I will bring praise.

Hello :) I really love blogging... as if it isn't already evident, it serves as a great release for me. I am excited to go to my favorite place tomorrow and have been anxiously awaiting it all week! Before I go, I just wanted to leave an update as to where I'm at.



1. I have found my new favorite way to spend Thursday nights! It's at Sun Valley and it starts at 7. I've officially joined the prayer team at Sun Valley and look forward to praying alongside dear church family every week. Um, prayer is kind of my favorite.

2. I start school in a month! Freak out (only not really). I'm so looking forward to getting back into a regular routine and I am especially excited to see my second (school) family!



3. I feel old. I scored a job this summer as a Nurse Extern at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and I LOVE IT! I have a wonderful preceptor, work alongside awesome staff, and get to care for moms and play with babies all day. It's wonderful. On Wednesday, I taught a woman how to breastfeed her new baby and found that to be quite ironic! Here I am, 19, never even been in a relationship - let alone had a baby, and I'm teaching HER how to breastfeed :) It was comical, but after a few mins, the baby was feeding like a champ!

4. I don't know how I'm going to pay for school. This could *potentially* be a stressor, but I'm in faith that God will provide. Maybe through student loans? Maybe through other means? I'm not really sure yet, but I've been doing my homework and will need to make a decision before August 10th!




5. I swam a half mile today without stopping! This was a monumental occasion for me and made me smile! My goggles were full of water for the last 3 laps and I ended up swimming the last 1.5 laps with my eyes closed, but I didn't stop! Woo hoo. Then Kevin came into the pool area (he was lifting weights) and teased me about my kick off of the walls. He said that I looked silly, and I'm pretty sure he's right! I've never taken swim lessons before, so everything I've learned (which isn't much) has been from watching other people swim at the pool! haha that's our little secret, mmk?

6. I just love people.


(Partners in crime much? I think so... watch out log, here we come!)

7. I don't think that I suffer enough in life. Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him... and as of late, I'm feeling like I don't have anything to carry! The last thing I want is to live a complacent life, so I've began to pray for suffering. Yes, that's a loaded prayer, but I'm starting to think that living a comfortable-American-dream-life isn't really Christ like. He didn't settle for financial security, acclimation of possessions or high societal status. In fact, He was quite the opposite... he was poor and died naked after society had voted for His demise. I want to be desperate. I want to find Jesus in desperation. Join me in this prayer?

8. This is my prayer in the fire, in weakness or trial or pain. There is a faith proved of more worth than gold, so refine me Lord through the flame: I will bring praise, I will bring praise, no weapon formed against me shall remain. I will rejoice, I will declare, God is my victory and He is here. This is my prayer in the harvest, when favor and providence flow. I know I'm filled to be emptied again, the seed I've received I will sow.