Splendor.

Hello again! Here's another update from Greek Summit! I really want this to be more of a photo diary, but some things might need some explanation. Below is a picture of Melissa (a DZ at USC) and me. Go Cocks!

 Our mess of food and Bibles at our twice-a-week Bible study. 

 Marian Jordan talk. Absolutely incredible. Below is a picture of this fantastic woman. 

 Sarah and me.

 Mom's denim jacket, as well as her white Michael Stars tank. I just got the skirt at the outlet mall this week, it can be so much; a skirt, dress, shawl, cover-up. What a great investment: Urban Nomad.

Last night we went to Baytown, a cute area in Destin. We went to this awesome bar called Rum Runners with dueling pianists. 

This may be one of my most favorite pictures that I've ever taken.

So I really have some ambiguous pictures here, but I am having an incredible time here. I have learned so much I can't even comprehend all the work God is doing sometimes. 

Today Isaiah 55:5 really spoke to me. 

"Surely you will summon nations you know not,

and nations that do not know you

will hasten to you, 

because of the Lord your God, 

the Holy One of Israel,

for he has endowed you with splendor."

I am working on trusting the Lord. It surely is not easy, but how can I not trust Him? The God of the Universe? This verse is so reassuring. He has such great plans, He has endowed me and all of His believers with splendor, though I have done nothing to deserve His grace. 

God Bless. 

Seek Him First.

Hello again! 

Things are going very well here at Greek Summit. Especially today. I came here knowing my spiritual life was going in the wrong direction but I didn't know what to do about it. This morning I figured out why. I have been living in a works-based mentality for so long that I had grown weary and exhausted. I thought I wasn't doing enough to make the Father proud of me. I was trying to earn my salvation, and why? I don't have to do that, thanks to Jesus. My salvation has already been given to me. I have eternal life because Jesus died for me. I will be with the Father forever because Jesus made it so I didn't have to earn anything. Because nothing I could ever do on my own would be enough. 

I am more sinful than I could ever know, and yet I am more loved than I could ever possibly comprehend. (Paraphrase from Tim Keller, I believe.)

I have been learning today that I am loved at all times. The Father's love for me does not diminish or grow stronger based on my performance. And that is certainly something worth praise!

Thank you Jesus for saving me. Thank you Father for loving me. Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing all of this to me. 

Now for some pictures of beautiful Destin, Florida. 

 I took all of these pictures with my iPhone. I did bring my camera but I am afraid to bring it on the beach. 

 Yesterday, after session, the whole group went to Dave's Dogs. I had possibly the best hotdog imaginable. 

 It really is "all in the bun."

 We basically took over this little hotdog stand. But Bob, not Dave (he was off that day) handled it with such friendliness and precision. Go Bob. 

 And the hour-long wait was so worth it. Look at that beauty. 

Last night we went to dinner with our "family groups" which are smaller groups we were assigned to, in order to make the trip a little less daunting. 

We went to Dewey Destins which was  delicious. I had to document the fact that the building was established in 1928! What a great year. 

God is doing great things in us and around us. I am so fortunate to be on this trip. Here is a verse that God has been truly laying on my heart lately. 

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:33-34

God has been doing so much work in my heart, I with I could list all the verses that have been helping me. Basically all of Matthew 6 is fantastic. And today I read the first two chapters of Ecclesiastes by the pool. It seemed to express exactly how I have been feeling lately. This world will never satisfy us. But if we "seek first his kingdom" everything else will fall into place. Our wants will become what he wants for us. And when those line up, nothing else could ever matter. 

God Bless You All. 

Soak It Up.

Hello from sunny Florida! I just spent the last 4 hours tanning by the pool. Finally I get some color on my pasty skin. I have some random photos I want to post while I'm here. 

 These huge dogs visited our farm last week. Bull Mastiffs? I think? They were HUGE!

I am almost finished with Water For Elephants and it's fabulous! I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. 

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

Jeremiah 29:11

Ocala #1

So I'm at a horse show in Ocala, Florida. I drove 10 hours here, and woke up at 3am in order to shower and leave by 4:30am. It was quite the trip, but I saw some pretty incredible skies, and landscapes. Except for this one moment when the car in front of us had some explosion and a dense smoke covered our traffic group. It was the single most terrifying moment of my life. Imagine going 7omph over a bridge and all of the sudden not being able to see a thing! I slammed on brakes, assuming my dad in front of me would do the same. Then I thought about the cars behind me and if they were going to brake or not so I let off the brakes. The smoke cleared and there was our golf cart trailer an inch from my new brush guard. I braked just in time as to not smash into it. My heart has never beat so fast in my life. I was terrified.

But on another note, it poured here. Although it is 20 degrees warmer here than back home, so I really don't mind so much. I rode in this frog strangling weather, and my pants were completely soaked. As I was walking down to the ring I couldn't help but think "if this isn't dedication, then I don't know what is."