Hello one and all! It's amazing that Christmas is on;y five days away! These are my favorite things to do at Christmas time:
1. Celebrate the birth of the coming Savior with my church congregation
2. The singing of O Holy Night. This song is by far my favorite Christmas song ever! The words are so true,and shed light on the really meaning of Christmas! Such as the chorus : FALL ON YOUR KNEES! OH HEAR THE ANGEL VOICES! The truths presented in this Holiday tune make me smile from ear to ear. My joy was complete when last night I got to hear a 200 person choir sing those blessed words!
3. Making Christmas cookies with my mom. This year, my mom and I popped in Beauty and the Beast (my absolute favorite Disney movie) and sang very loud and out of tune versions to "Bonjour" and "
4. Shopping wtih friends. Amidst the chaos that this season brings, my friends and I seem to keep fairly level headed. So, shopping with them is fun and care free. As we watch kids frantically crawl onto Santa's lap, and shoppers hustling about, we can be tankful for the peace the Savior provides.
5. Studying the life of Mary: This season God has really revealed some important truths to me about the virgin Mary. In Luke 2 of the Message Mary says " I am dancing the song of my Savior God" It's amazing to me that during a time when people were pointing their fingers, speaking behind her back, and calling her names, that she was "dancing with joy". Wow! SHe was willing to be used as a vessel for Christ, and because of that God gave her favor. SHe was just an ordinary girl who was chosen to do big things for God. She ran with the call, and made a bold statement for Christ. What an example she is to you and me!
Well, my list could go on forever and ever..but I must end for now. I pray that your Holidays are filled with the joy and peace that only the Savior can bring!

Here's my april article! Hope you enjoy!

Brio Article- April 2008
Where are your scars?
I remember that day so clearly. I was just ten years old, trying to play a game with some friends at family camp. The game of the day was capture the flag……with bocce balls. The seemingly dangerous game was great fun until I collided, bocce ball in hand, with the enemy. The ball launched into my mouth, leaving me with half of a front tooth that pierced my bottom lip. To this day, I still have a mark from that accident. The scar tissue on my lip is a forever reminder of July 6, 2000. We all have scars or marks on our body that remind us of times in the past. My question for you is: what type of marks are you leaving? Are you leaving a scar for Christ in your home, church and school?
We are chosen to be scars for Him!
John 15:16 says “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” My fellow mark makers: Isn’t it awesome that God has chosen you and me to make a difference for Him in this world! He hasn’t picked names out of a hat, or interviewed people for positions. Instead, He chose you because of every intricate detail that makes you a beautiful testimony of His grace. He already trusts that you will obey his commands, and leave a scar for Christ everywhere you go. He wants us to bear fruit that leaves a permanent stamp of His goodness.
Leaving your mark
Because God chose us to bear that everlasting fruit- to leave His eternal scar, we must be bold in our actions. As you walk down the hallways of your school, church, or home make a conscious effort to display Christ in all your actions. Whether it is asking someone to not use profanity around you, writing an encouragement note to a younger sister in Christ, or even doing the dishes with out being asked, everything you do can leave a scar of the Savior’s love.
Different Scars
Ladies, all of you have many different gifts and talents that can be used to make a mark for Christ. 1 Peter 4:10 says” Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” To my musically gifted young girls, make a joyful noise to your Creator! You could administer God’s grace to your congregation by being part of the worship team. My friends that have a passion for children: you could leave a mark of Christ’s love on the children of your community by helping in after school activities, or summer camps.
My beautiful sisters, as you find ways to be scars for Christ let beautiful words from Nichole Nordemann ring in your head:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?

Here are some recent pictures of what has been going on in my life!!

Hey everyone!! SOrry I haven't updated in awhile life has been pretty busy gettig ready for college stuff with applications and scholarships. Well, I don't have time for a full reoprt right now...but here is my first article for Brio. Let me knwo what you think! This is the article that will appear on the web in January. My first printed article will be in February.

Joy in the Pain : By Becky Marras

He was an honest man of great success. He had ten children and thousands of livestock. He was good at his profession, giving glory only to God. In fact, some people called him “the most influential man in all the east.” He as truly blessed by His Savior. Then, with out warning, disaster struck. In a matter of instant he lost all his worldly possessions. His family, land, livestock, and his good health were stripped from him. This man’s name was Job, and his world was completely turned upside down. Have you ever like you world was turned upside down? Have you ever felt that everything you held close was taken away? I have. Over the past several years my youth group has gone through many transitions. At one point in time my youth group went through two youth pastors in two years. When all the change was happening, I was so confused and I didn’t understand why God was putting us through that storm. Like Job, a lot of the things and people I trusted in were gone.
As I reflect today on what Job went through, he could have easily cursed God and died. But Job adopted the attitude that God calls us to have in the hardships. In James 1:2 God instructs us to: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” God wants us to consider it PURE joy when we face trials of many kinds. He doesn’t want half-hearted joy. Instead, He wants pure joy. He wants us to express our joy in him without holding anything back. I certainly didn’t have pure joy when my youth pastors packed their bags. Instead of looking at how Christ was going to cause me to grow closer to Him, I moped around, sulking in self misery. Now, you may be thinking: How does someone fight off depression and find joy in the midst of a trial? We have to understand and realize that God is in control of our every move. When Job was covered in leprous sores with nothing left to call his own, he still praised God! He understood that God put him through this misery in order to test his faith. My dear sisters, isn’t it comforting to know that He has planned each trial in our lives!!! God does everything for His glory and our good, so you can have joy in the fact that the creator of the universe is being glorified in your life! How awesome is that!
As Christians, we do know that God has a purpose. So, what do we do during the trial? What do we do in the middle of the storm when we are waiting for His purpose to be revealed? This isn’t the time to mope around in sweatpants eating mint chocolate chip ice cream out of the carton. In the middle of the rough times we need to be like Job!! Job knew that his father had a plan for him, and glorified Christ as he waited. I wasn’t patient as my youth group was falling apart. I wanted an immediate fix, and in my impatience I was very crabby! As you wait, listen to the words of Isaiah for encouragement. Isaiah 40:31 says: “But those who wait on 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.” As I recognized that God controls everything that happens in my life, I had peace. Like Job, I was able to have peace knowing my Savior would provide for my needs. My precious sisters, as you wait joyfully on the Lord, adopt the attitude of Job and praise him through the pain.

Doubt- be- gone!
SO, for about the past month I have really been struggling with doubt. Now, if you know me very well, you know that I don't like to ask for help, or draw attention to myself. SO, I was just praying that God would take it away, and beat the devil down. I wanted to fix this problem myself, I didn't want to have to impose on someone else. Well, as with many things in life God said "hey beck.... i have surrounded you with people that love you, and care for you. please let them encourage you!" This is what I have been facing everyday: a little voice in my head saying that I wasn't good enough. A voice telling me that I was too much of a leader. A voice that said people think you a are a stupid senior because you are on j.v. soccer. A voice trying to convince me that I wasn't pretty or special. I felt like I was in a mental wrestling match. And today I here to tell you that GOD is the victor of the match. Last night I shared with my mom what I was struggling with. She was so encouraging to me, and I appreciated her wisdom and listening ear. Again, I should just be more open and willing to seek help. After I talked with my mom, I layed in bed and talked to my heavenly daddy for quite awhile. All throughout my conversation with my mom and with my savior I was reminded of this verse Philippians 4:13 : I can do alll things through Christ who gives me strength. As I talked with God he reminded me of His omniscient power, and how the devil is always going to lose. I cried tears of joy as he reminded me how special I was to Him, how i am a daughter of the King, how he is proud of me being a leader to the girls on my j.v. team, and how I was born to lead for Him. He left me with such peace. I have such a peace now in knowing that I will never have to doubt again, because I am a kid of the one who conquered death itslef! Today was a great day! I had such a confidence from above, and felt like dancing for Jesus with my every step.

"i want my life to be a reflection of the beauty of my Lord, 'cause you mean more to me than any earthly thing" These words were sung by my church this morning and really hit me. The phrase above is my mission statement for this school year. I want my last year at Highland to be one that people remember me for the legacy I left. Not a legacy of things I did on my own, but a legacy of standing up for my beliefs and shining for Christ, no matter the situation. My heart's desire is to be a beacon for him, please pray that God will give me the strength to shine bright, even when the world wants to snuff me out.

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My buddy Hannah :)

Me and the Hannah Banana! I love her

The three kids on the hammock at Mimi and Papa's house

Grace got to play for the Medina County Fair's Honor's band. She and her trombone, which I have named Tom, did very well!

Aww sisterly love. On the boat at Mimi's house.

Just some recent photos. I enjoyed my time with the siblings at my mimi and papa's house. As Grace gets older (Joe too), God is pulling a closer and closer together! It's so awesome!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of going to Geauga Lake with my family. This park has a huge water park attached to it. Grace, Joe and I quickly changed into our swimsuits when we saw the huge water slides! As we grabbed a tube to race each other down the slides, I noticed something. I had to be the only 17 year old girl in a one piece suit there. As I was drying off from the amazing water experience a verse came to mind. Song of Solomon 6:2 says "Like a lily among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens". As children of the King, we are to live set apart. Leslie Ludy and her husband Eric run a ministry that encourages girls (guys as well) to live as the lily (set apart). I heard an interview with Leslie on the radio recently. Her words were so encouraging to me. She explained that God knows the hardships of living set apart. In the verse in Song of Solomon he calls us "his darling".Because we live set apart we can be "darling" for Christ! What an awesome privilege! :) Back to my bathing suit experience...... As I looked around and saw that I looked different than everyone else, I realized the amazing opportunity I have!! As children of the King, we are born to stick out. When others see our actions, they are curious as to why we don't " blend in with the thorns". Our choice of actions demonstrate Christ. My choice of bathing suit is a demonstration of Christ. I want to be HIS lily so that I may spread HIS good news. I never thought that a trip to the water park could teach me such a valuable lesson. For that, I will be forever grateful to the gardener, who daily is shaping me into a lily for Him.

Well, my summer has been just delightful. It's fun to be home so often, since I don't get that privilege during the school picture. On Monday, it was time for IOG. For those of you who don't know IOG stands for Inside Out Girls. It's the senior girls Bible study that I help lead. We meet every other Monday night and talk about/do something different each time. This week we were at the Uveges house where we talked about modesty and ate ice cream sundaes. IOG has become one of the highlights of my week. It's awesome to see us (girls) growing closer to each other as we learn about Christ. It warms my heart how close we have become. 2 years ago, we never would have done something outside of youth group. Through the grace of God being used in Pastor Billy, we have united. I am so excited for the sr. high trip to West Virgina next week. We are taking a school bus...just like OB!! yay! OH!! Another cool thing God has done! I was really bummed that we couldn't go to BNYC this year, I won't be able to see a lot of my OB friends. But, what a way that God provides! One of my good friends from Maryland and almost all of the ohio OBers are coming to my house on August 13th. Chris and some possible others are going to stay at my house on the way to Grace College!! Woo Hoo!!

The crew in the van. I am so thankful for the way Christ has brought us together!

I love Sarabeth! She is getting married in less than a month! I am so excited for her!

Leah is like my second sister!

Lenae was impressed with the purple squares sprinkles that I found.

Everybody loved their ice cream sundaes!

So.....here are some fun pictures from Kids Camp that I counseled for a couple weeks ago. I was a counselor for Family 5. It is so mcuh fun with these kids. They are so excited to learn about God's Word. Also, being a counselor is an open door to share the Gospel with the campers. 41 kids accepted Christ at camp. I had the opportunity to pray with 2 girls. If you could pray for Robyn, she needs it. She came from Village Grace, in inner city Cleveland. She said that she is scared for her life when she walks down the street. The fact that a 12 year old girl has to be scared for her life is so sad. Please pray that angels guard her and her family. The five boys on the bench are the boys I did devotions with everyday. At random I was assigned these boys, and they were a fun bunch. After about a day, they started to open up and really let me see their hearts. Behind the giggly, squirmy, outer , inside was respectful, kind boys, a bunch that I was bummed to leave.
The highlight of the week was when one of my campers Joey (in the midle of the bench pick, black hat...he was my favorite!) and my sis Grace were picked the campers of the week. Out of 226 kids they were picked as the two that were good examples of Christ. I think I may have shed a tear or two :)

Here are the pictures from Prom 2007. I went with a kid from my OB team, BJ. Me and BJ met up with my friends Billy, Melissa, Emily and Brenton took pictures and headed off to the main event. By the way, the two girls with out pretty dresses on are Liz and Rachel, two of my buds who didn't go unfourtunately :(. Well, as several of you know at Prom I was crowned Junior queen, which is why I am wearing the enormous crown. After Prom was at Medina Rec, which was fun until my body started to shut down and I became utterly exhausted. Overall, all my planning came together by the Grace of God. With out his help I would have literally snapped.

Here are some pictures that sum up my life for the past two months

This is before Joe and Graces musical. If you can't tell the shirts say GO GRACE AND JOE!

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This is Elianna Gedney. She is this sweet little girl that I babysit for. I had some fun with her and her sister Montanna last friday on the swings in there back yard :)


A couple of weeks ago I got to visit calvin college. I like it a lot, everyone was soooo friendly there!

Okay, sorry it has been forever since I have updated. Lately, I have been freaking out over the AP English test I took on Wednesday. I have studying for close to a month for that thing. Also, Prom is next weekend...so I have been running around doing all sorts of stuff for that. Sometimes I wonder how people are able to keep sane with the business of life without the peace that God is in control!!! Seriously, if I couldn't rely on his goodeness, I would be a stressed out emotional mess.
Here is something cool that has happened to me. I made it into the top 20 for Focus on the Family's Brio girl search. If you don't know what Brio is....ask me and I will tell ya!! :)

Quick updates:
~ The care pastor at my church passed away suddenly this weekend. He was sooo loved by so many people. He was a real inspiration to me, he was a living witness. Evidently, there was a crowd of people that gathered around his house when new got out that he passed away,half of whom were not from my church. His death has really inspired my youth group to take action and care for others like he did. Pastor Billy challenged us on Sunday night to pick up where Mr. Imig left off. Starting next week, sr high/ jr high boys and girls are going to split up to pray for each other. We are going to spend some time just seeing how we can encourage each other in the Lord. I am really excited for this, being able to be prayer partners with the other sr. high girls will just be encouraging. Also, PBilly announced something I have been waiting for in the past 5 years I have been in youth group: this summer we are doing ministry in Medina!! I really think that you don't have to go to Europe, Mexico, or even California to make an impact for Christ. I have been waiting so long for one of my youth pastors to do city work with us.....and it is finally here!! I can't wait to form relationships with kids from Medina, and share with them the love of Christ. :)

~ Also, this Sunday P.Billy announced that we are going to BNYC!!!!!! (Momentum it's called now, but I can't stop calling it BNYC).
I'm really excited for two reasons:
1) Praising and serving my Lord Jesus Christ. My youth group is going everyday to an area effected by Katrina, and showing them the love of Christ. This trip will be a great opportunity for my youth group to grow closer to Christ, and each other. BNYC is also a week of awesome worship.....oh man, i totally stoked.
2) I get to see OB friends!!!!Oh man I will get to see my leaders, people from MD,PA, AND CA!!! I can't wait to see them all again!!

~Spring Break is next week!! I am going to Niagara Falls with the fam for 2 days...it will be gorgeous I'm sure. My question is: How can someone see something as cool as the falls and doubt that God created it?

Well, this is the first time this semester that I don't have any homework.I believe a miracle has occured. I was just looking through some pictures the the other day, and these made me smile. The bottom pic is of me and the uveges girls and jackie, midle is of grace joe and some cousins, and top if of me and this cute little girl who I met on OB. She and I were best buds for 3 days when I was at her church.

The trip to Virginia: An overview.
So, this past weekend was a ball. On Friday, Laura, my momma, and I headed down to Sarah's house in Columbus. We got there around dinner time, and o was I excited to see Sarah. She is just one of those people who makes you laught out loud. About a an hour later, Amy showed up and it was great just catching up with those two. For those church fol reading this, these are the two girls who did special music with me in December. I love these girls, they are such an encouragement to me.
Sat morning we left at around 11 am and loaded up in the "pimp mobile" (my van)and got to VA at around five. Man, was Kyle excited that we came. We got to hang out with him and his family fo awhile, and then bought him a card and a big boquet of roses, broke out the K-Y-L-E shirts, and headed to "Oklahoma" (muscial). Kyle did a super job, he was deifinitely the best one in the play. As he was getting cheanged, the girsl and talked to the gal who was the lead role. She said that Kyle wzs sooo excited that we were coming. He had told the whole cast that we were coming, and was very happy that we were here. After that, we went bowling with Kyle and his younger brother Weston. Weston, 14, seemed to enjoy very much taht 4 girls stayed at his house for the weekend. After bowling, we came back home and sang some songs. Kyle pulled out his guitar and sang old OB songs.....ahhh memories.
Sunday was bittersweet. Kyle's church was so cute, about 75 people. It is always really neat seeing where OB kids go to church, it's like you can almost picture them there. My favortie part of the weekend was offetory. Sarah, Amy , Laura sang , Kyle played guitar, and I signed "Amazed". This was the song we always closed our prgorams with on OB. Man, did that take me back to this summer. It made me yet again so thankful for the fellowship we have in Christ. It's amazing how God brings 32 kids from all across the country together in such a way. Hree's some of the lyrics to the song, you can see why it is so great!
Lord, I'm amazed by you
Lord, I'm amazed by you
How you love me

How wide
How deep (in my pic, this is the sign i am signing:)
How great
Is your love for me
Man,singing (signing for me) that song was the perfect way to end such a perfect weekend. :)

The Things in Life that make me :)
1. God's amazing grace.
2. The common bond we have as believers. This past weekend I went to a NEO district event, and it amazing to see the bond we have under the love of Christ.
3. My OB friends and how cooky they are. Friday night, I went and saw my friend Adam's play. He was the devil in his musical and it was hilarious. He didn't know that I was coming and it was great to see his face.
4. My dad. When my dad gets in one of his silly moods, he puts on an old man greek accent. O man, it's really something you have to hear.
5. The Uveges Girls. On our way to the distric event in Canton: we got lost, laughed uncontrollably,and danced to rap songs in the car.
6. This weekend. On Friday, I am loading up to drive to VA to have a mini OB reunion. O man, the ohio girls are dirving to see Mr. Kyle Jones in his musical Oklahoma.....and I am sooo excited.

The verse of the day: 1 Corinthians 13:1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angles, but not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. Sometime's I think that the great Biblical writers had a sense of humor. If you think about it, a resounding gong isn't pretty :)However, if you read farther into 1 Corinthians, the infamous love chapter, there are some amazing truths. I have a favorite verse describing love: "It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always preserves." (verse 7). Wow, I would love to receive that kind of love someday. I know that there is an amazing God ordained guy out there somewhere for me, I'm just waiting somewhat patiently.So, I sit here on the night of Valentine's Day and I am enjoying a date with my Savior.

Well, this is my prom dress. I really like it a lot, however I would love feedback. This is sort of a contest. What design/shape of something is on the front of the dress?? Oh, and the boy doesn't come with it, .....but I have that area covered.

Wow, it has a been a very long time since I have updated. Well, here's a recent re cap. This weekend was the snowball dance at my school. I had a fun time dancin' the night away with my buds. Also, yesterday was my birthday.The Uveges family came over for the day which is always a blast. On Friday night, my friends and I went to Wasabi for dinner and then came home and wathced "One Night with the King". The movie is based on the story of Esther and is excellent. We also managed to squeeze in a few makeover girly things as seen above. On the whole, lately I have been doing well. God has certainly streched me in several ways over the last few weeks. He has shown me that he is always omnipotent. No matter the situation, HIS plan is always better than mine. Everday (well not today, because it is too cold!!) I enter a highschool that needs to see the love of Christ. Sometimes it's really tough to live for Christ. "Being in the world and not of it" has been challenging lately, but through the strength of His word, I am able to get through it.

So this past Thursday and Firday my dad and I took a road trip to Wheaton IL. We went on Friday for a tour of the college, went to chapel, and the met with the head of the education and urban studies departments. WOW,I was very impressed. Aside from the very high price tag, I had very little colmplaints. I was very happy with their education prgram. I told prof that I wanted to teach in the inner city, which she said was very do able. Infact, she said for my student teaching I will be living in Chicago working in an inner city elementary school. I am looking for a place where I can learn techmiques to serve my Lord better. Above all, I want to glorify him in every aspect of my life. I am praying that God will show me where he wants me to go and learn how to Glorify him better.

Horray for Joe and Grace. They both got parts in the Middle School's Spring Musical "Thew Music Man" As you can see above, Joe has the dramatic juices flowing through him. And you can also see a picture of My buds Melissa and Liz. I took the picture from the digital camera a got for Christmas. Life in the new year has been great so far. However, for school I feel it is the calm before the storm. Exams are next week, and the cramming starts this Friday night.....oh joy.
On another note, I am going to visit Wheaton and Moody next week after exams. I am really excited for that. I can't wait to see how God is going to use me in my future. All I want to do is serve him in anyway he sees fit for me. I am going with my daddy, so it should be some great time we can spend together. Trust me, he as enough stories and wisdom that a 6 hour car ride isn't long enough! I am looking forward to this exciting new part of my life coming up, and praying that I go where God leads.