Nathan.

My love. You are 22 today. I have known you for the last 3 of those years and I must say that those have been the BEST 3 years of my life. Here are 22 things I love the most about you, us, and our time together.



1. You helped lead me to Christ. I can never repay you for sharing His love with me.

2. You have too many personalities to count. And I absoutly love every single one of them.

3. Here lately you have dropped the -ney off my name. I really can't remember the last time I heard you say whitNEY. But I love it. It just reminds me that we are that couple. The one who shortens names but is never short on the love.

4. You family warms my heart.

5. Remember that time we watched lightening together. Seeing the works of God. Sharing in them. WOW.

6. Talking about marriage is very frequent these days. I have waited for you all my life Prince Charming. Thanks for showing up.

7. Your red hair. I never thought I would date someone with red hair. Now I pray that my kids (our kids) will share that gene.

8. You have picked up playing golf. And that just makes me laugh.

9. When we first met we were getting out of relationships....it was so worth the breakups.

10. For our first Christmas together you suprised me with a carriage ride through downtown Memphis. You are still having trouble topping that.

11. I absoutly love doing ministry together. There is no other feeling like it in the world.

12. Water. Yea, you know what I'm talking about. Most of our sweetest moments have happened around water. Our first kiss was just one of the many.

13. You love my friends. And I love yours.

14. You can eat more than me. And that makes me very happy.

15. I love that on my worst days you tell me that I am beautiful.

16. I always thought that I would end up with a big, buff, manly man farmer kindof guy. I was wrong. And its the best wrong so far.

17. After our first "date" in Southaven, I came back into the house and my dad instantly looked at me and said, " Whitney, something is different about you now. I think this guy might be the one. You have never seemed so peaceful." Thank you for making me feel peaceful. I am whole.

18. You are so funny. After almost 3 years of dating you can always make me laugh. Even when I want to be mad.

19. Our fights our so petty. They are quite funny actually.

20. My momma loves you. She really loves you.

21. Your family calls me an aunt to "our" unborn neice even though its not official yet.

22. God, thank you for Nathan. Thank you for his commitment to me and to our relationship. I didn't know that love towards another person like this existed until I met him. Father, bless his ministry. Let him never feel like he can't find You in it. Help us to glorify You together. Let our relationship be pleasing unto You. And above all, Lord please help us to be your hands and feet working together in perfect harmony with Your plan. It is all worthless if You aren't in it. Thank you for putting this love in my heart. All glory to You.



I love you Nathan. Happy 22nd birthday. May there be many many more to come. Lets blow out candles together when we are 100 years old.

What A Glorious God I Serve.

This past weekend was our annual Discipleship Now aka DNOW. And I will not even come close to capturing what all took place in this measley post. It was defiently the most powerful thing that I have ever experienced as a leader and as a chirstian period.

It started off with doubt. I absoutly had made up my mind that nothing was going to happen and that our kids, and girls especially, were going to come and go and nothing would be different.

But oh how I was wrong. And its the best wrong ever.

Ash, my BFF of choice and divine plan, was the older girls' leader. This excited me because not only was I going to be doing ministry but I was going to be doing it with my best friend. My sister in Chist. My support. My rock. The words honor and priviledge don't even come close to that experience.

Friday night Ash led the girls and I just got to sit back and listen to how a good leader leads. It was amazing. The rocks around their hearts started to chip away little by little. Little did I know that God was going to shatter all stoney covering away soon enough.

Saturday was a normal DNOW day. Missions, panic, and eating. Thats normal right?

But Saturday night...Thats when God decided to show His face. And it was beautiful.

Danny Hinton, a good friend of mine and Nate's was the speaker...or in this case the pipeline from Heaven to the kids because I could tell it was God speaking the whole time. He brought it. The band started it off and I could feel the Lord moving. Then Dan spoke and the kids could feel it. After the talk and invitation the kids went to small group. And this is where the chains of Satan were shattered.

I can't explain what all happened in that small group room due to privacy and I honestly think that the Holy Spirit has made my mind fail and my mouth speechless about it because it was all so sacred. To sum it up in a few words that will certainly fail to do the job....

Girls on knees bathing each other in prayer

Forgiveness between each other was asked

Boundaries were broken

Hearts became light and free from burden

Leaders stepped up

Humility- it took me to my knees

Tears cried

Smiles broke rock hard faces

GOD MOVED

So we wrapped up the 2 HOUR small group session with one last prayer and we left the room. Then my most favorite thing happened. I met eyes with the man I am in love with and he wrapped me in his arms and told me how proud he was of me. It was a hug like no other. It was a hug between a brother and sister in Christ in love with each other, in love with the Lord, doing minisry together. There is nothing in the world quite like it.

And that was my weekend. There are a few minor details (like engagements threats from the pulpit, looking at a first house together, new friendships made, and an amazing church service the next day) that I have left out but for now thats enough.

And forever God is enough. And He is good. And he is faithful.

AMEN.

So Sick...

This weekend I have been one sick little girl. I thought that I had the flu...I mean I have high temp. bad body aches, cough, throwing up and so on and so on. I am not one to let a little sickness knock her down but I almost asked to go to the hospital.

So today I finally went to the doctor and all that they could tell me was that I had a "viral something" and they couldnt give me anything to take. And I had to wear one of those embarassing mask things around like I had some sort of contagious diesase. Oh I was mad. Then they had to take blood. Oh I was even madder.

After all that they gave the that stupid diagnosis. Or lack thereof.

But will all that the one thing they did say that I liked to hear was BED REST. That was one thing that I could take them up on! So with all the lounging around led to a whole lot of tv watching. Which brings me to the purpose of this post.

We have some whack tv shows on today. Like this new teen drama fest...

Am I the only one who thinks that this is rediculous. Now I haven't watched but one episode but what I did see was about a teenager who gets pregnant and can't decide what to do. Among her many decisions are... 1) Keep her baby 2) Give it up for adoption 3) Stay with her baby's daddy or 4) LET ANOTHER TEENAGE BOY RAISE HER CHILD!

Let me just say that I appauled at this. And moreso that young girls are watching this show like their lives depend on it. What happened to shows that built moral stamina and offered good clean laughs. It just breaks my heart that teenage girls go through so much already these days and we only have to offer then in the security of their own homes is more drama, and glorified drama at that. And they love it. They are brain washed. They think that these things, teenage pregnancies, rebound boyfriends, and outlandish parents are all normal.

Girls, don't believe these things. The world may not have anything greater than these things to offer you but Christ does. And the girls who will look up to you one day are depending on you to find out all that He can offer and share it with them. Hold your heads high little ones. Its a tough world but we serve a Mighty God. And the two of those don't even compare. Stay strong sweet things.

My Loves.

So as I sit and just chill from a lack of sleep (good friends and virgin drinks = 4am bedtime) I am just overcome with a feeling of BLESSED. I have the best family, friends, and SAVIOR. Man how can I be so lucky. I guess if nothing else, this post will remind me in the future no matter what the circumstances, I am loved.

Loved by people. Loved by God.

These people are EVERYTHING to me. I hope to find the love that my parents have for each other and provide a sibling as kind and precious as my big brother is to me.

This is why I love hanging out with youth. If that face doesn't warm your heart, you should be on a gurney.

These are the Besties who kept me up until 4 in the friggin morning. They are just splendid.

And this is that girl who I like to call my BEST. If you don't have an Aunt Ash in your life, poor pitiful you. My life would be the pits without her. Oh Ash how I love you.

AND HERE IS THAT BOY WHO HAS MY HEART.

I am BLESSED. Take some time to count your blessings today.

I take it back.

Foolish, foolish me. I was wrong. Its just not worth the trouble. Have fun doing your thing.

At A Loss For Words...

Today I had an aching to sit down and write something, just anything.

I don’t have that today. So instead I will write a little of what God has been whispering to my heart lately.

Now it may be a little too soon to write these kinds of things but I write them with a plea for prayers. Its so hard to feel God tapping on my heart but not know what He is going to make of these little whispers.

Lately I have gone through some rough spots in my education which got me to thinking…Do I want to teach in the schools all my life?

I know I always want to have my hand in special education but in what form? Where?

God has been laying it on my heart that there are special needs children ALL OVER the world. Not just here in this society in which they are entitled to a free and appropriate education where teachers are trained to cater to them and them specifically. There are kids with these same needs living in places where no one knows how to tend to their precious, but meticulous needs.
I want to go and teach parents and communities how to train these children. They are people too and they deserve the most out of life just like you and me.

So I am asking for prayers. I am begging God to reveal to me what he is going to do with my love for these kids and for Him. I know that in time He will reveal His plan and I will hear…

“See there Whitney. All that time that you were wondering, questioning, and doubting, I was working ever so tediously to smooth out all the details and provide you with the perfect plan. I am faithful my dear child. I will always follow through. Always”

Oh how I long to hear those words. My heart aches with excitement to see what He is going to do. Oh I can barely contain the wonder of all that is going to unfold.

Jesus. You are wonderful.