hi, im maddie. :]

yayyyy its valentines day.

im tired of getting on facebook and twitter seeing status updates about being single for valentines day. i wish that i could just sit down and talk with all of the bah humbug singles. yes, im single. im not bitter about it though. God has a man or a woman who He is waiting to give to everyone. you may not have your significant other yet, but God is waiting to give them to you. He is teaching us patience and our significant other will meet us when we need them the most. timing is everything and right now it is not our time for us to be “happily in love.” until we do find our boyfriends/girlfriends we still need to show love to everyone. here are a few more thoughts on the topic of love or valentines day:

-God is love.

-dont hate on happy couples, because in a few years you will be happily in love.

-true love waits. wait till marriage to give yourself away. God gave us a very special gift. wait till marriage to use it.

Don’t wish your life away.

i need to start taking my own advice and not wish my life away. i just want to be in college at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. i am so ready for the  oppurtunities it has there and im ready to do college stuff… not illegal stuff… but like, go to a Passion conference that is held in “the dome” every year in georgia. its this huuuuuuge conference with the best preachers, comedians, and worship artists. you have to be 18-24 to go though… by looking at its livestream this year it looked amazing. i felt the presence of God in my bedroom at 1:30am while watching the DC*B play their very last set.. ever…

as corny as it sounds, im ready to go sit in a coffee shop and have Bible studies with my friends every couple of days. im also ready to connect with Christian students who live the life and not just say they do. i feel like going to nashville and trevecca will open up big doors in my life. i want to get an internship while in nashville at Word Entertainment. word is where chris august is signed to.. so i think it would be neat. when i tell people my life plan they laugh because they dont believe that moving to nashville or being a Christian tour manager is realistic for a girl who grew up in such a tiny town.

this is my dream to do all of this stuff, but i know that i have no control of my life. God has all control.. and who knows? i may end up going to the local Bible college and end taking over our family business.. its all in God’s hands, but im ready to tackle the world with His plan.

“when men plan, God laughs”


back on topic… i always say i was born at the wrong time, but when i think about it, i wasnt. i was born on God’s time. i never really realized it until i listened to a track on Jamie Grace’s Cd. the song is called 1945.. go listen to it… it totally changed my view point on the time that i was born..

As seasons change…

i have most of you all on twitter and last night i asked my twitter followers to pray for my youth group. we are going through a really tough time. in early november our youth pastor of four years told us that he had been offered a job at another church about 2 hours away. he hadnt taken the job yet, but he had wanted to inform us incase anyone told us different. well, last night at youth group they announced that they were leaving. their last sunday would be Christmas sunday.

i am very sad that they are leaving. derek and chriscinda have been in my life since the fifth grade and they have been such good role models for me. they have been there for me when i felt like the world was crashing down. derek and chriscinda mean more to me than anything. i love them so much. it is gonna be so hard to let them go. i know that the next youth group will be in good hands and they better treat derek right. derek and chriscinda said that they are gonna have an extra bed for me in their new house. :) they said i could come stay anytime.. they might want to rethink that because i might come live with them.

getting a new youth pastor is a scary thing. ive never had to let a youth pastor go. i came to the church that i am at currently in fourth grade. there was no youth pastor, just an awesome youth leader. but, im so scared about getting a new youth pastor. what if he doesnt like me? what if we dont connect? what if he doesnt like music? what if he is boring and doesnt want to do activities? what if he isnt involved in my school?  the new youth pastor—whoever that may be— will have big shoes to fill. i am trusting God all the way through and im not sure what is gonna happen next, but i pray that God will send an amazing youth pastor down to help our youth group.

its sad to see the best youth pastor, best youth pastors wife, Zeke, and (soon to be) Kingston go. im going to miss them all the time and i cannot wait to meet kingston in february or january. i hate saying goodbye to people who made such an impact on my life, but i know that God is gonna use this to do something big. i dont know what, but im trusting God through the storm. and although im uneasy about this, i feel a sense of comfort and im trying to see the bigger picture.

dont think i have it all together, im crying.

derek and chriscinda, i love you all so much. please dont forget us kids in south point. :)

once again, i rambled, but when emotions take over it is kinda hard to talk in good form. please pray for us as we search for a new youth pastor and pray for derek and chriscinda as they move to a new town with their two year old and their baby that is on the way.

friends. holidays. nashville.

over the past few days i have realized that i have best friends… but am i their best friend.. i seem to always be the person to invite someone over or to go somewhere. i know these arent major things, but after realizing that ive never been anyones best friend it kinda digs deep. how do i become a better friend? i try to make everyone happy and i always try to be myself… after thinking for a while i have decided that maybe i am meant not to be a best friend and meant to just have friends. maybe i am called to be a friend with someone with no friends. well, all of us are called to be a friend to everyone but now its hitting me that i should go out and be a friend to everyone. yes, including the people with no friends..
^^just some random thinking that i have had.

lookie here. its Christmas. oh wait, nope. not yet. its Thanksgiving. we have all seem to have forgotten that. this month i have really began to give thanks for everything. i have realized that i am more fortunate than some people around the world; i have health, a home, a God who has unfailing love,  and a family. we cannot take anything for granted for it might not be there tomorrow. i really think that i have grown so much closer to God this month just by praising and thanking him for everything. does this mean that after thanksgiving is over that we stop being thankful? no. be thankful and praise God in everything that you do. we all need to put this into practice.
-last night i went and helped pass out candy with my church during a Christmas parade. first of all. a Christmas parade 2 days before Thanksgiving. second of all. there were kids with halloween buckets waiting for you to drop candy in there. ITS A CHRISTMAS PARADE. not halloween. these kids are really holiday confused right now.

nashville! i know that nashville is in 95% of my posts but i <3 it. alot. and last night during the parade i was thinking about thanksgiving in nashville. how pretty would that be. i want to see all the parades and all the people. when i was little we would go to tennessee for thanksgiving and we would rent out a huge cabin and family from indiana, ohio, and west virginia would all meet there and wed have a pretty awesome time. i miss it so much. they were so fun and i just loved every minute of it. when i get older i want to have thanksgiving in nashville. and every other holiday. oh how i love nashville.

ps- i may have carpal tunnel. i probably shouldnt be typing this. oh well. the reason why i MAY have carpal tunnel is from typing, knitting, and texting. booo. and i have some of the symptoms.. not very fun!

i know this is a pretty lame post, but i felt the need to make it.

and if you want, you should read the book of James today. :))

100 things that i am thankful for

1- a God that loves, forgives, and blesses me daily.

2- a great family.

3- good health.

4- have freedom to worship.

5- have great friends.

6- a great church family.

7- a brand new church building.

8- being raised in a Christian home.

9- having great Christian role models in my life.

10- a safe town to grow up in.

11- a nice house.

12- being able to spend time with my papaw for 12 years of my life.

13- being able to say that my dad is one of my best friends.

14- living close to most of my family.

15- having food on the table.

16-  never having to worry about providing for myself.

17- a great brother.

18- some pretty awesome pets.

19- my youth pastor and his wife and son. theyve done so much for me.

20- a small school.

21- a good education.

22- being able to travel places.

23- my Central Ohio Nazarene pals. <3 you.

24- the David Crowder*Band who got me into Christian music.

22- trials in my life that have brought me closer to God.

23- teachers and friends that have encouraged me to be myself.

24- everyone who went/helped out with NYC2011.

25- sound guys. we couldnt do anything without them.

26- all the preachers that ive heard. i love you all. thanks for challenging me.

27- my pal hunter.

28- my pal cassie. weve only known each other for a few months, and shes my best friend.

29- people who see hope in our generation. even when i dont.

30- local worshop bands and artists. you make me smile. really big.

31- troops. thank you.

32- bruce. you always put a smile on my face.

33- teachers that tought me the correct usage of “your” and “you’re”

34- the roof over my head.

35- walmart. what would we do without it.

36- having the chance to attend all the concerts that i have.

37- being able to meet one of my role models.. then having him remember me.

38- diversity.

39- having food on the table.

40- being known by a few of my role models/Christian music artists.

41- having the chance to attend NYC2011 and NYC2015, if it is God’s will.

42- having the coolest grandma on earth. who can cook like no other.

43- having the ability to make people smile.

44- living in a place where we can see all 4 seasons. it is beautiful.

45- for being the freshmen vice president.

46- being on the central ohio nazarene youth council. <3

47- being on my church youth council.

48- having parents with stable jobs.

49- having the same interests as my dad. <old cars>

50- for an awesome thanksgiving dinner on thursday prepared by my mom. it takes time and effort.

51- presents under the tree during Christmas. some kids dont even get one..

52- people who are interested in my future.

53- people who give me constructive critisism.

54- heart to hearts with my pals.

55- old people. they can teach us alot. 

56- the internet. yes, i know all teens are thankful for it. but im thankful because it allowed me to meet my best friend. even though weve never been able to meet each other, we can still skype, twitter, and facebook.

57- south point united methodist church who raised me for twelve years until i switched churches. i love everyone there.

58- babies. they can always make me smile. they say the funniest things.

59- my parents, again. for taking me on a school night 2.5 hours away to see my favorite band for the last time ever.

60- my parents have done so much for me. from driving me places to buying me food, clothes, books, and instruments. they are champs.

61- francis chan. we have never met. but you have challenged me to be a better Christian.

62- mount vernon nazarene university.

63- trevecca nazarene university.

64- papaw. for introducing me to Johnny Cash and always making me smile. i miss you.

65- 107.9 WEMM. for introducing me to local bands and artists.

66- borders. being able to sit and read for 3+ hours while my parents shopped when no friends could go shopping with me.

67- jamie grace. for being a great role model to me. you represent a God girl.

68- wikipedia. for explaining alot of stuff over the years.

69- central ohio nazarene church camp. when it finally hit me that faith without works is dead.

70- having a Bible.

71- being able to play multiple instruments.

72- safety through all the traveling that ive done.

73- no major injuries.

74- not being super ill since first grade.

75- garbage men. without them we’d live in a bunch of crap. im being serious. they rock.

76- custodians. they clean up the puke when no one else will and they make you laugh when you are feeling bad.

77- being able to talk about God in school.

78- being leader of Christian Club last year.

79- people with dirty jobs. most people wouldnt do what they do. they are brave.

80- clean water.

81- people who appreciate history.

82- people who died to keep our country free.

83- friends.

84- inventor of band-aids. im pretty sure no one would know what to do without them.

85- nature.

86- imagination.

87- art.

88- people who challenge us to be better Christians.

89- people who challenge us in general.

90- farmers. they provided us a buttload of crops for everyone who cant grow anything.

91- music. gives us the oppurtunity to express outselves.

92- embarassment/failure. reminds us that we arent all perfect and we all have our flaws.

93- people who are selfLESS.

94- missionaries.

95- other teens with Christian homes. you are awesome support.

96- people who see the bright side to everything. theres always someone who has it worse than we do..

97- people with individual personalities. God created and took time to make everyone different. its beautiful .

98- confidence.

99- emotions.

100- God. he created everything that im thankful for. he loves me even when i fail him.

i know a few of these are alike, but they all have a different meaning.  and the people who are on here a few times have contributed to my life or someone else in each way. and i want to thank you for reading this. God bless you. :)

That awkward moment when you’re supposed to be cleaning your room, and you put music on and it turns into a dance party for one.

doyouthinkimwastingmytime:

(Source: jordanalyshaa)

7 tour. </3 

I don’t even know where to start but yesterday was my last David crowder concert. I’m a bit of a mess. let’s start with getting front row. I stood on mark the shark’s side this time since I’ve been on jack’s side the past 6 concerts. it was worth waiting in line for 2 hours in 40 degree weather for front row. about 30 minutes before the show started Chris August and mike d from the David crowder band came and hung out with the crowd. I reeeeeally wanted to talk to mike d, but he was talking to other fans so we talked to Chris August about touring life for about 10 minutes. that was pretty sweet. then John mark McMillan came on and played one of my favorite songs, skeleton bones, and he just melted my little heart. after he was finished Chris August came on for about 2 songs. then it was intermission and Gungor started playing. I’ve always been a fan of Gungor, but not like a huge fan. but, they started playing and they had a cellist who could beat box. they had my heart. the girl in the band, Lisa, kept on smiling at me during the set. :) when Gungor was finished Chris August came back up with his one little spotlight and sang about the Texas Rangers. it was legit. finally, after he played the David crowder band came on. Mark the Shark noticed me and waved. then mike d in the middle of a song found me in the front row and gave me a smile with a nod. I was happy. then in the middle of the set when the dcb played the ‘hoedown’ I had sooo many tears in my eyes. the David crowder band puts in the best hoedown EVER. mark the shark plays mandolin like its nobody’s business and jack plays the banjo like a champ. what can I say? I’m a sucker for bluegrass. oh! and some guy held up a sign stating that he could do a good david crowder impression so dave got him up on stage and they played a game of copycat where the impersonator won the crowd over. so, Dave, not wanting to lose, suggested a leg wrestling match. yep. on stage. not planned or anything. it was hilarious! Dave won. after Dave’s set was over we hollered and like every other band came an encore. but not just one song, they had three. tears were In my eyes and I didn’t want to leave. but the concert was over and it was time for the meet and greet. but we had some time to spare and Rob, the dcb tour manager was standing beside of us. so I started a conversation telling him that he was amazing and that I wanted his job. I think he thought I was being sarcastic so he just nodded and left… meet and greet time.. my friend hunter and I decided to get in the very back of the line so we’d have more time to talk to the dcb. it worked. we were second to last in line. first person to meet was bwack. he was sweet. then came mark the shark. mark the shark said my name really loud. he was like ‘MADDIE! HOW ARE YOU?’ then he was all like ‘it’s so good to see you again.’ then I went down the line to mike d. ‘hey maddie! you got some great seats tonight! I love your shirt! jack will too!’ so, next came jack.. ‘hey maddie! wait, your name is maddie. right? I love your shirt!’ then I went to hogan. he said something. then, lastly came Dave. ‘hey Maddie! its so great to see you tonight! trust me, this isn’t our last time together. we will see each other in the near future…trust me.’ then he reached out for a wonderful handshake which changed my life. then I ran into rob. the guy who thought I was sarcastic and he came up to me and was like ‘thanks for everything and your support. :)’ I guess since he watched the dcb know who I was, he knew that I knew who he was and wasn’t confused anymore. it was awesome. then on my way home I woke up at 3 am with a few notifications on instagram from mike d. he had commented on a few pictures and liked a few pictures… one picture was from 12 weeks ago. he went creeping. and I love it. creeping is caring.
I am a complete mess. I love the dcb so much it’s just hard to believe it’s over. I’m still really content that they know me and that I’m established, but I’m gonna miss them. I’m hoping they will start solo projects. until then, I will reminisce about last night. hahah.

fun q and a.

• 1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? closed

2: Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? no