7.05.2011

This Way.That Way. What Way?




I'm praying about where the Lord would have me work this coming school year. There are so many options that sometimes it seems somewhat difficult to choose. Sounds silly, huh. I definitely want to make the best decision and be at the place where I can most effectively serve. I have an interview tomorrow. Pray with me that the Lord would provide clarity. 
With all these options I sure am glad that I know the One who knows the way <3 

6.29.2011

The best is yet to come.


Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
Overprepare, then go with the flow.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
Always choose life.
Forgive everyone everything.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
The best is yet to come.

6.28.2011

Respectable Qualities.

Respect: To hold in esteem or honor.
Respectable: Worthy of respect or esteem.

Jon Spencer: respectable..
1. Selfless
Staying up till the wee hours in the morning just to talk to me..knowing he has to get up and go to work.
Always letting me choose where we go to eat.
Letting me determine the location of our dates.
Making the car the right temperature for me... and that can be quite tricky :)
2. Humble
Wanting to know how he hurt me and what he can do to prevent it from happening again.
Admitting when he has wronged me or others.
3. Loving
Puts me before him.. pretty much all the time.
Seeks ways to know me more.
Asks what he can do to love me best.
4. Kind
Speaks kindly, even when he is frustrated.
Wants to help me in any way.
5. Faithful
Reassures me that he is committed to loving me and that he has chooses me. We both believe that love is a choice and that you choose to love someone. There is no 'one', but you choose the one you will commit to love. He reassures me of that and makes me feel secure in our love.
Faithful to the calling God has on his life. He is committed to serving and loving Christ. 

There are so many more things I could add to this list.

Sooo many more..

He is hardworking, honest, genuine, thoughtful, deeply in love with God, so mature, intelligent, and just simply amazing.

He makes me want to be more like Christ because that's Who he is imitating.

He has my heart.

But more importantly, he has my greatest respect.

<3

6.25.2011

Choose Wisely.

It makes me so sad to see so many people settle for less than what God has for them.

My brother and I were talking the other night about what we thought true love really was. Love isn't finding a perfect person. It isn't finding someone to meet all your needs. 

Brace yourself ... 

Love isn't finding 'The One'. 






Love is sacrificial. .. kind. .. forgiving. .. uplifting. 

Love is God. 

So, all you beautiful ladies of God, still waiting on your true love...

Wait.

Let it be real.

Don't settle for anything less than someone who draws you closer and makes you more like the Lover of your soul. 

I don't believe there is 'one' for someone. But I do believe that once you marry someone, they become your 'one'... 

So choose wisely.

Be patient. 

He makes all things beautiful in His time.

<3

6.23.2011

Moo to the la.

If only....
Good thing....

I can definitely feel the temptation to become overwhelmed with our current financial situation. Jon has been so wonderful in encouraging me to keep my eyes on the Maker of all. 
Of course He can provide all things... He made all things. 
<3

6.20.2011

I often ask myself..

How in the world did I get him?
The most amazing man of God I know.
So gentle and kind.
Funny.
Wise.
Hard-Working.
Generous. 
Self-Less. 
Simply Amazing. 
And quite handsome, if I do say so myself.
Thank you, Lord, for this amazing, beautiful gift.


Change.


This statement seems to accurately sum up my life at this point (Christy speaking, here).

I am changing houses, changing cities, changing jobs, changing churches, changing my last name..

And yes, it's so beautiful.

But with that beauty comes pain, fear, and uncertainty.

Whew, I am ever thankful for a God that never changes.

It's on days like this.. when my heart feels more overwhelmed than joyful..that I am reminded of the truth that God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

You stay the same through the ages.
Your love never changes.

Thank you, Father. You are our constant.

<3

4.17.2011

Sunday Sweetness.

I love sunny days...as long as they're not too hot, that is.

Today was perfect.

Jon and I enjoyed a beautiful day at the park.

We played tennis ..well sorta... we only had one racket..so one of us threw the ball while the other hit it.. ha :) .. and then we went on a little walk on the trail.

Lovely, I tell ya.

Just lovely.

:)

4.14.2011

Her Story.

So..here is my version of our story :)

I am sitting at the park with my friend Rachel when I get a notification on my phone saying that "Jon Spencer has confirmed you as a friend." I immediately look at my friend and say, "Who in the world is Jon Spencer?" I didn't think much of it really and went about my day as usual. That evening I had a message from this "Jon Spencer" thanking me for adding him. At that time I apologized for adding him and suggested that we simply delete one another since we clearly didn't really know each other... obviously Jon wasn't up for that idea :)

Not too long after that I recieved an invitation to a young adult worship service. Jon had made the 'invitation' so 'generic'  that I thought it was just a general message to many people... I didn't know he was specifically asking me to go. So, I never responded back to him. I called my friend Jennifer and asked her if she wanted to go and she said yes.

As we walked in, I really wasn't thinking about Jon. I was more focused on the ministry and what it was about.... then I saw him :) He was sitting on the stage..strumming his guitar... and wooing me, for sure ;) Before this moment, I had no idea that he led worship, that he played the guitar..or that he was that cute! Needless to say, he now had my attention.

I was so drawn to his quiet personality and humble spirit.

He invited Jenn and I to see the fireworks with he and his friends, but we declined because we had other plans. But I left there knowing that there would definitely be more to that story... <3

This was in July of 2009. We dated for about four months. That 'season' of our lives was quite different. I would work until 2:45 and he would go into work at 3:00. Our 'dates' consisted of either me driving to Lynchburg, Va (about two hours from me) at 11:00 at night when he got off of work or he forgoing sleep and driving to see me. On the weekends he was on a ministry team that was planting a church in Charlotesville, Va (which is about 3 hours from me). On top of all that, we had other hurdles we were trying to overcome, as well. Our relationship became stressful and we knew it wasn't the right timing for us to build a healthy relationship...The Lord needed us to Himself. If we were to 'be'.. it wasn't then.

So, we walked away. We had zero communication for about eight months. Then, this past July I began staying with a friend of mine. Little did I know that Jon was staying across the street from where I was staying! We both had bought different cars since we had dated so neither of us knew that the other was literally footsteps away!

One afternoon Jon drove by and saw me sitting on the front porch and stopped. I about had a heart attack! :) My first thought was, "What do I look like!?" Ha.. Then.. my heart began to fight back emotion. We talked and shared where the Lord had brought us in those months we had been apart... and then we basically went different ways again.

A few months passed and I went to a conference in Wake Forest, NC. As I am walking down the aisle of a church, I look up.. and there is Jon. Once again... heart attack! Ha. It was difficult in a way to see him because I loved him still, but I knew I didn't want to force anything that God wasn't desiring. So... once again.. we parted ways.

A few more months passed... no communication... just prayers.

Then.. one afternoon... totally out of the blue... Jon stops by where I was staying and wants to 'hang out'... heart attack...again ;) We talked and shared like best friends... and by the end of the evening he asked if I would pray about possibly being back together...

So, one year after the Lord took us apart...He brought us back together in what has been even more lovely and beautiful than either of us could have imagined.

The Lord was soveriegn. He knew we both needed to grow and to love Him more.

Sometimes you have to experience the pain to treasure the joy.

God is good.

4.13.2011

His Story ~ The Beginning


The first time I saw the name Christy Graham was in a email that said, "Christy Graham has added you as a friend on facebook" or something like that... When I finally got to my computer (this was pre-iPhone for me) and logged in to accept the friend request, I was immediately taken by how gorgeous this girl was. I was like, "Who is this???" Here was this beautiful lady asking to be my friend... I thought that I must have met her through another friend and I felt horrible at first because I couldn't remember how or through who it was that we met. Upon further investigation, I realized that Gorgeous was from my home town and that we had mutual friends... I also noticed that she was quoting some of my favorite theologians!!!!! (John Piper, Martin Luther, ect...). Sooo... I began to get really excited about this amazing person that appeared out of nowhere and captivated me! I accepted her friend request (of course!) and sent her a message to thank her for adding me as a friend.

Her response was interesting... she told me that she didn't know that she had added me. I think she said something like, "I'm sorry, you can delete me if you want to." I thought to myself, "there is no way I'm deleting this girl!" I responded by saying something like, "It's ok! I won't delete you right now... or yet." She came back with (if I remember correctly...) "YET!!!"

For me, I was beginning to flirt with her. I wanted to see her. So I had a great idea! My friends and I were holding a young adult worship gathering on Friday nights. This particular week we were meeting and then heading to town after to watch the fireworks... (July 3rd 2009). I couldn't think of any reason not to invite her! I was sooooo excited! I prayed and invited her to come... 

I was so excited about her coming that I couldn't focus on getting ready for the service! I remember getting there early to practice (I was the worship leader) and saying to my friend and co-leader (Chris Moore), 
"Bro, do you know a girl named Christy Graham??? Who is she??? C'mon man, tell me... She added me on facebook and I invited her to come tonight... I think she will come!!!!! Dude, I'm like freaking out.... I don't even know this girl and I can't stop feeling like my heart is going to jump out of my chest!" 

I calmed down a little and practiced the worship set... I was ok until the moment that I saw her walking through the door!!! She was so beautiful, long blonde hair with a white flower bow, red summer dress, and blue flip flops!!!! She was ready to celebrate the 4th of July but she had no idea that fireworks had already began exploding in my heart!!!

I had to go to the restroom and pray that God would help me calm down and focus on leading worship... God is good and he did help me focus... but I was very aware of her presence! AT ALL TIMES!!!

When the service was over I decided to invite her (and her friend Jenn who came with her)  to watch the fireworks with my friends and I... but alas she told me that she already had plans to watch them in a different place than we were heading. So... I held myself together and told her it was great to see her!!! Oh man, I was struggling... she had me and didn't even know it!

Soon we all left and headed to watch the fireworks... I caught a ride with my friends (Chris and Ashely Moore) and I was freaking out the whole time talking about this amazing girl!!! I spent that night sitting under the fireworks on the Franklin County football field... but as mesmerizing as the fireworks were, I was enthralled by Christy Graham... it was the beginning of a wonderful journey. 

Praise the Lord.

The beginning of our Journey.

Welcome to a glimpse inside Jon and Christy's hearts and lives...

Be encouraged..be blessed... and enjoy.