Thursday, August 21, 2014

Made New!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come
[2 Corinthians 5:17]


Hola Peeps!

I wish I could transfer my excitement fully through a computer screen but I can't so just know I am super excited. 

Though tomorrow is the day in which I am truly excited for I decided [Due to already knowing how hectic tomorrow will be] that I would go ahead and write to you explaining to you why so you can also be excited along with me [And pray]. Tomorrow marks a day of new beginnings, new adventures, a fresh start if you will. 

Tomorrow I will be moving into the dorm which I will spend my second year of college in. My school supplies have been bought and [mostly] everything is packed. Tomorrow at 7:30 AM I will be loading up a van and heading back to Greenville.  Yay! I cannot even explain to you how pumped I am to get started on this year. I've expressed to you the heartache I have had over the last year and finally I am at a place where the doom and gloom cloud has passed and I am taking in the radiant light of Jesus once again. 


Speaking of the awesome Lord I serve! The BIGGEST reason and without question the most important reason I am excited for tomorrow is it's my birthday! I'll be four! 


I know what you're thinking! 'Four Amanda? Tomorrow? I thought your birthday is in September and I thought you were turning 20. Like didn't you just write a blog post about turning 20 soon???' You're right, but my fourth birthday coming up tomorrow is far more important than my 20th. 

Four years ago today was a Sunday. I remember vividly the dark room filled with a bunch of teenagers. The song Hosanna was playing and right there in C3's teen auditorium I handed my life over to Jesus Christ. Since then it's been a roller-coaster that only goes up [Thank you Fault in Our Stars for that catch phrase]. I wish we could all just sit around a cup of coffee and talk about the amazing things Christ has done in each of our lives because at least for me I could go on for days. In the last year God has shown me just how much He loves me even when running away from Him is the only thing I feel like doing. God has taught me hard lesson but He has also brought people into my life to shepherd me and grow me in the likeness of Him. I am so excited to see what the next year and so on holds as I try to seek Him daily and bring Glory to His name. 


So in light of my fourth birthday and happy move in day have a cup of coffee or tea and a cupcake for me! 




XOXO
Mandacakes






Thursday, August 14, 2014

The Greatest Man

There's been many great men in history. Some conquered empires. Some changed social order. Others changed the world as we knew it. However this isn't about any of them. This is about one man who did all that.

He grew up with not much. Many of his summers were spent on his family farm. He didn't particularly excel in school. After graduating from his town's high school he headed to the Navy. He worked hard and partied even harder.  After one of his tours he was tricked into going on a date with a beautiful curly haired manager at the Dollar Store. A few years later he put a ring on it and they married in the middle of September. This is about the time that his journey began to change.

Nearly 5 years after he married the curly brunette they welcomed a little girl. He probably didn't know it as he held her abnormally large and stretched out head that he would radically change a world.

Nearly 20 years later that baby girl knows for a fact that she would not be where she is with out that man.

His rough hands taught her so much. They taught her how to pitch a softball, bait a hook, and iron a shirt the navy way. They clapped at her games and when she stood in front of a 25,000 people to share her success. They brushed away tears when life knocked her down.

His eyes watched as she flourished and they saw when she was going to fall. They cried the day she walked across the stage and gathered her diploma. They watched her soar and watched her fall.

His lips spoke truth into her life; truth of the gospel and a man far greater than him and the saving grace he offered on a wooden cross 2,000 years ago. His lips built up her character and self esteem. His lips taught lessons. His lips made her laugh.

Day by day, month by month, year by year he changed the world of a little brown eyed girl. He helped her conquer the demons that lived within. He helped change the social order of her life.

Sometimes daddy doesn't even know how much he changed my life. To the world he may not be much. He doesn't make much money and he doesn't have degrees hanging on the wall. He can't send me all around the world and give me everything my wicked heart desires. He did however changed my world. He spent more time developing my character then money on me. He cares more about be being kind and displaying Christ than making loads of money and being well-known. I am who I am because he chose to be active father in my life than a sideliner. He is the first man I loved. The first man to hold my hand. The first man to tell me he loved me. The first man to tell me how proud of me he is. He had every excuse to be lousy father but he chose to be better.


So daddy as you celebrate your birthday today working hard to provide for us just know this, if you ever doubt if you are a good father,  know you're the greatest. If you ever doubt whether you are a good man, know you're the best kind. If you ever doubt whether you are loved, know you are far more loved than words could express.




Happy Birthday Daddy!

Love you!

Your daughter,
Amanda