Sweet Summertime

It's been quite some time since I have blessed all of my readers with the wonderful thoughts from my head and heart, so since I have a moment, I'll just jot something quickly. There isn't too much weighing on my heart for once, so this blog may not be as interesting as some of the others, or perhaps it will be more???

It is now summer, and kind of has been for about a month. Now that I'm a real grown up with a career, I have kind of forgotten what all summer really consists of. Instead of filling my day with fun activities outdoors, I have been sitting at a desk making matches and writing case notes. Summer just isn't the same.

But, that could change, if I'm willing to let it. Now that I am aware that it's actually summer, July just a few days away, evening walks and weekends spent on the lake or in the park don't seem like such a bad idea. I need to remember to keep a little bit of my inner child. Anyone have any camping trips planned!?!?!?!?

Today it begins, a family dinner at Grandma's. That's what summers are all about for me. Family. Camping, the corn roast, the family reunion,fairs, fireworks, lake days, tanning on a towle, Elle's visit, EVERYONE's birthday. This is the life.

AND, to make this summer even greater, Kristin and I will be climbing on a jet plane heading out west to get into some trouble with our third partner in crime. Arizona and time with my two favorite cousins is all I day dream about these days (that and this cute boy I have a crush on!), and I cannot wait until August 6th!

Well, off to Grandma's... Kris and I have to buy our tickets before all the delicious food gets gobbled up!

Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,
I know your heart has been hurt, and that sometimes your struggle is too much to bear. I am sorry that you've had the one thing you've always dreamed of stripped away from you, and have had to sit back (twice now) and watch it unfold for another beautiful daughter of God.
I am sorry that you have put so much faith and hope in someone, only to see him let you down. I am sorry that you're hurting from the mistakes you've made, and that you also bear much of the burden of the mistakes others have made unto you.
I know there are holes in your heart where there was once love from another, love from a trusted friend. I know there are bruises on your soul from the harsh words of another woman who said things out of jealousy and anger. I know these things hurt, and I'm so sorry that you have to endure it.
But dear friend, your strength is admirable. Despite the broken, bruised, and wounded heart you possess, you want nothing more than to continue to show love. I see that your scared. Scared of love, and scared of living life alone. I pray for the day when your walls come down and you find standing on the other side the incredible man that God has had waiting for you the entire time.
Your passion for life and for Christ is beautiful. While others around you are trying so hard to figure things out on their own, and are trying to find comfort in whoever may come along next, you know that true love is real, and you are courageous enough to wait for it. I admire your will power to follow the Lord, and to consult with Him about every area of your life. It is beautiful that you recognize that you have faults just like everyone else, and that you still have some changes that need to be made before you are prepared for your next stage of life.
I know you often struggle with the "what if's" and you are not always patient in waiting for what your heart desires, but I see inside of you the faith that God will bring you through this dark hour, and in the morning there will be joy and celebration!
Thank you for setting an example to others on how to live passionately for God. You are never fake, and you have no problem admitting when you've slip up, but in all you do, you work to include your Father and ask Him to redirect your paths.
Friend, you will be loved. You already are. Please don't let those blessings go unnoticed, and being the incredible woman that you are, I believe that you realize how beautiful your life truly is, even with all of the pain you've experienced.
Thank you for being a good friend to me. Thank you for loving and caring about me when you often just feel like giving up. You are an inspiration.

Sincerely,
Your Friend.

Faithful 'til the End

My freshman year in High School I started to go to church with my two beautiful cousins, and not long after that, I realized what I was missing out on and gave my life to Christ. That was nine years ago… Wow. In those nine years I have had many experiences that have taught me vital life lessons, and with the help of Christ, have become the woman I am today. Even with all of those experiences and lessons, I never mastered one important concept (however, when it comes to God, I am not really sure if there is such thing as mastering anything!).
Faith has been a difficult thing for me. Intellectually I have understood what it means to have faith, and I get all the ideals surrounding it. I have always believed that God is faithful to those who are faithful to Him, and that taking a step out on faith is one of the most courageous and beautiful things you can do to show your commitment to Christ. And, there have been plenty of times I’ve told my friends, “You just have to have faith that God will provide.” I get the concept, but I would be a liar to say that I live it out. You know the scripture faith the size of a mustard seed” (Luke 17:6)?... Well, I have held on to that verse for dear life. I will admit it; I have been a woman of little faith when it comes to my own life. For whatever reason, perhaps low self-esteem or personal situations that have occurred in my life making me feel this way, sometimes I feel like maybe I do not deserve to prosper. Maybe God’s intentions for me are to struggle… always. What a ridiculous thought! My God is good, and He LOVES me, why in the world would He want me to continuously struggle? But, when I do not get what I want, or things go sour for me, that is exactly what I feel, thus my faith is diminished.
But, for once in my nine years of LIFE, I think I am starting to get it a little bit. No, I still do not have it mastered, but I am beginning to truly believe that God has something beautiful in store for me, and that I am going to be happy. My pastor at church has gone over the topic of faith for the past month now, and only God can understand how much I have learned and grown from the sermons, and how much my life has been impacted.
I hope you are as inspired to lean on God as I have been by these scriptures.
*Hebrews 11:1- What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
*2 Timothy 4:7-8- I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.
*2 Corinthians 4:16-18- That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.
*Revelation 2:10- Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The Devil will throw some of you into prison and put you to the test. You will be persecuted for ten days. Remain faithful even when facing death, and I will give you the crown of life.
*Hebrews 11:6- So, you see, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith.
It is a beautiful thing when you are able to find encouragement in a temporarily difficult spot in life. The pastor brought up the idea of “childlike faith”, something I’ve heard often. Children trust their parents to feed them, clothe them, and care for them. Until that trust has been broken, they continue to reach out for their help when they need it. God has not broken my trust, and while He’s taken things from me that I wanted badly, just like any good father, He did it to teach me a lesson. Perhaps it is time for me to start trusting God as a three year old trusts her daddy… when He tosses me in the air, He will catch me as I come back down.