I'm Full.

           Let me first start out by saying this, God is so faithful, so merciful, so loving. He's been blessing me insurmountably. I keep feeling His presence and his guidance. This year, I have resolved to start memorizing and meditating on God's word more. One of the first verses I memorized was Lamentations 3:22-23. The beginning of Lamentations 3 starts with, you guessed it, a lamentation and a cry unto God. Jeremiah is crying on behalf of the forsaken Israel; it is lost and captive to its enemies. Yet in verse 22, he changes his tone, he states,

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercy never ceases. 

Great is His faithfulness. His mercies begin afresh each morning."

         
           Although I am not in Israel's situation, quite the opposite really, these words still ring true for me. God is faithful, God is merciful, but not just in the good, in the bad as well. So, although I enjoy this season of blessing I understand that when life does happen and the bad does come, He still and will always be faithful. But right now, I'm full. I'm brimming over with His joy and overwhelmed by His presence. So what's making me so full right now?
1. I've been drawing so much closer to Christ and have a growing desire to continue and seek Him. The book I'm going through right now, 1 John , is packed full with so many great truths.
2. I'm a finalist for both the competitive scholarships I applied for at Covenant College, which means I get to attend their scholarship weekend (live on campus, visit classes and attend interviews to compete for the scholarships at their school).
3. I leave for my Bahamas mission trip tomorrow! I'm a student leader with a team of over 60 eighth graders, which is very scary, but also very exciting, please pray for me and the kids on my team.
4. My sister's still home from college and we've been making some great memories together - canoeing in the lake behind our house, taking bike rides together, watching movies, reading Jane Austen's novel aloud in my room late at night, and so much more...

Elska Mig Eindregið

Komið til mín ástin mín. 
Dansaðu við mig í rigningunni. 
Umhirða fyrir mig mjög. 
Kyssa mig djúpt. 
En mest af öllu, elska mig eindregið.

My Sonnet - Thy Love

Love is not itself if it is not won,

If it is not grasped for and sought after,

Love is a journey not a condition.

It is a lifelong exultant laughter.

Love cries like sailors’ constant petitions,

To join their ship that salvages the heart,

From absorbing waters of division

That form maelstroms to tear true love apart.

So where is thine own love, thy man of bronze?

Where is He to win thy heart and thy hand?

Does he sit in a boat on a lake of swans?

Does he wait by water on calescent sand?

Or has he already lowly been seen,

Born amongst hay and dying on a tree?

Our Groom.

I read this article on one of my favorite blogs, please read it and click on the link below. Its absolutely amazing. Enjoy!

The Proposal

Dear Diary,

              I realize this is an awfully childish thing to do. To write in a diary... especially an online one, but despite that, for the sake all things girly and child-like here I go. Once again I'll say it:
Dear Diary,
               I wish that boys would grow up into men. They're all too young now. I'm impatient about them, I know, but still, can't they mature sooner? However, in the midst of this, what if there is one mature enough to suit me? What do I do about it? What if there is one I find that I like? What then? And what if he's the type that's "untouchable, like a distant diamond sky" you know, the Taylor Swift song kind? What if he's someone no one would even would think I thought of? What if he's prideful and unreachable, but wonderful all in the same? What if He's like Mr. Darcy, a complete opposite to me, the Elizabeth?  In the midst of all their pride and prejudice their relationship still worked, and marvelously so. But I guess that's just a book, an exception to love, not a rule for it. But what if... what if? I know it could never happen... I'm still not even sure about it, how could he ever be? Besides I'm leaving soon. Oh well, a guess a far fetched dream. Still, a dream nonetheless.

Someone to Watch Over Me.

Looking everywhere, haven't found him yet

He's the big affair I cannot forget

Only man I ever think of with regret

Sonet CXI.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark 

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks 

Within his bending sickle's compass come: 

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, 

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

   If this be error and upon me proved,

   I never writ, nor no man ever loved." 

~William Shakespeare

My Heart Sings

             I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, I've been at my church's summer camp for the past 5 days. And in my entire life, nothing has ever come close to what I felt while there. It was 5 days of spiritual refreshment. I have never been full of such joy. I was accepted for who I was. I was needed. I realized who I was, not simply as an individual, but as a child of Christ.
             In the past 5 days I changed. I used to recognize myself as dreamer and utter romantic and truly, that is who am... but that is not the only thing that defines me. At camp I realized my definition does not simply come from the way I feel when I read romance novels, no... my definition is in Christ alone. During our first worship time at camp God revealed 3 small statements to me, but all with huge implications. He said to me, " You are treasured. You are loved. You... are Mine." And the effect that this had on me was astounding. Sure, being a hopeless romantic who views the world carelessly is good, but what if God views me as something even greater. What if what I have in my store for myself is good, but what God has is earth-shattering? What if I settle for the good when he has great for me? 
             With the knowledge of God's huge plans for me, my heart began to sing. I was not only needed, I was desperately needed in the huge scheme of all history. God has a place for me in this earth. How do I attain it? I surrender my will and grasp for His. I become audacious for Him. I become like Moses who spoke on behalf of Israel for their exile from Egypt. I be bold like Joshua who led the Israelites into God's promise land. I surrender like Ruth who followed in God's will and put herself into the bloodline of Christ. I walk like Esther who walked before a king assuming her death in order to save the Jews. I live like Jesus... the boldest of them all.

Summer Sighing.

Je voudrais qu'il me demandez pas de danser.

Summer Love List (guest post)

I have a special surprise for all of you! Here is a guest post from Ann (author of the blog http://livinnlovinn.blogspot.com/) Hope you all enjoy! And thanks very much to Ann!

As school begins to let out, we are finally able to take in the wonderfulness that is summer: warm sunshine, no dreaded homework lingering to be done, and freedom to spend days however we wish.

But with so much extra time, I often find myself bored and unproductive. It is so easy to waste time.

One of my teachers mentioned the phrase, "love God and love others." It's such a simple little phrase, but rings so much truth. With this in mind, I've made this summer "love" list. It's all about loving God, loving others, and being intentional.

I hope that God may be glorified through our thoughts and actions this summer. May He remain our first love and may a love for others out pour from the love we have in Him.

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:10-12

Absence Makes the ❤ Grow Fonder...

         
           Many have said, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." I now know this is true. My sister is gone for the month serving the Lord in a foreign country. Although I'm so glad she's out serving God with all her heart, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss her.
          Throughout my life, my sister and I have been absolutely inseparable. We do everything together. We go shopping, watch movies, get our nails done, go canoeing, basically anything and everything we do is always together. There are times during the week when she comes into my room and we both do homework. Not talking but simply enjoying each other's presence. I miss her. We're best friends, I love her more than any other person in this world. So, its really different that she's gone.
           In her absence I guess you could say my heart has grown more fond of her. Suddenly I appreciate her more. I realize where all my time goes. I finish homework sooner and go to  bed early because I have nothing to do. I now fully grasp why God didn't make me an only child. He knew before the beginning of time that I'd need an older sister to balance me out and keep my strong in my faith. My sister is one of the best gifts He he has ever given me. I will truly love her all the way until the ends of the ages and into all eternity.

My Heart is Overwhelmed

Lord. When I feel like giving up. Your love awakens my soul and refreshes my spirit.
                                                                                                           O how my heart is overwhelmed.

Be mine?

Its that day. Valentine’s Day. The day of corny love letters, heart-felt poems, arranged flowers, and bitter singles.  Yes, another single year for me. And although I’d like to say I’m completely happy handing out my heart shaped candy boxes to my girlfriends, there’s always something inside me that hopes for the valentine’s day I can celebrate with the one I love.

Sure, it may be many years from now, but still I do dream of the day when I’ll receive a bouquet of daisies and a hand-made card. The day I’ll have a valentine. The day I’ll have someone to love. The day I’ll be able to prepare something cheesy and sweet for my man. That day may be far away. So until then Jesus is my valentine. He’s mine and I am His. Today, I’ll fall in love with Jesus.

Picture Perfect?

What will it feel like when we're together?
          How will we show our love towards one another?
                    Will he be handsome and strong?
                              When we share that first kiss, will it be pure and innocent?
                                        Will I be a better person because of him?
                                                  When will he step into my life?
                                                            Will he hold me in his arms?
                                                                      Will the wedding be sparkling?
                                                                               How will he draw me closer to God?
                                                                                      Will he make me feel special?
                                                                                               Will he twirl me around the dance floor?
                                                                                                        How will I draw him closer to God?
                                                       
          Will it be... picture perfect?

Can you breath?

                   Some scenes seem to be right out of an storybook. They take your breath away. This is one of them. The sparkling water. The small Italian town. Boats floating out in the azure water. Cliffs, sunshine, rolling hills... beauty. Some days I dream myself into a beautiful place somewhere far away. Nothing's wrong there, only beauty and love exist. Adventure is around every turn. The sun does not always shine, yet when it does rain, there's always a rainbow out. Nights are filled with auroras, and the sunrises and sunsets there are beyond anything you've ever seen. Slight breezes are off the bay and the smell of jasmine always fills the air. In the evenings crickets sing sweet symphonies. In the mornings birds chirp soothing songs and awake the sleepy town with their beautiful melodies. And of course, what would a beautiful town be without those you love in it?
                    In this town there's my family, and friends, and loved ones. And of course, what's a dream without the love of your life? I haven't found mine yet. Yet here, he waits for me. I can't see his face, I only can feel his strength and love. Then I realize, its not his love and strength that calms me as I wait for him, yet its the Lord's love. He romances me with His endearment while I wait for the one that will one day come and sweep me off my feet. But even though, this place is what many may call a "happy place" and does not exist, the love and strength that I dream of, does also exist in reality. God sends it to me each and every day. 


Dreams don't always come true, let's be real, yet God's love is better than any dream... and its a reality.