Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! There is so very much to be thankful for! As I sit on my couch with a warm cup of hot cocoa in my hand, while watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I type of the things that I am thankful for...a sweet reminder of how beautiful this life is to me! In no particular order of importance, here's a look into my life and what I am thankful for:

My God- Without Him, I would be lost. Without His unconditional love, grace, mercy, joy, and peace, I would be a wreck. Scripture says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I have been so incredibly blessed this past year and continue to be amazed by His presence! My God, My Savior, My Rock and Shield...I am ever thankful!!!

My Family- My precious parents are continual reminders of how blessed I am! Although we may not have the "typical" family, I am so very thankful for the love that they each show me on a daily basis! Mom and Dad, you bring such love, laughter, and happiness to my life! My siblings are so dear to my heart and I am thankful for the memories we have made throughout the years! I am thankful for my wonderful grandparents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles! All bring such joy to my life!

My Friends- If there is one thing that God has strategically placed in my life, it would be my sweet friends! (there I go again Marianne...ha!) I am SO thankful for all of my beautiful friends, all the girls that remain close even if there are states separating us, all of the new friends that I have met recently, and all of the other people that have stuck through this crazy life with me! For you, I am ever grateful!!

My Johnsons- How crazy is it that not even quite a year ago I was still in Tyler, Texas, without a clue in the world who this family was?? How far have we come! Matt, Marianne, Micah, Makenna, and Marlee...I love you more than you know!! Matt and Marianne, thank you for being such wonderful examples to me, and for welcoming me into your family with open amrs. Micah thank you for your sweet loving spirit and your continuous prayers for your sister! Makenna...not sure where to even begin....thank you for changing my life and bringing unending joy to my life! YOU are BEAUTIFUL beyond words and I love you SO much!!! Marlee thank you for your comic relief and sweet spunky personality! Also, I am thankful for Matt and Marianne's parents, Peggy and Steve and Janey and Paul! Such incredible people with such HUGE hearts!!! Each and every one of you bless me daily!!

The list could go on and on of things that I am thankful for! I pray that each and every one of you have a beautiful day and are reminded of what all you have to be thankful for!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Peace, blessings, and much love!!

~Allie

Life Plans :)

So let's just say that this week has been crazy insane. Things are starting to brighten up though! When I had my visit at Evangel and talked to the lady that would be my advisor or whatever its called for my education dept, I asked her several questions about being able to teach in Plano and what my plans were to do after I graduate. My ultimate goal is to come to Plano and teach because their special ed programs are incredible and I would love to teach in that district. I asked the lady if the degree plan, certifications, and testing would all get me to my ultimate goal of teaching in Plano for an early childhood sped alc/elc classroom. She told me she thought it would but that I needed to double check with the distirct to make sure I was getting what I needed to so that one day I could work there. I emailed several people this past monday, thinking there would be no problems at all, and came to find out that it was a good thing i asked...

In Plano they do things a lot different, especially in the sped world because they hold that department to such high standards. I told them that my ultimate goal was to teach for that district and I needed to know the best way to get there. They told me that they would be much more likely to hire me if I graduate from a Texas school, especially with what I am wanting to do. Each state, let alone each district, handles the sped world so different. I was told by administration and a teacher in Plano that I need to be taught by the Texas standards for this field and district, and the testing that I would have gone through in Missouri wouldn't match up with what I needed to teach here and would have to go through a completely different certification process.

All that to say, my plans have now changed. Knowing my ultimate goal, I had to be wise with my decision and think long term. As much as I love Evangel, it's just not the smartest move for what I am wanting to do. SO, now I will be staying in this area and going to the Collin Higher Education Center in Mckinney, which filters in several surrounding colleges. I will get my degree through texas a&m (commerce), but will be able to take the courses at the mckinney site. Also, once I get enough college hours I can start subing in Plano, which would be a great way of getting my name out there. I want to get my masters and they offer the program I want through TAMU, and Plano will possibly pay for me to get it once I start teaching. All in all it is just the smartest way to go.

Basically God has closed some doors, but has so quickly opened up others. I have already made a good friend this semester that's also going into the educaiton field and going to TAMU that wants to get an apartment together in the fall. I have also been going to the Parks church, a new church in Mckinney that I LOVE, and have met a ton of people my age. I went to a college group and loved it!! God has definitely been bringing me peace these past two days and is preparing me for this new journey.

I'm trying to keep positive and know that He has it all worked out. And even financially, I am able to save a ton for my next few years. This is going to be a growing experience for me and I'm already learning how to get out there and be more independent, learning how to come out of my little bubble and experience new things, on my own!

Please be praying with me that God continues to help me through this and walk me through these next steps of life! Sometimes, life is a little bit of a rollercoaster, but it is SO worth the ride! Going to take every new opportunity and make the best of it!

God in a box

It's been a while since I have updated, but as most of you know, that simply means I've had no time. However, a lot of big things have happened during that time and I continue to face big decisions. I have now entered my twenties! My teenage years have come to an end, and to be quite honest, I am perfectly okay with that. I am excited to be in a new season of life and to leave the past in the past and have a fresh start. It is refreshing, as cheesy as that may sound. This entry is long, but it is filled with some of my deepest thoughts.

Throughout the past twenty years I have been faced with many challenges, and many blessings. But, what I get out of all of this is a God that carries me through and lights my path in the darkness, constantly giving me reminders of His beauty and grace. I am human and I do make mistakes and I often times walk in seasons of confusion, but somehow, someway, He works all things together for my good.

I have several goals and ambitions I want to accomplish in these exciting years to come. Many of you already know my dream to become an early childhood special education teacher for children that are severely and profoundly disabled. I can't begin to express the excitement I have just doing my observation hours this semester at Pearson ECS in Plano. I can't wait to have my own classroom!! Some of you may think this isn't the route I should take because it may not pay much, or it may be stressful at times. Some may think I should choose a specific therapy to go into. But to be quite honest, those things aren't what I feel called and led to do. I want to make a difference, I want to be more than just the run of the mill teacher, I want to do something bigger and greater. I feel called to teach, to teach those that can't teach themselves, the ones that may need the extra attention or even just the extra love to be reminded that they are worth something. With every career comes stress, and I understand that, but knowing that I am walking in His ways...there is nothing more freeing than that.

A couple of days ago, while I was at Makenna's house, our friend Bethany from down the street came to visit. She is also in her twenties and has Aspberger's syndrome. Her honesty and perspective on life is so real and incredible. As Marianne and I were talking to her about her future, we began to encourage her to chase after her dreams, to not let anything stop her. We told her that she had an amazing gift of working with and understanding animals. She shared some things with us about her growing up and I became very emotional, on the inside, when we were talking to her about Makenna. She asked us if Kenna liked to draw, because she thought it would help relay her feelings to us, due to our lack of understanding sometimes. We then told her that Makenna couldn't hold a pencil, so she didn't know how to draw. Bethany looked at us blankly and simply said "Yes she can...she just has to learn how to do it." WOW. Ya know, she is so right, but too many of times we assume we can't do things due to our lack of knowlegde or understanding, and we choose to give up or move on to something easier.

I had another emotional conversation with Marianne today about my future and school decisions. At this point and time I am having to make a huge decision of where I want to go to school next semester. Since I am beginning to get into my education classes, I can no longer stay at community college. The decision lies between a private school in Missouri and some public school in this area. Marianne kept enforcing the importance of not relying on my own understanding... but His. For the past few weeks I have been telling myself, "Ok, God...if you provide the finances to get me to Evangel, that's the only way I could go...so it's all up to you." After our talk I realized how ridiculous I was being. I need to stop putting God in some box, setting limitations. He doesn't work that way. If I want to go somewhere, do something with my life, or accomplish a certain goal....then I need to just do it. Go for it. Let go, let God. God WILL provide the ways, it's not an IF, it's a WILL. I have to trust Him, and not just 90% of the way. He puts desires and wants in my heart at certain times for certain reasons and I need to listen to them. Although I am still trying to listen for His voice, I feel at peace. Just knowing that whatever I do, He will be there and continue to walk with me through this life, is enough in itself.

I have been a person of comfort for so much of my life. The past 2 years though have taken me out of that element and have rocked my world. I have been challenged, I have felt defeated at times, I have overcome, I have held on, I have been blessed beyond measure. These past 2 years have been answers to prayer, and I thank God that He so deeply listens and HEARS.

I don't know what's to come, and I ask that you be in prayer with me as I make this huge decision. I know that I serve a God that hears all and knows all, someone that will place together every missing piece of the puzzle HE wants to create, that I cannot handle alone. I am ready for whatever is thrown at me. I'm ready to be uncomfortable, if need be. God, come out of the box and work in me however you please.

Makenna's 6th Birthday!

Happy Birthday sweet Kenna Bear! You are 6 years old today and growing so fast! You have been such an incredible blessing to my life and to so many others. You, my dear, are quite the miracle.

I have known you for almost a year now and it is incredible what God has done in my life, all because of you. Although you may not realize how much of an influence you have on the people around you, you brighten people's lives daily. You have such an inspiring love for everyone and anything. Your smile lights up the room and your laugh is the absolute best. You bring peace to my heart. You bring faith to me when I am discouraged. You challenge me to be a better person. You have redefined prayer for me, having absolute faith that He can do anything and everything and believing that He WILL! Your innocence is beautiful. Your joy in the simple things, like Dora and pudding, are gentle reminders of just how precious this life is. You accept me for me, you love me for me. You are a BEAUTIFUL child of God and you amaze me.

I pray that this year brings many miracles!

I love you from the bottom of my heart Makenna Eden!!!

Legacy Brain Foundation Scholarship Application!

I recently applied for a scholarship with the Legacy Brain Foundation. This scholarship helps out students whose parents in the North Texas area have been affected by a brain tumor. Well, as most of you know, my father has. I was required to write an essay explaining what kind of effect brain cancer had had on me. I am hoping that this scholarship can help out with next semester's tuition, wherever I end up going!! Please join me in prayer that this story will touch the scholarship board's hearts! Below is the essay that I wrote and I hope you enjoy reading it!!!

"Most little girls grow up dancing around the living room on top of their daddy’s feet. They twirl around in their pink and purple nightgowns, putting on a show for anyone willing to watch. Those little girls are their daddy’s princess, his everything. Every step he takes, they follow, knowing that he would never let them fall. He would always be their knight in shining armor, their hero.

Although I was never a dancer, my father’s footsteps were always the ones I wanted to follow. I knew, as his oldest and wisest princess, that he would never lead me astray. He would, forever and always, be my knight in shining armor. To my little eyes, my dad was the bravest, strongest, most powerful man I had ever known.

Through the years, a majority of these qualities remain true. Unfortunately though, as I got older I realized that I couldn’t live in the fairytale world of princesses dancing around their living rooms with their main man. My world had come to a halt during my junior year of high school when I received the heartbreaking news of my knight, my father, being diagnosed with brain cancer. All of a sudden my father became a little bit weaker, a little bit discouraged. However, he remained my earthly king.

There were several months and even years that were the toughest we had ever faced as a family. Some of these months we continue to face as we try to pay back all of the medical debt, while still keeping me in school. Thankfully, he has remained a strong fighter and has been able to remain in remission for almost three years, including about two years of chemotherapy. His determination and driven soul have challenged me in incredible ways. He is a constant reminder of the value and blessing of life, how beautiful it is that we are privileged with this experience.

During the past year, I have been blessed with an invaluable experience. I am currently a respite care taker for an amazing five year old special princess, Makenna. Throughout her five years of life she has had four brain surgeries. She has been diagnosed with cortical dysplasia, cerebral folate deficiency, epilepsy, and more. Makenna is a living miracle, another beautiful reminder of just how sweet and precious this life is.

My life experiences with my father and with Makenna have led me into a career goal I would have never fathomed without them. I am majoring in early childhood special education and would love to receive my masters in special education. With this degree I want to work with children who are severely and profoundly disabled, children who some fear, children that many just want to give up on. These children deserve the same fairytale we receive as we dance around the living room on our daddy’s feet. Although it may be a different version of this, there is still so much potential in these children. All they need is a set of footsteps to follow.

Throughout my life experiences these past four years, I have come to see just how beautiful this world can be, how much of fairytale we can choose to make it. Granted, it may not be perfect, but it can be made into our own version of a wonderful story. I pray that my footsteps can continue to dance through this life just as my knight’s led me as a little girl."

May those of you that have been affected by cancer be filled with His unconditional love and healing power! Hope you all have an incredible weekend!!! Much love!!

MIRACLE MAKERS

If you have never been to my website, you should definitely take a look!

All proceeds go to help families with special needs children!

Open donations are also accepted!!!

http://creativemiraclemakers.blogspot.com/

PRAY

PLEASE PRAY FOR ANGIE AKEMAN!

She is a wonderful woman with such a strong heart for the Lord, her precious special daughter, husband, family, and friends. I have had the privilege of meeting her through the Johnson family and she has become such an inspiration to me. She is VERY sick in the hospital right now and is having a difficult time fighting whatever it is that is wrong with her. She is having horrible headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, etc for unknown reasons. Her and her family are in desperate need for prayer right now!

Visit her daughter's website to learn more about this family and what is going on right now!

Also, I would like to say thank you to those that continue to bless me this week! It is incredible how faithful He is in times of need as long as you are cheerfully giving to Him as He asks! He listens to our prayers and cares SO much! I am still trying to wrap my mind around this unfailing incredible love of His. It is so so beautiful to me!

THANK YOU!!!

Today was an exciting day...GOOD news and I just wanted to share...

FINANCIAL AID CAME THROUGH!!!!!!!!!

For all of you that have been praying for me and this whole financial situation, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart!! It means so much to me to know that I have wonderful friends and family that crowd around me during tough times and remind me of the amazing blessings He can store upon me!! I was awarded money to cover the entire cost of my tuition, books, and some left over to save for next semester (not much, but it will get me started at least!)! God is SO faithful and He definitely blessed me beyond measure in this situation and all it took was faithful obedience, discipline, and prayer! Again, thank you SO much to those of you that have encouraged me and prayed for me these past few weeks! Praying for an awesome fall semester and guidance in my steps to follow!!!

Much Love!!!

~Allie

Jackson's 3rd Birthday!

On August 13, 2010 my little brother, Jackson, turned 3 years old! He has gotten so big, so fast! Here are some pictures of his special day and his party!!

the proud birthday boy with his birthday balloon!

we took him to dimples cupcakes downtown to get a birthday cupcake!

he picked the strawberry shortcake cupcake yumm!

momma with her kids!

the family!

my beautiful mother and I! LOVE!

Jackson didn't want to have anything to do with his food until he got to ride the "horsey"

shootin some hoops!

skeeball was more dangerous than it should have been thanks to Jack!

hmmm...do we have a country boy on our hands? haha

thank the Lord he is only 3 and has many more years to practice!

toy story birthday cake!

make a wish!

he loved all of his presents...a little spoiled! :)

family at the birthday party!

I love you crocodile!! Happy Birthday big boy!!! Love, Alligator :)

Crazy Love

I am currently reading this book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. If you have never read it, I HIGHLY recommend it. Now, I am not usually one to say that books are "life-changing" for me, but this book has challenged me in new ways never imagined before. The book is mainly about what it means to be madly in love with our Creator. As I read this book, I begin to notice how many things I let go un-noticed. For example, did you know that there are about 3,000 different species of trees within one square mile of the Amazon jungle? I sure didn't. I am far too guilty of letting the beauty of my surroundings go un-noticed. I am guilty of a lot of things. God certainly didn't have to put 3,000 different species of trees within this one square mile of the jungle, but He did. He had a reason for doing so, and that is miraculous. Just as He has a reason for each and every one of us to be here.

Another area I have been challenged in is the area of being a cheerful giver. Another thing I find myself guilty of is not always being faithful in my tithing. The verse Malachi 3:10 states " 'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'" How crazy is it that HE allows US to test Him??? We should be the ones tested, but this is the one place in the Bible that He challenges us to give cheerfully and test His faithfulness. Speaking of testing, at the moment I am stressing about how I am going to get financial aid for my classes in the fall, let alone my classes in the spring. The whole process of being awarded anything has been very time consuming and complicated. I was told that my award letter would come Friday, but have yet to receive anything or get any answers from anyone. The main reason I am worried is because my tuition is due on Wednesday! I am having faith that the Lord will provide, and trying my best to leave it to Him. But as most of you I'm sure are aware of, the flesh part of me is struggling with this. Prayers GREATLY appreciated!!!!

As of tomorrow, due to getting my finances more organized so that I can practice being a cheerful giver, I have made a new budget that I will begin following. First thing I will do once I get paid, is set aside my money to give to the church. I am praying that I experience much growth and discipline in this. I am praying that I can wholeheartedly give of my time, energy, and money. I am praying that daily His love overwhelms me!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far! Much love!!!

reunited!

I love my friends so much! Last night we had such a fun night together, with ALL of us girls back together for the first time this summer! They all bring such joy to my life and remind me of how blessed I am so be surrounded by such wonderful, Godly women!

Today I spent the day out in the sun with Kenna. We went swimming for a majority of the afternoon and it was so peaceful...we both loved soaking up the sun! Also, seizure activity seems to be less and less! Thank you for the continued prayers!

This week I am praying that all the high school kids in our youth group at church have a fun, safe, life-changing trip as they head out to LA tomorrow for missionary work! God has been doing some incredible things in the lives of so many students lately and even in mine! He is so eternally faithful. A couple of days ago when I was spending some time doing my devotionals, I came across this "Sometimes it is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God. If we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment, as it comes, is precious." This spoke so deeply to me. I have come to realize that the process of things going on in my life are often times more important than the outcome. Today I read something else that reassured me, "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."- James 1:4. Lord, thank you for giving me patience and opening my eyes up to Your plan. Thank you for reminding me of how important it is to be content in You, even when the world around me doesn't seem to make much sense. Thank you for always catching me when I begin to fall. Your grace astounds me!!

I hope that all of you have a wonderful week!!!!

Much love!

~Allie

a different perspective

There are many times I sit back and wonder what it must be like to see the world the way Makenna does, to experience things the way she does. After watching the movie Temple Grandin (a movie about an Autistic child that changes the cattle industry and how people view autism- incredible!!!), I became more interested in the way Makenna sees things. It's obviously different, but like the movie says, "She is different, but NOT less."

Now, I must admit there are days when the frustration of not knowing what she wants comes upon me. But, I just have to remind myself that she is trying. She just communicates differently and rather than thinking she should adhere to my form of communication, I should adhere to hers. I should try my best to get inside her head and figure out what could be going on in that incredible mind of hers. And, I have noticed when I do this, it is more obvious than I think. She is usually communicating the message across, just in a different way. So mind boggling to me, but amazing none the less.

Today Makenna and I took a little field trip to get frozen yogurt and to Hobby Lobby (one of her favorite stores!) and bought a few things to make noise makers. One of Makenna's favorite things is music and it is often times used as her therapy. She loves to dance to Miley Cyrus and relax to Norah Jones! Precious!!! However, they aren't just for making noise. When I was at Hobby Lobby, I tried my best to think of her needs and think of something that could help her learn, grow, and make her happy. So we came up with these:

We bought five different bottles and I filled them with different color beads and one with bells. The bottles are all different shapes and sizes to help Makenna learn how to use her effected hand that she often times keeps in her mouth due to the fact of it pretty much being numb to her. This will be a form of physical therapy as well. She loves the sound of the beads shaking inside the bottles when she shakes them up and down. The color recognition will also help her distinguish which bottle is which and with repetition, she will know which are the easier ones to hold and which are the harder. This is when I will then begin to challenge her! As we played with the bottles today, I would ask Kenna to shake the blue bear and I would hold it up to her. Several times I would say, "shake, shake, shake". After she got down the pattern of what we were doing she would pick up the bottle, go "shake, shake, shake", and then throw it on the ground. Then she would laugh hysterically (the best part in my opinion). She was so proud that she did what she was asked to do.

It is truly amazing to me how the littlest thing can make the biggest difference. I am going to try my best to tune into what she is telling me, and act on that. She is different, but to me that makes her so much more beautiful! I want to celebrate with her when she accomplishes something, no matter how little or big it may seem to others. I want to challenge her to try even harder, because it is so clear she has it in her. She is so smart and I need to always keep that in mind.

Oh, and good news!!! Tomorrow she gets her new gait trainer!!!!! YAY!!! :)

Lord, thank you for continuing to bless me and for continuing to challenge me! Thank you for lifting me up when I get discouraged and thank you for reminding me of the gifts you have given me. I am constantly in awe of your love for me. I am continuing to pray for all of the special kids I know of, and I would LOVE if you could do the same! I hope you all have an amazing day tomorrow!! God bless you! Much love!!!

~Allie

Love is in the air!

Kaci Brooke Mason marries Nick Brinlee yesterday! What a beautiful wedding it was! It was their fairytale come true...

Congratulations and I wish you the best in your marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brinlee!

The gorgeous bride and my sweet friend, Kaci

I had a date to the wedding with the McKinzie family! So fun!

Christina and I!

Also, Happy Anniversary to Matt and Marianne Johnson! Eleven years today and still so in love! Thank you for all yall have done for me and congratulations on this special day!! Love you both!

Never forget how precious love is! Tell the people you love today just how much they mean to you. It will brighten their day, I guarantee it! Always love from the center of who you are.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Corinthians 4:8

Moving to the rhythms of Your grace...

Well, what the day it has been! A long one, but in the end I am reminded of how blessed I am. Thank you Lord for constantly providing for me and for lifting my spirit when I feel down!

Yesterday, another child with CFD (same thing Makenna is diagnosed with) was sent to heaven. She is now dancing with Him, but it is a confusing time for her family and others affected by CFD. Although I didn't know this little girl, I do know that I will be lifting her and her family up in prayer right now!

Today was a reminder to me of just how precious this life is. How sweet this time is. As I was playing with Kenna in the afternoon, I looked at her and my heart melted. How incredible is it that I am honored with the privilege to play a part in her life. She is such a miracle to every path that she crosses. And although some days can be rough and some days we don't understand why things go the way they do, nothing will EVER stop us from giving up hope. We will always be reminded of how He is working things together for our good.

Speaking of working things together for our good, I would like to share a scripture I came across today that really spoke to me:

"God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God." Lamentations 3:25-26 (MSG)

As I am faced with challenges and hard times, I am always led back to the rhythms of His grace. God, I want to diligently seek you in all that I do and I will wait for the man that does the same. I will lean on Your understanding, not my own. I thank You for all You have taught me and for ordaining my steps in such a way that things continue to work together for my good.

Tomorrow is a new day filled with hope and beauty! I hope that everyone has a fabulous Friday! Much love!!!

~Allie

Our God

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the endless love and grace that Christ has for you? This past week at camp I experienced a deeper understanding of what it means to forgive, love, and surrender. It just amazes me that after all we do, after all the sin we commit, after all the mess, He is still there...waiting for us. He unconditionally loves us and bestows His grace upon us.

This past week at camp I was surrounded by students who have such an evident heart for God. They are seeking after Him at such a young age, and so passionately at that. It inspired me tremendously. He did some amazing works in my heart this week and for that I am incredibly grateful. I can't necessarily put into words the feelings I felt. All I can say is that I have never been so at peace and content with being alone, especially in the presence of God, in my entire life. Just knowing that He has a purpose and plan for me was more than enough. His fingerprints touched me and He had an amazing design for my life when He made me. To let that go unnoticed would just be ridiculous. We serve a God that is stronger, greater, higher than any other, healer, awesome in power. He is OUR God and He loves unconditionally. What could be greater than this?

Here are some pictures from camp: Such great memories that will never be forgotten and I am SO blessed to have been a part of it!





















Ever since the end of camp, I have been fixated on this song by the Almost called "Your love is extravagant". These words speak to me so deeply: "Your love is extravagant...I find I'm moving to the rhythms of Your grace...Capture my heart again."



Lord, please help me to keep this burning passion in my heart for You. When I feel weak, please remind me that You are stronger. Please help me to remember that YOU have bigger and better plans for me!

Please be praying for:
Makenna Johnson
Avery Akeman
Ellie Kate
Alex Ward

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Much love!!!

~Allie

CAMP

Today I leave for camp with Epic student ministries and I am SO excited!! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for us! We are going to have an amazing time! Ashley and I have so much stuff planned for our cabin girls and our team girls! I love getting to minister to these sixth grade girls!

Our verse for our cabin girls this week is:

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
- Philippians 4:8

Please be praying for us this week! Pray that God will break us, change us, and make us into unstoppable people!

Also, I will not have cell phone service out at camp or a computer so anyone who tries to get a hold of me and can't, that is why. I will update when I get back!

Much love!!!

~ Allie

I am naive, but aren't we all, to the unknown?

There is nothing like a rainstorm and a warm cozy bed. This calls for some writing...

Today was a day of questions. Each and every day I am presented with a new story of another child with special needs, ever since I began my experience with Makenna. Another child that is a miracle, yet in so much pain at times. Another child that I want to cry for. Another child that makes my heart melt without ever having met them. Another special gift from God. But I can't help to ask "why?" at times. Why is it that these children and their families must go through so much darkness and trial? I have to remind myself that we are told in His word that we will face trials and tribulations, but we must not loose faith. We must learn to rely on Him and trust. This can be one of the hardest things in the world to do though, especially when put in the situation.

Today I am saying a prayer for one of these sweet children and her precious family. Her name is Avery Akeman. She is five years old and is unable to play with other children. She must wear a mask when out in public (where she ventures very little), due to the lack of her immune system. She is also hooked up to tubes that feed her throughout the day. She is constantly being fed medicine through a backpack she must wear a majority of the time. I have never met this girl, but I must say she is a trooper. She is a miracle to a set of parents that love her unconditionally.

Sweet Avery has been struggling recently, having a difficult time keeping her temperature under 102. Today she was sent to the hospital to have MRIs done. Please pray for this sweet girl. She needs it!


I pray that one day I get to meet this fighter of a little girl. She is such an inspiration!

"Come on friends get up now, you're not alone at all."



Today has also been a day of graciousness (is that a word? not sure ha!). As I was with my friends this evening, walking around the family Christian book store, I thought to myself, "Thank you Lord!" Thank you for allowing me to have another day. Thank you for giving me this beautiful, precious life that I too often take for granted. I was reminded that my problems, worries, and fears are so minuscule. I began to feel quite silly for all of these things that I fear or worry about. There are children out there that are facing ridiculous life struggles, and here I am concerned about things like my love life, where I am going to school next year, and other things. Now, don't get me wrong...these are important things and I DO care very much about them, but I have realized these things are out of my reach. They are in His hands and He will take care of it in His time. For this, I am grateful.

I challenge you to keep this in mind as you face what you think may be a "challenge". Before you complain or question things, simply sit back and look at all of the beautiful things that surround you. There is SO much beauty to be found, it is incredible. Instead of making a complaint or questioning, say a prayer. Pray for those who need it most. I challenge you to pray for special children, like Avery and Makenna. Don't doubt your level of confidence in your prayers for them or how much meaning they may hold. Trust me, they mean the world to someone, whether you realize it or not.

Also, please continue to pray for epic student ministries with me, as camp approaches.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful day tomorrow! Tomorrow has endless possibilities and is filled with hope. Much love!

~ Allie

a little behind...

Since I have been a little behind on updating these past few weeks, I decided it's about time I do so. They have been a hectic past few weeks, but good ones! I have spent a lot of time with several of my friends that are home for the summer and it has been great! I love having all of my closest friends home. A couple of weeks ago, my best friend, Meghan, and I had an eventful weekend! We went to her cousin, Andrew's, wedding and to the Lady Antebellum/Tim Mcgraw concert!!! We had SO much fun!

I have also spent a lot of time with my sweet Kenna! She was so excited to get back in the swing of school. Although she does come home looking a little tired, she has been in a great mood. Last week we took her and the other 4 MJs to Stonebriar mall to eat lunch, ride the carousel, and shop around. Kenna LOVED the carousel! It was so fun watching her laugh and smile as the horse went up and down. By the end of ride, she would not stop signing more. Although it made Marianne and I a little sick to ride, we loved watching the kids have such a good time. After we left the mall, we tried a new cupcake place in Frisco called the Cupcakery! YUM! Mocha was my favorite out of the ones I tried. Oh how I love the adventures with the Johnsons :)

This past weekend I spent on the couch (so not like me) due to the fact that I was VERY sick! I had a virus a lot like the flu, with all of the symptoms of the flu (chills, fever, achy body, weak, etc.). And on top of that, I found out that my wrist was sprained from something I did in yoga! What a fun weekend huh??? Well, on the positive note, I had my wonderful mother! She was such a blessing and took care of me all weekend! I love her SOOOOO much!! Thank you Momma! And Since I was gone for two days from work, Kenna was VERY happy to see me when I came! She was all smiles and kept giving me a ton of hugs and kisses, so precious!

Speaking of Kenna...her teacher from this past year, Sarah, came over to the house and helped me put together a schedule for Kenna for the summer. She was such a huge help and so inspiring! I can't stop trying to think of more fun things to do with Kenna. I began calling several people across Plano, including places like gyms and dance studios, to see if they offered anything for special needs kids! I wasn't going to take "no" for an answer hahah :)

This coming Sunday I will be leaving for four days to go to camp with Epic (youth group at my church) to lead! I am VERY excited and I feel like something great is going to happen and that lives will be changed! I have been getting a lot closer to me sixth grade girls lately, and I just LOVE all of them! They are precious. I am praying that God can use me in incredible ways, even if it means being uncomfortable at times. I am ready for an adventure and up for a challenge! I am praying that God puts amazing strength, wisdom, knowledge, patience, love, and energy into me this coming week! I am spending a lot of time praying for these students and leaders this week, and I would REALLY appreciate it and love it if you would do the same! Nothing is impossible with HIM! After all, WE are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

I feel like there is SO much more to be said and things to update on, but like I said it's been a crazy past couple of weeks. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of posting again! Here are a few pictures from different things these past few weeks: