Living & Loving Life

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy".
Psalm 126:5

My absence this summer is owed to several reasons. The main reason being that since my travels to Guatemala, I have come to fully appreciate the beauty of being unattached to modern day electronics, and reach the point of submersion in face to face, heart to heart, relationships with real, live people, not a computer or a blackberry. With that said, I do still maintain an appreciation for such electronics. I just chose to take a breather from them for a little bit this summer. With that said, on to revealing God's Glory!

Fall. It's my all time favorite season. I thoroughly enjoy the cooler, crisp air. The vibrant colors of the leaves, and the aroma of hot apple cider, illuminate my senses, and put an extra spring in my step. I cannot possibly express just how grateful I am for all that God has led me through. For all that He has opened my eyes to. And, for all that He has fully redeemed, and brought healing to. This change of seasons, heightens my awareness to Him all the more.

The opportunities He's given me? Amazing! I am so grateful! Just this summer alone, I've jumped 10,000 feet out of the air.



Traveled to a faraway Third World country.



Definitely had my fix of some of the cutest babies ever.





Was able to see & share amazing quality time with the friends God has blessed my life with.











Ran, well I stopped twice, IF I am to be honest ;), my first 5K.





Do I think one has to jump out of an airplane or visit a school in a 3rd World country in order to feel God's love, and experience His full redemption? Absolutely not! His love, His grace is available to every single one of us, right where we're at! I am just in awe at what He does, when we fully surrender our hearts, and our minds to Him! He is so good!

All the hurt, all the pain, all the sorrow of my past has been healed! And, all the Glory goes to Him! And Him alone! It certainly wasn't easy, in all of my humanness, to let go of my plans, and hand it all over to Him. There were definitely nights I cried myself to sleep. And days that I focused on my past, instead of my future. But His grace was sufficient. His love endured. And, He guided, admittedly sometimes He had to shove, me forward.

I realize this post is all over the place, in the most A.D.D. of fashions. However, I want to share just how amazing God is, and all that He's done for me, a lowly sinner. If He's done, and still doing, it for me, He most certainly will do it for you too!

I encourage you today, no matter where you're at, to thank Him for all that He's done for you. Thank Him for the good and for the bad. For the joy, and for the sorrow. He IS alive, and IS moving on our behalf, even TODAY! Isn't that awesome?! This is a girl who lost her son and a husband, and experienced what the world would call devastation. But...God is good. All the time. The tears that were sown, He has turned into songs of joy. And I can't possibly thank Him enough.

And quite honestly, I wouldn't want to be the same girl I was two years ago. God has opened my eyes, and softened my heart in ways that wouldn't have been possible had I not experienced the trials that forced me to fully depend on Him alone. His ways are always higher than mine. I am just thankful to be experiencing a harvest of joy right now.



Wishing you and your family a blessed and joyful fall season!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Gal 6:9

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Heb 12:11