Think Pink Night

Happy Thursday girls! Wanted to tell you about a fun opportunity for you this month to serve others in our community.

Our Think Pink Night will be Thursday, October 17th from 7-9pm in the ROCK!

This year I am changing it up a little and instead of making care bags, we will be making beaded bracelets for our Breast Cancer patients in Aiken. These will be very easy and of course super cute! I know the women will love them! We will also have yummy snacks and a great time of fellowship together. I hope you will mark your calendars (or put in your phones!) to participate in this event! The best part, it is FREE! Don't need to bring a thing!

Let's Think Pink and help brighten the day of someone in need!

Loving Jesus together,
Morgan

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." ~1 Peter 4:10

Techno Tuesday

Happy October gals! Can't believe it is already October! Time is flying that is for sure! Hope you are having a great week so far! I am going to try something new on the blog today (and Tuesdays) called Techno Tuesday. There are so many wonderful technology out there that can really encourage and help you as you walk daily with the Lord. I know that is not always the case, but I am starting to find some great things as I research. If this generation could really start using their technology for good, you could start a change!

On Tuesdays, I will share with you things I have discovered from technology. It could be an App, YouTube video or channel, Instagram feed, Twitter account, blog, website, etc. If you are able to use this technology I find, I would encourage you to! Lord knows we need all the help we can get with this crazy, media world we live in!

The first feature today is called the Word-A Christian Daily Devotion App.

This is a FREE App that you can download on your phone, iPad, etc. It is a beautiful daily pictorial devotion designed to inspire and encourage your walk with God. Each day you open the App, there will be a scripture verse designed through a picture.

Then when you click the corner of the picture, a daily devotion based on the scripture is presented for you to read and study. They are short (should take less than 5 minutes to read), encouraging and challenging.

You are also able to share the picture on other social media like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I love opening the App each day and seeing what the new picture verse is. They are so beautifully designed! I sure do wish I was that creative!!!

To download, go to the App Store and type in Word devotional and it should be the first to pop up. (Look for the icon that I put at the top)

Search for the App today. I promise you won't be sorry! I would love to hear feedback from you about how you like/dislike the App! 

Loving Jesus together,

Morgan

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you." ~Psalm 119:11

SYATP 13 Highlights

We had a wonderful day at See You at the Pole! God is so good. They were calling for rain yesterday morning and I of course had my doubts that we wouldn't be able to meet outside at the flagpole, but God showed off again and it stayed dry all morning! I am so proud of our students (especially my girls), standing up and out for your faith at your schools. Looking over our numbers, we probably had over 800 students in the main middle and high schools at the poles. I know some schools even had record numbers! Here are some pictures we got:

You are setting the example for our younger generation as well. My kids have participated in SYATP with us at the high school, but yesterday was the first time our son's school had their own! It was so special to see all of the elementary students praying together too!

The focus verse of the day was 2 Chronicles 7:14. It says that if we pray, then God hears! Don't let this be a one time thing for you. Continue to pray daily for your schools, friends, teachers, etc. as you shine your light for God in your schools! 

Loving Jesus together,

Morgan

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." ~2 Chronicles 7:14

inGroup Corn Maze 2013

Happy Fall girls!! Can't believe summer is officially over, even though it is still 80 degrees! Welcome to the South! I love summer, but I am ready to wear my boots and sweaters for just a little while!

To celebrate the start of our inGroups (and the first day of fall), we went (got lost!) in the Corn Maze in Lexington. What fun we had! Congrats to our 10th grade girls for finishing with the fastest time!

It is not too late to be a part of our inGroups for this semester! It is such a wonderful time for you to grow with girls your same age in reading God's Word together, praying for each other, and just hanging out! We meet on Sunday nights: Middle School in the ROCK from 5:45-7pm and High School Girls in homes around Aiken from 6-7:30pm. Hope you will join a group today! 

Love you girls so much and pray for you daily! 

Loving Jesus together,

Morgan

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. ~Luke 19:10"

Back to School Tips Part 3

Guess what day it is? Hump day! Yeah! I definitely put a note in my son's lunchbox today that said that! Hope it gives him (and you) a good laugh! Half way through the week today! Hope it has been a great one!

Today is my last post on Back to School Tips. I am going to give you 3 reminders today for Christians. I shared these at our last Chick Chat, but I think they are really good so I wanted to put them on our blog, too!

1. You are not alone.
As you walk into the doors of your school remember the words God gives us, "Never will I leave you never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid, What can mere mortals do to me?" Hebrews 13:5,6. Don't be afraid as you walk into school each day! God is with you ALL THE TIME! Enter your school with a holy, humble confidence that God goes with you!

2. "Do your best. Forget the rest."
You are the Lord's representative at your school. So do your best and forget the rest. Remember that the ultimate "teacher" you'll give an account to is Jesus so, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance form the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23,24. Why do your best to get the best grades possible? Because it is the Lord you are serving!

3. You have a mission to accomplish.
You are not just at school to go to school. As a Christian, you are at school to go on a mission trip. Every teen-filled table in the cafeteria is a mission field that needs to be reached with the good news of Christ. Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..." in Matthew 28:19. This cause, THE cause, applies to you as you seek to reach your friends and new people  you meet with the good news of Jesus. It applies as you seek to make more friends with the hope of introducing them to Jesus. Look around and seek out the lost. Don't stay in your little box! A mission field is not just some foreign country or city outside of Aiken, but right in your own schools!

I pray these tips have helped you with the new school year! I have been praying for you this week! Go tell others about Christ and invite them to church!

Loving Jesus together,
Morgan

"Go make disciples of all nations..." ~Matthew 28:19

Back to School Part 2

Happy Tuesday, ladies! Hope you have had a great two days back at school! Are you loving it? Most importantly, have you told someone about Jesus yet? I sure do hope you can answer yes! Today, I am going to give you 5 Tips on Starting the School Year Right. What a great time to get rid of a few bad habits, start a few good ones, and pledge to do things a little better this time than the year before!

1. Commit to a Daily Quiet Time with God
Maybe you have already set aside time in your daily schedule to spend time in God's Word. This is GREAT! Keep it up! If you struggle to have one daily, don't freak out! Many struggle with finding and setting aside this time with everything else going on in your life! But let me encourage you to really commit to making time each day to spend reading the Bible, praying and LISTENING. This is the most important time of your day no matter what time of day you do it! God will get you through your day!

2. Eat Well
Eating well is not saying have some crazy diet or weight loss plan. It is simply be careful choosing what you eat. You will feel better and are healthier when you choose to eat well. Don't skip breakfast in the mornings, the most important meal of the day!

3. Get out and Exercise
Working out is not really my thing. But if I make it through doing something active a few times a week, I do feel better, have more energy, more productive, and the stress level goes down! Make sure you do something active throughout the week!

4. Create a Routine
Routines can be good when they help us establish good working habits! Try to get on some kind of routine throughout the day and stick with it. Make sure to put spending time with God in that routine too!

5. Procrastinate Later
Don't put off assignments, studying, reading, etc until the last minute! Attack those undesired tasks right out of the box and get them done. It's better to have a few minutes of "pain" instead of a couple of hours of "torture" knowing you still have to get it done!

Praying for a great rest of the week for you! Don't forget to come to REVEAL tomorrow night for our Back 2 School Cookout! Invite someone to come with you!

Loving Jesus together,
Morgan

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Back To School Part 1

Hello Beautiful ladies! Hope you have had a wonderful summer! Hard to believe school is just around the corner. This summer has been filled with lots of fun memories in the Student Ministry. Look for more posts later about some of them.

I wanted to write a few blogs over the next couple days about going Back to School and give you some helpful tips and encouragement as you begin a new school year. Most of you probably have mixed emotions about going back, so my prayer is that these will take away those worries and make you laugh, relax, and rely on God.

For our first one, I thought it would be good to give you some Back 2 School traits that we can learn from no other than Disney Characters!!! You all know how much I love me some Disney so as soon as I saw these, I just knew I had to share with you!

1. Persistence-Russel, Up

Even though he gets the door slammed in his face over and over again, brave Russell never gives up in his quest to earn his final Wilderness Badge. Sometimes assignments or certain concepts may be hard to grasp, but you should learn from Russell that with some hard work and endurance, it can be done. Don't give up!

2. Good Listening-Wardrobe, Beauty and the Beast

Whenever Belle needed to vent while being imprisoned in Beast's Castle, Wardrobe was there listening patiently. Listening skills are essential for any classroom where you are expected to follow directions and pay attention to the teacher. Remember, that God is always there to listen to you, too!

3. Being Helpful-Fix-It Felix, Wreck it Ralph

"I can fix it!" is Felix's motto and though he gets to use his golden hammer to do it, his enthusiasm for helping others can be contagious. Make sure to look out for others in your school or class that may need some help and show the love of Christ to them by helping!

4. Goal Setting-Tiana, The Princess and the Frog

From a very young age, Tiana always knew she wanted to open her own restaurant, and she made sure that nothing ever held her back from achieving her dreams-even being turned into a frog! It's important for you to learn the value of setting a goal and the persistence and hard work it takes to reach that goal. Before the year starts, make one school goal and one spiritual goal and strive everyday to achieve it!

5. Studiousness-Belle, Beauty and the Beast

Belle loved her books and her books loved her. She always was reading! A model of diligence, Belle and her studious habits would make any parent/teacher proud! Make sure you do take the time to study hard each day! That is what you are there for any way!

6. Responsibility-Simba, The Lion King

Even though he may not always want to, Simba eventually steps up to the plate and bears responsibility for the well-being of his pride and his land. Like Simba, you need to take accountability for your actions and make sure you are responsible this school year!

7. Courtesy-Alice, Alice in Wonderland

Despite the often-bizarre happenings around her, Alice always remained kind and courteous to those around her. You can learn from Alice that sometimes a kind word gets you a lot further than an unpleasant confrontation. Look for ways that you can be kind to others.

8. Teamwork and Participation-Woody and Buzz, Toy Story

These two best friends worked together as a team to rescue their friends in Toy Story 3 and exemplify what it means to come together and cooperate to achieve a common goal. Two are better than One! You and your Christian friends can also work together on your school campus to witness to those that need to hear about Christ! 

Hope these traits made you smile, but also reminded you about how you can use these to make this year the best one yet! Check back later to see some more great Back 2 School Tips!

Loving Jesus together,

Morgan

"Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." ~Colossians 3:12

Senior Spotlight~Celeste Terry

Our Senior Spotlight is...

Celeste Terry

Celeste graduated from Silver Bluff High School.  Her life verse is Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go."

1.  If you could have any job, no matter how crazy and no matter the pay, what would it be and why?

If I could have any job, it would be to be the band director of a huge state championship winning marching band!

2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

If I could go anywhere in the world it would be to Stratford, Ontario, Canada because that's where Justin Bieber is from. (:

3. What is your favorite memory with MB Student Ministry?

There are so many! But my favorite memory with MB Student Ministry would have to be my first year of beach camp because I met a lot of new people that year and grew so much closer to others and it was the first time I really felt like we were all a family. And it's felt that way ever since!

4. What is the biggest lesson God is teaching you right now?

The biggest lesson God is teaching me right now is that the more time I spend with him and intentionally put him in my daily routine, the more blessings he has for me that I would have otherwise missed out on.

5. A Walk to Remember or The Notebook?

I've never seen A Walk to Remember and I've only seen like half of The Notebook... so I guess The Notebook? Haha (:

Thank you, Celeste, for sharing with us! Best of luck next year, as you start college!

Love you girls,

Meredith

Senior Spotlight~Brittany Sizemore

Our Senior Spotlight is...

Brittany Sizemore

Brittany graduated from Silver Bluff High School.  Her life verse is Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

1.  If you could have any job, no matter how crazy & no matter the pay, what would it be & why?
I'd want to be a Walmart greeter because I just feel like Walmart shoppers need a positive attitude...& Jesus.

2.  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be & why?
I'd want to go to Ireland, because I just think it's so beautiful.

3.  What is your favorite memory with MB Student Ministry?
My favorite memory of MB Student Ministry is watching Ellen with the girls in the Atlanta hotel room at Passion.  HE'S HERE!

4.  What is the biggest lesson God is teaching you right now?
God is teaching me that his will for us is the perfect way to go in life.

5.  Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme?
Krispy Kreme because they're hot...now.

Thank you, Brittany for letting us get to know you a little, & for sharing your funny side with us!  If you see her, be sure to stop & speak, because she's AWESOME!

Love you girls,
Meredith

And So We Wait

Do you ever feel like you pray and pray and pray for something, but never get an answer?  Do you feel that the Lord just isn’t hearing you?  I definitely feel that way from time to time.  It’s hard for some of us to be patient, period, but it’s especially hard to be patient with God.  Why is that?  There are many reasons as to why it can be super difficult to be patient with him.  I often get impatient with God, because I want answers right then.  I want to see something good.  In other words, I want it my way, right away.  Well guess what…that’s not how our God works.  Everything is done in his timing.  I’m sure most of you have heard that over and over, but it is true.  Everything is done is his timing, because he ALWAYS has our best interest in mind.  Sometimes, he may answer your prayers right away, while other times you have to wait awhile.  He may never even make the answer to your prayer known to you.  The reason for all of this is so that you may live the life he wants for you.  So, whether you get the answers you want, don’t want, or no answers at all, God promises that you will see the good in life, as long as you’re focusing on him.  Take comfort and find peace in the abundant life God has given you!

-Meredith

I remain confident of this: I WILL SEE THE GOODNESS of the Lord in the land of the living.  WAIT for the Lord; be strong and take heart and WAIT for the Lord.

Psalm 27: 13-14