With God

Photo taken at Sequoia National Park
By Alexa Warner
Matthew 19:26

Our God

By Chris Tomlin

 

 

 

XOXO Alexa

An Evening Alone

This past Friday night turned out to be an evening spent home alone. At first I was uncomfortable with the idea of being by myself. I, by my very nature, thrive on interacting with other people. It gives me energy, joy and laughter. However this year God has opened a new chapter in my life. He has asked me to learn how to be independent and seek Him as my energy, joy and laughter. So this past Friday, God used my evening to draw me closer to Him instead of relying on others. The first way He spoke to me was by encouraging me to find better ways to use my time. As school work has eased up this semester I have already been thinking about finding ways to occupy my extra time. Therefore I have decided to pick up a new hobby---painting. It is a way for me to slow down the pace of my life, hear God speaking to me, focus on the positive things in this life and be inspired. My painting Friday night turned out to be a dandelion blowing at sunset (see picture above).

However halfway through my painting the lights went out!! This was not just a one swift blackout. No, of course not. The lights had to eerily flicker on and off multiple times before going out. How did this happen?! It was not even storming with rain, lightning or wind! Clearly God was really testing me to learn this relying on Him thing. I prayed for his comfort and protection. Then I found all the candles in the apartment to light in the living room and Jimmy calmed me down on the phone until the electricity came back on. While I was sitting in the dark, I realized how distracting our electricity can be to our relationship with God. Don't get me wrong---I love electricity and think it is a huge blessing to this generation. However I find myself choosing marathons on netflix over my bible studies and quiet time with God. I decided that maybe the lights going out was God trying to encourage me to read my bible and spend time with him in prayer...then the lights came back on! How quickly I became distracted again with blowing the candles out, charging my phone (which was down to 15% battery), and making sure the PS3 wasn't harmed by a power surge. REALLY?! Well let me say that God is a patient God who grants us many opportunties to seek him even when we continually walk away. As soon as the PS3 turned on a message showed up that it needed to do a system check that could take hours. Yes, that was definitely my cue to go spend some time with God. The study I was on that night embodied God's perfect timing. He spoke to me about how we must live our lives for Him and be listening to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes that will require us to be alone, but that is okay. Just like "David found strength in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6), so will I.

XOXO Alexa

King of All Days

Photo taken at Yosemite National Park
By Alexa Warner
Lyrics from King of All Days By: Hillsong United

 

 

 

 

XOXO Alexa

Colder Weather

Photo taken at Sequoia National Park
By Alexa Waraner
Lyrics from Colder Weather By: Zac Brown Band

XOXO Alexa

INSPIRATION: Your Life

Photo taken in my backyard
By Alexa Warner

Shine On

By: Needtobreathe

XOXO Alexa

What a Wednesday!



Is this real life you ask? YES. Yes it is.





Every Wednesday morning Paige and I are in charge of sorting, alphabetizing, and shelving the "new books" for the library. However this morning we got not one but TWO carts of "new books" before my coffee finished brewing! Needless to say, trying to muster up enough concentration to alphabetize at 7:30am seemed like a cruel joke an impossible task.

 

My day brightened up after I left the book dungeon work and discovered it was nice enough outside to ditch my scarf and gloves! May the days stay warm and leaves stay bright.

 

 

 

XOXO Alexa

Persevering Prayer

The sermon at church today was an extremely powerful message about prayer. The message was based off of the parable in Luke 18:1-8.

These are the key points to truly understand the passage in scripture:

• We are like the widow because we are helplessly in need of God.
• We are unlike the widow because we tend to be impatient and quit praying too soon.
• The judge is like God because God is powerful, hears us, and rewards our persistence.
• The judge is unlike God because God is GOOD and wants the very best for His children.

These are the key points to understand the message God wants us to hear about prayer:

• IT IS ALWAYS TOO SOON TO QUIT PRAYING.
• PERSEVERING IN PRAYER IS A WAY FOR US TO DEMONSTRATE OUR FAITH.

Here is some food for thought:

• What would your prayer life look like if you believed without any doubt that God is good and wants the very best for you?
• When Jesus returns will he find faithful followers?

If you feel God wants to speak to you on this topic more, you can click here to listen to the sermon. The series on prayer also includes topic on Intercessory, Corporate, Balanced and Disciplined prayer.


XOXO Alexa

"MUST TRY" To-Do List (Fall Edition)

As I continue with my "MUST TRY" list, I figure there are some things I need to do quickly before fall passes. Hello, why are the leaves on the ground already?! Fall and Spring are the best seasons and yet they sneak by me everytime. Anywhoooo...here are the "fall themed" things I want to try...

ALL THINGS FOOD RELATED:

• Homemade Pumpkin Butter

• Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
  (I also saw my friend make these with just pumpkin spice marshmallows! Who knew?!)

• Homemade Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

Okay so it turns out all of my MUST TRY "fall themed" desires are food (and pumpkin). Problem? Obsession? I'd say so. Oh well nom nom nom, enjoy :)

XOXO Alexa

"MUST TRY" To-Do List

I have an obsession with Pinterest just like everyone else these days. The problem is that I spend hours pinning great ideas and then never try them. Well, it is time for that to change! Below is a list from my different "boards" on pinterest of things I MUST TRY!

CRAFTING:

• Sharpie Mug
  (Self-explanatory by picture)

BAKING:

• Cookie Dough-Reese's-Brownie Bar
  (350 degrees, 18 minutes)

COOKING:

• Colored Pasta
  (just add a couple drops of food coloring to the boiling water)

DRINKING:

• Moon-a-rita
  (Mango Margarita Mix, Blue Moon, & Tequila)

XOXO Alexa

BE INFORMED!

Election Day is just around the corner---29 days!

If you are choosing to vote, it is vital that you are informed on the real issues our country is facing and the real views of each candidate. The media loves to stir up drama and falsify information for a more heated story. While this makes for great primetime television, it gives me a pounding headache trying to sort through the information. I found great relief in my research on each candidate after watching the Presidential Debate on the current economy and healthcare. I highly encourage you to watch this debate (ALONE) so that you can hear first hand about the plans each candidate has for our country and form your opinions in an educated and unbiased situation. You can find the full-length debate by clicking here.

Are you registered to vote in IL?

• Click here to check.
• October 9th (aka today) is the LAST DAY TO REGISTER
• October 9th-November 3rd is "Grace Period Registration"

How do you register to vote?

• You can go to the county clerk's office, city and village office, or public library
• Bring two forms of identification (one must have your current address)

Do you know how or where to vote?

• If you want to vote "absentee" because you are away from home, click here for more information. The application to vote absentee must be received by November 1st.
• If you will be voting in the county you are registered, click here to find the nearest location.

For more information on voting in Illinois, click here :)

XOXO Alexa



Differences While Driving

While Jimmy and I were taking the scenic route to Wilmington, NC, I noticed many differences on the road. Take a look...

1. The Scenery

All the interstates in North Carolina are lined

with gorgeous green trees as opposed to

the flat dull cornfields of the midwest. 

ILLINOIS vs. NORTH CAROLINA

 

 

2. U-turns are allowed?!

Yes! North Carolina allows drivers on the interstate 

to utilize the crossover sections to turn around,

unlike Illinois who reserves them for speed traps.

 

ILLINOIS vs. NORTH CAROLINA

3. Flashing yellow turn arrows

In North Carolina they never have green or red arrows like Illinois.
Instead as soon as the main lights turn green, the turn arrow light FLASHES yellow.

It is really weird to get used but it's nice that you can turn whenever you want. 

ILLINOIS vs. NORTH CAROLINA

4. Speed Limits

North Carolina's is higher!!

Yayy for 70!





ILLINOIS vs. NORTH CAROLINA

5. License Plates

 

North Carolina drivers are not required to have

their license plates posted on the front of their car. 

ILLINOIS vs. NORTH CAROLINA

 

 

XOXO Alexa