I am the vine you are the branches

John 15
"I am the true vine and my father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that bears no fruit, while every branch that does not bear fruit  he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoke to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. "


Crazy good verse.... stay faithful stay persistent and the Lord will be by your side....

Our Wedding Website!!!!

TheKnot

Slow down. Forgive. and Treat others better than yourself

My title seems so simple right? For some maybe... not for me... I have been running through life like it is a race... and it isn't. I find myself hurrying everywhere....never being late... always on time... maybe it is my lifestyle? Maybe I am too busy? Yesterday after getting to practice 20 minutes early ( like everyday) I am wondering why i rushed there in the first place. Today... yet again.. I was 30 minutes early... I thankfully had a bible study in my car and sat outside the tennis courts taking some time to spend with God....I rush past God every single day it feels like. He is just sitting there looking at me waiting for me to acknowledge him.. and sadly... I walk right by him.... how rude. I drive too fast...walk to fast... read to fast.... and forget to relax even when I have time to... I dont sleep in... I feel like I am not being productive if I sleep on my recovery days...it is not a bad thing to rest every once in a while...yet not good to always sleep in... there is a fine line... you get what i mean. Tennis even... I play too fast sometimes... rush... get impatient..
Forgive- it seems so easy to say. It seems so simple..... it isn't in some cases... some stuff went on with my family and I and it just seems so hard to forgive sometimes... at times I feel myself get really angry... and then I will get a phone call ... i love them so much i cant stay angry.. yet it still hurts to think about... and I know sparing relationships is more important.. but it is so hard... and i will take time... never hold grudges because life is short... and nothing is for sure... forgive... just as God would want you too.. and try to live only for him... only for his purpose... because he is so good to us...
Treat others the way you would want to be treated... so easy right? Don't cut in line... don't get a drink for only yourself... offer food to people... help them out with something they need help on... I know I would appreciate that from myself... dont take anyone for granted...so easy to say.... love your neighbor just like you love yourself... God made us pretty selfish human beings so it shouldn't be very hard to know what someone else would appreciate... what do you appreciate?

The Proposal :)

Levi and I's proposal! ;) it was so creative and soo amazing...
He started off by telling me that we were doing a documentary for FCA (fellowship of Christian athletes) and that we were going to be video taped... and to just act normal.. our friend is the head guy at FCA so i thought it was for him... my uncle ended up videoing the whole thing... its all on tape! So funny...so Levi and his entire family and one of his older but good friends came to Boise ad I didnt even know about it.. Levi and I have this thing where we always wanted to pick up a homeless guy on the side of the road and help them out.. so Levi set it up to where his friend got all scruffed upand gross and stood on the side of the road with a card board box saying "Need Ride to the Park.. God Bless" so we drive by him and Levi gets all excited and is like.. lets pick him up!! I am freakin out... and thinkin nooo wayyyy! hehe, but we did and the guy (who was Levi's good friend) got in the car and put his head down and told us he wanted to read a poem that he got from an old friend in Alaska.. bc it was Christmas and he was getting help from "strangers" so he read this sentimental love poem.. and at the end of the ride.. he handed me 1 red rose.. i was sooo confused and had no idea what was goin on.. lol... it was funny.. then Levi made lunch reservations at PF Changs... when we pulled up to the restaurant Joel (Levi's older sister Crystal.. her boyfriend) was our valet guy.. and took the car from us and handed me 1 yellow rose.. i was like heyy joel what are you doin here??!! At the door of PF Changs levi's little sister Peyton was our Hostess.. she handed me 1 white rose and showed us to our table.. i was soooo confused! Saying.. peyton what the heck are you doing here? You dont work at PF Changs!?! haha.. so after lunch Peyton met us back outside the restaurant and handed me a chinese takeout box with fortune cookies inside.. the fortunes were names of stores I had to unscramble for "window shopping" .. The North Face Store and See Jane Run.. (a sweet running place in downtown Boise) so we head over that way and i see my sister standing in the window of the North Face store posing as a manican.. with a yellow rose for me.. haha.. it was so funny... next door to her was See Jane Run.. where his middle sister Kayloni was posing as another manican with a yellow rose.. i was like dying laughing.. so confused.. so then Levi took me to this wine place.. and outside both of this parents were sitting on a cute little bench with another white rose and by this point I was like what the HECK! haha.. they ended up taking me from Levi.. and they took me back to my apt where Crystal ( his oldest sister) was waiting for me to do my hair and makeup ... :) while she was doing my hair and makeup Levi's mom read me a poem about why he Loves me... (he wrote all the poems it was crazy) and then when we all got ready to go Scott Levi's dad sat me down and told me all of the reasons why I make Levi so happy and how blessed he is to have me.. ect.. so then they took me downtown... there is a huge Christmas tree in the center of Downtown and all around it when I got there was my family and his family.. and next to the Christmas tree was our 2 friends (one is the back up guitarist for This Providence!) and then our other friend who has an amazing voice... they were playing.. Its Your Love by Tim McGraw and Faith hill... sooo good... on the ground beside me was all the roses i collected that day from everyone.. 1 red rose 4 white roses and 3 yellow roses (143!) after that my 2 grandmas gave me a box of my favorite red velvet cake and then a little while into the song my little cousin Matthew came out in a santa suit (6 years old! so cute) and had a little box.. in the box read.. "All I want for Christmas...." and then levi came out and proposed ..... it was soooo amazing... i was so in shock i didnt cry..it was just exciting.. !!! Of course i said yes... the ring is super pretty.. he got it all customized... there is 2 cursive L's on the sides and 143 on the inside band.. its sooo pretty.. we went to dinner after with everyone.. it was a really fun night...
okay... whew! That was long huh!!! .......and thats how he proposed lol!

Phil 2:12-17

Therefore my dear friends as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act accordingly to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and deprave genration, in which you shine like stars in the universe- as you hold out the word of life- in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So that you too should be glad and rejoice with me. 

Wow. If i could only follow those words exactly every single day. Life would be SO much easier. So much richer.... I struggle... and really try hard but always fall. Thats why the Lord has so much grace on us.. even when we try to have good intentions... they sometime slip up and we are right back asking him for grace and mercy. To be able to see the big picture is critical and to always press on toward the goal is even harder. Sometimes the small goals of what are in front of us blind us from the large goals- the important finish line that God has called us to. Not complaining is HUGE. Sometimes when you are around people who are always griping about something you just follow in and there are no immediate consequences so you feel like it is okay... people hear those complaints and see you differently.. they start to notice the negative unappreciative attitude.... which is not too attractive..... 

Who is God?

The Lord is the Source of everything that happens in your life. He is the first and last; the beginning and the end, the keeper of creation, the creator of all things. He is the architect of the Universe, the manager of all time. He always was, always is, and always will be unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone. He was bruised, but brought healing. He was pierced, but eased pain. He was persecuted, but brought freedom. He was dead and brings life. He is risen to bring power and He was raised to bring peace.

The world can't understand Him; armies can't defeat Him; schools can't explain Him; and leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill him; Nero couldn't crush Him; the new age cannot replace him, and Oprah cannot explain Him away. You remind yourself that He is light, He is Love, He is longevity, and He is Lord! He is Goodness and Kindness and Faithfulness, and right. His Word is Eternal. His will is unchanging and His mind is on us. He's our Savior, Our God, our Peace, our Joy, our Comfort, our Lord and he rules our life.

I serve him because his bond is love, His yoke is easy, His burden is light and his goal for us is abundant light. I follow him because he is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of all leaders. His goal is a relationship with me. He'll never leave you, never forsake you, never mislead you, never forget you, never overlook you, and never cancel your appointment in his appointment book! Never!

When you fall, He'll lift you up; when you fail, He'll forgive you; when you're weak, He's strong. When you're lost, He's your way; When you're afraid, He's your courage; when you stumble, He will steady you; when you're hurt, He's going to heal you; when you are broken, He will mend you; when you are blind, He will lead you; when you're hungry, He will feed you; when you face trials, He's with you; when I face persecution, He shields me; when I face problems, He will comfort me; when I face loss, He will provide for me, and when we face death, He will carry us home to meet Him! He is everything for everybody, everywhere, everytime, and in every way. 

Encouraging Verses

We say: ..."It's Impossible"

God Says...All things are possible. Luke 18:27

We say.."I'm too tired" 

God says...I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28-30

We say...."I can't figure things out"

God says: I will direct your steps. Proverbs 3:5-6

We say..."I can't do it"

God says: You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength

We say..."It's not worth it"

God says: It will be worth it. Romans 8:28

We say..."I cant forgive myself"

God says: I forgive you. 1 John 1:9 and Romans 8:1

We say: "I am afraid"

God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear. 2 Timothy 1:7

We say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"

God says: Cast all your cares on me. 1 Peter 5:7

We say: "I do not have any faith"

God says: I have given everyone a measure of faith. Romans 12:3

Wow. How small are we really?

I am feeling somewhat inspired to write in this moment.... don't ask me why... it is right in the middle of a busy day and there are people are around me going about there business...

Proverbs 12:1 really caught my eye... and got me thinking..

"Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."

Yeah thats right... the bible calls us stupid at times.... we all are at some point in our day... I feel like it takes  a lot to lay down your pride and admit that yes,  I can be really stupid and selfish at times. I feel like this verse makes or breaks athletes...relationships... and attitudes in general. I hate it when I feel like I don't need correction when I am out on the tennis court because many times I cannot see what I am doing on my own. Being bull headed and stubborn I like to say.. "hey i know what I am doing.... I have been playing for 12 years.... don't tell me what to do..." but that kind of attitude is the poison and ultimately is the stop sign for your career. It stops you from getting better. 

I am getting humbled in my Anatomy Class. I sit in the lectures and listen to my professor speak about the intricate details of the human body... I didn't expect the class to be this hard for one... but also I am baffled to look around the class and see people who don't believe in the Lord... he created this human body with the snap of a finger..and the rest of the world in the blink of an eye.. he made our bodies in the image of him. My capacity cannot even wrap around the simple equations- make-up- and functions our body does. 

God is something so much bigger than we can ever imagine. I feel so blessed and fortunate that he allows me to follow him and trust in his word. I don't even feel like I have the right to be in his presence-- but he continues to love me even when I think I have it all figured out. 

God please be with us this week as we finish up finals... help us remember the big picture in life.. and that is living for you... and glorifying you in all that we do. Thank you for always being there and always giving us grace and compassion even at our ugliest times...

Amen..

(Good luck with finals! Couple more days and we have a BREAAKKKK!!)