Letter to my Church

Word has gotten around the church that Matt and I are leaving, people are telling me they don't want us to go but are glad we are bettering our future. This is the letter that will go in our November newsletter to let those who don't know yet that we are leaving.

Dear Church Family,

  A little over a year and a half ago Matt and I were newly married and struggling to pay our bills every single month, that is until the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to be your secretary.  I took the job with no experience at all, but I knew I could do it. A few months after that I became the youth director and my life totally changed. I become totally invested in the students and they changed my life forever. With all of that being said I am sad to tell you that Matt and I will be leaving at the end of this year. Matt will be going back to school in   January at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. We are very ready to take this next step to better our future, but we are also heart broken to leave our students and the people we have become very close with here at FBC. I will not be going back to school, but will be working so we can afford to do this. Matt will be getting a Bachelor's in Mass Communications with the plans to stay with radio and maybe someday become a college professor. 

I cannot say thank you enough to the people who have touched our lives while we were here. We learned so much about being in the ministry and being a part of a church. I met some amazing students and  children that will always hold a special place in my heart. We feel that we have done what the Lord called us to do at FBC and now it is time to take the next step in our adult lives. 

I would like to say a few personal thank yous:

*Thank you to those who donated, prayed, and encouraged me for both of my trips to Haiti.

*Thank you to those who personally blessed us with surprise lunches paid for at Sharon’s, random gift cards on my desk, invites to dinner or out for ice cream, and the encouraging words.

*Thank you to my Haiti team for taking good care of me while we traveled at the days we were there. My grandma was at ease knowing I was with adults who knew what they were doing and would keep an eye on me. I got to know you so well while we were there and I will forever remember that trip (and Emil and I blogging every night.)

*Thank you to those who stood in the office or called me on the phone just to see how I was doing.

*Thank you to my youth workers who are amazing at what they do, I could not have done this without you!

*Thank you to Alyssa for acting like a fool with me during AWANA.

*Last but not least: Thank you to my students! I could write ten pages on you guys but I know you wouldn't read it so I'll keep it short. You were the best group anyone could ask for, you taught me so much about being a leader, tested my patience, challenged me, and so much more. Thanks to Daniel and Jarrett for the car hunts you sent me on more than once, the texts to remind me I needed to buy Pepsi or Gatorade, the hide-n-seek games in the dark for hours, the many sleepless lock-ins, the laughs when Shade and Daniel fell in the lake, the swimming pool baseball game, the games of spoons, phase ten, and of course the Mock Trials. Most importantly thank you for your love and dedication to the Lord, your heart of others, and your attention during countless lessons (even if I was just winging it.) To my boys: remember to always be gentleman and men of God. To my girls: remember you are a true princess and you’re worth more than gold. Always treat others with love and respect and don’t forget to always be women of God. I will forever remember my very first youth group and your love and acceptance. Always remember: be weird, because normal isn’t working! This isn’t goodbye, it is just see you later. 

We will forever be invested in FBC and we pray for the direction of the church. We have seen this church do some amazing things and we are confident that you have some even more amazing things up your sleeves. Keep serving the Lord and changing the lives of the hurting people out there. Always remember that Jesus loves ALL of his  people and wants them to be in Heaven with Him some day. Being the hands and feet of Jesus is not always fun and it is not always comfortable, but regardless that is our purpose. Always show the love of Jesus to everyone everywhere. Thanks again for the love you showed us, we will miss our church family. Until we meet again...

Sierra

 

Let's go crazy!

Too often people go through their lives the same everyday. They wake up, go to work, go to lunch, go home, eat supper, go to bed, repeat. Now I know on weekends the routine will get mixed up or if you don't have a job where you work the same hours everyday it can be different. I wish people would live on the edge and do things for themselves and for others sometimes.

Live your life to glorify Him, to help others, and to better yourself.

At 60 travel the world, experiencing the beauty God created for us, or don't. Maybe you would rather just travel the county, so do it. At 15 jump out of a plane (with a parachute, of course), or don't. Maybe you would rather take a hot air balloon ride. Drink Kenyan tea (it's delicious by the way), or don't. Maybe you would rather drink Colombian coffee. Give money to a stranger, or don't. Maybe you would rather buy the stranger a meal. Dance in the rain barefoot, or don't. Maybe you would rather jump rope in the rain barefoot. Hug an orphan, or don't. Maybe you would rather adopt the orphan. Get married young, or don't Maybe you would rather get married old. Be the church (there is no or don't here :) Serve others, love others, pray for others, hug others, cry with and for others. 

Experience the life the Lord blessed you with! Get a pen pal, eat too many sweets, eat too many veggies, read too many books, audition for too many plays, create too many extraordinary pieces of art, smile too much, and do too many terrifying things! Go exploring! Stop wearing shoes or makeup, act like a fool. Life is about taking chances, trying new things and always giving 110%. Stand up for the person getting picked on.

Don't be like everyone else, stand out of the crowd, be the red apple in a group of yellow ones. Be someone who will be remembered for making a difference in this world. Show Jesus to everyone, no matter how scary it may be. Worship with all that you are! Never look at others with anger or hate, be the good! Don't forget about personal relationships in a world of social media. Complement a stranger, rescue a pet, make a child smile. Break a dirty habit...and be proud about it. Never stop loving no matter how hard it is.

I know my thoughts are everywhere today, but I want to encourage you to do something you are too scared to do. I want to be the good in this world, and I want you to be the good standing next to me. Don't judge others for their vices, (we all have them) encourage them to break the chains that bind them. 

Life is about glorifying the Lord and showing EVERYONE that their is still good in this world of darkness and pain. Do something fun and something not so fun!

Don't ever stop living and NEVER stop serving!
GO CRAZY!!!!

Have a beautiful day and an even more beautiful life. YOU.ARE.LOVED!

Sweet God Time

The time as come...it is tech week for Hairspray. For you non theatre people, that is the week the show opens and you run the whole show in full costume, makeup, with mics, set crew, the whole nine yards. Matt has practice Sunday-Thursday then the show is Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. So I'm home alone every night, boo! 

Last night I was watching TV and just messing around on the computer when my friend Cody posted something on my facebook. He said that he listens to a certain song and prays alone in his church for the kids who will be coming that night. After he posted that I really felt the need to have some sweet God time.  I turned off all the lights and the TV and played the song. I got on my knees and talked to God. I was silent for some parts of the song, taking in the words and other times I was praying for the lost people in my life or thanking Him for the blessing. As I was thinking about a certain person I started to cry for that person. I sat there in the dark letting the music full my heart weeping to my blessed Savior, whom has the power to make anything happen. When I think about Jesus being taken to the cross my heart breaks and I want to express my love and thanks to Him for saving me. I also thought about what it will be like when I get to Heaven, to see all those who are gone once again, to see the face of Jesus and to sit at His feet. 

Last night alone, in the dark I had some sweet God time. The Lord is good and powerful and deserves my worship and adoration and I get caught up in life and forget to give it Him.Thank You Lord for saving me!

I encourage you to pick a song that makes you so emotional for the Lord that you can't control your tears, shut out everything else, and have some sweet God time!

This is the song that gets me every time. Even if you don't like rock please listen to this song (the lyrics are there) just take in the words and think about the Lord.

Fall

Lately the weather here has been fall weather. I know, I know it is still technically still summer, but right now it is 59 degrees outside, and yesterday was even cooler (but being Southern Illinois it is supposed to be 90 on Thursday.). Fall is my favorite season! Jeans and hoodies, soup, bike rides, pumpkin spice coffee, peanuts & candy corn, open windows, walks in the cool evening. It is the best! 

Yesterday I went on a bike ride in pants and a t-shirt, then I came home and made broccoli cheddar soup and croissants, then I went outside and read on my porch! It was the best fall evening. Every year around this time I get super excited (because of fall) but for another reason. In exactly 12 days will mark the 6 year anniversary of Matt and I getting together. Now, I know our marriage date is our actual anniversary, but I can't neglect the date that made it all happen! 

When we first started dating on September 28, 2007 we spent a lot of time at my grandma's farm (I was living there at the time.) We would walk around her pond late into the night/morning. We would grab a blanket, spread it out on the grass next to the pond and star gaze, while learning more about each other. We spent a lot of time outside in the fall air, it was great! 

Go outside and enjoy the fall air!!

Things Change

We all know that life is always changing, as my grandma says "nothing stays the same." Our life will soon be changing....we are moving!!! Those three words are terrifying and exciting all at the same time, I am one who loves change, so I'm excited. 

We are moving because Matt has been accepted to SIUE for the Spring of 2014. Meaning that if it all works out we will be leaving in December or January. BUT, there is always a possibility something could go wrong, in which case we would move next fall. We are waiting for a student packet to come in the mail so he can start getting the ball rolling even more. He will be majoring in Mass Communications and minoring in either Theatre of Journalism (he isn't sure yet.) After getting a Bachelors he will go on to get his Masters, he wanted to teach speech and a college level.  I will not be going back to school. People keep telling I need to go back, but right now I am focused on getting his degree done first. We will live in the family housing on campus. Matt is going to try and get a job at the radio station at the school and I will get a job somewhere and hopefully work a lot.

Matt has been wanting to go back to school for a long time, but we were scared to take those steps. The Lord has pushed us to go out on a limb and just do it. It will better our future family.

Leaving our church is something that is really weighing on my heart. I have told our youth group and they all gave me pouty faces that tore my heart out. Leaving my AWANA group is also something I do not want to do, but this is something we need to do.

Please pray for us in this journey!

Wow! I have not blogged in so long, sorry! I don't have anything inspiring to talk about so I will just fill you in on my life.

1.Right now I am super sick! We had friends over for Labor Day and while they were there my throat started to get scratchy. On Tuesday I woke up with a full blown cold. Today has been the worst day so far, my chest really hurts which makes it hard to breathe. I am hoping it will all be gone soon!

2. We had a BBQ at our house on Monday, it was a great day! We had all of our friends there, they all brought a side or dessert and our friend Bryce brought his grill and cooked burgers and hot dogs for us! It had been quite sometime since I had seen a lot of my friends so it was good to get together.

3. Matt is going back to school!! On Tuesday afternoon we went to Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville for a college visit. We loved it! I will not be going back, I'll be working as much as possible. Matt has already sent in his application and FAFSA (financial aid), we are just waiting to hear back from them. He will go into Mass Communications, and his long term goal is to teach speech and theatre at the college level. I'm so proud of him for finally taking the steps to better our future. I'm getting closer to being a stay at home mom!!

4. I am auditioning for the first play in years on Sunday!! I haven't done a show in a long time and I'm excited to get back at it! I am auditioning for Snow White (again), I was Grumpy the last time I was in Snow White.

5. I have been reading some really great books! I am taking a break from the Harry Potter series ( I need to emotionally recoup from the 5th one.) I only have 2 left in the series, but I need a break. I wanted to try and read 40 books this summer, but I am not going to make my goal. I am at 17 I think (I have a list at home.) I went back to my childhood and read three Roald Dahl books and the original Peter Pan. Man I love kids books!!! If you have not read the original Peter Pan novel I suggest you do. JM Barrie is the author. I love the first line of the book: "all children, except one, grow up." I just got a book yesterday from the library and I'm loving it!! It is called The Pull of the Ocean and it is by Jean-Claude Mourlevat. Here is the description form Goodreads.com:
"On a stormy night, little Yann Doutreleau wakes up his six older brothers, all twins. He lets them know that they must flee their home--or risk being killed by their violent father. Without question, the siblings follow Yann into the wet darkness. And so begins their remarkable odyssey toward the ocean--as well as an unforgettable story of brotherhood." It is so good and is really easy to read. 

Welcome to my life! 

I would really like to see where my readers are from. Could you comment on this post and just put where you live? Either the state or country would be great! Thanks for reading! 

Compassion

Sometimes the fact that I am the one Matt choose to marry blows my mind. Although I am not like other girls in many ways, I am like other girls when it came to dreaming about my wedding when I was younger. I always wanted to get married young, and I did (23 is young right?)  I always knew I would NEVER marry a man who was mean or controlling (check that off the list too.) I knew I would marry someone my family approved of (check!) But I never ever thought I would marry someone who wanted to become a pastor or someone who was so talented in an artsy way.

If you know Matt you know what I mean when I say artsy. That man can imitate ANY voice whether he is singing or just talking. He is an AMAZING singer, actor, writer, lyricist, and of course DJ. I love all of these things about him (even though he totally is better than me at everything...haha that is an inside joke.)  The one thing that blows me away more than anything is his compassion. 

Last night while everyone was watching the VMAs I was not, I have no clue what Miley did, but according to my facebook is was disgusting and everyone was ticked off about it. A lot of my friends posted things about Miley's performance at the VMAs. I read several of the posts before I went to bed. When I got up this morning to looked at Facebook this is what I saw from my Husband:

"It may be disgusting. It may be crude. But, she's just as lost as some of us. Instead of hating her folks why couldn't we help her."

I mean who thinks that way?! My husband that's who, the man who ALWAYS gives people the benefit of the doubt. He always sees the good in people and realizes that we all are sinners who need help! Matt doesn't hate ANYONE! Even when we are talking about famous people. Most people would say "I hate (insert actor here.) Matt says "I don't think he is very funny" Or "She just isn't that good of an actress" I don't think I have ever heard him say "I hate ________."

I strive to be more like Matt, and I pray that our children are as compassionate as he is!