Twenty and free in Italy

2013 memories that make my heart happy

So much can happen in a year. Twentysomething and free...oh yes a year holds so much promise. However, part of me is a tiny bit doubtful that 2014 can top 2013... just glancing through the memories and throwing together a quick collage of some of moments makes me nostalgic for sure...exploring the streets of Italy with four other twentysomethings who happened to be the best traveling companions a girl could wish for, long summer days full of adventure at camp, my first semester of clinicals in nursing school, celebrating my 21st birthday surrounded by textbooks as I study for exams, a surprise visit from my best friend, being a maid of honor, and so much self-discovery...

One of the most surprising adventures of 2013 was my trip to Italy. Unexpected from the start, the way God worked out the details...wow

and the adventures in Venice and Florence and Rome... wow

so much happy...

Venice

Sometimes words are hard.

I want to tell of my adventures in Italy, but so much happened in those ten days, and how can words capture the awe and wonder I felt as I walked down the cobblestone streets that had felt the passage of centuries, and craned my neck to see up to the distant spires of the grand, beautiful buildings... walking through doorways that embrace thousands and finding rooms where the air is thick with history and footsteps are hushed in the presence of the great art and architecture. The cathedrals that seem to reach the very steps of heaven with the splendor of the sparkling stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings... that beckon you to come and kneel down, come and worship for the Lord is here. The excitement of finding the perfect little cafe on that out of the way alley, the exhilaration of the wind in your face and the mist from the Mediterranean sea tickling your nose on the vaporetta, the sweet goodness of stracciatella gelato sliding down your throat as the May sun kisses your face and the bustle of the city passes by... The Tuscan countryside flying by the window of the train, voices of varied cadence and language rising and falling in expression of emotion, standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers who are equally awestruck by the delicate yet fierce grandeur of the Forum and Colosseum... more cathedrals built to shout the splendor of our Savior and draw the eye ever upward in search of the Holy One...oh I wish I could just take you there! I don't know how to explain all I saw... brought to my knees in St. Peter's Basilica, moved to tears by the Peita, stilled by wonder in the Sistine Chapel, softly stepping through the maze of the catacombs while hearing of the early Christians who first met as the Roman church in those dark depths...

Roman Forum

And somewhere along the journey I found myself. Why I had to go to Italy, I don't know. Maybe I needed to be reminded how much bigger and older and grander this world is in comparison to myself. I needed to see the legacy left by great people and more importantly the legacy of people who did great Kingdom work. A pilgrimage of sorts, the climax-- reaching St. Peter's Basilica on Pentecost... just another day to most, but a striking reminder to me of what God can do with people who are completely sold out to him... 

"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place...and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit...Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone who the Lord our God calls to himself..." (Acts 2). The promise that He is within me, He is our Savior, and He will guide me. So much peace. It's okay to grow up, it's okay that things change... because I know the Unchanging One who is, has been, and will be...He is worthy of all of my worship. 

inside St. Peter's Basilica

I am so grateful for the freedom to travel and explore, it is truly the greatest gift to receive... because there's so much to discover about the world and my place in it. I love to learn, always seeking to see more of the Lord in every encounter, every footstep...And perhaps the most joyful discovery: no matter where in the world I go, He is never far from me.

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us." Acts 17:24-27

Ciao until next time ~Amanda

running into a sunset

You know the hard days? Those that seem to last for 3 days and everything that could go wrong does and you're just weary... they seem to happen all too often this semester. Monday was such a day, the stereotypical start-of-the week chaos. I finally decided that the only way to relieve any stress was to go for a run, otherwise the tears and frustration would keep flowing. With my face set and running shoes on I headed for the woods and ran until I couldn't breathe. The thoughts in my head were scattered and jumbled and still fogged with the stress of the day... but I did notice that the rain and clouds of earlier had passed to reveal a beautiful afternoon. Running until my legs screamed stop, worship music whispering harmony through my headphones... and I saw the sun beginning to set through the trees. I stopped and spoke thanks to the Creator who knows how to heal my heart better than any human every could. Thanks to the only One who can offer me peace and help when I 'm hurting like that. And I kept running. Another break in the trees, another glimpse of a sky full of golden glory, clouds dancing an intricate pattern... yellow-brown leaves mimicking the golden edged beauty of the clouds...but I couldn't stop yet, because this path has another spot, one where the sky stretches wide overhead and the trees open up to a meadow of tall grasses that whisper of peace... so I kept running. No longer the frantic stressful run of earlier, but a steady purposeful pace to see more of who God is on this hard day. And then the trees gave way to the grass and I saw. The sky ablaze with golden light, a sunset showing off as it passes through the maze of clouds... I realized then the beauty of the hard. The hard is beautiful because it makes me keep running. I get glimpses of the purposes of the Lord but I have to keep running to see the fullness of his plan. Many people saw the sunset on Monday, but depending on where you were standing, each saw it differently. The clouds change the colors and light that is reflected and displayed. So my circumstances affect the way I see God's plan, but regardless of how I see it, He is the Artist. He sees the length and depth of the sky. He sees my life in full and allows me glimpses as I run, beautiful glimpses of how He is working that I won't understand unless I keep running, trusting that He will show me the full picture when it is time. Oh what a faithful God.
Keep running on the hard days-- the Faithful Artist knows the path, and He will show you the beauty of the hard if you will keep running after Him to find it.
How thankful I am for my Best Friend who brings me solace and perspective in a sunset.

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

1 Corinthian 13:12 (Message)

...I want to be like my Jesus

“Why did I have to pick such a hard career? I don’t know if I can do this… there will be so much hurt…”

“The world is full of hurting people, but in the hospital you get to help them.”

That conversation happened close to midnight last night between my roomie and me… her wise words cut through my exhaustion and reminded me of the purpose behind my studies. Nursing school is hard, but it will be worth it. Where else are you in a situation to care for and show love to a perfect stranger? Sitting by the bedside of the hurting, listening as they tell about their pain, offering the peace of Jesus that flows with His love as a river of living water because I am His daughter… This calling He has placed on my life is so much greater than me, but I get to be the hands and feet of Jesus by tangibly carrying hope to the hurting. Yes, it is worth all the tears, sleepless nights, lack of time, and loss of fun because that’s how Jesus served- wholeheartedly, holding nothing back… and I want to be like my Jesus.

Marvel at the beauty of the gospel today. He came for you. For me. For that perfect stranger. For the hurting. For the broken. For those who “have it together.” For the cruel. For the good. For the unjust. For the ungrateful.

And He loves us all… without restraint, without distinction, without limit…

So every person I come in contact with is an opportunity to serve and love as Jesus did. That’s real hard, y’all….

But just as he had grace enough to save us from eternal death, He has grace enough to get us through the hard times.

He has entrusted us with the priceless gift of the gospel. We carry it with us everywhere, but who are we sharing it with? Do my words bring life and hope because they are pointing to the glory of my Jesus?

Jesus was Love wherever he went…and I want to be like my Jesus.

“But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus; the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” Acts 20:24

Some kind of wonderful... camp memories

This gypsy heart...
Since I last put my fingers to the keys to convey a snippet from life's journey, I have been across the sea to the islands and cities of Italy, and up into the mountains of North Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
So much adventure. Words can't quite explain it...
And so it's hard being home. Where is home, really? For me, I've found it to be with Jesus. Since He is always with me, it is possible to make any place a temporary home, but the place for which my heart longs is and will always be, heaven.
Meanwhile, the most transient place on earth has become the closest thing to feeling like home. Camp Highland... living among the mountains where the river runs deep and the sun burns hot and the mist and wildflowers and clouds and shadows and dancing leaves all shout that HE is here and He longs to draw you near. The people are family because when you all love Jesus more than anything and spend your days serving and running after Him... a bond is formed that is stronger than blood because it is of the Spirit and your heart knows these are friends and that even though paths diverge too soon at the end of 10 weeks, you will see each other again because at the end of the race we are all going to the same Home.
So for the second summer I served at Camp and loved every minute of it. I loved that I was stupid exhausted by Week 2 and I had nothing left to give, so I had to utterly rely on Jesus to love through me... and He did.
The trips with the high school girls, long car rides jamming to Justin Bieber and 90's music, then backpacking and camping, chatting around the fire late into the night, opening hearts and sharing tears as we passed around the chocolate, grahams, and 'mallows. Learning to choose joy like a boss when the blisters came, and the Chacos rubbed, and we were still hiking in the beautiful wilds of His creation... then the resting on the boat, getting trashed as we tubed because we play hard, trusting that God will provide the strength for tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Kayaking, my favorite part of the week, taking tandem kayaks down the whitewater of the Hiwassee and the sunshine and the chill of the splashing rapids crystallizing the laughter and the adventure and making time stand still just a little bit... some weeks learning hard lessons from the river and others just frolicking and reveling in the beauty surrounding us. Camping again, with hot dogs and river stories about who flipped out and who did not, seeing friends and pulling out the Enos to hang beneath the stars that stretched across the sky like some sort of magnificent.... and then the awesome spontaneous sometimes....when we hiked to the waterfall at night and it was lit up with green lights, and climbed a mountain to go rock climbing and read Ephesians on the overlook for hours, and hiked to waterfalls and then climbed them in the rain.... all the while getting the awesome opportunity to walk beside some high school girls and share the wonder of his beauty and grace and love and faithfulness... and it was beautiful. To see their hearts, to see them seek, to see them find. God came near.
But just as beautiful were the weeks with the younger girls.. I just had  to look a bit closer for the adventure because I also had to be a mom and keep everyone together and repeat myself fifty times... but then their childlike faith would absolutely melt me as they asked questions and wanted more of Jesus and an hour wasn't long enough but they had more questions and they were growing and finding Him and realizing His love... and that was joy. And that was worth all the repeating myself and being woken up in the middle of the night to kill a spider and all the extra trips to everywhere because someone forgot something again... I would see Jesus in the most unexpected places through them... A little girl not even from my cabin asking me to pray for her to be a light to her lost friend, little ones overcoming fear at Drop Zone and High Ropes, hearing what they are learning during debriefs, tucking all the girls in because this is not home and they need to know they are loved before they can go to sleep, when one comes up to randomly hug and say "you're beautiful" or "you're nice" and runs away again to play octagon ball...
Then that one time when God reminded me of my own brokenness and His unending love through a child's tears...a homesick girl asking for me during worship, the reluctant walk to go comfort the one who had been disrespectful and pushed away my attempts to love her already today. Taking her in my arms, pulling her wet, pond-water covered self into my lap and quietly explaining the worship songs and how it's ok to miss mommy but try to focus on Jesus and how much He loves you instead of on something you can't change. Then singing and praying over her and realizing that this isn't me loving on her right now because I had nothing left, but it's God loving through me and I'm getting to be but a vessel, and see how He loves and how He calls a lost sheep to Himself. And the face of that homesick little girl was my face, so often ungrateful for the blessings surrounding me, wanting something different and Jesus quietly holding me in His arms and reminding me of the riches I have in Him. Then the next night, sharing testimonies and she shares that in my arms was when she understood what God's love meant and she accepted Christ the next night- and the tears come because I know it was not me, but God let me be a part of it and I am so very grateful.
The way that our staff stood in the gap for one another, always serving and encouraging and anticipating needs they could meet so that others could serve more easily was truly astounding. It was such a picture of the body of Christ that my heart recognized it as being as close to Home as we can get on the earth, and I didn't want to say goodbye. I was so blessed by each of my cos. To be able to lead alongside those ladies was such a gift, and I learned so much from each one of them. Truly iron sharpening iron.
So I miss camp, and the way that His grace shone in the sunsets and the rainbows... the camaraderie of running hard playing Ultimate and sneaking into the kitchen to get dirt cake or ice cream... the quiet mornings on the porch with my chipped blue mug of coffee and my Bible... the notes in my mailbox reminding me to choose joy because He is faithful...
Even though I miss it, I will choose joy now because God has taught me so much about what it looks like to serve Him and die to self and and I am walking away changed. I have many new friends and stories, and I am closer to my Savior... and this is only the beginning. There's a semester ahead of me with many opportunities to choose joy and run hard in the wild adventure of following Jesus.
So this gypsy heart will be satisfied with memories for now.
Looking back at my pictures of Italy I'm reminded that there are so many stories to be told from those adventures among the ancient streets, beautiful ruins, and majestic cathedrals... but that was a lesson in growing up, and it must await its turn to be told in this journal.

"Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord" 

Philippians 3:1

"All fear is but the notion that God's love ends"

Why is this silly sinner-girl so afraid? 

Afraid takes different forms- lack of trust and grasping for control... always rushing and planning and doing... never resting. 

But if I stop, will God still love me?

Yes.

Nothing I do makes Him love me.

His love for me will never ever end.

So why do I act like it will?

Why are my busy days with frenzied thoughts and silent sighs so full of pain and hard? Because I am saved by grace and have a heart that longs for Him. When I fight the grace and try to earn it and try to help Him love me... it hurts. I am not my own. My worth and being are in Him. Living out of that abundance, I can rest in grace.

Inhale.

Exhale.

All is grace.

I learned this lesson so long ago, so many different times, different ways... but when I get overwhelmed I try to make things work... and fear becomes an unwelcome companion that refuses to leave.

Anatomy final on Monday. Stress seems to be the natural reaction for such a large life event. But what if it isn't the big deal my perfectionism claims? Because perfection is still a way of me trying to make myself good enough

What if I choose peace?

What if I choose grace?

Remembering the One who never leaves, the One who called me here, to this, in the first place.

Forsaking fear because He will never forsake me.

I like this plan.

There is freedom in grace.

You just have to accept it, and let Him lavish His love on you.

Today, tomorrow, the rest of the week... I'm choosing to be Mary. Resting at the feet of Jesus. Listening for His beloved voice. Learning from those wise, love-filled eyes how to show grace. Learning from those nail-scarred hands how to be love.

And now is a gift that I won't get tomorrow. So I will see the joy in now, because He is in me.

**quote in title from Ann Voskamp

The Sacrifice of Love (based on Genesis 22)

Love like Jesus means suffering.
It means laying your self, your dreams and hopes on the altar day after day
It means taking God's promise and giving it back to Him, selflessly
It means recognizing that no person in the world is yours to hold on to
Trusting God to provide your every need,
    Walking by faith
Love like this is hard.
   Love that gives everything and expects nothing
   Love that always hopes, even in the deepest night
This love moves in faith, not feeling
It seems to care too much
   But the shallows are only stirred as by a whisper of a breeze
Love like this means accepting that
    People die, disease destroys, hunger cripples, disaster strikes, poverty cries...
                                        and God is still good.
Trusting that His sovereign plan is greater than mine
Trusting Him with the hearts and lives of those closest to me
Love like this means reaching out-
    Beyond my comfort beyond my circle-
    touching filthy and hopeless, hugging broken and sickly, serving the least,
    listening for the small unheard overlooked voice
                               ...and loving.
Love that requires so much-
    how is it possible?
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would send His only Son
and make this wretch His treasure
Let Him love you.
    Share His love-
          overflow with it.
Let love be the anthem of your life, song of your heart, and joy of your smile.
I am deeply, unconditionally, inexplicably. powerfully
    LOVED by my Jesus.
Abiding in Him, out of that truth, I love.
And His love never fails.
----------
& you should read 1 John 4:7-19

Clothed in Joy

Sometimes sunshine spills over into words. Or maybe Jesus just speaks joy through the black and white words that tell of Truth and Life... either way, my time with Him this morning was so very sweet. A cup of coffee and sunshine peeking through the blinds... and my Best Friend, reminding me of His timeless love through creased, worn, ink-stained pages...here's a glimpse into the Living Word as it comes alive in my heart and head...

A beggar slips through the duskiness before dawn, seeking something... hungry and thirsty for food and water, but even more so for love and peace... Tattered clothes hang loose and dark circles shadow hollow eyes.

Then a Voice: "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come , buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Surely it's a trick. Nothing is free... especially not life-giving liquid such as milk and wine... and oh for a piece of bread! Too long have been the days since a full meal... full of busy-ness and tasks that leave one empty and drained at the end... with no money for anything, just a persistent hunger and an aching heart... Running here and there to help others and fulfill responsibilities... and wasting away until nothing but a shadow remains...

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear that your soul may live..."

Following the Voice, amazed at the accuracy it revealed in reading her heart... the beggar slips through the shadows into the light of the rising sun... knowing that a voice with such power must accompany the brilliance of the dawning light. Listening? Is that really all that's required to eat what is good?

The Light dazzles but eyes adjust, knees bend and heart cries... hungry so hungry. What beauty is this?

"...and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you."

Faithful Lord. Tears fall and head lowers in humility and awe. Eyes find tatters that are new, whole garments, the filthy, ragged replaced by Grace. Love washes, renews.

The calling on one's life is not meant to distort the vision or define duties... it's meant to send you running to the Creator the Caller... direction for each step and every moment. When you cling to the call rather than Christ, the way is clouded and life becomes draining and dull.

"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon."

I do not know the way, I do not understand. Overwhelmed and confused but trusting...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Filled, burden lifted... light shining everywhere with the fresh welcome of a new day... eyes that can now see the wildflowers on the hill and the veins in the leaves... grass dancing in the light breeze and ears open to the laughter and praise of creation... everything declares His name and the glory of His handiwork...

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

...and the beggar, transformed by the acceptance of Grace and clothed in Joy dances through the valley as a daughter of Christ... running with barefoot abandon after the One who sustains her soul.

This is my story, my heart, as I read Isaiah 55. So thankful for the indwelling Holy Spirit that sings of joy in the wilderness and light in the dark places.

Satisfied

"I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:4-8

How good it is to take a true Sabbath, and simultaneously learn what it truly means to be satisfied in Him! My Jesus is ever faithful... Here's a bit of what He showed me this afternoon. You know how I love analogies, and God gave me a perfect one for what my time alone with Him is like. How important it is to meet with Him in prayer and by reading the Bible! What a gift that time is- the beauty of His love made me tear up just a bit...

You (Jesus) welcome me in with open arms and your full attention, even though I entered distracted, hurried, burdened...Gently you remove my coat- my weights and burdens... you take my hand and i match my hurried steps to your slow, sure pace... Your quiet strong voice welcomes me- love enveloping and sparkling around me like a thousand crystals of light. You lead me to a table- filled to overflowing- What abundance is this! For me? Pulling back a chair you offer me a seat and then sit across from me... patiently you listen to me pour out my heart, my hurts, my burdens... then when my tears have once again obscured my vision You gently push a brimming cup in front of me "My daughter you are weary from your journey. Do you not remember at whose table you sit?"
"Jesus" I whisper
"Take this cup of Living water and thirst no more. Eat the Bread of Life. Be filled."
The table holds my favorites- reminders of His faithfulness (trust in the Lord with all your heart... those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength, they will rise on wings like eagles.. take up your cross and follow Me...but Jesus had compassion on them... nothing can separate you from the love of Christ...) It also holds new dishes (Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love...blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...taste and see that the Lord is good...He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied...the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith...)
When I have eaten all I can, I'm satisfied.
Walking me back to the door, I reach for my coat- "you don't want that" pushing it aside. You hand me a lightweight coat that shimmers in the rays of sunlight. I twirl like a small girl in giddy excitement at the new treasure. Taking my hand, You open the door and the sun's brightness is dim in comparison to your glory.
"How far will you go with me, Jesus?"
"The whole way. You have been filled to pour out to others, but how will you see the need unless I go with you?"
"Jesus, you are so bright, what good am I? surely they can just look at you and see love."
"Some eyes are not accustomed to the brightness of my light and its pure holiness causes pain. You must be my hands and feet so they can feel love and see light on a small scale which will then cause them to seek the Source themselves."
You give me a gentle push "Now go"
"Where are You going?"
"I go before you, to prepare the way
I am within you, to give you strength,
I walk beside you to show the way
Look for me and You will see me. Trust me. I will never leave you or forsake you."
Nodding, I turn and walk into the chaos of the daily... the monotony of the everyday...
but wait! There's your smile...encouraging me through a friend...
later.. a quick glimpse of pain in watery eyes...Is she hurting?
"Now go... love" I hear Your whisper on the wind
Yes. She needs to know the love of my Jesus today. deep breath. Your boldness fills... Your words overflow... Your love explodes ...in a thousand sparkles of light....
You're always right here.

new beginnings

I love the start of a new semester... it just shouts of countless opportunities for fun and growth and new friends and new knowledge. My bags are halfway packed and tomorrow I head back to UM for a semester that is guaranteed to be hard, but I'm not dreading it. On the contrary, I'm kind of excited. These past few weeks God has been teaching me a lot about what it means to walk and live in JOY. Walking in the joy of the Lord means forsaking fear and worry. It means wholehearted trust in the love of my Savior. Living in this type of freedom is exhilarating and astounding... and I'm ready to put the rubber to the road. I've learned how to live it out in the relatively relaxing environment of Christmas break at home, but now I get to apply what I've learned to the messy and the hard- the life of a sophomore in college, drowning in pre-nursing classes and two jobs, an extroverted personality with no time for a social life, saving up for a trip to Italy, trying to prepare heart and body for camp this summer, and learning that grades don't define her only Jesus does- but oh what a wonderful journey it is! Each day I see God's hand of grace and rejoice that YES! His mercies are new every morning! He is faithful even when I am faithless, because He cannot change His holiness. He walks with me and teaches me to count everything joy, because He is using it to shape me into the woman He wants me to be, and I am slowly learning to see through His eyes. I recently read Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. She shares her journey of learning to find joy in the everyday and mundane... and it is a beautiful but very REAL journey. I could connect with her throughout the book and now my prayer is that eucharisteo defines my every waking moment. Passion was amazing, and I am so grateful that I was able to go and that God showed up in the huge way that He did. However, I think the majority of the lessons I learned that week are for me to hide in my heart for now, and ponder quietly as I find the ways my life needs to change in order to better reflect His glory.
Until next time, much love!