you never let go

I have a chronic problem with getting to sleep at night. I have tried reading, watching tv, staring at the fan, medication. Last night I thought I would try listening to music. I plugged my ipod in and put it on shuffle. I should probably make a play list for some easy listening music because trying to get to sleep to Beastie Boys is not a good idea.

One song came on and as I layed there and listened to it, my mind started going 900 miles an hour. Thinking back through every detail of my life I could remember, details I didn't want to remember, and things that I hope I can remember down the road. I kept repeating the song over and over and each time I listened to the words, my mind would speed up. As did my heart. I can't wrap my mind around how gracious God is to me. I can't comprehend how he can love me the way He does. I can't fully understand how perfect His plan is for my life. But I do know He never lets go.

lovely

God = love. The two can’t be separated. They are the same thing. God IS love.

“This is how much God loved the world. That he gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refused to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”

We (people) mess up love. There is no perfect love with another person. We seek out what we think love is. We compromise for it. We become selfish for it. We abuse it. We take it for granted. We hurt others. We ourselves get hurt for it. No wonder we make a mess of it at times – there is only one perfect love – His perfect love. God and love are the two most confusing and difficult things in our lives. But, in Jesus, the two are linked accurately, intricately, and indissolubly. “Our love for him always comes out of His love for us.”

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut. Doesn’t have a swelled head. Doesn’t force itself on others. Isn’t always “me first.” Doesn’t fly off the handle. Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others. Doesn’t revel when others grovel. Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth. PUTS UP WITH ANYTHING. Trust God always. Always looks for the best. Never looks back. But keeps going to the end. These are all things God tells us what love is, telling us “this is what I am.”

He puts up with me, a lot. No matter what I say, what I do, where I go – I am bankrupt without love, without Him.

my necessities

I am an Instyle junkie. I need to cancel my subscription. My favorite part is the "Must Have" section - whether it is cosmetics or the latest gadgets or fashion outrage, I love to see what is in and what I might need to go check out. Since these are all more like "I want" items, I rarely ever actually get any of them. However, here are a few of my favorite things....


Lip Butter. Wear it day and night. Under lip gloss, over lip gloss. Love it.


bumble and bumble hair spray. Goes everywhere with me. Except the airport.


Best lotion ever known to man. Lollia. Believe.


Since I am in my car 95% of my day. Best time to pluck your eyebrows is in the sunshine. Whether at a stop light or in a parking lot.


Diet coke who? Spark. Energy. Mental focus, both of which I need.


Enough said.


I know, I am behind technilogically. Gets me through runs, will get me through teaching spin class now. Top played artist: Kings of Leon, Mofro, Jeremy Camp, Lecrae


My new favorite thing this year.

mission possible

Leaving Thursday, October 14 from Jackson and fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopa (not sure where we fly through but most likely Frankfurt - which means 2 flights about 9 hours each). Once in Addis Ababa, we will drive about three hours towards Dire Dawa, probably where we will be staying, and we may go out into more rural areas at some point. Our first day will be a debriefing and strategy day to plan for the upcoming week. We know for sure that we will have 3 days of medical clinic and 1 day of feeding clinic (where we will assist in distributing food supplies). Any other time we have will be devoted to connecting with the people and doing "story-ing", which is where we will have the opportunity to share the gospel in a story format - similar to how you would share it with a child, and then who knows what will happen! If you have ever been on a mission trip, sometimes nothing you plan works and you just have to wing it! We will return to Jackson on Tuesday, October 26.

While the country of Ethiopia has a relatively high Christian population, the people groups in this area of the country where we are going to are Somalian Muslims. I had a great experience with this same people group when I was in Kenya two years ago, so it will be a treasure to connect with these people again (not the same ones, but the same culture). Despite the harsh idea that we (American/Christains) have of these people, they are a very sweet and kind group for the most part. There is opposition and resistance to Christians, and there is persecution, so we are praying that God will protect us and give us opportunity to share truth with them in a loving way.

Here is a link that has more information about the country and will give you a better idea of where we will be. Supposedly, I will be very close to the Ark of the Covenant - I'm still kinda confused on this so I've got to do some more research :)

http://www.selamta.net/

I wish I could leave yesterday for this.