Crazy Weekend Ahead

This weekend I'm going to be a small group leader for my church's Disciple Now event called "Elevation" and would totally love and appreciate it if you could keep me in your prayers... not just me, but more specifically, the students who will be attending (about 200 middle and high schoolers), and the group of 12th grade girls I'll be with. This is my 5th or 6th time doing Elevation and I'm super excited...

*pray that the Lord would really break down the walls that students may have up
*that He would speak to them in a profound way and they would be obedient to listen
*Pray for our speaker and our band, that God would use them to mightily usher our students to the throne in worship
*Pray for students who don't know Christ, that this would be the weekend He calls them to Himself.
*Pray for repentance.
*Pray for me and the other home groups leaders, that God would speak through us and provide us with the opportunity to be intentional with our students, to have good discussions, and that at the end of this weekend, we're all walking away closer to God because of what we have heard and learned.
*Also, pray for the community of Stafford. We're doing service projects on Saturday, and I pray that those who don't know may hear the Gospel and come to know Him.

Thanks friends!

Galatians 6:9-10
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially for those who belong to the family of believers."

May we keep our eyes on You, and set our hearts upon You, a sacred refuge and mighty fortress in our times of need.

My Story

The following quote is from one of Don Miller's books, "Through Painted Deserts," and I just wanted to share it here on my blog. As I'm starting to feel some serious guilt about how I've wasted the last year of my life, this part of the book has really just reminded me about how short life is, and how we're called to live our lives to the fullest, with one purpose, to bring glory to God. I'm so excited about going to Sudan for a year in October... but hello Molls, that's 8 months away! 8 months is a lot of life to live! Seriously in need of some direction, but grateful for the reminders He gives me everyday, that even though I'm wasting away, He still loves me, still has a purpose for my life.... how am I going to use the next weeks and months? Am I going to play the lead role in my life, or am I content to be an extra in the lives of others?

I'm obviously not content, but what am I going to do to change?

A quote from "Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road"

"I'll tell you how the sun rose
A ribbon at a time...

It's a living book, this life; it folds out in a million settings, cast with a billion beautiful characters, and it is almost over for you. It doesn't matter how old you are; it is coming to a close quickly, and soon the credits will roll and all your friends will fold out of your funeral and drive back to their homes in cold and still and silence. And they will make a fire and pour some wine and think about how you once were . . . and feel a kind of sickness at the idea you never again will be.

So soon you will be in that part of the book where you are holding the bulk of the pages in your left hand, and only a thin wisp of the story in your right. You will know by the page count, not by the narrative, that the Author is wrapping things up. You begin to mourn its ending, and want to pace yourself slowly toward its closure, knowing the last lines will speak of something beautiful, of the end of something long and earned, and you hope the thing closes out like last breaths, like whispers about how much and who the characters have come to love, and how authentic the sentiments feel when they have earned a hundred pages of qualification.

And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you, about learning to love a woman or a man, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it?"

awake...boo to that!

Oh goodness, I cannot sleep. It's 5:30 in the morning, I have to be at church at 8, and so now what would really be the point? If I go to sleep now, I'll be way worse off than if I just stay up until I can take a nap in the afternoon. Molly has never been a big believer in the power nap. Go big or go home. :)

The worst part about insomnia is the way my brain just wont be quiet. It's crazy the things I think or worry about when I can't sleep. Ridiculous... and everything is so stinkin melodramatic (even more increasingly so when I cant sleep).

Sometimes, if I'm lucky, in my crazy, sleep deprived mind, I can quiet the voice that tells me I should be freaking out about this or that, and I can hear that still small voice reminding me of His promises. Thankfully, after hours of tossing and turning, I was finally able to quiet my thoughts and now Philippians 4 happens to be washing over me on this early morning.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

He knows the things keeping me up tonight, the things I'm worried about, the things I'm hoping for, the things I feel are out of my control. He knows how I'm wanting to hold tight, to take control, but how these things are so burdensome that I want with all my heart to want to let them go..

"My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus"

And again in Matthew...

"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? "

"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I worry about the lamest things. Things that are way beyond my control.. things that in the grand scheme of things, don't really matter. These overwhelming fears, the questions of "what if" too often overshadow my beliefs that God is sovereign over all. They cause me to lose sight that God finds me valuable, and that He will supply all my needs as He sees fit. Maybe next time I can't sleep, instead of tossing and turning for hours, I should open my Bible or instead of being afraid to really look into those fears, I should confess them to a God who is up in the middle of the night with me... I'm grateful that He knows us, and knows how we want control, and how eventually that will lead us to feeling completely out of control.. and I'm grateful the Word is filled with promises to remind us of His love, His protection, and His patience in the midst of our imperfections before a perfect God.

On your mark, get set... Go!

I've been thinking about people who make their bucket list, the list of things they want to do before they die. I'd rather not think so morbidly, thinking about death, so I'm going to make a list that I'd like to do before I turn 30. Now, I turned 27 in November while I was in Africa... so it's not like I have THAT long to accomplish these things, but hey it's worth a shot.

Before I'm 30 I want to:

*learn how to play the acoustic guitar
*and then write at least 1 song
*run a 5k.. part of me wanted to type "a half marathon" but seriously, I'd probably die.
*go back to Sudan and hug my little Hannah Banana
*write a book... doesnt mean anyone gets to read it though!
*uh, not live in Stafford, with my parents - Lord help us all if I'm still living here at 30!
*buy a new car
*have a job that makes me happy
*finally be able to say I've let go of something that's held me back for a really long time
*reach my goal weight
*learn how to walk in girl heels without thinking I'm going to break my neck with every single step I take.
*sing at a coffeehouse type thing with my friend Becca
*read my Bible all the way through at least 2 more times
*get published at least one more time

That's not too crazy of a list is it? I think it's fairly reasonable, actually... one might even say it's "safe." As safe as they may sound, some of those things scare me 1/2 to death. Some of those things see completely impossible... like letting go of the thing that's been holding me back... shoot if it was as easy as claiming it in a blog, I would have written about it forever ago. And, after a year and a half of looking for that perfect job, I don't feel like that job is really out there.

3 years...

Love is a Verb.

Addison Road is one of my favorite bands... mostly because as I've had the honor of serving with them while I worked Fuge in 2008, and as I've watched them love and minister to the students at my home church when they've led worship for our D-Now the last few years, I've seen their hearts and their obvious love for God. If you've not listened to their music, I highly recommend it.

Jenny, the lead singer, has a blog that I read regularly, and tonight especially, her blog post spoke to my heart. Check out her blog here She reminds me that though our actions of love may seem insignificant or small initially, we are still called to love.... and we'll never know the impact those actions can have, until we do just that, act.

Seriously... More Snow?

So, the last few days have been pretty crazy. Friday and Saturday we got about 2 feet of snow, and then last night and this morning we got a couple more inches to add to the already huge piles that have accumulated. This snow storm was fun because I got snowed in at my friend Allison's with our friends Jenn and Katie. We cooked dinner, sang and danced around the kitchen, and then watched movies all night (literally). *We watched (cause I know you're wondering) "The Holiday," "The Other Boleyn Girl" "Twilight" and "Legends of the Fall." It was a lot of fun... and the roads really aren't that bad. I feel bad for all the snow plow guys working hardcore to clear the roads, but even still, at this rate I dont think Stafford will have school again until March!

Snow craziness.

It's super bowl Sunday. I don't really get into football, although thanks to two powder puff games, and having some good friends who were also football players, I understand the basics. I was joking with friends today about how for me it's more a battle of the E! reality stars' significant others... am I going to cheer for Kim Kardashian pr Kendra's boo? Oh man, the choices.

I remember when I was younger, Michael Jackson was doing the 1/2 time show. I was 10 years old and completely loved MJ. All week long, anytime I'd get in trouble or was on the verge of doing something wrong, my parents would threaten not to let me watch Michael's performance. Some kids get sent to their room, others get grounded, but 10 year old Molly almost got Michael Jackson taken away. How wrong!

He performed "Heal the World" and I remember almost crying... it was quite an emotional moment, and after weeks of hype, MJ didn't disappoint. You can't beat the King of Pop.

In other news, it snowed 2 feet here this weekend. It's crazy. Power is out all over the place (thankfully not at my house though!) and the snow plows have yet to even attempt to enter neighborhoods. Main roads are getting cleared, but good luck getting too far out of your driveway unless you drive a big truck. Needless to say, my Honda hasnt moved too much the last few days.

My friend Bryan came to get me yesterday, and we went over to the Griffitts' house to be snowed in. It was fun... sledding at 10pm was pretty fun, even if the hill was weaksauce.

Exciting times in Stafford this weekend.

It's Cool Not to be Cool

So... if my doctor really wanted me to get well, she never would have prescribed the sick nasty antibiotic that she did. AND THREE WEEKS WORTH OF THAT JUNK! Seriously how could a pill taste so disgustingly awful?! I mean, advil has that lovely sugar coating that tricks me into thinking I'm eating candy, but when I really need the meds, they taste bitterly awful- like chalk, soaked in acid throw up.

Sinus infections stink! What do we need our sinuses for anyway? Chop those jokers out of my face.

BUT in an attempt to look at the good things in life:

-Tissues infused with Vicks VapoRub are magical. Not only are they wonderfully soft on my delicate nostrils, but when I use them they allow me to breathe, and smell through a nose that is otherwise stuffed.
*on a side note- Vicks VapoRub is also good to use on your eyebrows when you're plucking so that it doesnt hurt so much. I envy you ladies (and gents- to each his own) who say "oh I've been plucking for so long, I dont even feel it anymore." Yeah!? Well so have I and it still hurts like crazy.
-Being sick (and snowed in) allows me plenty of time to read (as does joblessness- but being sick is more guilt free)
-Sinus infections remind me not to take hearing for granted.
-Chapstick, oh how I love thee. (Especially the kind with the blue wrapper)
-I am in awe of the beautiful rainbow of colors that come out of my lungs when I cough. God's creativity is amazing.

This blog is pointless. Just my way of trying to get some sympathy for the sickness that is overtaking my body. I'm home from my week and a half with Priscilla and Tanika and their broods of children. It was a good time, just needed to get home before the crazy snow hit. We're getting lots of snow tomorrow... I've heard anywhere from 12-40 inches. 40 inches of snow! Holy cow that would be insane.

It hasn't snowed like that since I was a kid. I used to call Stacy down the street and beg her to make the climb up her street to go sledding with me. Unfortunately, I was only successful during our 5th and 6th grade years. After that, it became increasingly difficult to convince her to go out in the snow. Maybe she was just too cool... I go past our old sledding hill now and laugh. How did I ever think that was hardcore? Stacy was just wise beyond her years. She knew it was lame long before that thought ever entered my mind.

BUT I bet if she lived down the street now, she'd go sledding with me. The cool thing about being grown ups is that we really don't care about being cool.

:)