Boone 2k14

I recently went on a trip to Boone with some friends, but before I get into that, I have to publicly celebrate the fact that Amelia and Justin got married and I was blessed to be a part of it!

Amelia and I were roommates for a semester. It's unfortunate that it was such a brief time, but I am beyond thankful for how sweet of a time it was. Amelia is a precious friend who has spurred me on in my faith, and she made a stunningly beautiful bride. 

I am thrilled for her and Justin to begin a life together. Their wedding was probably the most gospel-centered wedding I've ever been to, and I know that their life will continue in this pattern.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Tweito! May God be all the more glorified because of your marriage.

Okay, so Boone. 

Jenna had talked about going on a ski trip a few months ago but between skiing and lodging the price was too much for our menial college budgets. Her mom, however, found an awesome place to stay for a steal of a deal, and so to Boone we went.

The day I drove up was my 20th birthday, which I wasn't super thrilled about. I love birthdays, but a whole new decade was pretty daunting. I wasn't quite ready to give up being a teenager.

So we goofed off. But I'm pretty sure that's actually normal for this group... 

This picture is blurry, I know, but the swings were so fun and somewhat needed.

After spending the day walking around Blowing Rock and looking at cool shops, we headed to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I'm not a fan of the birthday celebration they do with the hat and the singing, but the food is my favorite, so it's worth it. 

My friends also gave me the gift of a game of Settlers. I was told it was my one promised game.

 Don't be fooled. Two people in this picture dislike this board game and one had never played before.

They then brought out a decorated cake with candles and sang Happy Birthday. 

(I tried really hard to flip this picture, but technology is winning this battle, so just turn your head)

I really couldn't have asked for a better 20th birthday. These friends are so incredibly special to me, and they made me feel incredibly special to them. My heart is filled to overflowing with thankfulness for their lives in mine. 

They are also quite the source of laughter. 

Following are some hilarious and dysfunctional pictures.

And these aren't even the worst of them...

The next day we drove part of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We made pit stops along the way to hike a trail or two and take in some glorious views.

This view was my favorite. And the picture obviously doesn't do it justice. 

Rough Ridge was the longest and hardest hike of the day, but definitely worth it. It was cold and windy at the top, but I could have sat up there for hours and hours.

I looked out and saw mountains as far as my eyes could see. They were so massive and grand, and I've heard mountains in the East have nothing on those in the West. 

It made me feel extremely small.

I thought about how my God, the God that loved me in my sin, created those mountains. Spoke them into being. And with a word could move them or completely destroy them. 

Then I actually got upset with myself. 

How. How could I ever be anxious or worried when I serve this massive, Almighty God?

Questions that continuously bombard and consume my heart and mind about my life and what the future holds seemed futile in the midst of this glory.

I sat there and I knew that everything would be okay. 

Even since I've been back, the things of this world continue to consume me like quicksand. I've had to mentally put myself back on that mountain, back in that place and mental state. 

I have to tell myself: Stop, be still, know that He is God and He's got this. 

It was hard to leave that place, but we hiked back down and went to our next and final stop. 

These sisters. 

They love God and His gospel unlike anyone I've ever had the privilege of doing life with.

It was sweet getting to revel in God's truths with them while walking around in the middle of His creation. Praise God for His body and for people that spur me on in the gospel. 

On our way back we drove through Appalachian State's campus. 

The next day we went skiing. 

I haven't skied in quite some time, and this was only my second go at it. 

I started off fine, but then I fell into peer pressure, went down a blue slope, and, well, let's just say I stuck to greens after that. 

Overall it was fun, and I'm glad that I went. I definitely felt the effects of it for a couple of days. 

So, that was my big Christmas Break trip this year. 

Yay for college and friends and mountains and skiing. 

And silly pictures, of course.

Give Thanks in All Circumstances

This post is coming to you post-Thanksgiving, present finals week, and pre-Christmas. 

The semester is coming to a close. The holidays, procrastination, and sisters in Christ have me doing a lot of thinking and self-evaluating as of late. 

During my time in the Word on Thanksgiving Day, I read Psalm 100 and 103. These chapters are filled with thanks and reasons to be thankful. It is so easy to be thankful. It really is one of the easiest commands in the Bible. We have so much to be thankful for! God's character and the gospel alone enable us to be thankful for days, not just the one day out of 365 that we're "supposed to be." In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 clearly says it's God's will, along with some other things, that we give thanks in all circumstances. All. 

We should be thanking God for His good gifts all day. Every day. 

This is an especially good reminder as our culture so sneakily shifts from being thankful to wanting more.

The topic of satisfaction was brought up in my small group last week and it really got me thinking about what I'm finding gratification in. As a Christ-follower, my fulfillment is to be found in Jesus and in Him alone. But oh the things that my wandering heart finds satisfaction in instead of my wonderful Savior. Always, but especially now, I must be aware of where I'm finding satisfaction and worth apart from Jesus, hate that thing, walk away from it, and sprint back to Jesus, tears flowing down face, apologizing for ever wanting anything other than Him. 

May the draw to the things of this world be filled with thanksgiving and adoration for my beautiful Savior as I fight to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. 

And so, as an update, I'm just going to share some of the things in the past few weeks that I am incredibly thankful for. 

These things really are grace gifts from God. They could not come from anything else. 

Reflections by the reflection pond. 

Rainbows that remind me that God is faithful, that He is a promise-keeper.

Being a student at Clemson University.

Late nights in the library writing papers.

Crazy friends who bear the painful consequences of procrastination alongside me.  

An apartment that can house and foster community. 

CP group girls baking together in my kitchen.

Cold weather.

Trips to the dikes with sweet sisters who have my heart.

Women's Equip Night.

A local church that cares deeply about discipleship. 

Great conversation over warm, delicious soup. 

Being spurred on by older women in ways I didn't even know I needed. 

Being broken over the beauty of the gospel. 

A Saturday afternoon spent making chocolates with dear friends.

Football and Christmas music. 

Learning new things. 

A mom willing to feed poor college girls delicious spaghetti. 

Donkeys, miniature ponies, and rabbits.

Fishbowl and laughter. Lots of laughter. 

And fatheads of Michaela. 

Learning to play chess. 

Hanging out with people who aren't my age. 

Being able to practically love the church by helping during hard times.

Little girls who have my heart.

The fact that these two know every word to Frozen and can act out the entire movie. 

"Elsa hair."

That she was gracious with my hair-braiding abilities...

Late nights in Fike. 

Padded room.

Spikeball. Wall ball. Basketball. 

Soccer. For three hours. 

Settlers of Catan. 

A beautiful roommate who makes me laugh till it hurts with her ridiculousness. 

A best friend who knows me better than most and loves me still. 

An unexpected flat tire that turned into a 3-4 hour adventure.

Capable friends who live nearby and are willing to sacrificially help. 

Home. 

Family. 

Decorating the Christmas tree. 

Thanksgiving day and time with extended family. 

An incredibly adorable 1-year-old. 

Early Christmas. 

Compromising schedules in order to celebrate together.

Clemson football. 

Clemson win.

Carolina defeat. 

An unbelievably loud Death Valley. 

Running into these two giant, bearded friends. 

Tailgating.

Unexpected sweet time with my brother. 

Selfies at soccer games. 

Huddle group. 

These two sisters in Christ.

Sanctification via the body. 

Spontaneous dining hall lunches.

A skirt with 75 bows. 

Crazy girls who never fail to make me roll with laughter. 

Sneaking candid pictures. 

Running into old hall mates who became friends.

Disc golf. 

Finally getting to play at Clemson.

Finding a disc.

Thoughtful parents who send goodies for finals week. 

And again for Olivia.  

White Elephant Christmas parties with sweet friends. 

Photobombers. 

Photobooths.

Dysfunctional CP group pictures. 

Normal CP group pictures.

Tuesday nights with these girls. 

Tacky sweaters and a Rudolph onesie. 

A competitive friend who gets really into fishbowl. 

A dear friend who is willing to host 20 people in her apartment in the midst of a crazy time. 

And I'm thankful for lessons. 

This semester I've learned that God has something good in store, something good is coming, but in the waiting within the trusting I have to be patient. Somehow I missed that patience is required in the trusting. I guess I always thought about trust as believing God is good when things seem bad. But it's also believing God is good and at work when things are stagnant. 

My heart has also been filled with the adoration of Who God is. Mid-semester I began to really see His beauty. He alone is beautiful. He alone is to be adored. 

Oh come let us adore Him. 

Between Piper's advent and Sovereign Grace's new Christmas album, the Lord is doing a great work in my heart and getting me very excited for Christmas for all the right reasons. 

The Messiah came. Humbly, poorly, He came to save the world from their sins and to gather people to fulfill their purpose in life: worshipping God. And Praise God that Jesus is coming again. 

What an amazing mystery that His grace has come to me.