He Saw

When Jesus SAW him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition he said to him, “Do you wish to get well?’

Jesus noticed.

Jesus asked a question.

Jesus listened.

“Get up, pick up your pallet, and walk” Immediately the man became well and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

Sometimes we need steps.

First we have to do one thing before we can get to the next.

Jesus shows us the way.

“Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple.”

Jesus seeks us out even after we’ve been healed.

Jesus keeps pursuing us.

Jesus wants us to experience the abundant life.

-John 5:6, 8, 14

What’s Jesus doing in your life?

For me…

He’s asking me to trust. To trust BIG. Practically, that means surrendering some “good things” in order to fully accept whatever He has and trust that God alone is better than anything here.

Can He?

I love that Nicodemus still questions and leaves room for God to do the impossible all at once.

“How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” -John 3:4

Even when all sorts of questions come to my mind–which happens often–I want to still leave room for that question at the end of my thoughts. I want to leave room for God to do the impossible and show me His ways rather than be stuck in my ways. I’d rather tag a question on the end than get caught up in logic and my ways. Especially because I have a few situations where I don’t see how they work or will work out yet…so I’m chatting with God and leaving the question so that I can:

“…take [my] stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before [my] eyes.” -1 Samuel 12:16

1,000 and Still Counting

Early in the week I reached one thousand gifts!!!  Can I just say that I love doing this? I love seeing the world around me through the eyes of joy.  Choosing joy.  Realizing that moments slow down as my heart fills to soak all the little parts right up. So here goes for a thousand more…

945. getting to do the little things for others

972. a new ringtone to hear

986. honest, raw, real

996. being picked up

1000. being covered in prayer

1025. first bike ride of the season

1044. that moment of sitting in my car with the music up loud before going in somewhere

1054. having everything else be an overflow on top of Christ’s love

1080. having so many moments that I can’t remember them all

1094. feeling absolutely lovely

1105. walks with my mama

What moment did you love about last week? Or…..what’s your favorite African animal? 🙂

Saturday Quiz

I’m an INFJ, an idealist counselor. I love fiercely, see in possibilities, need more people time than I used to, and work with a plan that goes with the flow in a calm extra flexible creative problem solving way.

“They are intricately and deeply woven, mysterious, and highly complex, sometimes puzzling even to themselves.”

“Abstract in communicating, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities.”

“Tend to be creative and easily inspired.”

Oh, and I love hearing about people’s Meyers Briggs while keeping it as a chance to learn rather than label or put in a box 

What are you? Have you taken the test? Read anything new on it?

A Few of My Happy Places

My bed…so many pillows and blankets and things (usually not this neat, but rather covered with books, bags, mittens, random things). it’s one of those places you just sink into, curl up and feel right.

walking on the beach (florida, cape town, anywhere really)

my porch in africa or on one of the mountains and well africa in general

Lindo on my shouldersDriving in a car with big sunglasses on, windows down, music up loud

So, there are a few of my happy places. There are many more…but that’s a start. 🙂

What about you? Where’s your happy place/s? Do you have a favorite place? (I don’t do favorites!).

*Check out other happy places at The Gypsy Mama’s

Seen as a Promise

Remember when I was pondering what love looked like?

Well, I found another thing to ponder. to mull over. to chew. Part of Alece’s comment on this post caused me to go “whoa! wait a second!”  She referred to the following as a PROMISE:

“My sheep know My voice and the voice of another they will not follow.”

Typically, I am/try to be positive, upbeat, excited about things. Except with this verse and other cut and dry type verses (like some in 1 John), my heart and head do a 180 toward “what if I’m not one of those sheep.” Not a good place. But, then, when I keep reading in the chapter I find…

“and I give eternal life to them and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” -John 10:27-28

Now as if seeing the first part as a promise wasn’t a big enough whoa…throw in the mix that NO ONE can snatch us out of His hands then I’m totally sitting in awe.

He keeps peeling back the layers, exposing new truths, and shedding lies…and I am ever in awe at how the Bible truly allows me to dig in and see all sorts of new things no matter how many times I’ve read a passage.

What are you reading lately? How’s God been leaving you in awe?

Adjustment

Confession: I tend to be very black and white, all or nothing on some particular things. Yet, I am very see all sides and potentials of a situation while voicing them each. I live in that tension and I’m okay with that…it’s me.  Sometimes this tension makes me stop. pause. for some adjustments. some changes. some prioritization.

As many of you may know, I like to run. a lot. I ran 13 miles last Wednesday and yes, I agree wholeheartedly that doing that is crazy!  I started a training plan without a specific race in mind and more of a way to structure my running, take days off, have a goal.  Not a bad idea at all. But, the thing is…I started letting my structure and running schedule dictate my actions far more than it should.

So, today, I ran with a friend. I usually would have run again to fit in my “scheduled” run, but I drove home instead.

I’m choosing to say no to a schedule so that I can say YES: to God,  to trusting His plan more than my own, to more prayer walks, to remembering that this is NOT failure, believing that I’m not defined by running, to more spontaneous or even planned times with people, and to still running.

Because, really. for me, saying yes to life shared with God and others is worth the adjustment.

I Have You in My Heart

Last year…

I carried orphans (Lindo, Thabo, Jamesy)  on my back. I watched my baby (Lindo) be adopted into a family that welcomed me.

I held Lerato (love) in my arms before mixing mud to make bricks to build her a house.

I equipped learners with biblical truths and encouraged them to step out to become contagious Christians.

I worshipped God on a mountain with my people.

This year…

I pray. I call. I encourage. I am mindful.

I bought TOMS shoes that give a pair of shoes to a South African kiddo.

I bought Lerato shirts to support someone who spoke truth into my life and still does..

And now. I can shop at the Thrive Store.

~

Even though, things look quite a bit different from last year

what I wrote before and finally got around to painting rings true.

“I have you in my heart.” Philippians 1:7

I can still make an impact

even from 9000 miles away

and so can you.

A shirt, a coffee mug, becoming a monthly supporter…

Together we can hold them in our hearts and make it possible for them to be held by loving arms, to learn God’s truth, to be empowered with love to change their nation.

So, what are you going to do?

right here, right now…joy.

hello week. good-bye weekend. i feel like i need another weekend. seriously i’m finding that the days and weeks keep going faster and faster. before long…i’ll be old 😉 i feel like a happy broken record coming here each week and saying that joy is everywhere and that i feel so….loved. joyful. at peace. excited. at home. seriously, y’all (i’m not southern but i just felt like saying that), God is so very faithful. months ago, one of my intern people told me about how when he was praying for me that he saw a book where i needed to focus on the page at hand rather than look ahead to the end. i think i’m finally starting to live like that and trust God like that. saying hello to the new adventure right here, right now and not trying to make another adventure happen on my own.  so, without further ado, here are some snapshots of joy…

816. knowing that people have my back

830. more swings, more swings (cute little kiddos on the playground)

871. eating brownies with a spoon from the pan with my people

876. melting into peace

879. moments where my heart stops in a good way

880. memories i want to hold onto

888. closing my eyes to soak up the moment

908. bananagrams and cribbage and laughing and fabulous people

938. watching life!

and before you run off…don’t forget to comment because it makes my heart happy to hear from you all! did you watch life? what was the highlight of your week? anything I can be praying for you about?

p.s. i’m SO close to 1000 gifts. 🙂

 

We Are Full of Beauty

that moment.

when the clock slows to fast forward.

to wrap us up in a memory that holds the sunrise of hope.

love.peace.comfort.overflowing.

into home.

being.simply being.

you.me.

being able to let all the masks fall off.

to fall asleep.

fully present. in beauty.

full of beauty.

*This is my response to the challenge presented by Sarah: “Write a blog post about beauty. Your thoughts, your pain, your triumphs. It can be outer beauty, inner beauty, what you hate, what you love. Anything. Be creative. It can even be a single photo.”

**That right there. written above. that’s when I feel beautiful and fully me. nothing held back.and even though it’s few and far between my heart so wants to feel and find that “fall asleep home” that fully comes from God more often. because in Him is where I am full of beauty.

***So, what about you? What are your thoughts about beauty?