Dabbles of December

Just some thoughts:

I feel like God has lifted a veil from my eyes. I am seeing things a lot clearer now. I can see a glimpse of the eternal... a little past the here and now.  

I see me for who I really am... filthy rags... exchanged for beauty at the cross. He is revealing my yucky-ness to me so that He can begin to clean me up.  It takes saying some sorry's, changing perspective on things, doing things different, and CHOOSING joy. I am choosing joy and choosing to SEEK and SEE Him everyday and in every situation - not to leave Him in my car at work and pick Him back up when I head home - but to INVITE and USHER Him into my work place to change me, my attitude, and this University. 

Next subject-

2 weekends ago, me and Haleigh had the awesome opportunity to have a worship retreat with some of the most beautiful ladies (inside and out). We took the 11th graders to Olive Garden (yum) and then to a nice retreat hotel where we had a night of worship, confession, crying, restoring, and praying.  It was wonderful.

These girls have been with me for almost 2 years. I have seen a LOT of Jesus in them. Crazy things have happened and I have so enjoyed journeying with them.  I was thinking about how next year they will be seniors... and graduating... and I got a bit teary... :( I don't like that thought.  They are wonderful.  I can't wait to spend more time with the younger ones coming up into too!!!! God has blessed us with some AMAZING girls in the youth group. What a crazy thing to think that He has entrusted their hearts to me to mentor and love on and teach!!! :) 

Here are our Christmas card pictures - which haven't arrived BTW!!! it was hilarious trying to get Walter to cooperate!! HAHA!! 

He was crazy and so confused. 

They turned our pretty darn cute I think.  Walter finally calmed down a bit once we gave him a toy and Jacob held his jaw in the upward position with all his might!!! haha!!! 

I love my lil' fam!! :)

My heart is excited. I'm looking forward to a lot of things.  Choosing joy even in financial craziness, work, business, waiting, seeking, searching, studying, learning, making friends, loving on old friends, and everything else God has in store!!! 

This lady is ready to be purified. I am ready to be filled, be satisfied. I'm ready to be taught. I'm ready to be different. I am teachable. 

fRiDaY fAv!!!!!

This week's Friday Fav is my Fav!!!

My favorite thing in the WHOLE WORLD is seeing girls fall in love with Jesus.  I love to see change and joy and challenge and love and holy anger and fruit!!! It's so good.  I'm going to share a list of girls who I have SEEN and am SEEING Christ work in their lives. THIS IS NOT AN EXTENSIVE LIST!!! I am just really proud of these ladies!! Ready? OKAY!

First... Haleigh... my co-leader!!! I have seen LOTS and LOADS of Jesus all over her!! It's awesome!! A true, crazy transformation and it is SO GOOD!!

HALEIGH

MAGGIE

I see Jesus working in her LOT S  right now!! He is wanting to use her like CRAZY in her school!! She is a light, a joy, and  a friend to all who know her!! So exciting to see her seeking God in her life!!! Go Mags (Pooter)!

 MALLORY
This girl has spunk and I love it! She loves Jesus - loves to talk about Him, be with Him, and see Him work!!! It pumps me up! She is beautiful inside and out and is using her time to glorify Him!!! Go Mal Pal! 

ANGIE 

Angie has CRAZY JESUS strength!! She is a fighter for justice, hope, and goodness. She hates wrong and strives to make things right.  She has experienced evil, chaos, and hurt. BUT SHE IS REDEEMED and she lives like it!!!!!!! I love me some Angie!!! Go Ang Go! 

CAITLIN
This is my girl who moved away... SHE'S BACK!!  And I'm pumped. She is such a leader and she LOATHES hypocrisy! She wants to see change. She wants to be the change. She is feisty and I LOVE that about her.  Jesus is changing her heart in so many ways (I probably don't even know all of them), and it excited me! 

MEREDITH
Can I just say that I have been praying for this girl for a LONG time!!! I am seeing Christ in her and IT IS AWESOME!!! She is being drawn to Him, she is changing, she is talking about what's happening in her heart, and she is DIFFERENT!!! She is such a leader and has so much influence in her school - if she uses it for Christ... things are gonna get CRAZY!!!!! GO MER GO! 

SARA

O wow, have I seen change!! From a quiet, scared girl to a girl whose confidence is wrapped up in Jesus - it's awesome!! I see boldness, seeking, and purity in her.  She is DEVOTED and wants more of Jesus!   She wants to please Him and I think she is precious!! GO SARA! 

KELSEY
I have never seen such a maturity and a deepening of faith as I have in Kelsey! It is INSANE!!! Her family has been through so much this year - she could turn to a lot of different things, but she chose Christ and it is so apparent!!! She amazes me and I LOVE her crazy, querky, loving heart!!! God is all up in her story and I CANNOT WAIT to see how He is going to use everything!! He turns ashes into beauty, weeping into dancing, and pain into joy!!!!!! She is the picture of this! GO KELS!! 

PEIGHTON
This girl has a heart to serve and I LOVE IT!!! She is always coming up with new ideas to serve and love on people.  She is the little momma of the group - she cleans up, helps out, and makes sure everyone does what they are suppose to do.  I have seen her mature in Christ so much within the past year!!! It's so awesome! She is the reason her sister comes to Bible study and it's just so apparent that she wants to do for Him and be used by Him. 

KAITLYN
She finds joy in Jesus' presence.  She is happiest at church, worshipping, and speaking truth to others.  She said some of the most powerful stuff I have EVER heard at summer camp this year... then she prayed the most passionate prayer I have EVER heard from a teenager!!! I KNOW God wants to and will use this girl!!! CAMP COUNSELOR is written all over her!!!!! GO KAITLYN! WOOT WOOT! 

CHRISTINA

This girls passions are so inspiring.  She lives for justice!  She gave up her birthday last year and told her friends and family that if they wanted to get her something they should give to this ministry to gives pure water to other countries! Amazing - I don't know many teenage girls with that selfless desire to care for others.  I see a rebel in her - a rebel of the world and I LIKE IT! She is also a vegan - again, being different than what others expect. She stands out. She is following the command to be a stranger in the world.  Her faith and life stand out too.  She is passion, justice, and set apart!!! I love this lady!!! 

BECCA
Becca is AWESOME. She is the catalyst to the Bible study.  She is a light in her school. She is the passion in our youth group. She loves deeply and she longs to see change.  I hope it happens!!! i love this girl and her heart!! She amazes me.  She's one of those girls who you ask yourself, "is she for real, or is she faking me out?"... well, this girl is for real!!!! GO BECCA 

The Girls who study the Bible at the hizzy

Just wanted to talk a little bit about BIBLE STUDY because well... it's my fav!! it's my heart!

 Here are the FEARLESS LEADERS:

HaLeIgH             AnNa 

the newest addition - eLiZeBeTh

(I thought these were very flattering photos - especially mine)

Here's a previous team member:

KaTeLyN 

She left us to go be an adult and stuff... BOO! :)

It's amazing the women that God bring to Troy to lead these girls.  Katelyn came and invested lots of time, energy, prayer, teaching, etc. into these girls. She was amazing.  I knew she was leaving and I didn't know what would happen - I knew I would STRESS OUT if I was solely responsible for 30 girls' Bible study! AHH!! So... God brought Haleigh. SHE IS AWESOME!! So excited about what God is doing in a through and around and all up in her!!! Then... Elizabeth moved here!!!! Hallelujah!! So excited that these girls have women who are trying our hardest to follow Christ to love on them. :) It's good.

This semester and year we will be DIVING into the book of... JAMES!!! Kind of scary and exciting and terrifying and jolly all at the same time.  James says some pretty radical stuff!!! We don't just teach to the girls... we learn from the Word too!! It changes us to... from the inside out!! Are we ready?? I hope so!!! 

I love the girls. I love their excitement for the Lord - they want it, they want to know Him more, they want to know each other more, they long to be RADICAL - sometimes they (and WE) just don't know how!! 

The boys will also be going through James this semester!!! Here are their awesome leaders:

JaCoB                     EvAn

I'm excited about the year!!! 

Here's some of the ladies showing their hearts in a photograph!!! 

It's one of my favorite things each week.  It's wonderful.  

One of the girls posted this as her facebook status after Bible Study:

I might make bad decisions sometimes but one thing I know is right is every monday night.(: I love my bible study friends.

 * That makes my heart happy!! *