The Run of My Life

Lately I have been getting into small runs, nothing too serious, I just enjoy the occasional workout. Running at first was just a way to exercise until I started meeting with the Lord on my runs (check my former post titled "Running with God") This past week I went out to do a short run, I wasn't planning on doing much more than 2.5-3 miles. I began and felt the presence of God so strong as I ran up hills, on straight paths, and occasional down hill. The 2.5 mile mark ended and I had to keep going because I wasn't done with God. I hit the three mile mark, but had to keep going. Then 3.5, then 4 all the way up to almost 5 miles of running. I had spent about 50 minutes running alongside Jesus. For all of you runners out there, my time and my distance may not be the best in the world, but that is the longest run of my life. I finished, honestly not even feeling tired. God had kept my focus so strong on Him through my run that I honestly could have kept going, and a part of me wishes I would have kept going. God can meet with you any time any where, even when your dripping gross amounts of sweat.

**Please keep my friend Tara Cherry in your prayers. She will be running a half marathon this Saturday. Tara has worked so hard to get in shape for this marathon, if you have the chance check out her blog (http://www.mommyheadadventures.com/) to see how hard she has worked and how far she has come. I am truly proud of her and blessed to have her in my life!**

Since I have arrived here at the Honor Academy, God has really been speaking to me and challenging me.  I knew coming into this that one of my biggest challenges was going to be finances.  To pay off my entire internship, I will have to raise $8,400.  I knew it was going to take a lot of faith and the support of others to raise this big amount.  Thankfully Teen Mania does not charge us the full amount up front, we are required to have $2,400 by arrival day and after that you make decreasing monthly payments.  For the first two months the payments are $800.  I have an immediate need for $500 to pay off the month of February, due by the 10th, and I also have an upcoming need of $800 for March. I know that my need is great, but I believe that God is greater than my need!  If the Lord lays on your heart to give, you can go to honoracademy.com/donate, or go to the donate tab.  If you would like to give by mail you can send checks to 

Honor Academy

ATTN: Finance

P.O. Box 2000

Garden Valley, TX 75771

Checks can be made out to Teen Mania Ministries.  Checks and online donations will need my ID# 2668207.      Though financial support is beneficial, even more so, I need support in prayer.  Please pray for the Lord's provision as well as my trust in God to provide.

Thank you!!

Phone Blessings

So, I would like to just share a testimony from my day at work yesterday. Part of my internship at the Honor Academy is that I have a ministry placement (a nice way of saying I have a job). I have the opportunity to help run Teen Mania Ministries. My ministry placement is in the Honor Academy call center aka the MOB. I call teens all over the United States and encourage them to listen to the voice of God for their future but to ultimately help them get to the Honor Academy. Yesterday I called this girl who had shown interest in the HA. When she answered we began to engage in small talk, just to break the ice and for me to get to know her a little better. It came down to the moment of truth. I asked her if she was still interested in the Honor Academy, and her reply took me completely by surprise. She told me that she had actually enlisted to join the air force as soon as she graduated from high school. At that moment, HA was the last thing on my mind. I was able to just listen to her about how God had confirmed that the air force was where He wanted her to be. I was able to share excitement and joy with her. There may even be a chance in the future for her and I to meet. At the end of the conversation, I felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to talk to her. I felt blessed just to encourage her and pray with her.

My First Fast

Fasting.....What an interesting word.  I was surprised at how little I knew about this word before coming to the Honor Academy.  Yesterday was the first of many fasting days that I will partake in while I am here; we have a fasting day every other Wednesday.  I was very nervous to fast because I had attempted it a few time before coming here and had failed.  What was the difference between those attempts and this one?  First off, it helped that hundreds of people around me were doing the same thing.  But more importantly, I was devoted and committed to spending time in the Word or in prayer rather than eating.  Did I get hungry?  Around 5:00, yes, but I was more hungry to be in the Word than I was for food.  I fell asleep last night without a dying sense of hunger.  I woke up amazed at how God really does satisfy us.  Is one day too big of a deal to go without food?  Probably not, but for me it was.  I challenge you to join us for one day in fasting!  Our next fasting day will be February 6, join me for one day as we go deeper into the Word of God.

How does God see us?

Last night here at the Honor Academy, we had our women's class called risen. As I have said before, I struggle a lot with insecurity mostly with my self image. I often think I'm not pretty or I'm too fat, but last night God revealed an image to me of what He sees when He looks at me. He gave me a detailed picture of myself standing as a beautiful bride awaiting her bridegroom. I can't describe the beauty and glory this image reflected, it was amazing! The thing is, I'm not the only person that God sees as a beautiful bride. God looks at each one of you and sees you as a gorgeous creation.

So Long Insecurity!

I am finally here at the Honor Academy and I know it is going to be everything that I hoped/ worked for and more!  As I said in my last post, I have several goals that I am really believing God is going to help me accomplish, one of those goals being that I WILL overcome insecurity in the year of 2013.  I may not overcome every part of insecurity but I will see a drastic turn around in my life, I refuse to see anything less! 
For years now I have struggled with all kinds of insecurity, but one of the main ones is my weight.  I have never thought that I was thin enough or I was attractive enough so I hid it by wearing jeans and tshirts every day.  A couple of weeks before I left home for the Honor Academy, my mentor (praise God for mentors) told me that you feel how you dress.  In other words, if I go around dressed like a bum, I'm going to feel like an unattractive bum.  However, if I dress like a beautiful woman, I will feel like a beautiful woman.  After she told me that I began to make extra efforts to dress myself a little better, it was only baby steps but it WAS a step.  Little did I know that at the Honor Academy, you have to dress nice for EVERYTHING (besides corporate workout).  I was a little concerned about that at first but you know what, this morning I dresed myself with boldness and confidence in who I was and how I looked.  Is the insecurity of my self image gone? No, but it is decreasing and it will continue to leave more and more as I continue to present myself as the beautiful young woman that God sees in me!

Time to Go to Work

The big day is here!  I arrived in Texas last night, and today I begin my internship at the Honor Academy.  I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me so far and everyone who will continue to support me as the year goes on.  I am so excited and a little nervous to see what this year will bring.  The work begins now, I have several personal goals for this year and I know God has His own goals for my life as well.  It's going to take a lot of work to accomplish it all but I am confident that through Him, the goals will be reached.