sappy stuff.

I’d be lying if I said I was completely satisfied with my writing skills in this particular blog entry. I’m definitely a “words” person, but it seems I can never pick the best words to say what I want to say at the right time. Later, at the most inopportune time, those words will all come to me, and I’ll have to talk to myself and resist the urge to completely change this. But I’m telling myself the point of this blog is simply to let a few people know how much they mean to me, and “Allyson, no one really cares if you used the word “shaping” or “determining”. (that was me talking to myself…)

So, on to it…

This year has been one of the most “shaping” years of my life. I don’t know how else to say it.

I started thinking about some beautiful people that have definitely played a part in this shifting that took place within me this year, and I felt the need to thank them. This was the best way I knew how…




My beautiful sister. She got married about a month ago to this ridiculously great guy.
I can’t put it into words (go figure), but I tried to put it into song once. Take a listen if you didn’t already. So Ames and Joel, thank you for teaching me the beauty of true love and joy with one another this year.

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My parents. I saw this quote on a card in a quaint little shop in St. Augustine the other day, and me, being the cheapo that I am, decided to take a picture of it rather than buy it. (Just in case I needed use of it any time soon)

I guess this is me “using” it.

“The truth is. Even if she weren’t my Mom I would go out of my way to be friends with her.” (Let’s go ahead and apply this one to dad too.)


This year that unexpected thing happened. That thing that people always tell you will happen one day… except, you never believe it when your young and full of teenage angst towards the people that love you the most, simply because you can’t go to so-and-so’s house or to what’s his face’s party. You don’t want to hear it then…

But. It’s absolutely true.

Your parents can become your friends.
And mine, have become some of my closest.



My Unveiled family. I could go on for days. I’ve never felt such love and freedom in a place of ministry. Truly. (And I’ve grown up around ministry…) I love you guys. (I couldn't find a picture to capture all of us at our best, so don't feel unappreciated if you're not pictured. Cuz that's just not the truth.)




My NC family. I will always claim to be from the South simply because I want people to know I am connected with you people. You know who you are. Any time I take anyone “home”, they tell me I have some of the rarest/best friends. I always reply with, “I know.”











My Dive Sisters, Rita, and Anthony. (Tiffany too!) You guys broke off every negative misconception I had built up of women in ministry. (And believe me, I had a few…) I think the world of all of you. I’ve crafted more songs than ever because of the encouragement you all threw on me.
















My Diddi. (Crystal) We traveled the world together. Cried together. Laughed at men with red thongs sticking out of their dad jeans together. You’re my big sister. I believe I can do almost anything if you think I can.









My Florida friends. (And yes, some of you have moved away and such)You know who you are. I’m getting emotional just typing this…so I’m just gonna stop typing and post some pictures, since my eyes are a bit cloudy at the moment. You guys…awwe shucks…well yeah…


Here goes…


















And that's all I've got, folks.
Just been doing some analyzing, and I think I agree with this somewhat cheesy quote on friendship:

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust

And grateful I am...

if you wear green, i'll wear green.

Today I woke up wanting to go back in time.

I could change a few things there.

Put a few things back together.

Leave that scene before I said too much.

Be a little less vulnerable on that Tuesday.

Less hurtful on that Friday.

I’d linger on that bench just long enough for you to get the courage to speak what you wanted to say that one night.

That one night when the moon was mockingly bigger than most nights. When my favorite candy was your favorite candy. And we’d laugh at the same jokes as we sat side by side confused at our chance meeting there in matching color schemes.

But I didn’t notice it then.

This time I’d listen to you.

I'd listen well.

car talk.

Poetry tends to come to me at the most inconvenient of times. Take what you will of this. Tomorrow I probably will find something wrong with it.


And I’m sitting in my car.

Yes, before I know it, I’m sitting here.

In my car.

Engine off.

Door open.
Just enough to blanket the dead silence from within
By allowing a couple of finches to share their comments on the cheek of the moon.
"My, how he’s drawing attention to his figure tonight."

I am alone now.
I am alone now.

And I am sitting in my car.
And I can finally hear it:

The steady sound of my heartbeat in perfect rhythm to the pace of his tread.

And before I know it,

I’m still sitting here.

In my car

Realizing that has to mean something.

he knows what he's doing.

You know,

That 8th grade party you were once dying to go, and mom and dad so humiliatingly said no. I mean, gosh, your reputation was at hand. How dare they.

Later on you found out the importance of you not being there.

You know,

Those desires and places in life you were once dying to go, and God so humiliatingly said no. I mean, gosh, your reputation was at hand. How dare He.

Later on you found out the importance of you not being there.

doing love.

“The truth is, love was never just intended to be, it was intended to do. DC Talk had it right when they wrote the song “Love Is a Verb” (or rather, “luv”). That’s the truth.

Frankly, it’s the hardest verb you will ever do. It’s a verb that requires a selflessness and altruism beyond any other experience on earth. It’s a verb that is not always felt but must always be chosen. It is a commitment to do what is right, even though the one standing before you may be entirely undeserving.”

I won’t lie. I’m a big fan of those initial feelings one feels when they’re first “falling”.
But when those feelings are not at their peak and the person you’re committed to says something with a little less tact than usual,

Love must be done.

I’ve also heard these words from a dad who counseled married couples for years, and from my parents’ example, I’ll never forget to look past the emotions of it all and experience what it means to do love.

Might as well start practicing.

pandas and punctuation.

For all of you that make fun of my constant “grammar-Nazi-like” habits, stop reading now.


The rest of you, get ready for a nerdy English teacher read.

My mom just loaned me a book entitled Eats, Shoots and Leaves: the Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, and I am in love with the title alone.

I promise I’ll prove my point and be done.

Watch this.

So if a panda bear eats shoots and leaves…

Well sure, the panda has a pretty basic bear-like diet, and I’m a little bored out of my mind.

But, if a panda bear eats, shoots and leaves, well…
Let’s just ask ourselves who the victim of this unusual homicide might be. ☺


Anyhow, maybe Becky Renko will appreciate this.

a small part of my thoughts lately.

I’m not really sure how to sum up the last month of DIVE school and India into one blog entry.

I have this problem with being so wrapped up in significant moments/trips that I fail to take good pictures and journal often. It’s as if I don’t want to press pause on what’s happening in front of me, I’d rather just experience it. Of course this comes back and “bites me in the butt” most of the time, so let me just say this: If you’re interested in knowing more, let’s make arrangements to get coffee or something. I’ve been jot-listing my thoughts in this head of mine, and I may be able to spit it out to you in some sort of rationalized order better in person.

All that being said,


I’ll share a small part of what I came away with:

There are times when obeying God requires much more sacrifice than we Christians are OK with. (Don’t worry. I won’t go off on a rant about American Christianity. For now let’s just say Christians.)

This sacrifice may be in the form of giving up money.

Fashion.

Food.

Close vicinity to family and friends.

Dignity.

Comforts.

It may ask that you learn a new language.

Be content with not receiving your desires.

Give up something of worth for the sake of gaining another’s soul to the kingdom of God.
You may not be completely leaving your home and selling all you have to move to Angola, but I believe dedication in ministry does require sacrifice of some kind. And if you’re not feeling that, you’re probably doing it wrong.




Effective ministry isn’t always our idea of beautiful. Or maybe I should use the word prosperous. It isn’t enjoyable at times. Sure, there is joy in fulfilling and obeying what God requires of you, but joy is not always equivalent with prosperity. You may not have success in numbers. Even conversions/salvations may be minimal.

Yeah, I know. I’m not the first to say it. It’s just been in my face lately.

And it may be a very trying process, requiring years of consistent acts of love to the unlovable.

Sometimes I look up simple words that I’ve grown accustomed to just knowing, to see if the dictionary definition brings new life to it for me. I looked up loveable.

Loveable: inspiring or deserving of love or affection.

Now, reverse that.

We’re supposed to love those that are uninspiring/undeserving of our love.

I’ve met people in the last two months that have inspired me. They’re real. They’re ministering in completely different atmospheres, but they’re equally effective in loving people in their vastly different environments, and bringing glory to God in all of it.

They’re lives are messy at times. But, it seems that every trial they face brings them closer to an understanding of why God has them in their present place. They’re fueled in their pursuits through times of hardship.

In all of this, they don’t believe they deserve to be honored and praised. Even honored and praised by God, as we sometimes tend to think. It’s just what the Lord asked of them. Why wouldn’t they keep doing what they’re doing?

Luke 17:7-10 7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

I needed to see this.

I needed to meet them.

It’s beautiful really. Dying to self.

And, it’s taken on a completely different meaning in my life.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say it scared me some. I just know it’s expected of me.

And whether I get my huge “thank you” or not, I’ll do it.

Do it out of my love for Him.