At Last it's Growing

So I finally took my braids out, I had my hair done in braids for a total of 5 months. Let me tell you it was so great waking up and not have to hassle with have to do my hair, just get up and go. It had been a total of 8 months since I last saw my hairstylist, Erin. I was going to try to do my hair natural, and sport a little Afro but that turned out not to be a good idea. So I went and got my hair done, Erin said that I had about 3" of growth...which is amazing. I think that I will let my hair rest and then in a few months possibly get braids again.

March 2009








October 2009

Live Wire

My church's youth program merged with a partnering church's youth group about 2 months ago. It has been a great experience, I enjoy spending time with the students. They are all really good kids. We have the Jr. High service on Sunday nights and the Sr. high service on Monday nights. Turns out the Youth Pastor had his ten year high school reunion last weekend and was out of town. The other two leaders were out celebrating her 30th birthday. So that left me in charge of the Jr highers.... I did have some help there was a couple (who are parents of one of the students) stay and help me last night. I had them play a game involving balloons, which I must not have explained very well because by the time the game was over there was no winner. They totally missed the point of the game, but they definitely had fun popping them. I was also in charge of giving the message last night. This was going to be my first time speaking in front of this group of students and thought that I was going to be super nervous, surprisingly I wasn't. I spoke on cliques and the importance of getting rid of them and if I do say so myself it went rather well. I actually liked it, it was great and I look forward to the next time I get the opportunity to speak. Who would of thought!

On Your Mark

I recently returned from a two day Leadership Conference in Atlanta GA, Catalyst Conference. I was blessed with the opportunity to go to this conference free. I was accompanied by three other awesome people, Rob, Glenn, and Kailey. God wasted no time hitting me with it hurt. The conference was filled with a lot of wonderful speakers and I took a lot away from each of them. The theme of Catalyst was On Your Mark, making a mark on the world (through leadership). Not just your mark, but allowing God to make his mark through you.
God has been dealing with me in the of a career. I think I know what it is God has called me to, but I would still like to have a little more confirmation. At the conference there were a few speakers that said things that spoke directly to me, somewhat of a mini confirmation. I guess I'm just hesitate to publicly proclaim what I feel God is telling me, because I have gone down this road a few times already. I really just want to make sure that this is what God has called me to do, so I'm still praying about it and I will wait for his timing. There was something that Rob Bell said that stuck with me, "Whatever Christ has for you to do, may be costly, bloody, and hard; but there is a difference between difficulty and burden. God will not give you a burden."
The main point that was universal with all speakers was God has invited each of us to play apart/role in HIS story. It's not about us, it's never about us, it is always about God. Pictured above: Glenn, Kailey, Rob, Mark?, Phil, Me
Two days before I left for the conference I lost my credit card (actually it had been missing a lot longer than that but I hadn't noticed). Then while I was in GA, I somehow managed to lose $50 and I also left both pairs of my prescription glasses that the Hotel. Geesh, I called the hotel and they are sending them back to me, I also lost my ear buds to my ipod. I'm not sure what the deal is but I sure am tired of losing things. All in all it was an awesome trip and I am so happy that I was able to go!
P.S. We stayed in the Marriott!