greenville.coffee.matthew13

This past weekend I went to Greenville to visit some great people. It consisted of late night talks at friends houses, sweet baby Harrison, Christine and Hunter, and seeing some best friends from high school.
Anybody who knows me I love spontaneous trips. Earlier in the week I thought of going to Greenville and thankfully all the arrangements worked out. My trip consisted of coffee shops, friends houses, new restaurants, people literally running to hug me, football games, and lots of Jesus and late night conversations.

While in Greenville this weekend I went to Integrity church and the sermon left me with goosebumps. The pastor talked about the different parables and focused on the Parable of the Sower.

God calls us to repent and believe in the gospel.
Not everyone present is going to understand what he is saying, he opens their ears to let them hear the gospel.
Jesus parables show clear picture of how salvation should look like.

If you here me you are blessed, salvation is in The Lord 
Satan's greatest tactic is to take you away from the gospel 
God gives you a new heart and makes you a new person 

If we trust only in our emotions then we will end up in dark place.
Emotions will not help you in your darkest hour but only the gospel will
The heart is what god is after.

Hebrews 3:14- true Christian had heart transformed and will endure till the end and consistently produce fruit, finish race god marked out for them, gods work within them, the only one that matters. He is causing them to endure.
Luke 8:15- take time for god to turn heart of stone into heart of flesh

You cannot look for highs in life about Christ- that's not true Christianity.
Lord give me the ears to hear!

Matthew 13:16-17

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

A little time off.

Over the course of these last few weeks of my first semester in college, I have realized how much I don't know about what I want to do or where I want to go. I have been focused all my life on having a plan and living up to the high expectation that has been set by everyone I know.

I called my parents earlier this morning to talk of the idea of taking a semester off to truly find myself, what I stand for and what means the most to me. 

the silence on the phone spoke loud enough for me to know how my parents thought of the idea but they didn't say "NO" so my chances are still there. 

My hope for this coming year is a lot of changes. one thing I learned was that I haven't been a friend to the people who cared so much for me, which is something I am going to change. I have this burning idea and passion to change something in this world and I'm working to that idea. 

My reasoning behind taking a half year off is so I can make my mark on the world, find myself and truly make the impact I dreamed of making.

What I hope to do is apply for the internship for Invisible Children and be a roadie for 10 weeks where I would travel around and go and share the news of the LRA conflict. I would travel in a van and gain the knowledge of international aid, grassroots movements along with learning about public relations. I am also looking into the idea of working with YWAM (youth with a mission) where I would go through discipleship training for 6 months, by learning about God, hearing God and going out into the world where ever the Lord has brought me to talk of Him. 

The only thing I can do for now is pray for my heart and that the Lord would work out and show me which path he wants me to travel, whether it be taking a year off, or staying at Western. 

I am thankful for the Lord placing on my heart these ideas and can't wait to see where he takes me in the next couple of months. 

For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 

-2 Corinthians 6:2

reunions.new places.and permanent things

I am in love, in love with an experience I had a year and a half ago. For the amount of time I talk about it most people can guess it was my trip to Colorado. This past weekend was a chance for me to see many people who experienced Colorado with me. For most of the people I saw this weekend it was the first time since I left to board my plane on August 10, 2012. I drove to Knoxville, Tennessee this past Friday to see Drew and Ellie Holcomb, a band that has such a special place in my heart. Not to mention the tickets were front row. I arrived in Knoxville in plans of meeting Aaron and other friends from Colorado at Chipotle. I turned the corner to see Aaron standing at the door and walked to me with open arms. Knoxville was so pretty and I can finally mark that on my map of the places that I have been.

Saturday consisted of Asheville, which is always an adventure with some of my hall mates. We experienced local restaurants, coffee shops in a double decker bus and mast general store with barrels and barrels of candy.

On the side note of my weekend....i have a tattoo now along with a nose ring which is something i never would have thought i would have the courage to get done, let alone the tattoo being...permanent. but in all honesty i love it despite what anyone might say about my decision. my tattoo is of a cross which is something i have wanted for a long time. it is small and simple but the story behind it is something bigger than anything in this world, that Jesus took something, my sin and hung on the cross to save me, a small simple part of this world that I would live for him and know that I AM SAVED, BECAUSE OF HIM.

18 years in.

Its October 20th, and when it hits midnight I will no longer know what it feels like to experience "18". over the year I have grown more than just in height, but in truly starting to learn of the person I'm supposed to be. The past 18 years have been an experience for me and some are unforgettable and many have molded me into the person I am. I have learned many things about myself in the past 18 years, them being...

coffee is an addiction, "Hi, my names Sydney and I have a problem"

my favorite outfit is norts and a big tshirt

i wanna travel

i have become the 'picture taker' 

i have an obsession with ben rector

i climb to many trees, even as an adult

i know more about football than most guys

i love hot sauce on everything

i love tattoos

my favorite person is baby harrison

i become more and more like my nana t everyday

raleigh will always have my heart

money burns a whole in my pocket

i crave adventure and new places

i love to hear peoples stories

i strive to be the best at everything

i hold on the the people who i care about

i am inspired by my little brother grayson

colorado has my heart

my thankful journal is my most prized possession

three things i want on an island with me:

1.nutella 2.camera 3.guitar

like i said i have no idea where this life is taking me but i am so thankful for what the lord has given me

bring on the new experiences and memories

Fall Break

Fall break came and went in the blink of an eye, I spent time with my family, saw close friends and went to serve at Rockbridge, what topped off this wonderful week was the road trip for one that I took from Virginia to Tennessee to North Carolina. I was completely blown away at the view and the new places I got to experience.

Orchards, Festivals, BBQ, and Blowing Rock

Fall break began Friday afternoon with a road trip from Cullowhee to North Wilkesboro with one of my best friends Sophie. North Wilkesboro has their annual Apples Festival the first weekend in October every year, and throughout the years its become a tradition and a chance to go and see family. Not to mention buying apples from our family orchards, Tevepaugh Orchards.
A trip in the mountains isn't a trip unless you have some awesome music, leaves changing, and small towns. Our original plan was to head to North Wilkesboro with a stop along the way being Boone and to walk around the small town, and visit Mast General Store (who doesn't love barrels of candy). Well with it being close to sunset and the weather becoming nice and chilly, we decided to switch up our plans of hanging in the college town and decided to go to The Woodlands Barbecue Pit; BEST DECISION EVER! Not only was it small town mountain scenery, but you walked in to a guy playing guitar in the middle of the restaurant and our food on pig carved serving platters. Not to mention a late night walk through Blowing Rock, this place is amazing! Best stop on the trip.

With going to school in the mountains I am amazed at God's beauty everyday when I wake up every morning to something new. The best sunrises/sunsets, leaves changing, cold chilly weather where I can put on my wool socks and a pullover. Although the most amazing view I have seen was during the trip from Blowing Rock to North Wilkesboro. Thank you Wanda the GPS for taking me on those back roads so I could look around at the fields on either side of me and see lights on the mountains followed by the clearest sky full of stars. It was like time had stopped. I was literally questioning whether to pull off the side of the road and lay in the field and stare up at the sky. Not to mention "How He Loves" playing through my stereo, and it fit in to the whole situation; you realize the beauty and the mystery in this world in times like that.
I look forward to the trip to the Apple Festival because its the one time I am able to see most of all my moms side of the family, Over the years the festival has become more than just candy apples, and kid rock walls; but now much more of an opportunity to hear about my family, see the orchards that my family runs and a great time for coffee and photos. (this is when you see all the photos...)

 

 

 

 

I am so thankful for a weekend of Mountains, Festivals, Starry Nights, and Apples.

I came home Sunday to see my dad walking through the door to give me a HUGE hug. I am so happy to spend this week with my family and friends.

Happy Monday

something to look forward to.

This week is the last week till my first major break from school, a.k.a Fall break

(my favorite season of them all)

This past weekend some of my hall mates from Freshmen Leadership and I were asked to take part in this photo session for student life on campus. We went to the top of the Blue Ridge Parkway, had a picnic and took part in a little photo shoot, what made this evening so amazing was not only spending time with some great people but the fact that after a little hike up, I was able to look over the mountains and stare at the sunset. 

Enjoy some of the awesome photos!

I'm in my second home at school, the lovely Starbucks studying for my first big test in Communication Disorders. I'm admitting this, college is so hard.

I am finding comfort in this iced coffee, Ben Rector music, phone calls with my momma, Grayson's 16th Birthday Wednesday, football games with Daddy, and the fact I get to see my best friend Sarah McGlynn. All of this is happening or will soon happen in the next couple of days.

Thank you lord for upcoming fall break, conversations with friends, coffee, and sweet sweet Ben Rector.

Happy Monday-