Dahlonega.

Have I told you about my little town? Built on the promise of gold, and all it was worth back in the pioneer days. A town where to this day...everybody knows everybody.


Locals roam the streets doing whatever they feel like doing because after all, they aren't tourists....and don't care what people think. A town whose highlights consist of a superstore, one college, a town square, four red lights and that's about it. Where kindness is shown through a friendly greeting, a genuine "how are you doing?", and maybe even a conversation about your actual life, given by a complete stranger.


A town that you can ride a bike through and not feel anger radiating from the bumper of the car directly behind you. A town where you can walk anywhere.  A community of aged hippies. A community of young conservatives. A community of faithful service men, and their families. A community of patriotism. A community of learners, searching to find themselves and make a name in this world. A community of love...mostly.


My little town is cute. It is always hustling and bustling to keep up with the times, yet the times don't quite fit it well. It has festivals...all...the....time. It has wine, and good food.  Friends. and Strangers. It has all four, very distinct seasons. My little town is full of mountains, and creeks, and adventure.

It's full of kindness. Just the other day a man told me he wanted to buy the ice cream cones for a young, and most likely poor couple standing at the counter. To see their faces as I told them everything was paid for by another customer...was remarkable.

I love my little town. And although, I will not be here for much longer, I have loved my time in this little town.

Don't get me wrong, knowledge is good.

A relationship is more than Knowing a name,

or history,

or the characteristics of that person.

A relationship is more than Knowing little facts,

or bonus trivia.

or even what they do at every moment of the day.

it's found in the love you have for that person.

it's found in the love you show that person.

it's found in the loving actions you show others 

... on the behalf of that person.

So as believers of Jesus Christ, 

who claim to pursue a relationship with the Lord

Why do we insist on searching for every answer, 

or base our relationship with Him, 

off our knowledge of Him...

when what he wants us to do more than anything is...

LOVE.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:35

Turning Over a New Leaf...

Definition: to make a radical change for the better in one's way of living or doing.


I am
Turning over 
a new
leaf.


For a moment I thought: What kind of leaf do I want to turn? An Oak? Magnolia? Some sort of shrub leaf? Does a blade of grass count as a leaf? I soon found out, though, that the saying "to turn over a new leaf" originated from the leaf of a paper book...not the leaf of a living tree. (don't judge me.) 


Regardless, school starts soon for me. It's a new semester. MY LAST SEMESTER! And, I want to turn over a new leaf. I want to finish strong. I want to invest some quality time with the people God's put around me. I want to invest some quality time with the Lord himself. I need to save money, and become financially responsible for my life. I need to turn a new leaf.


I want to put the past behind me. I want to forget my mistakes. And I want to be free from the burden those mistakes carry. I want to forgive and know that I have been forgiven. I want to have confidence in the things I am doing in my life, and the places the Lord is leading me in my life...again. I want to turn a new leaf.


 "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

~Hebrews 12:1-2 

Done. That's all I need to read. I'm sure this leaf won't be easy, and who's to say it will actually work, but for the sake of my life, and God's Kingdom...it needs to be turned.

Life laughs at me...and I laugh back.

ok, so yes, I...Lindsey Ann realize that I JUST posted on this thing, but life is funny, so I'm posting again. (This may be due to the fact that I deleted my facebook...I don't know how long that's gonna last.)


BUT...the story is as follows. I made a cup of coffee. (I LOVE COFFEE!!!!) And, I'm trying to cut back some of my addiction...so I only made a cup's worth. good, right? no, not today.


As I was pouring some powdered creamer into my AWESOME cup, some creamer got stuck in the spout which usually happens....so, I gave my little bottle a squeeze which usually happens....


and the WHOLE lid came off...dumping the WHOLE bottle of creamer into my cup! This does not usually happen. I saw the lid come off and was so surprised that I did absolutely nothing....


AND, the pot is empty. oh, life why do you mock me?!


so there's just one more question to ask:

"would you like a little coffee with your creamer?"

When Heartbreak hits...

Life is not always perfect, in fact it is mostly always imperfect. Days do not always bring sunshine. And sometimes the best things in this life often come with a genuine, real, open life... although this genuine life often becomes a vulnerable life, and vulnerable lives are subject to heartbreak.

There is your family. And your friends. And cleaning supplies, and maybe a dirty apartment to keep you occupied.


When heartbreak hits...


Scripture soothes.


"Strength and Dignity are her clothing and she smiles at the future."~ Proverbs 31:25
"Blessed is she who BELIEVES that what the Lord has said, will be accomplished."~ Luke 1:45
"...we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." ~1 Corinthians 8:1
"And I hear a loud voice from the throne, saying,"Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."~ Revelation 21:3-4
"And these things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."~ John 16:33

When heartbreak hits...

The LORD is the one who heals. 

Livin' on a Prayer...

THIS WEEKEND WAS INSANE. 

Looking back everything went so smoothly, and in the end it was a blast, but in the moment...chaos. The fourth of July is just a great holiday and in Dahlonega, GA its full of family fun. And I work in the only ice-cream store in the whole town. The day was absolutely beautiful! It was sunny, a breezy 90degrees and the town was jammin'. And at Connie's Ice Cream Parlor we were slammin'.

The night before our big 4th of July celebration was probably one of my favorite nights of work in a long time. The two boys and I were working and as usual it was a very busy night. Not only was it the weekend of 4th of July, but every first Friday of the month there are concerts in the park at the end of the street. So there were a lot of tourists, but also a lot of our favorite local customers out this weekend. 

I was cooking sandwiches like a crazy person, there was a line for ice-cream out the door and...our credit card machine runs out of paper....i don't know how to change the paper....so I tell the boys to use the machine in the front of the store until our boss comes back from getting more ice-cream. And we keep busting out work to help and serve our customers. I'm finishing up some food orders when I look and see the ONLY working machine get knocked off the shelf...and break. I was at a loss for words. I had no clue what to do, no clue how to fix it, and the store was full of paying customers. Needless to say, I was freakin' out a bit.


And that's when the radio began playing Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer". The WHOLE store started singing..."woooaah, we're halfway there...wooah, livin' on a prayer!" I felt like I was living in a musical, and Connie's was crumbling under our feet...the boys and I didn't really know how to respond so we joined in singing! "WOooah, we're halfway there....wooah, living on a prayer!" Little did everyone know, the three of us, were living on some prayers for sure. We managed to handle everything until our boss Jimmy came back to fix the machines. And the night ended in pure success. It was awesome!

My Summer of Rediscovery

So, hello again blog. I know it's been a while but lately, I thought it might be cool to journal the events of what looks to be a remarkable summer in the story of my love life with the one and only Creator of my soul and this world.
This past year has been crazy indeed. There have been many changes, ups and downs, good things and bad things, holy moments, and selfish moments.
I had realized I was someone I didn't recognize. I was someone I never once dreamed of being, and pretty distant from what is good. and what is true. and what is holy. Thus, this summer of rediscovery.
I needed to rediscover some things. The Lord. His will. My Life. And Daily Dependence on Truth. and not myself.
And God is faithful. I was being led to give something up for the summer. I was giving up fun, adventure, investment in the youth of America, and community for.... school, and work, and no fun, and organic chemistry. What in the world does God have in store for my future?!


i
have
no
clue.


But God is faithful. Because already, I have felt Him pull me closer to His heart. Work in ways I can't imagine in order to not only lead me to succeed in school, but pass my class with an A (in organic chemistry?!), and restore my heart which was rooted in this world to one that is wholly His for the glory of His kingdom.


As for my life, He is piecing it back together again. And I could never be more glad for God's mercy and grace. That He would still want me for His kingdom. And I pray He molds me, grows me and stretches me all the days of my life.