Mud or Stars

Sorry about my sabbatical.

Life came at me fast and I forgot how to blog.

Lets recap...

So I got home from school on May 12.

The week before that was full of studying for finals, taking finals, and having some awesome dinner dates with friends.

The past week I have been home has been filled with nonstop Chrysalis things.

I love it!

I got the last minute opprotunity to serve on the team.

Even though I only found out a day before I know that God knew I was apart of Journey #23 from I was born.

I am so glad that I got to be apart of his ministry.

It was an incredible weekend of experiencing the Lord's love, sharing stories, rekindling friendships with friends, and hanging out with some pretty cool girls.

This past weekend of Journey #24 which was for the boys.

Words cannot begin to discribe how amazing it is see your best friends serve the Lord.

I am so proud of my J's and S!

I love watching them share their faith with other college boys.

What a beautiful weekend.

I have talked about it a little in past blog entries but lately one of my biggest struggles has been Control and Anxiety.

I want to be in control and make things perfect.

I believe that I know whats best for my life so I try to controll them to end up "perfect" for me.

When I fail...

(which I always do)

I get personally upset because I was in control and it didn't work out right.

 This need for control has lead to my anxiousness.

There are somethings in life that I have absolutely no control over.

For example, what my future will look like.

As hard as I try control things now I have no idea where I will be in 4 years.

This scares me to death.

I catch myself having freak outs because I so want to do things my way.

I become anxious, stressed, and nervous because  I can't control.

As you can see this is a big problem.

But thankfully the Lord has been showing me over the past 6 months my desire for control.

It has not be fun butt when he makes me aware of the problem it helps me to see that I need to change it.

I was talking to a very close friend of mine about my struggle and she suggested the book

Calm My Anxious Heart

by Linda Dillow

I have only read one chapter but I already am noticing a difference when I apply what I learn to my daily life.

So I want to share with you all some of the cool things I am learning...

First, Contentment begins with Eternal Perspective

 not on tomorrow because tomorrow is not ours but the Lord's!

So every morning I must remind myself that I only have to worry about today.

only today. only today. only today. only today.

Second, Contentment is not based off of our circumstances.

"True Contentment is a state of the heart, not a state of affairs." 

A really cool example of this is shown through Paul.

In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul makes a cool statement on contentment.

"I am not saying this because I am in need,

 for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret to being conten in any situation,

whether fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

It is amazing to see how conten Paul is in any situation.

This is especially cool coming from Paul because he was

beaten, chained to a guard, locked in a nasty dungeon with no sanitation or decent food...

 YET HE WAS STILL CONTENT.

A key word in the passage above is the word "learn".

It proves to us that we can learn to be content which is promising to people like Me!

Another cool thing from the passage that Linda shows is a translastion of the last verse.. a verse I know everyone who reads this knows.

It is translated by Kenneth Wuest and says,

 "I am strong for all things in the One who constantly infuses strength in me."

How does God infuse strength into us?

Through his WORD!

Third, I want to share with you a key verse that Linda gives for encouragment.

I have written this verse on my mirror, post its throughout my room,and on my hand to remind me that I am not in control.

"God is the blessed controller of all things, the king of all kings and master of all masters."

1 Timothy 6:15

Fourth, Linda shares a neat story that I have been thinking of throughout my day to keep myself positive and content in situations.

"Two women looked through prison bars.

One saw mud, the other saw stars."

Do you see MUD or STARS?

With Love From My Father,

Diane Elizabeth

Squall

My heart goes out to my fellow Alabamians.

(yes I just made that word up)

Being from the Tennessee Mountains I have never had to deal with tornadoes.

Man has this year been a surprise with the annoying sirens going off every day.

I just cannot get over the power that the tornado has.

The hundred mile and hour wind.

The hugee diameter.

The sucking tunnel.

It baffles me to see something that humans have no control over.

Now a days we can get basically anything we want.

Knowledge at the tip of our finger tips.

Any type of food.

Travelling all over the world.

We can control technology, human wills, and basically anything else in society.

But nature is one thing we have Absolutely No Control Over.

It just brings my mind back to the Lord

and how he has complete power over our lives.

People now a days think they don't need him

because they can take care of things themselves.

But guess what, you can't.

Storms and natural disasters bring us to our knees.

It reminds us that we need the Lords power, safety, comfort, and strength.

It reminds me of a little storie.

In Mark 4:35-41

" That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,  'Let us go over to the other side.'

Leaving the crowd behind them,they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.

There were also other boats with him.

A furious squall [storm] came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.

The disciples woke him and said to him,'Teacher, don't you care if we drown?'

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves,

'Quiet! Be Still!'

The the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples,

Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Incredible.

So heres a recap Jesus and his friends were on a boat.

A HUGE storm came upon them.

Where was Jesus... SLEEPING!!

His friends freaked out and woke him up.

What did Jesus do?

Stood up and said be quiet.

Seriously it gives me chills.

Thinking back to tonight and all the storms I try to imagine...

 First if I were on a boat instead a huge steardy building.

I would have been 1otimes more scared!

Second if someone was trying to sleep through not only the storm but the freakouts of hundreds of girls. seriously pretty impossible.

Finally I think of all the pictures of the huge funnel clouds and tornadoes.

Jesus just stood up in from of them and said

 "BE STILL."

Our. God. Is. So. Powerful.

He not only can control the powerful winds outside your life.

But also the powerful winds inside your life.

Don't Ever Forget That!

Nothing is too big for our God!

To the families and friends that lost loved ones today I pray that you just cling to the Lord in your time of need.

With Love From My Father,

 Diane Elizabeth

My

Yes I am alive :)

I know I went MIA for a few but never fear I'm back!

These past few weeks have been crazy, confusing, and distracting.

I just kinda lost sight of a few this to be honest.

However, the Lord never leaves us we just have to wallow in the pig pen for a little while in order to see what we really need.

I lost sight of my priorities and got wraped up in

my plans,

my goals,

my tests,

my papers,

my meeting,

mymymymymymymymy.

my

MY

MY

my

Get the picture?!

The Lord always calls me back though.

This morning he splashed some cold water on me and woke me up.

He pulled me out of the pig pen.

Save your best striving for seeking My Face.

I am constantly comunicating with you.

To find Me and hear My voice,

you must seek Me above all else.

Anything that you desire more than Me becomes an Idol

[school, extracurriculars, significant others]

When you are determined to get your own way,

you blot Me out of your conscioursness.

Instead of single-mindedly perusuing some goal,

talk with Me about it.

Seek me first and foremost; then the rest of your life will fall into place.

[Jesus Calling]

He has my whole life in his hands.

I just need to trust him.

Because I know that I cannot do this on my own...

Thats why I have melt downs, and get stressed.

I am thankful for a God

who will help me get through college,

who helps me get through papers,

who helps me to schedule my life.

I just need to trust him.

 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

With Love From My Father,

Diane Elizabeth

I love my sisters a whole bunch :)

I love my new roomie a whole bunch!!!

(Hayley we need a new pic with just us)

And MY BEST FRIEND and BOY FRIEND is COMING TOMORROW