a new creation

hey guys :)

well, blogs seem to be an important part of my major here lately, especially since i'm taking news writing this semester, so it only seemed fit to actually put up a blog. i'm excited to be able to encourage, learn, teach, and listen to what's going down in the rest of the world.. as messed up as it is.

while i attempted to figure this mess out, for about the one hundredth time, there were a few people running through my mind. specifically, some people who are making major decisions in their life. while making the decision for a college or the major that God led me to, i could only think of the one decision that changed my life completely (that and i read Miss Haley White's blog before i started working on mine.. Happy 2nd RE-BiRTH, Ma'am.) so, here's a little info on what you don't know about me.

i grew up in a Christian home with the most amazing family in the world. i'm not gonna lie, we're not normal in any sense, but it was definitely apparent that we weren't crazy :) i went to church every Sunday, AWANA every Wednesday, and all the crazy kid trips & church camps possible. needless to say, i knew who Jesus was. around the second grade, all these kids were "getting saved" and i didn't understand. all i was told was that if you prayed this prayer & were a good kid, you'd get to be in heaven one day. it wasn't really until the year before 9th grade where i got it.

Siloam Springs Church Camp, the best place in the entire universe, is where i surrendered my life to Christ. Elliott Andrews and a bunch of guys with him were leading worship & he said something that kinda struck me. "you being saved doesn't mean that you pray some prayer & life is peachy. loving Christ is a full time thing. i hope you guys understand that." i kept thinking about that all through service. i, honestly, had no idea what the speaker said. i just know that my heart was broken. i didn't love Jesus. i knew the exterior of Him. i knew He loved me, but i didn't understand that sacrifice. later, after talking to some amazing people, Jesus had my heart.

& Elliott wasn't lying, friends. loving Christ is a full time thing. being a Christian is more than just saying "hey! i love Jesus. you should too," and thinking that everything you do and say is great. you have to strive to live for Him. there's a change. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17) it's a heart change, not just a outer appearance change. 

if ever you need encouragement or hope, look toward Christ. if you don't know how to do that, i'd love to be there for you & help out. it's a continuous blessing to help out other brothers & sisters. 

until next time.. because we all are a [work.in.progress] 
love&prayers :)