Lovely Greetings from New Zealand!

Dear Friends,

Greetings from the land down under...New Zealand! We have been here for 3 days, and have done so much!

The flight from Raleigh to Los Angeles was pretty uneventful except that we almost missed our flight... :) From Los Angeles to Auckland was quite uneventful too. Well, besides the fact that we were in the plane for 13.5 hours! It was a very comfortable ride, nonetheless.

Once in Auckland, we managed to get a rental car and tried to make our way to our hotel. Now Auckland is New Zealands' largest city and you absolutely don't want to get lost there. Guess what happened to us? We basically got lost! But hey, we got a wonderful tour of the city :) The rest of that evening was just jolly, filled with quite time, nap, and dinner.

Yesterday we took a 12 hour train ride from Auckland to Wellington. We went along some beautiful countryside and took many pictures, but unfortunately, don't have the means to upload them just yet. It was an amazing experience, and such fun, seeing that it was my very first train ride. So we arrived in Wellington about 8ish and attempted to find our hotel, which we did. The dinner hunt began...we walked for what seemed forever looking for a place that was open to grab something to eat, but to no avail. We ended up having a gourmet meal from McDonald's. :)

So today was an activity filled day. We walked all about the city, walked on the wharf, took a tour of Parliment, went on the Cable Car, and then went to the Te Papa museum. All in a short 5 hours.

So now is time for winding down...I will post updates along with pictures very soon.

God bless!

Cheers,
Charity

My Life Thus Far, Part 2

Hello friends!


Well, I am continuing/finishing my post on "My Life Thus Far" as promised, I have not forgotten :)


The last weekend of March was a special weekend for Faith and I because we got to spend the weekend with our wonderful father at the beautiful Callaway Gardens in Georgia for the Vision Forum Father and Daughter Retreat. It was a treat to also be with our best friends the Edmondsons during the duration of the weekend, and fathers and daughters from church! 


It was a time of spiritual refreshing and bonding with dad. We had so much fun hanging out and reconnecting with dad. We got an overdose of wonderful teaching (not a bad thing at all!), got to have high tea, did a few photo shoots, watched a hailstorm, and had so much fun being together. 


We had talks on adventurous femininity, what a good young man is looking for in wife, the role of daughters in the home, protecting the daughter, and so much more! I plan on doing separate posts on the details of the messages we heard there.


The best thing about the weekend for me was, besides getting to knowing Jesus yet even more, was the time God allowed us to spend with dad. I treasure every single moment of these times.

  It was absolutely gorgeous there, and I was blessed by how many fathers and daughters were there!

It was so great to be together and spend the time with dad! We had an absolute blast playing out on the lawn and enjoying the beautiful day. 

The high tea was...yummy :) Though I have to admit, I was really hoping for more food and I had gotten excited about having scones with devonshire cream and crumpets, but alas, my hopes were dashed and we ended up not having those.
We enjoyed dressing up and taking these photos. 


So we had some crazy weather while we were there. It hailed badly and rained hard...

Faith and I had fun posing and taking these pictures:

And then just a few random pictures Faith and I took to say "hey" :)

I did some photographic shoots of the area and love to take pictures of nature in general, so this is the website where you can find all my works: Beauty Rising 

p.s. the site is still in the works :)

The funny thing is, there has been so much more change in my life thus far...I guess that is why I blog, I will never get caught up on my life thus far, because it is forever changing. 

The blessing of the Lord be upon you,

Charity

~Isaiah 28:6

Laminin

Dear Friends,

As I was studying for an Anatomy and Physiology exam tonight, God reminded me of something quite spectacular. A tiny cell adhesion molecule (protein, really) called laminin. I'm sure you have seen it, but Jesus was so sweet to remind me of it in the midst of this stressful week called "finals" and I wanted to hopefully encourage you as well :) This protein is so incredible, and frankly, my brain is so fried I don't want to go into all the science of it, but just look and see it:

How incredible?! I am amazed at the fact that the God who created this universe is LITERALLY holding you and me together!!! My mind is blown away and my passion for Jesus grows every time I see a picture of it. It leaves me feeling so humbled, for certain but intensely loved.

I pray that each and every one of you will feel His nearness this week.

Psalm 139:13-16
For You formed my inward parts;
         You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
         Marvelous are Your works, 
         And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
         When I was made in secret, 
         And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
         And in Your book they all were written, 
         The days fashioned for me, 
         When as yet there were none of them. 

Oh Lord, thank you for Your nearness!

His bondservant,
Charity

p.s. Pt. 2 of "My Life thus Far" will soon be posted :)

My Life Thus Far, Part 1

Dear Friends,

So much has happened over the past few weeks, that I don't even know how to bring you up to date on all that has been going on in my life lately! :) One thing is certain, God has been so good and faithful to me. Truth be told, I have such an insatiable desire for Christ that is being filled daily in ways that only He can. I'm not saying that I have been spending time with Christ like crazy over the past few weeks (quite the opposite, I must admit!) but in the midst of my busyness, God has been meeting me right where I am. I am saying this as a testimony to our God!

So, first things first. I promised pictures from my spring break to NM/TX, and here they are:

 

 

 

Couple of aerial views of our flight from Denver to Albuquerque 

While we were there, we got a chance to visit with cousins and there adorable children...

My precious little nephew, Reilly!

One thing that we really like to do is go to concerts. Hope, Jacob, Faith, and I recently had the privilege of going to see the bands Downhere and Rush of Fools. 

Unfortunately, the time is late and I must bid farewell. Be sure to check back soon for pictures/videos of the concert and a continued update of my life thus far...PART 2!!

To God alone be the glory,

  Charity

Mighty Warrior King

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Texas!

To start things of, it is a very long story of how I was able to come out west. I was actually supposed to be in North Carolina with my best friends for the week. But God had other plans, as you can see. :)

*As a side note, I want to thank you, my dear friends, Caelen and Hannah, for being so wonderfully understanding! You don't know how much I desire(ed) for your sweet fellowship, and I know that God will reward you by us having an even sweeter and deeper time of fellowship when we get together next time! I love you!*

Well, things have been a bit slow lately, but definitely far from boring! It is spring break, so I have been in Albuquerque, NM and /Lubbock, TX visiting my dads Uncle and Aunt and his cousins along with their beautiful children. I am currently in Texas with my mom visiting my sister Rachel and her lovely little family. It has been such a joy to be able to spend this time renewing acquaintances and bonding with my nephew Reilly. What a precious child little Reilly is! (photos will be up and coming shortly) 

Now looking at the title of this post, you must wonder, "huh?"...the answer is that I am doing this wonderful program for my quiet time called "Bible in 90 Days". I like to liken the program to a cross country trip, you drive and drive, and you begin to see connections of all the places, and the like. So, I am currently in the Prophets and I have been rediscovering yet even another side of our wonderful God. I am seeing His as my Mighty Warrior King!

Here are just a couple verses to convey the picture: It's intense!
Joel 2:25,26
So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame.

Amos 5:8
He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning qnd makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth; The Lord is His name.

 Habakkuk 3
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, and there His power was hidden. Before Him went pestilence, and fever followed at His feet. He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. O LORD, were You displeased with the rivers, was Your anger against the rivers, was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? Your bow was made quite ready; oaths were sworn over Your arrows. You divided the earth with rivers. The mountains saw You and trembled; the overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered its voice, and lifted its hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they went, at the shining of Your glittering spear. You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger. You went forth for the salvation of Your people, for salvation with Your Anointed. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, by laying bare from foundation to neck. You thrust through with his own arrows the head of his villages. They came out like a whirlwind to scatter me; their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret. You walked through the sea with Your horses, through the heap of great waters. When I heard, my body trembled; my lips quivered at the voice; rottenness entered my bones; and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops.

It has been so exciting getting to know my Savior on a different side. I love what C.S. Lewis, author of the beloved childrens book series The Chronicles of Narnia wore in "The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe":

“Is – is he a man?” asked Lucy. “Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I can tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emporer-Beyond-the-Sea … Aslan is a lion – The Lion, The great Lion.” “Ooh,” said Susan, “I thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” “That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver, “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver, “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe?” Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King I tell you". 

And this is the Savior that we serve! Oh He is so wonderful, yet so powerful that Heaven cannot contain this Glorious One. He is constantly fighting the battle for our hearts, and one day, satan will be vanquished and Jesus will be King!!
I await the day that You return, my Jesus.

So not only is He the love of my life, and the Prince of my existence, of which He is everything, He is also truly my Knight in Shining Armor, my Mighty Warrior King conquering the depths of every human heart!


Take rest in the strength of our Savior,
Charity

A Hymn of Faith
     Though the fig tree may not blossom,
      Nor fruit be on the vines;
      Though the labor of the olive may fail,
      And the fields yield no food;
      Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
      And there be no herd in the stalls—
       Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
      I will joy in the God of my salvation.
       The LORD God is my strength;
      He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
      And He will make me walk on my high hills.

May I introduce...

I would like to introduce my new nephew, Reilly Warren Lewis! He was born on February 9, 2011 at 7:13pm. The proud parents of this cute little guy, are: Caleb and Rachel Lewis. Proud Uncles: Cody, Josh, Jacob, Caleb. Proud Aunts: Hope, Charity, and Faith. Proud Uncle/Aunt: Noah and Ashley. 

I am sorry for not posting pictures any sooner, but here he is: is he not adorable? 

 

Psalm 127:3

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

         The fruit of the womb is a reward."

His bondservant,

Charity

Jeremiah 32:17-23

Dear Friends,

I am reading the book of Jeremiah right now and this verse popped out at me. I would love to share it with you:

Jeremiah 32:17-23
‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. You have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—“a land flowing with milk and honey." And they came in and took possession of it, but they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them. 




Be blessed!
Charity