Alison In Africa

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." (Rom. 8:26-27)

I've been claiming these verses for the last few weeks about some things. Isn't in comforting to know that even when we are so tangled up about something, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us, praying for us when we don't know what to pray! I think it's incredibly comforting.

Be comforted by Him today...

Current Mood: comforted by the mercy of God

Saturday was our 5 year anniversary! I'm so thankful for Brad and for our marriage! We had a great time. We went to Atlanta and stayed in a Bed & Breakfast and then went to Six Flags! It was an amazing time!

Praise the Lord!

And Happy Anniversary, Brad! I love you!

Last week, I chaperoned my sister Meredith and 4 of her pals at the beach, along with my pal Meredith. We had a great time! (Besides getting totally fried!) We went to Orange Beach, AL. It's a nice place. Not much there. We travelled to Gulf Shores and Pensacola for places to eat out, but it was nice. We were in a nice condo, too.

It was a very restful time and I'm very thankful for it! Would have only been better if sweet Brad was there with us! AND if we hadn't gotten fried! (turns out, my sunscreen was old! blah!)

Anyway, here we are PRE-burn. Me and Meredith - the chaperones!


And here are the 5 girls.

And here's a picture of SOME of those gals I'm talking about. (Suzanne, Taryn, Alison, Maegan, Wendi) I love these ladies! (missing Kelly, Beth, and Holly)

Current Mood: still blessed!

I had Bible study this morning. I meet with a great group of gals each week. They are my best friends! And the more we grow together in Christ, the closer I feel to each one of them. Ok, to be honest, only me and 2 others are very consistent in coming, and another one has started being more consistent... but all 8 of us have very good intentions!

Anyway, no one else showed up this morning. :) Sad times, at first, but then I realized that I had been given the precious gift of TIME ALONE WITH JESUS! How sweet it is! And there's nothing like it! And how seldom we do actually take time to just be alone with him! It was amazing and I wish that I was consistent with Him like I try to be with these girls!

And I made a new friend this morning after Bible study. His name is Joe. I was telling Joe that I had just left Bible study and had a great time alone with Jesus cause no one else showed up. Do you know what he said? "Well, you didn't miss anyone at all, did you?" How sweet to hear that my totally new friend sees the value in time alone with Jesus as well! Precious! A gift from God!

I worshipped all the way home in my car to "I Love The Lord" from The Preacher's Wife soundtrack... Here's a sampling...

I love the Lord!
He heard my cry!
And pitied every groan!
Long as I live, and troubles rise...
I'll hasten to His throne!

Wow. Jesus is so good and so THERE just waiting to spend time with us! Please spend some time with Him today if you haven't already!!! You won't regret it!

Current Mood: blessed!
Current Music: I Love The Lord from The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Heb. 10:23)

It would be easy to get discouraged, Very easy, when things don't seem to be working out like we think they should. But we are commanded to hold onto our hope, which is Christ Jesus, and to be obedient. Great obedience and small faith both draw upon God's mercy towards us. As would Great Faith.... Praise Him, He is faithful, even when I may not be.

There is someone I am trying to share God's love with... please pray for that.
Also, we are waiting for some big decisions to come through... pray for those as well.

"23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful... 35 So do not throw away your confidence [in Jesus]; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while, 'He who is coming will come and will not delay'.... 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." !!!

Praise Him! Be encouraged. He is faithful.

"Faithful One" sung by Selah

I find no hope within to call my own
For I am frail of heart, my strength is gone
But deep within my soul is rising up a song
Here in the comfort of the faithful One

I walk a narrow road through valleys deep
In search of higher ground, on mountains steep
And though with feet unsure, I still keep pressing on.
For I am guided by the faithful One.

Faithful, faithful to the end,
My true and precious Friend,
You have been faithful,
Faithful, so faithful to me

I see your wounded hands, I touch your side
With thorns upon your brow you bled and died
But there’s an empty tomb, a love for all who come
And give their hearts to you, the faithful One.

And when the day is dawned and when the race is run
I will bow down before God’s only Son
And I will lift my hands in praise for all you’ve done
And I will worship you, my faithful One.

Current Mood: comforted by the mercy of God
Current Music: Faithful One by Selah

A few weekends ago, we had a women's retreat with our church. This was my 2nd women's retreat in my lifetime. Last year, we had all the women in our region (about 600 women) for a meeting in Kenya. That was fun times! This past weekend was quite a bit smaller and this time it was with women I've grown up with at my church. 3 of my very best friends were my roomies and carpool buddies....


Maegan, Taryn, me, & Wendi

We had an amazing speaker, Esther Burroughs, and the ensemble I'm in did the music. (I sing with 3 wonderful ladies for my 2nd stint in the group. I sang with them before we went to Tanzania as well) Anyway, it was such a blessing to be able to lead these 60 or so women in worship of our Lord.

Lake Guntersville is a beautiful place and wow... God rocks! It was so awesome to be in His presence, in His creation! So beautiful.... see for yourself!


Praise the Lord, oh my soul! And all that is within me, Praise His Holy Name!

Current Mood: blessed

Rick Burgess stood in front of the church during the memorial service for his son yesterday and brought the Gospel on like I haven't heard in a while. It was amazing and to God be all the glory! If you haven't heard it, take 30 minutes and listen to it. If this link doesn't work, go to youtube and search "Rick Burgess" and you can find it. Even if you don't know who Rick is, his heart for the Lord is evident as he gives this charge for believers to step out and make a change in our lives.

Thank you, Jesus, for Bronner and for the work you are doing through his life and his death.



We were told tonight that there were 240+ decisions made yesterday during the memorial service, with over 70 of those being salvation decisions. Praise the Lord!

God is working!

Current Mood: grateful

As promised, here are some pictures of the snow. And you won't believe it, but there is still some snow/ice on our back porch today! Crazy. The snow was amazing. I haven't seen snow in so long! Anyway. Those of you up north will totally laugh, but this is a LOT of snow for the Ham! Anyway, here's the pics.

These two are of our house. Look closely in these pics, you can see the snow coming down! Crazy!

And here's our street, from our front yard. See the snow coming down still?


On another note, I ask that you be in prayer for Brad as he is on a mission trip in the Middle East for two weeks.
Also, please be in prayer for our friends Rick & Sherri Burgess, who lost their youngest son (2 years old) on Saturday night. He drown in their swimming pool. Pray for protection and for healing for them. Also, pray for supernatural peace and strength that passes anything we humans could ever understand.

Current Music: Hello Lord by Sara Groves

Well, as it turns out, as soon as I got up from typing the last journal entry and looked out the window, well, it IS snowing and it seems to be accumulating. Can't believe it... I'll put more pictures up later.

Current Mood: shocked