Big Sigh. Big Time.

Well this week has been full of some big emotions. Last Sunday, my third nephew was born! Wyatt Thomas entered the world last Sunday at 12:39 weighing in at 8lbs and 20 inches long. So great! Welcome to the world, Wyatt! We now have a blonde, a brunette, and a red head.

Yesterday we celebrated my nephew, Luke's 4th birthday. Can't believe how big he's getting!

I also found out this week week that I didn't get a job that I really wanted and it's hard. It's a hard to trust that there is something better even though this job just seemed so perfect. It's been three months since I've had a job and I'm just so ready to get moving on with what's next. Definitely bummed. But the Lord is still good. All the time! Trusting in the Lord's plan - although it's hard sometimes!

There Might Be Hope For Me Yet

If you had asked me three months ago if I still didn't have a job at the end of March, I would have said there's no way. If you had asked me what I thought my life would look like in March or how I thought the events that happened in December would have panned out by this point, I would have confidently given solid answers to everything. And not one thing would have mapped out how I would have guessed. And oddly, I'm okay with that. I feel at total peace with where things are currently. I can't say the same looking forward. I'm ready for the Lord to reveal His plan. I want a job and I want to settle in somewhere. Struggling with peace and trust for the future at this moment.

I mentioned this to one of my dearest friends this morning and at some point I said, "If I've been out of a job for a few months now, I can wait another couple of weeks. Right?" It was like I needed that reassurance. Yes, I can wait. As this dear friend encouraged me, he said, "What's going to change between now and when you get a job? You have more patience? You have a better trust in the Lord's ability to provide? Is that a bad thing?" Dang! So true, friends. Have to keep that in mind!

In other news, last weekend was the Prayer Overnight for our Young Life Region (The Commonwealth Region). It was so great. I "missed" last years due to living in Oregon. I say "missed" because I prayed with our Region on East Coast, but I was just 3000 miles to the left. It was so great to pray with 800 staff, volunteer leaders, and committee from around Virginia for our middle school, high school, and college friends across Virginia that they might also know Christ. It was also great to pray for others in the mission across the country and world. Where 2 or more are gathered in His name..... Can't wait to see how the Lord works.

My sister-in-law is going to have baby boy #3 any day now and part of me hopes it's today so he can share a birthday with my favorite 14 year old, Abby. I'll keep y'all posted!

Feeling Encouraged

I have definitely felt encouraged lately. Yes things are still hard and I still don't have a job, but I feel like my outlook on life and the different situations has changed - for the better.

I was more than super excited about "springing ahead". Yes, I agree that loosing an hour of sleep isn't fun, but we'll make up for it a few months when we get an extra hour. PLUS the extra sunlight is amazing! And I think God had a little something extra up His sleeve when it was so cold, rainy, dreary these last few weeks then as we spring ahead, the sun comes out and the temps start to rise - for more than just a single day! I consider that a blessing! Things are new in the Spring and I love that!

Another huge blessing I've felt recently has been the relationships that have been so dear to me. Lots has been happening, but the phrase we keep using is "The Lord is good - all the time!" And He is. In the midst of hard things, we are still reminded that He is good and that He loves us by the way He blesses us.

It still amazes me that in the midst of a hard season, there is ALWAYS the ability to see the blessings in your life and in the lives around you AND the ability to encourage those around you. I fee like that's been the case in several of my relationships lately where 2 or more parties are struggling and the encouragement goes both ways. I really feel that it's the love of the Lord and from the Lord that makes it possible to love, encourage, and bless another. Here's what Hebrews 10:24-25 says about it:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and

good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit

of doing, but encourage each other and all the more as you see the Day

approaching!"

The Lord is good - all the time. He is faithful, He has a plan, a hope and a future for us. His love never fails. The Lord is good - all the time.

80 degrees on March 1st...

Yep 80 degrees on March 1st in Virginia Beach....and it's sunny. I can't complain. I walked about 5 1/2 miles on the boardwalk today and sat in the sand for about 45 minutes afterwards. I still miss the Canyon, but I'm not missing the fact that it snowed there today. It's a love hate relationship. It really is. Sometimes I think it would be great if Virginia Beach and the Canyon were closer to each other - to have the best of both worlds.

Some days are good and some days are hard, but I'm often reminded at how good the Lord is. How faithful He is and all the ways He blesses us. I am continually thankful for my family - both my real family and my Oregon family.

As I flipped my super fun mug calendar to March this morning it was so fun to see this month's picture and to be reminded of the fun that was had in those few days in the midst of the craziest, one of the hardest months known to man.

It's the simple things in life that I'm learning to be thankful for and feel so blessed to have. Love the little things.

Things that I've learned/am learning as of recently

You think this blog title is better than the last three - sigh, meh, and well huh? Yeah me too!

I left the Ranch almost two months ago and I honestly thought it would be great! And it really hasn't been all bad. I just thought it was going to be an easy transition, no big deal. I have loved being able to go down to the beach and just be - it never gets old, even in the middle of winter and cold weather. I have loved having a free place to stay while I try to figure out what the Lord has for me. But as you know from earlier posts, you can tell that it hasn't been super great or fun either.

In the midst of the good and the hard there are some things that I've learned, re-learned, or I'm still learning and here they are:

God is good all the time! (Joshua 23:14)

God is faithful! (Deuteronomy 7:9, Deuteronomy 32:4)

He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11)

Dear, sweet, real friends are SO important and such a blessing! (Proverbs 18:24, Psalm 133:1-3)

Sometimes things are just hard and sometimes it's hard to remember that God's bigger than the hard. (John 16:33)

Having joy when things are hard, is hard, but worth it in the end. Still working on this. (James 1:2-4)

Allowing the Lord to fill you with joy is good for the soul. (Romans 15:13)

Allow the Lord to infuse peace into your life! This has been huge! (Colossians 3:15)

Be thankful! Choose to be thankful! I feel like joy, peace, and thankfulness go hand and hand. Be thankful for those near you, especially. Near you doesn't have to be near you in terms of location, but near to your heart as well. The people nearest to my heart don't live in Virginia Beach. They are scattered up and down the East Coast and some of the nearest and dearest to my heart are 3000 miles away. (Philemon 1:4-7, Hebrews 12:28)

In trying to encouraging friends who are struggling, I find that I too become encouraged. (James 27:17)

Sometimes life is hard, but hard doesn't have to mean bad. Wouldn't life be a lot more fun if life were always easy? As it talks about in James, it's the hard times that brings the great thing. So, here's where I'm at with this thing called life and a relationship with the Lord. I don't know exactly where I'm going, but right now, I'm okay with that.

Well huh

Some of my favorite blog entries were written between midnight and 8 am. That's how I roll. I'm nocturnal.

I have a friend in the Canyon who's missing the conveniences of living in "normal society" and I'm in "normal society" really missing living in the Canyon. She said reminded me that the grass is always greener on the other side and that she was going to pray for contentment for the both of us. Such a great reminder were her words. Yes, the grass is always greener on the other side. However, the Lord called me back to the Beach for this season. I don't know how long this season is or what the exact purpose is, but I know the Lord is teaching me things through my time at home - though so far it hasn't been easy or fun. I told this friend that I would join her in this prayer for contentment...and I have.

So as I was getting ready to get in bed, I turned on a worship playlist on my computer and started asking the Lord for a contented heart. The first song that came on was Indelible Grace's Jesus I Come. Jesus I Come is one of my favorite songs and it quickly became my prayer tonight.

Here's a link to the song with lyrics. For those of you who have never heard this song, it was originally written in 1887 by a New England minister (Thank you Seth for that little piece of info). Love the lyrics! So here's the link again: Indelible Grace - Jesus I Come. Enjoy.

Meh!

Are you liking the titles of these recent blog posts because I am. Let's be honest, I've not been in the mood to really think of blog entry titles. Atleast I'm not using ones that I've used before. Creative enough for me.

There's really not a whole lot to blog about here. The weather's good for January, I still don't have a job, and I'm still missing my Oregon family like crazy. Boring right? Well such is my life right now. People have been suggesting that I should travel out of town to visit them while I have some free time. Great thought, just not going to happen quite yet. I wish.

In the mean time, I've been applying for lots of jobs, drinking lots of coffee and tea, writing lots of letters, and doing lots of reading. I just finished reading The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Through out the book, Bonhoeffer looks at the Sermon on the Mount and explains what it looks like to follow Christ. Definitely worth the read if you're looking for something a little deeper.

Well, friends, for those of you in Florida, I hope you've enjoyed your warm weather and the fun surprises that the ASC brings. For the rest of you, I hope you're able to enjoy your last Saturday in January. How did that happen already?