10 Day You Challenge

The title of this post totally makes me think of a fitness challenge…but it’s not.  I saw this on my favorite Vizsla loving blog and thought it was so fun!  Since it’s a perfect sunny day and I’ve got the morning free, I’m taking a little time to start this.  Here’s the lowdown…

ten secrets, nine loves, eight fears, seven wants, six places, five foods, four books, three films, two songs, and one picture.

So, today, I’m going to start off with six places!  Mostly in random order 🙂

1. Africa. First place that comes to mind that has my heart and that I can’t wait to go back to someday.  I loved falling in love with Africa even when there were the incredibly tough times and the things that stretched me to my limits.  Living there for a year definitely was one of the best things I have ever done.

2. Greece…this trip for school was so good for my heart and filled with so much fun with fun people.

3. Italy.  I loved all things pistachio and all things food!  I would love to go back to Italy and explore more and see more of the coast.

4. Mountains.  I love mountains.  Hiking in them, looking at them, skiing, whatever.  They’re my favorite.  I would totally be down for living in the mountains someday.  I loved living on the side of one in Africa.  Add in a lake by the mountains and I’m set.

5. Dirt Roads. When they’re dusty, but not too dusty and stuck in the middle of nowhere.  I love a good run or a walk or even a drive on a dirt road.  6. Bed.  My bed has one of my favorite places to be.  So in bed with a good book or a movie with these two makes my day.  I love being able to retreat there and just be comfortable and relaxed. 

Oh and for the record…this was actually really hard to keep it to just 6 places! I could have added in a ton…the beach, the water, sitting outside, running, and that doesn’t even include all of the places that I want to go to but I haven’t been!

 

 

 

 

3 months and counting

3 super happy months of being married! woot! in celebration, I went through our wedding pictures and honeymoon pictures to finally post them on facebook.  if we’re friends, you can look at them here. made me totally want to do the whole day over again and to run off to the mountains and the beach like now. but instead, i’ll make a list of all the fun things i love about life right where i’m at! in no particular order here are 12 things for the 12th.

1. being married

2. my awesome husband

3. my adorable dog Boaz who loves me

4. my church family.

5. a wonderful place to live that is warm even though it’s still cold outside

6. traveling to look forward to in the future

7. friends’ super cute babies

8. being able to e-mail and text best friends

9. being able to cook all sorts of deliciousness

10.  pinterest boards of lovely things

11. books to read and time to read them

12. mornings spent with god reading the bible and doing the breaking free bible study

What are you loving about your life right now?

put off my rags and clothed me with gladness

1446. walking and talking

1454. softball hits!

1458. changing the station to christian music

1470. hearing the birds in the morning while watching the sunrise

1480. worship at a wedding

1484. watching the storm roll in and even seeing some hail

1488. the smell of rosemary on biscuits

1489. lovely sunday with my church family

1491. a surprise present(the africa picture frame!) at church that made my heart soar

1492. little girls running up to give me hugs

1495. getting lost in worship

1500. hitting send

I’m still counting it all joy and thanking God….where have you seen or found joy?

Turning

Turning the calendar to August, the eighth month, means many things…

1. Next Step summer interns leave on Thursday.
2. Outreach Season ends
3. This next week means performing a skit at LaunchPad assemblies to promote the after-school discipleship classes we teach since classes start up soon.
4. My parents come this month.
5. Term 4 starts
6. 125 days until the internship ends.
7. New beginnings
8. 30 day shred
9. Memorizing: Romans 12:1-2, I Corinthians 6:19-20, Proverbs 15:32-33, I Corinthians 9:25-27
10. Saying hello to self control and discipline to turn the other way from sin
11. Saying good-bye to July and hopefully winter soon
12. Missing one of my best friend’s weddings
13. Hope and expectancy for what’s to come
14. Tearing down walls
15. Meteor showers

Bursting at the Seams

“if we were given all we want here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next” -Elisabeth Elliot

Earlier this week this post that included the quote above greatly encouraged me.  I have asked and planned for a lot of things in my life.  If my plan had gone accordingly, I would be honeymooning right now.  Instead, I got to go to an engaging discussion about prayer tonight.  I struggle with prayer.  I struggle with how to pray, when to pray, how to not “program” prayer.  I get nervous.  I don’t speak because I’m afraid.  Yet, after I’ve spoken to the Lord, I come away with an overwhelming sense of relief and awe.  Not only do I get to speak to Him, but He listens!  Even to the minute, petty details of my life.  I want to be a prayer warrior and infuse my life with prayer that it bursts at the seams.  I want to ask and receive as well as rejoice when I see the amazing things that happen.  I can’t wait to see the awesomely cool things that are going to come about due to the changes in my plans.  So here goes.

p.s. I won’t be typical and ask everyone to comment with a prayer request, but if you would like to leave one, know that I will be praying for you!  If you have something you don’t want to publicize (I definitely know how that goes!) feel free to e-mail me at kigkat@gmail.com