Getting Away

Sometimes there are days where God just calls me away.

Days that He calls me into His heart, to just be. And in the midst of a crazy, sometimes chaotic schedule in the past few weeks, when Jesus called my heart away, I gladly went. 

I thought I would just spend some time around the house, praying and reading. But he called me out of the house, out of the city. He put Stone Mountain on my heart, so I hopped in the car and headed towards the park. The sun was shining, it was gorgeous. First gift to my heart from Jesus.

Once I arrived at the park, I felt like I could just breath. 

I found a quiet spot, opened my journal and began to draw, taking in inspiration from my surroundings. The majestic granite mountain towered above me, complete with civil war figures carved into the side. The trees are just beginning to bloom, and white buds framed the carving just so. 

I sat in the stillness for a while, and contemplated the statue and quotes before me. This one stuck out the most to me, complete with the figure stretching his arms towards the heaven. It speaks of Valor, courage, and it stirred my spirit with delight. 

After my time in the park, I drove around looking for somewhere for lunch. I found a coffee shop that I wanted to settle into later, and figured that I would find a place for lunch around there. So I drove to Decatur, and right across the street from the coffee shop was an amazing little Indian food place. 

I absolutely love Indian food, yet another gift from God. All of the colors and pictures in the restaurant just filled my heart with delight. There were even fresh flowers on the table.

From a tasty lunch I moved onto some more quiet time in the coffee shop across the street, and I received a beautiful, deliciously smooth latte. I was able to talk to some people back home, and just sit with God and feel His peace wash over me.

I could feel Him pouring out His love through all of the small details throughout the day, and it delighted my heart to know that He loves me so much to show that in the small things. 

In a vase of flowers on an Indian food restaurant.

In a expertly crafted latte, topped with silky foam.

In flowering trees.

In the sunshine.

In gently chirping birds.

In colorful pictures.

In sweet music. 

In sketches.

In covered bridges.

In geese playing in the water. 

In being able to cook dinner.

God delighted my heart in the simple things of life that day, and it was beautiful. What are the little things in life that God has put in front of you today?

Physical Words

Last Friday afternoon our Center for Global Action group sat around the living room, listening to our teacher Gary share with us about spiritual gifts.

Little did I know my mind was about to be seriously blown.

Gary announced that we would be doing an activity on the power of words in our lives.

You know that old saying "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"? Well let's go ahead and throw that saying out the window right now.

Words have immense power in our lives, both positive and negative. Who doesn't love to have positive things said to them and about them? Similarly, isn't it crushing to hear negative things spoken to you or about you? No matter how much we say "words never hurt me" the reality is, they do, whether we realize it in the moment or not.

Going forward in our activity, Gary had one of our classmates, Chase, come to the front of the classroom, extend his arm out to the side, and hold it up while Gary pushed down as hard as he could on it.

Gary told Chase to think of something positive about himself, just in his head. While Chase had that thought in his head, Gary pushed down on his arm. He could not push it down, and told us that it was in fact stronger than the first time.

He had Chase raise his arm again, but this time, to think of something negative about himself, something he didn't like. He pushed down on Chase's arm.

His arm came down. There was a physical response to the negative thoughts in Chase's mind.

We tried the exercise again, but this time, Gary spoke positive, encouraging words to Chase about him, while he pushed down on Chase's arm. He couldn't push it down, Chase's arm stayed up and firm.

Then, he said that he was going to talk about Chase's shirt, and say something negative about it (just to demonstrate negative words). He spoke it out while he pushed down on Chase's arm. Almost immediately, it fell to his side as Gary pushed down.

I was shocked. But at the same time, it was making sense. Negative words and positive words create physical responses in our bodies.

Gary had us all stand up and do the exercise with a partner, going through the thoughts within our own head, and then having someone speak words over us. As I participated in the activity, I was astounded. My arm stayed up during the positive thoughts and words, but fell and was weaker under the negative words, and the same with my partner.

What an incredible visual to the power of words in our lives.

It definitely makes you pause and think about the charge that Christ gives us to take our thoughts captive. Not only because what is in our thoughts and hearts will outpour into our lives through words, but because it creates physical and spiritual responses in our bodies.

Recently I joined Triumph Fitness, a group of us that gets together every morning during the week for a cross-fit style workout at the Adventures in Missions office. God has opened my mind to bringing the spiritual into the physical, literally into our workouts.

I began to think about how even negative thoughts during our exercises could effect what I was physically doing. If I think in my head "oh, I can't do this," I'm already setting myself up for failure, and weakening myself, literally.

But if I lean on Christ, cry out to him for the literal strength I need to challenge myself while working out, I am filled with his strength, spiritually, and physically. This revelation has stretched me and grown me already.

And it applies to everything.

Praising God in the storms.

Speaking life and joy into situations where things are difficult.

Pressing into the joy, into the heart of God, and realizing the power of the words we speak, and even more, the thoughts we think. We can effect our lives in big ways when we take our thoughts captive.

Probably why Jesus emphasized it so much.

I know that I am now challenged to take my thoughts captive even more, and recognize the physical and spiritual effects of the words I say and think.

What thoughts do you need to take captive today? What way can you bring God into your every day moments and situations? How can you bring life into it?

Lost Car Keys

If you have ever misplaced something important, you'll understand the panic that fluttered around my heart this morning.

The day started off much like any typical day, well, except for oversleeping. But, it's Friday, I thought, it's alright. I got dressed, ready to tackle the plans I had made for the day. I was going to work outside of the office, maybe get my oil changed in my car, and enjoy this beautiful Friday.

I headed quietly downstairs early in the morning, excited to get a jump start on my day. I put my bags onto the kitchen table, securing everything and went to grab my car keys.

Only they weren't where I put them. They were gone.

I thought oh, maybe I forgot to clip them onto my purse and they're on the floor in my room. My mood mostly unchanged, I head back upstairs to get my keys off the floor. I walk into the room, and search the floor. And search. And search.

My car keys are nowhere to be found.

Now, I start getting concerned. I begin looking through all the places that my car keys could even possibly be, my workout backpack, no. The kitchen table? No. The dining room table? No. Remote, obscure places on the floor? No. In my clothes? No. Still in the car? No.

I wracked my brain, trying to retrace my steps from when I drove home from work Wednesday night. I even went out to the car to see if I left them in there. Nope. Now I was getting flustered. I have no spare key, and really don't have the money to rekey my car. I had absolutely no idea where they could be.

I began praying, praying for peace, knowing that God knew where they were.

I called my roommate, wondering if she had seen them. Then I thought to ask if she would check the office to see if they somehow ended up there, maybe falling out of my backpack.

Waiting sure is hard sometimes. I felt at a loss, not knowing where in the world my keys could be.

Finally, I got the text, my keys were found! Indeed, they must have fallen out of my backpack onto the couch at the office.

My heart heaved a sigh of relief.

But then something funny happened. My heart started to throw a little pity party for itself. All those plans I had made for the day, down the drain. I was going to get some errands done, and get work done. It was going to be a great productive day.

Now, I was stuck at home, my car here with me, my keys at the office. Great.

I had to stop and ask myself, why am I getting upset about this? It is so inconsequential. My car keys are found. I made myself a cup of coffee and settled in for some much needed quiet time with Jesus after a hectic morning of not knowing where my keys went.

I sat and soaked in the morning sun, looking out onto the shining lake, rippling against the gentle wake of the morning breeze. I stopped and took a breath. Processed. I was disappointed because my expectations for the day were not met.

But, I asked myself, doesn't God always have my best in mind? Doesn't he always have a plan? Am I willing to be interrupted in my life, willing to be interrupted by my Father when He calls me away into the quiet of His heart, even when it "interferes" with my already made plans?

Am I willing to be interrupted by God?

I sat and thought, and realized my heart was warming. Yes. I may not have been in the moment, but oh was I ready for him to interrupt this morning and see what He had. And He showed up and spoke to my heart in a very unique way. One that I may have missed if I had had my car keys this morning.

In a moment of disruption, God had peace. And I found the joy to thank him for everything in that moment, that I even had a car to lose keys to, and, that those keys were found.

Thank you Lord, for lost car keys.


What quiet moment is God calling you into today? Are you willing to have your schedule interrupted by God for that moment with Him?

Angel in Disguise

Icy winds were whipping my hair across my face as I stepped out of my warm car. I pulled my bank card from my purse and stepped over to the gas pump, going through the routine that we all go through to fill up our cars with the liquid gold, willing every drop to stretch a little farther. Little did I know that this time, it would be different.

I was having trouble getting my card to work on the pump machine, as technology and I usually seem to butt heads. I was turning to go inside to get the cashier to help me, when I heard a car pull up behind mine, and a soft voice emerging from the inside of the car.

"Hey there, do you think you could help me when 'yur done?"

"Sure," I told the woman happily, and meaning it too. I wasn't sure what she needed help with, I noticed that she had an older car and seemed she might be a little older as well, but I felt complete peace about it.

I finally got my car all gassed up and went over to the woman's car, seeing how I could help.

She awkwardly fumbled with her keys a minute and told me in her thick southern drawl that this is what the problem was. I looked at her dashboard, trying to decipher if there was something mechanically wrong. It seemed okay, and then I thought, oh maybe she needs me to push her up to the gas pump.

I asked her and she laughed at me, and dove in.

"I'm a cancer patient. I'm on chemo, and I have congestive heart failure. I don't really have a dime to my name, and I just need to get home. Can you help me at all?"

My heart broke for this woman in an instant. I looked at her, saw that she had no eye brows anymore, and the hair on her head was a wig. While I am by no means the richest person in the world, I knew I had to help this woman.

I knew that it was moments like this where I am blessed to be a blessing.

I handed the woman a bill, and she seemed slightly overwhelmed. She quickly opened the car down and got out saying "Let me give you a hug!"

So there I was, standing out in the freezing cold at the gas station, hugging a woman I had never met before in all my life. I asked her her name, and she told me it was Diane. We talked for a few minutes longer, she asked about my Arizona license plates and I explained that I had moved here to work with Adventures in Missions.

She told me a bit about her story, only a brief snippet, but I could hear the fear in her voice. The pain that she has and is enduring. How she is battling cancer and congestive heart failure at the same time. How her friends are passing away. I wondered if she had anyone at home. What her whole story was.

Quickly, before I could get it out of my mind, I asked if I could pray for her. She grasped my hand so tightly as I prayed over her.

We talked for a few more minutes, she gave me one more tight squeeze, and I got in my car and she went inside the gas station so she could pay to put gas in her car. We parted ways and as I started the engine, I just wanted to cry out for Diane. I wanted to show her more how valued she is, how worthy. How much she was a blessing to my heart in that moment.

I got to thinking. Usually when someone does something "miraculous" for us, we say that it was an angel. People have indeed had encounters of angels on earth, and God has shown up in amazing ways. Yesterday, I think Diane was my angel.

Someone who reminded me how to be human. How to be who God has made me to be, that I am the person whose heart breaks for the ones that are passed over by others. My heart weeps for the least. Diane showed me how blessed it truly is to be a blessing.

Diane was my angel in disguise.

Today I looked up what her name means.
God has a funny sense of humor.

Diane means divine, heavenly.


Who is your angel in disguise today?

Welcome to Georgia!

Well, I've been in Georgia for a little over a week now, and I can already tell that God is just going to blow up this season far more than I ever expected. (Which I kind of expected, because he always does the most unexpected things in my life, in the best of ways.)

My trek across the country was long, but so incredibly good, and God blessed me continuously along the way. My first stop (after a 15 hour drive) was Ft. Collins, Colorado, where I was able to spend time with two team mates, Emily and Tom. We drove around the city, visited Estes Park and Boulder, and had a grand ol' time. We also got our team CLP from the World Race to come around with us (via pictures of their faces everywhere we went). I also froze in temperatures that never really ever went above 32, which is pretty cold for this Arizona girl.

After Ft. Collins, I went on my way to Nashville, Tennessee. I thought that I would try and make the 17+ hour drive in one go without stopping, but I made it to about St. Louis and decided it would be a good place to stop. God provided an awesome hotel where they gave me a discount just because. He is so good!

In Nashville I was able to catch up with Tina, a team mate from my ministry internship a few years ago in Pennsylvania. We were also able to meet up with some WR squad mates, Scott and Sarah! It was a blessing to talk and laugh and catch up, sharing stories from near and far.

From Nashville I drove south to Alabama to visit some family that I haven't been able to see in many years (since I was across the country in Arizona). It was such an awesome blessing to see them again in person, catch up with them, play games and laugh. I was so blessed, and my heart was filled. It's always a blessing to be together with family, and family that loves the Lord. I was also able to share a bit more about my trip with the World Race, and show some more videos and pictures.

And finally, from Alabama, I made my last stretch and found myself home in Gainesville, Georgia. I will go into more detail in my next blog about what it's looked like to be here in Georgia, but suffice it to say for right now that I feel completely at home. God has placed a deep peace in my heart, and I can't wait to see what God does in this season in my life, and in the lives of those around me.

He is making us new, and bringing us all into a new season together.

Thank you so much for your prayers during my journey across the country! 

Time to Move

Well, here comes the day. It came just as quickly as I thought it would (maybe even a little sooner, time just seems to fly by), and so tomorrow before the sun even breaks across the sky, I'll be on my way.

Tomorrow begins another chapter. Another page. A new adventure. The day I move to Georgia. It begins with a trek across the country, my car loaded down with some possessions  headed into the unknown. Unknown, but yet completely known.

Known because I know that God has every road, every turn, every step laid before me. And I'm ready to walk into it. I can't wait to see what He has in store for these next eight months in the CGA program at Adventures in Missions. A time of mentoring, growing, learning, stretching. A time to worship, be in community. See friends, make new ones. Begin again.

A new adventure with the lover of my soul. My Savior and King. An adventure into being who I am, walking fully in freedom, and bringing heaven to earth, releasing His kingdom to those I encounter. A time to pray, seek, plan, and dream.

I can't wait to see the dreams He puts on my heart, and how He leads. I feel like this is just a completely blank page before me. I don't know what to expect, and usually, that's when God shows up the most. For the first time in a long time, I have absolutely no idea what will happen at the end of this next plan. In the past I've always had vague ideas of what I would like to do at the end of one plan. 

I've prayed about it, and nothing has surfaced. Not even really a hint. Except to bring the kingdom. So, I can only assume that God has some big plans to blow me out of the water with, and I am excited to dream and step into that with Him when the time is right.

He has lined up so many things perfectly, I feel so incredibly blessed and humbled by it all. I have $3,000 of my $3,600 in support raised (through pledges and actual donations), and I was able to transfer to the Starbucks in Gainesville. God's fingerprints have been all over this from the beginning. 

So here it goes...with the snippet that has been playing over and over in my mind this past week.

The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road goes on, and I must follow if I can."

Georgia, I'm comin' for ya. 

A lot has Happened...

Well, it's been a long while since my last blog post, and quite a lot has happened since then. I won't hash out all of the details in full length here, but to give you an idea of what the past two-ish months have looked like...

...been working my two jobs, nannying and Starbucks all week long, which I love. Especially Starbucks, it's seriously my favorite job I've had so far.

...my dad had a heart attack a few weeks ago. That was terrifying/an emotional roller coaster/a lot of everything rolled up into a small amount of time. Thankfully he is on the mend, and God is at work! Maybe I'll write a blog about this some time in the future....it was one wild weekend...and still is a journey in and of itself.

...my brother got to come home for Christmas! Which is a big deal, well, it's always a big deal, he's my baby brother. But last year we were both on the other side of the world for Christmas, so it has been fantastic to be home this year.

...been putting together Christmas presents/making Christmas presents, etc.

...doing art as much as I can. During church worship, doing hand lettering, just doodling to get the creative juices flowing.

...trying to keep my head above water sometimes, rebuking fear and walking in Christ's freedom. Trying to figure out what that all means, and how to bring the kingdom every day.

And finally...

I've been making plans for my move to.....Gainesville, Georgia!

I will be leaving Tucson on January 13th, and making my way across the country to my home for eight months in Gainesville, Georgia. I will be working with AIM (Adventures in Missions, the organization that I did the World Race with) in a program called Center for Global Action (or, CGA). You can check it out at this link if you want to read about it! 

Words seem to be cluttering my brain right now, but I don't know how to write them out on paper. How to properly convey what these past few months have been like, especially last month. God has been stretching me in ways I didn't think I could hold up under, but He brought me through. I feel like I'm still processing it all.

But I look forward to this new season. This new chapter that beckons on the horizon. God has me in His hands, and He has my best in mind. I know that He has some sweet kingdom plans and purposes that he has prepared in advance for me to do, during my time in Georgia and beyond. It is bittersweet to say "see ya later" to Tucson once more, but I yearn for the adventure ahead.

While listening to Grahm Cooke's "Kingdom Identity" last week, I finished up the series and he had some profound things to say. It hit me so close to home that I paused it every few seconds so I could copy down word for word what he was saying. I could feel the Lord beckoning me through the words, and I'll share them here for you.


This chapter is about to close. The next chapter is about to unfold. This next chapter is about you living in an all together different state. An all together different place. An all together different way of thinking and being. Enjoy the next chapter as it unfolds. But you need to leave you unbelief and your doubts and your fears and your worries in this chapter. Don't take them with you on the journey. You need to repack your case for the next steps you're going to take. Leave that baggage behind and take some new luggage with you. But you can unpack the promises that I have set aside for you. Leave your doubts behind, and pack some promises in your case for the next leg of your journey.