Snacking or Feasting?

So last weekend we went on the back to school retreat with the middle and high school students. It was a blast! There were 121 people total that went. We talked about being "full" and letting the Lord fill us up and make us overflow in the things in our lives. The speaker, Greg Key, gave different illustrations throughout the whole weekend. I am a visual person, so I definitely appreciated it. He had a loaf of bread on a table and talked about God being the Bread of Life. He asked if we were snacking on God or actually sitting down and taking time to feast on God. I mean how often do we get up or right before bed say, "Oh wait, I need to take 10 minutes to spend with God." I don't think we think about sitting down and just spending time with Him without running to our next thing in our busy lives. This hit me really hard, I know that I am guilty of just sitting down quite often and just doing my one little verse, prayer, and whatever else to get up and run. I want to feast on God instead of snacking.

I also began my senior year of college last week. I can't believe it is here! I am excited about this year as a whole. My classes so far have been good. I am trying to pay attention and not get too bored so early in the semester. We had our first Cougars 4 Christ of the semester and it was great. I have missed those sweet friends of mine.

What a break!

Over this break I have had lots of exciting things going on. One of them would be that we had a surprise anniversary dinner party for my grandparents, Poppa and Grammy. It was so wonderful to see all of the people that love my grandparents in Douglasville and family from out of town. It was not just a yearly anniversary, it was their 50th! That is a pretty big milestone in today's world. I have been fortunate to not just have Christian parents that have always taught me to be Christlike and be Christlike in their example as well, but I have been fortunate to have two sets of grandparents that have also. My Grammy and Poppa are very important people to me. They have lived a life full of travel, giving to others, helping others, working in the church, and so much more. I was happy to celebrate their 50th anniversary with them. I couldn't ask for better grandparents. I love them both!

Another wonderful thing that has happened over the past week is Cameron is now working as the middle school youth minister at our church. It was definitely a quick thing, but it has been such a God thing. It has been wonderful to see how God provides. The middle school youth are so full of energy and it has already been so fun to work with them. Sunday night we had a middle school event "One Crazy Night" where parents and their kids were both there. We played silly games, ate pizza, and kids brought their favorite dessert. It was awesome! I am so excited to see how God continues to use Cameron in that ministry.

My sister started her junior year of high school last week. It was funny to see her taking AP language with Royal, which I did. It brought back some wonderful memories of Leigh Anne and I playing sudoku and listening to music in Mrs. Royal's class, while of course paying attention. :) I also had the privilege of going to help with First Priority this morning. It was so awesome to see about 140 high school students worshipping the Lord at 7:45 in the morning!! That is definitely something that is so cool. I have never seen that many high schoolers at First Priority. If you don't know what First Priority is, it is a non-denominational Christian meeting that meets before school where kids come to worship and fellowship with one another. These kids all go to churches all over the county and they come together to worship before they enter the halls of their school. The other cool thing is in high school your mom doesn't make you get up as much anymore and get out the door, many of those kids drove themselves to school and they were there to worship the Lord before school. In one word it was AWESOME!!

I am getting excited about seeing my Cougars for Christ and early childhood friends next week at school. As much as I am not excited about school starting back, I am excited at the same time.. mainly because I am going to graduate so soon. I know after this semester means that I student teach and then I am done... so I guess that makes me excited too!

God is definitely teaching me a lot right now. He is teaching me that He will provide, and I need to remember that. He is teaching me that sometimes he shakes things up to remind me that He is in control and He will take care of me. Thanks to my sweet friend Mandi I remembered that!

This weekend I am going as a chaperone on my church's Back to School Retreat! It is going to be so awesome. We have 123 people signed up to go, that includes about 22 adults I think. Please be praying that God works in the lives of the youth there, that they may get refueled and pumped to go and dive into the rest of the school year.