It amazes me how movies, conversations with people, things we see outside and even lines from songs can get your mind reeling and how they can get you to think on a deeper than the surface level. A line from a song I was listening to this morning got me thinking about some things and I thought I'd share with you my thoughts.

"Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts? Just a cage of rib bones and some other various parts. So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess, And to stop the muscle that makes us confess."

What stood out to me was in the first line...''what protects your heart?" Of course we know the obvious answer to this, the technical medical answer. But let's look deeper. This question is like a 5-layered dip, you really have to dig into it to get all the good stuff!

- What is protecting your physical heart? "...just a cage of rib bones and some various parts..." We are all human and our physical hearts don't just take care of themselves. We have to exercise and eat the right types of food. Are you doing that? Are you actively working to see that your physical heart is in top shape and functioning at top notch? Are you taking the time to be sure your physical heart, the one that helps to keep you alive, is healthy?

- What is protecting your emotional heart? " ...the muscle that makes us easily confess..." Emotions are vital to human interaction. But when our emotions are the ones that guide us, help us see the world around us, determine if our day is a good one or a bad one or if they are what leads us to behave the way we do, then there's a problem. Are we constantly looking for praise, affirmation or acceptance of people to fill the emotional emptiness? Do we allow a negative word or look to make us depressed or bring us down? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to be the protector of this area? Are we protecting our emotions under the promise that we were bought with a price and that we are redeemed children of the Most High? Or are we allowing our hearts to be protected by words and thoughts that are lies and cause us to not see ourselves through the eyes of Christ?

- What is protecting your spiritual heart? "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
What is protecting your spiritual heart? Are the things of this world; money, fame, success, position, status, possessions, etc.; to fill, satisfy and protect your heart? The earthly heart may be insured by earthly things, but does this spiritual heart have eternal insurance? Are we allowing the protective materials to be the blood of Jesus Christ? Are we letting Him fill ever empty space and satisfy every desire, every dream and every passion? Is He our joy in tough times? Is He our strength when we are weak? Through Him are we able to love unconditionally the person we can't stand to be around? What is protecting your spiritual heart?

All of these "hearts" are related, connected and work together. We have to know which heart is the most important and which one deserves the highest rung on the ladder of priorities. If we allow Christ to be the keeper of our spiritual heart and we let him be our heart's protector, then we have a 100% guarantee 'protection policy' through the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the only one through whom we can have complete satisfaction.

Once the status of our spiritual heart is set in place, then our emotions will follow. They won't be the leading force behind our actions, motives and responses, Christ will.

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." I Corinthians 6:19-20
Our bodies are God's temple. It is in this body that our physical heart resides. Therefore since we want to honor God and we want our 'temples' to bring glory to Him, we will work to ensure we take care of our body and our physical heart.

It all connects!

I wish I could say that I gave the right answer to these questions...but I'd be lying if I said that I did. This one line from a song made me stop and think about my heart's protection. Is my heart being truly protected? Am I doing my best to ensure it's protection?

"Have you ever thought about what protects your heart...?"

Right now I am sitting in my apartment with my two roommates...in Washington, DC!

How did that happen? Let me rewind back to Tuesday.

I received a call from Mrs. Cocks telling me about the Witherspoon Fellowship (for more information go to www.witherspoonfellowship.

Movie + Dinner + Amazing Company = a FANTASTIC evening!

and...

August Rush is a must see!

If you haven't seen it...you need to go see it!

:)

The :End: of one adventure...And the :Beginning: of another

About 6 months ago I joined 14 other people at a Lake House in South Carolina to embark on what I was told would be the greatest adventure of my life.

{They were right...}

This group of 11 interns, 3 PDs, and 1 Cappy started this season off as friends, but over the course of these 5 months, we have grown into a family! I am so blessed and thankful that I can not only call you all my friends, but my sisters and brothers. Each of you has encouraged, challenged and blessed me. I am so grateful for all the memories, (the tick-tacks, long roadtrips, hairdying parties, Pirates vs. Spartans, the lake) the things we have learned and the friendships we have strengthened.

Guys and girls, even though we are all separated by many miles, I know that won't stand in the way of our friendships. I pray that God would bless, guide and provide for all of you as He takes you from this chapter in your lives to a new and exciting adventure. I love you all and miss you tons!!

My girls, my girls, my girls...talken 'bout my girls!
Annie :my fellow color specialist:, Tori :my fellow curly-head:, Sarah :the sweetest girl with knives:, Haylee :my partner in crime and pranks:, Bryn :my favorite travel buddy! hawaii here we come!: and Lydia :the greatest Cappy in the world!:

And my boys:
Aaron :the greatest VP ever:, Elijah :the nerd with the most style: Brent :the leader of the pirates:, Kelly :my favorite person to watch movies with:, Jared :my best friend:, Jonathan :the old man:, Boe :the therapist: and Paul :the guy who beat me by one day:

Remember... It may be the :End: of one adventure...but it's only the :Beginning: of another marvelous one!