Excerpts from Jesus Calling...
I am the culmination of all of your hopes and desires. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last: who is and was and is to come. Before you knew me, you expressed your longing for me in hurtful ways. You were ever so vulnerable to the evil around you in the world. But now my presence safely shields you, enfolding you in my loving arms. I have lifted you out of darkness into my marvelous light.
Though I have brought many pleasures into your life, not one of them is essential. Receive my blessings with open hands. Enjoy my good gifts, but do not cling to them. Turn your attention to the Giver of All Good Things and rest in the knowledge that you are complete in me. The one thing you absolutely need is the one thing you can never lose: my presence with you.
Pslam 62:5-8; Revelation 1:8; 1 Peter 2:9; James 1:17
Oct 11, 2011
Oct 9, 2011
Full Weekend
Until Friday, I thought I had no weekend plans. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend at home, by myself!
Well, that didn't exactly happen but it was a really fantastic weekend and I loved every minute of it! Friday night Nick and one of his friends came into town to stay with me for the weekend. They were going to the UT Football game. Friday night, Jonathan and I went and me them out for a little bit. Saturday morning, I did brunch with Nick, Zack, Latisha, and Carly. Then I met Joetta and Melissa at the Mall. When I was at the mall I ran into a girl from my Bible Study. Then I met up with Jonathan and we went to Morristown for the wedding of a good friend of mine from Grad School, Lesli. While at the wedding I saw Morristown friends, CN Friends, and friends from Johnson City. It was a beautiful setting and Lesli was gorgeous. Her dress may be the most gorgeous wedding dress I've ever seen. It was really beautiful. I came back exhausted and went to bed! I don't think I've ever spent one day visiting so many different people from different parts of my life! It was fabulous! My good friend Ashley was in town with her family this weekend and I am sad to say that I missed seeing them. Things just got crazy busy too fast! Hopefully next time I can visit with them.
The wedding in Morristown was at a place called Windswept - a community that kind of fell through when it was developed but it is absolutely gorgeous there. You can see for miles and miles. Here are a few pictures from the wedding!
Well, that didn't exactly happen but it was a really fantastic weekend and I loved every minute of it! Friday night Nick and one of his friends came into town to stay with me for the weekend. They were going to the UT Football game. Friday night, Jonathan and I went and me them out for a little bit. Saturday morning, I did brunch with Nick, Zack, Latisha, and Carly. Then I met Joetta and Melissa at the Mall. When I was at the mall I ran into a girl from my Bible Study. Then I met up with Jonathan and we went to Morristown for the wedding of a good friend of mine from Grad School, Lesli. While at the wedding I saw Morristown friends, CN Friends, and friends from Johnson City. It was a beautiful setting and Lesli was gorgeous. Her dress may be the most gorgeous wedding dress I've ever seen. It was really beautiful. I came back exhausted and went to bed! I don't think I've ever spent one day visiting so many different people from different parts of my life! It was fabulous! My good friend Ashley was in town with her family this weekend and I am sad to say that I missed seeing them. Things just got crazy busy too fast! Hopefully next time I can visit with them.
The wedding in Morristown was at a place called Windswept - a community that kind of fell through when it was developed but it is absolutely gorgeous there. You can see for miles and miles. Here are a few pictures from the wedding!
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| The view from Windswept Clubhouse, gorgeous! |
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| My date :) |
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| Close-up...I love this photo! |
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| Gorgeous Sunset |
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| The Bride |
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| The Moon - this photo is just for Nellie! |
Oct 3, 2011
Nashville Weekend
I went Saturday morning with Jonathan, Melissa and her husband David to Nashville for the night. It was a surprise for Melissa's birthday! My friend Nick graciously offered his house to us to stay for the weekend. It was great. He lives right off the West End so we were able to walk everywhere! We walked to dinner, a bit of a walk, but it was gorgeous outside and a great walk! We went and got ice cream at Sweet Cici's after dinner at Jackson's.
Then we went to The Big Bang:
And what's a road trip without a stop for pictures with Road Side Attractions:
Then we went to The Big Bang:
It's a dueling piano bar that is outrageously fun. The music is great! These guys can play ANYTHING. And when I say anything, I mean, anything. They played everything from pop music, rap music, the little mermaid, classic rock like Journey. Man, what a fun, fun night. I did not take the picture above, but it is just a great portrayal of what it's like there. Although I'm pretty sure there were about 1000 more people there than are in this picture! And about 400 bachelorette parties! The people watching is maybe the best things about this place!
Sunday morning we got up and walked to Brick Tops for brunch. It was fantastic!
And what's a road trip without a stop for pictures with Road Side Attractions:
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| Random Road Trip stop with my Road Trip Buddy. It was like college all over again! |
Sep 28, 2011
Thankful for His Faithfulness
Tonight, I had dinner with my friend Melissa and we were talking about God's faithfulness and how we don't always recognize it as God's faithfulness. Like with my wonderful friends. I have such good friends and I don't often think of it as God's faithfulness but he was protecting me from so many other things and it is because of him that I have such wonderful friends. This has been a busy week for me already but I have spent two nights of this week with amazing women with whom I can share my life and feel encouraged by and talk to Jesus about.
Whitney and I have been friends since our junior or senior year of college. We probably really got to be good friends our senior year. Since I've lived in Knoxville, I have gotten to be friends with her friends. I was in her wedding and we see each other fairly frequently. We've been each other accountability partners this year. It has been good to encourage each other and share in similar struggles with each other about our lives. She is a good friend and God has blessed me with her in my life. I had dinner with her Monday night and we sat and talked for two hours. It was so good. We can talk about everything too! And we did :)
Melissa and I have been friends since freshman orientation, the summer before we started college. I met her because her roommate was friends from high school with my suitemate - or something like that. We have been friends ever since. We see each other pretty frequently too and we always have such a good time. And we never run out of things to talk about. We sat in a restaurant for 2 hours tonight and just talked. I think we could have sat there for two more hours, if it hadn't been a school night! I have loved getting to know her heart more and more, the older we get and the different things that we go through in our lives.
I know that I will always be friends with these ladies. These are the kind of women that I want to surround myself with. The kind of women who encourage me, love me, and challenge me to be better. And give me the opportunity to pour my life into someone else.
I love these ladies and can't imagine my life without them. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness in providing me with good friends. These two are the beginning of a HUGE long list of praying, loving, amazing women that are apart of my life. And I am so thankful to Him for reminding me of His Faithfulness through my relationships with these ladies.
Whitney and I have been friends since our junior or senior year of college. We probably really got to be good friends our senior year. Since I've lived in Knoxville, I have gotten to be friends with her friends. I was in her wedding and we see each other fairly frequently. We've been each other accountability partners this year. It has been good to encourage each other and share in similar struggles with each other about our lives. She is a good friend and God has blessed me with her in my life. I had dinner with her Monday night and we sat and talked for two hours. It was so good. We can talk about everything too! And we did :)
Melissa and I have been friends since freshman orientation, the summer before we started college. I met her because her roommate was friends from high school with my suitemate - or something like that. We have been friends ever since. We see each other pretty frequently too and we always have such a good time. And we never run out of things to talk about. We sat in a restaurant for 2 hours tonight and just talked. I think we could have sat there for two more hours, if it hadn't been a school night! I have loved getting to know her heart more and more, the older we get and the different things that we go through in our lives.
I know that I will always be friends with these ladies. These are the kind of women that I want to surround myself with. The kind of women who encourage me, love me, and challenge me to be better. And give me the opportunity to pour my life into someone else.
I love these ladies and can't imagine my life without them. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness in providing me with good friends. These two are the beginning of a HUGE long list of praying, loving, amazing women that are apart of my life. And I am so thankful to Him for reminding me of His Faithfulness through my relationships with these ladies.
Sep 18, 2011
Deliriously Tired
After a crazy week last week and a great weekend, I am deliriously tired!
Here's a few pictures of my weekend - more details to come. All photos from the Harvest Moon Party!
Here's a few pictures of my weekend - more details to come. All photos from the Harvest Moon Party!
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| Katie Preuss and me at the Harvest Moon Party! |
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| Nellie (Hostess), Lydia, me |
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| Lovely Lydia |
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| Jonathan and me |
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| Nellie and me! Loved seeing her! What a wonderful friend she is! |
Sep 13, 2011
Great News
Well, today, I get to announce the GREAT news...now that it's officially official.
I was HIRED today, by that big hotel chain!! My official start date is Monday, September 19. I am just so, so relieved and excited. Well I'm exhausted. But I think that I'll be excited. This is close week and I have worked 11 each the past two days...It makes for some long days but I really am enjoying it!
Relieved is the best word that I can say. I'm just SO relieved. So excited to be permanent and feel secure in my job! Well, it'll be a long, long time before I feel secure but I really do like my work and I feel like I'm doing a good job at it. I'll be in this position for at least another year, which I think is a good thing so I'm looking forward to getting settled in and being a "real girl"!
That's all the big news that I've got to share tonight, but I wanted to share it because it's so very important to me and so very exciting!!!
I was HIRED today, by that big hotel chain!! My official start date is Monday, September 19. I am just so, so relieved and excited. Well I'm exhausted. But I think that I'll be excited. This is close week and I have worked 11 each the past two days...It makes for some long days but I really am enjoying it!
Relieved is the best word that I can say. I'm just SO relieved. So excited to be permanent and feel secure in my job! Well, it'll be a long, long time before I feel secure but I really do like my work and I feel like I'm doing a good job at it. I'll be in this position for at least another year, which I think is a good thing so I'm looking forward to getting settled in and being a "real girl"!
That's all the big news that I've got to share tonight, but I wanted to share it because it's so very important to me and so very exciting!!!
Sep 10, 2011
Update:
Well, It's been about two weeks since I've written on here! I feel like I've been ridiculously busy with a lot and nothing at the same time!
I've been trying to balance my time between work, him, friends and a few other things that have my attention! The past few weeks/weekends have been spectacularly awesome. We didn't even do anything really exciting, but it's just been so much fun to hang out together.
Work is going really good and I am finally in the process of being a permanent employee! I should be official by next Monday.
Next things on my plate:
1. Jess is stopping by for a visit Sunday!! CANNOT wait to see her!
2. Quarter Close at work. I'm counting on about a 50 hour week this week. YIKES!
3. Home. I'm going home next weekend and taking him for a wedding and the HMP!
4. Nashville. Sometime soon!
5. More weddings later this fall.
6. FALL!! It feels soooooo good here in TN. I even had a dream about the leaves changing last night!
I've been trying to balance my time between work, him, friends and a few other things that have my attention! The past few weeks/weekends have been spectacularly awesome. We didn't even do anything really exciting, but it's just been so much fun to hang out together.
Work is going really good and I am finally in the process of being a permanent employee! I should be official by next Monday.
Next things on my plate:
1. Jess is stopping by for a visit Sunday!! CANNOT wait to see her!
2. Quarter Close at work. I'm counting on about a 50 hour week this week. YIKES!
3. Home. I'm going home next weekend and taking him for a wedding and the HMP!
4. Nashville. Sometime soon!
5. More weddings later this fall.
6. FALL!! It feels soooooo good here in TN. I even had a dream about the leaves changing last night!
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