Christmas 2010

I love Christmas; I always have. It is fun having a husband who loves Christmas just as much or more than I do. This year, he insisted on putting up our Christmas decorations at the very beginning of November. Even though it is tradition with me and my family to put up decorations the day after Thanksgiving, I gave in. I think it was fun, making us anticipate Christmas even more. It is so weird to say that Christmas has passed, and even weirder to think that next Christmas we will be celebrating with a 6 month old!

Because of the pregnancy, my family decided to drive up to spend Christmas with us in Louisville. My dad, mom, brother, and grandma drove up from St. Augustine, Florida on December 22 and arrived early afternoon of December 23. I was so excited to see them. The last time I saw my dad was in October, my mom and grandma was in September, and my brother was in June. It felt like Christmas with them around.

After I got off of work on the 24th, all of us (minus my dad) went to Babies 'R Us and picked out the baby's crib and dresser! My mom had told me that my grandma was going to buy us the crib; however, she did not mention anything about getting the dresser. We were surprised and thankful for such wonderful gifts for our baby. We love the set and I can't wait to see them in use! Here are pictures of the crib and dresser:


Image courtesy of Babies 'R Us


Image courtesy of Babies 'R Us

On Christmas Eve, we went to Ninth and O's Christmas Eve service. We love our church family, and I was so excited for my family to be a part of something that means so much to me and Chris. Dr. Cook preached a wonderful message on the life that this Baby brings to those in captivity. I came away thankful again for the person and work of Christ, as well as for the faithful preaching that we get to hear each week from our pastor. After service, we went out to eat at O'Charleys and had a great time.

On Christmas morning, I woke up early to fix a breakfast casserole for my family. They came to the house around 8:30. We opened up presents around 9:00 and then ate that yummy casserole (if I do say so myself!). I was so thankful for the gifts that I received, some of them being maternity shirts, gift cards, and Bobby Bowden's book. Yes, I am a girl that loves football, specifically Florida State football, and I love Bobby Bowden! We had lunch around 12:30 and ate a lot of delicious food! I think Chris and I will be having ham coming out of our ears! That afternoon, we went to the movie theater. The ladies went to see "The King's Speech" while the men saw "Tron: Legacy". I LOVED "The King's Speech" and so did my mom. We can't wait to buy it when it comes out on DVD.

On the morning of the 26th, we went back to Ninth and O for church. While Chris went to work, the rest of my family and I had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (yum!). After lunch was over, the boys went back to the apartment to watch football while the ladies went shopping!! I was SO excited! I had been waiting for this moment for a while, holding out to get maternity clothes until my mom was here. I found a lot of good things and I am so happy to have clothes that fit again! I told Chris that I feel cute again. :)

This morning, my family left bright and early to head back to Florida. I had such a great time with them. While I am completely content with where I am at, it is great seeing my family that I miss. I am blessed to have a husband that enjoys spending time with my family, as well. Here are a couple of pictures of Christmas time:


This is what our living room looks like decorated for Christmas.


This was taken after Ninth and O's Christmas Eve Service. Although I am not crazy about how I look in this picture, I love my family :)

I hope that your Christmas was a wonderful time of celebration. Christ is our Immanuel! I pray that we would be mindful of that in the coming year. Blessings!

17 Week Update

Picture courtesy of thebump.com

I haven't been updating this blog as much as I would have liked. Even though I am pregnant, I see my life as being pretty boring and normal. I praise God that there has not been anything unusual in my pregnancy to make it more interesting than I want it to be. Because of this, I have missed the 16 week mark and update on the doctor's visit. So here it is a week later :)

We went in for the 16 week appointment last Monday. Because the practice that I go to is very popular in the city, we did have to wait a while at this appointment. The doctor that I was seeing had a few patients she had to see earlier than expected. This became very frustrating because I knew that all we would be doing is hearing the heartbeat and checking me to see if everything was ok. Needless to say, I was very happy when we finally saw her.

After the doctor asked me how I was doing and if everything was going well, she then checked for the heartbeat. At our 12 week appointment, it took her a while to find the heartbeat. Our little one was comfortable towards the side of my stomach at that time. I was hoping to hear it sooner this time around, but kept in mind our previous appointment. Almost as soon as she put the monitor on me, the little heartbeat was heard. I was so excited! It was in the 140s this week, down from the 150s the previous appointment. I was so glad to know that everything was ok.

Our "big" appointment will be on January 19. I CANNOT WAIT to find out what this little one is and to see how it is growing. I am also excited because I am seeing my regular doctor at this appointment. At 8 weeks she predicted that it is a girl, so we will see if she is right! I am still leaning towards boy, though not as strongly as I did before. Chris still has no idea how to lean. He just can't wait to call the baby by it's name. We already have both a boy and girl name picked. I am ready to refer to the baby as a boy or a girl. I also can't wait to go shopping! My mother is also ready to know. Grandma can't wait to spoil her grandchild :)

As you can see by the picture, our baby is around the length of an onion. I am continually amazed at how fast our little one is growing and how it is developing. I am waiting to feel the baby move and kick, although I think I may have felt it kick last week. After we went to our appointment, I was sitting down on the couch. I felt a slight bubbly feeling that only last a couple of seconds. From what I have heard and read, that is what women feel early on when their baby kicks. I will know for certain through out the next few weeks if that was really it kicking or not. I also can't wait till Chris feels it kick!

I do hope to be more regular on my pregnancy updates. Keep praying for us and Baby Garner!

12 Week Update

So we have made the big 12 week mark!! We are so blessed that we have reached this mark without any scares or complications. I am very much looking forward to the end of the first trimester sickness. The past week, I have had a hard time at nights having terrible nausea. Milk is my friend during this time, as well as Tums on occasion. One night this week I got sick twice. I am trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that this is just a season. I just wish that the light would shine brightly at this very moment :)

About a week and a half ago, my sister-in-law found out that she is having her third daughter!! I was so excited to hear this news. She has two precious girls now, and I can't wait till this little one joins the cuteness! Because of this, I am thinking more and more that we will be having a boy. While it would be super cute if Nana and Poppy (Chris's parents) had four granddaughters, I cannot get a boy out of my head. I will be shocked if the technician tells us that she sees a girl.

We had our 12 week appointment yesterday. At our last appointment, we were scheduled to have an ultrasound. We get in the ultrasound room and the technician is starting to get ready. She asked us if this was our first ultrasound and I said that we had one last time. She looked confused, went out of the room, then came back to tell us that we didn't need one this week. She was afraid that if we got one, our insurance company would not back it up. We understood and then went to see the doctor. I was kind of disappointed. I was so excited to see another picture of my baby, but keeping our money is a good thing. I also felt bad because Chris's mom was with us and she wouldn't see her grandbaby.

So we went to see the doctor soon after. My doctor was out of town this week, so I had scheduled a different doctor. I was hoping that she would be nice, and I am so happy that she was. I felt very comfortable with her. She then went to find our baby's heartbeat. She had put the device on me and started to locate the heartbeat. It took a while to find it, and I was kind of getting nervous. Then I heard it and smiled. Our baby was fine! I looked over at Chris and he smiled. After she heard the heartbeat, there was a static noise. She said that what we heard was the baby kicking. How cool is that!! It's already moving around!

So as you can see from the picture, our baby is the length of a plum, which blows my mind! It has been growing so fast! I am starting to show a little bit, but not enough for me to post a picture. Maybe within the next couple of weeks I will put a picture up of what I look like. I cannot wait to start registering for fun baby things. Even more, I CANNOT WAIT to find out what this baby is. Mommy is getting impatient!!

I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends, always giving thanks for what our Father has done for us in the work of his Son. Blessings!

Meet Baby Garner - 8.5 Weeks

Today was our first appointment with my doctor. Before going in today, I was nervous. I hadn't had any symptoms for me to think that there was anything wrong, but I had heard of stories of woman like that who had found out they lost the baby at the appointment. Whatever was going to happen, I knew God was good. Having Chris with me was great and I hope that he can go to the other appointments.

Once we got into the office, I did the normal "doctor's visit" things. When the nurse was asking for informations, she asked if twins ran in my family. My mom's mother was a twin. That was another worry of mine. Oh no, what if we have twins! I told Chris what she said and said, "We are NOT having twins."

A few more minutes went by and I saw my doctor. I love my doctor. She is incredibly funny, easy-going, and helpful. She made sure everything was fine and saw that I was healthy and didn't have anything to worry about. She made Chris feel at ease, as well. He told me later that he really liked her. She informed me of possible shots in the future, but never told me that I needed to have any of them done. That is another great thing about her. She let me and Chris decide what is best for us.

The not fun part came next: the dreaded blood work. Since I was little, I have hated needles. I sat down and the lab technician proceeded to suck me like a vampire. I held Chris's and looked the other way. That was over and I was happy. After a few more stops, we went into the ultrasound room. We were finally going to see our baby!

We got into the ultrasound room and the technician proceeded to get her stuff ready. I laid down and watched the screen eagerly. The lights went off and the screen was on. She found the baby and zoomed in. Then she did the most incredible thing: she pulled up the heartbeat. It was pounding like crazy!! It was like music to my ears. She then measured it and made sure that everything else was fine. She said that the baby was healthy, were it needed to be, and that there was plenty of amniotic fluid for it. And most importantly, ONE baby :)

We walked out amazed at this little one and our Creator. This tiny, tiny speck on the screen was a human being with a fluttering heart. How could anyone take away these precious babies when their heartbeat races and flutters on the ultrasound screen? God creates life and creates it beautiful at the moment of conception. My baby is a BABY, not just a "fetus" or blob of tissues. I become more resolved to seek the end of the mass murder of innocent babies. I don't know if any woman who has received an ultrasound and seen a heartbeat could choose to abort.

So we are officially 8 weeks and 4 days pregnant and the due date is June 4. Today is Chris's birthday!! What a fun day to see our little one. My next appointment will be on my Dad's birthday and we should find out the sex of the baby just before my birthday. My brother's birthday is June 15, a day that I wish to already have my baby in my arms and out of my womb :)

Please continue praying for Baby Garner. Blessings!

I'M GOING TO BE A MOMMY!!!

So it has been a while since I've blogged. September came and went so quickly, probably because of everything that went on that month. We moved into our new apartment, which was a happy thing. We are so grateful for all of the space. But just a few days later my grandfather died. I went up to Michigan for the funeral and to be with family. It was especially hard because Chris was not able to come with me, since he already took time off for the move. When I came back, we still had items in the old apartment that we had to get out. So yeah...September 2010 was an extremely busy, hectic month and I am glad that it is over. Even though stress came with most of the month, we wouldn't trade the gift that we found when September ended.

Probably everyone reading this already knows the big news. But yes...I'm pregnant!!! I cannot wait to be a mommy and to hold this little one. Chris and I are still coming to terms with this exciting news and waiting expectantly to what will come next. I have my first doctor's appointment on Wednesday, which happens to be Chris's birthday! Needless to say, we can't wait to get there! Even though the pregnancy is not new news, many don't know how we found out.

I had just started attending Weight Watchers on Monday, September 20. I finally had the time to start eating better and becoming healthy. I was anticipating great results when I started this change. That weekend, Chris told me that he thought that I may be pregnant. I completely denied it, thinking that it couldn't be. Just to ease my mind, I told him that I was going to buy a pregnancy test. The next Monday, September 27, I went to my first weigh-in. I had lost 4 lbs!! I was so excited and thought that definitely there was no way that I was pregnant. I wasn't feeling anything and, after all, I had lost weight.

The next morning I needed to be at work early. I decided to take the pregnancy test before I went to work. I was about to get in the shower when I took the test. I put it aside and waited for the results, thinking that nothing would happen. When I looked down, I was SHOCKED!! The test said "Pregnant"....it didn't say "Not Pregnant". Chris was asleep, blissfully unaware what was going on. Because of our schedules that day, we wouldn't see each other until 9:30. There was no way that I was waiting over 12 hours to tell him what I just saw. The only option was to wake him up.

I went into bed and tried to wake him up gently. I told him that I needed to show him something and to turn on the light. Even though it was early, this didn't seem to phase him. When he turned around, I showed him the pregnancy test. He then proceeded to say, "Are you pregnant?". I said, "Look at it." Once he realized what was going on, he laughed and sighed in disbelief. He wasn't being unkind, he was just shocked. We laid there for a good 5-10 minutes in complete shock. We had agreed that we weren't going to tell anyone. On my way to work, the excitement kicked in. What I had always dreamed of was finally coming true! I'm going to be a mommy!

The poor guy felt bad and called me a couple hours later. He wanted to let me know that he was very excited to become a daddy. We then called my parents and told his parents that night, his sister the next day, his family that weekend, and our church that Sunday. I didn't tell anyone at work the first day...until someone had asked me to pick up heavy boxes. I decided that it was a good time to let them know :)

This news has brought lots of excitement to our friends and family. We are so blessed that those that we are dearest to cannot wait to meet this little one. We are especially excited because my sister-in-law is pregnant, as well. Our kids will be around 2 months apart. She is excited about taking belly pics together :)

So I have just entered my 8th week and feeling common symptoms of the first trimester. What first hit me was fatigue. I was EXHAUSTED for a good couple of weeks. I am no longer as tired, but I still like to sleep. I have been starting to get bits of morning sickness. I have become sick a handful of times, and struggle with nausea on occasion. I also have a terrible habit of gagging. I think that may be the most annoying part. I expected to get sick, but not wanting to gag several times a day. I have become hormonal, as well. I can cry and not stop for a while. I HATE IT!! I keep telling Chris that I don't want to do this. I am crying for no reason and I feel stupid. Hopefully, all of this means that our baby is growing well.

We would covet your prayers right now. Pray that we will have a productive visit to the doctor and that our baby would be healthy. Pray that I remember that this struggle with sickness is for the good of our child. Most importantly, we ask for prayers that, even now, this little one will come to know Jesus as King and to live to love Him. I will be updating as the pregnancy progresses.

Blessings to you!!

Life Is Back to Normal

It's been a long time since my last post, and August is almost over. So weird! This summer flew by so fast. The older I get, the more I realize how life goes by so quickly. Life is a vapor, just like Scripture says, and time is so important. I want to redeem the time that has been given to me and not waste it. But enough of my philosophical/spiritual musings :)

Now that the summer is over, school has begun. It is so weird for me to see everyone back on campus and not being in class with them. But I love seeing my friends back. They are so dear to me and I hate not seeing them during the summer. Chris is getting back in the swing of things and adjusting to classes. This is his first semester selling phones and doing school. He is pretty busy all the time. One of his classes calls him to read at least a book a week, and they are not easy books to read. I am so proud of his work ethic and his desire to do things well. He really is the provider for me and our future, and I am so blessed to be married to him.

Work is getting back to normal, also. With most of the students being gone for the summer, work was slow during the summer. Now that the semester has kicked in for both Boyce and Southern, the traffic has definitely picked up. Students are ordering lots of books online, and they are coming to us in piles. It seems like the packages never end!

A big thing is happening in a few weeks. Chris and I will be moving out of our tiny, 500 sq. ft. apartment into another apartment on campus. It will be close to double the size, have a real kitchen, and space to put a study area for Chris that is away from everything else. PLUS we got an apartment with a washer/dryer hookup!!! I have been waiting for this day for a long time. I am so excited to do laundry in my own apartment at anytime. Now if only it had a dishwasher :)

I am so excited about the changes that are coming. I hope that you look at the future with delight and not fear, knowing that the Lord is good and He loves His children.

Girls Gone Wise

So it has been a while since I last blogged. Nothing really big has happened since the last posting. Chris and I are just doing our regular routines. We recently saw "Inception". So good...go see it! Things will change once school starts in three weeks. Chris will be having a lot on his agenda. There will be lots of reading and working. I am so blessed that I get to call this amazing man my husband.

One thing that has happened since my last post is that I finished reading "Girls Gone Wise" by Mary Kassian. The author really wanted to contrast the life of the Proverbs 7 woman and the modern-day "Girl Gone Wild" with the life of a Girl Gone Wise, like the example from Proverbs 31. Kassian seeks to show the reader that the truths of Scripture are relative for today. The woman in Proverbs 7 is the same woman that modern-day society looks to as the norm and the acceptance.

This book has to be one of my new favorites. It is so practical for any woman in the church today. There are twenty different character qualities that Kassian contrasts, making it really useful for small group studies. This would be so great for high school girls. These young ladies are bombarded all the time with messages to be this Proverbs 7 woman, thinking that these qualities will bring ultimate happiness. Kassian shows that what ultimately brings joy is knowing Jesus and living for Him. Though it may be unpopular to be a Girl Gone Wise, it sure brings great peace and freedom for young women who live like that.

The author of this book, Mary Kassian, is a professor at Southern Seminary. She teaches the women of the school about biblical womanhood and how feminism has affected the church and the home. She has written or contributed to many books, and is a keynote speaker at the True Woman Conference. She is such a valuable resource to women of the church. She grew up in feminist thinking, so she knows many of the arguments that attack biblical womanhood.

There is a conference coming in November at Southern that will address some of the issues that she and others talk about. The W Conference is geared toward high school, college, and young women. Mary Kassian will be the speaker at this conference. I hope to be in attendance and learning even more about what it means to be a woman who seeks after the Lord in all areas of her life. For more information about this conference, check out Southern's website.

I hope to be blogging again soon. Until then, I hope that you enjoy the last half of the summer.

Too Much Patriotism?

I love being an American. I love all of the things that I can enjoy by being in this country. There are so many wonderful cities with lots of culture. There are many beautiful places for Americans to enjoy, whether it be the many white beaches or the lush Smokey Mountains of Tennessee (plug in for my Hubby's family!). Even though our history is short, there are countless stories of great people in this country doing amazing things for this country. Most of all, I love the USA for the opportunity to be free. So many others in this world do not have that blessing, suffering from totalitarian dictatorships where they cannot vote, are oppressed for their race, and cannot worship freely. This is truly a blessing that I never want to take for granted.

I believe in being a great citizen. Romans 13 shows us Christians how to act in the society that we live in. Because we live in a democratic republic, we can vote for people to help change our countries future. In a sense, the people are the authority in the United States. Because of this, Christians should vote. While we know that the culture can never be changed by votes, we do know that we should stand for what is right. I am passionate about the end to abortion because it defames the Creator, not to mention it harms society. James 1:27 calls us to seek to help the widow and the orphan. A Christian's theology should permeate in to how he or she reacts to the world.

I also believe that we should be proud of those men and women who sacrifice so much to give us the freedom that we have in this country. If we didn't have them, our country would look different, possibly like other freedom-restricting countries in the world. We should seek to look out for their good, praising them for their sacrifice. The ultimate way of showing love is to sacrifice your life for those you love. Many of them have paid that ultimate sacrifice. We should never take advantage of these men and women or the freedom that they so willingly fight and die for.

This weekend, we Americans celebrate Independence Day. It is a wonderful time to reflect on what happened over 200 years ago, and to celebrate our freedom with our families and friends. As I have said, I love being an American. But the United States is not my first priority. I am a follower of Jesus Christ. When my country becomes my focus rather than my Savior, I have made my country an idol. Sadly, I think this is a problem that many Christians have today.

I do feel like their is too much patriotism displayed by some believers. The fourth of July is on a Sunday this year. I am afraid that far too many churches will change their whole services around to speak about the United States. I do believe churches should have some acknowledgment of this holiday, but too many will make church all about the United States. The passion in our churches on Sunday will be for our country rather than our Savior.

A few months ago, Dr. David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, wrote a book called "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream". In this book, Platt calls Christians to give up our American way of Christianity and focus on reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been blessed with so much, and that has affected how we see what true Christianity is all about. We should seek to see the nations come to saving faith in Christ, giving God all the glory in His work.

I believe that this lack of passion can be seen in the way that many American Christians see their country. They are so happy being Americans that they forget that Christianity is not an American religion. Believers in Muslim countries are being persecuted every day because they do not see Muhammad as a true prophet. There is a huge underground church in China made up of people who see Jesus as their King, not the state. People from every tribe, nation, and tongue will worship Jesus as Lord.

We Americans become so consumed with ourselves that we don't see the needs of the world. Do we care about the racial/religious cleansing going on in the Sudan? Do we mourn knowing that there are millions of young girls around the world being sold into the sex industry, never knowing what being a little girl is like? Do we care about the women in many societies who are not seen as equals but as inferiors, even slaves? Do we seek to help out the millions of children who are orphaned and are living in poverty and have no clean water? Most importantly, do we seek to bring the gospel to the billions - yes, billions!- of people in the world that are not worshipers of Jesus Christ, many of them not even knowing His name?

I have been convicted of wanting to be comfortable all of the time. I have struggled with being a Christian and living in American society. I am continually reminded that Christianity is a global faith, and I have much to learn from other believers around the world. While it is good to have passion, I should be passionate about people coming to know Christ. I should be passionate about those in need, in America and throughout the world, and seeking to find ways to show the love of Jesus to the oppressed and the hungry.

This Independence Day, I will be proud to be an American. I will celebrate my heritage in this country. I will be grateful for those who have and are continuing to sacrifice for this country. I will be celebrating these things, but there are much greater things to celebrate. This Independence Day, as every day, I will be grateful for the parents that the Lord has given me, pointing me to Jesus when others do not even know His name. I will be grateful to worship in a wonderful church who knows what the gospel is and seeks to live it out. I will be grateful for a loving husband who treats me with respect. Most importantly, I will be thanking my Father for sending His Son to die for me, and for the Holy Spirit interceding on my half before the Father. I will be thankful for the freedom from sin that Christ has given me. I will be thankful that one day, I get to worship my Savior in a world without the sin that entangles me. I will be free from sorrow and tears, only being joyful in the presence of my Savior. There is much to be thankful for on this Independence Day.

Vacation

I recently came back from a wonderful vacation in Florida. It was a great thing to get away for a week and spend time with my family and friends. I want to take advantage of every opportunity that I have down there, knowing that we will not be seeing them on a regular basis because of the distance. I thought I would let you know what went on while we were in Florida from June 12 to June 20.

Saturday, June 12

Our flight for Florida left at 6:00 A.M. (yes...A.M.), so we were in for a long day. My in-laws were already planning on dropping us off at the airport...and we are glad that they did. Instead of waking up to our alarms, we woke up to Chris's mom calling. We rushed to get ready so that we wouldn't miss the plane. Even though we were running about 15 minutes late, we still got to the airport on time and made our flight. My mom picked us up in Jacksonville with my grandma and Andrew. We then ate lunch there and made our way down to Orlando for the Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor's Conference. We met Dad at the hotel and had dinner. After dinner, Chris and I decided to take advantage of the pool and hot tub at the hotel. It was a great, relaxing end to a crazy day. That Saturday was also our six month anniversary, and we enjoyed the spending that peaceful evening with each other....though the double bed that we slept in was not enjoyable :)

Sunday, June 13

That morning we went to First Baptist Church of Sweetwater, just 25 minutes from Orlando. Dr. Hershel York and Dr. Albert Mohler were preaching there that morning. Dr. York is a preaching professor at Southern and Dr. Mohler is the president. We heard Dr. York's sermon on the Prodigal and it was fantastic. We then went to lunch and relaxed until the Pastor's Conference began. The Pastor's Conference is the Sunday evening and all-day Monday before the SBC where pastors can be encouraged by other preachers' sermons. We enjoyed that evening and prepared for a busy Monday.

Monday, June 14

Monday was a very LONG day. We heard some amazing sermons that day from Dr. Mohler, Dr. Moore (Dean of Theology at Southern), Matt Chandler, C. J. Mahaney, Dr. Danny Akin, and David Platt. We also witnessed a wonderful event. Dr. Moore spoke on adoption, both physical and spiritual (he says that he cannot separate the two, which I agree). Dr. Moore and his wife, Maria, adopted two boys from Russia several years ago. Since this happening, he has been passionate about speaking, preaching, and writing on adoption. After his sermon, a video showed the story of a pastor and his wife adopting twin boys and speaking about the Pastor's Conference starting an adoption fund for pastors. The couple then came in front of the conference. Dr. Kevin Ezell, the Pastor's Conference president, then told them that the donors of the conference had paid the rest of their adoption. When he said that, there was not a dry eye in the house. I was crying like a baby. Adoption is an issue to which my heart is drawn to. They then took an offering for the adoption fund, telling us later that they had raised $26,000! That was something that I will never forget.

The last sermon was by David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham. Yet again, he preached with great passion and humility. If you haven't heard him, I encourage you to find a sermon of his and listen. After the sermon, Chris and I went to 9 Marks at 9:00. This is an event put on by 9 Marks Ministries as a way for pastors to ask questions to and hear the hearts of men like Mark Dever and others associated with that ministry. It is a great ministry to the local church and I would encourage you to read some of their resources.

Tuesday, June 15

The most important thing that happened on June 15 was my brother, Andrew, turned 19!! I was so glad to be with him on his birthday and I loved spending time with him while we were down there. Tuesday was also the beginning of the Southern Baptist Convention. There was some motions that were made in the morning, including one co-written by my dad to have Baptist Press as a separate entity of the SBC instead of being under the Executive Committee (long story.. :D ). In the afternoon session, the Great Commission Resurgence report was given. After much deliberation and an amendment to the report, the GCR passed overwhelmingly, probably by 75 to 80 percent. It was a great day to be a Southern Baptist.

I wasn't the only one excited about the passing of the GCR. That night, my family (minus my dad) and some messengers from St. Augustine had dinner together. As we were praying, Dr. Joslin and some friends came in to eat, as well. Before we had ended the prayer, Dr. Joslin came behind Chris and shook his back. When the prayer was done, Chris and I looked at each other then looked to Dr. Joslin. We all had a big laugh. He explained that he was really excited (and he was..like a school girl!). It is moments like this that make the SBC so fun. That evening, we went to the second 9 Marks at 9:00. This time, Dr. Akin, Dr. Mohler, and David Platt talked with Mark Dever about the passing of the GCR. We also caught up with some dear family friends. All in all, it was a great day!

Wednesday, June 16

Wednesday started later than the others did. We went to the Southern Seminary luncheon at noon. This luncheon was an opportunity for those who are associated with the school to come together and find out what has been going on at Southern for the past year since the last luncheon. We had some great food and were encouraged by Dr. Mohler as to where the school was going. I again realized how blessed I am to have been a part of this amazing institution. The Lord has done so much with so many people through Southern, and I am blessed to be among that company.

We watched some World Cup that afternoon and had room service for dinner with my family. That evening, Chris and I went to a local putt-putt course. We had so much fun....and I won!! It was great to get out and do something with just each other. We went back to the hotel for the evening and packed up to leave Orlando the next day.

Thursday, June 17

Chris, Andrew, and I spent most of the day at Universal Orlando. We went to both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. We payed out the wazoo for a fast pass to the rides, and it turned out to be a great investment. We would not have been able to get to all of the rides in both parks at a decent time. It was my first time at Islands of Adventure and I really enjoyed it. I loved the Spiderman ride. It was so much fun! I do not like roller coasters, so I would wait for the boys so they could have their fun. Though Chris really enjoyed himself, he was so upset the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter had not opened yet. In fact, we came the day before it opened. Hogwarts Castle was very visible and teasing Chris the whole time. Poor guy :(

We went to Universal City Walk to have dinner at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. We enjoyed a great dinner. Chris was happy to get some shrimp. After dinner, we made our way back to St. Augustine, about a 2 hour drive from Orlando. When we got there, I was greeted by the sweet family beagle, Buddy. I love that do so much and I was so glad to see him!

Friday, June 18

We enjoyed a quiet Friday at the Smith house. We watched the USA/Slovenia game, cheering on ferociously for the red, white, and blue. That evening, we ate dinner at Sonny's with our friends Ethan and Anna Crowder. They were at Boyce the first semester that we were there. They went back to Florida to save some money so that they could start married life wisely. We have kept in contact for the past year and a half, and we loved having dinner with them. They were such an encouragement to us. It was great hearing from a couple who go through very similar things that we do. They will be coming up to Southern in a few years and we can't wait to spend more time with them when they are back in Louisville.

Saturday, June 19

Saturday was so much fun. Chris and I went to the beach for a couple of hours for lunch. The sun felt wonderful and I loved hearing the sound of the ocean again. When Chris lived in North Carolina, he went to the beach all of the time. It was great to see him loving being there. After we got back from the beach, we went to the outlet mall down the street from the house. Chris had to get a few things and we walked around for a little bit. I used to work in the Banana Republic Factory Store and my brother works at the Brooks Brother's Outlet. For dinner, my mom made ham, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It was super delicious. After dinner, my family (minus Andrew) went to see "Toy Story 3". Oh my goodness!! I love that movie!! It met and exceeded my expectations, making me love the Toy Story franchise even more.

Sunday, June 20

That morning, we went to my home church, GracePointe Baptist Church. It was great seeing some familiar faces and being with that sweet fellowship. The interm pastor asked one of our faithful members to pray for Chris and I. It meant so much to us, knowing that there are people who think of us and pray for us. We went out to lunch then went back to the house to pack. We then went to Jacksonville to catch our flight. Our connection in Atlanta was supposed to be 40 minutes after we would land. However, our flight from Jacksonville was delayed. We were prepared to find a new flight once we got there. When we landed, we found out from one of the passengers that our flight had not left yet and we had about 30 minutes to get there, going from Terminal A to Terminal E. We ran to the terminal and made it just in time for the final boarding call. We were so glad to be home after a crazy evening.

Even though I love being with my family, I am continually reminded that I have my own home. Chris and I are a family, and we value each other above anyone else besides Christ. We have made ourselves a place to find rest. I am continually challenged to make my home a place where my husband can relax from a busy day. I am also working at my attitude, so that the aroma of my home is pleasant and pleasing to my husband and to the Lord. I cannot wait for the future with Chris and to see how our home will grow.

Beyond my physical home, I am not really home yet. I am continually sojourning right now until the day when I meet my Savior and see the home that he has prepared for me to live in for eternity. I must remember always to hold things lose and to regard people more than temporal things. I cannot wait for the day when I will praise Jesus for giving me an eternal home.

Favorite Modern Worship Songs

One of the great things about being here at Boyce is the emphasis on theology lived out in every-day life. The gospel should permeate our lives in our thoughts, actions, and relationships. Another area should be in our worship. You may say, "Of course worship is filled with the gospel. It's church." I would have to say that even if you sing a song at church, it doesn't mean that you are actually worshiping. So many modern worship songs are me-centered. Now I'm not saying that worship should not be personal. What I am saying is that the focus of worship should be on the Lord, and anything that involves us in worship should be our attitude of gratitude for the wonderful things He has done.

I go to a church that realizes the importance of worship in the church service. This is one aspect about Ninth and O which I love. Dr. Joslin leads us each week to a place that we could do nothing else but praise God. I have continually become appreciative for those who seek to make wonderful worship music. If any of you out there are interested, please check out Keith and Kristyn Getty, Sovereign Grace Music, and Hillsong. Sojourn Community Church in Louisville also makes cd's of worship music. A lot of their songs are actually new arrangements of songs written by Isaac Watts, the famous hymn writer of the 17th and 18th century.

I wanted to put up a few links to songs that I absolutely love. Some of you may have heard a few of these, maybe even all of them. Please listen to the lyrics and how powerful they are.



"All I Have is Christ"
Na Band, Sovereign Grace Music

I once was lost in darkest night, but thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own a rebel to Your will,
And if You had not loved me first I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race, indifferent to the cost,
You looked upon my helpless state and led me to the cross.
And I beheld God's love displayed. You suffered in my place.
You bore the wrath reserved for me. Now, all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ!
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone, and live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands could never come from me.
O, Father, use my ransomed life in any way You choose
And let my song forever be "My only boast is You!"



"Jesus, Thank You"
Sovereign Grace Music

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend,
The agonies of Calvary.
You, the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
And drank the bigger cup reserved for me.

Your blood has washed away my sin.
Jesus, thank you!
The Father's wrath completely satisfied.
Jesus, thank you!
Once Your enemy now seated at Your table.
Jesus, thank you!

By Your perfect sacrifice I've been brought near.
Your enemy You've made Your friend.
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace.
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end.

Lover of my soul, I want to live for You.
Lover of my soul, I want to live for You.


Read the subtitles. Amazing song.


"At the Cross"
Hillsong


Lyrics are on this one, also. Such a powerful song.


"Stronger"
Hillsong


I love this song!


"Revelation Song"
Kari Jobe




"The Power of the Cross"
Keith and Kristyn Getty

Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day,
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This the power of the cross,
Christ became sin for us.
He took the blame, bore the wrath.
We stand forgiven at the cross!

Oh, to see the pain written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Every bitter thought, every evil deed,
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath
Quakes as it's Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two. Dead are raised to life.
"Finished" the victory cry!

Oh, to see my name written in the wounds.
For through Your suffering I am free!
Death is crushed is death! Life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love!

This the power of the cross,
Son of God slain for us!
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross!




"Still, My Soul, Be Still"
Keith and Kristyn Getty

Still, my soul, be still,
And do not fear, though winds of change may rage tomorrow.
God is at your side.
No longer dread the fires of unexpected sorrow.

God, you are my God.
And I will trust in You and not be shaken.
Lord of peace, renew
A steadfast spirit within me to rest in You alone.

Still, my soul, be still,
Do not be moved by lesser lights and fleeting shadows.
Hope unto His ways
With shield of faith against temptation's flaming arrows.

Still, my soul, be still,
Do not forsake the truth you learned in the beginning.
Wait upon the Lord
And hope will rise as stars appear when day is dimming.


I hope by seeing some of these songs that you were encouraged by what was sung. These songs are a great reminder of the many ways the the Lord proves Himself good and faithful to us. If you do not know of the Lord's faithfulness, I pray that you will know it from this time forward.

Recent and Upcoming Happenings

Ok. So it has been a while since I have updated the blog. While there has not been a whole lot going on in my life, I am excited for what will be coming up this month. So here is an update to what has been going on and what I look forward to in the month of June.

At the beginning of this summer, I was looking forward to reading whatever I wanted at my own pace. Pleasure reading can be scarce for a college student, and especially rare when your books involving theology and theological terms. While I do enjoy reading some of those books, I cannot wait to do so at my own time. During the semester I started reading "Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother" by Carolyn Mahaney. I had to stop reading because I had to finish other books. I was able to finish it a couple of weeks ago. If any woman reading this wants to know how godliness is displayed in being a wife and mother, read this book. Carolyn Mahaney looks at Titus 2 and what it says about being a wife and mother. She speaks of controversial subjects like submission and homemaking, but these subjects are in Scripture. I very much appreciated this book and was challenged by it.

The next book that I have read is "When Sinners Say 'I Do': Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage" by Dave Harvey. Wow! What a fantastic book. I have quickly found out that some sins that I struggle with did not come out until I got married. It is amazing how the world, our flesh, and the Devil seek to destroy this wonderful union by nasty sins that we are so prone to repeat. In this book, Harvey speaks of how the gospel should be lived out in marriage. If you want to read a light-hearted book about marriage, this is definitely not it. Be prepared to be challenged and convicted by what you read. This book just reaffirms for me the truth that marriage is not primarily for my well-being or for having children. The highest goal of marriage is to display the gospel to the world. (On a side note, another great book about marriage is "This Momentary Marriage" by John Piper. I highly recommend it.)

This past Friday, Chris and I went with my in-laws to King's Island, located just north of Cincinnati. While I have ridden on some rides at Disney World and Universal Studios, I had not really ridden a real roller coaster. Despite much inward protest, I agreed to ride one. Chris said that it would not be that bad. He would soon find out that he and I had different ideas about what a "fun" ride was. I screamed the entire time on the coaster. And it was not a fun scream, but a terror scream. Chris was laughing at the beginning of the ride, thinking that I was having fun. Then he heard my scream and saw my face, realizing that I was not having fun. I did enjoy spending time with my family, but I can tell you that I will not be setting foot on a roller coaster like that any time soon..if ever :)

I am really looking forward to the month of June. On June 12, Chris and I will be leaving for Florida and will be staying down there for a week. My mom will pick us up from the Jacksonville airport and will then drive us down to Orlando. The Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor's Conference is held in Orlando this year. Dad is putting us up in a room for the Witness (the state paper which he is the executive editor), so Chris and I will be running errands around the convention center. This will be a great time to meet up with old family friends.

I am really looking forward to the Pastor's Conference. Dr. Kevin Ezell from Highview Baptist Church in Louisville is the president of the Pastor's Conference this year. He has brought many great preachers to this, including David Platt, C.J. Mahaney, Russell Moore, and Albert Mohler. I cannot wait to hear these men preach the Word. I am also interested to see what business will be done at the SBC. There are many things worth noted in this year's convention, including the voting of the GCR and new president of the convention. I pray that what will happen in Orlando would be for God's glory and for the spread of His kingdom.

On June 17, Chris and I will be going with Andrew to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure for the day. I haven't spent a lot of time with my brother since I left for school, so I am really looking forward to spending this time with him and for him to get to know Chris better. After Universal, Chris and I will be staying at my parent's house for the weekend. We will probably be going to the beach at some point, something we did not do when we came down for Spring Break. I cannot wait to spend a few days with my family, although Dad will probably be writing his little heart out about what had just happened at the SBC. I also cannot wait to see my sweet Buddy!! He is my family's precious beagle that we have had for 4 years. Even though I am no longer down there, I still consider him to be my sweet Buddy-boo :)

In the midst of all this, Chris is getting familiar with his new job selling phones for Cellular Sales/ Verizon Wireless. We just found out that he has met his sales goal for the month. I could not be prouder for him. He has been working so hard this past month, learning what needs to be done to be a better salesman. While it has been an adjustment for me, I know that he is sacrificing himself for the sake of us and our future. I couldn't ask for much more in a husband.

So there it is! If any of you will be at the SBC, please let me know. I would love to see you at some point, if possible. I hope that this summer has been starting out well for you!

Mother Knows Best......or Does She?

Ok. From first glance, you may think that I have something against my mom. That is not the case. My mom has nothing negative to do with this post....and I am so glad that she does not display the "mother knows best" attitude that so many mothers have.

One of the shows that I like to watch is TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress." This show is about girls going to try to find their wedding dress at Kleinfeld's, the world's larget bridal store. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved thinking about weddings and wedding dresses. When my time came, I had a wonderful experience finding my dress. When I tried on my dress, I knew it was "the one" the moment I put it on. My mom knew, as well. She saw on my face how happy I was in it and knew that it made me feel beautiful. She even said, "That is so you, Lauren." That is what a bride wants to hear from her mother when she is dress shopping. No matter what the mom's style is, the bride is the one that is wearing the dress. I don't even know if my dress was exactly my mom's style, but she knew that it was mine. That meant the world to me. Some girls aren't so lucky.

My heart breaks when I watch girls on this show not have the same experience that my mom and I had. Some of the moms have a definite picture of how they want their girl to look like...and they make it well known. There is one example that I cannot get out of my mind. A mother and daughter go to Kleinfeld's to look for a dress. The mother of the bride is going to be paying for the dress, so she believes that she has a say in what the dress should look like. The mom wants the daughter's dress to have a long, cathedral-length train.....because every real wedding dress must have one. The bride came out in dress after dress that she liked but the mom did not. And why? No long train. The bride finally comes out in a dress that she absolutely loves and is in budget...and she looks beautiful in. The mom is hesitant because the train is not long enough. The bride obviously wants her mom to like the dress, so she comes up with a compromise: a long veil. The mother finally agrees...and then says that she is going to pick the jewelry.

You may think to yourself while reading this "Why do you care? Why should I care?" I believe that this is just a symptom that comes when mothers cannot let go. These women...yes, women...on this show are beginning a new chapter in their lives with their husbands. These moms cannot get over that their daughter is no longer their baby girl. They do not want to let their daughters go. This is not just seen in wedding dress shopping. This happens to girls in every day life. Sadly, this is also the case in Christian women. Christian mothers want to make sure that their daughters are women of faith as they grow up. They want to see the Lord work in their lives. They want to see them grow up, get married, and have children of their own. They want so many good things for their daughters...but they don't want to let them go. While they may not say it, their actions show it.

Mothers who do these things to their daughters do not fully see the sovereignty of the Lord in their daughters lives. When their daughter gets married, she is to be with her husband. While respecting parents does not end when marriage happens, the headship of parents does. The headship of the girl is now her husband, and they become their own family when they "leave and cleave". When the mom interferes with this, she is in a sense saying that being married is not good enough for her daughter. I get so sad when I hear stories of how mothers do not want their girls to leave them when they get married. There is obviously an adjustment that needs to be made when huge change happens, and there are real and good emotions that come from that. However, these emotions should not control the mother, for she will try to control her child.

This is one of many areas why I am so blessed that the Lord allowed me to be Linda Smith's daughter. She loves her "baby girl" and loves to be close to me. She was sad when I went away to college and is sad that she does not see me as often now that I am married. Even so, she does not let this control her. I can remember her telling me when I was a young girl that when the Lord called, I needed to go. It did not matter where, I needed to go. This did not mean that she did not love me, but she loved the Lord more. She trusted that the Lord was the one in control of my life, and she had great peace in that fact.

I want to do the same thing with my daughter(s). I want them to know that following the Lord is greater than staying with your family. I need to be reminded of this fact. I need to hold the ones and things I love loosely, for the Lord can take them away. Trusting in the Lord is the best way...even if it may not be Mom's way.

Finally Done!!

I am finally back on the blog. The past couple of weeks have been busy with the end of the semester. I wanted to make sure that I had everything done before getting distracted by the blog. So here I am :)

I am pleased to say that I AM DONE WITH FINALS!!! I am very much looking forward to next week and to graduating! I have been here at Boyce for 2 years and have spent a total of 3 years in college. I cannot believe that my days as a student are coming to an end. I am very much looking forward to not taking any more tests or writing any more book reviews. Probably what I am looking forward to the most is pleasure reading....reading what I want at my own pace!

In addition to my last weeks of Boyce, Chris has been adjusting to his new job. He just completed his 2 weeks of training on the sales floor with Cellular Sales (a third-party vendor for Verizon) and begins flying solo next week. I am so proud of him. He has been looking for a way to better get him through school and we are so blessed that he is able to do so now. He can go back to being a full-time student, and he will hopefully be done with his Bachelor's in about 3 years. This new job has odd hours and he is probably going to be working a lot the first couple of months, just so he can learn how to sell and what to sell. We are excited to see how this will turn out.

The next week is going to be a busy one. The schedule is as follows:

Monday - Wednesday: Working from 7:45-5:00 each day. In that mix somewhere is preparing dinner, doing laundry, and spending time with the Hubby.

Thursday: Graduation preparation. I will be having a luncheon/run-through mid morning/early afternoon. During that time my parents and grandparents will be coming into town! From 2:30-3:00, we will be at the Mohler's home for a desert with other graduates. We will then probably be doing something that night, though we don't have any plans just yet.

Friday: GRADUATION DAY!!! The doors in Alumni Chapel will open for guests at 9:00 and graduation starts at 10:00. We will probably be going out to lunch after that, then relax and enjoy time with family. The nieces will be in town....and who can't get enough of them! ;)

My time here at Boyce has been such a blessing. When I came up here, I knew that I wanted to be a pastor's wife. I truly believe that it is a calling that the Lord places on certain women, for being a pastor's wife is not a glamorous job. It is amazing to see how the Lord has brought me to where I am today, being married to a man that knows his calling is to pastor. In addition to Chris, I have made such special friends while up here. The girls that I have become close to are so dear to me. We have so much fun together and they are such an encouragement to me.

Because I am graduating in 5 days, I thought it would be fun to look back at my first couple of days here at Boyce.







I hope that this week has been a great one for all of you and that you have seen the Lord's blessings in your life.

Free Books from T4G!

So if you need to know anything about a Boyce or Southern student, it is probably this: we love free books!! Together for the Gospel serves to a seminary student's benefit in that regard. This past week, Chris had the opportunity to go to T4G. In addition, he went to Band of Bloggers, an event before T4G where bloggers come together. He and some of his friends have a blog, so check it out (http://evangelicalmavericks.com/).

So I thought it would be fun to show all of the books that Chris received while at the two events. Here is a picture of all of the books.



On the left side are the books from Band of Bloggers. Here they are from top to bottom:

A Habitual Sight of Him: The Christ-Centered Piety of Thomas Goodwin - Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones
A Call to Prayer - J. C. Ryle
Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims - Daniel R. Hyde
Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals - Trevin Wax
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream - David Platt
Your Jesus is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior - Jared C. Wilson
Entrusted with the Gospel: Paul's Theology in the Pastoral Epistles - Andreas J. Kostenberger and Terry L. Wilder
Stray Recollections, Short Articles and Public Orations of James P. Boyce - Thomas J. Nettles
Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience - M. David Sills
The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism - Kevin DeYoung
When the Church was a Family: Recapturing Jesus' Vision for Authentic Christian Community - Joseph H. Hellerman
Abide: Practicing Kingdom Rhythms in a Consumer Culture - Jared C. Wilson

On the right side of the picture are the books that Chris received from T4G. Here they are from top to bottom:

The Holiness of God - R. C. Sproul
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God - J. I. Packer
Jonathan Edwards on Beauty - Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeney
What is the Gospel? - Greg Gilbert
The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence - Thabiti Anyabwile
The Plight of Man and the Power of God - Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Fear Not! Death and the Afterlife from a Christian Perspective - Ligon Duncan with J. Nicholas Reid
The Priority of Preaching - Christopher Ash
Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters - Joshua Harris
Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living and Speaking the Gospel - J. Mack Stiles
The Jesus You Can't Ignore: What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ - John MacArthur
It Is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement - Mark Dever and Michael Lawrence
Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus - D. A. Carson
Finally Alive - John Piper
The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation - Michael Reeves
The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline - Jonathan Leeman
He is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World - R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything - Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology - Mark Dever, J. Ligon Duncan III, R. Albert Mohler Jr., C. J. Mahaney
The ESV Study Bible

So if you lost count, that's 32 books....32 FREE books!! While I may not be taking classes after this semester, I will always be learning, especially if I read some of these books. There is just one problem: where are we going to put them all?!?! :)

I'm a Blessed Girl :)

The title says it all. This morning I was thinking about Chris and about the wedding. We just passed the 4 month mark of marriage. While this may not sound important, it is really neat seeing all that has happened in the 4 months. And then I thought about how Chris and I met and our story. So I thought I would briefly share.

I had become friends quickly with a few people in Fall 08, my first semester at Boyce. My friends and I were hanging out in the patio room, a room at the bottom/classroom floor of Carver where students hang out. Chris walked in the door while I was hanging out with my friends. He already knew a couple of people at the table, so he began to hang out with us. We later played Cranium and I got to see his personality. I thought that he was a fun guy, but I did not think anything of him at the time. He had a beard at that time, tattoos, and was barely taller than me.

The next day, my friends, Chris, and I hung out again. We went to get some ice cream and then went back to campus to decide on what to do. We could not decide on anything, so some of my friends went back to the dorms. Right when this was happening, Chris and I started talking. As he likes to put it, I "chewed his ear off" that night. I didn't think that I was doing that, partially because I thought I was having a great conversation with him and got to know him better. Went I went back to my dorm that night, I really began thinking about him. I called my mom the next day and told her about him...and his tattoos. While she was not thrilled, she got over it :)

The next week was a crazy one. The remnants of Hurricane Ike came to Louisville and brought a terrible windstorm, knocking out the power of the seminary for a few days and shutting down classes for the week. During this week, Chris and I got to spend a lot of time together. Both of us had to stay in town for work, unlike some of our friends. Each night I would go to the patio room and he would walk me back. From that week on, I knew that I liked him. We started talking and hanging out a lot after that point, really getting to know what each other thought about different issues. The bond just grew even more.

Chris called my Dad on December 1, 2008 and asked him if he could date me. Dad said yes and the rest is history. We decided to go down to my parent's house in Florida for spring break. On March 31, 2009, Chris proposed to me and I said yes. The craziness of planning began, and we eventually got married on December 12, 2009.

If someone would have told me before I left for Boyce that I would be married less than 2 years after I started, I would have told them that they were crazy. After all, I was the girl that had never dated anyone.....EVER! But the Lord's plans are greater than ours, and I am SO glad of that truth. Each day I learn more about my total dependency on the Lord in trying to be the best helper for my husband. Grace upon grace is shown to me and the Lord is always faithful. I am so glad that I get to be Mrs. David Christopher Garner "until we are parted by death." :)

My First Post!

Right before I got married, I wanted to start a blog sharing with my friends and family what was going on in my life as a newly married college student. I also wanted this to be a way to connect to other friends of mine who also blog. It's been almost 4 months since the wedding, so better late than never!

Marriage is truly a wonderful blessing. I have learned so much in the short time that I have been a wife. One of the things that I have learned is that marriage is a huge part of my sanctification. There are some sins that I wasn't aware of before I got married; however, marriage brings them all out! It is quite an adjustment learning to live with someone and learning how to be the best partner in life for them. God is so good to have brought me to Chris. He and are are so different, and that is wonderful! Opposites really do attract :)

I am finishing up my last semester at Boyce College, receiving my Associate's Degree in Biblical and Theological Studies. I cannot wait to get this semester done!! I am looking forward to not having to do homework or write book reviews and research papers any more!! Next semester, I am going to be reading books that I want to read, and do so at my own, leisurely pace. I can now focus on how I can help Chris as he continues to pursue his Bachelor's Degree, and maybe even MDiv.

Chris and I are still at Ninth and O and we love being there! We are now members of Dr. Wellum's Young Couples class. For those of you who don't know, Dr. Wellum is a professor at both Boyce and Southern. We both had him for Theology 1, and being in that BFG is just like being in the classroom. We also love our small group that we are a part of, and are enjoying getting to know the other couples. In addition, we both are doing nursery and I am a member of the worship choir.

Though we are not parents yet, Chris and I are enjoying spending whatever time we can doting on our sweet nieces, Gabbi and Catie. They bring so much joy to our lives. They are so different. Gabbi is so vibrant and energetic, while Catie just enjoys hanging out and being loved. I can't wait to see them grow up together and what the Lord will do in their lives. We went to Powell this past weekend, and here is a picture of Uncle Bub, Aunt Lauren, and the girls.



I hope to keep up with this blog on a regular basis. I pray that this day you will see the grace of God in your life.