Never let fear stop you, and always let God guide you.

I just returned from a week in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A group of 10 people (including myself) from my church went down there to help with the disaster relief team of Samaritan's Purse. Originally I was suppose to go there with the youth, but two of my pastors asked me if I would be interested in going with a group of adults which were leaving in a little less than 6 days. My first response was "yes, of course" but as hours pasted by fear started to flood my mind. I realized I would be the youngest person going by 10 years (sorry Taryn) and I really knew nothing about these people other than their first and last names, I couldn't have filled about their Facebook info if I had to. Then I began to realize how much I would be missing out here (as in home) as well, as most of you know my youth pastor, Nic is leaving in about 2 months, which isn't really a long amount of time left here and when a week isn't really a long time when you subtract it from 2 months it is, especially when you are used to seeing that person everyday. So I went to talk to Nic about the things I was worrying about and he told me to never let fear be the reason of not doing something. So I told PB that yes, I was going to go on the trip. The few days I had left before leaving a packed and did my best to prepare my heart and mind for the things I would see and experience. Sunday morning rolled around and at 4:45am I arrived at the property, and climbed on to the bus and snuggled into my seat and left the state I call home. The trip was 13 and a half hours long, and about 8:30am our front drivers side tire blew out. We bounced and wobbled our way into the parking lot of Guts Church. Which was totally a God thing, they had a bus similar to ours so they had tools which we needed to get the now very flatted tire off the bus and they had a truck and someone who could take someone to get a new tire from a shop just down the road. As the tire was being bought and put on the bus several of us wondered into the church as service started so we enjoyed a very contemporary worship service and about the time it was ending the bus was ready to go as well. We made it to Alabama around 9:30 that night after stopping in Wynne, Arkansas for a tire again. Now from this point on a could tell you story after story after story about the experiences I had, the people I met, and I most likely will in some blog post after this one, but I think the common theme in all of those story's is God. The one who brought us there and the one we all called our Lord and Savior. I know after this trip that I have never seen God move in so many people before. I know without a doubt that my God was, is, and is to come! I saw people get saved, experience the love of God for the first time, people reconnect with God, and people pray like that was their last time to ever pray. The people I was afraid to leave with and didn't know were amazing and the bonds I made with those people are unbreakable and I know that if I never see them again here on earth (which I will totally see them more often now) I will see them in Heaven! Alabama and the people there have touched a place in my heart and my prayers will always be with them, May God continue to break my heart for what breaks his - especially as in 2 weeks the youth is heading to Joplin, Mo.

Royal Tailor - Hold Me Together

I heard this song today and I love it.

When it rains it pours.

Bad Day...
What's past is past, nothing in this world lasts.

Growin Up Won't Bring Us Down

I feel like I have learned more in the past 2 weeks then I have my whole 19 years of life...It's amazingly beautiful yet frightening at the same time.

One Day at a Time

Nic is leaving for Kentucky in July, I didn't think I'd have to deal with this for a couple more years but this is all apart of God's wonderful plan so I am handling this one day at a time...

Sweet Home Alabama...

We will be heading to Alabama some time in June and today I was looking through old pictures of New Orleans when we went a few years ago, and I remember to the toll that took on me not only physically but mentally. It was a life changing event and I don't say that flippantly, I mean every part of that. That whole trip affects my life, the way I buy things and the way I feel about my "stuff", that's just what it is, is STUFF. I know it makes people mad some time when I think that way but thats really how I view it. I have multiple purses and yes I like them and want to take care of them but if something happened to one of them it wouldn't be the end of the world for me. I would encourage you not to hold on to your stuff... please be praying for the people down there that call Alabama their home and pray for all the volenteers that give of their time to help serve them.