Good-bye 30's!

Good-bye 30's, thank you for...

-first time ever living alone

-adoptions 

-introducing me to solo trips

-lymes disease and food allergy craziness

-sky-diving

-multiple trips to Africa

-seeing God move and radically change lives

-making me Aunt Zuzu

-an amazing decade of working with amazing people I love

-beach trips

-seeing provision for and being a part of  the building project

-deepening of friendships and new ones developing

-Estes Parks

-many marriages and births

-conflicts and reconciliations 

-more sunsets than I can count

-NCIS

-orphans sponsored 

-Israel family trip

-untweetables

-NKOTB reuniting 

-Costa Rica and crazy laughter

-sweet last memories with grandparents

-24

-more ice cream and queso than was totally healthy

-peeps, peeps and more peeps

-amazing picture opportunities

-time in Haiti

-deeper understanding of God's grace and unconditional love 

-a great runway to head into 40!

The 30's have been pretty incredible! Can't even begin to imagine what the 40's hold. Here we go...

"God has a great plan for me!"

"God has a great plan for me!"

I have said these words countless times.  And yet, just recently I felt convicted to stop saying them and replace them with... "I am in the middle of God's great plan for me!"

If it's true that God loves me, gives me what He believes is best for my life to draw me closer to Him and to bring Him the most glory.... the I must believe that this day, where I am in life, my current circumstances are all a part of His plan for me.

It's not always easy to swallow.  I want to be healthy.  I want to be able to eat and not wonder how it is going to affect me physically and emotionally.  I want to be married.  I want kids of my own.  I want to sleep through the night.  If I'm completely honest... my flesh wants an easy life.

But when I take my eyes off of easy, and dive into God's truth and keep my eyes fixed on Him... I have peace.  I have joy.  I have hope. I want my life to count for His Name! I want others to see Him and be drawn to Him.

I was blessed today to share the stage with countless stories of: "this is not how I planned or pictured my life to be today... BUT... God is faithful and He does give me what I need for this path He has me on... AND He is good... and I choose to follow Him and not give in to my flesh."

If you didn't get a chance to hear the stories: CLICK HERE!

And below are 2 great songs I hope will encourage you as well.

A Painful Reminder

Today I went to see a movie with a friend.  On the way there I realized I had an unused Studio Movie Grill groupon.  When I opened the app, 4 popped up.  Now I knew that I had only one unused, but when I got to the counter, I presented it like I had 2.  Yes, the Spirit was convicting me, and I politely shrugged Him off.  After receiving the discount, pondering it, sitting part way through the movie, I knew I had to confess and make it right.  Confessed to the Lord, community, and made it right with Studio Movie Grill.

But why... why am I tempted to not tell the truth and deceive to receive something that isn't mine? Why??? Then the same Spirit that brought the conviction politely reminded me of what today is... Good Friday... and that Sunday is coming!  

I HATE that I am still tempted to sin, I hate that I actually choose to fall to those temptations at times, but man am I thankful...

Thankful that Christ chose to sit under these trees and say... "Not my will but yours be done!"

Thankful that He chose to write Peter into the story, where Peter stood in this garden and denied Christ and yet Christ came back and said... "And be sure and tell Peter!"

And that He chose to go here and lay down His life and say... "It is finished!'

Thank you Jesus, for choosing death so that I might have life!
Thank you for Your forgiveness and freedom even when I choose what does not honor you.

Spring is Here

Well... at least technically!  I went to the arboretum on Friday for my yearly... "take another photo of a tulip" day.  Pretty sure I have more tulip photos than any one human could possibly need. But this doesn't stop me from spending some time outside, even if it is a little chilly.  I love, love, love color and flowers.  So here are my favorites.