Micah 6:8

Hello Friends!

I finally decided to start blogging. I think I have started to create a blog at least 10 times but always stop and think its too much work. NOT THIS TIME! I wanted away to let people know how I am doing and what the Lord is teaching me in my life.

There are so many new things going on in my life right now. I am so incredibly blessed to have a heavenly Father who is constantly opening doors for me and putting such huge blessings in my life along this new journey. I am currently a Freshman at Samford University, a sister, a friend, a girlfriend, a daughter, Nursing major, member of Alpha Delta Pi, and a Young Life leader at Vestavia Hills High School! I am just a little busy! But that is where I take after my mother! I love being involved!

Where do I even start explaining my life and all that is going on?! I will start with why I wanted to start blogging this time around. I am home for the holidays and just love catching up with old friends. It is a little nostalgic seeing everyone and talking about how our lives are going. My school is  5 1/2 hours and a time zone away from my sweet sweet home town of Johnson City, TN (yes the one from Wagon Wheel) . I feel so out of the loop so love reading blogs and facebook stalking to see how all of my friends and family are doing. I thought that this would be a great way to show my friends what is going on in my life. I also wanted to show people what the Lord is teaching me. In one of my classes at school we learned about Augustine and his book Confessions. He wrote that book to not only confess his sins to the Lord but to show others what he had learned so they will grow from it. That is similar to what I want to do.

One of the biggest areas of my life that the Lord is working through is Young Life. I honestly could say that I would not be the woman I am today without it. I have learned how to express my faith and to not just be a Christian but to really just LIVE and SIT in the Lord's Love. I am so excited to get to go to Vestavia and meet sweet new friends :)

OK so enough about the old stuff for now but what about what is going on currently in my life. I went to my home church this morning, which I just LOVE LOVE LOVE. I have been going there since preschool and really enjoy seeing familiar faces of the people I have grown up with all of my life. In my parents Sunday school class the teacher gave us an amazing verse that he thought we should put on our refrigerator and live by. ..

Micah 6:8

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Where do I begin with this verse. I think this is a great verse for my life because I finally left home and I am starting my journey on my own so what am I supposed to do with that? I am no preacher. So I am sorry if someone disagrees with what I say. This is just what comes to my mind. The Lord says 3 things. Not one and the other two are less, or two are more important and the other is less, but all three things are required. First, to act justly. I think that is a big thing in the life of a college freshman. When we go off to college we are thrown into a world where there is a lot of freedom and very less guidance. It is so easy to slip into some bad habits and ideals. I have experienced this in the way people act toward one another. Its all about ME sorry everyone else but I need to get what I need. But anyways. Second, we wants us to love mercy. I thought this was interesting because he does not say to love with mercy but to LOVE MERCY. This first struck me as hard to do because it is hard for me to love people that have done wrong to me, or are rude to me, or have cheated me. But I love the mercy the Lord has for me. It goes both ways but I only like one. Third, is to walk humbly with your God. I have been learning this more recently because I get so busy at school and with all my activities that I forget or just neglect my time with the Lord. It does not take me long to start feeling bitter, drained, and just yucky. But the days that I just rest in the Lord I can see and feel the Joy that Overflows (hints the name of my blog).

The Lord is doing huge things in my life. I just want this blog to be a way that I can express that.

With Love from My Father,

Diane Elizabeth

p.s. I kinda like bolding :)