Question of the day...How was your Spring Break?

Before you have the chance to ask me, let me tell you. My spring break was great. But let me back up...

The week before last, as teachers asked if students had prayer requests, many responded. The supply of requests was not unusual to me but, it was the content that struck me uncomfortable. It was one of those moments where that sweet conviction sets in, like my desires were not aligned with Christ's. I just had to stop and listen to what the Lord was pressing on my heart. 

Then it hit me, why are we only praying for safety during travel and a good, relaxing time? Is that all we want out of Spring Break? 

A few Sunday's past, my Pastor Johnny challenged us to think about what would happen if we prayed an hour everyday for the service on Sunday, wouldn't we be excited to come and see what in the world God was going to do? That same idea resonated in my heart when I thought about Spring Break. What if we prayed everyday the week before spring break and during it, too, that God would open up our eyes and let the Spirit move; wouldn't be we anticipating and looking for something better than safety? 

I had to change the way I prayed that day. It was a conviction I have been feeling lately reaffirmed. I don't want to pray for safety all the time. I don't want to love my life so much that I am not willing to lose it for the sake of the gospel. I want reckless abandonment. I want relationships to grow to new depths, I want to learn more about God's creation and the suffering that is occurring, but also how Christ is Lord even in the midst of the sadness and harsh realities of this place. I want to be like Paul, but yet like the woman in Proverbs 31.

So, I prayed to God that my eyes would be opened to new things and that relationships would grow to new depths. As a result, my Spring Break was great because it turns out it was God's timing to answer those prayers.

Just thought I would share my heart.

Our God IS

A wise man named Pastor Bill once told the story of how the Lord, in all his glory, causes a flow of praise throughout the nations each day. At every moment HE is waking his children up as the sun rises and sets; in my mind I picture it as the oceans waves crashing at the sea in a continuous pattern. The rising and setting of the sun are in HIS perfect timing, it is one of the ways that HE is always being praised. There are prayer warriors who pray as the sun rises everyday, in every country. How beautiful this picture is in my mind. 

As I look to the skies, I too begin to praise my Father in Heaven. It causes me to call out praises in adoration, and I am amazed that setting of the sun is a gift to me. A beautiful work of art, that each day is new. Our God is an artist, Our God is worthy to be praised, and HE has our world in his hands. Although we may feel as though it is falling apart, let us trust the HE has a plan.

And the Final Engagement Picture that I would like to share

What an interesting location, huh? As we were driving along I saw this wall of old rims and I fell in love with the repetition and lines it created. I also loved it because it brought me back to my childhood and the many days I spent in the garage watching my father fix cars. When we stopped and Michelle asked for permission to photograph on their property, the men working thought we were so strange. The whole time they just stared with confusion. Being a photographer, you get used to a lot of people looking at you strange; We just find beauty in unusual things. To say the least, the pictures at this location were some of my favorites. Thank you Michelle for giving us these priceless images. Your creativity and skill are admirable.

Engagement Picture-6

Engagement Picture-5

Engagement Picture-4

Engagement Picture-3

Engagement Picture-2

Engagement Picture-1

I've been staring at Greg and I's engagement photos for a few weeks now and finally decided that I am ready to share them. I was so grateful to have good pictures of us taken. I am always the one behind the camera so most of our pictures are like the ones below taken in Nica. In addition to that, I never trust someone else to take my picture, so I guess that is my fault. Michelle Hamstra did an amazing job of capturing who Greg and I are as a couple; I am always blown away by her work. So, just to warn you, if you ever come over to my house these pictures will be plastered in every room :)

 I decided that instead of overwhelming you with them all at once, I would share one-a-day for the next week or so. Enjoy and thank you for visiting!