Student of Life

I was able to see a familiar face from California today. Student. Professor. Friend. Ann-Caryn. She is a student of life, probably the most influential professor I had at Vanguard and now my friend. Not only did she teach me about film, theory and "academic" stuff, but she also taught me a lot about life. We got together to work on my documentary, but because of some missing files, that was not able to happen. Instead, we just sat together, talked some, but mostly enjoyed each other's company.
Even out of the classroom, I am picking up and learning things from her. One thing I've been learning is that you never stop learning. Just because I'm out of school and the "structured learning environment" doesn't by any means mean that I don't learn. I'm learning to become a student of life. Different situations teach me things, as does the Lord teach mean everyday who He is and who I am to be in Him. Ann-Caryn is probably the best person I know who is living this out. I told her about a program that is used at my work and she hadn't heard of it, so immediately she hopped online and found it, downloaded it and started learning it. She is always trying to learn new programs, or learn new things about programs she already knows. Not only does she strive to know more programs and tech stuff, but she is striving to learn how to become a better professor so that her students can learn.
All that to say that she is such an inspiration and encouragement to me. She challenges me to do better, and she challenges/encourages me to never stop learning. Watching her balance work, church, family, filmmaking and still how she finds time to sit down and learn is inspiring. Thank you Ann-Caryn for your inspiration, encouragement, challenges and support through the years. I can't wait to see the next things in life that the Lord teaches you you learn and I can't wait to see what the Lord teaches me and what I learn though life as well!

Prayer Request

I just got an email from a dear friend of mine and it was an update on his dad.  His dad has cancer and they were just told that the doctors don't expect him to live past tomorrow.  Tom has asked me and others to pray so I am extending that request to all of you.  The Lord is more powerful than any cancer and any sickness... any disease!!!!  Jeremiah 33:6 says: "Behold I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth."  That is a promise of our Lord Jesus and those are the promises I am going to stand on.  So I am asking that you will join me in prayer for Tom and his family as they are going through this painful time.  

Quiet down and listen...

One of the main differences I have found between California (Orange County) and Spring Hill (Tennessee) is the pace of life. Everything is slower out here. Do moms still have camps to get their kids to? YES. Do people have to work 9-5 everyday? YES. But the difference is that people don't drive like it is the end of the world. They drive peacefully and respectfully...and slow! (Have to admit, it is driving me a little crazy!) But that just shows how fast I have been living my life...the OC mindset is that if you are driving the speed limit you are driving too slow... So I have had to do a lot of learning and growing in patience when it comes to people on the road.
The other thing that being out here has taught me is to really take the time to just sit and listen to the Lord. To admire His creation even more than I did before. So many times in my quiet times, I sit there and talk and talk and talk to the Lord and then I wonder why I don't hear Him speak back...Well, I have never given Him enough time to! Lets just look at the phrase "quiet time"..operative word there is QUIET!!! that means that I need to SHUT UP and listen to what the Lord has to say! Life is so much sweeter when I take the time every morning to spend time with the Lord and truly hear what HE has to say! That is not how I want my life to be lived because it is just no good when I try to tell the Lord how it should be done...Sit down, shut up and LISTEN!!!!!!

Church...community

Even before I left The Rock, I was praying that the Lord would lead me to an amazing church where He was moving, a place where I would find a community. He has done that. I found a community at NewSong Christian Fellowship. NewSong is a FourSquare church with multiple campuses around the Nashville area. The main campus is in Cool Springs, and there is a campus in Spring Hill (which is by me). There is a young adult group called Frontline and every other week there is life groups. I shouldn't be, but I am blown away at the amazing community I have found within a week. My roommate introduced me to some people before she left for Camp Courtney, and immediately we hit it off. The last time I felt this way was when I started attending The Rock. It is a place of love and pure friendship. I have thanked the Lord everyday for bringing me to NewSong and I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do here!!! Please keep me in prayer as I grow in the Lord and I grow at this church.

first friend

tonight i walked with a friend. I LORD has blessed me with my first friend this week and tonight we had dinner, then we went for a walk. We ended up walking for quite a while, we got a little lost, but quickly found our way again. We got lost because we were so enthralled with our conversations about our stories, what the Lord is doing in our lives, staring at the amazing stars and fireflies and much more. The Lord has brought Kaycee Mantooth into my life for a specific reason and I am so glad to call her my friend.

i finally arrived!

So I arrived in Thompson's Station yesterday and I was welcomed with open arms. When I arrived at my new home, my roommate welcomed me with a giant hug and we hit it off so great! I started moving in all my stuff, and by the end of the day I had everything situated, and it is starting to feel like home. Dad and I went out to try and find a Walmart or Target, but ended up getting lost and I came to the realization, really quickly, that there is no "quick trip" to target. Almost everything here is about 20-25 minutes away, with the exception of a few places. That is OK though because it will give me time to sit back and enjoy the scenery.
I was able to talk with my roommate a little, and I was shown a little of her heart. Her passion. We were able to talk about different things that the Lord did in her life prior to my coming, and different things the Lord did in my life prior to me coming. There is no doubt in my mind that this whole job and move thing was and is of the LORD, and the LORD is going to continually pour out His abundance on me and my roommate because we both have obeyed Him.
Today dad and I drove around and visited my "office". I say it is and "office" because it is actually a house (Rivet House) that we work out of. I met a lot of the guys I will be working with and they seem really neat. We then drove over the the Orbit house and met a couple of people. We then drove down to the sales office to see that operation. Mainly today was just a day of driving around and figuring out where different things are around town. Tonight my dad and I are going to go to a lifegroup with Jeannie, and I am going to meet some people that I can hopefully have connections with.

sights

so today i saw a couple of things that reminded me of a couple people back home. Throughout the course of one day, I saw 5 yellow jeeps, and a number of places to just sit and talk (benches, chairs and tables). I also took a tram ride at NASA that reminded me of the number of times I rode the tram at D-Land and who I rode it with. I took a lot of time to think about the times I had with those certain people, and you know who you are.

I love you all and miss you all too!

travels

today was the day i left california. it was the end of a really emotional weekend, but the LORD was gracious. as i drove i was able to think back on the past few days, and i realized that even though goodbyes are hard, and i really didn't enjoy them, the LORD kept confirming my move. He is so good to me, and His word never returns void, every single day, in my Bible reading, There was something that spoke directly to me.
as i drove through different states, there is really nothing to see except flatlands and mountains, but I saw more. I saw a beautiful creation of the Lord.
this is not an easy road by any means, but it is a road that is paved by the Lord, and I know that the LORD will also guide me as i drive down this road i call my life.

Body World-Daily Delight

Today i went to an exhibit in Los Angeles and it was an amazing experience. This exhibit was a way to view the human body in a whole new way. They took human cadavers and dissected them and positioned them in unique ways so that us, the viewer, can best see the intricate veins, muscles and nerves within the human body. I have always been intrigued by the human body, but today i saw it in a whole new way. It is a weird way to become close with the Lord, but as i was standing there, i realized the magnitude of my Lord. He is so amazing and He obviously has everything planned out because there is no way that people could "just happen". Looking at the nerves and everything, that is proof that the Lord chose to create us and make us His Daily Delight.
The other thing i realized is that the faces of the cadavers were shown a lot. As i looked at their bodies and their faces, their eyes, i started to think about who that person was. Obvisously they had lives, but i was wondering what their story was. Overall, i went there for the purpose of learning more about the body and looking at the cadavers to do it, but at the end of the day i left there with a deeper appreciation for being created.

changes that are happening

5 days until graduation, and 15 days until I move to Nashville. Moving to Nashville is something that scares the living daylights out of me…in the flesh. There are so many things that are unknown to me out there. I don’t know anybody, I don’t know how to get anywhere, I don’t have a church, I don’t, I don’t, I don’t!!! there are so many I don’t knows in this whole experience, but there is something that I do know! I do know that my God is there with me, I do know that my God has opened this door for me, I Do know that my God is going to make it all alright. This move is for me like the ultimate step of faith in my life right now. Isn’t that what faith is? Stepping out into the unknown, or the scariness of life, but knowing that the Lord has it all in His hands? My Lord has called me to a life of faith. Part of having faith is knowing that the Lord is going to do what He promised. He has promised me only things to prosper my life, not to harm me, so I know that I won’t be harmed in this move as long as I stay in his hands. Another thing that I am having a hard time with is the fact that I am going to need to find a new church out in Nashville. I am a little nervous about this because I love The Rock and I have grown so much in the time I have attended there. The level of belief that the members and pastors of The Rock have is something that surpasses all churches I have seen to date. They are soo deep in their faith and walking in the truth of what God said He will do, He WILL DO. He said that He would heal us, so He will. It might not happen in our timing, but it will happen! That is so hard for some people to believe, but it is true! So when I think about moving to Nashville, my flesh may be scared, but my spirit is not! My spirit knows that what I am about to embark on is something that is so good, and something that the Lord will be a part of! He is going to protect me and He is going to guide me through this! He is my Rock and my Fortress, when I am scared, I can run to Him and know that I am safe!

today...

i was born 21 years ago today... Happy Birthday to me!!!
I celebrated with family and friends, so much fun!
I had to work today, but it was ok because i got to see an amazing sunrise (again at Bolsa Chica)....
this is what it looked like at 6am...
this is what i saw at 6:30 am...and this at 8:30 am...

so it was worth waking up before dawn.
tonight is going to fun!!!!

People..

it blows me away at how some people are so rude and some people are so kind. Working at the beach i come in contact with a lot of different types of people and i get very frustrated, a lot... however every once in a while i meet someone who is so kind and so understanding of situations. I thank God for people who are understanding like that, and i hope that i am one of those people when i go places.

sunrise

this morning i saw the most beautiful picture... It was a sunrise from Bolsa Chica. I was taken away by it and wished that i had my camera with me. it was a little overcast, so the sun shone through various places, i then watched as the colors transformed from a bright orange/pink to a vibrant and beautiful gold. the picture to the right is not one that i took, but those are the colors i saw. Under it was a low fog that crept through multiple oil rigs. SOOOO BEAUTIFUL! my God is so amazing to make something like that. It really took me back this morning.

Lazy

I have had 3 days of being lazy. I got back from France and didn't have to work, so i just lounged around my apartment... it was awesome...now i have to go call the jury duty people and i start work again tomorrow...my life picks up again starting at 7:30 am....

Dreams

What is a dream?

A dream is daring.

DARE to be crazy

DARE to step out

What is a dream?

A dream is ridiculous!

It doesn't make sense to OTHERS, but it makes perfect sense to YOU!

What is a dream?

A dream is ENCHANTING

What is a dream?

A dream is magical

It can take you to unimaginable places

What is a dream?

A dream is something you hold onto from your childhood...

What is a dream?

A dream is something to reach for...to STRIVE for...

HOLD ONTO YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAMS!!!
HOLD ONTO YOUR CURRENT DREAMS!!!
DREAM BIG!!! DREAM HARD!!!!

what is family?

Family is something that far too many people take for granted.
Family is a constant.
I have realized that no matter how far away you are, or how long it has been, your family will always be there for you. I have many people around me who have included me in their family and who have welcomed me with arms open wide. And i have graciously accepted the invitation. But i have again realized that even though i am a "part of their family", they still have their own family and they do things without me because i am not a part of their blood family. that was a really hard thing for me to realize so when i came to that realization, i turned to none other than my mom. My mom is the one who has been and always will be there for me.

I feel like i have taken my parents for granted and in the past couple of months, i have realized how much i love them and how much i miss them while at school. Vanguard is a very lonely place for me right now. Even though i have tons of people around me, and I have friends who care for me and love me, i am still lonely. I HATE going "home" to a dorm room with people living there who don't care about me. I want to go "home" to a HOME!!!!!! I want to be with a family. If i can't be with my family all the time, i want to be with a family who cares for me...the Sturgills.

The Sturgills are people who i know have genuenly accepted me as part of their family. I know that i can rely on them 100%. I thank YOU LORD for them. they are true blessings in my life.

Thank you Lord for my family, for my parents and my grandparents, for my cousins and my aunts and uncles. thank you for teaching me and continually teaching me the importance of them and how i need to treat them. Thank you for people you have placed in my life in Orange County who have become LIKE family; my extended family. These people are truely demonstrating what it means to be the family of Christ. Help me Lord to be reminded of my boundaries with people. Let me not over-extend my welcome in places and in people's lives. Allow me to show my thanks constantly.
I love you Lord, and I know that you have everything working for good. You have my pain and my hurt cupped in your gentle hands. YOU see my tears and YOU wipe them for me. When i am weak and feel like i can't go on, YOU are there to pick me up and carry me.
Thank you Lord!
YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Skid Row

On Saturday morning, I went to Skid Row. Skid Row is approx. 10 blocks and within those 10 blocks approx. 8,000 people living on the sreets.

I started out going with the mentality of work...Don't get killed while stilll trying to get the picture. It is dangerous to take pictures because the people on the street don't like their pictures being taken. As we walked around, handing out lunches, the people just swarmed to us. I really didn't expect that and it was a shock really...I thought that we were going to have to go up to people and ask if they wanted lunch. We went there to do more than just handing out food. We went there to try and build relationships with some people. I have always wanted to be one who can talk to people. I hear stories of people (friends) who can go up to someone, and basically get that person's life story. I have always wanted that...however, I have found that this gift is something that is easy for some, but others have to work on it. At skid row, i realized that i am developing that in myself. I met a woman named Marie. She is 50 years old and living on Skid Row. She was oringinally from Seattle Washington, and then moved to Pheonix and Tuscon for about 20 years. She has been in L.A. for about a year and a half now. It was amazing to just sit and listen to her talk. She told me where her family is from and how she got on the streets. She then went on to talk about how she wanted to pray, and read her Bible, but she felt like there was a spiritual barrier that was stopping her. I asked her if she knew Jesus as her personal savior and she said no...so that led into a whole other conversation. God blessed me so much by going to skid row, and I am so glad that I was able to meet Marie. It breaks my heart to see all those people, who have stories, who have hearts and souls, out on the streets of Skid Row. Even though i feel this way, doesn't mean that I am going to go out and try to save everybody. I (and others) cannot feel guilty about the fact that we live in nice things and they don't. All we can do is help them out as much as possible and then of course remembering them when we petition the Lord. They need our prayers as much as our best friend does.

Dissapointment

So I am here in AZ visiting my sister and of course, I am alone...well sorta...my niece is here, but she is asleep right now...Anyways, I am so pissed at myself because I allowed myself to get excited again about how much time my sister and I were going to spend together, but the reality of it is that I let my hopes get to high. Out of the 4 days 5 nights that I am here, she only has 1 day off, Thanksgiving...
I know that she has to work and stuff but still, i don't think she tried hard enough to get time off.
I guess I can't be too pissed because she did say that the time that she is off, she is going to dedicate that to me and me alone...So i am happy about that. I guess i am done for now, but today was a long and boring day for me. All I did was sit around on my ass all day...i played with my niece a little, but then i watched a lot of tv and i did a little homework...
I did come to the realization that I am going to have more time to work on my homework than i thought i was going to....that is good

"THIS JOURNEY YOU ARE ON IS TOO GREAT FOR YOU TO HANDLE!"

I am reading though a book called "Live Life On Purpose." I didn't think that this book was going to affect me, but it has. The chapter I read this week is entitled: "The map is a trap". This is talking about how we as humans make maps for our lives and we struggle with following the map to the letter. God doesn't give us a step by step map, or step by step directions on how we are to live our lives. This is something that I am working through...I might have a plan for my life, but it doesn't matter because God might have a different plan (map). I am starting to get to the point where I am not wanting to make any plans for my life, and just live day by day. I don't know where to draw the line between holding onto my map and letting God be my compass. My map will change with the seasons, but the compass (God) will always be constant.

Physical Therapy

As many know, I hurt my knee a few years ago, and i am finally getting some treatment. I went to the orthopedic surgeon, and he had me get a MRI..(which i find the results to in a few days), and he also wanted me to start PT asap, so that i can start getting a little stronger if i have to have surgery......
So the long journey of PT begins for me. I started PT today and it is going to be tough. the exercises that i have to do aren't "hard" but for someone who, like myself, is injured, they can be so draining and so hard (not to mention painful)! However, no matter how hard i feel the exercises might be, I am going to persevere because I know in the long run, it is going to help me. I know that it is what I need to do! PT is a good thing, it is making me stronger, and it is going to help me get back on my feet faster!