....On My Heart

It is absolutely, awesomely incredible to see the changes that the Lord is instilling in me; in fact, God's presence has never been more visible in my life, my family's lives, and my church's life until just here recently. Man, things are really starting to spark, and I'm anxious to see the fire build.

There have been several things weighing on my heart recently, and I can't even begin to scratch the surface of what all God has placed there upon me.

A few weeks ago, I started reading a book called "The Lost Art of True Beauty" by Leslie Ludy, and she has really opened my eyes to the world beyond ME, someone I find myself getting too wrapped up in each and every day. As a young woman, I have been searching for ways to get passed all the materialistic, vain thoughts and pressures of the secular world and find true beauty that can only come from Christ. In today's society, it's so hard to escape from all the pressures of achieving beauty and making it last. Think about all the things we as women go through just to look beautiful in the world's eyes. Losing weight. Dyeing our hair. Changing outfits 6 times before walking out of the house. Taking diet pills. Going to the tanning bed. Injecting botulism toxin, the most DEADLY poison on the planent, (aka BOTOX)into our faces to reduce wrinkles. And all this for what? So we'll entice other men besides our boyfriends/husbands? To be the center of attention? To look prettier than other women who we consider to be our very best friends? But if you stop and think about it, today's woman is no different and faces no more difficult circumstances than women of past generations, centuries, and millenia have faced. Foot binding, corsets, and lip plates are just a few examples of practices that women have endured over the course of human life.

As I was studying Leslie Ludy's book, I noticed that she kept reiterating selflessness as a mark of a truly beautiful woman. From her book, I was directed to her website, www.setapartgirl.com, and found that a lot of her work goes into helping and advocating for the impoverished, the hungry, orphans, and young women and girls who are forced into prostitution or who have been kidnapped into the sex trafficking industry. Some of the video links and articles that I read literally broke my heart, and I found myself crying out to God for these helpless women and children. My heart aches for these people.

All I can think about is that I'm a young woman about to receive a college degree, living in the most abundantly blessed country in the world, with the freedom to love and marry whomever I choose, without ever worrying where my next meal or drink of water will come from, and who lays down to sleep every night in my own air-conditioned (or heated) bedroom beneath a strong, tin roof. I have over 300 channels of satellite TV in my own room, a closet literally over-flowing with clothes and shoes, and books of my choosing strewn all over the room. And yet, to top it all off, I find myself constantly complaining about my "hard" life--over the silliest, most petty things, like school, not having the most fashionable wardrobe, and my job. Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?

Some of the best, most influential books we read or sermons we hear are the ones that make us the maddest, simply because they point out our own flaws and sins. As people who sin constantly, we need that extra accountability--that extra person there to help us see what we're doing wrong and what we could do to do better. I am so thankful for Leslie Ludy and her study. She's helped me realize just how selfish and spoiled I really am.

Since beginning her book and after going on her website, I have been asking God for guidance on how I might become selfless. I have felt utterly helpless in helping the world, and so I've really been digging deep to find what it is that the Lord wants me to do. During all this, a Christian radio station that I listen to hosted a Compassion International child sponsorship drive just a few days ago. I thought to myself--maybe, just maybe--this was God's answer to all my prayers. In between classes one day, I went online and investigated the organization's website--just to check for legitimacy--and decided to look through the list of children who needed sponsors. Because I have felt a strong gravitation toward Cambodia, Thailand, and India (due to the booming sex trafficking industry in those countries), I wanted to search for a young girl there to support. Some of these young girls are as young as 6, 7, and 8 years old, and I become absolute enraged at the depravity of this world when I think of my own niece--who is 8--and how if she lived in one of these Asian countries, she might be in a brothel right now waiting to solicit a local or tourist. With that in mind, I narrowed my search to an Indian, 8-year-old female. I found a young girl, read her profile, and felt confident that the Lord was calling me and K. to support her. As I scrolled back up to the top of the screen, I happened to look at her name again. To my surprise and literal jaw-dropping shock, this young girl and I share the same last name! To think that a white, Kentucky girl like me-- with one of the most unique last names I've ever heard--could share a last name with a young Indian girl on the opposite side of the world! I knew from then on, from that moment of the metaphorical red, neon arrow pointing to that little girl on my screen, that this was God's answer to my prayers. And so, K. and I have decided to sponsor this precious little girl in India, and we're more than excited to start the process! I know that it's goinng to be a truly amazing experience that K. and I will treasure for the rest of our lives.

I say all this to encourage you to look beyond yourself and evaluate your own selflessness. I have noticed that in my own life, I have begun to experience more joy and happiness out of thinking less of myself and valuing others as more important. I am not saying that you have to sponsor a child to become selfless; in fact, there are many ways that we can all do this in our everyday lives. Send a card to someone you appreciate and often take for granted. Babysit for a couple who needs a night out. Lend someone a quarter at a vending machine. Sometimes, the simplest acts of kindness mean the most to us. Leslie Ludy mentions in her book that she calls these acts "rainbow sprinkles" on top of the ice cream: they brighten someone's ice cream eating experience just by being that little extra something on top.

This story is just one of the many things that the Lord has placed on my heart. I'm anxiously waiting to see what He is going to do from this day forward. The best is yet to come...

"Beautiful, Beautiful" Lyrics Share

I've been listening to Christian Family Radio (stationed out of Bowling Green, KY) for about a year now. Maybe not quite 12 months, but still pretty close. I had been an every-so-often, casual listener before, but now I just can't part from it. It's such an uplifting radio station that provides me with a daily dose of refreshing, inspiring music and devotionals. It's not like any other radio station I've ever listened to. When I listen, I feel as if Suze, Derek, and Dale are right there in the car with me just hanging out and having a good time, while still talking about God and His amazing love for us! Great DJs! You can really tell how just how devoted and Christ-focused they are at CFR! If you're not in the listening area, then check them out online at http://www.christianfamilyradio.com/!

Saying all this, I wanted to point out how CFR turned me on to Francesca Battistelli. Her music is absolutely amazing! K. and I had been planning a much needed trip to Lifeway for this past Friday, and it was there that we bought the Francesca Battistelli CD "My Paper Heart." Her newest song "Beautiful Beautiful" is literally, and quite fittingly, one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It really shows how even though we sometimes look down on ourselves and wonder how God could ever look at us in love, He still does, every minute of every day. Here are the lyrics. I hope they speak to your heart as much as they have to mine.





Beautiful, Beautiful


Don't know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart
Breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace

(Chorus)

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, Beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful, Beautiful

Now there's a joy inside I can't contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it's pouring down
I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face

(Chorus)

Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful, Beautiful

I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace

(Chorus)
Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful Beautiful

While these lyrics might just seem like any other contemporary Christian song, you should really listen to it to get the full effect. I guarantee you'll get a blessing from it! Check it out!

I Wear Different Dresses

You know the phrase about wearing different kinds of hats? Well, I wear different kinds of dresses. Literally.

Last Friday, I picked up my wedding dress, and just a few days ago, I picked up my cap and gown for graduation! Ahhhh.....life is so good right now.

ASIDE: Not to mention, I'll be getting a new Easter dress within the next few days. Actually, I can't decide whether to go with a dress or a nice blouse/sweater/pants combo. But I digress...

As I mentioned, life is good. I feel like these two "dresses"--being my wedding dress and my graduation gown--are symbolic for a very big transitional stage. I'll always be young at heart, but I feel as if I'm putting away my girlhood and finally growing into a woman. I'll no longer be a young, immature student, but a wife and college graduate. I'll be venturing out into the world to do whatever it is that God calls me to do.

This is going to be such a big change for me, and I'm a little anxious to see how the next few months are going to play out. In my mind, I'm ready. I'm more than ready to graduate and definitely looking forward to getting married. But I think that as time draws nearer for these big changes to occur, stress and anxiety will manage to weasel their way into my life. They always do. I just need to stay positive and thank God each and every day for getting me through this far and giving me great friends and family who have encouraged me every step of the way. It's going to be an exciting year, and I can't wait to wear all my different "dresses."

A Little Thing Called "An Introduction"

I'm extremely excited about my new blog. I have a feeling deep down inside my heart that it's going to be a wonderful experience. Let me begin my very first blog by introducing myself.

I'm an early twenty-something, more than happily-engaged, and finishing up my last semester at a university in Kentucky. No, I do not attend the University of Kentucky, for those of you who think it's the only school in the state. I attend one of the other major schools in the state (I'll give you a hint: GO TOPS!) My life has been consumed with school ever since I was 5 years old, and frankly, I'm ready to be finished. Yay for graduation in May! I'm more than ready...
My fiance and I will be getting married in December 2010. Only a little under 9 months until the big day! We're ecstatic! More than that...we're in love! As corny and silly as that may sound, it's true. I have never looked more forward to anything than marrying my best friend. If you notice my blog's name, "A Match in the Stacks," then you may wonder what exactly that means. Well, King and I met working in our town's public library. We're both avid readers (as you can probably tell by our picture when we dressed as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger for Halloween). Some of the best memories I have are of King and myself discussing books on into the late hours of the night. God thought too highly of me when he blessed me with a guy like King.

King and I will soon be working on the house we're going to be living in as a newlywed couple. It is an old, yet charming little farmhouse that is situated on his family's property, and I can't wait to dig my hands into the project! Lots of painting is in order, and what's more...flower gardening! King gave me several different kinds of seeds/bulbs for my birthday, and we're just waiting for it to warm up a little bit before we can plant them. This is the beginning of my journey to find my green thumb. You know those little old ladies who spend hours and hours each and every day out in their beds trying to beautify their homes? That'll be me one day. I'm really looking forward to planting those flowers around our home!

I suppose this small introduction will do for now. My father is beckoning me for my chauffeur servicing. Until later....T.