My life in a Nutshell

God is SOO Good. Sometimes I think we don't give Him enough credit for all that He has done. I have the privledege of working for a church near where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends and Skyline Drive begins. When I drive to Wal-Mart I see the most amazing sights. Well, not only to Wal-Mart but looking through my back door I see this.

WoW! I look at this and realize how blessed I really am. As a Youth Pastor I can get really worn out and just super tired. This summer has been CrAzY! God has revealed to me where He would like me to serve after I GRADUATE in December. I can not reavel it at this moment because just a few people know, BUT I'm super EXCITED!

Some of you who know me know part of the struggles I have gone through in the past with being a female and called to ministry. I want to share some of my story with you guys now.

I was raised a PK. I went through a rebelious stage, but I knew at some point I was going to give my WHOLE life to Christ and He was radically going to change my world. When I was a senior in high school I had an agnostic friend named Nick. Nick will never know how much his friendship meant to me and set me on a track that I will never turn from. Nick asked me one day, "Who are you?" I thought he was joking then he explained that I said I was a Christian, but did not act like he thought Christians were to act. I said I was a cheerleader, but I was not as wild as most. He wanted to know the real me. It was at that moment a light bulb turned on and I realized how fake I was being. I wanted to be a REAL Christian. I had already felt God's hand sending me to a Christian University. I am so glad that God gave me an oportunity to turn back to Him. At North Greenville University I went in thinking I was going to be an elementary school teacher... then I realized that I don't really like kids! lol! Then Missions... Through all of this God was molding me. The first class I took in Youth Ministry was amazing and God showed me that Youth Ministry was what He was preparing me for! When I told a fellow student that I felt God was calling me into Youth Ministry he told me to read my Bible because WOMEN were not permitted to be in Youth Ministry. Well for 4 years I have been persecuted for being a female called into Youth Ministry. Not only by students, but by professors. One professor graded me so harshly until I decided to do a little expieriment and say that I only wanted to teach females and then all of a sudden my grades went up by 2 letter grades for the same work I had been producing all semester. Some male students have ridiculed me with such force that I have gone back to my dorm room in tears. Some of the male Youth Ministry majors have taken pride in "kicking out" the females from the program. There have been multiple times where I have either called or text messaged my parents telling them that I wanted to quit my major because of the ridicule from some of the male students. I am the ONLY female youth ministry major in the Senior class who has lasted with this group of guys. I have been told that God created women's feet smaller so that they can stand closer to the stove because that is where they belong. I went through a portion of my Senior year where I could not find an intership because there were no "female" positions available. Through all of this my parents supported me and told me that if I knew God has placed a call on my life I needed to stick it out! I realize now that through everything God has had a plan. I am happy to say that all of those male students have come back and appologized for the harsh words they said. Some have even said that they see now where God has a place for women in Youth Ministry.

I have served the past two summers at Hillsboro Baptist Church. I have gotten to know the people and the students. I love these kids! I have seen so much growth spiritually! It is so amazing! Here is a pic of some of my students!

Aren't they great looking! This was after we played PUTTPUTT in the RAIN and the went and ate Ben & Jerry's inside the in the AC!

It's unreal to think that in this picture alone is: a preacher's kid, a set of twins, a girl who has almost been raped by her dad twice, a kid who is basically a dad to his brother and sister who are also in this pic, a step-son whose family lives their life for his little brother, a kid who does not fit in anywhere except here, and two friends who know nothing about Christ.... and this is just part of our group! Pray for my ministry here with these students and pray that God will just speak through me!

So there you have it... My life so far in a nutshell!