Frenzy

I'm terrible about blog updating. There, I said it. But I've decided to get better about it. Call it a New Year's Resolution in late February, if you will.

The days that pass as I get closer and closer to the incredible summer my Father has laid out for me have been a frenzy of papers, praise band practices, calculus and physics homework, student council meetings, babysitting, committee meetings, cramming for tests, writing thank-you letters, visiting colleges, prom planning, and all the other insanity that comes with what some may call being an overly-involved teenager. Sometimes I don't know how I manage it all, but then I am quickly reminded of my Savior friend who is there to restore me and instill me with unshakable joy and confidence in His truth and promises.

Since my last post, life has been seemingly passing me by in a whirlwind of new adventures, experiences, obstacles, and changes. I will always stand amazed at how God is the ONLY part of my life that stays the same. Coming from someone who isn't a big fan of change, I will always find my sanity in his consistency.

Now enough with the deep stuff. I am now the official owner of my own Canon EOS Rebel T3!!!! Just the mere thought makes me want to bust out in some kind of uncoordinated dance moves. I've been enthralled with the idea of photography for years now, and thanks to some encouragement from that incredible boy I am somehow blessed enough to call a boyfriend, I have decided to pursue photography further. Forget that doubting myself stuff. I'm stoked. Even if I end up failing with flying colors at this, I'd rather stink at doing something that makes me come alive rather than being awesome at something I really actually hate. So bear with me folks--this blog will probably from now on also consist of the documenting of my failures and hopefully-one-day successes of being a photographer. On that note: anybody want to let me take pictures of them? :)

Thanks to the Lord's miraculous provision, I have about $700 dollars in support raised for Clear this summer. It's a little less than half, and I have about two more months left of fundraising. Considering I started raising money about three weeks ago, I am shocked at how much my Father has provided for me through my incredible earthly family and faith family at First Baptist Biloxi. I love all of you so much and I wish that mere words could express how thankful I am for your investment in my life and journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Please pray for the staffers as we prepare for our staff retreat that will be here before we know it!(eleven more days...but who's counting?)

Finally reading Kisses From Katie...I am so excited! Everybody click on the "Amazima Ministries" logo on the right side of my blog if you want your world to be rocked by the story of this beautifully devoted sister in Christ. Katie, you and your daughters are forever in my thoughts and prayers.

In His Love,

Wesleigh

The Journey Begins :]

"I mean honestly God," I thought to myself in my fourth period AP Psychology class, "how do you expect me to pay attention when the most exciting news might be waiting in the mail for me at home?" To say that I couldn't wait is quite the understatement. On Thursday, February 2nd, I was given the most incredible opportunity of my life. About four months previously, I applied for a staff position at Clear Ministries, an organization invested in the world through character development, inspiring individuals to fulfull their life's purpose, and introducing opportunities for personal and occupational growth. Not only do they bring camp to kids, but they bring life to people. I will serve on one of three teams doing either camp ministry or doing VBS and mission work. I will find out which team I will be serving on at our staff retreat in March.

My first experience with Clear Camps was three years ago as a camper. Our junior high ministry went to Tall Timbers in Pineville, Louisiana having no idea what to expect. We had never even heard about this camp before. When we showed up, we automatically fell in love. The atmosphere was so incredibly fun and Spirit-filled. The staffers were actually interested in connecting with us personally--something you usually don't experience with the bigger-scale and less intimate camps we'd been to before. My sisters and I especially loved  it there, and the staffers especially. For some reason they really reached out to us. My group leader's name was Chelsea, and I'll never forget one night we were standing around talking, and she said, "You should totally apply for Clear staff one day." Ever since that night, I couldn't get this ministry out of my head.

My adventure with Clear will begin on June 4th, and ends July 27th. So basically my entire summer will be spent hanging out with kids and youth, waking up early, bringing the truth of God's Word and promises, taking part in amazing worship, playing fun and silly games, connecting people to a life in Christ, building friendships and a family that will last a lifetime, acting a fool and serving my Father......could I be any more blessed??

Please be in prayer for me as I prepare for this new season the Lord has created just for me, as well as the other amazing staffers! Until my journey begins, I will be gratefully accepting donations to meet my support goal of $1,500 required to travel with Clear, as well as the additional personal fund I will need while on the mission field. The money I give will go towards transportation, equipment, things like that. Most importantly, we staffers raise our own support so that campers can go to camp for about half the price of most camps in the country. So I am more than happy and willing to do my part and contribute to this team I am so overjoyed to be a part of.

Many of you will get letters in the mail asking for support and sharing how you can be in prayer for me. For those of you who got your letters already and came here for more information, I hope this post helped! If not, feel free to email me at wesleightheredeemed@yahoo.com, leave me a comment, call/text me, or write me back! I can't wait to hear from y'all!

In His Love,

Wesleigh

"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven through God" -Galatians 4:6-7 

(P.S. check out the icons to the right!! Click on them to visit the websites of some incredible ministries I am dedicated in prayer for! Join me in lifting them up to our Father!)

the beauty of waiting.

       Lately, I've felt like all I've been doing is waiting. The Lord has been setting up opportunities and putting things on my heart every time I turn around in these last few weeks-maybe even months. And while I am so excited to see how it all will play out, it's also pretty unnerving. 


       I'm at a point in my walk with God where I feel restless. I want to go. I want to do. I am beyond blessed to have friends who radically love the Lord and have given their lives up to proclaiming His love to the nations. Whether they are going through seminary, serving on or running summer camp staffs, in India working with the women in the sex trafficking industry, giving up their comfortable lives to start churches all over the world, starting local and foreign ministries..they all have inspired me so much.


       Being only a junior in high school, feeling this restlessness can be very confusing. It's not like I can jump on a plane right now and move somewhere to be a missionary. I have school. I have no money. I have responsibilities here. Granted, I love my life and I love what God is doing in me and in the lives of those around me. But wanting to do something else, somewhere else all the time is dangerous. If I'm always in a state of yearning for something else, no matter how "good" or "ministry-oriented" it may be, I will begin to stop living in the present. I won't take advantage of who God has put in my life right now, in THIS moment. 


       Which brings on a whole new thought the Lord has made quite clear to me: Maybe God isn't putting me in a season of waiting, but of preparation. Guiding, loving, protecting, and humbling me for whatever life of ministry He has called me for. Now, I see clearly. I feel His presence in my every endeavor and in my every moment. Ever since my Father has made this new truth so real to me, I'm starting to see how many opportunities I've already been given in a radically different way; opportunities I was taking for granted. He has blessed me in the acts of ministry in so many ways...I just have been too blinded by comparing myself to others to take what He's given me and do something amazing with it. Currently, that is going to be my prayer. To take advantage of the beautiful and exciting life I've been given RIGHT NOW. 

"Don't ask yourself just what the world needs; ask yourselves what makes you come alive and then go and do it with passion & purpose. Because what the world really needs....people that have come alive."

In His Love,
Wesleigh

Hey There 2012!

Wow. It's been forever. There's nothing that gets me more nostalgic than looking back on former entries, whether it's in my journal, on Tumblr, or even the three posts I've managed to create on this blog. I love how God works. I'm the kind of person who is always looking ahead. Future goals, plans, trips, even conversations...I usually have them all planned out in my head. Wanna know my favorite thing about my silly little habit? Getting to look back a half a year down the road and see what the Lord did with it. Some of "my" plans have succeeded, while others....not so much. Isn't He awesome in the way that He takes my selfish plans and turns them into something beautiful, for His renown? It completely rocks my world. He's so cool.

I'm going to try to blog more. I have no idea who reads this, or if anyone does for that matter. But I don't care. I'm just excited to tell the wonderful tales of how God uses a teenager to do the works to further His Kingdom.

Those who know me know my almost unhealthy love for Kari Jobe. Not only does the girl have major pipes, but she has such a breathtaking spirit. The way she loves the Lord is enough to bring me to my knees, just hearing her talk about God. Hopefully I can post some videos on here, because I would love for every person who reads this entry to watch these videos. You don't have to be a worship leader or church leader to apply these words of truth to your life.





Some things she said that I haven't been able to forget:
When is the Lord setting me up to win?
What moments have I felt myself falling in love with God?
It is dangerous when I allow myself to forget those memories.
I need to sit down in my heart again.
I want to be a John 10:27 girl..knowing my Fathers voice; only His. and chasing after it with all I am.
Comparison is the #1 thing that will keep me from doing what God wants me to do.
When I'm leading worship, I need to be asking God, "What do they need to say to you tonight?" instead of selfishly wanting my moment of worship.

God is moving. Are we ready to obey? Are we ready to leave everything behind and chase after His voice, and not the voice of the other?

In His Love, Wesleigh.

March through May..a much needed update

Summer: so much more than a simple word in the life of a teenager. Needless to say, I am pumped. Not only am I excited for laying out, sleeping in, spending time with friends and all the typical goings-on of a sixteen year old, but I also am filled with joy over the things the Lord has been putting into my life and thoughts.

Two months is hard to sum up in words, so to make things as cliche as possible, I'll let pictures do most of the talking for me. (Which will most likely not do so, considering my tendencies to ramble...so this post will probably be way longer than I intend it to be)

D-Now was awesome and prayers were definitely answered. Ironically enough, the weekend was focused on prayer, and how often we don't realize the urgency of the call to spend precious time with the Lord, begging Him for forgiveness, strength, the salvation of others, and literally everything in between. It was a wakeup call for all of us.

Most of y'all know my obession with wedding photography. I was given the awesome opportunity to shoot a 50th wedding anniversary/vow renewal of a couple that means the world to me: Frank and Joan Anderson. They are my third set of grandparents and I would be lost without them. I can only pray to have a marriage as loving and Christlike as theirs.

I went to Prom with my best friend, Joshua Broom. It was great and we were in a group of over 20 people, which was entertaining, funny, and took forever to take pictures...but no complaints from us! Afterwards we headed to my sweet friend Conrad's house for a night filled with smores, laughter, and even a hula hoop contest!

I was given yet another reason to believe that God is for me and with me, in my hobbies just as much as my everyday life: I was given the opportunity to shoot for a Priscilla Shirer simulcast held by my church's, First Baptist Church Biloxi, Womens' Ministry. The food was great, the decoration was beautiful, and the wonderful sisters in Christ in attendance were encouraging and excited to be there...which made for an awesome weekend and I felt so blessed to be a part of it!

Princess Party!!!!! Erin Bristol held a slumber party at her house for the Royal Wedding..complete with fancy hats, princess rings, tea tiaras! It was so fun to watch a commoner become a princess..even though it cost us a nights' sleep. The night was filled with talks of wedding dresses, boys, and prince Harry. We're girls, what can I say? :)

NEW YORK!! Naturally I loved it. Being a southern girl, the constant movement and conversation among pedestrians took some getting used to, but Abby, Molly and I loved the city. Our wonderful daddy treated us to a trip for our sixteenth birthday. For those of you who know him, you know that he took on a "conquer New York" attitude. Which was awesome considering the three of us knew nothing of the magical place. Every meal was amazing, the sights were beautiful, there were tulips everywhere, every corner and block had it's own story and personality...I was so inspired and awed. My favorite parts? SoHo, Harlem, Wicked, and Central Park :]

For a 16th birthday present, my mom also took us on a trip. Over Mardi Gras break, we went to Universal. Can you say HARRY POTTER WORLD? It was dreamlike. Being the Harry Potter freaks that we are, the three of us walked around with expressions of pure joy on our faces. It was only the four of us, no five and two year olds to lug around. We missed our little angels like crazy, but it was really nice to just have the four of us...no plans, no schedules..just doing what we wanted when we wanted. Best trip ever.

The best thing about living on the beach: being able to go any time you want completely free. The beach days we have are always different and always the best days. Yay for summer!

So, I hate it when people gush over (or even talk about for that matter) their girlfriend or boyfriend in cyberspace. It is a huge pet peeve. But since this is for friends and family, and since some of you may be wondering who in the world is that long haired guy in my pictures and according to my relationship status on facebook is the person i'm in a relationship with, I figured you deserve to know the story.Yesterday, I got back from a trip to visit my boyfriend, Randle Milliken. He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. How we met, some of you might ask? Two years ago, I went to a summer camp with the junior high of our church. I had been to Centrifuge the summer before, so when we arrived at this smaller-scale summer camp in Alexandria, LA, we weren't sure what to think. The Lord quickly humbled our hearts. This camp changed all of our lives through the amazing worship, bible study and recreation led by staffers that genuinely cared about us and our growth. Coming to a smaller camp gave us the opportunity to have a closer and more intimate camp experience, and it changed all of us. Being triplets, my sisters and I turned quite a few heads and drew a lot of attention at this particular camp, which was something we take with a grain of salt...if I wasn't a triplet and saw three girls that looked alike, I'd probably be interested in getting to know them too, so we try to keep a good attitude about it, even though we think of our situation as normal. Anyways, many of the staffers got to know us and after the summer ended kept in touch with us. Randle being one of those individuals. It wasn't untill a year ago that he even entered by mind as something other than "the guy from Clear that danced randomly a lot and who i'm kinda friends with." On a Mission Tour trip to Dallas, we were scheduled to stop in Shreveport for lunch. At the last minute I remembered that's where Randle lives. I called him to tell him and he showed up at the mall we stopped at. To say "things just clicked after that" would be an understatement. He almost couldn't come, and I almost didn't call him. Neither of us can explain why or how feelings came out of a wierd series of events, but we are both thankful for that day. We sought counsel from adults around us and searched the Lord's heart for answers: we didn't know if it was just what we wanted, or if it was God's intention for us to meet and one day be together. Though off and on again since then, the both of us are still chasing after the Lord's heart. We are praying that we will be the encouragement to the other to love and serve the Lord better through every passing day. The only way we want to stay together is if we continue to love Him more than anything in our lives and find ourselves loving and serving Him better together than apart. I ask whoever reads this to join us in prayer as we constantly fight against the norm--a relationship centered in selfishness and worldliness. We don't know what the Lord's plan is for us, but all we want is to chase after Him today, and trust Him for tomorrow. Being in a relationship that is truly, without a doubt focused on God is so different from what I'm used to seeing...there are no secrets, there is nothing to hide. We just want those who see us to see Jesus. I stayed in Shreveport for about eight days, staying the night at my new sweet friends' Katy and Erin's houses, spending time at the church his mother is the Children's Minister at and who also treated me as one of their own church members, getting to know his family, meeting people that over the past year have become just as much my friend as those living in Biloxi, and enjoying each other's company. While there, several people both of us look up to and love greatly approached us separately, telling us how happy they are that we are together and speaking of the prayers and love that they will always surround us with. It was so encouraging and definitely an answer to prayer. Please continue to pray for us! I'm blessed to have such a cool person in my life.

I knew it...this post is a novel. But after a few months of silence, I have an excuse to write a lot, right? In the next couple days, I am going to share what God has been putting on my heart, and the awesome opportunities He has put into my path for the next couple months. I'm super stoked.

In His Love,

Wesleigh :]

Manic Monday

It's crazy how fast March has gone by. Today is the first official day of spring and the beautiful Gulf Coast sunset last night and the clear day I spent at the at the beach brings thoughts of summer, and endless praises to the Creator...even though I'm not exactly rejoicing over the wicked sunburn I've been enduring since this morning! With only about 37 days of school left, my mind can't help but to slip away into daydreams of days at the beach, sleeping in, working sports camps for choir tour, Super Summer, playing guitar all afternoon, teaching VBS, driving around the backroads of Woolmarket with music and the laughter of my friends filling my ears...makes me excited just thinking about it. In saying that, I have to be very careful to avoid complacency and apathy. My prayer is that the Lord will remain a steadfast and restless spirit within me; while I want to have fun this summer, I also don't want to lose sight of the plan for service He has laid out for me.

Since this blog's purpose is to keep those who don't talk to me every day infomed in my life, I intend to try to do that as frequently as possible. Disciple Now was great; prayers were definitely answered. Things went so well that some of the girls in the sophomore class decided that instead of going to parties on Saturday nights, they want us to do a bible study on Saturdays, as often as possible. I have been blessed to have been asked to lead them, or at least the first few to get everyone in the swing of things until someone else feels God calling them to lead. I must say it's a little intimidating; these girls are some of my best friends. They know my every flaw. But the great thing about it is that they love and support me, so I don't really have a reason to be nervous at all; so mostly I'm just excited. Throughout this week I'm going to be searching for what to talk about to start our studies; something else I'm very excited to study the Word for. Have us in your thoughts and prayers as we seek God together :)

Got my prom dress! It's between an emerald and forest green, the last color I had in mind, but I'm in love with it. Prom is a week from this weekend, and Josh and I barely have anything planned, so this week will probably be pretty crazy on my end trying to get everything together. Which brings me to a thought: guys have it SO easy when it comes to prom! All they have to do is put on a tux, drive, and pay. While we nitpick over hair, makeup, dress, nails, tan...(minus a few from this low maintance girl) Guys, if you think you have it rough, think again.

Everyone be praying for those in Japan and Libya today..my heart breaks for and with those people. Pray that they will somehow see God's love and mercy through these troubled times, and help us rise up and stand against the evil Satan has set out to steal, kill, and destroy us.

Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense

I've always loved blogs, and having so many sweet friends and family members who live away from the coast, I thought that this would be the perfect way to keep those closest to me updated on my life and what the Lord is putting on my heart and in my adventure of His calling in my life. I'm not the most reliable when it comes to texting or messaging people back, and with my crazy busy schedule, I tend to not be near my phone to answer calls, so I figured this would be pretty perfect.

I'm very excited about what the Lord has in store for me this summer. Some doors have been closed, while new and exciting ones have been revealed. Right now, I'm asking Him for clarity and discernment concerning the difference between what is my will, and what is His. Being the minor control freak that I am, always wanting a set, in depth plan of action for just about everything; I tend to overspiritualize my decisions...I agonize over things such as, "Am I doing this because it's what I want, or do You want this?" "Am I in Your will right now, or am I making myself think that?"  I think sometimes I expect God to shout directions and I will automatically know exactly what to do and how to do it. But then, because of His grace that will forever astound me, He always brings me back to reality and humility...in one of my favorite passages, 1 Kings 19...when Elijah is on the mountain of God and seeks refuge in a cave. The Lord calls him out of his shelter and tells him to stand out on the mountain before Him, so that He can pass by. But God's presence wasn't in the crushing wind that blew by him, or the earthquake that subsequently erupted, or even the fire that materialized before Elijah's eyes. God's presence wasn't in any of those events of such grand a scale; He was found in the whisper. I think many of us look for God's plan for our next move to be flashy and in our faces, but we (me especially) don't realize that if He shouted directions at us, would He be the same God that is as worthy and demanding of our obedience and praise, as well as patience, and willingness to sit in silence, free of every distraction so that He is the only one demanding our attention? I personally don't think so...and that is why I am completely in awe of His ability to humble me only minutes after selfishly being confused and frustrated with Him for not answering my questions at the exact moment convenient for me. Another thing I'm starting to realize is that my "am I in Your will?" questions I've been trying to find answers to have also been completely skewed. Through a conversation with a very precious friend of mine, I was brought to a wonderful thought: If I'm falling in love with Christ and chasing after Him every day, of course I'm going to be in His will. Through pure love and obedience, though I will mess up, His grace and mercy will bring me exactly where He wants me. While this is very comforting, I refuse to become complacent. I ask you to please be in prayer for me as I seek the Lord's face while He instills His wisdom, so that I will make the decisions that will result in an awesome summer full of service. I'm sure it will be scary at times, considering the radical obedience I am determined to possess, but I'm ready.

Disciple Now is this weekend for the youth ministry at my church, First Baptist Church Biloxi. The leadership team has been in prayer for this weekend for months, and we couldn't be more excited. Pray that all of us will find an Awakening over the next few days. Pray that we will each be perceptive to the reason each one of us was given the opportunity to attend...my prayer has been that no heart in that room will be left unmoved, unchanged, and without a clear image of His love and power. Needless to say I'm through the roof about it.

This post is way longer than I intended, but most of you I'm sure are probably familiar with my tendencies to ramble a little, so I guess it fits! I plan on posting pretty often, so feel free to check up on me! Love you all!