Prayer

"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." -Romans 8:26 

I have come to the realization that for a while now, I have not been a good witness or even a good Christian. My faith is not where I need or even want it to be. See, I get in this pattern with God, which starts with my stubbornness, then I hide from Him, and He has to drag me out by the ears to get me to listen.

Well, I would like you to hold me accountable! "Alexandra Anne, how's your faith today?" I need to have a better answer than "well....God is good and all." I need to be shouting for joy about my Savior! I need to talk to God! Yeah; simple as that!  Well, not so simple, since I seem to avoid it like a child avoids medicine. But His words are healing, and true, and full of love. Yes, there are sometimes consequences, and yes, sometimes it's not going to be fun.
But He died for us. For me.

This is how I show gratitude?
Nope. I'm spitting in His face. I'm a hypocrite.

Corrie Ten Boom once said "Don't pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord, and keep it."

So, I'm using this blog as a stepping stone. I would like to pray for you. If I have a regular prayer list, that will be a huge important step! You can comment, or send me a private message, whatever works for you; but I want to pray for you. It could be something as simple as "I hope I can run 3 miles today," to something as difficult as "Please pray for my friend who has cancer." No prayer is too big or too small.
Did you know God watches out for even the tiniest sparrow? Then of course He's watching out for you!

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

Please. Let me pray for you. <3

xoxo, alexandra anne

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually." -1 Chronicles 16:11
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do and all your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3

PS. My verse for this week is of a prodigal-son nature: "Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord." -Lamentations 3:40

Va Bene (It's All Good)

I feel bad that I haven't blogged in days...so I am going to attempt to make up for that :)

Link ups!
Meg's Place
Amber's Place
Erica's Place
Emily's Place
Michelle's Place

Check out these lovely ladies!

It's OK Thursday and Thought Provoking Thursday all in one ;)

Here goes!

It's ok:

That I spent my time waiting at the doctor reading Mockingjay (almost done!!)

That I am about to take a nap 

That I have been very busy this summer!

That I am moving to Houston in 5 weeks 

That I no longer know the name of my future roommate

That I open up to new friends quickly (God is pretty awesome)

That I love completely and wholeheartedly

That I dance in the car exactly like my Daddy

That I love linkups

That I made paleo-friendly muffins last night and have already eaten three

That I have a senior recital in 3 days!!!

That I am slowly but surely growing in my scripture dedication

That I am a lover :) 

In Italian, we say "Va Bene." It's all good. It's ok.

Verse of the day:
"Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me!"- Psalm 51:10 (NET)

Xoxo,

Alexandra Anne

Prego Tutti

Welcome All!
I am back in blogland.

In the almost month since I last wrote I have had quite a whirlwind month! I graduated high school, decided on a college, sung in my final group recital, made new friends, reconnected with some old friends, and fallen more in love with my savior Jesus Christ.

Graduation was truly a worship service; this is possible when you're homeschooled ;) I was blessed with a lovely ceremony full of homeschoolers and their friends and families. I am so grateful that my parents were able to educate me not only at home, but all over the world! (Virginia, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Alabama, England, Scotland, Italy, to name just a few places my education has taken me...) I also met many new friends, who were also graduates! Ha! But they were a lovely group of students, and we are all on our own individual journeys that God has guided us towards!

That leads me to my next piece of news: God finally revealed to me where I need to be at school this year!
I will be a vocal performance major at the University of Houston Moores School of Music :) I am so blessed by this news!!! A year ago I fell passionately in love with opera, while studying in Italy, and God spoke very clearly to me. He told me to go study music at a collegiate level. This is all very exciting.....and scary! It's a very open-ended command, you see. Go to school? Great! In music? YIKES! But I will honor the gifts and passions He gave me. Whether I end up singing professionally, or becoming a music theory teacher, or a conductor, or a composer, He will be glorified! I don't know where I will end up going, but it is an adventure. A journey I am excited to take! This past year has taken me all over the world, and I have grown in music and in faith. I have learned to trust Him in everything. EVERYTHING.

Know what else is amazing about God? Prayer is SO very powerful; He answers!!! It might sound corny or cheesy, but it is 100% the truth! I had to give up everything to God to discover His will, and I am so glad I did. He is totally worth it =)

That's my journey so far!
This summer will consist of preparing for college, learning music, reading (see upcoming post on that on Wednesday!), and growing closer to my wonderful Lord.

What's going on in your journey?

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -Matthew 7:13-14

SMACK!

Sometimes we get a big head. We think we're "all that" and truly worthy of praise and attention.
Then life comes and hits us in the face. SMACK.


Conviction. 


Guilt. 


Weakness.... 

I feel like I'm a three year old pulling my hair out, kicking and screaming.

"I don't wanna! I don't wanna!"

"But...why???"

Grace. 

"My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Suddenly...peace sets in. His power is made in our weakness. Wow!

"But....I can't do this on my own...Help?"

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -Hebrews 12:1

I don't want to be held down; He says to throw off everything that hinders! (I'm reminded of a song that goes "and it's hard to dance with the devil on your back, so shake him off!")
Let us run with perseverance.
I want to run for God.
How about you?