Over the Top!

This weekend I went to the Women of Faith "Over the Top" Conference in Dallas with my friend Becca. We had a great time. We weren't able to attend all of the sessions, but we really enjoyed the ones we were able to go to.

I will say this, I've never been in a place with SO many women at the same time before. It was a little overwhelming on Friday night. But a really sweet moment happened on Saturday morning. We were singing some praise songs with the worship team and I just got quiet for a minute and listened to all of the thousands around me raise their voices to the Lord. Gathering together in corporate worship, praising the same Lord was so beautiful. Our God is great! And I loved the opportunity to worship Him with fellow sisters in Christ from across the country. 

The first speaker that we heard was Lisa Whelchel on Friday night. She was in the show "The Facts of Life" back in the 1980s, which happened to be one of Becca's favorite shows ever. So, needless to say, she was pretty excited about it! Lisa shared a testimony about what she has learned about friendships and it was really touching. She shared stories from her life about struggles that she's had, and she was very open and vulnerable. I appreciated that about her. As she shared about struggles getting close to friends and maintaining strong friendships, I was reminded of some of the wonderful friends that I have been blessed with and was thankful for them as I sat and reflected. I truly think God blesses us with friends to share life with - to laugh with, to cry with, to be vulnerable with and to rely on. I really enjoyed Lisa's talk and the things I took away from it.

Then on Saturday morning, we got to hear Sandy Patti perform (she is a gifted artist!) and speak. Sandy shared about struggles in her life, with weight and other self-esteem issues and what it means to have new beginnings in your life. She has some great points to share and it was neat to see her in concert. She seems like a genuine, loving woman.

The highlight of the conference for me was seeing Amy Grant in concert that afternoon. I grew up listening to Amy, from the time I was a little girl. When I was in second grade, I entered the school talent show with my awesome dance to "Baby, Baby." Believe me when I say, I was a fan! So, when I saw her on stage, I reverted back to that little 6-year-old. Becca thought I was a little crazy, but I didn't care. I sang along to "El Shaddai," "It Takes a Little Time, Sometimes," "Lead Me on" and "My Father's Eyes." I loved it! This alone made the conference worth it.

There were also touching moments of testimony, moving dramatic pieces and more. I may have cried more than once. :)

While, I will admit, I felt a little young in the audience, I did enjoy the conference. It was a neat experience bonding with other women of faith as we laughed, cried and listened to how God is moving in the lives of others.

Fun in the Summertime

This summer has been fun as I've enjoyed and explored this new city I call my home. I wanted to share some of the fun places that I've been to over the past two months:

The Sixth Floor Museum

My college friend Kate came to visit and we went to the 6th Floor Museum in Downtown. This is a museum dedicated to JFK and share insight into his assassination in 1963. You can even view the spot from the window looking down on the Grassy Knoll where it is believed that Lee Harvey Oswald stood when he shot JFK. Kate and I are secret history buffs and we loved learning more about this pivotal day in American history.

Fort Worth Botanical Gardens

My RA from college and dear friend Sarah Gardner got married at these beautiful gardens in June. It was such a precious ceremony and I loved getting to walk around these awesome gardens! I'd love to go back when it's a little cooler and explore some more!

Buca de Beppo

Last weekend we went to this really fun Italian restaurant as part of Cristal Moreno's bachelorette party! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was lively and entertaining! This was a great place to have a great time!

The Melting Pot

My HPU friends, affectionately known as "The Herd," try to get together at least once a year for a reunion so we can catch up on each others' lives. This year only four of us were able to meet up, but we still had a great time! We went to this really fun fondue restaurant called The Melting Pot in the Arlington Highlands and it was quite a treat. While the overall meal was a little on the pricey side, we enjoyed every minute of the four course meal! It was so laid back and fun as we enjoyed cheese fondue, salads, the biggest meat platter you can imagine and delicious chocolate fondue for dessert! To give you a good idea, we spent about 3 1/2 hours there and loved every minute! :)

Southlake Town Square

My sweet friend Larissa came to visit me from Brownwood one weekend and we found a really fun shopping area called Southlake Town Square. It's only about 15 minutes from my apartment and it is so much fun! We enjoyed roaming around in all of the cute shops and grabbing lunch. I could have spent a lot more time here! I'm looking to going back again sometime soon (maybe when I have more money, haha!).


Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

I also went to a Rangers game with Larissa and my Brownwood small group the weekend she came to town. While it was really hot, it was also really fun! I love the atmosphere at baseball games (shocking, I know!) singing "Take Me Out the Ballgame," eating nachos and people watching is a good time to me! Plus, the Rangers beat Toronto 12-2 that day! Go Rangers!

Well, these are just some of the highlights of the summer. There has been a lot more going on, but that's all I can think of at the moment. I'll try to keep highlighting fun things to do in the Metroplex for all of you friends that should come and visit me! I've got plenty of room in my apartment and I love company! And, obviously, I'm fun and Dallas is fun, so you should come visit! haha. 

Women of Faith

So, I have exciting news! I received two tickets to attend the upcoming Women of Faith conference here in Dallas on August 26 and 27. I'm really excited about going to this event for the first time. I've heard wonderful things about it over the years and it will be neat to have a firsthand experience to share with all of you!

I feel like many of the speakers and singers this year are a collection of women from my childhood - including Amy Grant (Baby, Baby anyone?) and Sandi Patty, along with Lisa Whelchel from The Facts of Life! One speaker I am really interested in hearing is Brenda Warner. She is married to the pro-football player Kurt Warner and it sounds like she has a really neat testimony to share.

I'm excited to hear stories about how God is moving in the lives of these women and worship with women from around the state. I know God has great things in store and I look forward to sharing with you all about it!

Show me how to love

Earlier this week my new boss asked how I was doing with my adjustment in the new job and everything. I told him I was doing really good. I'm enjoying my new job and everything is just great. Then he said, "you seem to be a positive person. Are you ever not positive? Are there ever times when things aren't going well?" I told him, yes of course! Well, tonight was one of those times.

I got my feelings hurt by someone and then I got mad about it. I was trying to do something nice and they were not acting appreciative at all. It just hurt me so much.Didn't they see what I was doing? How I was going out of my way to do something nice?? In fact, I got so upset, that I took a walk in the park across the street to tell the Lord all about it. I took two laps around the park, huffing and puffing, crying and venting. Didn't God see how hurt I was? Why was He letting this happen? Why was I being punished when I was trying to do something nice? Didn't I deserve better? Tears were flowing as I was crying out to the Lord asking why I was being faithful and yet things like this happened.

And then, on lap three it hit me. I realized that the reason I was so upset was because I was doing this good deed to make myself feel better and I wasn't getting the response I thought I deserved. It was all about me ... Whoa. That just kind of slapped me across the face. The Lord reminded me that I should be doing this act in service to Him. I should be loving and giving to others as an overflow of my love for Him, and not be seeking anything in return. As I was walking, the song "Hosanna" sung by Christy Nockels came on. One of the lines spoke to my heart. It said, "Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you love me." That's what I was missing. I was so wrapped up in me that I was missing out on an opportunity to learn how to love like the Lord does. Once I realized this, my heart was lifted, my burdens were lighter and I was able to look around and see the beauty God was displaying all around me. The sun was setting behind the hill, reflecting brilliant colors of orange and pink across the night sky.

This verse just came to me as a beautiful reminder:

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies." Song of Solomon 6:3

So, next time I get all worked up about how someone has wronged me, hopefully I will stop and look at my heart and motivation. I want to love others like the Lord loves me. And I know my faithful God is going to keep walking beside me and showing me how. 

Fight for Survival

Headlines lately have highlighted the verdict for Casey Anthony and the race for our next President. There was a huge fire in Phoenix and the Texas government passed 1,200 bills we didn't hear about because of the budget crisis. But, when I was reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram I ran across a story I hadn't heard anything about until today.

Did you know that 12 million Africans face 'fight for survival'? I had no idea!!! Apparently the severe drought across the Horn of Africa has affected people in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djbouti. In one refugee camp more than 360,000 people have come to receive some kind of relief. The camp is only equipped to help around 90,000. Can you imagine?

We are facing a severe drought in Texas right now, but I had no idea about the plight happening on the other side of the world. The photos I saw and stories I read brought tears to my eyes. I'm researching an organization to contribute to that will help a little bit and I'm going to be lift up prayers for these hurting, starving people. I know they belong to the Lord. I know He loves them. Sometimes it's so hard to understand why there are some in the world that are starving while there are others that have an abundance. This news deserves more attention than it's getting. It shouldn't be buried on page 10.

Land of the Llamas

I can't belive it's taken me so long to blog about Peru. All the moving and life changing stuff kind of got in the way. But! Have no fear, dear readers! I'm here to share some of my adventures in my first South American country. I went on a super cool adventure with my sweet sister Lorin on April 27-May 1 to the exciting and exotic country of Peru. Lorin's husband Phillip was doing a medical internship in Lima, Peru (the capital city) for the month of April, so we went at the end of the month to meet up with him and go sightseeing. We arrived on a Wednesday, after flying through El Salvador and Costa Rica, into Lima. It turns out we weren't that impressed with Lima. While it is on the coast, which is pretty, the city itself is very modernized and there wasn't much for a foreigner to really do. We did have a traditional Peruvian meal and tried our first of many Inca Kola's (think Big Red but bright yellow!). We hung out that night and then left on Thursday morning for Cusco.

Cusco was my favorite! It is a city that's about 11,000 feet above sea level, so we actually took elevation medicine so we wouldn't get sick. Basically, Cusco's claim to fame is that it's the city you go to to prepare yourself for Machu Picchu. We spent two days wondering around this ancient city, and I loved it so much! It was like rolling back in time, to a slower paced, easier life. There are still streets and walls that were built by the Incas over 500 years ago. Women carried their babies around on their backs. You go to different parts of the city to buy different goods. Markets are everywhere. It was so much fun. I must mention that this is also where Lorin and I feel in love with llamas. We were joking about how we were going to buy all of this llama stuff when we were in Cusco, and then we ended up really doing it. It was addicting! I left that city with a llama sweater, llama socks, llama shoes, a llama blanket, a llama purse and a turquoise llama figurine. See? I was obsessed! Possibly the highlight of the trip was when these native women walked right up to us with two llamas and asked if we wanted to take pictures with them. Naturally we had to oblige. It would've been rude otherwise! :)

Then on Saturday we made the long and arduous trek up to Machu Picchu, one of the 7 new wonders of the world. Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan city that was built up on this mountain. It was basically hidden from civilization and wasn't discovered by the moden world until 1911. Crazy, right? The Incans built a self-sufficient city up on this mountain that was just so beautiful. We wandered around the ruins for several hours imagining what life must have been like for these people. The best part, though, was just sitting on the rocks and taking in the beauty of God's creation all around me. I've never been to a place like it. We were literally up in the clouds. Gorgeous mountains (and steep cliffs) were all around us. The land was lush and picturesque. Llamas roamed free. There was a hush all around us as people just took it all in. It was one of the neatest experiences I've ever had.

Lorin, Phil and I had so much fun together! They are great travel buddies and I'm so glad I got to go on this trip with them. Here are just a few of the hundreds of pictures I took. I will say pictures don't do it justice. This was a trip like no other and I will never forget it!

The main square in Cusco

 Sporting our llama sweaters. Aren't we cute?

 Phil examining one of the ancient Incan walls

 The Perurail train we took to Machu Picchu

 Me, Lorin, the Peruvian women and LLAMAS!

 At Machu Picchu! Gorgeous doesn't even begin to describe it!

 Phil with the aqueduct that still had running water! Such an explorer!

 Where the llamas roam free

 Just sitting and taking it all in

 Phil and Lor in Cusco at the Temple of the Sun

Our traditional Peruvian meal in Lima

New Chapter

I've just started a new chapter in my life. I don't know the title of the chapter yet, but it sure has been eventful (hence the lack of blogging for the past two months). Here's an update on everything: the day I returned from my awesome trip to Peru (blog to come next, I promise!), I had an interview at Dallas Baptist University. I did not know at the time that it would basically be a job offer, but that's what happened.

I was offered the position of Director of News and Information, working for my friend Blake (who is the VP for Communications). The job includes public relations type work (which I love to do!) and a new project that's underway and hard to explain, but it's fun! Additionally, they told me about a brand new master's program they were launching this summer - the Master of Arts in Communication. It just so happened that this was exactly the kind of program I was looking for, and they just created it! In one day, I was offered a great job and a great educational opportunity. That day I was just overwhelmed by how God orchestrated everything!

It was like God was saying "Kalie, remember how I've been asking you to wait? Well, this is what you've been waiting for!"

The job was even in the same building that my sister Jamie (who will be a junior) works in! It was too great to pass up, so I said yes! And moved to Dallas three weeks later.

It was tough to say goodbye to HPU, which has been my home for the past nine years. Interesting fact: that is the longest I have lived anywhere my whole life! I feel like I "grew up" in Brownwood. HPU definitely shaped so much of who I am today. There are so many wonderful people who invested in me and believed in me, even when I didn't. I made lifelong friendships and even created my own family there. All that to say, HPU will always hold a special place in my heart! While it was hard to leave, I know that this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I don't have a doubt that I am where God wants me right now. God has blessed me with such a peace as I've basically turned my life upsidedown.

Everything is new right now and it's exciting and scary and overwhelming and so much fun! Now, I'm just learning everything that I can about DBU. I'm meeting new people and trying to not get lost too often around the Metroplex. I've been blessed to be able to reconnect with old friends over the past few weeks, which has been really wonderful. There are still many people I want to meet up with, and I know I'll be busy for a while.

And, I actually am really enjoying school too. I started class about two weeks ago. My class is on Social Media Communication. It's really interesting! It's fun to study a subject that I'm familiar with and deal with on a daily basis. I really think I'm going to enjoy this program and will have my degree in about two years, if everything goes according to plan.

So, there's my update. It's kind of lot. Believe me. I know. But, it's good! God has been so faithful and has provided for me in so many ways. I can't wait to see what's in store for me in this new chapter of life. I'll take some pictures of my new apartment and DBU and post them soon so you can all see what my life up here looks like.