Soaking in the Scriptures

What I have to share today is not anything new.

In fact, it's the oldest thing in the book.

Well, actually it is the Book.

In the last couple weeks I have been an utter failure when it comes to getting in the Word.

I have all the best intentions, but my actions have fallen quite short.

For a couple months now, I have been really complacent about reading my Bible. That's not something I'm proud of, but there it is.

And honestly, until the last couple weeks, the desire to dig into the Word was gone.

Now, this is a place that I've been before. Most believers fall into this pit during certain stages of their life, however, it's not a place you want to get comfortable in.

It is so easy, once I've slipped into the pit of complacency, to just sit there. I might look up from inside the pit, and think about trying to get out. I might even say the words aloud. But if there is no action, I might as well order a rug and some furniture to make my stay in the pit more comfortable.

Anyway, unfortunately, I was in my own comfortable and completely unsatisfying pit of complacency, but last week I started to get inspiring thoughts. Thoughts like,

"Hey, I don't feel as close to God as I have been before. Maybe I should do something to fix that." 

or

"You know, I really want to read my Bible right now and dig deep into the Scriptures."

After a few thoughts like that, I started making a plan for how to fit Bible-reading into my day-to-day routine. Easier said than done.

Now for me, I  L.O.V.E. reading my Bible at the beginning of my day.

Getting a cup of coffee, snuggling up on the couch in my robe and a blanket, with my Bible and pen in hand.

Sounds like a nice scene, right?

Well, it is.....except that means I actually need to get up when my alarm tells me to.

I go to bed early, with the best intentions of getting up to my first alarm (yes, I have several alarms), and no matter how hard I try, I will get up with barely enough time to get ready for work.

I have a problem with getting out of bed.

After about a week of trying this, I was re-inspired last Sunday by something my pastor said about reading the Bible. He said,  

" Do not underestimate the raw, uncut power of reading the Scripture each and every day."

That rang so true for me, because I know from the times where I have been faithful in getting into the Word every day, that I had more joy, more love to offer others, a better work ethic, and most importantly, I was reminded of my purpose.

The time where I pursued the Lord and read His Word was the time I felt closest to Him.

Coincidence? I think not.

I want to get back to that place. I don't want to be in the pit anymore.

So, this week, my goal is to actually get up and begin my day at the feet of my Heavenly Father.

Anybody with me?

Three Months Later....

Hello there world!

I have been away for far too long, but I am resolving to be more dedicated to writing. I miss it, and I truly love looking back and reflecting on my past posts. So, hopefully I will get better at posting consistently.

Anyway, since you last heard from me, I have done a lot.

For starters, summer is over now and I have officially traveled to Europe. 

I finished my summer internship at the end of August, and then had a glorious two weeks off before jumping on a plane and flying out of the country.

Here is our trip in a nutshell:

We flew from PDX to Amsterdam. Spent one full day there (museum-ing and such) before we trained down through Belgium to Paris, France.

 We were in Paris for 4 days (4 awesome and totally packed days which included visiting the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and Sacre Coeur to name a few) before we took another train to Caen.

Then we rented a car and did the northern coast of France---visiting Normandy and Mt. St. Michel (yeah, no big deal). 

We finished off the coast in Calais where we stayed one night before taking the ferry across the English Channel into Dover. We were only in Dover for enough time to tour the castle, and then we hopped on another train to London. 

We stayed 5 nights there and accomplished such things as visiting the Kew Gardens (which are beautiful, by the way), Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the British Library, and oh yeah, we went to the theatre and saw Les Miserable (can anyone say AMAZING----it was absolutely phenomenal and entirely captivating). 

After London, we took a train to Scotland. We went to the Edinburgh castle and got to see a football match for a local Edinburgh team called the Hearts. It was so fun! Then the trip came to an end as we boarded a plane in Edinburgh which took us back to Amsterdam and then we boarded another flight which flew us back to Portland.

It sure felt good to land back in the U.S. of A. but it was a trip the happens once in a lifetime, and I took full advantage of it.

I feel so beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to go on this incredible trip. My hope and prayer is that through these experiences, I will be able to bring a global perspective to my work and service here in Portland, Oregon.

Happy Weekend Everyone----Cheers!

A Weekend Well Spent

This is the lovely place that I got to spend three days of this wonderful 4th of July weekend.

It was so fun!

My parents and I headed to Sunriver for the weekend, to get some much needed R&R.

Friday afternoon, we got to spend time at one of our favorite lakes.

The day was perfect.

The sun was shining, the air was warm, but their was a nice, refreshing breeze that kept us very comfortable.

We ate a picnic lunch, consisting mostly of chips and crackers, and we were able to spend some quality time, catching rays and reading our books.

One of my favorite parts of the day, however, was when my dad and I decided we were going to cross the lake. We blew up our air mattress'/floaties

(by "we" I mean that my dad essentially blew up both of them),

Then with determination on our faces, we flopped onto our floaties and began our "leisurely" crossing of the lake.

Of course, within moments of starting, we were racing to the other side. 

Whatever fish were swimming beneath us, were probably very upset with our disturbing their water, but both of us made it across successfully, each implementing our own strategy.

To get rid of the elephant in the room, I'll have you know that I won the race.

It was so fun, and exceptionally hilarious... It also helped me feel like I was exercising which is always nice (especially after all the chips and crackers...).

It was truly a wonderful afternoon, with a perfect balance of fun and adventure, while also being beautifully relaxing.

It was one of those days I would love to live again.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

Week One

 A couple very big events have occurred since the last time I posted:

1. I graduated from college.

(no big deal)

2. I helped get ready and participated in one of my very good friends' weddings.

And...

3. This working girl just completed her first week on the job!

That's right, last Monday was my first day of my 10-week internship for the summer!

And I've got to say...it felt good.

After having several jobs that I really didn't care much for, it has been so refreshing to actually enjoy the work I'm doing.

I had started to believe that maybe I just didn't like working. That maybe no matter what job I had, I would dread going to work every day.

But what I started last week, along with the wonderful people I've been working with, have been proving me totally wrong!

If you have ever felt that you will never enjoy your work, I want to encourage you that there is something out there for you. Granted, there will never be a "perfect" job, or one that you like every minute of every day, but you certainly don't have to be miserable in your work.

Seek hard after the Lord and ask him where He wants you to be. He designed you to work, and He has some work specifically designed for you. So, go out there and find it!

That's what I'm striving to do. 

I know it will not be easy, but as long as He is who I'm watching, great things are bound to come from it.

No matter what comes from this internship, I know I will have learned a lot, and more importantly, I will have learned that I can enjoy and look forward to working.

Now that is something to hope for and aspire to.

I pray that each of you will begin to find your niche in the world---that place which God  has specially designed for you.

Blessings friends, and Happy [almost] 4th of July!

What Happens Next?

This week I finished my classes. Next week I will take two final exams, and then I'll be done.

DONE with college. 

What does that look like? How do you live without school?

I have spent the last 17 years of my life on a school schedule. 17 years of classes, homework assignments, papers and tests, along with Christmas breaks and summer vacations. 

How do you live without a school schedule? 

I mean, the not having classes, assignments, papers and tests doesn't sound too bad...

but what do I do now?

Thankfully, the Lord is walking with me through this. I know I am surrounded by His love, and as long as I am faithful to trust and lean on Him, I know I will be able to experience His perfect peace.

Next Saturday, June 15th, I will become a graduate from Oregon State University. Then what? 

...I have no idea.

But the journey is sure to be full of adventures and challenges, as well as rewards and hopefully, a whole lot of laughter.

What a faithful God we serve! I'm excited to enter into the challenge of going deeper in my trust and dependence on Him.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Psalm 18:28

New Horizons

Hello Friends!

It's been awhile, I know

...Ok, it's been more than awhile.

I'm sorry for my long absence, but here I am, and with me comes a blog facelift!

This lovely Memorial Day weekend, I was blessed enough to spend the time with my parents in Sunriver. It was wonderful! Saturday, our first day there, I took a two hour nap.

It. Was. Awesome.

It was so relaxing and greatly needed. I have been so exhausted that it was nice to have a weekend away from everything to literally do nothing. I loved every minute of it!

New things have been appearing on the horizon for some time, and are now quickly approaching.

As I head back to school, I'm staring down the finish line and I can see the checker flag waving me in at the end. I only have two weeks of classes left. TWO WEEKS! That is insane, and hard to believe---but I am so ready for it.

This is the start of a new and exciting time, full of decisions and new experiences. Change is coming, and although I would usually approach change with hesitancy, the Lord has been preparing me for this new season with such gentleness that I am entirely excited about the new things that are approaching.

Change can be scary, and I won't deny that I am nervous about the coming changes in my life. Trying to imagine what life will look like when Fall comes and I don't go back to school, and entering into the uncertainty of whether I will have a job at the end of Summer is intimidating. However, God is my complete certainty, and I know that He will be faithful to me in these uncertain times, as He has been faithful to me every other time.  

I know He is holding my hand through it all, and I can't wait to see where He takes me.

Happy Memorial Day, friends!