It is one of those times when things just work out.

So I was like ugh, I need a way to make a little bit of extra cash and God was like "okay, here's a one day a week babysitting job"

And then I was like ugh, I really want to minister to kids again and God was like "okay, here's an opening at a Good News club in Oceanside"

So I'm like "AHH GOD IS SO GOOD...and punctual"

Cool News

So cool news, Abby and I were in a music video. In this GIF you can see Abby getting punched in the shoulder haha.

But on the real....it was an unforgettable experience and even though I was only in it for 2 seconds, mannnn I am satisfied.

You Shine SO Much Brighter

Honestly.....

Amazing things happened guys....AMAZING THINGS HAPPENED! Probably one of the best weekends of my life and I will be posting (eventually) the reason why. But basically, Jesus really loves his children because he gave Abby and I a memory that many people will never get the chance to reminisce about. Golly cool stuff is happening.

Oh Heck Yes

Still, You're Magnificent

The other day I was venting to my future husband. As I wrote the letter, I realized that even though I have no idea who he is or what he looks like, he already makes me feel better. OBVIOUSLY he's not here to hold me, console me, and say it's okay, but just the THOUGHT of him made me smile. It is awesome that when I write my letters to God, it's like writing to my husband and when I write letters to my husband, it's like writing to God. I cannot WAIT to meet him because it is going to be magnificent.

I was telling my friend Jessica that I am so excited to make someone happy. I am already so content with myself and with my life that I just want someone to share that happiness with. It is going to be a most wonderful day.

Something Beautiful

So today after Spanish class wanderlust took over me and I decided to get in my car and just drive. I had no idea where I wanted to be or where I was going to end up or who I was going to meet, but I knew I needed to be somewhere. I found myself in a place that contained almost everything that I love about this world:

dandelion fields

rainy day painting deals

baseball parks

bright eyed baby girls

pizza parlors

beautiful water fountains

breakfast serving cafes

old couples holding hands

and sunshine...

Honestly, God couldn't have put me in a better place. He knew his child needed to be loved and so He took me to the most lovely place within 10 miles of my school. I am truly blessed to have someone take my hand, take the wheel and lead me to something beautiful.

31 To Be Exact

botox, lipo, and implants ain't got nothin' on what was accomplished on that cross.

Boom

Ooh Baby I Love Your Way

UMM my parents are the best.

Front row seats to a Peter Frampton concert?? Oh heck yes!

I am so so excited! Praise God for parents who aren't afraid to give me tickets like this because they understand my old school music tastes. AH! I'm pumped!

Oh Books...

It's a miracle guys...I am actually loving a book that is one of my classes' required texts. It's called Life Lessons by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler. I'm pretty sure every once in a while I'm going to post a quote and then talk about it. How can you NOT like something that says stuff like this:

Who we are is beyond attack and defense. We are whole, complete, and of worth just as we are. Who you are is unique, beyond comprehension.

Love is the only truly real and lasting experience of life. It is the opposite of fear, the essence of relationships, the core of creativity, the grace of power, an intricate part of who we are. It is the source of happiness, the energy that connects us and that lives within us.

Love is our experience of the divine, of sacred holiness.

There's no such thing as an insignificant or accidental relationship.

We have been given everything we need to make our lives work beautifully.

Fiercely Loved

I went and saw The Vow last night with my roommates and it was absolutely lovely...obviously. I'm not sure too many people would beg to differ. The GIF that I posted above is the part of the movie that stuck out to me the most. I love the idea of fiercely loving someone in all of their forms. When he said that my heart exploded with all kinds of love and I knew that that was what I wanted for the rest of my life, from God and from people. I want to be fiercely loved in all of my forms and I want to fiercely love others in all of their forms. I want so badly to know what that would look like.

Love This Song....

Albertsons Worker: Hey! Come over here and buy something for your Valentine! :)

Me: No, buy my milk and pineapples....

Boom

Intervarsity finally started last Wednesday and I have to say that it was pretty freakin' great. The worship was excellent and it is something I really needed. It has been a crazy time to say the least!

You know those one liners that you hear at church that just mentally and physically stun you? And you make that face like "ohh holy crap. God just shot me with one of his revolution rockets".....and then you almost want to just leave because absolutely nothing more can be said that could possibly top what was just said. Yeahh THAT happened.

Lately I've been worried about letting God down and just never being worthy or enough....basically being sub-par in every category in life. But my worship leader made this comment...she said:

"we will never let God down because we were never holding Him up"

BOOOOOOOM!!!! We will never fail Him. God has already won. The real competition is over and God is already victorious. So if we just come as we are and as we were, then God will lead us into who He wants us to be.

The Super Bowl....it happened.

So if this is Tangled....

and I am the real life version of Rapunzel...

then THAT is my real life boyfriend

I must find him.

Once More Into The Fray....

12 years ago I would have said don't mess with Michelangelo

10 years ago I would have said don't mess with Jackie Chan

8 years ago I would have said don't mess with Jack Bauer

But now, whatever you do....do NOT mess with Liam Neeson

I went and saw this movie yesterday and it was absolutely insane. There was one part that I really really disagree with and if you go see it then I'm sure you'll know what I am talking about. But other than that, I was thoroughly entertained. Forget Bear Grylls, if I have to survive the Arctic I choose Liam Neeson to be my right hand man.

So yesterday I spent all day getting my athleticism on while establishing international relations. First, my friends and I had a full blown soccer game against all the French exchange students. They kicked our butt, but it was seven French guys vs five Americans...so the odds were obviously in their favor.

Halfway through the game I decided to just randomly leave and go watch the baseball game. It made me so sad watching it cause it just reminds me of how much I miss my brother and being able to go see him a lot more then I get to now. But, it was fun nonetheless.

Finally, we attended a BBQ where we proceeded to play football with the German and Australian guys. And I have to say its pretty cool how all of them are so outgoing despite not really knowing our culture or language.

It was definitely a good day. I cannot wait until I graduate so I can travel

I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun ~Katniss Everdeen

Go....read...this....now

If you feel like a piece of your life is missing....you probably need Jesus....but if you already have Him...then it's definitely because you haven't read this book yet. Hurry hurry! The movie comes out March 23rd! Read it while you still have time!

May the odds be ever in your favor ~Effie Trinket

Glow

Just a glimmer of Your glory...

Wow what a beautiful statement! How incredibly different would this world be if just once a day each person experienced a GLIMMER of God's glory? I cannot even imagine. It would be so beautiful. That's all it takes to drastically change this world, a glimmer, and the world will fall to its knees. There is so much darkness in the world, but it is our job, our duty, our responsibility to glow. Healing is going to blanket the Earth, I can feel it. Love is coming and it is going to be a wondrous sight.

I got this guys next record...

A Beautiful Girl Can Make You Dizzy

Promise, promise of a better day, promise of a greater hope, promise of a new tomorrow. This particular aura can be found in the gait of a beautiful girl. In her smile and in her soul and the way she makes every rotten little thing about life seem like it's gonna be okay...

Own Me, You Own

You're so delicious, you're so soft, sweet on the tip of my toungue. You taste like sunlight and strawberry bubble gum.

I Agree..

So I realized I need to read my Bible more...as in, every day. There is still so much that I need to learn from it. I can't be one of those Christians that treats the Bible like a software license and checks the little box that says "I agree with the terms and conditions" without actually reading it. What would be the point of it all?

Ahh Weddings....

SO....the wedding slideshow sneak preview is HERE!!! Literally just click 'here'....I hope you enjoy it!

And if you fell in love with the song like I did...here's that too.

My Princess

So this past weekend I was at a leadership retreat and I have to say it was a really beautiful experience. All in all, this weekend exceeded my expectations. But here was one of my favorite parts from this weekend...

Saturday night, one of my leaders asked for the men to go around and say a blessing over each of us girls. So all the women stayed in the circle while the guys prayed for us. And I'll tell you what, that means the world to us.

Every girl needs to feel worthy and beautiful and important and loved and to receive all that so genuinely from multiple men of God is just an incredible feeling. I know it meant a lot to many of the girls there, including myself. A lot of us have been so badly burned in the past and sometimes we just need a quick reminder that we are still princesses. ESPECIALLY, in the eyes of the Lord. Gosh I am so blessed!

Ran 5 miles today....

The Adventure Continues...

So yesterday was QUITE the experience. I found myself back at Chaparral High School, but this time I wasn't a student...I was a visitor. And I wasn't part of the audience, I was part of the rally. They held a ceremonish rally for my brother so that they could recognize all his accomplishments and retire his number 3 jersey. It was crazy to hear the crowd cheer for our family as they introduced all of us and to see the stands give a standing O when my brother walked through the tunnel of cheerleaders. Slightly awkward to see 2,000 faces staring us down, but it was an incredible feeling that's for sure.

After that we headed to the city council meeting so that they could announce that January 10th is officially Allen Craig Day and that the street between Outback and the CHS baseball fields is now Allen Craig Drive. Before this though Gary Sinise (Lieutenant Dan from Forrest Gump) talked about the house that he is building for a wounded war vet in Temecula. When it was Allen's turn to speak in front of the city council members the first thing he said was "well I'm feeling pretty small after hearing about what really matters in life"

Seriously guys, there aren't many people like my brother out there. There is all this hype, all this press, all this recognition, but he STILL clings to his roots and his foundations. He is such a humble man and I am so blessed to have a brother like him to look up to. I am overwhelmingly proud and honored to be a part of this adventure.

I am usually not a fan of cats....but depending on your level of comfortability with the person sitting/laying next to you....this is the appropriate action to take if they are cold or in need of a solid embrace.

I Wanna Build YOU A Bicycle...

I wanna build you a bicycle faster than life

So you can keep up with your dreams

Bring you a basket of beautiful laughter

All of the love that you need

Humbly, honestly I only wanna be

One of your favorite things

But I want you to believe in me

Cause I never wanted

To give it all 'til now

Cause I always waited

For you to come around

At last, my love is found

Say, I like cursive sound of the words

And all the letters you leave

You're like a classic, restless romantic

Straight from the cinema screen

Back when our father's grandfather's

Grandfathers had daughters

Far before the machine

Way back when lovers believed

Just Keep Swimming...

This has how my days have been. I don't think I have slowed down for AT LEAST 14 days. That's two weeks. I feel like I'm jumping and running from activity to event to work to hang-out to adventure. It is super exhausting, but so worth it. I would never regret staying on my feet. Sometimes it's quite the obstacle course to get to where I want to end up, but I know all this scrambling is going to be worth it some day.

I'll be wishin' and visualizing on your description about every night and calling attention to those I admire and while now I'm kickin' with you.

San Diego Adventures

So I think I have driven to San Diego more in the past couple weeks than I have in my entire driving career...(which I guess isn't really that long either).

But I have made my way to the waters edge three times while I have been home on break...once to Seaport Village and twice to Ocean Beach.

In each of these three trips, San Diego had something different to offer me

There's something about the Ocean Beach area that tugged at my creative heartstrings a little bit. And with apologies for how ambiguous I'm being right now...

i KNOW that something BIG is about to happen.

I won't give up on us. God knows I'm tough enough. We got a lot to learn. God knows we're worth it. I won't give up on us.

This is kind of how I feel when I think about the new year to come. I am just going to wake up every morning KNOWING something wonderful is about to happen. This year I want to live more, love more, learn more and just be bold.

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything & make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best and expect only the best. ~Christian D. Larson