Something to think on...

Jesus made the world to bring forth new life...
From the beginning of sin to Jesus' death, the sacrifices made by the priests provided people with a new life in Christ...
God sent Jesus as a baby again bringing about a "new" life...
Jesus healed many people, giving them a "new" life...
Jesus raised many from the dead, giving them new life...
Jesus died, went back to His Father and sprinkled His precious blood on the mercy seat of Heaven so that we can have a NEW LIFE!!! We can be free from sin and the bent towards it!! Hallelujah! That same blood that can save us can sanctify us and cleanse us from the sin nature, making us pure and undefiled by sin and any uncleanness!! Glory to His name!!!
THEN... Jesus AROSE!!!!!!! He's alive!!! He conquered death and it's sting! Now we can have NEW LIFE here on earth... THEN we can have a NEW LIFE in HEAVEN with Him!!!! We have the blessed opportunity to live forever with the King of Kings!! How amazing that is!!!

You know the one thing that has been going through my head the whole time I have been typing this is: Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that He would pray, "Not my will, thine Lord"... The answer I may never know Why He ever loved me so, that to an old rugged cross He'd go, for Who am I?

I am so unworthy of such mercy... yet while He was on the cross... I was on His mind! Thank you, Jesus for paying such an aweful price so that I could be free! I owe you everything I am, and all I ever hope to be!And even that can never scratch the surface of repaying you for all you've done for me!! I love you, Lord!

It's Almost Easter...

And that means a whole week of posts, songs, poems, writings and so on about the real reason for Easter, Our Redeemer!

I'm lovin' it!

I'm loving the new page feature of blogger! Check it out often for you'll never know when there will be something new up. A short post tonight for sure, but I have all kinds of things planned for this week, so hold on to your hat! It's sure to be a busy week here in my corner of cyberspace... :) Goodnight my friends, sleep tight and by all means, DON'T let the bedbugs bite.







And Remember... God's in His heaven, ALL'S right with the world~

Holding Tight to the Dream by Roseanna White

It's with great pleasure that I present to you, Roseanna White, an incredible writer, an amazing critic, and a great friend! I know you all will be inspired to "hold tight to the dream" just as I have been! Thank-You Roseanna, for doing this for me! You're the best! Oh and by the way, check out her blog at www.roseannamwhite.blogspot.com! It's worth your time! :)

Holding Tight to the Dream



When I was, oh, six years old or so, I learned about a peculiar magic called writing. Not just putting pencil to paper, though that was the gate–but using that skill to put down those stories running rampant through my mind. From the very first time my teacher assigned the task of writing a story for class, I knew that this magic was something special, something that came from deep inside me.

When I was twelve, I started carrying around a 3-ring binder loaded with notebook paper, which had My Book in it. After I finished my assignments for class, I’d break that baby out and write. My classmates got used to it and would gladly offer names when I needed new characters. =) I finished that book when I was thirteen.

For me, writing was at once a shimmering dream floating ever on the horizon and air that I just couldn’t live without. I have to write. I can’t go through a day without a story in my head. I can’t walk down the street without translating the visual images into words.

But writing and making a living from writing are two very different things. Isn’t that the way with dreams? Enjoying them is easy. But grasping them, holding onto them, making them turn into something solid after your eyelids flutter open in the morning . . . that’s tough.

Through college, I didn’t worry so much about it. Writing was sanity. I wrote to unwind from my ridiculously tough workload, getting up early, jotting down notes on stories during class, bringing my laptop along when I knew I’d have a spare half hour. I wrote what I loved, I wrote because I loved it. And because I never tried to bridge the gap between my world of writing and the world of writing, I thought I could do anything with my words. It gave me a confidence that couldn’t be shaken–

Until I tried to get published. Talk about a bucket of cold water being dumped over my head! I had toyed with publishing before, but after college I got serious about it and joined a writers association. Soon I realized that I was doing so . . . much . . . wrong.

It shook me–it really did. And you can tell as much if you read the last book I wrote before I learned all the “rules” and then the first one after. Before, I wrote with passion and confidence. After, I wrote with a wavering spirit and an invisible but perceptible “Is this right??” I still wrote, don’t get me wrong. But it took me a few manuscripts, and a few rewrites, to get to the point where I could use my new knowledge to strengthen my dream instead of just dashing it to pieces.

I’m 27 now. Had you asked me back in high school, I would have told you that by 27 I’d have a whole shelf full of books with my name on the spine. In reality, I have one, and it’s “only” a small press book, which means it’s not available everywhere. But you know what? It’s made the dream burn stronger. I haven’t sold a ton of copies of A Stray Drop of Blood yet, but it’s starting to click. The rave reviews out there are gaining attention, and I’ve had people comment on the great things they’ve heard about it when I have no idea where they’ve heard these things.

When I come across an aspiring author (like you, Holly!), I feel this need bubble up inside to help, to point them in the directions I had to grope for blindly, to make sure they know right away the things that it took me years to discover. That way when the waves of self-doubt strike (as they surely will), I’m there to assure them that the tide will go out, and they’ll be left with perfect, moldable sand with which to build their castle of dreams.

I think the most important thing you can do when you see a dream shimmering on your horizon is to ask for God to be your clarification. Is this His vision for you? If so, He’ll sharpen your focus, He’ll be your telescope, your microscope, your magnifying glass–depending on how close it is. If it’s not, then He can redirect your gaze to another dream, one designed perfectly for you.

Is achieving it easy, even when it’s His will? Absolutely NOT. But when you trust in it and keep your focus true, then each step, each pothole, each bump will bring you new lessons that you needed, new challenges to craft you into the creature you need to be for its fulfillment.

I’m still waiting for my “big break,” for “success.” And that’s okay–I can wait forever, if I have to. Because I’m secure in my dream, and I know I’m doing what the Lord wants me to do. I have seen lives touched by my words, and it humbles me. Brings tears to my usually-dry eyes. Who am I, that He would use me?

Who are you, that He wouldn’t? We are His children, and we are charged with reaching others for Him. And what an awesome God, that He equips us with dreams with which to carry that out! If you have a dream, something that just won’t let you go, ask Him how He wants to use it, how it can glorify Him. And then follow on whatever crazy, backwards, confusing path He takes you on. You might not come out where you think you should, but you’ll be right where He wants you to be.

Special Day!

Tomorrow is going to be a very special day! My awesome friend and critic, Roseanna White, has graciously agreed to do a guest post for me. That will be featured here tomorrow! Don't miss it, it's going to be good!

Love Notes...

Three years ago today the earth lost a precious, precious man and Heaven gained a jewel. Uncle Paul left us to be with his Heavenly Father whom he loved so much! I miss him so very much and would give anything to give him just one more hug, to hear his contagious laugh just one more time... But Jesus wanted him, and although I miss him more than I can say, I could never wish him back! He's been in Heaven with the King of Kings for three years! He's been cuddling with Justin (my baby cousin who has been enjoying Heaven for 10 and half years), and worshipping at the feet of Jesus. Uncle Paul is medication free, he has no more sickness, no shots, nothing bad at all! He's enjoying Heaven's beauty, breathing celestial air, holding the hand of God, he's probably been fishing out of that crystal sea,(not trying to be sacreligious, but he loved to fish so I just think that might be kinda fitting), he has made it HOME! With so many loved ones over there on the other side, Heaven has an even stronger pull! I LONG to go HOME!

Today I just want to post some "love notes" to him... Aunt Shelia(his wife) sent me one that was being published in their paper today... I'm going to write one and if any of you knew him and want to leave a "love note" in a comment I'll add it to this post.



Dear Uncle Paul,
Today it's been three years since you went home. The Bible says that in heaven 1,000 years is but a day so you probably feel like you've only been there a minute or two... To me it feels like it's been so long since I was privileged to hear your voice, see your smile, give you a hug and receive one of your bear hugs in return... Then it seems just like yesterday and at the same time forever since you and I were talking about me getting my permit. You were so anxious to ride with me when you came down again! Wasn't it just moments ago you were telling me that you'd be there for my High School graduation for sure... then you told me how proud you were of me and that you loved me... Just a few minutes ago I was telling you "bye" and giving you a hug, cause I wouldn't see you again til' the next year. I've often wondered what I would have done differently if I had known that those were the last conversations that I'd be able to have with you here on this earth... What would I have done? What would I have said? The last thing you said to me was "Keep serving Jesus, Holly! I love you and I'll see you next year!" You hugged me and kissed my cheek, I hugged you back and told you that I loved you too, then it was time to go. If I had known that would be my last chance to see you alive this side of Heaven I would have told you I loved you again, let you know how special you were to me, I would have hugged you one more time... I would have done so much if I had known... But I didn't. A short three weeks later we received a phone call during morning break at school. It was Aunt Shelia crying and telling us that you were gone. You went HOME. I miss you so much, but I could never wish you back. How could I ever want you to leave Jesus and all the glory and beauty of Heaven to come back to this corrupt, sick, filthy, and hurtful world? I can't... I'll be Home soon, so keep watching for me! I love you and always will! Give Justin a hug and kiss for me... and would you do me a special favor? Tell Jesus I love Him so much and can't wait to see Him and worship Him forever! I know He already knows but would you just deliver my message in person...

All my love,
Your "Holly-Girl"

P.S. I sent you and Justin a balloon yesterday... they were from my Birthday... Justin's was a pink heart, and your's had cupcakes on it... Have you got them yet? Your name's are on them... If you haven't keep watching cause' I just know that you'll get them...

Happy Birthday!

Yeppers that's right, today I am officially an adult! I've joined the ranks of all you voters out there. YAY!!! I can now work basically anywhere I want... including Starbucks.(You can't work there until you're 18 cause of the risk of burns... I'm serious I called about getting a job there a few years back... (: ) Yeah, there's alot of things I can do now. Yesterday I wasn't able to do much and at 12:00 a.m. today my world completely changed! Tons of doors opened and my possibilities and opportunities became nearly limitless! I can't believe that I'm eighteen already... I remember the year that I became a double digit kid and I was SOOO excited! At that point I thought that kids that were 18 were kinda old... Well, they're not... :) I also thought that they had to feel a certain way, because they're an adult... I mean they're 18 after all! I don't feel any different than I did yesterday but alot of things have changed in just one day! 18 is pretty cool I must say... It feels good... It feels independent... It feels like I've yet another new set of wings to try out... And above all else it feels like I have so much more to learn and need all of you, my dear family and friends, to keep me in your prayers as I enter into my adult life. I want to live my life for Jesus and follow after Him, and in doing that I hope to keep my regrets to a minimum. I know as long as I hold His hand He'll lead me into the ways I need to go. Enough rambling... more to come later...
Happy Birthday To Me~

Did you notice?

Did you notice the countdown at the top of my blog that says that MY 18th BIRTHDAY IS ONLY 9 DAYS AWAY??? Yes, there was a need for all the CAPS... it's MY BIRTHDAY we're talking about... :) ok ok... just wanted to remind you... I know you all wanted to know right? :)