Hellooooo!

Hey my wonderful girls! (sorry this is long)
I hope you guys are all having great breaks! Congrats, Jess on good grades in Nutrition! woooh!

I just wanted to give you guys an update on what i'm learning in my QT's lately.

"We died to sin: how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:2-4

So I read this, and I was like...huh? I'm dead to sin? really? I died with Christ? what?

Romans 6:6-7 says "Our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."

So basically i'm really pumped about this topic that has been laid in front of me to study. I still don't really have a whole lot of understanding on how I am dead to sin, crucified with Christ, living a NEW life, because I don't feel like i'm dead to sin. I sin all the time, how am I dead to it? So I'm pretty much stumped but it's been really great just trying to search God on this topic. I don't know if I'll ever fully understand this, but it's awesome spending time with Him and trying to learn from his word. Haha.

I'm really trying to accept all of this as truth, and I'm taking a lot of joy in it. Yesterday, I was driving in my car and I got this really big sense of peace about the fact that I WILL NEVER BE PERFECT. No matter how hard I try or how much I beat myself up. It will never happen. Isn't that awesome?
2Corinthians 12:9 says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (I know you love that one linz). That verse has really stuck out to me.

I think that's why though. We don't have to be perfect. That is God's job. When we are weak, his power is the PERFECT remedy. There is nothing better than his grace and love to cover over sins, to cover over weakness.

Also...I was reading a facebook note that this guy on the Isle of Palms wrote, and in it he mentions him and his friends nailing their sins to a cross out in the woods. I shivered...it made me feel uncomfortable. Then for some reason I turned to colossians and read Colossians 2:14
"He took it (our sinful nature) away, nailing it to the cross." Again I felt really uncomfortable. Then I started wondering why that was so uncomfortable for me...

Satan is using my pride to make freedom from sin a really hard thing for me to want to acheive, which is why i really think we need to do it with small group. I don't really want to look at all my sin hanging on a cross and have to face them, but we can build a cross and nail our sins to it. I think it would be really awesome and freeing. What do you think?

sorry this is soooo long and random. Had a lot to share. :D I LOVE YOU GUYS!

study, study, study....

Hello my beautifuls! I'm soo sorry i have been mia for the past few weeks! The end of the semester is just catching up with me... plus this new boy is stealing all of my free time! ;) I miss ya'll and we MUST do something this week! My only exam is on Wed. so any time after that I would love do do something... i know everyone is busy but maybe we could do a lunch study break or something! I hope everyone is doing fantastic and making good grades! I LOVE YA'LL! xoxo

p.s. i thought i'd share these pics so ya'll could see how cute he is! haha i'm corny i know...

Hi friends!! Tonight is gonna be a GREAT night because it's shopping night for AUSTIN!! Y'all this lil' tike is the CUTEST kid ever and he is really excited about meeting all of us. When we went to lunch with him last week, I have never seen a kid so excited about his "Clemson buddies." Sooo we got some awesome ideas for gifts for him that he really wants. It will be really fun tonight!!! Meet at my house at 8 if you have time; I know it's crazy time for everyone. We will shop fast, so it should only take an hour! See ya then!!

Love y'all,
britt

Just a quote that hit me today...

"Be kinder than necessary for everyone is fighting some kind of battle."

Hey ladies! I just talked to Lindsey and she said ya'll may be interested in helping me do my hair for formal next Thursday! I would LOVE to have ya over to hang out and get me ready! Just let me know if u want to!

Also, I just wanted to tell you all how much you mean to me. I feel like I was drowning and ya'll gave me a breath of fresh air. I'm still just treading water, but at least I have hope and support and goals again! I will be praying for ya'll this weekend and I would love your prayers for patience, persistance, and passion!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

that's all... :D

re: hey

haha ok sweet...and jess seconded that in an e-mail. um...I was thinking either like Monday- wednesday or wednesday-friday or something. I know that at least three out of the five of us have an 8am on Tuesdays and thursdays, so those days might make getting to school a little more tricky, but it would still be possible if those work better. Whatever!
em

FREAKIN AWESOME IDEA

Em, I am sooooooo down with this! I am really happy that you stepped up and threw this out there. I have been wanting to get together more as well but I am afraid to ask because we are all so busy. I am down for any morning. What works best for all of y'all? Or a night time would work for me too, but I know that I am not as busy as most of you at night. YAY!! I really want to do this. And I agree with you Em that the last thing that we want is for our time together to end with rushing and feeling like we left ends open. Alright, so what works?

RE: HEY!

Ok so I'm just going to say it... Once a week is just not enough for me! I feel like every time we have small group we're just really rushed and never have enough time to talk, and that's not cool! I think it breeds a little bit of frustration and leaves us without a community that is really lifting us up. That's exactly what the enemy wants. Do you guys think we could start doing two mornings a week? I know everyone is busy at night, but if yall think getting together a night a week and a morning a week would work better, I would be up for that too. I have heard you guys say (and I agree) that we never seem to have enough time only meeting once, and we definitely should not be left feeling rushed or unfulfilled after our times of fellowship. Anywho...let me know what you think about this. If it's too much, that's ok i just thought I'd throw it out there. I LOVE YOU GIRLS!
em

Hey...remind me to talk to y'all about this...

ENCOURAGERS ANONYMOUS. It's right up our alley. All we have to do is write encouraging things for the band and the Thursday night crew at FCA. I'll give them to the girl in charge, and...VIOLA! Hearts get happy by the notes you wrote. Simple.

Love you girls!

PS--Linds, I need your number!

Prayer Article

I received this article today via email from a really smart woman. She got it from a online devotional. It really hit me hard and reminded me of some important things. Check it out...

"If I Were the Devil" (Daniel Henderson)


Life is war! Our enemy is powerful, cunning, experienced, and supernatural. His
minions are multitudinous. His ways are devious and destructive. He is a ravenous
lion (1 Peter 5:8), appears as an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14), and is working
24/7 all around the globe to undermine the work of the church and hurt the heart of
Christ.

In recent months, I’ve thought a lot about the tactics of our enemy. In my limited
understanding I will never comprehend the ful
l strategies of the devil. Still, I want to consider one aspect of his work by
postulating what I might do if I were in his shoes.

What I Would KNOW…

While the devil is NOT all-knowing, he is brilliant, supernatural, and shrewd from
thousands of years of experience. There are some things he certainly knows.

The Bible – James 2:19-20 tells us, “You believe that there is one God. You do well.
Even the demons believe — and tremble!” Satan and his demons are well-versed in
biblical information. They seek to twist, undermine, and cast doubt with respect to
the Bible. They also know what the Bible says about them and their work. When it
comes to our battle against evil, they are familiar with our classic instruction
about the war and supernatural weapons we have for the battle. As it says in
Ephesians 6:18, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the
saints.”

Church History – For millennia the devil has been engaged in spiritual warfare. He
is fully aware that his greatest defeats have come during seasons of spiritual
awakening and revival. It is during those times that the church has advanced in
supernatural power; converting lost souls, transforming society in countless ways,
and counteracting evil in its many forms. He is also aware that every one of these
seasons of exponential Christian advanc
ements has been rooted in movements of united, biblical prayer – which fueled
repentance, powerful preaching, and massive ministry expansion.

Human Nature – The devil cannot read our minds but is an expert in observing human
behavior. He knows our tendency to live independently of God’s supernatural
provision for our lives. He was active in Laodicea, for example, as he assisted
that church in living by their own riches, efforts, and sufficiency rather than
pursuing intimacy with their Savior. He likes things this way.

What I Would DO…

So, if I were the devil I would use my best deceptive tools to keep Christians from
praying together. I would keep them busy and isolated from one another. I would do
everything possible to keep them distracted and disinterested in biblical,
balanced, revival-style prayer gatherings.

To accomplish this, I would do the following:

Fuel the Spirit of Rugged Individualism – By keeping Christians independent of each
other, I would keep them independent from God. I would do everything possible to
make sure they believed that the only way to pray was at home in a “closet” – even
though the New Testament evidence is overwhelming about the priority of praying
together. I would keep them frustrated in their personal prayer lives by preventing
them from learning to pray through praying with others.

Dig Ruts of Boring Prayer – When they did try to pray together, I would make sure th
e prayer meetings were based on old, traditional approaches that focused more on
human needs than on God’s power. I would do everything possible to encourage
boredom and gossip in these gatherings so that most people would stay away from
these sleepy, passionless “prayer” times.

Delight in Theological Orthodoxy Without Spiritual Passion – I would know how
effective it is to get Bible-loving Christians to delight in theological correctness
without spiritual intimacy. It worked very well for me in Ephesus (see Revelation
2:1-7), a once-great church that fell out of love with Jesus, even though they had
great theology and teaching. I would let them be content with good sermons and
grand theological ideas, as long as they stayed off their knees in trying to make it
real in their hearts.

Encourage “Idle” Preaching on Prayer – I would know that sermons on prayer
frequently fall on deaf ears, especially when the leaders do not model prayer. I
would keep pastors content to just talk about inspiring prayer ideas as long as they
did not actually lead their people into extraordinary gatherings of prayer. I would
know that prayer information without prayer action just anesthetizes Christians from
spiritual reality. This would be a “win” for my team.

Promote “Success” in the Ministry – Crazy as it sounds, I might even promote church
growth as a replacement for real revival. I would encourage an interest in numb
ers, activities, strategies, and events. This would keep them away from brokenness,
repentance, and passion for God’s transforming presence, and it would distract them
from a real pursuit of the awakenings that have undermined my malevolent work.

Knowing that I could not keep people from eternal life because of the power of the
Gospel, I would at least try to keep them from eternal reward by getting them to
rely on their own flesh rather than the Spirit of God in their ministry efforts.

Yes, if I were the devil, this strategy would be one of my most important. I would
amass all of my most subtle and deceptive troops and tools to prevent spiritual
awakening at all costs. As long as Christians were sincere but isolated; active but
powerless; entertained but shallow – I would win. And I would love it that way.

Prayer Please!

Hi friends,
I really have two huge specific requests for this week. Tomorrow my parents have a hearing to see if they can get more medical help for my dad's back. If I haven't told you, my dad was injured very badly at work 4 years ago and has had 2 surgeries since. He really needs to win this hearing tomorrow to get assistance from his work for more pain management because it is only getting worse. PLEASE he is desperate for this help, please pray for the lawyer tomorrow and the judge and just everyone involved.

Also, my mom is having surgery early Friday morning. I am praying that her arm be healed and that the doctor be well-rested and precise in his work. Will you pray for her as well?

I know that these may not seem very personal to y'all because you don't know them well, but maybe that was a reason that you all were able to see them on Saturday: to put a face to the prayer. It would mean so much to me. I love y'all!!!

So...If you're having a bad Monday, let me make it better. Two words...

Four days!

:)

Dinner and Crafts!

Alright so tomorrow...
Let's meet at my house around 4:00. We can do all of our posters and crafty stuff for FCA and do all the cooking! And then take it to FCA before 7:17.

And then we can come back to my house and have dinner! I will be cooking baked chicken, so just bring whatever you think would go great with that as a side, etc.

I cannot wait for this!! WOOP WOOP

PS Can y'all pray for my mom tonight? I don't know what is going on, but I know that something is up. I was hurting really bad all of sudden for her late last night and kept thinking about her while I couldn't sleep. All day today I have been feeling for her, but she won't respond to me. Please pray for her. Thanks y'all.

Argentina

Y'all I just received this from Naty from Argentina. I feel like a burned
wall that God is restoring, and I think in some way, we all are, ya know?
And evil hates rebuilding work, I am learning this. But I guess we can
be pumped up knowing that his attacks come because he knows we are moving
for the kingdom. I am praying for transparent weakness in ourselves and
strength in God.

"When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and

was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the jews, and in the presence of his

associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble jews

doing? will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they

finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of

rubble-burned as they are?" 

 Nehemiah 4:1-2

FCA stuff coming up!

Hi loves.  I just got this email from our liaison to FCA just filling our group in on what is going for small groups in FCA.  What are y'all interested in doing from this list, if anything?  I know we are about to start rocking out greeting stuff which I am pumped about- thanks Linz!

~*Rollerboogie
*       -I hope all of you have heard about the rollerboogie night..if not
here it goes..this is going to be our first small group event..it will be
80's theme and we hope all of you can go w/ you and your girls..anyone is
welcome to come whether they are in a small group or not..so feel free to
bring everyone..also its a totally fun idea to go shopping w/ your SG girls
to get clothes for the night...the event will take place sept 27 from
7-11pm...it will be at a skate place in Anderson..i have sent all of you
facebook invites so that you can invite other people and your girls (please
also invite them in person!)..please get a feel for  how many of your girls
might be coming..if they are 80% sure they will be able to make it then get
their shoe size b/c the skate place needs to make sure they have enough
skates for everyone...also we are going to have AMAZING shirts made for the
event (the shirt will be the same as the picture on the facebook
group..which i think is SWEET looking!)..if you and your girls are
interested in shirts please get their sizes..once we know how many will be
getting shirts we can get a final cost on how much the shirt will be...So
please have a list for me of the shoe sizes and anyone who wants a shirt
(including yourself) *by this Thursday*..thanks!..also after the event there
will be a bonfire at the "secret beach" (more details to come)
*
~Overflow*
    -We are going to have another pancake night in the freshman dorms on
Sept 23 (its a Tuesday night) for about two hours..maybe starting around
9pm..you will be paired up with another group for the event..if you are
interested please let me know..its a great way to meet other small groups,
other freshman, and a wonderful bonding experience with your girls!..so if
you are interested please please please *let me know ASAP..*

~*CU Staff Event
*         -We need about 10 girls groups to help FCA serve the CU staff...we
do not have a date yet but we wanted to see who was interested...we need
groups to bake goods, make thank you notes/encouragements, posters, etc. to
help us show the CU staff all over campus how much we appreciate them..these
people serve us ALL the time and no one ever serves them..so if you and your
girls are interested in this let me know!..it should e fun and not that
hard..plus a great way to serve together...

~*Rally in the Vally
*       -Rally in the Vally will be this weekend..Sept 20 at 7:30am..we need
about 10 more workers..if you or your girls are interested in help out at
this event please let me know...its a great way to meet new friends, bond w/
old ones, and encourage high schoolers in their walk w/ christ..oh i guess i
should include what this event is..its basically a HUGE FCA event where a CU
athlete comes and speaks to FCA groups from all over SC, we have a worship
service, and teach them CU cheers..its really a fun time...i know its
early..but you get a FREE t-shirt so why not do it...right?..oh and you will
be free to tailgate or do whatever..the event will be only a couple of
hours..so dont let that stop you from doing it..once again if
interested

In the midst of the storm...

Hey girlies, I just want to say that I am starting to realize that no matter how terrible a situation may seem, it ALWAYS gets better. This kinda seems like an obvious statement, but no matter how many times a terrible situation may come I always think that there cannot be a good way out. But despite our own plans for our life, God's way is ALWAYS better and it is ALWAYS what is best for us. It never fails that God is stronger than the enemy and he will not allowed us to be tempted beyond what we can handle and I just wanted to praise God for that.



I am SOOOO excited about our trip! We should cook yummy food and unless ya'll think it's inappropriate we should drink some wine w/ cheese! That just seems like the thing to do on a girls weekend! My grandmamma said that we are welcome to the Waterway house which has lots of decks and fun stuff like that, but if ya'll are more interested in the beach, my greatgrandmamma's condo is about 2 minutes from the beach. Either way we will have a house to ourselves and we can do whatever ya want!

I just wanted to say thank you again. It's just such an immense burden lifted from me knowing that even when my days aren't so sunny, I've got a group of Godly women lifting me up in prayer. That's enough in itself to make me feel better. I love you girls so much, and I'm so happy that I'm part of this group. God is creating a testimony in me, and He's using you to help me remember that. So, when I feel like I'm regressing and looking back or thinking too much, I think about the friendships that I've been missing out on, and the relationships I've gained...just by losing one. :)

John 15:1 & 2

Maybe more on this later...

PS--MB in 18 days...get excited!

hey

Hey girls,
Tommorrow morning at 6:30...Britt's house!!! Be there!!!! LOVE!

Yoyo hermanas! I can do either one now because the kids game that I am soccer mom for isn't happening. Sooo I can go to either one, but I am thinking (after talking to you Jess) that it may be better to go to the 7:17 because the other is always packed. It's up to y'all. Alright well talk to you soon!

Britt

FCA tonight...

Hey guys...just double checking...we're going to the 9:19 FCA right? I know it would be really cool to eat together before and I hope you guys do, but unfortunately I'm going to have to be really lame tonight. I have another test tomorrow, plus I feel like i've been eating out a lot this week, so I think i'm just going to cook something real quick at home. I'm definately in for FCA though. I can't wait!!!!
xoxo
em

What it is, yo.

This is my first post. I think I didn't know I could post since we were under investigation and all...scandalous...
I miss you guys, and I felt sooo bad that I couldn't be there yesterday morning. It was a long Tuesday, and a short night. I hope to catch up with everyone tonight, though!
I love you! :)

Just trying to make sure that when someone updates the blog everyone gets an email to tell them to check it! If you don't get an email when I write this let me know!

Hey girls,
I just found out that FCA is having a small group cookout on Bowman tonight at 6:30. Most of the small groups will be meeting for the first time, because they just got placed. But for us, obviously, it would just be hang out time. Sooo if y'all want to do that, I am down or if y'all are super busy, I understand COMPLETELY. It's really whatever to me. I just wanted to give you the heads up so y'all could decide :)
Britt

My house tomorrow at 6:30! Be there! And I made really yummy muffins so be hungry. See you then. I cannot wait. Love y'all!

Prayers

Britt found out her grandma died today and when two people come together and pray God has promised he will be there...we must fervently pray for her grandpa and family as death is so hard to understand and much less grasp. It can be so hopeless and so chaotic and only God can bring peace and understanding and hope to them. We pray for her grandpa to feel God's presence and love and accept his love because he needs him so much right now. Pray for Britt's heart to be like clay and that she will allow God to hold her and mold her through this Her grandma is full of peace and with an absence of struggles that are present here on earth and for that it is so amazing to rejoice in jesus but it is so hard to not be selfish and hurt. Just please God be with them. You alone can heal and love and calm hearts that no one else can calm. God we love Britt and are so thankful for her and her beautiful spirit. Thank you so much for allowing us to bear some of her burdens and love her no matter what. We love you so much God.

Hey!

This looks beautiful! I love you girls so much!
em

Okay guys! I hope you like the new look of the blog but if you don't feel free to change it around and make it fancy!
LOVE
Lindsey

Morgan's amazing post!

Ok guys, i've never done this blog thing before but this is a really amazing story and I have to share. So all day on monday I prayed the same prayer to God. I told him that there was not possible way for me to do this on my own and that I would never be able to put how i felt in words while looking matt in the face. So i prayed this, "God give me the words to say and give him the understanding to hear your words". I must have prayed it a thousand times! I just got an email from him late last night that said that he's been thinking and that he had some things that he was trying to do for God (things to change) but that he wasn't doing very well with them. He realizes now that this was also an answer to his prayers and that even though we think we know what's best for ourselves, God ALWAYS knows better! He completely surrendered the situation to God and thanked him for giving him what he needed instead of what he wanted! He told me how he would probably love me forever but that he knew it would be better this way. He also thanked me for taking him to church and giving him the opportunity to know God and have an intimate relationship with him! I feel like God did EVERYTHING he promises to us and so much more. He gave me the right words to say and they gave Matt the understanding to hear them. So...don't ever forget in the power of PRAYER!

yay

Hey girls! I am so excited about our new blog! love ya'll!!!
Lindsey

Hi girls! Okay, I have no idea why this is under conscideration for inappropriateness. Maybe the name?? You all are welcome to change anything, including the name. I just didn't know what to do because I suck at computer stuff. Just go the sign in in the upper right hand corner.

Okay, tonight I am going to have to go the late FCA at 9:19 I think. I know that you all need to go to 7:17, so if you guys want to get together after the 7:17 we could do that. Just let me know which one y'all are planning on doing.

I love y'all.

Britt

I love y'all!