southern belle

I had such a good time today with my friend Brooke...We got some great shots...it helps that she is over the top beautiful! 

I'm thinking of starting a small side photography business...what do you think?

Giving Thanks

Its that time of year again where the turkey sales skyrocket, and everyones greatest fear is that they won't be able to find the spice they need to make their stuffing perfect.

Last night our church had their annual Thanksgiving Dinner, and I was impressed. I say that because potlucks are NOT my thing, but it was well organized, only four or six ladies made turkeys, and brought desserts, and believe it or not its taste wasn't half bad either.

Holidays for most bring out their best. Best food, best clothes, best attitudes, but for others, its a time that saddens them, because it brings to memory their loved ones that won't be by their side this year, or they simply just won't be able to see their family.

I am at a cross road myself. I get to surprise my mom for Thanksgiving, so that is very exciting, but because we are youth pastors we have to be here in Kansas City for Christmas day. Meaning, no family on Christmas. JW's family lives here, and we will hopefully get to see them, but this will be my first Christmas not seeing my mom...ever.

Three words...its gonna suck.

Unfortunately the only way "I'll be home for Christmas" will only be "in my dreams"

So that is why I decided that that is my Christmas song for the year.

"I'll be home for Christmas"

"if only in my dreams"

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!! Be thankful for all you have this year....you never know if its the last!

Even Before

I've been thinking today a lot about the goodness of God today.

Since November began I thought to myself, "why not tweet/facebook one thing I am thankful for everyday this month?!" Me being me, I thought, What a great, original idea! Well, I apparently wasn't as intelligent and original a I thought I was, because a few days later, I was reading through the news feed, and EVERYONE was doing it.

JW said I started the trend, I say great minds think alike.

Either way, I am glad people are trying to bring some light to this, often depressing world, by being thankful for something everyday, and voicing their blessings over twitter and facebook.

Today I tweeted - ‎#7 Thankful for an amazing God. Who loved me, and believed in me, before I even knew who He was.


I mean...HOW TRUE IS THAT? How often to we just stick out our hands and say God, give me, give me, give me, instead of raising our hands and saying God, Thank you, You are So worthy. 


We as Christians need to, all of us, me included, redirect our hand motion and learn to thank God more, in the good and the bad times. 


Yesterdays Rake & Bake event was in one word....phenomenal.... We met so many new people, and got to, hopefully, bless people that needed to be blessed in the simplest form, by raking their yard. 


I can't begin to express the LOVE my heart feels when I have the opportunity to help people. I'm tear up just talking about it. From the least deserving, to the most, from the homeless, to the abundantly blessed people, I LOVE to help. 


Okay enough about me.


God is so good! I just know that He did such a huge work in all of their lives yesterday. I can't wait to hear the kingdom stories one day.


Have a good day y'all. Be thankful, and blessed today...for everything, BIG and small.

Baking Up A Storm

This coming Sunday our church, Village West Family Church, is having an out reach event called Rake & Bake. We are going to a local neighborhood and knocking on doors and asking people if they would like for us to rake their yards, no strings attached.

The concept seems a little crazy I know, in fact most of the older men and women in our church agreed with this fact, and snickered at the announcement.

My question is though, why can't it work? How many people would love to have someone just come right along and rake their yard NO STRINGS ATTACHED and hand them some delish baked good? (at least I know my muffins are delish)

Single moms, they don't have time.
Elderly couples, they don't have the strength.
"Normal Families", maybe they just don't want to.

That's where we come into play.
We do it for them with a smile on our face, and a prayer in our heart, that God will speak to them through this outreach.

Recently, I haven't spoken to anyone about this, but I have been having an inner struggle with my walk with God. Nothing has happened to bring this struggle about, but I have to constantly check myself to make sure what I am doing is pleasing to God. The urges to do, say, and think things that I shouldn't have been constantly knocking at my door. Because of these struggles, I have not been reading my Bible, I have been leaving church services early, I have been avoiding spending time with God even in prayer.

I have realized this, and I know that this is common, every Christian struggles at times, and I am praying that I am close to the end of this struggle. Satan has came at me full force, and that only makes me realize one thing....God is up to something, and Satan is scared.

I'm honored really, but it has been a tough last 3-4 months. I have never, like most of our church staff, had to fight harder for my salvation, ministry, and family. I know God has huge things up His sleeve, and He desires to use me, but first my heart, mind, and spirit, must be in harmony with His, or He will not be able to use me.

This morning I woke up and started baking muffins for the R&B out reach event, and I listened to Living On The Edge Daily Broadcast, and then I sat down, paused the message and began to sing...Lead Me To The Cross. I got to the chorus, and sang rid me of myself---I belong to you---and I broke down because that is exactly what I need God to do....Rid me of MYSELF. I belong to Him...My soul purpose, the reason my heart beats is to live for, and bring glory to God, and I can't do that if I am constantly caught up in myself.

God You are so amazing. You speak to me even when I am so far away from you. Rid me of myself today Lord, I belong to you, I want to be used by you. Clean my heart, forgive me where I have failed you these past few months, help me put on my armor of God and fight off the temptations of this world.

I love you, I love you, I love you, You are amazing, and there is no one like you. Take me, Mold me into the woman of God you want me to be, and become, speak to me, correct me where I need to be correct, be my way-maker through this time of trial and temptation.

I love you God. Rid me of myself, I belong to you, and only you.