Stay in the car, Jesus.

I had a rough morning-probably because I haven't even had any kind of quiet time today yet. And my days always go weird when I don't. I was parking my car and getting my backpack and it was wayyyyyyy tooo heavy. My backpack weighs 25 lbs.--yes I weighed it. That is nearly 1/4th of my weight. So, I started to take things out. To rid my backpack of unnecessary things I wouldn't need today. I looked at all my books and realized that I needed all of them-so I was just gonna have to suck it up. But then I saw my "Jesus Calling" Devotional book (which is never in my backpack, just so happened to be there from when I went to the park)and literally said outloud, "This can stay in here."

"Yo Jesus, part of you and what you want me to hear can just stay in the car, hope you don't get too hot."

What the heck.

That's the first book I should have held onto with both hands, considering my morning! God knew I would need it this morning! So I tucked it back into my backpack-it will just have to be extra heavy today. :)

Worship Me by living close to me.

This was my original design for man, into whom I breathed my very breath of Life.

This is my desire for you: that you stay NEAR Me as you walk along your life-path.

Each day is an important part of that journey.

Although you many feel as if you are going nowhere in the world, your spiritual journey is another matter altogether,

taking you along steep, treacherous paths of adventure.

That is why walking in the light of my presence is essential to keep you from stumbling.

By staying close to Me, you present yourself as a living sacrifice.

And here's the part that spoke to me.

EVEN THE MOST ROUTINE PART OF YOUR DAY CAN BE A SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP, HOLY AND PLEASING TO ME.

I was doing my routine thing. Putting on my backpack, about to head to class. I feel as if God was saying, "Take this book with you. Even though you feel as if your backpack cannot carry any more weight. Take it and read it. And that will please me."

Thanks, God. :)

God's story for YOU.

My Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is, will you be My child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Father
Almighty God

Praying for OTHERS.

God has really put loving others well on my heart TODAY. Better than I have been. I sometimes get SO caught up with school and extra activities that I forget to sit down and pray for my friends. They are human, too! They need prayers. They need to be backed by prayer. God gave me them to be my prayer warriors, partners in our faith, and this LIFE!

We are walking this life. Together.

Towards ONE goal. Jesus Christ.

And if praying for each other can bring us closer to Him...What am I waiting for!!?

How could I have FORGOTTEN to pray for the people that walk with me towards His Heavenly Kingdom? It hit me like a set of bricks.

Monday is such a good day for a set of bricks to come and pelt your heart. I am thankful they did, though. Thanking God for those bricks! Every one of my friends has welcomed me with open arms to pray for them. And some have even asked, How can I pray for YOU, Neely?

That is like a breath of fresh air. How relieving it is to know that people are praying for me!

Good Lord above. Why have I not been praying DAILY for the girls that I live with DAILY? The girls I share my LIFE with? Who I trust, love, and CRY with?

The people on my Young Life team at Carter High School DAILY? The kids at Carter High School DAILY? My parents DAILY? My brothers DAILY? My roommates parents' DAILY?

I am kicking myself right now, but very thankful I have finally woken up. Praying for people in my life this week is number ONE on my list of things to do. Who cares about homework.

I just encourage you all today to stop what you are doing and ask the people that you walk this life with-How you can possibly pray for them?

If I can pray for you in any way, let me know. It would be a blessing to pray for your heart.

Love you ALL.

Neely

Praise the Lord!

I am BACK and it feels good. Every single time I would sit at the computer this summer, I would go to my blog site in a HURRY and try to type in all of my information and every single time it would say I had the wrong password. Today, I knew I needed to start back blogging because I had so much on my mind.

I sat at my computer and prayed. Prayed to God to use me and if He didn't want me to blog anymore...fine.

Checked my UT email and low and behold my password pops up from a random e-mail address. To my knowledge, my UT e-mail is not associated with my blog.

I felt like God was saying, "That's all I wanted you to do. I wanted you to sloooowwww down and talk to me about something that you needed help with."

I have been in a hurry half of my life, but if we slooowww down, we can hear God. He speaks best when we are silent and STILL.

I was also thinking about something else yesterday. Praying. And I feel like today was just a reassurance from God that I do need to pray MORE because who else is gonna help me?

Psalm 119:164 says, "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws." I want to learn to pray like David prayed!

Happiness

Last night I sat down to write in my journal and something told me to write what makes me truly happy. Well I KNOW it was not something, it was GOD. So, I proceeded. Here was my list. (No particular order, because obviously my friends and family would be first..not coffee.)

1. Coffee

2. The Beach

3. Family

4. Friends

5. Young Life

Then I got done. Didn't really feel much of anything. I was like, "Well there's my list God! That makes me happy. What else do you want me to do?"

PROBLEM. Some kind of siren went off in my head. And if you know me..me and sirens don't mix.I forgot to list God. What in this world? How could I forget my Creator, the One that LOVES me the most, the One who died for me? Well, I did. And this is the point of my story.

I feel like a lot of times I/we put all 5 (or what makes you happy) of these things BEFORE God. Maybe not ALL the time, but SOME of the time.

1. When I get up in the mornings the FIRST thing I do is get a cup of coffee. It makes me wake up and start my day off right.

2. I go to the beach about five times a year. It is my quiet place. The place I find comfort and rest.

3. My family is always there for me and can get me through anything. They are the ones that I come "home" to.

4. My friends are the people who pick me up when I am down and walk the same road I do with Jesus.

5. Young Life is the place where I share life with teenage girls, lay down beside them, and help them.

I quickly noticed that that was my list.

BUT if I add God as number ONE, that list quickly changes. Very, very quickly. See, God is the only one who can really MAKE us happy forever. All of these things will come and go. If we put Him first in our lives, all of these things won't really make us happy. And you will QUICKLY realize it.

1. I need Jesus to wake me up in the mornings. I need Jesus to start my day off right. Caffeine will wear off. Jesus won't. "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24.

2. My Jesus needs to be my quiet place. In His lap, I find rest. He won't get washed away by Hurricanes. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.

3. I need to realize that I will be "coming home" to Jesus one day. It won't always be to my family. And I need to prepare for coming home to Him by seeking Him first. Always. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33.

4. Jesus is the ONLY one who can ALWAYS pick me up and assure me happiness. The Bible says that people WILL fail you, but God WILL NOT. "I will never fail you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5.

5. God blessed me with Young Life, but He gave it to me to teach these girls to NOT run to ME first, but to run to Him because I cannot provide for them what the really need. "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19.

Now, I'm not saying all of these things CAN'T make us happy. Because they can. Write out your list. They all MADE that list because they provide you with some kind of happiness.

That kind of happiness is temporary.

Happiness from God is permanent.

"So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corin. 4:18.

For the THINGS we see now will SOON be gone. The THINGS that make me happy will SOON be gone. God will NEVER be gone, He is forever.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21.

Pinky Swear

1. Choose Your Friends Carefully

“The righteous should CHOOSE HIS FRIENDS CAREFULLY, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26)

This verse tells us that if we do not chose our friends carefully, we will be lead astray. Directions from God. Word by Word. Why don't we follow them ALL the time?

2. Why we need to choose good "God-Friends"

Again, step by step instructions as to WHY we desperately need these carefully chosen, firm believer friends.

1. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
   
2. “A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; for by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 24:5)
   
3. “Every purpose is established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war.” (Proverbs 20:18)
   
4. “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” (Proverbs 15:22)
   
5. “Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.” (Proverbs 19:20)
   
6. “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 19:27)

Goodness, this is proof of WHO God WANTS in our lives! Drop everything and write these down! What is our purpose in this life? To serve God, right? To bring Him glory, right? To tell people of his amazing love, RIGHT?

In order to do all these things, we MUST have people there. Friends there. God fearing with us. On our knees.

To help us. Hold us. Pray with us. Believe with us. Cry with us. Laugh with us. And spread His love with us.

3. As Iron Sharpens Iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)

Godly friends "sharpen" you. They hold you accountable. They walk with you. They listen. But most of all, they love you and they love this sovereign God just like YOU do.

And we ALL ask the question of "Why is this person seeming to disappear from my life?"

"The main reason that God will start to take out the friends in your life that He does not want you to have is because some of these people may be negative influences in your life. They may not be open to growing and maturing in the Lord like you will be, and all they will do is try and hold you back when you start your own spiritual journey and growth in the Lord. They will start criticizing and making fun of you and all they will end up doing is stunting your growth in the Lord.

If you will allow God to prune out the people that He does not want you to have in your life – then what He will start to do is to bring in the people that He will want to have in your life. I call these types of friends “God-friends.” These people will be good, godly and Spirit-filled who are truly walking in good stead with the Lord and they will now be the people that He will want you to share your walk with!"

There ya have it. Simple and Sweet. God will provide. He will take care of us. He will carefully place people we need in our lives to strengthen our relationship with Him. And he will carefully remove people we do not need in our lives that weaken our relationship with Him.

God is good. All the time.

Thankful for the ability to LOVE.

I am thankful for the ability to love. I take it from granted. Love is a verb and I am so thankful and blessed to have people in my life who I really love. I love how each and every single one of my friends is unique and their "love language" is different. Each of them requires different kinds of love. I read a book called "The Five Love Languages" and it is SO good. It talks about how each person is different and the way they feel loved the most is different. When their "love tanks" are empty, speaking to them in their "love language" helps them feel loved. I love uniqueness. I love how Jesus can love us in a way that other people can't. I love how Jesus knows our hearts and knows what kind of love we need and then freely gives it to us.

I am wanting to know how to better love each and every one of my friends in a way that they really feel loved by me. I want to know how to better love you. Let me know how I can better love you.

The five love languages according to Gary Chapman are words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.

• Words of Affirmation

  Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

• Quality Time

  In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your friend feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

• Receiving Gifts

  Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

• Acts of Service

  Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

• Physical Touch

  A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

Wow. I have friends in every single one of these. I cannot wait to try to love them more like Jesus would AND focus in on their "love language." If you know ME, you know that my love language is PHYSICAL TOUCH 100%. I love hugs, touching, holding hands, linking arms, etc. It is just something that what makes me, ME! :)

Feeling really loved is a great feeling, and I want all of my friends to know that I can never love you like Jesus can, but I sure am going to try to love you the best that I can.


Here's to trying to love more like Jesus!

Neely

The Big Picture

What makes our "big picture" in life SUCCEED?

I often take a step back at my life and ask myself these questions. I love seeing "the big picture". We need to start asking ourselves these questions daily.

1. Am I listening to the voice of God? Or are you listening to the voices of others? Isaiah 2:22 says, "Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?" I find myself listening to the voice of others WAY too much. I just talk way too much, and that's why I can't hear God sometimes. I am learning to be still and listen. God speaks when we are quiet.

2. Am I taking risks? Do we "not" do something because we feel like we are not sure if God wants us to do it? In my opinion, I say do it, even if you are not sure. When you start it, you will eventually find out if God wants you there or not. I'm not talking about illegal things. I am talking about taking a certain path in life, job, etc.

" Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let not your hands be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well." Ecclesiastes 11:4-6

The Bible tell us there is no perfect time to start taking risks.

3. Do I understand how BIG God is? Deuteronomy 10:17 says, "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome." How Awesome is HE!
"Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, Our God is HIGHER than ANY OTHER!!"

4. Am I surrounding myself with the right people? Proverbs 15:22 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." We need Christian friends. We need people to grow with us in our faith. Sometimes God puts people in our path that give us "wise council" that help our BIG PICTURE succeed. We need to hold onto these people with both hands. Imagine a little kid holding onto their parent's leg with both arms and legs. Hold on tightly to good, Christian friends like this.

5. Am I giving GOD my best? Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with ALL YOUR MIGHT, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." Are we giving God ALL OUR MIGHT? He didn't say give it "what you feel like." He said GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT. This hits home because a lot of the time, I give God what I feel like giving. He gave us His ALL, His LIFE, why is it so hard to give Him our best?


I encourage you to think about these questions this week and let's start working on them...starting with number one! Love you all. Have a blessed week my friends! :)

Neely

Audience of one.

I was listening to a song called "Audience of One" yesterday on the way to the park and it got me thinking about the real, simple truth in it.

Think about a play and the audience watching it. I have been in a few plays and the GOAL is to IMPRESS the audience. To make them CHEER you on. To make them LIKE you or the play. To make them ENJOY themselves. To make them LAUGH. To make them FEEL like they are in the scene with you.

But in real life, it's a little different. We are not here to impress ANYONE. I mess up on this sometimes. Ultimately, we are not here to want people to cheer us on, like us, enjoy themselves because of us, laugh, or make them feel like they are "in it" with us. We are here for Jesus. He is sitting in the audience...

Cheering us on.
Making us enjoy OURSELVES because of the price He paid for us.
He is "in it" with us. At all times.

Wow. So true. We really have an audience of one and it feels good to know that no matter who we please or not please, it doesn't even matter. What matters is what He thinks. What He sees. He is watching us in the audience.

The most important thing in this life is Jesus. HE IS OUR AUDIENCE. Even though I only listed one name, He is more powerful than any crowded audience out there. An audience of one.

"Jesus says that we do not have to flatter our way into an audience with the King. He’s our Dad, and we can talk to him because he is our Dad. He has given us that right, so we can be confident that he hears us."

There's one chair. And it's taken.

Jesus sees us up here on this "stage."
He knows what it's like to be us.
He is cheering for us.
He is watching us.
He is our only audience that counts.
He is right beside us. Always.

We can do it. God's got us!


Love each and every one of you!

Neely

A little taste of Heaven

I am so thankful for sweet friends who are as much as in love with Jesus as I am. Think about some of your favorite things in life. What makes you the HAPPIEST. I think that these are little tastes of Heaven. Little appetizers. God is telling us, "You think THIS is good? Wait until Heaven!"

I love it.

And I love all of my friends I have made through Young Life. They give me a little taste of Heaven by how happy and joyful they make me. I am so incredibly thankful for each and every ONE of you. You make my life more meaningful, joyful, and it brings me to my knees every night thanking God for ALL of you.

I love y'all.

Neels

Thank you notes to God

If you really know me you would know....(We are not playing this game BUT honestly if you knew me) you would know that I love texting and talking to my friends 24/7. I was driving home from my Young Life spend the night today and had something REALLY important and exciting to tell one of my friends. I wanted to tell her all about my Young Life graduation/sleepover, etc. When I got to my apartment the FIRST thing I did was text her my exciting information that I just had to share even before I took my bags in my room. When I finally texted her, I told myself, "Wow, I haven't thanked God once for yesterday and all the fun things that happened."

When something important happens in my life, why don't I ALWAYS run to God SO excited barely containing myself like I do my friends?

I think we all have problems with this. And if you don't, please teach me your ways!

I pray. I talk to God. I spend quiet moments with God. And that's all good right? Of course. It's awesome, humbling, emotional, amazing, and glorifying.

BUT.

I feel like when I pray and ask God for guidance to certain things in my life and he anwsers my prayer, I DO NOT ALWAYS run to Him first saying, "THANK YOU LORD for....." There are times that I thank Him for things that he blesses me with, but it should be EVERYTHING, the FIRST thing we think about.

Before I sent that text to my friend telling her "exciting news" or called up my mom to tell her about my night, I should have gotten on my knees and shared this with God. Thanking Him. Praising Him. Asking Him to make me Christ like.

Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. The more we seek gratitude, the more reason the angels will give us for gratitude and joy to exist in our lives.


God blesses us with so much. I encourage every ONE of you to right NOW write ten things you are thankful for and think about if you lost one of them. We are so blessed and we take it for granted every single day.

I don't hesitate for a second to say "Thank You" to a friend for doing something for me or sending a "Thank You" note to someone. Why do I find it difficult to remember to THANK the one who "puts on this show", who "controls my life", "controls my breaths", continues to bless me and knows my every move?

We need to send God thank you notes. For blessing us, keeping us, forgiving us, dying for us, and healing us. Every. Single. Moment.

Sweet Jesus, We'll give thanks to You with gratitude for lessons learned in how to trust in You, thirst for You, and hunger after you. That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream in abundance or in need.


I don't know about you, but for me, I need to purchase a lot of stamps to send "Thank You" notes to God for everything that He has continuously blessed me with. :)

Today is beautiful. I encourage you to write down ten things you are thankful for and thank God for each and every one of them. Talk to Him. Tell Him why they are so important to you. Pray for all ten of them. It is a humbling experience and it is such a great day today you can even do it outside!

Love you all.

Neely

Planting the seed of our sweet Jesus.

Memphis to Knoxville is one LONG drive. But I enjoy it because it gives me time. Quiet time. To think, pray, and reflect. There are times that I wish the drive wasn't so long, but that's just the way it is and I am thankful for it.

So on my long haul I was thinking how much I would love to grow a garden. I love gardens. We usually had one when I was growing up. BUT I know that isn't possible because that would require me planting the seeds NOW and in my little apartment..I don't have any grass!! Poor me. No, not really. I am blessed.

Then the thought came to me. THIS YEAR my garden will be a little bit different. Instead of trying to plant seeds in the ground and watching the beautiful plants grow, I am hoping and praying that I can plant the seed of JESUS in other people and watch them grow beautifully.

Instead of preparing a patch of land to plant my seeds, I pray I can prepare my heart in order to help try to plant the seed of Jesus in others.

Instead of digging a hole and placing the seeds in, and then covering it back up, I pray I can help others dig into their own hearts and place Jesus in it.

Instead of watering the plants everyday, I pray I can pour my life into the people and kids God wants me to witness hoping that they may grow into something beautiful.

Instead of picking the weeds out of my garden that I don't want there, I pray I can teach others how to "weed" out the things in our lives that we put before God.

Instead of protecting my garden and being aware of prey that may "eat" my beautiful plants that I have worked so hard on, I pray that I can teach others how protect their hearts and be aware of Satan and how he tries to ruin us.

There is one thing that I am sure of. A garden is beautiful. A garden brings food. A garden is so much fun. BUT a garden is temporary. It withers away and dies, eventually.

Christians are not temporary. They do not wilt. They do not die away.

I hope and pray I can do all of the things in my REAL "Garden" this year. I'm gonna call it my Jesus garden. :) This is my mission. To share Jesus' sweet love and word with others, hoping and praying that they will be moved and eventually want to plant His seed in their hearts. Praying that I might can watch them grow into something so beautiful with our Savior.

When you plant the seed of Jesus in your heart, you will never wilt and die, like a real garden. Jesus lives in us forever and WHAT A GREAT FEELING THAT IS!

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8.

Let's start over

I dwell on the past. There are so many moments that I wonder if I should have done something differently, said something differently, many moments that I wish I had not done at all, or many moments I wish I had done. I tend to let these moments get the best of me. Let's all forget the former things.

Also, I am a big worrier. I worry about things like no other. I like to fix things and if something is not "right"..I worry. I know that worrying is a waste of time, but it's just a part of me that won't leave. Sometimes I worry about my future and even the past (done something/said something differently..etc.) Even though my brain knows I cannot change anything that happened! I don't worry nearly as much as I used to-that's a step.

But, why do we worry?

The dictionary defines worry as, "to feel uneasy or concerned about something; troubled".

God gives us so many reasons not to worry.

1. Worrying accomplishes nothing. Instead of wasting time worrying, we could be out doing something much more productive. Worrying gets us nowhere, so why should we waste our time? God is backing me up here.

Matthew 6:27-29
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.



2.Worrying is Not Good for You. Never has been, never will be. When I am worried I always feel anxious, my heart races, I feel sick, and I feel like there is a huge burden on me. How can all those feelings possible be good for us? God back me up on this one. :)

Proverbs 12:2 "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up."


3. Worrying is the opposite of trusting God. So, you're telling me that ALL these hours and days I have spent worrying I have not trusted God? Yeah, that's what it means. Worry replaced by Prayer equals Trust.

Let's replace our worry with prayer. Time well spent? I think yes.

Philippians 4:6-7
"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."


4. Worrying puts your focus on the wrong direction. When we worry, we are not fully relying on God. God will take care of us. He will never let us go. Worrying takes our focus and puts it not on God, but on what we are worrying about. Not good. If we keep everything focused on God 100%, we have nothing to worry about. God focus.

Matthew 6:31-33
"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

Just like the picture, let's try to not worry about our past. Let's do new things and not dwell on the former things! Let's ony look ahead- living for today and excited about the future God's got for us. Fully focusing on our sweet and wonderful God, while trusting him 100%.

Shoot my muffins are burning. Love to you ALL.

Neely

The Climb

Yesterday was one of my most favorite days this year. I went hiking with four of my girlfriends and two guy friends. We headed up to "The Chimney Tops" in Gatlinburg for a day full of adventure! The trip there was priceless. We rode through the entire "strip" of Gatlinburg (all of the shops and things to do with people EVERYWHERE) singing Shania Twain, Disney songs, and Britney spears at the top of our lungs with the windows down waving to people. Highlight of my weekend.

This trip was much needed and I loved every single solitary second of it. From the falling off the side of the mountain, to all the girls singing Miley Cyrus', "The Climb" while we were "climbing", to me peeing on myself. Uncomfortable for the rest of the hike, but I wouldn't change it for anything. It brought much needed laughs accompanied by tears (me). It was such a beautiful hike and I had never really been on a "hike" before. I just looked around with pure amazement at how God could create something so beautiful, so perfect, something to take my breath away. It looked like the rocks had been placed PERFECTLY for our feet to step on, the trail was so perfect for us to walk on, and the waterfalls and streams were so perfectly placed and refreshing at just the right times.

I was thinking about it last night and one question popped into my mind while talking with a friend. I was going to ask her "Who made that trail?" Oh. my. goodness. Did I just say that out loud? Embarassing. But no, seriously that DID pop into my mind. I did stop myself and it never left my mouth. And those types of questions pop into my mind way too much. It happens to us all. Saved or not.

The problem, I think is, we don't really appreciate what we "see" everyday. I walk to class every. single. day. But I never look at a tree with beautiful flowers and say, "WOW, God! You created this. Thank you, it is beautiful, just like YOU." Much less look at an old, leafless dying tree and say the same.

Let me ask a question that may get us thinking. It is easy to thank God for such a beautiful sunny day, isn't it? Yes it is. I see way too many facebook status' that say.."Thank you God for such a beautiful SUNNY AND WARM day!"

I'm a sucker for this too, I will admit. BUT yesterday lead me to start thinking differently. God makes everyday the way He wants it. Which is PERFECT. He makes rain, snow, sleet, hail, sun, clouds, cold and hot. Yes, He even makes the days where it is so cold my nose goes numb AND on top of that it's pouring rain AND I am walking to class. He makes them because that's the way He wanted that day. And He don't make no mistake! :) Whatever the weather brings we should PRAISE him no differently than the day before.

Why can't our facebook status' say, "Thank you Lord for today because YOU are in it. YOU are seen through these trees, the grass, the clouds, and all of this beautiful, COLD rain." He made the cold rain, and we should PRAISE Him for it. We don't because we are selfish and want COMFORTABLE sunny, warm weather. Most of the time.

It's funny how it takes something like a simple hike that takes my breath away to notice all of my flaws and how I can start praising Him more. I thank God for that hike and the pictures and memories I can cherish forever.

Another one of the favorite memories of the day that I will leave you with is my friend asking us a simple question. She asked, "What if Jesus was waiting for us on top of this Mountain?" It through us all for a loop BUT I am so so glad she asked something like this. We all looked at each other and I know what I would do. I would start sprinting up the mountain. I would not stop for "water breaks". I would not wash my feet in the creek. I would not take pictures. I would not talk. I would barely be breathing. That just gets me excited.

So, this week, let's do this together. We are all in this together, ya know. Let's start praising Jesus for what each day brings. Look around at everything and think about how God is seen through it. Think about how beautiful all of God's creation is.

I love every one of you and will be praying for a week filled of fun, fellowship, and God praisin'!

If you fill yourselves with Word, it will overflow and fill others.

I love to think about this. If you keep yourself "filled to the top" with God's Word, you can overflow and fill other's lives. If you do not keep yourself filled with the Word and are trying to "fill" others you will get eaten alive. It speaks the truth.

I found a verse in Job the other day that really spoke to my heart.

"Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless. What he trusts in is fragile; what he relies on is a spider's web. He leans on his web, but it gives way;he clings to it, but it does not hold.He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden; it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks and looks for a place among the stones. But when it is torn from its spot, that place disowns it and says, 'I never saw you. Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow."

I love this verse. As Christians, I know it can get hard. We are human. But what is said here is true. Papyrus cannot grow tall where there is no marsh. Reed cannot thrive without water. WE cannot live without God. He is our "marsh" where we can grow. He is our water so we can survive. He is the food and breath of life!

Think about a garden and all the many things it grows. In order for the garden to grow beautifully it must follow some steps. Let's go through the steps.

1. The "garden" must be sowed to get ready for the plants.

2. The seeds must be bought.

3. The seeds must be planted.

4. The seeds must be covered back up with the rich, moist soil.

5. The seeds must be watered.

6. The plants grow.

7. The plants must be watered.

8. The plants continue to grow.

9. The plants must be watered.

10. The plants still continue to grow.

11. The plans must be watered.

Notice a pattern? Yeah, these seeds can represent the followers of Christ!

1. We were "sowed" by God, He prepared us and made a special place for us.

2. We were "bought" by the blood of Jesus Christ.

3. We were "planted" in our faith and stand firm knowing Jesus' love for us.

4. We were "covered" back up after we were planted. I take this as meaning Jesus is protecting us from what may "harm" our roots.

5. We must be "watered".

6. We "grow" in our sweet relationship with Jesus.

7. We must continued to be "watered".

8. We continue to "grow" and "learn" in our faith.

9. We must still continued to be "watered."

........on and on and on. Pattern: We MUST be watered to grow. We MUST attend Church to grow in our faith. We MUST be fed spirituality. We MUST surround ourselves with other believers who will hold us accountable and do nothing but encourage and support us in our Walk. We MUST spend time with Jesus alone.

These are all things that I think we can do to "water" our faith so that it will grow and grow and grow. :)

This was just something I was thinking about. :)

I don't know how but there's power when I'm on my knees.

Bible Verse of the Day:

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

When we are weak we are strong. I don't know about you, but it is when I am the weakest (on my knees) that I feel God is the most powerful. It is when I don't think I can get UP from my knees that God really puts His power on my heart to pick me up. I don't like the feeling of "feeling" like you are so weak that you can't imagine what the next day will be like, but I absolutely love the feeling of no matter what happens-rain or shine, no matter who I have beside me-every single person could leave me, God will ALWAYS be right there holding my hand. That's so comforting, isn't it? We will never be alone. We will never walk alone. One of my favorite songs is by the group Point of Grace, "You Will Never Walk Alone." Download it-it's worth the 99 cents.

"You will never walk alone, as long as you have faith, Jesus will be right beside you all the way and you may feel you're far from home, but home is where He is, He'll be there down every road, you will never walk alone."

This also reminds me of the poem, "Footprints"
"You promised me Lord that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?" The Lord replied, " The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, that is when I carried you."

I feel like the most trying periods of my life have happened to me recently. My faith and values have been tested and when I needed God the most, He was there. Always will be. I also feel like that when I am at my lowest point, it is then and only then, that I can get up from my knees because God carries me.

Lord, what do you want to teach US to make US a better people? What are your plans for us to make us more effective? Lead us and guide us through this process. Be our teacher and show us your ways. And don't let us miss any lesson you have prepared for us.

That was on my mind today. Not that I am weak on my knees today. Tomorrow or the next day could be a different story. But I'm not worried. Neither should you. God's got us. :)

Today is a good day! Thank you for reading. Today, please pray for me. I have an interview to be a Young Life leader today at 4:30 and I am getting kind of nervous. Please pray for the Lord to direct me and may I speak my heart to these people who are interviewing me. Please pray also that the Lord lead me to the school in Knoxville who needs Neely the most. I know that wherever I am placed will be for His glory. Thanks for your prayers, they are loved.

Have a great Wednesday friends! May the Lord bless all of your sweet hearts.

Blessings, Neely

The driver gets to pick the music?

Back from Spring Break. Back to reality. Back to LIFE. That should be illegal to say. Just kidding. When I was on my way to Destin, I was driving. DUH. BUT, there were sooo many times that I wish I had had someone with me to "take over the wheel" because I was so tired. This led me to think....."Do I let God take over my life so freely, like I let people so freely drive my car?" If you know me you know that if you want to drive my car, go for it. I am not the best driver. I am WILLING to let you drive. I am so HAPPY that you want to "take over." I am RELIEVED that I can sit in the passenger's seat and not have to worry about where I am going.



1. Willing
2. Happy
3. Relieved

I have those emotions JUST when someone wants to "drive" my car? Yep. I do. It means I can sit back, relax and not worry.

I can't believe that just came out of my mouth because it is what WE NEED God totally to do. And he has done in some of us. But do we let him as often as I should? Probably not. And it's hard sometimes.

Sisters and Brothers in Christ, hear me out for just a second.

Jesus wants to be "the driver" in your life when you are TIRED, WORRIED, and STRESSED. Jesus wants to "take control" of our lives and lead us to our "destination" safely. When someone is driving..don't you go where THEY want to go? Not all the time, but most times.

My mom always said, "The driver gets to pick the music." Maybe not always right :), but in this situation it holds truth.

Let's think about it. God LONGS and NEEDS to be "our driver." 1. We need to be WILLING to let him drive. 2. We will be HAPPIER once we "get our sinful selves" out of that DADGUM drivers seat and let him take over! GEEZ! I wanted to scream that. But I can't scream on posts. Just pretend I was screaming, okay? 3. We will be RELIEVED once we finally humble ourselves enough to get in the passenger's seat and not have to WORRY about where He will take us. Wherever He decides to "drive" us is HIS WILL. That is kind of encouraging to know that I am not in charge! Whew! (Wipes sweat off forehead).

On another note, "The driver gets to pick the music." Whaaaaaaaaaat the heck does that mean? Well, sweet friends, in my opinion (you may have different opinions) it means that God gets to pick our music. Music is what we listen to throughout the drive, right? Music in our life represents our day to day struggles, accomplishments, choices, etc. Anything and everything that we deal with. Now, before I gave God my driver's seat I CHOSE the music. I chose what I wanted to do with my life and thought I just had it all perfectly planned out. Then I wrecked. I think this is what we ALL will end up doing if we don't let HIM drive.

Let's let God choose our "music"..he knows whats best for us and what's even more thrilling....He already KNOWS the music. From now until we die. He knows what we will face and have to endure, BUT with Him in the driver's seat, He will be our comforter, provider, and keep us safe. :)

When God is in control of your life, you will experience tremendous changes. In Romans 8:5, it reads, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."

Please RE-READ that. Please. It has so so SO much meaning.

As long as you are "driving" you will not please God. For your safety, let Him take control. He already knows the roads, bumps, tunnels, U-turns...etc. Pray about it.

Oh, and one last thing...Who is in your backseat? Are you letting friends who have the same beliefs as you, encourage and lift you up YOUR backseat? Or do you have quite the opposite? I'm not saying if you have the opposite-KICK EM TO THE CURB. Not at all. Honestly, just pray about it. Ask God to lead and guide you and place friends in your backseat who are good for your mind, body, and spirit and help your relationship with Him "go past the speed limit". :) Just something to think about.

Love to you ALL. Have a wonderful week and hang in there!

Neely

If I can make it just one more day!

This is has been one of those weeks. Little sleep, lots of studying, headaches, body aches, I could really go on and on. But I think that's good enough. I don't think I have ever been THIS ready for a break in my life. I am so ready to escape away to the beach and rest for NINE DAYS. All with the ones that mean the most to me. I never plan what I am going to write in my blogs, I just kind of write while I am going. So bare with me.

I am so exhausted but cannot take a nap because I have other things to be at. (Lord knows I won't wake up if my head hit that marshmellow of a pillow) so I decide to write about how THANKFUL I am that God is "okay" with our tiredness. I flew out of bed this morning faster than a roadrunner in the Arizona desert, therefore I did not have any kind of quiet time. I am thankful for a God who accepts that I was in a hurry this morning and did not have time for him. Wow. Did not have time for Him. Him as in the ONE who loves us the most. Yeah, I know we all get busy and forget, we're human. But once you write it out and put it like that, it is heart-breaking.

I often think of my grandparents when I think of "forgetting God". Sometimes it will be weeks or even months before I call to check up with them. When I do call, you would have thought I had called the day before. They are so happy and thankful for that moment, right in that second, that they are talking to you. I think God is a lot like this, too. Every time we remember to "call" Him, he has already forgotten that we haven't called him in days, weeks, maybe months. Personally, if a friend didn't returned my call for months I think I would kind of just give up and honestly, I would be angry and feel like I am not important. I need a heart like Jesus and a thankful nature like my grandparents!

So, today, I am thankful for:

A God who sees -He searches for us, giving us strength when we surrender every aspect of our lives to Him. "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His" (2 Chronicles 16:9).

A God who is "okay" with my best for that day- Even when I can't give much to Him, he still is satisfied with me.

A God who listens- I love the feeling how I can go to God for anything. He knows everything about me. He knows everything about you. He knows the hairs on our heads. He knows our "secrets" we keep hidden from others. He knows what we are going to do before we even do it. He knows our past, present, and future. Sometimes I feel bad for just sitting and spilling all my problems on my friends "to do" list. It is so refreshing to know that God is ready and willing to add to his "to do" list. I am envisioning a huge refrigerator with post it notes from me. He is our father, our biggest fan and encourager. I think "refrigerator" is fitting because you can put up things you are "proud of" -whether it be pictures, a good grade, or a sweet note. God is proud of us, even if we forget to write him a post-it note and stick it to the fridge.

Today, my body may be so tired, but my heart is so thankful for his grace and patience with me. I WILL fail Him, but he WILL NOT fail me.

This song by David Crowder Band is so beautiful and it goes along with being the "drained theme."
"And this is all that I can say right now, I know its not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
This is all that I can say right now I know its not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah thats my everything."

Bring on Spring Break 2010! Bless and be blessed along the way! :)

I need a Diet Coke.

Our TRIP with Jesus! Start packing!

So, as I sit here cramming for a test and thinking about what all I am going to pack for Spring Break, I realize, "WOW, Do we get spend this much time "getting ready" for Christ? For me, the answer is "not like I should". All week I wonder what I am going to be doing that upcoming weekend. I "prepare" for the weekend by getting all of my "week" work out of the way in order to ensure myself a good weekend. I "prepare" myself for a trip to the beach by packing my swimsuits and all the necessary items I need to go to the beach. I "prepare" for a test by studying notes and quizzes. I "prepare" myself for an interview by dressing nicely and going over a resume.

"WHAT?!?!?! WE HAVE TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR WHEN JESUS COMES BACK, JUST LIKE WE PREPARE OURSELVES FOR DAILY HAPPENINGS IN OUR LIFE?"

Absolutely. Maybe not in the "study notes, pack swimsuits" kind of way. But in the spiritual way. :) Heck, you might could throw in a swimsuit or two-I'm sure there will be swimming pools with gold circling around them in Heaven! :)

"If, as Jesus said, we cannot know the hour or the day of His return, yet we also see the signs, how are we to be both ready to go and resigned to wait?

According to the apostle Peter, the scoffers say: "Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. … Where is this 'coming' he promised?" (2 Peter 3:4) But he reminds us that the Lord's tarrying means salvation for more. Still, Peter poses the question: "What kind of people ought you to be … as you look forward to the day of God?" (3:11-12).

His answer: "You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God … looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth" (3:12-13).

How do we live Holy and Godly lives?

I think that God wants us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming of Christ. He wants us to live like Christ did, act like Christ did, and teach like Christ did.

Back to preparing. I think that the best way to "prepare" or "pack" for Christ is probably what some of us already do in our daily routines. BUT the coming of Christ is so much more special and life changing than a spring break trip, or a test, or ANYTHING. I get so excited about a big trip that I just want to pack and pack and pack. IF ONLY I could feel this way about "packing and packing and packing" for JESUS' RETURN!

I think the best way to "pack" for Heaven is this:

1. Read God's written word-The Bible. It is our "instruction book." It WILL tell us all the necessary items we will need to inherit His Kingdom and enter it. Pack it.

2.Pray. God wants to listen to us. He longs to talk to us. He ALWAYS has time for his followers. When you are heading on a trip with someone don't you communicate with them? What time are we leaving? What do I bring? Take all of your heavenly "packing" to God! Ask Him to show you what you need to do to bring Glory to Him until he returns! Prepare it.

3. Accept Jesus as your Savior and ask for forgiveness. You HAVE to understand and accept that Jesus came to this earth once, and He IS coming again. Pack for Jesus KNOWING that he still loves you even though you break His heart daily! HE STILL WANTS YOU! I think if we broke someone else's heart like we do Christ's, I don't think they would want to "take us" to the beach anymore. Jesus does. He WILL NOT leave you. Ever. Come! Sin and all.

4. Help others find Jesus. It is heartbreaking to comprehend that some people you deeply love may not inherit the Kingdom of God when Christ returns. If we pray for their hearts and offer what we have to them, maybe they will see Christ in us. We have too. We want them to spend forever with us.


SO, this is what we will need for our trip with Jesus. T minus ______ days! Get pumped!
1. Bible-pack it. It's our MAP for our great big trip!
2. Prayer-prepare your mind. This is our "GARMIN GPS" for our big trip!
3.Accept Jesus and ask for forgiveness-prepare your heart. This is our "we are lost", and "good thing we can turn around" button.
4. Spread His word-prepare their hearts. This is a sign for as many friends as WE witness to, to jump in and come on our big trip with us! The more the merrier!

OH I CANNOT WAIT. :)

This is what was on my mind tonight. I'm not sure how much sense it will make, but it is just something that came to my mind. I wish I "packed" more for my trip with Jesus. We better start. We may not have long! :)



Night Night!