I had a great day on Sunday...God just never stops revealing himself to me. Every day is like a new adventure because God shows me something new. Mickey talked about how we don't just stop and worship God like we should. We get so caught up in so many things that we don't delight ourselves in His presence and in His love. We shouldn't be so wrapped up in our lives that we shove God out...He's the reason we are still here. He deserves all the praise and all of our love. Give it all to Him!

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."- Psalm 37:4

Have a great week you guys!! Make Jesus your passion!!

Andrea

Wow...last night was so rough but at the same time so great. It's funny how God can take care of it all. He's definately amazing to me! :o)

I am so proud of my football boys I cant even tell you. Last night we went into two overtimes with Lavergne...these boys fought it the whole way through. We may not have won but thats ok because they won to me. The passion, enthusiasm, and teamwork was incredible. Ive never seen this team work so hard. They wanted it BAD. Im so incredibly proud! Now we are going to step it up and keep things goin and beat Siegel next week and im pumped about that! Our final game is going to be our best. These guys are awesome!

Too many things were crazy last night but it turned out to be a great night. I love my Lauren!

This week was crazy too...Ive felt sick every day just off and on..not fun stuff. Voice lessons is going awesome! I love it! School's goin well. Jesus is absolutely amazing just like always! So yeah life is pretty sweet right now (haha Paul)...missing people a ton but hey Im dealing with it. I know God's going to take care of it so Im trying not to worry. So anyways you guys have a great weekend! Make Jesus your passion!!

Andrea

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."- James 1:1-4

Hey guys!! Well, I've had a good week! God is defiantely pouring out His blessings on my life. Hmm He's amazing!! So this was on Ashley's site and I thought.."Wow, thats so true!" So I'll share it with you...

"Find a guy that is a spirtual leader and isn't ashamed of God ever...A guy that knows how to be romantic, but doesn't smother you with always wanting to be with you.. A guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep... Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you' re just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you... The one who turns to his friends and says, "That's her.'

Sigh...how cool. But anyways I just thought that was sweet. Well anyways I hope you guys have a great weekend/rest of the week. ASHLEY IS HOME!!! YIPPEEEEEEEE! Im soooo excited...she's the best big sis ever ever ever ever ever!!! Yay!! Oh and other good news....Paul caught two passes at football practice!! Im so proud of him!! So yeah..have a great weekend!!! Make Jesus your passion!

Andrea

"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom."- Psalm 145:3 

Lisa honey, I love you soooo much...dont ever forget that! You will get through! Im praying for you! I LOVE YOU!

"He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"- Luke 10:27

Some of my favorite people ever!


photo from GodsGirl615

For Paul's birthday we all went out to Ben's grandparents farm and hid in a barn and when he got there we all jumped out and yelled SURPRISE!!!!!!!! He was completely surprised! We had a bon fire and hay ride and ohh man it was one of the most beautiful nights ever. The stars were probably the prettiest Ive ever seen them and I saw my first shooting star! Shhh I cant tell you what I wished though or it wont come true...:o) But overall I think Paul had a great birthday!! I sure do hope so!! Have a great day!

Andrea

haha Mr. Birthday boy..how adorable


photo from GodsGirl615

It's Paul's birthday tomorrow!!! Yay!! Sweet 16!! Happy Birthday Paul!!!

Paul and me.. haha


photo from GodsGirl615

I found out a new fact about myself tonight...When I have a bad day I love to sing.

I got home and asked myself "Why be in a bad mood?" I HAVE AN AMAZING LIFE....no need to be down.

Sorry for being such a yucky person today. haha I dont need to do that!

Andrea

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."- Proverbs 17:22

Look at this cute picture! I love it


photo from GodsGirl615

I dyed my hair..hahahaha What do ya think?



photo from GodsGirl615



photo from GodsGirl615

Sometimes life can be so dang hard....I mean I dunno...Sometimes I just think "Why God? Why isn't this in your timing? Why can't I have what I want now?" And then I realize...that's so selfish of me. God knows the big picture and I know only little bits and pieces. He sees the things I dont. Everything happens for a reason. Its really hard when something you want to happen so badly doesnt happen because Its all a part of God's timing...His plan. I just gotta trust Him...Im blessed beyond what I could ever deserve and I just dont appreciate it enough...it shows when I get upset over the stupid things...

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven"- Ecclesiastes 3:1

I hope you have a great weekend...God bless

Andrea



photo from GodsGirl615

These two girls have been amazing to me through everything...I love you both so much.

Wow...God is so much greater than our minds could ever fathom...Im in awe..

"Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" Psalm 147:1



photo from GodsGirl615
**Sigh** I miss these girls...

I've been reading a book Lisa gave me- See Yourself As God Sees You. It's been really good for me so far. I am the type of person who never really thinks highly of myself. I always find things wrong with who I am. That's not how it should be.. I'm hoping and praying God can finally help me realize that He's made me exactly the way He wants me. Josh McDowell write this in the book, "People have either a cloudy view of themselves or a clear one. Persons with a clear view of their true identity feel significant. They understand that they matter to God and to others, that the world is a better place because they are here. They are able to interact with others and appreciate their worth without feeling threatened. They radiate hope, joy, and trust because they are secure in their identity as God's children. They accept themselves as lovable, worthy, and competent members of God's creation, redeemed and reconciled to God to become all he wants them to be." That's what I want..

Andrea



photo from GodsGirl615

Me and my little cousin...how cute...:o)

Lots and lots of thoughts...I hope everythings goin well for ya..Make Jesus the center!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6



photo from GodsGirl615
Ashley and Julie off to college :0(

Wow..Andrea is so busy...blaaah keep praying for me please!

Me and Lauren!!



photo from GodsGirl615

Wow...I love this girl!



photo from GodsGirl615

Hey guys! Well, this week has been goin great! A lot of football practice and stuff going on. But yeah...I hope everything is awesome with you! I just wanted to share something I read in my devotions a couple of days ago that I thought was awesome!

Lights on a Hillside

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”- Matthew 5:16

"The basic purpose for living is to glorify our Father in heaven. We who believe in Him are lights on a hillside, seen from a distance. We are to cast vision, give warmth, and show a better way to those living in darkness. In short, God instructs us to shine. How do we do that?

Encourage instead of criticize. Love instead of hate. Hope instead of doubt. Give instead of take. Trust instead of worry.

We open our hearts to others so they will be prompted to open their hearts to God. Encouragement, love, hope, generosity, and trust are all gifts of God by the work of His Spirit. They don't spring from our humanity; they spring from his grace. God gives the light. He uses us to show the way. And He is glorified.- Luci Swindoll, Women of Faith Devotional Bible"

Think about that a bit and then think about how you can use that with school coming up...Great stuff....I love it.. I hope you are having a great week! God Bless!

Andrea



photo from GodsGirl615 Paul and me!

God is truly amazing!

Wow...I cant believe school starts here really really soon....its crazy! But this year Im really excited....Its because I am sooo incredibly pumped to go and make a difference for Jesus at school. I really cant wait. I know God wants me out there telling others about Him and Im so ready! My God is faithful and I know He will give me the strength just please be praying for me...Im excited to make a difference for the one who deserves my everything. I love my Lord Jesus so much!

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."- 1 Peter 3:15-16

Some of my school girls whom I havent seen since school got out...major sad face...:0( Cant wait to see them though!



photo from GodsGirl615

Wow...Life can slip away just like that...thank goodness that didn't happen tonight. My friend Ben was in a car accident tonight and man did it scare all of us. I dont know what I would've done if he were not ok. But he just tore his ACL not too long ago and tonight he got into a wreck but hes perfectly fine, just shaken up and a little sore. But if you would please please please pray for him. He's one of my closest friends and Im sooo incredibly thankful that God took care of him tonight. God is an awesome God huh?

Me and Ben!....



photo from GodsGirl615

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."- Romans 8:28

Wow...Youth camp was absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for all the prayers. God changed so many lives last week I just cant put it into words. I honestly dont know what I would ever do with Jesus in my life. He is absolutely my best friend and Im so glad I can know that He's always right beside me getting me through everything...knowing the plan for my life even before I was concieved....I love my Lord!

2005 Northside youth group after the awesome shaving cream fight!



photo from GodsGirl615

Wow this was at camp...this picture and just nature reminds me of how beautiful God really is...(just ignore the street light hahaha)


photo from GodsGirl615

YAY! Im leaving for youth camp with my youth group on Monday...I CANT WAIT! We always have the best time there!! Pray that God will prepare our hearts and change our lives....Have a great week!!

Here is a pic of the youth group after the shaving cream fight last year....



photo from GodsGirl615

Me and my sisters after a paint obstacle course thing...



photo from GodsGirl615

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters....and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit."- Jeremiah 17:7-8

I have nothing to write about but I needed to update....here's a great pic of me and LISA!!!! hehehehe.....



photo from GodsGirl615

This is really really good thing I read....I know its long but you should read it...it really helped with some things im going through.....

From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be extraordinary. I didn't want to be just another person in the nameless mass of humanity. I wanted to stand out as someone who actually broke out of the prison that most of us are born into; the prison of such a short wisp of a life--gone almost before it starts, no remembrance of it when gone, and no lasting impression made while alive. I'm aware that many, if not most of us, face this same struggle. I don't know if mine was more profound than most. I only know that it was a driving force of my existence from the time I was an early teenager.

When I really gave my life to the Lord at age 18, this desire was automatically transferred into the kingdom of God. I was determined to not be an "ordinary Christian." I was going to do outstanding things for God, at any personal cost or sacrifice. I would never, never be a mere pew warmer. In those years I was quite zealous for God, and on my college campus, I had a reputation (which I loved) of being "on fire for God." I attended Christian meetings almost every night of the week, spent much time in prayer and reading the Bible, and shared the Gospel everywhere I went. My desire and love for the things of God was genuine. However, I did not see that lurking under the surface of my zeal was a deep insecurity that the enemy would try to use to destroy me.

I didn't see that much of my so called "fire" for God was really just a fire for myself to be acceptable in my own eyes. I truly loved the Lord, but it would have shocked me if I could have seen back then (or probably even now!) how much of what I did for the Lord, was really just for myself. I laughed at the Pharisees when I read how Jesus preached at them for doing what they did so men could see them and admire them. It never occurred to me that I might be in that category myself. No one likes to see the worst in themselves, and many times we are truly blinded to it. It takes the gentle work of the Holy Spirit, peeling away layers of pride, deception, sin, and insecurities for us to see ourselves as we really are.

Since that time, God has led me through many things to break this deadly "religious spirit." I don't have time to share them all here, but I will say that the work has been sometimes painful, but always cleansing and freeing. Most of our striving is based on the simple fact that deep down inside we aren't really sure that anyone (least of all God) likes us for who we are--especially at our weakest and most horrible. Most of us can accept that He loves us because He is God, but we tend to look at it as a broad sort of "tough love"--He loves us, but is more saddened by us than anything, and tolerates us because of His own goodness--but He doesn't really like us that much.

Recently, the Lord showed me in a beautiful way, how wrong we are to think this of Him. I was at a prophetic conference in Colorado, and one of our assignments was to turn around to the person behind us (someone we did not know) and pray together, and then share what the Lord had shown us about each other. Needless to say, some were nervous that they wouldn't "get anything" from God, but we all obeyed. The man whose hands I was holding began to share what he was seeing about me, and one of the words that he used was a Daisy. For some reason this sort of bothered me deep inside. A Daisy seemed so...ordinary, so weak and unimpressive. Surely that wasn't how God saw me, was it?

Later as, my friends and I shared the words we had given and received, I didn't mention the Daisy at all, because I felt sort of ashamed about it. All I mentioned about it was that the guy I prayed with had called me a flower.

The next and final day of the conference, all the attendees were assigned to go to various "prophetic teams" of people who would pray and prophesy over us before we went home. As I was being prayed over, one of the ladies in the team said, "Lord, I see here a Daisy, and that there is something so special to you about a Daisy heart." Again, I felt a slight flare of annoyance, but I ignored it, so I could "move on in the spirit" to everything else they were saying. Much of what was said ministered deeply to me, but as it turned out, nothing touched me more than the reference to the Daisy.

Immediately after the prayer, as I was walking to meet my friends, I heard the voice of God speak clearly to my heart. "Mercy, why do you love Daisies so much?" This surprised me. This may seem unbelievable, but right up until that very moment, I had actually forgotten how much I genuinely love Daisies! "Well, they just cheer me up I guess" I said to the Lord. "I like them because of their simple beauty. They aren't overblown or pretentious. They seem clean and pure and wholesome and real. They just make me smile. I guess I can't really explain all the reason why I'm attracted to them--I just am." Immediately, I began to cry, as I realized what the Lord was trying to show me.

It is often said that the hardest person to live with and love unconditionally is ourselves. Yet, I believe that just as we are attracted to things like Daises, so God made us to be attracted to ourselves as well--and I am not talking about vain narcissism or arrogant pride. These are Satan's counterfeits for this truth of God. His ways breed envy and disdain for our fellow man. God's ways, however, release us to find joy in being just who He created us to be-- a unique reflection of His image. When this work is completed in us, we can truly rejoice at the marvelous things He has done in others without feeling the slightest twinge of envy, competition, or inferiority.

Could it be that many of us would like ourselves a whole lot more if we weren't so busy trying to impress ourselves and others, trying to create another persona that we feel more comfortable in? Could it be that if we would simply let God be Himself in us, we might actually like the person that emerges--that hidden, weak, scared side of us that we try to keep stuffed away from prying eyes? In that area of our being (even in the most humiliating part of it) lies a precious seed planted by God. God wants to breathe on it and cause supernatural life to grow from that place that we hate the most. In fact, this is where He will bring forth the greatest beauty in us--if we will let Him. All it takes is bravery; which is another word for faith. This He gives freely and abundantly to all who call on Him in truth.

Whether we ever make the history books of this world is of very little consequence. The records that are kept by man are incomplete and biased anyway. We all remember things differently from each other, and couldn't possibly do justice to even one life, let alone the billions of people that have lived on this planet. However, there is a Book that has recorded each and every one of our lives--a History Book kept by the only One who sees everything that really happened and who is impartial in His records. In His Book, no one is overlooked or forgotten, regardless of the importance their life on earth. We may weep over injustice in human history and our own fears of being forgotten, but I tell you that with God there is no such thing. A Day of reckoning is coming--and on that day, all of history will be judged by the only One who can judge it righteously and mercifully.

Anyone can do "good deeds" but they do not necessarily justify us in God's eyes, or win His heart. The Pharisees are proof of that. What He really wants from us is honesty and humility. Our own "righteous actions" can never cover the nakedness of that part of us that we are ashamed and embarrassed about. We may feel that we haven't done anything really worthwhile, and that we aren't very high up on God's list of important things to do, and if we only become a better Christian He will love us more-- but that is a lie straight from hell. Of course God wants all of us to mature in the faith and to do the works He did--but the purpose of all of this is so that each one of us can become a friend of God. Friendship with God should be our goal, not great works to do for Him. If we are His friend, great works will follow, simply born out of a love relationship with Him. Our works won't make us proud of ourselves, either. They will make us proud of Him!

I know I still have a ways to go, in letting God transform my old ways of thinking and acting. I realize an important key is to not become absorbed in myself--my strengths and weaknesses, but rather, to become absorbed in Him. Where does healing come from? Where is the fountain of life that washes away all that smells of death and despair? If the world knew, how they would run to it! If the Church really knew, oh how we would run to it!

I have no fancy answer to finding that healing River. The Bible says that if we believe in Him, it is flowing from our innermost being. The Bible says that it is already there! In the River is all that we need. It may come manifested in healing words spoken to us by a brother or sister in the Lord. It may come from many different sources, one of the greatest being to love and pray for those around us (even those we have a problem with) the way we ourselves would like to be loved and prayed for. But most of all, it will come from one place; the Secret Place of the Most High. If you have never been to a secret place with Him--or if it has been many years, ask God to take you there, just as you are. His spirit will wash you and make you beautiful in His eyes. The more of your own sin that you recognize and repent of, the more room you will have for Him in your heart--and this is something that you can never be worthy of. All He wants is for you to accept it and take the time to dwell in it. This is an act of His grace and love to you--little ordinary you. Weak and unspectacular as you are, He loves you far more than you can begin to imagine. Your life has been written in God's History Book, and if you seek Him with all your heart, the story of your life will be one of beauty, strength and grace.

What's you favorite movie??

haha Just wonderin...have a great day!
Andi Leigh

God has been showing me this past week that everyone is beautiful...He makes no junk! Everyone is made in His image and so we are all beautiful. Now days we look too much on the outside and not enough on the inside. It hurts when you feel so judged because of what you wear or what you look like when none of that should matter....but for some reason to a lot of people now it does. Im caught....I do judge people for whats on the outside sometimes and I definately need to work on that. I hate feeling judge so why do I do it? God has been showing me inner beauty in people this week and I have loved it! *"God made every intricate part of our beings, like a master weaver who takes the finest silk threads and makes a priceless garmet with precision, excellence, and exquisetly great taste."- Thelma Wells* Well, that was just something that was layed on my heart.

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well."- Psalm 139:14

Have a great week!

Andrea

***HELP!*** I cant figure out how to put pics in my entry!

I have the most wonderful life! I have hope no matter what happens because I have Jesus in my heart! That is the best feeling in the world. I dont know what I would be or where I'd be or what I'd be doing if I didnt have Jesus in my life. What an awesome God I serve!