I can!

Philippians 4:13 KJV)
(13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Last week was a crazy stressful week, highs and lows, but I survived - Praise the Lord. Sometimes life can hit you all at once and its hard to see straight but you have to keep moving forward. Alli and Matt welcomed a new little girl, Hallie Beth, and she is beautiful. I am so happy for their family, she's a healthy pink little answered prayer.:) I found my new apartment and got all the paperwork ready for move in on April 30. It's all happening so fast. It is exciting and scary all at once. I continue to pray for God's open doors and I just want to be in His will, not mine. I think I am. I found a mole last Wednesday and panicked - I sometimes wished we couldn't search everything on the internet - of course it did not look good. I got an appt with my dermatologist (actually not mine, but one in the same practice. Mine was booked until June, Yeah, she's that good) Anyway, got in, had it biopsied and should know the results in a couple of weeks. Can I tell you how freaked out I was? A mild breakdown at the doctor's office to say the least, I am so glad my mom was with me! The dr said it does look at the least precancerous,has some abnormalities but does not think it is melanoma or life-threatning. I am praying for a good report. I thank God in advance for his Healing! But, I wasn't at that place on the ride across the Causeway. My mom just stopped me from all my crazy babble and said "Summer, you trust God for everything else and things unseen, why aren't you trusting God with this?" Ummmmm, I don't know...because I was too busy freaking out. On the way home, I had to stop and take a deep breath and say God I give it to you and have had a peace about it, really no matter the outcome of the biopsy. I know He will not leave me. I have to trust in Him FOR ALL THINGS! I had to go to a wake for a co-worker's mother-in-law. Those are never easy. It was an illness that came on in 3 weeks, just 3 weeks. Everyday is special. I just lift up her entire family. I pray for Peace and comfort to surround them during this time of loss. I went to lunch with Alison this week - it was so good to visit and catch up. We've decided to make it a weekly lunch catch up. I need dear friends back in my life. How I've missed them the past few years. Oh, and I turned 31 this week. Can I say a week of high's and low's??

Praying for Open Doors!

With Love,

Summer

Birthday Week

Well, Today starts my birthday week! Of course, April is my birthday month. I'll be how old and still celebrating my week and month? hahaha How I recall it all starting with birthday weeks, months and even the voiced birthday "quarter" seriously, was the in demand front seat! With us 3, we always wanted to have shotgun and no matter who got there first, it was always overrulled for birthdays, birthday week, then the birthday month. Of course, Marc being the baby was the best at it, and always seemed to have a long birthday month. :)

What a journey the past year has been. Welcome to the 30's! Now as Matt says, I'm thirty - something. Just for the record, from now till Friday I am still just 30!:) It has actually been a very growing year, and seriously 29 was way worse than 30. I've laughed, cried, and oh learned so much! I am blessed. God has been ever faithful. Praise the Lord. I look forward to 31 and what God has in store for me.

As always praying for Open Doors!

With Love,

Summer

Purpose

Overwhelmed to say the least right now - Overstimulated too - You know when you just have so much on your mind and you can't focus on anything - well my mind is racing right now. Sometimes life just hits you all at once. I just need to quiet my mind and my spirit. I thought maybe blogging and getting some of it out would help. This also might be a very random and long run on sentence too! By the way, I usually write as I would talk, so don't judge or proofread my blogs, I know they aren't correct and I leave out lots of words, because I can't type as fast as I talk. But anyway, had a great service tonight at church. It was the last sermon in the series Heaven. It was awesome, Pastor Steve answered questions that he had received the past couple of weeks about heaven. So fascinating! He had some things that really spoke to me.

Matthew25: 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

So, we are all very aware of the first part of the verse. But the second talks about how if we use what God has given us he will put us in charge of many things. The New Living Translation says
You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities." Okay, so first there is a choice, Heaven or Hell. No other options. But when we get to Heaven, what we have done on Earth will determine our Heavenly reward and position. Ok, so maybe you already knew this, yeah so did I...but it was so loud and clear. See, I've been putting things off. I've heard God's call, but I've been running. actually just standing still, but that is not what God has wanted. I'll get back to that in a minute. Our works don't get us IN to Heaven, but they will determine how we will spend eternity in Heaven. And we will only be judged by our potential. We won't be compared to Mother Teresa or Billy Graham, but how we use what God has given us. Have I been the best Summer God has designed me to be? We are all as Holly Wagner said in our own lane, running toward the finish lane. I am designed to be in my lane, not any one elses. Will I use everything that God has given me to glorify him. So, again - a great sermon, really speaking to me.

So to my next overwhelming thought in my head - My purpose - Right? Small thing, huh. What am I supposed to be doing with my life? Trusting God for open doors? Yes. Praying? Yes Having faith in God for all things, seen and unseen? Well... Obeying Immediately when God speaks to me? Well... See, I know delayed obedience is disobedience. I know that the miraculous always proceeds obedience, so why do I delay? I've been holding back. Fear has caused me to really freeze. You know I've come along way in the past year, right? Can't I just stay here. I mean, I'm so much better than before, right? I'm in a small group and everything, right? Yes, I have come along way, and today I know I still have a long way to go. God has more in store and I just can't stay here. I have to step out in faith. I have to trust God with everything. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen? Amen! I know in the next week God has given me things and trusted me with certain "assignments" that will grow my faith and as a wise one keeps reminding, I am living my testimony.

Next to Easter - I sincerely love this season. It's spring and everything is full of new life and blooms. Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and it amazes me what happened in this week. From a joyful entrance, to a dark Friday, to a glorious Sunday. I have so many good memories of Easters past. I think it is another reason it is my favorite holiday.


Mark 11
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry 1

As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”
4 The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5 As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God![a] Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! Praise God in highest heaven!”

As Palm Sunday was discussed tonight, I flashed back to FBC Bogalusa and the Easter pageant that was put on every year. I remember being so excited to be one of the "children" that ran ahead of "Jesus" proclaiming Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming! Then I got to be one of the, I guess pre-teens, that actually got to carry the palm branches before "Jesus". How cool, right? Looking back, that I learned so much from that production. Bro. Marc did a fabulous job leading, and I still look at Mr Ken and see him hanging on the cross. He was a good Jesus. We would do several performances and I still remember crying at so many of them. The Last supper was another one of my favorite scenes in the performance and I look now tonight as we took communion at what Jesus was preparing us for. He was the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. His blood was for us. How Great is our God?

Ok, I'll have to write some more later on Easter, because I could go on and on, but need to wrap it up. We have 5 showings tomorrow. 5! So I need to finish washing clothes and mopping before I go to bed. As I finish up here and take a deep breath, I do have a sense of calm and peace. I know that God will never leave, even when in my own strength I can go no more, he will carry me on! Praise the Lord!

With Love,

Summer