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. 🙂

 

Soul Cravings, Part 1

“Home is ultimately not about a place to live but about the people with whom you are most fully alive.  Home is about love, relationship, community and belonging, and we are all searching for home.” –Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus

I’m leaving “home” next week.  I said one of many good-byes yesterday and it broke my heart.  I love deeply and even just thinking about the good-byes to come and those that have already happened, my heart aches.  I know there is e-mail, skype, mail and all sorts of ways to keep in touch.  But it’s just not the same as being able to jump in the car and see someone.  Or run errands together just because you both happen to have to go to the bank and Target.  

Yet at the same time, I am so excited to create a new home.  A home in a different place with different people.  A fresh start. A new beginning.  A chance to soak in everything.  To love deeply.

So, here I am. Loving deeply and already missing home while looking forward to home.

Are You Caught?

“When you look in the mirror, you see who you used to be rather than who you are.”

“Teach me to see me as who I am in Christ because in Christ you are completely forgiven.”

“You are doing things for him because you are afraid that if you don’t he will leave.”

“If there is going to be no commitment, you are better than being treated like you’re something from Rent-A-Center. You are valuable in the sight of God.”

“The easiest thing for her to do would be to jump right back into the relationship when things get tough.”

“He wants to you live the life that he created you to live.”

“Jesus’ passion can overcome your problem.”

“I’m obsessed with who you could be if you would just give your life to me.” -Jesus

-Random quotes from Perry Noble’s sermon “Caught”

Passion

What is the greatest passion in your life? What drives you? What motivates you? What is your credo?

Go read Philippians 1:18b-26

Okay, so some of you did and some of you didn’t read the verse.  For those of you who didn’t, the key verse is “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  Some would say that’s Paul’s credo.  That’s Paul take on life.  Everything that he lives and breathes is Christ.  He wants to “magnify Jesus in every situation” he encounters.  Dying means perfect and complete fellowship with Christ for Paul.  While, living means that he can be used by God in the lives of others.  He can continue to magnify Christ and help others magnify Christ.  Yet EITHER way Christ is with him.  Whether Paul lives or dies, Christ is with him.  While he is living, the prayers of others and the work of the Holy Spirit help lead him to boldness for the Gospel and for magnifying Christ.  Furthermore, when the primary passion is to magnify Jesus in every situation our prayers change from “Get me out of this!” to “Get me out of this, but help me glorify you in this and cherish you as gain no matter what happens.”  How do You want to use my now?  If magnifying Jesus become my overarching theme how will I use my other passions to encompass that credo?

 So, the real question is what is your passion? What drives you? Is it Jesus? Or is it something else?

 

–Thoughts based off of the sermon series “To&ether for the Gospel: A Study in Philippians.”  Sermon from November 16th, 2008 “What’s your Credo?” by Pastor Andy.  Check out Antioch Community Church for more information or podcasts.  The sermon from today should be posted on the blog later this week.

“The Club”

When I start a sport, I want to be part of “the club.”  People in the club not only look the part, but really know what they’re doing from equipment to training to clothing.  Part of being in “the club” consists of working hard and striving to be the best at the sport.  This drives me on like none other.  I want to bike fast, swim fast, swing well, and put in the hours to do so.  Now with many sports multiple clubs form to accommodate the different levels.  For example, in biking one finds the recreational bikers, the commuters, the cyclists, the triathletes, ect.  (FYI: I made up these “titles” on the fly).  Each “club” has different expectations, a different look, and a different purpose.  Since I’m a crazed sports addict, I usually prefer the competitive, hardcore, intense “club.”  I want to jump right into all the aspects of the hardcore, intense “club” in whatever sport I’m participating.  Hence why I invested in a sweet awesome bike (I rode it tonight and am still in love…maybe it needs a name? suggestions?).  I also doled out the cash for sweet awesome dorky bike shorts and a jersey that matches my bike.  All of this to say that I felt like part of “the club” tonight.  While I was biking along praising the Lord for the gorgeous night and the ways He’s worked in my life recently, the other “hardcore” intense bikers with their padded shorts nodded and gave me the knowing look–the look that says, “Sweet. You’re a cyclist too.”  I ate it up.  The camaraderie and encouragement that comes from these moments empowers me to pedal harder, go farther and find more joy as well as continue to excel at the sport and learn more so that I can become an expert.  In the same way, when I interact and see other Christians, I am propelled to crack open my Bible, dive into prayer, and fight the good fight.  I heard a testimony tonight that gave me renewed encouragement and drive to live every aspect of my life with passion for God including the times spent on the road while wearing the awesome dorky bike pants.

House!

Yikes…I have to move out in less than a month!  I’m getting really excited, but at the same time every once in a while the whole thing freaks me out.  I’m curious to see where I’m going to live and with who and how all of this will pull together in time.  I’m ready to see God’s hand work through and with all of the details to something great.  We’re hopefully going house-hunting this weekend!  I’ll let you know how everything goes 🙂

p.s. I ran/walked outside today and it was AMAZING. I LOVE the warm, happy weather.  Helped make up for the ridiculously busy day.