An end to summer

My last hurrah of the summer consisted of a four-hour road trip to Houston with four other girls.

How we kept ourselves busy?

By playing this game, until it got really graphic. Then we stopped.
By listening to this.
By stopping here and getting sick on a dozen of Cherry Icebox cookies.

And by getting pulled over 10 minutes from our destination, and then getting off with a warning because I was a Cowboys fan (HOW ABOUT THEM COWBOYS?!).

Never have I been so grateful for the Cowboy tater that came with my Sonic Wacky Pack that symbolized by devotion to America's Team.

How did you spend your last weekend of summer? In Texas, we still have several weeks of summer left, but I'm just going to pretend.

My Girls

I've written about the amazing group of girls I met in college numerous times.
I met them my freshman year in way that couldn't have anything but destined by God.
We took care of one another and no one could replace them in my life, but when I graduated and moved back to Dallas, I had to find my "place" again. It took some searching but I found them exactly where I left them.

Meet my sisters. 

In a short time, we have created the most vulnerable and hilarious memories. Though I've grown up with these ladies, I was hesitant to invest in friendships with them, unsure that they could provide the kind of genuine relationship I expected.

How dense was I. 

I've taken to this group like my dog takes to...everything. I can't imagine sharing life with any one else.

When others are spending what few summer days they have feeding into the world, they have been feeding themselves with the Word, crashing on couches, gross camp beds and some pretty nice hotel rooms, absorbing all that they can before entering the world again.

These girls love God, love each other, and proclaim the Gospel by living sincerely, by living the life God wanted us to. Full of joy, good nature, forgiveness and prayer. 

These are my girls (and I would have written them a blog post whether they asked me to or not). 

What friendships have you made that have changed your life? The way God puts certain people in your life at certain points in your life is proof that there is someone higher in control. 

He is good.

Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts and I am helped;
my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
Be our shepherd and carry us forever. Psalm 28:6-9

Life has been up and down for several days. 

I was admitted into the MS/MBA program at University of Texas at Dallas and it's been a frenzy to get paperwork filled out and money through.

I've been worried that things were not going to happen according to the school's deadline and in turn, if this was something God really wanted for me. 

I prayed about it last night. I cried for mercy and God's answer on this big (and expensive step). His affirmation came this morning when everything on my checklist completed itself. 

It's a good day. It's a God day. 

Trust in the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever. 

I love it when I'm wrong.

Hope you'll hang out with me this week. I'll retell stories from this weekend's National Mar Thoma Youth Conference where more than 200 youths in the U.S. gathered in Houston, TX for fellowship and worship. 

That's a lie. I'm probably one of the most stubborn people on the face of this earth. I think I know-it-all and act like it, too. Sometimes, it gets me trouble and other times, I have the gumption to back it up.

My recent ego-ism: I did not think I was going to learn anything this weekend at conference. In recent years, I've learned a lot about the attributes of God through experience and scripture. So I must have gotten it all and know it all, right? So my main agenda was to have fun and enjoy being around people of same mind and thought.

I was undermining the Bible with just that one thought. And God showed up this weekend to prove me wrong.

Brad Cauley preached at Austin Stone Community Church for several years before moving to Houston where he serves now. After speaking to the Mar Thoma church at past conferences and retreats, he's familiar with the struggles and issues we face as a community.

Phenomenal doesn't begin to describe his talks. He prefaced with this warning, "God is going to wreck you this weekend."
He did not lie. I was so in awe; my jaw dropped and eyes didn't blink as He spoke awesome truths.

He divided the portrait of God in three--His Creation, His Power and His Image in us.
Basically, God has revealed himself to us so that we would reveal God to others through us. 
It's a complex statement which is why it took about four days to consume it all.

Brad's ability to create visuals and metaphors  (poop brownies, don't walk back to the Porta-Potty, the Do-God, etc.) that permanently sketch themselves in your brain were simple and down-to-earth. No matter your age, you did not walk out of his sermons fruitless.

Thanks Brad and the Holy Spirit for showing me up this weekend.
I love it when I'm wrong.

Let me tell you about Chris Chacko.

Hope you'll hang out with me this week. I'll retell stories from this weekend's National Mar Thoma Youth Conference where more than 200 youths in the U.S. gathered in Houston, TX for fellowship and worship. 

Chris Chacko was a stranger to me until Friday night.
It was a moment none predicted.

I'd heard rumors of him before.
"You don't know the Chris Chacko?" they said.

No, I didn't. Not until I was hit strategically in my left eye by a flying dodgeball.
A dodgeball that was launched by none other than

CHRIS CHACKO. 

Thus started this friendship between this 19(?) year old and I.
Yes, he is a cutie. But more than that, he loves Jesus. I didn't see him take that necklace off or the glow of faith on his face vanish for one moment this weekend. Meeting him was on the Top-5 highlight list for National Conference. I hope you're lucky enough to know him.