ForeverLOVEd

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 Impulse is, itself, defined as "something that changes the momentum of an object". It is "sudden, involuntary inclination prompting to action". Have you ever found yourself acting on something based on complete impulse?! Scary sometimes that we can just change our minds or our actions or our lives so quickly that we don't even completely understand what we are doing. Surely, there are times where we make these changes of momentum based on a whim or a fleeting emotion and sometimes our impulses steer us wrong. And we make a mistake or regret a decision. However, we learn and we grow just the same if we take the opportunity to take in the experience. But I also believe that sometimes God calls us to follow His plans even if that means jumping through loops or building on impulse. I firmly believe that God knows exactly where He wants us to be in each moment. And sometimes He gets u...

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 I finally found a free night to sit down on the couch, in comfy clothes, and watch the movie, The Help. I loved the movie. I loved the harsh reality of it, the compassion, and the true value of a human life it expressed. My heart broke, and was struck by honest love at the same time, as I watched the help raise children whose parents couldn't give them the time of day. That honest love, though, gave those children more than they could have gotten from their parents, who lived by strict rules and the need for things to be prim and proper. They say it takes a village to raise a child. What a gift these children had when they got to know the kindness of the help. So as I watched, I began to see that each of us is truly being raised by a village. No one parent, no one teacher, no one friend, or hero can do enough to raise us alone. And while most of us were lucky enough to have hands on parents, eac...

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us... Ephesians 3:20 Isn't life crazy sometimes? You'll find yourself chugging along right on the path and a random moment, or mini crisis, or out of the blue catastrophe can turn your entire world on its head. It's to be expected with life, that things don't always go according to our plans and for the most part we just except it at face value. But that being said, it doesn't mean that these moments don't have us scrambling, wondering how we ended up here, or what exactly we are to do next. And in these moments, more often then not I find myself thinking, "God, what are you doing? You're screwing up the plan!" Funny, that I would think God was screwing up the plan, when He obviously knows it much better than I. It becomes quite obvious to me, though, in hindsight, that things had to occur this way for a future only Go...

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straightaway... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!” ― Anne Frank Filing through narrow halls and staircases, I followed a line of people like ants all in a row! We made our way through the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, each one there to witness the story and life of a young girl. I was struck by the number and variety of people packed inside the small building where Anne and her family hid during the war. In her short lifetime, Anne left her mark on the world! As I looked at documents and quotes, I saw not only the life of Anne on display but the lives of those of her family, her friends, and the allies that helped them stay in hiding. And in those moments I thought about the frailty and beauty it is to be a human being. Not only do each of us ...

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 Lately I've found myself with a wandering sense of focus. It's something I find myself struggling with almost daily. I get caught up, and distracted by, the things going on around me. Even as I write this, I am floating down the Danube on a river boat, listening to a lecture on locks, while I find myself playing scenarios in my mind, glancing at the people sitting next to me, and thrown off by every person that enters in and out of the room through the glass doors. As we tour these beautiful palaces and grand cathedrals, I see my attention escaping. I get caught up in the magic of the wedding that is going...

7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 "Take a picture of that one!" or "Make sure you get this one", I hear my grandpa chiming over my shoulders as we walk the streets of Vienna. Luck would have it he dropped and broke his camera on the first leg of our trip, leaving me as sole photographer for the rest of the journey. Slightly frustrated by this role, I am doing my best to not only take in all of the beauty and experience the culture, but also to capture just what he wants in pictures. I find myself considering to what extent we need this all in photographs. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that I will have a collection of photos to help me remember my journey and everything I saw, but pictures only capture so much. The stories behind the pictures, the sounds, the smells, the feeling don't come alive until I put my experiences with them. Until I describe what each one is or where I took it and why. As much as I'd love to go ho...

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! Luke 12:27-28 I have always been the type of girl who hated roller coasters. I'd avoid them at all cost. Every time we went to a theme park as a kid my brothers would be scoping out the biggest or highest or scariest roller coaster, while I would run in the other direction. And on the rare occasion that they actually got me in line for one, I'd spend the entire time worrying about the ride ahead. Then when I finally made it on board, I'd squeeze the person's hand next to me so tight that they'd lose feeling in their hands. As I've grown, I've also been known to throw out every curse word I know while we made our way up the giant hill rea...