and, we're back..

We are back in our hot, humid and holy motel room at the mariner, for 2 nights. We got back today, and it's hotter than ever! We are really excited to catch up with all of the students and hear how their time has been for the last 3 weeks...but we are exhausted. one thing we always do before leaving home for a few days is complete a few last minute projects around the house like...oh, hanging a back door or reorganizing my grandmother's fine china. soo, we went to be around 3 and had to leave the house by 8 today. I am just excited to be down here again and to wrap things up! One thing i've realized about myself lately is how much my flesh craves stability with circumstance. every time we're at home i always want to stay and nest a while. But then i am beginning to realize more and more how even though we don't have the stability of being in one location much, we do have the stability of the Word and the Lord's affections for me are always there. Please pray for me that i'll believe that daily when i get discouraged.

One of my all time favorite singer/songwriters is Bebo Norman. If youve heard him, he's good. AND he's a PC grad. i'll leave ya with a quote by him and a link to one of my favorite songs by Bebo. I listened to this song every day when i was struggling through seasonal depression on a summer trip to south africa in 2007.

Bebo admits, “I have silently walked the last four years with a building and recently diagnosed struggle with anxiety. If I’m honest, it’s something that I’ve found a bit of shame in, and the irony is that it involves singing the songs I so dearly love to sing . . . It seems the older I get, the less I understand about this life, about faith and the struggles that come with it. But more importantly, I’m being shown that the older I get, the less I need to understand. ‘Pull Me Out’ is about learning more every day that what I really need to do in this life and in this world is to simply trust in a God who is indeed completely in control.”

In Your Hands

I didn't know I would love you when I looked into your eyes
But now I have a heart I cannot keep
And the greatest of fear is that you'll leave me here
Stranded in this water so deep

So don't you turn away from me
Because my heart and my hopes, they're in your hands
If I don't seem certain
It's just a common fear from a common man
But I am in your hands

Just so you know, I have never done this sort of thing before
I've never given up my very soul
But I have heard a voice like none I've heard before
And it's a voice that never grows old

Don't you turn away from me
Because my heart and my hopes, they're in your hands
And if I don't seem certain
It's just a common fear from a common man
But I am in your hands
I am in your hands
I know…I am in your hands

Drummer Can't Contain the Rock

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Home again...finally.

Jake tiled the black and white tiles at the top!! It looks awesome!
My earring hanger from TJ.
The door Jake made for our crawl space.
My first home made peach pie ;)
My flower boxes :)! To fill it with flowers, i bought a pot of mixed flowers from Home Depot for 10.00 and it filled the whole box!
Us after we ran the Peachtree Road Race
Jake and I at Isle of Palms
Wow, i haven't updated on here in a few weeks!! We have been gone from the Leadership Project for about two weeks now, and it has really flown by. Last week, Jake and I went on vacation with my family at Isle of Palms. I loved going on a shopping spree with my sisters, going to a fun place for dinner every night, and just being lazy ;). It was soo fun to be w my sisters since we're best friends!! One thing we love to do every vacation is read a "beach read". I read The Wedding Machine, which was entertaining and hilarious, and it was supposedly a "women of faith" novel, but...definitely did not mention a thing about Jesus or anything. hmm...Anywho, Jake and I decided on a whim to visit with his aunt and grandmother in Atlanta and run the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th. It was soo fun!! If you know me, you know how i hate competition and even delight to fail at sports because i hate the idea of competing. But be proud to know that I didn't walk once during the race. By God's common grace, the weather was great and i was barely sweating until mile 4. We had so much fun running it together, i really think we could run a half marathon. So we finally got home on Monday night after a quick stop in Gainesville to see Emily, Jakes youngest sister, and watch some fireworks. We'll be home for about a week and a half or so, and we have lots of tasks to get done. Not gonna lie, one of the hardest things about spending the summer at Myrtle is that we inevitably return home to dead bugs and dead plants. I wouldn't change it for the world, i love what we do, but when we're here we make a checklist and get to work. Here's what we completed today:
Jake tiled the top of the shower it looks so good, i am so impressed that he knew how!
Jake hung flower boxes under the windows and i planted some flowers!
I got this awesome jewelry hanger from TJ Maxx!

Last Week!!

It's our last week here at the LP until we come back the last week in July to tie up the project...time has flown by!! This past weekend was parent's weekend at the Leadership Project, where the student's parents have the opportunity to come to Myrtle for the weekend and hear more about Campus Outreach, what we do at the LP, and spoil their kids by taking them out to dinner and doing their laundry hehe!! Jake's parents came last weekend and it was sooo fun for us, probably the most fun weekend we've had since we got down here! It was just so fun to be able to introduce them to the students we've been telling them about, and for them to get to sight see around the most wonderful city in the world-Myrtle beach!! just kidding, but it was so fun, not to mention Jake's mom brought us some delicious cupcakes that made my week!!! I haven't written on here in so long, so I thought I would put some pictures up of one of our friday night socials, the Theme Putt Putt social. We got split into different teams and assigned someone to dress like. Jake and I got the old folks home...again!! It was so fun to see what everyone looked like, and to get to know students we didn't know as well before.

Finally, I wanted to post another cheesy song to listen to on Youtube because it has really ministered to me when praying Gal. 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free." A lot of times we say this but aren't quite sure how to experience the freedom that being a son or daughter of our King gives us. I love this song because it speaks to me how Jesus is our healer and the One who sews up our wounds and breaks the chains of our prison cells, allowing us to dance along with Him for the rest of our lives, no longer bound by others' opinions or our own self-doubt. "You will keep in perfect peace Him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the rock eternal." Isaiah 26:3-4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvIEJ_PmqJ8

Craaazy Fun!!

I haven't updated on here in forever it seems! Things are going great here at the beach!! God has done some really awesome things! 4 people have come to know Jesus now, and every student has a job and is working!! Sadly however, most of the staff team left today to raise support leaving just two couples, us and the Creasmans. I was so sad to see everyone go because i really, genuinely love our community!! But now that just means more time for us to connect with the students at nights and on the weekends!! Every Friday night, we have a project social. This friday night the social was theme putt putt!! Jake and I were dressing for the Old Folks Home (nursing home)!! It was so much fun to get to know some new faces and make connections with students we didn't know as well!! We are so exhausted though. After being here for about 3 weeks, i had a huge break down tonight. :( eek. I think just constantly being around the hustle and bustle of 80 students really got to me, and God definitely revealed to me that i'm not nearly the "perfect" daughter to Him that i think I am. i saw once again how sinful i really am and how i am just in need of Him-His character, His grace, His perfection...and His strength because i dont have any left! Ha. I am thinking about this verse right now, and praying that it will be true of me-colossians 1:29 To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." Paul is talking about how he's trying to present everyone perfect in Christ, but he is laboring with all of Christ's energy and not his own. I pray that the Holy Spirit would meet me here in my weakness and that I would work not with human strength, but with the energy of the One who holds me in His hand.

We've been here at Myrtle Beach for over a week now, but it definitely feels like a lot longer!! All of our students have gotten their jobs now, and will begin working this week!! This year they will be working at Wendy's, Ocean Creek (housekeeping), Sketchers, Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Salsarita's, Zaxby's, and Build-A-Bear. This past weekend we had one of my favorite times of the week, beach evangelism!! Beach evangelism is a time when all 73 of our students and staff hit the beach for an hour and a half and interact with people hanging out on the beach with the intent of sharing the gospel with them. You might be thinking "man, that is pushy", or "I don't know if I agree with that." But, if you are a believer in Christ, I would ask you to search the scriptures and even your own heart regarding your feelings on evangelism. How did you come to faith? Was it merely by watching someone's actions around you, or did someone talk with you about what having a relationship with Jesus is really all about? Two of my favorite verses about evangelism are these:
1 Peter 3:15-16-"15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Romans 10:13-15 "For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

These verses tell me that not only is it commanded by God's word to be an obedient Christian and share my faith, but it is the only way that the lost will be reached. I'm not saying that it isn't intimidating to walk up to a stranger and ask them hard questions about where they stand with God, but it is possible with His strength! One of the cool things about this summer is that students come in with fear and anxiety about sharing their faith on the beach, and once they get out there and see how God works, they become truly passionate about it!! This Saturday, I had a prayer answered that i have been praying daily for a year! Last year, in the middle of the summer, I met a teenage girl named Karin on the beach. As I shared God's word with her for the first time, she wept. She knew that I had a peace and a contentment in my life that she knew nothing of; I told her it could be hers in only a moment. She hesitated saying, "I don't know enough about Jesus". So for the last year, I have prayed that someone this summer would walk up to her on the beach and share their faith with her again (she's from Myrtle Beach). As I was walking back from our evangelism time on saturday, my friend Ashley told me that she got to talk to a girl we had spoken with last year. Immediately i was filled with hope, knowing that it was her. Then Ashley said, "she remembered everything yall told her last year. Her name is Karin." I burst into tears at God's faithfulness, and was filled with excitement when i found out that she will be going to Clemson in the fall, where Campus Outreach is expanding!! We have invited her to come hang out with our students this summer, so please join me in praying that she will show up! Not only did that happen, but 4 girls committed their lives to Jesus on Saturday. I will keep updating more about evangelism, but feel free to leave questions or comments asking more about it!!

Home Sweet Mariner!!

We're here!!! We arrived in Myrtle Beach Friday afternoon and are staying at the Mariner Motel for the 2nd summer in a row!!! here's a picture of us from last summer ;). It's always really hard for me to get settled into a motel room, so Jake got me two shelves from wally world last night and assembled them for me to put all of our kitchen stuff and food on them!! We also got a 3-way light to make our room a little brighter, and it feels like our little nest. We're really excited for the next few days-the students get here on Wednesday, but we have some work to do before then...tomorrow is a little something we like to call "bunk bed day", where we take the motel beds and furniture out of the rooms and replace it with our very own double size bunk beds that fit two to a bed!! We will be working hard all day to assemble them and get the rooms ready for the disciples coming in. Hopefully i'll capture Jake in the middle of a manly task and post a pic sometime soon :) i do have to say that I love myrtle beach. Myrtle is where i came on vacation every year as a child, and it takes me back to the good ole days when i listened to a Raffi tape in my parent's orange oldsmobile station wagon on the way to the beach. I love to go to the restaurants my family went to, go shopping where we went...basically i love traditions. We are starting a new tradition this year-going somewhere FUN on our sabbath!!! it will be so fun to get away and spend time with Jesus for a while and then come back refreshed and energized. Hopefully i'll be able to keep the blog updated since we have internet in the room this year!!! i feel like im at the ritz carlton!!