Answered Prayer

I had been praying and praying and praying.

Struggling and growing for MONTHS now.

Knowing I was missing SOMETHING with this project I've been working on, but not able to place my finger on WHAT.

Until today.

I'm thankful for so many things, but especially that God hears us - and doesn't stop there. He answers!! Be it yes or no, today I am thankful for opened eyes. For renewed strength, and a green light to continue down the path on a road I have been walking down for a while now...

Thanks be to the Lord "who was, and is, and is to come!" - Revelation 4:8

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged by my sister to post the sixth picture off the sixth file of my pictures on my computer. I still don't have six files of pictures on my fun new laptop, but here is my sixth picture on here so far - it's of my beautiful niece Maylee Gail about a month and a half ago! :)



Katie, Jen. P and Lizzy - you're it!

This makes sense...

Earlier this week I was cleaning out some files and found my old Myers-Briggs test results from late in high-school. Later, I thought I'd take the test again - I was wondering if my results would still be the same or not... Apparently, I have changed, AND supposedly my personality type makes up only one percent of the people in the world! I don't know whether I should think that makes me really weird, or very unique, but I'm going to go with unique! :)

It's not completely accurate, but pretty close!!!

Idealist Portrait of the Counselor (INFJ)
Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

Counselors tend to work effectively in organizations. They value staff harmony and make every effort to help an organization run smoothly and pleasantly. They understand and use human systems creatively, and are good at consulting and cooperating with others. As employees or employers, Counselors are concerned with people's feelings and are able to act as a barometer of the feelings within the organization.

Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly.

Mohandas Gandhi, Sidney Poitier, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Goodall, Emily Bronte, Sir Alec Guiness, Carl Jung, Mary Baker Eddy, Queen Noor are examples of the Counselor Idealist (INFJ).

AH!

These...



are invading my life.

Seriously.

They started outside, slowly driving me inside from my favorite spot on the porch.

THEN... they took over the pantry. They even ate up all of my favorite granola bars.

THEN... as if nothing is sacred. They took over my favorite couch.

I didn't know it until I was covered in them. I have more bites than I can count running all over my back and arms.

At last count they had taken over the front yard, the kitchen, the living room, and one bathroom.

I stand watching them and can't help but wonder what's next...

This is seriously a "Birds" like invasion... just with ants.

Help us please.

A to Z

A is for age. 24
B is for burger of choice. Two: Kincaid's and the bacon cheese burger at Texas Grill.
C is for what car you drive. A Scion
D is for Dog's name. Cobi
E is for essential item you use every day. Toothpaste. I can live without everything else, but not toothpaste! Oh, and facewash...
F is for favorite tv show at the moment. So You Think You Can Dance (I'm SO bummed out Mark got voted off last week!)
G is for Favorite game. I love, love, love Loaded Questions, nearly any card game, and nearly anything on the Wii.
H is for Hometown.I grew up in Fort Worth.
I is for instruments you play. I play the piano.
J is for favorite juice. Apple juice hands down.
K is for who you'd like to kiss. ... I'm going to pass on this one for now! :)
L is for last restaurant you ate at. Chipotle.
M is for your favorite Muppet. I love Animal and Fozzie - he cracks me up..
N is for number of piercings. Two. one in each ear.
O is for overnight hospital stays. None
P is for people you were with today. Everyone I work with (although today was one of those days I stayed buried in my cube most of the day!), my Dad, and soon to be my gym friends! :)
Q is for what you do with your quiet time. Quiet time as in not at work time, I usually work out, write, read, and relax to one of my favorite shows, or talk on the phone for a while! Quiet time as in Bible Study, I usually start with prayer, read a chapter of Scripture, do some structured Bible Study for a study I'm in, and then close with a more specific time of prayer, but that's just kind of my rough outline - I kind of go wherever I'm feeling led that day!
R is for biggest regret. I don't really have any... I have a few things where I wish I had responded differently, or where I wish things could have been different, but I think that I wouldn't be the person I am today, or be where I'm at today if those things hadn't happened...
S is for status. Single
T is for time you woke up today. 7:45 a.m. - I definitely have to start working on being more disciplined and waking up earlier!
U is for what you consider unique. My life, and the lives of everyone around me!
V is for vegetable you love. I LOVE brocolli. Absolutely love it. I also love fresh green beans, carrots... yum.
W is for worst habit. Overthinking and being unsure in myself sometimes...
X is for number of x-rays you've had. So many... dance and being a goalie can do that to a girl!
Y is for yummy food you ate today. Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream... Yum. Good thing I'm headed to the gym in a minute! :oP
Z is for zodiac sign. Scorpio. I don't really believe in all those things, BUT thought it was really interesting that some people think (or maybe it's fact? I don't really know) that the zodiac signs have something to do with the tower of Babyl from Biblical Times... Anyone know anything about that??

Wow God

Lately I have been having a lot of "Wow God" moments.

Some have been sad "Wow God" moments...

Like "Wow God" I don't understand. I don't know how to react. I don't know what You are doing. I don't know what to do. I don't know... I just don't know... Almost like "Wow God" if I didn't know better I would almost think You were cruel. But I know, I believe with everything in me, with all of my heart that You have a greater purpose than what I can see, than what I can feel, than what I can touch. I know my limited view just isn't allowing me to see the greatness You are working. You are the great "I am" and I know that You are working all things together for the good of those who love You and have been called according to Your purpose (Romans 8).

There have also been a lot of incredible "Wow God" moments...

Last week I got in my car and pulled out of the parking lot of one of my favorite restuarants with tears pooling in my eyes, because He is so great... He is just so much bigger than I can ever even begin to understand. To think He delights in us. Delights in flawed, sinful, and deceptive us. To know that He beautifully weaves lives together to bring Him Glory... It's beautiful. And to think we see just the tip of the iceburg of what is really being done. I can't think of anything else to say besides "Wow God!".

I have met some of the most amazing people this past week and it's definitely not because of anything I did. It has nothing to do with anything I could have ever done. He put it together. He orchestrated it. And I'm blessed for it.

A few years ago, when I went through a really hard time in my life, He gave me a heart to see that in everything He is in control... and that He is doing all things for the good of those who love Him. Not just a few things, not just occasionally - He works ALL things together for our good. All.

When He opened my eyes to that, He also opened my eyes to His heart in so many ways... It's one of the greatest things I've ever been blessed to know... I wouldn't trade that time in my life for anything, because now I know. Now I see it. Now I don't take it for granted. Now I know that you can feel the hurt, cry the tears, feel the pain, but at the same time fully know that He is in control, and He is working all things for good. Whether we understand it or not, that is what He is doing. And in Him, we find peace, we find hope, we find mercy, we find grace even in the saddest, most confusing moments life can bring us. He is so great!

Wow God!

Thoughts...

I'm restless today.... it's aggravating.

I'm trying to rest on His Promises. On His Word. On His Truth... I know His timing is always perfect. Always.

At all times, He is Faithful.
At all times, He is all Knowing.
At all times, He is guiding.
At all times, He is perfect.
At all times, He is Sovereign.

I need to follow.
I need to trust.
I need to...

I need to cling to my King.

This year has been a blessing. A year of recovery in so many ways from what had been a crazy few years... A year of calm, of constant after a few years of instability in everything I had considered to be stable.

And I learned...
He is the only Stability.
He is the only Constant.
He is my rock... He is the Rock of the Ages.

And now... Now I feel like I know where He is leading. Somewhere a world away from where I thought He would, but this feeling... It's impossible to shake. You know that feeling where everything just fits? Where you feel like you're walking hand in hand and step-in-step with the Lord? And you can't explain it, it doesn't even really make complete sense to you, but you just know what He wants for you?

That's where I am...

And it's beautiful, and wonderful, and such a huge and amazing blessing and place to be, but now I'm anxious to move forward. To take the next step on the path.

But, I know everything in His time.
In His perfect, beautiful timing.

And in the meantime... in this time... I'll wait and walk in His Promises.

Firenze

I'm about to get ready to go to a soccer game, but thought I should drop a quick note to say I'm back from my short-term mission! Italy was beyond incredible (the people in ministry there are indescribably great people and I wish I had a chance to get to know them better). We had a lot of incredibly great moments (VBS, campus outreach, and some great conversations...), and a lot of incredibly frustating moments (airplane delays, train strikes and hotel mishaps!), but the mission was fabulous, and as always, the Lord stands Great.

More on everything later though! If the Lord ever opens the door, I can't wait to go back and be a part of what the Lord is doing there!

~ Arriverderche for now! :)

I Love Summer...

Friday night...

The fan whirled softly overhead while a squirrel ran across the fence, and the fireflies made the landscape sparkle...

... dusk always makes me feel like the Lord's Hand is over us.

... as though He is surrounding the world with His Beauty.

... as though something greater than we could even imagine is just beyond the horizon waiting patiently on us.

... dusk is when Hope and Peace fill the air.

... it's when the best conversations, sweetest moments, and incredible memories are made...

And during those times, nothing but my big sister and an empty stomach can pull me from my lawnchair, because if only for a moment, the world feels as though the it is stable and still.

... if only for a moment on a Friday night.

Cali highlights!

My week in California was fabulous... I didn't realize how much I needed a vacation until I was halfway through the trip! I'll post more later, but here's some highlights in pictures!

We ate...

We cooked...

We relaxed...

We made new friends...

Reconnected and spent time with cherished old friends...

We climbed a mountain...

We played...

And we basked in God's Glory...

More to come later...

California

This morning...

My heart nearly hit the ceiling when I woke up and realized I had less than ten minutes to be out the door...

Somehow... by the Grace of God I think... I made it.

Driving home, my sunroof open, while stopped at the stoplight, I stopped, looked up and finally took a deep breath.

...vacation...

Four years in the making and now it's finally here!

California here I come! :)

Eyes that hold no hope

I have seen eyes that hold no hope.

Souls struggling... for nothing.

Working desparately for everything that they can't quite grasp... working so hard for everything that will never last...

All their work in vain.

Yesterday... I struggled to understand what the World's birth pains where... I knew of famines, of tragedy... but today... today it just all seems so close.

Too close.

Hurricanes, Tornados, Earthquakes... Thousands upon thousands of souls gone in a flash.

Birth pains (Matthew 24)... I understand now.

My heart struggles... We have it so easy and yet.

Of those... I'm sure that among those are my brothers and sisters.

I'm sure of it.

And they are struggling now.

I pray for them.

And I have seen the power of prayer.

Miracles upon miracles performed by our Lord.

Far away, and close to home. People need to know the way.

Because the darkness draws close...

But God is in the darkness. This I know.

His Light overcomes the darkness...

He is the Light to an overwhelmingly dark world.

And His children, His reflection even in the darkest of days...

Pray for His reflecting lights... Pray for His people... Pray for the lost... Pray for those surrounded by dark...

I see the darkness drawning closer, but I'm scared of my own weakness. I'm scared when I see brother and sister turn on each other over the silliest things... because if we don't stand shoulder to shoulder now... then when?

Help us Lord to be strong in You. Help us to stand side by side... Forgive us for being so weak... for being so easy to bend... for being so quick to find fault in others... and so slow to find it in ourselves... Help those hurting right now... be with those in the dark... Please stay near to us Father... Help all of us who are reflections to be as bright as we can... and guide our footsteps directly into Your loving arms...

There's nothing you can do if you're too scared to try

Last year...
I had the most beautiful little boy in my Sunday School/ nursery class at church.

He is incredibly smart, has the most beautiful green eyes, hates wearing his shoes, and has a little teddy bear shaped sippy cup that goes everywhere he does.

He also has Down's Syndrome.

For months, I stood back and watched him as he tried so hard to get his clumsy feet, legs, and hands to work for him... not against him.

Months and months went by and he continued to struggle. He became a better walker... He graduated from his high chair to a regular chair... He got better at using his hands... but he just couldn't quite get past whatever it was that was keeping him from being able to climb.

Until one day, Charlie learned how to climb.

Tears filled my eyes and one slipped down my cheek as he finally - FINALLY, was able to climb up on top of his chair. He stood as tall as he could, looked around the room, turned in half a circle and then threw both of his sweet chubby arms above his head.

I sent up a prayer of thanks as I sat behind him making sure he wouldn't fall.

Charlie can climb.

For months he couldn't do it... but he never gave up.

He triumphed and I couldn't have been happier... I wanted to throw him a party right there on the spot...

Because Charlie did it. He made it!

Later that night...I realized how we could all learn from my little friend Charlie.

I had Charlie in my class for nearly a year and every Sunday morning he greeted me with a big smile.

He was always so sweet to the other kids.

He always reached out to others.

And he never - ever gave up.

Even though he had every reason to.

Even though we would probably tell him it was okay for him to.

But Charlie didn't care.

Charlie never gave up on life...

Charlie was never too scared.

I don't understand how as believers we walk around without joy.

I don't know how we treat others - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ - so badly.

I don't know how it is that we so rarely reach out of our comfort zone and toward others.

I don't understand how we give up so easily even though we have absolutely NO reason to...

I don't understand what we're so scared of...

I feel the fear too sometimes...

Sometimes I'm so scared that I will fail, that nobody will like me, that I won't be good enough, that I will let someone down... or more importantly that I will let God down, that the fear nearly strangles the life out of me...

... It nearly paralyzes me sometimes...

But even still, I don't understand where it comes from.

And I don't know why it is that we don't reach farther, try harder, and dream bigger than anyone else... We already know the end of our fairy tale. We already know what Christ has promised us. We already know where we belond, who we are, and to Whom we belong...

So why don't we act like we know?!

Why do we act like we don't have an abundant life promised to us... Why do we act like we have something to fear when we're told that we're called to Fear the Lord our God and that's it...

Why do we act like we will have one million tomorrows, when we are told to live for today... for this moment... for this second... for this breath?

Why don't we all live a little more like Charlie...?

Charlie was and continues to be considered 'rejected' by the World, and so was our Savior... He continued to fight even when people told him no... Just like Our Beloved... He didn't fear anything... Just like our Abba... and he triumphed... Just like our Father.

Why don't we all live a little more like Charlie, and a lot more like Christ.

... that day Charlie reminded me that there is nothing I can do if I'm too scared to try... nothing I can become if I'm not willing to work... nothing I can overcome if I'm trying on my own strength and not on His.

Dear God

Our church group is about to begin a month-long study called "Dear God". It's an opportunity to write out all those questions you want to ask God, send them in to our pastor and then go through them and see what Scripture says about them.

The other day our pastor and I were talking about the series, and I began thinking about what would I ask God if I could ask Him anything right now...

It feels as though if you have an opportunity to ask God a question, it should be a question worthy of Him, if such a thing exists...

I can think of tons of questions about eschatology, about life, about Scripture, or about life and why I can seem to remember nearly every conversation I've had with every person I've ever met, but can't remember where I parked my car, or how to get around the town I've lived in my entire life... but those just didn't seem to be fitting of His time.

Then tonight... I sat and let my mind wander.

Flipping through Scripture. Letting my eyes wander across the page...

I landed here:
"Teach me your way , O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O LORD my God, with all my heart..." Psalm 86:11

And I realized what I would ask.

Why me?

Why?

We know that ALL good things come only through You, and You chose me. You opened my heart, opened my eyes, formed me lovingly... all knowing I would fail.

You chose me to know You. You chose me. You still choose to choose me.

I don't know that I would choose me.

I hate that I know I dissapoint You...

I hate that I want to do things that I know are wrong.

I hate that I am so divided.

I hate that I want so much of this world when I know it's all temporary...

Give me a pure heart Lord, I pray!

So why me? Why do you look at me and smile? Why do you love me so much that you would send your ONLY son to die for MY sins. For my selfishiness, for my vanity, for my pride, for all the sins I am and will commit. For all the sins I will commit AFTER having read how You feel about them. Why...

It blows my mind you love me... It blows my mind you choose me. So my question would be, why?

Why did you choose me? Why do you still choose me? Why do you allow me to serve You when You know better than I do that You don't need me...

You know I love You, Abba... that I am nothing with You. You know that I try so hard to serve You in the way You deserve, but fall painfully, horrificly short... You know I can never do enough or be enough for You, and yet despite all my shortcomings you still love me more than I can even understand... You still care enough to form my fingers, my ears, my eyes... to make just one thing different about me, knowing I would hate it while growing up, but also knowing full well what my Mom would tell me about it to make me feel so loved by not just her, but more importantly by You... to know the number of hairs on my head at any given moments in time... to provide for me... even to bless me so greatly... You made me uniquely different from every other person on this planet. You gave me eyes to see, and hands to serve. And I didn't do a single thing to deserve any of it.

Why do You love me so much? Why do Why do you forgive me so much? Why do you give us sunsets, the ocean, sweet moments of fellowship, family, friends, and daffodills?

Why?

Why did you make us knowing we would dissapoint You?

Why do you never give up on me?

Why?

I'd say thank you, but it's never enough... And I praise You Father, but even that I can't do in a mannar worthy of You! Your Grace, Your Power and Your Love are all beyond anything I can possibly ever understand in my humanity...

I love you, but sometimes I still can't help but to wonder why you love me back...

Sometimes I still wonder why you still choose me.

Sometimes I wonder...

Why me, Abba?

While the cat's away...

Game On. :)

Use His Moods...

A few days ago...

I got online to check my e-mail and an article caught my eye: Use his moods to get what you want.

Seriously. That's what it said.

I had to read it a few times, because I REALLY wanted to not believe that I was reading what I was reading.

I ended up having to close out and walk away for a few minutes.

It just breaks my heart to think about it... to think people are going to read that... to think that it made the front page...

... to think people are going to follow it!

It's just so manipulate.

And scheming.

And deceptive.

And lying.

And conniving...

BUT I guess it's a little bit like that serpant in the garden...

I guess it's been a little bit like this from the beginning...

I guess not so much has changed since then.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made." Genesis 3:1

The scary thing is... even though I know - God's Word tells me over and over that Satan is alive and real... that he is incredibly deceptive, crafty, and smart. Even though I know that - sometimes I start to forget it. Sometimes part of me just begins to forget that he is wanting to attack me; that he's just itching to distract me from Christ. That he's dying, thirsting for my blood... for my heart.

I pray constantly that I won't forget, AND YET... even still sometimes I forget.

I didn't read that article. Part of me wanted to, but I decided I didn't want - or need - to know anything past the title.

The title was plenty.

It makes me wonder why I am so surprised when I hear of another broken marriage. Why I wonder why people - even believers - struggle so much with loving one another in a Biblical way.

AND yet...

as believers, we're told exactly how we're supposed to treat each other.

Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. 1 Timothy 5:1-2

I think that rules out "Using His Moods to Get What You Want". Sorry girls.

We're supposed to treat each other as brother and sisters.

I think that means we treat each other with love, respect, and a pure motive and heart. I think that means we should seek God together. We should serve Him together. We should fellowship together. But I don't think that ever means we manipulate each other. I think that means we don't play games, we don't 'test the waters', and we definitely don't use each other.

I wish so much that I could sit down and have a cup of coffee with every single person who read that article and took it to heart. I wish I could take that writer our for a few cups of coffee. Because I just think that anyone who has practiced using someone must have a heart so broken... It must be shattered. I don't care what they say... I just get the sense that they must have been hurt badly. I want to give them a hug and tell them I know... I've had my heart hurt so badly and so deeply that I spent hours on my knees praying that I wouldn't become cold hearted... I wanted desparately to not be hurt anymore, I didn't want to let anyone in. I thought if I didn't let anyone in close then they couldn't hurt me. But I know now that that kind of life isn't what we're called to. I pray that if I get hurt, God uses it. But I desparately pray I won't become cold hearted...

And I think people who use someone like that don't know real love. I guess they couldn't since they don't know Christ. Since they don't know true love in it's purest, most wonderful form... They obviously don't know it in its selfless, pure, giving form...

That is so sad. That seems so cold.

It seems plastic and stagnant.

It seems so horrible...

I pray we'll know how to love each other like brothers and sisters... that we'll seek out Christ first...

Because he offers as an abundant life... a wonderful, beautiful life. A life above circumstances...

If only we'll just listen. If only we'll just figure out how to make it work, because I know it can. If only we'll just work to be more like Christ and less like the world...

... if only...

God's Grace

It struck me again today how great God is!!! His Grace is just so beyond what I can even comprehend...

He shelters us in the midst of our storms.

He provides when we are in need.

And not just in a theoretical way...
Today, I woke up dragging. I was exhausted, feeling sick, and absolutely not wanting to go to work.

If I were God I would want to send me an attitude change ASAP, because I was being completely ungrateful and whiny.

But, that's not how our God works.

Instead He reminded me of His Grace by having a sweet email from a new friend in my inbox to greet me this morning...

then a great conversation with my boss.

then an introduction where my boss told me she was grateful for me.

then an opportunity for a sweet time of fellowship with a prayer warrior.

And just now, a reminder that He provides our every breath, and knows the exact number of our days on earth.

It always takes my breath away that the God of the Universe cares about me so much that instead of breaking and discipling me when I'm weak - even though I fully deserve it, he lifts me up, and heals me...

I can't even put into words how great that is to know...

"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving" ~ Psalm 69:30

Wish I could...

Today...

Excitement filled the air around me.

Thoughts swirled above my head, just waiting to be grabbed and pulled down to paper.

My mind turned back to yesterday.

It's amazing what can happen when you pull a group of people from so many different walks of life and unite them with a single cause.

A few days ago I was listening to a sermon from one of my favorite pastors... he was talking about how strange it is that we can say we love Christ, we can act 'righteous' until we run into someone who believes the same things we do, but is a little too different for our comfort. He talked about how ridiculous it is that we don't embrace them, but give them a cold shoulder. How awful is it that we shy away from the people who are different from us! The believers that walk alongside me who are the MOST different from me, the ones that MOST often make me uncomfortable, who I MOSTly don't get are the ones who stretch my faith, challenge me to grow closer to God, and expose parts of me I hadn't recognized before. Those people I love (among other reasons) for those reasons! I love being around people who are similar AND different from me. I think it's good for us to be uncomfortable sometimes. After all Christ didn't come to make us more comfortable...

... He didn't come to pave a life of comfort and security for us.

... way too often we are way too comfortable in this world. With this life...

But one day, we all all live comfortably, wonderfully together united in the purpose of praising our savior...

Sometimes I just can't wait for that day to be here!!!

But in the meantime... there's so much to be done. So many people who need to hear, and so many lives that need to be touched.

In the meantime, I need to become more like Him and less like the world. I need to stretch, grow, and reach further...

And I need to remember that life on earth is just that... life for the meantime...

In His Hands

I have so much to say… So much I have learned.

Hurts from the past finally laid to rest… Vulnerability confessed and finally practiced. Faith placed back where it belongs – in His hands. Lately, I've been feeling as though God is doing such great things… I can't place my finger on just what it is… Just that it is happening: and that I will continue to pray.

Tonight… A dear friend called unexpectedly. Normally we talk about work-related things, but tonight was something new… Something sweet, unexpected and so encouraging in many ways – a new branch of friendship formed.

A few days ago… I drove down the old ranch road. The windows rolled down, a favorite song playing on the radio. I held my hand up and looked as my fingers laced through the sky, as though I were tracing the stars…

…and my thoughts wandered. Our Father knows the exact number of stars in the sky… How humbling, how exciting! The very fact that He knows us by name… knows our every thought… every breath… and loves us like He does. An impossible, beautiful, awe-inspiring love.

How I love Him... and how wonderful to know that my faith in Him assures me that no matter how I might mess things up, I will always be securely placed where I belong - in His Hands.

I have Aunt fever!!!

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting and the moment is finally here...

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!

I think all the parents in the baby section of Target must have thought I was the biggest nut in the world - I just was way too excited to be shopping in that section for MY SISTER (YAY!!!) and I just could not make up my mind on whether or not she absolutely needed the yellow rubber duck thermometer, the ducky chew toy, or a fun froggy blanket.

I'm so excited that over the next few months I'll get to plan a baby shower, help decorate the room, get meals ready for when the baby is born, and then... BABYSITTING!

I just feel so blessed that God is giving a sweet baby to my sister and brother-in-law! They're going to be such great parents and I feel so blessed that I get to be a part of their lives and be living so close to them during this special time!!

Grace

Today a conversation while standing in a parking lot caused tears... and I pray heart changes.

It's so hard to look someone in the eye and tell them about the grace the Lord has given you and know that they want it so badly, but can't - no won't - accept it. They refuse to accept what Christ has done for them, so that they don't have to carry that cross. So that they don't have to live in the past.

... It's almost as though they choose to let their past define who they are today, because it's easier for them to punish themselves than to admit their is a perfect God who loves them dearly... who took all our sin, all our shame, all of OUR punishment, so that we wouldn't have to endure it.

He doesn't always take away the consequences, but He is a God of mercy. He is a God who wants and has planned an abundant life for us. Not a life full of shame, bad consequences and pain. He doesn't promise us that following Him will be perfect, but He has promised He will go through it with us, and He has promised eternity in a perfect heaven with Him! He has promised He will never leave nor forsake us... He has promised us so much more than we could ever ask for.

... and so much more than we deserve.

This world is full of God's mercies, His miracles, His wonders, His HOPE, His GRACE, and His beauty...

... If you walk with Him, if you love Him all you have to do is look for it.

and go and embrace the life He's offered.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

After months and months of thinking I would never become a part of the whole blogging thing, I'm finally giving in! With sisters, family and friends scattered around all kinds of different time zones across the world, I thought this would be a fun way to keep all of you updated and - small as it might be - a way to remain included in the 'day to day' of our lives... And after months and months of reading all of your blogs, I thought maybe it was time to give a little something back to the blogging world... :)

I don't know how updated I'll keep this; hopefully, I'll post something a few times a week, but just keep checking back! :)