How many books will I have to buy?

How many books?! That's right - twelve books. Wow. And for only 4 classes. That doesn't count the $200 spanish book I already have. Thank you, Jesus, I don't have to buy that one again! :))

Well, other than the prices of 12 books, I'm happy today! Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new semester, with African Literature [very happy about this one, for I'll need to know something of my future children's heritage, and this is a great start], Seventeenth Century Literature, a Poetry class, a class on the American Revolution and Federalist era, and Spanish level 4. All this for an English major/History minor :) I love it, though!

Can I just say, I am SO in love with GOD and His Son Jesus, that I think I might explode?! And in a very good way! When I was a kid, I never knew the love they spoke of ran this deep, encompassed all it did, and lasted forever. I am so glad I was raised in a church that preached the gospel, a family that adored GOD and brought me up surrounded by the church. It surely was a blessing!

"Oh, thank God—he's so good! His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression, Then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas. Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat." Psalm 107:1-9

A new semester and prayer

Oh me! Six books for one class! What in the world????

This is me, thinking this morning. LOL. I am going to buy books this afternoon for my five classes that start this friday, and for just ONE of my classes there are SIX books to buy! Is this not c-r-a-z-y?! I'm hoping this class has cheap paperbacks to buy. If not, I can't imagine how much this is going to cost me.

However, even though one must buy hundreds of dollars of books, I am excited to begin a new semester. Two more semesters to go! Only one more to go after this semester! Then I will be a college graduate. As I may have stated before in previous posts, I should be graduating this coming May, but I'm behind in a couple of classes, and my major has 2 more class requirements than others, SO, yeah...

As I continue with my education in becoming a woman with a Bachelor's in English, emphasis in creative writing, I look to GOD's word to understand what will come next. I only know what GOD has said, that there is a future ahead for me. Where that future lies, I have no idea. Only He knows :)) Whether I am to stay in North Carolina and teach (as my plan is of right now), or whether I am to move somewhere else, only He knows. I am praying about it, and that's all I can do. I have to wait until I know for certain, until He puts a peace in my spirit. I know that I am to teach the "least of these", but where they are, I have no idea. And it's a beautiful thing. My life is just beginning, it seems, and the most exciting part is right around the bend.

I have just began reading a devotional by Beth Moore, called Voices of the Faithful, and one of the prayers at the end of the daily devotional is...

King of Kings and Lord of Lords, I focus my eyes upon You today. Keep distractions far from me. May I follow You wholeheartedly. Amen.

And that is my focus, my goal. I want to follow everything He has for me and nothing else. It will cost me something, but the beauty of it is He already gave His Son for me. I must pick up my cross and carry it, too.

"But King David said to Ornan, 'No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing.'" 1 Chronicles 21:24

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23

I completely surrender to You, GOD, to everything You are about, everything You stand for, everything You want to do, everything You're doing. My love, my life, my hands, my feet, my purpose - I give it all to You to use as You will. Please, dear Lord, I hold nothing back.

finally, i'm back!

Wow, I haven't posted in 12 days! What a bummer! Yet, I did post on CHRISTmas Eve, the next day was CHRISTmas, then the next few days were a mix of family fun & sickness. Then, this past friday I left [on a whim] to visit my sister Kimberly and her family in Florida until yesterday. So, now I'm back!


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

And, even though it's a few days late, here is my New Year's resolution. I know, I know... stereotypically it doesn't follow through a week later, BUT this one will. I want to grow even further in my relationship with GOD. This past year has been a time of great growth in my faith, in my love, and in my joy that I have in GOD. I can't imagine my life being different, but I know there are plans for me to prosper, plans for a hope and a future even further from today. And I am SO ecstatic to see what they are! In 2010, I hope to read my Bible more fervently, more faithfully, and to make Him even more of a joy on my tongue that flows forth in my speech with others.
This coming year, I believe, will test my faith even further, as I am to graduate in Dec '10 and find a job teaching English at a high school in my hometown [at least those are my plans as of yet]. This year I plan to hopefully attend a function for my sister. Hmmmmm...... what could that be? This year I am starting out with a hope, a love and joy in my soul that means more to me than life itself. Happy New Year to all! I'm looking forward to sharing this new year with you all!

Brandon Heath's "The Night Before Christmas"

What an amazing song for Christmas :)) I love it! Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCitZPr2oD0 and listen to it!

the beginning of a new blog

I'm beginning a new blog just for my writing, and this new blog will be going private in a few days. I will also keep this blog. If you want an invite to the "new" blog, please leave a comment. Here is the link to my new blog, http://mylovewriting.blogspot.com/.

hallelujah!

It just gives me chills to think of the power that brought Jesus into this world. Nothing could stop it. GOD gave them a star to follow, prophecies to be remembered, and angels to proclaim. king herod couldn't stop it, and neither could all the powers of darkness! :))