dual purposes.

my brain is scattered this morning. the looming test in 3 hours, what i need to do this week, things i would love to share with you... but then i read my devotion for the morning.

let me back track a little before i get to the heart of my message this morning.

yesterday morning, mom drove me to auburn to visit with a friend, and save me the drive. i had the intention of reading my devotion on the way to auburn, however, mom and i always end up chatting and plunging into a lengthily and deep conversation. needless to say, my devotional was not read yesterday morning.

this morning i opened my Jesus Calling book and wanted to read yesterday's. i almost laughed out loud in my very empty, quiet room. it said, in bold min you, "TASTE AND SEE THAT I AM GOOD" . this is only funny and simply ironic if you what i have been doing since may 11. God really does have a miraculous sense of humor in my life. He gives me little hints of his goodness. the irony is that yesterday, the 28th, marked the end of my journey and the beginning of new self control! and the Lord just had that waiting for me on that day.

MY GOD IS FAITHFUL.

genesis 28:15 - "I am with you and will keep you where ever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL.

just another way to see it.

speaking of faithfulness... yesterday was a very special day. my best friend turned 20! yay! i would like to fist of all say that i do not have only one best friend, i have several. thank the Lord above for them each. everyday.

but... miss sara is no longer a teenager.

the other day, i was sitting in the 36 house and grace was eating lunch. she and i began discussing something about friends. looking at her straight in the face i said, "no doubt in my mind, without sara, i have no idea where i would be." if you know me, you probably have heard me say sara's name in almost every conversation. she is my bestie. i love her so much and just wanted to share that because yesterday was her special day. i did not get to see her this time, but we did spend some quality time together last week.

so sara, thanks for sticking by me when i am lame. and when i get in my moods of anti-social behavior. and when i need to vent, thank you for listening. i thank my God for people like you, people who are going to change the world one day. i thank my God he smiled down on the earth when he created you. you are beautiful my dear friend. I L O V E Y O U.

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yesterday i did my work and after my dinner settled i decided to hit gay street for a run. not a jog, but a run. i normally do not listen to my iPod when i run, because i enjoy the freedom and clear mindedness i have without it. but yesterday, i felt the need to try it out again. and it was completely different. i felt energized and pumped as i ran down the sidewalk, keeping in step with my jams.

i ran down to the end of gay and hopped on the trail that i like to run. it was looking rough; weeds and underbrush were beginning to take over the mulch path. i braved the trail anyways, and as i ran, had to avoid certain obstacles reaching into my way.

suddenly, i had this vision become clearer in my mind. so many times on our "trail" of life, the path we are on looks rough and sort of spooky.

we run.

quickly.

dodging the weeds and limbs falling in front of our steps. we duck our heads and cover our faces, attempting to avoid the scratch or bruise it might leave behind. it is like the devil causes these things to distract us, make us look somewhere else, leaving our minds to wander and lose focus on our footing.

you can fall that way.

but when we run down our path with the mindset that these little weeds and branches will not kill us, and that God only gives us what we can handle, we can get out of the rough areas. our Lord is good. He loves his own children.

He promised that if we commit our work to him, he will make his path known! and even if that path looks a little spooky, we must commit ourselves, our work, to Him.

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well i hope this blesses you as it does me. i am off to class and the JRNL test. have a blessed day!

PROVERBS 16:3- commit your work unto the LORD, and your plans with be established.