Saturday Six ~ Road To Addis Countdown

Saturday Six One:

Darin and I booked our flights to NYC and our hotel rooms for our wedding day in NYC!!!!  WOOHOO!!!!!!

Saturday Six Two:

Got our engagement announcements in today..... they came out so cute!

Saturday Six Three:

I have been sick since Thursday and so thankful to have the most amazing fiance' ever.  He has been running around for me and taking such great care of me.  I slept a lot today and woke up to a fridge full of veggies and Naked drinks.  I love this man!  So blessed!

Saturday Six Four:

I talked to NYC Shops for my wedding bouquet today.  Everybody has been so nice and helpful!  It's so cool to know that in 27 days, I will be in NYC saying "I do!"

Saturday Six Five:

I snagged a new client today in photography.  She owns a business and asked me to take pictures for her web site from time to time!  Score!

Saturday Six Six:

I'm happy.

I'm really really happy and it is such a great feeling.  I don't have everything together and things aren't always perfect but I'm happy.

I Want To Receive His Heaven

"To know God's will, we must totally surrender to God's Will." Max Lucado

Lately I have been faced with many amazing changes in my life that have continued to bring me to my knees both in seeking guidance and praising Him for His blessings.  Recently, I have battled fear and worry and have had to hand it over to Him completely in order to not get caught up in the enemy's plan.  At the same time I have also come face to face with His grace and divine intervention and most importantly transformation.  He has poured His love and guidance over me so powerfully but it has taken an emptying of myself in order for Him to be able to change my heart. 

To know Him and to be sensitive to Him, we have to totally surrender to Him.  We have to seek Him in prayer and ask to be sensitive to His voice.  See, often times we go to Him in prayer with a handful of choices that we want Him to decide for us.  God, should I take job A or job B, should I move to state 1 or state 2, should I get married, should I stay single, should I have a baby or travel the world.....the list goes on and on of all that we bring to Him.  We say, "Lord, this is what I want but I don't know which one is better, You pick." 

It takes more than that.  We must learn to enter His presence with empty hands, no hidden agendas, no multiple choice test for Him.....we must go to Him completely empty.  We must go to Him with a total willingness to do whatever He says.  We must surrender our life and our will to Him and trust in the desires He has for us.  We must empty the desires of our hearts and allow Him to refill our hearts with all that is Him.  

I'm getting married in 27 days and where this is the happiest of moments, it is also a very scary one.  I have been battling insecurities and wondering if I will be a good wife.  Will I love him the right way? Will I fail him in any way and if I do, will he leave me?  Will I always trust him and honor him?  Or will I become naggy and argumentative and God forbid, would I ever want to leave?  The fears and the questions go on and on yet in the midst of all the shouting fears and questions, I hear the small yet powerful whisper from the Lord telling me, "do not fear, I am here."  See, I have prayed and prayed not just for my future husband but for me as well.  I have left all of these questions and fears at the cross and I have to make a choice to leave them there.  I have to surrender it all to Him and trust Him! 

If you haven't listened to the Jeremy Camp song, "Empty Me", I highly recommend this song.  This song explains exactly what I am saying.  It gives me chills every time I listen to it.  We need to be emptied in order to be refilled by Him.  Emptied, not just by our wants and what we think we need but emptied of everything.  Emptied of shame, unforgiving thoughts, bitterness, things of the world, tomorrow's to-do list, yesterday's failures......everything!  We must be willing to surrender our whole world in order to receive His Heaven!

http://youtu.be/TWk42LFOQXM

Holy Fire burn away, 

My desire for anything

That is not of you and is of me.

I want more of you and less of me.



Holy Fire burn away,

My desire for anything

That is not of you and is of me,

I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,

Empty me, yeah,

Fill, won't you fill me, 

With you, with you, yeah.



Holy Fire, burn away,

My desire for anything

That is not of you and is of me.

I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,

Empty me, yeah.

Fill, won't you fill me, with you, with you, empty me now.



Well won't you empty me, well won't you empty me now. repeat x2

I want more, I want more, I want more of you, Jesus.

I want more, I want more, oh.

Thank you, Jesus. 

Thank you, Jesus, oh yeah, 

Thank you, Jesus, yeah. 

Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire

Scripture For The Day

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Snacks

Yum!!!!

Cornerstone by David Dunn

"Cornerstone" (LIVE) - David Dunn - Good Friday 2013: http://youtu.be/lkQ8IdA2Ako

Scripture For The Day

"You Do Not Belong To The World":

18 If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first.
19 If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and that is why its people hate you.
20 Remember how I told you that servants are not greater than their master. So if people mistreat me, they will mistreat you. If they do what I say, they will do what you say.
21 People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me.  John 15 : 18-21

Scripture For The Day

1 John 4:12 NCV

No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is made perfect in us.

High Five For Friday ~ Wedding, Snow, and Girlfriends

High Five Number One:

I made my first bridal appointment in search for the perfect dress today! My heart about jumped out of my chest when I hung up the phone!  I get to marry my best friend! EEEEE!!!!!!!

High Five Number Two:

Have you ever had that moment where you felt at complete peace with where you were?  Like you just know you are smack dab in the middle of His will for your life?  Well I had that moment today and it felt so peaceful and amazing and I could just feel His arms around me!

High Five Number Three:

It snowed this week!!!!WWWEEEEEEEEEE

High Five Number Four:

God is working in my friendships and it's awesome!  Some old friendships are flourishing and new ones are starting.  I have been praying for restoration in one and I feel it coming soon!  God is totally preparing my heart for it and with that being said, He amazes me so much! I fall more and more in love with Him DAILY!

High Five Number Five:

I get to see my sissy soon!  She will be able to meet us in Amarillo to go dress shopping and I'm so excited!!!!!!

My Day Today

My day today......wedding planning!!!

Scripture For The Day

Laugh today!!!!

Psalms 32:11 NCV

Good people, rejoice and be happy in the L ord . Sing all you whose hearts are right.

Love is.....

Love is when it is a beautiful day outside but I don't want to enjoy a beautiful walk without my other half.

Scripture For The Day

Matthew 5:5 NCV

They are blessed who are humble, for the whole earth will be theirs.

High Five For Friday ~ Girly Stuff And Girlfriends

High Five For Friday Number One:

Did something different with my nails today..... leopard print pinky and black!

High Five For Friday Number Two:

I got one of my favorite movies today!!!!  Can't wait to spend all weekend watching it...hehe

High Five Number Three:

I'm super excited to get a haircut this week.  I had to pick out a hairstyle for my wedding day because I needed a haircut so bad.  Hopefully I won't change my mind between now and Feb. 27th!!!!

High Five Number Four:

I was able to spend a good hour talking to my amazing friend Sally today!  Oh how I love her.  We talked about her journey with Henry and laughed and giggled (as usual) and talked about the wedding day and planned a trip for Dare Bear and I to visit in March!  I'm so excited to see her!  Please keep her in your prayers!

High Five Number Five:

Super excited for my girl date with Mona on Sunday!  Coffee and Christy Sutherland in concert!  Come out and join us if you are in the Lubbock area!  It will be a great concert!!!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday ~ Work Church, New Seasons, Spiritual Growth, Marriage, And Friendship

I'm loving my new job at Trinity!  I love being able to worship and work for God!  I love that Staff Chapel is a part of our work day!  We got a good word from Pastor Carl yesterday.....it was a Church service to start off our day complete with praise and worship time and all!  God is so good!

 (Picture courtesy of Pastor JD)

I love that I have an amazing fiance' who has been so supportive of my new ventures!

I love that I have been going through an amazing season of spiritual growth!  It has been amazing to literally feel the changes happening within my heart and within my spirit!  I have prayed diligently for discernment and for God to help me see His ways and to love with His heart!  My thought process has changed drastically over the past two months and it's a development that I cannot explain!  It has required me to remove toxic relationships from my life yet to still have a huge heart for those people I have let go of!  I have grown an even stronger and pure love for them by allowing myself to let go and love from a distance.  Sometimes when we hold toxic relationships and negative people so tightly in our grasp, it causes us to not see them with the pure eyes that we should.  We see them with eyes of pain and hurt and I am learning that sometimes letting go is the most loving thing we can do for ourselves and for them!

I love that I am getting married in 44 days!!!!  Can you believe it!!!!  44 DAYS!!!!! AAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!  After years of praying for him and taking wrong turns..... I'm going to be a wife!!!  I pray to be the most amazing wife to him that I can possibly be!!!!

I love that preparing for marriage has forced me to dig deep into the depth of me and see God!  I have desired to have a strong marriage in Him and I am determined to be spiritually ready when we begin our journey as husband and wife!

I love that the last couple of days I have been able to reflect on amazing friendships that I have had over the past few years and have  been so thankful for those amazing people in my life!

I love that with counting my blessings of old friendships, I have also opened my heart to amazing new friendships!  Friendships that I never expected to blossom, are blossoming!  Godly girlfriends are the best! Thank you Jesus!

Prayers For Hailey ~ Henry-Be-Gone!!!!

In life we meet all kinds of people.  We exchanged greetings and nods and small talk.  Sometimes we  take those small encounters and make friendships that are for short seasons and part ways for different reasons.....but sometimes, we meet those people who become more than just friends.  They become what I like to call, "lifers".  These special people become our family and stay in our lives forever; every season, year in and year out.  You experience life together through good times and bad.

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

For me, one amazing friend comes to mind when I think about my "lifers".  Her name is Hailey AKA Sally! We randomly started calling one another Sally years ago and it just stuck.  So, Hailey will forever be my Sally!  Hailey and I met in the year 2008.  She was trying out for a spot on the North West Arkansas Wolfpack Cheerleading Squad.  I was already on the team and we were really nervous and excited about getting a new set of girls on the team.  Hailey was super talented and we knew she would be an amazing asset to the team.  She brought pizazz, talent, and laughs!  It's hard to believe looking back but Hailey and I clashed the first couple of months.  I look back now and have NO idea why but what's important now is that it was only a couple of months out of 7 amazing years that we wasted on nonsense.  Needless to say, when we were done being difficult, we ended up allowing an amazing friendship to flourish!  

The past 7 years have been ups and downs (mainly ups with lots of giggles).  After two professional cheerleading squads, life changing experiences, and lots of giggles and fun, we have grown together and laughed together and most importantly shared life together.  We stood by one another's side when making the choice to surrender all to Christ.  We encouraged one another and cheered one another on as our lives took different directions.  I stood by Hailey's side as a bridesmaid on her wedding day and watched her commit her life to her groom.  I saw her marry her best friend and I watched her grow into a beautiful wife.  I listened to her journey of the married life and she listened to my stories of the single life. Hailey introduced me to painting and everytime I pick up a paint brush, I think of her and always send her a picture of my newest painting.   Hailey and Becca moved me to Texas and shed tears with me as I made the biggest leap of faith in my life.

I am telling you all this to paint a picture of how important she is to me and not just me but many others!  On December 22, Hailey and her husband found out that she has a large Acoustic Neuroma brain tumor and will be undergoing surgery in Los Angeles February 4th.  I would like to ask for prayers as Hailey and Austin embark on this journey.  I would also like to invite you to read her blog http://haileyalbers.blog.com/ and follow them on this journey!  Hailey has always been a positive spirit and there is no doubt in my mind that her faith will get her through anything! Her journey will change lives and I can already see God using her and this season to honor Him! Today I celebrate my amazing and phenomenal friend and most of all I celebrate God's love for her!  I know He will take care of her!  

Thought For The Day

Always submit your thoughts to the authority of Jesus.

Proverbs 4:23 reminds us that we should guard our hearts.....what we think flows into our hearts, so remember to have a pure mind!

Proverbs 4:23

"Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it."

Scripture For The Day

The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried by the fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times. – Psalm 12:6

My Future

Is it just me, or is my groom-to-be a cutie!?! 😀💗💖

Scripture For The Day

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. – Exodus 14:14

Stripes Are Fun

Love this outfit I put together.

Make Your New Year Youniquely BEAUTIFUL!

You will LOVE IT!!!!!

https://www.youniqueproducts.com/CryssieGarza/party/1158656/view

High Five For Friday ~ Snow, 2015, and A New Job

High Five For Friday Number One

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You guys all know how much I LOVE ME SOME SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say, I have enjoyed the snowy winter weather all week!  I know some people hate it but I love it.  Of course, I was blessed to be in doors most of the week.  I only had to work Monday and Tuesday so I was cozy in doors most of the week.  The future hubby had to get out in it and I did not like knowing he was on those roads.  Thankfully, God had His loving hands on him and he was safe.

High Five For Friday Number Two

We started 2015 this week and I'm so excited to see what is in store!  Darin and I will be getting married and starting our life together and I can't imagine all of the exciting things God will bring us into!

High Five For Friday Number Three

I started my job at the Church as administrative assistant to the Generations Pastor, who is also new, this week.  So far, I love it! I have always wanted to work at Trinity, so this opportunity is so amazing to me!  Thank you Jesus for all you have done for me in 2014.

High Five For Friday Number Four

Since it is snowing, tomorrow it is chili and movies by the fireplace all day!

Lovin' it!

High Five For Friday Number Five

I wore my onesie all day!  SO!

It's A Super Hero Christmas Photo Shoot

It's Ok Thursdays

It's ok that we have been having movie day literally all day long!  Snowy and cold outside so a nice day of cuddles by the fireplace with my future hubby is a perfect way to spend the first day of the year!

It's ok that it's not even 10PM and I don't have to work tomorrow but I'm ready to go to sleep.

It's ok that two days ago we realized that our boy cat "Lego Batman" is in fact..... wait for it....A GIRL cat!!!! WAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

I pray you all have a WONDERFUL and AMAZING and GOD FILLED 2015! God is GOOD!!!!