The Pennsylvania Review

   

About a month ago I was in Pennsylvania on vacation. My friend and I went through three different parts of Pennsylvania, and I thought I would share my experience.

 The first place that we stopped was Gettysburg, PA. Gettysburg is a place for a person who loves history, and I'm a person who loves history. I enjoyed going through the Gettysburg National Military Park. It was a self-guided tour in a car. We had a map from the welcome center, and while we drove around, we had markers on the trail and were able to read about what the monument or place was on the map. The scenery and the houses were beautiful too. Two colleges that are there is the Lutheran Theological Seminary and Gettysburg College. Finally,  great place to eat when in Gettysburg is called Lincoln Diner. The food is cheap and excellent. We went to eat there on a Wednesday around seven at night. The address to this diner is 32 Carlisle St, Gettysburg, PA 17325. It's worth checking out if you are in Gettysburg, PA.

 Now, the next place that we visited in Pennsylvania was Lancaster, PA. We stayed at the Economy Inn. The room was clean and comfortable. There was no elevator, so if you have a lot of luggage get ready to lug it up some stairs. The people that work at the Economy Inn are sweet and kind people. We had a conversation with one of the men who works there about God and how amazing He is. That was pretty cool! 

While we were in Lancaster, we went to eat with an Amish family for $16.00. I am not going to give out the families personal information out of respect for the household. But the family was very sweet and hospitable. The food was fantastic and at the end of our time together everyone in the room sang "Amazing Grace" together and I could feel the Holy Spirit in that room. That was one of the best parts of the trip in Pennsylvania! The only thing that was tough was that there was no air condition, and it was sweltering!

The last thing we did in Lancaster was paying $12.00 for a thirty minute Amish Buggy ride around Lancaster. The man who drove the buggy was friendly and kind. He gave plenty of information on Lancaster and the Amish people, and the buggy ride was fun.

 The last stop in Pennsylvania was in Hershey, PA at the Hershey's Chocolate World. Now, the Chocolate World is free to experience, and that is what we chose to do. The decorations were neat and fun to look at. It was neat to see my favorite chocolates as cartoon characters. The next thing that I liked was that Hershey's Chocolate World has a little ride that a person can ride on and learn how the chocolate that people enjoy is made. The ride is somewhat kiddish and would probably keep kids attention very well, but it's fun for adults also. I will warn that the candy in the store is pretty expensive, along with anything else in the gift store. We didn't check out Hershey Park because it was too expensive for us with everything else that we wanted to do.

This post my Pennsylvania Review and I hope that it's helpful if you ever plan a trip to Pennsylvania. God Bless!

A guide to the month of August

        

We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure. ~Hebrews 6:19
As I am writing this I can hear the relaxing sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. This moment makes me feel the closest to God. When I am in awe at the masterpiece He has given me to enjoy and then I realize He has given it to me to enjoy because I am His greastest Masterpiece in His eyes! Wow!

My family and I left late Tuesday night to head to the beach. The car ride was uneventful. But tge first hotel we went to, the one we booked, was not a good hotel and it was obveous we could not stay there. It was two in the morrning and the man working the desk was very kind and helped us fined another hotel. By the time we got settled and could go to sleep it was four in the morning, but God provided for us.

My cousin, who is only four months older than I, came down the next day. I was happy just being with my mom and dad, but i havent seen my cousin in months! I was happy that I would get to spenlld some time with her. We all have pretty much been poolside this whole trip. I would sit and read "Summer" by Karen Kingsbury and when I got to hot I'd get in the pool for awhile. We've walked along the beach and took tons of pictures. My cousin even cut my hair short, once is a drastic change for me. 

We've made memories that will last a life time. And in every memory I have seen God's hand at work. It's amazing! I had to share my thoughts on this trip. And now I'm ready to let all of you know what is to come this month.

On August 8th I will be posting the second chapter in the "See You Soon Cinderella" series. In this post I will be writing about the life lessons I think a person can learn from the movies "Cinderella Man", "Ella Enchanted", "Ever After", "A Cinderella Story", and "After The Ball." 

On August 15th I will be posting about some more women in the Bible and what we can learn from them. We will be starting on tge New Testment women on this day.

On August 22nd I will be posting about some more Cinderella themed movies and tge life lessons each ond has to offer. These will all be the singing movies and all of this is leading up to the book and actual Disney Cinderella movies.

On August 29th I will be posting about some more women in the New Testament of tge Bible and what they teach us. I just love studying these women and seeing how Gkd is working in all their lives!

Finally, on September 5th I will post another "list" of sorts about wha g is to come that month.

See all of you next Saturday! God bless!

Chapter One: My feet are bruised, but they'll follow where You lead

"My Feet are bruised but they'll follow where You lead. You are the King of my Heart." ~Love and the Outcome, "King of my Heart."
I want to tell you a story. This story involves a girl who wanted to travel the world and tell people about God's love. She didn't know how or what God wanted her to do though. She prayed about it. She also found comfort in God's promise that: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with your whole heart.'"~Jeremiah 29:11-13.
The thing was, this girl was not a patient person. She wanted to jump in right away and get to work! She had days when she felt like she wasn't doing anything that was helping God. She would walk away from the dream of helping others and think of only herself. Then, she started seeing God in her everyday activities. He was there in big ways, her mom getting into a personal relationship with Christ at a truck stop on the way home from a cruise, and in little ways, passing a test she didn't know she had because she had done the homework. This girl realized that God was going to use her, but in His time.
She started doing volunteer work at a pregnancy center and fell in love with the work she does there. She started praying about it and realized she wants to volunteer and see if she has what it takes to become a Doula. The things that she has gone through in her life made her realize that she wants to study Divinity and can be a Christian consular, along with a Writer. Over time, she realized God was using her to show His love right in her own town!
One night at church, this girl was thinking about Operation Christmas Child and how she still had a desire to go and teach kids in other countries about God's love. She didn't know why the thought popped into her head and she just brushed it off and didn't tell anyone about it. At the end of the service, the whole church went around anointing the pews and praying for the people who would s it in them. A lady got some extra oil and anointed the girl on the forehead and said "God bless you in everything  you do and everywhere you go for Him." In that moment the girl knew God was telling her she was ready to travel the world and tell people about His love!
That girl is me. The anointing happened on August 17th, 2014. There's more to this story, but this was the first chapter in it. I can't wait to share the other chapters with you as God shows me to. The verse that came to my mind after I was anointed was, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." ~Luke 16:10.

Voice for the Voiceless- part one

Wh at is Human Trafficking? The dictionary says: 

the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation.

Some popular ways this is done is child labor, most children fall into this by not being wanted, so when they go mkssing nobody says anything. Human trafficking happens all over the world, even in the United States.

This month is when Abolition International is working this month for "31 Days of Freedom" for more information go to www.abolitioninternational.org 

I'm in Washington D.C. right now celebrating the Fourth of July and I am so blessed! My best friend and I have been making care bags for the homless people here in the hopes that this will help them and protect them. Please join in this movement and let's put an end to Human Trafficking!

BLESSED: The Liebster Award 2014

 

"Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." ~Philippians2:4

So I am posting sooner than I normally do. That is because I have be nominated for the Liebster Award by Melissa over at Joy Faith & Dirt. Thanks so much Melissa!

Here are The Rules:

1. Post the award on your blog.

2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

3. Write 11 random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and has less than 1,000 followers.

5. Answer 11 questions posted by your presenter and ask your nominees to answer 11 questions.

My 11 Random Facts:

1.  I'm an only child, but have three younger cousins.

2. I try to memorize a Bible verse each week.

3. Starting today until July 7th I am going to memorize all of Romans 12.

4. My Bible verse I am memorizing this week is 1 Peter 4:8.

5. I am two days away from finishing my first full year in college.

6. I do not like math!

7. I'm obsessed with Pintrest.

8. I want to double major in college (Journalism and Divinity.)

9. I have over 20 journals.

10. I love animals and have a pet dog named Titus.

11. I volunteer at a pregnancy center.

The 11 questions Melissa asked me:

1. "If you were stranded on an island, what one thing would you want to take with you (no people)? My Bible so that I would have some link to God.

2. " What's your biggest accomplishment to date?" Getting accepted into Campbell University.

3. "What place do you most want to visit?" Italy and Israel.

4. "How do you find material for your blog?" I find most of my material on what I am studying about in my Bible.

5. "What made you want to start a blog?" I just wanted to see if I had something worth writing that people wanted to read.

6. " Have you always been a writer?" I think so. My mom says that when I was in second grade I could tell you a story I made up and it was good. I think I've always been a story-teller.

7. "What's your favorite outdoor activity?" Probably swimming and playing with my dog outside.

8. "If you could convince everyone of one particular thing, what would it be?" That God is real and that He loves all of us!

9. "What is your favorite time of day and why?" Late afternoon and night because I just seem to be more awake during those times.

10. "Are you a chocolate or vanilla type of person?" Chocolate.

11. "If you had to become an animal, which one would you choose and why?" A horse because they are so beautiful.

My 11 questions for my nominees:

1. Why did you start your blog?

2. Who is your favorite author and why?

3. What is your favorite quote and why?

4. Where is your favorite place to study your Bible?

5. What is your favorite Bible verse?

6. When were you saved?

7. Who is your favorite Bible character and why?

8. Your favorite vacation you have ever been on?

9. A place you want to travel to?

10. Favorite blog post you have read so far?

11. Favorite things to write about?

My Nominees:

1.  Kalin Ann at Modesty Is My Policy

2. Victoria W. at Miss Tadoodles Corner

3. Kayla Peel at My Wandering Heart

4. Jamilya at Be His Girl

5. Sara Jayne at Growing In Gods Image

6. Lindsay at Magnify

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

    "My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold. My wages better than sterling silver." ~Proverbs 8:19 (NIV)

   First of all let me say HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! I hope everyone has had a great day and remembered to wear green! Now have you ever wondered why St. Patrick's day was started? I know I have! So I did a little research and here is what I found out.
  St. Patrick was from Britain and he grew up in a religious family but had no religion of his own. He was taken by Irish pirates when he was sixteen. He was forced to herd sheep for six years and during that time he really started talking to God and growing in a personal relationship with God. One night he fled from his owner and 250 miles away from where he was a salve he found a ship. It took awhile, but he convinced the owner of the ship to let him travel with them.
  They traveled on foot for twenty something days and St. Patrick worked as a preacher in their small group and it is said that all the people with him became Christians. He finally returned to his family in his early twenties and continued to grow in his relationship with God. He later went back to Ireland and was a missionary there in a time where the place was filled with Druids and Pagans. There are legends that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, because there are no snakes to this day. He used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to people when he was witnessing to them.
  So years later we celebrate St. Patrick's day on the day of St. Patrick's death. No one knows for sure how he died , but of course there are a couple of tales. The Irish also celebrate their heritage on this day (maybe that's why we wear green). Many church's celebrate St. Patrick's day because it is a milestone in Christian history. The main places that celebrate it though are places in Europe.
  So there are my findings about St. Patrick's day.

Spring Break 2014

 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." ~Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

For Spring Break this year my mom, dad, and I went to Kentucky. The whole reason I wanted to go was to see the Creation Museum that Ken Ham is the president of. The Creation Museum is a great place to go to and see the Bible come to life!  This place also showed the importance of being involved in church and with family. The people who work there are all very friendly and the museum helps answer some questions such as were there dinosaurs? Where did races come from? and many more things. I highly recommend everyone tries to go see this museum! You won't regret it!

Creation debate photo.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and coverages. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Our last stop before we headed home was Ohio. We went to United States National Air Force Museum. It was so powerful to see the actual planes used in war and to see bullet holes. I am so thankful for the people who serve our country! I looked through the small Holocaust exhibit and I learned that "Holocaust" means "burned by fire". The name was used so that people would remember all the books, Bibles, people, towns, and business' were lost during that time.

"'His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" ~Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

The last part of our vacation was not planned, but God was still at work. We were eating at a steakhouse and a  older gentleman passed out and hit his head on the floor. My mom is a nurse so she went to help and the man had a history of heart problems and was a diabetic. While my mom was helping him a whole lot of people came in that were coming back from some king of conference. For there to be that many people there was a miracle! God put me on fire to where I had to get up from my seat and go pray with him and his wife. He was okay when he left to go to the hospital to get checked out. It was amazing to see God work and feel His Spirit setting me on fire to do His work!

Now. Here are some pictures of my trip:

Click to Play

Movie review: Pompeii

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." ~Micah 6:8 (NIV)

 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: "Set in 79 A.D., this is the epic story of Milo, a slave turned invincible gladiator who finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him." *****

   So my friends and I went for a girls night out on Friday and we went and saw the movie Pompeii. Now to be honest, at first I really did not want to see this movie. I was expecting a lot of cussing, sex scenes, and mutilated killings. I agreed to this though because I just wanted to hang out with the girls and have a good time. Well, I was in for quite a surprise!

   The movie started with soldiers wiping out an entire village. But there wasn't much blood unless it was on the sword and the bodies were not too mutilated. As the movie went on there were plenty of fighting scenes, but they were not too bloody at all! Next, the costumes did not reveal too much on the girls or guys and there were no sex scenes in this movie! Finally, I only heard one cuss word towards the end of the movie!

   The movie kept accurate detail of who the people in the village that got wiped out were, how the gladiators were treated, and how the people of Pompeii died. I actually saw some forms of treatment that I had learned about in Sociology that day. For example, the fact that they would put gladiators who are suppose to fight each other in the same cell so they are forced to somewhat get to know each other.

  Naturally I was curious after the movie ended, so when I got home I did some research. Archeologist have found writings on walls of the destroyed buildings in Pompeii that said "Sodom Gomorrah". So the people of Pompeii saw what happened to them as what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:1-29. Also, the day that Pompeii was destroyed was on the ninth anniversary that emperor Nero destroyed the Jewish temple. From studies we know that Pompeii was a very disturbed community. This is my little history lesson on Pompeii.

  So all in all I give this movie five stars. It was clean and educational. Anyone who enjoys history, a good love story, or just a good movie, I highly recommend going and seeing Pompeii.

Let's travel with Doctor Who

Day 23: I am thankful I can spend time with God & be in His Word!!! (THANKFUL NOVEMBER)
Ecclesiastes 8:7 "Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?" (NIV)
Have you ever heard of Doctor Who? It is a British TV series that was started on November 23, 1963. This show has been running for 50 years today! Now this show is about a man named The Doctor, and no one knows his real name. He is a Time Lord and he has a blue police box called the TARDIS which means "Time and relative dimension in space." The TARDIS is a spaceship that can take him anywhere in space. This Doctor has many faces because he can regenerate after he has been hurt. He is the same man, just with a different face.
The Doctor also takes companions with him on the TARDIS. He doesn't like being alone and he normally chooses a human companion, see the Doctor is an alien. He is not violent though. He is 100% against violence and he saves the world with reasoning. I absolutely love this show because of how I feel about traveling. The Doctor is the ultimate traveler!
So why did I bring this up in my blog? Well, I think this show can teach us a lesson about God making plans for our travels. In Ecclesiastes we know God tells us that no one can know what the future holds and in Doctor Who we see more than once that the Doctor ends up in a mess by being in the same place two different times. Also in Matthew 6:34 says "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." While you watch Doctor Who you see that the Doctor is always happy and ready to go with the flow. 
I think Doctor Who is a great show for all ages and can show a good message about needing to trust in God's Travel Plans instead of our own Travel Plans. So This is my thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, which is premiering today. 
Another Doctor Who Devo

The meaning of the Blog.

Hey I'm Brandi and I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time (It might take me awhile to get everything set up and learns how everything works). I love to write but more importantly I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I want to be a light for Him. I got saved in February of 2007 and I am so thankful God is with me always. I know I couldn't have made it through half the things I have without Him!
Well, I'm a full time college student. I'm a Freshman in college. I go to a community college, but I'm going to transfer by my Junior year. I know I want to major in something that has to do with writing, I just don't know what the title of that would be yet. I went to a Christian High School.
I love the idea of traveling. I always have and I don't understand why really. Like even packing for a trip and arranging it is adventures and fun to me. So I decided to name this blog "The Traveler's Thoughts" because that is what I am.
I am a traveler on a journey to becoming who God wants me to be. To growing closer to Him. Finally, traveling for Him and telling people about Him.
I am going to try and post a new blog every Friday or Saturday. The posts will just be about everyday things and I hope I don't bore you too much.
Well, that's about it. Thanks for reading what I write!
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11