Disclaimer: There is a lot of talk about God in this post. We believe we can ONLY give the credit to Him! Once you read this, you will see why. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to speak to us privately about them. Otherwise, enjoy the story, and if you feel inspired, praise with us! :)
H: Wednesday we found out that moving into the house was no longer an option, without any real concrete explanation. Disappointed and frustrated didn't even begin to scratch the surface as to how we felt. I wrote in my journal for a long time, pouring out my frustrations and anger to God. Yes, I was angry. I don't like being angry, and I even apologized. There was no holding anything back. At one point I wrote, "I've learned in the journey of becoming a follower of Jesus is that we still have an obligation to show Your love, even if we don't feel like it." Quite frankly, I didn't feel like it. We had spent the last two months praying, putting our faith in people following through, only to be left empty-handed and disappointed. I went to bed unhappy that night, utterly defeated and spent. I'm surprised I got any sleep at all.
Kelly was due to come home from Ohio Thursday, so I shared with our house church members that we would not be there, so we could spend the evening catching up, relaxing, and discussing our next steps. But what I didn't mention was that Thursday morning, I heard that still small voice, something, in my gut say, "You shouldn't go to church tonight." I couldn't explain it. (That was the first God moment, although I didn't know it at the time)
We went out for Chinese and we'd barely been home five minutes when Kelly got a Facebook message from a co-worker of hers, saying she had spoken to somebody about a duplex available in Richmond (God moment #2). On the phone, she said that a couple was going to look at it the next day, and asked if we could look at it that evening. We dropped everything and drove up there. Yes, it was that split-second of a decision! We had no trouble finding the apartment and were immediately taken to the location and the quietness of the neighborhood, despite it being right off the interstate. Kelly's co-worker arrived a few minutes later and we asked how she knew the landlord. This was her response (another God moment):
"Oh, I just talked to her on the phone just now. I've never met her before. I was just driving through here and I saw the sign out front, and I thought 'This is for Kelly. I want her to be in a safe neighborhood.'"
We were like ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.
Jennifer, the landlord, arrived a few minutes later. In addition to her infectious personality, she mentioned that a police officer lives down the street and that her niece works at the preschool nearby (Remember the talk about a safe neighborhood?) We helped ourselves to looking around, and, admittedly, it is a downgrade in terms of size and space, but we've learned over the last year that we've had too much space. The rent is more than $100 LESS than what we're paying now, and the place was near immaculate, there was new carpet, a small patio outside, plenty of parking, a washer and dryer hooked up (!!!), and, most importantly, Yoda and Wiley are welcome! :) Needless to say, it was not a difficult decision. By the end of the night, a key was given to us and we had signed the lease!
The drive home was a combination of a daze and utter exuberance. God had shown up! Big time. If we had gone to church, we would have missed the Facebook message and, ultimately, the phone call, the apartment would have been shown tonight and probably taken, and we would still be stuck waiting until the end of next month. But now, there is no more waiting, and we have a cute new duplex in Richmond waiting for us. All thanks to God!
K: While reading this, I thought of Holly. Gave up a UK, full-time benefited job for what she does now for the sake of being happier and less stressed out. I also think about getting my first job; that moment and time when I was just ready to give up was when I got the magic phone call. That's what happened here last night; God gave us what we needed, not what we wanted. I remember so many times praying "God just get us this house. Just get us this house." I'm not going to say it was as if my prayers were falling on deaf ears, because I don't believe that. Rather I just felt that this house we were seeking so hard for was just not going to happen. I always had this small notion in the back of my head that it was just going to not work out. Perhaps that was God's way of saying that He had something better for us. Because let's face it, the last thing we actually needed was MORE space and more money to be given for rent.
I truly believe that God talks and shows us what we need in a lot of mysterious yet awesome ways. I remember walking into that duplex and was like "this is it." That "aha!" moment. I don't believe in coincidence. I think coincidence is just one of the many ways God speaks to us. Though I can't hold claim to actually hearing His voice, I can hold to the fact that His fingerprints were ALL OVER THIS. There's really nothing more I need to add to this. It's all been said. We are excited to begin this new adventure and see where else He will take us. My ending is this; if you're waiting for something and feel like throwing in the towel, that's usually when a corner will turn. Sometimes it's not a good corner, but in our experience it usually is. Keep the faith, and remember that God is good.
Showing posts with label God moments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God moments. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
House stuff, other stuff and what we've learned
Kelly: And once again, we apologize for the extremely large gap in between posts. Life has gotten somewhat in the way again, in good ways though. For starters, I'm getting ready to leave for Peru in a few weeks. Has it really been that long since an update? Yes! Anyway, I'm going to Peru in 2 weeks. A few folks from church, myself and a cohort in Georgia are getting together to do medical missions/children's ministry. We leave on the 1st and will be gone for 10 days. Wee bleep! So preparations for that have taken up a bit of my time, and there's still a few things I have to do but I foresee they will not be too terribly demanding.
As most of you all know, we are still in the process of getting ready to move into our first house...hopefully. Just for clarification, we are NOT buying. Still renting, but it's a nice house and for the price per month it's a pretty good deal. We looked at it last week, met our landlord and his wife, filled out our application and are now waiting. The wife was not too keen on the idea of us bringing along the fur babies, but we said leaving them behind was just not an option. She didn't come right out and say we couldn't have them, rather "preferably not." So now we're waiting and hopefully we will hear something soon. Throughout this entire process, it's been a series of just waiting. Waiting for answers, waiting for God's direction, waiting. And learning how to be patient and be ok with waiting. And learning and doing my best to maintain a positive attitude while getting things here packed up. Seems like some creepy-crawly bug freeloaders want to come along too, but I've had to give them a few smacks, sucks in the vacuum and a big firm no they are not allowed. That in and of itself is a whole other ordeal for another time. So yeah. Lots of waiting, but God has really shown us how to basically handle that, even though we feel like going crazy 99.9% of the time. It really does hold true that God doesn't give you patience; He gives you circumstances and scenarios in which you have no choice but to just be patient. And wait.
So there you have it. It's been exciting, knowing that something great is going to happen. Not knowing when it will happen has caused a bit of anxiety, but I keep telling myself it'll be worth it. Having a sense of humor throughout this process has helped greatly too, because if I wasn't laughing or trying to get sis to find the humor we'd probably be crying. Thanks for hanging with us, and we are looking forward to many many house parties!
Holly: And here I am, a couple of days late! I shared this entire process with the small house-based church we've been attending, and there was a comment that said "It's a good thing we're all so patient, right?" I WISH! Some days, I must admit, are much easier than others. Some days it takes everything in me to not just take a flamethrower to the entire place and dance upon the ashes when it finally burns to the ground. But we can't do that (And we definitely shouldn't do that). Some days, most days, I just grin and bear it and deal with it, silently praying that one day, ONE DAY, we WILL hear something and we WILL be in a much better situation. Like Kelly said, though, God has shown us a lot through this waiting game.
I've been reminded one of the points from a sermon a couple of weeks ago, and I'm probably butchering it to kingdom come, but it was something to the degree of that you don't have to necessarily like your circumstances to keep trusting God. Do I like that we're basically sitting ducks? No, I don't. I wanted to be out of our apartment months ago! But, unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. I'm just really fortunate that I have my faith in Jesus in the first place, because if I didn't have at least that hope, I really don't know what I would do. I'm also really fortunate that I have such a strong network of people that are cheering us along, encouraging us, also making us try to see the humor in it all, praying for us, offering to help us move, and so on. It's good to have people! :)
So that's where we are right now. Hopefully the next time we post it will be with a moving date and plenty of pictures and happiness galore! Thank you all for journeying along in this craziness with us!
As most of you all know, we are still in the process of getting ready to move into our first house...hopefully. Just for clarification, we are NOT buying. Still renting, but it's a nice house and for the price per month it's a pretty good deal. We looked at it last week, met our landlord and his wife, filled out our application and are now waiting. The wife was not too keen on the idea of us bringing along the fur babies, but we said leaving them behind was just not an option. She didn't come right out and say we couldn't have them, rather "preferably not." So now we're waiting and hopefully we will hear something soon. Throughout this entire process, it's been a series of just waiting. Waiting for answers, waiting for God's direction, waiting. And learning how to be patient and be ok with waiting. And learning and doing my best to maintain a positive attitude while getting things here packed up. Seems like some creepy-crawly bug freeloaders want to come along too, but I've had to give them a few smacks, sucks in the vacuum and a big firm no they are not allowed. That in and of itself is a whole other ordeal for another time. So yeah. Lots of waiting, but God has really shown us how to basically handle that, even though we feel like going crazy 99.9% of the time. It really does hold true that God doesn't give you patience; He gives you circumstances and scenarios in which you have no choice but to just be patient. And wait.
So there you have it. It's been exciting, knowing that something great is going to happen. Not knowing when it will happen has caused a bit of anxiety, but I keep telling myself it'll be worth it. Having a sense of humor throughout this process has helped greatly too, because if I wasn't laughing or trying to get sis to find the humor we'd probably be crying. Thanks for hanging with us, and we are looking forward to many many house parties!
Holly: And here I am, a couple of days late! I shared this entire process with the small house-based church we've been attending, and there was a comment that said "It's a good thing we're all so patient, right?" I WISH! Some days, I must admit, are much easier than others. Some days it takes everything in me to not just take a flamethrower to the entire place and dance upon the ashes when it finally burns to the ground. But we can't do that (And we definitely shouldn't do that). Some days, most days, I just grin and bear it and deal with it, silently praying that one day, ONE DAY, we WILL hear something and we WILL be in a much better situation. Like Kelly said, though, God has shown us a lot through this waiting game.
I've been reminded one of the points from a sermon a couple of weeks ago, and I'm probably butchering it to kingdom come, but it was something to the degree of that you don't have to necessarily like your circumstances to keep trusting God. Do I like that we're basically sitting ducks? No, I don't. I wanted to be out of our apartment months ago! But, unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. I'm just really fortunate that I have my faith in Jesus in the first place, because if I didn't have at least that hope, I really don't know what I would do. I'm also really fortunate that I have such a strong network of people that are cheering us along, encouraging us, also making us try to see the humor in it all, praying for us, offering to help us move, and so on. It's good to have people! :)
So that's where we are right now. Hopefully the next time we post it will be with a moving date and plenty of pictures and happiness galore! Thank you all for journeying along in this craziness with us!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Jesus and NUMB3RS
Holly: About four and a half years ago (ish) I came across a Facebook note I wrote after I watched one of my favorite episodes of ER. I tied in the plight of the episode to that of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. You can read the whole thing here...and if you can't for some reason...well, sorry about your luck :P
Fast forward to last night. I still binge on ER every now and then, but last night I was watching another one of my favorites, NUMB3RS. Kelly and I have mentioned it on here a few times. I was watching one of my favorites, "Friendly Fire", and again, I couldn't help but notice a parallel between my faith and this show that I really enjoy. I jotted this down not long after. Every day I'm learning that God really is in all things :) Enjoy, and happy Easter!
Good Friday, 2015. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see the “good” in it. This is the day that Christ gave up His life. To sit and watch Christ die a most terrible death is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around. So much heartbreak. Thank goodness that this particular story has a happy ending! I am so thankful that because of Jesus, death doesn’t have the last word!
Fast forward to last night. I still binge on ER every now and then, but last night I was watching another one of my favorites, NUMB3RS. Kelly and I have mentioned it on here a few times. I was watching one of my favorites, "Friendly Fire", and again, I couldn't help but notice a parallel between my faith and this show that I really enjoy. I jotted this down not long after. Every day I'm learning that God really is in all things :) Enjoy, and happy Easter!
Good Friday, 2015. Sometimes it’s hard for me to see the “good” in it. This is the day that Christ gave up His life. To sit and watch Christ die a most terrible death is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to wrap my head around. So much heartbreak. Thank goodness that this particular story has a happy ending! I am so thankful that because of Jesus, death doesn’t have the last word!
I think so many of us, myself included, forget that Jesus
walked this earth as a human. He was
human! I think there’s such a strong sense of fragility and vulnerability in
this. I was reminded of just that- the
fragility of being human- this evening, while watching one of my favorite
episodes of Numb3rs. I think I’ve seen
it half a dozen times by now. A longtime
mentor of Don’s, Fox, is under suspicion after a bank robbery that ends up with
two federal agent fatalities. Don backs
him and defends him 100%...until the end, when the data Charlie has drawn up
becomes too overwhelming to ignore- things are stacking up against Fox, and
definitely not for the better. In a
stand-off between Don and Fox, Fox’s true colors come forth and the complete truth
behind the robbery is revealed. For the
first time in years, we see Don’s guard drop and his coming to grips with reality-
is someone he’s looked up to for so long really capable of such things? As Fox reloads his firearm, he says that he
can’t and won’t go down for this, this that would most assuredly end his career
as he knew it, and he would rather take matters into his own hands than allow
Don to turn him in. I won’t reveal what
happens next, but let me just say that it destroys
Don (And me too!). The armor finally
cracks. For five seasons we’ve seen Don
shouldering the weight of his team stoically and effectively, burying any and
all emotion for the sake of justice and doing his job. But the end of this particular episode, maybe
the last 5-10 minutes, it really does
something to me. It’s so powerful, yet there’s
a moment subtle enough to miss if you’re not paying attention. It’s a heart-wrenching reminder that we are
human. We fall. We break.
We are rattled and moved by events in our lives and sometimes there
isn’t anything else to do but let our guard down. That moment just stops my heart.
The truth is that we are broken people, much like Don at the
end of “Friendly Fire”. We are not
immune to tragedies that may occur in our lives, and we are not immune to how
we may deal with said tragedies. However,
I’m thankful that I can run to God when life becomes too much. I’m thankful that He understands the
humanity within us. He knows! There are plenty of circumstances in this
world that warrant apologies, but you should never have to apologize for being
human. Like I said, God understands, and
He can handle it. Newsflash: No one
expects you to hold it together all the time.
I need that reminder often. And that includes you too, Don!
(Anyone else felt like giving him a hug at the end there, or was it just
me?)
Sunday, March 29, 2015
We Choose Jesus Above Us: Winter Jam 2015
Holly and Kelly: So there we were, barreling through the traffic that is Winter Jam, on our way to meet Tony Nolan (which we did) and out of nowhere we saw THIS AWESOME GAL walkin on by. Kelly grabbed her by the arm and a 30 secondish screaming session began! We have not seen this awesome lady since her wedding day...which we wrote about right here! That was the middle of a pretty awesome night of worshiping Jesus through music, laughter, friends, a bit of testimony and a lot of fun!
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| !!!!!! |
Far and away, the best one we've attended! Yeah...that's pretty much it. We got to say hi to Tony Nolan for a few minutes. If you have not heard his testimony or heard him speak, do yourself a favor! We were pretty far up in the stands, but we certainly didn't let that stop us! All in all a good night of friends, new friends, laughter, good music, good messages, and most of all a wonderful night of giving it all back to the One who gave it to us in the first place. How great is our God!
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| Here's us with Tony Nolan :) |
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| Joel from fK&C bringin' tha word! |
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| Arise My Love!! |
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| Party on stage with Family Force 5 |
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| I love his heart for God! :) -H |
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| "Those nights kept me right." -Skillet |
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| Until next time! | \ |
The fact that we woke up with crazy headaches and barely any voice= worth it!
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, December 21, 2014
One Last Time
Holly and Kelly: Dear readers, we apologize for not updating in a while. It has been a very crazy month of going here there and everywhere. But we are fine, all is well and now we are back. Thanks for hanging tough and bearing with us.
Yesterday was the final hurrah. The big finale. The movie to end all movies. The Battle of the Five Armies. And it was glorious. It was also a time of gathering. As you all know, in September we attended ALEP (see our post on ALEP weekend here!) and met some pretty awesome people during that time. It was discussed at that time that there was a group who usually met up in December to see the current Hobbit movie in Nicholasville (about an hour from Berea). This group met up at Shaker Village the night before for a merry gathering, since it's almost Christmas. So needless to say we jumped all over that! We stayed at the village Friday night and got to meet up with some of the folks we met in September for snacks, conversation, laughing, a long slideshow and a little bit of tasty wine. Come Saturday we rolled out to Brannon's Crossing in Nickyville and gathered at the theater for pictures and a bit of singing, such as Misty Mountains and I See Fire- which was pretty incredible. Before we knew it there were other people taking pictures and videos of all of us, as the majority of the group were in costumes. It was awesome. Truly awesome. We kept saying "I love us." This group, these movies, as Kelly said, it was a celebration of the Christmas season, the love of Tolkien and Peter Jackson's work, how the books/movies have impacted us and our lives, and celebrating each other.
Now for our movie opinion; we LOVED it!!! We don't want to give too much away, because that's just not nice and we went into this movie having read no reviews, not viewed any clips, or seen anything else other than just the trailer. We expected a few things, naturally, just because we're fairly familiar with the book, but it far surpassed our expectations! There were quite a few moments that really surprised us, and of course, there were things that we weren't too thrilled with (but that's the case with the previous 2 Hobbit movies, and even LOTR too). But what really made this movie special, aside from it being the last Middle Earth hurrah, was the company that was able to witness this cinematic adventure with us. Many we met from AL3P, but we didn't get to have as many in-depth conversations and fellowship as we had wished (though there was still plenty!!), so it was really memorable to share life with these people. We all come from such different walks of life, such different parts of the world, and when we all come together united by this love for Tolkien, wonderful things happen. Now every time we see Five Armies, we'll think of this group, this family that we've been so fortunate to be welcomed into. Plus...Billy Boyd's closing song is complete perfection to the end of an incredible movie series...and to our parting. We will see each other soon, though. There is no such thing as goodbye!
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where light has never shone
By silver streams that run down to the Sea
Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow one winter's morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day to bid you farewell
Yesterday was the final hurrah. The big finale. The movie to end all movies. The Battle of the Five Armies. And it was glorious. It was also a time of gathering. As you all know, in September we attended ALEP (see our post on ALEP weekend here!) and met some pretty awesome people during that time. It was discussed at that time that there was a group who usually met up in December to see the current Hobbit movie in Nicholasville (about an hour from Berea). This group met up at Shaker Village the night before for a merry gathering, since it's almost Christmas. So needless to say we jumped all over that! We stayed at the village Friday night and got to meet up with some of the folks we met in September for snacks, conversation, laughing, a long slideshow and a little bit of tasty wine. Come Saturday we rolled out to Brannon's Crossing in Nickyville and gathered at the theater for pictures and a bit of singing, such as Misty Mountains and I See Fire- which was pretty incredible. Before we knew it there were other people taking pictures and videos of all of us, as the majority of the group were in costumes. It was awesome. Truly awesome. We kept saying "I love us." This group, these movies, as Kelly said, it was a celebration of the Christmas season, the love of Tolkien and Peter Jackson's work, how the books/movies have impacted us and our lives, and celebrating each other.
Now for our movie opinion; we LOVED it!!! We don't want to give too much away, because that's just not nice and we went into this movie having read no reviews, not viewed any clips, or seen anything else other than just the trailer. We expected a few things, naturally, just because we're fairly familiar with the book, but it far surpassed our expectations! There were quite a few moments that really surprised us, and of course, there were things that we weren't too thrilled with (but that's the case with the previous 2 Hobbit movies, and even LOTR too). But what really made this movie special, aside from it being the last Middle Earth hurrah, was the company that was able to witness this cinematic adventure with us. Many we met from AL3P, but we didn't get to have as many in-depth conversations and fellowship as we had wished (though there was still plenty!!), so it was really memorable to share life with these people. We all come from such different walks of life, such different parts of the world, and when we all come together united by this love for Tolkien, wonderful things happen. Now every time we see Five Armies, we'll think of this group, this family that we've been so fortunate to be welcomed into. Plus...Billy Boyd's closing song is complete perfection to the end of an incredible movie series...and to our parting. We will see each other soon, though. There is no such thing as goodbye!
So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where light has never shone
By silver streams that run down to the Sea
Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow one winter's morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day to bid you farewell
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| One Last Time! (Photo c/o Kelly Gable) |
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Work that doesn't feel like work
Holly: Not too long ago we came across this article:
"It was so much better than real life."
Yes, I know it's another Doctor Who related thing, but bear with us. The overarching theme is simple: work that doesn't feel like work. In the above article, Tom Baker mentions how he would grow sad at the end of the day, because he was so enthralled in the fantastic Who world, and his real world wasn't all that fantastic. We've talked about this at length. I'm about to start my year of service as an Americorps VISTA, and notice I used the word "service". Because it's not a job. It's filling a need, working with common-minded individuals, being a part of something that's greater than yourself, and I know I'm going to enjoy this because for those reasons, but also because I've been trying to get my foot in the door at Berea College for quite some time now. It's important to enjoy what you do, because it's so, so easy to get caught up in the "jobness" of it all. I encourage you to evaluate your current position, really consider if you enjoy it. If not, perhaps it's time for a change. It's never too late.
Do any of you have a job that doesn't feel like a job? Would be happy to hear! :)
Just a little something to remember: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58b
Kelly: So often when I talk to people about what I do, I get the response of "wow that must be so hard." Well yeah, sometimes it is. But sometimes it's like going to the grocery store, or to church or just out in town. More often than not I just talk to my patients. Not about their illnesses, their medications (though sometimes I do) but just about stuff in their lives, or what's on the news, or if someone said something funny. But really, anybody can talk to people. Put aside the fact that they have a mental illness or two, but yeah. And that's one of the reasons why I love what I do, because I love talking to people. I think that a friendly face can make a difference in someone's day. I did one small act of kindness and just talked to a patient, and at the end of the day she smiled at me and said "you made my crappy day a lot better." It's the little things, like Holly said, filling a need. It also helps that this was something I wanted to do; this field. I'm never bored, and most often it really doesn't feel like work. To me, it's a tell tale sign that I really enjoy what I do.
When I watch Tom Baker's era as the Doctor, I can see his passion and his love for the Who-niverse in his eyes, smile, and demeanor. You can tell he just adores what he is doing in the moment. I think that's why he stayed as long as he did. So there you have it. You can make the best of any crappy job situation, and it's hard. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it! Give it a go; you'll be amazed at how much your mentality will change.
"It was so much better than real life."
Yes, I know it's another Doctor Who related thing, but bear with us. The overarching theme is simple: work that doesn't feel like work. In the above article, Tom Baker mentions how he would grow sad at the end of the day, because he was so enthralled in the fantastic Who world, and his real world wasn't all that fantastic. We've talked about this at length. I'm about to start my year of service as an Americorps VISTA, and notice I used the word "service". Because it's not a job. It's filling a need, working with common-minded individuals, being a part of something that's greater than yourself, and I know I'm going to enjoy this because for those reasons, but also because I've been trying to get my foot in the door at Berea College for quite some time now. It's important to enjoy what you do, because it's so, so easy to get caught up in the "jobness" of it all. I encourage you to evaluate your current position, really consider if you enjoy it. If not, perhaps it's time for a change. It's never too late.
Do any of you have a job that doesn't feel like a job? Would be happy to hear! :)
Just a little something to remember: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58b
Kelly: So often when I talk to people about what I do, I get the response of "wow that must be so hard." Well yeah, sometimes it is. But sometimes it's like going to the grocery store, or to church or just out in town. More often than not I just talk to my patients. Not about their illnesses, their medications (though sometimes I do) but just about stuff in their lives, or what's on the news, or if someone said something funny. But really, anybody can talk to people. Put aside the fact that they have a mental illness or two, but yeah. And that's one of the reasons why I love what I do, because I love talking to people. I think that a friendly face can make a difference in someone's day. I did one small act of kindness and just talked to a patient, and at the end of the day she smiled at me and said "you made my crappy day a lot better." It's the little things, like Holly said, filling a need. It also helps that this was something I wanted to do; this field. I'm never bored, and most often it really doesn't feel like work. To me, it's a tell tale sign that I really enjoy what I do.
When I watch Tom Baker's era as the Doctor, I can see his passion and his love for the Who-niverse in his eyes, smile, and demeanor. You can tell he just adores what he is doing in the moment. I think that's why he stayed as long as he did. So there you have it. You can make the best of any crappy job situation, and it's hard. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it! Give it a go; you'll be amazed at how much your mentality will change.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Things change/remembering Brian
Kelly: The ever so cliche saying of God making good out of something bad really is true. We were 15 when Brian passed away; still young and clueless. Heck, I'm still young and clueless, but that's beside the point. But after the funeral, I remember feeling a sense of closure, but that sense of closure soon turning into anger. I was angry at God; angry and wondering how He could take someone I had barely known away from me. From the rest of his friends. From his family. It didn't seem fair. A few weeks prior to his death, he went to some camp....sadly I can't remember which one, and he accepted Christ. Again, I don't remember where I heard that from. He was about to start his senior year of high school and was supposed to graduate with our brother.
Then coming to college and things changed. I thought about Brian a lot. But that night I accepted Christ into my life (again) I realized and was comforted at the fact that he was in Heaven with Jesus, and it felt...right. And now, fast forward to 9 years later. I'm working where I love and loving what I do. So often I get patients who are depressed and want to end their own lives, usually because of a loss in their lives. Lost their jobs, going through a divorce/separation, and most often loss of a loved one. I always try to tell them that times are hard, but somehow we find the strength to make it through. My strength came from (and still does) come from God, but way back then I didn't realize that. Or if I did, I was just too busy being pissed off. And now, our lives are going on, and the world is still spinning. I still do think of Brian, but not as often as I used to. But when I do think of him, I think of my other friends, who for whatever reason or rhyme are still in my life but live far away. I don't know when I'll ever see them again, but I pray for their happiness and safety often. I am at peace, because I know Brian is in a better place, and I do hope one day when my time comes I will see him again.
Holly: It's amazing, and a bit staggering, to be honest, at how sometimes things can change so quickly. Like this week, for example. Monday, I woke up to another normal work day; Tuesday, I had my Grow Appalachia interview; Wednesday, another work day; Thursday, I received the offer; and yesterday, I submitted my resignation to my supervisor. That's that. It's done, just like that. On paper, my last day at UK is August 15th, just shy of three weeks from now. My days at UK are numbered, I have some time in between, and then on August 25th I hop on a plane to either Philadelphia, DC, Columbus, or Atlanta, and start a new chapter in my life. Things change.
And then, yesterday, I thought a lot of Brian. I still remember that day very fondly; just another day of marching band practice. We were all in the auditorium and then my friend was running to Kelly and I saying "it's Brian, he's gone." Things change.
Yesterday, July 25th, was 9 years since we lost our friend Brian, killed in a car accident. Brian was a friend whom we had just barely gotten to know, and yet...I don't know if I can speak for everyone, but I felt as if I'd known him my whole life. He could make anybody laugh. When we all parted ways for the summer I almost couldn't wait for the new school year to start, just to see what sort of shenanigans our group could get into. Our group all saw each other again that summer, but it was at his funeral. Not long after that, school started again. That was 9 years ago. I was 15 years old, still a kid, still had so much of high school left, hadn't even heard of Berea College, thought that friendships lasted forever, thought band was my world, and you know...the list goes on. I've done a lot of growing up since then, but I still think of Brian often. Things change, yes they do. But never forget where you were and what has happened.
We all change, when you think about it. We are all different people, all through our lives, and that's ok! That's good! You've got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people you used to be.
Then coming to college and things changed. I thought about Brian a lot. But that night I accepted Christ into my life (again) I realized and was comforted at the fact that he was in Heaven with Jesus, and it felt...right. And now, fast forward to 9 years later. I'm working where I love and loving what I do. So often I get patients who are depressed and want to end their own lives, usually because of a loss in their lives. Lost their jobs, going through a divorce/separation, and most often loss of a loved one. I always try to tell them that times are hard, but somehow we find the strength to make it through. My strength came from (and still does) come from God, but way back then I didn't realize that. Or if I did, I was just too busy being pissed off. And now, our lives are going on, and the world is still spinning. I still do think of Brian, but not as often as I used to. But when I do think of him, I think of my other friends, who for whatever reason or rhyme are still in my life but live far away. I don't know when I'll ever see them again, but I pray for their happiness and safety often. I am at peace, because I know Brian is in a better place, and I do hope one day when my time comes I will see him again.
Holly: It's amazing, and a bit staggering, to be honest, at how sometimes things can change so quickly. Like this week, for example. Monday, I woke up to another normal work day; Tuesday, I had my Grow Appalachia interview; Wednesday, another work day; Thursday, I received the offer; and yesterday, I submitted my resignation to my supervisor. That's that. It's done, just like that. On paper, my last day at UK is August 15th, just shy of three weeks from now. My days at UK are numbered, I have some time in between, and then on August 25th I hop on a plane to either Philadelphia, DC, Columbus, or Atlanta, and start a new chapter in my life. Things change.
And then, yesterday, I thought a lot of Brian. I still remember that day very fondly; just another day of marching band practice. We were all in the auditorium and then my friend was running to Kelly and I saying "it's Brian, he's gone." Things change.
Yesterday, July 25th, was 9 years since we lost our friend Brian, killed in a car accident. Brian was a friend whom we had just barely gotten to know, and yet...I don't know if I can speak for everyone, but I felt as if I'd known him my whole life. He could make anybody laugh. When we all parted ways for the summer I almost couldn't wait for the new school year to start, just to see what sort of shenanigans our group could get into. Our group all saw each other again that summer, but it was at his funeral. Not long after that, school started again. That was 9 years ago. I was 15 years old, still a kid, still had so much of high school left, hadn't even heard of Berea College, thought that friendships lasted forever, thought band was my world, and you know...the list goes on. I've done a lot of growing up since then, but I still think of Brian often. Things change, yes they do. But never forget where you were and what has happened.
We all change, when you think about it. We are all different people, all through our lives, and that's ok! That's good! You've got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people you used to be.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Spring (and change?) in the air
Holly: It goes without saying that spring is my favorite season. Ahh, ok...scratch that. I love fall. But spring is a very, very close second.
One of the reasons I love spring is its transitions. Think about it: We're in all this cold, dreary, snowy, wet crap, and then we're into warm breezes, blue skies, birds singing, flowers blooming, almost as if life is reawakening once again. To me, this burst of new life and color is also symbolic of something else: change.
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| Isn't that just beautiful???? |
Change can be scary and unpleasant, and, to be frank, bring out the absolute worst in people. I remember the summer before our senior year of high school. I and Kelly and several other upper-class students met one afternoon, just prior to the start of our marching band season, and had a bomb dropped on us: our director had resigned and was leaving. I was totally devastated; I had grown up with him, my entire marching band career had been with him, and now someone else was going to be taking over. Of course, there was an array of mixed emotions, but one that surprised me was anger; students were angry that he was leaving. I was shocked; of course, I was devastated, but he was doing what he believed was best for him and his family, and the school was unpredictable, at best; I couldn't resent him for that. But many did. And when the new director arrived, I'll admit, things just fell apart. We weren't the same band we once were. I didn't expect to be, of course, but I didn't expect what happened to happen either. Some just weren't ready to accept...the change.
Tomorrow is Easter. Our church choir has been practicing for months now and tomorrow we will share our music with the congregation and thank God for His son and for the new life found in Him. We will worship together. Inside, though, we will be terribly saddened: we are losing a major foundational member of our choir family (see this post here). Tomorrow is his last "official" Sunday. We all thank God for him and what has become of our choir family, and we are all preparing for this change. I was telling Kelly after our dress rehearsal this morning that I sincerely hope we don't fall apart, much like our senior year of band. But I know we won't. We owe it to this ministry to give whoever God gives us to lead us EVERYTHING we are, even though it will never, ever be the same again.
Yes, change is in the air. But I challenge you to see whatever changes you have coming in your life as spring, rather than something to be scared of. Spring is new life, new color. Easter is death overcome and a promise of new life! Can you see why I love spring so much? :)
Yes, change is in the air. But I challenge you to see whatever changes you have coming in your life as spring, rather than something to be scared of. Spring is new life, new color. Easter is death overcome and a promise of new life! Can you see why I love spring so much? :)
Kelly: I think of the verses in Ecclesiastes 3 in where it starts "to everything there is a season." And it's true. Sometimes we have to change either support a family, ourselves or to follow what one believes is God's calling. Holly and I have had to do all of the above, and at times it hasn't been easy. But I've found that when I trust God, really trust God, those changing seasons are a little easier to weather. I remember being that frustrated high school senior and hearing my peers vent their anger in the situation. They were mad he was leaving, but I couldn't be. My feelings weren't going to change the circumstances, and neither were theirs.
Now that Easter is over and the singing and praising is done....well...no. The praising and singing is never done if you're a follower of Christ. It's a very noble and sincere cause when someone does something for His cause. I've known people who've given up everything to do what they feel He has called them to do, yet some are living for Him right from the comforts of their home. And that's been the cases in the two experiences we have mentioned in today's post. In my life I get reminders often that I am where God wants me to be. He changed me in so many ways to get me to where I am right now, and I praise Him for those changes. Yes some of them were bad, but I think that that has to happen sometimes, that way you learn to stretch those faith muscles. Yesterday was Easter, and what a blessed time it was. Quite an emotional day, but in a good way. During one of the songs at church, I was deeply moved quite suddenly. Sometimes, like Holly said yesterday, God just grabs me at random times....hard. I consider it a privilege that He does that to me, to all of His followers. Reminds me what He's brought me through and how good He is to me.
Oh the blood of Jesus washes me
Oh the blood of Jesus shed for me
What a sacrifice!
That saved my life.
Yes, the blood. It is my victory.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
God's Not Dead!!
Holly: Kelly is banished from reading this post until she sees this movie. Which is looking like Wednesday night at this point. Because I WILL see it again. So Kelly, if you're reading this, stop. Stop now. Moving on...
Today I saw "God's Not Dead".
I hadn't heard about it, really, until about a month ago. I'd seen posts about it mostly on Facebook and Twitter, and just a couple of days ago it was really brought to my attention. Some members of my church were planning on getting together and seeing it because it was showing in a theater nearby. I was interested, so I took a ticket. Watched the trailer. Admittedly was not all that impressed. Honestly. Not all that impressed.
Remember how I blogged earlier about how I wish I could travel back in time and smack myself across the face? (I promise I'm not a violent person..?). Yeah....
First off, I believe that every single college student in America needs to see this movie. I'm completely serious. For those of you who don't know much about this movie, the jist of it goes like so: a college freshman enrolls in a philosophy class taught by an outspoken atheist professor. He has the class write "God's not dead" on a piece of paper, sign it, and hand it in, thus avoiding debate and debacle between philosophical ideas and theist-based ideas. One student, a Christian, refuses. The professor challenges the student to defend the "antithesis", so to speak, that God is, in fact, not dead. Through this, the student is challenged, his relationships fall apart, and he is belittled and threatened by the professor. There are numerous other character storylines that all intersect as well; many of the characters either don't believe in God at all, or do, but are keeping it secret. And yet, at the end, all are affected by Him in some shape, size, form, or fashion.
My first thought was what would I do if I were in that student's situation. I'd like to think that I would take a stand for God, but the sad truth is that I'm not entirely sure what I would do. I immediately began thinking of my own college days. While my faith was challenged, yes, I was never publicly belittled, threatened, or forced to believe in something I didn't. Maybe none of us would every really know what we would do. God has a time and a place for everything. One of the things the student kept saying throughout the movie was "I feel like God wants me to do this." I suppose that, given the circumstances, I would know what God would want me to do.
The biggest take-home message, for me, was this: every single moment is precious, and our time on this earth is limited. We don't know how much time we have left. I would say that the storyline that really struck me was that of the atheist professor. Without giving too much away, all he has for God is hate, but I won't disclose why...spoilers (for which that argument is rebuked by "How can you hate someone that doesn't exist?"). Literally at the last possible second does he see the light of Christ and turn to Him. I wasn't expecting it to end the way that it did, which is why it probably struck me as much as it did. Life is so short, too short. In light of this, I will say that I realize that I don't act as Christ's ambassador as much as I should. I don't speak or act for God as properly as I should. I don't reflect God's likeness as I should. Yeah, I've had people tell me that they can tell I'm a Christian because of how I act, how I handle stress, etc, but it's not good enough to just be "good enough" anymore. I pray that God will use me, and anyone else who sees this movie, to shine for Him, to stand for Him, to witness, to be brave. I'm doing my best to live for Him, and I pray every day that others will see Him. I will keep praying that prayer. Always.
My God's not dead, He's surely alive!
Wrap up: Run, do not walk, to your nearest movie theater and go see this movie!!! Please! You will not be disappointed. God is awesome and this movie was a great reminder of how God works in awesome ways. P.S. It features the Newsboys (briefly), and I've met them before. They're super cool- Duncan the drummer follows me on Twitter. Seriously! Oh, and there's Duck Dynasty too. Which (I guess???) is kind of a big deal nowadays :)
Today I saw "God's Not Dead".
I hadn't heard about it, really, until about a month ago. I'd seen posts about it mostly on Facebook and Twitter, and just a couple of days ago it was really brought to my attention. Some members of my church were planning on getting together and seeing it because it was showing in a theater nearby. I was interested, so I took a ticket. Watched the trailer. Admittedly was not all that impressed. Honestly. Not all that impressed.
Remember how I blogged earlier about how I wish I could travel back in time and smack myself across the face? (I promise I'm not a violent person..?). Yeah....
First off, I believe that every single college student in America needs to see this movie. I'm completely serious. For those of you who don't know much about this movie, the jist of it goes like so: a college freshman enrolls in a philosophy class taught by an outspoken atheist professor. He has the class write "God's not dead" on a piece of paper, sign it, and hand it in, thus avoiding debate and debacle between philosophical ideas and theist-based ideas. One student, a Christian, refuses. The professor challenges the student to defend the "antithesis", so to speak, that God is, in fact, not dead. Through this, the student is challenged, his relationships fall apart, and he is belittled and threatened by the professor. There are numerous other character storylines that all intersect as well; many of the characters either don't believe in God at all, or do, but are keeping it secret. And yet, at the end, all are affected by Him in some shape, size, form, or fashion.
My first thought was what would I do if I were in that student's situation. I'd like to think that I would take a stand for God, but the sad truth is that I'm not entirely sure what I would do. I immediately began thinking of my own college days. While my faith was challenged, yes, I was never publicly belittled, threatened, or forced to believe in something I didn't. Maybe none of us would every really know what we would do. God has a time and a place for everything. One of the things the student kept saying throughout the movie was "I feel like God wants me to do this." I suppose that, given the circumstances, I would know what God would want me to do.
The biggest take-home message, for me, was this: every single moment is precious, and our time on this earth is limited. We don't know how much time we have left. I would say that the storyline that really struck me was that of the atheist professor. Without giving too much away, all he has for God is hate, but I won't disclose why...spoilers (for which that argument is rebuked by "How can you hate someone that doesn't exist?"). Literally at the last possible second does he see the light of Christ and turn to Him. I wasn't expecting it to end the way that it did, which is why it probably struck me as much as it did. Life is so short, too short. In light of this, I will say that I realize that I don't act as Christ's ambassador as much as I should. I don't speak or act for God as properly as I should. I don't reflect God's likeness as I should. Yeah, I've had people tell me that they can tell I'm a Christian because of how I act, how I handle stress, etc, but it's not good enough to just be "good enough" anymore. I pray that God will use me, and anyone else who sees this movie, to shine for Him, to stand for Him, to witness, to be brave. I'm doing my best to live for Him, and I pray every day that others will see Him. I will keep praying that prayer. Always.
My God's not dead, He's surely alive!
One of the lines from the movie was how that we might be the only meaningful experience with Christ that someone will experience. We only get one chance. I'm praying that my faith will be strengthened and that God will shine through me.
Wrap up: Run, do not walk, to your nearest movie theater and go see this movie!!! Please! You will not be disappointed. God is awesome and this movie was a great reminder of how God works in awesome ways. P.S. It features the Newsboys (briefly), and I've met them before. They're super cool- Duncan the drummer follows me on Twitter. Seriously! Oh, and there's Duck Dynasty too. Which (I guess???) is kind of a big deal nowadays :)
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| Took me a little while to write this post- I have my own personal editor :) |
Saturday, February 8, 2014
God Moments: Part 2
Kelly: The Faith Conversation
At my job, as I'm sure many will understand, it is very difficult for me to talk about my faith and beliefs in God at work. I knew this upon taking this job, but that doesn't mean that these sorts of conversations have never happened. A few days ago, one of these conversations took place. I had a patient approach me and asked if we could speak; for confidentiality reasons I cannot and will not disclose any information. For reasons that I can only chalk up to God, this patient chose me to speak to. Perhaps it's because they knew I was a Christian, I don't know. But anyway, they looked at me and was concerned about going back to school and about the direction God was taking them. This person then told me they felt abandoned by God and a little bit angry about feeling that way. It had been years since I had had this type of conversation with anyone, and it had been with my best friend at the time. Unfortunately the three of us have since parted ways, but that's a whole other story and God moment. Anyway, but I didn't know what to say; my mind processes were racing. I'm a nurse, I'm supposed to know what to say at the right time. But I was honest. My response was simply...wow. I'm not really sure how I can help but I will do my best. I shared that God has a plan for everyone, and drawing from my own experiences, but sometimes it's ok to feel in the dark about what that plan is. But it's there, and the fact that they were there getting help spoke volume about the fact that they were trying to regain control of their situation. I suggested they ask God for direction and not necessarily the answers right away, but the courage to persevere. We then talked about school for a bit and that was it. I was thanked at the end of the conversation. That was it.
Words are simple, in my opinion. I was never taught in nursing school how to have conversations with people; you can't get a degree for that. You put yourself out there with your words; you may say the "wrong" thing. Or what you say may exactly what someone might need to hear.
Holly: A Brief (hopefully!) Reflection on England
It all started in March of 2011. Kelly, myself and a good friend of mine were browsing a study abroad catalog before convo one afternoon. Brandi passed that catalog to me....and the rest, as they say, is history. Found a program at Kingston University, a "suburb" 20 miles outside of London. And then, 6 grand in debt, a blog, 6 flights, four weeks, many friends and memories (and pubs), and almost three years later, and I have a plethora of lessons, stories, experiences that will last for years to come.
When I first got to Berea I had no intention of studying abroad. It didn't dawn on me until later that Berea is a blessing because they make it so affordable and so easy. And God knew what He was doing that afternoon in March- setting in motion this experience that literally changed my life. He kept me safe while I was there; I never once felt I was in danger. He kept me safe on the way back home, when one of my flights got cancelled and I ended up having to spend the night in the airport. He put roommates and friends in my path, and the relationships we built made me feel as if I had known these complete strangers my whole life. He showed me just how beautiful and big the world is. Seriously, for one of the largest cities in the world, London is stunningly beautiful, with old and new architecture and sites alike. I think I left a piece of my soul there. While I was there I was able to talk to my family, thanks to the uni and a cell phone program the summer school had set up. What a blessing! I watch my British telly shows and I see places I visited or saw, I hear words and phrases I heard, and it automatically takes me back to those days: getting lost in the streets with my friends, soaking up EVERYTHING in my classes, riding the double-decker buses and tube, freezing my butt off in the middle of July, the rain, Big Ben, the Eye, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Westminster Abbey, museums, coffee shops, pigeons, doing British accents on the public transport so we'd try to blend in, thanking God every day and sometimes asking myself "Am I really here? Am I really in England?"...
I will go back someday.
At my job, as I'm sure many will understand, it is very difficult for me to talk about my faith and beliefs in God at work. I knew this upon taking this job, but that doesn't mean that these sorts of conversations have never happened. A few days ago, one of these conversations took place. I had a patient approach me and asked if we could speak; for confidentiality reasons I cannot and will not disclose any information. For reasons that I can only chalk up to God, this patient chose me to speak to. Perhaps it's because they knew I was a Christian, I don't know. But anyway, they looked at me and was concerned about going back to school and about the direction God was taking them. This person then told me they felt abandoned by God and a little bit angry about feeling that way. It had been years since I had had this type of conversation with anyone, and it had been with my best friend at the time. Unfortunately the three of us have since parted ways, but that's a whole other story and God moment. Anyway, but I didn't know what to say; my mind processes were racing. I'm a nurse, I'm supposed to know what to say at the right time. But I was honest. My response was simply...wow. I'm not really sure how I can help but I will do my best. I shared that God has a plan for everyone, and drawing from my own experiences, but sometimes it's ok to feel in the dark about what that plan is. But it's there, and the fact that they were there getting help spoke volume about the fact that they were trying to regain control of their situation. I suggested they ask God for direction and not necessarily the answers right away, but the courage to persevere. We then talked about school for a bit and that was it. I was thanked at the end of the conversation. That was it.
Words are simple, in my opinion. I was never taught in nursing school how to have conversations with people; you can't get a degree for that. You put yourself out there with your words; you may say the "wrong" thing. Or what you say may exactly what someone might need to hear.
Holly: A Brief (hopefully!) Reflection on England
It all started in March of 2011. Kelly, myself and a good friend of mine were browsing a study abroad catalog before convo one afternoon. Brandi passed that catalog to me....and the rest, as they say, is history. Found a program at Kingston University, a "suburb" 20 miles outside of London. And then, 6 grand in debt, a blog, 6 flights, four weeks, many friends and memories (and pubs), and almost three years later, and I have a plethora of lessons, stories, experiences that will last for years to come.
When I first got to Berea I had no intention of studying abroad. It didn't dawn on me until later that Berea is a blessing because they make it so affordable and so easy. And God knew what He was doing that afternoon in March- setting in motion this experience that literally changed my life. He kept me safe while I was there; I never once felt I was in danger. He kept me safe on the way back home, when one of my flights got cancelled and I ended up having to spend the night in the airport. He put roommates and friends in my path, and the relationships we built made me feel as if I had known these complete strangers my whole life. He showed me just how beautiful and big the world is. Seriously, for one of the largest cities in the world, London is stunningly beautiful, with old and new architecture and sites alike. I think I left a piece of my soul there. While I was there I was able to talk to my family, thanks to the uni and a cell phone program the summer school had set up. What a blessing! I watch my British telly shows and I see places I visited or saw, I hear words and phrases I heard, and it automatically takes me back to those days: getting lost in the streets with my friends, soaking up EVERYTHING in my classes, riding the double-decker buses and tube, freezing my butt off in the middle of July, the rain, Big Ben, the Eye, Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Westminster Abbey, museums, coffee shops, pigeons, doing British accents on the public transport so we'd try to blend in, thanking God every day and sometimes asking myself "Am I really here? Am I really in England?"...
I will go back someday.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
H and K have church...but not in the way you'd think
Holly: Church was cancelled this morning...well, last night, actually. Anyway, we didn't go to church this morning. Instead, we slept in, had pancakes and coffee, put on some praise and worship music and just talked: about God, about how older Christian music is better, about work, about Doctor Who. And then this came up. The following is an excerpt from my journal writing on Saturday evening, shortly after watching the third season finale of Doctor Who (and random excerpts will continue cropping up):
I can't help but think of this particular exchange: Here's the Master, who's corrupted all of planet Earth, who's forced Martha's family to watch countless people suffer terrible demises, who's tortured the Doctor and transformed him into a pitiable state. But through the redemptive power of the human mind and spirit, and Martha's courage and love for the Doctor, the Doctor is regenerated back to his present form, where he is able to meet the one who understands him probably better than anyone. 2 Time Lords. Given all the Doctor knew the Master had done, he could have banished him to any one fate. Instead, he tells the Master "I only have one thing to say to you. I forgive you." God, Your forgiveness to us, your sin-filled children whom You love dearly, is NO different. Because, let's face it, the Master didn't deserve the Doctor's forgiveness. And we don't deserve Your forgiveness.
Guys, forgiveness and love changes lives. So often we choose to take the easy way out, which is to hold onto with ever-increasing strength whatever grudge we have, whatever bitterness we've been harboring, whatever pride we can't let go of, what have you. But I truly believe that that is not God's will for us. God sent his son into this broken world and broke the chains of all the junk we hold onto. We ought not to live in bondage to our mistakes and our sin; it doesn't have the last word! You do! And you speak love: love that surpasses understanding, breaks barriers, changes hearts and minds, brings people together, drives them apart, and it goes on and on...Forgiveness is scary, sure. The Master cowered in fear from the Doctor as he put his arms around him and said "I forgive you." The night before he died, Jesus pleaded for another way out.
And then there's love. There's a quote somewhere, and I'm butchering it, certainly, but it's something like how Jesus was on the cross in the way he was and that was him saying "I love you." The Bible says we love Him because He first loved us. The sad irony of the end of that Doctor Who episode is that the Master died in the Doctor's arms. There has to be an extraordinary amount of love in there somewhere to literally hold your enemy until his last moments. Pretty powerful. I'm thankful for those who lead by example: in this case, Jesus and the Doctor.
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love." -Romans 12:9-10
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." -1 Peter 4:8
Kelly: While I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with all that has been said above, there is one more element I want to add that I think is equally important; trust. It too can make or change lives for the better or the worst. The quote as old as time goes "it takes years to build up trust and seconds to destroy it." But one thing I definitely admire about Martha as a companion to the Doctor is her unending trust in him. On a whim, she decides to put her trust in this man that she barely knows but something tells her to take a chance. As the series progresses, she gets to know him better. I think of the verse in Isaiah where it says "Here I am, send me!" It's the true heart's desire of a servant of Christ; to lead where He goes without really knowing what the plan is. It's how I felt when I first started following God; I didn't know Him all that well, and I didn't trust Him that much. But as I got to know Him and spend time with Him, that trust has continued to build. (Proverbs 3:5-6). In the 3rd series finale, which was a very powerful episode, there was one part that made me think about my relationship with God. It made me think that perhaps I was meant to find this show. In a scene, Martha is talking to a group of refugees as the world is about to end. She is telling of her experiences with the Doctor. Just read this below and see what I mean:
...But if Martha Jones became a legend, then that's wrong because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The man who sent me out there. The man who told me to walk the Earth. His name is The Doctor. He has saved your lives so many times, and you never knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him. I know him. I love him. And I know what he can do.
I mean...WHAT? You read that and you Christians, tell me. Have you EVER felt that way about Jesus? I know I have! That night, before I went to bed, I thanked God and told him that even though I may not see Him with my eyes, I know Him with my heart. He has saved my life so many times, and sometimes I knew it, sometimes I didn't. It may sound silly, but I truly do believe God can speak to us in so many ways, even in Doctor Who. You may not want to trust God sometimes, but something tells you to take a chance, like Martha did with The Doctor. Listen when it does. Your life may never be the same.
I can't help but think of this particular exchange: Here's the Master, who's corrupted all of planet Earth, who's forced Martha's family to watch countless people suffer terrible demises, who's tortured the Doctor and transformed him into a pitiable state. But through the redemptive power of the human mind and spirit, and Martha's courage and love for the Doctor, the Doctor is regenerated back to his present form, where he is able to meet the one who understands him probably better than anyone. 2 Time Lords. Given all the Doctor knew the Master had done, he could have banished him to any one fate. Instead, he tells the Master "I only have one thing to say to you. I forgive you." God, Your forgiveness to us, your sin-filled children whom You love dearly, is NO different. Because, let's face it, the Master didn't deserve the Doctor's forgiveness. And we don't deserve Your forgiveness.
Guys, forgiveness and love changes lives. So often we choose to take the easy way out, which is to hold onto with ever-increasing strength whatever grudge we have, whatever bitterness we've been harboring, whatever pride we can't let go of, what have you. But I truly believe that that is not God's will for us. God sent his son into this broken world and broke the chains of all the junk we hold onto. We ought not to live in bondage to our mistakes and our sin; it doesn't have the last word! You do! And you speak love: love that surpasses understanding, breaks barriers, changes hearts and minds, brings people together, drives them apart, and it goes on and on...Forgiveness is scary, sure. The Master cowered in fear from the Doctor as he put his arms around him and said "I forgive you." The night before he died, Jesus pleaded for another way out.
And then there's love. There's a quote somewhere, and I'm butchering it, certainly, but it's something like how Jesus was on the cross in the way he was and that was him saying "I love you." The Bible says we love Him because He first loved us. The sad irony of the end of that Doctor Who episode is that the Master died in the Doctor's arms. There has to be an extraordinary amount of love in there somewhere to literally hold your enemy until his last moments. Pretty powerful. I'm thankful for those who lead by example: in this case, Jesus and the Doctor.
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love." -Romans 12:9-10
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." -1 Peter 4:8
Kelly: While I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with all that has been said above, there is one more element I want to add that I think is equally important; trust. It too can make or change lives for the better or the worst. The quote as old as time goes "it takes years to build up trust and seconds to destroy it." But one thing I definitely admire about Martha as a companion to the Doctor is her unending trust in him. On a whim, she decides to put her trust in this man that she barely knows but something tells her to take a chance. As the series progresses, she gets to know him better. I think of the verse in Isaiah where it says "Here I am, send me!" It's the true heart's desire of a servant of Christ; to lead where He goes without really knowing what the plan is. It's how I felt when I first started following God; I didn't know Him all that well, and I didn't trust Him that much. But as I got to know Him and spend time with Him, that trust has continued to build. (Proverbs 3:5-6). In the 3rd series finale, which was a very powerful episode, there was one part that made me think about my relationship with God. It made me think that perhaps I was meant to find this show. In a scene, Martha is talking to a group of refugees as the world is about to end. She is telling of her experiences with the Doctor. Just read this below and see what I mean:
...But if Martha Jones became a legend, then that's wrong because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The man who sent me out there. The man who told me to walk the Earth. His name is The Doctor. He has saved your lives so many times, and you never knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him. I know him. I love him. And I know what he can do.
I mean...WHAT? You read that and you Christians, tell me. Have you EVER felt that way about Jesus? I know I have! That night, before I went to bed, I thanked God and told him that even though I may not see Him with my eyes, I know Him with my heart. He has saved my life so many times, and sometimes I knew it, sometimes I didn't. It may sound silly, but I truly do believe God can speak to us in so many ways, even in Doctor Who. You may not want to trust God sometimes, but something tells you to take a chance, like Martha did with The Doctor. Listen when it does. Your life may never be the same.
 |
| Take a chance. Your life may never be the same. |
 |
| Love. |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
God Moments: Part 1
Kelly: Today, the sermon at church was titled "God Moments" where any who felt led to had the opportunity to share how God had worked in their lives, whether in big or small ways. While driving home from church today, Holly and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of our God moments. These experiences we are sharing are real; to us they can only be explained by God and God alone. This will be a continuing series in our blog, hence why this is only part 1. The stories we are sharing today are one of many; please enjoy and we hope you are inspired and encouraged.
Stop Looking
The past month or so at work has been rather difficult for me. I've hit quite a few bumps, almost to the point of nearly losing my job. All is resolved and things are totally fine now, but there was a point not too long ago in which I thought I was going to be back at square 1. About a week and a half ago, I found myself sitting on my computer looking for other jobs. I looked at UK and the Central Baptist affiliates but didn't find anything I was interested in doing. After 10 minutes or so of searching, I stopped and turned my computer off. The next day, the search again continued, but nothing was clicking. It just didn't feel right to do what I was doing. Later that night, right before I went to bed, I heard something in the back of my head; a gut feeling that said "stop looking. Just stop." The next day I went into work and everything was fine; this was last Saturday. Last Sunday, there were two questions posed at the end of church. Are you doing what God wants you to do, and are you where God wants you to be? I honestly did not feel like I was; I had it in my head that in light of what had happened to me at work recently that maybe I had missed the mark. I had missed all the signals and it was just me wanting to be where I wanted to be instead of where God wanted me to be. So on the drive up, I just prayed. I prayed and prayed and asked God if where I'm working now is really where He wanted me to be. The first half of the shift went like a typical shift, but it was after my dinner break that things started clicking.
When I got back on the unit after my break, one patient came up to me and asked "where were you?!" She seemed very distressed. I told her where I was and asked if she was ok. She said "I'm fine. I just thought you left." I chuckled and told her I wasn't leaving until 11:30 that night. She then asked me if I was going to be there the next day. I said no and that the next day I would be back was Thursday. She looked sad and said she would miss me and really liked it when I was working and she liked talking to me and said I had a good personality. Later that night another patient had a question about her medications, so I took her back to the med room and we talked one on one and I discussed all she was taking, how much and when. Afterwards she thanked me for taking such good care of her. Near the end of shift change, the radio was playing and I was dancing while charting. A patient had a question and caught me dancing. I apologized and he said that he liked it when I danced and that he appreciated my "spunky" personality and that I had a good disposition for being a nurse. I was floored; I literally could not believe it. I disappeared into the med room before I left and just stood in silence. It was then that I realized that the "stop looking. Just stop" I heard was God telling me that I was right where He wanted me to be. I hadn't missed the mark at all. Folks, if you take anything home from this, just remember that God's voice isn't always audible. He speaks in many different voices!
Holly: I'd like to call this short narrative "The Friday before graduation."
I remember the date exactly: May 4, 2012. Two days before I was expected to graduate from Berea College. Finally, four years of hard work, tears, stress, prayers, etc, was coming to its long and arduous end; I was so close to the finish line I could literally taste it. This day was also the day that temporary senior grades were due. Naturally, I was a little bit anxious; all of my other classes I knew I was going to be ok, but there was one that was weighing heavily on my mind, one that I had struggled all semester with: Genetics. To add insult to injury, this was a core class for the biology major. In other news, I NEEDED this class to graduate. NEEDED. Period. Moreover, this class was only offered in the spring, so that was it. One shot. I had finished my finals and everything else, so I logged onto the online portal to check my grades. Intro to New Testament: B+. Archery and Square Dancing: A-. Herpetology: B. Evolution: B. BME: A. I got all the way to Genetics and was horrified to see a D+. My heart plummeted into my stomach. That was it. I remember, blatantly, the course catalog for the biology major: all courses a C or better to pass. I did the only thing I could think of doing...
Later that day I went to go see my adviser and he asked me how my grades were. I said something to the degree of "Dr Rowley, I have a D+ in Genetics, I don't know what I'm going to do." He asked what I meant. I said that the course catalog said you needed a C or better. By this point I could feel myself getting upset, but I did my best not to show it. Then, with everything I could muster, I managed "Am I going to graduate on Sunday?" Probably one of the scariest moments of my college career. Without hesitating, he said "Let me check." So while he was busy on the computer, I was panicking. My mind was racing; I was going to have to stay two extra semesters just for one class! All I kept saying, thinking, praying, was "I don't know what I'm going to do." Not even a few minutes later I heard, "Holly, stop."
My adviser looked me square in the eye and said, "You're going to be fine. You're going to graduate."
Apparently, I don't know what course catalog I had read, but it was wrong. There wasn't ANYTHING about needing a C or better. Nothing. Yeah, I was definitely crying by that point, but in the best possible way. Two days later I walked across the Seabury stage and got my Bachelor's degree. Afterwards, I hugged my adviser and told him "Thank you. For everything."
God won't bring you so far into something only to have you fall flat on your face. He puts people in your path for a reason. He gives you strength for a reason. So hold on, to your strength and to those who want what's best for you.
Stop Looking
The past month or so at work has been rather difficult for me. I've hit quite a few bumps, almost to the point of nearly losing my job. All is resolved and things are totally fine now, but there was a point not too long ago in which I thought I was going to be back at square 1. About a week and a half ago, I found myself sitting on my computer looking for other jobs. I looked at UK and the Central Baptist affiliates but didn't find anything I was interested in doing. After 10 minutes or so of searching, I stopped and turned my computer off. The next day, the search again continued, but nothing was clicking. It just didn't feel right to do what I was doing. Later that night, right before I went to bed, I heard something in the back of my head; a gut feeling that said "stop looking. Just stop." The next day I went into work and everything was fine; this was last Saturday. Last Sunday, there were two questions posed at the end of church. Are you doing what God wants you to do, and are you where God wants you to be? I honestly did not feel like I was; I had it in my head that in light of what had happened to me at work recently that maybe I had missed the mark. I had missed all the signals and it was just me wanting to be where I wanted to be instead of where God wanted me to be. So on the drive up, I just prayed. I prayed and prayed and asked God if where I'm working now is really where He wanted me to be. The first half of the shift went like a typical shift, but it was after my dinner break that things started clicking.
When I got back on the unit after my break, one patient came up to me and asked "where were you?!" She seemed very distressed. I told her where I was and asked if she was ok. She said "I'm fine. I just thought you left." I chuckled and told her I wasn't leaving until 11:30 that night. She then asked me if I was going to be there the next day. I said no and that the next day I would be back was Thursday. She looked sad and said she would miss me and really liked it when I was working and she liked talking to me and said I had a good personality. Later that night another patient had a question about her medications, so I took her back to the med room and we talked one on one and I discussed all she was taking, how much and when. Afterwards she thanked me for taking such good care of her. Near the end of shift change, the radio was playing and I was dancing while charting. A patient had a question and caught me dancing. I apologized and he said that he liked it when I danced and that he appreciated my "spunky" personality and that I had a good disposition for being a nurse. I was floored; I literally could not believe it. I disappeared into the med room before I left and just stood in silence. It was then that I realized that the "stop looking. Just stop" I heard was God telling me that I was right where He wanted me to be. I hadn't missed the mark at all. Folks, if you take anything home from this, just remember that God's voice isn't always audible. He speaks in many different voices!
Holly: I'd like to call this short narrative "The Friday before graduation."
I remember the date exactly: May 4, 2012. Two days before I was expected to graduate from Berea College. Finally, four years of hard work, tears, stress, prayers, etc, was coming to its long and arduous end; I was so close to the finish line I could literally taste it. This day was also the day that temporary senior grades were due. Naturally, I was a little bit anxious; all of my other classes I knew I was going to be ok, but there was one that was weighing heavily on my mind, one that I had struggled all semester with: Genetics. To add insult to injury, this was a core class for the biology major. In other news, I NEEDED this class to graduate. NEEDED. Period. Moreover, this class was only offered in the spring, so that was it. One shot. I had finished my finals and everything else, so I logged onto the online portal to check my grades. Intro to New Testament: B+. Archery and Square Dancing: A-. Herpetology: B. Evolution: B. BME: A. I got all the way to Genetics and was horrified to see a D+. My heart plummeted into my stomach. That was it. I remember, blatantly, the course catalog for the biology major: all courses a C or better to pass. I did the only thing I could think of doing...
Later that day I went to go see my adviser and he asked me how my grades were. I said something to the degree of "Dr Rowley, I have a D+ in Genetics, I don't know what I'm going to do." He asked what I meant. I said that the course catalog said you needed a C or better. By this point I could feel myself getting upset, but I did my best not to show it. Then, with everything I could muster, I managed "Am I going to graduate on Sunday?" Probably one of the scariest moments of my college career. Without hesitating, he said "Let me check." So while he was busy on the computer, I was panicking. My mind was racing; I was going to have to stay two extra semesters just for one class! All I kept saying, thinking, praying, was "I don't know what I'm going to do." Not even a few minutes later I heard, "Holly, stop."
My adviser looked me square in the eye and said, "You're going to be fine. You're going to graduate."
Apparently, I don't know what course catalog I had read, but it was wrong. There wasn't ANYTHING about needing a C or better. Nothing. Yeah, I was definitely crying by that point, but in the best possible way. Two days later I walked across the Seabury stage and got my Bachelor's degree. Afterwards, I hugged my adviser and told him "Thank you. For everything."
God won't bring you so far into something only to have you fall flat on your face. He puts people in your path for a reason. He gives you strength for a reason. So hold on, to your strength and to those who want what's best for you.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
A brief, one-sided reflection of Hobbit Day
Holly: In the spirit of Hobbit Day (September 22nd, Bilbo and Frodo's birthday), with the seasons turning, cooler weather approaching, The Return of the King complete recordings playing, me halfway through Fellowship of the Ring, I feel compelled to write.
I wrote in my journal not too long ago about Lord of the Rings, Tolkien himself, and what this world, this Middle Earth, has done for me and my life. I won't divulge entirely in the details, although I may post the entire entry at some future date, but I noted that I think, through my journey to Middle Earth, through both film and book, that I feel I have drawn closer to God as a result. I feel at peace when I think of the hobbits I so relate to, of the wondrous descriptions of all the splendors Middle Earth has to offer. They taught me to trust, to love, to feel unabashedly. I draw strength from the music and from the books, and I thank God for this. He has put people in my life who love Tolkien and his world, and who introduced myself to it. I thank God because He knows how to speak to His children. I thank God for Tolkien, who was inspired to bring Middle Earth to life, a world that gives so many people hope, even so many years after his passing. I hope to someday pay my respects to Tolkien.
I think of the chaotic week that lies before me, and I have prayed fervently, and I know others have done the same for me. But as Sam so eloquently says "Even darkness must pass." And as I continue on my reading, my complete recordings listening, the open windows of my apartment letting in the cool of the day, the birds all about, the sun shining in and providing warmth to my cats, I think of what Frodo went through, what Bilbo went through, what I've gone through and what God has brought me through. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be. For today, I choose to just be. To just be absorbed in my own little piece of Middle Earth, to celebrate 2 hobbits I dearly cherish. "Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer."
I wrote in my journal not too long ago about Lord of the Rings, Tolkien himself, and what this world, this Middle Earth, has done for me and my life. I won't divulge entirely in the details, although I may post the entire entry at some future date, but I noted that I think, through my journey to Middle Earth, through both film and book, that I feel I have drawn closer to God as a result. I feel at peace when I think of the hobbits I so relate to, of the wondrous descriptions of all the splendors Middle Earth has to offer. They taught me to trust, to love, to feel unabashedly. I draw strength from the music and from the books, and I thank God for this. He has put people in my life who love Tolkien and his world, and who introduced myself to it. I thank God because He knows how to speak to His children. I thank God for Tolkien, who was inspired to bring Middle Earth to life, a world that gives so many people hope, even so many years after his passing. I hope to someday pay my respects to Tolkien.
I think of the chaotic week that lies before me, and I have prayed fervently, and I know others have done the same for me. But as Sam so eloquently says "Even darkness must pass." And as I continue on my reading, my complete recordings listening, the open windows of my apartment letting in the cool of the day, the birds all about, the sun shining in and providing warmth to my cats, I think of what Frodo went through, what Bilbo went through, what I've gone through and what God has brought me through. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be. For today, I choose to just be. To just be absorbed in my own little piece of Middle Earth, to celebrate 2 hobbits I dearly cherish. "Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer."
"We may stand, if only on one leg, or at least be left still upon our knees."
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