Beach Trip -- Biloxi, MS

Warning: This post contains a lot of photos!

Last week, my Dad had a conference to attend in Biloxi, MS. Mom and I decided to go along so we could enjoy some pool time. 

Then, on the last day, we took a boat ride to an island 11 miles off the coast. We got to spend the whole afternoon there. It was wonderful!

Enjoy the pictures! 

:-) 

We got to stay at the Beau Rivage. 

One night, I enjoyed some puzzles and the Olympics!

These are pictures of the Gulf as seen from the pool. 

Never-ending hallway?

This place was SO good! So delicious, that we went back the next night!
The first night we went I ordered Seafood Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with a Ceaser Salad and Garlic and Parmesan Roasted New Potatoes.

Spend a little time at the Arcade! 

A dessert one night: Mississippi Mud Pie

Pool attire for one of the days!

This is the next night at the Half Shell Oyster House. 

I ordered the Big Easy Surf 'n Turf: Steak on top of a Crab Cake with Lump Crab Meat on top, with a Ceaser salad and Cheese Grits. 

And each night that we went, we ordered appetizers of Oysters. 

I'm telling you, SO good!

Beach Boulevard 

Leaving for Ship Island from Gulfport, MS.

The boat we rode.

The only things on the island were a snack bar, showers, two pavilions,

and

Fort Massachusetts. 

Stingrays would swim around you in the water!
Along with schools of fish and hermit crabs.

Hermit Crab that I found in the water.

We got to go into Fort Massachusetts for a few minutes before our boat came back.

There was a lighthouse on the island, but in the 70s (?) some campers accidentally set it on fire and it burned down. 

Leaving the island. 

:-)

My Last Few Weeks in Alabama (Instagram-ed Style)

(This post is the definition of bittersweet.) 

I visited family in Memphis for a going away party and good-byes. 

I had my last few, fun weeks at work. 

I explored Tuscaloosa and went to a few new places one last time.

I said good-bye to sweet and amazing friends. 

I packed up my apartment and left my home of 5 wonderful years. 

And now, pretty much all my belongings are in storage, waiting until I use them again. 

Two suitcases and a backpack are what I have for the next 4 months on my new journey. 

Heading To Tahoe City, California

In my last post (which I feel was forever ago), I announced that I was accepted as a semester missionary with the North American Mission Board (NAMB). I am very excited for this opportunity to travel and serve the Lord in Tahoe City, California. 

I will be serving at First Baptist Church Lake Tahoe as a preschool teacher in their Preschool for children ages 3-5. They also have a before and after school program for kindergartners through sixth grade children. The church also has various programs throughout the month for parents like My Morning Out and Parent's Night Out, where parents can drop off their kids for childcare and have time for themselves. The church is also involved in ski ministry, where they have church on the slopes, although this is only a spring semester ministry. 

Between both the Preschool and the School Program there will be about 90-100 children a day. Me along with the other semester missionaries will lead Bible stories, learning activities, crafts, educational centers, and games. Most the families who have children in the programs are not Christians. However, in the past these families have become more involved with FBC Lake Tahoe and some have come to have a relationship with Christ. 

The full-time population of Tahoe City is actually really small. While yearly they will have close to 9 million visitors. Tahoe City is the home of Lake Tahoe, the eighth deepest lake in the world. Most of the Lake resides in California, while the rest lies in Nevada. Lots of people come to Tahoe in the summer and winter for the Lake and the great skiing. 

Tahoe City is about 4 hours from San Francisco, 5 hours from Yosemite National Park, and an hour away from Reno, Nevada. 

I will be flying out to Tahoe on August 14th and returning home on December 22nd. 

I am so excited for this opportunity and to be in California. This is the farthest that I have lived and served from home so far, which makes it a little daunting. But, I am ready to be there, meet the people, and meet the kids. Not to mention to be in beautiful Tahoe City! Below is a picture of Lake Tahoe. 

I can't wait to share this journey with you guys!
I hope you will continue reading to learn more about the ministry and everyone involved. 

:-) 

Just a Quick Note

Hey everyone!

I know I haven't done my next post on "peace" yet, of the fruits of the Spirit. But, it is coming soon!

During the middle of this week I had my Bible Study and now this weekend I am visiting family in Memphis.

And I also have exciting news to share with you. I have mentioned it a little in a few earlier posts.

I have applied and been chosen to be a Semester Missionary with the North American Mission Board! I will be gone from August to December of this year and will be serving in Lake Tahoe, California!

I am very excited for this opportunity and for what the Lord is going to do. I can't wait to write another post and tell you more about it.

Stay tuned!

:-)

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -- Romans 5:13

Fruit of the Spirit -- Joy

You can find the post for "Fruit of the Spirit -- Love", here. 

Today's post is on the fruit of the Spirit: joy. 

I found SO much on joy during my search on BibleGateway.com. This is a great website that has many resources. I definitely encourage you to check it out. This is where the majority of today's post comes from. 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, 
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness 
and 
self-control." 
Galatians 5:22

Joy = the emotion of great delight or happiness, keen pleasure, the expression or display of glad feelings, state of happiness. 

Strong's Dictionary = gladness, the joy received from you, the cause or occasion of joy, of person's who are one's joy. 

Joy in one form or another appears at least 59 times in the New Testament. 

Joy is a quality or attitude of delight and happiness, ultimately grounded in the work of God. Among the many situations in which joy is experienced, Scripture recognizes as supreme being accepted in the presence of God. 

There is joy of the Church, joy of the Holy Spirit, joy of God, and joy of Christ. 

• Joy of the Church 
• The church is to rejoice in the salvation brought by Christ's faithful life and death, and the power of His resurrection. Even in adversity, believers know the joy of Christ. 
• There is joy at the coming of Christ.
• Joy is the hallmark of the Kingdom of God. 
• Christ promises joy.
• There is joy among believers.
• Joy experienced in relationship with Christ.
• There is joy even in adversity.
• Joy because of faith and obedience, love and concern.
• Joy because of our partnership in the Gospel. 

• Joy of the Holy Spirit 
• The Spirit gives an inner contentment and happiness which is not dependent upon external circumstances. (This is one statement that really struck a cord with me. How often do I let the world determine my joy, instead of Christ?)
• The Spirit enables the Messiah to bring joy. 
• The Spirit gives joy:
• To those who were anticipating the birth of Christ.
• To Christ, Himself.
• To disciples even in the face of opposition. 
• Evidence of the Spirit's work prompts believers to rejoice!

• Joy of God
• God rejoices in the well-being and faithfulness of His people and in the repentance and conversion of sinners. He brings joy to His people, who rejoice in His presence and faithfulness.
• God is the source of joy!
• He rejoices in the restoration of His people. 
• Joy is found in the heavenly presence of God.
• Causes of God's joy:
• His own works.
• His chosen servants.
• Christ, His Son.
• The restored temple.
• His people and their worship. (How is our worship bringing joy to God? Is it at all?)
• Repentance
• Obedience, honesty, and integrity.

• Joy of Christ
• Originates in God:
• From His intimate relationship with His Father and the Spirit.
• From His awareness of God's purposes.
• To know Christ brings great joy to others!

Some other examples of joy can be found in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians. 

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." 

Philippians 1:18-19

"You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 
1 Thessalonians 1:6


"Joy is different from happiness, because happiness depends on what happens. There are elements in our circumstances we cannot help; joy is independent of them all." 
Oswald Chambers, He Shall Glorify Me


Although these are only two verses of Scripture that speak on joy, there are many verses that go along with all of this post. I encourage you to go to BibleGateway.com and look up joy. 


(Today's post was gathered from Dictionary.com, BibleGateway.com, and BlueLetterBible.org) 

Fruit of the Spirit -- Love

I have decided to go through and study the fruits of the Spirit as listed in Galatians. I hope to do one fruit a day until I have gone through them all. Most of what I write in these posts I have gathered from various online resources.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, 

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness 

and 

self-control." 

Galatians 5:22 

Love = a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person, feeling of warm personal attachment. 

Strong's Dictionary = agape, affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love, love feasts

This agape form of love occurs around 116 times in the New Testament. 

Love is a caring commitment, affection and delight shown to one another, which is grounded in God Himself. In His words and actions and Christ's death on the Cross, God demonstrates the nature of love and defines the direction in which human love, in all forms, should develop. 

• Reasons for loving one another:
• God commands it.
• God has taken the initiative in showing love.
• God's people are known by their love.
• Love maintains fellowship.
• Love promotes sacrificial service.
• Expressing love for one another occurs:
• In caring for the sick.
• In meeting material needs.
• In affectionate greetings. 

"O Lord, I would crave more and more to put on love like a garment, that in my contact with men that is what they will most lastingly recognize." 

-- Oswald Chambers, Knocking at God's Door

(Today's post was gathered from Dictionary.com, BibleGateway.com, and BlueLetterBible.org)

Lazy Saturday Post Full of Randomness

When I tell you that today has literally been one of the laziest Saturdays, it really has been. 

I haven't left my apartment, not even my bed for that matter.

I do have my window blinds open though, that counts for something right??

And, although I have plenty of food here to eat, I might leave to go get something later. Through a drive-thru of course. 

This is what summer is all about right?? Well, it is when all your friends have left town and you don't feel like driving 2 hours to go home. 

I did find a new blog today, which I love! She has been getting a lot of traffic after her post called, "50 Shades of Magic Mike (In Which I Am VERY UNCOOL)." Check it out here. 

In addition to her taking a stand and speaking out against 50 Shades and Magic Mike, I love the rest of her blog.

Check her out.

:-) 

I have also spent hours watching YouTube music videos, watching clips of Ellen interviews, and surfing Netflix for something to watch. 

Not to mention the scrolling of Twitter and Facebook. 

Social media definitely wins today...

My 4th of July was great! Another great day spent with friends that will go in the memory box. July 4th is definitely one of my favorite holidays.
Last 4th I was in NOLA, watching fireworks on the river.

This year, I started the day by watching an old dorm on UA's campus get imploded! Something that I have always wanted to see in person. Check that off the list!
Here are some pics!

Then, that evening some friends and I went to Birmingham to eat and watch the firework show, Thunder on the Mountain. I went two years ago and really enjoyed it. Although, this year we had a great view on top of a parking deck. 

Last weekend I was able to take a mini vacation with one of my friends. We both worked camp last summer in NOLA, so we thought it would be fun to go back for a weekend. It was a great break that I needed and it was sooo great to see friends again.

Also, if you have noticed, most of these pictures are from my phone and have been Instagram-ed! 

Yes, I am now the happy owner of an iPhone!

I recently upgraded and am happy that I did. I am really enjoying it. It was definitely a good switch and glad I could do it before my big move. Which, I know I haven't said anything more about it. Details about it are coming soon! Promise! I'm just waiting for things to be officially official before I do a whole post on it. 

Other than going to watch new movies (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Lucky One, Brave -- all wonderfully good movies!), Red Boxing movies with friends, having sleep overs with friends, joining a new Bible Study, hammocking with friends, and working, this is what summer has entailed for me so far. 

Now, for some things that I want to start again or do for the first time this summer: 

1. Get a haircut. 

My hair is long, but I still want to grow it out some more. Thing is, it has reached its point of length where it isn't growing. So, I need to go get a trim to help it along its merry way. Also, I want more shape or something, so I might ask for some layers. My hair is long and super thick, so sometimes I feel like there isn't anything I can do with it. 

2. Get back in my exercise and eating regime. 

I have written a couple of posts on this. Well, I have reached I think week 2 of not doing either of these things. So, it is time to get back on the track (literally). 

3. Read the books that I have bought. 

I seriously have a problem when it comes to buying books. Especially when I see a good deal. So, I'm making it a goal to actually read these books this summer. I love reading and I know that once I start, it will be hard to stop. Also, now that I don't have to read boring textbooks, I can read what I want, for fun! 

4. Renew and refresh my Quiet Times. 

This summer, along with a couple of friends, I joined a new Bible Study at my church. It is led by my college minister's wife, who I love hanging out with. What I really love about this bible study is that it is ladies of the church of all different ages. Women that have already been where I have been. I'm excited to learn from them and listen to their words of wisdom. 

However, my own quiet time has been essentially non-existent so far this summer. For different reasons, but the main one being my lack of commitment and intent. In that there hasn't been either...