in Jesus' name

I just finished Beth Moore's "Believing God" - I know, takes me a while to finish a book. During one chapter it brought the words "In Jesus' name I pray" to my mind. I remember the first time I actually realized what I was saying when I capped off my prayers with that phrase.

There is no other way we could come to the Lord with our prayers of repentance or our requests without being clothed in Jesus' record, in Jesus' righteousness, in Jesus' sacrifice. It's as we sign off from our prayers with His signature, His name.

How humbling is that? How great of a statement to say...

In Jesus' name I pray to my God!
In Jesus' name I have life to the full!
In Jesus' name I cry out to the Lord!
In Jesus' name I have forgiveness!

Under my own name I have nothing to offer the Lord. But, and thank the Lord there's a but, under Christ's sacrifice and Christ's record I have authority under Heaven and Earth to BOLDY approach the Lord with my prayers, with my heart.

"In HIM and through faith in HIM we may approach God with freedom and confidence." Ephesians 3:12

...In Jesus' name.

it's the little things

I was hoping my next post would be entitled "Seattle, Here I Come!" but no such luck. I did not get picked for a coveted intern position with a corporate PR firm in Seattle, and, as I hate to admit, it had me a little more upset than I planned. So, I'm working on this whole "be grateful for what you have, not angry about what you don't have" thing.

A few of my recent favorite little things, things that I DO have and appreciate lately...

Beth Moore knows where it's at.

If you've ever had trouble trusting God's plan, this book is amazing.

My recent healthy craving. It's becoming a

problem (that I very much enjoy).

Mindless television crush. She's crazy. And great.

just little things that make me smile. :)

bracketology

Every year I count down the days till Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament. I remember the first time I ever filled out a bracket. I was in 8th grade, Mr. Hearn's Bible class. He said that we would all do a bracket, and the winner would get bonus points towards their final grade. I had no idea what I was doing. And I won. Between that and the love of basketball that comes from cheering for it for 7 years straight in high school, March Madness became a sacred time of year.

Sidebar: a big "thank you" to Ohio State, Duke, Louisville and Florida for killing my bracket this year. Better luck next year, eh?

This year, I had a thought about bracketology. I approach my entire life as a bracket! Follow me here...So each year I make 2 brackets: 1 is what I think will happen, 1 is what I want to happen. Then I realized I do the same thing trying to plan/predict my future. I have what I think will happen being planned in my head and what I want to happen controlled by my heart. (Strange how the two rarely look the same on paper.)

If only I was as successful with my "life bracketology" as I was with my 8th grade bracket, maybe I'd feel a little more triumphant. This year's NCAA bracket was a Sweet Sixteen bust. Here's hoping I'll have better accuracy in my 2011 Job Search bracketology...

Manhattan!

Nothing beats hitting up the greatest, grandest city with "long lost" college friends. Some say The City is loud and harsh and nothing for a Southern gal like me. Interesting enough, I found this among the most spiritually and emotionally encouraging trip I've had in a long time. Amanda and I had planned my visit for about a month and the added bonus of Courtney visiting was the icing on top! We spent time eating the best food NYC had to offer, talking about the best and worst parts about not being in college and have "real jobs," and laughing our heads off. Granted, it made me miss having these girls, an AOPi rocking chair, and a Athens spring day.

Apparently I lucked out on the weather because in the middle of NYC winter we had sunny and 40 degree weather. Those tall buildings sure do hide the sunny aspect.

I hit the streets shopping my heart out with Ashley Teale. That girl knows how to shop. I think I kept up? We had infamous NYC pizza, went to a movie in Time Square, and had breakfast at a Manhattan Diner after a Sunday morning service in the Upper West Side (I think that's what it's called. Still learning...)

The entire weekend was amazing catching up with old sorority house roommates hundreds of miles away from home. Friendships like these are priceless. Being able to be intentional in these girls' lives and encourage each other was beyond refreshing.

I think one of my favorite moments in NYC was unplanned. Courtney and I were on the hunt for the sole Seven-Eleven that would have a much needed ATM. On the way back we passed the most beautiful old Catholic church just right off Time Square. I asked if we could stop in.

We walked out of the busy street and into the completely silent and reverent church. We sat.

It felt like 10 minutes, but i'm sure it was closer to 60 seconds. that silence was so precious. For me, it was a picture of how within the chaos and glitz and glam and drama of the "big world out there" there is a place to rest and be silent in the presence of the Lord.

"Peace I leave you. my peace I give you. Not as the world gives, do I give. Do not let your hearts be troubled."

John 14:27

(This is actually the church we went to Sunday morning, but you can get the picture...)

I had the best time on my trip and learned that, hey, I might actually enjoy that city life that I used to frown on. Who knows? Maybe I'll be the next to leave the small town and head to the Big City. Here's hopin'!

I didn't take too many pictures. I was trying really hard not to look like a tourist. :) I guess I was successful in that, because someone asked me for directions. I think I sent him in the right direction? We'll never know....

Anyways, these are some of the pictures I did take on my grown-up, fabulous, solo trip to NYC to see my girls and own the town!

This is Magnolia Bakery...

the one Carrie and Miranda always visit

in Sex and The City.

Oh yes, NY pizza! They don't sell Coke products or give free refills...a little Un-American to me.

Beautiful weather for the flight to home sweet home Ctown, GA.

New York Lights

http://downloads.whoisjonblack.com/track/new-york-lights

I heard this song at Sharptop (a Young Life camp) this past weekend,

and it could not be a better representation of restlessness moving back to a hometown brings. The question is: what to do with that restlessness?

Jon Black is AWESOME. Check out his music and show dates @ whoisjonblack.com

Kid, you'll move mountains.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

...And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do, to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

...You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump. And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

...Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

...The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.

...Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl...

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

- Dr. Suess -

He just gets it.

a little wisdom...

Fear and anxiety are the two sure signs that you have control and God does not. If you were truly dead to your desires and were in full trust of Him, then you would not be afraid.

The best place to be is where God puts you.

Any other place is undesirable because you chose it for yourself.

Let God take care of His business.

Trust Him alone about what will happen.

-Fenelon

This is my greatest struggle. That I am missing out on something great. That I am not where I am supposed to be. My friend Allen gave our Young Life team a list of encouraging quotations on it, and this was one of them. It really is just so hard to let go of controlling my life (or thinking I'm controlling it). I hope this reminds me, and you, of who's really in charge. AND that He is trustworthy. I am where God wants me to be.

"If this is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?.....For pagans run after these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them...Therefore do not worry about tomorrow."

Matthew 7