amazing

This week at school is Spirit Explosion week and my goodness has the Spirit ever exploded! Lives have been changed, hearts broken for Christ, hands lifted high, a beautiful melody of voices has been lifted up to the King of all Kings this week. Tuesday is a day I will never forget. The speaker spoke on the story of Jesus and the disciples in the boat on the lake. The disciples doubted Jesus but when they trusted in Him, their nets were filled over and over again. The speaker talked of how the same can happen to us if we only trust in God and allow Him to fill our lives just as He filled his disciple's nets. The speaker then said three words, he said "I dare you". He said "I dare you that if you feel something in your heart right now that you have never felt before, I dare you to stand up". The speaker looked around and dared us all again and in this beautiful moment, people started to stand. One of the people who stood was someone who I had been praying for. This guy stood up and his girlfriend who was sitting next to me started to sob in happiness. The people who had stood came forward and this guy hit his knees in prayer. What kind of being can break hearts like this? Today, I looked around me during worship and I saw the faces of all of my classmates and friends turned towards heaven singing and praising God with their whole hearts. The tough football player who has always been too tough to worship. The boy who just didn't care. The girl who for the first time focused her whole attention on Christ. Another boy who stood on the front row the day after giving his life to Christ and just sang for the new life he had found. The special special friend who stood to my left and wept for the miracles God has done this week. The boy who stood behind me and sang so loudly and with so much passion that it made me sing louder and louder in an effort to match his joy. I love these people. I love these guys and these girls. My heart feels as if it could burst from the thankfulness and awe that fills me right now. This week, I have danced with these people, sang with them, prayed with them and for them. I've cried for them and I have found an amazing love for them. I have also rediscovered God's love for me. As I cried for my friend who gave his life to Christ, I realized that these tears were as much for my heart as they were for my friend's. I have been calling myself a Christian but I confess that nobody would have known by the way I have been living my life this year. God broke my heart right along with many other's this week. I've felt God's love in the most amazing way and through this, He has shown me how much love I can have for my friends. I'm thankful beyond words.  I'm proud beyond measure of these people who have fought so much to just sing to God this week. I love them more than I could ever say. Most of all, I love my Lord, my Savior, the Breaker and Redeemer of hearts, the Love of My Life, Jesus more than I can ever say. This week has been flawless and beautiful, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

discontent

Lately I have found myself wishing for the future. Wishing for a day of adventure, a day out of the norm. A day where I feel refreshed and excited and inspired. I suspect most high school seniors feel this way. I'm approaching a cross roads in my life and in some ways I wish it were miles down the road but in others, it can't come soon enough.

 I find myself savoring and mourning the small things in my life and wishing away the bigger aspects. I'm holding tight to the car rides with the windows down and the music up. The late night talks with my precious mama. Talking sports with my brother, kissing my dogs and stroking their soft ears. Making smoothies and eating late night ice cream. Feeling the breath of my horse on my neck and feeling like I could fly when I ride him. I'm also holding onto people. I have a hard time opening up but the people who see the real me are people whom I love and treasure dearly. Three very special people in my life will not be right across town in just a few months. My family will be miles away.

These changes scare me but when I look at the road ahead, I feel excitement and adventure, but today I feel restless and discontent. I need to breathe... wishing for the future only destroys the present.

today

Sleeping late

Warm weather

Worshiping at church

Lunch with the family

Music up, windows down

Hours on horseback

Spending time with a special four legged girl

Daydreaming

Personal iPod jam session

Talking to my mama

Looking forward to Downton Abbey

This is my day... perfect in every way.

(All pictures except horse are from Pinterest) 

quiet

I have never been one of those people who would conquer a crowd or take over a party. I like my time alone and I am definitely not someone who craves attention or needs a bustling social life. I enjoy being with my close friends but I have not the slightest problem with being by myself on a Friday evening. I guess I've always been this way... the quiet has always been more inviting than the noise. I haven't ever been bothered by this fact up until this past year. People tend to reject someone who is fine on their own. Teenagers operate in groups and if you don't "need" a group to function, then you must be uncool and shy.

It is definitely tough to have people tell you that you are "too quiet" or assume that something must be wrong with you just because you opted out of going to the basketball game on Friday night. But guess what! It really is okay! I am learning each and every day that being myself is so much more rewarding than trying to be someone I'm not just to please a few fleeting acquaintances. I'm here to please Jesus and bring him glory. Despite what others say, I think I can do that by just being me.

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Colton Dixon has a song called Noise and it is so true! Go take a listen if you have a moment. Hope this encourages some of you to be who YOU  are regardless of what others say! God will always give you the strength you need to make it through each day and the grace you need to handle each situation.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him." ~ Exodus 15:2

hello, nice to meet you...

There is something about writing, something exciting and freeing and creative. I've missed it. Every time I have a break in the daily race of school and activities, I think "oh, I'll go and do some writing". I never do, or at least I haven't in a while. That all changes today.

Should I tell you a bit about myself? I think that is generally what you do when you meet someone new. We'll... I'm Erin. A self proclaimed introvert, avid tea drinker, bookworm to the max, hardcore music lover and soon to be highschool graduate heading off to college. I love romance and day dreaming. I can't wait to meet my prince but until that day, I'll make due with the one's in books. I am a Christian who loves my Jesus with all of my heart. I know I don't follow him anywhere near to the way I should and goodness knows that I fall about 878 + times every.single. day. For some beautiful, marvelous reason, He is still here and still with me and still caring for me! Its amazing!

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I want this little niche of the internet to be a place of peace and joy but I also want it to be real! I want to just be me on here. Basically, what you see is what you get! This is me...

I'm excited to meet you! Leave me a comment, I'd love to chat.

Until later... Erin