i have to tell you something right now.

I've met some incredible people here at the Mont. Like this one whom I will now tell you a story about:

She just told me that she loved a boy and she told him. And he didn't reciprocate. Because he loved someone else. And then she helped him with loving this other person who was her good friend. And it made her love him more, but she doesn't even feel bad about it. She says she likes getting to help him love someone else even though he doesn't love her. She says that Jesus did that for her. She says it's like a massage train.

good gravy.

This Belmont place, it's real great and all, but you know, it's also real scary.
and overwhelming.

Did I mention it's how scary and overwhelming it is?

content to fill a little space

Father, I know that all my life 
Is portioned out for me, 
The changes that are sure to come 
I do not fear to see; 
I ask Thee for a present mind 
Intent on pleasing Thee. 

I would not have the restless will 
That hurries to and fro, 
Seeking for some great thing to do 
Or secret thing to know; 
I would be treated as a child, 
And guided where I go. 

I ask Thee for daily strength, 
To none that ask denied, 
A mind to blend with outward life 
While keeping at Thy side; 
Content to fill a little space, 
If Thou be glorified. 

In service which Thy will appoints 
There are no bonds for me; 
For my inmost heart is taught the truth 
That makes Thy children free. 
And a life of self renouncing love 
Is one of liberty.




Give her a listen here. Zack O (he's such a champ!) rewrote this lovely little hymn. It is my prayer. It is my cry for this new adventure of mine.

 right here's a little picture of Zack O and I just getting the job done.

.....I miss camp.....

i can't exactly think of a title for this right now.

This has been the longest summer of my entire life.

It's had every element of a good story in it. 

Like, all those things in them movies you watch.

But seriously. It really has.

I should make my own movie about it.

And it's not even over yet!

I wonder what curveballs are awaiting me in my last week of summer.

I need you to listen to this.

Can you guess who this is? (hint. it's the same guy who sings the song I suggested for you to listen to. You'll never know who this is if you don't click that link and make you day so much better. In fact, it'll be lovely. There goes another hint)

"I wish you flowers, sunshine, and smiles..
I wish you truckloads of cheer
and many happy years..
I wish you freedom to do the things you love
Wanna wish you blessings and kindness from above
Wanna wish you sunlight through the clouds
I hope you laugh out loud...
I wish you well."
-from the same guy in the picture and the link I left for you. You're welcome.

My hope is that you read this and then immediately call/text/email me something good. Can you do that for me? No exceptions. I'm talking to YOU.

in fields of green, by quiet streams.

Remember those things I told you I was going to do in that last post? None of that ended up happening. I hate to sound morbid, but my grandfather passed away that night. So I came running as fast as I could over to Forest, MS and I've been here ever since.

He was a good one. Better than you know.
I had the pleasure of seeing him the day before I moved to Nashville, which was just a week before he died.
The last thing he said to me was, "I love you, little lady".

I loved him lots and lots.

We called him Pock. And his favorite passage of the bible ever was Psalm 23. Every time he saw it printed anywhere he tore it out and kept it.

You know what I did? I played House of God, Forever by Jon Foreman (which is basically just Psalm 23) at his funeral. Zack O played with me because he's a real pal. And it was super. I'll bet he heard me.

Anyways. That's all.

Abagooday, friends.

lightly.

This post isn't actually going to say anything of value. Which, I think, is good sometimes.


If you noticed, I changed that picture behind the title of my blog. It used to be a picture of Mississippi cotton fields, but now, it's Tennessee mountains. Get it?


I've been listening to a lot of old school Coldplay lately. I'm real big with words, and they've got some darn good ones. They're just soooo unbelievably GOOD! Songs like "Shiver" and "The Scientist" and "Clocks" and "Don't Panic"... they're all winners. I love them. If you listen to them, your day will become exponentially better, I'm sure of it.

I hung out with my good pal from Twin Lakes Peter Davis and his wonderful family all of yesterday. It was a blast. Those people are wonderful. We went all over. Even to an observatory! It was groovy.

And Caty Roommate is coming! She's going to come either tomorrow evening or Saturday morning and hang out with me. And we're going to the Decemberists concert Saturday night! I'm so excited! The Decemberists have been one of my favorite bands since I was 13 years old when I got their Picaresque album. Since then I have gotten all their music and learned every word to all their songs. I just really like them a lot. And now I get to see them in person! It's gonna be great! And with Caty Roommate at my side!

After that, on Sunday morning, Caty and I are traveling back to Athens, her hometown, because she wants to show me around. I just think that's so nice. I'm real excited!

I can't wait for people I know to be in Nashville. I get lonely here sometimes. I miss my friends a whole lot. More than you'd think. They're good folks. I move in to the dorms 2 weeks from tomorrow. Wowzers. It's time.

God is so good.

Check out these pictures:

Casey and I narrating an impromptu skit on a rainy camp day

One of the infamous girls' nights where I was a judge for our beauty pageant. Every girls' night I had a different identity and asked interview questions according to my identity. This night, I was Princess Buttercup and I had a lisp. I also remember embarrassing Kevin a whole lot this night by giving him credit for a question that was super creepy. I'm with our wonderful MC Queen Mallory, Helga (or Theresa), and Joanna.

Queen Mallory the Third was my roommate - and she's amazing.

 I was part of the Friday night skits where I let the raven down to provide Elijah with food. Almost every week I messed it up somehow.

The amazing Inkheart skit. There's me and Kevin as Jack and Jill and Jonathan as Captain Hook. Amazing picture, right? We look so tiny!

Anyways, back to organizing my college stuff. This was a good break though.

"We live in a beautiful world. Yeah we do, yeah we do." - thanks, Coldplay.

a kingdom direction

Alright, seriously, I'm going to stop talking about this. I promise. This'll be the last time.

.. I hope.

So! If you've been keeping up you know how anxious and sad yet still a little hopeful and excited I have been about this whole moving to Nashville business. Now, I'm going to tell you about what God's just shown me today.

Time out. Happy Sabbath, everyone! I hope your day was delightful.

Okay, back in action. Today, I had the pleasure of visiting new churches. This morning I went with my family and Zack & Kristen (who are amazing and I'm so sad that they're gone) to West End Community Church and heard a great sermon with some rock concert music. But tonight! I went to City Church and it. was. amazing. I went all by myself so I was a little nervous but the second I got there they were so welcoming and nice! A girl took me under her wing immediately and invited me to sit with her! How classy! I was even asked to dinner with some folks. People are kind here and I like it.

The best part of the day was the sermon from the assistant pastor Tom Darnell. Wowzers. There are no words to describe how enthralled I was. You know when you're really nervous and down about something and then you hear a sermon that you directly identify with? That's what happened tonight. I love how God soothes my doubts and calms my fears so entirely and clearly. Here's what he preached about:


[6] And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. [7] And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. [8] So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. [9] And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” [10] And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
(Acts 16:6-10 ESV)



Okay, but really? I read that and thought, "Hmm... what in the world is He going to say through this? This seems a little bit like gobbledy-gook to me. I don't see this going anywhere specific." Boy, was I wrong.


So, Paul and Timothy set off, thinking they're doing God's will in the direction they're headed. But then God's like, "Woah, hold up now guys, the direction of your travels was right for a little bit, now I want you to go this way." So off they go towards a different town and once again they're stopped and God turns them to another completely different direction towards Macedonia! (Fun fact, Macedonia is now present day Europe so God was sending them to be the first to proclaim the Gospel in Europe. Cool, huh?) Why'd God do that? No idea. But He's sovereign. The cool part about this passage that I identified with a little is the attitude of Paul and Timothy. I know it doesn't say right there, but I can imagine what they were thinking. They may have been a little confused and frustrated, but they were tenderhearted towards God's will and followed Him. They trusted in His sovereignty. Do you see how this applies to me? God has uniquely directed my path for the advancement of His kingdom. He is divinely leading me.


More and more I'm learning that to be in the body of Christ is to proclaim His gospel in every situation in every place. I'm suddenly reminded of one of my favorite passages of scripture that I shall share with you.

[9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
(1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV)

I'll close with a bit from a song we sang at the end of the service:
"God's compassion is my story
It is my boasting all the day
Mercy free and never failing
Moves my will, directs my way."




boom. roasted.


Have a great rest of the day, friends!