Walk around yo' city

I live in beautiful and historic Downtown Saint Augustine, which (fun fact) is the city I've dreamt of living in ever since I was in 7th grade. I am a resident of Lincolville which is filled with a TON of history. (Another fun fact) Martin Luther King, Jr. once walked the streets of Lincolville as a peace rally. I have so much history right at my door step, yet I don't acknowledge it very often.

The other day, I took a stroll around town with two friends. We started off by going to get a cup of coffee which continued into trespassing into a building and trying to access their roof (...no luck...needed a key) then went into Flagler and tried accessing the solarium (also no luck...there was an event up there that night) and then it ended going to the top of the Lightner Museum and watching the sky turn colors.

I guess the point of this is just a reminder to acknowledge your surroundings. Something as a simple walk through the neighborhood reminded me of the reason why I chose to live in St. Augustine and why I continue to. I love this town far beyond it's history. I don't think I will ever love a city more than my beloved St. Augustine. I have grown and learned so much during my time here. I cherish this town far beyond my words could explain. It is humbling to me the thought that living in this town was never really apart of my plan but more of the Lord's plan for me. I was meant to live here. My heart will always be in St. Augustine.

Another year down

I AM NOW A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE! 

I can't believe it. This year was freaking rough. From moving into my first apartment to taking six classes to quitting my job at Harley and being trained in coffee...My life has been a bit of a whirlwind. Now I'm on summer vacation for exactly 12 days then I start 3 summer classes...


Life is cool and I'm blessed to be doing it with these gals.

unscripted

Life tends to get a bit chaotic and overwhelming and time consuming and...many many other things, but despite all of the craziness life is so wonderful. Everyday I see students walking briskly up and down the streets either on their penny boards or their vespas. Some students are wearing their bathing suit and no shoes while others are wearing the latest fashion trend.. you may be wondering where i'm going with this.. what I'm trying to say is that despite it all life is unscripted, and the thought of that drives me insane.

I am 100% a planner. I love to color code. I love to open my agenda and see that I have meetings and deadlines. Call that the teacher in me if you will but whatever that's how I am. I would rather a day filled back to back with meetings then a day sat on the couch.. although I do appreciate those days every now and then. I don't know.. I just love the constant movement in my days, but I have to say that the things I love the most are the moments I didn't plan. The moment where I run into someone I haven't seen in a while, or when I get an encouraging text message from someone I admire, or when i'm walking to class and it starts to rain just a little bit but the sun is shining so brightly. Those moments make those crazy, hectic days that much better.


xoxo
k

Changes

i'm sorry if my blog tends to get repetitive at times.. i seem to be in a state of nostalgia.

This week my youth group from high school is at camp, and this is the first year where I am not in attendance. It is a strange feeling to be independent.. i've always been an independent child but now I truly am. I move into my first apartment in 9 days (!!!) and I will be starting my sophomore year of college in just a short 2 months.. So much has happened in a year, I didn't even have a glimpse at all the Lord had in store for me but boy oh boy is it amazing. The people and community He has led me to, the town, the experiences.. it's all been more than I could ever imagine. The biggest thing I've realized is my relationship with Him and how much it has grown in just a short year. I can't help but sit back and be amazed.

What an ever loving, ever knowing God, friends. I am so in love with Him.


If all of this has happened in an year, I can't even begin to imagine what the next year has in store for me.

Stay tuned, friends.


xoxo

K

sunday morning

This morning I woke up with full intentions of going to church. I woke up got ready and headed that way. Once I got there I saw that the church was actually meeting in homes instead of the church and I proceeded to head to my favorite coffee shop for some quiet time. I get there, ordered a hot aussie, and sat at my favorite table outside of the shop. A man and his girlfriend approached me and asked if they could sit with me, this made me think of my English professor who encouraged us to sit with strangers at quaint places, such as a coffee shop. I told the man he was more than welcome to join me and he did. At first we were both quiet but I then broke the ice by asking if they were visiting the town for the weekend. His girlfriend tells me they are locals and we begin to talk about Flagler. They asked me if I was a student and the man told me he was an alumni. We talked for about half an hour about the town, the school, and the people of St. Augustine. He shared his heart and love for the town and school with me. The man and his girlfriend left, we didn't even exchange names, but the conversation was something so close to me that I don't think I could have had a better Sunday morning. They left and I began my quiet time and I have to say, it was the best Sunday morning I've had in a while.

"Therefore, I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name." // Psalm 18:49

in the quiet

I'm sitting in my dorm room, my roommate is fast asleep, 6:33 pm, I am listening to the Hillsong- Worship album on Spotify...

"With everything. With everything. I will shout forth your glory."

How good is our God friends. He is magnificent, and glorious. The one to be in awe and fear. The one who is always so so close. A God so loving and so caring that my mind can't be wrapped around it. 

Sometimes.. in the quiet.. like now.. i feel very close and very much in His presence. In the moments where my inspirations is through the roof and I feel as if I am being fed all the creativity and imagination.. I know it's because of Him. He allows me to create and to love. 

"My heart is overtaken. My heart is overwhelmed."

I love being reminded of how blessed I am. The humbleness that is so overwhelming I just want to sit back and cry. The fact that I live in such a beautiful town.. sweet St. Augustine.. I can't believe how blessed I am. To be studying the one thing my heart is so for.. the fact that one day I will have my own classroom and loving on such beautiful children.. wow. My God. How beautiful are you. 

"My hope is built on nothing else than Jesus' blood and righteousness." 

"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?  To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.  Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.  Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.  For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.  He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.  And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." // Deuteronomy 10:12-19

Conviction.

It has been a while since I have wrote a blog post much like this one, so let's try this again.

Why is it that we feel convicted to do things? Why is it that when you see a homeless person on the street you hurt for them, and put yourself into their shoes? The way they must be cold and alone. Why is it when you hear of children going unfed for days, you feel hungry to feed them? And most importantly, why is that when you ask the Lord to "break your heart for what breaks His" He ACTUALLY DOES IT.

Okay, that last one might be redundant because you are asking to have your heart broken. I guess I mean as why do I feel so much when sometimes I don't want to feel at all? I have been struggling a lot with these feelings that I so do not want. But to be what I know the Lord wants of me I will deal with these unwanted feelings with the help a God who is Almighty and Sovereign.

The church that the Lord has blessed me with here in Saint Augustine has introduced me to this song. I find myself singing it often times. 

"And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours, and You are mine"

I am Yours, and You are mine. Wow, truer words have never been written. In world that is so lost we are comforted constantly. In a world where it is so easy to get caught up in things, we are convicted to continue on the path the Lord has laid out for us. Why is it that this world is so appealing to our human nature. Why is it that we want to be accepted by society so badly? 

I have a lot of questions today friends.

xoxo

K