To My Mother

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

I am currently still at school about to take finals this week.

This is the first Mother's Day that I have not been home with my mom on this day.

My family went to church together today and went out to eat for my mom. Wish I could have been there!

Today, I went to church for my last time in Birmingham until August. So sad! 

They did this really cool thing though. All of the mom's in church stood up, and we placed our hands on them and prayed over them. I placed my hands on this woman who was expecting her first child. It was just so symbolic. That even though I wasn't with my mom, I was still praying for her this morning and "placing my hands on her."

Now, everyone says that there mom is the best mom in the world, BUT mine is pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

My mom is the kind of woman I look up to and try and follow after. It became apparent to me that my mom was more than a simple mom to me, but a role model. 

 I came home from school one day and I walked in the family room. My mom was sitting on the couch reading her Bible and working on her Bible study. At that moment, I knew that when I got older, I wanted to be just like her. She is one special lady.

My mom is so loving. There are moments when I break down and feel I am failing, but I call my mom and she encourages me in immense ways. She always looks for the positives in everything. Her words of love and encouragement mean so much to me. I am thoroughly blessed by her. 

My mom is also the most hilarious women you will meet. She is the kind of mom who will walk into her child's room when they are doing homework and start dancing and singing at the top of her lungs to "I Gotta Feeling" or "Pumped for Kicks." She is insane, and I love her. She also, has a pretty good "Sid the Sloth" voice. She can make me laugh even when I've had a horrible day. 

Being in Birmingham, so far away from her is so very hard. But, I know the Lord wants me here. It makes the moments I have with my mom even more special, because they are limited. She truly does not know the depth of my love for her and how much I miss her. 

I'll see you very soon mom! Love you!

Kelly Jean Thompson. You are a Proverbs 31 Woman. 

The Lord is proud of You!

Some of you might be done with finals, but us Samford students are not.

I have one more week left until I am home in my Beautiful Texas.

Oh, how I love thee.

Well, the students here including myself are stressed, worried, and tired.

BUT...(of course there's a BUT)

The Lord is here. ALL the time.

I feel like a lot of the times we forget that the Lord has EVERYTHING under control.

There is NO need to stress.

There is NO need to worry.

I called my mom a few days ago and I told her that I was stressed, and I felt too much pressure on these finals coming up, because it is a make it or break it moment for me. If I do poorly on these finals, I won't get into Nursing School. And, I will be devestated. I have worked so hard this year. I don't want it to be a waste. My parents pay countless dollars for me to go here, and if I'm not succeeding, then I am failing my parents. I just want to be so smart like my brother sometimes. I envy his ability to memorize facts so fast and recall them at any moment. If I had one ounce of his brain, I feel I would be a genius. I just want to succeed. 

After my long rant to my mom about the pressure on me and the worry I have about school, she said something to the words of, "Lindsay, you will get into Nursing School, if it the Lord's plan for your life. You will do great on your finals, because you have the strength of the Lord on you side. His love is enough."

Mom's are so smart. And wonderful.

I took a step back from my situation.

Why was I worrying?

The Lord is proud of me. I am trying my best and that's what He asks for.

If the Lord plans for me to be a nurse, that is what I will be.

If it is His will, then let it be done.

This does NOT mean I don't study or work hard. This is still important. 

I just don't have to worry anymore. No more stress. No more freaking out. NO MORE!

I have been listening to this new indie/folk band called "O, Loveland" and I am in LOVE!

Here are some lyrics to there song, "Give" that have been stuck in my head for days now :)

"Love so patient. Love so wanting. Love so present. Love enduring. Love made the blind man see. And Love sets the captives free. Love is worth the fight."

LOVE is so much more than just affection towards another. It is everything. I love the part that says Love made the blind man see. In the Bible, Jesus healed a man's sight, NOT because he felt bad for him, BUT because He LOVED him dearly. 

So, remember while studying for finals that...

YOU ARE DEARLY LOVED BY THE FATHER.

YOU ARE HIS LITTLE CHILDREN.

THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.

THE LORD IS LOOKING AFTER YOU.

When you are tired, look to the Father. He will give you rest.

When you have a headache from studying, take a break and pray and read His word.

When you feel you can't go on, pray for help. The Lord is always there for you.

Goodluck with finals everyone! Don't get stressed, rely on your Heavenly Father.

Looking back and Looking Forward

It is all coming to a close. 

Freshmen year is almost over. 

Looking back I...

Struggled.

Fell a few times.

Had a few panic attacks.

Cried.

Restled with the Lord.

BUT I also...

Succeeded.

Triumphed.

Laughed until I cried.

Smiled.

Learned.

And tried to Shine for the Lord in all I do.

Safe to say, I had my ups and downs.

There were times when I called my mom crying hysterically, because I felt that I just couldn't make the grades that I needed. 

There were times when Christina and I would have deep conversations in the car and we would talk for hours.

There were times when I felt alone.

There were times when I danced like no one was watching. Can you say awkward running man?!

There were times when I would be in the library until it closed and stayed up until 3am studying for my Anatomy and Biology tests.

There were times when my friends and I would go on Sonic runs and jammed in the car.

I have many good and bad memories, but you know what got me through? My Heavenly Father.

It sounds cliche, but IT IS THE TRUTH. 

In my sad moments, the Lord was there.

In my happy moments, the Lord was there.

In my freak-out moments, the Lord was there.

I am completely thankful for His CONSTANT PRESENCE IN MY LIFE.

Now I wanted to make a list of Goals for Sophomore year:

1) In the craziness of school, to stay consistent with the Lord. NOT just reading my bible, but constantly talking with Him, telling Him everything, praying to Him, loving Him, and always looking to Him.

2) Do not spread myself too thin. This was a mistake I made this year with friends. I need to make deeper friendships.

3) Less me, more others. Instead of focusing on myself so much, focus my attention on other's needs.

4) Get more involved in my church Mosaic. I want to give back to the church.

5) To be more joyful. Joy comes from the Lord, all you have to do is ask. The Lord brings JOY!

6) To not freak-out so easily about school. And when I begin to stress, to remind myself that I am right inside the palm of God's hands.

7) To call my family more often. I call my mom the most which is wonderful, but I need to work on calling my daddy and brother and grandparents and uncles and aunties  and cousins more often too.

8) To be a LIGHT in the dark world.

9) Get into a habit of getting up earlier to read my Bible before class to feel refreshed and renewed before I start my day.

10) To love and be loved. Love the Father. Love my family. Love my sisters. Love my friends. 

JUST LOVE. 

*Make your own list and see if you can actually follow through in the Fall. Also, keep me accountable okay? Okay!

If you are just starting College in the Fall, do not be overwhelmed, because the Lord is watching over you all the time. He wraps himself around you. Do not be scared, but excited! A new chapter for your life. The Lord is ready for you!

Lastly, I just want to say a thank you to all my friends here at Samford and back home for loving on me, praying for me, and caring for me. And to my parents and grandparents for sending those cards in the mail all the time. You make my days much brighter and encourage me to keep going! I love each of y'all dearly. Now, please keep sending those cards while I'm at Pine Cove this summer :) 

LOVE TO ALL! 

Cinderella

In my last post, I spoke about the Women's Event I went to. I wanted to share one analogy I heard there.

So, we all know the story of Cinderella.

Cinderella was poor, a servant, a maid, and a nobody.

She went to a ball and lost her shoe.

BUT, the Prince took that shoe and went on a search to find Cinderella.

The Prince searched the ENTIRE kingdom for her.

When the Prince finally found Cinderella, He got down on His knee to put the shoe back on.

The Prince asked her to reign in His Kingdom with Him the rest of her life.

Now pretend you are Cinderella and the Lord is our Prince.

You might feel insignificant at times, or unloved, or not good enough, or just plain bad. BUT the Lord loves you. He searches to find you. He searches the entire Kingdom for you. And when He finds you, He kneels before you. (what a beautiful picture!) The Lord asks you to be with Him the rest of your life. FOR ETERNITY.

Remember: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. YOU ARE LOVED. YOU ARE WANTED. THE LORD IS SEARCHING FOR YOU. OPEN YOUR EYES. SEE HIS LOVE. FEEL HIS LOVE. HE IS KNEELING BEFORE YOU. YOU ARE HIS.

HOLD UP!!

Today I went to a Women's Event called "She Worships: Overflow" at my new church Mosaic in Birmingham! It was my first ever Women's conference type of deal.

First, we came in and mingled. Which, since I came alone, I had to put my big girl pants on and meet new people. It's always hard being the one who no one knows. BUT, I met so many precious women who absolutely LOVE Jesus.

After the mingling, we worshiped and sang songs for a little bit. Then we broke up into different groups. I chose to be in the prayer group.

We talked about what prayer is and how there is no particular way to do it. It could be really short or really long. Out-loud or silent. Sung to the Lord or said in sentences. It does NOT matter. You are just talking to your daddy.

Well, after talking about prayer, we just started praying. Some people out-loud and some people to themselves.

After I had prayed for a while. I looked up and me and this woman met eyes. She saw me and came over to where I was sitting.

She asked, "what's your name?" And I said, "My name's Lindsay." She asked me, "Lindsay, could I pray over you?" And of course I said, "YES PLEASE!!"

She put her arm on my shoulder and I bowed my head.

There was silence.

She didn't start praying.

I looked at her and then I was like, "OOHH, she is praying over me silently...that's cool!"

NOPE.

I was totally wrong.

She looked up at me 45 seconds later and said, "Lindsay, I think the Lord has given you much wisdom. You understand and have grasped who God truly is. You understand and you love to teach others about Christ."

HOLD UP!

Let's think about this. This lady does NOT know me. We have never met. SO, how in the world does she know this about me?!?!

This lady puts her head back down.

45 seconds later, she looks at me again saying, "Lindsay, BUT you struggle. You are worried about your future. You are on the right path, but you can't see what's coming next in your life and that makes you scared. You need to ask the Lord to shed some light on your path. Ask Him to show you what to do."

HOLD UP AGAIN!

How does she know that?!?!

Everything this lady said to me, was correct.

I am scared about my future. I don't know if I am to be a nurse or not. I am scared. I have been worried for a long time. How did she know?

THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE LORD. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SPOKE TO HER.

That is the only thing I could come up with. The Lord told her what I needed to hear. The Lord interceded for her.

So, pretty much the Lord is telling me, "Lindsay, STOP FREAKING OUT. I have it all figured out. Rest in me my daughter. No need to worry."

I WAS FLOORED.

I sat back in my seat after hearing her speak to me and just felt in AWE.

How amazing is our God?

He is so good!!

Just thought I'd share my amazing radical moment.

Remember: The Lord is powerful. He understands.

HE LOVES YOU WITH AN OVERWHELMING LOVE.

Mission-Oriented

For some reason I LOVE going to church by myself.

Odd right?

Most girls that I know go to church with a group because they feel awkward going alone.

BUT, I'm different.

Don't get me wrong, I love inviting people to go with me and sometimes people will ask to come with me and I LOVE it too!!

I just love those moments sitting in church by myself because I feel I can keep my eyes completely focused on Christ. I feel so much closer to my Daddy.

Well, this last Sunday I went to church alone and Man, did the Lord show up!!

He came and captivated me.

First off, worship was perfection.

We sang some songs I had never heard of and fell in LOVE with them.

The entire church was lifting their hands, kneeling, letting go of themselves and dancing for the Lord in their own way. I love my church that God has given me. It is a place I can go to get prayer, learn about my Heavenly Father, and let myself go and fall into my Father's love.

After worship, there was a special speaker who preached.

He was from an organization called "MountainChild."

There motto or purpose is, "Carrying Hope to the Himalayas."

He and his family help kids in villages by sharing with them Jesus, help them through problems, heal their physical and mental wounds, and show them God's love.

So, here's what I learned:

Did you know that there are people in our world that don't know Christ? They have never heard the word God. They have no idea that a God loves them and created them. How Sad?!

We are to go into the world and "herald" the word of God.

When he said, "herald," I had to sit back. Why did he use this word? Don't we ALWAYS hear the word "tell" or "show?" Why did he use "herald?" Well, I looked it up and it means "an official messenger bringing news."

WE ARE OFFICIAL MESSENGERS FROM GOD.

How amazing is our job?!?!

Let me digress.

He told a story of when he was first in the Himalayas. He was on a trip, and he ran into some men. These men were on there way to sell a bunch of kids into the sex-slave-trade. When he heard this news, his heart immediately broke. He knew at that moment that he had to do something about it.

He gave this great analogy of our world as a whole.

Pretend that each country or state or city in the world is a key on a keyboard. Granted this would be a really long keyboard, but stay with me.

The angels have this keyboard in heaven and are taking notes.

Whenever a country or state or city is told about the Lord, the key would be able to make sound. If an angel was to hit a key and it made no sound, it means that that country/state/city had not heard the word of the Lord.

This keyboard still has many keys not yet played.

So, let's make music and spread the word so that the piano can be fully played! Let's make new music tones!

What a cool analogy! I had never heard it put that way.

Moving on.

He pointed out that ANY DENOMINATION CAN DO SOMETHING.

That is powerful to me because it shows us that WE can join together on this journey. WE ALL believe in the same God. We are all loved by the same God.

Lastly, it say in Romans "How shall they hear without a preacher?"

We are called to GO and herald the word of the Lord.

This sermon was a whole lot to take in.

I personally grew up in a mission-oriented church. I am a mission-minded person.

I love the idea of someday going to wherever the Lord calls me and evangelizing, healing the sick, and above all loving them with God's love.

If you are called, GO!

Pray. Seek. Love.

You don't have to Worry

So, it's been quite a while since my last post. I'm sorry! My life has been a tad crazy.

To catch you up, I've had Spring Break now. I spent most of it in Texas with my family which was so great to see them. You never know how much you miss someone until you have to say goodbye. When I was at the airport leaving to come back for the rest of the semester, I started tearing up and began to start crying in my seat. I am so lucky to have such a loving precious family. Well, I got back to Samford and am going strong in school. Atleast trying to.

I've hit a few bumps on the road, but nothing will stop me.

These past two weeks have been hard. Lots of worrying, freaking out, mind-boggled, and just plain going crazy. I want to get into nursing school so bad and I must keep my GPA above a 3.0

I almost started crying because school was getting overwhelming.

BUT, I went to the Lord. I was sitting in Shiloh (a worship service at SU) and began thinking.

The Lord is proud of you.

Let's take that in for a minute.

The Lord is already proud of you.

Yes, we mess up and sin. BUT, when you are trying your best, seeking after Him wholeheartedly, loving His people, and showing people who Jesus is, Then the Lord is already proud of you. I DON'T have to worry. When you seek after Him, everything else will follow. I have to keep my eyes on Him.

That is what I'm learning to do. When you set your eyes on him, there is no room for worry or freaking out. It's ALL HIM.

"You don't have to worry, He's got you right inside the palm of your hand."