Two weeks...

Wow, I can't believe it has already been over two weeks since my last post. I sincerely apologize to all of you, and I will get better. Things have been going well, and I am loving my job here at Student Life. I had really missed everyone here even though I was only away for a couple of weeks, and everyone is glad to see me back. Things are crazy right now since our camp season is in full swing, and I stay busy every day trying to keep up with all of the demands this job has. My days fly by, and since I don't really get started until 9:00, they seem to go even faster.

Most of you don't know this, but I have really been struggling in my spiritual walk these last few months. Jessica and I were re-baptized earlier this year, which was an incredible experience for both us, since we did it together. You may be thinking that it is kind of pointless to be "re-baptized," but let me explain. We were both originally baptized as kids, mainly because that was how we were raised, and it was--for both of us--nothing more than a ritualistic right-of-passage in the southern Christian community. However, both of us have experienced some pretty amazing things since joining Church of the Highlands last spring, and after both reaching a new level of intimacy in our relationships with Christ, decided that being baptized again, this time with the understanding that came with such a symbolic event, was the right thing for us. Strangely enough, we both made the decision individually at the same time, and told each other much to our surprise. But I digress. Since making that decision, I have seen Jessica grow in her prayer time and her commitment to being faithful to God's will. I, on the other hand, have been brutally attacked by the forces of evil to try and pull me away from where my heart desires to be. Much of this is because I am too analytical and stubborn, but mostly it is because I am still secretly carrying demons of my past and have struggled with wanting to let go, even though they plague my new spiritual life. I can only ask for your thoughts and prayers in hopes that I will be committed to the decision I made just a few short months ago to follow the examples of Christ throughout each and every day of my life. Walk the walk, not just talk the talk as some might say. I want to thank my friends Matt and Brock, however, because it is by them that I have realized I am farther from my Father now that I would care to be, and I am longing to get close to Him again.

A little update on our house. We have still been cleaning and working little-by-little to make it more of a home for us. Yesterday we purchased a weed-eater and a blower so that I can finally start maintaining our yard so that we are not the eyesore of the street and neighborhood. We actually received a letter in the mail saying our yard had gotten too out-of-control and that we needed to take care of it ASAP. LOL...too funny. We are hopefully getting some new furniture here very soon (thanks to Rooms-to-Go) which will be wonderful. We went to Home Depot last week and bought some beautiful crown molding, spray painted it black, and glued it to our mirror in the master bedroom (you know those huge 6 ft. mirrors that span the length of the double vanity). It looks so much better, and it is amazing how something so cheap and easy can drastically change a room. Jessica is not quite happy with our bathroom color, so I may be painting again in the near future...we'll see :)

Quote of the Day:

"Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it. "