens. lol. But these are things that give me happiness when I see them throughout the day, or when ever they show up just because God knows I need them.

1. Text messages from a friend when you need them most.

its like though your friend doesnt know what is going on during those moments in your life, they show up when you need them too. I have had many texts this week just when I needed them.

2. Daisy's LOTS and LOTS of Daisy's!

I told my boyfriend when we first started dating that I never wanted him to get my roses, I loved Daisy's. He has stuck by that for two and a half years. I have never gotten a rose. I always get beautiful perfect daisys. They just cheer me up and are so beautiful. I love driving in the country and seeing them grow on the side of the road.

3. I scream You scream We all scream for ICE CREAM!

I could eat it everyday all day. I love it. It is by far by guilty pleasure other than cheesecake. I could eat it in the winter while being out side that is how much I enjoy this wonderful creation.

4. Coffeeeeeeeeeeee!

Coffee is my new guilty pleasure as of this year. And I love that the on campus coffee shops are now starting to do the pictures with the foam. It just makes me so excited to see what picture Im going to get that day. The heart is my favorite because it reminds me that I am loved.

5. I LOVE OLD PEOPLE IN LOVE!

Is this not the most precious thing you've ever seen???? I love it! I can only hope that I can be old one day and still be crazy about the man I marry. I get the biggest smile when I see older couples out and the man still treats the woman like a queen and he enjoys doing it. so dear husband-you better love me like this when we are 90!

6. I love MOVIES:

Movie nights are my favorite nights. If its staying in to watch them or going out to the movie theater I love them. I get lost in a movie. I love to put myself in the characters and just dream.

I hope you have enjoyed a few of my favorite things!
Love,
Mindy

twenty four hours

A lot can happen in just twenty four hours. Emotions can go from extreme highs to really low lows. You never really know what to expect in these hours of your life, what will happen, and what all will take place during that time. You are not guaranteed your next breath, your not guaranteed your next turn down the road-you never know thats why you have to live.
These twenty four hours that I have lived between Monday and Tuesday I have struggled. I have felt like I was on the top of the world with excitement, then hit rock bottom of disappointment. I wasnt disappointed in myself, but disappointed in a prayer that I have been praying all year to be answered the opposite way than I expected. I know that Gods hand is at work, but when you give your all in a prayer and you see it turn out differently and you must now change your prayer, your mentality, and your heart its hard.
In my twenty four hours I have found out about three assignments that are all due by Thursday for my Math 1010 class and a Test next Tuesday upon trying to complete papers, another test for one of my classes, and oh yeah more papers.
I also found out that my Grandpa might be going back to the Hospital due to trouble breathing. Please keep both him and my family in your prayers. We want him to get better, but we do realize that this is a long process.
In the mist of this I am having problems with living arrangements this year. It has been test after test of my faith. Though I have not handled every situation to the best of my ability I know that I have done my all in working through this situation. And all I can say to myself is two weeks, two weeks and I will be home for the summer, I will be out of this environment, and lessons will be learned from this.
So as I said when I began this post I am filled with five hundred different emotions right now. I dont know what to feel. I dont know if it is ok to be disappointed because I know God has a plan that I cant see right now. I want to be happy for my friends, because they are all excited for this new adventure. I want to feel peace about situations I can not control because they are all in Gods will for my life.

But instead of saying "God why is all of this happening in twenty-four hours" I am looking to him. I am seeking his guidance and will for my life. He has a great plan for me. He is not finished with me yet.

You know all of my fears, there's nothing Your eyes can't see
When I tried to give up, Lord, You never gave up on me
I give You all of my hopes and dreams, I lay them down
Of all the places I've looked Your the one truth I have found

Love,
Mindy

until the day I had you...

This post may be all over the place, but I am not wanting to study for my Bio Lab final and I have had words that I really needed to share on here lately but just have not had the time to do it.
Many of my friends that I have been blessed to get to know this year are going through something that I went through two and a half years ago. Something that I never wanted to go through nor want anyone to go through- heartbreak. Going from being perfectly happy with a significant other to that horrible alone feeling, like you have no one in the world. I read countless books during this time telling me to "enjoy my single days" but all I wanted was to feel that love and be able to love in return again. You take advice with a smile and say "thank you" but in your head and heart you know you wont really take it. But to the ladies out there reading this: Take the advice. Enjoy your single days, and Love yourself because thats when you will find someone that will love you too.
God was with me everyday during my alone time and it is the best filling to grow closer to him than anything in the world. "A woman's heart should be so lost in God, that a Man must seek him to find her." I love that verse because how true is that??? As a young christian woman you need to be grounded in your faith and so does your future boyfriend, or spouse and let your two relationships with God merge together. Look for someone who will lift you up in your walk with God, who will not pressure you into doing things. Someone who stands on the same beliefs that you do. Take those beliefs and live them out daily-shine so that everyone can see you are in love with a perfect God.
You know that glow you get when you meet a boy for the first time? The first time you talk to the guy you like and everyone knows somethings up? Well thats how us as Christian women should live daily. We should glow because God is in out heart and we want everyone to know he is there! And this is the time to do that!!!
Though I am not single anymore I am so blessed to be with a great boy for two and a half years. He is a Christian, a hard worker, and he loves unconditionally everyday! I was not ready for him when he walked into my life but he was ready for me. Relationships take time to strengthen and become what me and my boyfriend are today.
God wants to be your best friend. God is ready for you. Are you ready to G.L.O.W. for him????



Now I can not post a blog without including some cute pictures from my sororities formal. Enjoy them and see how we are glowing for God!
LOVE,
Mindy

This Summer....

First off I want to apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I have been so bombarded with school work, sorority functions, and trips home to see my grandpa (but they are all wonderful events that take place in my life). This week...tomorrow actually I have two test, a paper, and a whole lot of places to be. BUT it will be reworded by a wonderful weekend with my boyfriend, Relay for life and Formal with my sisters, and Walking a dog on Sunday with my boyfriend. But right after that I will be flooded yet again with homework, last minute touches on papers, and more places to be. Your probably reading this and thinking ok Mindy if you have so much stuff to do, then why are you blogging? Well I wanted to update you on something exciting that will be happening this summer....

This summer I have been given the opportunity to work at Blaise Baptist Church in Mocksville, NC at their summer children's Camp. I am so excited for this opportunity and time I get to spend with children this summer. I know God has great things planned for me and also for this camp. I can not wait to get to know my children that I will be working with, and also share Jesus with them-because after all he is my best friend.

Please pray for me this summer as I work with these children. Pray that God will give me the words to speak to them and also help build relationships with them. I love kids, and God has called me to work with them. I am also so thankful that I am going to get the opportunity to be working with a Children's Ministry. This will give me a feel to see if this is really where God is calling me to be with my life.

Now back to school work and my bed is looking nice right now.
Love,
Mindy