one more, one more, one more.

i have one more final and then i will be home free! i can do anything i want and fill my life with blogging and the beach! i can't wait! it's been a long time since i have been on here! i have been studying and working like crazy! mother's day was insane at work! i hope everyone enjoyed their mother's day weekend! i have a weekend recap coming tonight! can't wait to share. by the way, please pray for me. in a little over two months i will be in africa! although i am beyond excited, i am worrying (i know it's bad) about my fundraising. i still need $2,700! i know this is where God has me this summer and i am just on my face praying. he is in control and he will provide, but my dumb human self is worrying. say a little prayer for me if you please, because i would really appreciate it! hope everyone is great!

oh how he loves us.

disclaimer: this may be deep. bare with me. 

my love for Jesus grew so much when i left for college. i went to school in kentucky my first year and i was one of three people from my graduating class to go to school there. eeek. it didn't terrify me at all until i was literally by myself in a foreign world. i clung to my only hope during that time, Christ's love. not that my mom and friends weren't supportive, but when i was all by myself i had Jesus and his holy promises to hold me over until the next trip home.

throughout that year i grew and studied more than i ever had before. sad, right? well it's true. it's funny when you have nothing you cling to him because you know He is your only hope, but when you are all fine-and-dandy, you don't even think twice! anyways, Jesus became a priority in my life. not just my church on sunday and activities throughout the week.  sometimes i catch myself wondering if it was a good idea i came home. i couldn't wait for my last final at murray because i knew my mom was waiting and we'd be going home, for good. don't get me wrong, i missed some of the greatest people ever, but i knew i could go back and see them.

now that i am at home i am overwhelmed. i love, love, love my church family and being back in my niche, but geeeeze i don't have any time. that is totally my fault. my number one flaw is the inability to say "no." it's like my mouth is afraid to taste those words. ha. anyways, my priorities are out of whack and i am truly missing Jesus. i am involved in every church activity and i love it, but it's not getting me my "jesus fix." (i probably shouldn't speak like it's drugs, but you get me) i am burnt out with all the activities. i want my Jesus back. 


let's just say i am stoked for summer so i can spend time with my savior. i wish more than anything i would have gotten my priorities in a row, before i had to wish for the semester to be over. i shouldn't have this problem. take the time to spend time with the creator of the universe. he loves you. i'll leave with this quote from streams of the desert:

"earnestly desire to get alone with God. if we neglect to do so, we not only rob ourselves of a blessing but rob others as well, since we will have no blessing to pass on to them.it may mean less visible work, but people will see 'no one but Jesus'."

listen to this song. truly listen to it.

oh how he loves us.

i know this isn't exactly what anyone wanted to hear, but i needed to write this down and this was the place i could do it best. thanks for bearing with me. 

just a thought.

- it should be illegal to stay up all  night long studying/homework. dear summer, come quick!
- my luggage came in and it just places me that much closer to my summer of a lifetime! i am pumped!
- i am having mixed emotions about the oil spill. sounds awful, right? the animals and businesses that are suffering break my heart, but i would love to be able to spend a week on the beach in 11 days!
- please check out my new ria's africa video here. it will touch your heart.
- my "pool" is warming up! :)
-starbucks iced white chocolate mocha brightens my day!
-downfall of summer: shaving my legs on a regular basis. ha! don't judge:)
- check out one of my new favorite songs: help me rediscover you.

just thought i would share these small thoughts that were on my mind. i just love the blogging world!

summer is near

anyone else afraid of storms?! i am terrified. do you know how many watches/warnings we have had for tornadoes and storms!? too many to count. do you know how many times i have slept in my mom's bed?! every night. do you know how old i am?! about to turn 20! and no i am not ashamed. i am just a baby and i  don't mind! the LORD knows i need someone in my life that can take care of me in that sense. i am sure. :)

today was sassy shoots! i am sure no one cares, but i do! ah. that is horrible! but it was so fun! i was freaking out prior too, but once i got there everything was taken care of! it was so fun! i can't wait to share my photos! we got professional haircare and makeup! talk about feeling pampered! it was great! i even got to wear false eyelashes! soooo fun! 

i have so much homework to get done. i am dreading every minute of it, but hoping that the end of the semester is going to keep me motivated.  only 11 days! sorry for the continual countdown. it literally keeps me going. i bought the book "so long insecurity" by beth moore! i can't wait to read this and truly study what beth moore and most importantly the bible has to say about being insecure. i think this book is going to be so great!

so i know God has perfect timing, but sometimes it's not so easy to trust that. ha. that is just honesty speaking. i am on this kick of wanting to know the future. is this good/bad? i don't know, i just want to know. i am a girl. i need a plan. i just want to know what it looks like and i know that's not how it works. if i knew all of those answers i wouldn't need my Jesus, and i want my Jesus, but it's tough. i am ready for the future, or so i think. ha.

last week of class this week! i have a mound....mountain, of laundry to put up. ever dread the "nightly" routines of washing your face and all of that jazz. i am feeling that right now. let's see if i get out of bed!

"every promise of God's is built on four pillars.  the first two are His justice and holiness, which will never allow Him to deceive us.  the third is His grace or goodness, which will not allow Him to forget. and the fourth is His truth, which will not allow Him to change, which enables Him to accomplish what He has promised" streams of the desert. 

sweet weekend.

the weekend is here! or should i say it was here yesterday!? it has been soo busy! i am ready for a break! and summer is getting closer. 12 days until i am home free for a while! while i am on the subject of sweet summer, let me ask the blogging world. has anyone been to destin lately? or heard about the news down there? is the oil spill affecting that area. i really hate to sound like this. really, i do, but i will be devastated if i go to florida and i can't enjoy the beach because of the tragic oil spill.  i am currently on a quest to see if God really doesn't want me to go to florida. ha. this will be the seventh trip i have planned to florida in the past two years. if this one fails like all the others, i will know God has spoken. lol. God, please don't speak in that way. thanks, danielle. 

okay, i should stop. 

as cliche as this sounds, my mom is the best mom in the world. hands down. (unless it's your mom. i don't want to offend anyone). she has been so gracious and helpful to me during these tough weeks and i couldn't think her enough! i am glad vacay will be spent with her! love you mom. 

in case you are curious, i want toms! i have wanted toms for sooooo long! i think i am going to splurge and get some. toms aren't exactly expensive, but when you are saving every penny for a trip, a sandwich is expensive. trust me. here are a few i like. does anyone have toms?

i get to get my sassy shoots tomorrow!! whooooohooooo! i can't wait! i can't wait to share them with everyone! hope i can find something to wear!! eeeeek! 

so africa and my birthday are approaching fast!! i can't wait! i asked for luggage for my birthday. i thought that was appropriate! i looked high and low. luggage is expensive. this is not in the budget. anyways, after searching for quite a while, i found some! on overstock.com. check it out! 

don't you love it!? well, i do! ha. i guess that is all that matters! not that i needed this, but the price was great and i didn't own luggage of my own, so vacation and africa....here i come! get this, all 5 pieces shipped for $2.95! it's on it's way here! can't wait! 

i have a girl's night planned with emily tonight! i can't wait! we are doing the normal girl's stuff. watching movies (chick flicks of course), painting nails, stuffing our face. should be great! 

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." acts. 20.24

wild wednesday!

today i am wild about...

*sunshine!

i loooove me some sunshine! i think i could possible suffer from seasonal affective disorder! how can you be in a good mood when the weather is yuck?! i love the summer and springtime for this very reason! i can't wait for summer! i get to go to the beach in 17 days! woohooo! i can soak up all the sun i want in the seven days i am there! i can't wait! 

* friends!

i love my friends! spending time with them is the best medication a girl could ask for. i look forward to this summer so i can say "so long" to my school and "hello" to my sweet friends.  i would do anything for them! and they are always there for me! love you!

*summer!

my summer equals the beach on most occasions! i am counting down until i go! this is my favorite place! this summer i get the opportunity to go to the beach plus as you all know (and are probably sick of hearing) i am going to africa! i get the chance of a lifetime! so summer, you are 15 days away! here i come!!

thanks whitney for thinking of this cute idea! i wish i was better at keeping up with this! ha! 

refreshed.

this weekend was ahhmmaazzinggg! i spent the weekend with some of my favorite ladies from church in branson! it was a blast! i was the youngest on the trip, but it was great to see all the other women and hear from them. plus i got to spend the weekend with my momma. we had a blast. let's seeee....

big daddy weave led worship. awesome.

kay arthur drove home the question "are you ready to meet your God." wake up call. 

candace cameron: adorable, humble, great speaker.

donna gaines: inspirational.

anita renfroe: hilarious.

 wow it was an amazing weekend! it was the perfect timing and i could go back in heartbeat. i got to know some new people and i loved every minute of it. women of joy: you rocked my world. thanks.

i am almost half way to my raising complete funds for africa! i have about a month left. i am trying not to freak out. i have complete assurance God is going to provide as He has already promised so i am sure he is just sitting up there laughing at me. He has got it all in control. thank you Lord. i am so excited and am starting to prepare for my trip. i am trying to think of everything i am going to need and wanting to take!

sunday is finally sassy shots! i haven't wrote or talked about this at all! bella bambino, a local studio in town, is doing a shoot called sassy shoots. it's an all-inclusive shoot! my bestie mara and i are going to do this together and we can't wait! we get our hair styled, clothes to wear, and make-up done and there is even food! woohoo! it will be so much fun! i have had a picture done by sheri before! she is amazing at what she does! she did a conceptual shoot called "words in ashes." we were supposed to choose a word that describes our relationship with Christ or something along those lines. this shoot was done around ash wednesday so the word was written in ashes on our foreheads. the shoot was amazing.

i can't wait to post our pictures from the next shoot! they are very fun and sassy! not only do we do get all of the "stuff" listed above, we get the rights to our pictures! it's a great deal! to say the least i am pumped! 

i am down to two weeks left of school! i can see the end in sight but it still seems so far away. i need an encouragement to work-out and do my best to eat better! i do not want sympathy, but i do not feel confident and the only way i can feel that way is if i do something for myself. any tips or ideas that worked for you!?

i hope tomorrow i will have time to do something fun i saw on whitney's blog! i loved reading about her today and they were great questions! i'm so glad i am back on track! i am thinking of a fun series to start! i can't wait! any ideas!?