Relaxation and God's Beauty

Luckily my Spring Break this year was the same time as one of the conferences that my Dad has to go to. I'm glad I got to go this year, because next year, the conference may not be at the beach. It was a great time of relaxation and refreshment. Here are some pictures from the weekend. Enjoy God's beauty all around you! :-)

Red Chair

Mom taking pictures.

Seagulls (This is also my header)

The Gulf.

Mr. Fred the Seagull.

The waves coming up on the shore.

The beautiful sky.

Sunrise on Tuesday morning.

God's Beauty.

Anyone have any fun and exciting adventure or trips coming up soon? If you do, don't miss the beauty that God has created for us to enjoy! :-)

Spring Break 2010

It is Spring Break 2010 and right now, I am here.

I'll be here until Tuesday!

Yay!

:-)

Alaskan Trip Update!

Early Friday morning, around 2:45 A.M. I slept through the phone call from my roommate saying they had made it safely in Anchorage. I was so disappointed that I missed it, but I was tired and out like a light! 
Then, later Friday afternoon, I missed another call from my roommate! Why can't I hear my phone!!??! (I now have it by my side even more than ever and turned up loud!) But, this phone call was about other exciting news! My roommate had applied for a summer position at Lake Forest Ranch in Macon, Mississippi as a photographer for them. She was soon to board her last plane to Nome, when she got the phone call saying she had been accepted for the job! Talk about an overwhelming moment. I listened to the voice mail, stopped immediately in my tracks, and started crying tears of praise and joy! I am so excited for her and all that God is putting in her life. This trip and this summer are going to be incredible times of growth and memories for her and that excites me majorly! I wish I could have been there to give her a huge hug, I wish I had answered my phone!! 

Then, last night around 8:30 P.M., I got another phone call and this time I heard it. It was from Alaska! My roommate called me again. They had landed safely in Nome and were soon to eat dinner. They are there safe and already loving every minute of it. My friends have already walked out and gone sliding on the Bering Sea. How amazing is that! 


Keep praying for them as they start their work now. I'm thinking about them a lot and told her that they have many prayers coming their way. Every time I look to see what time it is here, I count back 3 hours to see what time it is Nome. :-) 


Thanks for the prayers!

A Life Changing Adventure

Today, one of my bestest friends and roommate, left for Alaska. She is going to be gone for 9 days to a state that is not in the continental U.S. She is going over Spring Break. The time that college students usually take to go to the beach or Mexico and do who knows what. Instead, my roommate is using her Spring Break to go and minister to people in -7 degree weather! She's going to the extreme opposite of the beach, getting on planes (and she doesn't really like to fly), putting on layers upon layers of clothes, riding snowmobiles, ministering at a battered woman's shelter, helping Iditarod racers and ministering to them, giving out hot chocolate, and eating reindeer hot-dogs! Most importantly, she is ministering to people who need God. She is showing them His love and letting them know the grace that only He gives. She is obeying our God, who wants her to be there. She is furthering His kingdom. She is being a servant of Christ. 

I am so excited beyond so many points that she gets to go do this. Serving God on the mission field is one of the best things you can do! It opens your eyes to so much more and makes you aware of what is around you every day. It allows us to be obedient to what Christ has called us to do. It takes us out of our comfort zones and puts us in places we need to be, in places where God can teach us and mold us to be more like Him. To share. To teach. To love.

But don't forget that you don't have to go to Alaska to be used by God. You don't have to get out of the states if you don't want to or the country. But you just need to look at those around you and start loving them. The rest will fall into place. Listen to God when He speaks and obey when He tells you something, obey right then! Don't wait for a "better" time, because that time may never come. God's timing is the best for everyone, even when we may not think that. 

Please be praying for the Team that is going to Alaska that includes my roommate. Two of my other good friends are also going. These girls are the greatest and just love people. I thank God for them and them wanting to use their Spring Break to minister to people that live over 2,000 miles away from them. Pray for safe travels for the team as they depart from Birmingham, Alabama to Dallas, Texas. From there they go to Seattle, Washington and then Anchorage, Alaska. They will arrive there late tonight, then tomorrow board their last plane to Nome, Alaska where they will be for a week. They are set to return on the 19th.

Please pray for the health and wellness of the team. That they will be healthy and alert on the way and when they get there. Pray that they will adjust well to the environment that is much different from that here in Alabama. 

Please pray for the people that they will be ministering to. The locals on the Reservation and the people who are there for the Iditarod. Pray that they will have open hearts and spirits and become friends with the team. Pray that God will start to soften their hearts for what He wants them to know. Pray that they will see the Light that is Christ and forever be changed. 


If you think of it, please pass this major prayer request on to anyone you talk to. All the prayers will be much appreciated from me and especially from the team. 


Thank you!! 
:-)

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

-- Isaiah 6:8

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men...Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." 

-- Ephesians 6:7,10

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in it's various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the Glory and the Power for ever and ever. Amen."

-- 1 Peter 4:10-11

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!!

Today is my sister's birthday! So in her honor this is a special birthday post for her! I love you sis!!! :-)

You're smart.

 

You're gorgeous!

 

 

You're goofy! 

You are an awesome aunt!

You're talented.

And like they say, there is no better friend than a sister!! 

:-)

You are so much more!

Happy Birthday, Sis! I hope you have a wonderful day and that this next year will be filled of many more blessings. You deserve the best! I love you and miss you like crazy! Can't wait until I get to see you again! Enjoy your day! I love you!

Jess

The Most Powerful Thing We Can Do

As believers in an Almighty and Powerful God, the most powerful thing we can do for others, is pray for them. Right now, that is what we should be doing for the people of Haiti. They have suffered more in the past couple of days than many of us have ever experienced. We are blessed beyond measure with all the things that God has given us. The people of Haiti have had all of that taken away. Not all of us can just pack up and fly to Haiti to offer our helping hands, and not all of us can donate money, clothes, or other goods. But the one thing that we can offer to Haiti, even if we have nothing else, is prayer. The most powerful thing.

The people of Haiti have lost everything. Family members, homes, memories, food, water, gas, transportation, the list goes on and on. They are feeling hopeless, forgotten, and alone. I was reading a blog earlier today about a family that is living in northern Haiti. They weren't as impacted by the earthquake as those in Port-au-Prince. The mother and wife of that family wrote that the word of the street in Haiti is, "Bondye pa renmen Ayiti”. Which means, "God doesn't like Haiti". And that breaks my heart.

God loves Haiti. He loves the place and the people there, for He created them. He loves them. His heart is broken for them, as many of our hearts are broken for them as well. There are many people in Haiti, however, that aren't feeling God's love right now. They feel alone and heartbroken, wondering how they are going to rebuild everything, and how to get back their family. The sad thing is, many of them may never be able to rebuild. The earthquake that struck Haiti was devastating...deadly devastating. But God loves Haiti. Right now, we need to show God's love to Haiti, and if we can't go there and serve them, we can serve them here through prayer. We can lift up the Haitian people that were affected by this catastrophe to God. Praying for them, their families, their lives, the government, the injured, the lost, the grieving, the orphans. We can pray that they get relief and help, that they feel the love of others, and the power of our prayers. Most importantly that they feel the power of God's love. And that they soon change their words to "God loves Haiti". The power of Christ is so much bigger than anything else in existence. He is everything. His hand is over Haiti today, as it is every day. But now more than ever do the people of Haiti need to know of God's love.

So please, if there is one thing you do for Haiti, pray that they will feel God's love and presence with them. Pray for peace of mind and comfort as they try to rebuild whatever they have left. Pray that God will be glorified and shown amidst this tragedy. Pray that people will see the Truth. Pray that people will come together to help their neighbors, and hold hands during this difficult time. Pray for God's love to cover them. Pray, because it is the most powerful thing we can do.

To read more on the family in Northern Haiti and learn other ways to help, go here.

Click the banner on the right that says "Help Haiti" to donate through Compassion.


"But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to You; You, O God, are my fortress, my Loving God." -- Psalm 59:16-17

Texas Love

I'm a Bama fan through and through, I scream Roll Tide, bleed crimson and white, and scream my heart out for the guys on the field. But, I have no disrespect towards Texas and their fans. They are some of the best in the land. And I hated to see what happened to Colt McCoy last night. He is an amazing, talented, and respected guy, player, and leader. I honestly have nothing bad to say about McCoy. I don't think that he was unfairly targeted by Alabama players, because honestly, I don't think they would do that. If they did, well they are in the wrong. But, I would have much rather had McCoy in the game, it would have been an incredible game, more than it was. Gilbert stepped up and also did an amazing job at the QB position. I know he wasn't ready to go in for an entire game, especially during the BCS Championship game, but man, he did a heck of a job and deserves major props! The entire Texas football program is a great one, and my favorite in the Big 12. So, to Colt McCoy, you are an incredible athlete and leader. I hate that you were injured and wish you could have been in the game the entire time. I hope your injury and any pain in your arm goes away and I will be praying for you. I know that right now, there is nothing worse you could be going through. To Garrett Gilbert, you did an amazing job last night! We were all wondering what to expect when you stepped foot onto that field and honestly, you exceeded my expectations. You are going to be a great Texas quarterback. I know the circumstances weren't the greatest that sent you out, but you really stepped up and showed talent, agility, and leadership. Can't wait to see you later on! So congrats to the Texas football program, you guys played a great game and I'm glad that we got to play you guys for the Championship.

Roll Tide and Hook Em' Horns!