The Sun Is Closer

It's one HOT summer! Man it's been a scorcher here in Tennessee... and it probably doesn't help that my car AC doesn't really work. It's become a rather usual occurrence to arrive places drenched in sweat, which makes me all the more thankful for cool places when I find them.
I have had a great time with nannying the two little ones that I get to watch everyday. We have been to the park, library, and adventuring around a bit, but mainly the highlight of most days is sprinkler time and PBJ's, crustless, cut in triangles... yes you heard me correctly. It's fun playing mom and carrying my mom tote around with snacks, diapers, wipes, water, sunscreen, you name it, I hopefully have it. Everyday becomes a learning experience for a future involving kiddos.
I have had the great chance to go to my home church New Song, as well as the other services in town that fill me up so! I'm in a college group being led to help us advance in the word, and I'm learning so much. My time reading the Word of God and better studying and understanding it has gone to a whole new level these past summer weeks.
I met a new friend at the coffee shop who is in town interning with the Christian radio station this summer. She needed a friend and some church advice, so I showed her the ropes, and it has been a blast getting to know her better. God really knows my heart, and knows that I need new people and new relationships to cultivate all the time, and is faithful to bring them about.
I am learning all about worship in a new way. We as humans were created to worship, but what/who we choose to worship is up to us. Everything I do is praising something... So in every action in my life what does that look like. The Lord really highlighted volleyball as a big area I need to reevaluate. I have been kind of dreading it, and discouraged about the team and the season ahead, and the Lord simply said, "volleyball is a way to worship me". And that's all it took. All of a sudden I'm seeing that I need to be fighting in prayer for my coach and teammates everyday. They are my mission field, they are my peers, the soldiers fighting by me. And I was called to be a leader there, and need to step up in an attitude change. I get to worship God by keeping my body healthy, by being a good competitor, and by serving my program well. I want to leave a legacy at Central that will stand firm in playing for God's glory, for real. My mind and heart are constantly being renewed by the word of God, and I never want to go back.
In other news, I'm getting my hair chopped off tomorrow, and am both apprehensive and thrilled at the same time. I need a change. And I need to not get slapped in the face overtime I jump at the net... Yes!
I'm very excited now to head back to Kansas not just for volleyball, but in helping lead worship and youth at the Free Methodist Church. I have been praying for the ministry and each student and am just burdened to see them know Christ. To experience His love, power, and everything that comes with knowing Him. :) makes my heart happy to know I can aid in that process.
May God move through me in whatever way He wishes, and may I be so obedient and receptive to His voice.

Sophomore Wrap Up

Welp, my last post was at the beginning of the school year, and of course I'm now wrapping it up. Kinda tells you how busy things were huh?

I was blessed to meet so many new friends and faculty that treated me like family. I was blessed to get a job cleaning on campus and a job as an RA for the second semester, which was a bit trying, but still an answer to prayers. McPherson feels like a new home now. I know where to eat in town, I know how to get to the local hangs, I know people, it's kind of an in-between though of which home is real?

I'm very excited to be loading up the truck and headed back to Nashville though. I have a nannying job lined up and a lot of crafting and cooking ideas that I can't wait to begin! I'll try to maintain some pictures along the way! I met Peter, who has been such a sweet friend to me. I accepted an internship at the Free Methodist Church in town for youth ministry and worship. I so enjoy getting so many worship leading opportunities, it's probably been the highlight of my time here.

CCC

Preseason has begun and man has it been fun. A week in Nashville with the team showing them my hometown was a blast. Then the 12 hour trip back again to McPherson Kansas was a little less fun. Towards the end of my time in Nashville I was experiencing terrible pain in my knee and with many coaches and physically educated people around they informed me it was simply a very tight IT band (muscle that attaches knee to outer hip). So basically I wasn't practicing like normal anymore. I spend long hours with the trainer icing, heating, rolling, stretching, and strengthening that muscle because I haven't been able to do much else. By today about a week in I am up and playing with the team again doing a few modified exercises, but getting back in there and working towards being ready to play in our opener! Through this process though I have gotten to spend lots of time with the trainer and learn all about her which has been an awesome opportunity.
     Now my coach, let me just gush at how wonderful she is...besides getting me here in the first place.
-She got me a meeting with the music head at the school and I got to play and sing and talk to him, which led to him offering me a scholarship for music, which is what I wanted to do in the first place.
-Having to choose scholarships my coach talked to financial aid and worked it out where if I do music it will be the same amount as the other one would have been, which I really didn't want to be softball manager..
-She is trying to hook me up with the job I want on campus in the MudHole (coffee shop)
- I was having problems eating the fried food in the cafeteria, so in order to get me better she told her assistant to go to the store and get me some fresh food. Then offered to have me over for dinner once a week to help them eat healthier. Which I told her I would love to cook for them
- She also is going to talk to the pastor about giving me a limited meal plan, since I don't plan on eating most in the cafe anyhow. This also means I will be over scholarshiped and get some money back to use for groceries!
- She keeps assuring me I'm doing fine, and that she wants me better for when it really matters. She let's me know my spot is still secure though I am not 100%

So basically Central so far has been such a gift. At least two or three girls on my team are really in love with The Lord and I have connected with them. I have also got to have worship jam sessions with another gal and our voices together are like butta'. I finally hung pictures up in my room and organized most of my stuff, but I'm still waiting for my roommate to get here. Eating well now.

Gold Metal Mentor

I have the best mentor out there..

No contest really. Bethany Melton has walked with me through youth group and all it's juvenile issues, GBC, boys, divorce, thick and thin, and she is still alive and well with me today.
She does such a good job remembering to meet with me and asks the best questions. Today after meeting with her (and getting my hair trimmed, and babysitting) she has answered another one of my prayers and offered to plan and host my going away party! How cool is that?! The stress is lifted and she is the most qualified person I know to do this anyway! God is good to have blessed me with such a woman in my life.

Thanks Bethany.

Yellow Brick Road

God is so stinking good! Well I understand I haven't updated this post in a while so here, in a nutshell, is what God has done in the last month.

I was working a college clinic at ClubWest. What that means is a college coach comes in runs drills and teaches all sorts of stuff, and I was there just to help toss balls, encourage and run things. Well it was the last day of college clinics and this really sweet coach just started chatting with me, told me that one director of my club mentioned to her to recruit me for her school.

So after much chatting, she offered me a scholarship to come play volleyball at Central Christian College of Kansas! I was blown away at this offer and the way the Lord knew my unspoken prayers and the desires of my heart. After some prayer and talking it over with my fam, I decided to take the offer! The coach has worked with me to stack scholarships to help me go on almost a full ride. So with academic, athletic, and federal aid, I'm 900$ shy of a full ride of 29,900$. Which is simply incredible.

For volleyball in college this is pretty much unheard of. I haven't played in two years. I am not in volleyball shape. She would like me to play my old position of Middle Blocker (jumping the entire game) as well as play six rotations (all the way around, not exiting the game) So this volleyball in itself opportunity was so the hand of God.

Bonus is that this is a small Christian College. About 330 students. They offer majors I am actually interested in, like ministry majors. I'm currently interested in pursuing Worship Arts, focus in Worship Leading. That's what I want to do!

So, I can't wait for all this new stuff that is happening! All the doors being opened are far superior to the ones being closed. God has been so incredibly good in so many was even little things:

-Not providing a car right away, so I could use that money to invest in a new laptop for college.
-Working at a club where the director gave me a free pair of spandex and shoes for my new season.
-The coaching job I was pursuing didn't really work out quick enough.
-I was able to get extra coaching time in to aid my savings account.

Praise The Lord!!

BK take LBK

I just arrived back home from a ten day trip to Lubbock, Texas. And man was everything bigger! I went with Bre to her hometown and had a total blast meeting her family and friends. We did things the Lubbock way, which basically means we ate a ton of delicious food, because that is all there is to do there. Nah, just kidding, but not cause we ate so much good food, and yes of course I took pictures of all of it!

We embarked towards Dallas at 7 am on a Friday morning in a red Ford F150 with no working air conditioner, a cooler of sandwiches and snacks, and the LBK playlist ready to blast. I would say overall we played alot of:

1. Rascall Flatts

2. Multiplied

3. Vertical Church Band

4. I-G-G-Y

5. Frozen

6. Coldplay

7. T-Swift

8. Justin Bieber

9. Katy Perry

10.Play it Again

We also listened to a couple sermons, and tried to read a book aloud, but that didn't work super well with having to have the windows rolled down most of the way there.

The original plan was to stay the night in Dallas with one of Bre's brothers and family, but we just had the traveling vibe and wanted to get there fast, so we drove all the way through and arrived in Lubbock around 12 am. So it was a wonderful 17ish hours!

The whole Tardy family was so sweet to me. To highlight just some of the fun things we did:

1. The Reborn- life as it was meant to be- dance recital, which was so beautiful everyone was in tears as these dancers shared the Gospel through dance

2. Eating at Rosa's, Raising Cane's, Bahama Bucks, Sheridan's, Triple J's, The Arrogant Texan, Torchy's Tacos, Keva Juice, Whataburger, Buns over Texas, Macey's Home, Tardy Home, Eddies BBQ, Hopdoddy, and I'm sure I missed some in there

3. Driving the truck out in a cotton field with pillows, blankets, and a bunch of wonderful girls to watch the sun set and the stars come out.

4. Celebrating Sydney's 20th Birthday with The Fault in Our Stars, Olive Garden, and Hot Tubbin

5. Smores

6. Running with the kids to get a half gallon of Death by Chocolate ice cream and downing it with a few spoons.

7. Going to the pool

8. Shooting with all the girls

9. House sitting with Bre's friends, swimming in the pool, gourmet grilled cheeses, and The End of the Spear in the Theatre room.

10. Learning to make homeade Biscuits

I know I left a lot out, with all the people I met and all the things I did, but this was just a few. On the way back we stayed in Dallas with another relative and had a great dinner at Hopdoddys and headed back to NashVegas the next day. So I'm gonna add all my foodie stuff to my foodie blog if you are interested ;)

justtryityoumaylikeit.blogspot.com

Some good BBQ

Homemade Biscuits

Car ride to ice cream

Keva Juice! Chai Drink

Everything Bundt Cakes for Syd's Bday

Twice.

Hopdoddy

Syd's Bday

Summer Nights

Beautiful Sunset

The really nice pool

Dying Syd's hair redish

Smores

Salmon pecan salad at Triple J's

Caleb, Bobcat, BoBo

girls

Bahama Bucks

Rosa's real Tex Mex

Car ride to TX

Whataburger serves honey chicken biscuit @ 11pm

Snapchat with the ladies

First timer @ Whataburger aka waterburger

Kristi and Bre shooting

the competition

pool lounging

skeet competition champion

lookin good

Torchy's fried avocado

Torchy's

Homemade meal at Macey's

#BKtakeLBK

More Love

I began to sing some very old songs the other day one of which was:

Lord I want more of you
Living Water rain down on me
Lord I need more of you
Living Breath of Life come fill me up
We are hungry, for more of You

As well as a newer:

Set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain that I can't control
I want more of You God, I want more of You God.

And it kinda struck me funny. God is not hiding or withholding any of himself. We can be as close to God and have as much of Him as we choose. When we tell God we want more of Him, I heard the reply, "I want more of YOU". The conviction came that God wants and so desires a relationship with me, my time, my devotion, my love; He never withholds Himself from me. So the free will comes in again and it's my choice. If I want more of God I need to give Him more/all of me.