Being Thankful!

Whelp, I have so much to be thankful for!! I don't even know where to begin!

This is Ryan and I's first Thanksgiving together! I am so happy about that. Also, we have a new addition that will be joining us. Her name is Maye and she was born on September 24, 2009. She is a blue heeler. You probably don't know what that is because 9 times out of ten people have never heard of a blue heeler. She is a type of cattle dog. So here she is:

Ryan and I have our hands full that is for sure. We are learning about patience and sacrifice (i know that sounds silly, but dogs do teach you that) and praying daily for guidance on how to make her NOT PEE IN OUR HOUSE!!! :) I know that will come with time and consistency which we are trying to stay on top of!

Anyhoo, We are spending our Thanksgiving with my side this year!! We are going to miss being with the Hipp side, but Christmas is soon to come and than we will be reunited!! I hope that you guys have a GREAT Thanksgiving!! There is so much to be thankful for. Mine is the God I serve, my sweet husband that I love so much, my family, the house over our head, the food we eat, the table we sit at, the bed that we sleep on, and so much more that I could go on for days.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! :)

HOPE

Nov 7-8: I hope my life has purpose.

Nov 14-15: I hope my future is bright.

Nov 21-21: I hope my eternity is secure.

New Series at church. So excited. Come and see what is going on. Hope to see your face! :)

New Things Happening.

Well as you guys can see I haven't written in a while. This is what has been happening...

1. I haven't talked about my Internship this semester yet so let me brag about it for a few minutes. I could definitely go on for hours! I have been interning at Advocates for Children. It is a non-profit organization that has a heart for abused and neglected children! I absolutely love what I do. We had a poker tournament to raise money for the organization last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it! We raised money for a great cause and was able to have tons of fun! It is going to be bittersweet when I have to leave. :(

2. My husband has had a job change. It is certainly going to be a change for the Hipp house because he is going to be working more hours. He has moved to Berry College to be an athletic trainer there through his same company. God has really had his hand in this and I know that everything is going to turn out great! It is something that I am going to have to get use to and I am going to have to get use to Sunday practices! In the end, God knows what He is doing.

3. I am still trying to put together the house. I just love my house. It is the perfect home for Ryan and I to start our lives in! God has blessed us with so many awesome things that we truly don't deserve.

4. Next week I have to find a new internship that I have to do in January. It is a 300 hour internship. I have a couple of places that are offering me a internship position. Now I just need to figure out what God wants me to pick.

5. Since Ryan is working at Berry now, he has to go out-of-town more. :( Well, that means that Ryan has to go to Nicaragua next year because the Volleyball team is going to be playing there. The Volleyball coach asked if I wanted to go with!! Umm, HECK YES!! So I am pleased to say that I am going to Nicaragua (which I don't know if you know this but that is one of my favorite places in the world) with Ryan next March.

6. Last but not least, I have been trying to be a great wife. Messing up a lot, Learning a lot, Praying a lot, and so much more. Marriage is so amazing and I wouldn't trade a special gift God has given me. Marriage is going to be hard, but God has shown me that with Him in between us we will be just fine! :)

Well that is it for now. I hope life is treating you well!

John 3:30

No Pews, No Suits, BUT Still Worshiping God.

When I was little I was taught about the bible. I was saved when I was six. I still remember that day and the exact words I told my parents. "I want to follow Jesus." So we walked down the aisle, told my pastor at the time, and I just started crying. I had this huge feeling come over (I still remember it to this day), it was a feel of joy and excitement, but most of all it was feeling of God taking over my life. I got baptized and read a book with my parents so I could further understand the God's word. I knew I had done the right thing.

Then when I was in 7th grade we moved and we started going to a new church! It was a change and I would have to make new friends, but soon after I realized that God had a plan for me there. I started getting involved and making new friends. I was so happy there. I eventually graduated from high school and got involved in the college ministry. I also got involved with the adult choir, the praise band, and helping with the babies as much as I could. I loved it. I loved everything I did, but I soon realized that I was doing it all for the wrong reasons. I was there because my family was there, I was there because it was comfortable, I was there because I never knew I couldn't go anywhere else. So I felt like I needed a change. I wanted a change for MYSELF. I was ready for different music, and I knew that it was time to get uncomfortable. So, I started visiting churches, and than I found Oak Leaf Church. It struck my attention because I just love the music, I love the atmosphere, and I just love the fact that I felt that God wanted me here. So needless to say I have been at Oak Leaf for a little over 2 years now. It is a true blessing to be apart of a body of believers that love God, love serving, and love reaching people for the Kingdom of God! Plus, it feels good knowing that I choose Oak Leaf for myself not because my family goes there, but I felt that God wants me there. That is a neat feeling!

Yes, Oak Leaf Church is different than most churches. We don't sing from hymn book, we don't wear suits or even dress up, we don't have a praise band, we don't have pews, we don't have sunday school, we don't have sunday night service, but I can tell you what we do have. We have Jesus Christ showing up there! Every Saturday, and every Sunday we come together as a body of believers to worship Him (yes with a band that plays LOUD music). I am not say that having hymns and pews are bad, but as long as you are going to a church that Jesus and worships Him because of what he stands for than that is all that matters. Why can't all the churches come together and have a common goal. Reach as many people for the lost as we can, because at the end of the day GOD IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE GLORIFIED, not me and not you.

On that note, I am so blessed to be apart of Oak Leaf Church. Yes, we can be attacked by Satan a lot of times, but if you go to Michael's Blog called "The Method's are Not Sacred" you will realized why my heart is at Oak Leaf Church at this point in my life.

Learning.

I have been married for about 3 months now. :) Things that I am learning and probably will still be learning years down the road: how to be a Godly wife, how to maintain my relationship with God and not put Ryan above Him, how to be patient, how to be selfless, how to remain happy because it is not my husband's job to make me happy (or vice versa), how to cook, how to communicate, how to keep marriage fun and alive for how ever long God allows us to be together, how to make a dollar go a long way (things are expensive), how to maintain a close relationship with our families (family is so important to us), how to remain physically healthy so we can have a good long lasting life, how to become a team, how to build each other up and not break each other down, and many many more...

Hope God is blessing your marriage like He is ours!

John 3:30

Finished with Summer Semester.

Whelp the semester is over, FINALLY. Since the Wedding I have only had about 2 weeks off. Try to juggle summer school, being a Wife, cleaning a house, learning how to cook (not a pro yet, but I am finding out that I really enjoy cooking), and so much more that comes with 180 degree life change. I have realized that I really haven't stopped. I have about 2 1/5 weeks to breathe (KINDA) and start school all over again. UGH.. I am going to take 5, yeah you heard me, 5 classes this semester along with a internship that I am going to be going to twice a week. SOO, needless to say, I am going to be a busy women! BUT, I know that God is right next to me, and he isn't going to be me more than I can't handle and that is what calms me.

On top of all of this, my sweet husband is starting back to work with a heavy load. IT IS FOOTBALL SEASON. I don't like football at all, and I really don't like it because since my husband is a Athletic Trainer that mean he will be VERY VERY VERY busy. SO, with this said, I have been very spoiled being able to see him a lot this summer because there isn't really any sports going on just camps here and there and other small stuff. When it hit middle of August we are going to have to be very creative with out time to see one another. So with all of this said, I know that the Lord has a plan for us. I just pray that he make this whole Football/Basketball/Baseball/ and all of sports that are time consuming go by fast!! :)

Even though there is a lot of stuff going on in OUR lives, I know that I wouldn't have it any other way because God knows our (Ryan and I) and know that we can do anything we set out minds to. He is one awesome Father, and I am truly bless with a husband that loves the Lord too.

I just pray that August 17th gets here REALLY slow! :)

Love all of you that read my blog. I just hope God is blessing you like he is with us! :)

Have a wonderful Thursday!!

*John 3:30

Leaving to go and help the mother-in-law with her classroom!! I love organizing people (yep I am a nerd in that way!) :)

My Ah-Ha!

How can you not be blessed with this lyrics?

You thought of us before the
world began to breathe
And you knew our names before we came to be
You saw the very day we'd fall away from you
And how desperately we need to be redeemed

Lord Jesus come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

Oh Great and Mighty One, with one desire we come
That you would reign, that you would reign in us
We're offering up our lives, a living sacrifice
That you would reign, that you would reign in us

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh again
Come search our hearts and purify our lives
We need your perfect love
We need your discipline
We're lost unless you guide us with your light

Lord Jesus come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

We cry out
For your love to refine us cry out
For your love to define us cry out
For your mercy to keep us
blameless until you return

You would reign in us

So reign, please reign in us
Come purify our hearts we need your touch
Come cleanse us like a flood and send us out
So the world may know you reign, you reign in us

This song is called "Reign in Us" by Starfield. I just love the words of this song.

My husband is taking a theological class with my pastor at church, and I have been asking him what he has learned. From the conversations with my husband, I have learned (and of course I have always known this, but it just really struck me hard this time) that there is so much to God's Word that is so hard for me to comprehend, but God is JUST GOD. He just is! I have come to realization that I am not going to know everything about Him, but I can try my hardest to. I know I have to know that in the end, he is my Lord and Savior. I am so blessed that God choose me to be a child of God. I just can't thank God enough for allowing me to be apart of His Kingdom. He didn't have to choose me. I am just as much of a sinner as the next one, but He doesn't care. He just wants me to follow him!! Man THAT IS SO COOL, don't you agree?!?!?

Hope you can see how amazing God is just as much as I do!