Green grass

Pedals float lightly, holding the weight of "forever"
This is a new beginning
The first day
Music plays to the sound of "together"
Nothing will ever be the same
But for us, party dresses and bobby pins fade in to a night of normalcy
Behind thin sheets of glass a chip and a putt are nothing but that
Do they think the grass is any greener?
Lives drive by as wives say "bye" and drives lie in the middle of the fairway
But we all lie in green pastures

Not Guilty

Mmmm.

Thank you, Jesus, that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), and regardless of how the world perceives, "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Standing on the truth today!

Rock Moves

I feel like my blog is so serious.

It has been a legitimate fear of mine since I've entered the real working world, complete with a salary and knee-highs, that I am becoming less fun. This time one year ago my job responsibilities included jumping on inflatable bounce houses and fist pumping with preschoolers. This is about as fun as work gets these days:

My bubbles screen saver.

I really do love Jesus, and I love hearing from Him and gaining understanding. I also love having fun and not thinking too much.

Tonight I laid down for a nap at 8pm (always risky), and as I was falling asleep I told myself, "If I wake up from this nap and it is still today, I'm doing something FUN!" My soul just needed that today. So I surprised my best buddy Pete at work, watched him dance with a 4-foot spoon in the window of Pier 1 while he cleaned up and I sat in the trunk of my truck. (I think I like calling it a truck.) I drank coffee outside at my favorite restaurant at 10pm, drove with the windows down even after it got too cold, and bought fro-yo for $0.48. I wish I had a good joke to tell.

In the words of my soul sister, Pink, and my "most inseparable friend", MK:
I GOT MY ROCK MOVES!
I'M HAVIN' MORE FUN!

Night (mornin'), y'all!

Church Things: Part 2

A couple of months ago I felt compelled to write down in my journal things I know about myself.  Let me say here (as I’ve said in previous posts)—“finding myself” is not something I necessarily adhere to.  I’m not searching for a clearly-labeled definition of “me”.  I don’t want to be the kind, preppy girl.  Or the funny, loud girl.  Or the doesn’t-have-a-care girl.  Or the likes coffee and conversation girl.  I want to be whoever God has me to be for a given purpose (like Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 9).

That being said, I do believe that God has created each of us uniquely.  And there are things about our character and personalities that are useful to observe because they were designed by God for a given purpose (also: discovering the ways God will use our individual traits and strengths to advance His kingdom is the joy of life and the foundation of our calling…thank you, Pittsburgh Fellows for nurturing this insight!). 

I wrote in my journal about how I am affectionate.  This means one of my favorite things to do in church is put my arms around those I’m sitting next to.  Preferably, my arms are spread behind the person on my left and the person on my right.  Even when the narrow backing of our church’s stacking chairs allow little space for me to rest my forearms, it’s okay, I’m not afraid to graze your back or even use your opposite shoulder to hook my hand around.

There is joy in getting to know who the Lord has made you to be.  And if you ever find yourself next to me on a Sunday morning…prepare to be embraced :)

Presenting: A running tour of my favorite city

I love Pittsburgh.  But I love a lot of things: like my window AC unit, hummus, and 48 Hours Mystery.  The thing is, few things make me come alive like Pittsburgh does.

Have you ever had a moment where Heaven felt really close?  I can remember a couple of times that were particularly like that.  My weeks spent in Kenya felt like that.  Of course, Heaven doesn't move, but sometimes there are places and scenarios that just make it feel more tangible.

Lately, as I've been running through the city streets of Pittsburgh--exploring new routes to the soundtrack of passing cars and pedestrians and always letting myself stop to talk to cute kids or take in the scenery--it has felt as if Heaven is closer.  It probably has something to do with endorphins.  But I think it also has something to do with the new heavens and new earth.  God's Word tells us Heaven will be a city--a "new Jerusalem" (Revelation 21).  Something in the buildings--enormous structures built from the ground up--and the people and the activity replicates Heaven.

I took my phone with me while I ran today so I could take pictures of the city that is teaching me about my inheritance.  The Lord whispered verse after verse to me as I ran and simply took life in.  I soooo hope this is what Heaven is like--sure feels like it!  Enjoy the view!...

Yesterday these fountains were filled with TONS of cute kids keeping cool!

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3)

That's my point (see what I did there?)

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God" (Psalm 46:4)

One of my fave views from anywhere in the city!

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3)

"Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God" (Romans 8:39)

Almost home!

#LEGGO

"If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

"But they who wait for the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

"As they were at first"

I think the most wicked scheme of the devil is when he takes something good and uses it for evil. Things like murder and abuse and death and lonliness—those belong to the devil, we expect those from him. But good things—every good and perfect thing—those belong to God. How dare Satan mess with the good things, but he does it anyway.

I've had good things. Life-giving, soul-satisfying, make-me-better kind of things. And then Satan went to work.

“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

(1 Peter 5:8)

But there is this promise:

“Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.” (Jeremiah 33:6-8)


He won't just heal, He'll restore! He will "rebuild them as they were at first"! He will make things as they were meant to be!

I have so much hope today.

Evil things that belong to the devil—God will bring us out of those things. He will work in them to relieve us of their painful hold. But good things, we'll get those back. As they once were. Under Christ's authority. Hallelujah!

"Let's bring it back (bring it back!)" -Jay Sean/Lil Jon

Church Things: Part 1

I am a stage 5 church cryer. No shame. The hanging lanterns can barely begin to dim and that first note on the standing bass can barely be plucked before my emotions—those God-given emotions that bring realness to life—are stirred. And I am in tears.

Admittedly, most often my tears in church are tears of conviction. In the presence of saints and a room full of worship, my eyes are opened to my sin and it becomes heavy on my heart; I am lead to tearful repentance. I cry because I am broken and weak. Or sometimes the Lord puts a certain situation on my heart during worship. He brings to mind one of His children or a particularly difficult situation on the earth He created. And I cry for that.

But today in church, I was almost startled by my tears. All of the sudden my blinks became heavy, but my heart did not share the same weight. Surely there is imperfection in me, there are people and places that are hurting, but in that moment, my tears overflowed from a different well. And all I felt was love. These were less like the tears of a toddler who just got caught making art on the walls and more like the tears your grandma sheds just because she sees you. These words of the song we were singing spoke to me further:

You carry me close to your heart
And surely your goodness and mercy will follow me

The Lord convicts and leads us to repentance. He breaks our heart for the things of His kingdom. But I think what He really longs to do most is pour His love out to us and watch us find delight in it.

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:17)

I want to be moved by His love more and more. Because after the lights turn back on and our singing stops, God still sings His song of delight. I must believe that outside four walls and Sunday mornings.