COLORADO AND HALLOWEEN

y'all, so much life change has been happening as of recent. i just haven't gotten around to being able to actually post something. most of what i've been writing lately are just thoughts that have been started, i can't quite finish anything. i usually open my journal or evernote (depending on fast my thoughts are going), then just sit and think, "madi, you've got to write something. anything. surely you can do that. just start typing. people are depending on you to write." then i come back to reality and realize that, a) you can't just force a thought to happen, and it's okay that sometimes your thoughts go to fast for your hands to write down and then the moment passes. and b) no one, i repeat, no one is relying on me to write a blog. i'm not even certain if anyone reads these. (if you're reading this, you're a doll.)

anywho, this past month or so has been challenging, trying, exhausting, and so rewarding. i'm learning how to love people through Jesus and not through myself. i'm learning what it means to live like the early church. i'm learning how to open my heart and love like jesus, towards everyone. not just christians. but those lost, broke, hurting, sinners (just an fyi, we are all sinners, but most of the time us bound by religion forget that), the homeless, the ones just barely making it, the rich, the single, the married, the orphans, the widows, the strippers, the business men. EVERYONE MEANS EVERYONE. i'm the first to admit that i am so bad about doing that, but lucky for us, God has not called us to be perfect, but to continuously draw near to him. so that's what i'm going to continue to do, even though i suck at it. hallelujah that even in my suckiness (yep, that's a word) God still pours out unconditional love and undeserved grace on me. what a good, good Father.

here's a recap of this past month, october 2014, you'll always be remembered. i went on my first trip to colorado (i'll be moving there in the summer of 2015 and i couldn't be more excited). this halloween was one for the books, i had the privilege of spending it with my closest friends all dressed up and scared out of my mind at a haunted house.

BONFIRE

bonfire at my friends house, what a great night

i haven't forgotten about blogging, just the opposite has happened really. each day i don't blog it's usually because i'm busy working OR it's because my mind is racing through it's dreams way to fast and my hands can't type out the words fast enough. the second is most common. i'm working hard on some blog posts and a little poetry mixed in. life will slow down a bit soon and i'll get back to posting on a routined basis.  

HAMMONTREE'S

friends and food. this summer I am interning at cross church in arkansas in the media department filming and editing videos! lunch is always a big deal here between my fellow coworkers, around eleven o'clock you begin to have people circulating around the offices asking what you're doing for lunch. most of the time my answer is, "nothing, what are we doing?" and then the respond, "hold on, let me keep asking." we are always going to different places, trying different foods. the group is always different and the group is always down for awesome conversations. 

today the group that went was the girl interns: kayleigh, alexandra, melissa, and myself. we set out down the road towards downtown fayetteville, our first thought was to stop at the food truck court. we got there and realized that most of them were closed and it was a bit toasty out to sit down and eat. so we all got back in my car and drove to the heart of downtown and settled on hammontree's. it's a gourmet grilled cheese place that also has amazing sweet potato fries! 

i love the company i'm in this summer and i'm beyond grateful that god has divinely placed these people around me. i'm learning so much from them, they are definitely pouring into my heart wether they realize it or not!  

JUNE+BEGINNING OF JULY

⟼june 14: a surprise birthday party is all my friends at my favorite restaurant (i cried)

⟼june 15: i turned another year older and celebrated at the lake (also father's day)

⟼june 22-27: beach camp // was behind the lens of a camera or a computer screen editing the whole time except when i was at the beach relaxing and watching god radically change the lives of the high schoolers that were there // 8 charter buses, 17 hour drive, 500 kids, 45 dedications, 50+ baptisms, 19 surrenders to full time ministry 

⟼june 29: fireworks at the crosses // 99 baptisms, 10,000+ people in attendance // also my beautiful mother's birthday 

⟼july 3-5: vacation to texas to visit my family, i brought several friends and on our way back to arkansas we stopped in denton and explored that cute little city // 5 people packed in my lil subaru