I wept when I watched a small video clip entitled "cardboard testimonies".  One by one, members of a church came on stage carrying a piece of cardboard. One side said who they were.  The other side said who they ARE in Jesus!  It broadcast the beauty of life! And that miracles still happen. 

 And as they turned the "old" side to the "new" side... the expression on their face changed too.It went from sadness and sorrow as they remembered, to sheer joy and a huge smile as they testified to the grace of God!  Some of them were positively radiant!

 I'm moved because, way to often we focus on the pressures of life.  The things we are worried about crowd out the thoughts of God's faithfulness and greatness. It gets harder and harder to remember what He has done for us. We doubt who he really is. Is He good? Does He hear me when I cry?  Will I always be struggling with the same thing?

So, I bow before him in brokenness, thanking Him for being a great God, and for setting me free. And confessing my doubt.

 Have you been set free?  Do YOU have a cardboard testimony?  Are you remembering His sovereignty, or are you too distracted by the cares of this life to think about His goodness?  Are you worried about something? Commit it to Him.  Are you struggling with something? Ask Him to help you find deliverance.

God never changes. Ever! 

"Who of you by being worried, can add a single hour to his life?"  Matthew 6

     well, just had a super weekend with some friends.... We was chillin over in the "hills" of Virginia.  Had some great times playing Rook, laughing, hiking (well that was great for some ), playing v-ball, staying up late like we were teenagers again.
     oh and we can't forget.... being chased by a huge, ugly, vicious, barking dog at 2:30 in the morning (bad dog!! guess there wasn't any point in sneaking back in  now if you know what i mean), and acorn fights, and sunken mattresses, and the name of the mountain we hiked (and the jokes we made about it), and the 'delightful' temp of the shower (translated- barely warm), and lots of other things that have "potential" to be memories! 
     The sad part is....  I left my camera in the cabin on Saturday.  ops! therefore I have no pictures of all this fun stuff.

    We (Emily, Travis, Derrick, Jared, & I) ended the weekend with a stop in Baltimore to chill with Jen & Judy & Andy & Elaine.  Had a delightful walk around Inner Harbor and then hiked up another 'mountain', oh bother...  but the view was worth it! 



Oh yeah, the boats and the water!


            Check out the moon!!!! 




    Elaine and Judy!




     Hey Girls, look who I found!  







   
        Me and my cuz, Emily

well, that's all for now, keep it real!

    So thats the song I find myself singing tonight. 
    And  it's coming from deep in there.
    Like  the one where you mean every word.
    Know what I mean?

    Life looks big right now.

    School starts tomorrow. Thats one thing that looks big.  I think I have everything ready to go... but I guess we'll see. huh?
    The summer was definitely to short with working Thurs, Fri, and Sat. at market and doing odd jobs and being at home Monday - Wednesday.  And of course there was never enough time to go swimming and such!!!    
     And then you always wonder....  did I do all I could to tell those in my world about Jesus?? Was I witness for Him??  I think about this alot with the people I worked with at market.  It was mostly Amish people, and I really struggled at the beginning of the summer with loving them.  Like.. do I love them enough to tell them about Jesus?  I am soo thankful for the encouragers that I had, Bertha and Mattie, to name a few.  They shared with me their love for these people and they prayed for me...  I know they did.  I felt it....  Cause long about the middle of the summer.....  something was changing for me.....   It was a God thing. It was my own love and desire to care for my coworkers.   And now?  well..... I still don't just get all excited about working an occasional Saturday at market....  but neither do I dread it.  Cause I know...  That  when I align my heart and desires with God's....  Miraculous things CAN and WILL happen. 

    well...  it's not just those two reasons that make life look big...  but to tell you the whole of it would bore you to tears I imagine...  so if you want to know about it.....  call or email or something.....  I'll tell you.. well. maybe!

   and now....  I shall include a few pics of my fun-filled summer....  cause we all know that is what everyone likes....  right????






  Beeeeeeppppppp....... we interrupt this photo uploading session....  because it is time to go to bed.  We will restore the session when the brain behind this whole thing has gotten some sleep.  Sorry for any disappointments this may have caused.