Community.

I've been experiencing a lot lately that's related to living in community. It seems like every song I've listened to, book I've read or sermon I've heard all hinges on this idea of community. I was very blessed to experience this idea of community while at Auburn. I lived and walked among people that understood what it really means to "love each other." It wasn't always easy, but at the end of the day we all managed to think the best of each other, knowing the Spirit that lives inside each of us and understanding the toil living in a broken world causes us.

One of my favorite authors is Henri Nouwen. In his book "Reaching Out" he says, "It is this inner mystery that attracts us to each other and allows us to establish friendship and develop lasting relationships of love. An intimate relationship between people not only asks for mutual openness but also for mutual respectful protection of each other's uniqueness." He precedes this statement by discussing how often times we rush into relationships with each other never really being able to see one another's uniqueness or "inner mystery", as he calls it.

Relationships are hard work. There's a give and take. So many times when we move to a new city or start a new phase of life, we jump into relationships/friendships with people in order to cure our lonliness and never allowing them to organically develop over time. I'm guilty of meeting someone and instantly wanting to know everything about their life in that moment. Instead we should take the time to allow these things to develop as they come.

My desire is to develop real relationships with people who want to take the time to get to know me, instead of jumping to conclusions about me after one encounter. I want these relationships to hinge on the fact that we're believers in Christ all doing our best to seek Him and encouraging each other along the way. I know we live in a broken world and I can't even begin to understand anothers pain the way in which they feel it. But I know who I am in Christ and I know that He lives in me and I trust in the guidance of His Spirit to lead me to the people that He wants me to love and who will love me in return.

PR

My latest obsession is Project Runway. Due to the writer's strike it seemed to be the only good thing on tv these days. Although, I have always loved Project Runway, I seemed to get way more into this season than other seasons.

So if any of you missed SNL this past Saturday and LOVE Project Runway then you HAVE to watch this!

blog'n

Well...it's been almost a year since I last blogged on my site. I'm not real sure why I decided to start back. I seriously doubt anyone ever checks this anymore, but I guess I just miss getting my thoughts out, posting fun pictures, telling stories, or the latest news. Not much on the latest news other than the fact that every weekend from here till July is booked due to the wedding extravaganza of my brother, Walker, and Emily. And I guess the best stories I have these days are usually ones of funny sayings from Ava that I get on a daily basis. So far today she hasn't said anything worth noting, although she has hit me and scratched me several times. I'm not sure what started this abusive phase of her life, but after enough stern looks and time outs I'm sure she'll figure out this is not a good idea if she wants to keep friends and stay out of trouble. I do have a lot of fun new pictures of my cute little neice, Campell Grace Norris. I'll have to post those soon. She's really cute and will be 3 weeks old on Thursday! My thoughts these days tend to wander and seem a bit scattered. My community group can probably testify to my scatteredness. Every Wednesday I come in and bounce from thought to thought, rarely ever making any sense, but thankfully they accept me that way and do their best to follow.

Well, it seems like that's all for now. On a day to day basis my life doesn't seem to exciting, but as I read over this post I see that there is so many exciting things happening. So, no promises, but I will continue to try and keep up with this bloggidy blog world.

Happy Easter!!

My Easter weekend seemed like a big whirl wind with lots going on. I drove to Birmingham Saturday night because my brother, Walker, and his girlfriend, Emily got ENGAGED! YAY! I'm so excited for them! I drove back that night to be at church in Nashville Sunday morning followed by a great lunch with all of my wonderful friends! I've posted some pictures of the weekend....

Update.

After reading Jared's comment on my last blog I felt HIGHLY convicted to update this thing. I'm so bad at talking big, but never following up.

So...right now I'm sitting in a hotel room on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin. I flew into Chicago last Saturday and will fly back this coming Sunday...i've been here a while. I'm here to lead worship at this women's retreat for Wheaton Bible Church. Any of you Montgomery folks who read this know Brian Hogan, my old youth minister/boss. He's now the worship pastor at Wheaton Bible and his wife, Amy is in charge of their women's retreat, so they asked me to come do the worship for it. The ladies all get here tomorrow, but we came up tonight to help set this thing up and practice some. This place is SOOOOO nice!! Good thing I want to lead worship for women's stuff, bc they do things up right!!!! DANG!

Anyway, here's a play by play of my days since I've been here....Flew in Saturday afternoon and hung out with the Hogans. Sunday woke up early to be at church at 7am bc I helped lead worship with Brian (that was SOOO fun!). Monday I had rehearsal with the guys that are playing with me. Tuesday I just laid low and hung out around the Hogan house. I have a new boyfriend, his name is Tyson Hogan and he is 4! HILARIOUS! Wednesday I ventured into the big city alone and had a BLAST!!! I put some pictures of my day in the city below. Just a warning, but bc i was alone, they're either of my face or of some building. ha! And today we drove to Lake Geneva for this retreat. There will be 300 women heading up here tomorrow afternoon. They are between the ages of 24-65...woah! what an age gap! But I'm so excited to see what the Lord will do in the lives of these women this weekend. There are some women coming that aren't believers and there are some coming that have known Christ for more years then I've even been alive! I'm just so excited to be surrounded by all these women of all different backgrounds, races and ages. I pray the Lord will be magnified here! I'll post again after the retreat...just bc I know I'll be so excited to report what the Lord's doing in the lives of His women in Wheaton, IL. He's a BIG God and I just love to see the ways He's moving everywhere!

Ok...so here are the pics..enjoy.

It all falls down.

Last night I went to bed around midnight. My sister and I share a king size bed when we're both home. It's really nice because it's so big I don't even notice she's on the other side. I"m pretty sure last night I was sleeping really well and having a really nice dream, but then I was rudely awoken at 3am to the ceiling in our room CRASHING DOWN ON US!!! It basically fell right on top of my sister. She began screaming, so then I started screaming (it seemed like the natural thing to do while covered in ceiling rubble). My little brother, Jack, came running in scared that someone had broken into the house and was attacking us (what a hero!). The strong little man helped us out of the rubble and offered to let us sleep in his room. Last night at 3, I have to admit I was a little pissed, but now I think it's really funny!

Here are some pictures of the fun event of the night...

haircut.

Ah! It's been too long since my last blog...i REALLY thought this time would be different.

Today I'm sitting in Auburn, AL bc i had a meeting with Heather the hairmaster this morning. She chopped my hair off...only cause i asked her to. I would post pictures, but I'm sitting in a coffee shop with people around me and I'm afraid they might think i'm vain if i busted out the camera and started my photoshoot...what do you think!?..vain? yeah, i thought so too.

that's really all i got right now...except for my "secret project" that has just begun that only a few special ones of you out there know about. Maybe one day I'll get brave enough to tell the blog world about the "secret project." Just calling it a "secret project" makes you want to know even more...doesn't it!?! Well too bad. I'll tell you soon enough.

"Going Back to Nashville"

Everytime I pull into that beautiful city I have to put on David Mead's "Nashville." (Technically this song is not about Nashville, TN but about Nashville, IN, but it works for me?!) Anyway all that to say...I'M MOVING BACK!! It's ofiicial I'll start work Monday, Jan. 2nd. I'm going to be a nanny for a family up there while I look for "real" jobs (whatever that means? it's just to appease my mother). I'm so excited and can't wait to be back for good! I still have no place to live, so if anyone who reads this needs a roommate or knows someone in need of a roommate- LET ME KNOW!!!

Thank you Jesus!
-Amen.

josh rouse.

This guy is one of my favorite new artist check him out.
www.myspace.com/joshrouse

blogging.

So I've decided I want to become a more avid blogger. For all you avid blog readers I'm going to begin to do my best to post more frequently on things of interest. Some days I might go a little deeper into my life, but I hope to at least post on what I'm listening to, reading, or interested in these days. So stayed tuned for more blogging because I'm not giving up on the blog world!

"Whether it be a lakeside retreat or the journey of life, our expectations are our greatest obstacle to union with God in the present moment. It is Jesus who writes all the lines, all the words and all the letters of our lives. Do I really know what is best for me? My vision is so short-sighted, my horizon so limited. Surrender is a practical application of a confession- what we pray each day in the Lord's prayer, "Thy will be done." Abandonment is the triumph of trust in our lives."

I've been having trouble lately with confussion. I've been so confused about life, my vocational calling, my location, etc. When I read the exert above from Brennan Manning it freed me so much, because it reminded me of what trust is all about. "Do I really know what is best for me?" No! Of course not! But I trust in the soveriegnty of God and knowing that "He will direct my paths." To abandon my ideas for myself, my desires, and to allow His way to lead me on to victory over confusion is something to be grasped today.

I do trust Him and I love Him the most.

SO GOOD!

If you don't have it yet, stop what you're doing and go get it now!

"...Yet in His turning away was not rejection but an invitation to follow Him to a place where I did not want to go. And that place was down a deep well to experience my sinfulness, brokenness and powerlessness in a way I had never known before....The compassion of Jesus enabled me to be compassionate toward myself...In the mystery of divine wholeness, the way of compassionate caring for others brings healing to ourselves, and compassionate caring for ourselves brings healing to others."
-Brennan Manning, "The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus"



"then the lion said...you will have to let me undress you. I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you but I was pretty nearly desperate now so I just lay flat down on my back and I let him do it. The very first tear he made was so deep I thought it had gone right into my heart. When he began pulling the skin off it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt the only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peal off. Well he pulled the beastly stuff right off just as I thought I'd done to myself the other three times only they hadn't hurt. And there it was lying on the grass only ever so much thicker and darker and more nobbley looking then the others had been. And there was I smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. And he caught hold of me, I didn't like that very much, it was very tender underneath now that I had no skin on. And he threw me into the water. It smarted like anything, but only for a moment. And after that it became perfectly delicious."

-CS Lewis, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader"

catching up.

well, dana got married.


And ava is getting bigger.

I just got done packing for camp. We leave in the morning and the destination is Panama City Beach. We're taking our youth down there for Cenrifuge camp. I hear it's fun...so we'll see!? I just thought I would update whoever still reads these (i do).

I feel like there's just been too much happening lately, that I don't even know how to start writing about the depths of me. I want to be vulnerable, but it seems way too hard lately. So, friends that really know me, maybe you could slap me around a bit, remind me of who i am, and then go about the rest of life. Please?! Gosh, this sounds more like a desperation call then a blog...so maybe I should stop.

Love and blessings.

New York, New York!!

Angela's engaged!!! Yay Ang!!



we met erin's new boyfriend, ben! we love him!!



and milwee got a new ring!! HAHA!!! we felt left out a little!!





us on the brooklyn bridge after eating some yummy ny pizza.




i LOVE this girl!! Erin and I on top of the empire state building.



gotta love the mullet.



i miss these kids!! erin, angela and i eating dinner at joallen's



tired.



All the girls in times square. this is the night milwee was initiated into the friend group...way to go marty!!



the newly engaged couple. napa valley here we come!!



the whole posse. the weed, sherman, ewin, leland, nate and ang.



goodbye new york. we shall return!!

home.

"there's a love you cannot hide
though He waits in line to fight
for He looks up to welcome you His child
little stranger, girl, you are home tonight

He reaches out a thousand miles
sends His voice to where you night
and in your dreams He carries you His child
little stranger, girl, you are home tonight"

-peter bradley adams (formerly of eastmountainsouth)

i was listening to this song today, and my eyes welled up with tears because i am that girl. i am thankful to God for His mercy and grace. i am thankful that His love cannot be hidden and He continually fights on my behalf. And there are so many times, and will continue to be, where He MUST carry me. i cannot wait to go home. as i sit here and listen to the song play, i hear the beautiful sound of the violins and the piano, but i can't help but think that His beauty is incomparable to any song ever written, any music ever played, any harmony ever sung. He is beauty.

God speed His return, when His bride will be presented to Him, and we are shone the glory of God in all it's fullness!

"as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."

2 Peter 3:12-14

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS!!"

Revelation 22:20

going through the motions.

Well....I'm sitting here at frothy monkey with a good friend of mine. I have the day off, which is always nice! I really wish I could start off everyday like this. Wake up at 9am. Shower. Hit up frothy monkey. Then do whatever my little heart desires. Sometimes I fear the need to make money and pay bills crushes our desires.

Lately I've found myself in the mundane of going through the motions of my daily life. Wake up 6am. Shower. Drive 30 mintues. Take care of Ava Grace. Get off work at 6pm. Meet up with my friends. Go to bed. Start the whole thing over again.

In August my life will look a little different. I will live in a different place. Probably have a different job. There are a few options out there, and I'm just praying through them all. One of them...basically is my dream...and it's becoming more of a reality, but it'll be a HUGE leap of faith on my part. So, I'm really just praying through that.

I just felt the need to catch you (whoever still reads this) up on my life.

I hope all is well on your side...

and PS- UPDATE YOUR BLOGS!!!!!!!!!!!

could it be????

does anyone else think this looks like biscuet????

Attack.

So lately the Lord's been doing some really cool things through my life, which is actually His life, so I guess He's just doing cool things in general. He's been opening up doors for me left and right and presenting opportunities for me to do the things I really LOVE to do and am really PASSIONATE about and am REALLY EXCITED about!

But, when the Lord's at work the enemy is threatened...and he's been on the attack lately.

I've been getting my feelings hurt so much lately, over stupid stuff, you know? I hate it when this happens. I find my self in tears over things that are so trivial. For instance...when I was 7 I was playing "marco polo" in the swimming pool. I was "marco" and had my eyes closed in the swimming pool. I went aimlessly looking to tag someone when "BAM!" I ran into the side of the pool and knocked my front tooth out. I now have a bond on my front tooth. I know you're thinking, "why are you telling us this, lele?" Well, because today I bit down real hard and knocked part of my front tooth off. I immediately ran to a mirror saw myself and started crying!!! I looked ridiculous!! I called my mom, no answer! I called my dad, he answered! I was crying telling him of this awful circumstance that had just come about and what did he do but start laughing at me and told me to take a picture and email it to him! AHH!! Not to worry, after that he told me to go to the yellow pages find a dentist and he'd pay to have it fixed. I knew I wouldn't live the rest of my life with a stupid broken tooth, but really, was there a need for tears?? I think not.

All this to say...I need your prayers, dear friends! And I know you probably, well definitely, need mine as well. Even though most of us are far apart from one another, we are still a family! And know that I love you all and am prayful for each of you as the Spirit leads.

"Choose"

"Let me be in love with what you love
Let me be most satisfied in You.
Forsaking what the world has offered me
I choose to be in love with You.

Let me know the peace that's found in You.
Let me know the joy my heart can sing.
For I have nothing, Lord, apart from you.
I choose to call on Christ in me.
I will choose to call on Christ in me.

For in the fullness of who You are I can rest in this place.
And giving over this, my journey, Lord.
I see nothing but Your face.

And I bow down.
Humbly I bow down.
Humbly I bow down.
I bow down.

Let me know that You have loved me first.
Let me know the weight of my response.
For You have long pursued my wandering heart.
I choose glory in the cross.
Yes, I will choose to glory in the cross."

~christy nockels