“If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness and all perfection, he must tell you to 
make a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything
that happens to you.

It is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you,
if you thank and praise God for it,
you turn it into a blessing.

If you could work miracles,
therefore, you could not do more for yourself
than by this thankful spirit.

It heals and turns all that it touches into happiness.”

~ William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

Truth.

Be thankful.

I was making a mental note of some praises this morning. And I thought, why not share? It's good to be thankful.

1. So thankful for grace. The Lord is teaching me about what grace is right now. Over and over again I come up against a situation where I think "This is it. This is where it all falls apart." And instead He is faithful to give me grace. I don't deserve it - but that's exactly what grace is.

2. Time at home with my family. Short visits, but they are always sweet. This time around we played Frisbee in the lawn and Dad took me for a ride on his motorcycle!

3. Speaking of home, Kayla will be here in a few days!

4. I joined a gym. And I've been running more. AND as it turns out I really like doing speed/hill work. The little wins are just as encouraging as the big ones - like when I run my first lap at a sub 9:00 mile pace.

5. Melissa met me for lunch yesterday. Why don't more of you stop by for a mid day visit every once in awhile?

6. Oh! and a haircut! I think Ashley took off nearly 5 inches. I wasn't paying that much attention to be honest. But it was a lot. My favorite thing about sitting in her chair is that I leave feeling pretty on the inside and the outside.

Verse of the Day

Lord discipline those He loves Proverbs 3:11 - 12

MSG ⁵ Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.

Verse of the Day

Lord executes justice for oppressed Psalms 146:7 - 9

MSG ³ Don't put your life in the hands of experts
who know nothing of life, of salvation life.
Mere humans don't have what it takes;
when they die, their projects die with them.
Instead, get help from the God of Jacob,
put your hope in God and know real blessing!
God made sky and soil,
sea and all the fish in it.
He always does what he says -
he defends the wronged,
he feeds the hungry.
God frees prisoners -
he gives sight to the blind,
he lifts up the fallen.
God loves good people, protects strangers,
takes the side of orphans and widows,
but makes short work of the wicked. 

Girls.

Hard Way Home

I feel pretty today.

And how thankful I am for that.



These late spring days have brought me a heavy heart and burdened spirit. As days have been growing longer and lighter (something you don't want to miss in sweet Seattle) I've been buried under blankets, books, and the weight of something bigger than me. It didn't happen all at once. Looking back I can see all places the Lord put me and the words that stuck all to bring me to this place.

I'm still a work in progress. We're just getting into the second act on my story. So I claim this promise for myself:

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Philippians 1:6

Whatever He's doing in my heart is for my freedom and His glory.

And until then the Lord has been faithful to show me {love and hope} in dear friends that show up at my door with dinner in hand and hugs aplenty. Or days, like today, where I ask him to satisfy my heart - filling all the little nooks and crannies - and He lifts me up on his shoulders to show me that it's all going to be OK.

Isaiah 61

God has sent me on a mission.

I have some great news for you.

God has sent me to restore and release something.

And that something is you.

I am here to give you back your heart and set you free.

I am furious at the Enemy who did this to you, and I will fight against him.

Let me comfort you.

For, dear one, I will bestow beauty upon you

where you have only known devastation.

Joy, in the places of your deep sorrow.

And I will robe your heart in thankful praise

in exchange for your resignation and despair.

[Isaiah 61/John Eldredge]

I went to Paris.

I loved the architecture and the coffee. I had my best 5.5 mile run ever along the Seine and through the Latin Quarter. I got lost and wandered through the tangled streets with friends. And perused the open air markets and local shops with my family. One day I'll be back!

I just remembered how my Grandma used to squeal every time she'd give me a hug goodbye. 

Oh, Grandma. :) We all want to be just like you when we grow up.

Identity

I am loved. 1 John 3:3
I am accepted. Ephesians 1:6
I am a child of God. John 1:12
I am Jesus' friend. John 15:14
I am a joint heir with Jesus, sharing His inheritance with Him. Romans 8:17
I am united with God and one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17
I am a temple of God. His spirit and his life live in me. 1 Corinthians 6:19
I am a member of Christ's body. 1 Corinthians 12:27
I am a Saint. Ephesians 1:1
I am redeemed and forgiven. Colossians 1:14
I am complete in Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:10
I am free from condemnation. Romans 8:1
I am a new creation because I am in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. Colossians 3:12
I am established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21
I do not have a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
I am God's co-worker. 2 Corinthians 6:1
I am seated in heavenly places with Christ. Ephesians 2:6
I have direct access to God. Ephesians 2:18
I am chosen to bear fruit. John 15:16
I am one of God's living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. 1 Peter 2:5
I have been given exceedingly great and precious promises by God by which I share His nature.
2 Peter 1:4
I can always know the presence of God because He never leaves me Hebrews 13:5
God works in me to help me do the things He wants me to do Philippians 2:13
I can ask God for wisdom and He will give me what I need James 1:5

I needed a reminder today.

By the way...

I'm trying out something new. This is an experiment, to see what it looks like when I'm really honest with what's in my heart on this little page. Forgive me if it's not very well written or if it just ends up awkward. I mean well.

My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:18-24

<sup>The Lord used these verses to rebuild me today. And I want to share them with you.

You see, I was weary and wounded. I was left vulnerable from a less than adequate night's sleep and a hard word to process through. I got caught in a storm of self doubt.

Why can't I ever be good enough? I wasn't cut out for this. No one even likes me.

My day got worse and worse. I started to believe the lies the enemy whispered in my ear.

Everyone has it together but me. Why can't I be more like her? I can only pretend for so long. Maybe this is really who I am.</sup>

Burdened by all the ways I've failed and all the ways I continue to fail, I started to crumble. I wanted to cry. All I could do was go home and hide.

<sup>But you see, it's not what we do that makes us worthy. It's not what we do that makes us who we are. It's the spirit of God that abides in our hearts that makes us who we are. As he changes us. And he knows us well. He knows what we're really made of and celebrates that. He rejoices over us, his perfect creation.

But, how can I move forward from comparing myself to everyone around me? How can I find freedom from this? The good news is the Lord sees our struggles and knows our pain. He gives us hope.

When I have there's no energy and you have nothing left to give...practice real love.
When you can't stop the self destructive thoughts from bearing down on you...practice real love.
When you just aren't sure what to do or where you're going...practice real love.

Practice real love. It will shut down debilitating self-criticism leaving us free to enjoy the Lord and receive all that he has for us.</sup>

This is my story.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." Jeremiah 29:11-13

As I've grown up, gotten married, and moved to the city, I look back and am overcome by the Lord's faithfulness to me. Through times of transition and need He's always shown up. Always. I saw Him first when I was about 15 years old. I remember so clearly walking into the living room and noticing a new card on the fireplace mantle. As I read through it, learning for the first time of my Dad's sobriety, I was confused. By this time in my life it seemed impossible that the alcoholism that defined every part of my reality could be defeated. I spent that whole night wrestling with the idea that everything had changed. This wasn't supposed to happen. How could it?

The only way I could make sense of it was through something very simple. My grandmother prayed for us. I knew that because she told me she did. When she watched us while my mom went to work she prayed some more. And when my dad came home from work she would say goodbye through the stairwell railings and tell him that she prayed for him. She prayed boldly and the Lord answered.

This day changed my life.

Just as He promises in Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord has plans for good in our lives. He took ugly circumstances and used them to give a hopeless and unworthy girl new life.

How has the Lord worked for good in your life?

This isn't the only time the Lord has interceded in my circumstances in a way that felt miraculous. Sometimes it doesn't feel miraculous as He guides my steps. Regardless, when you feel defeated, discouraged, hopeless, burdened or all of the above be encouraged because our prayers don't drift vainly up into nothingness. The Lord hears us! And He's relentlessly pursuing us, loving us and working for good in our lives.

I like simple.

You may or may not have noticed that I'm re-vamping the blog. Consider this a work in progress.

Listen.

I love Valentines Day!

It's just another reason to shower your nearest and dearest in the warm fuzzies! What's not to love? To all of my dear loves, I have little note and kitten temporary tattoo for you!

John woke me up on Saturday morning with a Valentines Day Surprise! He bought me a Kindle! I've been having fun loading it up with apps, and free books from the library! My husband spoils me :) I bought him a book on Bigfoot movies, and I think he's just as happy as I am.

Last night we got sushi at Kiraba on 140th with the Brady's. They were sans baby and we were hungry! The most memorable part of the evening? Definitely Sarah's description of 2-Headed Shark Attack! Sounds like a must see!

The Daily. 1.25.2012

Today I'm thinking...

how important it is to be part of a community that challenges you, that you trust, that you have fun with.

how much I miss my husband. I wish he'd come home already.

that it's really annoying how the longer you listen to Pandora, the more often they interrupt you with ads.

that I wish I'd gotten up this morning to work out, but I stayed up to late last night. You can't call me Grandma anymore!

that I don't really need to eat meat.

that I'm still learning a lot about my job, I'm challenged every day.

It's my birthday!

Me: Well, Dad, do you have any words of wisdom on being 27?
Dad: It doesn't get any easier.

At least he's not setting me up for disappointment :)

Portanovaville: Looking forward

A simple list of things I'm looking forward to in 2012 ----

1. Paris vacation with Mom and Aunt Kathy! What more is there to say?

2. Running my first 10k

3. Paying off debts and working towards some major savings goals! 

4. Going back to Playa del Carmen for a wedding!  

5. Working with my new personal trainer, Claire!

6. Volunteering with UW CRU

7. Trusting God and enjoying the ride. 

What are you looking forward to?