I can only go by what I know...
So often I find myself or people around me discussing whether God allows or "lets" things happen or whether he in fact plays a part in the decisions "we make" on daily basis ( I am not sure how clear I am being on what I am talking about). Questions are often asked if God lets bad things happen, or if God can use a bad decision we make, or if is there only one path we can take and one bad decision we make puts us off that path...and on and on.

And this is what I know...I know God has been faithful time and time again even when I am not, and I know that he is constantly at work around me even when I think I know what I am doing and I am handling things. When I find myself or someone close to me in an unfamiliar situation and questioning life, all I can do is point to the countless number of times when I thought I knew, but God had much bigger plans...
...when I was fifteen my parents told me we were moving to Tennessee and I thought my world had turned upside down. I thought my parents were in control and they were making a ridiculous decision! BUT, I now look back and see God was working through my parents. Moving was a huge blessing that changed my life...God put people and situations and conversations in my life in Tennessee that drew me to Him, and I know God could have done that in Indiana, but Tennessee was a tool he used. I smile when I think that I thought I knew what I needed, yet God knew much more than I could have ever imagined.
...I thought I would be study to be a teacher all my life, and actually came in as a Christian Studies/Spanish major but who knew except God that he had been planting seeds for me to turn to Social Work...I love it and cannot imagine studying anything else! Again God knew much better.
...as I started the summer with orientation for work, I thought, "...what am I getting myself into?!" And yet I had a wonderful summer and met some really great people, who have encouraged me in walk with Christ, laughed with me, listened to me, showed me you can be a believer in a secular social work place....and so much more. Again, God knew so much better than me!
As I find my self with questions all the time about life...All I can do is remember what I know...God has continually been faithful and at work around me...most the time it is hindsight, especially in some of the most difficult times:)
So, as I begin a new semester of school which brings many other new and unfamiliar things...all I can do is remember what I know(which is easier sometimes more than others)...God is faithful...And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.~Romans 8:28... For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. ~Psalm 33:4... Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.~Hebrews 10: 23
These thoughts are so scattered, but all I am trying to say is for our many questions we need to remember to hold onto the one thing we know...God...as we search for answers

For everything there is a season...
Have you ever felt so close to God, you know he is trying to show you something, but at the same time so far from Him, sure he is not hearing a word you are praying? That is the best way I know how to describe what I feel right now. So many feeling I just do not know what to do with all of them....I am praising God as I am reminded of all I owe him for all he has done in my life, my life would be so different without him. I am reminded of his grace and mercy extended to me even though I am a sinner and am constantly messing up. I am reminded of his uncoditional love for me, his daughter...and yet I feel so unworthy, as I see those around me who I am so close to and love that have not accepted the gift of his son. I am burdened because those around me do not know the Lord and the life he can give them. I often wonder...why me?...Why am I not the lost person who is searching for truth in everything except the Lord: Guys, money, drugs, career? I could very well be that person, if it were not for the Lord and all he has done and continues to do. As I am reminded that it is only because of the grace of God that I am where I am today...my heart cries out for those who do not know him. My prayer...that myself and other believers would live a life that would point people to Christ. There is so much more I want to say...but I cannot put it into words just yet. I am looking forwatd to this week ahead, as I have time off to rest and pray and think...and just be silent. If you know me, you know silence is not something that comes easily for me...but this week I hope to just spend time in silence with the Lord.

It has been over three years since I started this blog, and I have been telling myself all summer I am going to start writing again. I have to learn to use blogger all over again...since it has been so long....a post to follow soon

Let It Snow, Let is Snow
So, I know its been a REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY long time since I have written, but I don't have much spare time, and my computer is broken but the oh so great Jared Burk is trying to fix it(keep your fingers crossed). I am moved back into school and although I have only been here for 2.5 weeks, it feels like forever....This semester is much harder than last semester. I think Statistics class is gonna kill me!!!! But I love my sociology class and I am really excited about a debate I get to do later this semester:can the modern marraige last? Well instead of the infamous rain in Jackson, we had lots of snow in Jackson this past weekend!!!! Here are some pics of the random fun we had at midnight friday...now pay attention closely b/c in jackson we do not see much snow so we had to improvise as far as sledding goes and we used trashbags...Hillbilly you say I say CREATIVE and THRIFTY!












...Exciting I Know!!
Well, I think I might have found a church here...YAHHHHH! But I am still praying about two...I can see the finish line. So I started a new babysitting job this week and I have to be there at 6:20 AM yes 6:20 AM, I did not think those word were in a college students vocabulary. Oh yeah today is Valentine's Day...just in case you forgot!!! Back to snow, how random is it that is the 50 or 60s here and there is still patches of snow in places...My mind runs and can't stay focused on one subject...well anyway I am now on the phone with Melissa...and I can't promise I will write later!

So Much to Do...So Little Time
Yes...I know it has been over a month since I have written but there is just not enough hours in the day, or if there is I am usually spending my spare moments hanging out with friends. So I will try to give you a highlight of the last month of my life. I went swimming in the fountain at school, which is technically against the rules, but it was fun.



Then on my fall break I went with Jessie, Stephanny, and Candra to Kristin's house. It was in the mountains...the first two days we were there it was beautiful...we saved Saturday to go to the mountains and it was so cold that day...we got to the top of the mountain and it was so foggy we could not see anything(Bummer, but it was a bonding experience).





It was so much fun there are so many more pics where that came from but I'll leave it at that.

For Halloween My friend Candra and I dressed up as Siamese(sp?) pigs for the Costume Cafe at school. It was three hours of uncomfort b/c we were squeezed into one outfit but it was hilarious



And this past weekend I got the wonderful opportunity of going on my church back home's fall retreat as a leader and had a great group of freshman girls and got to work with Suzanne Metcalf. It was a little weird being a leader but it was great to give back b/c i know how much of an impact the leaders had on my life!


I will be going home for Thankgiving on Mon Night, but I will be working at Kroger over break.
These last few months have been really great...God has really blessed me with some great friends and has taught me so much about who I am, good and bad. I officially changed my major to Social Work yesterday...So I am a Social Work major and am undecided about my minor, but we'll see. Well thats about it. You can expect another post in about...another month or so! LOL!

So I have been hounded by many for not posting...so here I am. In the last week I have taken my first college test and written my first college paper. My test was in my old testament class. I did not know til i started taking this class how little i actually knew about the old testament...not just what happens but the history of how it was written and all the background in it. I have been guilty of thinking that the OT is boring. I now realize it is because i did not fully understand it...who knew there were three stages of power: 1) assyrians who destroyed the Israel in 722 bc 2) babylonians conquered judah in 587 bc 3) the persians arose to power in 539...now why is this important to the OT...well the whole Babylonian exile from 587-539 also known as the exilic period...and that my kids is your first "encountering the old testamentA" lesson. Anyway I am learning all these cool things behind the whole OT and it has helped me to understand it so much more...I think everyone needs to take an OT class...Adios

I forgot to mention that I am Kara's person of the week on her blog...so for all that are reading my blog go see Kara's b/c she is Cooooool and has a lot to say!

I had such a fun first weekend at college. I did a lot of fun, random, crazy things. On Saturday I put our bags for people to donate things to hurricane relief and went and picked the stuff up today...there was so much stuff. During the day on Sat Katie Miller came over from UT Martin and visited me and we went all over Jackson...it was quite fun. Luv Ya Katie! On Sat night I played catch phrase and DDR in the commons with a bunch of girls. It was wild fun. Then Sun I tried out West Jackson Baptist Church...it was ok but I will try it again in a few weeks b/c it was Labor Day weekend. One cool thing thing is that they have a shelter for the refugees there and the college group had a worship service in the shelter. It was a neat experience. Last night I watched the goonies for the first time at the movie night in the commons and then I played scrabble for the first time with my RA and some other girls. I came about 3 points away from winning...i did pretty good for a first time player if I do say so myself. I don't think there has been a night that I have been to bed before midnight if not 1 or2. I also played three pranks on my RA #!- We put sticky notes all over her room with random sayings on them. #2 when she saw the sticky notes she told me I better beware and I told her i was shaking in my flip flops so in the middle of the night she put a sign on our door that said beware with a flip taped to it...when she told me she wanted her flip flop back I put it in a bucket of water and froze it and left cookies and a note on her bed that said there was a treat for her the freezer-the bucket with her flip flop in it. #then after extenuating(sp?) circumstances I covered her face in shaving cream...she has yet to get me back.
On another note, isn't amazing how God brings people into your life that have very similar experiences just when you thought you were alone. It is just a reminder of how faithful he is.
For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, I am having an amazing time here...I'm sure once I get to cracking the books it will be a little less exciting, and tomorrow will be that day b/c I have lots of studying to do.
Goodnight