Adventures to Another Land

A week after graduation I left for a 3 week trip to South Africa. After many long flights and a long morning spent on the bus our team reached Em'Seni.

Place of Grace

The beautiful sunset we saw on our first night at Camp EmSeni

The team and I spent day after day teaching in schools. We were working with Prevention Time doing the Reach 4 Life program.  Reach 4 Life is a program that teaches AIDS prevention through a gospel stand point. We also visited AIDS family, now this was heartbreaking. I had never looked at someone and clearly been able to tell this person is going to die and they are dying a painful death. Yet, I was able to share with them in their most vulnerable moment a story of a man who died a painful death so that we might live. 

Our goal was to teach young students about the love of Jesus Christ and that through a relationship with Him your life can change. This program is a way to teach HOPE to a hopeless nation. I always wondered why God would pick me to go to South Africa and one day at Girls Club I found out why. During Girl's Club I was asked to share my testimony with a room full of young ladies. My hands were shaking, my voice was cracking but God was shining. I was able to share how God took a broken young girl and made her whole again. I shared how God gave me hope in knowing that I am loved unconditionally. That is why I was in South Africa, to share hope. To let kids know that God can take their brokenness aside and make it beautiful!! 

I will never be able to share all of what happened or even begin to explain how it changed my life but what I can do is share some pictures from the trip. I hope you see the pain in their eyes yet the sparkle of hope, love, and joy that want. 

We handed out Bibles that have life lessons in them about Sex, Love, Family, and God. I think about how many Bibles I have yet until now these kids have never owned one before. 

This little girl was a treat. I love her dearly! 

There were serious moments, silly moments, and much more throughout this wonderful adventure. One moment that started off as an adventure ended up serious. Ashley and I decided to take a hike down by the river. However, we went further than we planned and ended up in rush to make it back to camp before sun down. For some reason Ash and I thought the trail would wrap back around to the camp site however, why we thought that neither of us know considering we were following the river.  Along this path there was a bridge out so instead of turning around we decided to climb down the land and then climb up the broken bridge. Once past that obstacle we noticed that the path was getting smaller and it looked like no one had been back that way in long time. However, we didn't care we hiked and hiked and hiked until this path dead ended into a cow pasturer. We were a little confused and very frustrated. Well, we thought that if we could cross the field we would find the road that lead to the camp driveway. Boy were we wrong!! As we ran across one field dodging cow patty's, going through bob-wire to cross the second field, sneaking behind bulls and trying to avoid sprinklers all we found were more fields. Once we made it to the third we turned around and ran back. Then we begin our LONG hike back. Along the way Ashley fell and almost slipped down the mountain. She scraped her leg and beat up her side but luckily I helped catch her and she was safe. I took the lead from here and eventually found a short cut. By the time we got back we were exhausted, dehydrated, and extremely sore and just in time for sunset.

Another adventure was when Ashley and I went to the bathroom at this shopping center. You have to pay to get past the gate to get into the bathrooms. Well, Ash got stuck in the gate on our way out of the bathroom and I was on the other side already. We couldn't reach the exit button and we were out of the specific coin it took to get in. SUPER funny! Luckily there were some local guys that came along and saved us...after I took a picture of course. :)

Overall, this trip was a success. It was full of love, laughter, and sooo many blessings!! God is great! He definitely protected us, provided for us, and constantly showed us His love. I am so thankful! 

Precious Little Ones

Hard Work Pays Off

        The day that all the hard work paid off! May 12, 2012, started as a cloudy day with a high chance of rain. As we, the graduates, waited for them to tell us whether or not we needed a rain plan we all anxiously prayed for sun. God, came through and the class of 2012 graduated outside on the lawns of Cone Bottom as tradition.

        What a wonderful tradition it is too, professors line the sidewalk and we take the senior walk through campus. The sidewalk contains names of so many 'difference makers' that have gone before us. As I walked for the last time down those sidewalks I was reminiscing and self-consciously praying I don't fall. I looked into the eyes of professors who are more like friends and I realized just how blessed I truly am. Behind those eyes are people who actually care about me. They spent the last 4 years teaching, guiding, arguing with, and loving me. 

 

My Chair

As I made it to my seat I turned and looked for my family. I am the first to graduate college in my family and this day meant just as much to them as it did to me. All of our prayers, tears, frustrations, and hard work was about to pay off. 

As they called my name and I walked across that stage I was filled with so much joy and happiness. I knew better than to look at my mom, water-works were going to have to wait. As I sat there and watched the rest of my friends graduate I knew God had a plan for the class of 2012. Our class truly is made-up of people who are difference makers and I cannot wait to see what God has for each of us. 

 Thank you to my mom for always supporting me and believing in me, to Bill for always helping and making sure I had everything I needed. Thanks to the rest of my family for praying for me and supporting. I love you all! 

John, Mom, Me, and Bill 

The Bennett Clan

My Beautiful friends:

top left is Kiley Jane, top right is Meg

the bottom is Shelby and Katie

Below is a my favorite professor EVER, my research mentor, and a dear friend 

Dr. Lori Hensley

Ouachita Baptist University is such an incredible university and wonderful place to call home. I loved my time there and look forward to returning as an alumni to visit. :) 

     

The Many Questions Going Through My Wandering Mind

This post is going to be ALL OVER THE PLACE...As I sit at my desk tonight I'm filled with questions...

• Has it really been four years?
• Is graduation really in 43 days?
• What am I doing after I graduate?
• Will I ever see some of these people again?
• Am I ready for this next step, the real world?

Answers...

• Yes I am a senior in college and will be graduating in 43 days. 
• Although, it doesn't feel like it yes, I have really been at OBU for four years. 
• As for the rest of those questions, I don't have answers but I have some truth...

Even though I have NO CLUE what lies ahead for me after I walk the stage on May 12th, I know that God has a plan for my life. I know this because in Jeremiah 29 verse 11 says 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

I know that verse is used often but right now that is just something that I can hold on too. The last question on that list was "Am I ready for this next step, the real world?" I feel like I'm clueless but I know that I have been taught well academically, socially, mentally, physically, and spiritually! 

Tonight I attended the dinner for the Senior Class of 2012 at this dinner a very wise man spoke. He told us about how to live a life of courage, honor, and to know when to put the media aside and speak to someone face to face. This man made his first appearance in my life in the fall of 2008, he was my general psychology professor.

After, this dinner I went to a weekly worship service called Refuge. Tonight at refuge the speaker was none other then the incredible Dr. Horne, president of Ouachita. He reminded me that I have a God who loves me unconditionally, a God who suffered a gruesome bloody death so that I may have life. There will always be uncertainties in life but there is the promise of Hope, in the one who paid my price, that I can cling too. Every morning I wake up and thank God for another day to live and glorify Him. I may not know what tomorrow holds but I know that if I live each day to the fullest, honoring my God then nothing else matters.

I do NOT have to walk that stage on May 12th knowing exactly what I am going to do afterwards. All I need to know is that God has a plan and He will reveal it piece by piece in His time, not mine! (:   

Here are some pictures from tonight. (:

I have lovely friends, I know! More pictures to come soon! Also, a BIG thanks goes out to the wonderful bestie Kiley for doing my hair tonight...she's fab!!! :)

But, until next time! 

-VK

Gaining a New Understanding of Lent

Growing up I had always heard of Lent but had never really grasped what it was or why no one I knew really participated. After reading a blog that was written by the wife of a former professor (http://www.welltrainedfamily.com/The_Well-Trained_Family/Blog/Entries/2012/2/21_Lent.html) and then reading another blog (http://myofferings.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/in-defense-of-lent-updated/) along with doing some research, I have been challenged to look at my own life and decide what I believe to be right and honoring to God.

            I have decided to participate in Lent this year, starting today-Ash Wednesday! So, how can I make the most of this experience?

1.      Spend time in prayer, and ask God to search my heart. I need Him to show me the things that I treasure over time with Him, to reveal my sins.

2.      Repent of these sins. Ask for God to pull me out of my sins and for power from the Holy Spirit to live a holy life.

3.      Fast, now this can look different for everyone. However, after some consideration and prayers I know that one of the things that I use to fill my time, when I could be worshiping and growing closer to my Lord, is facebook.  I will fast from facebook.  For those of you who do not know and did not go and read the other two blogs mentioned above-the fasting is where you give something up. You do this every day of the week except for Sunday. It is 6 days of fasting and 1 day of feasting. This is for the 40 days before Easter Sunday. So why do this?

4.      To look forward to the Resurrection, this is the time for me (and you) to mediate on Easter, when Christ defeated death and the power of sin. Look forward to the resurrection that freed us from sin and gave us life.

I am giving up facebook in hopes that the abundant amount of time I waste each day on there will go to finding new ways to grow in Christ. It will be time spent in prayer and in the living word. This is my time to understand the power of Christ and His sacrifice for my life.

If you want to keep up with me, since facebook is no longer an option check back occasionally into this blog where I will hopefully keep you updated on my journey and what I’m learning during this time of growth through meditation and God’s word. 

Until next time, 

Vikki kay 

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."          Psalm 51:10-12

Infinite and Complete

I heard about an interview that a 4th grader gave after winning a prestigious science fair. The interviewer asked him to describe his favorite thing about space. The 4th grader responded, "It is infinite and complete."

Infinite and complete. What a beautiful oxymoron. I like it because it describes a lot about life.
I serve a God who is infinite in power, wisdom, and understanding but is the complete creator of life.
His love for me is infinite and everlasting but it completely satisfies my needs.
I have been made with an infinite amount of opportunities, gifts, and desires but I am beautifully and wonderfully complete.
God gives me more than enough to know and trust in the fact that my life is complete though tomorrow is unknown to me.

I just find that incredible, I mean think about it for a minute...
God is infinite = He exists outside of and is not limited by time or space. He is omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.
Omniscience-  1John 3:20, infinite and complete knowledge
Omnipotence- Psalm 115:3, Matthew 19:25-26, all powerful
Omnipresence- Psalm 139:7-10, Always present, there is no place that you could go to escape God's presence.

I am so incredibly thankful for a Lord who is infinite and complete. I am beyond thankful for the infinite love that was made complete when God sent His son to die for my life, my sins!

My prayer is that you know that God's love for you, is infinite and can make your life complete. (:

Happy Tuesday, Friends!
-VK

LEFTOVERS

Today, I gave God my leftovers.
What do i mean by leftovers? Well, I mean I gave Him what was left after a long day of classes, homework and even time spent with friends or on social media...instead of waking up and starting my day off with Christ, I waited until almost the end of my day then sat down with Him. I dislike days like these but I do it all too often. I come up with excuse after excuse as to why i push my quiet time aside. However, a few weeks ago I led a small group at a d-now and I made a commitment with my girls to have more days where God gets the best of me, the fresh, the new, not days like today, not leftovers. I have also been telling myself that to help keep me accountable I want to get back into sharing what God places on my heart in this blog. So... If you are close to me then you know I struggled with a really bad break up about 2 months ago. This wasn't just me loosing my bf, it was me loosing my best friend. This guy and I had been friends since we were 13. However, things ended and I was crushed. My family/friends hurt for me because I was so upset. I am better now, but still have my days were the memories sort of sting but for the most part I remember the good times and try not to dwell on the bad or the future plans. This is all great except I didn't fully realize, until Friday night worship service of the d-now, that I was fostering anger in my heart toward this whole situation. I kept telling myself i'm fine and truthfully I am okay with how things have turned out but I still needed to forgive and let go. I broke down during worship because God was telling me that I cannot fully worship Him until I have repented and given Him my all. Until I forgave my ex and gave the anger and hurt over to God, I could not experience the true worship that David talks about in Psalms 51. Well, I have surrendered it all to God and feel much better about everything. I try to remember that... "No love of the natural heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God first." -Oswald Chambers To go along with this... my qt today...though it was my leftovers...was Isaiah 54. I really enjoyed verse 5, where it talks about how the maker is our husband is the the redeemer and God of all the Earth. This verse just reminds me that....

This is a picture from my qt journal today! 

LOVE is found in GOD Alone!!

Giver of Every Breath I Breathe-I Want to Know You More

"To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid 'Big' sins-is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?" -Francois Fenelon

The answer is of course no, but how often are we stuck in that same routine? My prayer is that I never feel that I have "enough God," because my desire is to have more and more of God for the rest of my time. My great, great Aunt Bertha is by far the Godliest woman I have ever known. She passed away at 80+ years of age and yet day after day she sought after Christ. I remember coming into her house and seeing her constantly reading her Bible or praying...oh when she prayed for the world and us kids she literally cried, now that is a prayer warrior. At a young age I didn't understand it but now I do. She was so in love with God and all she ever wanted to do was serve Him, get to know Him better, and for us kids to accept Him into our hearts. I remember getting to tell Aunt Bert that I had accepted Jesus into my life; it was a moving moment to see her worship God because her prayer had been answered. This is all to say that she NEVER missed an opportunity to tell someone about God and His precious Love. No matter how old she got, she was NEVER EVER done serving Him. We should be the same way. No matter how knowledgeable, how old, or how busy we get we are NEVER through learning and we should always be serving!

I was asked-"What is God himself like?" My response...how do I even begin to answer that. :) Well, this is what I said...
*God is Holy. Francis Chan said, "We don't get to decide who God is." In Ex.3:14 God said to moses "I am who I am." We do not change that.
*God is eternal. Everything that is or has ever been is from God. He is the beginning and the end.
*God is all-knowing. Meaning while yes my friends or parents may not know everything that is going on in my head...God does! Intimidating? I think so! Hebrews 4:13 says "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."
*God is all-powerful. Psalms 115:3 makes me laugh, it says "Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him." Let me say that again..."He does WHATEVER pleases HIM." I know not exactly a haha moment yet I repeatedly find myself asking questions like "Why did i not get her body?" Why do I study so hard and get B's yet they don't study at all and get A's?" "Why did my father have to pass away?" "Why did I have to go through so much pain in high school?" I think that this is the most challenging part for me...to live for a God who is NOT obligated to answer my questions or explain himself. Then I think...

*God is fair and just. God will NOT do something to me that I cannot handle. I remember some painful situations in H.S. and I remember that one of my teachers once told me "Sometimes bad things happen to good people so that God can use them to help others." At that time, I did not like this answer but now almost 8 years later I agree completely. God has given me a platform to stand on. He has given me an amazing testimony to His glory and His love. :) Last but not least...
*God is more than words can express. I know that the above is only a portion of what my God is but I also know that there is not enough words to describe what God himself is like.

I am a sinner saved by grace.
I am a child of God.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14
The God who I am in awe of sent His precious son to die for my wretched life.

That is who my God is...

Love in Christ,
Vikki Kay