Tuesday, November 23, 2010

3 three's

I recently joined a small group at my church here at home and we've only met three times, but I like it so far. One thing I really miss about LU is the fellowship and I figured this was about as close as I could get. In our CG (community group) we have each taken turns sharing our "3 three's" - 3 people, places, and events that have shaped who we are. I shared mine last week and thought it would be fun to share on here too. Here goes...

3 People:
1. Jesus. Honestly, Jesus is the only person that has ever changed my life. Every single decision I make, everything I do, all that I stand for is based on a personal relationship with Him.
2. Brie. Out of all of the best friends I've had growing up, my sister is my BEST best friend. I can't imagine life without her.
3. My parents. They are my biggest supporters and set the best example. They both work so hard and make so many sacrifices for me and my sister. I love them.

3 Places:
1. Liberty University. Believe it or not, LU was not my first choice of school. I originally wanted to go to Belmont in Nashville. My parents weren't into having me 11 hours away so we compromised - I would spend a year at LU and if I hated it, I could transfer to Belmont the following year. I went into LU thinking, "let's get this year over with," and absolutely fell in love with the school and people. My time there is where I really made my faith my own and where I was challenged to grow. Good thing I didn't transfer!
2. Kanakuk. My summer at Kanakuk was one of the best and hardest summers of my life. (Read more about my time at Kanakuk here) but it was the first time God really got me alone and revealed some sin in my own life and taught me the true meaning of child-like faith. Looking back, it was an incredible experience that I wouldn't trade for the world.
3. NYC. Just take a look back at my blogposts from summer of '09 and you can see what a lasting impression NYC had on my life. NYC is one of my favorite places in the entire world and I miss it pretty much everyday. Being there was indescribable, like I was truly in my element. And surprisingly enough, it was probably the time I was closest to the Lord. In NYC, my life was my testimony. The way I lived and what I stood for was so radically different which made me very conscious of every decision I made. I want to go back ASAP.

3 Events:
1. My salvation. I didn't grow up going to church, but I was saved in elementary school. I got in trouble for being too hyper and talkative in class and my "punishment" was to sit in the front of the room next to a very quiet girl who eventually became a close friend and invited me to church. I got involved at church and wanted a personal relationship with Christ and the rest is history. Like I said, my relationship with Jesus is really the heartbeat behind everything I do.
2. The summer of my freshman year of college. I went into college not really knowing what I wanted to do. College was just the next step, ya know? So that following summer I spent earnestly praying that God would give me a passion and a purpose...some sort of direction for my life. It was that summer that I really felt God calling me to magazines and to specifically starting a Christian girl's magazine. This January Lily Girl's Magazine will celebrate its first anniversary. God is good. All the time.
3. My first real job. I took my first real job for selfish reasons - partly out of desperation and partly because I wanted to feel like a real grown up. There was a fair share of good and bad, but looking back...it was the hardest year of my life. Through it all, I really learned so much though. Most importantly, grow where you're planted.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

for today - peanut satay!

I forgot to post about this, but about a month ago my mom and I went to our local Thai restaurant, Pataya, for my first Thai experience! And I, of course, was on a mission...for peanut satay (one of my 10 things to try in 2010). It was pretty good. The peanut sauce was super sweet, delicious, and probably pretty calorie dense. I don't think I will be eating this everyday by any means, but it was a nice little treat out especially since it was followed by some mango sticky rice!!!!!!!!! YUM!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

26 dresses


This weekend rocked. I had the opportunity to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's weddings (2 down, 25 to go, right?) Leslie Hunt (now Leslie Pendergrass) married her best friend exactly 6 years after they started dating in high school!!! Isn't that crazy? I just love their story. It is so sweet and storybook. The wedding was beautiful and the whole weekend was a ton of fun, Les never disappoints. I loved her entire bridal party - it was a reunion of sorts of some old friends and the beginnings of a great friendship with the new!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

turn, turn, turn


On Sunday night my friend Caitlin and I headed over to CNU to see Amy Grant perform. I can unashamedly say that I LOVE Amy Grant. I always have. I remember getting teased for it by the older girls on my hall freshman year of college. Whatever. There is just something about her music that is so comforting to my soul. No matter my phase in life I can always find at least one song that speaks directly to my heart. This was the first time in a long time that I had seen her in concert and it was just as good, if not better, than I remember her. The Ferguson Center is small and intimate and she interacted with the audience the entire night. I loved it and so did Cait (this was her first Amy Grant concert). Amy ended her concert with the Byrds song "Turn, Turn, Turn"** and it couldn't have been a more perfect song for my exact stage in life right now.

**I couldn't get the video to upload on my blog for some reason, so if you'd like to see it check it out on my FB page!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

raspberry



I think raspberry is such an underrated Pop Tarts flavor. Sure everyone goes crazy about strawberry, but seriously, these are way better! I randomly tried these a few years ago when I spotted them in the grocery store and they made a regular rotation into my breakfast line-up for a good year or so. I am definitely a raspberry fan.

Toasted: Yummy, like a way better version of Toaster Strudel.

As Is: Not overly sweet or tart, a perfect medium!

Frozen: Good all around!

**I had them at Pop Tarts World with lemon frosting and had the lemon frosting been better, they would have been totally delicious!!!

Pop Tarts Fact: Kellogg's sells more than 2 million Pop Tarts every year.