Standing On The Brink Of Adventure

 In just a few short hours, I'll be thousands of feet above land, soaring to a distant place. Caught up in the adventure of travel, the sweetness of friendship and the goodness of God. Lessons will be learned, laughs will be shared and I can't wait! Standing on the brink of adventure--it's where I am, and there's no better place to be!

Finding the Familiar

Sliding her fingers across the crevices....groping for the familiar among the chaos. Waiting for a lifetime of confusion to make sense. She just needed a beautiful place to clear her head. Sometimes that beautiful place was easy to find; other times she had to fight to get there. When it didn't make sense, she was forced to come back to the only thing she did know. The presence of her Maker. None could quiet her soul like He could.
Quietly, she walks on, one foot in front of the other, her fingers still groping for the familiar. She smiles, as her dark path became light again. She was there, in the sacred place, without any doubts or fears.Where she knew that God was working not only in her life, but in others' around her as well. Even in the midst of the confusion, when nothing seems normal, she found the familiar.

Beautiful People

Elizabeth Ros said "Beautiful people do not just happen." She is right. Beauty is not something gained by perfect hair, or hours in a tanning salon. Instead beauty is gained by heartache. It is kind of an outrageous statement, but it's true. The most beautiful people I know are not always those first noticed in a crowd. They are not the "barbie-doll-movie-starlet" that society deems as beautiful.
They posses instead, an inner beauty that has been shaped by the storms of life. These people have known pain, heartache, loss, abuse, and have lived in the "desert". Despite the brokenness, Christ was working in each heart, for His purpose. He brought healing, and filled the deepest corner of their lonely hearts.
Now, these people absolutely shine! They have now, a deeper appreciation for life. They have a genuine spirit about them, perhaps now they understand heartbreak in a very real way. They can understand what others may not. They can offer hope when everything seems hopeless. Because they have been there, and God has delivered them. It's truly a beautiful thing.
I have been blessed to know a handful of beautiful people in my lifetime. They have blessed me beyond words. They have given me hope because I know that if God worked for good in their life-He has a good plan for me too. They have taken time to understand me; to make sure my heart was right. They have encouraged me to keep walking in faith. And all the while, they shone with the glorious light of Christ--showing me that beauty was a condition of the heart.
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Even If It Breaks Your Heart

The room is empty. She paces, back and forth, her bare feet gliding across the smooth wooden surface. Her steps match the restlessness in her heart. Finally she gives up, and settles herself at the window. The snow falls gently, serenading the outside world in white.
A tear slips from her cheek. She didn't think it fair.
She was a dreamer.
And yet, she watched from afar as everyone else's dreams came true and her's just broke into pieces before her.
Her dreams had fallen apart time and time before; she felt she could not risk her heart another time. She could not be hurt again.
Keep dreaming, even if it breaks your heart.
Yes, the words rang true in her ears. She could not give up. She is a dreamer and she must keep dreaming. She must make her desires match her King's. The dreams in her heart must be held to a higher standard....she could not afford to live for herself any longer. Dreaming with a purpose--a learned skill. But one that is worth the effort it takes.
She must take the risk, of loving again. Of trusting again. She may be hurt again, but this life was not meant to be lived alone. She would keep loving, and pouring into the lives of those around her. She would rise up to meet her King's standard. And most importantly, she would fill her heart with dreams, because she knows that her King will fulfill her deepest desires. Perhaps not in ways that she was expecting, but in the end, the mess would be turned beautiful.
Because of this hope, she could keep dreaming, even if it breaks her heart.

From Nazareth to Bethlehem

A couple thousand years ago, a girl set out on a journey. One she did not originally intend to take. We all know the story and yet, in the midst of the beautiful porcelain scene set before us, we loose the very essence of the adventure. Of course, the focus is on Jesus--the fact that He would come humbly to this earth, take place in our humanity and then die for us--is amazing! But we forget that the journey to Bethlehem was not an easy one. Mary was looked down upon because of her pregnancy. Joseph as well, was criticized because of his position of engagement to Mary. And on top of that, they had to travel a long distance for a census.  There would be dangers along the way. Besides, neither of them were exactly in an emotional state of mind to make the trip. Both of their lives changed in an instant as God interrupted their normalcy and invited them to partake in something better. I am sure that both were left wondering how to comprehend what they were going through. However, they displayed great faith in taking the next step of faithfulness, even when it made absolutely no sense.

In the same way, our lives are a journey--from Nazareth to Bethlehem. From where we are now, to where Jesus is. Our journey, like Mary and Joseph's is not always easy, nor does it always make sense, but it is good. We have to live in complete surrender and faithfulness, taking one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes, our normalcy will be interrupted as God beckons us to a higher place. It may be scary, but His hands are sustaining you. You will reach Bethlehem. Even if you are in the lowest valleys and cannot see the city lights stretching ahead of you, you will get there. Just live in faithfulness, and take His Hand. From Nazareth to Bethlehem, journey on my friend!

Preperation

Thanksgiving is a season for preparation. A time to turn our hearts back to the familiar omnipotent Hand that sustains us. A time to remember what He has done for us and to be renewed for what He will do for us.
Christmas is fast approaching. The celebration of our King's birth. A sacred time often taken for granted. How often do we overlook the importance of this time of preperation. How can we expect to go forth in jovial celebration when our hearts are not in the right place?
Take some time as we reflect on our blessings, to think about what God has done for you and be renewed in His presence. As we come into the Christmas season, may your heart be refreshed and ready for a joyous celebration.

Take Off Your Shoes--This is Holy Ground

I look down at my feet. The ground doesn't appear holy. I am in the mundane doing what I always do. There was not a single extraordinary detail about today. And yet, there was a command to take off my shoes...this was holy ground. I wondered what it was I was missing. I thought back to the times when I had felt the sacredness around me. When I was in the large marble hallways, awed by what God had done, and wondering how I would hold onto the beauty. The time when I was on top of the mountain, looking down as the sun rays shone on the world below. The times when I was in the sacred place of worship, when God met me there in a way that took my breath away.
I began to see that God is still God, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, and despite how we feel. The sacredness never leaves, it sometimes just gets lost in the shuffle of life. It is hard to count the blessings in the chaos of life. But when I do, I am filled. And so I look down at my feet again. I see the ground through new eyes. There was a holiness about it that I couldn't see before. I slip of my shoes, my bare feet on the cold floor. This is holy ground.

Picture via Pintrest