#30daysofhymns

Welcome to the second Friday of the year! I don't know about y'all but it feels like it's been months since Christmas. I feel like everything has been happening so fast here lately. In a way I'm excited, you know the quicker the time starts the quicker we will be married. Then again, I want it all to slow down. I want to take in this sweet, sweet time of our engagement, and all of these, Lord willing, once in a life time moments.   So on to #30daysofhymns.. One of my favorite ways to worship is by singing praises. I am not a singer by any means but when it comes to singing praises I will sing. Our campus ministry has a singing night every other week. About 45-50 minutes of just plain singing. We turn the lights off and just sing our hearts out. I literally wake up EXCITED on the days of our singing nights. I actually started recording these singing nights on my phone so that I could have for later. I listen to these recordings when I'm alone most of the time. Whether it be at my apartment, on one of my hour drives to and from home, or even riding around town while running errands.  

Follow me on Instagram HERE   What have I noticed from this? I'm in a much better mood. I love these songs and I love listening to them. The other night we were packing up Matthew's apartment and I found myself, without thinking, automatically turn on one of my favorite hymns and started humming along. Matthew didn't think anything of it because he knows my love for these singing nights and my love for old hymns.   Now what is #30daysofhymns?! Starting Monday and for the next 30 days I want to post a part of a hymn. I will just include it in my regular posts on here, but I plan on posting one daily on my Instagram and Twitter account as well. I've created the hashtag #30daysofhymns to put with each post and I would LOVE for you to join me! What better way to share some of the gospel and hopefully leave a positive impact on someone. There are no rules to this. You don't have to post everyday. It can be a picture of anything, the sunset, the sunrise, your backyard, your morning coffee, your cozy night on the couch, really anything!   Are you going to join me?? If you do, hashtag #30daysofhymns so that I can find your posts on Instagram and Twitter.   Happy Friday!

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#30daysofhymns

MONDAY

 

  What a great day. What a great reminder. What a great God we serve.     Happy Monday! Make someone's day better today :)      

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MONDAY

{5 on Friday}

Can we just take a minute and appreciate the fact that it is finally Friday (& almost the weekend!!!!)

This feels like it has been the longest.week.ever.

  

//ONE//

Yesterday I came across this picture and couldn't believe it has been almost 4 years that this was taken!! This was taken on the day Matthew and I started dating.

 

//TWO//

I saw this the other day and loved it. This is so true. We need to stop trying to be like everyone else and be more like Christ, myself included. this is something we can always work on and pray about daily.

 

 

//THREE//

The crew!!

We are going to be so sad to see Andrew go in a little over a week.

 

 

 

//FOUR//

Our SOC boys intramural softball championship was last night and they WON!!

Here is Matthew batting! This was his last intramural softball game :( Next year at this time, Lord willing, he will have a job!!

 SOC guys!!

 Some of the fans watching!!

 

 

//FIVE//

You might agree with this or you might disagree, it's your opinion, but I definitely agree with this. I don't know statically about the second part of this but I honestly believe it takes 2-4 years to really get to know someone. I don't know about you but if I am going to marry someone I want to REALLY know them before I commit the rest of my life to them. At the end of this month Matthew and I will have been dating 4 years and I still learn something new about him all the time.

I am thankful we have decided to date awhile before we get engaged.

 

//HAPPY FRIDAY//

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{5 on Friday}

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

            Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

Love this verse. I  came across it the other day and it just hit me. There really is a time for everything. Things will change, things will get worse and things will get better but it is all apart of God's plan, and I need to continue giving Him the glory through every season of life.

Happy Thursday, friends!! 1 more day until the weekend! :)

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Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

3.6.14

Last Thursday is a day I'll never forget. There are so many emotions, so many little moments and so many special words said from Thursday night that I don't want to ever forget. So as soon as I climbed into bed that night I wrote down everything.   I won't share everything because that would take too long seeing as it was about 5 pages in my journal so I'll give you the short version. Matthew and I have been talking about me getting baptized for some time now, he never pressured me into it because he knew it was a decision I needed to make all on my own. He would answer any questions I had and backed it up with scripture. I was baptized when I was younger but I didn't really understand it and just did it because I was told I needed to so I knew I needed to, I just needed the courage to finally do it. I have been praying for the past few months now and kept waiting for the right time. Well then it slapped me in the face Wednesday night that there was never going to be the right time. So Thursday night we had gotten back to Matthew's apartment and were sitting in the car I told him I wanted to get baptized. The look on his face when I told him is something I will never for the rest of my life forget. Just thinking of it bring tears to my eyes. After that everything was kinda a big blur. Matthew went into FAST mode. I had to remind him to slow down so we could make it to the church alive ;) We ran by my apartment so I could grab a change of clothes and then headed to the church to meet our campus minister and a few other ones. I was a nervous wreck and I still don't know why and I still don't know why it took me so long to finally make the right decision. Like I said, we had already talked about it so we both knew I wanted Matthew to baptize me.   Our campus minister came in the room and told us how everything was going to go and showed me the towels and then told me to wait on one side while he and Matthew went on the other side so Matthew could get ready. Time was moving SO slow those few moments and then finally I saw Matthew's big ole grin coming up the other side of the stairs and couldn't help but tear up.   I walked down to Matthew and then he baptized me. SO.MANY.EMOTIONS coming up out of that water. I do know that I made the best decision of my life, to devote my life to Christ and to be baptized for the remission of my sins last Thursday night.   There were about 15 people there to watch me get baptized and I am so thankful for everyone that was there, that hugged me and that loved on me and told me how proud they were of me and that celebrated with me after. I never imagined having all these friendships here in Cookeville but I am so grateful for them. After, we all went to Big O's to get donuts :)  

Here is the video Matthew's brother took for us.

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3.6.14

Flash mob

Happy Thursday y'all!
I came back home last night after church because today I have 3 doctor appts. Nothing is wrong just checkups and I somehow managed to get all three of them scheduled for the same day, still can't believe it!!!! The other night Matthew and I had planned on going to work out but he has had a small cold and didn't feel that well so we decided on watching a movie at my apartment. After the movie went off it was still pretty early so we were flipping through the channels and found The Biggest Loser finale was on and we watched the last half of it. Y'all that show was so inspirational. Their stories were touching and Matthew and I both looked at each other and said "we need to go workout!!". I probably could have ran 2 miles right then I was so pumped (not really I don't think I'd even make it a mile but you get what I'm saying!!) Just look at their before and after pictures, I promise you will be at least a little motivated!!

So on to this little gem I came across the other day and just had to share
I have seen tons of videos of flash mobs lately, even proposals that were a flash mob but when a friend shared this one on Facebook I about died!!

When we have singing nights at church or refuel I LOVE them and always get so excited for them. I often listen to this video while I get ready in the morning there is just something so peaceful and relaxing and I love it. Watch this video and tell me that isn't one of the best you have ever heard. Do you see how many people are there?!  

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Flash mob

before it's too late

That was our theme and topic this past weekend and what a great weekend it was!!   Everything from the classes, lesson, singing, bonding, fellowship to the food was great! Retreats are my favorite and this one did not disappoint.   We went to Short Mountain which is about an hour away from Cookeville. The narrow and bumpy road going up the hill can be pretty scary and of course I looked out the window right when the guard rail ended but obviously we made it in one piece. I was told it gets very cold up there at night so I felt like I was packing to go to Alaska

 

 

    We had an AWESOME speaker who just hit the nail on the head with everything he said. The topic was a great one I think. We talked about different things we need to do before it's too late, how to be better Christians and not to care so much what people think. He said that one of the main things holding us back on sharing our faith and talking to others about our faith is the fear of what others think. One of my favorite things our speaker said was "We will never be able to do anything as well as serve God because that is what we are called to do" and I couldn't agree more.  
Short Mountain is one of the prettiest places and the views off the mountain are incredible during the day and during the night.

  Here is the view when you walked out of our cabin.

 

 

and here is the view up to our cabin. It was like going on a hike every time we went to and from the cabins.

 

There are a few small caves and we decided to check one out during free time

 

 

 



 

The guys always like to play football and Jenny and I cheered on our men!

 

 

The view from behind their house is absolutely amazing! It's actually that 1st picture up there ^

 

 

twinning

 

Brotherly lovin

 

Most of the girls that were in our cabin!

 

Love our new shirts we got for the retreat!

 

 

 

roommates!!

 

 

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before it's too late

Servant Of Christ

Servants Of Christ  or you have probably seen me refer to it as the SOC on here and I realized I have never told y'all what it really is or what we really do.  

  As you know Matthew has been at Tech since his freshmen year. When he and his twin brother got up here they went to church with their older brother and were apart of another student ministry. After awhile some things changed and they didn't agree with some things there so they changed churches and found the SOC.   I remember Matthew telling me how much he liked it and all the different things they did. I was still living at home about an hour away and we didn't have very many college ministries in our hometown. To be honest I was a little jealous or all the stuff he got to do and participate in. I really just wanted a group of people around my age that shared the same faith to do things with and to help me grow spiritually.   The SOC goes on two main retreats a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. I remember going on my first retreat with them. Matthew came all the way home and picked me up and we met them there. Talk about nervous, I was a nervous wreck the whole ride. I was about to go on a retreat for a whole weekend with over 50 people I didn't even know let alone stay in a cabin full of girls I didn't even know...nervous is probably an understatement. We get there (late, because I had gotten off work later...adding to the nerves) and I was welcomed like I had been apart of them for years. After the first night there I knew this was somewhere I wanted to be and something I wanted to be apart of.   I went on retreats with them until I finally moved up here this past summer and now I attend SOC events regularly. My two roommates, are two of the girls I met on that first retreat. I have such a close group of friends of the same faith and I love it.   We usually have something going on every single night and it's great, Every other Monday we have small group meetings...the boys have their group and the girls have their group. Tuesday's we have $3 Tuesday at the SOC house. Some of the ladies from our church volunteer and cook a ton of food and it's open to the public. Seriously some of the best home cooked food and it's only $3!! Wednesday nights, we of course have church and we usually stay after and talk and sometimes people go to the SOC house to talk and hangout. Thursday nights we have refuel. An hour to come and just "refuel". We have singing and a devotional. We usually play a couple of games before we get started. It's a great time and there are always great speakers. Halloween falls on Thursday this year so we are having a Halloween party and having a costume contest...Matthew and I FINALLY decided on our costumes are I am SO stinkin excited to share with y'all what we are going to be!!!! Friday's there is usually a movie playing at the SOC for anyone that wants to come. Some Fridays they switch it up and play disc golf (Matthew's fav) or they go bowling.   The SOC house, you might be wondering what it is. Well it is just a small one story house that we all hang out at! It is right off of campus so most people just park their cars there and walk to class so they don't have to fight to get a parking spot. A lot of people also hangout there in between their classes.   . Here are some pictures over the past year or so... Last year on the fall retreat  

 

      This past July 4th

 

 

 

Retreat this past spring in Mississippi

 

 

 

 

Girls night back in September  

 

I love being apart of this group.  Are you apart of a campus ministry?? I'd love to hear about it!! If you are not and you have been thinking about joining one on your campus I definitely recommend it!!   Let man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. - 1 Corinthians 4:1

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Servant Of Christ