.

BEAUTIFUL.

Chill Bumps Moment ..

So I know everyone has those times that something God does in your life gives you chill bumps, well that happened to me today- let me explain...
Im doing the Beth Moore "90 days with Paul" bible study and at the end of a day is just a prayer page and a time to reflect and just write out prayers to God. Well today I was just pouring my heart out to God about how horrible of a memory I have and how much I just wanted Him to reconstruct my memory to be about to remember things and so that I would be about to have a better knowledge and understanding of who He is... etc, etc., etc., and then as soon as I get done I look to the next page of the title of the next day and the title was "Committed to Memory".. and I got instant chills :)

-My God is so great, supplying in times of need and keeping my head up through tough times and even keeping my fueled with joy in all circumstance :)

God is Good

Lately God has been radically doing big things in me with the people around me. I am learning what its like to grow up and begin to make decisions that not only affect me but people around me as well .. I attended passion at the beginning of 2011-It was amazing and im so in awe of how big my God is and how he moves in college students from everywhere...

So Ive been reading a lot of Beth Moore's blog lately and she has challenged us as women to memorize scripture in the year 2011. This is huge for me because I know that personally God speaks to me to much through scripture that I know I have "hidden in my heart"and all of you who know me know I have about the worst memory in the world so this is kinda a fun challenge for me too..

So as I started this challenge I began with a verse from Psalms 27:13-14 that says ..

¹³ I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. - NIV

Im normally not a KJV lover but i love the way that the NKJV puts it for me and my situations in life:

¹³ I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

This is huge for me : (Especially the Green Areas)
God is not only wanting me to memorize the first part but to BELIEVE it.. and place it in my heart through all times.. and the second part, God knows how I am a deeply woven and complicatedly knit together individual with deep thought process and wanting understanding in everything.. I think here God is completely telling me.. Lauren, calm down the future is in my hands .. wait on me.. take heart.. and let me strengthen your heart while you wait.. so that you can fully love my people ( your family, the students that will walk in your classroom daily, the wonderful man I have in your life, and spreading my love to the friends around you, and a heart for the city I will place you in next )

Its not to late for you to being this scripture challenge as well... here is the jist- 2 verses a month, memorize, let God do drastic thing in your life - Sounds simple enough right :)

My God is still Providing and Touching Lives ...

He is here for the broken and life to the one who is undone
He is peace to the wounded and hope for the helpless one
He is here,He is here

Be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
wait patiently upon the lord
Be still my soul, be still

When the waves rise aginst me and the wind tries to draw me away
I will stand on the mountain, safe in your arms I will sing I will sing

Be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
wait patiently upon the lord
Be still my soul, be still

Be still I know he is God
He is here, he is here
Be still I know he is God
He is here , he is here

So Be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
wait patiently upon the lord
Be still my soul, be still
wait patiently upon the lord
Be still my soul, be still
-kari jobe

Early Christmas

School is finally over and the Christmas season is beginning ... This is the first year in a long time that i have been all about Christmas and really getting into all of the cheerfulness of Christmas :)
This Christmas is a little different thought because Grant came home with me after finals and we got to celebrate Christmas early together before he went back to east Tennessee with his family.
I had a wonderful week with him and he did very good on my presents this year - He got me a beautiful necklace and painted me a beautiful painting :)

You Won't Relent

I have been in awe of God and how relational He is lately.. I recently purchased the Jesus Culture CD and it has completely amazing worship music on it... I would suggest for anyone to buy it on Itunes...It has so much passion and so much praise for our maker...

One of the songs on the CD is called "You Wont Relent" - Misty Edwards. I fell in love with this song but wanted to search deeper to its true meaning so I looked up what "Relent" really meant- Relent is to abandon, give up, or let loose of .. These lyrics are so powerful.. Read them knowing what this means...

You won't relent until You have it all
My heart is Yours

I'll set You as a seal upon my heart
As a seal upon my arm

For there is love that is as strong as death
Jealousy demanding as the grave
Many waters cannot quench this love

Come be the fire inside of me
Come be the flame upon my heart
come be the fire inside of me
Until You and I are one

Then after reading these I found this verse..
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. -Song of Solomon 8:6
How amazing it is to worship and sing to God using scripture and How powerful God really is in the relationships He longs for with us...

BABY MOLLY

Giving God many thanks today for His perfect timing and His perfect provisions through the Trentham's adoption of Molly. Baby Molly was received by the Trenthams as we all slept last night.

Remembering today to be thankful even after thanksgiving in any and all circumstances :) Praise God for the provider that He is and His protective nature :)

Congratulations Trenthams !!!

Meeting Molly

Some friend's of the Barnett family are in China right now adopting a precious little girl named Molly. This is a blog that I created for them so that they would be able to track their journey in China and their adoption process. Little Molly will be in America in early December , Please be in prayer for the Trentham family during this process of adoption.

http://mollytrentham.blogspot.com/

Thanksgiving Break

It was about time for a break at school... everyone was getting tired and ready to see families. This year mine and Grant's family decided to come together in Athens for thanksgiving break. We had Thanksgiving dinner together and the next day went and took pictures together in the mountains of Tennessee... It was BEAUTIFUL :) God has blessed our families so much and I am so thankful for my family as well as the Barnetts :)

Remembering My Purpose

Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.- Galations 6:2

Since the year started, its been busy and filled with so many fun events, activities, new people, new lifestyles, etc. But I was quickly reminded of my purpose once again the other day, let me explain...

You know how they say as women we wear different "hats" for all the different jobs that we must do, well i think i'm called to be a "Mascara Wearer" if that makes any sense at all.. I feel at this point in my life that God has called me to listen and be there for the girls that he has placed in my life, in the chaos of this year i had forgotten this and just thought that everyone was fine on their own this year, but i was sadly mistaken when walked into my doom room the other day to find a roommate in tears... i grabbed her and hugged her and just prayed with her.. after we were done i was left with huge black stains on my shirt for the rest of the day.. and you know what i was completely okay with it... for me- having clean shirts everyday means im being a lazy christian, there are so many girls out there crying needing someone to listen to them encourage them and just be there for them through rough times.. so this semester thats one of my goals... make myself available, don't get to busy in doing "me" that i forget what im really here for and to minister to the people around me and to look for opportunities :)