Memorial Day Getaway

This past week has been a very up and down week for me. It's been extremely busy, but more than the business of the past week, I've really felt like I have been under a lot of spiritual attack. This past week I struggled with feeling very alone and very forgotten. I know a lot of it had to do with moving everything out of my classroom all by myself and then not having a place to put it all, then attending a wedding all alone and not really knowing anyone, and then calling friends and never having them return my messages. On top of all of that my grandma was sent to the ER and is not doing well. I'm know a lot of my feelings emanated from a feeling of emptiness. This past week I felt so disconnected from Christ. In the midst of my self pity and loneliness I had disregarded Christ. Like I so often fail to do, I tried to take life on myself and failed. Sometimes I just think life is easier by yourself....but it's not......it will catch up with you like it did for me this week and bring you to a halt. That halt came to me this week when I was attempting to drag a large box of books into my apartment. As buff as I am (haha), I could not carry it, so I was dragging it slowly into my apt. It was steaming hot, I was sweating, I had no idea where it was going to go, when a bird flew overhead and pooped on the box. Completely frustrated and overwhelmed I stopped look up in the sky and surrendered "Ok, God, I get it. I fail without your help." Sometimes God is funny. I realized that I needed this weekend to reconnect with God. To find time to just enjoy who he is and be reminded of all that he has given me. In a week where I felt like everything was just coming to an end, I needed to be reminded that everything is just getting started. That however uncertain life is right now, that however much lack of conversation I've had with people I miss, that however little I know about the future, that he still is in control. So with that thought in mind, I left this weekend and went to my grandparents summer home on Lake Michigan. It's always been a place of solitude/reflection for me. It's a place where I can go and just be outside and seek the Lord without distractions.

I could write about what my heart thought about, but I think a simple picture walk may be all that's needed to really put into words how renewing this weekend was for me.

I've prayed for rest, and God provided a beach to rest upon (and a little suntan) ;)


It's not everyday that you witness a dear just a few feet from you. As I sat outside and read, this deer came out of the woods and hung around for awhile. I love how God meets us where we are at. I needed a tangible reminder of who God was and seeing this deer brought me to this passage:

Psalm 18:32-34 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

Psalm 111:2-4

2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

Psalm 112:6-8

6 Surely [she] will never be shaken; a righteous [woman] will be remembered forever.
7 [She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on his foes.

Isaiah 46:9-10
9 I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

I’m in the middle of reading a great book by John Piper and in it, it talks about becoming alive to life. I feel like that’s what this weekend did for me. I think this weekend helped me become alive to life. To wake up in the morning and be aware of the firmness of the mattress, the warmth of the sun’s rays, the sheer being of things. It helped me see what is there in the world—things that, if we didn’t have, we would pay a million dollars to have, but having them, ignore. It made me more alive to beauty.

This weekend, provided much rest, solitude, and many reminders that I am not alone, that I am not forgotten, that I am secure, that I need not fear, and that my heart will remain steadfast. God is good, all the time.

Jenna's Wedding

I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid in one of my high school friends wedding. Jenna looked so beautiful and everything was so gorgeous. Jenna and I competed together in tumbling for many years and then really got to know each other when we had some classes together in high school.

Gift Card City

Ok so on the list of top 5 reasons why I am going to miss Grove Elementary:

I am going to miss all of the gift cards. Superficial....yes. Seriously though, whatever happen to the days of an ornament and homemade banana bread as teacher gifts. That's all I remember giving teachers. I'm not complaining though :)