Love is in the air these days!
My younger sister (by three years) is now engaged as of three weeks ago!
And one of my best friends just got engaged as of two weeks ago!
And one of my other best friends just got married on Saturday!
SHEESH!
Everyone's getting married these days! :)
At least, that's what it feels like.
Sometimes that does funny things to my heart.
And yet, I'm so grateful for this amazing challenge and amazing story God is writing with my own life, as I sit tight and wait for him to unveil what he has planned for me.
Over the ensuing months/weeks, I might share more on that.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
It's About Time!
It's about time I updated this thing! :)
Life has been wonderfully full and busy - God is doing so much in my life, in my church, and in my community, so it's hard to find time to sit down and write.
In this next season I want to be more purposeful about setting time aside to get my thoughts "down on paper".
2011 was a surprising year. I thought I might have met the guy I was supposed to marry, only to find out that he didn't really know himself or what he wanted all that well. It ended in a break-up that wasn't handled in the best way, and that was super hurtful for me. Then I was dealing with the man I THOUGHT I was going to marry, for like FOUR YEARS, come back into my life for a few months. He was seeing someone else by this time, and ended up marrying her this last July. I'm thrilled for him, but it's not easy watching someone you once loved so dearly marry someone else, even if you know God has had his hand in separating the two of you and leading you down different paths than what you originally expected.
Naturally, it sounds like I have a lot of relationships with men. Not really. That's pretty much my history right there.
I'm one of those girls that always thought she would only date one guy ever. Really, it's courtship I've always believed in, but I just call it dating because it's a more common term, and not a lot of people are familiar with the idea of courtship. Essentially, though, that's been my only experience. I've never been casual when it came to getting to know someone or spending intentional time with them. I think you can know all you need to know about someone from three feet away. In addition, I think you see what they're like more in a group setting, where you can observe how they treat others, versus how they treat you during the pursuit stage (which often includes inflated promises and actions, that will probably not be their lifelong way of treating you).
2011 was also interesting because I grew into my job a whole lot more. I won't go into it here, as it is not the focus of the blog, but I really love my coworkers and my company. My job is tough and requires a lot of brain power, and these days I also travel for my job quite a bit, so there's nothing restful or relaxing about the what I do for a living. However, I have totally seen God's favor and blessing in it, and I've fallen in love with the group of people I work with, simply because Jesus loves them so entirely much.
2011 was a lot about learning old lessons again, because I didn't learn them well the first time. I'm glad that the Lord is a loving Father who disciplines those he loves. It can seem weird talking about the discipline of the Lord, but he is so gentle with it, and it is always smothered in hope and affection. We have every reason to believe that he will not ever give up on us or discontinue the work he began in us. He will be faithful to complete it. It's a promise.
2011 was a year of intense ministry. The college and career group at my church has ballooned. Our school of supernatural ministry is kickin' awesome, and getting better every week, and our youth are going deep with the Lord. I'm also on the worship team, and what God is doing in our community when it comes to arts and worship is just AMAZING. I eventually want to share more about my personal journey when it comes to music. Someday soon I shall dive into it! :)))
2011 was a year of making incredible life-long friends. I can't even believe how blessed I am to have these kind of people in my life. It's one of the things I'm most thankful for this year!
Anyway, I shall write more later. :)
Life has been wonderfully full and busy - God is doing so much in my life, in my church, and in my community, so it's hard to find time to sit down and write.
In this next season I want to be more purposeful about setting time aside to get my thoughts "down on paper".
2011 was a surprising year. I thought I might have met the guy I was supposed to marry, only to find out that he didn't really know himself or what he wanted all that well. It ended in a break-up that wasn't handled in the best way, and that was super hurtful for me. Then I was dealing with the man I THOUGHT I was going to marry, for like FOUR YEARS, come back into my life for a few months. He was seeing someone else by this time, and ended up marrying her this last July. I'm thrilled for him, but it's not easy watching someone you once loved so dearly marry someone else, even if you know God has had his hand in separating the two of you and leading you down different paths than what you originally expected.
Naturally, it sounds like I have a lot of relationships with men. Not really. That's pretty much my history right there.
I'm one of those girls that always thought she would only date one guy ever. Really, it's courtship I've always believed in, but I just call it dating because it's a more common term, and not a lot of people are familiar with the idea of courtship. Essentially, though, that's been my only experience. I've never been casual when it came to getting to know someone or spending intentional time with them. I think you can know all you need to know about someone from three feet away. In addition, I think you see what they're like more in a group setting, where you can observe how they treat others, versus how they treat you during the pursuit stage (which often includes inflated promises and actions, that will probably not be their lifelong way of treating you).
2011 was also interesting because I grew into my job a whole lot more. I won't go into it here, as it is not the focus of the blog, but I really love my coworkers and my company. My job is tough and requires a lot of brain power, and these days I also travel for my job quite a bit, so there's nothing restful or relaxing about the what I do for a living. However, I have totally seen God's favor and blessing in it, and I've fallen in love with the group of people I work with, simply because Jesus loves them so entirely much.
2011 was a lot about learning old lessons again, because I didn't learn them well the first time. I'm glad that the Lord is a loving Father who disciplines those he loves. It can seem weird talking about the discipline of the Lord, but he is so gentle with it, and it is always smothered in hope and affection. We have every reason to believe that he will not ever give up on us or discontinue the work he began in us. He will be faithful to complete it. It's a promise.
2011 was a year of intense ministry. The college and career group at my church has ballooned. Our school of supernatural ministry is kickin' awesome, and getting better every week, and our youth are going deep with the Lord. I'm also on the worship team, and what God is doing in our community when it comes to arts and worship is just AMAZING. I eventually want to share more about my personal journey when it comes to music. Someday soon I shall dive into it! :)))
2011 was a year of making incredible life-long friends. I can't even believe how blessed I am to have these kind of people in my life. It's one of the things I'm most thankful for this year!
Anyway, I shall write more later. :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Hey Jesus
Hey Jesus, I really love loving you. I really love you loving me. Sometimes I really wish you would come talk to me in person, in physical form. But just because you don't appear the way I want you to appear, doesn't mean I'll stop going after you, stop searching out the depths of your heart. But, it WOULD be nice, you know!
YOU are my great adventure. YOU are my destiny. Knowing YOU, and growing in love...building this relationship, and trusting you more and more every day....it is the sweetest, purest, loveliest of all things. I will waste my life loving you in the secret place. I'll dance for you in my room, when no one else is watching. I'll sing at the top of my lungs in the car, knowing you're smiling at my crazy antics. I'll whisper sweet words to you as I face the monsoon storms coming in off the desert, knowing that every word whisked away by the wind was whisked straight into your heart.
Oh Lord, may I provoke something deep within you. I don't know how a speck of a girl somewhere in the world can bring such joy to your heart, but I know that I do...I know that I know that I know that it's true. You must love me, because I exist. You must enjoy me, because I'm actually rather funny. You must find me cute and adorable, because someone has to. I have freckles and mischievous blue eyes, and only one dimple. I was made a certain way, with a certain humor, a song in my heart that spills forth in the form of a deep, heartfelt chuckle that escapes more often than not. Therefore, I can only conclude that you really like me. I'm glad I know this. I want to know it more. I want it burned on my heart. I feel like I could literally fly whenever I realize that you think of me this way.
Thank you for never giving up on me....for always pursuing, for always loving, or allowing me to go through heartbreak or trials so that I might live out the fullness of my destiny. I'm in such a place of growth, of joy, of expectation. All the sadness, all the tears from failures or disappointments....they've really turned into joy. They have really turned into songs and poems and creative energy. I feel like you are so good that I can't even understand it. You're the kindest, gentlest being I know. You believe in me when I'm about ready to give up on myself. I so desperately love you and need you.
YOU are my great adventure. YOU are my destiny. Knowing YOU, and growing in love...building this relationship, and trusting you more and more every day....it is the sweetest, purest, loveliest of all things. I will waste my life loving you in the secret place. I'll dance for you in my room, when no one else is watching. I'll sing at the top of my lungs in the car, knowing you're smiling at my crazy antics. I'll whisper sweet words to you as I face the monsoon storms coming in off the desert, knowing that every word whisked away by the wind was whisked straight into your heart.
Oh Lord, may I provoke something deep within you. I don't know how a speck of a girl somewhere in the world can bring such joy to your heart, but I know that I do...I know that I know that I know that it's true. You must love me, because I exist. You must enjoy me, because I'm actually rather funny. You must find me cute and adorable, because someone has to. I have freckles and mischievous blue eyes, and only one dimple. I was made a certain way, with a certain humor, a song in my heart that spills forth in the form of a deep, heartfelt chuckle that escapes more often than not. Therefore, I can only conclude that you really like me. I'm glad I know this. I want to know it more. I want it burned on my heart. I feel like I could literally fly whenever I realize that you think of me this way.
Thank you for never giving up on me....for always pursuing, for always loving, or allowing me to go through heartbreak or trials so that I might live out the fullness of my destiny. I'm in such a place of growth, of joy, of expectation. All the sadness, all the tears from failures or disappointments....they've really turned into joy. They have really turned into songs and poems and creative energy. I feel like you are so good that I can't even understand it. You're the kindest, gentlest being I know. You believe in me when I'm about ready to give up on myself. I so desperately love you and need you.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Nursing Broken Heart, Dreaming Big for Jesus
Hi friends. :)
It's been a little while. My heart has been hurting (very normal after a break-up I s'pose), and what with feeling so emotionally raw, I have not been sure whether I should or shouldn't write. On the one hand, vulnerability and honesty is a beautiful thing, and we could certainly use more of it in this world. On the other hand, I don't want to complain or be unsatisfied with the Lord - he really is my joy and strength. And I want to remain unoffended and fully dedicate my heart to him, even though it's a little bit bruised these days. And so, I haven't written much in my personal journal, or called very many of my friends to talk about it. I deactivated my facebook account (which was actually prior to the break-up, and more because I wanted to re-focus on God and had been feeling distracted by social media, but now I certainly don't feel like reactivating it anytime soon).
There is a conflict going on within my soul...
1) One current: I feel God reawakening dreams of revival - I know he is lighting me on fire all over again and taking me to new realms of creative ideas and creative energy. I seem to be making connections left and right of people who are hungry for a move of God in this area. I'm getting together to pray with a few people on Sunday. One of my besties, Emily, is on the same page with me, and together we're coming up with so many ideas - we think these might be downloads from heaven, strategies from our Father - on how to reach our generation of 20 somethings in this area. WOOHOO!!! I wanna see a MOVE OF GOD! I want to see a city transformed by the love of JESUS! YEAH!
2) The countercurrent: Part of me wants to clam up and be mad at God that he "let this happen to me" when he is so all-powerful and all-loving. I'm mad that I let some boy into my heart, I'm mad that I'm 24 and still have so much to figure out. I'm mad that it doesn't seem like I was worth fighting for. In agony, in pain, in turmoil. And my work has suffered for it, as well as other things. You should see my room right now. Utter disaster. Reflects the disaster in my own heart right now.
Sigh - do see the war for my soul? for my future? for my trust in Jesus?
He is my faithful bridegroom king - I need him and him alone. And THAT, is beautiful truth...
This vid - the whole thing - is amazing. Watch it! It's Kim Walker-Smith talking about worship and connection with God. The part that is ministering to me the most right now begins at 6:28 - having an offended heart that eats us alive and keeps us from worshiping God with abandon...
"More than I want answers, I want YOU!"
It's been a little while. My heart has been hurting (very normal after a break-up I s'pose), and what with feeling so emotionally raw, I have not been sure whether I should or shouldn't write. On the one hand, vulnerability and honesty is a beautiful thing, and we could certainly use more of it in this world. On the other hand, I don't want to complain or be unsatisfied with the Lord - he really is my joy and strength. And I want to remain unoffended and fully dedicate my heart to him, even though it's a little bit bruised these days. And so, I haven't written much in my personal journal, or called very many of my friends to talk about it. I deactivated my facebook account (which was actually prior to the break-up, and more because I wanted to re-focus on God and had been feeling distracted by social media, but now I certainly don't feel like reactivating it anytime soon).
There is a conflict going on within my soul...
1) One current: I feel God reawakening dreams of revival - I know he is lighting me on fire all over again and taking me to new realms of creative ideas and creative energy. I seem to be making connections left and right of people who are hungry for a move of God in this area. I'm getting together to pray with a few people on Sunday. One of my besties, Emily, is on the same page with me, and together we're coming up with so many ideas - we think these might be downloads from heaven, strategies from our Father - on how to reach our generation of 20 somethings in this area. WOOHOO!!! I wanna see a MOVE OF GOD! I want to see a city transformed by the love of JESUS! YEAH!
2) The countercurrent: Part of me wants to clam up and be mad at God that he "let this happen to me" when he is so all-powerful and all-loving. I'm mad that I let some boy into my heart, I'm mad that I'm 24 and still have so much to figure out. I'm mad that it doesn't seem like I was worth fighting for. In agony, in pain, in turmoil. And my work has suffered for it, as well as other things. You should see my room right now. Utter disaster. Reflects the disaster in my own heart right now.
Sigh - do see the war for my soul? for my future? for my trust in Jesus?
He is my faithful bridegroom king - I need him and him alone. And THAT, is beautiful truth...
This vid - the whole thing - is amazing. Watch it! It's Kim Walker-Smith talking about worship and connection with God. The part that is ministering to me the most right now begins at 6:28 - having an offended heart that eats us alive and keeps us from worshiping God with abandon...
"More than I want answers, I want YOU!"
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Dear Friends
The reason I was gone for a while was because I started getting to know a young man, and then we started dating, and that took up a lot of time and a lot of my thought life, too.
Well, two days ago, we ended things.
Does my heart hurt?
Oh, so so so much.
That's heartbreak #2 within just under one year. I didn't tell you about heartbreak #1, mostly because it is such a complex, crazy, beautiful, painful, mystery that lasted for four unbelievable years of so many laughs and so many dreams and so many tears... it's a bittersweet story that Jesus allowed me to live through so that he could teach me so much about his lavish love.
And when I started this blog, it was still so fresh. I started the blog because I needed an outlet for my passion for Jesus, and I had lost my best friend and my first love, and could no longer share with him on this level. And so, then boyfriend #2 came along. And he was a man who deeply loved Jesus and was just a totally different guy. The first one was wild and crazy and passionate for life. The second one was calm and restful and contemplative. They were both precious men. I've dated a couple of really precious guys. It feels good to look back and know that. But you know what?! You can date the most AMAZING guys, and then they still break your heart!
GAAAHHH - ladies, why do we go through heartbreak? Isn't it just so hard?!
But I'm holding out for *him*...for the man that will love me with abandon and lay his life down me. If this young man couldn't do it, then that's okay. He doesn't HAVE to be the one....I would rather us not pursue things any further if that's the case. I don't believe in dating just to date.
But it still hurts pretty bad.
So here I am again - just me and Jesus....and it's going to be okay. It's going to be more than okay. It's going to be amazing.
The Bridegroom King is writing a story with my life.
I hold on to HOPE.
Well, two days ago, we ended things.
Does my heart hurt?
Oh, so so so much.
That's heartbreak #2 within just under one year. I didn't tell you about heartbreak #1, mostly because it is such a complex, crazy, beautiful, painful, mystery that lasted for four unbelievable years of so many laughs and so many dreams and so many tears... it's a bittersweet story that Jesus allowed me to live through so that he could teach me so much about his lavish love.
And when I started this blog, it was still so fresh. I started the blog because I needed an outlet for my passion for Jesus, and I had lost my best friend and my first love, and could no longer share with him on this level. And so, then boyfriend #2 came along. And he was a man who deeply loved Jesus and was just a totally different guy. The first one was wild and crazy and passionate for life. The second one was calm and restful and contemplative. They were both precious men. I've dated a couple of really precious guys. It feels good to look back and know that. But you know what?! You can date the most AMAZING guys, and then they still break your heart!
GAAAHHH - ladies, why do we go through heartbreak? Isn't it just so hard?!
But I'm holding out for *him*...for the man that will love me with abandon and lay his life down me. If this young man couldn't do it, then that's okay. He doesn't HAVE to be the one....I would rather us not pursue things any further if that's the case. I don't believe in dating just to date.
But it still hurts pretty bad.
So here I am again - just me and Jesus....and it's going to be okay. It's going to be more than okay. It's going to be amazing.
The Bridegroom King is writing a story with my life.
I hold on to HOPE.
Monday, October 18, 2010
First Night of School of Supernatural Ministry!
Tonight we had our first class! WOW!!! BLEW MY MIND! More later!
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