I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

-Psalm 27:13

This past week God used many many people to refocus me and remind me of His goodness.  I wanted to share some of it...I find that often it changes my perspective.  

For one, my visit home was so terrific.  I saw most everyone that I wanted to see (dang Anna for not being home ;)) and had lots of fun with friends and family.  Plus, my allergies let up so much and I felt 1243245098235 times better.  I came back up Tuesday night and then Matt came up Wednesday to celebrate my birthday.  I came home Thursday to find my room completely clean and organized. It was wonderful.  It was great having Matt here for a short visit, especially over my birthday.  

Matt left Sunday morning and Laura and Caitie arrived that afternoon.  Monday afternoon we left for a time of exploration and that's when some awesome stuff started happening.  You may think we're nerdy, but we knew that parts of the Hannah Montana movie were filmed in Columbia, TN (a neighboring city) so we decided to go explore the area and get pictures.  The most obvious landmark we found was the courthouse.  We were kind of embarrassed to go inside, but the police in there were so nice!  They let us through security and told us all about the movie and where stuff was filmed.  We left there and headed to a street where they said most of the city scenes were filmed and thought we had found the diner used in the movie.  There was a man walking by so we asked him to get our picture in front of the building.  We ended up telling him our purpose in coming to Columbia and it turned out that we were at the wrong building.  Oddly enough, he had the key to the real place and let us inside and told us all about the changes the movie crew made.  I wanted to move to Columbia after interacting with all the sweet people there!

We headed to Nashville after that to eat at the Wildhorse Saloon and walk around the city.  As I'm sure all of you know, parking is beyond horrible and so expensive everywhere.  After driving around for quite some time we finally decided on a garage that would cost $12 until 6:00 PM.  As we pulled in, a lady coming out rolled down her window and offered us her pass so that we didn't have to pay.  How cool is that?  We then walked around the city and realized that we were going to run over past 6 PM once we ate dinner...but only for about 30 minutes and the sign said that we had to pay 10 more dollars if we ran over.  There was a parking attendant walking around so we decided to talk it over with him.  He ended up letting us go to dinner and told us that he'd just overlook our car for the little bit of extra time.  May not seem like a big deal, but those two kind people saved us $22 of parking (when I have absolutely no cash flow this summer).  

I was just so amazed by how God used those people to restore my faith in society. I love that even though there is evil in this world, God always prevails.  We will be victorious in the end.  I love that!  

I'm headed out from work, but just wanted to share how I was encouraged.  Love you guys!

Brit

I am still alive...

Quick little update:

• I've been struggling with sickness these past 3 weeks. Started as bronchitis, then sinusitis, then whooping cough...kind of doubt that last one.  Finnnallyyy feeling better with the last medication they put me on.  Praise the Lord!
• Life in Nash has gotten much much better since the last time I wrote.  I am finally feeling at home in my church up here and am starting to make closer friendships with a few people up here.  I'm so thankful for this experience and would not have changed it one bit, although I am pretty excited to return home and then to Orlando. 
• Needless to say, I absolutely cannot wait for my short trip home Friday.  I can't even express how excited I am to see you, Em!  Should be loads of fun.  Plus, our new pastor starts Sunday so I'll get to be home for that.  Looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  Hopefully Florida decides to be nice to me and give us good weather for a beach trip Monday.
• Once I get back up here, time will fly.  Matt visits the day I return till the 12.  My friends Laura and Caitie (from UCF) will be here from the 12-15.  My mom, Judy, and Julie will then come from the 15-on to whenever they decide to go.  Then it's only August 14 till I head home!  Where has this summer gone??

Love you girls!  Hope all is well with each of you. Have a fantastic week. :)

Brit

Your grace is enough...

Where to even start?

So often, stuff in life makes it hard to remember God's faithfulness and goodness.  Do I understand why Jessie's dad passed away the night before his granddaughter's christening and the week before his son's wedding?  Do I even really get why he's gone at his young age?  No.  I can't and won't act like this stuff isn't hard, or heart-breaking, or that it makes perfect sense to me.  

After I received the news early this morning, it totally did not sink in.  I don't think it did until I was at church.  Before the service starts every Sunday we have a time called "calibrate".  Our pastor gives us something to chew on and some time to get focused and in the mindset of worship.  Today's little snippet was about God being our Father and how He is ultimately the best one we could ever ask for and is always faithful and just.  I started bawling immediately.  The song that followed, "Your Grace Is Enough" did not help to end the tears.  I hate crying and being open with my emotions in front of people, butttt, it was so good this morning.  Just being open and honest before the Lord.  

He has been teaching me so much about being fulfilled in him these past few weeks.  The transition to Franklin has been wonderful, but making friends has been difficult.  If we're being honest here, there have been times up here where I've felt more alone than I ever have.  Without family, close friends, and people I'm familiar with for hundreds of miles it was easy to become overwhelmed.  One night, I was doing quiet time and came across some verses that slapped me in the face (in a good way, of course). 

"I have set the Lord always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  

-Psalm 16:8-11

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

-Psalm 46:1-3

"I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.  I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds."

-Psalm 77:11-12

I've heard the song "You're Grace Is Enough" hundreds of times (studio, anyone?) and unfortunately that over-exposure can sometimes make the message seem trite (thanks for the word, Anna).  I sing the words, but so often forgot the true depth and meaning they express.  Do I really always remember that His grace is more than enough for me?  That as long as I have Him (and praise the Lord, He's always there) I am more than fulfilled?  Absolutely not.  This morning, I felt it.  

I might be "alone" up here as in not having many close friends but my best one is always with me, and ultimately, He's all I need.  Living up here has been an incredible learning experience in how to depend on the Lord and enjoy Him as a companion in life.  Learning how to live life with Him and make him a part of every moment.  Tragedies like Jessie's dad passing exemplify our dependance on the Lord and how He is the our only ever-present help in times of struggle.  

I'm sure all our prayers are with their family in this incredibly hard time.  God is unbelievably good, even in the hard times.  I love you girls so much, and probably don't say that enough.  But I do, and stuff like this makes me want to make sure that you know it.  You guys are beyond precious to me...and praise God even more precious to Him.  How are we even so lucky?

-Brit

Julian Drive

So I'm writing the Inpoparazzi newsletter for this week and needed to see how to describe this video in it...so I had to embed it somewhere, and alas, it ended up here.  I don't know what to write b/c I haven't seen it yet.  But, uhh...hope you enjoy?

-Brit

Update:  woah...that is so not Julian Drive.  I have no idea why that was linked to a Julian Drive portion.  Oh well...

It's a pretty sweet widget that this guy Rob has been working on for a while.  Stare at it and be in awe...make him feel good. ;)

Think if found the right video...this post is so confusing. haha

If only we could love like a dog...

This could end up being a bit of a strange post, but stay with me.  Hopefully it makes some sense in the end.  

The past 3 nights I had the fun experience of dog-sitting for some friends that were out of town.  I was blessed with two precious pups, named Fella and Roadie.  I miss animals so much, and have always wanted inside dogs (and I've never had them) so being able to watch Fella and Roadie was super fun!  Roadie is just an all around good dog who is well behaved and super sweet.  Fella is a sometimes little devil but when he gives you those eyes and licks your face off, it's adorable and you can't help but love him.  Two nights ago, I was laying in bed journaling, and the dogs totally made me think of something.  

Dogs are kind of like a tangible (not really the word I'm looking for, but I think you know what I'm getting at) representation of God's love for us...

...told you it was going to get kind of strange.  

Every single time I came home the dogs were waiting for me anxiously and were genuinely happy to see me.  Not just happy, but out-of-this-world excited.  Once they got over themselves, they would just constantly be around me-following my every move and not leaving my side because they wanted to be around me.  I wish that I could be like that with my relationship with God!

That my quiet time would not be something that I should do because my head knows that it's good for me but instead be something that my heart yearns for.  That I would be out-of-this-world excited for the time I get to spend with our heavenly Father.  That I might realize how precious that companionship is and want to develop it and grow it.  I am almost never like that.  Sometimes I just wish I could be a dog...

Yep..turned out kind of strange, but that's what's been on my heart lately.  You all know I'm a little strange anyways so it shouldn't be too surprising.  

Miss you guys more than you know...

<3

Since I've been here a week...

Burgess Falls

The snake!!

After we fell...hahahahah

Downtown Nashville

...I figured it could be time for a good update about everything that's been going on.  Especially since I'm horrrriiibble about figuring out what I've told who.  So, here we go!

House:

My house is wonderful!  I live on the second floor and share a bathroom with one roommate, Constance.  She's great and has a little Chihuahua named Pego.  I'm actually dog-sitting right now as she's out for the weekend at a wedding.  We have one room open and will hopefully get another person up here soon.  Breezy lives downstairs in her "dungeon".  It's an older house which is fun to live in...learning how to use gas appliances is interesting.  I love the stove..it heats up so quickly!  

Work:

Work is really neat.  The people are all wonderful and it's a fun and laid back atmosphere to work in.  So far, I've updated a database with recent addresses, mailed some packages to winners of contests (which is actually so fun because they'll email back and be SUPER excited about getting an EP of an album that has already released..haha), and tried to think of some creative ideas on how to connect churches to the label.  The president of Inpop is hysterical and likes to make office bets...espeically with Breezy.  She's a vegetarian and lost the last bet she made with him...the punishment is having to wear an "I <3>

Life:

I don't know too many people up here yet, so I haven't done too many crazy things.  Breezy has been such a blessing...she takes me everywhere with her to meet people and experience life up here.  So far, we've been to "Exit-In"(a realllllyyy old historic venue in downtown Nashville) to see a show that our co-worker Justin promoted, drove to Burgess Falls to relax (the biggest waterfall in TN), and are going to a carnival tonight.  We also had an interesting adventure one day on our way home from work.  There is a really nice park with a river flowing through it on our drive home and we decided to stop there one day.  Breezy knew how to get down to the river off the trail, so we went.  On our way down, she almost stepped on a 5 ft. snake and we both slipped down the hill and got mud caked all over our butts.  Needless to say it was an interesting and hilarious experience.  It's always an adventure!  I also go to church with Breezy at "The Journey".  So far, I've really enjoyed it.  There is a Bible study Monday nights that I went to and it's really good...I love smaller groups.  The church's main focus is working in the community which I find to be really awesome.  

So...I think I've covered pretty much everything about my first week here in Franklin.  I'll post some pictures so you can reallly see what it's like up here.  Love you guys!

Brit

Unafraid
‘Cause I know who You are
Unafraid
Staring life in the face
‘Cause I know who I am is who You made
So here I stand
Unafraid

-Joy Williams "Unafraid"