Today is a special day...I officially have over 1000 views on this blog.

Okay so maybe it isn't a huge deal, but it is kind of cool to know that people are seeing this!

I'd like to thank my parents for always believing in me, my cat...  just kidding ;)

Time to get serious :)


Man! God is good. I am so unworthy of His love, patience and all the other things he is constantly lavishing upon me! It's hard to grasp the fact that he loves me so much that he gave his life for me!

I want to share that good news with everyone!

Well of course I do have some resolutions for the new year.
1. Not to let a day go by without spending quality time with my Heavenly Father in the Word and through prayer. Let me clarify...not just reading the Bible, but really digging in and acting upon what I've read and what the Lord speaks to me.

2. To remember that every single person around me is facing, literally, a life or death situation...an ETERNAL life or death situation. I don't want to be okay with that. I don't want to let fear of having inadequate words or whatever hold me back from reaching out. I NEED to reach out!

A resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something.
So not only do I want to make a resolution, but I want to make an impact.

I submit myself over to God again this year...Here I am, use me God. I don't have much to give, but what I have is yours. I am not my own. I have been bought with a price and I want to serve you every day of my life!

My prayer for me and for you is that we would truly take the words of the Bible to heart and to act upon them. I pray that if you don't yet know the Lord, that you would because it is THE BEST thing that could ever happen to you! I pray that the Lord would strengthen you and strengthen me. That he would give us the confidence to share his love with everyone around us and that we would be faithful to his calling! We serve an amazing, just and loving God. He will never fail us. He is the greatest! And I desire to bring glory to him in everything I do!

No those views do not count my views I made it so it wouldn't count my views :) 

So don't try and burst my bubble! ;)

The Greatest

God is with us...

You can probably tell that I'm not the kind of person to erase or start over. I just kind of pour out whatever is going on in my life all over this computer screen and hope and pray someone can relate and be encouraged. Today I debated on whether or not I should erase the beginning and just go straight into the good stuff, but I think that would defeat the whole point of wanting to be transparent...sooo here you will find all that has been on my mind over the last couple days of not writing anything...

 I hate stressing out about having to juggle school (which hasn't even started), worship, quality time with the Lord, and family...I don't even have it that hard.

Life can feel so hard though.

I get so caught up in planning and prioritizing that my focus just gets off of God.

Why is it so hard to just trust that God's got it handled? Why does it feel like I can't let go?

I know I've said all this before. This is one of my biggest challenges. 

Oh Lord, I need a breakthrough! One minute I can feel the freedom of totally depending on you, and the next minute I'm looking down and I realize, wow I'm up high, and I start depending on myself. I need you to breakthrough my doubt. I need you to show me once again how to let go. 

So you may be wondering, where is the happy Ally? Which I apologize for any complaining I've done...

She's here. 

Just in writing this I'm able to feel the presence of the Lord. (Which makes me beyond happy)

God is good, isn't he?

Joshua 1:9 says,

"...Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

He is with me wherever I go...

He is with you wherever you go.

Now that's got to bring a smile to your face.

Thank you God!

I want to encourage anyone who is feeling defeated, worn out, or frightened...whatever it is, remember God is with you wherever you go. Be strong. Be courageous. Remember you're not in this alone. 

I thought I would share with you that tomorrow I will be getting baptized. I've struggled with being baptized over the last few years because I didn't want to do it for the wrong reasons. Baptism is not something to be taken lightly. At this moment I finally feel ready to do it. It's not a matter of pleasing people around me anymore. I'm doing this to show the Lord my dedication to Him. I want to be obedient to His call. I want to be faithful. I want to trust HIM with all of my heart, and love him with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I want to be changed from the inside out. I want him to use me. Although he already knows that, this is my public declaration of me giving my life over to the one true God! 

Lord, keep my eyes focused on you. You are all I need. Prepare my heart for tomorrow as I take another step out on the water. I'm letting go again. I'm refocusing. Through you I can do this.

I’m letting go again

Don’t want the day to end...like this

No matter how many times a day

I’ll keep giving it away...to you

‘Cause I want you Lord. I need you Jesus.

I can’t let go alone.

So Jesus, come and set me free    

Pour your grace out on me

         

Why does it feel

Like I have to be in control

Am I afraid of knowing, of changing, of growing

Why am I holding back?

Why am I standing still?

Lord you take the lead, oh once again would you take control

‘Cause I want you Lord. I need you Jesus.

I can’t let go alone.

So Jesus, come and set me free    

Pour your grace out on me

come and set me free

I am free

~Letting Go~