The Genesis!

Genesis means beginning for those of you who don't know... Lol. Hello! I am Deandra! I am new to blogspot, but not new to blogging. I am a writer, but have not been writing lately, so bear with me!
I have spent the last several years of my life trying to discern God's will for me. Trying to know what it is I am to do in this vast, wide and hurting world. I have yet to know for sure. I wonder sometimes... is it me that is holding myself back? Or am I just waiting to hear from God? Do I already know His good and perfect will or is it still to be revealed?
One thing I have come to know about this wonderful and awesome God I serve is His amazing love and what was accomplished for me, and you, at the cross! Jesus Christ died for my (and your) sins. He took all of our sin and shame and he took it and nailed it to the cross. He faced the scorn of His beloved Father, God. But He did it out of love. He did it because He loves us and wants us. He wants us. He wants us to spend eternity with Him. Learning, Praising, Walking with, Exploring with, Sharing in His awesome majesty and grace! Oh how wonderful would that be?!
I have caught a glimpse of His majesty... the ocean. OH the ocean. I live in Kansas, therefore, I am VERY landlocked. But this past summer I went to Florida and saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. I have never been the same. I am saddened every day because I cannot go there and stand on the beach and just feel so small and powerless. I cannot gaze upon the blue/green water of the Atlantic, feel the cream colored sand between my toes (and other crevices I didn't even know I had...lol). I long to taste the super saltiness of the water. Feel the burn on my skin. Oh, to sit by the ocean. Somehow seeing it, washes anyones troubles all away. I long for the Florida heat and humidity, letting my hair go because there is no possible way I could keep it flat-ironed into submission. I long for Florida. I found God's love in Florida, His majesty and power too. Every night I fall asleep and dream of the sunshine, the ocean, the water, the sea smell. EVERY NIGHT! I have come to the conclusion that I was meant to live and be by the ocean. Any ocean. Any salty, blue, warm, vast body of water. I count down the days until I am able to go back. I have started to look for jobs, and places to live down there actually.
I started out this last half of the year just in total awe of God and what He will do if you give Him the room to be God in your life. It started with Florida. An awesome week with my great church family. It continued in October with a concert from a dove award winning band called Pillar. They came to my church and put on a concert. We (the youth group kids and youth group sponsors) got to hang out with them all day. We helped them set up, fed them, listened and watched them rehearse and talked to them. It was so surreal and so incredibly cool. That concert changed my life. I went looking at them like rockstars, and left dissapointed because that "image" stayed with me until it was time for me to leave. And only after I had left did reality hit me: They are normal people and want to be treated and considered as much. Music is just their passion, ministry, and career. I NEEDED the chance to see them and talk to them as normal people again. My test came in the form of another series of concerts... Skillet, Decyfer Down, Hawk Nelson and The Letter Black... I saw them 2 times in 1 month (November). At the first concert I met the lead singer of Decyfer Down. The second concert... all of Hawk Nelson, and John Cooper from SKILLET!! That was SOOOOO amazing. I talked to them and regarded them as normal people too. Little did I know what else was in the works though... at the end of November, I made arrangements to record a song in December with the bass guitarist from Pillar, Rich (the bass player) and his brother Mike, as my producers. It was such an AMAZING experience!
On the third Friday in December, my best friend Carlee Gene went down to Tulsa with me to record "Time in Between" by Francesca Battitstelli. On our way down there we saw an armadillo in the median... which made me yell "Holy Hell an armadillo!" It was shocking; we were still in Kansas, and I surely was not expecting that. Also, they are known to jump up and collide your car's body, instead of rolling and thumping under the tires like most good animals do when getting hit. Needless to say, Carlee found this quite comical. We got to Tulsa and the realization of what I was about to do hit me! I was SO stoked! Our hotel... well, let's just say it was barely a 2 star; but it totally added to the novelty and fun of our little road trip. The following day I was SO nervous! We decided to spend $15 and go to the Oklahoma Aquarium. I was absolutely convinced that seeing things from water would calm and soothe me... it did. We saw jellies, bass, otters, a cayman, bull sharks (!!!), we got to pet bamboo sharks and rays ( IT WAS AWESOME!!) too. It was so soothing and after that I was ready for the recording studio.
At the studio we were greeted by the studio dogs Lil Mama and Auggy! They most def made us welcome. Lemme tell you, recording a song is not an easy thing to do. I was SO nervous. I was in a little makeshift cubicle with a microphone on a stand and a set of headphones. It was so REAL! It took me a while to relax into the song and studio surrondings; and to relax and sing the heck out of the song in front of strangers. But I did it. I did it! I felt the presence of God and realized what an awesome voice He has given me. I don't admit this to many people or very often, but I am blessed with it, and He has given me a voice to use, not to stifle, quiet and hide. He has given me a voice to be used FOR Him, to BLESS other people and SHARE with them His message of faith, hope, and love (Nate!). Anyway, so back to the studio. I sang through the song like 4 or 5 times. Then after singing through Mike and Rich directed and coached me through each line of the song... that is pretty hard to do, because your voice becomes a bit tired. But the instruction I got from them was priceless, I remember it everytime I sing now. I really broke a barrier between my chest voice and head voice down in Tulsa. I pushed and projected my chest voice out like I never have before. All I can say is that I know music ministry is definitely in my future. Perhaps, recording more songs too. I hope so!! The whole recording session took about an hour and a half or so. After I had sang the whole song line by line, Mike had to go through and edit and put the song on a disc. It took maybe 30-45 minutes. During that 45 minutes I got my moment to regard and talk to a "rockstar" like he was a normal person. I did it, I overcame that "rockstar" image. I felt like it was something vitally important to my own life. I felt like God wanted to tear down that image of "rockstardom" because I think one day, I might be in that very same position. Someday.
So the next day, Sunday, in Tulsa we went to LifeChurch.tv... it was completely cool! After that we headed to Muskogee, Ok to meet a friend of Carlee's from Alaska. He took us to a blues joint in a little town called Rentiesville (the t silent, so it is pronounced Reniesville) to listen to the blues. The first thing out of Joe's mouth to the owner, Selby... this girl just recorded a song and is thinking about singing tonight. OH MY GOSH! I was SHOCKED!!!!!! I DID NOT want to sing AT ALL. I had a shot voice and I was tired and wanted to listen to some music and then make the long trek (5 hours) back home. Haha, funny how what you want isn't always what happens. I did sing. I sang "Lean On Me" and it was awesome and so freeing. It is on the internet if anyone is interested in watching it!

That was truly a weekend to remember. I will never forget it. I had so much fun, my best friend is the best, and I love music and appreciate music artists even more!

Life is short and precious. I had to go to Tulsa.

Since then though, life has not been too pleasant or eventful. I hate the weather right now. I miss early summer SO much. The thunderstorms. The smell of rain and grass. The sun shining on everything. Sitting out and enjoying the warm nights, gazing up at the stars, listening to the crickets chirp, seeing lightning bugs flash all over, hearing the buzz of June bugs against. I miss the warm south wind blowing through my car windows as I cruise around town with my windows rolled down, and my radio cranked up loud for everyone to hear. I miss the long days, dusk being at 7:30. I miss the night storms, seeing the lightning spread across the sky and light the whole horizon. Hearing the rumbles of thunder and feeling them shake the house. Oh summer. I know you will return and chase this dreary, gloomy winter away. Life has been hard in this weather. I am having a hard time not packing my things and heading to Florida. But in God's timing. My friends and my mom make it bearable. And cooking.

So one more thing. I am starting a cooking challenge for myself... I am going to cook a different cuisine every month. This month is Italian and so far, it's been amazing!!
So until next time...
May the grace and peace of Jesus be with you and...



Saltwater ponds are most definitely possible.