Easter Weekend

Ok so this Easter was by far the BEST Easter ever! I dont know if its because i am at a different place spiritually than i have ever been before or what but whatever the reason, i loved it. Worship was ROCKIN! Seans Message was about second chances and it was just so encouraging. I will never understand Christs love for me but i am so incredibly grateful for his sacrifice. After being at church most of the day i went to the parentals and we did the annual egg hunt and enjoyed a lovely feast as a family :) I made everyone get back in their church clothes so we could take a family picture :) Below is my beautiful family Dad, Mom, Me, Derek, My future sister-in-law Amber(isnt she lovely! She fits right in with the Brandner clan) and my baby sister Emma in the front! I am so incredibly blessed to have such a close family. I often take it for granted... But i realize the LORD has been good to me! To him be all the Glory and Praise!!

I hope this easter was more than the candy and pastel colors for you too :)

Maddie :)

I cant believe i havent posted about Maddie! Derek got a new dog... Great dane... She is beautiful and i love her so much! She is only 9 weeks old and already at least 20 pounds! I took her for a walk last week and she went half way and i ended up having to carry her home because 1. She may be a baby, but boy is she a Diva... And 2. She was wayyyy tired. Pretty sure she was panting for at least 2 hours AFTER we were done walking. I cant help but love her! I am totally and completely smitten over that puppy.

I say this as she sleeps so peacefully next to me :) Oh the Joys of being Aunt B <3

Here is my Niece

Christ is RISEN!!!!!

What an amazing day it has been so far! :) GOD has done an amazing work so far, we had such a great turn out. Nothing is better than worshiping our KING with fellow believers. So many new faces... So encouraging to me! I love my church family so much.

A great song for ya :)

Blessed Redeemer by Casting Crowns. Really listen to the words! Jesus' Amazing character shines through the truth behind the lyrics.

Heres a link for you:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyD1FSC3d08

I hope your Easter was more than Pastel Colors and Chocolate! What an Faithful Mighty GOD we have.

WOW GOD!

So yesterdays post i wrote right before worship practice. Well, i start praying and reassuring myself and trying to stay positive. I get to practice and i kid you not... One of the first things that was said to me was about how Natalie wanted me to come over for dinner because she knew i didnt have any food and the thing that got me was "I am here helping to provide for you!" Immediately i started crying. I knew that was from GOD clarifying to me that he is my provider. Then Franny told me she was taking me grocery shopping and that made me cry more and she didnt ask me if i wanted her to she told me she was taking me and she wouldnt accept no for an answer.

I dont do well with accepting help. Or asking for it.

But GOD is so faithful to provide. And yesterday he moved so quickly. I was not expecting that and i had told myself that i wasnt going to let the bad news i received yesterday affect practice, that i was just going to go and worship and then go home and everything would be fine. Well, GOD had a different plan. He brought everything to the surface and im glad he did... He knows best!

I had to share with you! GOD is awesome and so faithful... I will never understand his love for me! But im sure glad i have it

Oh silly Finances

Found out today of a major pay cut that i will be receiving through my main source of income... Unfortunate because i will definitely feel the pain of that one! Lately ive been very comfortable with my financial situation because i have always had left overs to go and do as i please and i could be very generous and not feel the sting of it. Now, as i realize i am going to have to make serious sacrifices... I am trying to stay positive and remind myself that GOD can do a lot with a lot... He can also do a lot with a little. I know he is going to provide for me. Maybe not in the ways i think or want him to, but he has always given me what i needed! I have faith that my faithful GOD will stay constant and unchanging and provide for me just the same.

I hate money, not only because it has divided people so easily and destroyed relationships; also because it toys with my emotions and stresses me out so easily. I dont want it but in the culture we live in it stresses how much you NEED it to survive and to be happy. One thing i know for sure is that money has NEVERRRRR made me happy! Never!

So i am sticking with GOD in this trial... Money, you aint got nothin on the creator! You will not steal my joy!

Beth Moore Study

Today was the first week of 12 that i will be having a Bible study with a bunch of awesome ladies from my church! :) I am super excited. The study is Beth Moore's (which i know already makes it incredible) Video study on Daniel... I have to say i am so excited and looking forward to the upcoming weeks. Today she talked about mainly historical stuff and mentioned how GODs word is Timeless and meant to fit every generation. She totally opened my eyes to see how the word is relevant to me right now in the 21st Century! I think it is awesome thinking of how literature written in 650BC is relevant in 2011AD! GOD is so cool!

Anyway just to share with you the main things i took away from today...

I am living in a Babylon of my own. This world that we live in is equivalent to the Babylon of the beginning of times. Babylon is a way of thinking; a philosophy of "I am, and there are none above me" It is a depiction of our broken sinful world.

One thought that has stuck with me today is "We were assigned to this world by GOD. satan has assigned the world to us." She also said something that i swear she was speaking right to me! The idea that we have been placed in our own Babylon. We have been placed in it at this time for a reason. I have been assigned to this life, this place, these trials i face at this time and at every moment in my life for a reason! There is purpose and reasons behind each and everything we face. It gives life more depth i think. Rather than just constantly going through the motions, taking time to break it all apart and see GODs face in everything we have done, are doing, and will do. (Sorry if i totally confused you...)

Exciting things are happening! I am so grateful for this study. It came at the perfect time! GOD knows best :)

Jesus

For the past few weeks ive been seeing Jesus in new ways which is really exciting for me, our GOD is so huge and we will never be able to fully grasp his awesomeness; but i think its really sweet when he reveals new sides of himself to us! Today in particular made me laugh out loud... I was preparing for College group tonight and we are going over Matthew 21 and a few other verses from various books that relate to Matthew's chapter. Well as i am reading i get to the part where Jesus is speaking to the pharisees about Johns baptism and he asks them one simple question to follow their question on what authority he is under. I think it is amazing that our Jesus who is so gentle and full of love and grace is equally bold and wont take no crap from anyone! :) Jesus is Meek... He is incredible! I had to share!!

Stronger- Mandisa

So, i am currently obsessed with Mandisa's new song Stronger :) Not only because it is currently relevant in my life but because Girlfriend knows how to throw down! So if you dont listen to Klove or have NO idea who Mandisa is then YOU HAD BEST be lookin it up on Youtube :) Definitely worth the 4 min.

In Starbucks news i am definitely starting to get into the groove of things... I know ive been there for over 3 months, All im sayin is im definitely getting mad coffee makin skills! Not braggin or anything... Just sayin :) I really do love working there, I find that the times when we are slow are great blessings and i use them to catch my breath and rejuvenate for when all of San Antonio wants coffee at the same time!

In Apartment news our AC had definitely gone out again... For the 6th time... So thats frustrating but not enough to make me wanna raise hell in the apartment office. It takes a lot to get me seriously heated(by heated i mean furious... cause i am definitely very heated physically right now. My apartment is a sauna!) I love love love love love living on my own! I am super grateful for it. I get to see my family reasonable amounts but i left on great terms so seeing them is an added bonus :) Though i do miss living in the country very much! There is nothing like it and when i am married i am DEFINITELY going back to the country living. I hate living in the city... In the center of it all. Yuck... I am convinced GOD made me to be surrounded my nature not buildings. I anxiously await the days when i can spend most of my time in a rocking chair next to my husband or walking through nature :) Ok now im getting giddy :) haha

In misc. news i have grown to love my church way more! Its so great to be connected to a community of believers/family that encourage and uplift me in the dark times. I have really been awestruck by GODs faithfulness. Everyday he shows me how he loves me and he is ALWAYS faithful! Something he alone can be. Its incredible. Oh, and i am seriously considering moving to California in about a year... To pursue acting of course! :)

I hope all of ya'll are blessed ;)

GOD Speed Brothers/Sisters in Christ!

Blessed :)

The LORD is faithful to provide :) This is the statement i have been proclaiming for the past several hours. He has been so good to me. I cant stop smiling :) AHHHH SO EXCITED!!!!!

As some may know a few months ago i auditioned for a short film and got the part of Ashley Sterling a minor role... But a role in a film none the less. Just grateful for the opportunity to dive back into acting, i never really expected for it to go anywhere HUGE.... Holy Toledo... The LORD is faithful to provide!

Ever since i can remember i have always wanted to be an actress in film. ALWAYS... Ive been acting since birth basically. My mom was a director and she would always cast me as the little girl whenever a little girl was needed. I fell in love!

Anyways, back to the juicy stuff :) I sat down with my director today... Not only has the show been SAG approved (Screen Actors Guild) which is a HUGE honor... But, we made it to TV!!!!! Our TV series will be promoted on Nickelodeon and MTV... Hello Opportunity! Can you say PRAISE GOD!!!! Not only that but i am now officially a SAG member myself. SAG meaning Hollywood knows about our show... SAG meaning i am stepping into the world of Professional Film... SAG... Me; a nobody, is a SAG member. I will also be paid for the TV series which i was NOT expecting!

I feel so incredibly blessed. The LORD is faithful to Provide :)