Who needs a boyfriend!?

My lovely mother sent me and my roomies some lovely candy in a festive valentines bowl.

My daddy had some See's candies shipped to me here in MI. As unholy as it sounds, I don't plan on sharing. Unless there is a chocolate emergency....living with a bunch of girls, that could be very likely. We'll see.

And this is the cherry on top. :) I sat at my lonely desk in the library on Friday, stamping books, shelving, organizing, and all that other fun stuff, and my friend Kaylee walked through the door with THESE! Phenomenal! Elisabeth sent me flowers. I was so excited! Thank you sissy!!!


Who needs a boyfriend when you have family like this?!

Julie and Wim

Julie and Wim took some time to show off their sweet moves while we were setting up for Sarah's wedding reception. I must say it was one of the most adorable things I've ever seen! I get to take credit for the phenomenal photography skills...not that I'm proud or anything......

Only Grace

My mind has been extremely active over the last few weeks, pondering the various concepts that I've been learning in classes and discussions here. Some of the most prominent things that have been going through my head revolve around the fact that failure under grace allows us to get back up and move forward. Well, a friend of mine gave me a cd and as I was listening to it while I did the homework for this specific class, this song "Only Grace" came on. I was seriously blown away by the words. It couldn't be more perfect for what I'm learning right now!

“Only Grace” by Matthew West
From the album “History”

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday…has disappeared
The dirt has washed away
And now it's clear

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

An’ there's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy and believe me…it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only grace…

And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again
Ohh…get…back…up…again…


There's only grace…
There's only love…
There's only mercy and believe me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There's only…there’s only…grace…

There's only mercy and believe me it's enough…it’s enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
And there's nothing left now
There’s only…grace……
So get back up…get back up again…
Get back up again.



Wow, God is so good! This is exactly what has been going around in my heart and in my head, exactly what God has been teaching me and blessing me with! I can't even begin to comprehend the amount of grace that He lavishes on me daily that I do not deserve!!!!

I miss my Becky! <3

Get back up

Failure. I've been reminded over and over again of how often I fail in my struggle against the flesh. I'm also reminded what a lovely name I have...Grace. How do those even remotely go together? Under the law, Failure=death. But living with the grace of God in our perspective, there is room for failure. Grace does not embrace failure, but offers forgiveness instead. In Christ we are forgiven and righteous, as God looks on us and sees nothing but His perfect Son. Struggle is just plainly a part of walking the narrow road. But when the flesh fails and you fall down, under the grace of God, you get back up. If your heart is filled with fear and you fall, grace allows you to get back up. If you face disaster and heartbreak and you fall, under grace you can get back up. Get back up!

I can't believe it..........

A JOHN DEERE WEDDING!!!!!!
Well, this just means that when God brings Prince Charming along, I don't have to do much planning. :) Phenomenal, isn't it Amy?!

One day.......

Today in Chapel we were talking about acceptance. It turned out to be a slightly painful topic...but oh so encouraging. Acceptance is something that we all search and hunger for. But who are we seeking acceptance from? Honestly, I find myself choosing to labor for acceptance among men rather than resting in the acceptance of my God. Oh how often I find myself avoiding difficult things or confrontations in my search for acceptance among those that I live with and see on a daily basis. But I am constantly reminded now that I am in Christ. I am forever accepted because I am in Christ and HE is accepted. The Father is pleased with His Son. All the "watchers" don't matter in the least bit when I know that my acceptance lies in Christ.

I was talking to my a friend of mine today about all that we've been learning over the last few weeks. We both came to the conclusion that it's not the easiest thing to learn day after day about how completely worthless and inadequate we are. And yet it's the greatest thing in the world to know how worthless and helpless we are apart from Christ. All that we are that's worth anything in the scope of eternity is all because of Christ. With the great gifts that He has given us and continues to lavish on us daily, our hearts and minds should be continually on His face and overflowing with joy and gratefulness to Him. Key word there: should. Why is it that day in and day out we dig into the Word of Almighty God and discover truth after truth, gem after gem, gift after gift and we forget it in the matter of a few seconds. With all of this beauty before me, I am continually aware of the depravity of my own heart as my focus constantly wanders from the wonders that are being laid out in front of me. How is it even possible to give way to sin and darkness, choosing to take my eyes off the truth and light, even for the smallest amount of time? As I talked with my friend today, we found ourselves longing for heaven, where we will be with Christ, the struggle will be over, and we may rest in the purity, holiness, and righteousness of the Father. I came upstairs to work on my homework and the song "Arrived" by Enfield came up on my ipod. God's timing is perfect. My heart was encouraged. I immediately sent the lyrics to my friend in hopes of encouraging his heart as mine was and I'm going to post the words here now in hopes of encouraging anyone else.


"Arrived" by Enfield

Watching and waiting our whole life through
for the moment when we arrive in glory
We'll be standing before His emerald throne
O what a day it will be!
All tears are gone and sufferings cease
perfect new life with no earthly strife
For we've finished the race
run to His embrace
O what a day that will be!

When we've arrived, stunned and surprised
All things resolved in the blink of an eye
No more distractions, no sin left to fight
The first glimpse of Jesus and faith becomes sight

Feel the ground shake, hear thunder roar
see blinding light and seraphim fly
All amazed we will fall, yet the Father will call
"Stand, I have made you my own!"
A choir with angels, martyrs, and saints
singing His praise with no end to the day
shouting "holy, holy, holy" to Almighty God
O what a song that will be!

When we've arrived, stunned and surprised
All things resolved in the blink of an eye
No more distractions, no sin left to fight
The first glimpse of Jesus and faith becomes sight

"No more distractions, no sin left to fight
The first glimpse of Jesus and faith becomes sight"