andeemichelle

So it has been well over a month since my last post. School has been crazy, work has been crazy, life has been crazy. Now I am off for the next two weeks, and am hoping to blog about my winter break adventures. It is so surreal to me that as of right now I am one semester away from graduating college. It has been six years in the making, and two degrees later, I am finished. The one question I keep getting, and will get up until graduation is, "What are you doing after you graduate?" The answer? No clue! There are so many ideas/thoughts running through my head about after graduation. I want to do something that will make a difference. Something that will glorify God. Something that will impact people's lives in such a manner that they want to become followers of Christ. I just want something beautiful. (yes, I did just quote NEEDTOBREATHE right there) Then this morning in devotions, I stumbled along this beautiful verse in 1 Peter. If anyone speaks, they should do so as...

Lately I’ve been plagued with the question, “Who am I?” I know it sounds much like an identity crisis, and I am only a mere 23 years old, but after this whole last year… I’m left wondering not one, but two questions: Who am I? and Who am I in Christ? There it is…right there. Who am I in Christ? Am I living my life in a way that is Christ like? Do people see me and see the joy and love of Jesus. If not, I am doing this wrong. If not, I need to re-evaluate what/how/why I’m doing what I am doing. This song by Shawn McDonald comes to mind Beautiful by Shawn McDonald As I look into the stars Pondering how far away they are How You hold them in Your hands And still You know this man You know my inner most being, oh Even better than I know, than I know myself What a beautiful God What a beautiful God And what am I, that I might be called Your child What am I, what am I That You might know me, my King What am I, what am I, what am I As I look off into the distance Watching t...

So it has been quite awhile since I have written last, and I apologize. It was partly due to lack of time, partly because I couldn't figure out what to write about. God finally put something on my heart, so I have decided to share. In the post-high group I am in through Faith OPC, we are going through the book Battling Unbelief (I highly recommend it.) This week we talked about covetousness and how that links in with idolatry. It is in two commandments: Thou shall have no other gods before me, and Thou shall not covet. Maybe you are unsure as to what coveting is, because I wasn't totally sure myself. Let me break it down for you. Coveting is desiring anything other than God in a way that betrays a loss of contentment and satisfaction in him. Wow...that is the only word that ran through my head after I read that. After that initial word, I started thinking...how could I have done this and not even realized? It might've been a person, or a goal, anything...but those desir...

So, I haven't written in well over a week and I apologize. School has been crazy now that it is FINALLY senior year. Projects, clubs, study sessions, working two jobs...that also keeps me busy. The two things I never want to do is go through the motions, or put God in the backseat. Lately i've realized that somehow instead of God being at the wheel and in the driver's seat with me in the passenger seat....I took control and put him in the back seat. Terrible, right? I know. Sometimes we just get caught up in this crazy thing called life. We are human, we are not perfect, only He is. One thing that is definitely helping me is growing deeper with the group of girls from my church. Encouraging each other with Bible verses and prayer to make and keep God our main focus has been so uplifting. Having relationships like those make me very thankful. Another thing that is super helpful besides reading your Bible, is to just close your eyes and pray little prayers throughout the da...

Recently I've been reading this great book (I highly recommend it!) called When God Interrupts, written by M. Craig Barnes. It is all about finding new life through unwanted change. It is just amazing. I read a fair amount of books, this one however, has really stuck with me. It constantly goes back to the point that God giveth and God taketh away, but by sticking by and obeying God you will be blessed beyond belief in the long run. The tough part is merely realizing although we think we deserve the things we have or get, they are from God. He can take them away at any moment. Scary thought, huh? I know! Getting back to realizing it isn't about us at all, but about him is another point made. He is everything. He knows all, sees all, created all, and LOVES all. He doesn't put us through things just because. There is a reason for everything that he does, and sometimes ( or pretty much all the time) we won't understand it, but trusting and steadily relying on him is what...

One of the hardest things for me to do depending on the situation, is to Let Go and Let God. Prayer is powerful, talking about things helps, when all that is over, the one thing left to do is finally let go and let God work. Now, I have a jam-packed schedule this semester, I have full time classes, I participate in 2 bible studies, run 1 small group, i'm a volunteer Young Life leader, play soccer for an amazing team in a church co-ed league, but above else I am a child of God, striving to have people see how great our God is, and keeping myself in check. The tricky part is sometimes we rely solely on ourselves, compacting God and over taking his responsibilities. This is one thing I keep learning over and over and over again. I am not alone, and sometimes there are things I can't control, I can't handle...and I have to let go and let God. After all, God knows what I need, I do not. He sees the big picture. My one pastor, Pastor Ellis said this at our last bible study, ...

When I was first saved at 17, I can recall one of the first christian bands i knew of and heard play, was Relient K. Be My Escape was the one song my youthgroup would listen to over and over and over. The one thing i never really totally paid attention to was the words. So here ya go, for people that need to see the lyrics... I’ve given up on giving up slowly, I’m blending in so You won’t even know me apart from this whole world that shares my fate This one last bullet you mention is my one last shot at redemption because I know to live you must give your life away And I’ve been housing all this doubt and insecurity and I’ve been locked inside that house all the while You hold the key And I’ve been dying to get out and that might be the death of me And even though, there’s no way in knowing where to go, promise I’m going because I gotta get outta here I’m stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake I gotta get outta here And I’m begging You, I’m begging You, I’m beggi...

Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same. Sometimes that is how Jesus operates. So what do you do when you have this feeling that God gives you, that nudge that you must do something you don't want to do? You obey him. It may be hard to just take the leap and trust the outcome will be awesome, because sometimes that awesomeness doesn't happen right away. In His perfect time, it will be awesome. It will be okay. God is the only one that every single person on this Earth can depend on. I wouldn't have it any other way. Obeying him sometimes is hard, especially when it is something you don't want to do, but knowing and trusting he will bless you when you obey him is what will get you through. He makes all things work together for our good. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Seeing the Light In the Darkness xox...

Do you ever just have those moments where your mind wanders? It has you think of conversations out of context, make up things that wouldn't happen, or make you over-think things and cause you to worry? YEP, happens to me more times than I would like it to. It is times like these when I look to my handy dandy (yes, i just said that) BIBLE. Being in the word is what helps us grow, and it also helps me to realize that this negative thinking, or having my mind wander on certain things is not trusting my amazing, wonderful, perfect God. When my mind wanders, so should my eyes, to the word of God. He is so good, words can't even describe. His actions his thoughts, everything about him draws you in, and makes you want to be better, do better. I set my eyes on him, because there is no place i'd rather look. I want to be so on fire for Christ, that I ignite those around me. Yet, how can I accomplish such great things if i let my mind wander about everything and anything instead of p...

This past week I was with my Young Life kids at Saranac up in the Adirondacks in New York. It was nothing short of amazing. My pictures are up on facebook, feel free to take a look. While we were up there, we had a wonderful speaker named Rick Rogan. He used so many great illustrations and analogies relating to both the leaders and the kids. Everytime he closed he recited Jeremiah 29:11 " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It took Rick 2-3 times of reciting this to make me realize that I can not in any way, shape, or form control this life that was given to me. When I made my commitment to Christ on August 12, 2005 sitting in my cabin at Saranac, I gave him everything, let me repeat EVERYTHING. He has never disappointed, and I know he never will. I am so thankful God has guided me into being a Young Life leader and allowing me to teach kids through the words he h...

So today, I am finally home after spending a week down at the Boardwalk Chapel, and I am leaving for camp with my youth kids in less than 6 hours. I should be asleep, but I am not. What is keeping me up is something that shouldn't, but it does: worry. Worrying gets us no where in life, in fact it causes us to fear, yet we are sons and daughters of God, whose love casts out all fear. Worries can be about money, school, relationships...whatever. The important thing to learn is to how to give that all up to God, and say: i will fear no evil, for my God is with me, and if y God is with me...then whom then shall i fear? The problem is I do worry, I infact struggle with it. I know some of you out there do, and am calling out to you to ask if you have any special tips on how to calm down, or battle this disease called worry. Please comment HAKUNA MATATA xo andee

Do you ever have those moments where you are just so filled up with joy, you feel like you are about to burst? Today ( and I am hoping many, many more days to come) was like that for me. Today didn't start out so fabulous, my car was in the shop, so i was stuck at home all day. It was kind of terrible because I have so much prep to do for summer camp with my youth kids, and I am house sitting for someone this week, so my car not starting was not the best. Tonight at bible study, we are going through the book Battling Unbelief ( I highly recommend it) and a two part question in the study was this: Is there a conflict between a passion for the glory of God and a passion for our own joy? My opinion on this matter is we were created by joy, for joy, and that goes hand in hand with Jesus. Therefore, i am truly joyous when i am with him! The second question asks, As Christians is it right to say that we should make it our life's goal to be happy? Again, my opinion is YES! Striving fo...

So today I am sitting here thinking, how great our God is. Let me tell ya, he takes my breath away. I think about moments this past year how I have hesitated, doubted, and clung to him, and he never failed me. He was there to pick me up when I needed to be carried, and there in the happy times to make them truly joyous. Every day He teaches me and re-teaches me lessons that I will always need. Patience, forgiveness, how to love, resisting temptations, among others. I must say, things do not always go the way you or I want them to, but they work out the way he intends them to, and that is just fine by me, because even in the bad times, He is good. He continually blesses us each day, and we don't even deserve it. Here is an encouraging word: Isaiah 41:10:  fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. peace,love,feel blessed from above! xo andee

Everyone has one. It may creep up on you, or you may see it coming. A bad day. No one I know likes one or tries to embrace it. But what can you do about it? Face it head on... eat away your feelings, lay in bed feeling sorry for yourself? Me, i've done all 3 but now i realize i just have to pray it out before i do any of the rest of the things previously mentioned. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" I'm learning, and re-learning that God doesn't give us anything he knows we can not handle, and we can always lean on him. So next time you are having a bad day, take a deep breath, relax, pray, and just be assured that God can handle everything and anything, give it up to him and it'll all be worked out. Too blessed to be stressed. xoxo

Hey everyone out there, I created this blog to keep up with the fast moving media times. In my blog I will discuss what it is like in my crazy life. Being a college student, living my life for Christ, living on a budget, and everything else in between. Bible verses, things that speak to me, pictures, advice and whatever I feel like posting will all reside here. Welcome to my life :)