The Going is Getting Tougher.

You’ve heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” But what happens if the going isn’t just tough, but impossible? What happens when you’re giving it all you’ve got, but all you’ve got is nothing? It’s then we often think, “What if I’m on the wrong path? It can’t be this hard, this messed up. God has promised to make a way, but all I see is a wall.”

I think at times God purposefully brings His people to this point. If you have no strength, no ability to move forward, then when accomplishments do happen, everyone knows—it wasn’t you; it was God.

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” 1Cr 1:27

In our weakness, then He is permitted to be strong, and the whole world will see Him through our trials. I feel like right now I am facing the impossible and it seems completely ridiculous to move forward. Foolish to even try. Yet we see again and again in the Bible that our God is the God of the silly and impossible. Think of the Israelites marching around Jericho thirteen times. That’s pretty silly. But they followed the journey God requested of them, and He tore that wall down.

Think of young David flinging a stone at a giant. That’s not only silly, it’s downright foolish! Yet God brought Goliath down. Think of Jesus, trying to feed thousands of people with just a bit of bread and fish—that’s impossible, too. Time after time we are shown His power in the Bible and even now if you look closely you will begin to see the awesomeness of Jesus and his miracles everyday in our life.

Why should today be any different? I speak from personal experience when I tell you that our God is still the God of the silly and impossible, right now in 2011! He is still a God who asks us to go on that difficult journey so that our faith will grow, His grace will abound, and all glory will be given to Him.



“…We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Rom. 5:3-4

So next time you face that impossible wall—know that our God is just waiting for you to hand it over to Him. All He asks of us is that we keep walking. And just like I will continue to walk in Waco, not knowing where my path will take me. I walk in obedience. And with the power of God before me, I know that my path will be prepared for me and if I trust in him all else will fall into place.

I thought I would introduce you to my friends. I couldn't find a good 700 club picture - so it is a group shot of my core group of friends.











Theses are my best friends. These are the girls that have shaped and molded me into the friend, Christian, and confident woman that I am. I am for ever grateful for these girls. To the point at hand: most of theses girls participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters, however, I did not. I never had the patience nor the "time" to give to such a frustrating task of picking up children and Mentoring to them. It was not until my senior year that I started getting involved with my cousins kid. I started to kind of like it. Well, guess what I signed up for last week? BBBS in Waco. I am really excited! I can't wait to be placed with a little kid! Yay! God is moving. I am finally ALLOWING him to move.

I drove to Dallas to go to church with Meg, my cousin, last week and the teaching was over opening the door to pure thoughts or the devil. It was really cool to think about. He said God is waiting at the door to help you, but you HAVE to open the door! Wow! You must do the opening, God will not kick down the door. You have to choose to open it. Do it!

I've decided that I will do it. I am going to give my time to God. And it will be good.

Friday is the last day in the book room and today I am in the athletic building with my office mate Ashley. She played softball here 4 years ago send is a GA with me. We have had fun so far. Tonight I will be going to this back to school party thing for the athletes with Ashley so that will be fun! I am looking forward to it.

Also I called Harris Creek Baptist Church this morning and signed up for a life group! I am branching out and I know this week will be great despite some walls that are crumbling in life. God is always enough!

Today is my Grandmother's Birthday! Happy Birthday Grandmary I am so thankful for you!










Have a Charmed day!!

Abby.

Location:Common Grounds, Waco.

Fireproof

I will get to the reason this post is called fireproof later on - but first, let me catch you up on my life!

In 2 weeks I am moving to Waco.  I do not want to go.  I am reluctant to go.  Most likely it is because of my last post.  It's fun dating and being with the man you are crazy about.  God has blessed me so much with him and I can not imagine life without him.  However, in 2 weeks I will be leaving everything that I know as right and comfortable and moving to a place where I know no one.  How scary is that!

There are some things that you need when you move.  Besides your shoes and jewelry, which by the way if you know of any safe, organized, and compact way of traveling with tons of shoes and lots of necklaces and earrings - pretty please post and let me know because I am at a loss for packing!  ha Anyways - you need furniture (and you need your sidekick - okay so that was cheesy - but I will miss him :)

So I went to Ashley's Furniture Homestore in Benton.  why did I go there?  Because one of my best friends Bethany worked there and there is an Ashley's in Waco and I had this fabulous idea that if I found furniture I liked here that the people at Ashley's would be nice enough to give me the SKU numbers of the pieces I liked.  Seems like I was dreaming.

Play by play.

Abby and Mom walk in.  4 Sales Reps walk up and greet us with big smiles.  Mom tells story about Waco. 4 Sales Reps FLEE.  We search for furniture for an hour and a half.  Still No help!  We ask for SKU numbers.  They say We don't know!  I take pictures.  I call Ashley's in Waco.  THEY HELPED ME!

After multiple conversations with some dude at the Ashley's in Waco - I have bought my furniture and it will be here - well in 3.5 weeks.  Guess what!  I move in in 2 weeks!  I will be sleeping on a blow up mattress for a week and a half!  WELCOME TO WACO!  So I will be driving back my first weekend in Waco because I don't have furniture and because Taylor is playing in a softball tournament and I want to watch!

Here are the pieces I ordered:  Hope you like!

The other night I went out with Ashlee, Aaren, and Caitlin to Zaxby's and the Movies.  We went and saw Friends with Benefits.  Well, they watched it.  I left after 5 minutes and came in just in time to see the credits.  Let me tell you one thing - if you liked that movie I am praying for your soul.  I was so mortified, embarrassed, and violated at that movie.  I should have known not to go into an R rated movie that was titled Friends with Benefits - I was stupid.  Tomorrow I will se Winnie the Pooh with Jessica!  So excited for that day date with my princess.  Surely I will take tons of pictures!!

Philippians 4:8 (NIV84)

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I went to Moro last night to see Taylor.  We went to eat with his mom and let me tell you, I have been craving Ameca - and you can only eat it in Forrest City so why not go there.  I just wanted their Pollo Fundido!  Mrs. Lisa (Taylor's Mom) introduced me to Don Jose's!  Oh my goodness, it is easily in top 5 best Tex Mex Fat Food Restaurants Ever!  It was so good!  So if you are ever in Forrest City - go to Don Jose's it's on the Left side of the Freeway coming from Little Rock.

After dinner we went to Dr. Perkins house and watered his flowers because he was out of town.  He had so many flowers - but they were beautiful!  I had so much fun hanging out with Taylor and his mom.  It's so nice just to be around him.  We have been long distance for 5 months, now that we are together it's very BLISSFUL!

This is what I found in my passenger seat when I got in the car!  Isn't it beautiful!  Taylor is such a sweetheart.  Sorry if I talk about him too much - but he is really amazing.  And since he hasn't really met anybody I am trying to introduce him and keep y'all updated on us until you do get to meet him!

Today I went and got my hair done by Robin - we always have the best talks!  I look forward to seeing her every time.  Today we talked about life and moving to Waco and of course... Taylor!  Steven, her husband, and she dated for 6 years before getting married and now have a precious baby named Raffi!  She is a chunk, but rightfully so - she is adorable!

I went to babysit my 2 favorite little girls in the world this afternoon.  They made me do Dance Dance Wii - whatever it's called and they "tricked" me by saying oh these are the easiest ones.  Yah, they were rolling on the floor laughing at me doing the russian dance and then the iko iko dance.  If you are familiar - just picture a very uncoordinated girl dancing to them.  Umm... bad!

Tonight I came over to my friend Rachel's house in Conway.  I LOVE CONWAY!  anyways, she lives by herself and i came to keep her company.  After catching up, watching new episodes of our favorite ABC FAMILY tv shows Switched at Birth and PLL - we worked on Taylor's homework.  No, we could not answer all of them infact, we called 2 lifelines - Bethany - who was a help and Daddy Tab.  Oh Daddy Tab knows the answers to everything!  Finished 2 tests, a pop quiz, and worked on Taylor's Term Paper due tomorrow... It's still not finished even though I choose to blog - it will get done don't you think?  oooo gotta love procrastination!

Funniest moments while writing the paper =

"rachel, I think that Alexander the Great and Steve Jobs are the same person"
"Why?", asked Rachel
"Well think about it - Alexander had a great nation and he built it up with Alexandria and his libraries, his successful army, and his intellect was above all others.  BUt when he died successors just couldn't fulfill his shoes and it eventually died and Greece took over - therefore ROME.  Steve Jobs has created a great empire called Apple.  He has built it up with his iphone, ipad, and isoftware - but think about it - does he have any successors?  Does he have anybody in his footsteps getting ready to take over?  NO.  Steve Jobs goes on sabatical and comes back with the ipad - seriously!  How do you do that!  When he dies... i predict Apple will die."

I am currently on a Mac - so I hope i am not a great philosopher and predicting the future - but I could write a thesis on that one day.  Getting my doctorate in Philosophy.  Not!  I am done after Baylor.

We then watched.... my favorite movie of the week.... wait for it wait for it!

FIREPROOF!

I have watched it literally almost every night for the past week.  okay well i've watched it 3 times since returning from the beach Saturday.  It has such a good message and I love the music!  I downloaded the soundtrack :)

I cry on key every single time.  It is just such an emotional journey to see his life transformed.  What if we lived like that.  What if we lived everyday focusing on one thing to change or to impact.  Would people be able to see a difference?  What they start to see Christ in you?  Sometimes I wonder what impact I am making on other people.  I can be good at a lot of things - we call can.  But God calls us to be good stewards of his word and make sure that everyone knows the Gospel and about him.

One of my favorite books growing up was Amelia Bedilia.  She took everything so literal.  If she would have read the bible, I suspect she would have gone up to everybody she saw and asked, Do you know the Gospel.  I want to spread it to the ends of the earth.  And she probably would have been our storybook version of Forest Gump (you know the part where he walks everywhere).

God can have such an impact on other people through us if we let the Holy Spirit move.

You know this song/verse gives so much hope that good things can come out of the trials.  And they do..  Take Fireproof for example.  His wife served him Divorce papers after he had completed something like 30 days of the Love Dare.  Wow!  Would you have kept fighting?  He cried.  He wept - he laid his heart on the line and with God, that is very important, that WITH GOD - he completed it and led his wife to Christ.  Get it?  Got it?  Hope you do because that's truth right there.  

And with that truth you have to and must trust God.  When I see quotes like this it always reminds me that God speaks to us.  I feel like everytime I read that God is actually saying that to me - Abby, Trust me.  Dugh!  I mean are you silly or something!

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)


God goes before you.  Always!  He knows the road, he knows what bumps and bruises are coming up and he is ready to be there for you when you fall.  He WILL be with you.  He doesn't ever leave your side.  So don't be scared.  Face it and go for it.  


I am convicted in this verse because I know that God has gone before me to Waco - he has prepared my place.  He knows what will happen this semester and this year.  L Y I am ready for it!!

Don't be scared. But instead have Bliss.

Be charmed,
Abby

Yah - pretty much we brought the house down!

day 4.  2nd night of competition... It was fabulous!

Let's start out with the verse that literally i have felt God's presence with all day, but was not aware of the verse that went with my feeling until I received it in a present tonight.

Matthew 17:20
If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible!

Wow.  sit. stop. think. that verse can move mountains.  Coming from my journey last night with my defeated thoughts and my negative outlook - that verse can change your whole demeanor and outlook on a situation!  and it did.  Again, I didn't know that that verse (which I have heard my entire life) was the verse behind the feeling - but God made it known.

So we woke up this morning and sat in bed for like 45 minutes telling each other we did not want to wake up.  I was so mad because I forgot to charge my phone, camera, and computer last night so when I woke up everything was dead.  ahh - don't you hate when that happens.  So I blogged a little bit before we had to be down at roll call and then threw on my clothes - literally Kathryn was like abby it's time, like right now.

we made it to the auditorium and I am not lying, the production staff was taking forever!  But that's okay, although I didn't have my camera to capture any of our moments - we were all EXHASUTED!  dead tired - nobody had any energy this morning.  Pageants can take it out of you! WOW.

So we were dismissed at lunch time.  I was thinking to myself - Perfect!  My makeup is not until 5 I can sleep all day!  And i did.  and i loved it. because what happens when you sleep.  You DONT EAT!  and with my swim suit competition tonight, i was pumped!!!!

Lauren - my hair lady called me at 330 and said I am ready for you.. well I wasn't even close to being ready so I told her let me wash my hair and roll it really fast.  I made it down stairs about 430 and was done in time for makeup at 5.

Everybody was on time to roll call and we headed over to phase 2 of competition.  This time I had charged my camera and was ready for a night of video andpictures - I didn't video any over there, but took some great swim suit and competition wear shots - because guess what - We look good in our swim suits.

Favorite conversation of the night was between me and Sagan Shipe (in Group A - cuz we da best)

Me:  Sagan you ready to tie in swimsuit - you know its me and you girl
Sagan:  oh yah girl!  Lets get it

Dorothy Shepard wins swimsuit (she looked freaking amazing in a bright yellow swimsuit!

after the show walking back to the room

Sagan - Abby I really thought we had gotten it
Me - girl i know when Dorothy won Alpha talent I was like thats good but girl you know that we tied - just sit back down and me and sagan are takin names!  (in a ghetto voice)

It was freaking hilarious because we were not alone and everyone heard us.  of course this was all in a joking manner.  and so everybody was cracking up!!!!

We have the best time as group A.  We were all chit chatting tonight about it - and we have decided that Group A will forever be filled with the same 15 contestants we have right now. Nobody else can come in and we are all coming back.  Kacey Keefe even said tonight that at May meeting when we draw for spots - if someone draws and says A ___ we will stand up give her the eye and say sit back down you do not go to A. haha - fun times

Backstage with swim suit - it was amazing to see us girls surround and support each other.  we were fixing each other, sharing shoes, tape, glue, safety pins, and one of my fellow competitors even let me borrow her earrings.  I also turned to Allie Brooks and asked which bracelets I should wear for competition and she said well I love the sparkle but I think the black is more appropriate - wow!  That is how pageant girls in Arkansas are backstage.  we are best friends.  That is what this whole thing is all about!!

I am pumped to see what happens saturday night, but if I don't make TOp 10 - i know I have 35 other girls backstage that I am about to chow down and have a blast with!

group A has a special surprise coming on Saturday morning - we have been planning it all week and we are pumped about it!  So stay tuned for that!

All of the contestants will be at the Hot Springs Mall on Saturday from 1-2 to sign autographs - I hope you can come!!!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from today - the video will be up later.

I hope you enjoy these stories.  I hope that it gives you a back stage look at what the competition is really like and it keeps you informed on what's going on.  Tomorrow will be a busy day - but it's the last night of competition.  But my favorite - Evening Gown!!!!  So excited!  Can't wait to show you pictures.

If you are reading this, please post comments and follow my blog - I LOVE logging in to see more followers everday! Also if you want you can jump over to MissCupcakeQueen.blogspot.com And read about my latest cupcake fetish - but right now Im craving Blueberry muffins - which my rommate's mother was soo kind to bring me tonight!! Yay!! It was fabulous!

Peace and Cupcakes!
Abby

we were sooo tired at rehearsal - it was miserable!  

My best friends in the whole world!!! Meg, Nat, Nanna, and Ray Ray!  I was so happy to see all of them there again tonight.  Especially since they work and are from out of town it means so much that they are driving in to see me!!

This is my trainer julie!!! She is amazing!  Like freaking incredible when she works me out! And it PAID OFF!  okay - so I didn't win the swimsuit award - but I looked fabulous, and as long as you are comfortable with your own body then you are great!

this is Ashlen - she was Miss Arkansas 2008 and she helped my sister and I on our walks!  I am so lucky to have such a great group of people helping me on every phase of competition!!! Love her to death!  And she is in school right now and would come straight from clinicals to help me!!  She is just fantastic!

My wonderful grandparents GrandMary and Papa!  They are such proud and supportive grandparents of all 13 of their grandchildren!!!!  I love them soo much!

The MAFIA!!!!! this is not even close to half of my family - but they are so great! I love them!

Mrs. Laura - She is always soo encouraging and I loved getting to see her tonight!!!

My wonderful sisters - you know how sisters go - we are just so lucky to have each other!  And Laura leigh is rocking that crown!  SOOOO PROUD OF HER!

Mr social club the E's!  What a great group of support we have everynight!  and this is not all of them!  tomorrow night is going to be incredible!!

This is Laine and she has helped me coordinate all of my wardrobe and earrings and dresses - she is absolutely fabulous! And we love to go out to each together in Conway!  She is one of my biggest fans and I cannot wait to strrut my stuff across that stage tomorrow night in my red gown that we designed and created together!

Mrs. Sharon - I love this woman to death!!  She is definitely my biggest fan and I am HER ORIGINAL CUPCAKE QUEEN!  She motivates me to do my best and that I am a winner no matter what!  

This is my mom!! She is amazing!  I am so thankful I have such great parents that support me and cheer me on every night at competition!!  She does everything during the day for me.  I know I don't talk about it on the blog, but we are literablly cooped up ion the top floors of the Austen and we can not go ANYWHERE! so if we need a drink or food or anything I call my mom!  She even brought me more tanning spray so I can have that nice bermuda tan! :)

Goofy after the pag!  we have the best time ever backstage!  You cannot even imagine!

This is Lauren and she does my hair for the pageant - she works in Harrison Arkansas!  You definitely should call her for all of your hair needs - she is wonderful!

And you have met Mrs. Stephanie before - she does my makeup which looks so natural and glowing on stage! I love it!  She is absolutely the most godly makeup lady ever!  

Roomie pic!! Love her! Kathryn has been the best roommate ever this week - and she even brought me a blueberrymuffin for after swimsuit.. It was soo good!

Aren't we gorgeous!! These dresses are so unique and soo fun!!  we love getting dressed up for visitation!

Waiting for ROll Call!! I just love these girls!

Back stage pass!  Get excited! We were walking over to the show!  

About to go on!! Love our tony bowls dresses!!!  He made them especially for us and then donated them and the shoes we are wearing for free! What a great sponsor!

Strike a pose!  These are the girls in my swim suit group!  We had a blast doing it!  

One of my favorites - Ashley!!!!!  we have so much fun together!

Getting ready for finale - swim suit evening gown and talent dresses absolutely stunning - I love Simone's Red!

Backstage about to go on in Finale, which is Firework and so freaking fun!!  Mrs. Micki - our choreographer is soo wonderful!  Allie and Cortnie succeeded in making this picture the Number One most awkward pic ever!!!

Yes pageant girls do eat, and espeically after swim suit!  Our wonderful chaperones that keep us on time, safe, and loved this week get us food for after the pageant everynight and open up their room so that we can eat and hang out - it is sooo fun!  Some of the goofiest moments happen in this room! 

Well since those are all of my pictrues - I think it's time to wake up and get ready for today!!

Enjoy my blog!

Charmed Bliss

Abby

Ms. Worry Wart!

Today I have really been searching the Word for a peace about troubled times.  No I am not without food, shelter or clothing - so I am more privileged and well-off than over 75% of the world.  However, my heart is not peaceful right now - I am not completely happy and I am worrying about something - which I can't tell you because I don't know what it is.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and been stressing out about something only to realize that you are stressing about some fight or test that was occurring in your dream? That is how I feel right now.  Am i stressing about something stupid?  Am I worrying about something non-existent... something is wrong in this picture.

So I searched the scripture with a prayerful heart - and this is what I found...

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer - Psalms 94:19

But I urge you - if you are feeling like I am... read Habakkuk - all 3 chapters!  It is amazing!
Habakkuk is completely trusting God even though God has pretty much told him that He will destroy Judah.  Here are the verses that stuck out to me:

Habakkuk 3:2,16c,18

2.  Renew them in our day, in our time make them known, in wrath remember mercy.
16c. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us
18. yet I will rejoice in the Lord - I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk affirmed that even though life was going to be hard he would wait for the hardships and he would wait patiently on them.  I know I have said it before and I will continue to say it -

PATIENCE IS NOT MY VIRTUE>

I don't think about it, I don't do it, and I am NOT good at it.  But Habakkuk says not only is he going to wait on the protection and mercy and love of the Lord, but he is going to wait PATIENTLY on the calamity - that is the BAD STUFF! holy cow!  are you kidding me... so by canonizing this book - is God telling me that not only do I need to wait PATIENTLY on the desires of my heart but on the calamity to happen in my life?

And then 2 verses later Habakkuk says when nothing makes sense, when I don't even have the strength to continue - I will rejoice in the Lord - and be joyful in God!

I am a girl - so as you can imagine - Cinderella is someone I aspire to be.  I want to get married and have kids and be successful.  I also want to timidity that Cinderella has - let's just be honest - it's not going to happen.  However, it is a desire of mine to be married one day - hint: ONE DAY and have children.  I am learning slowly right now that I must CONSTANTLY rejoice in the LORD everyday in the little things in life - because it might not necessarily be my time right now - but if I continue to rejoice in the Lord - he will do what David talked about in Psalms 94:19 (above) He will give me comfort and a renewed hope and cheer.

None of us are completely worry free - however, God's presences gives us the comfort and the strength that we need to bounce back, sometimes not immediately, but when doubt fills our mind - God is there READY TO COMFORT US!  Today, I hope I have enouraged you to lean on God - no matter what life throws at you!  Pour your heart on Him and He will comfort you and bring you back to that Charmed Bliss!

The joy and hope of the Lord be with you always!

Abby