All good things come to an end

Well this is my last week at cross roads....


i must say i do not want to leave. This has been such an amazing summer. So many good memories and so many amazing people that i have met!

THere has also been alot of pain and struggle. Alot of growing.


Thank you all for your prayers and loving support. This the end to another chapter in my life! thanks for being apart of it.

New Hair Doooo

Hey friends, and family

So i have a new hair dooo i am sure you could tell by my facebook.

Well its more then just a fashion statement which i am sure was the first inclination for you.
But this hair style has more to do with freedom. You see i cared so much for what people thought of me it paralyzed me... still does truth be told. And so i cut my hair. ... odd yes but a submission to God none the less to say " i am yours and no one elses." I think It makes God happy and it helps me to get outside my comfort zone. I am forced to say.. " I believe in God and care only for his opinion because caring about others opinions enslaves me to that."

Please dont feel bad if you complimented me either... I need to learn how to take encouragement as affirmation and not as identity. If that at all makes sense. I am just learning to say i love you to myself and in that seeking freedom.

Freedom of course being my summer's theme.

you can download the song i wrote on cross roads .net here for freeeee:
http://www.crossroads.net/downloads/index.php

:) love you all


Please pray for continued freedom. The day i cut my hair i thought it become an easier task but it has been more weighted with worry, fear, etc.. needing your prayers for that. MOre freedom and courage to say yes more to God. love love love

North South East West

Update time my friends.

Cross roads is having their new series in July Called : " I love Cincinnati."Where we give our love up for our beloved cincinasti :) I am for one very thrilled. I had been asked to write a song for the series and so i did. Lol turns out they are going to use the song to open up the series! WOOT

I am so jazzed. If you want to hear it, it will be premeiring at cross road july 4-5 weekend or online at crossroads.net.

The lyrics are:


Yeah Yeah Yeah (x4)

I’m tired of feeling all your hate
I’m tired of hearing your head aches
I don’t need your negativity
I am so in love with my city

Oh it’s where the creative
Can spread their wings
Where the soul music roots run real deep
Where the party people scene never sleeps
Oh I’m so in love with my city


I love my city both day and night
Yeah yeah yeah
I love my city both day and night
Yeah yeah yeah
I love my city and if its wrong
Yeah yeah yeah
I don’t want to be right

Its where the hungry
Can get some bread to eat
Where the enslaved people can be set free
Where the sports fans are entertaining
OH I’m so in love with my city

There no better place to go
Together here not on our own
Take it fast or take it slow
We are all sharing the love here
In my city


in other news as far as prayer needed i am in need for you to pray for guidance in the remaining weeks of summer and this next school year. Life is about to hit the fan in oh 1 year and i need the Lords guidance. You all are so wonderful! more soon <3

Week 4: My neighbors have really ugly Dogs

Just got out of a creative planning meeting. We brainstormed ideas for sermon series for the next year. So cool to see creative minds at work!!

Well I am so sorry that its taken me like two weeks to update you on the internship... This always happens with me and journals. I have these great ambitions of noting every detail and then ...two weeks later.....my deepest apologies

So some observations i have of Oakley-

1. I love it here, it has a small town vibe ( lots of mom and pop places and cute little shops)
2. Pedestrian friendly with lots of side walks.... (in brighton there are no sidewalks... oh michigan)
3. Health conscious ( 2 whole foods markets within walking distance of my house.)
4. Ugly dogs.

I live next to two bulldogs that welcome me every morning....its delightful :( But there is a fence that seperates us so that I am greatful for. They make the most ungodly sounds. Not even dog sounds like gremlin esc....growly noises...its gross. I recorded it for you so you could hear it. But you need to upload a video on here so .. i will get on that so you can share in on the experience :)

In other not so random news I am being challenged as a musician. Creativity that i thought was my strong suite is being tested which is good and bad. Bad because i am my worst critic and everything i produce i seem to critique heavily. Good because i am growing as a musician which is always awesome. I just need to grow in confidence as well as creativity and also allow myself to be a kid and play.... sometimes i take myself so seriously.

God time - My mondays

are becoming something of great value. This past Monday i painted a picture to help unlock some different avenues of creativity and learn news ways of communicating with God.

Things you could pray for:

1. The future- God revealing himself to me and what the future will hold. Some direction
2. Creativity- God's continued out pouring of creativity
3. Freedom- Spiritually and emotionally

Freedom is something i have been seeking since i started my summer. Its been a kind of theme to my summer now in seeking freedom and intimacy with God. There is alot of bondage in my life i wish to seek freedom after and that is a huge concern of mine. Freedom to be myself and to allow God to move in that freedom. Anyways love you guys! Till my next post avoir

WIne me dine me and OTR me :)

Hey guys-

well internship is rocking my socks still. Learning so much about music, loops, pedals, songwriting, ec. So awesome.

Last wednessday is the last wednessday of every month that the church community comes togehter and takes communion together. They do worship and prayer etc. This wednessday one of the mainstage musicians decided we should write a song on the spot using ideas from the congregation on who God is.

And then there it was. A litle awekward at first but so beautiful!

you can check out the song at www.crossroads.net!

the first time i have ever been apart of that sort of thing... so amazing.


Well im off to indy for a wedding but i hope you are all well. I love you all so much.


p.s. went to a show last night for one of the mainstage musicians. And sat two seat away from OTR. HOLY COW.... i was freaking out.

Day2: Vintage Scooter Ride

Hey all fellow followers of my blog!

this is my schedule :

M- Day devoted to God. Fasting, prayer, God time. What ever that looks like.
T- Tools day ( do charts, one-on-one interviews, learn programs, create)
W- Staff prayer, meetings, create, record
TH- Rehearsal day - prep for sunday
F- off

Sat, Sun- Worship services

I ride my bike everyday to work which is probably the best thing ever! i want to live in a place where i can ride my bike everywhere. So much better than spending my life savings on gas money.

ANYWAYS!

Its day two. This community has been more a blessing to me spiritually and musically in two days than any community i have experienced in some time. I feel the pursuit of God on my heart and that in its self is breath taking.

for protection purposes i will use fake names... SO JIM one of the mainstage musicians came up to me yesterday and said " Ok marissa you have 45 minutes to tell me everything you want me to know about yourself." Well i am not the kind that likes to talk about myself, mainly due to the fact i am not a huge fan of myself. Wah wah waaah so i just verbally vomited my life story and music .... no eye contact mind you ...And then he said this. "Marissa I challenge you to think this about yourself. When God created an apple he not only made it taste good but LOOK good. Why did he do that? So weird. This is what i think, I think he made it look good for YOU. HE was only thinking about you when he made apples look so good. Or when a bee is buzzing around a flower and you wonder why that is a bee does that. But your captivated by it. God did that for YOU. YOU marissa are Gods favorite."

BAM! i didnt know what to say. I was blown away. I am Gods favorite? Since when? I have never known love like that? To be a favorite? To be romanced by the imeasurable beauty of creation. Speechless.

i was lost in my cricling mind of crazy thoughts about God.

This morning i was apart of the staff prayer meeting. I haven't felt God stir like that in my heart in a long time. You know that feeling when a pastor is talking on a sermon and your heart gets excited. Like that message was what YOU were meant to hear. Your heart beats fast and you are tracking right along with what he is saying. It was like that but a community of people talking about encouragement and how they as a group are doing at it or need to improve in it.

Story after story brought me to tears.
God is this real? Can a community of believers be this close to the kingdom of heaven? Can people truly be this encouraging? Can men truly be good creatures capable of intelligent up lifting conversation! GOD IS THIS REAL!?

so basically the past couple days have been episodes of pinching myself at how how great God is and active in this community.

Oh yes and some music. Since starting my internship I have written 3ish songs. Mostly lyric lines. Anyways loving my life! thank you for your continued support and prayers!

-m

Pre- Internship Jitters

Hello All following my blogs!

i want to do this every week to keep you all updated on my happenings!

Next monday i start my internship at cross roads.
I can't say i am nervous, maybe anxious is a better term. Finals week is a nice distraction from the inevitable growing older. I am stoked to see what my future holds but inexplicably afraid of it as well.

My father has reminded me that i will soon know no protection. Becoming an adult. This all revolving around a transition.

I do feel like i am in transition. Like everything around me is transitioning to something new, exciting, and terrifying.

Transitioning from coasting kid to driven adult musician.

From spoiled suburbia to poor urban living.

From single to together

Protected to vulnerable.

How do people make it past this. The jump. There are so many decisions to be made soon.

I could definitely use your prayers! Back to finals

-marissa