Exuberant Journey

End of the year- a new chapter begins

2009-05-26T23:55:00.006-04:00

What an incredible year this has been!!! Clemson is an incredible place with a ridiculous amount of ministry going on! I am floored by getting to be a part of incorporating the campus FCA with true athlete ministry. We have set several things in place that fulfill Clemson FCA's goal of "Loving God- Loving Campus" within the arena of the athletic department! There is now an athlete ministry leadership team comprised of 20+ athletes from almost every team. They are gonna be used of God to rock their teams, the athletic department, and this campus!

As for me as an FCA staffperson, however, this has been a very abnormal year. All the other FCA staff in our area have moved on from their time with FCA. Between that movement and the economy, funding for staffing has be lacking. As I look at the ministry needs here objectively, I realize that my strengths matched the need when I arrived, I could meet the current need, but it currently would be better suited to someone else's strengths. All of this comes together to help me in my decision to accept another position within FCA that is exciting, yet sadly would take me away from Clemson. I will be moving to the bay area (San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland) in California to serve several high schools and colleges. As the door has opened to work there, I have wrestled with the decision, realize that my strengths are needed there, and the position pursued me...all things to seriously consider. I feel blessed to get to remain with FCA as it has had such an INCREDIBLE impact on my life and countless others! I just got to attend the 2nd annual college conference as a Huddle Leader and watch 180 college athletes from across the nation get sold out and grasp their influence. Can you imagine the ripple from things like that?!?!

I've been asked what the job description would be...so....the area is only 4% Christian. Talk about being a missionary in your own country. Therefore, the mentality is to hit the open doors and use each staffer's unique strengths. That means I will spend 1-2 days/week with a handful of highschools to relieve the other campus representative. My unique addition to the team is that I am female and my sport is soccer. The rest of the week would be spent with college and professional female athletes. FCA has presence on multiple college campuses in the area. Also, women's pro soccer has launched in 6 cities, one of which is San Jose. That should tell you a little something about the soccer community there. There is still a need for the position to be fully funded and that will be a part of my job still, but I will have teamwork towards that. (If you would consider getting involved in that part, please let me know.) All this has happened so fast. I hate that I have not been able to call all of you who have been friends to me through this journey. The intention in coming to Clemson was to be there for the long haul. This doesn't make sense, yet also makes tremendous sense all at the same time. There's so much more I would love to share with you...please feel free to call me as I am journeying...and new posts will be coming soon!

Lips

2009-05-11T00:23:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 18:6- A fool's lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating.

Questions this begs:
Do our words result in strife? Our actions...do they? The Word's got one title for me when that is the case...fool. Ouch. Is it any wonder our mouths provoke, and even deserve, a beating when that is the case?
Now if you got a mama like mine...sometimes it's not what we say, but HOW we say it...or the peace we left unsaid or just straight up refuse to say when we must speak that shouts the loudest.

So...provoking fool or the wisdom of proverbs? Choose today whom you will serve.

Do you still believe…?

2009-04-27T14:49:00.003-04:00

…God has a purpose for your life? (Jeremiah 29:11)
…God can open doors no man can shut? (Isaiah 43:13)
…the favor of God rests upon your obedient life? (Psalm 84:10-12)
…the blood of Jesus has defeated the Devil? (Isaiah 1:18)
…God can make His enemies His footstool? (Hebrews 10:12-14)
…no weapon formed against you will prosper? (Isaiah 43:1-2)
…He will sustain you? (Isaiah 40:28-31)
…greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world? (1 John 4:4)
…God has chosen you for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14)
…God is more than enough? (Philippians 4:19)

Hebrews 11:6- And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Don’t know about you, but don’t think I wanna set myself up to for it to be IMPOSSIBLE to please God. So may we rest in a sovereign God who "gives and takes away…but Blessed be His name anyway"…and pray like a man Jesus encountered in His time here “I believe, help my unbelief!”

For such as time as this

2009-04-25T10:44:00.002-04:00

As you can well tell, it has been 3 months since I last wrote. Honestly, I was afraid to because there was so much change going on around here with FCA, I didn't want to mis-speak. But I was recently convicted...it's as if God was saying, "I'm up to some incredible things around here and because you're afraid of how stuff will sound or what it will look like, you're not giving me the glory I deserve for the cool stuff going on". Yeah...that = slap in the face and a reality check and a "Yes sir" out of me.

So here you go...to catch you up on changes...bottom line...everybody that was on staff with FCA has now left for various reasons, and I am now the only FCA staff member in the area. This has posed a challenge in both things to do ministry-wise and in funding. Not sure what that will end up meaning for this area or me, but He has finally brought me to such a place of peace and rest about it! I have wrestled..."God what do you want for FCA here?!?! What is my role supposed to be?!?!" I'm sure many of you out in the working world have begun to have the same wrestle as the economy slides and jobs are threatened. Many of you are college students also...wondering what is the next step for you. This is what He has laid on me in that regard:

"Marla, you are seeking after my yet-to-be-revealed will. How are you doing on my already-revealed will? Loving me and people with everything you are...knowing me and making me known...being Spirit-filled? Are you seeking my hand or my face...making my will an idol in your life?"..... how bout you? We are each where we are today "for such a time as this".

There's nothing like watching God take His people, no matter how amazingly or little talented they are, and blow a place up! So to brag on Him...a few things I've watched the past 3 months. 400 students and student-athletes decend on St Louis, MO and share the love of Christ over spring break. 25 of our students serving as Huddle Leaders at the FCA high school state retreat. Pick of the week- where campus FCA decends en masse on athletic events in a way that has impacted athletes, coaches, AND support staff. Why Jesus?...an event put together by students in multiple campus ministries that rocked our ampitheater. I get to watch multiple students and student-athletes serve the youth group at my church and lead kids weekly. And something I personally am very excited about, adding "Athlete Ministry" to the leadership team within Campus FCA...I got to watch our athletes talk about their desire to love, serve and reach their teams and our athletic department last Sunday night! You'll be hearing more about that!

And these are just a few...and not to mention all the things He's been teaching/leading me through. So here's to living out loud...today. Chances are, we live in a generally safe enough country and live relatively comfortable lives...However, you're not promised tomorrow...and we weren't called to lives of comfort. And there are days we all (if you're like me) have amnesia. Make war on that today..."FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS"!

Did I really just have that week?!?!?

2009-01-27T22:59:00.002-05:00

Can you handle this? Really can you? I don’t know if I can…good stuff to remember when you get discouraged…God’s kinda faithful. Check out this past week! Here’s a few highlights…

Monday 1/19- Was kinda an off day. I had a friend in town to visit and we got to go to two coffeeshops (one of my favorite things to do)! This was good, because that evening and the next 8 days would rock! That night we started off the semester for the Female Athlete Huddle. Nothing like sitting around with 10 or so athletes talking about freedom in Christ
Tuesday 1/20- Had a phone conversation with a woman God placed in my path when I needed a smack in the face. Haven’t really talk to her since college. God started something in my life through her act of obedience. I don’t think I even understand how far the ripple from that has run. But it was cool to get to share part of it with her.
Wednesday 1/21- It’s so exciting to periodically get a call from one of the girls I invested in at Auburn University last year. That was Wednesday! Got to spend some time on the phone listening, walking through Biblical responses and challenging/encouraging once again…so cool. Also that night, one of our runners got baptized…the even cooler thing was she was more excited about the 2 rows of teammates that came to support her, some of whom don’t go to church. How cool.
Thursday 1/22- I got to meet the cheerleading team for the first time. They listened intently as a shared what FCA is about after they had had a 4 hour practice. And about 8 came up afterward to personally introduce themselves, thank me, and way they want to get involved. Wow.
Friday 1/23- I went to cheer on the women’s tennis team, and unknowingly sat down amongst the men’s team. Poor guy I say next to I think felt uncomfortable as soon as his teammate said, “Hey, she’s the female FCA chaplain!” Come to find out, that guy has promised the teammate I sat next to a filet mignon if he would come to church with him. What?!?! I said, “Dude, take your steak and GO!” We’ll see…all I know is the steak cooking, church inviting tennis player is my hero.
Saturday 1/24- Working with the Student Body FCA on ways to love the athletic department to show them Jesus. How bout 100+ fans showing up to the swim meet and packing out the facility like I’ve never seen it before?!?
Sunday 1/25- I got to take 2 athletes with me to speak for a women’s Sunday school class at a local church. I got to share some about FCA and what we do. They shared their testimonies. Nothing like watching to young women grow as they step out to share their story with women 50-60 years their senior and everyone being encouraged. That afternoon, I went to the church I’ve been attending and watched 40+ people get baptized…in just that service. There were 3 others that day. What?!?
Monday 1/26- Just was amazed at how He ordered my steps all day to orchestrate 5 one-on-one conversations and an amazing female athlete huddle again
Tuesday 1/27- We had an FCA state-wide staff meeting all day, which was cool. But the best part may have been talking to a friend who is moving away…but hearing how God is orchestrating details. I went to an event hosted by church expecting to not know a soul and run into a girl I worked FCA camp with 5 years ago, and two others with many mutual friends. Topped off the day talking with FCA staff from San Francisco where my buddy is moving to play soccer. It is awesome to watch the family of God at work…taking care of each other and connecting His people.

I needed that reminder…that He’s got the details. I forget sometimes. Hope you see Him as huge too.

Starting 2009

2009-01-07T15:19:00.002-05:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Though it's not scripture, there is something in the previous quote that just resonates with me! And I know I’m not the only one. Many of you may recognize some of this quote from the movie “Coach Carter”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0tHkivAHs0&feature=related

Now that’s just a random quote…but as one who is reading the Bible, I her familiar words in this quote too. “Let your light shine”…and reference to the “power that works within us”…and liberation too? Those are powerful words when you stop long enough to let their weight sink in.

So as you start a crazy busy January, getting back to the grind, the beginning of a new school semester or season, the beginning of a new year…I pray you each become people that will let your light so shine, knowing the freedom that is ours to enjoy, and the power that is ours to wield well.

If you wanna check the scriptures that came to mind as I read and watched this, they’re below. They both encouraged tremendously and challenged the butt off of me. Know that I’m behind you and praying for you as coaches and athletes, but also as people.

Matthew 5:14-16"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Ephesians 3:14-21For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Galatians 5:1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-23T00:27:00.005-05:00

The end of the semester has come and most students are gone. Finals were a whirlwind of a time for our students…no surprise. A couple highlights over the past couple months are:

I had an opportunity to speak at another school and took Julie, one of our soccer players. She did an amazing job!
During finals, Evan Bryant (area FCA staff guy) and made around 500 cookies and took them to athletes and students involved in FCA to provide mini-study-breaks for them…some good conversations arose out of that.

FCA partered with Men's Basketball to bring in Bruce Crevier. He did a halftime show in the middle of one of our games, and we followed the game with a Rally. Over 25 people responded to the Gospel, 6 of them being adults. Some of our Women's players helped.

There has been more conversation between the Student Body FCA and myself. I’m really excited about opportunities to partner with them this Spring!

I leave you with a devotional that a friend, Amber Salter, wrote several weeks ago. i hope it encourages you this season as it did me.

Is your life full of drama and complexities? Are you able to rest even in the midst of all the “things” we have to do here? Do you wish your life was simple?
Jesus wants it to be.
Think of how you came to salvation.
It was as easy as coming when He called.
“Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
It was as simple as drinking water.
“If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture said, ‘from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water…’” (John 7:37-38)
It was as simple as receiving a gift.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
It was as simple as calling for help.
“For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Do you ever look at young kids, and see the absolute care-free freedom they live in, and wish you could live like that? Not maturity-wise, but to be that trusting and alive. Not to be burdened down with business or confusion or drama.
He wants you to live your life with that kind of freedom and rest. And He tells us how.
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…” (Colossians 2:6)
There’s no striving. It’s simply trusting Him, with everything. You trusted Him to save your life, now trust Him with your life, and He will save you from your burden. He’s big enough to carry your sin, He’s big enough to carry you.
It really is as simple as reading and believing. Read what He has to say, what He says about Himself, what He says about you. And when you rest on Him and what rely on what He’s said, life is simplified.
If He made it so simple and easy to accept Him, why would He make it more difficult to live with Him? It takes the same kind of faith.

Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

2008-11-09T18:44:00.007-05:00

That's the tag line on the SC license plates. I love it!

So it's been a great month here in Clemson. Things are slowly picking up. We're working on developping a Female Athlete Huddle within the FCA Chaplain's Ministry here. But we're also working with the Student Body FCA to adopt and support our coaches and athletes here. Our Female Athlete Huddle paired up with the small groups from the Student Body FCA to host a tailgate for our Women's Basketball Orange/White Scrimmage.

Spencer and Rochelle grilling it up!!

Several of our athletes at the Bball game

I got to take a couple of our Women's Basketball Players to a local FCA HighSchool huddle to share their testimonies! How awesome it was to watch these young women stand up in front of 50 or so high school and middle school students to share what God has done in their lives...and watch Him weave together their stories along with the main speaker's story to pound home the same point in 3 different ways!

Chelsey speaking

Lindsey speaking

My Parents also came to visit me in Clemson. The only non-music major in the family...I think they occasionally have no idea what to do with me. :) It was awesome to get to show them around and have them join me for a couple days.

Dad and me at the Swim Meet

Mom and me in front of the football stadium

I've also spent quite a bit of time out of town this month too (so happy to be landed for a while!). All new FCA staff has to go to New Staff Training Camp. So off to Kansas City, Mo we flew to spend a week at the FCA Home Office. It was amazing! There were 44 new staff from all over the country there that week. We spent 5 days learning more of the "X's and O's" of FCA and getting a glimpse of the big picture of FCA across this country and internationally! They were not only sure to equip us for the ministry, but also pour into us through sessions on Spiritual, relational, physical, and financial health. But like any camp, some of the best time was the "in between" time where there were conversations that encouraged, challenged, and set new vision in all our hearts and minds.

I got to meet Jill Ewert in person...she's the editor for FCA's Sharing the Victory Magazine

I also got to be a part of the first ever Female FCA Staffperson Retreat. The Georgia/South Carolina Region has the largest number of female staff in the entire country. We have about 20% of the nation's female staff here! So we got together to discuss how we can tackle some of the topics specific to female athletes and coaches, share ideas of things we had done in our own areas, and just hang out too! I was asked to lead worship for the retreat too...

The younger female staff at the retreat. I am always real intentional about hanging with the staff older than me as I enjoy them and can learn a TON from them. I also really have been blessed with some solid encouraging friendships out of this group!!!

I hit the road once more this month to go attend some athletic events. Particularly due to the drought around here, going to Chattanooga for the "Head of the Hooch" regatta could possibly be the only time I would get to see our rowing team compete. It was incredible to watch these girls compete in one of the largest races in the southeast. I got to encourage many of our rowers who are involved in FCA, and also meet other members of the team for the first time.

One of our boats before they compete

Chatting with one of our coaches and novice rowers

Lastly, I got to go back to Auburn as a part of the trip to Chattanooga for the Women's Soccer Senior Night. It was so encouraging to see the FCA staff there that had been formative in my time with the chaplain training program. I also got to see some of the athletes I served in my time there.

Allison Whitworth and me after her Senior Night shut-out!

2 months in...amazing!

2008-10-03T21:08:00.004-04:00

I can't believe I've been here almost 2 months. For the amount of time, there really has been a LOT that's going on. Just wanted to let you know some of the things we're been working on.

Coaches' Ministry-There is a Coach's Bible study that has been going on and is even led by one of our strength and conditioning coaches. I seriously just get to be blessed by going and being a part of it!

Female Athletes- We started off having a cookout for the female athletes and now we're meeting weekly for our Female Athlete Huddle. Here's a picture from our cookout. In the huddle, we spent the first three weeks talking about God's love for us. That we are both fully known and fully loved at the same time! Now we're turning the corner...asking, "So who is this God that loves me like that?" So we'll spend the rest of the semester, maybe longer, unpacking who He is. Kinda excited about it!
Here's a picture from our female athletes' kickoff cookout.

The area High School/Middle School Ministry and Adult Huddle- September 20th, both groups partnered to put on "Rally in the Valley" in conjunction with a home football game. There were around 3000 kids at the event where Chris Shepherd spoke. it was so powerful to watch many of these kids walk to the back where they got prayed for and will be followed up with.

Working alongside the Student Body FCA-The campus FCA is HUGE! With 1000+ students attending weekly meetings, there is so much potential to join together to accomplish a common purpose. Members of the Student Body FCA helped out with Rally in the Valley...to welcome students and help counsel afterwards.

On a personal note...It's been incredible to get away into the outdoors of the upstate and spend time with God...asking for His plan...wanting to align my path with His...praying for the same heartbeat amongst all the arms of FCA in the Clemson area. Here's my favorite place so far! Upper Whitewater Falls :)

C-L-E-M-S-O-N T-I-G-E-R-S

2008-09-23T22:57:00.003-04:00

I was asked the other day how things were going here at Clemson. So much has happened, it’s hard to even know where to begin, much less be able to convey it all. In all of it though, God has continued to blow my mind, and make Ephesians 3:20 a reality in and around me. This morning I prayed He would order my steps…and apparently, God was listening.

It is unbelievable to fully grasp all that the Lord is doing through FCA in the Clemson area. We have Evan Bryant and Lance Shealy working in the area High Schools and Middle schools. The Student Body FCA at Clemson University sees over 1000 students regularly attending their weekly meeting and hopes to impact the campus. Through the Chaplain’ s ministry, Tony Eubanks serves the Football program and male athletes as FCA Chaplain at Clemson. They have over 90 football players being mentored by men in the community through a discipleship program called Spiritual 2-a-Days. As you can see, there are easily over 3500 High School and College Students and Athletes touched by the ministry of FCA in the Clemson area, yet only the beginnings of sowing and harvesting the female athletes and coaches here at the University have happened. I am honored and humbled to get to join FCA staff as the Women’s Athletics Chaplain.

It has been a whirlwind since I got here. I had been on staff for 2 days when it was time to go to the Georgia/South Carolina FCA Staff retreat. It was wonderful to get to meet all the staff from both states! The process slowly began in building relationships…meeting coaches, athletes, students, adults involved, finding a church, making friends…and it’s still rolling!

Part of the crew here: Wynee, Gable, Tony, Evan, and me

Clemson Bound

2008-07-08T15:14:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I’m so excited to be writing from the beach in Florida! I’m with Thorington Baptist Church’s youth group at StudentLife Camp in Daytona. Such a blessing to be here this week while I pound out details with the guys up at Clemson about moving there maybe even as soon as next week.

The past few weeks have been full of waiting, praying, reading God’s Word, and just trying to faithfully serve Him in the waiting and while working camps. I’ve gotten so used to the waiting that it actually feels really weird to know where I’m going. So I will be serving the female athletes and coaches at Clemson University working for FCA! More details will come later…just pray for the details too, deal? :)

A Personal God? Really?

2008-07-01T12:17:00.006-04:00

Yeah...for sure. Too many details of all that's been going on in life to take up time and space here. Suffice to say these past two weeks have brought some of the highest highs and some major discouragement...getting to be a part of incredible things God is doing in bringing freedom into others' lives and having misunderstandings that would take my feet out from under me if I'm not rooted in Him. In the midst of this, I look back over my journal and see all He brought to me before, during, and towards the end of this two week period (because in addition to all of this, I've been waiting to hear back from a chaplain position interview), and I see the most amazing themes- challenge and RIDICULOUS ENCOURAGEMENT!

Read the WORD for instructions. 1-pray, 2-Bible, 3-pray, 4-godly counsel...in that order.
God was on the move with His people. The tabernacle had to be a tent (though I like to imagine that means God likes camping;). Where the glory of the Lord went, the Israelites followed. The poles that carried the ark of the covenant bore constant witness that God would be their traveling companion.
His direction...check Isaiah 30:21, 42:16, 58:8...amazing
More comfort from His Word...in Psalm 30-31. You are my refuge, deliverer, rock of strength. Be gracious to me as I am in distress (which has a connotation of sorrow, grief, failed, being a reproach, forgotten, or slandered). But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord...some good stuff there.
Lord, make us obedient. The sermon last Sunday. The pastor began with Philippians 4:4-7...and encouragement not to worry and thus have the peace of God which transcends all understanding. It was crazy, before the sermon was over, he had quoted Isaiah 64 and Ephesians 3:20...two scriptures that have meant a lot to me this past year. The actual sermon was on Luke 5:1-11 and could be summed up as "In God's relentless pursuit of us, He uses "no fish" moments to lead us to "because you say so" obedience, resulting in boat sinking miracles that can change our destinies forever." Yeah...go back and read that sentence again!
The gardener's shears. God prunes us so that we will bear fruit...His fruit. And He can do that through the Word (John 15:3) if we will have ears to hear it, or He can do that through trials (James 1:2-4). Either way, He will complete the good work He has begun in me and you (Phil 1:6). And this will lead to JOY (John 15:11).
The ER doctor. A precious older woman of God saw some of what I was dealing with at camp and like a mama put my head on her shoulder and prayed over me after she said I had been an ER doctor that day. I tried to hide the shaking crying that was welling up inside me. We think God uses us because we're good? No..He uses us because He's good. I guess that's why I've marveled so much as Him using this marred vessel that is me when He totally doesn't have to. That same precious woman reminded me that Jesus still bears His scars...and maybe, like His, mine will remind myself and others of the redemptive healing of our Savior who KNOWS!
A Peek at the Promised Land. In the study I've been doing, this was the title of one day that led us all over the place...Numbers 13-14, Deuteronomy 31-32, and Joshua 1:1-9. In here, I keep seeing encouragement to trust what God has for us and not be afraid. I see His justice and His mercy hand-in-hand looking BEAUTIFUL together. I can't even begin to explain what these scriptures spoke to me or what Beth Moore in her commentary on it spoke to my heart...just that it had me laughing out loud at a God that would be so personal as to write this for me.

So...I continue waiting...trusting that He is Sovereign...nothing comes to me except that which His fingers of love have allowed. And He can and WILL use anything for my good and His glory. He has more invested in my life than I do. I continue trusting...enough to take inventory everyday and ask Him to weed out what doesn't need to be there in my life...and then to walk forward in the freedom He has given me, declaring it to my brothers and sisters. I continue resting...knowing that He hems me in, goes before me, is my rearguard, has placed His had upon me. I continue expecting...Him to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all I ask or imagine (Eph 3:20) watching for what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has conceived (1 Cor 12:9) as I learn to love Him more and more everyday.

A Year Ago Today

2008-06-21T17:51:00.002-04:00

This Saturday morning, I made sure I got my 8 hrs of sleep, then got up, checked my email, got a bowl of cereal, texted my friend who is letting me stay at her place to say thank you, packed up and headed out. I had to get OUT! It has been such a flurry of activity over the past several weeks, I just had to get away, by myself, just me and the Creator of the universe. Had to get away from people. Had to get away from my crazy, got-to-go 100 mph self. So I headed out to Kiesel Park…this great place in Auburn. Ever find a place that is sooo wonderful, you wish you’d discovered it earlier..but then you’re happy you didn’t because you most certainly would’ve spent WAY too much time there? Yeah, that’s Kiesel Park.

So I grabbed my backpack full of a towel, flip flops, my Bible, journal, really cool pen bag Aubrey gave me, and my current devotional and headed out to find a spot on a bench under a tree. I’m so A-D-D sometimes, which is part of the reason why I journal…makes me focus. I was thankful for it today as there was a wedding reception in the pavilion about 200 yards away. As I finally was still and alone, an eerie loneliness swept over me. I started digesting what this month has looked like…interviewing, but still waiting, feeling a bit like a pinball, staying with friends and at camps while my stuff is in storage, enjoying the Auburn people when I’m here, but knowing I’ll be moving… but when and where and will there be community there, and thinking about taking girls to Black mountain next week…

WAIT! Black Mountain…then my mind started rushing back to a year ago this week. A year ago, I arrived super early to Black Mountain to work FCA Girls’ camp there as the Athletic Director. I sat down with God on the front porch of the little cabin we were staying in that night and said, “I know this week it’s supposed to be all about giving my life away to these girls. And I will. I’ve gotta leave the at-home things at home…so I leave the fact that I don’t have a job and still do have a mortgage payment in your hands. Just show me what you have for me to do this week”. That night, I met a bunch of Huddle Leaders and knew God wanted me to invest in a couple, so I got up at 6am the next morning to run with two of them He was pointing out. Little did I know that that was the beginning of two beautiful friendships of the best accountability I have ever had… that He would have me open my mouth in vulnerability about the story He’s given me for other peoples’ benefit…that I would see the fruit of that. I had no clue that on the last night of camp I would be sitting on the front porch of Lee Hall with Wes Yeary explaining the FCA chaplain training program at Auburn to me while I was wiping the drool off my face. God set soooo many things into motion this week one year ago. It blows my mind! And next week I get to sit with one of Auburn’s former athletes who has become a dear friend on that same front porch and revel in all He’s done in this past year! Kinda made my day.

Q: Where in the world is Marla?

2008-06-17T18:03:00.002-04:00

A: Everywhere. Yup yup. Been a whirlwind few weeks…but here’s the info on what’s going on. I got to hang around Auburn till May 18th as all my teams were still competing. I got to cheer on our golf team at NCAA regionals, and we helped out a lot with the SEC track meet which auburn hosted. I then left Auburn for Annapolis, MD to watch my friend, Ali, graduate from the Naval Academy and be a part of commissioning week. I flew to Tennessee, where I got to spend time with my family and a few friends. After arriving back in Maryland, I began the drive back to Auburn, stopping through Virginia to visit one of our athletes’ family and stopping in North Carolina to visit old friends from the Raleigh/Sanford/Durham area too! I returned to Auburn for a few days before heading to an FCA Leadership Camp in Mississippi. I was back to Auburn for a few days and helping with the FCA there, before heading out this past weekend to go to my Brother-in-law’s ordination service. THAT was AMAZING! Now I’m up at Clemson University, one of several candidates for the female chaplain position here. The interview process is the 17th-18th. Next week I’ll cap off the month driving girls from the Montgomery, AL area up to FCA’s Girls’ Black Mountain Athletic Camp! It’ll be a great time to serve those girls, attend some of FCA’s coaches camp which is at the same time, see old friends, and sit on the front porch of Lee Hall with them, new friends, and even one of our former Auburn athletes who is going to be a Huddle Leader at that camp.

Phew…so that’s what all I’ve been up to. I’m happy to meet these people and see if this is where God has for me to land or not. I’m really ok with a yes OR a no…just praying for clarity and direction. So many people have heard what’s going on with my life and it stresses them out. And yes, I do have reason or right to be stressed…but God SO UNDENIABLY orchestrated the details of me moving here to Auburn, He will not suddenly cease to be faithful. I’m just thankful I’ve gotten to go on so great an adventure and have picked up some amazing friends along the way too.

The Waiting Room

2008-05-06T23:47:00.002-04:00

I’ve been humming an awesome song by Shane Barnard called “The Waiting Room”. (So the lyrics are at the bottom if you want to read them.) It’s kinda where I am right now. The last official day of the training program was May 2. We moved out of the duplex, most of my stuff is in storage, and I’m staying at the Stanford’s house with my clothes and food for the next week and a half...till I know what’s going on with summer. Nothing like learning what “walking by faith” looks like. We’re still just waiting to hear back from people. I’ll probably have an interview or two here in this time frame. Then I’ll head out of Auburn to go watch a dear friend graduate and visit my parents…So for today, just trying to stay faithful. I’m still getting to serve my teams as they are all competing in post-season play. There has definitely been some rich time with athletes as they’ve finished finals and are still around, or trying to get together before they head home.

He UNDENIABLY led me here...I have no doubt that He will do the same leading me from here.

I may not know what’s next, but I’ve never been so at peace or felt so rich.

i will run when i cannot walk
i will sing when there is no song
i will pray when there is no prayer
i will listen when i cannot hear

i will fight when i cannot feel
i will trust when You dont seem real
i will tell when i cannot speak
i will step when i cannot see

sitting in the waiting room of silence
waiting for that still soft voice i know
offering my words up to the rooftop to Your heart
trusting that this closet's where You are

Lord i know if i change my mind
You will change my heart in time
Sovereign Lord this time's from You
so i sit in the waiting room of silence
cause its all about You

Last FCA Huddle

2008-04-29T23:19:00.005-04:00

So last night was our very last FCA weekly huddle. It was so crazy to go into that room and prepare for the final meeting when it seems like it was only yesterday we were setting up for the very first meeting. So much has happened since that first huddle meeting…and we got to catch a glimpse of it coming out of the mouths of the students last night. We began the night just thanking God. It made me smile so much to hear gratefulness come out of individuals’ mouths and KNOW their stories and WHY they were thanking Him for the amazing things He had done for them.

Then we got our graduating seniors up there and gave them an opportunity to issue a challenge/encouragement to the rest of us. They spoke of not wasting a moment, or living out loud, of giving your all, of specific events that God had used in their lives while at Auburn. One girl brought tears to my eyes as she said, “Never forget who you are to your teammates. If it wasn’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t be here right now”. How awesome is it that she was motioning to the other two senior teammates standing up there with her. She had become a Christian in her time at Auburn! It was amazing to watch our students huddle around the seniors to pray for them individually as we send them out.

Wes had the four interns get up and gave the group the opportunity to verbalize how God has used us in their lives this year too. Woah….talk about humbling! And then have one of our guys on leadership team pray for us…

It was really surreal. We all hung out after FCA for 1.5 hours more! Everyone taking time to thank others for what God has done in their lives through each other. What a picture of the Body of Christ and how we’re supposed to be towards each other!!! I can’t begin to explain how amazing it is to know God used you in someone’s life, for them to say you pointed their face to HIM. To be able to look a girl in the eye and say that she reminds you of yourself at her age and encourage her to press on because one day she’ll look another girl in the eye, say the same thing, and give her hope too. Thus…the ripple continues…

Our Leadership team for next year!!!

A few pictures from that last night...

Passion

2008-04-22T15:20:00.003-04:00

It has surely been rocking and rolling here lately. I finally looked up today and realized, I need a chill day, so I’m taking it! Though the chill day began with NOT setting my alarm, I DID roll out of bed and go running with 3 current and former athletes here. Basically, they kick my tail on a regular basis now. But I wanted to let y’all know a bit about what the past few weeks have held in the next few posts.

We took a handful of students to the Passion Conference in Atlanta, Ga. I have heard about Passion (www.268generation.com) ever since I had just graduated from college, but was never able to go to any of their events. Last year, as my heart began to grow for working with college students, I found myself listening to the podcasts put out by this group. So, it was such a rock my little world time to get to go to the conference that solidified my desire to move to working with college students!

I still have had trouble articulating what the weekend was like for all of us. There were great speakers in Louie Giglio and Francis Chan…and great music in Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall and David Crowder. It truly is one of those things you have to experience to appreciate. Three things meant a lot to me, however.

#1- the experience of it all. How do you explain 9500 college students enjoying and worshipping God? There were times I had to quit singing and just look around to take in what was going on around me…that many college students on fire like that? Put me in tears a couple times. Here is a picture of the arena from their blog. (ok, having trouble uploading the pic..check back later to see it)

#2- Getting reconnected to people I haven’t seen in forever or had no clue would be there. Got to hang with my cousin, a freshman at UF. Ran into several FCA people (staff and former Huddle Leaders I’ve worked with) and got to meet some new ones. Old friends from college. New friends I’ve met this year. How refreshing that was for me too!!!

#3- Things that were said in the sessions. I could not begin to recount all that was said…but a few points that have stuck with me are:
•2 Corinthians 5:13-21- This life is not about me. I am here for His Glory and to be His ambassador. His fame and His Glory must be the legacy of my life. Kinda hits me personally as I finish preparing to set out to be a chaplain for FCA on a college campus.
•Matthew 5:14-16- You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven… Can we live like that? Shouldn’t we? May I shine my light so bright that people would bypass me and praise my God. Our lives SHOULD be that distinct, that radically different if we’re a temple of the Holy Spirit.
•John 16:33- “In this world you WILL have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”- Jesus. Trouble makes us run FROM God or TO Him. It is a megaphone…amplifying our hearts. I have done both in different circumstances. Can I see Trouble AND an Overcoming God together at the same time? That really is where the rubber hits the road. And I started thinking…anything good you’ve ever seen in me at all? About 80% of it was birthed out of trouble. Kinda cool, God’s economy.

Ok, more to come soon about time spent with several teams and what the next step holds (though I’m still figuring that out).

More Field Trips!- UGA and GA Tech

2008-04-05T13:42:00.002-04:00

We went on our last “field trip” of the training program to go visit other campuses and see what their FCA’s look like. What an amazing time!

First, we went to UGA where “Team United” consists of 3 Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) ministers, one Athletes in Action (AIA- a ministry under Campus Crusade) minister, and one Georgia Athletes Outreach minister. They have a tremendous working relationship and have partnered so well to reach the athletic department there. And I’m excited for my friend, Jill Perry, who will soon have another female joining their staff from AIA. They use their respective ministries and personality strengths to complement each other very well. It was great to get a perspective on campus chaplaincy from AIA and GAO to complement the perspective we’ve received from FCA. For me personally, it was great to get to hang with Jill (we met working FCA’s Black Mountain camp several years back) because we have VERY similar career paths. I am where she was 6 years ago…pretty cool for me to hang out with someone I can emulate and truly KNOWS the position I’m in…we both having spent some time teaching and coaching before coming to FCA.
UGA's Team United Staff!

Time at Georgia Tech was exciting as well. We got to visit with Taylor, who went through the training program last year and is now a chaplain there. We also got to visit with Derrick Moore who has been at GA Tech for some time (and who mentored Randy while he was in college). We expected to go in asking him questions, yet emerged with him asking us questions that REALLY made me think. Additionally, Derrick’s statements to us are still making me think. “Take care of the now and He’ll take care of the next” and “Your greatest challenge in ministry will be yourself”. So true on both counts.

6 more weeks

2008-03-20T22:08:00.001-04:00

Seriously? Only 42 more days? May 2 is rapidly approaching. As you can tell, this semester has gotten really busy after all. I guess an update on all that has happened is in order…

Indoor track season came and went. We’re about to start outdoor season and Auburn will host 2 meets. Golf continues to grind it out on the links. And softball is now 7-1 in SEC play as they travel to LSU this weekend. I have had the opportunity to travel with softball once so far and do a chapel for both them and visiting McNeese State softball team. It has been humbling and a privilege to serve these teams.

We had the opportunity to go visit Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University. Lance Brown, formerly with FCA, began WhoYouWith ministries at Vandy. It was awesome to get to meet their students, attend a huddle, and learn from his experiences as a chaplain. It was also a pleasant surprise to get to hang with an old Black Mountain Alumna, Ginger Carr, who is working alongside Lance. I love how it always seems to become a small world…Ginger works closely with the women’s basketball team and they came to play Auburn the following weekend. It is a great thing to watch sisters compete! We also got to meet Lee Brown (area representative and chaplain to TSU) and the students who form the leadership there. To be honest, meeting this group of students is probably the most impressing thing so far in our training related to other campuses. These students handle it! They love and mentor each other and give back to their community all while shouldering the tasks of being a collegiate student-athlete.

SO WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET PLACED?

I keep getting asked this question…which is fine…let’s me know people care about me. As for now, we still don’t know. We have all been working to be faithful here at Auburn with the time God has entrusted to us here. NO DOUBT, I have watched Him use me here…particularly in some individual’s lives. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He led me here. That is obvious. So I have no doubt that it was for a reason and He’s got something up His sleeve. I’m just still waiting on Him to let me in on it too. :)

Sharing the Victory

2008-03-18T14:34:00.007-04:00

Sharing the Victory is FCA's National magazine. I've been reading it since I was in Middle School looking up to the athletes who were written about in its pages. That's why I was so excited when another FCA veteran staffer told me I should call them up to tell them about all God was doing at the US Naval Academy through my friend, Ali Currier, because that's the kind of story they would want to print. Several phone calls and interviews later, Jill Ewert (writer and editor) told me she really felt like God was taking this article another direction. She believed the article was to be about friendship and accountability. Next thing I know, she's inerviewing several of my friends and the following article was birthed. It has been extremely humbling to read the responses and see how god is using the article, both to encourage and challenge people I know and people I don't know. I humbly pray it does the same for you and a huge thank you to all you who have been my friend and been used of Him to shape me into a vessel He would delight to use.
Here's the link!
http://www.sharingthevictory.com/vsItemDisplay.lsp&objectID=7E655501-9021-44CD-A3F03936A20F371F&method=display

Ridiculously Huge

2008-01-21T13:18:00.000-05:00

Personally, I have been awestruck at what God is doing in my life and the lives of those around me. It really has continued to defy description and I wonder why I’m even trying to explain it to you here, because I WON’T do it justice. I guess a theme for me lately has been His Redeeming Love. How God loves us so much, He intends to buy back and restore to us all that has been lost or stolen from us. John 10:10 says, “Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you may have LIFE and have it abundantly.” So true. There are many things and parts of me that have been stolen, killed, destroyed, lied to…but God has “forgiven all my sins, healed all my diseases, Redeemed my life from the pit and crowned me with love and compassion…satisfied my desires with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103). God has ordained several peoples’ paths to cross mine and urged me to open my mouth…to speak of how He has changed me…sometimes generally, sometimes specifically. I have over and over again watched Him get ahold of someone sitting across the table from me. I have listened in awe as He has put His words in my mouth so that they shoot straight to the heart of someone I’m on the phone with. He has given me several scriptures that I guess are the only way to communicate to you the amazing things going on.

Zephaniah 3:9-17- a reminder of His Redemption. This aroused thankfulness in me for those with whom I get to go shoulder to shoulder. That I truly do have to take refuge in the Name of the Lord. And that He is a warrior who saves.

Isaiah 44:3-5- He has made streams in my desert. And He is pouring out His Spirit on many that my life touches. Those whom I influence are in effect my “offspring” or “descendants”. Verse 5 hits me the best…they will know their name…the name the Lord has given them: redeemed, beloved of the Lord, beautiful bride. And they will tell each other their name. Oh my goodness! This is what has been happening! As I speak of the new name that God has given me, they have started to see themselves through His eyes and the way He sees them. They’re starting to understand! And even proclaim it to each other! There is a ripple running in all directions from this itty bitty pebble that has jumped into God’s hand and said throw me where you want. I don’t get Him and the way He pursues us and uses His pursuit of one to bless another!

Isaiah 50:3-5- Between students here and some friends, there are several people walking through some heavy things. And for some reason, I have the honor and privilege of walking with them. One thing that’s cool about it is that their situations are so much bigger than me. I have NOTHING to offer them, outside of Him, His Word, My Prayers, and myself as a listening ear and shoulder. I have learned patience to wait for His timing…because I most certainly would’ve had a different timetable…but as usual, I keep seeing that his timing is best. In particular, the other night I was on the phone with a friend who spoke so honestly about a tragedy she experienced. I had no clue what to say…then He put scripture in my mouth in a way I am NOT clever enough to fashion. I had to tell her that was from Him, not me…cause I’m not THAT good. Oh how I pray He keeps giving me an instructed tongue…wakening e morning by morning to listen. How do we do that? Verse 10…obey, trust and rely. Oh that I can walk and live there!

Joel 2- pretty much it’s your typical Old Testament passage where Israel’s being stupid, God as a disciplining Father warns them, but then as a Lover begs them to “Return to me” (verse 12-13). But what is so miraculous about this is the story behind it. A while back, sitting across breakfast from an athlete here, I began to say that I’m thankful for all the good, bad and ugly that has been in my life because of all God has taught me from it. Sure I’d love a couple do-overs, but I’m not so sure because I wouldn’t want to go through life without the lessons I learned. I just hated the time lost. She quoted Joel 2:25 to me…He will make up to you the years the locusts have eaten. God has been doing some ridiculous things in her life and just yesterday she read me verses 25-27…It’s something humbling to have someone 10 years younger learning a lesson you had to learn at their age tell you that God is making up the “lost time” to me as I get to watch what He’s doing in her life and in the lives of others. To see Him USING the time that was lost and yielding a return that FAR FAR exceeds what was lost! And she said, “God will make up the lost time to me too as I later get to watch Him duplicate what He’s done in my life in somebody else’s!” Oh she gets it!!! And he is too too good to me to witness all this.

Christmas Break and back to Auburn

2008-01-16T15:20:00.000-05:00

So we’re back in the saddle again. Christmas Break was a blast! I got to go to California with some friends and enjoy the beach and snowboarding (camping on the beach with palm trees then driving 2 hrs to the tallest mountains I’ve ever seen was a little different for this FL and NC girl).

(Sarah and Aubrey admiring the sunset near the spot where we got to camp)

Went to Tennessee where I got to stay with my family for about a week.

(me with mom, grandaddy and Miss Martha)

(dad and my sister)
Then I got to visit with the Collier family (Paul and Rachel were my Sunday school teachers in 11th and 12th grade) for a couple days.

(I LOVE this family...we went on a day hike and had a blast!)

I came back to Auburn early and got to spend new year’s eve with some of the FCA family here. But I really enjoyed taking a couple days to get by myself. I took my Bible and Journal and headed out to Chewacla State Park to bring in the new year.

(the view of the sunset from one of the places I rested...amazing day)

Training started back up on the 3rd and everyone around here has been rocking and rolling ever since. FCA Leadership (the student athletes that help organize our weekly huddle meetings and are reps to their teams) has gotten together twice and we’ve pounded out a plan for the semester. We’ll have several guest speakers that will be amazing and have a series on relationships. We got to join the rest of the FCA staff in the state of Alabama for a state-wide planning meeting on Monday. The state-wide College retreat is coming up Feb 8-10 and we got to be a part of the planning and praying for the event. We also had our first FCA Huddle meeting this past Monday.

Softball, track and golf seasons are into full swing, and my schedule is getting rather busy. It is amazing to see what all is happening athletically and spiritually with all the teams here at Auburn. From interactions with athletes before/during/after practice to the weekly FCA meetings, and I keep getting floored at what God is doing in these students’ lives. He has opened up opportunities to develop even more of a friendship with several coaches too. Just please keep praying that I be a good steward of what He has entrusted to me.

Why I'm excited about my job!

2007-12-10T19:23:00.000-05:00

My response to a writing assignment in our chaplain training...thought you might like it... pretty much makes my day :)

FCA’s vision is to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of Coaches and Athletes. We do this by focusing on the four C’s: investing in Coaches to make disciplers out of them, Campus ministry, summer Camps, and impacting the local Community. I am passionate about the work of FCA because it combines two of the greatest forces for influence ever: sports and faith in Jesus Christ. The biggest faith and life lessons I ever learned were on the playing field or in the context of competition. Likewise, I don’t believe I will EVER fully comprehend the influence I had as a coach. To hold the position of chaplain at Auburn University is a humbling and overwhelming undertaking when you start to consider the ramifications. The decisions and world views formed in the decade from 18 -28 years of age truly shape the rest of a person’s life. We get the opportunity to speak into the most formative years of that time frame. Not only do we get to invest in college students, but in student-athletes…people of supreme influence. I love the NCAA commercials that talk about NCAA athletes that about all go pro in something other than sports. During their eligibility, student-athletes have a tremendous platform from which to live out the Christian walk and even proclaim it in words. Afterwards, they go on to live lives of influence. I cannot even imagine the ripple effect sent off by one student-athlete sold out for Christ in college and afterwards. We need men and women of integrity who can stand up and be role models for our youth. We get the outrageous opportunity to pour into these young peoples’ lives and train them up to fulfill their God-given mission. For such a time as this!

Coaching and God's Unfailing Love

2007-11-28T12:58:00.000-05:00

Just figured I’d throw in something here on a personal note. I’ve told so many of you that I’m learning tons…that it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose. Yes, I’m learning tons through the training program, but I’m also learning tons in my personal walk with God. Seriously, last night at our weekly FCA huddle meeting, Wes asked us to share something God had taught us this semester. It was awesome to hear so many athletes at all points in their walks with God express what they have been learning: to trust Him with everything, that there is comfort in God’s Word, that they can’t do it alone, thankfulness for a clean slate, learning how to be bold with teammates…these are a few of the things mentioned by athletes last night. As I sat there, I have no idea how in the world I could express all the things He’s been teaching me. But I’d really like to take this post to let you know something that got pounded home this morning.

God loves us something fierce.

I’ve been going through a Beth Moore Bible Study called Breaking Free with several friends. I first did this study as a senior in college and am repeating it now. This week’s study has been on the unfailing love of God. She had us do an exercise listing attributes of a child that knows they are loved and of a child that does NOT know that they are loved. My combined lists are:

A Child that knows she is loved
• Knows they can do anything
• Finds comfort
• Feels special, safe and secure
• Understands companionship
• Loves others
• Looks to others’ interests
• Makes you smile to be around
• Opens up to you
• Speaks with confidence
• Doesn’t want to disappoint

A Child that does NOT know she is loved
• Is bitter/feels rejected
• Is rebellious/not submissive
• Is pridefully self-sufficient
• Frantically searches for love elsewhere
• Cannot handle criticism
• Is attention seeking
• Performs
• Puts others down
• Seems fake/has no depth
• Is insecure

I got to thinking about it, and this is the prayer I wrote in response in my journal…I pray this challenges and encourages you like it did me:

Father- I look at these list I made back when and then thinking about students and players that I’ve taught and coached. It’s so true of them and it’s true of me too when I haven’t been walking with you. The thing that just hit me was how the girls I coached and taught that did NOT KNOW that I loved them would be on their own time schedule, be rebellious, and be about their own agenda. That is SO ME when I don’t KNOW or act like I Know that You love me. But the girls who know how much I love them- they would’ve run through a wall for me. They would listen attentively. They would try hard to make the adjustments I asked for because they didn’t want to disappoint me. They responded so well to hearing me communicate concern for and pride in them. They really took it to heart when I had to discipline them. They were prompted to service- to me and to their teammates. They had instant belief or would at least appear to and would act on it. WOW! Can I respond to You and Your love in such a way? Did they know I loved them more than I know that You love me? Help my unbelief!

South Carolina

2007-11-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

Last week I got to make 2 visits to South Carolina. The first took me to Winthrop University to see one of my dear friends play basketball for the United States Naval Academy. She had asked her coach if I could come do a pre-game chapel for the team while they were there. The weekend was awesome, really for both of us. She had someone to come alongside in ministering to her team, which has been a growing experience as the only senior, captain, and beginning the season on the sidelines due to injury. For me, however, it was amazing. She had asked me to share the Gospel with the girls, and I did so through talking about adventure and telling a bit of my story. It was so humbling…all that Wes had taught us about “chapel”, that we bring the presence of God and that what comes out of my mouth may be the only Gospel they ever hear…it weighed heavily on me. But at the same time, exhilarating to watch the wheels spin behind their eyes (the very thing I LOVED about being a teacher and coach too)! It was awesome to get to know the team better and still keep up with some that I hope to continue to encourage.

About three days later, I was in a car again headed up I-85. This time, all of us were going to Clemson University to hang out with the FCA staff there to learn about their FCA and how they do things. Clemson has one of, if not THE, largest FCA in the nation. They also reach the entire student population, rather than just focusing on the student-athletes. Anyways…as for our trip…Sandy and I were soon picked up and whisked off to the Girls’ Bible study. After some amazing supper (thanks Sharon!), Heather (the female staff person) led the 30 girls in a Bible Study. It was awing to see girls from so many sports teams represented, desiring to learn, and just plain having LOTS of fun! The following day, we got to sit down with Heather, Tony (the male staff person), and Sharon (wife of one of the football coaches) to ask every question we could think of about their ministry. We learned so much about their take on discipleship (something they call spiritual 2-a-days), serving coaches and their families, and many more ideas on how to meet the needs of the athletes. Lastly, we got to sit in on the weekly coaches’ Bible study that was led by one of their strength coaches…who happened to be Sean’s strength coach back at Western Kentucky.

I learned so much practically from both these experiences. I’m excited about going to visit several other campuses in the spring including UGA and Vanderbilt.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Fire Hydrant Explained

2007-11-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

So many things have happened over the past two weeks! Maybe with this blog I’ll get to give you a view of why I keep saying that I feel like I’m drinking from a fire hydrant…it’s all coming at me so fast. The two weeks began when a group of student-athletes from FCA decided that it was time to try and campout. Of course, this decision was made a couple days before the camping weekend and the cold front that blasted through…but we had fun!

Last weekend, Wes also had the men’s and women’s track team over to his house for a cookout. It was a great way to get to meet and minister to the athletes away from the track. This is an amazing team! There are many from the States, but also many foreign students…so we really do get to be their home away from home. Wes has always said that this is all about time and relationships. How true he has proved to be! We had a blast…the guys humored themselves using a TV remote as a microphone and interviewing each other while the girls got REALLY competitive at Taboo. The “feel” on the track was so different the following week. We all had things to joke around about and everyone is more open.

Of course, the standard schedule has been maintained, going to various practices, visiting off the court with coaches, showing up at 6am practices and having some late nights too…but it has totally been worth it! Being present has yielded several divine appointments with particular athletes or coaches, in the dugout, training room, or sidelines. Several teams are starting up team Bible Studies that we are going to get to lead or help out with. Randy works with baseball and invited me one night to their time together as they watched a DVD that AIA (www.aia.org) put together on the 2004 Boston Red Sox Championship team that presented the gospel message VERY well (www.reversingthecurse.com)

We are learning so much during our training time too. We have been devouring books, music, videos, sermons…pretty much anything we can get our hands on out of Wes’ tremendous library. In particular this past week, we have been learning about all sorts of multi-media resources that are available. If you want to check out some of what we’ve been looking at these past two weeks, check www.bluefishtv.com . We’ve been taking in so much that I finally took up the challenge from Wes’ dad to begin a filing system that will allow me to have better recall of everything…because there is NO WAY that I will be able to remember this all.

On a personal note, God has really been teaching me a lot about the concept of stewardship…that I am a manager of so many things that He has given to me: money, time, abilities, people I am responsible for, and friends. I have been challenged in how I spend all of that. I’ve gotten back on a written budget, really analyzed how I spend my time and learned how to not waste so much of it. It has reinforced what I’ve learned long ago that the people God brings into my life are not mine and not completely my responsibility either…but I am to take good care of them because they belong to Him. To that end, I have also been blessed with several friendships here and long distance that are very intentional…that have the right to ask the difficult questions that truly sharpen me (Proverbs 27:17). I am so thankful.

Field Trips!- part 1

2007-10-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

Things have been going well here at Auburn. I’ve been really slack in posting things up here for you to know what’s going on. Our schedule went from being rather free, to filling up fast. I still feel like I’m drinking from a fire hose, I’m learning so much so fast.

We’ve been able to go several amazing places during the first two months of training. We have been blessed to meet and learn from several knowledgeable people!

David Guinn, Action Ministries
David Guinn is a part of A.M.I. Sports Chaplains ( http://www.ami-sportschaplains.com ) and has a variety of fronts including Olympics outreach, teaching, missions and discipleship. We got to visit David at his home and training center in West Point, GA. He spent all day with us walking us around the new training center, sharing with us about his vision for it, and training us with his knowledge about the sports world and discipleship.

Dr. Tim Elmore, Growing Leaders
We also went to Atlanta to meet Tim Elmore at the Equip Institute ( http://www.growingleaders.com ). He has authored an amazing series of books called “Habitudes”. After spending over 2 decades in college ministry, his desire is to provide leadership material to those in college ministry to help equip them. In our time with him, we got to pick his brain about how to be efficient stewards of our time and energy…how to invest in people so that you multiply yourself best…and insight into college ministry to this generation. We have been using his Habitudes series with several team Bible studies here at Auburn. His ministry has even authored a character-based version that is being used with entire athletic departments at other universities and is being supplemented with the faith-based version through that university’s FCA. What a resource for the future!

Through our time with these two gentlemen, I have been challenged, encouraged, equipped and sharpened. We have discussed so many topics: priorities, what it means to be a disciple (Faithful, Accountable, Initiative, Teachable, and Hungry), what it means to be a leader (Gifted, Influence, Fruitful, Trustworthy, and Serving), the difference between teaching and training, and some “how to’s” to be effective and efficient. I have been challenged by both in being a good steward of the time, relationships, and influence that God has entrusted to me. I long for wisdom in knowing who, with and how to invest in and multiply my life. It’s fun because all this has come on the heels of many things God has been teaching me personally. I want to be a disciple of His…daily following in the grand adventure and abundant life He has planned for me (John 10:10, Jeremiah 29:11-13). I am so thankful for those who have invested and poured their lives into me. I always want to maintain relationships with people who are ahead of me that will challenge me, those who are my peers with whom I go back to back, and those I can invest my life in. I want to multiply what he has done in my life in the lives of others! We do live lives of such influence…that makes a ripple that you just can’t catch sometimes (2 Timothy 2:2). My friend, Dr Rene Rochester told me this summer, “You can count the number of seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the number of apples in a seed”. How true!

A Week in the Life of a College Chaplain Trainee

2007-09-22T16:07:00.000-04:00

Things have obviously been rocking and rolling here…haven’t posted in forever! I figured I’d start back up with letting you know what a typical week is looking like here.

Mondays and Thursdays are training days...
Monday-
Prayer Time. The team gets together and spends some good time praying with each other, for each other, personal concerns, the week ahead, and people on our minds and hearts. This has been such a sweet time of God binding our hearts together, being honest with each other, and giving Him the first fruits of our week.
Biblical training. A local Pastor comes and just straight up teaches us. This fall we’re gonna walk through the book of John. This is kinda cool for me because I feel like there is so much more I want and need to learn. We’re getting some solid teaching that I would be missing out on because I didn’t go to seminary.
Chaplain Training and FCA fundamentals training. Wes wrote the college chaplain training manual and we’re going through that in the afternoon. It’s a really neat time for me as I listen through the ears of a former college athlete, teacher and coach. We’re going through the manual, learning biblical foundations, practical principles and hearing real-life examples of life as a college chaplain. How awesome it must be for Wes to share out of his experience with us, multiplying what God has done through him! The FCA fundamentals training is about 9 weeks worth of material that every new full-time FCA staffperson must complete. We are doing it during this program so that it is already handled when we become full time.
Thursday-
Thursdays are different from week to week. We have had guests come visit and have gone out to other locations. People and topics have so far included: Lakeba Williams- personality, Chette Williams- the college chaplain and coaches, and David Guinn- discipleship. One Thursday out of the month we have devoted to prayer. In August, we hung around the training center and in September, we went out to Farmlinks. (I’ll post more on all that later.)
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday are campus days
We have now been assigned teams, met almost all the coaches and have been given the green light to be at practices and games…walking through any doors that God may open for us. I am working with the softball, golf, cross country, and track & field teams. We get to set our own schedule to include several priorities and accomplish them when it makes sense. Afternoons are typically spent at practice or competitions. Of course, there are a couple 6 am workouts too! In the mornings, it is our responsibility to study, prepare for the weekly FCA huddle meeting, and spend time praying for our teams, athletes and coaches. Our weekly campus FCA huddle meeting is on Tuesday nights. We also have a tremendous amount of media resources in the training center. We preserve some of our time each week to learn about that too.
The Weekends
The weekends look different each week. We’ve begun to spend a lot of weekend time going to competitions and I’ve gotten my first REAL taste of college football with the first four games of the season being home games. Auburn football fans are crazy! I’ve also finally found my church home for the next 8 months! Pretty excited that the early service is at 11:15! We also meet with the FCA leadership team on Sunday evenings to pour into them and plan our weekly FCA huddle meeting.

I’ve been absolutely LOVING my time here, feel like I’ve learned so much, and still have so much more to learn!!!

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a
workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of
truth.

amazing

2007-09-05T20:29:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

wow...
so true...

Makes me think of the old song:
this is my story...
this is my song...
praising my Savior...
all the day long

Chapele

2007-08-22T19:08:00.000-04:00

Wes Yeary, our fearless leader, gave us an assignment last week. We were to examine what the word "chaplain" means and how we respond to it. In the manual he has written, we learned that the word chaplain comes from the French word chapele, meaning church. This 9 month program is FCA's College Chaplain Training Program. I figured I'd share my written response with you...

As a chaplain, I get to be the presence of God to those I serve: to bring Him onto the court, into the locker room, to walk humbly, but with a holy swagger into the lives of those I serve. As an athlete, I have brought God onto the playing field with me and played with a tenacity that can only be explained by faith. As a coach, I have experienced the influence that I exert on my players. I have watched God change the lives of players under my charge as I sought to glorify Him. Now, to step onto the field as a chaplain? There can be no mistake as to what I am to be about!

I remember training physically, disciplining myself, and balancing my schedule as a collegiate athlete. Many times I was sustained by having someone offer me a safe place of refuge, knowing that someone was praying for me, or in the stands cheering me on. As a coach, I even changed the sport I was coaching to be able to get to choir practice on Wednesday night for the encouragement I found there. I passed exhaustion many seasons as I poured into my athletes. I desperately needed the People of God to buoy me.

As a chaplain, I get to do just that for the coaches and athletes God entrusts to me! How humbling is it that the only Scripture some may ever hear would come off my lips? I will get to be the hands and feet of Christ in an arena that is so familiar to me. I know God used me throughout college, both in the times I walked victoriously and in the times I forged my own path. How much more could He have accomplished through a life wholly surrendered to Him? I get to challenge, encourage, and maybe even be a catalyst to spur athletes and coaches down that path! I know He used me as a college athlete and as a coach, both in times of spiritual victory and defeat. I can’t go back and re-live portions of my college experience, but what an amazing opportunity for a “do-over”. I get to multiply what He has done in my life in the lives of others who share the same passion and experience of sport!

I am excited to answer the challenge to “make the most of every opportunity” laid out in Ephesians 5:15-16. I have seen Him orchestrate divine appointments countless times as I pray for opportunity. Why would He not answer and be Faithful? On my watch, I hope to be a good steward of all He entrusts to me, gaining as much time and opportunity as He will allow.

Random Moments of Travel and Getting Settled Here

2007-08-22T18:47:00.000-04:00

Birdie is Sandy’s rat terrier that made the trek with us. I about lost it and made Sandy put her in this pet exercise area that we found in South Carolina. It was like a sandbox for dogs with a little “hitching post”!!

Needless to say, Georgia was a little more refined. We found a pet exercise area here as well. But as you can tell, Birdie had a huge yard to play around in (and marked her territory repeatedly).
We arrived in Auburn and began unloading the Big Truck! Carly was REALLY excited about carrying that box for us. We were so thankful for her help.

We got an opportunity to just relax and hang with the rest of the team later that night at Wes’ house. We had to take a moment for a girl picture. Left to right is Carly (Director of Women’s Ministry for FCA at Auburn), Tosha (who works in the Athletic Department but is a part of the FCA family here), Me, and Sandy (the other female chaplain trainee).

My Stalker

2007-08-14T21:57:00.000-04:00

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond
all we can ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us…”-
Ephesians 3:20

Yeah, so this verse has been stalking me. That’s ok…I agree with my friend, Sarah…there are other verses I would NOT want stalking me. This one seems to be everywhere I go. Before coming to Auburn, it was given to me by two different people, was on my new boss’ voicemail, was prayed over me by another FCA staffperson, and seemed to come up in every church service I went to. Since arriving here, I’ve seen it several places and several people have talked about it. I can’t seem to get away. I really don’t think I want to.

I had been packing all week, and was so excited to have some friends come help. However, I don't know if this qualifies as help! But it sure did qualify as love. (The note on my window read: Because we love you...Cooper, Heather, and Kieran).

Sandy and I loaded all our stuff in the back of a budget truck, hooked my car behind it, and began the journey. And yes, it WAS the hottest day of the year so far!

We drove down to Alabama…stopping at all the state lines!!!

I figured driving a big truck was no different that driving a school bus...and trailering my car was no different than trailering a boat. I've done both...just NOT at the same time. I had some great company though (on speakerphone for safety)...so when we unexpectedly pulled over at a rest stop, I had to explain to Sandy that Sarah was down in my wheel well and I had to get her out.

We finally arrived Friday afternoon, were joined by four others on the team, and began to unload into the duplex we will call home for the next 9 months. We’ve been able to meet so many people, from ones that are a part of the Athletic Department to those who are a part of the FCA family here…from a local church family to people like the Stanford’s who attend my dad’s church but frequent the area. What an example of the family of Christ! The Stanford’s even housed Sandy and me for the first two nights, and gave us our first AU shirts.

I am so excited about the people I get to work with during this time! I’ll fully explain about the team in a later blog as I get to know each of them better. But for now: Chette, Wes, and Carly are all full time FCA staff here at Auburn. Then there are 4 of us in the College Chaplain Training Program; two guys and two girls. The seven of us encompass three races, range in age from 22 to mid-40’s, come from various backgrounds, and all love Jesus! What a sweet time it’s gonna be! So far, we have gotten to informally meet several athletes at Fan Day, and officially meet with the volleyball and gymnastics teams.

I feel like I’ve been drinking through a fire hydrant. We’ve only been here 5 days and I can hardly contain myself. I am so humbled to be here and be a part of this training program. I have been awed to see God’s faithfulness over and over. I am learning in a practical way how He is more than simply my Father, but is my Daddy. And this Daddy can do crazy more than anything I could ever ask Him for, imagine, or even wrap my mind around. Yeah, I don’t mind my stalker.

Don’t Get Comfortable

2007-08-01T16:38:00.000-04:00

The new adventure begins. In about a week I will be moving to Auburn, Alabama to work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Auburn University. Myself and several others will be joining the FCA staff people at Auburn to go through the 9 month college chaplain training program during the 2007-08 school year. At the end of that time, we will each be placed on a college campus somewhere in the US. I am so excited about this opportunity and had NO IDEA that this is where God would lead me.

How I got here:
Mom’s a teacher and Dad’s a minister. I always swore I’d have no part of either. (Yeah, that’s really working out well for me..haha). So when a friend suggested checking out the local seminary, I really didn’t want to. I had begun to explore vocations outside of teaching high school as my passion had slowly been moving towards working with college age students. When I found out I could go to seminary for free, it begged the question “why not”. I quickly discovered that I would have a job and a place to live so I resigned from my HS teaching job and put my house on the market. Shortly after that, things began to fall through and I found myself chasing after the ball that God had gotten rolling for me…trying to figure out where it was going. While working FCA’s Black Mountain camp in June, I heard about the training program and got to sit down with the director, Wes Yeary. I began to pray about it, visited my friend, Courtney Wilkes up at WVU, talked to Jill Perry at UGA, and decided I would walk towards this opportunity unless God closed the door.
Before hearing about the program and ever since, God has not let me forget that He is Enough. Like Moses, I don’t want to go where His Presence is not. And when Moses asked God to show him His glory, the Lord passed in front of Moses declaring His character. He truly is Enough…no matter where I am, my situation, what I’m doing…He Himself is Enough! And in the middle of all this one verse keeps repeating itself. Ephesians 3:20- Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us. All I can say is, what a wild ride?!?! Truly, He has already blown my socks off in too many ways this summer to begin to recount to you. He is faithful.

What’s next:
I have been challenged by a friend to establish a group a people who will pray for me regularly. She also encouraged me to establish a blog/newsletter/email list of sorts to keep people informed about what’s going on. Please let me know if you would like to be a part of that. As for now, I am stepping out in faith, and walking forward. I am praying for:

My house in NC to sell quickly as I continue to try and be a good steward
The details of moving
Finding a church home in Auburn
Friendships where I can pour into them and where they can pour into me

If you know me or my family, you know that music has been tremendously powerful in my life. “Don’t Get Comfortable”, by Brandon Heath was shared with me by two precious sisters earlier this summer. It has meant a lot to me over the past month.

Comfortable, don’t get comfortable
I am gonna move this mountain
Then I’m gonna you move your will
Yesterday, this is not yesterday
You were standing on my shoulders
Now you’re standing on the edge
You’ve been looking for a sign all this time

I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you’ve never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

So afraid, but you don’t have to be afraid
Even if you make mistakes
You know that I remain
You’ve been looking for a sign all this time
If you seek you’ll find me everytime

So I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you’ve never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

Can you feel the call of love? Is it moving you
To be the Child of God of love? Is it reaching you?
It’s everywhere the call of love

I just wanna show you what I mean
I just wanna love like you’ve never seen
Do you wanna live like you used to dream?
Then I got a song for you
Cause I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you’ve never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

2006 in review

2006-12-30T01:01:00.000-05:00

Last Christmas... all the Williams' Girls! This was the last holiday all of us were together. Grandma went on to be with Jesus. Not what many would consider to be the best way to start a year. But let me tell you...there are not words adequate enough to explain watching your uncle and dad lead worship at (not the funeral) the HomeComing of their mom... WOW!

Softball season soon began...We had a blast!!!
I love these girls...they are a blessing.

The SENIORS!

gotta love times at Black Mountain...FCA CAMP!!

My family moved to TN...this summer. Yup, now they're only 10 hrs away instead of 13! I went to visit them for the first time over 4th of July week. I was excited!!!

But my sister was NOT a fan of having her picture taken. :) haha

Bought my first house...finally closed toward the end of summer. It was a foreclosure, so to say the least, it has been a LOT of work. Mom and Dad came to help. And I was blessed out of my mind because I had a ton of people come help too. The first painting night I couldn't grab a brush b/c I had to keep running around supplying eerybody else. THANK YOU to all who helped!!!

It was ready in time for the BMG reunion. First one held in a really long time! It was so much fun to play host. We even had a young little guest. But I'm wondering...is there something wrong with the fact that my head is the same size as a toddlers? (we traded sunglasses for this pic)

An old Huddle Leader and Camper are re-united!!!

Posing on the front porch...
Cooper- aka van jumper
Carol- aka barista
and
Sarah- aka drummergirl

I really feel like I've finally had the chance to get more involved in my church...they've become my home, my family.I can only brag on God for His perfect timing here...opening doors here. And btw...we have a rocking awesome choir! I'm in the alto section...WAAAAY over on the other side.

Some of the girls who have been such a blessing to me there

...enjoying the Deuling Pianos!!!

Yup...and these girls are becoming friends too.

Yup...this one too.

Reverting to childhood...climbing trees...ummm...in 40 degree weather?

Road Tripping it!!! Freas and I headed to the mountains to get away and visit. What a beautiful adventure! Rock Jumping up Hebron Falls on a gorgeous day!

And the next day it was SNOWING!!! Gotta love the mountains, right? All I know is FL girl here tried to take on Kieran, Freas, and Mandy with snowballs...but ummm yeah..2 of those 3 are psycho competitive too and bigger than me...so..yeah..it wasn't pretty.

The fam at Thanksgiving

I love my sister. We are SOOO not alike...case in point.

Christmas Dinner!

Several things have been grown in me over the course of the year:

It is impossible to glorify myself (or my situation) and God at the same time.

Nothing of eternal significance will happen in my players' lives unless God does it...so when there's an open door, walk through it!

God is in the resurrection business

Just ask, stay in His Word and His Will and He will provide the Strength you need

He is Sovreign. Nothing comes to me that has not passed through His fingers of love for me. Therefore, I KNOW that He is in control and can have peace, no matter what happens.

Meekness- getting angry at the right time, for the right reason, and to the right degree

Much of what you say, even if it is insignificant to you, is heard and remembered. This could be a curse, or an amazing blessing

The world of picture and video messaging is FUN

He has restored JOY and FUN in my life, particularly in a child-like way.

Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness

2006-12-30T01:00:00.001-05:00

This Christmas, I coerced my mom into driving the 2 hrs from their home in Franklin, TN to a trailhead 2miles down a dirt road, to hike 8 miles with me and see some of the most spectacular sites I have EVER seen!!!

We hiked the Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness Trail. The trail descends into Caney Fork River Gorge passing Big Branch Falls, Big Laurel Creek, Big Laurel Falls, the Sheep Cave, and on toward the ultimate destination of Virgin Falls. Along the way, there is a loop trail that will take hikers to a popular overlook (Martha's Pretty Point) above the Caney Fork River Gorge...but we did not have time for that. Virgin Falls itself is formed by an underground stream that emerges from a cave, drops over a 110-foot cliff and goes back into a cave at the bottom.

We followed this creek for some of the hike...having to cross it a total of 3 times.

Much of the trail is moderate in nature. The first 30 minutes is rather flat. However, there are many rockey areas. See how tall this rock face is that we walked alongside.

Big Branch Falls- the first falls of the day. We paused here to enjoy the view and take a couple of pictures.

It was here that we ran into one of only five people we saw all day. Hank was kind enough to take a picture of mom and me in front of the falls.

The 3rd river crossing was the most eventful! This cable was strung across to assist with crossing. It was not a difficult crossing, but the river was at peak flow. We both emerged with a wet foot on the other side...which prompted some creative crossing on the return trip. Mom swung some and I pulled myself on top of it and across the difficult portion.

A view back up the river a couple hundred feet downstream.

Big Laurel Falls- fall #2 of the day. This is BIG. I am sitting on a rock in front of this falls.

A side view of the falls.

I could climb down and behind the falls too. If you noticed in the first picture, there was no river leading away from the falls...that's because it flows backwards into this cave-type area then disappears into the ground. However, there's a large flat, sandy area (I'm standing on it) that would be awesome for camping!

Just a fun picture to make a friend laugh.

We then continued on with the longest portion of our hike. We knew we were gonna be fighting daylight and had begun to get a little worried. We were so thankful to run into the 2nd person of the day at the beginning of the loop that heads to Sheep's Cave and Virgin Falls. It had taken us 2.5 hrs to get to this point. Thankfully, she pointed us in the right direction.

Next Stop...Sheep Cave- This falls was rather spectacular, although I don't think I did it justice with the camera. There's apperently an upper and lower section of the falls. We could make that out through the trees, but had a difficult time getting to the lower portion. This is the head of the falls, originating out of the cave.

A view looking out from the head over the drop!!!

On the ledge!!! What a spectacular view...the camera could not take it all in!!!

Finally...Virgin Falls!!! I left my mom to rest at a primitive campsite area with a great view of the falls and ran up to the head of this spectacular falls. There were several rocks that laid across the top fo the falls. I was able to climb out on them and take a couple of shots. Here's a picture back into the cave where ALL the water was coming from. It was flowing with a pretty significant force already.

The view looking out across the drop! You do NOT wanna get caught in THAT water!

Coming back down, I tried to get as close to the side of the falls as I safely could. WOW!

A shot of Virgin Falls on the way back down.

Trying for a frontal view.

I rejoined my mom at the campsite and tried to get as close as I could to the falls from the front. Here's the top half of the 110' falls.

The Bottom Half...I was standing about 45' up from the bottom and could feel the mist hitting me.

Mom snapped this picture as I was taking video of Virgin Falls with my cell.

What a day!!! It was absolutely spectacular!!! And we had an amazing view of the sunset behind us as we trekked back to the parking area. It was dark when we returned...oops. But 6.5 hours for me and my 57 year old mom...that's pretty darn good!

The following are two photos I found on the internet...the first of Sheep's Cave and the second of Virgin Falls. This photographer caught some great pictures and detailed his account of hiking here. In case you decide to go...and to give credit where it is due...you can check out his website at http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/vfpw1.htm

Sheep Cave
Virgin Falls...a great frontal view!!!

So this has really prompted me to find other fun places like this and go on more adventures...maybe a little closer to home in NC. I'm hoping to go back here, however, and make it a 2 day adventure...camp a bit there...Who wants to join me?

Feels Like Home To Me

2006-12-30T00:07:00.000-05:00

As the fam has all moved to TN, I no longer get the excuse to go to FL over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It occurred to me this past week that I grew up in one of the southernmost and warmest climates in the continental US! It's no wonder I didn't have ANY warm clothing when I moved here. Anyways...Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks have always brought a welcome trip to warmer climates...and an opportunity to fight renew what I always thought was the natural bronze color of my skin. But the best part about growing up in Naples, FL...and the trips home...is watching the majesty of a sunset over the ocean.

By the way...all pics here (except for one) were taken by me or my dad.