beautiful fat feet

Meeting the Orphans: Jenneylyn

2014-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

For quite some time now, many people have been asking for the stories of each of the children at Rosemary's Home of Hope. I've been telling myself I am going to break it down, and introduce one child at a time on this blog, but I just haven't gotten around to it. In December of last year, I wrote down each of their stories for twenty of the now twenty-three children.
Without further adieu... let's meet..

Jennelyn!

Of course I don't have favorites, because each child is precious, one of a kind, & truly a blessing; but, with that being said, Jennelyn is kinda my favorite (shhh!).

I met Jennelyn on my very first trip to visit Rosemary's Home of Hope, and fell. in. love. immediately.
Seriously, can I not bring her home yet?
Jenneylyn is also known as "Tornado," and it doesn't take long after meeting her to figure out the reasons why. She is one of the most bubbly, full of life, and energetic five years old I have ever met! I met her when she was just three years old in March of 2012. She had only been at the orphanage since the fall of 2011, but already you could see the Lord working remarkably in her life. Each time I visit Rosemary's, one of my biggest prayers is that God would continue to break my heart for them. Jennelyn's story, as well as the other children's stories, always break my heart. When I see their sweet smiles and embrace their loving, never ending hugs, I cannot help but think, how in the world could someone not love them.

Jennelyn's mother was a prostitute in the city. She was left homeless on the beach, and often given alcohol as a small toddler. Her mother made it habit of putting out cigarettes on Jennelyn's body, as well as biting her, both leaving scaring on her small body. At age two, in 2011, her mother gave her to a pastor, who brought her to the orphanage, and told him "This is my daughter. Do with her whatever you want."

As I write this, tears still spill out of my eyes as I think of where she came from, and where she is today. She has the most adorable, contagious giggle that will melt your heart. Ever heard of people who smile even with her eyes? She's got that down pat. I have to believe her love of life comes from her love for Jesus, and her understanding of a true Father's love.

For more pictures of Jenneyln, and more information on Roseymary's Home of Hope, as well as updates on how the Lord is using me in the Philippines, please visit Hope for the Hopeless Ministry.

Latest Newsletter: July 2014

2014-07-29T10:07:00.001-07:00

It has been eight months since my feet were on Philippine soil, and boy am I missing it terribly. This past year has been a huge adventure for me. My obligations at school seem to be increasing daily; however, I remain very thankful for each of them. This past spring, I had the opportunity to teach in the Special Ed. classroom three days a week. Wow, was that ever a blessing. It was definitely not easy learning the ends and outs of the profession; however, it was tremendously awarding. It reminded me of being present in the here and now and recognizing the importance of our every day mission field in whatever position God places us.

In May, I was a part of a trip to England with the Baptist Student Union at Mississippi State. We held a Vacation Bible School in a community in the city of Grantham, England. Despite the constant dreary, rainy weather, we had around fifty children present for all five days. The children and adults alike were mostly cold to the Gospel. They were not familiar with God’s love for us, and cared not to know much. However, unlike the Philippines, they were aware of the “myth” of Jesus, but chose not to believe in it. It was heartbreaking. The ministry which works in this community has been working with the people for over ten years. According to them, the people have begun to show interest in the past three years. While we were there, we spoke with around seven people who were beginning to show some interests in the Gospel. Sadly, no one came to know Christ while we were there, but we trust in God’s timing. I ask that you continue to pray for this ministry, that they would persevere despite the frustrations of people being reluctant to the Gospel. Also, pray for those children. Join us in praying that they would break the cycle of drugs and crime that their parents are in. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the mission to show from this trip. We were asked not to photograph any of the children, or their parents, due to the harm that could come to them due to that. Many are involved in heavy drugs, serious crimes, and alcoholism.

I will begin my last semester of classes in August, before I begin my student teaching in January. I am so excited for the next chapter in my life, and I’m trying to soak up every opportunity I have to serve Him before my “real world” obligations kick in. Ha. Beginning in August, I will resume my responsibility as the prayer leader at the Baptist Student Union, as well as the small group Bible study leader for students transferring from community colleges. It has been such a blessing serving the Lord on campus, and getting to know students from all walks of life.

The big question….when will I go back to the Philippines? First of all, I’m so thankful for my trip to England and how God used it to show me how to evangelize to those who have a colder heart to the Gospel. That trip truly showed me the importance of perseverance, and continual prayer. However, with that being said…I am SO ready to get back to the Philippines!!!! Prayerfully, I will be boarding a plane and heading to my home across the seas in December. As Bro. Jerry Dickens once told me, if God wants you there, He will make a way. Every trip I hold tight to that truth! As of right now the plane tickets are the cheapest we have ever found them…$1,400! I ask that you would pray for that price to remain until we get enough funds to go! The prices for those tickets fluctuate tremendously from day to day. Last December we paid $2,700! Was it worth every penny? Absolutely yes! We will be leaving the first of December, and spending a little over a week there delivering Christmas. If you guys would like to help out with the gifts, it isn’t too early to start! We will be collecting gallon zip lock bags stuffed full of travel hygiene items, baby dolls, matchbox cars, fingernail polish, hair bows, school supplies, etc. The options for what you can put in these bags are pretty open. All we ask is no liquids over 4 oz (due to the price of shipping), and no toys that provoke fighting, such as play guns, military, etc. As soon as you begin collecting, let me know and we will begin packing them! Also, if possible, we ask for $7 for the shipping of each bag. Let’s see how many we can get this year! Keep in mind…the typhoon caused great destruction to many people in the area last year. Any and every gift you give will be greatly appreciated.

For the upcoming year. It is with great prayer that I beginning planning a trip to Rosemary’s July 2015. I will be leading a group of approximately eight Mississippi State students to do work at the home for around 15 days. We will be working with the children, youth, college students, as well as the older adults in the area. Planning for that is beginning, and I ask that you join me in praying that I proceed with his discernment, and only plan that which is in His will.

I thank you guys so much for all of your love and support over the years. If the Lord provides for me to go in December, it will be my twelfth international mission trip. I stand amazed daily that he chose this little Ryan’s Well girl to carry His gospel across the world. You have been such a part of every trip, and with your support and prayers, they never would have been possible. I thank God for you guys every day!!!

I hope to see you guys soon, and tell you more about what the Lord is doing in my life! Also, I have updates from Rosemary’s! We now are blessed with 23 kids! I will be returning to school mid August, so if it works out for a Sunday visit between now and then, please let me know J

I love you all,

Emily

(662) 397-0115

550 Grovner Springs Road

Fulton, MS 38843

my time away.

2014-06-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Maybe you noticed, or maybe you didn't, but I have been away from this little space for quite a while now. Life has been busy, and I've loved every second of being caught up in all the little sweet moments.

Whenever I don't have assignments due, it has been nice to step away from the laptop, and enjoy the fullness of life.

Now, I admit, I have missed reading all of your stories & adventures,as my reading time has also been very limited.

I'm not sure how frequently I will be posting, as I'm in summer classes right now,and that is taking up most of my time; however, I do wanna leave you with a few snapshots of the past couple of months.

all my love.


i went with the baptist student union england, & we made a quick stop by Paris on the way:)

Nottingham, England


Grantham, England. With our friend, Andrew, from Northern Ireland.

Wham! Pretty much the best candy. ever.

my handsome fella.

Thanksgiving.

2013-11-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

1. Jesus

2. Family

3. Friends

4. Two Church Families

5. New Friends in Starkville

6. My Best Friend Accepting Jesus As Savior

7. Heartbreak. it taught me a lot.

8. Safety Over My Filipino Family

9. Freedom

10. Love

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!!

I didn't want to write a super lengthy post because truthfully, I'm spending every second possible with my family & friends this week. I'm loving every bit of it. I did however want to stop by and note ten things I'm thankful for this past year. They are in no particular order, and I could've added tons & tons & tons more, but that generalized the majority of it. Let's just say....God is so good. SO good.

We spent last night making a ~~small~~ huge mess in the kitchen! Let's just say...there was flour everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
good times were had.
Always a joy spending time with Gracie & these two Hall kids! Love 'em!
ps...totally stole this picture from instagram. sorry, not sorry.

Hope you all have a blessed day. Make sure you laugh with your family until your face hurts & eat until your tummy aches! Gobble up!

101 in 1001

2013-11-27T09:18:00.001-08:00

Thanks to the fabulous ladies over at Bloom & Southern Simplicity, I become super inspired to come up with my very first 101 Things in 1001 Days. I'm crazy excited, and have sky high hopes of finally marking some things off the list.

Have a look & let me know what you gals think!

{Friend}

1. Take a mission trip to a country not in Asia.

2. Take a meal to a family that just had a baby.

3. Randomly pay for someone's groceries.

4. Lead a college girl's Bible study.

5. Babysit a friend’s baby for free so they can have a date night.

6. Take a girl's only weekend trip with my best friend.

7. Help someone pull off a surprise.

8. Send a Christmas card to a random military hero.

9. Host a yard sale to benefit a cause.

10. Be someone’s maid of honor.

11.Host a Bachelor Viewing Party .

12. Provide Christmas for a family in need.

13. Host a wedding shower.

14. Visit Meghan again in Tampa.

15. Buy the person behind me a coffee.

16. Send flowers to a friend.

17. Send out 101 letters snail mail style. (0/101)

18. Send a random care package to a friend.

19. Buy goods from at least 5 organizations/small businesses I believe in. (0/5)

20.Go to a Drive-In movie .

21. Invest in a friend's dream.

22. Serve the homeless on a holiday.

23. Sponsor a child.

{Family}

24. Cook dinner for the family every night for a week.

25. Initiate a Bible Study.

26. Take my sister on an overnight "Sister Date".

27. Host an outdoor movie night.

28. Take my Papaw on a date.

29. Paint a canvas with Gracie.

30. Plant a successful garden with Dad.

31. Mother-Daughter day with Mom.

32. Take pictures of all of the grand kids for Mopsey & Popsey.

33. Go to an Atlanta Braves game.

34. Take family photos.

35. Successfully hike a longer* trail in the Smokies.

36. Take our pups swimming in the waterway.

{Personal}

37. Go one week without coffee.

38. Go one month without buying a new article of clothing.

39. DIY project from materials bought solely at a thrift store.

40. Workout everyday for one month.

41. Run a 6:30 mile again.

42. Take pictures in a thrift store outfit.

43. Treat myself to mani/ped.

44. Spend at least one month at Rosemary's Home of Hope

45. Host a Girl's Retreat at Rosemary's Home of Hope.

46. Make a box of postcards from trips.

{*Future*}

47. Write a journal to my future husband.

48. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.

{blog}

49. Go to my first blog conference.

50. Gain 100 new followers.

51. Surprise a blog friend for a visit.

52. Make blog business cards.

53. Record a vlog.

54. Work with a blog friend on a project I believe in.

55. Do an update once a month on all my completed tasks.

56. Blog everyday for a month about something I'm passionate about.

57. Write a blog post that goes viral.

58. Raise money on my blog for a cause.

59. Guest post for a blogger.

{Personal II}

60. Get back at my goal weight.

61. Go ballroom dancing

62. Go out west.

63. Go to George Strait's Roping Classic.

64. Graduate with my Bachelor's degree

65. Graduate with my Master's degree

66. Learn how to sew headbands.

67. Put together a book of 100 verses/quotes. (0/100)

68. *Attempt* to look like an extreme couponer on just one shopping trip.

69. Go through Rosetta Stone Tagalog.

70. Run the St. Jude's Half Marathon

71.Run a Color Run.

72. Spend an entire weekend solely praying for God's plan for my life.
73. Be social media free for an entire day.
74.Be social media free for an entire weekend.
75. Be social media free for an entire week.

76. Do 30 Pinterest projects & blog about them.

{Adventures}

77. Go to a live taping of The Voice or American Idol

78. Visit 5 new cities. (0/5)

79. Get a tattoo.

80. See NYC at Christmas.

81. Be in NYC on New Year's.

82. Spend a night outside in an ENO.

83. Spend a week at a beach I've never been to.

84. Go to another country.

85. Get a full body massage.

86. Go to Mardi Gras.

87. Take a cake decorating class.

88. Go to the mountains and stay in a cabin.

89. Take the dogs to a dog park.

90. Ride on a train.

91. Go on a vacation with my whole family.

92. Go to a NFL game.

93. Visit every SEC football stadium (0/12)

94. Go to Disney World.

95. Go on a trip with friends.

96. Take horse lessons.

97. Take a random road trip.

98. Have dessert before dinner at a restaurant.

99. Make a day in the life video.

100. Kill a deer

101. Speak in front of a crowd of 100+ people.

I will be updating my list as I accomplish things, so stay tuned!

Have you made a list of 101 things in 1001 days? Or maybe a Bucket List?

If you haven't, you totally should ;)

one of my all time favorite quotes
that Jim Elliot sure did have some wisdom.

He heard my cry.

2013-11-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all!

I pretty much feel like my Philippines updates have been a little all over the place lately, and you know what?

They pretty much have.

One minute we are planning to still go in December.

The next we're not.

A couple of days after the storm devastated the island of Leyte, I was informed that we would not be able to travel to our orphanage in December like we had planned. I briefly mentioned it over here, but y'all, if I'm being honest, I was just really, really upset. In my mind the things I was being told made sense.

It's too dangerous.

The roads are impassable.

There is no food or water.

Electricity may not be restored for over a year.

There's still bodies everywhere.

But in my heart.....

my heart just wasn't having it.

I had peace in knowing that if it was truly meant for me to go see my sweet babies at Rosemary's Home of Hope in December, God would make a way.

All I could do was pray.

And pray.

And pray some more.

I would be lying if I told you that these past couple of weeks haven't been a wild, emotional ride for me.

I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm still convinced God is doing something bigger than I've even dreamed up in this heart of mine.

I've felt restless.

Helpless.

Full of energy to do something about the destruction that struck the people I love so much.

They are family.

And with everything inside of me, I want to be there.

I want to hug them, and tell them it's all okay.

I want to lift a hand where I can.

Carry food and water to the famished.

God, use me. Wherever and with whatever, just use me.

That has been my prayer.

As of now, myself, a friend of mine, and hopefully a gentleman who knows a little something about building, will be leaving around December 11.

It will be a super short trip, but I know it will be worth it.

I have a feeling God has something huge in store.

The rebuilding will probably not begin until after the first of the year.

It is our job to go in December, assess the situation, and analyze what materials we will need to begin the process.

I'm so excited for this opportunity, and unbelievably grateful that God saw my heart, and answered my prayers.

To help out with funds needed for travel expenses & rebuilding, please see the following:

Visit the official page of Rosemary's Home of Hope at www.rosemaryshomeofhope.com and select
Visit the Support link listed above. All donations given on this site will be used to directly assist relief efforts and rebuilding, as well as travel costs for my December trip.
Purchase a Rosemary's Home of Hope T-Shirt @ the Store. Not only will all proceeds be given to Rosemary's Home of Hope, but it's also a super great way of raising more awareness for our home in the Philippines.
**For more information, please visit http://www.hopeforthehopelessministry.com/blog.html

Saturdays in the South

2013-11-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

Well, hey y'all!

Looks like we all survived Monday, and now heading right on into Tuesday.
I can't believe how quickly time is passing, and how near in my future a break is.
A BREAK....it almost brings tears to my eyes thinking about just sitting and doing nothing.
but really...I'm super pumped to spend sweet time with my family & friends.

This past weekend was a big, BIG weekend here in Starkville. The tide rolled in and competed against our Bulldawgs. Y'all, we played Alabama a good game. I think we were all a little in shock by this, as honestly, we all expected quite the slaughtering. Ha.

I would say we held them pretty good. And unlike ahem...the school up north....we actually scored.

and doing something they didn't..well, that's all that truly matters :)

my roommate and i are horrible about taking pictures
the lighting here is horrible, and why the heck is my face so shiny?!

military recognition weekend
by far the best halftime show by our Famous Maroon Band

BSU stadium cleanup crew
each week we clean the stadium (yuck!)
the money the school gives us for doing it all goes to missions (major plus!)

I wanted to leave you guys with this. You all know my heart is super burdened for what's going on in the Philippines right now. So touched by this girls bravery, humbleness, and genuine love for the Filipino people!

Philippine Typhoon Relief: We need your help!

2013-11-15T11:30:00.001-08:00

the main building of our home soon after the typhoon hit

It's been just over a week since the typhoon hit the island of Leyte. As the days pass since the storm, the death toll continues to rise, and devastation continues to reveal itself. Our orphanage, Rosemary's Home of Hope, is located on the island of Leyte, in the remote village of Kananga. Although we did not receive a great deal of flooding, we took a heavy hit with wind damage. With winds reaching 230 miles an hour or more, it is a miracle in itself that our orphanage is even still standing. Taking shelter in our home that day was 21 children, our orphanage staff, and over 30 families from the village.

Three days after the storm passed, we finally received word from Steve, one of our caregivers at the home, that they were all safe, and only received damage to our roofs and church. As you will see in the pictures below, the damage done to our buildings was not all minor, and is in need of repair as soon as possible. Our church is completely gone, and out of our four buildings (main building, dining hall, boys dorm, girls dorm), only the girls dorm still has a roof. Right now, we are trying to fund makeshift roofs, simply to get something over their head. It is raining on the island again, and we hope to prevent our children getting sick.

The most pressing issue right now however, is the lack of food. The island basically only has rice since the storm passed, and it's not enough for all of the people. Yesterday, Steve went to the island of Cebu to try and find a better supply so that he can go back home, feed our orphanage, and begin helping the village. They are hoping to soon set up somewhat of a relief center at the orphanage so that those who have had no food can be fed, before they all become extremely famished.

our church. Steve, our caregiver & Filipino pastor stated "at 7:10 the church flew away!"

dining hall. .this is the building where everyone was staying during the storm

I'm asking you to please consider giving financially to help us provide for our orphans and our village. Any donations you make will be tax deductible, and will be greatly appreciated by us all.

Your donation will go to:

provide food for the orphans & staff
help to feed the people of the village
provide a makeshift roof
begin making repairs
any unforeseen emergency needs

For all donations, please click here.

Our hearts and prayers continually go out to the Filipino people. Please continue to pray for their guidance, and God's sovereign plan through it all.

**For continual updates please visit here.

Update.

2013-11-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

This post was copied from my ministry website, http://www.hopeforthehopelessministry.com/blog.html

Update.

11/12/2013

0 Comments

with Steve last December giving out Christmas shoeboxes

Last night we finally received communication directly from Steve, and I can't even begin to tell you just how overjoyed my heart felt seeing his name pop up on my phone. The good news still remains...all of our children, staff, and village families that stayed at our home are safe and doing well. We did however learn that there was more damage done to the home than we initially thought. The roof was blown off of the boys dorm, our main building, and our dining hall. The only roof to survive was the girls dorm. Also, we were informed that our church was completely destroyed, and will need to be built back from the ground up...nothing remains.

We are now beginning to collect the information and devise a plan to most effectively help out our orphanage, as well as our village. Right now, our biggest concern is food for everyone, as the supply and funds are scarce, and also tarps until our roof can be replaced. The estimation for food, roofs, and our church rebuild is $10,000. I would like to point out that any amount given will be a huge blessing, and will help tremendously in taking the first step in getting them the immediate needs they are needing. There will not be a rebuild team going until spring, but we hope to supply the Filipinos with the funds to help do some of the work as soon as possible.

To make a donation please click the support link.

Once again, I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

our church: East Marietta Baptist Church of the Philippines taken December 2012

with my Filipino Lolo (grandpa) taken December 2012

with Jenny Lynn, one of our younger orphans taken December 2012

with Unice, one of our orphans taken December 2012

God is bigger than the storm. Haiyan.

2013-11-11T12:42:00.002-08:00

Hey guys! As you all probably know, tragedy struck the Philippines this past Thursday night when typhoon Haiyan hit the islands.

Compared to most, the typhoon hit closer to home for me. As I watched the news, it was familiar faces that I was looking for.

Please read here to find out more!

the airport in Tacloban city

2013-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

I know most of you are having to pick yourself up off the floor from the disbelief that I’m posting twice in one week. Twice! Craziness I tell ya. I didn't feel right about jumping right into this somewhat of a true update post without first sharing with y’all the raw emotions of my heart, and what’s been going on over the past few months that caused my absence on this blog.

So, that being said, let’s get to the fun stuff!

So many cool people have come into my life, and wow, I am ever so grateful. I've really involved myself with the Baptist Student Union, as well as FBC of Starkville. I don’t want to overload you, but want to share with you a few pictures from some football games (hail state!), introduce you to some new friends, and other fun events that have been going on.

Y’all have a great weekend!

my grandparents stopped by starkville, kidnapped me, and took me to philadelphis, ms
it was a blast!
if you're ever in that area, it's an absolute that you visit Williams Brothers.
seriously, it's adorable

anna-one of my dearest friends in starkville
we froze through this game, but hey! we beat kentucky!

love these sweet girls!

was beyond thrilled to spend time with these two beauties at the fall festival

my best friend.
gosh how i miss her!

candace & i dressed as our friend, nathan, for the costume party.
i promise my jeans aren't usually flooding.
in the middle is my good friend, martin!

this is an aerial view of the corn maze we went to in eupora,
if you're in the area....go!
it's 10 acres!!!!!

brittany & i at the corn maze.
favorite part: the cotton wagon.

ashley & nathan.
so, so thankful for them.
never a dull moment.

the white family carved pumpkins.
bet you can't guess which one my dad did ;)

my sweet sister & i last weekend.
i cannot believe she is almost 15.
tear. tear.

choose joy.

2013-11-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Holy cow! It’s been so long since I have written on this space, that I almost forgot my login information. kid. you. not. Honestly, I've been so busy trying to figure out this crazy, beautiful, messy thing called life that I haven’t had the time or the energy to write. Instead, I've just been reading what all as been going on in all of your lives and keeping it real with Jesus in my personal journal. It’s been messy, y’all. Life is kind of crazy right now, and honestly it’s taken me a while to figure out how to maneuver and survive this new season that I’m in. I always heard people say that they felt like they had lost their joy, and I always thought that would never be me. I love Jesus too much to lose my joy, I thought. But y’all, I did. And it was ugly. I’m so not proud of the joylessness that’s resided deep down in me, but I've come to find that it’s okay. I survived it, and came out better for it. I can only pray that my sharing this will help someone else.

. In August, I moved two hours south to finish up my degree at Mississippi State University. Moving here has always been something that I had in my plan. I just don’t think I realized all the “inconveniences” I might face in a heavier load of classes, new roommates, and no job. I’m just going to keep it real…there have been days that I haven’t been sure that I have made the right decision in being here. It’s in those days that God has reminded me that sometimes it takes loneliness and confusion to be remember that I need a Savior. Every day I need a Savior. Don’t get me wrong, awesome things have happened since moving here, and I've met beautiful people that I thank God every day for. Overall though, I would say it has been a good experience, but mostly just because it’s been a growing experience. I have learned so much about myself. God is revealing to me more and more each day my struggles and my weaknesses. I’m learning to deal with things that I don’t love dealing with…but that’s life. Last week I finally realized that I have to find some sort of balance before I drive myself crazy trying to be superwoman and conquer all. So this week I've taken more time to just be with myself and spend time in the Word. It’s incredible how much better one will feel after some time with Father.

After this past weekend, I was feeling super refreshed, and ready to take on the world. Typically I have my quiet time sometime around mid-morning, but Monday morning, I woke up with the attitude of kicking some Monday booty. I woke up around 5:30, did my morning devotion, and spent some time in prayer. I enjoyed a nice breakfast and a warm cup of coffee, and headed out the door. Y’all, I even dressed cute for class. That almost never happens. I walked in the classroom and found my seat feeling like I was ten feet tall and bullet proof. It was then that the girl next to me whispered, “um..did you mean to wear your shirt wrong side out?” FAIL. Haha…at least I could laugh it off?

Honestly though, this week has been the week I've been hoping for since August 15. Full of friendships, worship, Bible studies, and coffee. I feel like I've fallen in love with Jesus all over again. I say all of this to say this….if it took a season of joylessness for me to fall in love with my Savior all over again, it was all worth it. My prayer from this day forward is that I’ll wake up every day and fall more and more in love with Him, the lover of my soul.

Pinterest

Missions Monday: Q & A

2013-07-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

Meet Carlos. One of my sweet babies at UDH. This picture was take July 2010

Hi friends. I am so happy to be here with you again this Monday night. I had something really special planned for tonight's post, but unfortunately it hasn't happened yet, so please stay tuned. Hopefully, I will be back later this week, or at the latest next Monday, and will get to share something pretty special. Folks, I promise you do not want to miss out, so make sure you are checking back in.

Recently, it seems I have more often been approached with questions about the Philippines, and what I do while I'm there. I have realized that sometimes I unintentionally forget to mention things that you all might want to know about. Usually I don't mention the basic stuff because tit either happened a while back, or it is things I have become so accustomed to that I might assume everyone else already knows too. For those questions, I will be dedicating a post very soon. I hope to address several things, and give an even deeper insight into the work God has been doing in my heart with the Philippines, and His work. Please comment below or email me (for those of you who wish to remain more anonymous) with all kinds of questions. It can be about the Philippines and mission work, but it can also be about my personal life, and who I am. I want you all to know the person behind the computer who writes these posts, so the sky is the limit!

Also, I have asked my family to share on this space how God has worked in them through Him sending me across the world. I am asked all. the. time. "what does your family think about you going to the Philippines all the time?" So, you will all find out soon ;)

I want to leave you all today with a few pictures from recent trips. I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to ask away!

Much love.

To see the rest of the pictures, please visit www.hopeforthehopelessministry.com

Missions Monday: on selflessness

2013-06-24T13:55:00.003-07:00

Today, I'm sharing my heart on selflessness over on my site hopeforthehopelessministry.com.

Here's a quick preview of it.

It would make my heart extremely happy if you would head on over to my site and read the rest of it here, as well as read of what God is doing in my life through my ministry.

MISSIONS MONDAY. For a few weeks now God has really been moving on my heart to do a weekly post specifically on mission work. I hope to make this something you all can count on, and will be a token of encouragement for each of your hearts. Who knows..maybe we might even start a link-up soon where you can tell me what God lays on your heart about mission work as well.

As the days count down (25 to be exact) until I leave for the Philippines, I begin to make my final lists of things I need to do and buy before I leave for my trip. I just purchased my newest addition to my journal collection (thanks Etsy), and I have been exploring the internet often for a durable, back friendly backpack (suggestions welcome). The anticipation continues to build as I get more information about my trip, and connect with friends who will also be joining BTEA for our two week mission in Manila, Philippines.

continued here...........

Answered Prayers

2013-06-04T21:00:00.002-07:00

hi ladies.

It's so nice catching up with each of your blogs, and "hearing" how you are all spending your summers.

I don't know about you, but this is my favorite season of all.

time of work.

sunshine.

freedom.

flowers.

vacation.

ok...I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop there :)

As I mentioned back on this post, I have created a website specifically to raise awareness and support for my work in the Philippines. You can check it out here.

I shared a couple of weeks ago that there would be fundraiser held at our local community center to raise money for travel expenses and such for my July trip. I am so over whelmed and grateful for all that was done through the people of our community.

I am so humbled and blown away by God as I reflect on the past few years, and all that He is done.

I'm so excited to be sharing a brief history of how it all started as well as the results of my fundraiser with you all today!!

July 2008 forever changed my life as I boarded my first flight ever, and traveled to the Philippines. Before the trip, I really underestimated God, and truly thought this would probably be a once in a lifetime opportunity, and something I may never have the chance to experience again. Fast forward two weeks and I could not imagine a summer without serving with the Bob Tebow Evangelical Association (BTEA). However, it's amazing how God changes us, and shifts our focus and our hearts to other aspects of ministry.

Over the course of the past two years, I have not served with BTEA as our orphanage Rosemary's Home of Hope really took root, and expanded in ways we never imagined possible. While I am still really involved with Rosemary's, and plan to visit this coming December, I feel that it is time for me to join back up with my dear friends from Florida, and share the salvation message of Jesus Christ with children in the schools of the Philippines.

It was this past January when I really felt the Lord speaking to me to join back up with BTEA. I remember a pang in my heart as I knew God wanted me to sacrifice two weeks of my summer to go serve Him in this third world country.. I began to have some sort of war going on inside of me. I had people telling me I was a fool to continue "wasting" my money and my time constantly on people so far away. (Read More)

New Website!

2013-05-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hi ladies.

I'm sure you are all wondering why in the world I am suddenly posting more.

There's really only one simple explanation.

School's out.

When school is in session, I have no time to do the things I love.

I'm so excited to have the summer to be on here a little more, read some good books, and travel a bit.

Today, I have a fun announcement for you all. Recently, I have been approached about establishing monthly supporters for my mission work specifically in the Philippines. Long story short, for tax purposes, it was necessary I create a personal non-profit, which I prayerfully decided to call Hope for the Hopeless.

As a means of spreading the word, and creating a much more efficient way of keeping everyone informed on what the Lord is doing in my life, I have been working on quite the secret.

A new website.

The sole purpose of this website is to first of all keep those informed who consistently support me, and also, to raise funds. I hope you all will go check it out!

www.hopeforthehopelessministry.weebly.com

Sunshine & Afro Sheen

2013-05-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

As I sit down tonight to journal and reflect on the weekend, I am already having a few regrets. Overall, I would give my first weekend of summer a fantastic review.

There was laughter.

There was sleep (with no alarm, which totally rocks. my. world.)

There was a wedding.

There was time with Jesus.

And then, there was sunshine.

Lots of sunshine.

And lots of Afro sheen.

As I sit here writing this post, face lathered in Vaseline (because that's what my BFF cosmetologist told me to do to remove the nastiness which has taken over my once moisturized, smooth skin), I ask myself one question.

What the HECK were you thinking?!

Folks, Mississippi weather is pretty crazy. Mother Nature has been tempting us with pretty spring days every now and then, but she hasn't brought her full blown summertime weather.

Until Thursday.

Thursday, the sun was bright and warm, and it was the most perfect day to lay out at the lake.

I found myself enjoying the peacefulness that surrounded me.

The birds were singing.

Breeze was blowing.

and before I knew it, time had slipped right on by.

I had been laying out with bare minimum covering my almost fully exposed body, and soaked in Afro sheen....for six hours.

SIX HOURS!

With Afro sheen.

For SIX WHOLE HOURS!

Needless to say, as a result, I have raccoon eyes from over sized shades, and a scaly face that would make any reptile envious. But hey...I sho got my tan on ;)

Here's a few pictures from the weekend. I almost regret I failed to take pictures of the gorgeous wedding and reception I attended on Saturday, but then I remember how much fun I had on the dance floor without my camera, and well, sorry but I'm not so sorry!

We got two new babies at Rosemary's!
Meet Venz and Leehra

My best friends brought me home some coffee from the Philippines.
Usually I'm not a fan of instant coffee, but oh my goodness.
DELICIOUS

Meet Cotton.
I got to puppy sit while his family was out of town.
Isn't he just adorable?

Ahhh.....summer, at last.
Pretty flowers.
Fresh mani.
and a cup of Florida Coastal Coffee.
Heaven.

Read this in an hour.
Yes, I love me some Dolly !

I need more summer reads. Suggestions?

Made from dust.

2013-05-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

It is very rare for me to travel anywhere in my car without the radio set to one of my iPod playlist in accordance with my current mood. However, after 7+ hours in the county office, listening to non stop complaints about the school system, the economy, and well, just life, I'm typically not in the mood for a bumpin' ride home. And folks, I'm talking about music, not the knee deep unavoidable potholes that grace our lovely North Road.

A lot of days during my work week, Monday-Wednesday, I tune in to one of my podcast. Recently I've been stuck on David Platt, who I have heard several times at Secret Church.
Ladies, if you aren't familiar with him, seriously look him up. Someone on Pinterest posted something very wise, "David Platt. Not someone you read if you want your life to stay the way it is." That's truth.
He is the definition of radical.

A couple of days ago, I turned on one of David's most recent sermons at the church at Brook Hills. It was about the urgency to share Christ, and sacrifice all for His glory.

The Urgency of Eternity

The title of this particular podcast caught my eye immediately because of it's title. Urgency. It seems that has been a reoccurring word in my life for the past few months, as I went back and forth with whether or not God sought to send me to the Philippines this summer solely for evangelism, or whether He was guiding me to serve at an orphanage. The answers were so unclear to me, as I begin to blur what God wanted vs what I wanted.

Until God spoke loud in clear.
. The urgency to share Christ is imperative as our world continues to deter from Him.
The importance of reaching the lost before time exist no more, is becoming more real everyday.
Their is a great need to forsake all for the gospel.

The end is near.
Why are we being still?

Where I live, in the rural parts of Mississippi, you flash your lights at oncoming traffic if there is a wreck or a roadblock in their future. You just do it. Why?
Because you want them to beware.
You warn them that there's danger ahead, whether it be an accident or a potential traffic violation.
You warn them.

Why is it we can manage to warn people to slow down before encountering law enforcement, yet we can't manage to warn them that they are headed for a blazing hot, eternal hell if they don't redirect their lives?

I don't know how to witness.
I don't know enough about the Bible.

Excuses. God doesn't accept them.

My favorite thing that David said in The Urgency of Eternity, is this simple truth...

we are dust.

God doesn't look down at His creation, His children, and say, "Wow. Look at that dust. It's capability of sharing my story is almost incomprehensible."

Instead, God looks at His children, those who are at least making an attempt to share His story, and He says, "That dust. It's faulty and it's sinful. But, I, I am perfect, and I will take that seed that precious child just planted, and I will water it, and it will grow."

Friends, that's God.
He is bigger than our fears.
our failures.
our sinfulness.
and even our pride.

As a dear brother in Christ once said, "Friends don't let friends go to hell."

Go tell 'em Jesus loves 'em!

Why do you go?

2013-05-13T10:37:00.002-07:00

Why do you go?

Why the Philippines?

Why don't you spend your money on other things?

Don't you know there's plenty of work for you to do locally?

Shouldn't you focus on school and save missions for later?

Those are just a few of the questions that have been quite frequently asked of me lately. I would be lying to say it hasn't been frustrating to me. People who act s if they whole heartily support me in life, then shockingly don't understand my heart.

God's heart.

Why can't we grasp the urgency to share Christ?

How have we gotten so far away from the purpose of this God given life that we put mission work on the back burner and seek after worldly pleasures instead?

Recently, I was asked to put into words the why behind why I regularly make the trek to the Philippines.

I wanted to share with you all a small excerpt from that, and encourage you to continue whatever work God has called you to. Don't let the naysayers discourage you.

"I go because I see lost souls. I see a hunger deep within the eyes of starving children, broken mothers, and feeble elderly. I see people who have never even heard Jesus’ name spoken. I’m driven to reach them with the Gospel of Christ before there is no more time. I feel compelled to go, to forsake the comforts of America, and to risk it all so that they may know Him. If I don’t go, who will? My heart aches to be there, to love on children, and to continually share hope with them. Hope that this third world country has never heard of. To win the lost souls….that’s why I go."

"In me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but TAKE HEART; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

P.S.

I finally created a Bloglovin' account. You should probably go follow me ;)

let's catch up

2013-01-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

hi lovelies..

just wanted to pop in, and let you all know i am still alive! life has been sort of hectic lately, and to be quite honest, i have been so caught up in life, i haven't had time to blog.

no apologies.

i'm enjoying life in the present.

for the most part. ha.

i could probably do without work and school, but hey...that's part of life too!

school has started back in full swing.

i have a full semester of classes, but not extremely difficult ones.

that will come next semester. sigh.

speaking of which, i have some exciting news coming soon about fall 2013!

recently i have found myself deep deep down in things i have to accomplish before putting my head on the pillow at night.

as i glanced down at my planner just yesterday morning, a small part of me felt very overwhelmed.

i reminded myself that i'm only one person, and can only do so much.

but in that moment, Father whispered a sweet reminder to me.

yes, i am only one person, but i have a mighty God who holds the whole world in His hands.

HE is the Creator of time.

HE is the one holding the brush that paints my life's canvas.

so, why am i so concerned with all that my planner reminds me i have to do?

i often catch myself dreaming of how wonderful life would be if God would just slow everything down, or maybe even add a couple more hours to the day.

however, i'm then reminded it isn't God who causes such chaos, and such time crunched calendar's.

it's me.

and there is something i can do about it.

start saying no.

do you ever feel like that?

totally overwhelmed by schedules and lists?

are you like me and keep adding more things for you to have to get done just because you can't tell people no?

OH YEAHH!!!

**exciting news coming soon about Rosemary's Home of Hope**

here's a glimpse of what's been going on lately down in Mississippi--

life is so much better when buttercups are blooming.
by far my favorite flower!

got to play with this sweet angel at a dnow i worked last weekend.
she's a doll!

first NBA game!
we went to see the Grizzlies

John Nix
camp pastor for Toby Mac's youth camp.
he was the speaker at dnow.
(i look drugged or something in this picture. probably due to 1) absolutely no sleep. seems to be what happens when you spend the weekend with a bunch of junior high/high school girls *i'm getting old 2) way too much mountain dew to make up for the lack of sleep...)

savannah: one of the sweet girls in my girls group at dnow

sophie claire-- pink car, pink shades, and chevron pants.
what more could a girl ask for?!

It's okay to ask why.

2012-12-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

Last week brought with it a roller coaster of emotions. As a nation, we experienced the great loss of many innocent children and heroic teachers. As a church family, we experienced and are still experiencing the possible nearing of a homecoming of one of our oldest, most precious members.

Through those things, as well as the inconveniences of life that are on a much smaller scale, I am reminded of how sweet it is to be loved by Him. To not make sense of any of it, but to have Him to cry to, brings peace within.

An emotinoal week it was...probably partly due to the lack of sleep and jet lag, but nonetheless it was emotional. Sunday morning we took time to pray for the families affected in Newtown, as well as reflect in God's Word with hopes of finding a small ounce of peace. There were some sad tears shed. Sunday afternoon, my family spent the evening with my grandfather as we celebrated his 90 years of life. He opened his gifts, enjoyed his cake, and handed out sweet hugs. I made it pretty good until he began telling each of us how loved we were by him, and how we had made this the happiest day of his life. Then, the tears came. Tears of joy because of the precious time God has given me with him, yet tears of sadness with the reality of how short our remaining time together could be. Last night we enjoyed our Christmas dinner at church. After eating way too much potluck, some friends and I sat around and laughed until our full tummies hurt. There might have been some tears shed, but only due to the excessive laughing that went on in that little Sunday school room. It was the perfect way to end the day. Well, that and the Bachelorette wedding :) ahhhh....

happy birthday, pa!

I found myself on many occasions last week just sitting and pondering the thought of why.

why must there be such heartbreak in our world.

why must there be death.

why must there be such unexplainable tragedies.

While working in the Philippines last week I often had the same thought running through my heard as I do each time I visit...why would someone throw away such beauty. such gifts.

3 of the 11 children at Rosemary's
(l-r: Raphie, Clyde, Vicson)

This weekend i wondered why someone would point a gun at such innocence.

Throughout life there will be countless things we do not understand. Unfortunately, we may never have an understanding, but i think it is okay to question it. to ask God why.

Often times people say it is sinful to ask the almighty, but i think it brings healing and peace to the wondering, confused, and hurt heart. Should we question God with fists raised and an angry tone? absolutely not. But to seek His wisdom, His will....He understands. One of the most comforting things to me is the sweet reminder that while Jesus is the son of God, He was also man just like us. Therefore, He experienced much of the same hurt that we do.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11: 28-30

Obviously, I will never know all of the answers. The questions that often confuse this heart, will remain unanswered until I meet with the giver of life himself. and then, when I stand before my makers face, the questions that have brought confusion to me on earth, will matter no more. That's what we have to hold on to. This life, this earth..it's not our home. Sometimes it takes pain to be reminded of the joy that we will someday have when we dance with Jesus, and all hurt is gone.

Today, let's slow down our hectic lives and enjoy the many gifts God has given us. We have so much. Let us not wallow in the sadness so long that we forget to be joyful for the many blessings of life.

For He is good.

All the time.

my favorite view.

2012-12-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

it's friday, december 14. i haven't had good sleep since sunday, december 2.
i'm pretty tired to say the least.
we arrived home from the islands of the Philippines this past tuesday night.

the trip was more than i ever could have imagined.
i have never seen such gratitude from so many people over so little.
often times in America, people grumble over how little they receieve at Christmas time.
but in the Philippines, they can't believe they are getting anything at all.
you wouldn't believe the gratitude.

this 90 year old man walked over a mile to be with us.
i had the opportunity of talking to him on several occasions during my trip.
on this particular day, i asked him for a picture. in return he asked me for a kiss.
he smiled so big when i told him i would call him my Filipino Lolo. i felt so blessed.
*Lolo=grandfather.

i witnessed something very special on this trip.
the palm trees, the ocean, and the mountains are very beautiful, but it isn't their beauty that astonishes me on my visits to the islands.

on sunday, the 9th, we had family day.
we took the children to a nearby swimming pool and to eat at Jollibee's (Filipino McDonald's).
I opted out of the nice, soft seated van, and went for the bumpy, very chilly, flatbed truck.
that's where the kids were riding, and i wanted to spend every second with them possible before our departure early monday morning.

from my seat in the very back of our neighbor's flatbed truck, i saw true beauty.
i saw laughter, hugging, and so much smiling.
i saw hopelessness replaced with hope.

it's very blurry because of bumpy roads and poor light, but you can kind of get the picture.

i felt so overcome by God's grace as i sat there and took in what was in front of me.
just over a year ago, these children were homeless, fatherless, and made their beds on the street or beach.
their mother's chose prostitution over them.
they were given alcohol and drugs.
they were abused.

such joyful times.

....but now, because of faith, because of God's mercy and love, they have a home.
they are loved.
they will always be someone's number one priority.
they are given healthy meals to eat.
and most importantly, they are being taught about the love of Jesus Christ.

just before they all floated off to sleep, they smiled those big smiles, and sang the most beautiful version of "Jesus Loves Me," that i have ever heard.

i feel so unworthy to get to experience such God moments. i'm always so humbled in situations like these that God chose me to be a part of something so wonderful.
that He entrusted me with His beautiful children.

the shoebox ministry was absolutely amazing. without a doubt, it was my favorite mission this far while serving in the Philippines.
i will share more about my thoughts on that ministry sometime soon when i have had much more sleep, and my brain is working more efficiently. :)

on this trip....
i saw a joy that was new.

i saw love that was overflowing.

i saw grateful hearts.

i saw family.

christmas to kananga

2012-12-03T08:35:00.001-08:00

tuesday, december 4th, i will be leaving to have once again for another adventure in the philippines.

my heart is overflowing with joy, because i feel like i'm going home.

mississippi will always be home to me.

it's where i grew up.

where family and friends are.

but my puzzle will never be complete, because no matter what side of the globe i'm on.

i'm missing someone.

isn't that going to be one of the most glorious things about heaven.

i get all giddy just thinking about it.

an eternity with all the ones we love.

i don't know about you, but i'm ready!

whenever i was at uncle dick's home, this old hymn quickly became one of my favorite songs.

in church back in mississippi, it's words never hit home like they did when i was so far away.

stripped of all i had ever known.

but surrounded by an abundance of love.

i think we all know i didn't want to leave udh.

which is one of the reasons this song kept playing in my head.

when we all get to heaven..

what a glorious day...

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus;
sing his mercy and his grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed
he'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!
While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
clouds will overspread the sky;
but when traveling days are over,
not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
trusting, serving every day;
just one glimpse of him in glory
will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon his beauty we'll behold;
soon the pearly gates will open;
we shall tread the streets of gold.

i know i haven't done a super awesome job of updating everyone on everything going on at Rosemary's Home of Hope. i have every intention of being better, i promise.

for the mean time, the most important thing that you could possibly know is that we need your prayers.

big time.

we are a team of five americans.

with 26 bags.

TWENTY SIX!

here's the process of packing up 26 bags/boxes.
looks crazy, huh?

i'm not exactly sure how we are going to handle that many once we arrive in Manila.

i'll have to let y'all know the outcome of that. ha.

our mission this trip: LOVE.

don't get me wrong. that's always our mission..to love.

but, typically we have more tasks at hand like tons of evangelism, vbs, etc.

this trip, we are going to be delivering christmas presents to our eleven orphans.

as well as delivering christmas shoe boxes to as many children in the village as possible.

i have never been this time of year, so i am very excited.

typically, i go in the spring of summer, so this is definitely different for me.

i can't wait to share a little bit of Jesus' birthday with them :)

please for us.

safety.

God's will.

laughter.

task to be completed.

and for heavens sake...

the 26 bags :)

love you all.

smokies winter magic

2012-11-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

last week, my family and i took a nine day vacation to the great smoky mountains.

the past few months have been a stressful time for the four of us.

my mom is still adjusting to her new job.

dad is always being pulled in different directions with work.

grace quit basketball.

and i have experienced heartbreak.

needless to say, this trip was a nice retreat to get away from all of the chaos of home, and spend some quality time together. i realize trips like these will not always be possible, and i thank God for them.

the smokies is absolutely one of my favorite places in the world. it's so nice to be up in the mountains with no cell service (yep..i just said that), and just enjoy God's creation. i am learning more and more everyday how glorious He is. how perfect.

here's a few pictures...

dollywood with my sis

dad--just can't manage to get him to take a serious picture

beautiful sis

we fell in love with this little coffee shop by the old mill.
if you're every up there, go check it out!

what do you think? ;)

we went to candlelight christmas at the biltmore.
it. was. magical.

they enjoyed ice cream at the biltmore.
i went for the coffee
come on people...it's 30 degrees outside, who needs ice cream?

in the gardens at the biltmore.
we want to go back when the flowers are in full bloom.
it was kind of dreary in november

we enjoyed a fun day of racing with our good friends.
had a little friendly competition.
for a day, we were all ten years old again. ha!

late night snack after another long day in dollywood.
my hair is the result of one too many roller coasters.

soo...we were attempting to do a jumping shot..probably couldn't tell, huh?
it looks like a rockstar move gone wrong. haha.
we did actually get a very good jumping shot, if you're wondering.
sadly, it's on the other camera :(

the girls--cades cove

the girls & dad

friday night @ mellow mushroom.
please keep in mind we shopped ALL night Thursday night, and ALL day Friday.

last night in Gatlinburg.
enjoying walking the strip.

i would love to share with you my dad's birthday pictures, but he would probably kill me. we all went to bubba gumps to celebrate his big 50th.
they made him shake his booty.
if you know my dad, you probably can't believe he did it!

this song come on this morning on my way to work. it usually doesn't have such a powerful affect on me, but this morning...it hit me hard.

this line...it was as if God himself whispered into my ear.

"what if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?"

i have known disappointment and trials in my life. but it hasn't been until recently that i have known disappointment with every fiber in my body.
sometimes, we just need to be reminded...no one or no thing could ever satisfy us the way the Messiah does.

just a thought....

HAVE A FABULOUS DAY!

thanksgiving.

2012-11-26T06:31:00.001-08:00

(this was scheduled to post last thursday. use your imagination and pretend it's thanksgiving ;)

happy thanksgiving!

as you are reading this i am wondering around somewhere in the mountains. my guess, probably either stuffing my face with some cracker barrell thanksgiving, or strolling around taking in the the christmas lights. either way, i'm in total and complete happiness simply because i am surrounded by God's serene creation in the great outdoors of the smokies.

and today...that's what i'm most of all thankful for. a week away from the chaos of life, surrounded by all of those who i love and cherish most in the world. i couldn't ask for more.

leading up to the glorious day, i took some time to reflect on my life, and all that God has given me. i decided against the one a day thanksgivnig facebook post leading up to thanksgiving, and decided to combined it all on this post.

so here ya go. the things i am most of all thankful for.

my salvation

thankful for God's selfless sacrifice of giving His one and only Son for my eternal life.

thankful God called me to be His child eleven years ago.

i cannot imagine going through life without a Savior to call on.

my family

the term family means more to me than those who are blood related.

God most definitely blessed me with the most loving family out there. we have been together through thick and then, and although the road has not always been easy, we still have love and faith in an even brighter tomorrow.

i could never thank God enough for giving me the most loving parents and sister in the world. my world would not be the same without them, and i pray every day to never take them for granted.

...and my furbabies. they truly are a gal's best friend. i've never met anyone or any furbabies any more loyal than our Daisy and Hank. one thing is always guaranteed....they will be waiting, and waggin g at the door when i get home just waiting on their treat.

now if that ain't love, i don't kno what is ;)

happy fourteenth, sis :)

thankful for brice.
he celebrated gracie's birthday with us.
he's the brother we've always wanted!

friends who are family

i seriously do not know how you could possibly have any better friends than i have.

i can truly say that my friends are more than just friends. they are family.

i'm thankful to have most of my friends within a 20 minute drive; however, i do have a few close friends than live a good day's drive away. we hold onto the fact that we will definitely be neighbors in heaven :)

lacey and me at lacy & justin's wedding
thankful for her friendship & wisdom.
such a beautiful woman of God.

yep. i caught the bouquet.
for the third time.
doesn't work, gals.
the beautiful bride, lacy
so very thankful for her and her friendship...& our shared love of days of our lives.
don't judge.

my bestie.
so thankful God brought her & her family into my life.

tab's sweet brady boy
auntie em loves him much

so thankful for this lady & her family.
she's definitely just like a sister.

family across the world

i am beyond words thankful for Filipino family. one of the biggest blessings in my life is God sending me to the Philippines. each visit over has changed my life in some way.

i'm thankful for the new brothers and sisters at each school i have ever shared the gospel at.

i'm thankful for my 42 brothers and sisters at uncle dicks home.

my six weeks there was the best time of my life. i learned more about myself, about life, and mostly about God's selfless love there in six weeks, than i had learned in my whole lifetime.

if i could do it all again, i would in a heartbeat. snakes, mosquittos, hand washing, and all.

i'm thankful for my eleven brothers and sisters at rosemary's home of hope.

i never imagined the summer of 2011 would change all of our lives in such an incredible way.

when the idea of rosemary's come about, i imagined it being such a far away thought. however, here we are just 16 months later, and we already have a home built, with eleven beautiful orphans running aruond, surrounded by a village who has also come to know the Lord through our efforts and God's faithfulness.

me & suzanne last year at a hospital in the philippines
thankful also for suzanne and our shared love for the Filipino people.
we actually got the opportunity to name the baby she is holding.
sweet moments.
so thankful for each one.

church

when God moved myself and my family to east marietta baptist church a few years back, it was one of the biggest blessings. we immediately fell right into place, and those who were once strangers become like family. our church has such a huge heart for missions in the community and abroad, and i'm so thankful to be a part of that.

so thankful for baby Dylan
my good friend tracy and her husband sonny tried for ten years to have a child
a few weeks ago, a little miracle was born.
he's perfect.

random things that don't really deserve their own paragraph...

over the past couple of weeks, i have been exceptionally aware of the different things around me that i never really stop to thank God for, but that i don't really want take away from me.

"what if you woke up today with only what you thanked god for yesterday."

after living at uncle dick's home for a short time, i realized there are so, so many things that we as americans take for granted that so many others don't have teh priveledge of having.

those are the things i'm going to wrap up this post with.

the things we take for granted, but don't want to consider life without.

*Reese's (specifically the ones shaped like pumpkins and christmas trees..yummy)--when i lived in the philippines, there was no such thing as american candy bars. Until one day we found the limited supply of american foods when we went "into town." they were $6 each! talk about a shocker! read about that shopping experience here

yep. they're amazing.

*good television (more specifically: Law & Order: SVU, Bachelor(ette)(Pad), Duck Dynasty, The Voice)

*scarves, sweaters, boots...it's freezing, people!

thank God for her every. single. day.

*facebook, twitter, insta...I couldn't keep up with what's going on with my friends living all over the place otherwise

* my glasses & contacts. whew...i would be blind without

i need new ones.
any suggestions for cute, affordable?

*washing machine-- i never would have realized how thankful i am for a washing machine had i not have gone to Uncle Dick's Home. it was quite the experience. see more details about that here

*my job

*laughs with sophie claire

sadly, i did not get to see this in person
candi said they were decorating for christmas when soph picked up this ornament and asked if it were a bow
needless to say, the child has worn some pretty big ones before

she told her mom she was going to meme's house
made my day.
so thankful for these two, and for the opportunity to have gotten to be such a big part of their lives

*my planner

**as i was going through some of my old Uncle Dick's Home posts, i came across my post "Be Thankful." It reminded me once again of how i felt there being surrounded by those who have known nothing, but still have everything they could ever need--a new family & most of all, Jesus Christ.

*SAMS...mostly just because they are the only place in Mississippi that i have found has PeaceTea

i got so excited i found these i HAD to take a picture and send it to my friend in florida

let's not only thank God for the blessings he has given us only on this day.

every day is a gift.

remember to thank Him.

365 days. not just one.