Take Heart

Lately, wherever I am, "take heart" or some variation thereof has been surfacing. I kid you not. I read my Bible, there it is. I listen to a song, oh, surprise, there is it again. I go to church, and what verse do they use? One with that phrase. I guess God's trying to tell me something.

This year, my theme seems to be trying to decide what to pursue.
Last week, I was taking a study break with one of my friends, and he asked me where I saw myself in 10 years. This is the time when my brain throws out every plan or idea it has ever had and leaves me in the dust. I came up with some lame, vague answer about teaching or working in a church. What. The. Heck. Yeah, I'm just trying to be super impressive with my lack of specific goals in my life. Needless to say, that question he asked has been on my mind a lot. It's a good question. I just don't have the answer yet.

But it doesn't end there. In one of my Bible classes, we have to do a project on fasting, worship, or solitude. I chose solitude (probably one of the best choices I've ever made). Here's what I've learned so far:
                           -God does not make promises He's not going to keep
                           -God has already overcome everything I worry about (so my worrying is pointless)
                           -Your relationship with God doesn't have to be complicated

Let's just say it's been the best part of my weekend.

Babel

The other day I ate chicken soup mixed with maple syrup just to prove that I could. You don't even want to know what it tasted like. Just imagine it for yourself.

In other news, Mumford and Sons came out with their second album (hence the title of this post) the other day. I love every song. Yesterday I cleaned my room for room checks with the album on full volume...it was the best time I've ever had cleaning.

I'm most likely going on a missions trip to Africa next summer. Never been out of the country. I'm already excited beyond belief.

Next post: "To die would be an awfully big adventure." No worries, I'm not depressed or suicidal. I have a good point to make.


             

sometimes God tells you something you don't want to hear

Hey all. 

This is going to be an honest post.

We all need a little honesty sometimes.

College is great this year. I love it. But it's a little busy. Not that having things to do is a bad thing. But I often put really important things on the back burner. Such as reading my Bible. 

I was talking to God the other day in the shower (my friend Sydney once told me the bathroom=good place to talk to God). Actually, I was whining a little bit, to be completely honest. I just told Him, "Seriously, God, all I want to know is what I should do and where I should go. Can't you just tell me?" After a few seconds had passed, He showed me a picture of myself holding a huge map, but ignoring it completely. I was trying to find the direction to go without consulting the map. Then He spoke. "You already have what you need. You just aren't using it."

ouch.

God is so good at pointing out things I would rather ignore. 

Needless to say, those are convicting words. 

And a good reminder that I'm far from perfect. 

Texas=Oven

Here are some things I thought you should know:
Living in Texas has made me realize what living in an oven with wet towels feels like. If I'm sweating every time I walk outside, something needs to change. Like the season.

"La Vie en Rose" is a beautiful love song. It's from Sabrina. With Audrey Hepburn. 

I auditioned for chapel worship. I'm an alternate. On synth. Don't hate. You have to start somewhere.

My school bill will be completely paid off this semester and I'll have a little bit extra. God is so good it blows my mind.

Spiritual Saturation Week just ended and I have to confess, it was really hard not to fall asleep during one of the night chapels. But some crazy good things happened! Like the football team going to the altar and praying for one of their teammates.

The struggle is real in college. We play children's games outside because they're free and you can make lots of friends while hiding in small spaces (Sardines.)

Also, have you ever taken the time to just thank God for how far He's brought you? I look back at the way I was 4 or 5 years ago, and where I am now, and I just can't help being amazed by what God's done in my life. And think about it. He saw everything I did, everything I thought, and He still loved me enough to mend my broken heart and show me how much He really loved me. Even when I blatantly disobeyed Him. He never rejected me or turned His back on me. That in itself is amazing.

Have a great weekend and keep it real!

There Goes The Fear Again

Do you ever struggle to be fearless? I think we all do. We're all human. We have circumstances that seem insurmountable and situations that seem hopeless. We get discouraged and exhausted. Imagine being fearless! Never worrying, never being afraid to try something outside of your comfort zone, and never being surrounded by a constant cloud of fear. It would be wonderful, right? Well, I have good news. You can overcome fear and keep it from dictating your life!

In Zephaniah 3:12-13 (we're going Old Testament with this one!), God spoke to Zephaniah (one of the OT prophets) about the "day of hope," the day when Jerusalem would be occupied by God's people once again, a people pure and dedicated to serving God. What kind of people would God use, exactly? Verse 12 states that they were both "meek" and "humble," and that they "[trusted] in the name of the Lord." We're going to break down that sentence before going on. I looked up the definitions of "meek" and "humble;" the word "meek" means "gentle and enduring," while "humble" is defined as "not proud, not...showy." These words are mentioned first to establish the type of person God was going to use in His country. The next line really caught my attention though! The end of verse 12 says that these people "trust in the name of the Lord." In order to put all of your trust in God, you would have to know who He was. Think about it. Would you just hand off your child to someone you don't know? (If you don't have a child, substitute something pretty important to you.) Obviously, these people knew God and were confident in Him, so much so that they could trust him no matter what.

And now comes the most amazing part. Verse 13 says that these people used by God will "...eat and lie down, and no one will make them afraid." Right? That's pretty incredible. Because these people trust God and know Him so well, they know that nothing could be greater than Him, ever, and they will not be afraid unless they choose to be. As long as they are looking at God and have complete confidence in Him, fear has no place in their lives.

Fear is something that we all experience, but if we let it run our lives, we can't be the people we were meant to be. Besides, God has not given us a spirit of fear. This part of scripture was challenging and encouraging to me, and I hope it is to you as well.

And if you get the song reference in the title, I want to be your best friend.

How to Make Friends

 How do you make friends? Well, it's easy and hard at the same time. But I'm going to let this quote do the talking:

That is a true statement. If you just really want some more friends, just ask them questions about themselves. Easier said than done, of course. But you can learn a lot from listening to someone else. You may hear a new perspective or a new fact you never knew.

Sorry if that disappointed you. I know I read a "how to" article and come away unsatisfied with the answer they gave. Ask your mom for advice. That's the best I've got.

If I eat a banana too fast, it makes me sick. Fun fact.

Well, my training is over and NSO (New Student Orientation) starts tomorrow! It's just so exciting. I almost put that in caps. There's going to be a lot of new students coming and it's neat to see how they'll acclimate to college. Let me tell you, it's a hard thing.

I met another person from Colorado during training. Let me tell you, it's a wonderful, wonderful thing to meet someone from your home state, especially when they live in your relative area and your state is far away.

Have a wonderful week, everyone! I'm working on a post about the name of God, so that'll be up soon!

What's an Off Day?

This is an important time of year, everyone. Know why? The Olympics just happened. I don't know about you, but I love the Olympics. Most of the time sports don't really hold my interest, but there's just something about all the different countries gathering together and competing, bringing their best athletes, that gives me a lot of enthusiasm. And there's been a great deal to be enthused about. How about the way Team USA competed? Our team is amazing. And many athletes have been mentioning God and giving Him glory and recognition for their triumph (which is so awesome!) Plus, I almost cried at least three times (because every time I see someone crying, it makes me want to cry.) I'm just extremely proud of Team USA. 

Most of all, I'm proud and impressed by their dedication. There's a reason they are competing at such a high level. They've spent years of their life training and sacrificing to improve themselves. Their goal is not guaranteed. Once they reach the Olympics, they may not even medal. But still they push on, completely focused. They reach top physical condition. And it leads me to a serious question. Am I that dedicated? That focused on my goals? And the answer is....No. It doesn't make me happy that I realize that about myself. But it's been brought to my attention. So I'm going to fix it. Imagine what people could do if they showed the focus and dedication in their lives that Olympians had. Imagine what Christians could do if they followed God with that dedication and focus...if they loved people with that clear-minded goal of showing everyone unconditional love. 

For me, personally, if I want to improve, I need to work as hard as any athlete to accomplish my goals. To pursue God's plan. Olympians don't take a day off. They may do training that they don't like, or work out on an off day. But it pays off for them. I think the same can apply to my life. Perhaps yours. 

One Week. And I Am Not Crafty.

The first finished product

Work in progress

This is why I hate crafts

Hey, everybody. I decided to try something I haven't attempted since I was forced to in Sunday School: crafts. I know some people who are fantastic at crafts, and I admire them for it. But I can't find that passion for glue sticks and fuzzy pom-poms in my little heart. But. I did see this really cool project on Pinterest and worked up the courage and funds to finally attempt something crafty. So far, so good, except for the blister on my finger from the hot glue gun (and I made fun of Elena on Project Runway for whining about how much glue guns hurt). And you might notice that the letters on the first picture are uneven and not proportionate. But that's okay. Because I'm not perfect.

Try something new. You may enjoy it. Even if it doesn't turn out the way you expect.

One week until departure from Colorado. Second year of college. Two jobs. As a certain fellow would say, "LET'S GO."

Oh My

Isn't that cat funny?
God is amazing. Last night He reminded me of some things and touched me like I've never been touched. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful it made you cry? Well, God is so beautiful and so indescribable it made me cry. I think it was a little taste of heaven.

Have you watched the Olympics at all? I know, right, I'm so creative, talking about a world-wide televised event that everyone and their mother watches. But hey, I'm not the slightest bit athletic and I LOVE the Olympics. Have a favorite part or event? Mine are 1. Ryan Lochte beating Michael Phelps and 2. Gabby Douglas winning gold in the all around gymnastics.

And I was a bit nervous about going back to school (I'm leaving next week), but not any more! I'm excited! I'm going to audition for the worship team, so keep me accountable! Otherwise I might chicken out.  I'm ready to see what's next in my life, even though I'll have to suffer through a 40 degree winter in Texas. (Oh, how I wish I could be in Colorado for all the snow! NOT.)

I think I'm going to make it a goal to be single when I graduate from my college...I might be the only girl to ever accomplish it. Guiness World Record, anyone?

Sometimes I just ask Jesus why He's so cool. I'm a bit jealous.

Maybe I can be kind of cool. Just not as cool as Jesus.

Mr. Steve

I was watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the other night (just a heads up, that movie made me almost cry and I disliked it quite a lot), and besides the awkward sadness of Brad Pitt's character growing younger each year without much of a purpose in life, the movie did make me think. At one point in the story, when Benjamin is living in a retiree's home as a young boy (but he looks like an old man), he meets an older lady who teaches him how to play the piano and tells him advice that resonates with him for the rest of his life. He tells the audience that he couldn't remember her name, ever, and how it was funny that someone he could barely remember made such an impact on his life. I thought that was really interesting.

I was going through all of my cards the other day-- birthday cards, graduation cards, Christmas cards, and such, when I came across a little card with a picture of a house on the front. On the inside, someone had simply written, "Dear Mallory, just a reminder to talk to your best friend every day about your requests--He wants to hear from you." And it was signed Mr. Steve. I can't remember who Mr. Steve is, no matter how hard I try. I know he was one of my Sunday School teachers when I was in elementary school. But I have no clue what he was like or how he looked. And he still managed to make such an impact on me, even to this day. Just that simple reminder to talk to my Best Friend went straight to my heart.

You never know how much you can influence someone's life, even years later. Even if they can't remember who you are. Even if you haven't seen them in over 10 years. Even if you only knew them for a short time. Even if you never directly talk to them. People may be watching you no matter where you are.

Also, please pray for everyone affected by the theater shooting. I don't know anyone personally involved, but some people I know have friends who were injured or were at least there. This is a great time to show God's love to people, and I'm praying that God will bring the families and friends peace and comfort.

I'm Just Average

"No matter who you are...there is nothing average about what God wants to do in your life. There is nothing average about the purposes of God..."
           -Pastor Brian Houston
Today I started listening to Pastor Brian's podcasts from Hillsong Church for the first time. And this is one of the first things out of his mouth. WOW. Way to just speak something incredible right off the bat, Pastor Houston. It blew me out of the water faster than a fish riding on dynamite. (Just picture that.) But in all seriousness, this statement is so true. I can honestly say that in less than a year, God has done incredible things in my life, and changed me into a completely different person from who I was two years ago. God doesn't do average things. God is not average. And people who follow Christ shouldn't be average either. Keep in mind, "not average" doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be famous or everyone will love you and your quirky, "not average"-ness. "Not average" means you should live in such a different way from the world around you that people notice. That you do things like sacrifice your time and money for God. You aren't content with the American dream of getting a college degree, finding the perfect job, getting married, and having 2.5 beautiful children playing on your perfectly green lawn (not that I'm bashing it, but it's pretty average). I don't know about you, but I want to change the world. I don't want to die without changing someone's life, or being able to show as many people as possible that God loves them and wants a relationship with them. 


Another amazing part of this quote is this: God wants to do incredible things in everyone's life. It never ceases to amaze me that God cares about every person in the world. That's over 6 billion people. And He knows every single one by name. He knows their struggles and dreams. He knows your struggles and dreams. God is big enough to do that. 


One more thing. Even if you can't understand how your future can possibly be more than average, God does. He is doing things you might not be able to see, setting things up and causing doors to open so that you can move forward. Just something to remember.


You can listen to the podcast "Better Than Average" here.

Mad Man

Nope, I'm not talking about Mad Men. Or the mad man that Jesus set free from his demons (although that was super cool). Or anything like that.

via

If you have no idea to what that picture is referring, I don't blame you. Not many people I know even like this show. It's not the most popular show, but it's extremely addicting. My poor family has to put up with me talking about it a lot. It's not my fault I had about 4 seasons to catch up on before the new season in AUGUST. Don't worry, guys, I'm just talking about Doctor Who. It's a British sci-fi show that really can't be explained. But I really really really like it. (Because using the word "love" isn't applicable in this case. "Like" vs "Love," that's a good subject. Blimey Cow has a really funny video about that. But I digress.) Best explanation: it's about a Time Lord over 900 years old who travels in time, saving people and defending the Earth. DONE. And every time you watch an episode, you never know if it'll be funny or scary or sentimental or any combination of the above. It's basically my favorite show. I'm a nerd. And I'm okay with it.

But you know what's even better than Doctor Who? Jesus. Jesus saved the whole of humanity, everyone who has lived, is living, and will live, by giving himself on the cross. And not only are we saved from death (should we choose to believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior), but our lives are forever changed and made exponentially better! 

I really tried to think of a serious post this week. But I just couldn't. I'm sorry. One of these days, guys. God is doing cool things, He's bringing my attention to some of the things I do, and it's all good. I hope you guys have a good rest of your week and I promise something a little bit more exciting soon!

Just Too Much

via

Hey, everybody. I have at least 3 unfinished posts that I just can't complete. I have so many ideas and I'm just not sure which one to pursue. So instead, I give you this lovely picture of an older lady. Feel inspired. Laugh. Wonder why in the world I would put such a dumb picture up. Do what you want! 


Here are some things that have happened lately/ I've been thinking about lately:
                      -Hillsong Live's new album, Cornerstone, came out today. That's a big deal. The first three songs are really good. Those are the only ones I've listened to.
                      -Joyce Meyer is super cool. She's almost 70 and her ministry is still going strong. I've been listening to her podcasts lately.
                      -If you don't put forth effort into a relationship, it begins to deteriorate. 
                      -God knows the exact time that you need something, even if you want it now.
                      -July is the month that The Dark Knight Rises comes out. Batman is the coolest superhero. It's going to be a wonderful movie.
                      -Christianity is not about fame. Sure, there are some well-known people in the kingdom of God, but most of what they do is made possible by people you never hear about. Serving God will not make you famous in the eyes of men.
                      -Living as a Christian by A.W. Tozer is an incredible book and I highly recommend reading it.
                      -People can sport some pretty unattractive looks at a public pool. Yes, I mean you, the nearly bald man with one little rat-tail or something on the back of your head.
                      -Ted Dekker's book The Bride Collector is based in Colorado, and let me tell you, it's a little creepy to read about a serial killer choosing a place near where you live.
                      -This guy at church and I were wearing matching shoes. We're going to get married.


Well, have a lovely week and enjoy your summer! 


Mallory

To Know Your Name

Something that I've been thinking about a great deal lately is knowing God. My relationship with Him didn't really become personal until almost two years ago. I was raised in church and knew a lot about God, but I didn't really know Him. Joining Pulse and seeing the passion for God that so many of the students had really pushed me to a new level in my relationship with God. I began to want what He had planned for my life, and through some circumstances that were my own fault, I learned to find my identity in Him, and depend on Him as my best friend, Father, and Provider. But the thing that's been foremost in my thoughts lately is this: If we want to go anywhere in life, accomplish anything for God, we have to know Him. Not just know about Him. The word "know" has several different meanings, but the definition I like is "have developed a relationship with someone through meeting and spending time with them." We want to seek God's will and live it out, but it's kind of hard to accomplish anything if you don't know anything about Him. It would be like someone you're really close to, in my case, my mom, asking me to buy her a drink from Starbucks. If I don't know her very well, I won't know what to get her. I'll have to guess. I'll be stuck in front of the cash register, frozen in indecision, wildly trying to pick a random drink. But if I know her, I can walk in, order confidently, and save myself a catastrophe.


Paul talks about how knowing Christ is greater than anything in this life in Philippians 3:8-11. "...I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him..." Everything. He takes everything this life has and basically says it is worthless if he can't know Christ and have an intimate relationship with Him. That kind of passion and dedication is amazing. I'm making that my goal: to know Christ and be found in him. If that is in order, everything else will fall into place. It's not as easy as it sounds. But no one ever said following Christ with everything you had was easy. 


Mallory

412

This past weekend I was given the opportunity to help out with my church's youth camp. One of my favorite parts of being home is being able to go to my church, and see all the wonderful people there again. I just love my church so much! And Pulse (the youth group), especially, since being there really changed my life. This summer, I get the opportunity to play keyboard for the youth worship band, and do whatever else, really. So last weekend, in the middle of a quite frightening storm, we packed everything up and drove up to Larkspur to get ready for a really long weekend! And let me tell you, it was fantastic. I hope the kids got a lot out of it as well. I know I did. Being on the other side, having the focus being on them instead of myself, really taught me how I can't be selfish about God. And playing for worship...well, that was incredible. And I honestly had this moment while playing where I thought, "I could really do this the rest of my life." Worship is such an important thing to me! And worship is definitely more than just singing songs or playing instruments...everything we do should be an act of worship. But the musical aspect of it is something I really have a passion for. And being part of the worship band, being able to work with people who are just as passionate, and extremely dedicated, is more than I could ever ask for. When you're doing something God has designed you for, it just fits. So like I talked about in my last post, what are you passionate about? God has placed those desires in you for a reason. And when you pursue what He has, He will open all the doors you need.


Also, last night on the way to band practice, Ryan (the worship leader) had a lot of good things to say. He really made me think. Honestly, the leaders I have in my life are such a blessing and encouragement. I hope you guys have leaders or mentors in your life like that too!

P.S. The title for this post is from 1 Timothy 4:12, which is the theme verse for our youth camp, Camp 412.

I Have A Dream

We all have dreams for our future. Some may be huge and some may be very very small. Some are very specific. But sometimes, we lose sight of our dreams. Lately I think I've been so focused on what I need to accomplish this summer, right now, that I've forgotten some of the things God's promised me for the future. There are still things I need to find out and a huge future for me that's full of possibilities! I don't have a 5 year plan. I don't like to plan my future. But having no direction, no purpose for my future is just as bad! I want to dream bigger. I want my life to be incredibly full and rich and amazing and miraculous. I hear amazing stories from people all the time. But I want to have my own stories. Things that I would have never thought possible unfolding before my eyes. It takes dedication. It takes hard work and perseverance. But I'm the only me that has ever lived in this world, and I'm the only one with the specific gifts and talents given to me. Won't it be worth it to live a life so undeniably not boring?


I started working on this post at the end of May, but I'm glad I didn't put it up until now! Yesterday morning my pastor preached about possessing what God has promised you, and taking the turf that is all your own. It was one of those sermons that you just know is directed at you (thanks God!), if no one else. (I love when that happens.) In Joshua 1, God tells Joshua exactly what the boundaries are for the nation of Israel, very specifically. And, as my pastor pointed out, God does the same for us. He gives us a specific plan that only we can fulfill. But first you have to know exactly what you're going to possess, and get rid of anything standing between you and what God's promised you. Once you're in your turf, your calling, you will flourish.


So that has a huge part in fulfilling dreams you may have! Understanding that makes it that much easier. You have passions. You're good at the things you're good at for a reason. Find the place where that all comes together. And never forget to dream big.
P.S. One of my dreams is to go to Hillsong Church in Australia. I'd probably cry from happiness if I could go there. If I could meet Hillsong United, even better.

Forgetting What's Behind

"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."

                            -Oscar Wilde

This quote should probably be in a book of the most true statements ever spoken. No one is perfect. We've all done things we know we shouldn't have. We've all come from a place where we weren't the best. I know I'm speaking from experience. But that's the wonderful thing about grace. Jesus forgives everything we've ever done, even if it was in direct opposition to what He asked of us. He forgives and forgets. We are the ones who torture ourselves with remembering what we used to do. BUT. The past is not who you are. It is who you were. You've grown since then. You've become a stronger, wiser person. I look back to who I was 2 years ago, even last year, and I know I'm not the same person. God is not looking back at who you were and shaking His head in disappointment, saying "Well, you did this, but let's try to do better this time." No. God looks at us with unfailing love, gently helping us become the best possible version of us, the person He sees every time He looks at us. And that is incredible. So when your past comes a-knocking, you just remember who you are now. You don't have to feel guilty because God already forgave you for it. It doesn't have to hang over your head, darkening every day. Step into the light of the beautiful, beautiful love and forgiveness God has for YOU.  Galatians 5:13 says 'You, my brothers, were called to be free..." Your past does not hold you back. It does not define who you are. And one of my favorite verses right now, Philippians 3:13 and 14, says "...But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Our past cannot be changed. But it is not who you are.

God's Green Earth

There are some animals that I'm just not a big fan of. I know God made them and all, but they're not my top pick. Chimpanzees are definitely on that list of animals I am indifferent about. However, the little boy was babysitting yesterday really wanted to see this movie, so we packed up and drove to a movie theater. (I was hoping he'd want to watch The Avengers, but no dice.)


First of all, this movie was like the monkey version of Bambi. I don't know how many of you like watching the movie Bambi. But if you do, definitely see this movie. Luckily, Oscar, the little monkey in the picture there, was adopted by the alpha male of the group (clan? pack? gaggle?) and all ends well. So there's that. This poor little monkey is first rejected by all the females after his mother doesn't return from an attack another clan of chimpanzees initiated. He just doesn't know what to do with himself, and then, finally, as a last resort, he starts following Freddy, the leader. They hit it off. Order is restored.


Besides the many shots of the precious monkeys showing the cameras the chewed up food in their mouths, the fact that monkeys can be cannibals surely can contribute to my indifference about their species. They catch smaller monkeys and eat them! Not on a regular basis, but it does happen. Not a big fan.


God made chimpanzees for a definite purpose, and they can do some pretty amazing stuff. I've just got to say that I'm definitely not going to be working in the jungle with some wild monkeys any time soon.


And I know that people say that we evolved from monkeys or that monkeys are almost like humans. They may almost be. But they're not. And we assign human characteristics to animals to understand them better, I think. Just something to think about.


I'll just stick with liking dogs. Dogs are nice.

Everyone should try something new!

via flickr

I've been thinking about creating a blog for a while. It just didn't happen until now. So here I go! Trying something new. This year has been full of new things, anyway; I'm certainly not going to break the momentum!


I'm totally new at this, so expect a few mistakes! But it'll be a fun learning process.


First of all, you must be wondering, what's with the name? When my sister was little, she couldn't pronounce my name in its complicated entirety. So she settled for "Maowie." Which sounds like Maui (that island that makes up part of Hawaii). Thus. My blog's name is all thanks to my little sister. 


Second of all, what will this blog be like? Well, it'll be different depending on what I'm thinking about. It could be funny (hopefully) or serious or downright cheesy. You'll just have to see! I don't have a specific plan. 


I want you guys to enjoy this as much as I do, and if you're reading this, thank you! I hope you come back often!


Love, Me