Meditation Monday - Krysten M. on Forgiveness

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

Forgiveness is probably one of my biggest struggles. Particularly in forgiving an ex-boyfriend for some really hurtful things done to me, as I’m sure many of you have experienced. Although it’s nearing a year since the break up and I’ve since found a wonderfully supportive Christian guy since, I still struggled with letting go of my past so I could fully enjoy the present and my future. When thoughts of him entered my mind or his name was spoken, I couldn’t help but retract into a shell and relive the pain I associated with him.

Thankfully, a Sunday morning NLCF service on forgiveness, which included this verse from Matthew, spoke directly into my heart and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I was reminded once again of how God’s timing is always perfect. It helped me to realize that I was willingly holding myself back from seeking a pure heart after Christ’s love. I began praying for him and God moved me to reach out to him. I simply told him that I forgave him, I wished him the best and that was it. But just like that, I felt as though a weight had been lifted. Since then, I haven’t felt those feelings of resentment or anger and I have taken leaps and bounds to move on.

Since overcoming this issue of forgiveness, I’ve been reminded in every situation, great or small, of how essential forgiveness is. Christ gave us the ultimate forgiveness. He died for sins he never committed and showed the ultimate act of love. If Jesus could give so much to wash away my sins, how could I possibly not forgive? If you’re reluctant to forgive someone for a sin against you, I encourage you to remember this and to let him or her know they are forgiven. Giving forgiveness is just as important as receiving it. We have been forgiven, so it is our duty to forgive.

Friendly Friday!

Introducing, the lovely KATY MARTIN!

Name: Katy Martin

Major: Graphic Design

Childhood Music: When I was in the 4th/5th grade I went through a Beatles phase. But BSB was a close second :)

Favorite thing about NRV: I grew up with mountains around me, it was never a strange sight to see them. But something about Bburg that magnifies it beauty for me. I think it's mostly the culture that comes with living IN the mountains. Hiking, snow, leaves, food, it's all good, and it's all beautiful!

If I could do anything: Epic photo excursion. Start in Europe and move my way around the Eastern hemisphere. Probably my own version of Eat. Pray. Love, haha :)

Rest and relax:
Version one - coffee shop it up! Pick up a friend and head to Bollo's or Sbux for some delicious caffeine
or
Version two - become a temporary couch potato and watch a movie, or two.

Books: I recently book swapped Captivating for Wild at Heart. I haven't really been able to dive into it yet, but I'm interested to get a glimpse at God's design of the male heart.

Favorite place to eat lunch: Gillies makes a fantastic grill cheese + chips and salsa, but I'd have to say ABP's 12 veggie soup has my heart from the hours of 11am-12pm.

God encouraged: Wow. I cannot explain the encouragement I have seen through all the single ladies at BCM. (Disclaimer: I love my girls in relationships, but my heart can relate to the single ladies in this season)
I've seen and had so many conversations with different gals about our season of singleness. It's awesome to see this movement of ladies utilizing this season to encourage each other and remind each other of the greatest love story that we're already in with Jesus.

Meditation Monday

Romans 8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

This is one of many promises in the Bible, that God works all things together for good. Sometimes, in my life, it’s very hard for me to believe this. I get side tracked and look to the left or to the right and see what other people have that I am missing. Maybe they have more money than I do, maybe their college education is paid for, or they have a boyfriend, a job or some part of life figured out. When I look around me, I see so much of what I think I don’t have. Then, I begin to wonder why God hasn’t blessed me with these things.

The other day, I was really blessed by an idea: do I really believe that God is working all things together for good? Do I believe that in my own life? Sometimes God’s greatest blessings can be in withholding something that I feel that I am entitled to. Blessings often come in hardships, because that is where we experience the most of God’s love and the end reward is coming to know God in a greater way: as a rock, as a savior, a deliverer, etc.

Maybe blessings come in strange packages. Today, my prayer is that God would show me what my unexpected blessings are.

Tough Tuesday

I don't think I am the only girl to say that this week makes me feel like I am drowning in the amount of work that I have.

Therefore, I want to leave you with beautiful words that will hopefully inspire you, fuel you, and remind you of who you are.

Even a beautiful God-scripted love story can never satisfy the way Jesus does. Even the most heroic and Christlike man on earth can never fulfill the longings of our heart like the true Prince and lover of our soul (Jesus Christ). And until we are able to truly make Him our first love, until we are willing to give up our dream of an earthly love story for His sake, we will never know the fullness of Him who fills us all in all. We will always be looking to a mere man to meet the desires of our heart, rather than to the One who created us, who knows us better than we know ourselves, and who gave His very life’s blood to rescue us. - Leslie Ludy

Only when self moves out of the way can His spectacular glory come cascading through your life. When Jesus is in His rightful place, all insecurity will fade away and His lasting loveliness will become the mark of your life. - Leslie Ludy

In order to learn what it means to be a person, let us start with the One who made him. - Elisabeth Elliot

“Loving yourself and loving your character; that is the charm of being a woman. Understanding who you are, running with it and loving it. It’s not being charming all the time like 1950s movies. It’s truly being confident on how God made you, taking hold of that and running with that. Charm and elegance comes from knowing yourself and loving yourself because of who God made you to be. A guy can only love you so much if you don’t life yourself. It starts in you, THROUGH Christ.” - An indirect friend

Today, you are loved. You are beautiful. You are a daughter. Believe and walk in that truth as you face the things that God has given you this week.

Meditation Monday

Happy Monday, all!

As Thanksgiving gets closer, we all start to consider the things we are thankful for, the things we say when Grandma passes you the basket of rolls at the table. Thinking of things to be thankful for should be easy, yet we often find ourselves struggling to come up with something worthwhile to say.

To be honest, one of my biggest challenges is loving people who get handed things they don’t even want or appreciate when I have fought to achieve those same things. I believe I deserve them more and so I get angry when those who I find less deserving get them.

I feel like the brother in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. The prodigal son takes his inheritance and runs away to a foreign land, where he blows it all and ends up broke. He is then forced to feed pigs in order keep from starving. Finally, the prodigal son realizes what he left behind - family, food, clothes, a warm bed - and decides to return home. Upon returning home, the prodigal son’s father forgives him and throws him a huge party. However, the prodigal son’s older brother is pretty aggravated by this.

In Luke 15:25-32, it says:

“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’ The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

Right now, I feel exactly like the older brother - I’ve been dedicated, responsible, done everything I was expected to do - but where’s my party? Where is my time of rejoicing and feasting? I have followed my Father, I have stayed true to my beliefs; I have done all of these things and I feel entitled to a reward or a pat on the back. I want some happiness in my life, I’d like some romantic success. All of these people around me don’t seem to be trying as hard as I am and yet somehow they are blissfully happy. It just doesn’t seem fair.

The problem with this type of thinking is the sense of entitlement at its root. We are imperfect, we screw up. We are definitely not automatically entitled to happiness because we tend to make a mess of things and hurt each other. But still, God loves us despite that. I have no right to judge who is “deserving.” I am a whiny, faulted human. I am undeserving of anything, really. And that is the beauty of grace - loving and forgiving those who are undeserving. In my “me-me-me” all the time perspective, it’s easy to lose sight of grace, it’s easy for me to begin to view grace as a currency and begin to believe that I am more deserving of grace than another child of God. It’s easy for me to start thinking that the harder we work, or the “better” Christians we are, the more grace God should be offering us, because we are somehow owed it now.

The truth is that thinking God should do anything for us is ridiculous in itself - as if the God who gives us the very air we breathe owes us anything. But He chooses to show us grace, to love His faulted creation, because to Him we are all equally beautiful and worthy of love. Just because I may pray more than the next person does not mean I should be entitled to favors from God to show He appreciates how much I’m doing (which is, in all honesty, very little). Just the fact that I am alive and I am generally in good health and my family is safe should already be enough proof of His grace.

Thankful Thursday

In the spirit of all the "30 days of thankfulness" posts I see on Facebook/Twitter and the fact that Thanksgiving is two weeks from today (crazy, yes I know), today we're talking about gratitude and thankfulness. All throughout scripture we find people giving thanks to God and for his many gifts. Psalm 100 is all about giving thanks, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." But just in case you need some more motivation to be grateful here's one interesting study.

In 2003 Emmons and McCullough conducted a study where college students were randomly placed into one of three conditions, (gratitude, hassles, or events), each of which lasted for nine weeks. Participants were given weekly packets in which they were to write down different things depending on their condition. In the gratitude condition, students were asked to write down several experiences for which they were grateful. In the hassles condition, students wrote down annoyances they experienced in the previous week. Finally, in the events condition, students wrote down a number of events that affected them in the past week. Students also completed a series of measures assessing physical symptoms and overall well-being. Students in the grateful condition reported significantly greater life satisfaction, greater optimism for the upcoming week, fewer physical symptoms, and, perhaps most surprisingly, exercised significantly more than students in either the events condition or the hassles condition. (taken from http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org)

So what are you waiting for, what are you thankful for? Leave a comment!

Meditation Monday: Hollis

Happy Monday, everyone! Just two weeks left before Thanksgiving Break. I invited you to take some time out of your day today to read and meditate on what Hollis has to share with us about priorities, devotion to God, and remembering our purpose in this life. Next week Grace will be sharing what's on her heart with you.

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14).

I know that whenever I am putting God first in my life everything seems to be better, I seem to be able to manage life on a higher level than when I am alone. When I take time from my day to do a devotional it is very similar to the experience of recharging batteries. I remember that my life has purpose and that I am supposed to be living for our God. Yet, so often I get caught in this me-centered faith and all the works and actions I am performing are to make my life better. While this is a wonderful part of our relationship with Christ, it is not the main focus.

This verse helps to remind me that everything I do is for the glory of the kingdom, not just actions to make me feel better on a daily basis. The Lord has been working in my heart to make everything I do be an action for his glory. I try to pray before I read and ask that it be pleasing to the Lord, not just an exercise to benefit me in my faith. This is also a good accountability verse to pray because truly everything that comes out of a Christian's mouth should be pleasing to the Lord. We are His and need to remember why we are here on Earth. I pray that our actions in faith are pleasing to the Lord, not just to our Christian ideals. It is easy to get caught in a web of pride if you do not remember that you are successfully doing a daily devotional to please the Lord. Let our words and actions be witness of the love we receive in Christ our Savior.

Friendly Friday!

Sorry about posting this so late on Friday afternoon! I had it all finished, but for some reason I actually had to work at work today. Who would've thought. Anyway, without further delay, I present to you: Katie Leachman!

Name: Katie Leachman

Major:Math Education and Music Performance

Favorite Childhood Cartoon: Rugrats

What have you appreciated about VT thus far? I've appreciated the fact that while as far as administration I'm just another number/incoming freshman I still feel like I'm a part of a really tight-knit community, between the BCM, my piano studio, and getting to know friends of friends.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I think that I would move to New York City, go to Juilliard, and be in Wicked on Broadway.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? I LOVE TO SLEEP. But when I'm awake, I like to make bracelets--lots and lots of bracelets.

Are you reading any books right now? I'm reading a book required for my piano studio called "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin. I typically don't like to read though, unless it's Harry Potter.

Where is your favorite place to eat lunch? Chik-fil-A.

How has God encouraged you lately? God has hugely encouraged me by giving me an eternal perspective. I've always been one who cares way too much about the grades I get and how I can be the best at everything, because I've felt like they define me and my worth. But just recently I've come to a liberating understanding that as long as I continue to glorify God with my heart and my life, the grade I get on my philosophy exam doesn't matter, and is even being used for good and the glory of His kingdom. So no worries!

It's Not About Me

Let's just be honest for a second ok? Sometimes life sucks. Yesterday was one of those days where I was keenly aware of just how broken the world we live in is. No matter what I did nothing was right. Everything anyone said was a personal attack on me. Nobody loved me. In fact everybody hated me and honestly by noon I was ready to sleep the day away.

Lately I've been reading this book called What Did you Expect? by Paul David Tripp. It's actually a book about marriage but it's been challenging me in SO many different areas of my life, sometimes a little more than I like. A few nights ago I was reading about the difference between the kingdom of self and the kingdom of God. Here's what Tripp has to say, "2 Corinthians 5:14-15 reads, For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. The apostle Paul summarizes here what sin does to all of us. Sin turns us in on ourselves. Sin causes us to shrink our focus, motivation, and concern to the size of our own wants, needs, and feelings. Sin causes all of us to be way too self-aware and self-important. Sin causes us to be offended most by offenses against us and to be concerned most for what concerns us. Because of sin, we really do love us, and we have a wonderful plan for our own lives!" Well if that's not a kick in the gut I don't know what is. Shrink my focus to only me? Check. Way too self-important? Check. Offended most by offenses against me? Check. Great, now I know why everybody hates me.

Fortunately that's not how God views things. The apostle Paul says in another one of his letters, Ephesians, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." It is also through his grace that we have been invited into the kingdom of God. A kingdom much larger than anything we could ever create. So when we reach a breaking point and everything around us seems to be going South (like my day yesterday), Tripp says "this is an opportunity to exit the small space of the kingdom of self and to begin to enjoy the beauty and benefits of the kingdom of God." It's a hard piece of advice to accept. Sometimes I act as if my own kingdom has more to offer than his but I do truly want to believe he knows what's best for me. So the next time that pity party strikes I just need to keep saying "It's not about me" and choose to believe in his "great love for us." Because really it's not all about me.

Meditation Monday: What are you clinging to?

Welcome back from Eagle Eyrie, ladies! Today's contributor is Melissa Chenault. Please enjoy what she has to share with us and leave some comments below!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

I saw a YouTube video once about how people catch monkeys in other countries. It’s supposed to be very simple. First, anchor a narrow-mouthed jar down, then place some shiny scrap of metal in the bottom; perhaps used tin foil, an old spoon. You simply wait for a monkey to investigate the trap. It will reach in, extending its arm and hand long a flat to reach the shiny object. Once its fingers brush it, it will curl his hand into a fist around the object. His fist will be too big to remove and he will be trapped. Obviously, the monkey could release the worthless scrap and go free, but it won’t. The monkey won’t ever let it go. Monkeys repeatedly remain and allow themselves to be captured, starve to death or even gnaw off their arms before releasing the bait.

The story makes me think the things in my life that I refused to let go of: the wrong boy, the lie, the body image, the lifestyle. I stubbornly keep my fist clamped shut around that sin, remaining trapped in it. I regret those times when I channeled my determination into something that trapped me in a place distant from God. I challenge you to meditate on what in your life you’re clinging to, what you refuse to give over to God. Turn it over to Him; let him free you from that sin. Do not cling to it, it may seem appealing, it may seem important but really it’s worthless in the eyes of our Lord. Let it go. Go free.

Friendly Friday!

Name: Ar Moehrle

Can I just mention I love the chevron background on this blog? (yes, Ar, you can :) )

Major: Human Development

Favorite thing about cold weather? Ugly sweaters parties in igloos

What have you valued most at VT? That my life is not my own, and my own plans do not prevail. VT was my absolute last choice for colleges—I only agreed to apply because of the food & football (I lost every football lottery freshman year & I now have food allergies). I selected a small liberal arts school in the North with basketball, no Christian ministries, and a social requirement of dressing preppy. When I was picking my roommate, my parents told me I was going to Tech instead. Fun fact: Tech is in the South (yep), a football school, has Christian ministries up the wazoo, and we’re an engineering school. When I got here, I tried to change my major, but God was clear that I had to keep HD. I joined the clubs and ministries that I wanted, but God made it evident that those weren’t where He called me. Sophomore year I tried repetitively to make plans to transfer, and nothing worked. God has clearly put me here, and I find value that His plans win over mine any day.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I would partner with a business-savvy individual to start a benevolence ministry under the non-profit structure of the church. This would entail knocking on businesses doors to receive donations to be distributed to families in need. Through building relationships with those in the community, the Gospel can be shared because though we may meet material need, the most important need is that for salvation.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? Take something & make it anew--like photoshopping pictures; sustainable crafts; remixing music; reconstruction clothing.

Are you reading any books right now? Just finished “Stumbling Toward Faith: My Longing to Heal from the Evil that God Allowed” by Renee Altson

Favorite place to each lunch? Taco Bell.

How has God encouraged you recently? God has been really encouraging relationally these past few weeks. I’m a verbal-processor so talking about what God’s doing in my life helps me process. So, I love listening to people verbally process what God’s doing around and in them. In many of my friendships, I’ve had sisters come to me expecting words (& get mad when I didn’t say exactly what they wanted to hear), but lately God has brought me many situations where I get to sit and listen to how He’s orchestrating someone’s life to bring Him glory. LOVE hearing what’s He’s doing all around us even when we’re not aware of it.

Wordless Wednesday

photo taken by Katy Martin

Meditation Monday: Rebecca Williams - Psalm 139

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My fame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:13-16)

I, like so many others, struggle with self-image and worth. It seems sometimes that it is an all-consuming struggle, am I worthy based on the way I look or the way I act, do I do enough, say enough, am I enough? The amazing thing is that we all have worth in God. We are wonderfully made, made in the image of God. I love this verse, He made us wonderful and I know that. I sometimes forget, but I am. My days were written in the book. I have grown a lot lately in realizing that what I do and what I am called to do for God, that is enough. He has given me 24 hours, just like everyone else and He only expects me to use that time for Him.

God has been growing me immensely in this area. Remembering that I am wonderfully made is a daily battle, but one that I am not fighting alone. I am having to learn to see myself as God sees me. I’m also learning that I can’t do everything (I know, seems obvious right?) I am only one person and I only need to do the things God is calling me to do and do them to the best of my abilities. I am not always going to be able to help every person and my efforts aren’t always going to turn out the way I intended them to. Even when I am not enough, He is sufficient and His love is sufficient.

"I am the light..."

Last weekend, something hit me as I walked around enjoying sweet fellowship and taking pictures of the world around me.

I really noticed the way light affects how my pictures turn out. If you’re into photography at all, you have probably found out that lighting affects pretty much every single picture, and your task is to figure out how to work with the light you have in order to make the most beautiful picture possible. This time of year, the light is incredible. The light runs through leafs that are assorted colors: oranges, browns, maroons, and reds and it makes them come alive without the light, they’d be a bit dull, still able to be appreciated, but not as beautiful as they could be. It’s as if they were made for the light, in order to shine all of their glory.

Light does this to people as well, and their eyes and faces especially. When light shines on someone's face and eyes the right way, they light up and reflect that light back to you. The person’s face is illuminated and suddenly they are striking… you notice beautiful features about that person that never quite stood out to you before. There are shadows and the face and the person’s eyes are illuminated. That person was beautiful, but now their beauty is on a showcase for everyone to see.

What I find most intriguing about everything I have said thus far is that in John, Jesus claims to be light.

John 8:12 - Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus is the light that illuminates our faces and fills our eyes with brightness and color. He is the one that gives life and makes things beautiful. And then, naturally, we reflect it.

“You make beautiful things… out of us.” - Gungor

Friendly Friday!

Meet the great Caity Edwards! Check out her Eagle Eyrie video if you haven't yet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCgOpaT_MXU

Name: Caity Edwards

Major: English with a theatre minor

Favorite thing about winter? Snow!

What have you valued most at VT? As cheesy as it sounds, probably the BCM. Most of the people in my core group of friends in high school were nonbelievers, and I didn't really notice it until I came to Tech and that changed. I love being able to talk about my walk with my roommates, most of whom I met through the BCM. My Bible Study families have been incredible all three years. Last year, I was heavily involved with two large theatre productions that had rehearsal every night from 6-10, so I missed out on a large part of the BCM. The lack of accountability and fellowship was evident in my walk. As much as I love theatre, I've very glad I chose to take at least a semester off so I could plug back into this amazing ministry.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? Be a Broadway star...oh wait, you didn't say, "if lack of talent wasn't a restraint." My bad. As of now, I would absolutely love to be a theatre teacher at a middle school with a fairly nice budget. I have this dream of creating a spectacular theatre department composed of awkward teenagers. We'd have complex musical numbers from hip shows like "Bye, Bye, Birdie" or "Grease." Theatre was and continues to be a huge part of my life. In high school, a lot of students find it as the one place where they belong. I not only want to create that sort of feeling in a middle school, where the sense of belonging is even more important, but also spark a passion for theatre in younger students. Also, I'd get to hang out with middle schooler all day, and you can't really beat that.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? As an English major, you'd probably peg me as a book reader, but you'd be wrong. Don't get me wrong, I do love spending hours in a good book, but I'm way more into watching movies. I geek out over interesting camera angles or costuming choices. I am also known for playing an inordinate amount of video games. I'm pretty beast at this game "Dr. Mario" that was made for the original Nintendo back in 1990. I'm always up for a round or ten if anyone wants to join me.

Are you reading any books right now? I just finished the Hunger Games Series. It was fantastic, but I don't suggest it unless you have time to read three books over the course of a week and a half. Literally every person I know who has read them could not put them down, and my grades for that time period definitely slipped a bit. haha

Favorite place to each lunch? If you're talking on campus, I guess West End and taking it outside on a nice day. Off campus, I really like Gillies, but I swear, I'm not a hipster.

How has God encouraged you recently? I've been really struggling recently with what to do after I graduate. God has placed a passion for young people on my heart, and I've done two internships through churches and two through the local high school. Since second grade, I've wanted to be a teacher. But over the last year the possibility of youth ministry as my career has become more and more of a possibility. I met with Lindsay Skipper to discuss this some on Monday. It was brilliant, because even though I'm not really any closer to deciding if I go to grad school for education or seminary for youth ministry, I'm way more at peace with the issue. She was just so encouraging. I know God will have me where He wants me, so I shouldn't stress over it. (And neither should anyone reading this blog! haha)

Chocolate or Salad?

As I savored what was left of my ice cream last night (by the way if you haven't tried Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip you have to get to Kroger this instant) I was reminded of something I read a few years ago. In Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, Donald is having a conversation with a friend about reading the bible and his friend says "The Bible is so good with chocolate. I always thought the Bible was more of a salad thing, you know, but it isn't. It is a chocolate thing." It made me think, do I crave God's word like I crave chocolate? Or do I read His word because I know I should? Just like I know I should eat a salad, even though I'd much rather have ice cream for lunch. My prayer for us all is that Psalm 119 would become the cry of our hearts!

Meditation Monday - coming soon!

Hi, everyone! Next week we'll be launching "Meditation Monday". We'll have BCM women submit their reflections on a verse or passage from the Bible, a book they're reading, a sermon they've heard, or anything else to encourage us with what they're learning and enjoying about God. Please comment below if you know you're going to want to be a part of this at some point this school year.

Friendly Friday!

Hey Ladies -

Thanks for hanging in there with us, we're still trying to figure out how the blog is going to work, what will be featured on it and which days. Also, April has been sick this week so be lifting her up in prayer as she prepares for a fun weekend, hopefully all better!

In the mean time, we have a new featured lady for this week, and it is my pleasure to introduce you to Krysten!

Name: Krysten Marshall

Major: I'm currently in University Studies, but I'm looking to switch into Apparel, Housing and Resource Management. (Maybe.)

Favorite hot drink & why? Chai tea from Deet's. It tastes like Christmas in a cup and Deet's has the best!

Why did you choose VT? I chose Virginia Tech on a whim. I decided one day that it would be my first choice of the schools I applied to, but I began the semester with no idea what I wanted to pursue for a career. I knew the campus was beautiful, the people were friendly, it had great educational opportunities and Hokie football was amazing. That was all I needed to know!

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? If I could do anything, I would run a marathon. I ran the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in May 2011 and I'm definitely planning on doing at least one full marathon before I graduate from Tech.

What is your favorite thing to do to rest and/or relax? This just might make me a total weirdo, but I enjoy cleaning to relax. I'm a very organized person, so it gives me a very nice settling feeling to know things in my room are clean and organized.

Are you reading any books right now? Adjusting to college has left me up to my neck in textbooks and novels for future essays. However, I have "Heaven is For Real" about 10% completed on my Kindle and I'm anxious to continue that when I find the time.

How has God encouraged you recently? God has really encouraged me by bringing me to the BCM. I started school here with very few good friends. After being surrounded by so many non-Christians in my dorm, I felt like it'd be difficult to find a group of people in which I'd fit in. Since attending 6:33 and bible studies with my Brown family at the BCM and going to NLCF Sunday services in Squires, I've really felt God working in my heart and bringing wonderful people into my life. I'm very thankful! :)

And the winner is....

Grace said...

I love everything that's already been said here, haha. This is such a fantastic idea! I love to write and this sounds like a great place to share what God has on our hearts. :)

Congratulations Grace! See me next time you're around BCM for your free book. I hope you like the book as much I did!

Friendly Friday

Chelsea, our BCM president, is kicking off our Friendly Friday series! Every Friday we'll meet a different woman from our BCM community so check your inbox frequently because you might be next :).

Name: Chelsea

Major: Communications: Electronic/Print Journalism, Psychology

Favorite Movie: I'm not a huge fan of picking favorites; but I usually like anything that is eclectic, funny, or scary.

What do you like most about VT? There are many things that I love and enjoy about Virginia Tech... but I think the one thing that makes me praise God the most is the beauty. This campus is one of the most beautiful campuses that I have ever seen, the buildings, the air, the flowers, the people - everything about this place is extraordinarily beautiful. My favorite thing to do (when I ever have free time) is to just walk around outside on campus and take photos of beautiful things.

If you could do anything without the possibility of failure and money wasn't a restraint: what would you do? I would take a year or two off and I would travel throughout the world, photograph beautiful things, experience all sorts of cultures and help wherever I was needed.

Are you reading any books right now? I just finished an amazing book actually, but right now I recently checked out the "spiritual disciplines handbook" from the VT library and I am trying to work that into my relationship with God at the moment, and also trying to finish The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.

How has God encouraged you recently? God encouraged me this weekend despite my self-pity in my sickness. I was sitting alone at home on Friday night, and God came to me and He revealed some things about me and how I was relating to Him about the future. God reminded me that at this moment in time, He has me in a place where I need to seek the face of Jesus, to listen to Him and enjoy His comfort. That I am in a place right now to slow down and listen to my Jesus speak words of love toward me, and not to worry about what I am going to do when I am graduated. So, I did just that, and God poured out His love on me :)

Welcome and a little giveaway!

We're so glad you decided to visit. Our hope is that this blog will be another space for discussion and connection among the women at BCM. Each week you'll see 2-3 new posts, some content may change but each week we'll definitely have an interview with a different woman involved in BCM and hear about what God is teaching us through bible study, 6:33, or personal study. We're looking for writers or people who like to write (even if you wouldn't give yourself the official title author) to help with these reflections. If you're interested please leave a comment below. If you have any topic suggestions feel free to leave those too. We'd love to hear any feedback you have.!

To get this thing up and running we're going to start off with a book giveaway. To win a copy of So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore 1) Become a follower of the blog and 2) Leave a comment with your name and your answer to the "What's your favorite thing about Fall?" poll. The drawing will close Friday at midnight so get those entries in now. We'll announce the winner next Monday!