Would you go?

Last night we had small group and I wasn't prepared for it at all! I had planned on getting into the study earlier that day, but with everything I just forgot. I hate showing up and not really having anything to contribute to the discussion, but let me tell you, it was one of the coolest discussions we've had yet!

We're going through a study on Acts written by Max Lucado and each week he takes a section from a chapter in Acts and we focus on that. We've been through a lot of good discussions thus far, and well, last night took the cake. Last night we were reading from Acts 8, focusing on the Story of the Ethiopian Eunuch. A few years ago, we studied this same passage, and it wasn't anything like last weeks study.

We discussed things I'd never even thought about like, Philip just left Samaria because God asked him to. He told him to go south down the desert road, and guess what....Philip did just that! He left. He didn't ask questions, he didn't do it begrudgingly, he just got up and left because the angle of the Lord told him to. Next he comes upon an Ethiopian Eunuch whose on the desert road who was on his way back to Ethiopia via Jerusalem. This man was very rich because he was a treasurer, so why was he on the desert road that was known only for traders because robbers were known to attack people on this road. He's a Eunuch and he was worshiping in a temple in Jerusalem? Really, what? And to top it all off, Philip met him there, while he was reading out of the book of Isaiah, and he didn't understand what he was reading, but Philip was there to help him understand. AHHHHHHHHH.........what? My mind was being blown!

Anyway, Philip was brought there by God for a reason. He instructed the Eunuch about what he was reading and the Eunuch believed then the Eunuch wanted to be baptized, and he was baptized IN WATER. Did I mention that they were in a DESERT? They just happened to be near water? Are you kidding? How can this be?

There was no other way for my small little mind to understand this than to fully believe that God has plans for us. He wants us to be in specific places as specific times. So, in order for us to do as God wants us to do, we can't be comfortable, we can't begrudgingly agree to do whatever it is, because we wouldn't be honoring Him and loving Him, because He knows what's best for us.

So, I've been asking myself this question over the last few hours, am I too comfortable? Would I be willing to leave and just go and follow God's instructions? Would I do it willingly or begrudgingly? I would like to say that I would be willing and that I would trust Him 100%, but I don't think that I would.

So, in the next few days, I'm challenging myself, to really search into why would I not act the same way Peter acted. Why would I not do something cheerfully for the God that I love so much. Do I really love Him that much? Because in a few days from now, He proves to us how much He does love us. There is no denying His love for us.

Will you take the challenge with me? Will you search out these answers?

Song of the Week #4- We Cry Out/ Thoughts about Sunday

This past sunday's contemporary worship service at church was amazing, anointed, refreshing, blessed, and filled with God sightings! Over the last month and a half, I've been in and out of church for various reasons and haven't really been able to play with the band, and man have I missed playing and worshiping with them! All I can say, is that this is one of the most positive, uplifting, encouraging, engaged group of people I've ever met! (I'm on an adjective kick today, can you tell?) I was a little nervous going into the second service because we had a few technical difficulties during the first service and I just didn't know what was going to happen. Well, we had a few more in the second service, but it was so easy to look past them!

After we started the service, I could already feel there was something electric in the room. Over the last few weeks the air in the room doesn't seem as heavy, it's easier to breath in an out. This idea of breathing in and out is the way our worship leader at church describes a worship service. You need to both breath in and breath out, and with this "air" it's been so much easier to do that. I never really thought about that before, breathing in and out. Probably because I do a lot of breathing out all the time. Example: Prayer, I'm always the one telling things to God, but I'm never breathing in His answers. So, this idea of breathing in and out has perplexed and challenged me over the last few weeks.

As the service continues, I'm feeling more relaxed and I'm able to turn around and make contact with the band members and I'm also able to make connections with the congregation instead of staring at my music. The highest point in the service was when we sang "We Cry Out" which has been recorded by Gateway Church in Texas.

Well, when I first heard this song, I just wanted to cry. It's so beautiful, and pure. While thinking about breathing in and out, I've also been thinking about God's different names because of this song. I've heard before that God has many different names but I've never took the time to actually think about them and what they mean. Apparently in the Bible God has something like 210 different names. (Not an exact number) Wow, can you believe that, God has that many names. Now, I have many nicknames, but I don't have anywhere close to that number of names. And the crazier part is that in our own spoken language we all say His names differently. I can only think to ask, "How does He not get confused?"

It may seem to be a funny question, but the answer is, No, He doesn't get confused because He is the Maker of the universe. I just loved singing to Him this past sunday and calling Him by some of His names. I have a new desire, and that is to start learning more names, and to use them during my quiet times and prayer time. If you haven't heard this song, you need to check it out!

Father of life seated on Your throne of grace
It’s only by Your mercy we are saved
Lord, You have said if we call upon Your name
We and our families will be saved

So we cry out Your name
El Shaddai, God of grace
Lord most high, Jesus Christ
We rely on Your grace
Adonai, crowned in praise
Lord most high, Jesus Christ

Father of love never failing to forgive
Each moment is a gift from You to live
We’re only here to tell the world about Your grace
Until the day You take us all away

We will cry out on Your name
El Shaddai, God of grace
Lord most high, Jesus Christ
We rely on Your grace
Adonai, crowned in praise
Lord most high, Jesus Christ

Thankful Thursday Week 4

Wow, a whole month of thankful thursdays! can I tell you that I've become more thankful on a day to day basis because of this very blog! It's been such an awesome journey!

Here we go!

1.) Celestial's Wild Berry Tea with Honey: after an awesome band rehearsal tonight, this was such a nice treat to come home to!

2.) CNJAC: These lovely Sigma Alpha Iota alumnae are awesome! I love them!

3.) Batons: I've missed using a baton since conducting class and I've been able to use one a lot in the last two weeks and I've loved it!

4.) Beautiful Sunny Days: The weather last weekend was gorgeous and I was so happy to get out of the house!

5.) Sushi: it is such a refreshing dinner and it's healthy1

6.) GPS: I've had to use my GPS a lot this week and it's gotten me through many interesting areas of NJ this week!

7.) Kari Jobe: Her music is always speaking to me and I'm really excited to be introducing a song of hers this weekend to the congregation!

8.) Flip Flops: I could wear them all the time!

9.) Spring Dresses: I love dresses and I can't wait to wear my new one!

10.) Dog Sitting: It gets me out of my house for a few days and because I'm out of my house I feel like I'm back in college!

Song of the Week #3- You're Not Alone

Back in Feburary I bought a whole bunch of new music as I do every few months and I came across Meredith Andrews cd from 2008. I'd heard her music a few times, but didn't listen closely until one day while cleaning my room her song "You're not alone" comes on. I'm instantly hooked on it! The lyrics just spoke to me! The title itself speaks volumes. It describes the life of a christian because we're not alone, we don't have to walk through life, and hard times or good times by ourselves because we have an all knowing and loving God who is always there for us no matter what. He wants us to know that we don't have to go through tough times by ourselves, because He is here with us, but also He's sent other people in our lives to act as Jesus' hands and feet to us as well.

He promises in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you or forsake you." This songs speaks this verse so clearly! It's a verse that I've had to be reminded about frequently. God's constantly reminding me that I don't have to walk through this life alone, He is there to lead me through everything. I pray that this song speaks to you as it has spoken to me.

I search for love, when the night came, and it closed in, I was alone, but you found me, where I was hiding, and now I'll never ever be same, it was the sweetest voice, that called my name sayin

You're not alone, For I am here, let me wipe away your every fear, My love I've never left your side, I have seen you through the darkest night, And I'm the one that who's loved you all your life, All of your life

You cry your self to sleep, cause the hurt is real, and the pain cuts deep, all hope seems lost, with heart ache your closest friend, and everyone else long gone, you've had to face the music on your own, but there is a sweeter song that calls you home, saying

You're not alone, For I am here, let me wipe away your every tear, My love I've never left your side, I have seen you through the darkest nights, And I'm the one who's love you all your life, All your life

Faithful and true... Forever, For my love will carry you...
You're not alone, for I... I am here, let me wipe away your every fear... Oh yeah, My love I've never left your side, I have seen you through your darkest night,

Your darkest nights, And I'm the one that's loved you all your life,

All of your life

Thankful Thursday Week 3

It's Week 3 already! Wow, it's been nearly a month since I started this blog! I can't believe it! So here's this week's version of Thankful Thursday!

1.) Qasadilla's. I had some really yummy Qasadilla's tonight with peppers and onions! YUMMM

2.) Subbing Jobs- I was able to work 3.5 days this week!

3.) VVC Worship Team- they are a wonderful group of people that love Jesus and make some pretty awesome music

4.) Venti Non-Fat Hazelnut Latte- mmmmm deliciousness (Thanks twin for getting me stuck on these)

5.) Sweet Endings- It's a pretty cute coffee shop in the center of my town that's so cute and fun and peaceful! I love spending time there in the afternoons

6.) Snarling Dog 0.53 Green Grip Guitar Picks- Ever since I stopped being silly and insisting that I can only use pink picks, I have dropped fewer picks! YAY, grippy picks!

7.) www.etsy.com- This is such an awesome site. I love looking around for design ideas and because of etsy I've decided to make my own guitar straps now!

8.) Successful Shopping Trips- I went shopping on Sunday and walked out to my car with 4 really full bags and spent under $220. It was pretty fantastic!

9.) New clothes- I love wearing new clothes, there's just something about them that brings a smile to my day! I've been able to wear a new outfit every day this week! WOOHOO

10.) inC Leadership Team- Let me tell you, the college and career group at my church is fantastic! They are such Godly Men and Women and they are so encouraging and humble!

It's been a pretty fantastic week! I'm very much looking forward to this weekend! Job Fair on saturday and submitting my application for my dream job on monday! Wow, big things are happening!

Blessings

I am so blessed! I'm currently sitting in a chair at a school where I'm subbing today. How blessed am I to have a job? It is so easy for me to complain about not having a full time, steady job, but guess what....I don't need one. I'm living with my parents with hardly any bills to pay compared to a lot of people I know, with only a little debt from college because my parents are amazing people and bore a lot of that burden for me. How blessed am I? I am totally, unbelievably, 100% blessed.

It's amazing how down we can get when things don't go exactly like we planned it. But, see that's the problem, our plans are not the right plans. They may be good ones, but they don't always provide the best outcome for us. But, God has plans for us. He has great plans for us. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11-13 "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. The you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'

Wow, that passage bring so much joy in my heart. God has plans for us. He doesn't want us to be alone or sad or discontent. He wants us to be happy, joyful, loved and cared for. The later is how I've been feeling lately. He's doing a great work inside of me because I've been seeking Him and I've been finding Him. His Word is Truth. He is Truth. God is never going to lie to me, He's never going to make up stories if something doesn't go the way I want it to. Is there anyone in your life that you can honestly say is 100% honest with you all the time? I know that I can't. We all fail in life. We are not perfect.

God bestowed His greatest blessing on us when He sent His only son to the cross. God knew that Jesus had to come to earth as a man to become the ultimate sacrifice and blessing for us. Wow. What a blessing?

The word blessing means: the act or words of a person who blesses. a special favor, mercy, or benefit: the blessings of liberty. a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.

What kind of blessings do you have in your life? Are these blessings in your family? Your Church? Your friends? You Job? Your students?

Make sure you stop and think about the many blessings in your life!

Song of the Week #2 -We Want the World to Hear

A few weeks ago I was driving down to my Alma Mater, the lovely campus of James Madison University. This is the place that I feel in love with back in 7th grade just by looking at a poster. I told my band director that I was going to go there and well, 6 years later I was walking around the campus as a student, and not just a student a music education student. Ironic? I think not!

After 4 wonderful years there I graduated and moved back home. This move placed a void in my life because I missed my friends, sisters and roomate tremendously, so I've decided that I need to visit as often as I can. Well, I've made 2 visits since graduation! Not too shabby since I do live 5 hours away.

Okay, down to my thoughts of the day! As I was driving I remembered that I left my ipod in my trunk and well since I was trying to escape the snow, I decided that I would just leave it there and not stop because time was of the essence. During my travels I had to switch my radio frequency quite a few times as you could imagine since I was traveling through 5 different states. I started off with Star 99.1fm. My radio station of choice in New Jersey and lost the station at almost the exact same time as I crossed into PA. Well, there wasn't much to choose from so I decided to listen to NPR. Why you may ask. Well, there wasn't much else! So after a few hours of classical music, I was ready for something that I could sing to! Here enters KLOVE.

KLOVE is a national Christian radio station that is broadcast all over the nation from different smaller radio stations. I was listening to the music and found out very quickly that I knew only a few of the songs on this station. I was baffled. I'm always on the look out and think of myself as a Christian Music aficionado. I can spend hours on itunes, twitter and google looking for new bands. Well, all of a sudden I found myself singing the words to a song that I never even heard before. So, I took out my cell phone (I know, don't text and drive) and I started my VCAST song ID application up and got the title and artist to the song. Well, I had at least heard of the band, and for the life of me couldn't understand how I didn't know this song. Well, it stuck with me.

When I say that the song stuck with me I really mean, the chorus stuck with me.
There is none righteous

There is none worthy
There is none Holy but You the King
I will live my life to sing of Your wonder
To shout of Your glory so creation will hear God
We want the world to hear

How powerful are these lyrics? It spells it out plain and simple. He is the King. He is the only one worthy of all of praise and that we shouldn't be hiding this knowledge under a bush, but that we should be telling the whole world.

Last night at our college and career groups large group meeting we sang this song. Well, God had worked everything out yet again, because we were talking about how Holy God is. Dun, Dun, Dun...."There is none Holy, but You the King." He's holy, what does that mean? Well, we defined holy as someone being set apart, divine. I can only think of one person in the whole universe who fits that description and that is God.

So, ponder these lyrics. Take a look at what they have to say. It's a pretty sweet song! Praise Him, the one that made you and that one that is Holy and who will always be Holy.

WE WANT THE WORLD TO HEAR - LYRICS

Album:

What Life Would Be Like

Lyrics By:

Chris Kuti

Eternal King, we bless Your Name
For You were and You are, forever You will be
Praised in this place
And Lord our hearts are yielded
We give them only to You God

There is none righteous
There is none worthy
There is none Holy but You the King
I will live my life to sing of Your wonder
To shout of Your glory so creation will hear God
We want the world to hear

Oh sovereign King this heart is free
From the death that I was born into
You put Your Grace out on display
And in response I can help sing Your praise God

Hallelujah we sing
Hallelujah we cry
Hallelujah we’re living for Your Name, Jesus

Hallelujah we sing
Hallelujah we cry
Hallelujah we’re living for You

Thankful Thursday Week 2

Wow, this week has been awesome! So many amazing things have happened! So Here's what I'm thankful for this week!

1.) New friends. There's a new girl who moved into town to nanny for a family at church and she's awesome

2.) Sweet Endings. It's a coffee shop in the center of town where I've chilled out at for the last 3 days straight for various reasons! They make some pretty killer coffee and pastries!

3.) My car. Even though it has 154,000 miles on it, it gets me to where I need to go and it hardly costs me any money, minus all of the repairs, but hey I don't have a car payment!

4.) Cardboard Testimonies. If you don't know what they are you need to watch this video.

5.) Valley View Chapel. Over this past year I have felt so welcomed by everyone there and I have grown so much because of these people. I've never felt like my opinions have mattered this much in my entire life. They are so supportive!

6.) New Release Tuesday. I love finding new music and this week a ton of people/bands came out with new music and it was all amazing! http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/

7.) My Bible Study Girls. I look forward to sharing with them every week and the support and encouragement that they give! I love them so much!

8.) Skype. I get to keep in contact with friends all over the world because of it!

9.) Friends Blogs. I love being able to see into different parts of people's lives when I don't get to see them very often!

10.) NJ Hire and the star ledger .com. They are providing lots of insight on different jobs in the area!

Wow, I have so much to be thankful for this week! What are you thankful for?

Meeting People

When I was younger I had a really hard time meeting new people and really getting to know them because I had so many insecurities with myself. Why? I can honestly say that I was trying to change myself on my own. I didn't know who I was and what I was doing on this earth. I didn't like the way I looked. I was always taller than other kids my age, I was always heavier than kids my age, I had big feet, I wore glasses and I just didn't know how to talk to them. I have always been able to converse better with people who are older than me than my peers. That is up until now!

Over this last year I've been able to communicate so much better with people. I've always made excuses that I just don't know what to talk about, but while in college the church I went to www.aletheiachurch.com talked about rocking Philippians 2! "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (philippians 2:3-4)

So you may be asking yourself, what does that mean? Simply it means to always look at others better than yourself. It means, not focusing on you but on other people on their issues, on their hurt, on their needs before your own. Each one of us is selfish. It's one of the many sins that plagues each one of us. So how do we get rid of this sin? How do we become better people? How do we emulate Jesus? Because that is the only man who is better than all of us! The only man who is perfect, pure and holy, blameless and without sin.

1.) We need to recognize that we are full of sin, that we are worth nothing except that our debts have been paid for. How was that paid for you ask. Well, God sent His one and only son Jesus to earth to live as a human. He grew up amongst the people and as He got older He began to preach the truth. After 33 years on earth and Jesus was betrayed, brought before His own people who exchanged Him for a prisoner. Then he was nailed to a cross and that's where He died. Three days after His death He rose! What? Yes, He rose from His grave and took his rightful seat next to His father in Heaven. He paid the ultimate price for our shortcomings, our sins, HE DIED for US! How awesome!

2.) Repent of our sins and believe that Jesus died to save us. Acts 20:21 What does that mean, that you are truly sorry for everything that you've done wrong and that you want to change, that you believe that Jesus was sent to this earth to die for us and that because of His death and resurrection that He paid for our sins so that we may also be in Heaven one day!

3.) Start looking to Jesus to see how we're suppose to act. So many people have this negative connotation of Christians because we screw up all the time and people only see what we do and how we act and well, we're are terrible examples of Christ. So we need to be sure that we're looking to Him each and every day to find out what part of us needs work.

With all of this we can learn how to put people before us and learn how to care for them. This product is called Rocking Philippians 2! Not hard at all! When you rock Philippians 2 you can talk to anyone because we can all talk on and on about ourselves.

If you're having trouble talking to people after all of this, sit down and make a list of questions that people ask you. Include follow up questions as well so that you can find out more about them!

Keep Rocking Philippians 2!

New Music Tuesday

Wow, this week was an awesome week for the world of Contemporary Christian Music! Today alone Passion, Adie Camp, Sanctus Real and Chasen came out with new CD's!

Let me tell you the Passion CD is AMAZING! How could it not be amazing! You have people like Christy Nockles, Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill, David Crowder, Hillsong, Matt Redman and Fee on there! That is one stacked team of worship leaders and bands! I've just been blown away by this cd! During worship planning today we decided to sing a new song off the album called Our God. The song is so powerful. You can check it out on worshiptogether.com. It's their featured song of the week. It's really super easy to play and super easy to sing! We're going to sing it in a little over a week and I'm super excited!

Now when you read the names of the bands that came out with new music today you probably read Adie Camp and asked "Who is that?" Well, she is the wife of Jeremy Camp (also another super awesome christian music artist). I did listen to the entire preview of the album and didn't really care for it the first time I took a listen but then I went back and listened a second time and loved it! So, I would really recommend it! Her music is calmer, so if you're looking for a rocking worship album I don't recommend it, but there is something so reflective about the music she chose! She does cover Hillsong United's "All I need is you" and I must admit that I do like her version better. It's a lot simpler and it helps you to hear a smaller band pulling it off. I must admit that some of the louder, broader songs do intimidate me because I'm worried that we don't have the band power to pull it off because let's be honest I just want to copy the song. Although, there is something really sweet about making a song your own!

So, that's the new music report thus far! I haven't had time to listen to the new Sanctus Real CD all the way through yet, so I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Wow, a whole 2 days!

Wow, I went 2 whole days without blogging! I'm going to have to catch up tomorrow because it's way too late now! Today was great!

What a Morning

All I can say is WOW, this morning was awesome!

A group of young college and career men and women went to Newark to serve and man was it an awesome time! We show up just as the kids are showing up and we signed some paperwork and then had our little orientation. Then we finally got to start getting to know the kids. There were only two girls there this morning and about eight boys, which was perfect because our group was nearly the same number! Well, as soon as I started playing a game with one of the girls, I was whisked away by one of the teachers of the school. She goes to my church and although I don't know her, I felt like I did about 30 minutes later.

She took me on a tour of the school which has about ten teachers and eighty students. They have to combine both Kindergarten and first and then fifth and sixth grade because they do not have enough teachers for all of the students. As we were walking around she said, "You should consider working here." As we were walking one of the students walked with us as I got the grand tour and she asked if I was going to be one of their teachers. I can't tell you how I felt at that moment! These last few weeks of unemployment have been hard, and my heart was just tugged so hard at that moment because here is a student who really wants to learn and I've only known her for ten minutes and she already wants me to come and be one of her teachers. So, now I've got this little voice in my head telling me that I should be asking for an application, but another saying, What are you talking about, this is Newark, this is an inner city school, you can't handle this!

Wow, sounds like some spiritual warfare if you ask me. So, we continue our tour, I get to meet another teacher, and hear more about what it's like to be a teacher at that school. Let me tell you it sounds like an amazing experience that is incredibly rewarding, but at this moment I can't determine if this is something that Meaghan wants or if this is something that God wants.

After my tour I go back downstairs and the kids are playing games so I join in. I felt like I was in gym class all over again. We played steal the bacon, I'm pretty sure I haven't played that since elementary school with Mr. Slack. It was pretty fun, minus the fact that I was wearing clogs and I didn't exactly where the best clothes for playing body contact type games. Next, we got to listen in on the prayer requests of the kids, and the worship time and the introduction of the teaching lesson. Once that happened we started getting ready for lunch. We were serving the kids hotdogs.

While some of the members of our group were cooking the rest of us took a tour of the upstairs section of the building. We got to see where they hold youth group events and then where we're going to be staying this summer when we have our missions trip there. I can't even express how excited I am about this trip. This is going to be my first missions trip ever, and I can already tell that it's going to be AMAZING! We saw where we're going to stay and we even got to go up on the roof and look out over the city of Newark and you can even see NYC from there! Normally I wouldn't think of it being the nicest landscape to look at, but let me tell you there was something so beautiful about it.

We went back downstairs and ate with the kids and hung out with them a little more and then it was time for them to go home. It was so much fun getting to know them this this morning! We're going to be back there in two weeks and I'm already excited! I never thought I would enjoy something like this, although I don't know why because I love kids, and I love serving other people and I really like VBS weeks and well this is like VBS but all year round!

It's amazing how closed minded I am. I didn't think I was closed minded, but each day I'm finding out more and more that I really am. I'm also comfortable, too comfortable. I always said that I would never work in an inner city school, well after today I could see myself working there. All morning I couldn't stop thinking about my grandfather. It's been nearly 5 months since he died and he's always on my mind in some way. Today I couldn't stop thinking about him. I can only imagine that he was looking down on me this morning and smiling. He loved Newark, he loved teaching. The week before he died I went to go see him with my parents and I had taken papers with me to grade and I could tell how happy he was to see sharing the same passion for his craft, teaching. I'm tearing up just thinking about it! I miss him. It's strange because I forget sometimes that he's not with us anymore.

I'm so thankful today. I'm thankful for crumbling of the walls that I've put up around my heart. I'm thankful for the work that He's doing in my life, each and every day. For the passion that He's given me for teaching and for serving! I know that Jeremiah 29:11 is a verse that keeps arising in different areas of my life for a reason! I keep praying for the answers to those questions, and I am confident in the fact that His plans are to "prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future."

Helping People

Tomorrow morning the college and career group from my church is heading into Newark to serve at a World Impact center! I can't tell you how excited I am at this opportunity to serve! I feel like I haven't done enough to help the youth of today, especially those who are less fortunate than I, and especially those kids who sort of live in my back yard!

I'm so excited to be His hands and feet tomorrow morning! I'm excited about meeting the kids, working with them, getting to know them and starting to build relationships with them! I'm praying tonight that He will open up many doors tomorrow, that the kids will be receptive and that I'll be a willing vessel! Oh, how closed minded I can be sometimes, and well, that hinders my ability to serve. So, I'm praying for being as open minded tomorrow I can!

I can't wait to report back about all of the super cool things that happen tomorrow! If you're in the Northern NJ area tomorrow morning and want to come serve, just meet at Valley View Chapel at 830 sharp!! I'm sure you won't regret it!

I think that I may have a problem

It's Friday night and well I've been sitting in my bed for the last 2 hours. What the heck is wrong with me? I am 22 years old and it's a Friday night, but instead of going out and doing something fun I caught up on my TV shows for the week. My night wasn't a complete waste because I did have dinner with the parents, which has happened now 3 times this week. I'm pretty sure it's a new record.....well since I started college. We had sushi, it was delicious!

Okay, so now onto the problem! I'm pretty sure I'm a TV addict. Why do you ask? Well, here is the list of TV shows that I watch!

Sunday Night: Army Wives (It's only on during the summer I might add)

Monday Night: 24 (Final Season)

Tuesday Night: LOST (Final Season)
GLEE (On Hiatus due to American Idol, which I must say is the worst show ever)

Thursday Night: Fringe

Grey's Anatomy

Private Practice

Okay so that's 7 shows. What the heck is wrong with me! I think I may be missing some too! Plus, I don't ever watch Thursday night TV anymore because I'm never home on time from band practice, so I have to waste 3 hours of my life during the week to catch up! Oh man, I need to find other things to do with my life! But, I must admit that 2 of my shows are in their final seasons, so next year that's 2 fewer shows and Army Wives is only on during the summer months, although I feel like it's starting earlier than usual this year, which I'm praying that means it will be on for longer!

So, I just thought that I would put it out there that I am a TV addict! That's all for now!

Oh, I forgot to mention how excited I am about the week of April 11th! Army Wives and Glee return in the same week! YES! WOOOHOOOOO

Thankful Thursday Thoughts

So, the Christian radio station in the New York City area is Star 99.1 and one of their radio personalities has what he calls Thankful Thursday and listeners call in and say what they are thankful for. Well, I thought I'd have my own thankful thursday, so here we go.

I am thankful for:

1.) My family, they put up with me all the time, including the times when I am unbelievably selfish and inconsiderate.

2.) My friends, they are always there for me when I need them!

3.) My church family, I can't tell you how blessed I am to have amazing men and women surrounding me all the time.

4.) My church worship team. This group is such a joy to be around! I have been so blessed by them list past year especially our worship leader Robbie. He has poured so much into me this past year, I can't even begin to tell you! I am so blessed!

5.) My health! There are so many people who are sick in this world and I'm so blessed to be healthy.

So, it's just a start! Check back next week for more thankful thursday!

I Miss JMU

I can't tell you how many times I've watched this video just because it's so darn cute and I miss singing that song! It's not that I can't sing that song anymore, but I haven't been to a JMU sporting event in over a year. Oh man, you get such a rush when thousands of people all sing the fight song at the same time! Oh, I've been to a fair share of JMU football games in the last 5 years! I know that it's baseball season, but I can't wait for football season. Maybe this year I'll actually get to a game! So for today, here's a fun video of the fight song to keep the nostalgia going!

Human Trafficking

Okay, I must admit, I'm a little naive. I always have been, probably because I didn't want to think that people were innately bad, but as I've grown up I've figured that out more and more. Well, it wasn't until college that I started hearing something about human trafficking. (I avoided reading newspapers and watching the news while in high school, because it was just to hard to watch. There is always something terrible happening in the world, and well I just wanted to stay away from it.) So, human trafficking, I understood that it was a major problem but didn't really know what I could do to help.

This morning via twitter I stumbled upon this video of a South African man who talks about the human trafficking issue there. Let me tell you it's powerful. I couldn't help but do anything but watch and just think about how horrible this life is for the women who are being sold and taken from their homes everyday. I urge you to watch this video.

What can you do to help stop human trafficking? Here's a link to the A21 Campaign. They are a group based out of Greece. Check out their website: http://www.thea21campaign.org/

Human trafficking is a more problem all of the world. Do you stand back and ignore the fact that it's happening (like I tend to do) or do you talk about it and become more informed and inform more people about this unbelievable problem?

Song of the Week: #1 "In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

After starting the new blog tonight, I was listening to my crazy mash up called my itunes and at first I was listening to Classical Music, but then I switched to Eric Whitacre and then I moved away from him after listening to the entire album and then landed on Travis Cottrell's version of "In Christ Alone" and I just couldn't stop listening to it. It is such a powerful song.

In his rendition they repeat "Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!" I couldn't get over that statement. I started thinking earlier tonight about when Jesus does return, when He's going to come back and all those who believe will be set free from this earth and enter heaven, but Christians were the people who I was really thinking about, it was those who don't believe, who don't have a relationship with Jesus. It was after I heard about the earthquake in Taiwan that really got me thinking. I can't understand who wouldn't think about it, this is the 3rd major earthquake in 7 weeks. So, my curiosity really took off and I started looking at the Bible regarding earthquakes. Earthquakes occurred in the Old Testament as well as in the New. In the New King James version the first mention of an earthquake was in 1 Kings 19. Elijah is out in the wilderness and he sits under a tree and he wants to die. An angle appears to him and tells him to eat and drink because he needs strength for a journey. Elijah arrives at a cave and the Lord appears to him and asks him what he is doing there. God then sends a huge wind, an earthquake and finally a fire. God was not in any of these things, but when Elijah returns to the cave God asks him why he is there. Elijah says that Israel has forsaken their covenant and that he is alone and that they want to kill him. God tells Elijah to return to Damascus and to anoint Hazael as King of Syria, Jehu as King of Israel and Elisha as a prophet.

So, here is example #1 of God creating an earthquake. Another example is when Jesus is on the cross. Before Jesus dies there is a great quake and the tombs of those who were saints were opened and their bodies were raised. How, stinking amazing! Jesus did this because He loves us, He had to die because we needed someone to take our place. It was only once He died, that these bodies were raised! Can anyone else in the world say that they can do this? If you think you can, I want to talk to them!

In Acts there is another example where Paul and Silas were in prison and they were singing praises and all of a sudden there is an earthquake and the doors of the cells just open up. WHAT? The doors just open up? Are you serious? How does that happen? I'm sure there are plenty of people who wish that would happen to them, but look who it happened to Paul and Silas. They were jailed because they were speaking the good news to the people and welll the Saducces couldn't take it. They didn't want to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and that He really is the Way, the Truth and the Life. AHHHHHHHHH..........earthquakes look what they've done so far!

Now, I've come to Revelation and well, earthquakes show something entirely different. They show judgement, judgement on a world that didn't believe and now death is upon them.

So, now you know why I've been thinking about all of the earthquakes, and why those last two lines of "In Christ Alone" have been ringing so true in my heart. "Until He returns," He's coming, that's a sure fact in my mind. Is it in your's? Do you know who He is?

If you don't know Him, please talk to me! I'm more than happy to share with you!

A New Location

So, I haven't blogged in nearly 8 months. What the heck is wrong with me? I've had so much milling around in my head and I just haven't written anything down, and well, today I thought, I should start a new blog, something fresh and exciting, to make sure that I'm getting everything down that I want to! Well, here it is!

This past month, there have been so many things going on in my life. 1.) I lost my job, well, I was only a substitute and the actual teacher returned, 2.) I took a weekend road trip with my 3rd sister to see my 2nd sister at college, 3.) I attended the womens retreat for my church, 4.) I filled out paperwork to become a member of my church and 4.) I visited my alma mater and saw my wonderful sisters and my roomate.

I guess loosing my job wasn't the worst thing in the world, because well I know that God has a bigger plan for my life. Although I loved going to work each day, and I enjoyed what I was doing, I don't think I would want to teach computer music for the rest of my career. I miss teaching kids how to sing, I miss seeing the joy in their eyes when they find their voices and hearing the beautiful music that they can make. After loosing the job I've only had 1 real lead on another job and well just like the position I interviewed for last summer I came down to being one of two candidates and well, they took the other person. That first blow of hearing the interviewer telling you that you didn't get the job is just that a blow, a hard blow to the stomach. You start thinking about the things you said, and what could have been different, but then I have that feeling in my stomach that things are going to be just fine, I'm going to have a job exactly when I need a job and in the exact school that He wants me at. Meaghan, you just sit back and enjoy the ride that I'm going to take you on.

Do you have trouble with that? I sure do, I am a control freak. I always want to know what's coming next and where my next paycheck is going to come from, but these last few weeks He's been reminding me constantly to stop worrying. While at JMU this past weekend I attended a bible study with my little sister, beth. I'm pretty sure the topic was just for me. It was about worrying. We looked at Philippians 4:6-9 which says. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you."

This passage really got me. I mean, I've been saying that I'm not worried about anything especially money, but really guess what, I was lying. I admit it! I want to be able to do things like see my friends, go out to dinner, support my friends in ministry and not have to worry about it, but I'm a sinner, and I worry. So, this whole passage was a kick in the face for me, but it also brought me peace. I know that God has His plan for me and that I can't mess them up! He has my best interest in mind and really, truthfully, honestly His plans are a lot better than mine will ever be! How awesome is that? This God of mine, has plans for me? really? He cares for me? Oh, yes He does! He has proven that to me over and over and over again! So, then why do I still not trust Him? I'll tell you why, Meaghan wants control. Did I already say that tonight? I think I did! HAHA, so that's it, I always want to know what's coming next and I think that my plans are better because I know what's going to happen, but really I do enjoy mystery and not knowing, (maybe just not when it regards my future). But, this is one of my sins that I'm having to constantly confess, that I try to hold onto my life has hard as I can! So, here it is, I'm giving you permission to hold me accountable to it, to letting go of this. Thanks in advance!

While on my trip to JMU, I got to see my roomate and let me tell you I was so totally excited to see her. When she knocked on the door to our hotel room I literally jumped up and down! We had not seen each other in 10 months, and let me tell you, that is way too long. Before that we had only gone 4 months without seeing each other and that was only because of summer vacation. So, I can't tell you how excited I was! We squealed for a little bit, and fell back into the normal roomate routine! I had to laugh because we both were sitting at the table in our room on our laptops and of course we were on facebook! HAHA, it's as if nothing ever changed. It's as if we were still living in the same house. We had a blast of a weekend! Hitting all of the best places in Harrisonburg, discovering new ones and reminiscing about the last four years of our lives and how much we've changed and haven't changed, what we've missed and what we don't miss!

I must admit though, that the highlight of February next to seeing all of my favorite people was leading worship at my church's women's retreat. Oh man, what an experience. Let me just tell you that I was a train wreck the day of. I felt like I had to do everything myself (what did I tell you? CONTROL FREAK) but my youth pastor knew way before hand that I couldn't do everything and he offered to help (I did try to convince him that I could do it all...hahahaha...what a joke) and I can't tell you how thankful I was that he was there to help set up all the sound equipment! I know that I wouldn't have been able to do it without him! So, Josh if you ever read this, THANK YOU X's 1,000.

Friday night's worship set was just alright, I was still pretty wound up and not really sure how this whole thing was going to go, but let me tell you Saturday morning the Spirit just showed up! It was so stinking awesome! I can't even really describe it! I was so at peace with everything, I was actual able to worship while leading worship. All of those hours of practice were not for nothing. I was able to close my eyes, and focus on the what I was singing and it was sweet! Oh man, I love playing my guitar, although it's been neglected for the last week. The whole weekend was just awesome. The speaker was great, and everything that the committee planned was awesome! I must say that the highlight of Saturday night was the "Sisters" act from "White Christmas," Emily and Kathy were great, but it was John and John who really stole the show. I never thought I'd ever see my Pastor sing and dance to "Sisters" but it was hilarious!

Well, that's enough of my jabber for one night! Wow, this post was all over the place! I'm sorry, but if you've made it to the end you're a trouper!