Showing posts with label Waco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Waco. Show all posts

Monday, November 19, 2012

A wonderful season, in pictures!

November is beautiful. The weather, the holiday season, getting to be with family, all of it.
Here's some of the things I've been up to lately. In pictures! Because let's be honest, in the blogging world, pictures are more interesting.

This wasn't in November, but it's worth documenting. We celebrated my dear frond Alyssa's birthday in late October! It was very "Alyssa": s'mores and worshipping Jesus on the shores of Lake Waco! She's worth celebrating, for sure.


Also not in November. But I got to reunite with two of my life-long besties recently. In first grade, Hannah (right) was the new kid, and I walked right up to her and told her how we were going to be best friends forever. Then, in second grade, Cameron (left) was the new kid, and did pretty much the same thing to me! We keep our promises in this friend triangle. Life with them is consistent and fun. 
photo credit: Hannah Sandle

Jesus is moving in our lifegroup! A few weeks ago, we felt like the Lord was highlighting baptism. We brought it to lifegroup, they asked Jesus, and two incredible women of God felt like the Lord put it on their hearts to get baptized! Megan Fitz and Betsy are two of my favorite blessings from the Lord this semester. I feel like I've known both of them for forever, when really it's been one short semester. Thankful for sweet friendships and Jesus kindly laying His Presence on our lifegroup each week. 
photo credit: Megan Shipley
We had a dog! For 10 days. Sandy (Sandra, as I affectionately renamed her)(Glitzy, as Mike not-so-affectionately renamed her) was found on 8th street, and we got to keep her while her vaccinations were happening. She was such a troll. Growled, bit us, peed everywhere. But somehow, some of us miss her. She's in a great home now! Glad it's not ours! But enjoyed Sandy while she was here. Kinda. 



Our lifegroup had a Thanksgiving feast, one we deemed "Feast O'Joy!" The formal theme couldn't have fit our lifegroup more perfectly. Collectively, we love to dress up. Also, the Wible's were so gracious in letting us have the party at their beautiful house in the woods of Waco! Seriously, did not know Waco had such beauty. Their house is a wonderland, and the Wible's themselves are just incredible. Overall, a good night and a full belly was had by all! Thank you, Jesus!

Photo credit: Berry Burgess

photo credit: Austin Wright

photo credit: Austin Wright

You can't combine the Waco Farmer's Market with these girlies and not be out of control refreshed. I treasure time with them so much. I know what community is because of these two! They make me feel at home and I'm so thankful for their hearts. And senses of humor. Laughing with them is a whole new kind of laughter!
photo credit: Megan Shipley

photo credit: Megan Shipley

This is the best flavor of Blue Bell ice cream. I anxiously await it every year. Here's to hoping my wisdom teeth come out this holiday season so I can shamelessly devour it in mass quantities. There was one left at the grocery store. Jesus was waiting for me! Favor of God. He loves the little things that I love. 

Those are some highlights. I'm thankful that Jesus' portion for me is to have a full life. He's in all the details. He's exciting and following Him is such a fun adventure. I'm in. 

Sunday, April 15, 2012

these words of mine


Hey hi hello! My name is Mary Beth and I live in Waco.

I've been going back and forth about starting a blog for a long time. I feel like people usually blog with purpose. My friends that blog typically post their increddd (new fave abrevv) spiritual revelations, their awesome photography, Bingley, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I totally have spiritual revelations and Charles is super gifted. I just never really felt drawn to blogging. I'd rather read other people's and I didn't really feel like I personally had a reason.

But. Welcome to my reason.

I'm officially going to Nairobi and (I think) Nakuru in Kenya for all of June 2012! I'll be working for/with an organization called African Christian Outreach. The Executive Director, Tom Stickney, was my youth pastor at my home church until he felt a call on his life to move to Kenya and continue what his dad started! I can't do ACO justice by trying to explain it. Please check out the website. I made the mistake/good choice of just doing so and now I'm too excited to sleep just yet. I cannot wait. The staff are laying their lives down for other Kenyan college students to know Jesus and I'm so incredibly excited to learn from them. Tom Stickney is a fisher of men and an unconventional, incredible leader. The best part is I don't even know the half of what God's doing/will do there. This is just what I know from years past and looking at the website. Cue hand gesture where I palm my face and squeal.

God is MOVING in my life! I fall massively drastically short of the glory of God. I NEED more and more of Jesus. Also, I'm not always able to write super eloquently, but I mean.. Moses had a speech impediment. It's a club I'll gladly join.

In short, I'm going back to Kenya. With Alyssa Shoemaker. And we're SO EXCITED. Jesus is too. This blog will be kinda my journey of where I've been, where I am, and then where I'll be. This is a passage that I felt like the Lord put on my heart for this trip, a passage that I will probs get even more excited about and talk about in more depth later.

"And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day's need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.* And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time."
1 Kings 8:59-61

Today you could help by praying for:
the other interns
hungry hearts and open minds for the Holy Spirit to encounter
fundraising 

*"there is no other" = "wala hakuna mwingine" in Swahili. Hence the blog title.