Here Come Better Days

On Friday, I spend the day with the Robbie Seay Band and experienced them leading worship. I recorded the song below "Better Days." This song is truth. It's a reminder that life is worth living to the fullest. It's a reminder that we'll spend better days in Heaven, and as we wait, we live... fully live. It's a reminder that for me, life is not to be wasted, that people matter, that life is meant to be lived like we're loved. The truth is we are loved, and some people forget that. What would life look like if we remembered we are children of God? What if we remembered that our days really matter, to love the least of these, to choose to make right what is wrong, to recognize that time doesn't heal anything, but forgiveness does.

These are things I'm learning. Slowly. And there's certainly a lot of grace poured out to me through it all.

"Life is hard but it's worth the breathing... here come better days, in a better place."

Keep Your Eyes Open- Summer 2011

It was a great summer. I’d like to give you more info, but I can’t seem to find my angle to write about it all. So, here’s a list of the best of Summer ’11 in category form.

Trips:

-Alleluia: Lutherdale, Mission Trip, Ignite

-Memorial Day weekend trip with friends

-Girls Camp!

-Colorado to visit family

Concerts:

I saw a ridiculous number of bands this summer. Trust me, it’s an embarrassing number of bands, so here’s just a list of my fav’s from this summer:

-Tenth Avenue North: 3 times!!!

-Needtobreathe: 2 times (they began and ended my summer)

-Skillet (3 times)

-Satellites and Sirens

-Family Force 5

-Stryper!!! (YES, I SAID STRYPER)

-Jars of Clay (The Musical)

-Chasen

-Switchfoot

-Abandon

-David Crowder Band

-The Almost (2 times)

Top Memories:

-Watching Jonathan Chu rock out on stage while wearing his daughter’s hospital bracelet (A reminder to me of what is important in life).

-Spending time with my niece and nephew in Colorado.

-Meeting Black Female Baby Jesus/AYhigh mascot/Alice Ann Bynum

-Doing ministry beside the SEAK girls (Steph, Emma, Abbie, and Kat)

-Speaking at girls camp-watching 100 girls soak up being a daughter of the King.

-Hanging with Needtobreathe.

-Experiencing the amazing attitude of my students and leaders on the mission trip. (A serious blessing).

-The “Wobble” on the Mission Trip

-Getting retweeted by Jars of Clay. (I know, silly, but seriously cool too).

-Meeting Stryper.

-Pink hair.

Books/TV/Movies:

-“On Writing” by Stephen King

-Friday Night Lights series finale

-Harry Potter!

Future Planning:

I spent the summer thinking about what’s next in life:

-Planning a new AYhigh curriculum called “The Story.”

-Making plans to got to Africa in 2012.

-Planning to run some sort of race involving lots of “k’s”

-Deciding to find a new man, since Donald Miller is engaged.

-Attend more concerts, of course!

Things I learned:

-When you play the comparison game, you always lose.

-Keep kindness at the forefront of your thoughts, actions, and attitude. (Gal. 5:22-23)

-If you are open to serving God, He will do good things among you.

-“We own the fourth quarter.” -Coach Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

-“Success is not a goal. Success is a byproduct.”

Songs of the Summer:

-“Page 28” by Sleeping at Last

-“100 Years” by Francesca Battestelli

-“Keep Your Eyes Open” by Needtobreathe

-“Where I Belong” by Building 429

-“Ready to Save” by Satellites & Sirens

-Sooner or Later by Mat Kearney

Favorite Pictures:

Girls Camp!

Switchfoot!

My Nephew Kevin

My Girlies on the Mission Trip