Kelly: After much discussion and deliberation, Holly and I have decided to indefinitely take a hiatus from The H and K Chronicles.
Since I've begun my endeavors in travel nursing, it has become increasingly difficult for the two of us to reach out on a time that works out for the both of us to continue to contribute to this blog. To be honest, it's something we've talked about for a while now but we haven't really been sure how to approach it. Yes, it is difficult and this was a difficult decision for us. However, we have really enjoyed figuring out who we are as individuals and watching how God has worked in our lives as His children. We are also each regularly contributing to our own separate blogs. I am further pursuing my career while Holly is further pursuing her own paths, including her relationship over the last 10 months (and some change).
So fear not, we are still around on Facebook and Twitter and if you have our numbers, feel free to reach out to us in that way! To close, I want to say thank you all for reading, following, commenting and going through life with us on this avenue for the last 5 years. It has been a pleasure and a joy expressing ourselves in this way, but as they say, all good things must come to an end! Keep the faith, and remember Jesus loves you, and so do we.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Monday, September 26, 2016
Mrs. Lonely
Kelly: For the past couple of weeks, I have embarked on a new career path 2 hours away from Richmond. I have thoroughly enjoyed my job and getting to know those I am working with. The work has been fun, challenging and a great opportunity for me to expand on a very rewarding and promising career. The biggest adjustment I have had to make thus far is living on my own. For most of my life, I have lived with Holly or in close proximity to her (there was one year in college where we lived in the same dorm but 3 doors down from each other with separate roommates). Even when I was abroad in Scotland, I still lived with roommates. So really, this is the first time in my life where I've truly lived on my own. For the most part I can say I've enjoyed it. I'm really learning a lot about myself as an individual and this has been a great opportunity for me to be accountable and responsible, and I think I've done pretty well. There have been some things I miss though about living with someone, and sometimes the feeling of loneliness can get pretty overwhelming.
That was the case last night. Holly was up here visiting me for a few days, and when I came home from work last night, my apartment was empty. Remnants of her presence were still there, and I instantly thought about how much fun we had over the past 2 days....and I broke down. And she called me, after not hearing from her for a while, and I basically went off. I was upset, told her I was upset and just wanted to be upset, and I wanted her to feel what I was feeling. During the conversation, she stopped me and said "Kelly, just stop. We need to pray about this." So that's what I did. I got off the phone with her, and I prayed. I realized that the root of all I was feeling was just loneliness. Plain and simple loneliness. It stinks sometimes, and it sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it, and that's what happened to me last night. After I finished praying, I sat in silence for about a minute, then for some reason felt compelled to go on my Facebook. The first thing that came up on my newsfeed was a picture of a friend of mine and her kids at the movies. And I smiled....widely. I thought about the good times we had shared over the last couple of months, how we've walked alongside each other in Christ, encouraged each other and some of the conversations we've shared, and it made me so happy. It was then I realized that where that happiness came from; God.
As a Christian single young woman, it seems like there's a lot of pressure for us to learn how to be contented in our singleness. And yeah, for the most part, I am. But there are some days....where that feeling of walking home after a long day of work with no one to share it with really hits me hard. I am still a work in progress, and God has shown me so much about Him in these last 3 weeks that I've been here. I know there's still so much I have to learn, if I'm willing to be open to what He might be trying to show me or tell me. I am so thankful that God is patient, and I don't think I'll ever be able to truly comprehend and acknowledge all that He has done for me. I really am blessed, and sometimes I forget that when I let my feelings take over. One day at a time. Today is better.
Holly: As I told Kelly via text just a little bit ago, the timing for this could not have been more perfect. I'm a little hesitant to share this, but here goes: Over the weekend I attended a church event. At one point the crowd had thinned considerably and I was left waiting for my boyfriend to finish tearing down the set/stage from the morning. I waited...and I waited...and I waited some more. And it wasn't too long before this overwhelming feeling of loneliness set in. It didn't make any sense to me; in a good-sized crowd, all gathered together for the sake of glorifying the Lord, I should have felt right at home. But I didn't. At one point I felt very isolated. Left out. And it hurt.
Later on in the day, after seriously considering going home, I moved spots, where I was able to spend some time in pleasant conversation with a mom I'd recently gotten to know through a small group. It certainly helped to alleviate the feelings from before. But after I'd gotten home and was talking about the day with my boyfriend, at some point, all of the hurt from earlier came to a rise. And I just completely broke. All the while I was silently praying...just for the hurt to go away. After that, I'm not sure what happened, whether it was my prayers or my boyfriend praying too, but I felt better. I soon realized that there is one person that will never, ever leave us to feel isolated, lonely, left out, and that's God. I believe He brought peace into my heart at the exact moment I asked for it. I believe He did the same to Kelly, just through a different means. Part of my conversation with Kelly a few days ago was a reminder that my boyfriend by himself is not and cannot be the source of my joy. At least full, complete, unconditional joy. That type of joy can ONLY be found in Christ and through Christ based on what He did for us at the cross and what He has done in our lives.
Wrapping up and maybe digressing a little with a bit of a confession: I think the church needs to refocus some of its areas more towards single people. Many ministries are geared towards married couples and families, and I think that's absolutely fantastic. But I don't think I need to throw out hard data and statistics to make a point that number of single people attending church is rising. And sometimes I think they're getting left out of what could be some very valuable opportunities. I think my prolonged period of singleness was beneficial in my now relationship, but I think that, especially for young women, there's a lot of shame in being single. And there shouldn't be at all!
Maybe I should rephrase that last bit: I think we as humans sometimes need to refocus some of our areas towards single people. I would encourage any of you reading this who are married or in a relationship: reach out to one or a few of your single friends. Encourage them in their goals and in their walk with Christ. Show Christ TO them. Remind them that their singleness is to be celebrated, not a problem to be fixed. Let them know that they are loved and treasured. Because when we have that perfect, complete joy in Christ, we are free to be the 100% version of us that we are destined to be. Single or not. Cry out to God in the midst of your loneliness. He is there.
That was the case last night. Holly was up here visiting me for a few days, and when I came home from work last night, my apartment was empty. Remnants of her presence were still there, and I instantly thought about how much fun we had over the past 2 days....and I broke down. And she called me, after not hearing from her for a while, and I basically went off. I was upset, told her I was upset and just wanted to be upset, and I wanted her to feel what I was feeling. During the conversation, she stopped me and said "Kelly, just stop. We need to pray about this." So that's what I did. I got off the phone with her, and I prayed. I realized that the root of all I was feeling was just loneliness. Plain and simple loneliness. It stinks sometimes, and it sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it, and that's what happened to me last night. After I finished praying, I sat in silence for about a minute, then for some reason felt compelled to go on my Facebook. The first thing that came up on my newsfeed was a picture of a friend of mine and her kids at the movies. And I smiled....widely. I thought about the good times we had shared over the last couple of months, how we've walked alongside each other in Christ, encouraged each other and some of the conversations we've shared, and it made me so happy. It was then I realized that where that happiness came from; God.
As a Christian single young woman, it seems like there's a lot of pressure for us to learn how to be contented in our singleness. And yeah, for the most part, I am. But there are some days....where that feeling of walking home after a long day of work with no one to share it with really hits me hard. I am still a work in progress, and God has shown me so much about Him in these last 3 weeks that I've been here. I know there's still so much I have to learn, if I'm willing to be open to what He might be trying to show me or tell me. I am so thankful that God is patient, and I don't think I'll ever be able to truly comprehend and acknowledge all that He has done for me. I really am blessed, and sometimes I forget that when I let my feelings take over. One day at a time. Today is better.
Holly: As I told Kelly via text just a little bit ago, the timing for this could not have been more perfect. I'm a little hesitant to share this, but here goes: Over the weekend I attended a church event. At one point the crowd had thinned considerably and I was left waiting for my boyfriend to finish tearing down the set/stage from the morning. I waited...and I waited...and I waited some more. And it wasn't too long before this overwhelming feeling of loneliness set in. It didn't make any sense to me; in a good-sized crowd, all gathered together for the sake of glorifying the Lord, I should have felt right at home. But I didn't. At one point I felt very isolated. Left out. And it hurt.
Later on in the day, after seriously considering going home, I moved spots, where I was able to spend some time in pleasant conversation with a mom I'd recently gotten to know through a small group. It certainly helped to alleviate the feelings from before. But after I'd gotten home and was talking about the day with my boyfriend, at some point, all of the hurt from earlier came to a rise. And I just completely broke. All the while I was silently praying...just for the hurt to go away. After that, I'm not sure what happened, whether it was my prayers or my boyfriend praying too, but I felt better. I soon realized that there is one person that will never, ever leave us to feel isolated, lonely, left out, and that's God. I believe He brought peace into my heart at the exact moment I asked for it. I believe He did the same to Kelly, just through a different means. Part of my conversation with Kelly a few days ago was a reminder that my boyfriend by himself is not and cannot be the source of my joy. At least full, complete, unconditional joy. That type of joy can ONLY be found in Christ and through Christ based on what He did for us at the cross and what He has done in our lives.
Wrapping up and maybe digressing a little with a bit of a confession: I think the church needs to refocus some of its areas more towards single people. Many ministries are geared towards married couples and families, and I think that's absolutely fantastic. But I don't think I need to throw out hard data and statistics to make a point that number of single people attending church is rising. And sometimes I think they're getting left out of what could be some very valuable opportunities. I think my prolonged period of singleness was beneficial in my now relationship, but I think that, especially for young women, there's a lot of shame in being single. And there shouldn't be at all!
Maybe I should rephrase that last bit: I think we as humans sometimes need to refocus some of our areas towards single people. I would encourage any of you reading this who are married or in a relationship: reach out to one or a few of your single friends. Encourage them in their goals and in their walk with Christ. Show Christ TO them. Remind them that their singleness is to be celebrated, not a problem to be fixed. Let them know that they are loved and treasured. Because when we have that perfect, complete joy in Christ, we are free to be the 100% version of us that we are destined to be. Single or not. Cry out to God in the midst of your loneliness. He is there.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
We need each other
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
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, June 30, 2016
A Generalized Life Update #3
Kelly: I realize, well...we both realize it's been a while since we've written last. It's kind of surreal to me how fast this month has already gone by, and it has literally gotten away from us. A lot of things have come up and unfortunately, time on this blog has been placed on the back burner. I suppose that's how it goes, right? Anyway, I've been dealing with some personal struggles, mostly with my ongoing foot/ankle pain, and ever since yesterday I'm back in a boot. It kind of stinks, and I'm already struggling with my limitations and what I can't do and what I shouldn't do. Not to mention the unwelcoming stares of passers-by as I thump along, and it really just gets old after the first few times. Might as well hold a big sign up that says "YES I AM IN A BOOT PLEASE STOP STARING AT ME." I'm starting to feel a little discouraged, but your prayers, silly comments and humor are really helping, so if I haven't said thank you, then thank you. I read everything that you all post for me, and you have no idea how much they mean to me. It's those little things that keep me going. So again....THANK YOU! :)
Sis and I just finished another stint of house/critter sitting for I believe the fourth year in a row. It's always nice to just get out of your own place for a while and have some adorable yet sometimes rambunctious pooches just love on you while you love on them right back. Our only living grandparents aren't in the best shape either. Granted they're 89 and 90 and I think it's finally starting to show. It's been a few years since I've seen them, but judging on the conversations I've had with my folks, it's evident that times are changing. They're changing, we all are, and a lot of what's been going on is something new we've all had to learn to navigate. How fast this month has gone has been a reminder of how quickly time just seems to get away from us, and suddenly those little things we take for granted are gone and then we realize how much we miss them. Let that be a reminder for all of us; be thankful and grateful for right now. But all things considering, we're doing all right. The weather is MUCH cooler and sis and I are looking extremely forward to some family time in Ohio this weekend for 4th of July.
Holly: I do a lot of blog/newsletter writing for work and for an earlier blog I wrote, "Hi, can anyone tell me what happened to the month of June?" Time just flies, and we are already halfway through to what's, for me, been a pretty great year!
Speaking of work, I've been doing quite a bit of traveling. One of the components of working for GA HQ is partner site visits. This year all of our partner sites are divided up into regional groups, as much by geography as possible (we have a few outlying sites), and so my group comprises our sites in Floyd, Wolfe, Breathitt, Owsley, and Menifee County, all in Kentucky. Yesterday I was in Wolfe county, earlier last week in Menifee, and Floyd at the beginning of the month. This is my first year making site visits and it such a rewarding component of the job! It's so refreshing to put faces to names, to put faces to numbers we spend a lot of time crunching, and to hear firsthand from the families we serve just how much of an impact this program is making. Very affirming, especially when the "daily grind" feels sort of like a grind. Mid July I'll be wrapping up my visits.
Things between my Aussie/the boy/J are going quite well. It's hard to believe it's been almost 6 months, and every day his heart and who he is as a person just continues to win me over. He was baptized last weekend, the 26th, and it was a powerful and beautiful moment. The Lord has really made Himself known to us as we continue getting to know each other, and I've learned so much about myself and what it means to be a caring and supportive partner. We have had some "serious" conversations and are looking forward to the future, but ultimately we're both praying for patience and wisdom and asking HIM how we fit into the plan He has for us. Oh....and he is coming with us to Ohio this weekend :)
Yoda and Wiley continue to delight us with goofy antics and plenty of cuddles and purrs. They're such joys!
Here, look at some pictures! It'll likely be after the 4th until y'all hear from us again. So be safe, tell your loved ones you love them (to their faces, not to Facebook), eat lots of yummy food, laugh, and hug someone.
Sis and I just finished another stint of house/critter sitting for I believe the fourth year in a row. It's always nice to just get out of your own place for a while and have some adorable yet sometimes rambunctious pooches just love on you while you love on them right back. Our only living grandparents aren't in the best shape either. Granted they're 89 and 90 and I think it's finally starting to show. It's been a few years since I've seen them, but judging on the conversations I've had with my folks, it's evident that times are changing. They're changing, we all are, and a lot of what's been going on is something new we've all had to learn to navigate. How fast this month has gone has been a reminder of how quickly time just seems to get away from us, and suddenly those little things we take for granted are gone and then we realize how much we miss them. Let that be a reminder for all of us; be thankful and grateful for right now. But all things considering, we're doing all right. The weather is MUCH cooler and sis and I are looking extremely forward to some family time in Ohio this weekend for 4th of July.
Holly: I do a lot of blog/newsletter writing for work and for an earlier blog I wrote, "Hi, can anyone tell me what happened to the month of June?" Time just flies, and we are already halfway through to what's, for me, been a pretty great year!
Speaking of work, I've been doing quite a bit of traveling. One of the components of working for GA HQ is partner site visits. This year all of our partner sites are divided up into regional groups, as much by geography as possible (we have a few outlying sites), and so my group comprises our sites in Floyd, Wolfe, Breathitt, Owsley, and Menifee County, all in Kentucky. Yesterday I was in Wolfe county, earlier last week in Menifee, and Floyd at the beginning of the month. This is my first year making site visits and it such a rewarding component of the job! It's so refreshing to put faces to names, to put faces to numbers we spend a lot of time crunching, and to hear firsthand from the families we serve just how much of an impact this program is making. Very affirming, especially when the "daily grind" feels sort of like a grind. Mid July I'll be wrapping up my visits.
Things between my Aussie/the boy/J are going quite well. It's hard to believe it's been almost 6 months, and every day his heart and who he is as a person just continues to win me over. He was baptized last weekend, the 26th, and it was a powerful and beautiful moment. The Lord has really made Himself known to us as we continue getting to know each other, and I've learned so much about myself and what it means to be a caring and supportive partner. We have had some "serious" conversations and are looking forward to the future, but ultimately we're both praying for patience and wisdom and asking HIM how we fit into the plan He has for us. Oh....and he is coming with us to Ohio this weekend :)
Yoda and Wiley continue to delight us with goofy antics and plenty of cuddles and purrs. They're such joys!
Here, look at some pictures! It'll likely be after the 4th until y'all hear from us again. So be safe, tell your loved ones you love them (to their faces, not to Facebook), eat lots of yummy food, laugh, and hug someone.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Things we learned in April
New friends: We've had the privilege of making one! It's never too old for anyone, isn't it? Over this past month we've done a few things together, and it was just a time in our lives where we felt God calling us to reach out to this particular person. It's been terrific!
Let's get better: We're both pretty healthy and have been for all our lives, but this month we decided to see for ourselves- that is, make actual, adult doctor's appointments and be more proactive with our health. I (Holly) go tomorrow, even though I'm currently battling cold-like symptoms, and Kelly went earlier in April and, aside from some joint issues, received a clean bill of health :)
Honest conversations and realizations: Sometimes you have to have them, be it for setting the record straight or coming to that conclusion that you just have to let go. It's one of the many ways we grow as humans.
Cars are expensive: Both of us had some unforeseen car issues arise this month that left us needing to pinch pennies for a few days. Be prepared!
Mental illness is real: Our sweet, dear friend bravely shared her struggles with depression in a candid, honest way, because so often these types of conversations are brushed aside. A sobering reminder to always, ALWAYS be kind and considerate to others, because we never really do know what the other is going through. Treat others with compassion, and be grateful for what you have.
Birthdays can still be fun: For the first time since either of us can remember, we rang in 26 out of school, out of home, and actually...out of Kentucky! We spent our birthday weekend in Chicago, where we nearly froze to death, ate way too much, and just cherished the moments we got to spend both together and with Justin.
Those that we hold in our hearts never truly leave us: Our beloved Grandpa passed away on our birthday (April 9) three years ago this year. It's almost every day that something or someone reminds us of him.
Let's get better: We're both pretty healthy and have been for all our lives, but this month we decided to see for ourselves- that is, make actual, adult doctor's appointments and be more proactive with our health. I (Holly) go tomorrow, even though I'm currently battling cold-like symptoms, and Kelly went earlier in April and, aside from some joint issues, received a clean bill of health :)
Honest conversations and realizations: Sometimes you have to have them, be it for setting the record straight or coming to that conclusion that you just have to let go. It's one of the many ways we grow as humans.
Cars are expensive: Both of us had some unforeseen car issues arise this month that left us needing to pinch pennies for a few days. Be prepared!
Mental illness is real: Our sweet, dear friend bravely shared her struggles with depression in a candid, honest way, because so often these types of conversations are brushed aside. A sobering reminder to always, ALWAYS be kind and considerate to others, because we never really do know what the other is going through. Treat others with compassion, and be grateful for what you have.
Birthdays can still be fun: For the first time since either of us can remember, we rang in 26 out of school, out of home, and actually...out of Kentucky! We spent our birthday weekend in Chicago, where we nearly froze to death, ate way too much, and just cherished the moments we got to spend both together and with Justin.
Those that we hold in our hearts never truly leave us: Our beloved Grandpa passed away on our birthday (April 9) three years ago this year. It's almost every day that something or someone reminds us of him.
 |
| Happy b-day from Chicago! |
Thursday, March 24, 2016
It all goes to the bad...
Kelly: Have you ever noticed that when someone acts up, throws a fit, gets angry and starts swinging some fists, or when someone talks just to "make a scene," that everyone LOSES THEIR MINDS? Now what do I mean by LOSING THEIR MINDS? They validate it, affirm it, and a slew of "right on's!" and "yeah!" and "you tell them!" are certain to follow. Especially where I work; negative and crappy attitudes just feed one right into the other. One bad and crappy attitude can run the show, and everyone just eats it up. Or when something happens that makes you angry/frustrated, and you dwell on it, and dwell on it, and dwell on it....over, and over, and over. And THEN....on the flip side of that, when like me, I show up, act like my happy-go-lucky self, it arouses suspicion. Like....why are you being so nice? Stop that.
So is that just me? Anyone?
But sometimes, negativity really REALLY affects me, to the point to where I feel it, deep down in my core and I have to physically remove myself from the person or situation. It's honestly one of the most baffling phenomenons I still to this day experience. I don't get it. Can't wrap my head around it. It just makes me wonder, why do we put so much attention to crappy attitudes or rip roaring rage fests? And admit it....we all do it. It's splattered all over social media day after day after day, demanding our attention. It's human nature, I guess, but still. And I do it too, all the time. God has really been challenging me to focus on the nature of my heart, instead of what's swirling around in my head and the words I say. It hasn't been easy, because sometimes we just want to go with the flow of things, even if it means going with the flow of a toxic environment.
I was talking to my dad last night, and he said he was really inspired by how Holly and I handle things. We were just in Florida not too long ago, and some things happened and we ended up going in the wrong direction on the way to the airport. And I just...rolled with it, even though my nerves were frayed. Eventually, I let it go; I had no control over it. Let me tell you, it makes a difference, and I'm going to level with you all, I just really try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Stuff happens. I get it. We're all wired differently. But the sooner you just let the crap go and focus on things/feelings/stuff that's more worthy of our beck and call, you will be amazed at how....smoothly things just seem to go.
Holly: I'm with my sis on this one. I don't get it either.
Something Kelly says often, and I'm fairly certain she got it from her work, is "You are responsible for the way that you act, no matter how you feel." I am a generally upbeat person by nature, and I try not to let things get to me. But when I'm exposed to constant negativity, it really does seep into me. It's toxic! That's the way it was with an old friendship of ours, there towards the end; I'd just get in a funk or in a sour mood afterwards, just because I just had all this negative junk unloaded on me. I never understood, and still don't understand, how you can let one little thing get to you.
Yes, we are wired differently. I get that, and I try to be mindful of that. But how about instead of reinforcing negative behavior or actions, we reinforce positive behavior or actions? The way I see it is that there's WAY too much negativity in the world as it is. And I'm certainly not saying be a ray of sunshine all the time. I get frustrated and disappointed all the time. But you can try- you can at least try to put a positive spin on things. In fact, I encourage you to try it. I think you'll be surprised.
I want to close with something unrelated, per Kelly's recommendation: I shared something on my Facebook page earlier today and I hope that you are encouraged by it. Because the truth is that God does love us and He does know our deepest desires, and He cherishes us and wants the best for us.
Look to God. He can take it. Choose joy. Be encouraging.
God does answer prayer. I definitely believe that. But sometimes, His answer is "No."
I was dealt the reality of that just this week.
Sometimes we are so convinced that when we receive something, it's from God. And while it very well may be, at least in my own situation, things didn't go as I'd hoped, and at the end of it I was left very broken and hurt. As I did some devotional reading this week, I realized that when God told me "No" in this particular situation, it was because He was preparing me for something better. We don't often see it that way in the moment, because we're in the midst of pain and inner turmoil, but when we are able to look back and recognize that God truly does desire the absolute best for us...it's a relief, almost.
God is good!
So is that just me? Anyone?
But sometimes, negativity really REALLY affects me, to the point to where I feel it, deep down in my core and I have to physically remove myself from the person or situation. It's honestly one of the most baffling phenomenons I still to this day experience. I don't get it. Can't wrap my head around it. It just makes me wonder, why do we put so much attention to crappy attitudes or rip roaring rage fests? And admit it....we all do it. It's splattered all over social media day after day after day, demanding our attention. It's human nature, I guess, but still. And I do it too, all the time. God has really been challenging me to focus on the nature of my heart, instead of what's swirling around in my head and the words I say. It hasn't been easy, because sometimes we just want to go with the flow of things, even if it means going with the flow of a toxic environment.
I was talking to my dad last night, and he said he was really inspired by how Holly and I handle things. We were just in Florida not too long ago, and some things happened and we ended up going in the wrong direction on the way to the airport. And I just...rolled with it, even though my nerves were frayed. Eventually, I let it go; I had no control over it. Let me tell you, it makes a difference, and I'm going to level with you all, I just really try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Stuff happens. I get it. We're all wired differently. But the sooner you just let the crap go and focus on things/feelings/stuff that's more worthy of our beck and call, you will be amazed at how....smoothly things just seem to go.
Holly: I'm with my sis on this one. I don't get it either.
Something Kelly says often, and I'm fairly certain she got it from her work, is "You are responsible for the way that you act, no matter how you feel." I am a generally upbeat person by nature, and I try not to let things get to me. But when I'm exposed to constant negativity, it really does seep into me. It's toxic! That's the way it was with an old friendship of ours, there towards the end; I'd just get in a funk or in a sour mood afterwards, just because I just had all this negative junk unloaded on me. I never understood, and still don't understand, how you can let one little thing get to you.
Yes, we are wired differently. I get that, and I try to be mindful of that. But how about instead of reinforcing negative behavior or actions, we reinforce positive behavior or actions? The way I see it is that there's WAY too much negativity in the world as it is. And I'm certainly not saying be a ray of sunshine all the time. I get frustrated and disappointed all the time. But you can try- you can at least try to put a positive spin on things. In fact, I encourage you to try it. I think you'll be surprised.
I want to close with something unrelated, per Kelly's recommendation: I shared something on my Facebook page earlier today and I hope that you are encouraged by it. Because the truth is that God does love us and He does know our deepest desires, and He cherishes us and wants the best for us.
Look to God. He can take it. Choose joy. Be encouraging.
God does answer prayer. I definitely believe that. But sometimes, His answer is "No."
I was dealt the reality of that just this week.
Sometimes we are so convinced that when we receive something, it's from God. And while it very well may be, at least in my own situation, things didn't go as I'd hoped, and at the end of it I was left very broken and hurt. As I did some devotional reading this week, I realized that when God told me "No" in this particular situation, it was because He was preparing me for something better. We don't often see it that way in the moment, because we're in the midst of pain and inner turmoil, but when we are able to look back and recognize that God truly does desire the absolute best for us...it's a relief, almost.
God is good!
Friday, February 19, 2016
Identities and labels
Kelly: Who am I? Who are you? First things first, but not necessarily in that order. I identify as a Christian, first off. I'm a nurse, a friend, sister, daughter, among others. I don't have a "someone" in my life, so I don't have any sort of identification as a "girlfriend" or "fiance" or "spouse..." yet.
And I'm ok with that.
It took me a long LONG time to actually accept that right now, it's not for me. A relationship is something that God doesn't want me to pursue right now. I've taken it that He's just not ready to share me yet. And like I said, I'm ok with that. Just because I'm not somebody's girlfriend/fiance/spouse yet doesn't mean the world is going to end tomorrow. I really am ok. My identity as a Christian/single person/nurse/whatever is not something that needs to be fixed, or is something I have any intention of fixing anytime soon. Yes, we have various identities and labels that have been given to us, most of them given to us by choice. But you know? That doesn't mean that we have to carry them around every single moment of every day. And at the end of the day, in the eyes of the Creator, there's only one identity that matters; His child. Because that's the way He sees you! And me. And it's not a one size fits all approach. I've had people tell me "oh, you're a nurse" with THAT kind of tone? Know what I mean? It's almost condescending in a way. Or when I say I'm not married, it sometimes precedes that "oh...." Again, know what I mean? Ok, so the point to all of this is this; we're all not robots. God didn't make us all the same; He did that for a reason! Our identities are sometimes given to us, but it's up to us and to Him to discover more that we may come across.
Holly: I could be completely wrong, and I apologize if I am. But this is just what I've observed, mostly on Facebook, which...ya know. I'll get to that a little later.
I think there are a lot of people, primarily our age, who simply have no idea how to function as an individual. Seriously. They always have to have someone, a significant other, jumping from one relationship into the next just so they don't have to be alone. Or the stuff I read on Facebook...it's "my boyfriend/husband this" "my girlfriend/wife that". What about YOU? What about YOU- as a woman, as someone who makes people laugh, a brother, friend, YOU? You. As a person? YOU, the things that make you you?
As a Christian, our identities should first and foremost be found in Christ. But I think, especially with a lot of married people, it's easy to make their spouse an idol. Or their children. Or, if you're not married, maybe an addiction. Or your boyfriend/girlfriend. You get the idea. I believe that when Christ is at the center, He brings out all of our other "hats" naturally, because everything we do ought to be in glory to Him.
As someone who has, rather recently, become unsingle, I'm trying to remain intentional on preserving my individuality. My boyfriend does not complete me, and I don't want to be with him just because he makes me happy or fills me with the warm fuzzies. We made a conscious decision, basically on Day 1, to do our best to keep God at the center of our relationship, and to continue doing the things that make us us. And you know what? It's not hard. Really. Although he does give really good hugs...:) Ok, I sort of feel like I'm rambling and going all over the place, but the point I'm trying to make is that God made you to be uniquely you! Meaning: You don't need anyone or anything except Him! :)
P.S. I made a comment earlier about Facebook...Yes, I am unsingle. No, it's not "Facebook official", and yes, I'm keeping it mostly off social media, because, quite frankly, it drives me crazy to read status after status of how great someone's person is. It's not because I'm too good for social media, it's because I'm focusing on him, telling him what he means to me and not Facebook. The end. kthanxbai.
And I'm ok with that.
It took me a long LONG time to actually accept that right now, it's not for me. A relationship is something that God doesn't want me to pursue right now. I've taken it that He's just not ready to share me yet. And like I said, I'm ok with that. Just because I'm not somebody's girlfriend/fiance/spouse yet doesn't mean the world is going to end tomorrow. I really am ok. My identity as a Christian/single person/nurse/whatever is not something that needs to be fixed, or is something I have any intention of fixing anytime soon. Yes, we have various identities and labels that have been given to us, most of them given to us by choice. But you know? That doesn't mean that we have to carry them around every single moment of every day. And at the end of the day, in the eyes of the Creator, there's only one identity that matters; His child. Because that's the way He sees you! And me. And it's not a one size fits all approach. I've had people tell me "oh, you're a nurse" with THAT kind of tone? Know what I mean? It's almost condescending in a way. Or when I say I'm not married, it sometimes precedes that "oh...." Again, know what I mean? Ok, so the point to all of this is this; we're all not robots. God didn't make us all the same; He did that for a reason! Our identities are sometimes given to us, but it's up to us and to Him to discover more that we may come across.
Holly: I could be completely wrong, and I apologize if I am. But this is just what I've observed, mostly on Facebook, which...ya know. I'll get to that a little later.
I think there are a lot of people, primarily our age, who simply have no idea how to function as an individual. Seriously. They always have to have someone, a significant other, jumping from one relationship into the next just so they don't have to be alone. Or the stuff I read on Facebook...it's "my boyfriend/husband this" "my girlfriend/wife that". What about YOU? What about YOU- as a woman, as someone who makes people laugh, a brother, friend, YOU? You. As a person? YOU, the things that make you you?
As a Christian, our identities should first and foremost be found in Christ. But I think, especially with a lot of married people, it's easy to make their spouse an idol. Or their children. Or, if you're not married, maybe an addiction. Or your boyfriend/girlfriend. You get the idea. I believe that when Christ is at the center, He brings out all of our other "hats" naturally, because everything we do ought to be in glory to Him.
As someone who has, rather recently, become unsingle, I'm trying to remain intentional on preserving my individuality. My boyfriend does not complete me, and I don't want to be with him just because he makes me happy or fills me with the warm fuzzies. We made a conscious decision, basically on Day 1, to do our best to keep God at the center of our relationship, and to continue doing the things that make us us. And you know what? It's not hard. Really. Although he does give really good hugs...:) Ok, I sort of feel like I'm rambling and going all over the place, but the point I'm trying to make is that God made you to be uniquely you! Meaning: You don't need anyone or anything except Him! :)
P.S. I made a comment earlier about Facebook...Yes, I am unsingle. No, it's not "Facebook official", and yes, I'm keeping it mostly off social media, because, quite frankly, it drives me crazy to read status after status of how great someone's person is. It's not because I'm too good for social media, it's because I'm focusing on him, telling him what he means to me and not Facebook. The end. kthanxbai.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Let's go to church!
Kelly: This is something that has been stirring around us just recently actually. And first and foremost, apologies for the lack of posts. 2016 has been off to a GREAT start, but new found friends, work, and other things have gotten in the way. Anyway, like I said, it's only been recently that this has stirred in us a desire to blog about this, but it's something I'm sure every church has experienced. Some call them not regular goers, I call them "Creasters," or those who only attend church on Christmas, Easter, one or the other or both. And then there's me. I am a member of one church by definition, another church I regularly attend doesn't necessarily believe in "members," and the third I attend twice a month on Saturday nights. Yes. I regularly attend 3 churches. Now some of you I'm sure are asking....well, why?
Because I want to.
Seriously. That's it. While it is a requirement of Christians to attend church and fellowship regularly with other believers, for me, it's a choice. It really is that simple; I want to. My needs are met each time at each church I attend and I get something new and exciting out of each one. I have connections to each one that I care very much about. And this isn't to say I have no intention of leaving the church I have called home for nearly 7 and a half years, no. Not at all! But it's really awesome and moving to see how God's people are working across Madison County; it's pretty incredible. Lives are being changed for Him!!!!! That's what's important. I'm not telling you about my 3 church attendance to brag, not at all. But this fact has had me thinking about the other end of the spectrum; those who for whatever reason used to go to church and have stopped going or "church hop," as I call it. They find a church, things go really well, and then they leave and the cycle repeats over and over. I'm still not sure why that happens, honestly. I think part of the reason is that for some reason someone feels ostracized or "bullied" is another word I think seems fit, and instead of just letting folks get absorbed in their...ostracized...ness? (ok....) that we as the church should be asking what led them away from their previous church and how we can make them feel welcome. Sometimes that may not always work, and it's incredibly frustrating. I've witnessed folks from my home church, regular attendees and who were very plugged in members, just up and leave suddenly. They've never come back. I'm not entirely sure they've been invited back. Why not? Those are the kind of questions we should be asking. And it's something that part of my churches have been asking and wondering ourselves.
So if you're reading this and haven't been to church in a while, why not? What's stopping you? If you're one of those "church hoppers," why do you leave from church to church? If you want someone to talk to, talk to me. I'd be happy to discuss and answer any questions you have about church. Because let me tell you, if it's the stereotypical "Christians" you see on the media or have experienced firsthand that you're deterred from, it's ok. I am too.
Holly: Here's my thing on church: If you go to church, and then leave because YOUR needs aren't being met, because YOU'RE not getting fed, then I think you've completely missed the point. It's not about you. It's about God!
I believe that attending church, regularly, is not only crucial in a Christian walk, it's obedience to God. I believe that when we attend church, we are responding to His faithfulness to us. We are giving back a portion of our time and spiritual gifts to Him- He doesn't give us those things just for us to keep to ourselves. Because of that, I think the other things (the ability to meet physical and emotional needs, elements of service to the community and congregation, and fellowship among members) are the results, or byproducts, if you will, of attending in the first place! And as for it being crucial: Man, it is so much easier for the enemy to attack us when we're just by ourselves. If we're surrounded with a network of strong, faithful believers who are investing in you, I think you're a much stronger adversary against the enemy. And let's face it; God designed us to be relational creatures. We're simply not made to go through life alone!
Sometimes, and I've heard many conversations over the years, people leave church for just all the reasons we've mentioned. While I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you're wrong, I would just encourage those who might be in that boat to stop and think for a moment: God often puts us in situations that are outside of our comfort zone. God often uses difficult people or circumstances to teach us about grace and how we should react to those circumstances or treat those difficult people. Because, once again, it's not about you.
P.S. While writing this we've mused at just how much we miss this, this blogging thing, so we'll be back on a more frequent basis. God bless y'all! Thanks for reading! :)
Because I want to.
Seriously. That's it. While it is a requirement of Christians to attend church and fellowship regularly with other believers, for me, it's a choice. It really is that simple; I want to. My needs are met each time at each church I attend and I get something new and exciting out of each one. I have connections to each one that I care very much about. And this isn't to say I have no intention of leaving the church I have called home for nearly 7 and a half years, no. Not at all! But it's really awesome and moving to see how God's people are working across Madison County; it's pretty incredible. Lives are being changed for Him!!!!! That's what's important. I'm not telling you about my 3 church attendance to brag, not at all. But this fact has had me thinking about the other end of the spectrum; those who for whatever reason used to go to church and have stopped going or "church hop," as I call it. They find a church, things go really well, and then they leave and the cycle repeats over and over. I'm still not sure why that happens, honestly. I think part of the reason is that for some reason someone feels ostracized or "bullied" is another word I think seems fit, and instead of just letting folks get absorbed in their...ostracized...ness? (ok....) that we as the church should be asking what led them away from their previous church and how we can make them feel welcome. Sometimes that may not always work, and it's incredibly frustrating. I've witnessed folks from my home church, regular attendees and who were very plugged in members, just up and leave suddenly. They've never come back. I'm not entirely sure they've been invited back. Why not? Those are the kind of questions we should be asking. And it's something that part of my churches have been asking and wondering ourselves.
So if you're reading this and haven't been to church in a while, why not? What's stopping you? If you're one of those "church hoppers," why do you leave from church to church? If you want someone to talk to, talk to me. I'd be happy to discuss and answer any questions you have about church. Because let me tell you, if it's the stereotypical "Christians" you see on the media or have experienced firsthand that you're deterred from, it's ok. I am too.
Holly: Here's my thing on church: If you go to church, and then leave because YOUR needs aren't being met, because YOU'RE not getting fed, then I think you've completely missed the point. It's not about you. It's about God!
I believe that attending church, regularly, is not only crucial in a Christian walk, it's obedience to God. I believe that when we attend church, we are responding to His faithfulness to us. We are giving back a portion of our time and spiritual gifts to Him- He doesn't give us those things just for us to keep to ourselves. Because of that, I think the other things (the ability to meet physical and emotional needs, elements of service to the community and congregation, and fellowship among members) are the results, or byproducts, if you will, of attending in the first place! And as for it being crucial: Man, it is so much easier for the enemy to attack us when we're just by ourselves. If we're surrounded with a network of strong, faithful believers who are investing in you, I think you're a much stronger adversary against the enemy. And let's face it; God designed us to be relational creatures. We're simply not made to go through life alone!
Sometimes, and I've heard many conversations over the years, people leave church for just all the reasons we've mentioned. While I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you're wrong, I would just encourage those who might be in that boat to stop and think for a moment: God often puts us in situations that are outside of our comfort zone. God often uses difficult people or circumstances to teach us about grace and how we should react to those circumstances or treat those difficult people. Because, once again, it's not about you.
P.S. While writing this we've mused at just how much we miss this, this blogging thing, so we'll be back on a more frequent basis. God bless y'all! Thanks for reading! :)
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
For God, in God's place with God's people: A night of worship with Rend Collective and Chris Tomlin
Kelly: Sunday night Holly and I trekked an hour and a half to Newport to partake in a concert night that will be hard to top. I had been awake since 6 that morning and didn't go to bed until almost midnight; I was at work all day prior to the concert, and the latter part of the day was not one of the greatest. I was on edge, with the weight of not only patient safety but staff safety as well as a patient became belligerent, hostile and very threatening. I was very concerned for the safety of the entire unit, and it was very emotionally draining; constantly being on pins and needles and tip toeing around controversial questions, such as what to do and how do we keep everyone safe. I spent half of my required off the clock break in the supervisor's office tackling a game plan. In the end all was well, but some of us were a little more relieved to clock out at the end of that day. And each time I kept trying to leave, I kept getting interrupted, which only added to my frustration, since I was trying to leave at a timely manner to go to the concert. On the way home, I just prayed that even though my thoughts and attitudes had not reflected one of a follower of Jesus, I just prayed that God would tune my heart and mind into one that was wide open and ready for a night of worship.
If someone ever tells you that God answers prayer, believe them. He really does.
For the entire 2 hour concert, most of it didn't even feel like a concert. It felt like being in church. One of the things Chris Tomlin said really just resonated with me for the rest of the night: how great was it to sing about God, in God's house in the presence of God's people? There was so much love, passion and energy in that stadium last night. There's nothing like truly getting lost in the presence of God; where minutes pass by and you don't even realize it because you are just so encapsulated by Him. I had several of those moments there, and I have to be honest, that's something that hasn't happened in a long time. Suddenly, the fears and troubles of the day were just lifted away, and I didn't think about them for the rest of the night. I really listened to the words of those songs that I have known for years, and I felt them, believed them, and felt them. I don't know what's going on in your all's life; I know some things. But I would encourage each and every one of you to take a moment for yourself to just be in God's presence. If that means locking every door and getting into some Scripture, or rolling down every window in your car and singing P&W music at the top of your lungs, or if it just means sitting quietly with nothing around you for a few minutes every morning. It's something I'm going to try and be a bit more intentional about. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
Holly: Never mind the fact that we had a three hour round trip and that I had to be at work at 8am on a Monday morning, there was ABSOLUTELY no stopping us in going to this concert. We sort of went on a whim, but if you're a fan of Chris Tomlin and his music, you know that it's going to be an awesome, God-honoring show. And it was. It really was.
I have to echo Kelly's comment: it was church, church with 10,000 of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and it was awesome, you guys. Just awesome. The last time we saw Chris Tomlin was ICHTHUS back in 2006, if my memory serves me correctly, so it'd been a while. Man, he knows how to rock out for God's glory- high energy, passionate, so full of the Spirit that it was contagious! He played all of my favorites, and it was so powerful to hear every single person in the audience sing along too. Rend Collective was a perfect opening band! They are such a blast! I'm also obsessed with one of the songs they performed, and I think it's threatening to drive Kelly crazy :)
One of the reasons I love Christian concerts is not only the fact that they don't feel like concerts, but you leave feeling so much more encouraged and rejuvenated than before you came. I don't want to say I've been in a "rut" lately spiritually, but I do feel my quiet time is not necessarily quiet because it's sometimes hard for me to shut my mind off. I really needed that concert, because I was able to just let go and freely worship, my mind attuned entirely to Him! It reminded me that I can get there, and that I will get there. I'm working on it, and in the meantime I'm thankful that God doesn't just leave us to our best guesses. I'm thankful that God speaks to us in many ways...for me, especially through music!
If someone ever tells you that God answers prayer, believe them. He really does.
For the entire 2 hour concert, most of it didn't even feel like a concert. It felt like being in church. One of the things Chris Tomlin said really just resonated with me for the rest of the night: how great was it to sing about God, in God's house in the presence of God's people? There was so much love, passion and energy in that stadium last night. There's nothing like truly getting lost in the presence of God; where minutes pass by and you don't even realize it because you are just so encapsulated by Him. I had several of those moments there, and I have to be honest, that's something that hasn't happened in a long time. Suddenly, the fears and troubles of the day were just lifted away, and I didn't think about them for the rest of the night. I really listened to the words of those songs that I have known for years, and I felt them, believed them, and felt them. I don't know what's going on in your all's life; I know some things. But I would encourage each and every one of you to take a moment for yourself to just be in God's presence. If that means locking every door and getting into some Scripture, or rolling down every window in your car and singing P&W music at the top of your lungs, or if it just means sitting quietly with nothing around you for a few minutes every morning. It's something I'm going to try and be a bit more intentional about. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
Holly: Never mind the fact that we had a three hour round trip and that I had to be at work at 8am on a Monday morning, there was ABSOLUTELY no stopping us in going to this concert. We sort of went on a whim, but if you're a fan of Chris Tomlin and his music, you know that it's going to be an awesome, God-honoring show. And it was. It really was.
I have to echo Kelly's comment: it was church, church with 10,000 of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and it was awesome, you guys. Just awesome. The last time we saw Chris Tomlin was ICHTHUS back in 2006, if my memory serves me correctly, so it'd been a while. Man, he knows how to rock out for God's glory- high energy, passionate, so full of the Spirit that it was contagious! He played all of my favorites, and it was so powerful to hear every single person in the audience sing along too. Rend Collective was a perfect opening band! They are such a blast! I'm also obsessed with one of the songs they performed, and I think it's threatening to drive Kelly crazy :)
One of the reasons I love Christian concerts is not only the fact that they don't feel like concerts, but you leave feeling so much more encouraged and rejuvenated than before you came. I don't want to say I've been in a "rut" lately spiritually, but I do feel my quiet time is not necessarily quiet because it's sometimes hard for me to shut my mind off. I really needed that concert, because I was able to just let go and freely worship, my mind attuned entirely to Him! It reminded me that I can get there, and that I will get there. I'm working on it, and in the meantime I'm thankful that God doesn't just leave us to our best guesses. I'm thankful that God speaks to us in many ways...for me, especially through music!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
All for God's glory
Kelly: A friend of ours shared this article on her Facebook, and Holly mentioned that we should share it on here. So that's exactly what I'm doing!
I used to write a lot of poetry as a kid and draw. I had such a creative imagination (still do!) and have always loved music. Music, I've heard, is something to be felt, not heard. I could not agree more with that statement. So below is the article; give it a read. It's really good stuff!
Why Christians should paint, compose music, etc...
Enjoy!
I used to write a lot of poetry as a kid and draw. I had such a creative imagination (still do!) and have always loved music. Music, I've heard, is something to be felt, not heard. I could not agree more with that statement. So below is the article; give it a read. It's really good stuff!
Why Christians should paint, compose music, etc...
Enjoy!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
The meatless results (and a house update?)
H and K: It has been seven days since our last post, and if you remember, we took it upon ourselves to go one week without meat. So...how did we do?
Honestly, we didn't find it too challenging. Some days, it was hard walking up Main Street and catching a whiff of the cafe's burgers, or resisting devouring an entire order of chicken wings from Papaleno's. We did have one "cheat" day, Saturday, in which we attended a cook-out sponsored by Kelly's work. We didn't go too crazy, though, in the sense that we both had just one chicken wing. Fried rice became a good friend of ours. Our weight didn't really change either, which we kind of expected, but that's ok, considering that wasn't the end goal. We were just curious...and a little bit broke. So will we do it again? Probably. We had to get pretty creative with some of our recipes, but overall we enjoyed incorporating more veggies into our diet. The drastically reduced cost of groceries for the week was a good incentive, too!
And this concludes our one week without meat. We learned a lot, had a good time...but honestly, if anyone would care to drop off a couple of steaks or a rotisserie chicken, that would be pretty amazing.
Switching gears a little, and we're just going full disclosure here, because we can do that here. In case some of you are a little behind, we are in the process of moving, this time into a house. We do have a house lined up, although we've only seen it from the outside. However, here's where the situation gets a little hairy: The family that is living in the house now is waiting on a closing date for a house they're buying. Once they get their closing date, they will move out, and we will move in. We are not buying, we're renting (Just in case that wasn't clear). We do not know when this closing date will be. It's been two weeks since we first made contact with our eventual landlord. When I called him last week, hoping to affirm my fear of him not giving the house away to someone else, he informed me that they still had not reached a closing date, but that he still had our contact information and would reach out to us when they closed. That was a week ago. We still have not heard anything.
Honestly...it's been hard. Our many frustrations with our current living situation, for reasons we don't wish to discuss at this time, have nearly reached a tipping point. Let's just say it's gone on too long. Period. In addition, it's just the waiting...the waiting and waiting for a phone call. My (Holly) hopes soar every time my phone rings, and plummet when it's someone else besides the phone call we're anxiously waiting for. It's the doubt...the doubt of wondering, nearly agonizing ourselves, if this is ever going to happen at all. It's discouraging- another day that passes with silence, with no news. But through all of this, we've learned a lot about grace, and we are thankful for that. I (Holly) read Proverbs 3:5-6 recently, and I've been heavily meditating on that, relying on that promise in God's word. We've been praying. We've been praying a lot. And still waiting.
So that's where we are right now. If you feel led to pray for us, please do so. And pray for the family that is waiting on a closing date; it's probably just as frustrating for them, if not more so, than it is for us. But we KNOW that something better is coming, and we KNOW that God is faithful. It's just that some days are easier than others, and we thank God that He can handle our joys and our frustrations as well. Thanks for following along with us, as always. We hope to hear something soon.
Honestly, we didn't find it too challenging. Some days, it was hard walking up Main Street and catching a whiff of the cafe's burgers, or resisting devouring an entire order of chicken wings from Papaleno's. We did have one "cheat" day, Saturday, in which we attended a cook-out sponsored by Kelly's work. We didn't go too crazy, though, in the sense that we both had just one chicken wing. Fried rice became a good friend of ours. Our weight didn't really change either, which we kind of expected, but that's ok, considering that wasn't the end goal. We were just curious...and a little bit broke. So will we do it again? Probably. We had to get pretty creative with some of our recipes, but overall we enjoyed incorporating more veggies into our diet. The drastically reduced cost of groceries for the week was a good incentive, too!
And this concludes our one week without meat. We learned a lot, had a good time...but honestly, if anyone would care to drop off a couple of steaks or a rotisserie chicken, that would be pretty amazing.
Switching gears a little, and we're just going full disclosure here, because we can do that here. In case some of you are a little behind, we are in the process of moving, this time into a house. We do have a house lined up, although we've only seen it from the outside. However, here's where the situation gets a little hairy: The family that is living in the house now is waiting on a closing date for a house they're buying. Once they get their closing date, they will move out, and we will move in. We are not buying, we're renting (Just in case that wasn't clear). We do not know when this closing date will be. It's been two weeks since we first made contact with our eventual landlord. When I called him last week, hoping to affirm my fear of him not giving the house away to someone else, he informed me that they still had not reached a closing date, but that he still had our contact information and would reach out to us when they closed. That was a week ago. We still have not heard anything.
Honestly...it's been hard. Our many frustrations with our current living situation, for reasons we don't wish to discuss at this time, have nearly reached a tipping point. Let's just say it's gone on too long. Period. In addition, it's just the waiting...the waiting and waiting for a phone call. My (Holly) hopes soar every time my phone rings, and plummet when it's someone else besides the phone call we're anxiously waiting for. It's the doubt...the doubt of wondering, nearly agonizing ourselves, if this is ever going to happen at all. It's discouraging- another day that passes with silence, with no news. But through all of this, we've learned a lot about grace, and we are thankful for that. I (Holly) read Proverbs 3:5-6 recently, and I've been heavily meditating on that, relying on that promise in God's word. We've been praying. We've been praying a lot. And still waiting.
So that's where we are right now. If you feel led to pray for us, please do so. And pray for the family that is waiting on a closing date; it's probably just as frustrating for them, if not more so, than it is for us. But we KNOW that something better is coming, and we KNOW that God is faithful. It's just that some days are easier than others, and we thank God that He can handle our joys and our frustrations as well. Thanks for following along with us, as always. We hope to hear something soon.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
A Generalized Life Update #2
Kelly: So I've been at my new job gig for a little over a month now, and so far things are going really well. Our patient numbers (census) have been high for a while, which has made things crazy but so far nothing catastrophic or earth-shattering has happened. For the most part everyone has been calm, somewhat happy and haven't made any ridiculous demands. I really enjoy the staff I work with and we all have a good time and love what we do. I really enjoy the patients too, and gone are the days of constantly feeling like walking on eggshells. When working in psych, things were so unpredictable all the time, and you just never knew what may set someone off. So there's that. It's pretty smashing.
Secondly, Holly and I have been in the process of trying to find a house to rent. We can't quite afford swinging to buy one yet, but it's time for a change. We've been at our townhouse for a little over 2 years now, and a series of circumstances have left us ready to go. It's been overall a somewhat frustrating process, in terms of finding a house and making phone calls to prospective rental companies/landlords. We've learned the term "single family" does not apply to twin sisters, which sort of stinks for us. Neither one of us can really afford to live on our own, nor do we want to. We've had a lot of closed doors, but as of today two more prospective options have opened up. I'm not really trying to keep my hopes up, but there's a part of me that is optimistic that one of these two will work out. On the way home after just driving by to look at a neighborhood in where one of them are, we prayed while driving, and soon after came across the number of another house to rent. God is good! I'm going to make a phone call tomorrow to this other house and hopefully things will be in our favor. So that's what's going on in our lives for the time being. Thanks for hanging with us!
Holly: I spent all of last week traveling for work-related events: building two high tunnels and a VISTA training/networking/catching up weekend in Pikeville, KY. Got to reconnect with a lot of VISTAs from my Atlanta training, and meet some more, all of who are doing some pretty awesome things in northern and eastern Kentucky. Speaking of VISTA, things are going very, very well; I am still really happy there and I'm learning more and more as every week passes. I have about three and a half months to go until my term ends, and I feel like the second half has just flown by! As for post-VISTA....well, they liked me so much they decided to offer me a full time gig!! Yep, you are totally reading that correctly! :) I've known for quite a while now but have been essentially sworn to secrecy, but I think I've kept it a secret for long enough! I am beyond excited to transition into this new role and I am still blown away at just how much God has worked for good when He called me to do this crazy thing almost a year ago! I don't know any of the logistics yet, but...yeah, there it is!!
Yoda and Wiley (our pet babies) have been with us for three years now. We still love them to pieces and they still drives us insane. They've brought us so much joy and have kept us ridiculously entertained. Neither of us are in relationships still, and we're still ok with that (Although I'm plotting...) And lastly, we're spending Memorial Day weekend in Indiana! You may remember when we went to their wedding almost four years ago! Yep...their little girl is due in July (their first!!!), and we are all BEYOND excited :)
So that's basically it. Pray God will have His will as we continue to search for a house, and that all will go well for our dear Ashley and her little Nugget :) Thank you all for continuing to journey on this crazy road with us!
And just in case you need a laugh, which I'm sure you could always use one, you can watch this video that Kelly and I can't get enough of!
Secondly, Holly and I have been in the process of trying to find a house to rent. We can't quite afford swinging to buy one yet, but it's time for a change. We've been at our townhouse for a little over 2 years now, and a series of circumstances have left us ready to go. It's been overall a somewhat frustrating process, in terms of finding a house and making phone calls to prospective rental companies/landlords. We've learned the term "single family" does not apply to twin sisters, which sort of stinks for us. Neither one of us can really afford to live on our own, nor do we want to. We've had a lot of closed doors, but as of today two more prospective options have opened up. I'm not really trying to keep my hopes up, but there's a part of me that is optimistic that one of these two will work out. On the way home after just driving by to look at a neighborhood in where one of them are, we prayed while driving, and soon after came across the number of another house to rent. God is good! I'm going to make a phone call tomorrow to this other house and hopefully things will be in our favor. So that's what's going on in our lives for the time being. Thanks for hanging with us!
Holly: I spent all of last week traveling for work-related events: building two high tunnels and a VISTA training/networking/catching up weekend in Pikeville, KY. Got to reconnect with a lot of VISTAs from my Atlanta training, and meet some more, all of who are doing some pretty awesome things in northern and eastern Kentucky. Speaking of VISTA, things are going very, very well; I am still really happy there and I'm learning more and more as every week passes. I have about three and a half months to go until my term ends, and I feel like the second half has just flown by! As for post-VISTA....well, they liked me so much they decided to offer me a full time gig!! Yep, you are totally reading that correctly! :) I've known for quite a while now but have been essentially sworn to secrecy, but I think I've kept it a secret for long enough! I am beyond excited to transition into this new role and I am still blown away at just how much God has worked for good when He called me to do this crazy thing almost a year ago! I don't know any of the logistics yet, but...yeah, there it is!!
Yoda and Wiley (our pet babies) have been with us for three years now. We still love them to pieces and they still drives us insane. They've brought us so much joy and have kept us ridiculously entertained. Neither of us are in relationships still, and we're still ok with that (Although I'm plotting...) And lastly, we're spending Memorial Day weekend in Indiana! You may remember when we went to their wedding almost four years ago! Yep...their little girl is due in July (their first!!!), and we are all BEYOND excited :)
So that's basically it. Pray God will have His will as we continue to search for a house, and that all will go well for our dear Ashley and her little Nugget :) Thank you all for continuing to journey on this crazy road with us!
And just in case you need a laugh, which I'm sure you could always use one, you can watch this video that Kelly and I can't get enough of!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Emma Watson is not Hermione Granger
Kelly: And Martin Freeman is not Bilbo Baggins.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not Sherlock Holmes.
Also...Benedict Cumberbatch is off the market and happily married....LADIES.
Get over it!
It had to be said. It just had to. One of my biggest pet peeves is the way some people post things about actors/actresses and they don't even use their real names. Case and point the above of this post. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but in a way it seems disrespectful to me when people do that. Today in church our pastor was talking about the fact that our self-worth is not measured up by how useful we are. So what would happen if Emma Watson never took on the role of Hermione Granger? Would people even recognize her or pass her a second thought? It's uncertain of me to say, but I hope it makes you think. Jesus loves us all so much and thinks that we are priceless; so priceless that He died for us! It doesn't matter if we're famous or just the other every day Average Joe. God doesn't see me as the psych nurse, or Holly as the non-profit worker, or Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug the Dragon. No! He sees each and every one of us as His precious children whom He loves very much and created in His own image.
And I've been guilty of it too; following what the fans say when things pop up on the Internet. But lately I've been known to bite my tongue and remember "ok, they're regular people like us before they're actors." But even above THAT they're children of Christ. We all are. So how about we start showing some respect for everyone in who we really are in Him and not who we are or were in the past. I'm not going to be a psych nurse forever. Holly isn't going to be a VISTA forever. The Harry Potter movie franchise is done, but not forgotten. Try to take the time to see each other as God sees us.
Holly: It's no surprise that Kelly and I are die-hard fans of for KING & COUNTRY (If you've been following us for a while and you haven't managed to listen to them yet, please do yourselves a favor!). One of the many reasons we're fans of them is because of what they stand up for. They have a "campaign", if you will; Respect & Honor. Today during church I was reminded of why I wear my Respect & Honor wristband every day, and the sermon and above thoughts from both Kelly and I really drove the point home for me. In fact, I held it in my hands during the invitation as a reminder. And it goes something like this: I love God. God loves me, and everyone else. Therefore we ought to remember our worth the way God sees it, and that is that we are PRICELESS to Him! We were all created in His image, made to be like Him. Think about that for a second. If we all adopted that mindset, every single person in the world viewing every other person in the world through God's eyes, it could literally change the world!
Kelly and I are also regular Pinteresters, and we have a board for Sherlock, and naturally, since it's a popular show we've drawn a lot of followers. But some of the comments I see with accompanying pictures are, quite frankly, disgusting sometimes. I'll admit that I find both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman attractive. But when we look at them through God's eyes...they are so much more than pretty faces. So let me add a finale to this:
Emma Watson is not Hermione Granger.
Martin Freeman is not Bilbo Baggins.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not Sherlock Holmes.
They are ALL children of God. And so are we!
Benedict Cumberbatch is not Sherlock Holmes.
Also...Benedict Cumberbatch is off the market and happily married....LADIES.
Get over it!
It had to be said. It just had to. One of my biggest pet peeves is the way some people post things about actors/actresses and they don't even use their real names. Case and point the above of this post. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but in a way it seems disrespectful to me when people do that. Today in church our pastor was talking about the fact that our self-worth is not measured up by how useful we are. So what would happen if Emma Watson never took on the role of Hermione Granger? Would people even recognize her or pass her a second thought? It's uncertain of me to say, but I hope it makes you think. Jesus loves us all so much and thinks that we are priceless; so priceless that He died for us! It doesn't matter if we're famous or just the other every day Average Joe. God doesn't see me as the psych nurse, or Holly as the non-profit worker, or Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug the Dragon. No! He sees each and every one of us as His precious children whom He loves very much and created in His own image.
And I've been guilty of it too; following what the fans say when things pop up on the Internet. But lately I've been known to bite my tongue and remember "ok, they're regular people like us before they're actors." But even above THAT they're children of Christ. We all are. So how about we start showing some respect for everyone in who we really are in Him and not who we are or were in the past. I'm not going to be a psych nurse forever. Holly isn't going to be a VISTA forever. The Harry Potter movie franchise is done, but not forgotten. Try to take the time to see each other as God sees us.
Holly: It's no surprise that Kelly and I are die-hard fans of for KING & COUNTRY (If you've been following us for a while and you haven't managed to listen to them yet, please do yourselves a favor!). One of the many reasons we're fans of them is because of what they stand up for. They have a "campaign", if you will; Respect & Honor. Today during church I was reminded of why I wear my Respect & Honor wristband every day, and the sermon and above thoughts from both Kelly and I really drove the point home for me. In fact, I held it in my hands during the invitation as a reminder. And it goes something like this: I love God. God loves me, and everyone else. Therefore we ought to remember our worth the way God sees it, and that is that we are PRICELESS to Him! We were all created in His image, made to be like Him. Think about that for a second. If we all adopted that mindset, every single person in the world viewing every other person in the world through God's eyes, it could literally change the world!
Kelly and I are also regular Pinteresters, and we have a board for Sherlock, and naturally, since it's a popular show we've drawn a lot of followers. But some of the comments I see with accompanying pictures are, quite frankly, disgusting sometimes. I'll admit that I find both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman attractive. But when we look at them through God's eyes...they are so much more than pretty faces. So let me add a finale to this:
Emma Watson is not Hermione Granger.
Martin Freeman is not Bilbo Baggins.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not Sherlock Holmes.
They are ALL children of God. And so are we!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
It's a God thing!
Holly: So we're pretty happy this evening.
And apparently I am part contortionist. Anyway...yeah, it's been a good day today! :)
Last night I wrote a post on my VISTA blog about VISTA turning 50 and what, essentially, being a VISTA means to me. I shared it on my Twitter page as part of a social media campaign raising awareness for this celebration. This evening I got this:
Yes, that is the AmeriCorps VISTA twitter page linking up MY blog for all the world to see! They mentioned my blog! Say freaking WHAT? :D
I don't mean to sound preachy, but I can't take any of the credit for this. It's all God. He knew EXACTLY what He was doing when He sent me here, and I am so thankful and beyond blessed (and undeserving!!). I don't know who runs VISTA's social media platforms, but it's humbling to realize that out of all the thousand some-odd VISTAs out there, they chose to showcase what God is doing for me and through me in wee little Berea Kentucky. It's humbling to realize that people in Washington DC could read this, my own personal blog I started just so I could remember this year. Yep...chalking this up to yet another pinch-me moment!
Kelly: For me, my "God thing" most of you already know about, as my Facebook continues to blow up with likes and comments from today's status. Ever since I did clinicals where I work (which was like almost 4 years ago) and ended up on the substance abuse unit, I was like yes. This is the kind of nursing I can do and want to do and would be very happy there. So I'm where I am now and am thoroughly enjoying it while winding through the occasional bumps and valleys and all of a sudden another opportunity for an opening on such unit comes up. Except it's during the day and not on my shift (3-11). On a whim, I apply internally for it, which I did on Tuesday. And this didn't just come out of nowhere; I've been ready for a change in job for a bit now; not leaving where I work, rather just doing something else. Anywho, I come into work yesterday and the scheduler tells me the job is mine once my current position gets filled. I was like....really? I honestly didn't think I'd even get the job. You see, there was an opening on my shift on the same unit back in the fall. I applied for it but didn't get it, which I was pretty bummed about. My state of mind on Tuesday after handing in my application was well if it's meant to be then it'll happen. And it did. And it IS!!! I was talking to a co worker last night (whom I have appointed as my "work mom") and we were like if you work hard and do well it'll pay off. I then said that never in my life did I have anything handed to me; I always had to work for it.
I was reminded of a song from mine and Holly's BME days and some of the simplest words were "with God I can." And for me it's been with God I can....and I just fill in the blank. At our house, we have a God is Good because...board. Last night when I got home from work I wrote because He knows our desires and provides. With God I, we, you, can do what you dream to do. And if you're reading this and are discouraged with whatever is going on in your life, I encourage you to please hang in there. Keep the faith; the darkness and shadows eventually have to go away. You can do it! As for me, I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and this new position.
Joy unspeakable. Faith unsinkable. Love unstoppable. Anything is possible
Last night I wrote a post on my VISTA blog about VISTA turning 50 and what, essentially, being a VISTA means to me. I shared it on my Twitter page as part of a social media campaign raising awareness for this celebration. This evening I got this:
I don't mean to sound preachy, but I can't take any of the credit for this. It's all God. He knew EXACTLY what He was doing when He sent me here, and I am so thankful and beyond blessed (and undeserving!!). I don't know who runs VISTA's social media platforms, but it's humbling to realize that out of all the thousand some-odd VISTAs out there, they chose to showcase what God is doing for me and through me in wee little Berea Kentucky. It's humbling to realize that people in Washington DC could read this, my own personal blog I started just so I could remember this year. Yep...chalking this up to yet another pinch-me moment!
Kelly: For me, my "God thing" most of you already know about, as my Facebook continues to blow up with likes and comments from today's status. Ever since I did clinicals where I work (which was like almost 4 years ago) and ended up on the substance abuse unit, I was like yes. This is the kind of nursing I can do and want to do and would be very happy there. So I'm where I am now and am thoroughly enjoying it while winding through the occasional bumps and valleys and all of a sudden another opportunity for an opening on such unit comes up. Except it's during the day and not on my shift (3-11). On a whim, I apply internally for it, which I did on Tuesday. And this didn't just come out of nowhere; I've been ready for a change in job for a bit now; not leaving where I work, rather just doing something else. Anywho, I come into work yesterday and the scheduler tells me the job is mine once my current position gets filled. I was like....really? I honestly didn't think I'd even get the job. You see, there was an opening on my shift on the same unit back in the fall. I applied for it but didn't get it, which I was pretty bummed about. My state of mind on Tuesday after handing in my application was well if it's meant to be then it'll happen. And it did. And it IS!!! I was talking to a co worker last night (whom I have appointed as my "work mom") and we were like if you work hard and do well it'll pay off. I then said that never in my life did I have anything handed to me; I always had to work for it.
I was reminded of a song from mine and Holly's BME days and some of the simplest words were "with God I can." And for me it's been with God I can....and I just fill in the blank. At our house, we have a God is Good because...board. Last night when I got home from work I wrote because He knows our desires and provides. With God I, we, you, can do what you dream to do. And if you're reading this and are discouraged with whatever is going on in your life, I encourage you to please hang in there. Keep the faith; the darkness and shadows eventually have to go away. You can do it! As for me, I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and this new position.
Joy unspeakable. Faith unsinkable. Love unstoppable. Anything is possible
Sunday, February 1, 2015
For reasons we can't explain
Kelly: This conversation we are about to share started yesterday while the two of us were shopping around Richmond. One of us mentioned that we don't really consider ourselves selfish people. I don't really think of myself as selfish. Seriously. And then this led into one thing after another after another, a commonality in which we both stated we wouldn't do what we do if we were selfish people. It's true. I've known for a while that I wanted to be a nurse, but I truly believe that God has called me to be a psych nurse. It is a calling bestowed upon a select few individuals, but I sincerely believe that I have risen up to the challenge. I have a lot of really good days at my job. Things go smoothly, my patients are calm and there isn't a crazy amount of admissions/discharges or both. Then there are those days where I walk into chaos the moment my foot enters the unit. A patient's upset or psychotic, 2 admissions have just come in, one patient wants to leave AMA and other patients are scared of another patient and they don't feel safe. Yet despite those bad days, where I am, what I do...it feels right.
For lack of a better word: Right. I was talking in Sunday school today about how when you find "the one" and when someone asks you how you know it's "the one." And what is that age-old scripted response? Yes, say it with me. "You just know!" I compared that to feeling contented about the path God has you on. The path that God has me on for the time being is the right one, and I know that it is. How do I know? Because I just do. I just know. I feel at peace with the direction my life is going right now. It's a good feeling, unfortunately, it's one that I can't explain. I can't put into words or put my finger on how I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I suppose that it's something that only comes from knowing God. But when the time is right, you'll know.
Holly: I said in Sunday school today that we bank a lot of our security in what we do for a living. I remember when I was considering my AmeriCorps position; one of the biggest things that almost held me back was the considerable pay cut. I kept asking myself "Do I really want to go back to being flat broke all the time again?" I talked to my co-workers at the time and I was sometimes met with less-than-enthusiastic responses..honestly, not that I could entirely blame them. "Is that what you really want to do?" "Do you really want to make that much?" But what I also remember, as clear as day, is that still-small voice saying: "Don't let this opportunity go." Despite the reservations, yes, even from me, I went. And guess what? We're not flat broke, and I sincerely have no regrets. For the first time in I don't even know how long, this feels like what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm trying not to get wrapped up in the long term, although I'm not being unrealistic: Grow Appalachia won't last forever, I know this. But it's like Kelly said, I feel at peace with the direction my life is going, and I too can't explain it. It's God. It's all God. I've learned that sometimes, where we are in our lives doesn't make sense to those on the outside. Guess what? Sometimes it doesn't make sense to ME either!! But I take comfort in knowing that I serve a God who has my best interests at heart. My life makes sense to Him, and that has to be enough.
I'm going to end with this, and it's something I've witnessed quite frequently. Heck, I've been through it too: Please do not EVER feel like that you have to be "stuck" with wherever you are in your life! You deserve to have joy and satisfaction and be at peace with the choices you've made in your life. If you aren't, then change something! You have that power, and nothing is more draining than being in that mentality of "I'm stuck and I can't get out." You can, and nothing is more fulfilling than being at a place of peace in your life. Even if you can't explain it.
For lack of a better word: Right. I was talking in Sunday school today about how when you find "the one" and when someone asks you how you know it's "the one." And what is that age-old scripted response? Yes, say it with me. "You just know!" I compared that to feeling contented about the path God has you on. The path that God has me on for the time being is the right one, and I know that it is. How do I know? Because I just do. I just know. I feel at peace with the direction my life is going right now. It's a good feeling, unfortunately, it's one that I can't explain. I can't put into words or put my finger on how I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I suppose that it's something that only comes from knowing God. But when the time is right, you'll know.
Holly: I said in Sunday school today that we bank a lot of our security in what we do for a living. I remember when I was considering my AmeriCorps position; one of the biggest things that almost held me back was the considerable pay cut. I kept asking myself "Do I really want to go back to being flat broke all the time again?" I talked to my co-workers at the time and I was sometimes met with less-than-enthusiastic responses..honestly, not that I could entirely blame them. "Is that what you really want to do?" "Do you really want to make that much?" But what I also remember, as clear as day, is that still-small voice saying: "Don't let this opportunity go." Despite the reservations, yes, even from me, I went. And guess what? We're not flat broke, and I sincerely have no regrets. For the first time in I don't even know how long, this feels like what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm trying not to get wrapped up in the long term, although I'm not being unrealistic: Grow Appalachia won't last forever, I know this. But it's like Kelly said, I feel at peace with the direction my life is going, and I too can't explain it. It's God. It's all God. I've learned that sometimes, where we are in our lives doesn't make sense to those on the outside. Guess what? Sometimes it doesn't make sense to ME either!! But I take comfort in knowing that I serve a God who has my best interests at heart. My life makes sense to Him, and that has to be enough.
I'm going to end with this, and it's something I've witnessed quite frequently. Heck, I've been through it too: Please do not EVER feel like that you have to be "stuck" with wherever you are in your life! You deserve to have joy and satisfaction and be at peace with the choices you've made in your life. If you aren't, then change something! You have that power, and nothing is more draining than being in that mentality of "I'm stuck and I can't get out." You can, and nothing is more fulfilling than being at a place of peace in your life. Even if you can't explain it.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
The sanctity of rest
Holly: Holy smokes, we're already halfway through January!!!
In the midst of basically going non-stop since this year has started, and also because I've had quite a bit of time to myself these past couple of days, I've been thinking quite a bit about rest. Which I guess is exactly my point...Anyway. We are a society that thrives on activity: we're going from one place to the next, we're juggling 221 different things at once, we've throw phrases such as "on the go" and "I'm so busy" into our vocabulary without even thinking twice, and before we know it, it's time to get just enough hours of sleep in order to function, only to wake up and do it all over again. Hey, I get it. That used to be me...and to a degree, it definitely still is. But one thing I've really striven to incorporate into my daily routine is quiet time, that time to just...rest. I've really grown to appreciate that just in the past few months- back when I was working as a lab coordinator I would get emails and phone calls constantly, most of the time well after hours, and sometimes I felt as if I was shackled to my cell phone. I couldn't really relax. But now that I've really adopted the mindset of "leaving work at work" (mostly now because I actually can!!), I savor those precious moments of rest. For me, I try to set aside a few minutes in the morning, usually while I'm waiting for the coffee to finish brewing: I typically read a verse from my Bible app. I also incorporate about 10-20 minutes into the evening, as I'm ready to go to bed for the evening. Again, I read something from the Bible (usually a whole chapter) and sometimes I write in my journal. My cats are usually there with me, so even then it's not entirely...restful, so to speak. But lately I've found that if I don't get those few minutes in the morning, I'm really edgy and frazzled when I get into work in the morning, even though I know what I have to do and it isn't terribly stressful.
I guess the point to all of this is that taking time to rest is extremely important. It's foolish to expect yourself to just go go go all the time! So go ahead, read an extra chapter (or two) in that book. Watch one more episode of that Netflix show you've been binging on. Turn that alarm off (but please still go to work on time!). Write, pray, whatever you need to do. Heck...even God took a day off!
Kelly: In the midst of writing this, I'm actually quite tired. This is my on-call weekend at work and I've worked 18 hours total this weekend...which actually isn't too bad compared to the last one I did. But it's been a long few days and I'm ready for it to be over. The constant driving to and from is what's killing me. Anyway, so rest sounds like a really good thing right now. My take on rest is different from what Holly described. Lately, I've had this itch of wanting to do "something more" with my time. I've juggled about a zillion and one different ideas of how to scratch this itch, mostly to the tune of finding another job. Not leaving mine, rather finding another job on top of what I already do. I kept telling myself "I want more experience" or "I just need a change," but I think what it is is that I'm just used to being this go go go type of person and when my time off comes I'm just like "why am I just sitting here? I need to be doing something else." And while I've ruled out finding another job, I haven't ruled out like volunteering or something to that nature...if I can just find the motivation. The thing of it is I just...enjoy my off time so much. And you know what? I am finally realizing that that's ok!
I think sometimes we get so stuck in this perpetual trap of having to fill our time with anything and everything because if we have down time then we're missing something. Yeah, I take some time out of my day to read a devotional, journal, pray silently (or out loud), but I enjoy my me time. My me time to read, watch something on Netflix, whatever. I understand that we have busy lives and all, trust me. We have busy lives. But don't forget that God doesn't want us all running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Take some time for YOU.
In the midst of basically going non-stop since this year has started, and also because I've had quite a bit of time to myself these past couple of days, I've been thinking quite a bit about rest. Which I guess is exactly my point...Anyway. We are a society that thrives on activity: we're going from one place to the next, we're juggling 221 different things at once, we've throw phrases such as "on the go" and "I'm so busy" into our vocabulary without even thinking twice, and before we know it, it's time to get just enough hours of sleep in order to function, only to wake up and do it all over again. Hey, I get it. That used to be me...and to a degree, it definitely still is. But one thing I've really striven to incorporate into my daily routine is quiet time, that time to just...rest. I've really grown to appreciate that just in the past few months- back when I was working as a lab coordinator I would get emails and phone calls constantly, most of the time well after hours, and sometimes I felt as if I was shackled to my cell phone. I couldn't really relax. But now that I've really adopted the mindset of "leaving work at work" (mostly now because I actually can!!), I savor those precious moments of rest. For me, I try to set aside a few minutes in the morning, usually while I'm waiting for the coffee to finish brewing: I typically read a verse from my Bible app. I also incorporate about 10-20 minutes into the evening, as I'm ready to go to bed for the evening. Again, I read something from the Bible (usually a whole chapter) and sometimes I write in my journal. My cats are usually there with me, so even then it's not entirely...restful, so to speak. But lately I've found that if I don't get those few minutes in the morning, I'm really edgy and frazzled when I get into work in the morning, even though I know what I have to do and it isn't terribly stressful.
I guess the point to all of this is that taking time to rest is extremely important. It's foolish to expect yourself to just go go go all the time! So go ahead, read an extra chapter (or two) in that book. Watch one more episode of that Netflix show you've been binging on. Turn that alarm off (but please still go to work on time!). Write, pray, whatever you need to do. Heck...even God took a day off!
Kelly: In the midst of writing this, I'm actually quite tired. This is my on-call weekend at work and I've worked 18 hours total this weekend...which actually isn't too bad compared to the last one I did. But it's been a long few days and I'm ready for it to be over. The constant driving to and from is what's killing me. Anyway, so rest sounds like a really good thing right now. My take on rest is different from what Holly described. Lately, I've had this itch of wanting to do "something more" with my time. I've juggled about a zillion and one different ideas of how to scratch this itch, mostly to the tune of finding another job. Not leaving mine, rather finding another job on top of what I already do. I kept telling myself "I want more experience" or "I just need a change," but I think what it is is that I'm just used to being this go go go type of person and when my time off comes I'm just like "why am I just sitting here? I need to be doing something else." And while I've ruled out finding another job, I haven't ruled out like volunteering or something to that nature...if I can just find the motivation. The thing of it is I just...enjoy my off time so much. And you know what? I am finally realizing that that's ok!
I think sometimes we get so stuck in this perpetual trap of having to fill our time with anything and everything because if we have down time then we're missing something. Yeah, I take some time out of my day to read a devotional, journal, pray silently (or out loud), but I enjoy my me time. My me time to read, watch something on Netflix, whatever. I understand that we have busy lives and all, trust me. We have busy lives. But don't forget that God doesn't want us all running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Take some time for YOU.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Stories: A night of tobyMac (and others!)
Holly and Kelly: Keeping up with the spirit of concerts, our second concert in one week (Yes, you read that correctly. We are blessed!) was on this past Friday night. We bundled up, as it was quite, quite cold and after a pit stop at Five Guys for some food, we made our way over to a church in Lexington to see tobyMac and company. It. Was. Packed! We ended up having to park over at Mejier, which in relation to the church is a few blocks away. But all of that is completely irrelevant. The show was awesome!
The icing on this cake was that we got to share this experience with some folks from our church, which sweetened the deal, so to speak. I (Holly) see a lot of folks who attend my church as family, so it was just one big happy familial gathering to us, and I know without a doubt Kelly and many others feel the same way. Anyway, you don't want to hear me ramble on and on anymore. The show opened with Ryan Stevenson, a fairly new artist in the CCM industry. We are familiar with a couple of his songs via the radio, but it was really special to see just him, his guitar, and his voice. His testimony is pretty incredible as well: One of his songs "Holding Nothing Back" was penned at a really difficult time in his life, including his mom passing away and he and his wife losing their twins. It's amazing what God can do though. It is. He played four or five songs and he got a standing ovation when he was finished. It made him cry!!! What a powerful moment. It's like something for KING & COUNTRY says "When you merge the power of music with the ultimate power of the Gospel, it not only has the power to change your day, but to transform your life as well." A pristine example of that is what we saw at the opening.
After that was Matt Maher, whom we haven't seen since ICHTHUS of 2008, before he was really popular. I loved his show then and I loved him this evening as well. He played a new song "Because He Lives" and I think it's his best song yet. Such simple words, but such a strong reminder of who God is and who we are in Him. One of our favorite songs by him is "Lord I Need You", which is about a kajillion times better live. Take my word for it! We've been fans of his for a while so seeing him was an added treat to the already great evening we were having!
Finally, tobyMac came on!!! He has been around the block for quite a while now; he started out in a group called dcTalk back in the late 80's/early 90's with the current lead singer of the Newsboys (Michael Tait) and the former lead of Audio Adrenaline (Kevin Max). Went solo not long after that and the rest is pretty much history. We first saw him at ICHTHUS of 2006; we broke our curfew to wait in line and talk to him. He's a super cool guy, y'all. We saw him again at Winter Jam of 2010 (I think....), and it was a great high-energy show. The show this past Friday was no exception whatsoever! And it was loud. Oh man, was it loud! But it was such a great time. I had completely forgotten just how big his heart is for God. It was beyond inspiring! He had a good mix of some of his older stuff, and some of his stuff that I know really well, as well as some new stuff, which I can't WAIT for his new album! What was especially cool about the show is that he brought the previous "acts" back on from time to time to do some stuff with him. One of my favorite songs by tobyMac, "Speak Life" was written by Ryan Stevenson!!! I didn't know that! Something that he said, though, and it's still with me: Someone walks up to you on the street and asks who are you. There are a million different answers to that: a sister, a Christian, a friend, a twin, a doctor, a mom, and the list goes on and on. The only "label" that matters, though, is that we, YOU, are a disciple that Jesus loves. In the Bible, John referred to himself as "the disciple that Jesus loved". Guess what? We are the same! How cool is that? :)
Definitely a memorable evening, beyond all reaches of the imagination. An added bonus: We got to hang out with Ryan Stevenson after the show for a few minutes. He is unbelievably sweet! I posted a couple songs below. I hope that you are encouraged, both by the stories on this page and the stories in your own life.
Ryan Stevenson- Not Forgotten
tobyMac- Speak Life
Matt Maher- Because He Lives
The icing on this cake was that we got to share this experience with some folks from our church, which sweetened the deal, so to speak. I (Holly) see a lot of folks who attend my church as family, so it was just one big happy familial gathering to us, and I know without a doubt Kelly and many others feel the same way. Anyway, you don't want to hear me ramble on and on anymore. The show opened with Ryan Stevenson, a fairly new artist in the CCM industry. We are familiar with a couple of his songs via the radio, but it was really special to see just him, his guitar, and his voice. His testimony is pretty incredible as well: One of his songs "Holding Nothing Back" was penned at a really difficult time in his life, including his mom passing away and he and his wife losing their twins. It's amazing what God can do though. It is. He played four or five songs and he got a standing ovation when he was finished. It made him cry!!! What a powerful moment. It's like something for KING & COUNTRY says "When you merge the power of music with the ultimate power of the Gospel, it not only has the power to change your day, but to transform your life as well." A pristine example of that is what we saw at the opening.
After that was Matt Maher, whom we haven't seen since ICHTHUS of 2008, before he was really popular. I loved his show then and I loved him this evening as well. He played a new song "Because He Lives" and I think it's his best song yet. Such simple words, but such a strong reminder of who God is and who we are in Him. One of our favorite songs by him is "Lord I Need You", which is about a kajillion times better live. Take my word for it! We've been fans of his for a while so seeing him was an added treat to the already great evening we were having!
Finally, tobyMac came on!!! He has been around the block for quite a while now; he started out in a group called dcTalk back in the late 80's/early 90's with the current lead singer of the Newsboys (Michael Tait) and the former lead of Audio Adrenaline (Kevin Max). Went solo not long after that and the rest is pretty much history. We first saw him at ICHTHUS of 2006; we broke our curfew to wait in line and talk to him. He's a super cool guy, y'all. We saw him again at Winter Jam of 2010 (I think....), and it was a great high-energy show. The show this past Friday was no exception whatsoever! And it was loud. Oh man, was it loud! But it was such a great time. I had completely forgotten just how big his heart is for God. It was beyond inspiring! He had a good mix of some of his older stuff, and some of his stuff that I know really well, as well as some new stuff, which I can't WAIT for his new album! What was especially cool about the show is that he brought the previous "acts" back on from time to time to do some stuff with him. One of my favorite songs by tobyMac, "Speak Life" was written by Ryan Stevenson!!! I didn't know that! Something that he said, though, and it's still with me: Someone walks up to you on the street and asks who are you. There are a million different answers to that: a sister, a Christian, a friend, a twin, a doctor, a mom, and the list goes on and on. The only "label" that matters, though, is that we, YOU, are a disciple that Jesus loves. In the Bible, John referred to himself as "the disciple that Jesus loved". Guess what? We are the same! How cool is that? :)
 |
| My favorite picture! |
Definitely a memorable evening, beyond all reaches of the imagination. An added bonus: We got to hang out with Ryan Stevenson after the show for a few minutes. He is unbelievably sweet! I posted a couple songs below. I hope that you are encouraged, both by the stories on this page and the stories in your own life.
Ryan Stevenson- Not Forgotten
tobyMac- Speak Life
Matt Maher- Because He Lives
 |
| Here we are with Ryan Stevenson afterwards! :) Thank you to the nice lady in line behind us for taking the picture |
Monday, November 10, 2014
Burger and Chips; it's a Fine Fine Life, and guess what? YOU Matter: A night of for KING & COUNTRY
Holly and Kelly: For the 3rd time this year, we saw for KING & COUNTRY last night.
If you remember, this was the same band we saw at the 4th of July concert in Winchester. Back near the end of September, I was randomly browsing and then I (Kelly) checked my email (we signed up to receive their emails after the Winchester concert) and found out they were coming to Lexington. Yup. All over that one! I mean seriously, we love these guys. Not only do they love Jesus, but they love their fans too! Before we left for the concert, they posted on Facebook that they were going to leave tickets at the will-call center FOR FREE for anyone who wanted to go for themselves, friends or family but couldn't afford them. Yeah. Does your favorite band do that? Would your favorite band do that?
We took a good friend of ours, who didn't want to go at first because of the cost and such, but I (Kelly) said "I will buy your ticket and your dinner because I just really want you to see this concert because you will be so blessed by it." Needless to say, we both got several thank-yous (and if you're reading this Matthew, you are so welcome!) But one of the other things that got us sold was their support of Compassion International. In case you don't know what they are, Compassion is an organization that sponsors children that live in impoverished areas of the world. Sponsorship pays for medical care, food, schooling and for these children to receive the Gospel at their local churches. Luke, one of the brothers in the band, is a big supporter of this organization, and so finally, after seeing them 3 times, we finally decided to become sponsors ourselves. We are now sponsoring 5 year old Perla from the Dominican Republic :) We are thankful to God that a portion of our earnings will be going to this little girl so she can grow and know that somewhere in the world she is loved not only by us but by a God so big and loving. If you have any questions about sponsorship or want to sponsor a child yourself, please go to Compassion International's website and get connected.
Anyway, so the concert lasted close to two hours and afterward we waited 45 minutes to meet Joel...again. I of course (Holly) just had to ask if he remembered me from Winchester (you can read the entire story here...which you should :) ). Guess what y'all? He did!!! In fact, he gave me a high five and said "Rock on! I can tell that it's been loved." You all, if I could just describe the feeling. alkdsjbzskjdfng!!! The icing on the concert cake was that they opened the show with my FAVORITE song, "To the Dreamers". Give it a listen. You will be encouraged! :)
Like we said, last night was the third time we've seen them this year, and it just blows me away at how much more I fall in love with their music, their message, their stories, every time I see them. I'll say it again: if you have not yet seen them live, you really need to. I'm serious.
If you remember, this was the same band we saw at the 4th of July concert in Winchester. Back near the end of September, I was randomly browsing and then I (Kelly) checked my email (we signed up to receive their emails after the Winchester concert) and found out they were coming to Lexington. Yup. All over that one! I mean seriously, we love these guys. Not only do they love Jesus, but they love their fans too! Before we left for the concert, they posted on Facebook that they were going to leave tickets at the will-call center FOR FREE for anyone who wanted to go for themselves, friends or family but couldn't afford them. Yeah. Does your favorite band do that? Would your favorite band do that?
We took a good friend of ours, who didn't want to go at first because of the cost and such, but I (Kelly) said "I will buy your ticket and your dinner because I just really want you to see this concert because you will be so blessed by it." Needless to say, we both got several thank-yous (and if you're reading this Matthew, you are so welcome!) But one of the other things that got us sold was their support of Compassion International. In case you don't know what they are, Compassion is an organization that sponsors children that live in impoverished areas of the world. Sponsorship pays for medical care, food, schooling and for these children to receive the Gospel at their local churches. Luke, one of the brothers in the band, is a big supporter of this organization, and so finally, after seeing them 3 times, we finally decided to become sponsors ourselves. We are now sponsoring 5 year old Perla from the Dominican Republic :) We are thankful to God that a portion of our earnings will be going to this little girl so she can grow and know that somewhere in the world she is loved not only by us but by a God so big and loving. If you have any questions about sponsorship or want to sponsor a child yourself, please go to Compassion International's website and get connected.
Anyway, so the concert lasted close to two hours and afterward we waited 45 minutes to meet Joel...again. I of course (Holly) just had to ask if he remembered me from Winchester (you can read the entire story here...which you should :) ). Guess what y'all? He did!!! In fact, he gave me a high five and said "Rock on! I can tell that it's been loved." You all, if I could just describe the feeling. alkdsjbzskjdfng!!! The icing on the concert cake was that they opened the show with my FAVORITE song, "To the Dreamers". Give it a listen. You will be encouraged! :)
Like we said, last night was the third time we've seen them this year, and it just blows me away at how much more I fall in love with their music, their message, their stories, every time I see them. I'll say it again: if you have not yet seen them live, you really need to. I'm serious.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Because God first loved
Kelly: I have recently discovered that I sometimes do my best thinking while I am driving to work. This happened yesterday. Until now, I have refrained from sharing any thoughts about this Berea Fairness Ordinance that did not pass. I will disclaim right now and say that I did not vote for it or against it; in fact I am choosing to keep my opinions about the ordinance itself out of this, or I'm going to try to. I didn't even vote for it at all. I shot myself in the foot in this one because I honestly didn't really know much about it. But what I have written below is not about the ordinance; it's about love. Love of people, God's family.
Once again, it seems to me that politics and opinion have gotten in the way. The fact that this ordinance was a solution to any problem troubles me. To be sure I'm not entirely sure what the problem was. But, we had to let politics step in because we as a city simply disagreed on a very basic principle; love. When you take away the essence of this ordinance, that's what it boils down to, or at least that's what I think it boils down to. The fact that this ordinance was suggested should trouble Christians. We really had to have the city possibly pass a LAW that basically states we have to be nice to everyone? Am I the only one who sees this problem? Instead of turning to bias, opinion and other people, we should be turning to God and His word! In there you will find His commandments on how to act around other people.
My point is this; when we get to Heaven our views, words and opinions won't even matter. When we face God on judgment day, He's going to ask us all how well we followed, obeyed and loved His son, and how well we treated His body. His family. If anything, this ordinance should tell us Christians to step it up a bit! These are our brothers and sisters! These are people; people that God loves and created, just like He loves you and me. I know I have a lot of work to do.
Holly: I'm going to keep my peace very brief on this. Like Kelly, and it's purely on account of my own ignorance, but I am not very well read in this Fairness Ordinance. All I know is that this proposed ordinance did not pass. Here's what I have to say on that, and it's a two-fold piece, really:
1. Like Kelly said, these are our brothers and sisters. To be honest, I was shocked at the reactions I read on Facebook. I won't get into them, but....yeah, I was shocked. We ought to be reaching out to them with love, as with ANY of our brothers and sisters. Instead, some of us were celebrating the passing of the ordinance. So now our very neighbors, THE ONES THAT CHRIST CALLS US TO LOVE AS OURSELVES, are now disadvantaged, possibly distraught, defeated...and we're celebrating? My opinion does not hold much merit, I see that, but to me, that is NOT Christ-like behavior. Period.
2. WHY in the name of all that is pure and holy are we getting SO BENT OUT OF SHAPE regarding basically any and all mentions of homosexuality, homosexual marriages, etc? Christians, and non-Christians, are getting mercilessly persecuted, slaughtered, demoralized for their faith and beliefs, but HEAVEN FORBID someone brings up gay marriage, and suddenly everyone has an opinion. Really? I mean...really? Yes, I know what the Bible says about gay marriage. I know what the Bible says about sin. But why is THIS always on a pedestal? What about cheating? What about lying? What about adultery, these Hollywood marriages lasting six months or less...why are those getting overlooked?
Holly: I'm going to keep my peace very brief on this. Like Kelly, and it's purely on account of my own ignorance, but I am not very well read in this Fairness Ordinance. All I know is that this proposed ordinance did not pass. Here's what I have to say on that, and it's a two-fold piece, really:
1. Like Kelly said, these are our brothers and sisters. To be honest, I was shocked at the reactions I read on Facebook. I won't get into them, but....yeah, I was shocked. We ought to be reaching out to them with love, as with ANY of our brothers and sisters. Instead, some of us were celebrating the passing of the ordinance. So now our very neighbors, THE ONES THAT CHRIST CALLS US TO LOVE AS OURSELVES, are now disadvantaged, possibly distraught, defeated...and we're celebrating? My opinion does not hold much merit, I see that, but to me, that is NOT Christ-like behavior. Period.
2. WHY in the name of all that is pure and holy are we getting SO BENT OUT OF SHAPE regarding basically any and all mentions of homosexuality, homosexual marriages, etc? Christians, and non-Christians, are getting mercilessly persecuted, slaughtered, demoralized for their faith and beliefs, but HEAVEN FORBID someone brings up gay marriage, and suddenly everyone has an opinion. Really? I mean...really? Yes, I know what the Bible says about gay marriage. I know what the Bible says about sin. But why is THIS always on a pedestal? What about cheating? What about lying? What about adultery, these Hollywood marriages lasting six months or less...why are those getting overlooked?
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| We're just going to end with this... |
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Run wild. Live free. Love strong.
Holly and Kelly: Today. one of our favorite bands, for KING & COUNTRY, released their second album. You may have remembered us mentioning them during that one time during the 4th of July concert where Holly ended up with Joel's bracelet and it was kinda awesome. So we've been listening to it...pretty much all day, and there's a monologue towards the end of the record that has just resonated with us so powerfully. We wanted to share it with you all. Take some time to reflect on the words, and please listen to the album if you can (it's on Spotify); really fun music with an awesome message! Be blessed!
Run wild. To risk everything, to hold nothing back, to lay it all on the line: your reputation, your success, your comfort. It's that moment when fear is overcome by faith. Live free. It's not the liberty to do whatever you want, whenever and wherever you want, but rather, it's living in accordance with the author of humanity, and finding freedom by connecting with the Creator who conceived you. Let the light flood into your eyes for the first time, feeling the blood course through your veins, finding the truest version of yourself by knowing the One who knows you even better than you know yourself. Love strong. Because you were first loved. Because without love, we all perish. Because the earth and the stars can and will pass away, but love; love will always remain.
Run wild. To risk everything, to hold nothing back, to lay it all on the line: your reputation, your success, your comfort. It's that moment when fear is overcome by faith. Live free. It's not the liberty to do whatever you want, whenever and wherever you want, but rather, it's living in accordance with the author of humanity, and finding freedom by connecting with the Creator who conceived you. Let the light flood into your eyes for the first time, feeling the blood course through your veins, finding the truest version of yourself by knowing the One who knows you even better than you know yourself. Love strong. Because you were first loved. Because without love, we all perish. Because the earth and the stars can and will pass away, but love; love will always remain.
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