WE WON!

So, last Saturday, we were celebrating Kelsey's 18th.... Well, before everyone got to our house, Kelsey and her man, Sean... along with my man, Mark and me (hehe) wanted to play Nertz. If you don't know what Nertz is, it's a fast past card game. You can either play singles or play teams, and it's pretty much a intense game of Solitare, with a few different rules.
Every since the four of us started hanging out, we have played Team Nertz. Kelsey and Sean vs. Mark and myself. Well, for some reason, Kelsey and Sean ALWAYS win! I think the main reason is because we never have a set score that we play to... we always play till we are tired, or the guys have to leave.
This time, Mark and I won!!! The score was 281 and 279! Two point difference, but that's still a WIN!!!! =D YES!

Lately In My Life....

Lately in my life there has been either a lot going on, or big changes!!!
My family made the trip over to Jacksonville, to my aunts house, on Wednesday the 14th. Where GG and Popa Don, along with Kristy and the girls came down too. It was great seeing everyone and enjoying great times with cousins about my age! Played lots of pool... swam at their neighborhood waterpark, and went off the big slide like little kids about 20 times each time we were there... drove the golfcart everywhere, inculuding Walmart... played our own game of tennis... watched movies in the theater room.... And we did so much more in the 5 days we were there!
Tuesday the 20th, Popa Don, GG, Kel, Josh and myself all piled up in their car to head to VA! I must say that was the fastest trip I have ever taken!!! And I have taken a lot of roadtrips... from VA to Pcola a few times each year... and many more trips!
We had a great time while we were there! Did lots of shopping and saw many good friends! We had a great time spending time at GG and Popa Don's! They even gave us a beach party Sunday night so we could get together with close friends! Played Mafia most of the time... and I must say I have a new strategy. Mwahahaha!
On Tuesday the 27th, we were heading back home. But the night before GG called Kelly, and all the flights from Richmond to Atlanta were full. I was pretty upset, because I was ready to see my parents and Mark the next day. Mark kept telling me I had to come home. Well, we still got up at 4am, and headed to the airport. There were 2 seats left, and we decided to send Kel and Josh on. As I was saying my goodbyes, I was thinking that I might not be able to come home till next week. Because this was the best day of this week to leave Richmond to Atlanta. As GG was writing down the numbers to give Kel and Josh, she felt God was saying no. Well, the gate dude was sooooooo sweet and nice!!! He told us he could get us from Richmond to Orlando... then from Orlando to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Pcola. That is just what we did! On the plane to Orlando we were in business class (aka first class). That was really cool! The other two we were in coach. They were all relaxing to me, but the landing in Atlanta was a lil rough.
When we arrived at Pensacola, we saw our peeps!!! Mom was there with Diego, Lili and Sabrina... Mark and Sean... and Stacy and the girls were also there! It was great seeing everyone... lots of hugs!!! haha Mark and I got a great picture!!! (my profile picture! haha)
When we got home... Mark and I went to Starbucks where I thought we would be talking about our trips. After a while, he asked me if I would want to be in a relationship with him. I was speachless!!! I must say, I was hoping it would happen, but I was not expecting for few months. So when he asked me the day I got back from VA, I was so surprised!!!! I now have a boyfriend!!!! =D These are exciting times!!! I now know why he said I had to be home! =)
He is everything I ever wanted... and God has really blessed me!!!
God has been so kind to me this summer. Blessing me left and right. From opening my eyes to things I had never seen before to Mark. Even my relationship with my parents has grown! He is a great God!!! And I am very thankful for the gifts He has given me!!! My prayer is, I will glorify Him in all I do!

♫Grace Unmeasured♫

 Mom, GG, Popa Don and myself all went to the Sovereign Grace church in Jacksonville this past weekend while we were visiting the Elliott's. This was one of the songs they did, and God really spoke to me thru it. I was so overwhelmed I almost started crying... and all week it's been stuck in my head! It was one of my favorites we did at Kingsway, and I have not heard it since we moved away! What a great song, and how true it is!!! His grace is amazing!!!!

 

♫Grace unmeasured, vast and free
That knew me from eternity
That called me out before my birth
To bring You glory on this earth
Grace amazing, pure and deep
That saw me in my misery
That took my curse and owned my blame
So I could bear Your righteous name

Grace (grace, grace) paid for my sins
And brought me to life
Grace (grace, grace) clothes me with power
To do what is right
Grace (grace, grace) will lead me to heaven
Where I’ll see Your face
And never cease
To thank You for Your grace

Grace abounding, strong and true
That makes me long to be like You
That turns me from my selfish pride
To love the cross on which You died
Grace unending all my days
You’ll give me strength to run this race
And when my years on earth are through
The praise will all belong to You

 Words and music by Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Worship God Live

Boy Meets Girl... First Post!

At the moment I have started to read "Boy Meets Girl" by Josh Harris. Very good!!! It's about how to handle a God glorifying relationship. Josh Harris calls it Courtship.
Most people freak-out when you tell them you don't really date, but rather Court. You normally get the response, "Isn't that what they did in the 1800's?" I'm not a big fan of the name either. Think about it! It does sound kinda funny to stay your in a courtship! haha I like how Matthew (the youth pastor at Kingsway) called it "dating with a purpose". That's exactly what it is!
One part in the book really stood out to me, I even underlined it! haha Chapter 4 is called "Tell Me How, Tell Me Who, Tell Me When!", and he is pretty much talking about that!
He says in a paragraph;
"Our mindset is: "God, tell me who, tell me how, tell me when -- and then I'll trust you." What God wants us to see is that if He did this, our trust wouldn't be real. We want a definitive answer so we won't feel vulnerable, weak, and dependent on Him. But guess what? We are vulnerable, weak, and dependent on Him."
This was very eye opening to me! I never thought that was not trusting God!!!!

Please Pray For Me!

I'm feeling a little stressed out! I know I'm needed to trust God with it... but it's hard! One thing that's on my mind is VA. I'm not worried about going to VA without my parents. Because I stayed here in Florida without them a few times. But it's the fly back home. I'm a little worried about my siblings. haha I guess it's my older sister/motherly instincts. Please pray! Knowing we will be changing in Atlanta... kinda stresses me out!
Also, a few other things I've been dealing with... I'm needing prayer for too. If you think about me, pray that God would give me peace with what He has given me, and that I will have the strength to trust in Him in this area!
I keep listening to "I Have a Shelter", and one verse I love! It says;
♫I have a shelter in the storm.When troubles pour upon me. Though fears are rising like a flood. My soul can rest securely. O Jesus, I will hide in You. My place of peace and solace. No trial is deeper than Your love. That comforts all my sorrows♫

He is good! 

God Is So Good! =)

Yesterday, I went to go pick Mark up so he could come over! =) He offered to go to Starbucks, and we did! Thank you, Mark! I had a wonderful time!!! =)
Well, we stayed and talked for a while. And the things we talked about, I thought about that night. And I realized how much God has done in my life just since January! He has been so kind, and has really changed me! Things I was unsure about then, He has made clear now!
For example, what I believe in. Such as Election. I now believe with all my heart that God has chosen His people, and there are some he has not chosen, that are condemned to hell.
Also, he has changed how I look at relationships. It's not some lighthearted thing we do. When I enter a relationship, I want it to bring glory to God. And I don't want to just be dating for kicks either. I want to be dating for a purpose... with marriage in mind.
He has been so kind to me, and I don't deserve any of it! He is a great God!!! And He always will be!!! This is defiantly an Evidence of God's Grace... and "EGG"!!!! =)

♫I Have A Shelter♫

For those of you who don't know, when I listen to my iPod, I don't listen to random things. Now sometimes I do, but most of the time it's either an artist, or a genre that I'm in the mood for. So like before a basketball game it would either be R&B or Rock. Or on the way to church I listen to Christian, to get my mind focused on God. Or sometimes I am just in the mood for an artist, such as my favorite Josh Turner, and I put them on shuffle.
Well, at the moment I've been listening to all our Sovereign Grace music. There was a plus side on having your dad on the worship team! haha He got pretty much all the cds. So on my iPod, I have 126 Sovereign Grace songs. All very good! But at the moment, there are two that I love more than the others... "Completely Done" (which I posted about before) and then "I Have A Shelter".
For any Redeemer Church people reading this, Mr. Robert sang this when we moved into the school.
Before, I had always skipped over this one for some reason, and gone to the ones I liked. It's a great song! I wish I had not skipped over it when I was going through my hard time at the start of the year.
The lyrics are so comforting, and so true! Hard times will come, but He will not forsake us!

♫I have a shelter in the storm
When troubles pour upon me
Though fears are rising like a flood
My soul can rest securely
O Jesus, I will hide in You
My place of peace and solace
No trial is deeper than Your love
That comforts all my sorrows

I have a shelter in the storm
When all my sins accuse me
Though justice charges me with guilt
Your grace will not refuse me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
Who bore my condemnation
I find my refuge in Your wounds
For there I find salvation

I have a shelter in the storm
When constant winds would break me
For in my weakness, I have learned
Your strength will not forsake me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
The One who bears my burdens
With faithful hands that cannot fail
You’ll bring me home to heaven

By Steve & Vikki Cook and Bob Kauflin
As recorded on Come Weary Saints

♫Completely Done♫

So, I just bought Sovereign Grace's cd "Sons and Daughters", and Completely Done is on there. My dad has done it tons of times for worship at Redeemer, but I finally have it on my iPod!!! =) I think this is probably one of my favorite songs right now. So I thought I would share. Great lyrics!!!! 


♫What reason have I to doubt
Why would I dwell in fear
When all I have known is grace
My future in Christ is clear

My sins have been paid in full
There’s no condemnation here
I live in the good of this
My Father has brought me near
I’m leaving my fears behind me now

Chorus
The old is gone, the new has come
What You complete is completely done
We’re heirs with Christ, the victory won
What You complete is completely done

I don’t know what lies ahead
What if I fail again
You are my confidence
You’ll keep me to the end
I’m leaving my fears behind me now

By Jonathan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Rich Gunderlock

Toy Story 3

On Friday night, I went late with my aunt Andrea, uncle Hugo, and the 3 kids to go see Toy Story 3.
I thought it was really cute. But I would say the first is way better! I'm glad they brought everyone back tho!
I won't tell you the plot, but it was a lil' scary at times for the kids. Now Ken, was awesome!!! haha He was a little on the blonde side... I guess that's why I liked him! haha And the Spanish Buzz was really funny! Andrea said Hugo got a kick outta that!
Great family film! It's not "an owner", but it's so worth seeing!

Rejoicing in the Cross

I've been reading "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper, and in chapter 3, he is talking about the Cross.

He says;
"Therefore everything that you enjoy in Christ -- as a Christian, as a person who trusts Christ -- is owing to the death of Christ. And all your rejoicing in all things should therefore be a rejoicing in the cross where all your blessings were purchased for you at the cost of the death of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
One of the reasons we are not as Christ-centered and cross-saturated as we should be is that we have not realized that everything -- everything good, and everything bad that God turns for the good of his redeemed children -- was purchased by the death of Christ for us. We simply take life and breath and health and friends and everything for granted. We think it is ours by right. But the fact is that it is not ours by right. We are doubly undeserving of it.
1) We are creatures, and our Creator is not bound or obligated to give us anything -- not life or health or anything. He gives, he takes, and he does us no injustice (Job 1:21).
2) And besides being creatures with no claim on our Creator, we are sinners. We have fallen short of his glory (Romans 3:23). We have ignored him and disobeyed him and failed to love him and trust him. The wrath of his justice is kindled against us. All we deserve from him is judgment (Romans 3:19). Therefore every breath we take, every time our hearts beats, every day that the sun rises, every moment we see with our eyes or hear with our ears or speak with our mouths or walk with our legs is, for now, a free and undeserved gift to sinners who deserve only judgment."

This just shows how much more great our God is!!! Wow! I pray that I may rejoice in the cross for the gifts I have been given!