Move On & Do Something.

My whole purpose for this blog was to record my college journey.. but we all know college makes for a busy girl, so the blog has been forsaken for some time now. However, I am back! [for the time being]

This summer has been a wonderful time of spiritual growth in my Lord. I've been devoted to waking up every morning and spending time in prayer & His word.. learning about Him, worshiping Him, talking to Him & loving Him. I sit on the porch in the quietness of the day, and listen to the birds sing while I drink my coffee. How beautiful that all of creation sings to it's majestic Creator & yet we have an opportunity to know Him intimately!

"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the Earth!" -Psalms 96:1

I began the summer reading "Lady in Waiting." It's a great book that focuses on 10 qualities a lady should develop to "become God's best while waiting for Mr.Right." The authors use the book of Ruth and the characteristics she demonstrated: A Lady of Reckless Abandonment, Diligence, Faith, Virtue, Devotion, Purity, Security, Contentment, Conviction, & Patience. I want God to grow these traits in me so that I may be pleasing to Him, but also so that I will be a godly wife when God sees fit to send me the man he has in store for me. I'm not content just to find someone I can happily spend the rest of my life with. I'm concerned with finding a guy that I can fully serve the Lord with.. somebody who will chase after God with me, strengthen my walk, & heighten my worship. I pray for him & ask that God grow him, whoever he is, wherever he is, into the man I will someday need. Much to our society's disagreement, I acknowledge that a marriage is a demonstration of God's love for the church. This is such a beautiful thing not at all to be taken lightly, and I look forward to it.

"I feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than the single state. Happy indeed are those people, married or single, who have discovered that happiness is not found in marriage but in a right relationship with God." --Gary Chapman

Also, this sumer, God laid it on my heart to do a "back-to-school" drive for children who are lacking in the necessities. It's been a really exciting time & God has also used it to draw me nearer to Him. He constantly reminds me that a stagnant relationship is a dwindling relationship & we have been called as followers of Him, to go out and serve others in love. I look forward to seeing this project in full swing once we get to deliver the supplies to the kids. I pray that God will work through the compassion & love He's empowered us with as we share it with the children. 

"Since you excel in so many ways- in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, & your love for us- I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving." -2Cor. 8:7

So, today is my last day of "summer" because I head back to Auburn tomorrow for pre-season camp. I'm a little sad because I love being at home. God has blessed me with a family & friends that I enjoy spending time with. I know there are some who choose to go to college and never look back, but that's certainly not this girl. Although, I do enjoy college very much. I love Auburn. I love the AUMB. I love the new friends I have made.. but it's still hard to leave home. (Good thing it's not too far away!) All the same though, I am very excited to see the things God has in store for me at Auburn University this fall. I pray that He will help me be strong & courageous, faithfully serving Him & heeding his instruction. I know there are hearts and lives in Auburn that need God, and I consider myself blessed that He has put me in a mission field that I truly love, for the time being. I really am excited to go back. This fall i'll apply for the exercise science program & begin taking kinesiology classes. I'll be taking a pretty full load, and I hope I do well, but God is showing me that my grades are "earthly success" and I am to be primarily concerned with the success of His Kingdom.. A pretty hard lesson to learn! Y'all pray for me!... Since I intend to graduate early, it's time to start praying about where God will lead me for the next chapter of my life, PT school. I've come to realize this will be a HUGE step in my life because i'll be moving pretty far away. All in all, I am excited about God's plan though.

[my verse.]

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart. Don't lean on your own understandings. In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him & He will show you which paths to take." -Proverbs 3:5&6.

Also, a picture for you.. Because I believe in Auburn & love it.

Y'all take care.

Until next time (who even knows when that might be..),

Mollie. 

Whistle While You Work

Generally, I come to write with a specific purpose, knowing, for the most part, what I want to say. Not exactly the case this time.. Tonight, I am just wanting to write. I'm overwhelmed with the holiness of my Lord and feeling the need to share some of the ways He's revealed Himself in my life recently.. Just to reflect on His omniscience and abundant majesty. 


[inhale. and here comes the long-winded exhale.]
God just does so many things to reveal to me that I am where He wants me in my life at this point. He shows me that I am safe in His wings, that I have begun heading in the direction He is leading me in.. One of the things I know for certain is that the Lord wants me at Auburn. (God told me to tell you, 'War Eagle.') But seriously, I can specifically remember the moment when I was perfectly sure that I was where He wanted me.. [story time]

This is pretty much what it looked like, except that I was a few rows up in the line.. and in motion. But as I marched down Donahue for the [Iron Bowl?] 4-corners pep rally this year, I was suddenly overcome with the Lord's confirmation. He flooded my soul with an incredible peace. I was overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounded me, and He just let me know I was exactly where He wanted me.. That pieces of His will for my future would be assembled here. That there was work for me to do for His Kingdom in Auburn, Alabama. I'm way pumped.

So i'm praying steadily about what the Lord wants me to do. He is pulling my life closer to Him every day. But through the studying and listening I do, I've realized the importance of fellowship with other Christians. It's so important to have a group of people backing you, supporting you, speaking words from the Lord to you, and correcting you when you're wrong.. This realization drove me to getting a small group organized and I am SO EXCITED for what the Lord is gonna do in our lives through this. We'll be strengthened and nourished to go out in confidence of what He has in store for us, but more importantly- it is an opportunity to bring in lost souls. To let them "smell" the fragrance of the Lord and guide them into personal relationships with Jesus. The bible tells us of the importance of Christian community.. We are NOT supposed to go at this walk alone.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:23-25

 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Through my 40-days of no make-up, i'm being taught the importance of sacrifice. No, it's not easy. Sacrifice isn't easy at all, I kind of have to go out of my way to do it. It isn't convenient. But it's what the Lord has told me to do. Our entire LIVES are intended to be sacrifices to Him. *Sidenote: I just thought of this- If we struggle sacrificing things like make-up, food, music, TV, our free time, etc. how in this world can we even claim our lives are a sacrifice to the Lord? Each of those areas in clearly a part of your life. So, just something extra to think about, I guess. . Anyways, I've been feeling the Lord has wanted me to make an sacrifice that is less-than convenient for me, but beneficial to His mission. So I started praying about what He would have me to do and He laid creating care-packages on my heart. Once I realized this, I was all aboard the thought train to sending them to Africa, or impoverished children of other nations. The Lord claimed that baggage and rerouted my train back towards home.. more work on my part. Less convenience! An opportunity for creating relationships.. but there are so many people here who need Him! So I was led to share this calling with The Way Church today, in hopes of support and ideas that the Lord has laid on the hearts of these people I love so dearly. . I'm super excited about where this will go, as well!

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22

Lastly, (i think.) I have been reading through the book of John.. Last Saturday, John 10 was part of my morning devotion. Then Sunday, John 10 was a part of Sunday School. And then John 10 was the sermon in the main service. Then, John 10 came up in one of the podcasts I listened to last week. . That is a lot of 'coincidental' John 10! It's not coincidence. It's the Lord at work. Knowing this, I went back and reread it. Still though, I don't feel that I've fully uncovered what God is trying to impress upon me through this chapter. I'm praying and believing He will make his message clear to me in His perfect timing.. at a time when it will probably rock my world. And though I can't figure out why He's made it so prominent in my life at this point, I'm crazy excited to find out why.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be full and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:4

Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.

Psalms 25: 4-5

So, lots of excitement in my life at this point. The Lord is working (which explains the length of this). I'd be sorry it's so long, except i'm not, because it is only a testimony to the Lords infinite eminence. 

Stay gold, Pony-boys. (is that reference appropriate here?)

Mollie.

What's That Smell?

[behold, another long one.]

"A woman should, at the very least, always smell good."

Amen. I read that statement and it just put my motto into words.. I take a lot of "pride" in smelling good. One of my very favorite compliments is "Oo, you smell good!" Why thank you! I'm not sure why I find it so important. Perhaps it's because smells are inviting? Or because good smells are attractive? Maybe because it represents cleanliness? Though, I think my primary reason is because it is something that is very unique. Nobody else will ever smell like me.. ever. You may use Old Spice soap and Versace perfume just like I do, but we will never smell the same. Our bodies are different. We secrete different pheromones, which are responsible for the way others perceive us and behave towards us. Crazy, right? These chemicals are the reason behind so many other "natural" occurrences in our life, but what I really want to express is that they are yours. Specific to you. Designed by God and produced through you; nobody else will ever smell exactly like you. So when you wear perfume, it reacts with the pheromones to give you a scent uniquely yours.

But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Wow! Our knowledge of Christ is a perfume. Our lives are a fragrance rising up to God and our fragrance is Christ-like. The way YOU smell to God, reminds Him of JESUS! Is that not incredible?! You wanna talk about the best, most attractive smell ever? That's it. Can you imagine being so much like Jesus that when God catches a whiff of you He thinks of His Son? Especially considering how unique our fragrances are. So, that has become my new goal, to become so Christ-like that the Lord smells me and thinks of His Son.. Just like a fond memory evoked by a sweet smell, something we can all relate to. Popcorn = Movies. So, Mollie = Jesus? .. I can't wrap my brain around it. But I am trying.

So what affects this? The KNOWLEDGE of Christ. You must be constantly seeking Him. You can't be "like" something that you don't even know about.. But then there is another thing. In my life, it is the more difficult of the two. We have to be a fragrance perceived be others. We have to make sure others smell us. But more so, we have to make sure they know WHAT they are smelling! I have no trouble reading my bible and gaining knowledge of the Lord, but when it comes to speaking- I clam up. It says our fragrance is perceived differently, depending on the who is smelling it.. It's like waking up on Saturday morning to a great smell filling the house, you aren't sure what it is, but it's breakfast time and YOU WANT SOME. So you get up and get it. Perhaps this is what the scent is to those who are being saved. They smell it, it smells good, they want it, they chase it. . But the Word says the same sweet smell that God delights in smells like death and doom to those who are perishing. So i'm thinking about this and I'm doing my best to figure it out.. I think maybe these that are perishing have gotten a bad whiff of the "Christ-like perfume" at some point in their lives, and nobody has taken the time to just sit with them and let the true fragrance of the Lord fill their nostrils. If I am smelling like Christ, it is because I AM LIKE CHRIST, right? In that case, it is completely my responsibility to go out to those that are perishing and introduce them to the beautiful, sweet fragrance. To spend my time with them, and show them all that the Lord has in store for them.

So to bring it back around.. My Christ-like life reminds God of His Son, my Savior, and He has designed my knowledge of Jesus to present a sweet and inviting smell to everyone I come in contact with. And In order to act as He has designed me to, I must constantly seek further knowledge of Christ and become more like Him.

I want to smell like Jesus. I want others to want to smell like the Jesus they smell on me. I want the Lord to delight in my fragrance. This is one of my newest goals.

Until next time,

Mollie.

A Heart of Relinquish.

(i'm struggling with my words tonight. Though, you wouldn't know it to look at the length of this.. probably a lot of rambling. I pray this ministers to you in some way.)


As we are all well aware, Ash Wednesday is tomorrow. 
Of course, i'm not catholic but I have seen more and more non-catholic, Christian churches participating in Lent throughout the past few years. I can remember the first time I ever gave anything up for Lent. I did it with absolutely no purpose. I did it because my friends were doing it, and I saw it as kind of a challenge to test my self control. I saw it as a diet plan. I was successful. But the entire time, I never even realized Lent was a fasting process until someone asked me, "Why are you doing it?".. What do you mean, 'why am I doing it?' I'm doing it because I can! Because I will benefit from it!

I. I will benefit from it. So often, we do things with no purpose. And by no purpose, I mean- to benefit ourselves. The ONLY purpose we have on this Earth is to serve God. To offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him, each and every day. To die to ourselves and the purpose we THINK we serve on this Earth. And so, with this I have realized that fasting food, at this point in my walk, is not a good idea. There are many people who will be suffering from caffeine crashes, an aching sweet tooth, and hunger pains come tomorrow. I won't be one of those. Oh, I need to be.. and perhaps that is the problem. I recognize the need to lose weight, for MY purpose. But what I am abundantly thankful for, is that even more so, I recognize the need to draw closer to my Father. I recognize that no matter what I do on this earth, I will never be close enough. That's why I feel like He has led me to offer up a different sacrifice to Him. Perhaps it sounds crazy, off-the-wall, and maybe pointless.. to you.., but I honestly feel led to give up make-up for the next month (or however long it is.) Trust me, I really don't want to. However, I know that I must because I would never come up with something like that on my own. Giving up make-up for a month will benefit me in no way at all. Instead, i'm convinced it will benefit my relationship with God significantly. It will lead me to a more heavy reliance on my security in God and His purpose for my life.  I have tried to put into words what the Lord is doing in my heart, and what His plan for this sacrifice is, but I can't find the words to explain it to you, friends. So, once I finish typing this, I am going to go wash off my make-up, and that will be the last time it graces my face for the 6 weeks... WOAH. didn't even realize it was that long. This is going to be a challenge, indeed. I would be telling a story if I said I wasn't nervous.. or if I said I was confident that I wouldn't have any inclination to put on some makeup to make me feel better about myself. But I pray that I will be able to withstand my fleshly desires for that time. I am going to devote my life, even more so, to prayer and devotion to seeking the Lord and His desires for my life. I will rest in the sweet comfort only He can provide. I believe the Lord has something spectacular in store for me through this, and I will undoubtedly be miles closer to Him when the time rolls around to celebrate the Ultimate Sacrifice of His Son, and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Charm is deceptive and beauty if fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." 

Proverbs 31:30.

Until we meet again,

Mollie

Unfamiliar Territory

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart."

Ezekiel 36:26

Lately, the Lord has really been hammering me with scriptures and messages about a tender heart. He has also been doing an overhaul on my heart, and I am more in love with Him now than I have ever been before. It's unlike anything I have ever experienced before. And It has really been a wonderful, beautiful experience that I am incredibly thankful for. I have realized that I desire to have no other heart than one that beats 100% for Him. I only want to live my life as an offering and a complete sacrifice to His will, because it is the only thing that matters. It is the only thing that will EVER matter. Along with that mindset, I have witnessed the Lord cultivating this new spirit within me. It is a spirit of happiness, peace, drive, endurance, rest, and purpose. (& those are only a few.) The Lord is taking my stubborn heart and making me responsive to His will and His mercies. He is making me tender to the aching cries of the lost souls that surround me. He is pushing me to act on His commands to go out and speak what I have seen and heard and I am filled with a drive to do so. 

"And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you are to be His witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.'" 

Acts 22:15

So, with saying all of that, I say this: My hope for this blog is to use it as an outlet to what the Lord is showing and telling me. I want to use it as a place to record the development of my walk with Him throughout my time in college. Writing about the things the Lord reveals to me will give me a greater understanding and appreciation. It will lead me to do more reflecting and contemplating on things that are of Him and not of myself or this world. Hopefully by doing this, the Lord will be able to use my meager words to act in a mighty way in someone else's life. 
I titled this blog "State-of-the-Art Heart." As defined by my Mac dictionary, State-of-the-Art means, "the particular condition that someone or something is in at a specific time." What is more important in your life than the condition of your heart? Not very much. The condition of your heart plays a major part in determining the condition of your overall health. So especially when we consider the condition of our heart as it applies to our relationship with The Almighty God. What could ever be more important than that? .. Absolutely nothing. Cherish it. Nourish it. Protect it.

As water reflects the face, so one's heart reflects the life.

Proverbs 27:19

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. 

Proverbs 4:23

Until next time, 

Mollie.