NYC Summer Project 2014

Hey yall! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I've been in NYC since May 30th & am here until June 30th with Cru. I can now honestly say this has been the best & most challenging experience I have ever experienced, but I wouldn't change it for the world! If you don't know what a summer project is, it is a mission trip that Cru does & different people sign up to go to different places all over the world for anywhere from 2-10 weeks in the summer depending on the specific project. NYC specifically is 1 month & we work on various college campuses in New York to talk to people & see what the spiritual atmosphere is on that campus while also sharing the Gospel & evangelizing with those that we come in contact with. No one, that I know of, has come to Christ yet but with a city of only 2% Christian we have met tons of other believers in the city. I am truly blessed to be able to do life with 15 other students & 18 staff that are on this project. We have quickly become a family! It's so amazing to see what God can do in just the 3 & a half weeks that we have been here already! Also, I have been fortunate enough to serve on music team for a week then get switched to prayer team. God has challenged me to step out of my bubble & try new things that I would otherwise not be able to do if it were not for going on summer project. I have fallen in love with NY & am really sad to be leaving this place & the people that I have met. I will be able to see most of them at Encounter, but some I will not see until project reunion.

I have several stories, but the one that I want to share is about a guy that my friend, Matt, & I talked to. This guy's name was Sebastian & he was a geology major at Brooklyn College who believed in The Big Bang Theory & fought everything we tried to tell him about God. He grew up going to Catholic school until 8th grade but refused to believe in what the Bible says & the stories in it even exist. It was like pulling teeth with this kid! After talking to him for about an hour, with his view not changing, we were finally able to end the conversation with him. Looking back I could have said more but I know he wouldn't have listened. God placed me & Matt in that situation for a reason, & if anything we can say that Sebastian has heard the Gospel. He wasn't rejecting us, he was rejecting God. It was SO frustrating! But I know that we did all that we could. That's the cool thing about God, a month ago I would have given up & fallen to pieces over one conversation I had with this guy that went south, & now here I am standing back & seeing all the doors that are now open for God to get into his life & tear him down to the point that he could come crawling to God for repentance & asking to give his life to Christ. There are tons more stories I could share but each one of them points back to the awesome truth that GOD IS GOOD! No matter what I do I know that I am a daughter of the living God & there is nothing that can change that! How cool is that concept?! I know that if I had came last year my life would be totally different than it is now, but I know that this is God's will for me. He placed me here at this moment to write this post for a certain reason that will be used to further his kingdom. Hallelujah! Praise God! I am so humbled by all that He has done & hopefully I will be able to take what I have learned back to Harrodsburg & Richmond & share it with everyone around me.


This week I want to leave yall with a playlist of my favorite songs that are great for just praising God in His greatness:

1. Oceans (by Hillsong United)
2. In  Christ Alone
3. How Deep the Father's Love
4. Revelation Song
5. Never Gone
6. Come Thou Fount
7. Mighty to Save
8. Free to Be Me
9. How Great is Our God
10. Warrior (by Sojourn)

That is it for this week guys! Hope yall have a great rest of the week & I will post when I can. Love yall!

Live for God & Love for Music!
-Patience <3 =)

Living La Vida Single

Hey y'all! So this week has been a slap in the face of how much I have actually been pushing down my feelings about how I am not that okay with being single. Living in a community of people who are either getting into relationships or are getting married or having kids is a hard thing to think about when I'm 21 & haven't dated since 10th grade (which only lasted for 3 days). I know that God has a plan for my life & will bring a guy into my life when it is His time & not mine. The worldly side of me is very impatient though (despite my name). I look at couples & I either: 1) think they're really cute, or 2) what to puke rainbows & are jealous because I want a relationship like that. Maybe that is why God has not placed someone in my life because I have not learned to be content with how my life is now. But the good news is that I know that God does have a plan & that if He wants it to happen then it will happen & all I have to do is follow Him. My future is set no matter how much I want to be in a relationship with a guy who is passionate about the Lord & meets all of my other qualities. I'm also extremely picky about what I look for in someone (as I have mentioned in other posts) & that also hinders my chance of finding someone, because no one is gonna be perfect. Shoot! Even the guy I like now doesn't have everything I am looking for but he is close enough. God is softening my heart day by day & preparing my heart for the one day when I will find that guy who is just what HE wants for me & not what I want for my self. So for now I am "living la vida single" & I have to learn to be okay with it.

This week's song list is one for all of single ladies/gentlemen! Here it is:

1. "Single Ladies" by Beyonce
2. "Want U Back" by Cher Lloyd
3. "Falling for You" by Colbie Callet
4. "Me & My Broken Heart" by Rixton
5. "Single" by Natasha Bendingfield
6. "I Don't Wanna Be in Love" by Good Charlotte
7. "Stronger" by Britney Spears
8. "Ridin' Solo" by Jason Derulo
9. "I Don't Need a Man" by The Pussycat Dolls
10. "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson

So there you have it folks! So the main point is that even if you are single & are feeling like you're gonna be single forever, don't worry because God has a plan for you & it will happen if He wills it to. For now just relax & don't stress about the worries of being in a relationship. I hope y'all have a very happy Easter & spend this weekend remembering that God died on the cross for your sins & rose 3 days later. Isn't that amazing?! That is why we are allowed to sit here & worry  about our lives & don't have to worry about God condemning us for complaining about His plan. We are saved & all we have to do is talk to God & ask for repentance of our sins! This weekend is really important to me & is one of the main reasons I am here today typing this post! That is all for now & will stop babbling. Have a great week & I will see/type to you on the next post!

Live for God & Love for Music!

-Patience <3 =)

Don't Waste Your Life Away

Hey yall! So this week I really wanna talk about something serious. Recently, a guy I was in LEAD with at MSU passed away in a car wreck & it really made me think about how precious and unexpected life really is. He was only 23 and was one of the most kind, caring, and funny people I have ever known. There wasn't anything physically wrong with him. He was a young, healthy guy who enjoyed life. Then the next day he was gone. It's so strange to think that we could just die at any moment, whenever God decides it's time for us to leave this Earth. So it's important not to waste the time we have on this Earth. If you don't already have a relationship with God, then I strongly recommend doing that NOW cuz you never know what will happen. Luckily, Joey knew the Lord and was saved. I feel that is the most important decision you will ever make in your life! Hell is a terrifying place and the only way to save yourself is to follow God and have a relationship with him. Since Joey died, I realized how many young people that I knew have passed away just since I graduated high school, and it scares me to think that they were just like me, living a life with family and friends who loved them. They had a future ahead of them. Most of them didn't ask to die, and the ones that did felt as if they had no way out cuz no one cared to show them that even if they felt as if no one loved them that God was/is ALWAYS there for them. It breaks my heart to see people who think they are gonna live for a long time and don't have to make a decision about their destiny, but the truth is that they could die at any second. Morbid, I know! I truly believe that we should all take something away from this: 1. don't waste your life and live it to the fullest, and 2. make sure you have a relationship with God before it's too late. I had to get that off my chest. Sorry for being so morbid! I promise next week will be much happier. Hope yall have a great week!

Live for God & Love for Music!
-Patience <3 =)

The Kindness of a Stranger

Hey yall! I have begun to see that people aren't as mean as I thought. With the cold weather my car has been acting up, and when your car gets stuck in the snow, people are a lot more willing to help out cuz they understand your pain. Like after the first time we had a huge storm my car battery was messing up and I had to get people to jump it, but then my car got stuck in a parking spot. Some random guy ran up to my car, that he just happened to be passing by at the time, and tried to push the car. Even though he couldn't get it to move he tried so hard and even tried to use an ice scraper to get ice from under my tires. My friends later pushed the car out later, but it was so sweet that he didn't know me and was willing to help no questions asked. Another example was today my car got stuck in snow, AGAIN, when I was trying to put a poster in my friend Lauren's truck cuz she has a broken foot and can't really get her knee scooter through the snow. This random, and attractive, guy just happened to be jogging by and ran to my car and told me to drive forward while he pushed. Just like last time this guy had no idea who I was and was still willing to help me out. God definitely had a hand in those situations and placed someone there at just the right time. So grateful! It seems that people that we don't know are the ones that are more willing to help out a lot of time. It's the kindness of a stranger.
But I also had some amazingly nice things come from people I know too. I'm going to New York this summer for summer project, and my grandma is totally against me going. So I called her up the day before her birthday just to chat and she says that she got my support letter and sent me $50 of the $3,250 that I need. So awesome! Then she proceeded to say that my dad was sending me money too and was asking people for addresses so I could send out more letters to people to raise the money. Woah! Such a God thing! My dad even gave me a check from the woman that does his taxes and she just gave him a $50 check to give to me towards NYC. Another act of kindness from a stranger! I don't deserve any of this, and I that it's God who is providing all of this. I will forever be amazed at how amazing the people in my life are!

The songs this week are just random songs that have been stuck in my head. So here they are:

1. "Mug Shot" by Max Schneider
2. "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry
3. "Burn" by Ellie Goulding
4. "Hollywood Ending" by Hollywood Ending
5. "Adorable" by Artist Vs Poet
6. "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore
7. "Counting Stars" by One Republic
8. "Demons" by Imagine Dragons
9. "Just the Girl" by The Click Five
10. "On the Way Down" by Ryan Cabrera

That's about it for this week yall! I'll see ya next post! Have a great day & week! 

God Bless!

-Patience <3 =)

Working the Night Shift

Hey yall! I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but I have a new job as a desk worker on campus. I work the late shift (either 1-5 am or 5-9 am usually). I am surprisingly not as tired as I thought I would be & I am actually getting by well with little sleep. Tonight I am working 1-5 for the first time and it's going well so far. Some of the perks about my shift are that I get to go to different buildings that I would never go to if I didn't have this job, and I get to do some studying, homework, and sometimes catch up on shows. One time I watched 3 episodes of Teen Wolf in the time span of my shift. I also get to work when hardly anyone is walking through, so I get to pretty much get paid for doing almost nothing. It's pretty great! I don't like getting up early or staying up extra late, but it's a paycheck so I can't really complain. There's no one to bother you. You hardly see anybody, unless it's Thursday and they're coming back from partying all night. So far I haven't experienced that, but I've heard the horror stories. Unfortunately, I don't get to have my laptop so I'm forced to use the computer that is used for swiping people in. That means when people come in or have to check out I have to switch screens fast. For the most part I can't really complain about my job!

This week I am just going to have a random list of songs that I usually listen to when I'm just chilling out and not doing much.

1. "Dirty Little Secrets" by The All-American Rejects
2. "Somewhere in Neverland" by All Time Low
3. "Chocolate" by The 1975
4. "Three Cheers for Five Years" by Mayday Parade
5. "Lightning in a Bottle" by The Summer Set
6. "Adorable" by Artist Vs Poet
7. "Counting Stars" by One Republic
8. "Demons" by Imagine Dragons
9. "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore
10. "Jasey Rae" by All Time Low

There you have it folks! I hope yall have a great day! What are some songs you like to listen to chill out and relax?

Live for God & Love for Music!

-Patience <3 =)

Expectations

Hey yall! Have you ever had one of those weeks where you feel like everyone is just expecting too much from you? You have to dress a certain way, act a certain way, have certain opinions, and talk a certain way. If you have an off day or if you do just one little thing that is different, it's like you having to be sick or something. & it's not just from classes, it's from work, family, friends, peers, people walking down the street, & just everyone in society. The only person, at this point, that I really care about what they think of me is God, & I know that He loves me no matter what. I just get fed up with having to put on a front like I'm in the wrong if I forget about one little thing or just do something that's out of character for me. It's like I can't have a bad day or a bad day without making someone mad cuz they expected something from me that I didn't provide. The worst part is that I feel if I say anything then I'm a jerk for telling someone what I think. Even if it's someone I'm close to, I feel like I can't say anything without getting accused of acting really strange. Sometimes I just forget to do things cuz of the hundred thousand other things I have on my plate to worry about that desire my attention. I don't mean to forget things, it just happens & in the moment I can't do anything except say "sorry" & try to move on from the situation. Or there's those situations when I don't wanna hear someone complain about how sucky their day has been, but I don't feel like I can tell them that I don't wanna hear about it cuz, once again, I come out looking like the jerk & like I don't care about them. I do care, but in that moment I just don't wanna hear about something negative. Society expects too much out of us & the only way to deal with it most of the time is too sit back & listen & not say a word. It's the only way that you will for sure not look like the bad person in the situation. So, I have this blog to write all my feelings out & if you've made it to this point then sweet! but I understand if people don't wanna finish it cuz let's face it, I don't have expectations of anyone reading my blog. I'm glad I have a place to go to get out all of my feelings in a healthy way & if people read it then that's cool, but I don't write these in hopes that someone will read it. It's a way of getting things off my chest before I explode.

So now that that's over, here's the part you were probably actually waiting for.....MUSIC RECOMMENDATION TIME!!!!! This week are 10 songs that will probably help you let go of all your pent up emotions & rock out.

1. "Welcome to My Life" by Simple Plan
2. "All the Small Things" by Blink-182
3. "In Too Deep" by Sum 41
4. "American Idiot" by Green Day
5. "Honesty" by Cartel
6. "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard
7. "Lost in Stereo" by All Time Low
8. "Chin Up Kid" by Forever the Sickest Kids
9. "Oh Well, Oh Well" by Mayday Parade
10. "The Best Thing (That Never Happened)" by We Are The In Crowd

That's my list! Do you have anymore to add to the list? Hope yall have a great week & don't let the expectations of the world get you down. 

God Bless!

-Patience <3 =)

Brr! It's Cold Out Here!

Hey yall! I don't know about where you're from, but here in Kentucky it's been like a constant freezer for the past few weeks and it won't defrost! It's so cold! For some of you, you may think that 2 inches of snow and -9 degrees weather is nothing. Here in Kentucky we're not used to living in an ice cold tundra. We've had class everyday except for we had one 2 hour delay and we had one day where classes were canceled after 4 pm (which only affected one of my classes). Last night I was walking from my car to my dorm, and I thought my nose was going to fall off or something. Not cool! I'm just sick of having to bundle up like an Eskimo everyday. A few days my fingers had that stinging, burning numbness and I thought for sure hypothermia was setting in. I like to live by the rule of if the temperature is less than my age then I don't wanna go outside. The president of our college sent out an email and pretty much said our education was too important to cancel classes and that the salt they were putting down wasn't melting the ice. What the heck?! I would rather cancel classes than become frost bitten cuz of the weather! Sadly, I went to all my classes though and toughed the snow and ice. I guess the only good thing about this weather is that I have an excuse to wear scarves and hats and sweaters. There's my bit of positivity and the end of my rant.

This week my list will consist of songs that remind me of winter:

1. "Sweater Weather" by The Neighborhood
2. "Sweater Song" by Hedley
3. "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" from Frozen
4. "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Kurt and Blaine from Glee (my favorite version)
5. "Let It Go" by Demi Lovato
6. "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel from Frozen
7. "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby
8. "Wake Me Up" by Avicii (just cuz I love this song)
9. "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson (makes me feel like staying inside)
10. "Counting Stars" by One Republic (not winter or coldness but a great song still)

That's it for this blog! Hop yall have a great week and I'll talk to you the next time I remember to do one of these things.

Live for God & Love for Music!

-Patience <3 =)