Beyond Ordinary

2012-05-29T22:43:00.000-04:00

And so I have completed my sophomore year of college. Almost. I haven't quite finished paying for it, but I have finished and passed all the coursework! Hooray!
Had a lot of hard times, had a lot of good times, learned so so much and .... I'm glad it's over. =D
I really need to learn to rely on the Lord more. I pushed Him out of the way so much, when I could have had His help if I had spent some time with Him. It's a learning process. =) I'm so stubborn I learn the hard way, a lot.

Sophomore!!

2011-07-15T16:25:00.001-04:00

Well, here I am, getting ready to go back to school! I am a sophomore.

I went to school in the fall with much anticipation. I can remember riding down to school thinking, "This is insane. This is just insane. Let's just turn around and go back home. This is impossible. This is never going to work." My stomach was in knots, and I was so nervous. My first day at school my cell phone broke, and I was a wreck. It took a couple of months for me to get used to life at school, but I finally adjusted. I made it through the end of the semester and came out with my GPA where I wanted it, and had a great group of friends. I went back to school and worked for 3 weeks of Christmas break before school started. Second semester was FANTASTIC. My group of friends grew, and we found our "core" group. We had fun, we studied, we wrote research papers, we laughed, we cried, we fought (some of us), we ate french fries, and we conquered finals! I made it into the nursing program!!! I'm going to nursing school in one of the top 10 nursing school in the nation! SO exciting. We all parted ways to get summer jobs, but as the weeks passed by, I still had no job.

As I was praying, God lead me to stop searching for a job. He told me to wait on him. So I waited - impatiently. "Okay, God! Bring me a job! Drop it in my lap! I'm waiting!!" One night as I was praying I told him, "Lord, you know I need a job! All you have to do is give your word. One word and I have a job. It's in your hands, Lord. Please!" Sometimes God will reach down from heaven and give me a clear word, or a phrase, or a sentence. He'll send a thought, and I know it's not my own. He said, "Laura, you don't need a job. You only need for me to provide for you." So I stewed for a few days. Huffed and puffed. "I can't believe this. I'm sitting here all summer, not doing ANYTHING, when I could be working! I don't understand! I want to work. I'm WILLING to work!! I will work HARD and LONG. I'll do what it takes to accomplish my goals! I'm not lazy! I don't want people to think I'm lazy. I want to go back to school! This is my dream! What am I going to do?!" When I realized that I was hating God's will for my life, I was a little schocked. Romans 12:1-2 talks about renewing the mind so that one can accomplish the "good, perfect, and acceptable" will of God. If God's will is really perfect, then how can I hate it. I started praying that God would change my heart, and I also started thinking about all the pros of not having a job. First of all, how cool is it that God would send me to college, but not make me pay for it? How cool is it that I get to stay home without a job this summer? I've been able to spend a lot of time with friends, and family, help with VBS at church, and I even held a yard sale at home. Very cool. I'm getting SO MUCH REST this summer. At school, rest is like...unheard of.
Most of all, God is teaching me to have faith, and stretching the faith I have. I don't understand why he works the way he works, not at all. It is hard, to believe that he will provide for me through this journey. Now that I'm a nursing student, I have even more costs than if I were pursuing some other study. I have to have health insurance, a background check, uniform, tools (stethoscope&hemostat, etc.), my books are going to be very expensive, and then there is the normal tuition, room, and board, as well as other expenses during the school year. Going into this with NO MONEY and trusting God to provide is extremely difficult. The Lord has reminded me though, that this is his idea, not mine. Last year he told me he would make it "painfully clear" that this is his idea, not mine, and that there is no way I can accomplish this without him.

So, here we go. Not too long, and I'll be setting out for school, once again, pretty much penniless. Not destitute, though, because I have God as my father and he will provide for me. He loves to take care of me, and to prove himself.

Just a walk, but now I'm changed.

2010-04-03T19:41:00.001-04:00

I took a walk today. I wanted help. I wanted healing, and I wanted to forgive.
You see, earlier, all the anger and hurt I was pushing back came welling up inside of me with a force that overwhelmed me. I wanted to forgive, and I didnt want the anger I could feel poisoning me. I couldn't help it though. I had been wronged, again and again and again. I had forgiven, again and again and again, and now I was facing a frustrating situation which, while not very important, made me realize just how upset I was. Abandoned, I was now helpess to fix my problem. A problem that could wait for a solution, but presented me with a terrible thought. What if it had been a much bigger problem? What if it had been life changing? No matter the problem, the one who was supposed to protect me and care for me was gone, wasting time and money on things that do not matter. Unprotected and uncared for, there I stood, trying to fight for myself, for those I love, and for the one leaving us vulnerable.
I was helpless to put away my anger. I was powerless to forgive. I couldn't do it on my own. So I took a walk. I cried out to the One who will never leave me. I gave Him my anger and asked Him to wash me clean. I asked for help so I could forgive and love again. The One who is eternally faithful heard my cries, took my heart, and made me clean. He forgave my sin, washed it away, and gave me His strength so that I could forgive.
I took a walk today, down my best friend's driveway. And when I came back, I was changed.

Dear Blog

2010-02-28T21:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Blog,
48 hour work weeks are crazy. Especially when it includes all day at church Sunday, Wednesday all evening at church, and possibly 2 more nights out all evening.
My dad's dad passed away in January. He was buried on his birthday. It was bittersweet. So glad he got to go home, though.
Family is going through some issues. I won't lie, it's tough. I've decided to save my money so I can go to Pensacola Christian College.
I get really tired of all the teasing at work......the youngest white girl, pretty, single, innocent, naive, etc......
it's so dirty at work....dirt, and vulgar people. *sigh*
I want to go to college!
Lord, help me be a light in the midst of the darkness at work.
I'm always tired. But the next 4 saturdays are mandatory.
I love my church SO MUCH. My kids in children's church, youth choir, adult choir, the Easter program, Sunday School...it's all so good and refreshing.
Good night, blog world.

And so the new year begins

2010-01-03T23:23:00.000-05:00

My dear friends, it is now 2010! And for this I am extremely grateful. I think this calls for a bit of retrospect.

2009

I got my driver's license! w00t!
I went to the beach
I graduated
I was an assistant counselor at camp with one of my best friends
I was a camper for three weeks
I drove -out of state- to North Carolina, accompanied by a dear friend
I turned 19
I moved back to the city where my mom grew up
I drove, alone, to Kentucky to meet my best friend in person for the very first time, and attend her wedding.
I went to VA for a short week and got to see Washington D.C. for the first time!
I got my first full-time job
I only got sick three times! Astounding!

It was a good year, but the end of it was very frustrating. I had no job, no routine, and life was feeling rather stagnant. Thanks to my Heavenly Father for providing a job! I'm looking forward to enjoying routine in 2010!

I have made a couple of goals for myself, so far.

I want to read more books. At least one book a month.
I want to work out at least three times a week with my best friend, Alicia.
I want to take the SAT in March.
I want to wear all of my jewelry, instead of just a few pieces.
I want to celebrate all the the reasons for all the different holidays on days OTHER than their designated national holiday.

SO, here are some pictures from 2009 to finish up my posty.

2009-12-03T15:01:00.000-05:00

Oh dear blog, I ask thy forgiveness for I surely dropped off the face of the earth for half of November.
Things were just a bit .... tough is a good word. And I just didn't feel like posting. Not that I wasn't grateful for something every day, but I didn't feel like posting, so I didn't.

Would you like an update on life?
Thanksgiving was a wonderful day. We had almost all the food prepared beforehand, so there wasn't much to do but bake on Thanksgiving. We watched the parade and the dog show, I made a souffle with as much topping as there was souffle. =) It was very awesome. We sat down to dinner together and ate, and then later that night our best friends came over and had leftovers and coffee with us! It was magical. =P

I am currently scheduled to start working a new job on Wednesday. It is a full-time, first shift job, and I am very grateful for it! It's going to be interesting.

I finished painting and cleaning my room. Now I'm on project Get Everything Organized Before I Go To Work. Its going really well! I'm about halfway to completion.
I finally got a bookshelf to display all my lovely books on, and perhaps I shall take some pictures and show you all!

I've decided that it is time for me to take the SAT. SO, I'm borrowing a book from a friend until I can buy my own, and then I shall be able to write in it. I plan on studying it for an hour or more every day, and hopefully taking the SAT in January. I may wait until March, though.

I was cleaning my bed room today, and picking up some glass that I was planning on throwing away, but it had falled out of my trash bin. In the process I pulled my lamp off the desk and shattered one of the glass plates on it. It's pretty much history now. I need to buy a new lamp. =l I've gotten plenty of use out of it, though.

And now I must depart and clean up the glass. <3

=D

2009-11-16T16:04:00.000-05:00

You know, I'm just not any good at posting every day. Good thing I am good at making up when I forget! I have 3 thankfuls today. Saturday, Sunday, and today.

I have some amazing grandparents. We don't always see eye-to-eye, but they love me. They let me go over to their house pretty much whenever I feel like it. They let me eat their food, and sleep in their bed. They don't even mind if I leave a little mess, once in awhile. I am so grateful for them! <3

I also have an amazing church. I am infinitely grateful for it! I've never been to a place like this before. I have the opportunity to serve, and be served. I'm part of a family there. There are people who have become like family to me. Ladies who take time to mentor me, friends who take time to love me..... My choirs are FANTASTIC. This is our second Christmas with Tyler and Janson, and they have really done a lot for the music at Belmont. The music ministries have blossomed under their care. =) It has also been encouraging to watch THEM grow in Christ as they lead us.

Today I am thankful for my sister, Caiti. She wrote a hilarious blog post about a game my siblings and I used to play as children, based on a NatGeo documentary. Caiti has such a different perspective on life than I do, and it shocks me sometimes. We are pretty different, but I love her to death. She is amazing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What if you and I went for a walk out in the rain
And you turned to me and you said you’d like to share Just a little of your pain
Well my brother I thought you’d never say
I’ve been waiting forever for this day

What if you were to call me up and ask
For a minute of my time’
And you cried and said you were different from the rest
Like it was some kind of crime
Well my sister I hoped that you might come
And I promise that you are not the only one

Look me in the eye and tell me honestly
What ever lies behind your broken heart
Is too complex for me
Come and talk to me if for only for a while
I am reaching for you

What if you were to tell me you were through
With the way that you live
Cause you take so much from an empty world outside
You've got nothing left to give
Well my brother I’ve felt the same way too
But someone changed me and He’s got his eye on you

What if you remembered who you were
Before people broke you down
And you realized you were someones little girl
And he loves when you’re around
We'll my sister, your dad has seen you hurt
And He’s waiting for you with open arms

Nothing hurts Him more than seeing you in pain
Just to see you come so close to Him
And turn and walk away
Hide yourself in Him, He will make you brand new
He is reaching out for you
Your God is reaching out for you
He's reaching out for you

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I have been getting back into doing some deeper devotions this past week, and actually DOING them. It is SO easy not to. I was thinking, like I do a lot, and my train of thought was going all over the place. I eventually ended up thinking about a set of tapes a dear lady gave me. In the tapes she talked about how important it is for girls to protect the purity of their brothers in Christ, instead of being a stumbling block to them in dress or conversation. She talked about being the kind of girl that is respected by her guy friends, and makes them want to be more like Christ. In my "growing-up" as a Christian since then, it has been one of my unspoken goals to be that girl. I wonder if I have achieved my goal?

On a lighter note, I'm hungry.......
=P

<3 Laura

My Bible

2009-11-13T13:05:00.001-05:00

Latish last year I bought something I have grown to treasure immensely.

There are many reasons why I love this Bible so very much. First of all, it's God's personal letter to me! Wow. I don't grasp the truth of that statement the way I want to, but I hope that God will help me to, in time. The translation is English Standard Version, and I have to say I plan on raising my kids with the ESV.
I do appreciate the King James Version, and up to the past year it is the version I have used my whole life. I checked out the ESV online before I bought a hard copy. Alex and Brett Harris from the Rebelution used the ESV, so I figured it was worth checking out. I fell in love with it! I can understand it so much quicker than I can understand the King James. I love how poetic "thee" and "thou" and etc. sound, but when it comes down to every day life I am thrilled to have a version I can trust that says "you" instead. I know what the fancy words mean, but when I'm reading to myself having my Bible in language I regularly speak makes it so much easier for me to comprehend and apply it to my life.
In so many ways I can understand and comprehend what I am reading in the ESV sooner than I do reading it in the KJV. The content is exactly the same, just using slightly different words/wording.
For example, take Romans 6:22 in KJV
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Now in ESV
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Wow. Reading it in the ESV brings it to life - makes it real for me.

I read a verse in James that confused me when I first read it. James 3:1 (KJV)
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
Then I read it in the ESV and said, "Duh!'
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Just a couple of examples.

Another reason I LOVE my Bible so much is the style. It's small, flexible, the text is a great size, and it has a great concordance in the back! It has footnotes at the bottom, too. It's also terribly pretty. It's a beautiful cranberry red. I love cranberry red. There is only one color I love almost as much as blue, and that is red. However, I am very picky about my shades of red, and this Bible is a beautiful shade. And the filigree design on it is just gorgeous.

The reason I love my Bible that inspired me to write this post today is this: it is laid out in paragraph form with small numbers noting the different verse numbers INSTEAD of each new verse starting on a new line. I can follow the train of thought so much better this way.

So, for today, I am so grateful for my Bible. Thank you Lord for letting me live in a country where I have such easy access to a Bible, and the freedom to read it wherever I please!

Beautiful Savior

2009-11-13T00:08:00.000-05:00

Jesus is such a beautiful savior. Our God is so almighty and the earth is truly filled with his glory. Even though the world glorifies Satan and sin, the beauty of creation will always glorify God.
I took my brother to school today, and had time to kill before choir practice. I spent a blissful hour and a half sitting on the back of my car directly facing the setting sun, drinking it in. I pulled out my CIT book of notes and started reading them aloud. I realized today that it is very important for me to read things aloud. Speaking it and hearing it while I am reading it give me such a better level of comprehension. So, I read aloud. I was so very convicted of how I've spent the last few months pretending to be close to God. I read a statement I had written, "That I may know Him - this is the greatest goal of my life.", and realized that I have not been true to that goal. I have spent more time pursuing friends than my sweet savior. How could I? But I did. And I will again in the future. No matter, what's done is done, I will strive to do better, and with the help of my dear savior, each time I fall he will help me back up and further on down this narrow path he is leading me on. It was such a beautiful time. I am so grateful for Jesus...for everything about him.

=)

2009-11-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

I am SO GRATEFUL for sunshine!!! It's a beautiful thing. It has been raining today, and that makes me kinda sad. Sunshine makes me so very happy. I thrive on sunshine. Sunshine makes life happy! It casts such a cheeriness over the world. With sunshine, the sky is a beautiful, deep blue. It's just happy.

=)

In other news the bathroom is finally painted, and the bedroom is beginning to get into some order. Slowly but surely it will be accomplished.
<3

=D

2009-11-11T00:50:00.000-05:00

So, I have a VERY good excuse for forgetting Monday and not posting until midnight Tuesday.

I was very, very tired and slept a lot of Monday. Today I took my brother to school, painted my bathroom and one wall of my bedroom, and went to church to pray for an hour with some friends.

Monday I am thankful for a family who understands and lets me rest when I am devoid of energy. So kind of them!

Today I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who prompts me to pray for friends, and be understanding to their situations.

I am beat. <3

btw, next week is the meteor shower!

Thankfulness

2009-11-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

I missed a couple days, I know!
So, I have three things to be thankful for today.

For Thursday I'm thankful for life. Just the ability to live, and be, and do. I got a lot accomplished in the bathroom, and then we went to church. I really do enjoy my life, with all of its craziness.

For Friday I'm thankful for travel. We took our trip a week early, and my mom came. I love driving and going places. It was fun.

For today I'm thankful for relationships. I spent a lot of time with my cousin, Allie, yesterday. I babysat her and we had a great time. Also my friend, Sarah, came over and we went to the mall and walked around with coffee. Then we came and sat in the grass and talked for quite awhile. It was good fellowship.

I know I'm not going to get around to blogging tomorrow, so I'm just going to say thankful for church, and the opportunity to serve. It is such a blessing to be involved in ministry. =) God is good!

Room Makeovers!

2009-11-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

Today's "grateful" of the day is a little hard to put into one word.
I am so grateful that I have the means to make this room better. There was a leak from the toilet upstairs, and my daddy fixed it. I'm about to coat the carpet in baking soda and leave it for a few days. (Yes, it is that bad.)
Hopefully I can find the air fresheners, because it's really smelly. I'm about to pain the bathroom, and hopefully the bedroom as well. Soon I hope to get a nice-ish rug for the bathroom. Once the ceiling dries up from the leak (it may be dry already), and I finish painting, we can put Emmie's bed where it belongs and get all the furniture in place.

I've been listening to The Three Musketeers on cd lately. I'm on disc 6 out of 20. Heh. This dude reads SO SLOW and I can figure out a way to make him play faster. :(

My Christmas lights are up, and cheerful!

<3

Today I am Thankful for Good Surprises

2009-11-03T14:57:00.000-05:00

I walked into the family area by our kitchen today with lunch and my mom asked me if I wanted to drive my two younger sisters out-of-state for a cousin's birthday party at a theme park! It's about an 8-9 hour drive, and I'll be going down next Thursday (early) and coming back on Saturday(afternoon). =D I'm so excited! I thought I was done with trips for 2009. I've been on quite a few. Ski trip in February, vacation in April, camp in June, camp twice in July/August, trip to a friends wedding in October, and a trip to a small retreat just last week (October).
I have confirmed my suspicion this year that I LOVE traveling! =D It's the best. I love driving, and I have been wanting to spend some time with my little sisters. This is going to be a blast.
I am so thankful for good surprises. Yesterday was really tough, so this is great. =)
God is good!
Shout out to J.G. - I hope you're doing well, and I said a prayer for you today.

Thankful in November - the 1st and 2nd

2009-11-02T18:03:00.000-05:00

So, friendies, I am going to try and post something I am grateful for every day of November.
I was very uber tired yesterday, so I did not post, but I'll make it up today.

1 - I am SO THANKFUL for my bed.
I just got home from VA, and I was so tired Sunday that I actually came home from church. I took a nap in my bed. It was wonderful to be back in my own bed. *happiness*

2 - I am grateful for God's grace in my life - the power and ability to do right.
We're having some difficult situations with my Granddad, and he's moving upstairs. He's taking my room. My somewhat ugly, but very nice room. My room with a closet, my room with two windows, my room with nice carpet, my room next to a wonderful bathroom. My warm room, my room that feels connected to the rest of the house, my clean room.

I'm moving downstairs into his room. His dirty, smelly, cold room with no windows, flat, hard carpet. I got up this morning to this dilemma first thing. My mom said either we could move around 4 bedrooms upstairs, or we could move 2 rooms, that being moving Pawpaw upstairs, and my sister and me downstairs. I didn't want to, and don't like it, but its best for everyone except for me and my sister that we move downstairs. So, I did it. Once I realized what I was doing I stopped and went to the bathroom for just a second, prayed, and shed a few tears. It's hard, going against my flesh. God extended his grace, though, and I accepted, and together, we got things done.

I had to clean a lot of Pawpaw's things. They are disgusting. He dips snuff, and wets his bed. I am pretty sure he relieved himself in a corner of his bedroom downstairs at some point. All of his furniture was covered in a layer of grease and dirt, but it is clean now. I steam cleaned some of the carpet in the bedroom downstairs that is now mine.

I have to figure out how to put all of the furniture in my new room, and sometime this week we're going to put up some shelves and install a new ceiling fan. Eventually we're going to paint it a lighter color. It's kind of dark and dingy right now.

God is good, and I am tired!
<3

Cold = holidays!

2009-10-19T15:53:00.000-04:00

Cold weather is upon us, and cold weather has a very special association in my mind!

HOLIDAYS!!

I love the holiday season. I am none too fond of cold weather; it hurts! However, there's nothing like family, warm fires, lovely dishes of delicious foods, friends, ahhh. The holidays are extremely wonderful. Is there really anything as good as sitting down to a table bursting with food and family?

Green bean casserole, turkey, dressing and gravy, sweet potato souffle.....*happiness*

I can just smell the sweet potato souffle. (This is making me hungry.)

I can't wait for Thanksgiving, because it is such a beautiful season of thankfulness. This November I'm going to try to do something new. I'm going to write in my journal one thing I'm thankful for for every day. I may miss a few days, but I'm going to try and make it a daily thing.

One of the reasons I love Thanksgiving so much is because it means Christmas is right around the corner. Some of my absolute most favorite things in life are Christmas lights. I love sitting down to a desk full of homework with a candle, Christmas music, and Christmas lights. I love shopping for Christmas presents with my little bit of money, and I love Christmas parties with friends. I love baking gifts for my guy friends, and the smell of scotch tape and wrapping paper!

I'm waiting on my Daddy to get home so I can go run some errands. I need to deposit a check into my checking account, drop off a job application, and possibly get some tennis shoes. I may just skip on that errand. I really don't have the money. I also need to take my siblings to the library. Maybe I'll pick up some new cds or movies, if they have anything good. =D

Happy October, dearies!

by the way, if Elizabeth who left me a comment a couple blog posts ago would please email me because I LOST her email address, that would be mahvelous. =)

Convicted

2009-10-16T01:08:00.003-04:00

Tonight I sat down and worked on memorizing a piece of music. I spent around half an hour to forty-five minutes memorizing the piece. I would start from the beginning and play until I messed up; once I messed up I started over. Ever time I messed up I started from the beginning. Each time I played longer and longer until I came to a spot I realized I had to work on separately from the whole song. I stopped my "game", worked on that spot, and then started my game up again for awhile.

You see, this music is accompaniment to a song the Youth Choir at my church is learning. It is very important that I am able to play it perfectly, so that I don't mess up the choir, and so that I don't draw attention away from them drawing attention to God. I'm only there to support and add to their music. Accompaniment is not necessary to a song, but it is a pleasant addition. I definitely don't want to take away from the song. However, I haven't been doing very well, and I am struggling very much to make it perfect.

Often when I learn a song I learn it with the sheet music in front of me, and within about 3 weeks of steady practice I can play it at performance level, with the music. I went about learning my choir music the same way, but for some reason or other it just isn't cutting it. After 5 or so weeks of steady practice I was getting worse and tripping up on the easier parts of the song, even though I had pretty much mastered some of the places that seemed very hard in the beginning. I decided it was time to memorize the song, and now I have almost completely memorized every note of this 11 page song. I am going to play this song over and over and over again until not only can I play every note perfectly, but until it flows out of me, as if it were a part of me. I will play this song until it becomes a part of me.

As I was practicing tonight, it hit me. I was meditating on that song. I was mulling it over, going over every tiny detail, playing it over and over and over again. Why don't I ever do that with scripture? Why don't I ever go over a verse time and time again until it becomes a part of me?

I was very convicted.

God told me tonight, "Laura, how can I bless your music when you are playing a part? How can you serve me at church when you do not serve me at home? Just because you were serving me before doesn't mean you can ride on that. You must serve me continually."

I have been a very disobedient child, and I have served myself very much more than I even want to realize these past weeks. Lord, forgive me. You have given me the grace to be obedient and I have rejected it! And I have asked you to bless me, anyway. How selfish of me. And in my selfishness I have missed out on so much of his wonderfulness. How is is that serving myself is really robbing myself? My logic is SO messed up.

I'm so grateful that my Father is gracious, merciful God, slow to anger, and of great kindness. <3

2009-10-02T11:13:00.001-04:00

I went to the most amazing spiritual boot camp this summer, and learned heaps upon heaps of amazing truths. I was sent home with notes of my own, and notes that I had not even read yet! My mind was absolutely full of good scripture, and I had memorized plenty by the end of my three weeks of camp. It's amazing how much you can memorize. One of the things they asked us, point blank, was, "When you go home, and it's not a requirement, are you gonna keep it up?" I wanted to, and I have a scripture memory book just for it! It's a beautiful little blank book my friend sent me. I worked on it halfheartedly when I got home, and then I quit putting it in priority, and I haven't been doing scripture memory in awhile.
I had a routine going for about two weeks ,but then we started moving, and things have been crazy ever since. I don't know what it is, but when I don't have a routine I stop putting God first. This is something I really must conquer.....I live a day or two by His strength, and then I go to sleep and default back to my own strength without even realizing it (maybe it is because I don't take the time each day to humble myself before God and ask for grace to live by His strength to accomplish His will).
While I was at camp I took all my scripture verses on my colored index cards with me, to put up on my bed. I didn't get them back up on my wall once I got home, especially with the move and everything. This weekend it is top priority on my list to get them back up, because I have REALLY needed them, and the way I think about myself has started sliding back into what it used to be. I guess I have found out the reality of the fact that when you're not constantly surrounded by and immersed in scripture you don't change, or you revert back if you have changed. Matt Collier said, "Without serious decision and commitment to be constantly exposed to God's Word I can have no lasting change." and he wasn't kidding.
I'm doing lots of praying these days. God has been doing lots of answering prayers, too. It feels so good to humble myself in his sight and say, "Daddy, help! I need this! Please, please, would you supply it for me?" As much as God is answering so many of my prayers I'm still afraid of being let down........, but I'm still holding on, too.
God is good, and life goes on, and I'm going to see my Jojo in person FINALLY very very soon. There's something about dreams coming true that makes me laugh out loud....=D

2009-09-22T09:04:00.001-04:00

So, I have plans to wash, dry, and fold over 18 loads of laundry today. I washed a few last night, so I have 3 ready to fold, one in the dryer.
Guess which room of the house is the most convenient for me to pick up internet today?
Laundry room!! =D I think that's pretty funny. Guess I'll be stopping for email breaks during my laundry. ;) lol Hopefully after all the rain goes away I can get access throughout the whole house.
<3

Turns out I'm going to be at the library for a few hours, today, too. Fun stuff!

Wow guys, it has been a long time!!

2009-08-18T21:31:00.002-04:00

My dear blog readers,
I apologize for how long it has been since my last post! Life is most amazingly full and crazy.

I am pretty much devastated that summer is over. =( It's the ultimate sadness. I need to fly south for the winter. However, God has work for me at home, and I serve him, not me.

I posted the following on my facebook - it's pretty much what I learned at camp.

This summer I spent 4 weeks at camp. God taught me a lot over the spring semester, but around May I had started floundering spiritually. I was taking my spiritual growth into my hands and trying to figure out what I needed to do to keep the ball rolling. I knew that camp was God's will for me and that he had something specific to teach me, so I was pretty much excited to be there!!!!!
The first week of camp I spent as an assistant counselor at camp sunrise. I really realized how selfish I was for the first time. Then first week at the Wilds was really a good week of encouragement. God used everything to show me that I had been using other peoples shortcomings as an excuse for my bad attitudes and selfishness. He really taught me that my attitude is my own choice, and that in order to be like Christ I must be constantly immersed in God's Word.
The second week was a lot of learning how to/more about denying myself. God had shown me that I was selfish/focused on myself, and now it was time to learn about it and how to deal with it. Mostly learning that my purpose in life is not anything about myself, it's about glorifying God, and causing others to come to right opinions about him so that they in turn will give him his proper place and worth in their lives. It was also a lot of learning that in order to have the right fruits in my life I have to believe the truth about God, and act on it. That really fit in with being constantly immersed in God's Word - if I am not constantly in God's Word there is no way I can know the truth about him, much less believe it! God really cracked down on me in one of the sessions about having a tender heart. Scott mentioned that hurt in life comes from faulty logic - people should be treating me right, and when they don't I get hurt. I really struggle with forgiving others, and this particular session showed me that my lack of forgiveness is a sin against God. When people do things that hurt me I have to take my eyes off myself and forgive. They are accountable to God for what they did, and I am accountable to God to respond correctly. My counselor mentioned that I am the only person I can control, so I had better control myself!
We talked a lot about how a Christian's role in life is to be a servant leader, memorized a bunch of character quailities, and verses to back them up, and really looked at examples of that in the new testament. We also talked about what it requires to walk in the Spirit. It totally requires dependence and submission, and somehow I TOTALLY missed the point of this session. I heard it all, but it didn't sink in and hit home.
I went home and was able to use the things God had taught me to not freak out when a couple big issues came up. That was really encouraging!!!
I went back and learned a lot more, and I had a good week, but I was frustrated. I felt like I couldn't live up to what was expected of me, and I was struggling with wanting to spend time and be with my CIT friends, and getting to know the girls in my cabin, as well as going t my extra sessions and regular camp activities. It's a lot. I got upset with my counselor at one point because I felt like she was upset at me for a miscommunication. For some reason or other,as hard as I tried I couldn't let it go. So, for the next 24 hours I had a bad attitude. I ended up having an emotional melt down, and after that I was mostly better, but things still didn't feel exactly right. I was definitely ready to go home. Friday night, the last sermon, and the last point of the last sermon was about how in order to be on God's side you have to be dependent on God. The speaker made the point that we pretty much just have to say, "Okay God, I give up! I quit! I can't do it.", and then the light came on. I realized that I had been trying to do and be everything I had learned in my own strength, which really, really, really did not work. I went out during the invitation with my counselor and talked to her about everything and prayed with her.I asked God to really keep me humble and to give me the strength I need to live like him, since I most certainly can't.One of the neat things that was pointed out in one of the sessions was the fact that in Isaiah 40:31 where it says, "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." it doesn't mean that God will fill our strength back up when its empty. God doesnt begin where we end, but he exchanges our strength for his strength so that it never has to end. =D That is SO COOL. So, I apologized to Bethany for my attitude, and apologized to my cabin for not being more of a servant to them. It felt so much like a huge backpack had been taken off me. I was really sad that I was so dense that God had to let me go through that whole entire week of trying to do things in my own strength so that he could correct me. I am just disappointed at all the opportunities for ministry that I missed bcause I was so focused on myself.
Another thing I really learned was how proud I am/tend to be and didn't even realize it, and how terrible I am at taking constructive, kind criticism! Wow. So humbling.
All of this is pretty choppy, but it's a wonder I got it all out. Hopefully soon I will post about camp, the fun stuff, but right now after taking in so much info at camp, stuff at home, and life, my brain is mUSH and it is a wonder I got this all out. =P

I am really looking forward to taking everything I have learned and living accordingly now. I'm going to compile a list of quotes/statements that impacted me the most, and hopefully post some of my notes, as well.

Since camp I have been oodles of busy. I just posted some of this on a different blog. (www.thegiveawaytree.xanga.com - check it out! I give away things. mmhm. free things. what's better?)

Since I've been home life has been a lot crazy. My granddad is going to be moving into the house with my family soon. There are 7 of us kids, 3 bedrooms, and a storage room. Well, we've decided to put the 4 of us girls in one room, the 3 guys in another, and the medium sized bedroom beside the bathroom will be for my granddad. Well, this involves using the storage room as a closet for the four of us girls. We have a LOT of stuff. In order to use it as a closet we had to pretty much completely reorganize and declutter that room. It was ..well, you couldn't walk through it for anything. =D
I'm looking for a part time job in town. Praying that God will provide so I can pay off some money I owe, and get the funds to take a small road trip in October. (My best friend a few states away is getting married.) I'm also highly involved in keeping the household running, and homeschooling my younger siblings. I haven't had a whole lot of time for extra stuff lately. =) It has been nice getting so much accomplished, and getting into practical application with everything I've learned at camp.

I was really hoping I'd be in college this semester. Funny thing, whenever I looked forward to being 19 years old I always thought I would be starting my second year of college, probably have a boyfriend, and I'd generally be a lot more on top of life. hehe! God has such different plans, and I am learning to love his plans that are so beautiful for me.

My family is going through something of a rough time right now. I can't really expound on that, but keep us in your prayers if you will. Especially my dad! My parents both work full time, and my sister is going to start working mornings in September, so my parents need me at home in the morning to keep the house running, and help homeschool the kids. Mostly I just teach my little brother to read, and math. More of what I do with the older kids is just accountability to get their work done, and a little help with things they don't understand. I also have the fun job of cooking/serving breakfast and lunch, and making sure chores get done. I enjoy the meals, and I need the practice with cooking. The making sure things get done gets tough, though. Since I'm not the parent my sibings tend to feel I haven't got a right to keep on telling them what to do. Also, Mama and Daddy don't generally make sure as many things get done as need to be done. It's a hard job, and I'm going to have to be very careful as I go about it. I think God has me here for a reason, though, and I'm gonna give it all I've got.

My favorite quote right now is, "what you do with the first two hours of your day shows a lot about who you love most."
I've been getting up at 6 and doing devos, then around 6:45-7 I start cooking breakfast for the fam. Once 8 gets here I go on my morning run. If I can keep up this routine, I'll be doing pretty good. =D

This has been an ENTIRELY too long post, so I will save the rest of my quotes for another day. <3
Laura Ansley Loshie or whatever you want to call me.
;)

June already! Yes!!!

2009-06-12T20:08:00.005-04:00

So, it's June! Yes, it is. =) And I am LOVING the summer heat! Driving down the road, 90 degrees, doing 55 with the windows down, radio playing, and an icy dr. pepper...oh yes! One of my absolute FAVORITE things to do. My family thinks I'm crazy - 90 degrees and no ac - but it's just the way I am, part of who I am. Gotta love it.

Buckle up, this is gonna be a long post!

VBS is soon! I can't wait. I'm supposed to be helping! I am excited about it.

So, I had a wonderful graduation party on May the 29th. I was really nervous - everyone was going to be paying attention to ME. That's a little crazy! We were running a little bit late, and I was rushing to get ready and get everything together with Mama and Caiti. They were AMAZING and they made my party so special. <3 style="width: 194px;">

My Graduation

My graduation ceremony was Tuesday May 19th, and I was really nervous, then! I had my cap and gown, and all I had to do was walk across a huge stage to get my diploma in front of a billion people and NOT TRIP. SUCESS. =D It went really well. One of my best friends gave a speech, and it was just neat. I am now an officially graduated high school student, and my diploma is beautiful. =D

I also went to the Calvary graduation, last Saturday. At my old church all the homeschooler graduates have a ceremony together. It gets kinda long, because all the dads give a little speech about/to their kids, congratulating them, and giving them their diploma. When there are 13 graduates it gets a bit long, and the Calvary pews are COMPLETELY horrendously uncomfortable. What's with that?! It gave me a horrible crick in my neck. HOWEVER, it was amazing anyway! I went to see my friends Taylor and John. Taylor sang a duet with another girl, and I almost cried. They sang 'O Wondrous Love', and that's one of my favorite songs! A dear friend of mine dedicated it to me when I was going through a really rough spell, and it has just been a super encouragement to me over the past year. It was spectacular. John carried the flag in, I guess that's pretty spectacular, too. =P After the ceremony there was a reception and I had a most AMAZING time being with Tay and John, and seeing all my old peeps. It was....spectacular. =D

This past Sunday our church had 'senior recognition day', and it was kinda crazy! I went and taught children's church in the early service, played the offertory, went to choir practice, Sunday school, sang in the choir, sat in the front pew (bleh) for Pastor's .....charge to the seniors, played the offertory, had lunch, got all my stuff for my display table, went to church early to set up my table, had choir practice, had YOUTH choir practice, sang w/ the youth choir in the evening service, listened to an awesome sermon about Peter, and then had the reception. THEN I went and spent some time with a friend, JULIE, who came from Calvary to come to my reception. =P It was fun and tiring. Pics from my display table ( <---hint, link!) (it was really neat, I had all my favorite books, movies, cds, and pictures (on my laptop), I had my favorite Bible verses and some pictures from vcation taped up, and my 'bottles of the ocean', also my three beloved Willow Tree dolls. It was really awesome!!)

I am really excited about the future...the next 5 years......I don't know what it's going to hold but I know God has big plans and dreams for me!!! I'm planning on working at least a semester before going to college. I can't exactly go to college without a car, and I have to work to buy one, so that will be cool. I'll be getting a full time job when I get back from camp in August. I don't know where, but God has something picked out for me already, so I'll figure it out when it gets here. I am definitely still going into nursing, but I don't know if I'm going any further than just getting my associates degree in nursing....since I don't really want to specialize or work in a hospital, I don't know if I really want to go as far as getting a BSN....*shrug* I'll decide as God leads. I would really like to get some training in Christian counseling, as well. And, I hope maybe I'll get married in the next 5 years. =P I would like that. lol. I don't want to be an old maid! =P Not that once you get past 23 you're an old maid, but yeah. There's lots I'm praying about for the future, but bottom line, I want what God has for me, and I'm trusting him to lead me as I step out in faith and obedience.

9 days until I leave for Camp Sunrise!!! Guys I cannot tell you HOW excited I am!!! Summer is here, and I am going to be an assistant counselor for a week of jr. camp at Camp Sunrise. My best friend, Tay is ALSO going to be an assistant counselor, so we are going to spend a whole stinking week together! AH! I am SO so so so so very excited. In exactly a month I will be leaving to go to the WILDS Christian camp for 3 whole long, wonderful, stretching, amazing weeks!!! Oh man oh man. I am so excited. God has been nudging me about this summer, and oh I don't know what he has in store for me but I know it's going to be AMAZING. I am so excited about it I feel sick. =P

Work lately has been interesting. I thought I would be done working at the boy scout camp the 3rd weekend of May, but up until last weekend they kept me busy! I am officially done working there now, but God is still keeping me busy with babysitting and I'm also going in to work as a receptionist at Great Clips where my mom works for awhile. =) It's really exciting, God just keeps throwing things together.

Mid-may I hadn't any of the money I needed for camp, and I was getting a little worried. I prayed and asked God for 100 dollars before the end of May, or I was going to call and cancel my registration so someone else could go in my place. I was really second guessing myself, and praying. I was praying and talking to God... I was like, 'I really prayed about this, why isn't it working out? I told you, and you know that I only want your will - if you don't want me there, please let me know! I really thought you wanted me to go, and now it's looking like you might not provide, God, I need you to come through for me!" I really searched my heart and my motives - I did NOT want to just think God wanted me to go just because I wanted to, and it was kinda scary. God TOTALLY came through for me, though, and the confirmation was amazing.

So, my mom is buying a little white car from my grandparents. It's an old 1993 pontiac grand prix. It's great! I love it. However, I was driving home from babysitting at the church tuesday, and the alternator died. The car was running off the battery, and it freaked me out. Fortunately, and God totally worked this out, Daddy was coming through the same intersection I was at about thirty seconds behind me from a different direction, and he was able to get me home. We had to pull over and charge the battery back up some more....it actually died again in the driveway. I bought an alternator Wednesday (he went and got it, I payed for it. lol) and he put it in the car. Thursday I drove about an hour out to babysit for a couple at my church, and the car refused to idle. That was an adventure, especially when I drove the wrong way down the square, and couldn't get the car turned around. heh. SCARINESS. God totally protected me! Once I got to my destination I sat out in the car and finally got it to idle, and it has been doing just fine ever since.

SO, that has been my life lately. Sorry I haven't blogged in so long!
God is so good and he has taught me so much. Over the past 6 months he has transformed my mind. I now believe that I am holy, righteous, and beautiful. I am precious to my Jesus, and it is a beautiful privelege to be a Christian! Before I knew it all, but didn't grasp or really understand it. God has shown me some pain from the past that I haven't dealt with, and I was able to excersize forgiveness and let God heal the pain. As he brings things to the surface that I have shoved down and forgotten, I am learning to deal with them. Through this semester I realized that I was praying for God to HELP me trust him, but I didn't even know how! So I changed my prayer from HELP me to TEACH me to how to trust you God, I don't know how!!! He is teaching me so much!! He showed me that I didn't trust him with my heart -romantically- and I am learning to trust him in that area of my life as well, now. It's really astounding everything he has done in my life this year so far. I can't wait, He's been preparing me for something big this summer, or maybe this summer is the icing on the cake? What if it's just the tip of the iceberg? Hey, I'm ready! Bring it on. I just want to do my savior's will, and learn to love him more and glorify him!
He is GOOD!
<3
Laura

=)

2009-05-10T18:53:00.004-04:00

God is so good. I am so grateful for his work in my life. He has really been stretching me this semester, and as it has FLOWN by I have really been able to see His hand more clearly than ever before.

Right now I'm going through a huge putting-to-proof stage. I am really needy, financially, right now, and I am so having to trust God. I tithed this morning, even though I don't technically have the money to be tithing...... :\ I admit I struggle with being afraid that He's going to drop me and leave me here, and then I'll be sitting here looking like a poor fool for trusting that God was going to provide for me, and he didn't. I know he will, but the Tempter knows just where to 'press my button' and it is a struggle to fight him off. So often I don't realize where it is him.

I have been also struggling with staying in the Word lately, which isn't helping. The less truth I am absorbing, the easier it is to become blind to the lies.

- So, I was writing all that and talking to a friend, and I felt Jesus calling me to go spend some time with him. So, I ended my convos and grabbed my Bible and ran out to my happy place, which is where I always go to meet Jesus. My siblings aren't allowed to come down there and bother me. It's a really neat place, actually. Back in Winter 07 I was spending a lot of time teaching the kids and taking care of the house. It was pretty tough, and at times I just needed to get AWAY from the kids, or things would get ugly. There were three trees in the old dog pen, and someone had started building a tree house there, so I had Nicholas help me (Actually, I helped him ;] ) build a little 'happy place'. I have a triangular platform with rails on two of the sides, a good ways up in the tree...I guess about 6ish feet up in the tree. Just high enough, and not too high. Then I have a swing. =)
Anyway, so I ran out there and spent some time reading my Bible, and praying. Then I just spent some time being still and at peace (which is a big deal for me. =P I've not had much be still/peace time lately, which is my own fault).

I've spent a lot of time praying these past few days, which has been super refreshing. I love investing in my friends by praying for them. It's so cool! And I just love communing with God.

Anyway. God is good, life is stretching me, and I am ready for summer and to see what God is about to do!
<3
Laura

Under Construction

2009-04-19T13:51:00.003-04:00

So, I have a lot of thoughts running through my head, and I figured I'd write them out before I get to work on some homework.
First of all, today is Sunday. =) I love Sunday.
Friday and Saturday were just not cool...work and all.......
I taught on forgiveness in children's church this morning. We had several neat object lessons to illustrate forgiveness. I'll tell you about my favorite. Using my sisters oil pastels I drew(copied) a pretty picture of a mountain/lake sunset with beautiful trees. During the lesson I had my brother come and make a big black mark in the picture. I was "upset" but I "chose to forgive him" and then I illustrated how God takes bad things in our lives and makes them beautiful by drawing a beautiful tree in the picture out of the black mark. =)

I am so grateful for God's forgiveness in my life.

There are few things as amazing as long, soft, flowy skirts. =)

I'm learning an arrangement of The Old Rugged Cross, and it is beautiful. I am so grateful I can worship God by playing the piano. "The emblem of suffering and shame."
There are so many times, as I get older, that lines of hymns jump out at me, and for the first time I grasp what it really means. Learning them as a child I never really understood some stuff, and it became cliche. When I share the gospel, I often tell people how God solved our problem of sin by sending Jesus. I like to tell them how beautiful what he did for us was - he chose the most awful death to illustrate the most amazing love. And truly, it was a horrible, terrible death. The cross in my life stands for forgiveness, love, beauty, and points me to the man I love more than anything else - Jesus. That's not how it was during the time Jesus was crucified. The cross stood for shame, death, punishment, cruelty, and pain. The very emblem of suffering and shame. Realizing and grasping the truth is so important in life.

You know, it's funny, I keep realizing how backwards we are as humans. The things that God says for us to do to suceed are so backwards to us! The way I see myself is not who I am. I have a hard time accepting who God tells me I am, and that's because I think I am horrible. The truth is Christ saved me from my horribleness, and so I am in the process of renewing my mind through scripture, and removing the negative thought patterns/habits I've had. I put up scripture verses around my mirror and on my wall and make it a point to read them and say them aloud a few times a week at least. It is amazing! When I start getting angry, frustrated, overwhelmed, scared, upset, discouraged, anything, I go and read all my index cards.

I've been hungry lately. I keep thinking, hm. I want something...., so I go and get something to eat. (smart, right?) It's weird, because I don't normally eat a lot. Pastor said something this morning about spiritual hunger and thirst, and the Holy Spirit must have poked me then, because it dawned on me, I bet I've been so hungry because I'm hungering after the WORD, but I am mistaking it for physical hunger! I feel silly for not seeing that before, and I'm going to make it a point to go to the Word first, when I think I'm hungry, but am not really. (Funny thing, the food never really satisfied me.....I have still wanted something a lot of times, but wasn't sure what it was I wanted.)

I hugged a lot of people at church today, and their perfume and cologne is still lingering on my shirt. It's a little weird. =P

I was thinking about our society, and how we are taught to make wrong choices because we don't have to pay the consequences. You know, people choose to have sex before they are ready to have children, and they can just go get an abortion. That tiny baby has to bear the consequences of the parents mistake. How messed up. (Now, the parents have to carry the consequences of taking the life of an innocent human, but somehow that never catches up with a lot of people.)
I heard a commercial on the radio that screamed, "if you're in credit card debt, don't worry about it! The government is bailing everyone out, why not you too? Get out of paying off your debt!!!" I was shocked. It's a shame. However, God is still in control, and Christ will make all things right in the end.

Now it's time for me to go do my evangelism class homework. =)

<3

Beautiful??

2009-03-22T21:38:00.000-04:00

It has been a long week you guys. Drama drama drama, life is changing, God is changing me, and I'm just coming to realize a lot of things......
one of which being the fact that I have previously found my worth in the things I accomplish and how I look. That has made me so tired. I have been so driven to accomplish things the right way, and when I don't do it the way I think I should I get upset and discourage. When I don't look just right in an outfit, or have a bad hair/makeup day I just get in a bad mood.

I grasped last night that what I think isn't what I know. Like someone will ask, "what do you think?" and I'll respond with what I know to be the truth. But for some reason when it's just the thoughts in my head no one is asking to know, somehow, what I think is so far from what I know. And, I also realized that what I think is what makes me. Y'all, what I think is so messed up.

I have a hard time not focusing on my faults and failures, and just being down on myself in general. I was thinking about some stuff the other day and I was like, "psh. nothing like that would ever happen to me." and God kinda gave me a look and was like, "Um, you're talking to me, and I'm God. You are praying for this specific thing, and you're telling me that it can't ever happen to you because you're not worth it? First of all, I am GOD! Where is your faith? And, I made you! You are beautiful."
I was doing my devotions tonight, and it just hit me. I'm beautiful. That is profound. Like, not my looks, but me. Me beautiful??? Me. Beautiful. I really don't get it...but what Jesus tells me, I believe. And that makes me feel special. That I am beautiful. I've never really felt beautiful before.......not like this. I've known I looked pretty, or that I was a nice person and that people liked me, people have told me I'm beautiful, and I knew that Jesus loves me and thought I was beautiful (but that was not anything special because he thinks that about everyone). But this is much different. I am worth so much to Jesus, as a unique individual, and he loves me for my personality, my quirks, my flaws, me. This is such a different and wonderful feeling, to know and believe how much Jesus loves me! I don't know why I didn't ever see it like this before.

God is good. =) And he is changing me.

2009-02-23T09:08:00.000-05:00

I have always loved talking to Jesus. Prayer has been a part of my life I would not want to do without.
Right now God is teaching me how powerful prayer is. There is a point where you know something, and then a point where you understand it and your understanding of it becomes a part of who you are. That's where I am with prayer now. I am beginning to learn how powerful it is. I did a search for Bible verses that had any variation of the word, "pray", like, "pray, prayer, praying, prayed." Right now I've gone through any verses in the OT up to Nehemiah.
Why was Nehemiah able to rebuild the wall? Prayer He prayed constantly. Read the book of Nehemiah again, or if you haven't ever read it, read it!!! It's good! A beautiful display of God's forgiveness, and his great love and power.

It is SO HUGE that the God of Heaven would change something down here on earth just because I asked Him to! !!! Think about those little bitty organisms that you pretty much can't see. germs. whatever else is too small to see. In comparison with God, I am even less that a germ is in comparison with a human. I am nothing, and He is everything. And he changes things down here on earth just because I ask him to. Because I prayed, my life, and other's lives will be, and have been changed. I don't say that pridefully, just incredulously!

I can't quite list all the things I've prayed for lately and God has answered those prayers. Things as little as finding a lost pair of scissors, and things as big as Katie's chalk talk and Joe's job. Things like getting my school done on time, getting home safe in potentially terrible weather. Things like the power coming back on this morning. Things I haven't even completely prayed for, like getting a new piano student.I'll have half-prayer/thoughts about things like, "man. I really need some new clothes this season....", or, "it would be really nice to have some more piano students" and then within a week or so, God has provided!

As I was reading through the verses, I found this one, and it really stuck with me.

1Sa 12:23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Sin, that he should cease to pray for them. Not even just sin against them, but sin against GOD. As the prophet, Samuel's intercession for the children of Israel was so important. He was a picture of Christ, and he brought those people before God in prayer when they had sinned, and asked God that they should be allowed to live.

Another verse that struck me was 1Ki 8:54. Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven.
There were actually a lot of verses so far that have mentioned the people who were praying having their hands stretched towards heaven, or the temple. I haven't figured the significance of the hands out yet, but I hope to figure it out soon. Any thoughts/verses on this are welcomed. =P

So, this was my Bible study this morning, and probably will be what I do for the next few days. I've got 289 verses on prayer to go through. =D

I'm really looking forward to being able to pray more effectively. Prayer without faith is not effective, and it is harder to have faith when you don't understand the true power of prayer.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Jas 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

If I pray without faith, I might as well not have prayed at all. But you know, I think the neat thing is that sometimes even when we pray without faith, our God is SO GOOD that he STILL answers those prayers. To have a God that answers faithless prayers, and prayers that we don't even take the time to pray, I'm just blown away. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. (Ps. 136:9)