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.

Miniature Perspective.

Have you listened to Katy Perry's newest song, "Chained to the Rhythm"?

No?

Pause and listen to it now!

 

There are currently 2 videos out but this is the first one that I had found and clearly it was made for my eyes! #miniatureeverything

But in some ways this song very much relates to my post from last week! If you haven't read that post check it out here:Real Life Lyrics to Live By 

The lyrics are amazing.

Are we crazy?
Living our lives through a lens
Trapped in our white picket fence
Like ornaments
So comfortable, we're living in a bubble, bubble
So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble, trouble
Aren't you lonely
Up there in utopia
Where nothing will ever be enough?
Happily numb
So comfortable, we're living in a bubble, bubble
So comfortable we cannot see the trouble, trouble

So put your rose-colored glasses on
And party on...

Turn it up, it's your favorite song
Dance, dance, dance to the distortion
Come on to turn it up, keep it on repeat, stumbling around like a wasted zombie
Yeah, we think we're free
Drink, this one's on me
We're all chained to the rhythm
To the rhythm
To the Rhythm
Turn it up

You know some people think that Katy Perry is absolutely insane. But I think she is actually very intelligent. She's open and she's blunt. She's transparent and continually seeking Jesus. And hey, we're all not perfect, but her journey clearly continues.

And so our journeys continue too...





-Keep Adventuring.

Real Life Lyrics to Live By.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."- Romans 12:2

When I think of the first time I heard this verse, I thought it was specifically people or practices or worldly possessions. But then I would flip on music.
Music has always had a way of influencing my emotions and how I feel while listening to them. Music is an expression of emotion, seasons in emotions and things that can inspire emotion. All around music is always emotional.

Making you feel:
inspired
depressed
excited
turned-on
angry
content
sexy
empowered
degradded
careless

In a way music can have the impact that you ARE the person who's singing the song. That the lyrics can be interpreted exactly to your life... Or perhaps you begin to delute the thought process in relating to the lyrics... Imagine that this song is the story of your life, longing to be able to claim it as your own.

We begin to perform these songs in the car with the steering wheel as out microphone. We know these lyrics by heart and yet we don't even know what we're singing. We claim it's the beats that we are into but pay no mind to the lyrics... False. The lyrics stick deeper than you think. Soon a love ballad connects emotion to a love that was lost or a longing to be known. They can bring us into an alternate reality.

Music has the chance to empower, bring hope and celebrate joy. But it also has a way to alter our mind sets. This can cause us to focus on emotions that aren't even really existent in our current season of life. Kind of like Instagram or Facebook stats portraying something completely different than what really is.

In 2017 America was dubbed one of the most obese countries in the world ranked at #10.
How does this relate to music you're wondering?

I have a theory... Pop music causing obesity. Degrading music could cause us to careless about ourselves or others and then could lead to repercussions on self image, self worth, identity. Based on meaningless, crude lyrics that we know by heart, fall out of our our lip syncing mouths of day dreaming madness. Motivation and realistic expectations lost in translation based on a standard that has been created and will never be met.

 Would we ever actually say such lines as:
 " See you standing over there with your body.
Feeling like I want to rock with your body.
And we don't gotta think 'bout nothin'.
I'm comin' at ya.
'Cause I know you got a bad reputation.
Doesn't matter 'cause you give me temptation.

And we don't gotta think 'bout nothin'."- Ariana Grande- Side to Side

or

"I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah
P1 cleaner than your church shoes, ah
Milli point two just to hurt you, ah
all red lamb' just to tease you, ah
none of these toys on lease too, ah
Made your whole year in a week to, yeah
Main b*!@& out of your league too, ah,
Side b*!@& out of your league too, ah... Hundred on the dash get me close to God, We don't pray for love we just pray for cars...
Look what you've done! I'm a motherf*@$in' Starboy."- The Weeknd- Starboy (*Explicit)


But would you actually even say these lyrics, these thoughts out loud to someone? why? what would ever be the point of having these shallow "conversations" or words with toward someone other than seeming power, image, wealth, authority? We are wrongfully defining what these words really mean and instead putting in what we want to believe.

Worldly image. I'm honestly saying that if you ever did say those things and mean them to anyone you know, you'd probably get slapped... But we can dream and imagine what it would be like, can't we?...Temptation.

 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."- Romans 12:2

Now I am not saying that "secular music"(non Christian music) is a bad thing... In fact I enjoy listening to "secular music". I do like the beats, I do like the pace, I do like the sound of SOME Voices. I also just really enjoy keeping up with pop culture and being able to converse about pop music and therefore give those who don't know Jesus an opportunity to see that we "Christian Folk" aren't so cookie cutter either. But it's when I begin to connect myself too much with the lyrics or song meanings, that's when I step away and put on some Hillsong or Bethel music. However it isn't JUST when I feel like other music is perhaps drawing me away from the Lord. I listen to both genres often and I can tell you that I see these aspects from an entirely different perspective. An un-healthy reliance on music, on musicians, music artists and celebrities if we aren't careful.

We. Need. Jesus. 

Not Ben Howard music (which I enjoy) to allow us to be in a funk of depression and eventually lift us out once we feel sick of playing it. Not Angry aggressive music that makes us FEEL like we're being heard when we belt out the lyrics.

Jesus helps us cope with our physically flawed bodies whether mental or our misconception of self image in a culture that is so cookie cutter. Why else did God give each of us our very own finger prints, like no other?! Because we are unique and supposed to be ourselves and no one else. In anger He is there to remind us that things like anger, fear, anxiety are NOT of Him but of Satan trying to take control along with temptation and sin so that we WILL CONTINUALLY CONFORM TO THIS WORLD.

So why should we ask,
"Baby, what's it gonna hurt if they don't know?
Makin' everybody think that we solo.
Just as long as you know you got me. And boy I got ya.
'Cause tonight I'm making deals with the devil.
And I know it's gonna get me in trouble.
Just as long as you know you got me..."Ariana Grande- Side to Side

Why imagine life through shallow degrading song lyrics when you can live in the reality that Jesus can bring to you... A reality that is:
Truth in freedom.
Truth in love.
Truth in Identity as a Son or Daughter.
Truth in what is said about not conforming to the world. But instead, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."









-Keep Adventuring

Page Turner: Slow Down.

I have been having a slight problem depicting what day it is... It can't possibly be Thursday again already... But it is. How could it possibly have been a week already? This is the question I've been asking myself every week for the last 6 weeks or so.

Lately I feel as though 2017 has hit hyper speed and there is no slowing down in sight. And as I drive to and from Fort Collins on Tuesday, I think about how much the fall of man truly exists. How our bodies are no longer meant to withstand the turning of time. We are not physically eternal.

I've been thinking about how I have been out of high school for 12 years now... 12! I think about how I've been out of college for 8 years now... and I wonder to myself how that much time has passed. I see old photos pop up on my facebook page as a "flashback" but it feels like just yesterday.

We looked so young
Babies
Chubby bunnies
More pure than ever
Gullible
Nieve
Completely oblivious to what the world was...

...At times I still feel oblivious...

My point is this. -Invincibility-. As someone who is humbled by this perceived notion daily with aches, pains, and pride stripped, I see this constant reel in my mind of how 24 hours can pass like it's nothing but indeed as each of those 24 hour incriments pass... Our bodies are being broken down by the harshness of this world.

By the air
By the Elements
By the exertion
By the gravity
By the stress
By the burdens
By the politics
By the improvements
By the busyness 
By the cravings
By the sin
By the guilt
By the love
By the service

All these items that I have listed above can be catagorized in so many different ways by personal example. But again the reel that comes to mind on repeat in my head is like a flip book couple who has been married for 60 plus years and picture them in this picture book as young in the beginning as young, nieve and risilient people.

This is a large picture book. You can choose to flip slowly from day to day or you can flip it quickly as it actually feels while years pass by without even realizing it. Before you know it you're looking at this couple that felt inexperienced in life. Perhaps people wondered if it was even a good idea for them to get married so young. Now, wrinkled faces that have smile lines and crows feet I bet there are still seasons of life where they feel that same inexperienced feeling but still loving each moment as it comes. 

Even now not even a year into my own marriage, I look at my Husband and wonder what it will be like 60 years from now. How much time like that could possibly pass. But it does... More quickly than we could ever believe. We can't believe it. But here we are right now!

Thinking about:
All that we have done
All that we haven't done
All that we've seen
All that we haven't seen
All that we have accomplished
All that we have failed

However...

We mustn't view our lives from a succeeding VS failing point of view. Nor should we believe the lie that just because we are at a certain point in our lives or if we aren't where we would like to be at a certain point in our lives, that there is still time.  But also there is time to reflect and enjoy these seasons of our lives.

Just take a quick look at some of those who inspirational.  Being 30 is a brand new realm for me. There are times when I feel very old... But when you take a look at those who began at an age that is almost an entire life time a way from who I currently am... It has the potential to inspire and blow our minds.

Ernestine Shepherd-The worlds oldest bodybuilder who just turned 80, began her fitness journey at 56.

86-Year-Old "Iron Nun", Madonna Buder- Completed her first Iron-man Triathlon when she was 65!

Joseph Campbell - Didn't create Campbell's Soup Brand until he was 52!

Vera Wang- Didn't make her first dress until she was 40! 

My point is that everyday we age. Even if we feel the youngest we ever have. EVERYDAY we age and get beat down by our surroundings, we live the lives that we have been given! The amazing thing is that we don't need to mourn this continual aging process. 

We need to celebrate more. 

We need more revival out of dead end routines and feelings.

We need to encourage more.

We need to dream more.

We need to live in the moment before the weeks pass by like an hour or a minute hand on the clock and all the sudden we look in the mirror and realize more time has flipped by in this flip book of memories and seasons than we had ever anticipated.

But even if it did... Start today... Or continue today.

-Keep Adventuring.

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photos and article credits: Tumblr, People Magazine, Highsnobiety, Cooks Info, Business Insider and Google

Dreamer

Recently I have been having dreams where I've been back in highschool. Dreams where I am with people I haven't been with for a very long time or have even honestly thought sbout regularly for over 10 years.

Dreams about various events or traumatic events that stir extreme aspects of emotion. Extreme joy, extreme sadness. Extreme anger or extreme frustration.

When I dream about being back in high school it is usually consisting of me trying to get to a math class that I haven't attended all year and I need a passing grade in order to graduate. I haven't done any of the homework and yet I'm thinking to myself, "why am I here? Do I really need to be here right now since I've already gone to college?".

Recently I had a seemingly prophetic dream about my friend Ana and how she was accepted by her church to become a fulltime missionary over seas... I texted her the following day (Monday) and told her about it because it was such an emotionally joyful dream. She told  her final interview to do just that was Tuesday. She texted me Tuesday evening and told me she was indeed accepted into the program and would be leaving in a few months to pursue being a full time missionary through her church!....

FREAKY

I've had very few dreams that seem to some what  mention true things about future news, events or approaching seasons of life. Never big events like political or destruction. More the feeling and understanding that perhaps because this persons spirit is kindered or connecting with mine via Jesus and his heart and compassion about the understanding of His compassion and our calling and purpose to seek his heart and pray what He prays, I am compelled and convicted to pray for these people no matter how long it's been and it brings me to connect with them via letter or text or phone call and check in. It's amazing but can also be very intimidating. But as I've said before... God likes when I'm uncomfortable and so it is the continual surrender of my comforts and abiding in what He would like me to pursue. He places these things in me as I rest the tent he has given me.

I am amazed by my brain and my spirit colliding at times. To feel so overwhelmed in that moment by what was seemingly the end of the world or the hardest struggles in life was being IN High school, seems to, now, be a calming mechanism within me to say that things seemed easier back then and honestly if I could get through that, I really could get through anything else...

The underlying message, "you'll come through, God will provide. In another 2 years or so you will be at a different season where you are humbled and thankful for what currently is".


Other dreams I've had recently include heading to the mountain after a seeming long yet short drive and realizing that:
A. Boots are buried in the snow
B.  Boots are missing
C. Not fitting my bindings
D. Boots fit great but I've forgotten my skis.
E. Skis have been misplaced or stolen
F. Poles are lost in a used gear store and people think I'm trying to steal them
G. Stuck on the longest lift ride
H. skiing but not enough snow.

Clearly I need to remedy these thoughts and yearnings with obsessively double checking my packing and get my butt up to the mountain.

What dreams may come... At least I haven't been talking nearly as much as I used to in my sleep. At least that is my hope considering I haven't heard my husband mention anything lately.






-Keep Adventuring.










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Comforts of The World: 6 Pack Abs In Just 30 Simple Minutes!

Just when you think you've gotten used to things. You are thankful everything is going well and that for once in life... Things are smooth and you think that you could and would like to get used to the pace of just cruising.

Often when things get heavy and a bit outrageous in life, I know I've done this but have you?

I think, "Just once it would be nice if things went smoothly and actually fell into place."

I just want things to go smoothly.
I just want things to be easy for once
I just need things to go how I want them to go.
I just...

The beggar mentality that ensues from the "I just" creates a sense of becoming a "victim" instead of a strong son or daughter. How often have I begged God to just give me the easy way. I begged for once that school would actually go well. That financial woes would be no more and that comfort while on the earth would take over.

Reading that last sentence just paralyzed me in thought. I myself know that comfort comes in many ways. However I am reminded often through finances, or lack there of, that God shows his glory through the process as we seek him. If that need was not currently there I would then not be seeking him fully to provide. I am often torn with this thought. I do pray that my trust would not be faulty because of financial roller coasters. My prayer indeed is that one day I will be financially blessed in a way that enables me to bless those who will be in my shoes like I currently walk in them today.

But I do not want to seek the comforts of this earth. That is not my purpose. Purpose is to live every moment while I am on this earth colonizing and spreading the good news but ultimately I can't imagine living with these seeming woes for all of eternity... There is too much of his glory and too much celebration that out weighs the pain, sorrow, worry and stress of this world.

You can have all this world, give me Jesus

This is a real thing...Sauna Pants

To beg for things to be easier or less complicated truly puts our spirits at risk of being strengthened by the trials that God has set before us to grow, strengthen and guide us. We want the tone bodies and strength to climb hard things yet we groan when we need to train and strengthen our bodies to be able to endure these things. Unless you get bit by a radioactive spider that somehow intertwines into your DNA and makes you part spider therefore give you wicked awesome strength... Hmmmmmm

Reality is, if you want it badly enough AND it is in Gods will to make it a part of your life, he will bring it to fruition. But it wont just, poof, happen...
Kind of like these products...Viewer discretion is advised...

If it is worth it to us we will persevere...
If it is worth it, we will fight...
If it is worth it we will pursue...

It's worth it...

However don't forget that in the midst of pursuit, the trials, the hardships, stresses and downright failures will strengthen us...

They will humble us...

They will SHOW us just how present God is in every hour of everyday...





-Keep Adventuring.





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It Was December.

It was December as Austin and I made our way down I-25 that I sat back in the passengers seat and suddenly felt this decompression of my heart and mind. It was December when I departed from a place that still holds a piece of my heart. It was December when I stood in rain puddles and prepared myself for what was a huge leap of faith and complete surrender.

I mean common who am I? I had never had the desire to raise my own salary monthly. I had no desire to reach out to people and ask for their financial support yet my heart was softened to the idea and changed by the opportunity to serve in a new place and for a purpose that He had placed deep within me before the earth was created.

Photo Cred: Carl Costas

Before that it was July and I felt these heartstrings being tuned to a different genre. The same God who softened Pharaoh's heart to let his people go, was in the process of changing my heart. Stripping bitterness, exhaustion and staleness away from the various crevasses that I had come short of maintaining in my season of numbness. He began to awaken this soul in transitional directions.

It was December when I put all of my possessions into a car and drove toward something unknown while leaving something so known that it startled my depths as it sank in that I wouldn't be returning to the normalcy that I had known for nearly 5 years.

It was December when I had made a decision. The decision was to follow, obey and commit the entirety of myself to go wherever He led me. That was on a brisk night in a coffee shop/ used book store in Pennsylvania that had one of the best Roasted Red Pepper spreads I had ever experienced. It was December when I walked out of that coffee shop and the weight of my burdens, sins and past had rolled off my back as I hopped on my bike through snow and night sky. It was December when my life truly began when I was 23...

Being born is a hard uncomfortable situation. I wouldn't know physically because I was too young to remember. But spiritually comes in the same type of context.

It was December when I came home after moving west to follow as I had promised and I couldn't wait to get back. It was December when I couldn't wait to leave the place I had been called to for so long. Returning after 2 bike tours cross country and reluctantly obeying and seeking faith that He was faithful in what He asked of me.

Across America 2013

Across America 2013

It was December both times when I returned from South Africa with a wrecked yet joyful heart of the friends I had made and the work of Gods hands that I witnessed in his children and his creation. It was December when cultures collided from warm to cold. From welcoming to personal bubble patrols in Cities I had never really explored on my own before. Grace soaking into the empty feeling spaces and redeeming his love as I conversed with loved ones.

South Africa 2013

It was December when I departed permanently from the establishment I had thought I would be at forever. It was December when I drove up the road with the windows down to smell the air that the canopy provided and let the dampness of the duff seep into my skin and soul for the last time to rejuvenate and bless me for the last time until we meet again.

Redwood Forest

Giant Sequoias

Redwood Forest

Spring 2011

It was December 2 years later as I sat next to my Husband headed to New Mexico for New Years and suddenly the decompression of my heart, the continual healing of time and His grace and mercies renewing again and again who I am and reminding me of who I was. It was December when I how incredible that season of my life under the canopy really was. It was December when I finally let go of the door knob and began to take steps away from the closed door FULLY into this season I now currently stand...

It is January and I stand with a thankful heart and new perspective. Humbled by His faithfulness and thankful for His Grace, compassion and mercy on my stumbles.

It is January.





-Keep Adventuring.





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