The Power of the Cross

Romans 6:8-11: "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

 When I survey the wondrous cross 
 on which the Prince of Glory died; 
 my richest gain I count but loss, 
 and pour contempt on all my pride. 

 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, 
 save in the death of Christ, my God; 
 all the vain things that charm me most, 
 I sacrifice them to his blood. 

 See, from his head, his hands, his feet, 
 sorrow and love flow mingled down. 
 Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, 
 or thorns compose so rich a crown. 

 Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
 that were an offering far too small; 
 love so amazing, so divine, 
 demands my soul, my life, my all.


What powerful words. "Love so amazing, love so divine." 

1 Peter 1:3: "Praise be to the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us New Birth into a living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ..."


Christ died for me. He took upon all of my sin, gave up his life, and saved me. I am not worthy! What a wonderful gift; I cannot even comprehend God's love for me. Hallelujah, He is Risen!

Adventure Eight: Geneva, Switzerland

This place and the moments I experienced here are some of the highlights of my trip across Europe.

When we first pulled into Geneva, we were all a little down. We had just left our "family" in Germany, and now we were headed to another couch surfer's home for the next three nights. It's funny how sitting on a train all day can make you so tired! But it does. So, we were all a little exhausted. First thing upon arriving in Geneva - we headed to an internet cafe to check up on email. Then it hit: Geneva was going to be extremely expensive. We had already been stressed with converting the pound to dollars than the euro to dollars; now we were converting the Czech money into dollars, and it was not looking too good. Our bank accounts weren't too happy either. After finally getting to skype with Sue Sue for the first time in two weeks, we headed to the little village of Gamil to unite with our couch surfer. After a fourteen dollar train ride, we made it to the village where we were graciously picked up by Hannah, our couch surfer. Immediately I knew God loved me and wanted me to have the best time, because Hannah was amazing. She is twenty-three years old and married to Rob-Jan; they live in a precious house out in the country side that overlooks the Swiss Alps. What a breath-taking picture of God's power and beauty to wake up to every morning.

When we walked into her house, it was a breath of fresh air! She had candles that smelled like cinnamon lit all over the house; she also had snacks set out and a buffet of different teas and Swiss chocolates for us to enjoy. She also had her iPod playing in the background ... it was perfect. She and her husband were out that night, so us three girls were able to relax the whole night, enjoying Hannah's hospitality She even bought all the ingredients for spaghetti which we made that night; enjoying a home cooked meal with friends .. priceless.

The next morning, Hannah graciously drove us into Geneva while she went to work, at Starbucks! Before she headed into work she took us by Starbucks and treated us all to free drinks of our choice - so sweet, especially since a hot chocolate was about six or seven dollars! Then she took the time to show us around Geneva which is a beautiful city. Once she headed to work, us girls headed to the United Nations building only to find that you could not enter except at tour times, which we had missed by about an hour. We TRIED to persuade the handsome guard to let us in, but it was no use. We did take pictures of the building with the other million tourists, and enjoyed it none the less! Then we spent about an hour in one of Geneva's beautiful parks taking pictures by the fountain. Yes, we were those girls.

After meeting back up with Hannah at Starbucks and receiving another round of free drinks, we headed back to Hannah's house. That night, Hannah and Rob-Jan treated us to a typical Swiss fondu. It was absolutely delicious! We had the BEST time; we laughed and laughed until our stomachs hurt ... literally. Earlier that day, I found out that Hannah played guitar. I jokingly mentioned that I could only play one song, Come Thou Fount. Hannah immediately jumped up and asked, "wait ... are yall believers?" We all answered that we were and Hannah's face brightened. She and Rob-Jan are too. We all got so excited! God had placed us in this home where we were all believers; it had been awhile since we had been surrounded by other believers, and it was so refreshing! That night we all gathered around a bowl of Swiss chocolates, and while Hannah played the guitar we all sang worship songs together. It is a moment I will NEVER forget. We also sang my favorite worship song, In Christ Alone; it brought such joy to my heart to be sitting in Geneva, Switzerland, with other believers we had just met, singing songs of praise to our Great God. I could not have asked God for a more perfect moment.

The next day we headed to the little town of Lausanne where we spent the day gazing at the Swiss Alps ... amazing. Then we headed back to the house where we cleaned and made dinner for Hannah and Rob-Jan, including Duncan Hines brownies which Hannah had brought back from the states (her parents are missionaries but live in the States now). It was yet another fun dinner filled with laughter. And brownies ... so great! Sadly, we had to call it an early night, because we were leaving for Rome very early the next morning. Unfortunately, Steph got extremely sick that night which made for a hard day of travel to Rome. After a long morning of getting lost and missing trains, we finally made it to the Geneva train station where we caught our train to Rome. It was so so sad to leave Hannah; I pray I will be able to meet up with her again someday. She and Rob-Jan were such a blessing; just in two short days, I learned so much from them. I am so thankful God brought them into my life at the time that He did. It was exactly what I needed to carry on with my travels.

Praise the Lord for watching over me, protecting me, and blessing me in so many ways. I do not deserve the things He gives me, but I am so thankful that He does. What a Mighty God I serve!

Off to Roma!

Adventure Seven: Esslingen, Germany

Going to Esslingen was like going home.

God was so good in providing us with a wonderful place to stay in Esslingen. Stephanie's brother-in-law, Scott, spent a year in Esslingen, Germany and had a good friend who still lived there with his wife and five year old son. Graciously, they opened their home to us for three nights. They were AMAZING. We had our own room to stay in, they provided dinner and lunch each day, washed our clothes, drove us everywhere, and made us feel right at home. I spent a grand total of 15 euros in Esslingen. 15. That is unreal. They were such sweet people.

When we arrived in Esslingen, Arndt (Scott's friend) was waiting for us right outside the train station with a sign reading "Welcome Stephanie, Lindsey, and Melanie." While listening to ACDC, we enjoyed a 20 minute car ride from Stuttgart to Esslingen. When we got to their house, we were greeted with German breads and cheese for a late night dinner. Here, we were able to talk with Arndt and his wife and get to know all about their family. They have such a sense of humor, and they made us laugh the whole time.

The next morning we met Jonas, their five year old son, who is such a cutie. We grew an attachment to Jonas and it was hard to leave him several days later! Anyways, we started out at at the castle in Esslingen where we were able to look out over the whole little village. Then we headed down into the City Center where we went a local market to pick up the ingredients for lunch, saw the first candy store built in the city, the oldest house in Esslingen, and the oldest restaurant in Esslingen which is a few hundred years old. It is a beautiful town filled with such great people. Everyone we met was as nice as can be. Then we headed back home where ate a German type of ravioli filled with spinach, meat, and cheese in a delicious soup. Then we took a short nap then headed out to Stuttgart. However, it started to rain so we only stayed for a little while, listened to some street musicians, visited a bookstore, went through an amazing local international food market (it was so great), then went home for the night. That night we had German sausage as well as more bread and cheese for dinner (while listening to Phil Collins over the sound system with a fire going too) as well as homemade marble cake for dessert. Don't worry, I got the recipe!

The next morning, we went to their local church ... which was spoken in German. Despite not understanding anything the pastor said, I still recognized several of the songs they sang as well as the Lord's Prayer! It was really cool to experience a very traditional church service in another country and in another language. Quite an experience! Then we had lunch at Arndt's parents house which was delicious!! We also got to watch his mother make the homemade pasta which was really neat. After a break, we headed back into Stuttgart with Arndt's father, who is quite the character. For example, we were driving behind this car that was moving pretty slowly so Ardnt's father rushes around him, honks, and yells, "GO HOME SLEEPY TOTS!" We laughed .... and feared for our lives. First, we walked up this hill that over looks the city which is beautiful. Then we headed to the Mercedes museum .... we were there for forever! We picked out every car we wanted and dreamed that maybe one day we might get it. After many pictures at the museum, we headed into downtown Stuttgart where we walked around, visited a castle, and had drinks at Starbucks .... I know, I know .... but it was the only thing open on Sunday! That night we had MORE cheese and bread for dinner, then we spent a while on the computer booking several hostels and catching up on emails.

The next morning we were up early and heading out to Switzerland to see the Alps! I had such a great time in Esslingen. I would however love to go back to Germany and visit the bigger cities, especially the cities that overflow with World War II history. Maybe next summer?? However, Esslingen was such a great break from the big cities. Big cities can get stressful after awhile. It also made me excited to be back with my family soon! I miss you all!!

Adventure Six: Salzburg, Austria

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music ...

After a six hour train ride, we finally arrived in Salzburg, Austria. Salzburg is known mostly because it is the city in which the Sound of Music was filmed. Needless to say, we were very excited to see all these places from the movie. When we arrived we headed straight to our "Couch Surfer" home for the night. For those of you who don't know, Lindsey, Steph, and I used a thing called couch surfing to find a place to stay for several of the cities we went. It is safe I promise! We were able to find people to stay with, communicate and talk with them ahead of time, and make sure that is who we wanted to stay with. I look back now and find that couch surfing was one of the best experiences of my travel abroad! In Salzurg, we stayed with a precious lady, Andrea, and her husband, Frederick. They are both probably in their early 60's, and they were such sweet, gracious people to open their home to us. We had a nice bed and couch to sleep on as well as delicious hot tea that night, and a wonderful breakfast the next morning. Such kind people. The whole experience at their home brought a smile to my face.

That night we headed out into the town, which even at night was absolutely beautiful. We walked around, took many pictures, then stopped at a quaint little restaurant for dinner. Delicious. Our first real dinner since we had been abroad. Then we headed back to Andrea's, drank some tea, chatted with Andrea and Frederick about everything under the sun, then headed to bed.

The next morning, Andrea was gracious enough to drive us around the city so we didn't have to pay for public transport. So great. We headed first to the house used as The Von Trappe home in the movie. It is now a University. We were so excited to see it! Then we walked to a garden near a big castle where the gazebo in which they sing "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen" is placed. Then we drove back into the city and explored. Andrea knew so much about the city; basically we were given a personal tour for free. We saw beautiful Cathedrals (one which is in the movie - the graveyard scene at the end), buildings, parks, and fountains. We also stopped for our daily pastry which was a pastry similar to an apple strudel.

After our walk around the city, Andrea dropped us off at the train station where we felt like we were saying goodbye to our mom. She was so great, and we were really sad to leave! But we were on to our next adventure ..... Esslingen, Germany which is a small town outside of Stuttgart, Germany. Salzburg was beautiful, and I would love to go back again one day!

Goodbye Austria, and Hello Germany!

Adventure Five: Prague, Czech Republic

Prague. Oh Prague.

Started out rough but ended wonderfully! Steph and I left Barcelona reminiscing on all the funny and pretty moments of our time there. We miss B, Rose's stories, Billford's faces, Pat's dance moves, and Kramme. But we shall see it all again soon in Swansea!

Moving on, we arrived in Prague safely and happily ... until the language barrier hit us. However, the Lord provided. We met a sweet man while boarding the plane in Barcelona who lived in Prague and after we arrived he graciously took the time to help us purchase the correct bus tickets that would lead us to our hostel for the night. Our 10 dollar a night hostel. Yeah, we were sketched out a little too. Little did we know, that hostel would help to make our stay in Prague the absolute best. The hostel was huge ... Plus Prague Hostel. The guy at the reception desk was SO helpful. He put us three girls in a huge room to ourselves, with decently comfy beds, and our own bathroom with extremely hot water .... it was heaven.

Unfortunately, our meeting up with Lindsey did not take place. Lindsey had a rough time getting to Prague .... so she ended up staying with a friend that night. We missed her. And Steph purchased a train ticket to Austria for the wrong day by mistake, so she had to purchase another, which she ended purchasing for the wrong day again, so she had to purchase a third, this time for the correct day. Rough night, but all is well now!

We spent the next day roaming Prague, seeing everything it had to offer. It also happened to be the week of their big Easter Market in the center of their Old Town. There were stands with homemade food, pastries, jewelry, clothes, etc. It was great. We saw many old, beautiful buildings ... pictures to come when I get back to Swansea. We also took probably a few billion pictures at the John Lennon Peace Wall ... the only place in Prague where graffiti is legal. Even though I know very little about Mr. Lennon, I like his Peace wall a bunch.

Before crossing The Charles' Bridge ... the big bridge you see in all the pictures of Prague .... we saw a group of what we thought were Czech sailors. So Steph asked for a picture, and they informed us they were not sailors ... just guys selling tickets for the boat rides. This is where we met Bayo ... such a gracious person! We talked to him about America, our time in Prague, our day of touring the city, and he got us into the boat ride for FREE which included free snacks and drinks, and an hour long boat ride around Prague. Such a blessing! Great day in Prague.

That night Steph and I took advantage of the free sauna in the hostel. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to Prague ... relaxing in a sauna, with diet coke and snacks, listening to Coldplay, and talking to someone who is becoming one of my dearest friends. Traveling around Europe on a tight budget, with a fellow college student who shares your same passion of chocolate, brings two people together like I can't explain. Then we took advantage of the free internet ... of course!

The next morning we were up early for our six hour train ride to Salzburg, Austria. We said goodbye to Prague, but we looked forward to the city where the Sound of music was filmed .... we couldn't wait to sing The Hills Are Alive at the top of our lungs ... in the mountains .... with our hair in braids .... wearing red and white striped skirts .... just kidding .... kinda.

Love you all!!

Adventure Four: Barcelona, Spain

Hello Barcelona!

First off, the city was beautiful AND there was a beach. What more could a girl ask for? Oh I know .... wonderful friends to spend four days in Barcelona with ... never mind, God gave me that too. 12 of us Americans managed to squeeze into an apartment that was meant for 8 people. But no worries, we made it work! I have never felt so close to these people; I have spent the majority of my time abroad with them and I just realized how hard it will be to leave them when I go home. I hate thinking about it! We are all so different, but I have been given an opportunity to be an example and witness. It's been such a great experience living, talking, sharing, and having so much fun with this group of people. All I know is I have a whole page of hysterical quotes from Barcelona ... so fun.

Second, we went on a bike ride. Yes, we did. Pretty sure I haven't taken a ride on a bike since I was maybe twelve years old ... on my white and pink bike. So needless to say when I heard "bike ride," my joy turned into absolute fear. However, it turned out being the best part of Barcelona. Five of us rented bikes, with little bells on 'em, and rode around Barcelona for two hours. It was amazing. I might have almost run over a small child, but it was definitely his fault .... I think. Anyways, we saw the Sagrada Familia (a beautiful, huge, Gothic church), the bull fighting arena, Spain's version of the Arc de Triomphe (the original is in Paris), and the beach! Our map of the city, which was placed in Steph's back pocket, ended up falling out and we got lost. But Steph used her perfect Spanish speaking skills to find our way home. Again, it was amazing.

Third, we didn't actually eat local food, but we made some good food. A group of us bought pasta, several sauces, garlic cheese bread, and made one delicious dinner ... while listening to some good music. It's one of those memories that wasn't a big deal at the time, but I will remember for a long time.

I hated to leave Barcelona, and I hated even more to leave my friends. However, on Monday we all separated into smaller groups to continue our travels around Europe. Steph, Lindsey, and I are ready to take on Europe together! Our next stop: Prague! Once again, God has been so good. He has kept us safe traveling, and He has blessed us with so many great opportunities. I can't explain the joy He has brought me just in four short days in one city. I can't wait to see what comes next.

European Spring Break

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5

Unfortunately, I will not be taking my computer with me over our four week break because one, I have to fit four weeks of clothing into a "backpacking backpack," so no room for the bright pink Mac; two, I would absolutely hate for my only connection to the outside world to be stolen, and three, knowing myself, I will somehow manage to drop it, damage it, or even destroy it by the end of my journey. So, needless to say I will be doing my very best find a computer during my travels so I can update you and assure you that I am still alive and well! On that note, here are our journey details, in case y'all would like to follow!

"The Lord will guide you continually ..." Isaiah 58:11

March 19: Barcelona, Spain
March 22: Prague, Czech Republic
March 25: Sazlburg, Austria
March 27: Esslingen/Stuttgart, Germany
March 29: Geneva/Interlaken, Switzerland
April 2: Rome and the Vatican on Easter
April 5: Florence, Italy
April 7: Venice, Italy
April 9: Athens, Greece
April 14: London, England
April 15: Back to good ole' Swansea!

8 Countries. 12 Cities. 28 days.

Hello Spring Break!

Please keep us in your prayers! I will be traveling with Stephanie and Lindsey, both from UT, and we would love to know that our friends and family back home are praying for us! Please pray for safety, travel, health, and that God would not only guide us but also teach and show us amazing things while we explore Europe together. I am so thankful and truly blessed to have this opportunity; God is so good, and I pray that everywhere I go I will find His beauty, His blessings, His faithfulness, and His love.

I will update as often as I possibly can!

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. I Chronicles 16:34

Adventure Three: Bath, England

Reality has finally caught up with me. Most of the past two weeks has been spent writing essays ... essays that will alone determine my grades. Oh, the pressure. However, last weekend I was able to break up the studying with a most exciting visit by Ashley! She, along with three of her sweet friends, made their way to Swansea ..... and by made their way, I mean missed a few trains here and there and FINALLY arrived in Wales around 1 a.m. Saturday morning. But no worries, we still had the best weekend being together, talking together, and laughing together!

As they explored the Gower Peninsula on Saturday, Lindsey and I headed to Bath, England for the day. Bath is known for its beautiful, old architecture, and hence the name, the Roman baths that still exist in the city today. Lindsey and I spent roughly two hours touring the baths and seeing all that went into designing these interesting creations. I felt as if I were walking the streets of ancient Rome. Story of the day: When we first arrived we saw a long line of people surrounding this building, which had no name, but it did have drawings of what we thought were the Roman baths. So we assumed, "Hey! These must be the Roman baths." After standing in line for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the front only to realize that we were actually standing in line for a fancy spa ..... a spa that is modeled after the Roman baths. We came to the conclusion we were definitely in the wrong place when we were offered chocolates by the staff and a British man behind us asked, "Did you not bring your swimsuit with you??" Swim suit?? No sir, we did not! We laughed, loudly, and laughed some more. What an adventure.

After a long tour of the Roman baths, we headed to a little cafe for tea and pastries. Typical English afternoon. We then began to roam the city. My favorite stop of the day: Bath Abbey. It is absolutely beautiful inside. At the time we walked in, the organist was practicing so we sat in the church for at least half an hour, just gazing at the colorful stained glass windows and listening to the music. What a memory. Bath was beautiful, and Lindsey and I had such a great time experiencing it together. Even if Lindsey does take 35 pictures of the same bench. So fun.

I am almost ashamed to say it, but I am going to anyways: It has taken me coming all the way to Wales to realize the power of prayer. Yes, I have grown up praying and talking to God, but I haven't REALLY prayed and talked with God. But now I am! In the last few weeks, I have felt my prayer life at an all time high. Whether it has been praying for safety, comfort, healing, friends, family, guidance, or peace ..... I have been praying! It's funny: my devotion for the past few days has been on prayer and its importance in a relationship with Christ. In fact, I went on a run the other morning down by the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day; the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky, and the weather was perfect. On my way back to the University, my iPod died .... I was devastated. I tried turning it on over and over again, and it just kept responding with "Battery Dead." What was I going to do while running back? What was I going to listen to? Then I looked around and realized "This is the (BEAUTIFUL) day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." And rejoice I did. I stopped running, and instead, walked and talked with God until I arrived back at the Uni. As soon as I got on the bus to ride back to my house, I tried turning my iPod on again, and what do you know, it turned right on with almost full battery power. God has such a sense of humor, and I am so glad he does.

Recently, there have been so many things that I have been praying for/about, so I have spent a lot of time in prayer with God. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 What is so great is I find myself yearning to talk to God more and more each and every day. And it isn't just to ASK of God; it is mostly to PRAISE God. "Praise be to the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3 I am so thankful I am learning so many new things about myself and my walk with Christ while being abroad. Rather than falling away from Christ, I find myself being pulled closer and closer into His loving arms. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8

I am thrilled and so grateful to say that God has already answered so many of my prayers. He has kept me safe, He has blessed me with opportunities I could never have imagined possible, He is healing, comforting, and loving friends and family, and He is continuing to be with me, guide me, and always love me. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us -whatever we ask - we know that we asked of Him." I John 5:14-15.

One exciting answer to prayer: I am coming home early!! I have been praying about this for awhile, and God put a peace in my heart about it. I was able to have my exams moved around, and I will be coming home either the first or second week of May! This is such an answer to prayer, for now I will be able to spend time with friends and family who are dear to me before I begin a busy summer spent, most of the time, away from Memphis. And I will be able to attend my cousin's wedding and Bekah's wedding, both of which are extremely important to me. God is so good!!!

My next adventure: Four weeks traveling through Europe. We will begin in Barcelona, then to Prague, down to Austria, on to Switzerland, over to Germany, down to Rome for Easter, up to Florence, over to Venice, short flight to Athens for a week, then back to Swansea. Absolutely incredible. We have out tickets ready, our bags packed, and we're ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

Adventure Two: Belfast, Northern Ireland

This weekend began with a quote from my dear friend Stephanie saying, "You know, I have all these plans for my future. But I feel like God is going to shake things up." Little did we know!

This weekend was exactly what I needed - Beautiful Irish country side, time spent with great friends, and a weekend with my absolutely amazing friend Ashley! What's funny is how stressful and painful it was getting to that point. We left Swansea for Ireland on Friday afternoon; we set out with four girls and only two, Stephanie and I, made it to Ireland. Lindsey missed her flight earlier that morning by only fifteen minutes and Hope left her passport back in England. Both made it to the airport, but were turned away. No refund. Nothing. It was the worst feeling! Stephanie and I were heartbroken that our two friends couldn't enjoy this experience with us. Just when we thought everything was settled, we started to board the plane when Ryanair informs us that we were supposed to have our boarding passes stamped ..... so Steph and I "Home Alone" it through the airport, sprinting, make it back downstairs, have our passes stamped, run back through security .... and of course .... I beep going through security this time. Therefore, I am awkwardly patted down and scanned, while Steph watches in amusement and horror. We finally make it back to the gate just in time, board the plane, sleep for a short thirty minute flight, and finally land in Belfast safely! Later that night, after experiencing some insanely tight security at Ashley's student village, Stephanie would have to climb a tree to jump over a huge wall, lined with barbed wire, surrounding the village in order to make it to Ashley's room safe and sound. It was quite the adventure getting to Ireland! But we are so thankful that God watched over us, and brought us there safely! "Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to Him, "You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in You I trust." Psalm 91:1-2.

Despite all of this, we had such an amazing time! Belfast is loaded with history and old architecture. It was interesting to hear Ashley tell us of the separation between those that are Catholic and those that are Protestant. There are still neighborhoods throughout Belfast that are strictly Catholic or Protestant neighborhoods, and some are even surrounded by walls. We passed by one of these neighborhoods, and it had a huge mural on one of the buildings that read, "You are now entering Loyalist Sandy Row." So interesting. Stephanie and I went to the Giant's Causeway on Saturday which was beautiful. Huge rocks in the formation of hexagons towering over the ocean, unbelievable. We spent all of Saturday, once again, admiring the beauty of God's creation. I have done that several times since being overseas, and each time, God never ceases to amaze me.

After a long and delicious dinner in Ballymena at The Grouse spent chatting with a precious little seventy year old Irish man, we made it back to Belfast only to be reunited with Ashley over a jar of Nutella, bread, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, white chocolate bar, and milk ..... thank you Ashley for successfully making us gain 500 pounds in one night. Needless to say we spent the whole night, and even into the early hours of the morning, talking, laughing, "skype-ing" with friends back home, and enjoying each others company all while on an intense sugar high. It was the best moment of our lives.

Sunday was spent on a guided walking tour of Belfast, led by the one and only Ashley Shoemaker. We saw beautiful buildings, ate beautiful food, and met beautiful people. Did I mention I had a beautiful time in Belfast? We also wandered into The Welcome Center to pick up some souvenirs. And we might have bought some clothes, but that's really not important! It was so great to spend such an amazing weekend with one of my dearest friends Ashley; she is such an influence in my life, and I am so thankful for her friendship!

On the way back to Wales, Stephanie and I laughed over all the things we had encountered and endured this weekend. Then we realized how blessed we were! Despite running into so many problems, God gave us such a wonderful, fun weekend, while keeping us safe each and every time we hit a bump in the road. God had His loving and protecting arms around us each and every step of the way, and the weekend turned out to be one of the best! God showed me that not everything is going to go my way; I may have plans, but God does too. And His are perfect. I learned to find joy and laughter in the struggle, and hope in what is to come! There were many times that I asked God for guidance and safety, and He was there and graciously answered my prayer. I am so thankful for God's love and provision over me, and it brings me peace to know He will always be with me, and He will continue to guide my steps, even through the difficult times. He never fails to watch over me, to love me, and to guide me. "When they call to Me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them." Psalm 91:15

"In Christ alone, my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song. This Cornerstone, this Solid Ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease. My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand."


Miss and love you all!

Adventure One: Amsterdam

After a long twelve hour bus ride, and two hour ferry boat ride, I, along with about 30 other American students, arrived in Amsterdam around 11:00 a.m. last Friday morning! Much to my surprise, the city was extremely pretty. Canals, lined with boats, run through the city, while the buildings that line the streets look old and very "Dutch-esqe." Unfortunately, the citizens of Amsterdam have failed in keeping some of the canals very clean, but for the most part, I thought the city was beautiful.

We spent the first day doing a lot of walking, but it was so nice to see the city by foot and be able to pop into some of the local stores and such. We began the second day with a tour of the Anne Frank House/museum ..... which was humbling to say the least. I remember reading The Diary of Anne Frank in middle school, but to actually see it, walk it, and experience it, was incredible. To put your self in her position, to stand in the confined rooms with no windows, to remain quiet throughout the small house, and imagine spending days and days in that environment really makes you grateful for the life God has blessed you with. At the end of the tour, there is a picture of Anne's father, Otto, standing in one of the rooms; it was taken on his first trip back to the House since he and his family had been discovered and taken. Otto lost his entire family; he was the only survivor, and his face in this picture says it all. You can see pain and heart-break all in this one man's face as he looks over the last place he held his loved ones. You were also able to watch a video of Otto reminiscing about Anne and her diary. He describes how Anne never talked about her feelings around others, and how he learned more about her thoughts from reading her diary years later than he did in those years he spent with her in person. He ends by saying that even in having a close relationship, "sometimes you never truly know your own children." It broke my heart; you could see the regret he felt in never really knowing his daughter's thoughts and feelings about life. All I wanted in that moment was to tell my loved ones, especially my parents, how much I loved them, and how blessed and truly grateful I am to have them in my life. We are all blessed with the time and ability to show our loved ones how much we care for them, are thankful for them, and love them. Time and ability are two things that some people don't have anymore. Being away from the loved ones in my life has made that fact even clearer, so since I have the time and ability .... I will say it now: I love you all and am so thankful for the role each and everyone of you have in my life. Ephesians 1:15, "I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers."

We spent the rest of the day exploring a local market filled with jewelry, hand-knit gloves, scarves, and hats, jams, candles, breads, meats, vegetables, and pastries. It was so great. We were able to experience what the locals experience, except for all our cameras, maps, travel backpacks, and water bottles!

Also in my weekend in Amsterdam, I toured the Royal Palace, tasted some delicious food and chocolate ( we stopped at a legit Chocolate Factory in Belgium ), saw some art work, and had a fun time with friends! I know everyone is wondering, and yes .... Amsterdam is a different world. Most everything is legal, including drugs and prostitution. I knew that beforehand, but it was still a shock. For the most part, the locals I talked to were very nice. However at several stores, the clerk would ask "Are you just visiting Amsterdam?" And immediately after we replied yes, many of their responses were questions such as "Ohhhh. Going to smoke lots of weed eh??" I honestly can't count how many times I was asked that. It just makes you sad for them .... I am glad I have better things to experience and focus on. It is moments like this that make me yearn for more churches to do missions in Europe. Europe is not like places such as South America who might have never heard The Word of God; unfortunately, Europe has heard it, but they are so extremely ignorant to it. Hebrews 2:2-3, "For if the message spoken by the angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" I saw many beautiful churches scattered throughout Amsterdam, but as far as how well they are at bringing people in and spreading the Gospel, I'm not sure; I have no doubt that a city like Amsterdam would be a very difficult place to do that. There are so many people in Europe that need someone to share the Word with them, whether they have heard it already or not. So, we shouldn't stop - Keep telling them. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16

I learned so much from my weekend in Amsterdam, and I am so glad I got experience it! It was a great start to my adventures abroad, and I look forward to the many adventures I will experience in the coming weeks, and the things God will teach me through them!

American Birthday Celebration

Psalm 118:24, "For this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Sunday happened to be one of my favorite days in Swansea so far ... why? Well, one, it was my 21st Birthday! (I cannot even begin to tell you how wise and basically genius I feel now being 21 .... Kidding!) And second, it was a night filled with American foods, American friends, and American football! It was perfection. I began my birthday in the best possible way and in one of my favorite places ... Church. I attended Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in downtown Swansea; it is beautiful! Off white colored church with large columns in the front, red doors, and an old sanctuary to worship in; what could be better?? Experiencing a church in another country definitely gave me such an appreciation and love for my churches, pastors, and activities back at home. Don't get me wrong, Mt. Pleasant was wonderful, but the preaching just isn't the same. However, after learning under such exceptional and inspirational pastors such as Dr. Rogers, Brother Steve, and Pastor Holly (Pastor at Sevier Heights in Knoxville), I feel like there can't be any better! But we did sing "Just As I Am" which made me feel like I was still at home, sitting in the balcony of Bellevue with my parents beside me, the Arnolds behind me, and Brother Steve preaching in front of me. What is unique - Because the churches are much smaller than in the states they are able to host events like having breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee/tea, or dinner as a church which is so great. I have been able to be a part of one of these events, and they are just so fun!

After a wonderful morning spent with fellow believers worshiping Our Great God, I headed back to the house only to be kept in my room all afternoon by my housemates as they cleaned and decorated for my birthday! Around 6 o'clock, I was finally allowed downstairs to find the kitchen decorated with birthday banners and balloons. Brittney and Ryan spent all afternoon cooking and the result was delicious! They made grilled BBQ chicken, hot dogs, nachos, cheese dip, brownies, and a High School Musical cake (apparently the "only" cake mix they could find ... I don't believe them) for my birthday dinner. I felt right at home; they made my day so special!

After a fun dinner with friends and housemates, we headed to Woody's, a hangout area in The Student Village, where it was packed with students watching the Super Bowl. The best moment of the night - About 40 American students, surrounded by many many British students, with their hand over their heart, singing The National Anthem with Carrie Underwood as loud as we could. It was Amazing. This was also followed by all the American students chanting USA! USA! USA! Oh yes, I do have video of this. The day would have been even better had my man Peyton received a win that night, but I guess I can't have everything on my birthday ....

The next day, Stephanie and Lindsey came over with an absolutely amazing chocolate cake they had made for my birthday. We also cooked some delicious (in my humble opinion) stir fry with chicken, fresh vegetables, and rice, and we had a great time talking, laughing, and planning adventures together. I could not have asked God for two better friends to put in my life during this exciting time. They are not only kind, caring, and fun girls, but they are also a great spiritual encouragement to me as well. We chatted in my room until about four in the morning, just enjoying being together and sharing stories with one another. So so fun. Job 8:21, "He will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Indeed, He does.

God has blessed me with such great friends here, and for that I am truly grateful. He placed friends in my life who took the time to make sure my birthday in Wales was fabulous. And it was!

A Day at the Gower

I woke up yesterday morning with the sun shining through my windows ... a view I had not seen in quite a few days. It tends to be quite rainy in the United Kingdom ... who would have though?! It was at this point I knew I had to get out of the house and explore. Therefore, Lindsey, Stephanie, (both students from UT and amazing people) and I headed to the Gower Peninsula! It took roughly an hour and half to get there, but it was an hour and a half of Welsh country side. It was beautiful; recall all the country side you have ever seen in Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma .... it exists; I drove through it yesterday. The bus even had to stop several times to allow horses to cross the street ..... there were horses, cows, and sheep just roaming about. When we finally arrived at Rhossili Bay, we stepped out of the bus and stood there in awe. It is one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen.

Rhossili Bay is made up of huge cliffs and mountains rising over the ocean. Before I began taking thousands of pictures, I walked ahead of the others, and walked out to the edge of one of the cliffs. I stood there, with the wind blowing, gazing into the sun, with mountains and ocean about me, and just listened to the sound of seagulls and waves crashing. It was that sound you love to hear every day in Destin ... but without all the noise of people. Cheesy, I know, but so worth it! As I stood there I wondered how any one could look at this and dare to think .... "Oh, this just popped up one day." Insane. Only "The God of Wonders" could create something as beautiful as what I saw yesterday. Romans 1:20, "For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Never before have I really felt the power of this verse until now. Even "the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of His hands" (Pslam 19:1); we have no excuse either.

I have several moments in my life that have had great impacts on me. One, being a moment between my papaw and I right before he passed away. Another, being listening to TAPS play as I looked out over Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Normandy. Or the moment spent with great friends, lying under the stars, and watching the amazing Eiffel Tower light show at midnight in Paris. However, standing on a cliff, looking out over the ocean, watching the sun rise, and spending a quiet moment with God may have to be at the top of my list. Absolutely Incredible. "O LORD, Our LORD, How majestic is your name in all of the earth!"(Psalm 8:1) After that, I met back up with the girls, and we continued to take way too many pictures, but they are beautiful memories! We also got to watch the sun rise, chat, and laugh together in one of the most beautiful places.

We ended the day with a HUGE dinner at a local restaurant, plus some Welsh chocolate cake and hot chocolate! Yesterday was a day I will never forget; God showed me so many great things. Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" I cannot wait to see what God will teach and show me in the next few months and all the adventures I have ahead of me!

Much love from Wales!