MIRANDA NOODLE.

I'm Miranda. This little space of mine is what I hope to be a lifestyle blog about all things missions, travel, personal style, and living life for a big God.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

God Gave Me This Moment To Share.

OPEN HEART

Last week I went to the Jesus Culture One Nights Tour at Belmont. It was phenomenal. Banning Leibsher spoke about being a generation of revivalists and what our relationship with God should look like. In order to explain, he gave two examples. The first being that when he proposed to his wife, he didn’t say “Sea Jay, there’s no other options, you’re the only girl left sooo in that case, I guess will you marry me?” No, instead the proposal went something like this: “Sea Jay, there are millions of girls in this world that I could choose from, but I want you.” When he chose his wife, that didn’t mean that all the other options were wrong or bad options. It just meant that he didn’t want any of those because he had her. It’s just like what our relationship with the Lord should look like. We have all these distractions around us, not that they are wrong or bad, but they aren’t God, and when he steps in, He’s all we want. 

The second example he gave was his five year old daughter who LOVES Dora. He said she is crazy for Dora. It’s Dora all day, everyday. But he said that when he steps in the door after work, it doesn’t matter that Dora’s on…his five year old runs to him and jumps in his arms and is SO excited to see her daddy. That’s what our relationship with God should look like-It doesn’t matter what’s around or what’s on, or who is there, when the Lord steps in, we drop everything and RUN to him.

I found these two illustrations to be SO beautiful and motivating. Then a few days later I felt like Jesus gave me an illustration of my own just to show me what it looks like. Now, you all know that I am in LOVE with my dog. She’s my favorite girl and oh man, I just can’t get enough. If this is how much I love my dog, I can’t imagine what loving my own actual child will be like. Well, Eeevee loves the cat. I can’t even explain to you all how much she loves this cat. I mean, she would stay outside on a freezing cold and rainy day if it meant that she got to play with her friend, the cat. 

They’re best friends, I tell you.

So the other day, Eevee had been locked up in her crate the entire day while I was at work and I came home and took her straight outside so she could potty and she was SO excited to see me that after she was done going potty, when the cat came up to her to play, she didn’t even care. She just ran right past the cat and into my arms and didn’t want to do anything unless it included me giving her love. 

I know this is a silly illustration to you all and also, that I majorly Jesus-juked myself in this moment. But I wanted to share because since then, I’ve felt God saying to me, this is for you, Miranda. This is what it’s like to love me while holding nothing back. 

I think so many times we, as believers, struggle with the fact that we have busy lives and how we’re supposed to fit God in and keep him first. But God says, “Do what you’re doing; just stay in tune with my voice. Make sure that when I speak, you listen. When I tell you to move, you move. When I give you the words, you use them. When I step in, you run to me. That’s what this relationship thing looks like. That’s how you keep me first.” 

[mirandanoodle-blog]

MY TIME IS NOW.

OPEN HEART

I apologize for my absence over the past two or three weeks. School and life have been crrr-azy and I've just been doing everything I can to keep up. The good news is, I DID keep up and finished strong! Now I have all my time to devote to you, sweet faces. 

So I've been struggling a lot lately with how I am supposed to be used. You know, I'm constantly looking towards the future and planning out every step I'll take. But I never just stop and think how I can be used right now, in this very moment, working my 9-5 job, in this small town where everyone knows me and could care only a little less about my big dreams, aspirations, and passions. So often I feel I'm caught in this hole. Once people step in, they never leave. And they make everyone else in the hole believe that they can't get out either. I don't want to be one of those people. I want to get out of that hole and not let other people's beliefs or big-dreams-gone-wrong tell me I can't. 

What I so often fail to see, though, is that there is a purpose in this 'hole' I'm in right now, however long it may be. And I want to fulfill that purpose. I believe this is the mind God has called us to have. And if we can't be used right where we are, he can't use us to do the bigger things we look forward to in the future.

Forget God's will for my life-or even his will for my next semester. I'm done making plans. Use me right here, God. 

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Take A Hike.

WEEKEND SNAPSHOTS PLACES AND SPACES

Right now I'm in bed with a bad case of allergies so I'll make this short and sweet...

Yesterday was Saturday; we took a hike. We went to Burgess Falls State Park; It was beautiful. I love my dog more than anything else in this world. Her little body, which is only a total of four pounds, walked the entire two, hill-y miles...she's been pooped ever since. We'll be doing this more often. Spencer Holloway is my favorite guy and he took these precious photos. Get out in this amazing weather and take a hike.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Color Life

WEEKEND SNAPSHOTS

Last Saturday I had the honor to run for my old pastor's four year old son, Max, who was diagnosed two months after his birth with a rare condition called congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. This year Color Me Rad paired with East Tennessee Children's Hospital as their choice of charity. So we got a group together and called ourselves the Max Pack to celebrate Max's life and a chance to give back to ETCH for caring for him during the long journey. It was such a blast running the race with my closest friends and I'm soo ready to do it again!!!

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Looking back: Haiti day 3

JOURNAL ENTRY

Today in devotion Shelby pointed out how the people here get excited about getting to go to school because there's so many who don't get to. And they all have such big dreams that in reality, aren't easily achievable for them yet we, as Americans, take for granted going to school and work and our dreams being easily achievable. 

(Photos by Ashley Russom and Aimee Sims)

She also pointed out that this week has been so fulfilling and we've fallen in love with the place and the people; but maybe it's not the place and the people we're in love with. Maybe it's simply God we're in love with and we're just keeping our eyes open to every little opportunity he could possibly take to move. And how different our lives would be if we were this aware of the opportunities he gives us when we're in the states. 

It put everything in a new perspective for me.

I'm realizing that there's no point in sitting in guilt for how blessed I've been but instead, doing something about everything I've experienced here and putting these emotions into action.

So many times throughout the minutes I've spent in this country, I've had an overwhelming amount of thoughts and emotions, but no words to put to it. It's a good kind of speechless though. The very best kind, actually. God is so glorious and illuminating.  I never want this to end.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Easter Weekend: Dye, Cut, Glue

WEEKEND SNAPSHOTS

I know I'm a little late making this post...

Easter egg dying is always one of my favorite parts of the year but this year I decided to mix it up, using this DIY I found on Pinterest on decoupling your Easter eggs. I've never been happier with how my Easter eggs turned out and it was so much fun to do!

I just printed off some designs on the color printer and used matte mod podge to glue them on.

Really simple and a lot of fun.

We also tried this tutorial using gold leaf but it didn't turn out well at ALL. I was kinda disappointed. I also like this tutorial but I didn't get the chance to try it. Maybe next year!!

P.S...loved having this guy here to decorate eggs and go to church with for Easter

(These photos are a combination of mine and Spencer Holloway's)

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Puppy LOVE

THINGS I LOVE

So since I can remember, I have begged my parents to let me get a dog that is miniature size so she can stay in the house with me and go everywhere with me. The past few years, I've thankfully had my best friends and their dogs to live vicariously through and have taken the role as "auntie"...

BUT, friends, the day has finally come when my parents have caved and let me get a pup of my own!! Just look at her....

Her name is Eevee Wonder! And I got her at eight weeks old. Oh man, oh man, do I ever love her so so much. She's my baby. And now Nash and Jack (shown above) have a cousin and friend!!!!!

I'm so thankful for this little girl.

Eevee Wonder, get ready to be spoiled and loved on so, so much!!!!

P.S: Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a cuddly and fun weekend as I will with this girl!!!

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Looking Back: Haiti Day 2, Part 2

JOURNAL ENTRY

Today I met a guy named Franklin. Franklin is 28 and teaches math and science at the school here. He is fluent in English, as well as 5 other languages that are not his own. He became fluent in all these languages by teaching himself through reading books and listening to music. He’s never been out of Haiti before and the reality is he may never get the chance to. He told us he learns these languages in case he has the opportunity to share Jesus with someone who doesn’t speak his own language. Franklin rocked my world today.

It's so crazy how eager the Haitians are to learn our language. They are all such fast learners and LOVE English. I can't help but feel their disappointment if they were to ever come to America. Here we get the opportunity to travel anywhere we want; yet most of us never make the effort to really know other languages. And here they are, people who may never get the opportunity to leave their country and they're almost fluent in English. Woah. 

(Franklin is the guy in the middle with the grey shirt. This was right after the guys prayed over him.)

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Tyler Evanston Moore & 323 Creative Group

THINGS I LOVE

Last night was such a special night because it was the release of Tyler Evanston Moore's website and first music video, produced by 323 Creative Group, who also holds a special place in my life!

So, I am a very proud friend, to say the least. I was so honored to get to spend the evening celebrating these special guys in my life and their careers. I am so blessed to get to be a part of their lives and watch as they succeed in what they love and want to do with their lives!

Be sure to go to Tyler's website and watch his music video and fall in love with his talent and music (he's also on facebook)! :) :) Also, go here to check out 323 Creative Group and follow them on facebook!

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Wide Open Spaces

PERSONAL

Found this sweet space on the way to a vineyard in Murfreesboro. It’s spaces like this that make me realize how small my problems are compared to God and how much greater that makes him because he still cares about every detail of my life. Mm. What a God.

“So I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom.” -Psalm 119:45

(Credit to the ever amazing, Spencer Holloway for these photos)

P.S: Go read this blog post. It’s the best thing I’ve read in a long time.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Looking back: Haiti day 2, part 1

JOURNAL ENTRY

(This photo by Ashley Russom)

Ok, so today's mission was putting the tent up. From on the outside, this seemed like a pretty simple task. Let me just tell you, we were wrong. This tent was HUGE. When we saw it, none of us thought we'd get it up this week. Let me just lay out for you-It's like having a hard piece of furniture to assemble together and then having directions in a language you don't know and then timing that by 100 and then just taking the directions away completely. That's what today was like.

So we get it all laid out in place and we're all looking at it wondering how we're possibly going to get it up with just the twenty of us and out of nowhere...I don't even know where they came from or how word gets around so fast in Haiti but all the sudden there were all these Haitians surrounding us.

And just as we were trying to decide if they were there to help or laugh at us as we fail, Trey just dives right under the tent towards the middle and all the Haitians gather around and grab a side of the tent and start lifting it up as they all yelled "Alay! Alay!" in sync together. Then, as we are each pushing the poles up with every bit of strength in us, IT WENT UP!

It was glorious. Every one of us Americans were in tears. Oh. my. word. I've never in my life experienced anything like it. It's SO incredibly symbolic to so many stories in the bible. Not to mention the community aspect of it. Can you just imagine how different America would be if we practiced that kind of unity? Also, all the Haitians looked to be wearing their very best clothes. And they were there because they were excited to have their place of worship back up. 

I think it's safe to say that all 21 of our lives were changed today.  I'll never forget it.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Three Little Birds Cafe: Tyler & Anna Engagement

PLACES AND SPACES

I am so incredibly excited about this post because I not only get to talk about the GRAND OPENING of my new favorite hang out spot in town but I also get to talk about one of my best friends getting ENGAGED!!!!!! Ohhh man, too much excitement for one post. 

So if you happen to be in the Cookeville Tennessee area, you should check out this hot new spot that my good friend Anna and her fiance` just helped open up. The grand opening so happens to be TODAY!!! It's a great little coffee shop in Baxter that serves all kinds of coffee drinks and simple lunch foods while creating a rustic, homey, and relaxed environment. There are also some super sweet handmade goods you can buy, both to wear and for your home so definitely check it out! I can't wait to get my hands on them. 

Ok, so on an even higher note, last weekend Anna and Tyler had a 'soft opening' for the coffee shop but little did Anna or anyone else know, that it was actually an engagement party!! After four and a half years of dating, Tyler proposed in front of all their closest friends and family. It was the sweetest night full of tears and so much excitement! Also, CHECK OUT THAT RING!!! It's absolutely beautiful.

Here's more photos from the night...

Congratulations Anna and Tyler! I am so excited for this new adventure of your lives to begin together!!

[mirandanoodle-blog]

...and then, fear.

OPEN HEART

Have you ever known that you know, that you know, that you know you’re doing what your supposed to? It’s the best feeling in the world when The Lord makes clear what he wants for you and then confirms it over and over; especially for an indecisive person like me. That’s what it was like. Suddenly though, I feel like a failure. By saying “yes” to The Lord about this thing he’s been throwing bricks at me about, I’ve had to let down a few people who mean so much to me. Through this, fear has began to creep in. “What now, God?” Is the question that constantly lingers in my head. Fear that The Lord won’t come through after leading me here. Fear that I listened to him but now he doesn’t have a plan. Fear that I won’t have anything to show for following his lead. So when God decided to wake me up and talk to me at 4:30 in the morning (these middle of the night meetings seem to be occurring a lot lately), I laid in my bed and just prayed that he would show me someone in his word who listened to his command but then feared for what was ahead. Almost immediately, He had a story for me. Moses and the Red Sea. My pastor had put this story in perspective for me a few weeks ago and I had no idea how to relate it to my life; but here I was, laying in bed at the crack of dawn, seeing how it now related to me in every way. Bear with me, it’s long but I’m telling you, his word is good. You see, in Exodus 13 we find a guy who hadn’t obeyed The Lord and was given a second chance so when he was told to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and lead them out of the promised land, he was on it. The only thing was, instead of taking them the shortest route, he lead them in a loop. Later, in chapter 14, we see the Israelites complaining and wanting to go back to Egypt because, well, maybe they would have been better off if they hadn’t gone with The Lord. So Moses begins talking to the Israelites and trying to get them to keep going, all the while hoping that The Lord would back him up. So he tells the Israelites, in 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still!” That was great and a really encouraging speech Moses gave there but the The Lord gives a counter reply and says “WHY YOU LOOKIN’ AT ME!? Tell the Israelites to move on!”

…you see, here we see the Israelites wanting to turn back to their old way of life, they’re old “plan” because they knew that way of life and they knew how to do things there. So they doubt God; much like we do when we unintentionally say “Well, maybe I would have been better off if I hadnt followed you, God.” And when Moses tries to encourage them that The Lord will take care of them, The Lord says, “why are you crying out to me? Move on.” Did you know that it’s possible to be on the right path with God but still get ran over? Maybe Moses wasn’t wrong in what he said; perhaps what he said just wasn’t complete. Maybe the key here is that we’re still on the inside while moving on the outside. So many times we think The Lord is setting up shop for the enemy to move in on us but really, he’s setting up shop to bring us victory and maximum glory to his name. But he says “you better move! You can stand still and get killed if you want to.”

Verse 16…so The Lord tells Moses to stretch out his staff. (Life is having enough faith to stretch out what you have, even when you don’t understand how it’s going to get you anywhere). Then the angel of God withdrew and went behind them (sometimes we think we can’t find God in our situation, when need him most, but really, he’s behind us, guarding our backs). Vs. 20…throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither army went near the other all night long (he’s fighting battles for us that we can’t even see). Vs 23… The Egyptians, all of pharaoh’s horses, and chariots, and horseman followed them into the sea…you see, It doesn’t matter how much of an advantage the devil seems to have over us, when God is fighting for us, he’ll take the wheels off the enemies chariot to gain glory in our lifes.

(Sermon by Steven Furtick of Elevation Church and photos found at www.elevationchurch.org)

…it’s so cool when The Lord speaks (even in the middle of my sleep). I’m blown away by him, yet again. I’m ready to find out what's in store for me but I will trust The Lord’s provision until then.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Looking back: Haiti, day 1

JOURNAL ENTRY

(Photo credit to Ashley Russom)

Today was our first full day in Haiti. I already love it here. Today we swept off this cement area where they're about to build a church. Then we washed the tent that they have church under for now. It was quite a job. The dirt on the concrete was built up atleast an inch. No matter how much we swept, we couldn't get it all. Shelby, Stephen, Chelsea, Derrick, and I made a game of it to make it more entertaining. It was pretty funny. Then they brought the tent out so we could clean it. That tent was so nasty. About 16 or 17 people started out cleaning it but after about 45 minutes and hardly any evidence of progress, most people started getting warn out. Two hours later the tent was still being scrubbed. We just took turns switching out between people so there was normally about ten people working on it at a time. 

At one point I walked up to Shelby, amazed at how white the tent had become, she responded with something that made me rethink what we were doing. "I know," she said, "We never thought it would get clean and now it's white as snow. It's kinda symbolic."

It's amazing. We thought we worked so hard, for so long, putting so much sweat into making this tarp white again but then we compare it it to the cross, our lives being the tent and Jesus' death-our labor. He wiped us white as snow and he put 100 times more effort, sweat, and hurt into it than we did today.

He loves us THAT much. Wow. What a God we serve.

[mirandanoodle-blog]

[mirandanoodle-blog]

Clarity.

OPEN HEART

This season with God has been so good. You know how you have those moments when you're wondering, "Where ya at God?" Well, that's where I've been at for what seems like this entire past year. But then you keep the faith and you get to a point where it seems he's everywhere and bringing clarity into every situation that you've been questioning him in for so long...That's where I'm at now. He's been showing up and out in every little way lately and I just want "more, Lord" all the time. I can't get enough.

When I'm down in the valley, I always think of Abraham. He waited hundreds of years for God to come through with what he had promised and never once did Abraham's faith waver. I want to be like Abraham in every situation of my life and in every valley I come to. I want to keep the faith in the times when it seems God is no where to be found. Why? Because I want to have times like this, when I'm atop a mountain with God, seeing everything clearly. But I can't get to the top unless I walk the valleys, keeping my eye on what's up the mountain. 

I love these moments when I can see God clearly, breathe in fresh air, and see the reason for dancing. But I will love the times when I can't quite see over the hill, when my breathe seems it is almost out, and my feet are tired from climbing because every second is worth whats on top and it's the faith throughout the climb that gets me where he wants me to be, even when I don't understand. 

  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-3 

[mirandanoodle-blog]