Rippling Nostalgia

I have spent a bit of time this week feeling rather nostalgic and full of yearning for life to be the way that it was when I was a child. In chatting it up with those around me this week I have also seen an older mentality of the repercussions of the gaps between generations and the ripple effect of technological advances and the impact it continually has on all generations.

My boss shared a couple of articles with our staff this week which I want to share with you as well.
Take a hot second and read it.

Found on Google Images.

Seemingly in my eyes and mind there are extremely false realities made by social media and a seeking sense of worth through filtered pictures, hashtags and mixtures of follows and likes. I don't believe that everyone falls into this category of false worth but I know there are times that my mind falls into that wave length. Have you wondered today or reflected upon how many people liked your Insta-post of your most recent family portrait? I mean it's cute, who wouldn't like it, right?

I like social media. While on my cross country bike tours in 2012 and 2013 I was approached by many who asked why I was riding and what was the reasoning. I would post updates and blogs from the weeks that passed and explore those around me to see where their heads were at. I most enjoy seeing raw vulnerable states of people that are stripped and real. Perhaps this is because of social media in the sense that "we know them on Facebook" but we don't "know" them. I know I crave intimacy in knowing, really knowing who people are. This can make people extremely uncomfortable.

Discomfort creates discovery of comfort in the Lord.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."- Proverbs 3:5-6

This is a continual steady growth area in my relationship with Christ. I have found that sharing my discomfort with others, it opens doors and vulnerability networks like a commonality in seasons of life meshing with each other to embrace the discomfort. To inspire and be inspired by what people are pursuing because they are allowing God to pursue them in these raw, intimate and stripped ways. Stepping outside of fear and daring to be more like who God is calling them to be. The person he created with His love and desires in mind.

"Lord make my desires your desires".


Piggy Backing:
Speaking of being vulnerable. I have something rather personal to share. Within this discomfort of growing to trust God and know that He has indeed never failed me or you for that matter, but also in being reminded continually that in order to be honest and vulnerable with God we must be that way with ourselves.

It has been 5 months since I have begun work here in Laramie for Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries! It has been absolutely amazing to be able to serve here and let God use me to move this ministry in way I could never have imagined. All with in less than a year of first coming out here to pursue a Wilderness Ministries Professionals Course to work on my leadership skills.

There are hopes for the summer of guiding/instruction and travels to meet with people in the fall to spend some quality time with to explain in more detail of what their financial sacrifice to help me serve here in Laramie full time has really had on the ministry and on my life sold out for Christ where He called me almost a year ago now.

Living month to month has not been easy. It has been humbling and a continual surrender process. I continue to invite any and all who would like to come on board my monthly support team. I am at my bare minimum of what is needed. Below you can see where it would be helpful to be and how that can be made possible.

Please prayerfully consider sponsoring me for the next year. It's been an incredible journey and it will continue to be.

This is where I'm at:

Cute kids, eh?

Laramie Living/ month	Cost
Rent	$475
Car Loan	$238
Food	$300
Gym Membership	$50
Car Insurance	$98
Gas bi monthly	$50
Cell Phone	$80
Electric	$28
Credit Card	$45
Health Insurance	$23
Tithe/Unexpected Expenses/ Savings	$250
Currently needed	$1,637
Current monthly support	$1,200

 I'm reaching out for help in committing for the next year:
 
3 sponsors to give $100/month =$300

4 sponsors to give $50/month= $200

4 sponsors to give $25/month=$100


Join my Stellar Support Team!

Lead Me On.

"Walk by faith not by sight"

 2 Corinthians 5:7

May 7th:

"The failure to persevere is the most common problem in prayer and intercession. We begin to pray for something, raising our petitions for a day, a week, or even a month, but then if we have not received a definite answer, we quickly give up and stop praying for it all together.

This is a mistake with deadly consequences and is simply a trap where we begin many things but never see them completed. It leads to ruin in every area of life. People who get into the habit of starting with out ever finishing form the habit of failure. And those who begin praying about something without ever praying it through to successful conclusion form the same habit in prayer. Giving up is admitting failure and defeat. Defeat then leads to discouragement and doubt in the power of prayer, and that is fatal to the success of a persons prayer life."- The Practice of Prayer; Streams in The Desert.

I've mentioned "The Storm" almost a year ago. You can read it here: The Storm

I've spoken of my marathon in Northern California: Worth It

I've elaborated on Gods faithfulness with getting me to Wyoming: Stretching Matters

...I could go on and on about Gods faithfulness in my life... The truth is that it can and WILL be even more rich than where my relationship was during these seasons of my life. I am seeking that out intentionally!

Prayer is not just simply asking for things. It is conversing with God. It is drawing closer to his mercies, his promises and seeking faith, not sight. It is allowing yourself to be embraced by him to be reminded of his promises for our lives and the lives of those we love. 

I can't spend the rest of my life denying what God has done in my life. And I'm not saying that I am. But I want more in this relationship than simply an constant asking and receiving. I am desperately yearning for intimacy. I am longing for his desires to be my desires. To fall in love with my very first love.

I have discovered a while ago a love and passion for prophesying lyrical flow. This song is absolute truth. Listen and let it soak in deeply. 

Out of Hiding:

Steffany Gretzinger and Amanda Cook

The making of: Out of Hiding

Second song on my heart this week is Steady Heart.

I'm thankful to feel such a pull to share them with you and pray thanksgiving over what God tells you through each of them.

  -Keep Adventuring.

 Hop on my Stellar Support Team!

Here's how!

It's OK to giggle.

Curious Conviction.

Bubba Gump Shrimp, San Francisco, CA 2014

"Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations."-Isaiah 42:1

"And now the Lord speaks- the one who formed me in my mother's womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.

"Then he said to me, "This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies.


Have you ever completely judged something or someone and gone completely against it because of the effect or possible effect it might or might not have on your own life? Sacrificing is not just for the lent season people and God has certainly been stirring that tremendously in my heart over the last couple of weeks.

A couple of weeks ago my coworkers came back from Cross Fit with this wild idea. a few of them were going to do this "whole 30" cleanse/diet/torture/terrible idea. This was my initial thought on it. I mean the rules are that you can eat anything except the following:

-Dairy
-Real or processed sugars
-Lugumes (A type of plant with seeds that grow in long cases or pods)Did you know Peanuts are      Lugumes?!...This is a terrible idea.
-Grains
-Alcohol

Miserable! While they explained it I built this wall and was very against it. Thinking upon how it would effect my everyday performance based of the things I felt I absolutely could not live with out to sustain me... There's no way that my body could handle not having peanut butter as a main source of Protein. I mean common, do you want me to die?!

As friends began on this journey I began to do some research on the "Whole 30" and began to find that there are actually a lot of benefits to doing this whole thing. I'm being stubborn. The interest of this initially was because I felt I reacted rather harshly to this obedient thing that my co workers wanted to try. That quickly turned to conviction and pondering. Why did I hate the idea so much of giving things that were so steadily on my diet that I knew gave me energy. That I thought were "sustaining" me. When actually thinking more deeply about it, many of these things could be hurting me and my serving performance.

I have been struggling with moderate to severe exhaustion over the last couple of weeks and I can for sure say that my diet has not been the most prominent or effective for my work outs. In fact I believe it has begun to hurt me tremendously. So after some deep prayerful consideration and some more surrender of allowing the thought of God to sustain me instead of trying to survive on my own consumption and strength, beginning on May 4th I will be partaking in the Whole 30.

Prayers appreciated.

It might not be pretty... In fact I might become rather "Hangry" for the next few days of detox. I might even flip a few tables like Jesus did... Probably not. However it will be challenging to say the least.