Secret Church 2013

I went to secret church 2013 with some friends.  I wish I could post a whole blog out of what I learned.  Instead I have a 200 page booklet filled with bible verses and wisdom from godly men that I can not begin to go through because of the amount of information.  The fact we went through it in 7 hours is incredible.
We serve an incredible God.

This is what we learned:
-The fragility of life and the finality of death
-the intermediate state
-the return of Christ
-the resurrection of the dead
-the final judgement
-the horror of hell
-the ope of heaven
-3 controversial questions in revelation
1- what does the book mean and why do we have it?
2-what is the millennium and when will it happen?
3-what is the tribulation and who will experience it?
-7 critical conclusions from revelation

I don't really want to post about each one because that would simply be too much.  Any questions about it all-just ask.

You give and take away.

This post-spring break week will go down in the books for sure of times to remember-for when God carried us as people, as a music dept., and as a student body.

1) My best friend, Mary Catherine, texted me Saturday night and told me to pray for her family because her brother, Larry was killed in a car accident and the girl was being flown to Memphis for critical care.  I have had quite a few people die in my life, mainly people that are closer to other people in my family; so it's not like this is my first experience of death.  However my heart at that moment shattered into a zillion pieces for my best friend and my north MS family (I go to their house pretty often).  What happened was:  all the boys were mud-riding and long story short he took a curve too fast and hit a light pole.  So I have been talking with MC about as much as we both possibly can-I mean hundreds of people are going to her house, so it's mostly in the morning times or night time before/after everyone is gone.  However when we do talk it's pretty incredible to listen.  I pray when I am confronted with death as close as Larry was to them, that I handle it precisely like she is, all in the name of the Lord.  Listening her to ramble about how the Lord has prepared them for this and how He prepared Larry for this; simply stunning.  Life for them makes so much more sense now.  I would not wish this on anyone, however watching them grow closer in the Lord and together is breath-taking.  I have not stopped praying for the McKibben family, and I know people all around the country are lifting their family up to our Father.

MC and I at Passion 2013! :)  love her to pieces.

2) Monday afternoon-MC had a freak hailstorm.  Like-hailstorm of the century for Mississippi.  Pre-hailstorm.  I am helping a friend pack-up her house onto a moving truck to get her to Tampa.  The weather literally waited until we shut the back to the truck to get black.  So I make it back to campus and am in Aven waiting on my ride with my friend, Christa.  We are outside playing in the INTENSE wind and the leaves that are all around from the weather.  It was beautiful to see God's power at that moment.  Then, out of nowhere the sky let loose.  Hail the size of baseballs (see pic's below) started to fall to the ground towards our city, our heads, and our cars.  So we book inside Aven without getting hit (PRAISE!).  Our ride opted to not drive and so we got into another friends truck and were riding around looking at all the damages when we saw Christa's car; the back window was completely shattered.  Then we saw my car (pic's below).  So Christa and I began to attempt to move our cars in the parking garage-nothing open; so we go back to the comma to clean the glass out of her car.  Craziest.  5 minutes.  Ever.

Easter egg hunt:  MC style

We weren't kidding y'all.

What an awkward angle for hail to hit.

Right where I need to see to drive-what a beautiful view eh?

3) On another note, my choir director, Sarah Beth is having to move to TN this summer.  Now I didn't think I would be this upset-however seeing the pattern of this week-you never know.  She is the only choir director I have ever had and this is my major; so all my choir experience has been based around her direction towards WC.  I have loved spending the past 2 years of my choir experience under her and I could not have chosen a better woman who has SO much passion for us as a group, and about life itself and keeping it real with us (which is just refreshing).  We have laughed together, and cried together.  We have 4 more rehearsals together and then the final concert; I don't think there will be a dry eye by the end.  This group is my life and I would not want it to be any other way.  I am proud to be a WC woman.

Yep...we are girls y'all (plus Robby our acc.)

One of our concerts, I love how professional we all look!

Spring Break 2013

It all started with my driving to Florida with Amanda with 13 of my best friends from high school from band. We had a condo and all just crashed where ever.  So I spent 3 days in Florida going to a karaoke bar, Go-Karts, sleeping, eating at delicious places, playing mafia til 3 in the morning, and spending quality time with my friends from high school we don't get to see often anymore.

going to do Go-Karts!

We rocked at karaoke.

Got home and I practiced piano, got together with Sarah and Rebekah (the last time we saw each other was before Christmas!), went to my old youth group, and got ice cream with my girl, Mandy.

Ice Cream Corner-it was delicious.

The next day was one of my favorite days of spring break!  I woke up, practiced piano and voice in the sanctuary for 2 1/2 hours (it felt awesome!), went to lunch and hung with Lindy and Dae, went shopping with my grandma, went to dinner with some of my family at my sisters house, and ended with a skype date with my BFF from Canada.

the piano at church.  playing it AND getting to sing-priceless.

Caitlin and I skyping!  Great night.

Friday I slept in, skyped Kendall, went to church again, ran errands with the bestie, and had dinner with the dad, and shell, and did a random mission impossible trip with my old friend, Jamie (AKA James), we are going to move to Asia together some day (but really).

Kendall and I skyping!  I love my trip.

Saturday I had birthday cake and dinner with my family on my mom's side.  CAKE!  I forgot how much I loved being with my the whole family on that side.  My siblings and I have such a ball together!

So all in all my spring break was great!  

Here's my heart, Lord.

Safe to say I am not in the relationship with the Lord I planned to be when the Passion 2013 came out yesterday.  So, I feel and am inadequate to ramble about what I am learning because quite frankly sin sucks and builds walls between you and Jesus.  So-instead here is a song that is attempting to speak to me.

"Are you afraid to die, or just afraid to live?"

What can I say-being 21 is awesome!

So-Friday night me and 30 friends went to Applebees to celebrate my turning 21 and being able to drink in America.  The only other time I drank was in Canada-so it was an experience getting to honestly have alcohol for the first time in the States, and do it legally!  I loved getting to hang out with all my friends at one time in once place-with everything from school ceasing that night.  Afterwards I drove around with Becca and Ashleigh car worshiping and going to Wal-Mart.

my table-one of 5 tables-we overtook 1/3 of Applebees!

Saturday I woke up quite tired, so I hung around, made note cards, got 3 boxes of girl scout cookies with Becca, slept more, and then went to olive garden with Becca, Laura, and Wesley.  We were driving around when the idea of New Orleans came up-we all pondered it and decided it was a go!

the Olive Garden group!

So we ran by MC to change into comfy clothes, and off we went.  Screaming Taylor Swift, WICKED, Jesus tunes, with some interludes of embarrassing stories, and past crushes.  After I sucked at Becca's GPS, we got to cafe du monde.  Had some benginets, and got into a power sugar fight!  We walked around to realize there wasn't anywhere to for me to get something to drink (I mean-it's my 21st birthday in NOLA-one is required at this point y'all) so we asked my cousin who lives in NOLA for a good place to go-she gave us The Boot.  So off we went-3 am to a kind-of dance/social club.  Wesley and I meandered our way to the bar, hung for a few minutes, and back to the car we went for the 3 hour drive back to MC.  Wesley drove back while Laura was OUT, and Becca slept for a little while-while Wesley and I jammed to some of his tunes.  We got back at 7 am-and I took a 3 hour 'power nap'.

As you can see-the powder sugar was FLYING-but YUMMY!

After the 'power nap' Michelle and I met up to go skydiving!  So off we went- 2/12 hours south to Lumberton, MS to Gold Coast Sky Diving.  We meet up with my dad and wait our turn for the specific plane for us.   I am quite tired so I don't really care what is going on; Michelle was freaking out obviously.  So we get geared up, and on to the plane we go!  We are 14,500 feet in the air and it hits me I am about to jump.  I still don't really care because it's going to be fun!  So with a lean, and a jump-off towards planet Earth we go.  The feeling was like none other.  I felt like Superwoman honestly.  The FREEZING air rushing past me, and after 66 seconds of falling (Michelle claims she counted it) we pull the parachute, and go into a vertical position.  Around this time it hits me:  I am getting motion sick!  I knew in the end I was going to throw-up.  From this point on I wanted to get on the ground, but still tried to enjoy the view with my spirit while my body was trying to react.  So as soon as I hit the ground, I threw up.  Sucked.  I was pale and feeling awful-but I did it!  The car ride home wasn't pleasant, and I studied for 20 minutes and to bed I went to sleep off the weekend.
*Pictures are coming eventually!!*

I bought a shirt that said, "Are you afraid to die, or afraid to live?"  And I decided that is my life anthem for the positive and negative.   God programmed me to go big, or go home.  I tend to do things without two thoughts because it sounds cool, or because that is just how Jesus and I communicate.  I just like that phrase for everything in life.  It basically is saying "why not?".  Why would you not go to a foreign country for some time, why not jump out of a plane, why not try that weird food, why not get the tattoo you truly want?  Fear of what:  judgement from peers, heights, to not like it, life itself?  Philippians 1:21-For as for me, to Christ I live, and to die is gain. In the end-we all shall die and either go to heaven or hell and I want to get before the Lord and be all used up for HIS glory, not my own.