H and K: In case you haven't heard, seen, or read lately, the world is going a little bit crazy. Ok...it's straight up lost its mind. We're all holding our breath until November, wondering what dubious schemes or outlandish comments our incumbent presidential candidates will throw out next. We grieve with complete strangers as yet another story breaks the news of a shooting. We think of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and their constant living in terror and fear of persecution.
The worlds within our own four walls seem to be going crazy too. We pray for our friends who are dealing with death, loss, sickness, hopelessness, uncertainty, We pray for our own family as we deal with aging grandparents and the roller coaster rides that come with that. We pray for each other as we walk through this (hopefully soon ending) season of waiting and anticipation. We recently passed another anniversary of the loss of a dear friend.
Life just seems to be hard right now. We're willing to bet that some of you wonder if God is even really there, if He's even listening at all.
He is.
And for us, He's lightened the heaviness in our hearts by providing us peace when we wouldn't normally have had it. But more than that, He has put some amazingly supportive and kind friends into our lives, many just this year. When we moved to Richmond almost a year ago (whaaat??), for a time we both struggled with loneliness; even though Richmond is only 15 minutes away from Berea, we didn't have any friends close by anymore, and that was hard. It was just within a few months of moving that we re-reconnected (we never really lost touch but life had us all in different directions for a while) with some friends of ours, and now they and their three "kids" have warmed their way back into our hearts and lives again. Some of our fondest memories of 2016 have involved them and we are just so, so thankful, for that and for the future. The story is kind of serendipitous, in a way...it's how Holly met Justin. :) And then we've made a new friend who lives in Richmond (yay!!!), she's so bubbly and fun-spirited and full of life and Jesus and we just love spending time with her.
And there are others...so, so many others, who have sent us cards for no reason, who have sent us texts just to say they were thinking of us, who have stopped by the house with little "just because" gifts, who have embraced us with so many hugs, prayers, lunch dates, and kind words that sometimes we believe it's so much more than what we deserve.
For me (Holly), I believe that God sometimes manifests Himself through the people He has put in our lives. Think about it: The closeness we feel when we are with those we love. That one word, affirmation, or piece of advice/wisdom from a friend, right when you need it. When your friend or loved one finally reveals that their long-time struggle is over, and you can directly remember praying over that same struggle. Just think about it.
The truth is that we need each other. Plain and simple. The way we interact with those around us...well, it sets an example. It shines the light of Jesus into a world that seems to be plunging deeper into darkness. Being kind or loving those in our lives certainly isn't going to change the world or stop all the violence and nonsense taking place. But it will help make our corner of the world a little brighter. Worry less. Complain less. Compare less. Pray more. Thank more. Practice gratitude more. Encourage more. Love more. Our spirits have been lifted by the company we keep. What can you do to uplift those in your life, even if everything seems to be going fine for them? How can you encourage someone this week?
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. -1 John 3:18
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
The responsibility of reaching out
Holly and Kelly: Earlier this week Kelly confided that she had been feeling a little down and lonely lately. Changes in routine, daily lives, that sort of thing have caused some disarrayed emotions. I (Holly) suggested that perhaps she reach out. And then she made a point, and it stopped us dead in our tracks:
"Why do I have to be the one to reach out?"
Again...good point. It's not exactly a surprise that life has handed us a little bit of a curveball lately. But then she made a comparison...to bullying. Have you ever noticed that when someone becomes a victim of bullying, he/she gets advice such as, "Oh, just ignore it." "Stand up for yourself." "Don't let it get to you." Why is it hardly ever taken back to the one inflicting the bullying in the first place? Yeah, sure, the bully will get dragged to the principal's office...But, at least in our experience, it's never the bully's responsibility to quit bullying. It's the victim's responsibility to quit behaving, or simply existing, in a manner that warrants bullying in the first place.
Do you get what we're saying?
Kelly then spun the example to people who suffer from depression: Part of the recovery process is that they're encouraged to check in with a trusted friend or accountability partner on a regular basis. While I appreciate the notion of staying in touch and maintaining open lines of communication, especially with someone who's just gotten out of an unsafe or traumatic situation, it seems a little backwards to me: Shouldn't the person suffering from depression be checked on as regularly as they're checking in? And perhaps they are. But do you get what we're saying?
We're certainly not trying to guilt-trip anyone or make anyone feel bad. Please believe us! Life is busy and crazy, and we're certainly grateful that we have amazing people in our lives who don't hold that against us. But it's certainly not an excuse. So how about a challenge? The next time you hear of a friend or loved one in your life going through a hard time, or a rough patch, don't wait to hear about it on Facebook, don't wait for them to reach out to you. Make the first move. And be consistent! (That's what we struggle with the most!)
Sometimes getting better is about being better.
"Why do I have to be the one to reach out?"
Again...good point. It's not exactly a surprise that life has handed us a little bit of a curveball lately. But then she made a comparison...to bullying. Have you ever noticed that when someone becomes a victim of bullying, he/she gets advice such as, "Oh, just ignore it." "Stand up for yourself." "Don't let it get to you." Why is it hardly ever taken back to the one inflicting the bullying in the first place? Yeah, sure, the bully will get dragged to the principal's office...But, at least in our experience, it's never the bully's responsibility to quit bullying. It's the victim's responsibility to quit behaving, or simply existing, in a manner that warrants bullying in the first place.
Do you get what we're saying?
Kelly then spun the example to people who suffer from depression: Part of the recovery process is that they're encouraged to check in with a trusted friend or accountability partner on a regular basis. While I appreciate the notion of staying in touch and maintaining open lines of communication, especially with someone who's just gotten out of an unsafe or traumatic situation, it seems a little backwards to me: Shouldn't the person suffering from depression be checked on as regularly as they're checking in? And perhaps they are. But do you get what we're saying?
We're certainly not trying to guilt-trip anyone or make anyone feel bad. Please believe us! Life is busy and crazy, and we're certainly grateful that we have amazing people in our lives who don't hold that against us. But it's certainly not an excuse. So how about a challenge? The next time you hear of a friend or loved one in your life going through a hard time, or a rough patch, don't wait to hear about it on Facebook, don't wait for them to reach out to you. Make the first move. And be consistent! (That's what we struggle with the most!)
Sometimes getting better is about being better.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Things we learned in June
Sometimes the answers you're looking for may not be what you'd expect. Kelly is back in a boot! :(
It's hard going from 1000 to virtually 0 overnight, but we learned grace (and are still learning), and that sometimes, life makes us take a break to make sure we get ourselves where we need to be.
House-sitting (and dog sitting) is very time consuming. The next thing we knew we looked up and it was almost July and more than a week had gone by!! But it's gratifying to be needed, and to help friends of ours. Plus, kittens!
Again, life is short. A beloved Berea professor passed away mid June after battling an aggressive form of cancer. Life, whether it's shared, lived, or new, is a gift.
Having no internet is doable, but somewhat of an inconvenience. We love our local coffee shop and library as much as the next gals, but eventually being there for 3+ hours takes its toll.
We have some of the greatest friends. June was the month of Summerfest, cookouts, a birthday dinner to the Cheesecake Factory, and a surprise attack on Holly's room!
It's never too late. Holly's boyfriend got baptized the last weekend of the month. It was a beautiful evening, a beautiful moment, and a reminder that no matter where we get in life, no matter how big of a mess we make of our lives, God is right there waiting for us with open arms. We simply receive and accept His truly amazing grace. And if we seek Him with all that we are, He will be found by us.
Quite a busy month for us! What did you learn in the merry month of June?
It's hard going from 1000 to virtually 0 overnight, but we learned grace (and are still learning), and that sometimes, life makes us take a break to make sure we get ourselves where we need to be.
House-sitting (and dog sitting) is very time consuming. The next thing we knew we looked up and it was almost July and more than a week had gone by!! But it's gratifying to be needed, and to help friends of ours. Plus, kittens!
Again, life is short. A beloved Berea professor passed away mid June after battling an aggressive form of cancer. Life, whether it's shared, lived, or new, is a gift.
Having no internet is doable, but somewhat of an inconvenience. We love our local coffee shop and library as much as the next gals, but eventually being there for 3+ hours takes its toll.
We have some of the greatest friends. June was the month of Summerfest, cookouts, a birthday dinner to the Cheesecake Factory, and a surprise attack on Holly's room!
It's never too late. Holly's boyfriend got baptized the last weekend of the month. It was a beautiful evening, a beautiful moment, and a reminder that no matter where we get in life, no matter how big of a mess we make of our lives, God is right there waiting for us with open arms. We simply receive and accept His truly amazing grace. And if we seek Him with all that we are, He will be found by us.
Quite a busy month for us! What did you learn in the merry month of June?
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