Not So Fancy, Iggy.

I'm going to say this loud and proud - I am a true social media creep. I check Facebook, I check Twitter, I have a Tumblr that I (very rarely) frequent - but when I do, you can bet I'm creeping. I don't comment, like, or repost many things. I just like to look and observe what is going on. Call it 21st century people watching. Call it weird. Call it chicken salad. It doesn't matter. I do it.

I've found myself scrolling through my newsfeed many days, looking for anything funny or engaging. Jokes, funny photos, entertaining status updates - it catches my eye. I have hundreds of "friends" on Facebook, and so it's safe to say that I have a wide variety of people to creep on. Obviously though, being a girl, I have many more female friends on Facebook than I have male friends. Nothing wrong with that! I just have had many more opportunities to connect with fellow girls than I have boys. I've counselled at my church camp several times, giving me different young women that I interact with. My major in college was predominantly filled with women, giving me even more connections with the female population. And, obviously, I am a girl - which both blesses and curses me with girlfriends, best friends, and those girls that were always prettier than me in high school but aren't looking so great now that four years of college has went by and so I have them as a friend for days where I need a pick me up and their fourteenth duck face selfie of the day serves a greater purpose than gaining likes on Instagram.
Sorry. That needed to be said, Lord. 
As I creep, though, I've noticed a scary trend - so many younger girls are doing so many different things to gain attention from the guys in their lives. I see young girls that I met when they were entering middle school that are gushing about how cute so-and-so is and how much they love them, only to enter a new status the next day about how heartbroken they are over their relationship ending so abruptly. I see girls that grew up with my sister posting selfies showing more cleavage than I feel comfortable seeing on my own body when I dig out that stubborn Pringle crumb that fell into my bra as I was eating and not paying attention in the 12 inch journey from the can to my mouth. (I am such a catch...) I see girls talking about their boyfriends/significant others/flirtation of the (day/week/second/whatever, circle one) and the incredibly elaborate dates they went on, and how their man finally caught on to the hints they were leaving to finally, finally, finally...be treated as a princess. Dates complete with the new dress, fancy dinner, expensive flowers or trinket, and incredibly romantic situation - whatever it may be.
Now, I'm no relationship expert. I have proudly only dated 3 men in my life, and I am proud to marry #3 (third time is a charm!) In my first two relationships, both my boyfriend and myself were too young and too poor to go out on these fancy dates that seem so commonplace and so essential for young women today, so I never experienced one until I began dating Ryan. What I love about Ryan (other than everything,)  is that he really knows how to treat a woman well. Notice how I say "woman" instead of "girl", because never in my entire relationship with him have I felt like a little girl! He's everything a amazing Christian gentleman should be and everything your momma wants you to take home, ladies: he opens car doors and building doors, he buys me little trinkets that make him think of me, he calls me beautiful at least once an hour whether I look like it or not, he prays for me constantly, he buys me Reeses Oreos before I know they exist, and he has my Chinese order memorized for when we order take out. He's the real deal.
This is what I don't understand, though - as I creep on all of these accounts, and see the tweets that mention buying flowers, getting chocolate, and even going so far as buying a perfectly sized designer outfit, jewelry, shoes, perfume, and everything else for their woman and including a note saying what time they're getting picked up for a fancy date - I have just one question. Is something wrong with the little things, ladies?
This is where things get tricky. Since, as previously mentioned, I am a woman, I have the right to change my mind, have two completely opposite opinions at the same time, and still be right no matter what way I decide to say things. That being said, I'll just continue by saying that there are two firmly different thoughts in my head on the subject of dating and being treated well by a man who respects you. For now, I'm leaning one way. In another post, I know I'll flip the coin.
Anyway. Moving on.
The little things are great, girls. As someone who has had the craziest year of her life just finish, I'll be the first to say that the smaller things that men do for their woman are some of the greatest things ever. In my opinion, a perfect date with Ryan and me is us ordering pizza or Chinese (I'm serious about him knowing our order by heart. It's true love.) and turning on something on Netflix or watching a ball game together. It's nothing crazy, and sometimes we even mix it up and make dinner together (which can be very entertaining, considering our impressive inability to create the edible) but no matter what we do, it's special. It's a wonderful date. And it didn't involve flowers, chocolate, a fancy dinner and expensive everything. Instead, I get to wear my basketball shorts, have my hair up and no makeup on, make food that I want for much less money AND I get to kiss the waiter instead of leaving a tip as he takes my plate and goes to wash the dishes so I can get back to homework or reading or whatever it is that I'm doing. It's the little things.
So, ladies, I know this is a long rambling post that may seem like it has no point. What I'm saying is true, though. We can get so caught up in the preconceived notions that a man doesn't like or respect us unless we have that PERFECT movie and dinner date that is so idealized in our friends' Instagram updates, or in the #truelove #perfectdate #boyfriend tags on Twitter, that we don't realize that maybe his way of expressing his respect and affection is making that dinner at home or clearing the table so you can get back to that job application, homework packet, or amazing book you're reading. 
I'm not married yet, but I can already tell that I've been blessed with an incredible man to walk through this life with. Since we bought our house, we've been all over the place looking at paint for the walls, carpet for the flooring, and furniture for the rooms. It's a big undertaking, and it's fun getting to mold it into something that represents us. This past Saturday, Ryan and I went on a smoking hot date together. We went to Home Depot and spent an hour finding faucets for our bathrooms, and paint samples for my kitchen. It may astound you to know that not once during that time did Ryan surprise me with a fancy dress and tell me to change in the bathroom because he had a romantic dinner awaiting me in aisle 4. Not once did he pull flowers from behind the paint samples, and I certainly did not find chocolates hiding in the toilets and sinks in the plumbing department...not that I would even want to look or try to find chocolate colored anything in the plumbing department. That being said, we still had an incredible time together. There was no food involved, no trinkets, no presents, just 2 faucets and some paint samples that we tried in the kitchen later that day. And you know what, ladies? I had more fun that day than I have had in a while.
You may not be getting married and are looking for the perfect shade of yellow for the back wall of your kitchen (if you are, it's definitely Wildflower Honey from Baer paints) but I can guarantee that you can still find something small to do that is meaningful and sweet and doesn't require elaborate planning and dinner reservations made last May. Yes, the big things are nice and fancy dates are romantic, but so is sitting on the couch and watching Scrubs with your significant other. (In my opinion!!) I can pretty much assure you that if you do have a significant other, he will greatly appreciate a day to relax with some Netflix and popcorn, or a quiet hiking trail and some comfy sneakers, or a blanket and a tree to lay under. All of these things are sweet, romantic, and still have the same end result as a fancy date - you feel special, loved, and are able to reciprocate those feelings to the one you're spending the time with.
Grab the number for Dominos and turn on the Pirate game, girls. You - and your guy - will be glad you did. 

Ketchup.

I'm SO PUNNY

Well hello hello hello! My, how time has flown since I last wrote. Somehow I wrote in January, twice in one day, and then...well, it's June 10th. Hi, everyone.
I've said before that I wouldn't make excuses for not writing frequently, and I won't this time either. I have been incredibly, blessedly busy in the last 6 months. I have post its on post its of writing ideas, half constructed blog posts, and one giant note that says "There's a huge Taco Bell across from my dorm now! Why couldn't that have been there when I was here? Granted, I would be dead right now..." from when Ryan visited Penn State Main in April. (That didn't have anything to do with this blog, it's just the closest post it to me, for some reason.)
For those of you playing the home game, I'll recap the past half year for you.

• I went back to my student teaching placement in January, after 6 weeks off. It was an interesting semester, filled with lots of struggles, chocolate, long hours in the car, and tears. But, it eventually ended in...
• GRADUATION! I graduated from college exactly one month ago on May 10th. What an incredible day that was. It was completely surreal. Luckily for me, though, it lead to...
• My first (kinda) post college job! I was fortunate enough to be hired on as a substitute in my home district, a convenient 3 minute drive from my house, right away. I graduated on Saturday and was back in a classroom by Wednesday. I did all sorts of odd placements, including high school chorus (we sang one song and then had free time), elementary gym (we had one warm up and then had free time), and a bathroom monitor for high school Keystone exams (in case the 18 year old senior forgets where the restroom is after 4 years! Just kidding.) All of these positions were entertaining, and I loved every one of them. Plus, I was also able to get in some serious teaching days in the elementary in third, fourth, and fifth grades. It was awesome. 
• Whenever I haven't been in the schools working, I've been at home wedding planning! Ryan and I are a mere 145 (I think...) days away from saying I do, and I can't wait. Especially since...
• We bought a house! Or, well, I liked it and Ryan liked it so he bought a house. We have been extremely blessed to have found an incredible house right outside of Pittsburgh (you can see parts of downtown from my backyard, something that greatly excites this pretend-city / actual-country girl.) It needs some love, but our incredible family has been hard at work, spending their time to fix it up for us so it's ready to go for Ry sometime this summer, and for the both of us come November 1st. 
• I was offered a position helping out, as a substitute Personal Care Assistant, at a summer school through July. I'm in the middle of leaving Subway (see ya later, sandwich diva) and entering into this new phase of my career. 

It's weird to think that this chapter of my life is drawing to a close. Being in school as a student, at home with my family, is all that I have ever known. I can't remember the transition from being home to school, so I can just remember elementary school, middle school, and high school as the first chapter. When that closed, I was nervous. Who knows what college is actually like? I had a different view, compared to everyone else, since I went to a local school where I was able to come home every night to my family and sleep in my own bed. That both was good, and totally sucked. (As a graduate now, though, being able to walk out debt free is a total blessing!) Now as a college graduate, I'm in the chapter where I'm job hunting and trying to put this degree to use. I don't get to go back to school in the fall as a student - I'm looking to go back to a school in the fall as a teacher! And, possibly the craziest of all, I'm getting ready to become a wife in a few short months! That to me is the weirdest chapter. Ever. But, the best one too! (Right, Ry?)

TL;DR - Things have been nuts. I haven't had the time to even think about, well, anything - much less write an entire post and get my thoughts together so you people at home can read it. However, I have tons of things to say, and some pretty decent posts already crafted in my mind. Stay tuned, friends!

Kimber

My Dress is a Size 14

Last week, my mom and I decided to head out to a bridal show nearby. It was completely impromptu, and we had no idea what we were getting into. We figured we would walk around, get some business cards and free samples, and start diving into the madness that is wedding planning. For those of you that aren't aware, wedding planning is a lot of work! I had no idea where to start with anything, so we decided the bridal show would be the best start for ideas. After pigging out at Sheetz (another beautiful reason I love Western PA,) we started off to the show. Once I figured out that there was a fashion show at 11, we decided to detour to David's Bridal to take a look around.
One thing I learned as a result of going to David's Bridal: there is no such thing as "going to take a look around."  We walked into the store, thinking to just browse for ideas, and immediately I was assaulted with women giving me forms to sign, bags of books to look through, and free chocolate to eat. (Skinny Cow only, gotta fit into the dress!) As my consultant measured me, I started to get a little embarrassed.
For one thing, I was in no way prepared to try on wedding dresses. You're supposed to be there with your bridal party and future mother-in-law and all that crew, not just your mom. You're supposed to be tiny and fit into every dress they shove you in and leave room for them to clip it smaller so it fits better. (Warning! This next one may get weird!) You're supposed to be skinny, wearing the correct bra and underwear (not cheetah stuff, in case anyone was wondering,) and definitely not bloated from the effects of a combination of Sheetz food and Mother Nature. I've watched enough Say Yes to the Dress to know these little facts. The big reason for my embarrassment, though, was watching myself get dressed. I am all curves and awkward angles - big hips, big chest, big thighs; you name it, I have it in the plus size. Trying on the dresses was starting to get almost uncomfortable, because I kept not fitting into dresses, and only seeing my imperfections.
So you can imagine my surprise when I stood in the dressing room in a corset and slip, trying on dress after dress. Before I even knew it, I slipped on another dress that the consultant had put in the room for me...and just stopped. It was perfect. As I walked out of the dressing room, I saw that the dress didn't close in back. As a matter of fact, barely any of them did. The consultant and the seamstress came into the dressing room after, taking more measurements and deciding that I would need to order a size up from the sample - making me wear a size 14. At that moment, though, I knew that it didn't matter that it wasn't the right size. It didn't matter that it needed altered. All that mattered was that finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of searching, I felt beautiful.
Sure, I've felt beautiful a few times in my life. Once in a while when I had a nice outfit on, or was on a special date with Ryan, I would feel kind of beautiful. Otherwise, though, I never really felt it. According to society, my size is too fat. Too big. Too much of everything. Size 8 is too big for jeans to be on a woman, because it's much too far away from a size 0 - let alone a 00. A large shirt isn't ideal, because only extra small shirts are okay. And, most definitely, a bride shouldn't feel beautiful if her dress is anything bigger than a 4.
I'm not one to mince words. I obviously don't care what others think, considering I just named my sizes on the internet - big no-no for society today! Why should I care what people think of me? Nothing is wrong with my body. My God made me exactly as He wants me. Why worry about His workmanship?

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We are not our own. Our bodies don't even belong to us - they're temples for the Holy Spirit. That temple was made and designed to be exactly as it is - whether it's a size 0 or a size 10.
I have oodles to say on this subject - it's a hot button topic nowadays. As a curvy girl, I can choose to either shut up and accept what society says, or I can embrace the temple God has given me. My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 31:30.
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Who cares what people think about our bodies? What does it matter that I don't look the same as you, or my friends, or the supermodel on the tabloid? It doesn't matter how much I put into my appearance. Beauty will fade away one day. It's not going to matter in 1 year, in 5 years, in 10 years, or even an hour from now. I am God's temple, beautiful in a size 0, AND a size 14. Whatever size I end up in come November, I'm still going to be beautiful to my family and friends, to my incredible husband-to-be as he watches me walk to him, and to my God, who I know will be smiling down on His daughter as she gets married.
My challenge to you is this - are you caught up in your body image? Are you concerned what people say when you go shopping or think about wearing a certain piece of clothing? Stop right there. Don't be. God loves you just as you are, no matter the number on the tag. He made you exactly as you are, and He's made incredible things. If He can make the universes and place all the stars in the sky just so, who are we to question how He designed us?  Read Psalm 139:14 until you have it memorized - we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Consider your self image. Do you realize how beautiful you are? If not, take a look - you are.
Are you in?

-Kimber.

Blessings.

Well, hello out there. It's been quite some time since I last posted - really, how has it been 8 months? I don't quite remember how to even post on this blog anymore, and I don't remember where I was going with anything I posted previously...but it's okay. It'll work out, somehow.
I tried making a resolution for this year to post at least once a week, but I didn't even bother making it. With how crazy my life has been over the past few months, and with how crazy it most certainly will be in the coming months, how could I commit to posting every week? I'm certainly going to try and post as much as possible, but life happens, my friends. And I certainly will not be sorry because of it.
Just to fill everyone up to speed with my life, I'll give a quick recap of the past year or so. Things have been crazy, and much has changed - for the better!
Blessing #1 - I'm halfway through my senior year of college, and it is terrifying. If someone would have come to me a year ago at this time and told me how insane this next year would be, I would have probably locked myself in a room somewhere and cried. There have been days of total exhaustion, of questioning God's plan for my life (several of those a week, in fact!) and days where I absolutely had to drag myself to the car to make the drive to Pittsburgh. Student teaching has been fun, but it certainly has been difficult and oh-so-exhausting. Like I said, I'm halfway through. This next semester starting in a week is sure to be the craziest and most difficult yet. I'm ready though, and I can do it.
Blessing #2 - Gone are the days where posts like these are frequent. God works in mysterious ways, my friends...and sometimes those ways are completely strange, unexpected, and incredible. I had the blessing of meeting the love of my life in this past year, and as of last December we're officially engaged! Our wedding is planned for November, and so my winter break has been filled with wedding planning, thinking of what to do and where to have it, and just sitting back and seeing what an incredible time it's been. He's my best friend, a total man of God who is dedicated to his fiancee, his family, his job, and his God. I'm so blessed by having him in my life, and I can't wait for our life together to begin!
Blessing #3 - Since it's my last semester here coming up, that means that I'll be graduating in May. In less than 5 months, I'll be finished with my education and thrown into the real world. Last year at this time, I was terrified to even consider what would happen when I graduated and had to consider reality. Now I'm filled with this weird sense of peace. I know I should be flustered - finding a job, much less a teaching job, in today's world is a miracle all in itself - but really, I'm not. At least, not at the level other people are. I know it'll be difficult to find a job, and it can be super stressful (and adding the fluster of planning a wedding on top of that!) but I know it'll all work out. Jeremiah 29:11, right? Goodness knows I've been leaning on that verse lately! So I can't find a job right away. That's okay. I can substitute as much - or as little - as I want, and continue searching as I live with my HUSBAND (!) who thankfully has a great job that can provide for both of us until I find one for myself. God is faithful. It'll work out.

So, there's a lot going on. Many changes will be happening this year, and hopefully this blog will be right with it. Forgive me for the gaps in posting so far, and for the gaps in posting that will most certainly happen in the future. No official challenge happening in this post, but I would encourage you to sit back and count your blessings. It's easy to get caught up and overwhelmed in the nonsense that can accompany a new year - resolutions failing, heading back to work with a busy schedule, all of those fun things - and so it can be difficult to get away and see the good in all the fuss. Take a piece of paper and start simple - your family, your friends, your health, anything. You may be surprised how quickly your list - and your awareness of your blessings - can grow.

Are you in?

-Kimber.

P.S. - Here's a picture of my fiance and me taken at our engagement shoot yesterday. Isn't he handsome?

I Love My Husband. Right?

I spent the evening at my friends' house last night. They no longer go to my church because they now are serving on staff at a new church nearby, but we didn't want to end our small group time - aka, get coffee, eat cookies, and fill everyone in on what's happened since we last saw each other. Considering we haven't since before finals started in December, there was quite a lot to fill people in on. I talked about going to Passion in Atlanta, Georgia last week and how incredible that was, my friend BDubs talked about her life, and my friend Danetta talked - a little - about her life, until she was forcibly removed into the car to leave.
Before we sat down and actually started talking, coffee was necessary. I blame Angela for getting me hooked on coffee in the first place - I never drank it before I was her friend, and now I drink it (if it's more creamer than coffee...) all the time. She brewed me up a cup of gingerbread coffee (delish) and handed me the mug - which is when I started laughing. Sarcastically laughing of course, because this is what I do. Why? Angela had given me this cup:

I love my husband.

Now, obviously, everyone in the house started laughing. The thought of Kimber having a cup that said something that related to A) a relationship, B) a male, and C) Kimber being in a relationship with a male naturally leads to something comical and cat related being said within the next few minutes. (It happened. 30 seconds.) 

After I got home, I started laughing again at the picture. But then I got to thinking - do I really love my husband?

Yes, I don't know him. Or, if I do, I don't know what guy he is. (If I know you and you have an idea, feel free to share the news anytime. Seriously. Like now.) (Right now.) I've been single for a year now, and haven't gone on a real date or had anything serious during that entire time. Sure, I had some feelings for one or two guys but God shut those doors in my face both times - and I'm thankful now that He did. Those are two less doors I have to face until I find my husband.

I remember going to some sort of youth convention - Silver Ring Thing, maybe - where they were selling shirts that said something like "I love my husband - and I haven't even met him yet." That's so true. After thinking of all this, and realizing what I just shared, it hit me - I guess I really do love my husband.

Jeremiah 29:11. One of the easiest verses to remember in the Bible - coincidentally, it's one of the most used and most shared. God has a plan for us, a plan to give us hope. A plan to give us a future. Hopefully, in my future is a husband and not a life filled with cats. (Do I sound bitter yet?) Until I meet him, then I'll be here, loving him right where I am.

I don't really like New Year's Resolutions, but I guess this could count as more of a prayer than a resolution. I'm promising my future husband to let this year be his, and His. I'm not gonna focus on looking for my husband this year. I'm going to let God put him in my life, whenever He feels is best. I'll have to work on my patience - a lot - but it'll happen. I hope.

But what if it doesn't? Then I'll still be here, loving my husband. Except this time, if it's not a real guy on earth, then I'll be waiting for a heavenly husband. God says that the church - us - is His beautiful bride, and He dotes on us like a bridegroom does on His wedding day. Maybe I won't wear the wedding dress during my life on earth. If I don't? Oh well. I'm not too concerned. I'll be wearing mine in heaven as I meet the one man who loves me more than any person on earth ever could, anyway - Jesus.

Are you like me, waiting for your significant other to be placed in your life by God, complete with a flashing neon lit sign? Are you getting lonely and wishing for that relationship with another person? If you are, don't give up. God knows whats best for you. If He has someone out there for you, they'll come when He wants them to, and not a minute before. If He doesn't? Then get ready for a life filled with adventure with God, complete with a life in heaven with Him. Either way, it'll be awesome. Just trust Him. He knows what He's doing. Just sit back, grab your Bible and some coffee (and a great mug) and dive into His promises. Who knows what will happen in the adventurous life that God has planned for you?

Are you in?

-Kimber.

Angels Among Us

A few weeks ago I was asked to speak at a women's breakfast held at my church. My senior pastor's wife had messaged me on Facebook and asked if I would consider creating a short devotion to share with the ladies at the beginning of this month. I was pretty surprised to be asked - especially after she said she got the idea to ask me after reading this blog! I guess God can do some pretty crazy things with something as simple as writing on the internet. 
The theme was Angels Among Us, and I knew right away what I wanted to write about. Every year around this time, pastors go into overdrive creating sermons about angels and their huge relevance to Christmas, as well as other significant events in the Bible. It's been overdone, really. I knew I didn't want my devo to be like all the others about that topic, so it got me to thinking - what other kinds of angels are there?
I started digging around in my Bible, looking for angels. There were several different angels at key scenes in scripture, like when Jesus rose on the third day. Mary rushed to the tomb and encountered a real deal Lucille angel, who told her that Jesus was no longer there, that He had risen. The same thing happened with another Mary in a another major scene regarding Jesus - His birth. Angels led shepherds and wise men from far away to a humble little stable in Bethlehem, where they found the Savior. In both of these cases there are actual angels in the scene. There are other angels, though, too.
Mary was at the tomb first - before any of the men, any of the disciples, even before any of the Roman guards could come back and see what had happened. She knew what she saw - or rather, didn't see - and ran back to tell the others. She was an angel to the disciples. She really followed Jesus and trusted Him, trusted that He really would come back from the dead even though it was impossible. She was an angel to Him.
Jesus' mother Mary sacrificed her entire life, reputation, future, and faith all to birth a child before she was married. She didn't question it, ask whether or not she was the best fit for the job, nothing. She just calmly accepted the huge task God had asked her to undertake and that was that. She was an angel.
After seeing this, I realized how many other angels there were in the Bible that didn't have the "technical" status of angel. They don't need the wings, halo, or flowing dress that everyone seems to figure them to have. They can be simple, everyday people. Everyday women. (Sorry guys - remember this was written for a women's breakfast, so you're outta luck here. Sorry!)
Angels can be mothers. We've already seen how Mary dedicated her entire life for God's plan, for His son. It says this in Luke 1:38 -

"And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.'"

She was completely willing to drop everything she had plans for and become a mother, even though she wasn't married so it would potentially cause her engagement to end, her reputation to ruin and her future to completely change. But she did it. 
Angels can be sisters. In Luke 10 we read about Mary and Martha - two sisters who had completely different views on what serving Jesus was about.

"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who say at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to come help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10: 38-42

Martha is so concerned about preparing a meal, a clean home, and a good image for the Lord that she isn't focused at all on what he is doing or saying. Mary sits at Jesus' feet, listening and learning. Mary has become an angel for Martha, who learns a lesson from her sister that would end up being the most important one she would ever learn.
Angels can be friends. Mary Magdalene had a crazy past - all sorts of pain and hurt had been a daily part of her life for a long time. She fully relied on God to take away all of the demons that had had a hold on her, and she freely trusted him to do all he said and more. That's a true friend - and an angel. Another great example of this is Lydia. Lydia was a businesswoman - something that, in those days, was extremely uncommon. She dealt in purple cloth, a very prestigious trade. Purple cloth was only for royals and the color literally meant royalty, so the people she worked with were not the average people out on the street. Lydia also had a house in a town that the Israelites were supposed to take over. She opened her house to the spies they sent in, promised them a place to stay for as long as necessary, and covered their existence when questioned by people in the town. She put her life on the line, as well as the lives of the spies, her family, and possibly all of the Israelites just by talking to the spies, forget about befriending them, keeping them safe, and helping them take over the town. She was a friend, and an angel.
Lastly, an angel can also be a mentor. In my own life I have several mentors - unfortunately, they too often know better than me. I can be very, VERY hardheaded sometimes. (Can I get an amen?) I don't like listening to other people regarding different things and situations in my life. I want to make my own mistakes. But more than once have my mentors guided me to something better for me than what I had originally wanted. They're angels in real life for me. In the Bible, there's a great example of this found in the book of Ruth. Ruth was married to one of Naomi's sons. When both of her sons and her husband died, Naomi's other daughter-in-law left for home in an attempt to find someone else to marry. Naomi tried again and again to get Ruth to do the same thing, but she refused. In return, Naomi gave Ruth sound advice in several things - including advice which lead Ruth to marry Boaz. While Ruth was an angel for not deserting Naomi and still being her friend and daughter even though her husband was gone, Naomi was an angel for helping mentor Ruth and leading her to Boaz - which would put Ruth in line for being one of Jesus' ancestors. 
Each of us have own angels in our lives that are like the examples here. Each of us have an angel in the form of a mother, sister, friend, or mentor whether we realize it or not. These women and men are placed in our lives for a reason - to help build us up, strengthen our walks with God, and become the woman or man of faith that God has called and created us each to be.

"A person standing along can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12

The angels in our lives have our backs - God has placed each of us where we are for a reason: to strengthen each other, and to strengthen ourselves. 
In the Christmas season, many times we get so worked up finding the gifts and making sure everything is perfect to really reflect on the reason and the blessings we have. We need to step back and think for a second - what do I really have?
Your NR challenge is this - take a moment to find the angels in your own life. Do you have a mother that is willing to give up everything for you? A mentor who is there to talk to at all times? A friend who stands by your side no matter what? A sister who always has your back? They're there. Take a minute from the craziness of the season and count your blessings. You're surrounded by angels; they're all among us. Do you see them?
Are you in?

-Kimber.

Get on my Level.

"Get on my level." One of the best taunts in the world - at least, for my generation. I've heard my brother say it a million times as he plays Call of Duty or some sport or another. Friends of mine have said it to tease each other about something. It's in the media, with celebrities endorsing a product or advertising a game or whatever they're doing nowadays. If you do a Google image search for it, you receive 4,130,000,000 in 0.27 seconds. (At least, that's what Google tells me.) 
So what does it mean? Well, obviously, you have to get on that person's level. They're different than you - in a better way than you are. You're below them. When someone tells you to 'get on their level' in a sport, then you aren't playing as well as they are. If you hear it in the media, then that person is telling you you aren't as successful as they are. It's a taunt.A joke. A ridicule. 
What if it was a good thing, though?
In John 8, we read of a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Like, literally. Some creeps were watching her and a man who was not her husband, and turned them in. The man got away - unfortunately for her, this was common and allowed in those times - leaving her to face the punishments. The Pharisees and scribes have this woman in the town square, waiting her punishment. To be caught in a sin such as this was punishable by being stoned to death, and the townspeople were probably already raring to go, stones in hand. 
The Pharisees, however, see an opportunity to try and trap Jesus - something they were good at attempting, but never successful at. They grab the woman and fling her down at his feet in the center of the crowd that was almost certainly gathered around by then. Starting in verse 4, we read this:

"They (the Pharisees) said to Him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?'"

This woman probably had nothing on, maybe a sheet to cover herself with if she was lucky. Already her embarrassment and emotions are high - she woke up that morning to just another day, with a chance to meet with the man she would be caught with somewhere in the plans for the day. Now she is laying practically naked on the hard ground in front of Jesus, a respected teacher, and surrounded by Pharisees and members of the town. This was not going well for her. She expected the worst to come from Jesus, a judgement fitting of a respected teacher and a follower of the Law of Moses. She probably braced herself for the words along with the stones that would surely follow.
Imagine her surprise, then, as Jesus does something completely unexpected. He doesn't condemn her. He doesn't ridicule her or add to her embarrassment and fear. Instead, He does something completely unprecedented. 
He gets on her level.
Jesus literally kneels down to the dirt next to the woman and begins writing in the dirt. Put yourself in the eyes of those who were there: 
The crowd was probably shocked - what is He doing? Why is He doing that? Does He even have an answer?
The Pharisees were probably confused, and some may have been angry - who does He think He is? He shouldn't be writing, he should be agreeing with us. What is He doing?
The woman was probably the most shocked out of all of them. What is He doing next to me? The others don't want anything to do with me other than to kill me for what I've done. I've made a mistake, and I have to pay for it. So what is taking Him so long to tell them to kill me?
Let's pick up in verse 7:

"And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground."

So let's review: an adulterous woman is brought before Jesus for judgement. Instead of condemning, He gets on her level not once, but twice, and then tells those so quick to throw a stone that whoever is on a different level and hasn't sinned can throw the first stone. 
Well then.
The story concludes with the people crowded around slowly dropping their stones as they realize the weight of Jesus' words far outweighs the weight of whatever they're holding. Eventually, no one is left but Jesus and the woman. She had to be confused out of her mind, trying to make sense out of the crazy scene that had just happened. Jesus stands up and asks, "Where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She tells Him that no, there's no one left. This is what He says:

"And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'" v. 11

Jesus has made a tremendous impact in the time it took for this story to happen. First, He gets down on the level of an adulterous woman - one of the lowliest people in those days. Second, He tells the crowd to reevaluate their lives before impacting this woman's life. Third, He gets BACK down on the ground near the woman. Then, He gets up, shakes off the dust, and shows how no one is left to condemn the woman, and that He doesn't, either.
There are some major lessons that can be learned from this.
When Jesus shows the woman how everyone has gone, He's showing her who really matters in this situation - just the two of them. The woman doesn't need to have everyone judge her based on her sins. If this was what needed to happen, all of us would last about a week before someone would stone us to death based on our sins. Instead, it's just the woman and Jesus. The only two that matter. Once the matter is taken care of - the woman asks for forgiveness, she sees His love her for, and really doesn't want to do it again - then it's over with. Finished. It doesn't need to be dealt with with other people. They may judge, but who really cares? Her sin, and ours, is only between us and God. Only He can fix us. Why should we make other people try?
Jesus got down on her level - not in the way we see it now, but on a completely opposite way. He was perfect - He did literally nothing wrong His entire life, and here He is getting down in the dirt with an adulteress. He's reaching below His level to someone who is and never can be as good as Him. And He does it twice. Jesus does this and is willing to do this every day. He wants a relationship with us - He doesn't want us to think that He is so far away and unreachable just because He is perfect and holy. While He is those things, Jesus is still right there. He loves us enough to go down to our levels - our sad, sinful levels - and reach out to us there. And He's willing to do it again - not just twice, like with this woman, but as many times as it takes until we get the picture and see His love.
Your NR challenge for this post is this: what level are you putting Jesus on? What level are you on? Do you think that He is unreachable? Do you need Him to bend down and look you in the eye to see His love for you, so He can rescue you from wherever you are? Or are you afraid of the judgement of others, even if you know it doesn't matter? Know this: whatever you've done, whatever you'll do, whatever you've been and whatever you are, God loves you. God cares about you. He's right here, on your level. Will you look up and see Him?
Are you in?

-Kimber.

free!

I am a college student. I am a poor college student. I am a poor college student that hasn't worked in weeks, thus keeping me poor. I am a poor college student who loves stuff. Especially when this stuff is music.

Are you poor? Do you like music? Are you not poor and still like music? Then this is your lucky day!

HERE is a link to my friend John Tibb's new album, Swallowing Death Breathing Life. You can literally download the EP right now for free! Or, if you have money, you can leave a donation. But seriously. Click the link. He does some great work, and I'm listening to him right now - you won't regret it! 

Seriously, do it!

Are you in?

-Kimber.

No Fairweatherness

As I'm sure everyone in the internet world knows, the Pirates have recently cinched their 20th losing season in a row.
In. A. Row.
Now, I'm not the hugest baseball fan - my brother definitely surpasses me in this - but I enjoy watching it. I don't know everything about it, but I know enough that I can talk about it sometimes. I love going to games - major league games, school games, and simple county league games. There's something I love about baseball. 
While the Pirates were doing incredibly well this season - an unheard of (in Pittsburgh) 16 games over .500 - many people jumped on the proverbial Pirates bandwagon. It was great. We were winning, Cutch was going to win MVP and all of the other baseball trophy award things that I don't pretend to understand, and life was good. People were flashing Zoltans left and right. Root Sports was actually bearable to watch with the announcers being so excited and happy and yay yay Pittsburgh yay. Talk of a center field Z was rampant, the playoffs were real, and Pirates fans experienced something that they hadn't had a chance to feel in almost 2 decades - hope.
Then came the All Star break. 
After the break, the team started their slow collapse. They held their own sometimes, yes, but eventually, the Pirates' ship sailed. (Pun somewhat intended.) People started leaving the bandwagon. Seats were available, and weren't being taken by others. 
Mikey and Big Bob from the Freak Show started the "Quest for .500," filling Twitter and Facebook with images of corgis and Zoltans and old movie stills in an attempt to gain some momentum for the city and their dying hope of the playoffs. The Crazy Italian Guy called in to the radio show religiously, going so far as to get a "No Fairweatherness" tattoo to prove that, in the good times and bad, the Pirates still deserved some fans, and Pittsburgh deserved some devoted fans.
It was a crazy time. 
Unfortunately, as is the way with every Pirates season since I have graced the world with my being, the team started to get the short end of the stick. In short - they stunk. They ended their season and their playoff hopes ended when they concluded with a heartbreaking record of 77-82. 
So many people jumped on the Pirates wagon when they were doing well this summer. People that had no hope for the Buccos for the past 2 decades suddenly were buying the $9 fries from Chickie and Pete's (which, seriously, are delicious and I still have no regrets over this purchase) and flashing their hands in the Zoltan. What happened? The ride got rough, the tables were  turned, and things got difficult. So, they left.
Our walk in faith can be like this, too.
We start out so excited in what can happen - as a new Christian, or someone off a spiritual high, this is an intense time. We can change the world, nothing bad can happen, being a Christian is the coolest thing in the world.
Enter persecution. Enter judgement. Enter a storm in our lives.
How quick we are to jump off of the faith wagon.
Things aren't supposed to get rough, we think. I'm a Christian, we're supposed to have it all together.
If that was the case, I would never, EVER be allowed to be a Christian. Who honestly can say they have it all together 100% of the time? No one, that's who. Everyone has something going on at some point. 
Getting judged in your class for being the only Christian. Having your teacher or professor continually pick at you for your beliefs. Your coworkers tease you for being the goody two shoes. (What does that even mean? Anyway...)
Friends dropping you because you aren't the "fun guy" they used to know. Other girls spreading rumors about you because you don't act the way you used to. Persecution comes from all sides, in all shapes and forms. Who knows when it will strike next?
So here you are - fresh off of your spiritual high, thinking you can take on the world, when instead the world decides to change things up a bit. You're close to your breaking point - 2 outs, bottom of the 9th. 
It's so easy to step back and say, "Hey. I didn't sign up for this. Being Christian is supposed to mean nothing bad happens." Wrong! It says in Matthew 5, commonly referred to as the Beatitudes that "blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." It's okay that we go through storms. In the end, we win. 
It says this in 2 Timothy 3:12 - 
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
Every Christian will go through something that will make them want to throw in the towel. It's what happens. It's so tempting to leave, to jump off the wagon, to stop being a "fan" of faith and God and go back to what we were before:
People just waiting and searching for hope.
There's a great reason not to, though. 
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” John 15:18-20
Jesus was persecuted first. He was hated first. He went through storms first. For us. He faced every temptation, every storm, every battle that we ever have or could possibly think of. If He made it, why can't we?
Here's one more, and a fantastic reminder for when we just want to give up the ghost:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” 2 Cor. 12:9 – 10
When I am weak, then I am strong.
Sadly, the Pirates tanked this season. They faced some pretty serious storms and couldn't quite make it to playoffs. Does this mean they're out forever and ever amen? No way. They're training. Resting up. Getting better for next season and learning from their mistakes (let's hope...) That's what we should do when we face a hard time in our own seasons of our lives. Rest up. Let God take over. Learn from our mistakes. And move on, better, and stronger, than before. When we are weak, then we are strong. 
What about you? When times get rough, do you tap out? Let the situation or the person win? Take a step back and think. If this is you, take a minute to pray. Realize that God is there - He's not losing, He isn't ditching you, and being part of His "fan base" doesn't always mean things will always go your way. Things will get hard. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. When we are weak, we are strong. - in HIM.
Buckle your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen. This bandwagon isn't giving up. No fairweatherness.
Are you in?

-Kimber.

Thinking

I'm in the middle of my devotional time right now, so this will be short but I had to post it anyways. I just finished the first chapter of "Becoming a Contagious Christian" by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg for the Excel group in leading tomorrow on campus. The entire book is how to have a faith that makes you so on fire for God that it's contagious to others - obviously, based on the title. The first chapter talks a lot about Luke 15, where Jesus tells three parables to the people in an attempt to get His point across. First, that the shepherd that lost his sheep searched high and low to find it, being overjoyed when he did. Second, that the widow who lost a coin tore her entire home upside down to find it, telling all of her friends when she did. Third, the man whose son took his inheritance and left, wasting it and eventually coming home for forgiveness, ran to find his son and threw a huge block party for everyone when he came home. What's the significance here?
Hybels and Mittelberg say in the first chapter that this is the only example in the entire Bible where Jesus tells three stories to get His point across. Obviously, this is something way important to Him - naturally. But why?
In every example, there are three major points:

• In each example, something of great value was missing to the main character, whether it was a sheep, coin, or a son. We are the "something" that is missing to God. We matter. We have value in His eyes.
• The thing missing was important enough to warrant an all-out search. God will stop at nothing to make us find Him.
• At the end of each parable, the main character was so overjoyed that they rejoiced. God throws a party every time one of us is found in Him.

After I finished the chapter in the book, I picked up my Bible and started reading where I had left off the last time I read, in Acts 11. While Luke 15 is well and good, the significance didn't really hit me until I saw this:

"But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.'" Acts 11:17

Yes, this isn't directly related to Luke 15, but to me, it was. While I had heard the Luke 15 stories a million times, even after today they never really hit me. Yes, I matter to God, and yes, He loves when I come home to him.

But what does that really mean? All of my past, my sins, my mistakes and shames, are wiped away. Okay. I was dirty. But to God, they don't exist. They're gone - wiped clean. What was made clean - me - is something that no one can ever call common.

Intense. 

Can you say with honesty that you feel like you're made clean, and not common? That you know you matter? Read and try to think about Luke 15 in a different light. It may change your mind.

Are you in?

-Kimber.

Cats for Christ

My name is Kimber, and I am a future cat lady.
There. I've said it. No going back now.
Because I got out of my last relationship almost 9 months ago, (wow.) my friends have been asking when I'm going to jump back into the dating pool again. It's gotten to the point where my brother has essentially coined a new phrase in our household - "You're 20 and single."
Thanks, Jamin.

Seriously though, I AM 20 and single. My friends are telling me I'm going to be the crazy cat lady. You know, the one who lives alone in her 4 room house or apartment with 45 cats as company. This, according to everyone in my entire life ever, is my future.
Love you too, guys.
Recently, though, I've been thinking a lot about this whole thing - not the cats, because honestly I am not a fan of cats. (Can't I be the dog lady? Seriously?) Rather, I've been thinking about my future and the relationships I'm going to have.
I posted a while back about My Giant; the man God will (hopefully) place into my life one day who will be my spiritual leader, the third strand in the unbreakable cord of God, My Giant, and myself. Considering my friends are already counting him out, I figure I have to give him a fighting chance. Either that, or resolve myself to a future of felines. 

Not cool.
Without being negative though, what if he doesn't come? What if God would rather claim all of me for Himself, for my entire life? Would it be lonely? Sure - we are, as humans, made to crave companionship, love, and acceptance by other people. Cats can't really fill that void, but if God wanted them to - could they? If He wanted them to, then yes - they will.
Philippians is my absolute favorite book of the Bible. In four short chapters, Paul lays it all out to you straight - no nonsense, just short, sweet, and to the point. I love that. This is what he says in chapter 4, verse 10-13:

"I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

How incredible is that? Paul, who was faced with incredible struggles and trials - from being in jail, to almost being killed - says how he is content in every situation. Paul was cool to sit in jail, and he didn't complain at all. And here I am, in 2012 - whining because I can't find my Mr. Right yet and may have to live with cats?
Pretty pathetic.
While it never says outright in the Bible whether Paul was married or not, one can kind of surmise that he was or was close to getting married. He says in 1 Corinthians that "it's better to get married than to burn with passion" (so it's that kind of party), but he also says that he "has the gift of celibacy." (Not as fun a party.) Whether he was married or not, Paul left all of that behind to focus on God. Imagine that - if he was married, either his wife passed away or he decided to leave her behind to focus on furthering the Gospel. If he wasn't married, then he was nearing a potential marriage before he decided to leave his old life and convert to Christianity. He had it all, or was nearing a point where everything was going to happen - and then he left it. 
And. Was. Content.
That's incredible.
Will I still grumble and complain sometimes about not finding a boyfriend or a potential giant? Possibly. (Probably.) Will I be totally content with the fact that I may be a cat lady in my friends' eyes forever? No. 
But, before I find My Giant - if God decides to place him in my life - then I will learn to be content. I'll take this time to grow closer to the One who wants all of me before He can even consider sharing a tiny part of me with a husband. Or cat.
(Please, please, let it be a husband.)
Your NR challenge is this: Are you single and ready to find someone? Then stop looking. Be content. Take a step back and place your life in God's hands. Walk with Him, and next thing you know, you'll see that special someone right in front of you. 
If God doesn't have someone for you? It's okay. Be content. Know that God wants all of you for Himself, and devote everything you have and all you are to being His and knowing Him better.
And get a cat.
Are you in?

-Kimber.

Who are you following?

My name is Kimber, and I am a Twitter addict.
For years, I never understood the hype about Twitter. Limiting yourself to 140 characters? Seriously? As some of you may know, I'm not one to limit myself when it comes to something I have to say. (Comments regarding my not posting for a month or much this summer will be ignored. Peter.)
So when I finally caved and got a Twitter account a while back, I really took a while to warm up to it. Who did I want to see tweets from? My friends, obviously, even though for a while it was just like a limited Facebook. Pretty lame. And it took me some time to remember I couldn't send the same things to Twitter and Facebook from my phone since the character allotment is different for each.
Then, I realized I could follow celebrities. I'm not one to obsess over celebs typically, but when I realized that people such as these: Adam Richman (from Travel Channel's Man vs. Food, my favorite show hosted by my future husband. Just gotta get him to love Jesus.), Adam Levine (lead singer of Maroon 5 and also another future husband that needs some serious introductions to Jesus), and Michael Phelps (I'm not going to explain who this is because if you don't know who it is then you've been living under a rock for approximately the last 12 years of Olympics) had Twitter accounts, then all bets were off. I was in.
I quickly became addicted.
What could I say that would make others laugh in less than 140 characters? I could tweet my friends instead of texting so others could see our hilarity and be so jealous. I hate posting pictures of myself on twitter unless I'm with friends, so I made full use of finding opportunities to send a picture. Hashtag, addict.
(#addict. Had to.)
Today, at work, the store was a bit slow. Naturally, the dream team (consisting of some of my favorite people to work with) decided to make a Twitter account for our Subway. We immediately took pictures and sent them to the account. Obviously. 

Jay thinks he's Bolt and Blake's "in charge." Typical.

The first week of August is always the family camp meeting for my church camp, Whitehall. Some of you who have been around for a while may remember me talking about it before. Every year I always go home with something placed on my heart, and this year was no different. I took away so many incredible things from camp this year, but one thing really made me pause and think.

The speaker at the barn this year was amazing. He had a way of connecting to each and every person during each sermon. One night, he was talking about sincerity of our faith. He challenged the group to think about different aspects of their faith and how they measured up - were they on Facebook more than reading their Bible? Were they talking to friends more about silly things rather than asking them about their belief in God?

Were they tweeting as much as they were praying?

Oops. 

Naturally, that stung. Quite a bit, actually. I remember breaking into small groups the next morning during the morning devotion time, where I was a leader, and admitting that I passed 5,000 tweets the week before camp. The group of young girls I was leading laughed, but inside, a part of me cringed. Seriously, 5,000 tweets but not nearly as many prayers?

In the battle of my faith vs. Twitter, who was I really following?

Luke 9:23 says this:

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Pretty sure it doesn't say in the New Testament that God has a Twitter and you can follow Him that way. Sure, there are plenty of parody accounts you could actually follow. But is that seriously what you would want? The creator of the universe is inviting you to follow Him daily - far away from the internet, from your phone, and from all sorts of social networking. He wants you to follow Him in every step of your life. 

I will be the first to say that my Twitter addiction is still something I deal with. I have Twitter up right now, but I haven't checked it too many times while writing this post - I think. I may have lost count. I checked my profile and saw that I have 5,199 tweets right now. Still deciding if this is a good thing, or a bad thing.

Anyways.

Your NR challenge is this: step back and take a look at your own life. I did, and found that rather than following God with all my heart, I was following Michael Phelps and retweeting pictures he tweeted from the pool. (Sorry, men that follow me on Twitter. Ladies, you're welcome. And God? Great work.) I have to change who I'm subscribing to. What do you have to look at? Take a look. You may be surprised.

Are you in?

-Kimber.

You've changed.

A guy from the church I go to every Saturday night recently left to head for Australia to study at Hillsong. How great of an opportunity is that? I've only known Nick for a short time, but I can already see how God is working in his life. I can't wait to see the tweets and hear the stories that he has from all of the amazing experiences God is placing in his life! Nick is going to do something incredible for the kingdom of God, and I can't wait to watch and see.
When I started going to PECC almost eight months ago, I noticed a common phrase among everyone there: "you've changed." Whether or not the phrase actually fit into the conversation wasn't important; the fact that it is said with great timing is. It originated with Nick, along with several other phrases that sometimes made sense, sometimes not so much. Out of all the phrases, though, the one that stood out most to me was that first one I noticed: "you've changed."
It's a funny thing - people change all the time. Whether we realize it or not, it happens. Some changes can be for the worse - hanging out with the wrong crowd, staying with that guy or girl who is clearly not the right one for you, that kind of stuff. We've all experienced it, and we've all had it happen. Those changes are hard to take when they happen to other people, especially ones that we love. They can almost be impossible to deal with if you're the one changing. 
Other changes are for the better - a new job, a new relationship built on Godly foundations, even something as simple as a new hairstyle. These changes are good.
There is, however, one change that can never be for the worse:

"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come."- 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

The best change a person can make - throwing away the old, putting on the new and becoming a new person in Christ Jesus.
Talk about a change.
There's a great song by Leeland - one of my absolute favorite bands, ever (go listen to them. Right now.) - that talks about becoming a new creation. (Here's your chance, go listen. Now.)

Like most changes, though, it's something to get used to. It's not like everything will be all nice and happy and filled with unicorns and rainbows and fluffy bunnies and ice cream after you make the change. There is no switch you can flip that completely makes your life absolutely perfect after you become a new person in Christ. Rather, it's almost the opposite. This is the ultimate change, and some people - especially the enemy - will hate the fact that it happens. It's going to be hard. It's going to be a bit scary sometimes. But I promise, it will be worth it. 
When a friend comes up to you and says there's something different about you lately. 
When a stranger approaches you and says how you aren't like other people they've seen or met. 
When God greets you in Heaven and says, "well done, my good and faithful servant."
I've changed.
Will you make the right change for yourself?
Are you in?


-Kimber.

Dinnertime.

When it comes to food, I am a 15 year old boy. That's all I really can say. If you were to look at my mobile uploads on Facebook, a good percentage of them are pictures of food.

Hand dipped ice cream during my Philadelphia student teaching trip.

Olive Garden from a Subway girls' night out.

Chicken wings from wing night at the Pitt Crew's last night after church.

Beautiful, beautiful pub food

And, the ice cream cake we got for my dad for Father's Day. Yes, his name is Cool Breeze, and yes, he is probably cooler than your dad.

End food montage. 

Lucky for me, I have some pretty incredible people that don't mind when I come over and eat all of their food. In fact, almost every Sunday evening I stop over at my second family's house and eat all of their food. It's to the point where I come in sometimes and they already have a plate warmed up on the table for me. Pathetic? Possibly. Awesome? Absolutely. (Especially since they're Italian. YES.)

In church this week, we had communion. My pastor focused on a few verses from Revelation, along with the passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 where it talks about the Lord's supper. Let's pick up in Revelation 3:20: 

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

In this verse, it says how Jesus is standing at a door and knocking - quite literally, the door to your heart, and your life - and waiting for a response. Do we answer? Do we ignore him? If we open the door and let Him in, it says He will come in and eat with us. 

The meaning of the word "supper" - as in the Lord's supper - in Greek is to "linger longer with you." When God is saying He wants to eat with us and partake in a supper with Him, He is not only saying that He wants to come into our lives and eventually have a beat-all feast in Heaven. He's also saying that He wants to linger and spend time...with us. It's pretty hard to wrap your mind around that.

It's one thing entirely for me to go over to Pete and Ang's house and sit down at their table and have supper, in both senses of the word. Eating leftover lasagna or chicken cordon bleu is a beautiful thing, but the visit doesn't stop there. I stay for a few hours each time, setting aside the food - or not - and spend time with my second family. We look at junk on Pinterest, talk about skits we can create for the drama team at church, call each other meatheads and have a great time. (And for the record, Peter, I just added 'meatheads' to my dictionary on my computer.) It's always a great night, and I always leave excited for the next time when I can come back.

It's like that with God. 

Once day, whenever we can stand before God in Heaven, He will invite us to sit at His table and eat with Him. We'll spend time with Him, and it won't be nearly long enough. It's okay though - we'll have all of eternity. At the table will be every single child of God - from people listed in the Bible, to the person who sits next to you in church every Sunday. It doesn't matter if food will be shared. Time with God is enough, and He is so willing to give it. 

When I drive up to Pete and Ang's house, they never hesitate to let me inside. Mostly I just walk myself through the front door, but regardless - they always welcome me with open arms. 

Are we willing to do that to Jesus?

His invitation to His "dinner party" is a bit different than the normal one. Yes, He wants an RSVP - but He also wants you to realize that this isn't just a "one time thing." He doesn't want to leave. He wants to stay with you throughout your life, guiding you and shaping you into something incredible that only He has planned. He wants to see you next to Him, passing the salt scraped off of Lot's wife in Sodom (okay, maybe that's a bit morbid but you get what I mean) at the supper table. He wants to spend time with you, to linger longer with you.

Will you accept His invitation?

Are you in?

-Kimber.