Influenced.

I had another dream that I was best friends with Sporty Spice last night...

Perhaps it's because I follow her on Social Media or perhaps it's because I simply just can't get past my love for 90's nostalgia. I am just continually fascinated with where they came from, their peak of career as The Spice Girls and how each of them have grown and expanded individually.

And I can't help but be continually curious as to how English culture compared to American culture is so different. Each of them are married except for Mel C. All 5 seem perfectly content in growing families pursuit of other careers in fashion and radio as well as content with their spouses.

There is a more personal theme in English culture that I happen to envy. There is still a sense of privacy, it seems, that is respected and people are just people. They are inspiring people... But just people.

I dreamed that I looked back at my Dad as I was walking away with Mel C and the girls to go spend some time catching up and he didn't recognize them and I laughed and asked him if he remembered standing in a crowd of people at my first ever concert looking through binoculars to see the tiny specs that were the Spice Girls on stage during The Spice World Tour. He was still perplexed and then that scene faded.

I'm not sure why I've had such laid back dreams about simply hanging out and being friends with them. It's just a fact that I truly wish I could sit down with them and get to know them genuinely. Not as a fan... Just a friend.

I don't care if you judge me... I don't care if you think it's stupid. Within the changing fame of their career there was struggle, anger, distress, depression and heartbreak. But through it there was joy, there was positive impact in the ripple effect of their peak. And that ripple effect continues to inspire, impact and grow our culture. Check out this pretty amazing Documentary: Giving You Everything

They've taught me a lot of things and as I continue to type, feeling like this post is a lost cause because perhaps no one will take me seriously... I truly am thankful that we as human beings have the opportunity to impact and be impacted by those around us near and far.

Imagine if the influences in our lives positive or negative had never existed. Imagine in influences didn't exist period! I honestly can't... Can you? Even Jesus himself has influenced us while he walked this earth and continues to influence our daily lives.

He calls us to be a positive influence and example for all to witness. What an incredible opportunity and what an incredible journey to know that in a crazy, out there kind of way but the influnce of the Spice Girls brought me to exactly where I am today. That and many other influences.

I often wonder if there was any moment... Any moment at all in my life that had been different, what my life at this very moment would be like, look like.

Some may believe that smaller moments don't impact the course of a life but I happen to remember the moment on one of my bike tours across country that I realized I should make the decision to return to California and work another season. I also remember that people in that season taught me a lot and if I hadn't committed to pursuing continuing the work God had for me in California I would not have pursued SROM. And if I didn't pursue SROM, I may never have moved to Wyoming. If I never moved to Wyoming, perhaps, I never would have met my Husband.

...Drastic, I know...


Just take a look at your life and think about where you are, where you came from and your dreaming of where you're headed... There is influence and impact everywhere.

Perhaps one amazing day I will have the opportunity to sit down and chat with the girls like it's a typical day... a reunion. That'd be neat.







-Keep Adventuring.

Redemptive Perspective.

I simply can't recall how this thought began to enter my brain. Perhaps it was the news of some random celebrity getting a 3.9 billion dollar divorce or randomly thinking about the movie "Now & Then" that became one of my favorite movies after I had seen it for the first time at Marissa's house back in, like, 5th grade.

There were many iconic scenes from this movie and too many favorite lines to quote but I do remember one scene in particular that, at the time, I had  felt like I was apart of the gang more than ever. At that age I felt like I was Samantha. Take a look at this scene I've posted below... All the way to the end.

"In 10 years half the population will be divorced"
"I find that hard to believe"

But the truth is that now since the 70's and 90's divorce rates have gone up.

My life entirely aside I had ,until recently, thought that America's divorce rate was the highest in the world. Simply because it always seemed to be the latest trending subjects in social media and always talked about in our culture. However, I decided to see if I could track down some numbers. These probably aren't the most recent considering this article that I'm citing was published in 2014, BUT, The numbers and facts are blowing my mind. Bringing me to realize that America actually is doing better in some ways percentage wise.

For instance, out of the world rankings for divorce rates we are actually at #10 at a percentage of 53%...#10!

9. France-55%
8. Cuba- 56%- "Cubans are entitled to apply to the government to have costs of their wedding and honeymoon covered. With little to worry about other than actually finding a spouse, it's no wonder so many are getting married"
7. Estonia-58%
6. Luxemburg-60%-"Grounds for divorce in the country require that both parties are above the age of 21 and that they have been married for at least two years." (Yeah! Make them work through it!)
5. Spain-61%-"Catholicism has become more of a cultural identity rather than a religious practice, so Spaniards have no qualms about moving towards a more secular approach."
4. Czeck Republic-66%-"Grounds for divorce in the country are fairly straightforward: a fundamental breakdown of relations must be proven for the courts to dissolve a marriage."
3. Hungary-67%
2.Portugal-68%
1. Belgium-71%- "...divorce levels have been climbing, with the decline of the church cited as a key factor in these figures."

To read more on the article, Click this link:World's 10 Most Divorced Nations

Each country has a specific way of determining whether a divorce is really necessary.

Now I am not here to step onto a soap box and rant about how people should try harder at being married or have more grace, compassion or seek deeper wisdom before even stepping into marriage.

If I'm honest I would have LOVED for my parents to have stayed together. But under specific circumstances, I am very thankful they are divorced. These details I will not go into. However I am also so thankful that they got married in the first place. It was apart of Gods plan so that my brother and I could be brought to this earth intertwined with both my Dad and my Mom.

It is true that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Knitted in our Mothers womb just as my best friends little ones are currently being knitted by my living God.

Truth: I don't always understand or choose to accept why my parents or anyone elses parents get divorced. But I have learned to accept it and respect that even if it seems like failure to witnesses or even those who are divorcing, there is truth and compassion, grace and forgiveness in Jesus.

Why.

Because Jesus wept for so many. He doesn't hold grudges and He DOES forgive as long as we are are seeking his forgiveness, humbly. Divorce is not an unforgivable sin. It's not.
 "And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." -Matthew12:31

Truthfully I see more and more that we can't comprehend the grace and mercy that Jesus offers us because we hold onto these humanly flawed failings.

I was that typical child who at times blamed themselves for this season that my family was in. But I have learned more and more that it truthfully is not meant to be blame shifted, but instead, be accepted that it can't and wont be fixed... But instead healing can occure, and strength gain be brought back... Just... Like... Getting a knee replacement. Sure we don't want to do the deed but sometimes things just fail. We are human. But with the opportunity to heal with the help of a new season, healing and strength take hold.

The importance here is to push just a bit hard each time to bring yourself out of the possible rut or emotional exhaustion you may experience along the way in your time of healing. Getting out of the ordinary and simply getting yourself moving even if it feels like your progress is minimal. The more consistant, the more you progress and begin to feel the freedom and the liberation of the healing that God brings and His mercies that are new daily!

Take a moment to praise Him even in the hardest of seasons and I can guarantee that he will BLESS that acknowledgement and continue to nudge you up those hills, mountains and seemingly cliff sides just as his pointer finger was clearly on the back of my bike saddle while riding those physical passes across the entire United States.

Original Photo Cred: alphabent.com/%23recumbents, Photo edits: DOH

-Keep Adventuring

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

The more I spend time at the University's Gym, the more I am convinced that there are even seperate sub generations within the millennial generation. Where as the Baby Boomers are majority incompetent to technology (my Mom still has a flip phone and she is so content). But through this unknown art, there is strength I have realized older individuals hold. That is social intention.

What?

I personally have sought to disconnect myself from my cell phone as much as possible. I chose to ask for and iPod for Christmas so that I can have my music and music alone during my workouts. In my opinion it helps immensely with discipline and distraction.

While I look around the gym to these younger birds, I have noticed more and more that there is more thumb conditioning through scrolling and texting. I witness a lot of sitting and staring at a screen in the hand.

Friends working out together who say few words to each other between sets and cardio because they are too busy looking at what's trending on Twitter.

Those intentional, vulnerable conversations existing less and less. Again Vanity wins all as sweats are barely broken and posts are put up. #hittingthegymhard #workhard #puttinginthehours #gymselfie

...The same reactions are deterred only slightly when the majority of young girls who are flaunting themselves and lifting weights that are not a healthy weight to be lifted at their skill level and strength. All for a guy who does it often. These girls ooze their flirty interest in hopes that affection would be shown back... But lets face it, guys are oblivious.

Again intentions skewed and false expectations set for each other.


We must own what we pursue and for truth not for misleading circumstances. These are things that I've learned for myself over the last 10 years. But I feel it is something that I have always gravitated more toward. The passion and desire to better maintain my body instead of being distracted by social interactions. Because of this I have tried more and more to follow the baby boomers in social intention.

I see more and more round about ways of complimenting and pursuing. Instead of a verbal compliment, there is more "likes" needed in order to feel like it's worth something. Instead of a physical conversation we ignore the call so that we can text instead.

I'm not mad. I'm simply stating truth in what I'm witnessing. It brings me back to the rings on my finger and the present that I live in while very much hoping that my daily focus during my morning work outs have some type of rubbing off effect and example on these "youth" who share my generation just barely.

I can only hope.

I hope that people, including myself, would look at real things instead of through a screen and filter. I pray that the bondage of these hand held devices would be broken and that the importance of face to face connection and communication is so much more important than needing to hashtag your food and spend an entire date on your phone!












-Keep Adventuring.

There Is a Bigger Picture.

There are times when we go along in our lives and all of the sudden something  jerks our heart strings out of tune...

A brick hits our face
We are closelined
We are slapped
We are tripped
A punch is thrown
Air knocked out of our lungs
Something stuns us...Paralyzed 


All the sudden the world seems so much colder than what we remember. We are volted into the realness of things unthinkable. And there is a stickiness to it. Unable to move backward... Unable to move past it.

I was reminded last night that within the current seasons at hand we must remember these words:

"1 Who ever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
     will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
     my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you
      from the fowler's snare
      and from the deadly pestilence.
4  He will cover you with his feathers,
      and under his wings you will find refuge;
      his faithfulness will be your shield and ramparts.
5  You will not fear the terror of the night,
      nor the arrow that flies by day,
6  nor the prestilence that stalks in the darkness,
      nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
      ten thousand at your right hand,
      but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
      and see the punishment of the wicked.
9  If your say, "The Lord is my refuge,"
      and you make the Most High dwelling,
10  no harm will overtake you(me),
       no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
       to guard you in all your ways;
12  they will lift you up in their hands,
       so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
       you will trample the great lion and serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
       I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
       I will be with him in trouble,
       I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
       and show him my salvation."
-Psalm 91


We cannot be touched. We are surrounded by His angels. Yet we feel the heat of the attempt and verbal attack as Satan speaks lie anfter lie after lie until we fall to our knees and cause harm on ourselves. We trust the lie that it is destroying us. That it will ruin all.

"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

I am desperate to lean on His and not mine as to how things could happen if the Angels we are surrounded by wont even allow the enemy to stubb our toe, yet the self infliction is so real because to the penetrating lies bring us to do this to ourselves...

I am reminded of the temptation Jesus went through with Satan when he came to the wilderness to pick up his cross and sacrifice for us...

 "5The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 

"He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"


As Mat Kearny's "Closer To Love" repeats through my heart, I am reminded that we cannot be touched. But instead we are being pulled closer to God through each circumstance. Though we don't understand the WHY behind things that happen we must trust God that it is for his good which is why it was in his will for it to happen.

There is a bigger picture.

Even in the parting of friendships, relationships, marriages, death, suicide, cancer, depression, the list goes on.

There is a bigger picture.

And I will be the first to admit that I cannot comprehend it or understand it but I don't need to. As I think about the terrible idea and attempt to comprehend loosing, say my husband, or someone else. Or someone who looses a child or something that is so near and dear. But still being able to trust God that it was for his good...(Austin is fine.)

"11For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11

We feel harmed in these moments. We attempt to comprehend and believe the lie that it was meant to hurt us in the moments of the pain of grieving that we experience.  God created human emotion, but it is our own thoughts that lead us astray through misinterpretation of that hurt.

I am still struggling within these moments but though I cannot comprehend I am choosing with all of my might to just trust in God and remind myself that He is good...







 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255







-Continually praying.