St Jude

I bought a ticket for the St Jude Marathon this year! Running a full marathon has been on my bucket list since I was like 14 years old. I only want to do it ONCE before I die. I honestly have no desire to train that much! I cant imagine running over 20 miles every weekend! In December 2011, my friend Abby and I ran the St Jude 1/2! 13.1 miles! Something I never thought I would be able to do. It truly was so hard, so I cant imagine running DOUBLE that. We will see how it goes. Abby and I had a great time running the half marathon. I ran the entire 13.1 miles and I hope I can do it again this december! 

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Paint Party and Fathers day

This weekend a few girls from our lifegroup got together for our own little paint party. 

 We all met for dinner at Lost Pizza Company and then brought our own paint supplies:) We had alot of fun!

Megan and I. Why am I standing like that?

I loved seeing how everyone had a different style and they all turned out pretty cute!

  

My sweet friend Kristy gave me this frame she made and painted for me! She is one of the MOST thoughtful people.

Saturday, I forced myself out of bed to go to yard sales. I haven't been in soo long but I really enjoy them. I got a few clothes and this adorable little teapot. Megan and I then met our husbands for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. 

Sunday was Fathers Day. We had dinner with Hunter's family. His parents are great cooks. 

I love this pic of Hunter and Mr. Ernie.

My dad and all his girls. Blessed to have such a wonderful father. Ayrie and Allie are CRAZY about him:)

Ayrie's first trip to Malco!

Last week, I was off work on tuesday. I decided to take Ayrie to the 2$ movie at the Malco. Going to the movies is my VERY favorite thing to do. Hunter and I have been every weekend for the past month! My entire family loves going to the movies also, so I couldn't wait to take her. Hunter and my MIMI met us there and then we had lunch.

She of course Loved it and I let the kid buy whatever she wanted. I cant say no to her! What is a movie without all the snacks? 

 

                       

We had a wonderful day! I love her so much!!

Moms 50th Birthday Luncheon

This past weekend, my Mom celebrated her 50th Birthday! My Aunt Amy gave her a beautiful luncheon at Paulette's. All of her friends came and everyone said something special about her. 

My Aunt Amy, Haley and I

                     
                          Mom, Haley, and Ayrie

      Ayrie was so excited. She kept saying, "Mom, I cant wait to see your birthday party!"

     My mom has been friends with Mrs. Debbie and Mrs. Pam since I was a baby. Mrs Debbie's daughters were in my wedding. We don't get to see them often as I would like, but I LOVE these families. They will always be great family friends.

                 
 
                                              All of us with MIMI!

My Baptism

I saw this video after I was saved, but it is so profound and convicting. I can completely relate to what David Platt is saying.







A few months ago, I was Baptized by Hunter! This was a very special experience, but I know it seems strange to alot of people. I can only imagine. Her husband is a preacher?! Her Dad is a preacher?! These were things I have worried about for the past few months that prevented me from admitting that I was lost and in need of salvation.



I have spent my entire life raised in church. I prayed the sinners prayer when I was 6 years old and was baptized shortly after. When I was 12, I became obsessed with the thought of hell and thought..."ill just pray the PRAYER again to make SURE I'm saved."  



The years following, I went to church every sunday and went on multiple mission trips throughout high-school and College. I even went on a 4 month mission trip to England. I never thought that any of this was in vain, or that I was doing them with bad intentions. Church and mission trips were just something I did. A normal part of life to me.  



However, anytime I had to write out a testimony to share, I had a difficult time. I could never really articulate how my life had "changed" after I met Christ. I would always just think, "Well, I was young, I have always been a good person." I would listen to sermons about how you could be saved and just "Back-slidden." For YEARS I would think, "that's me, Im saved..Just back-slidden."


As the years went on, I began to become very skeptical of the bible. I even went through a time where I truly did not know if I believed anything would even happen after you died. I wondered if everything I had been taught was NON-SENSE!! It was too complicated. I could not understand what my friends, Husband, and family were talking about when they would talk about the Lord. I didn't understand the relationship they had. I always just assumed that everyone I knew was "more spiritual" than I was. 


When Hunter and I were dating, I remember him telling me: "I realized today, I am not saved and I am not going to live my life the way I have been living any more." I honestly didn't think much of it, until we were married. He is a completely different person than the man I started dating years ago. I thought many times.."I wonder why he is like this?" "what is up with him??"


When he took his first job as a youth pastor, things started to change. I realized that I had a VERY negative opinion of the Lord and anything that had to do with ministry. It was misery for me. I could not understand why Hunter would want to make every decision based on the bible. Why he wanted to talk about the Lord so much. Why he was SO willing to do anything if he thought that is what God had planned for our lives. I thought, WHY CANT WE JUST DO WHAT WE WANT??" Following the Lord was always too hard for me. I couldn't understand how people could follow ALL those RULES!! It would never be good enough. It was just too hard.



During this time, My friend Brittany invited us to a conference where Paul Washer was speaking. I went simply because I wanted to hang out with them. During his sermon he said..."There are going to be alot of people in hell that believed because they prayed a prayer, they would be saved..but they NEVER really KNEW the LORD. DO YOU KNOW HIM??" I thought that was a harsh statement. Even though I KNEW that was me.



A few months later, we started attending Eastpoint Church. I will never forget what John Allen said. The bible says you are either FOR God or AGAINST God, and I knew I was not for him. He also talked about people who were hung up on a prayer to get them into heaven and it affected their lives NONE. He said, "Every day you do not come to the Lord, you are essentially rejecting God. Once again, I knew this was me.


The tuesday after, I was off work. I remember feeling like the Lord was speaking to me and that I needed to figure it out, so I opened my Bible for the first time in months...Possibly years. I remember reading about how faith produced works. I probably only read for about 10 minutes before a lightbulb went off in my head...



                "YOU ARE LOST."




I immediately began to cry an cried for at least two hours. HOW could I have been so blind for 25 years? I have heard all these thing my whole life and never truly understood them. I was so hung up on, "Im a good person, and I have already prayed the prayer."  



It was the first time in my life that I TRULY understood what salvation was. That I could NEVER be good enough. THAT I WAS A SINNER, and NOT a "good" person. Our Righteousness is as filthy rags to the Lord! God doesnt care about my good-girl reputation or my pastor Dad/Husband. This was the first time I realized I have lived my ENTIRE LIFE for myself and never repented of the way I was living. I had never truly walked with the Lord, or understood what Christ did for me. It took 25 years of sitting in Church for me to realize I DID NOT KNOW THE LORD. I just knew Religion. I had never truly FOLLOWED him. I knew I did not have what Hunter had. I am so thankful the Lord used him to show me what it meant to be a FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, and not just someone who prayed a prayer.


When Hunter came home that day, I was STILL crying. I told Hunter what the Lord revealed to me and I will never forget what he said..


"I have been praying since 8 months into our marriage that God would reveal it to you if you were lost."



I AM SO THANKFUL FOR HOW THE LORD USED MY HUSBAND IN MY LIFE. I always thought that I was the one who got him involved in church and now he is a "preacher."  How wrong I was! The Lord used HIM to show me that I was lost.




 I am so grateful and my life will NEVER be the same.



  
              "DO YOU KNOW HIM?"

Projects

Ive been trying to do a little painting lately. My mom gave me this chair a few weeks ago. 

   

The purple and zebra literally match nothing but I wanted something different. I like mis-matched stuff. 

I also had this wood left over from our ottoman so I decided to paint something when Hunter was studying. 

I like it, but I have no where to hang it. So, it will go in my spare bedroom with everything else until we get a house:)

This weekend

This weekend was so much fun! Friday  night we went to a rehearsal dinner for the Walkers. Hunter was a groomsman in the wedding. 

Saturday I had a walk for Lupus with my co-workers. This was to support our friend Nancy. We had a great time walking and talking. I absolutely LOVE these people and I am So thankful to work with them. They are like family to me! I cant wait for next year.

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Afterwards, I met my family and my Mimi at A-Fair. I didnt buy much, but we had alot of fun walking around and eating. They had alot of food! 

That night I went to Haley and Cody's Wedding. She was a beautiful bride and it was a very sweet wedding. We had a great time! 

However, OF COURSE, I come in at exactly 7 PM and have to walk past the bride to find a seat. 

As I am sitting there, a sweet Lady says "Do you want to move up there?" I said, "No Im fine, thanks." Then, I realize EVERYONE on MY row and the row behind me are wearing flowers. I am clearly sitting in the family section. They were waiting to be escorted down the isle. 

THEN, Hunter and I get to the reception a little late.. We assume everyone has eaten and we walk directly to the food table and fix a plate. At this time, I overhear the wedding planner say: "when the bride and groom get here, we will let everyone eat."

Mortified I walk to our table and of course no one has a plate. A few Minutes later, Cody and Haley walk in and the coordinator says, "Dinner is served!" Hunter and I laughed as we are the ONLY people sitting there with our food. We are AWKWARD!!! Otherwise, a wonderful night:)

Us Before the wedding... Hunter was looking sharp in his tux! Is he cute or what?