Take Note: Paul

These words have been putting my type-A, success-driven, fearful, results-seeking heart to rest.

{Romans 4:1-8}

Jesus is my righteousness; not me.

Be still me heart.

High Five for Friday!

Fridays rock.  Especially when you live at the beach.

Today I'm linking up with Lauren, an awesome girl that was in my college women's small group last school year, for High Five for Friday!

Back to the beach...here's my five fave things from this week:

1.  Sunday evening, my parents, my brother, Trey, his girlfriend, Brittany, and I went for a long walk on the beach.

I was hard-core third-wheeling...and unashamed.

Where's Bradley?

And then we tried a new frozen yogurt place.

Yum-o.

2.  Gleaning wisdom.

3.  Saturday morning, my sweet mom took A and me to get a mani + pedi.

Then the three of us met my dad for lunch at a favorite spot.

Coincidental outfit matching. We are so much alike it's scary.

And I grabbed some Lindt chocolate for us three :)

I didn't waste any time eating mine.

4.  My Grandaddy's birthday was last weekend, so my parents, T, A + I celebrated with him a few days late at a delicious restaurant called Sweet 'N Savory.

On the way to dinner!

 I ordered salmon for the first time in my life.

Huge to-do.

  

Impeccable life decision.

5. THIS.

"With an almost eerie level of calm, each of the young people thanked the Lord."

Y'all. This is the NEW YORK TIMES.

Seriously??  Praise the Lord.  

Jesus is on the throne. 

And He does as He pleases.

Other students participating in The City Project with Bradley had quite an adventure in Queens, NY.

And brought incredible glory to Jesus and the peace and confidence in Truth that only He provides.

May this not be the last time the NEW YORK TIMES reports (& shines a positive light on) missionaries bringing the Gospel!

You are just to receive the reward of Your Cross.

Aaaaand...the author of the article retweeted my tweet:

nbd.

Five Favorite Finds.

Summertime is great for a bajillion reasons.

Being able to read and re-read (instead of skim) fantastic, worshipful pieces of writing is one of them.

Here is some of what I've been intrigued and edified by this week:

1.  Good News vs. Good Advice

via The Resurgence blog

Tim Keller

"...when you hear a message that it's all been done for you, that it's a historical event that's happened, your salvation is accomplished for you, what do you want to do?  You want to obey the Ten Commandments, you want to pray, and you want to please the One who did this for you."

2.  Exchanging Fear for Fear

Kevin DeYoung

"...there is no sin so prevalent, so insidious, and so deep as the sin of fearing people more than we fear God."

3.  5 Reasons I love Church-Based Counseling

Pat Quinn

"People expect to be listened to compassionately and cared for wisely and they know that this means that we will use the Bible to point and lead them to Christ."

4.  Why a "You Complete Me" Romance is Incomplete

Mike Glenn

"But what happens if we approach a relationship not from a sense of need but from a sense of our "yes"?

5.  Where Are All the Revivals in Islamic Countries?

via The Gospel Coalition

John Starke

An interview with my pastor, JD Greear.

"'Where are all the revival stories in Islamic countries?' They remain to be written by God."

What are some great articles you've read recently?

Wednesday Wellness: Hot Weather Running

I live in Wilmington, NC.

It. Is. Humid.

And therefore whether it's 70 or 100 degrees, you simply must accept the fact that you are going to sweat if you are outside. 

I sometimes love to run when my knee isn't aching like I'm 80 years old.

But if you're running in the heat, you'll need to remember a few things to ensure that you don't pass out overdo it.

Tips for Hot Weather Running:

1. Water is your friend.

I used to say that I drink water like a camel...buuut that doesn't make any sense at all since camel's don't drink that much, they just store water in their humps.

Anywho, drink water. All day. Every day.

Get a refillable bottle and take it with you everywhere.

2. Beat the heat.

Run early in the morning. 

(Running at 6:27 am is not a regular thing for me...I just don't normally take pictures of the times that I run in the morning.)

 If you try to run between 10 am and 6 pm...just don't.

3. Or run in the evening. 

Or don't because my dad hates when I do that.

4. Go slow. 

Especially if you're running long distances (not that "long distances" is subjective or anything), you are more likely to get overheated and tired faster if you push yourself in the heat/humidity.

5. Know when to stop.

I have to preach this to myself.  If I don't finish a run or if I have to stop mid-run I feel like a failure.

But then I realize that it's disgustingly hot outside and, well...I'm running. And I could be doing a lot of other, sedentary activities.

I would rather stop and walk for one minute than have to cut a run short because I am so overheated.

What are some other great hot weather running tips that you use?

Tasty Tuesday: Poppyseed Pasta Salad

Friday afternoon, I skipped my run and decided to cook.

What a dream.

Last week, I was hard-core scouring for some easy and delicious pasta dishes -- emphasis on easy.

Pinterest and blogs have been scoured.

My first experiment is this concoction:

Inspired by Kristin at the PickyCook blog!

This dish sounded yummy and easy enough.

Here's my version: 

2 1/2 cups of bowtie pasta
1 can of drained chick peas

2-3 cups of chopped veggies

And for the sauce:

1 cup of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons pomegranate red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

parmesan cheese

sprinkled poppy seeds

1. Cook the pasta.

You'll want to do this first in orer to let the noodles adequatly drain and cool.

2. While the noodles are cooking, go ahead and chop up some veggies.

Grab whatever's in your vegetable drawer.

That's what I did.

3. Drain a can of chick peas.

4. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan, then add the thyme and garlic.
Cook over low heat for ~1 minute.

4.  Off the heat, add the lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly.

5. Throw the noodles, chick peas, and chopped veggies into a large bowl and pour that divine-smelling warm sauce over the ingredients.

As you can see, I added some of the seeds from the bell pepper and sprinkled some poppy seeds on top of the dish.

Then throw some parmesan cheese on top.

Get in muh belly.

As you can see, there are some cucumbers in there.
That's because when I was adding the parmesan cheese, my grandpa walked in the door with groceries. So I just grabbed a cuc and chopped up half of it and threw it in.

It was perfect because the sauce was a little runny, and the cucumber slices soaked the last of the runniness right up!

I have a strong inkling this I'll be making this dish over and over and over again.

So what?  I like uniformity :)

Take Note: Relationships

Relationships are huge to me.  For one, relationships, by and large, are enjoyable to me.  People are interesting; conversation is interesting, and holds my attention.  

With that in mind, engaging in relationships is necessary as a human, and commanded by God for believers.

Relationships: A Mess Worth Making is a book that my mentor gave me months some time ago that I have yet to return. 

I was reading it yesterday, and stumbled across this:

This quote was extremely relevant to a sermon that I had watched a few hours prior that the small groups pastor at my church, Spence Shelton, gave last week.  His message was on the community of believers and how integral it is to our walks with Christ.  

Hebrews 3:12-14 says:

"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."

Spence explained that we must share our thoughts, sin, disappointments, marriages, and relationships with other believers--to prevent any one from "[falling] away from the living God."  We also must "exhort one another every day", to remind each other that Christ is better.  He is better than financial; marital; relational; personal success.  We are sons and daughters that have the privilege of laboring for our King who rescued us.  

We must confess to, share with, and exhort one another.

Relationships are for the purposes of sanctification and witness to the Gospel.

They are not supposed to make us uncomfortable--that is where our sin destroys God's perfect design.

Spence stated that when you are finally known for who you really are and you experience love and not condemnation, you experience the Gospel...and it changes you.

High Five for Friday!

Happy Friday!

This week, I'm linking up with a sweet girl who was in my small group this past year, Lauren!

Each week she hosts a High Five for Friday link-up!

Here are some life-happenings that are definitely high-five worthy:

ONE.
On Monday, Bradley's mom and I helped him move in to this house in Durham:

I for realz want this house.  Pinterest and I would do some serious home decor damage here :)
...aaaand maybe add a stove, oven, and refrigerator.

He will be living here (along with five other college men) for the next week,
spending a week in New York,
returning to Durham for 3 1/2 weeks,
going to Serbia for 2 1/2 weeks,
and spending his last week of City Project here :)
Whew.

I participated in City Project last summer, although our summers will be completely different.
I am thrilled at how God is already working and equipping him in his first three days in Durham!

...he will also be blogging about the entire summer :)

TWO.
Tuesday morning I said goodbye to two of my best friends, Bailey and Leah, who will also be participating in City Project!

Leah and I had a coffee date at Starbucks, and immediately after she left, I could not wait to put my nose in the Word.  Love that girl.

...aaand after Starbucks I went to B & N and got a new journal :)

I swear, I cannot spend less than thirty minutes in that place.  

It's a black hole of beautiful, beautiful books, the smell of coffee, and people with glasses.  Mmm.

THREE.

unedited.

Saturday morning Bradley and I woke up early (like, FIVE AM early), He picked me up at 5:30, and we headed to the rocks at Carolina Beach to watch the sunrise and spend time in prayer.

& he brought me coffee :)

I am so thankful to live in Wilmington.

FOUR.
I am becoming more equipped for motherhood...one cooking experience at a time.

FIVE.
This sweetness.

My mom's parents.
Papa Earl has Alzeheimer's and Nana takes care of him and virtually everyone else in that nursing home.