Last days of summer

Well I have seen the world and am now back home. (And yes...Indiana has become home) I am trying to hold on to and squeeze what I can out of my last days of summer. I love sleeping in and doing what I need to each day...which sometimes involves me sitting outside soaking up sunshine and reading a book. Summer always seems so simple to me...a time to step back and get outside. People are more relaxed and less on edge, we smile more and seem to laugh easier.

I enjoyed stepping out of my world this summer and seeing people in other countries. Watching them live their lives not knowing it is so different then mine. One of my favorite places was in Belgium. They ride their bikes everywhere and I loved it. When we were in the Netherlands I took one of my favorite pictures of the trip. (shown above) To me it is what I want my life to be simple and uncomplicated. Getting back to not just a simpler life but also a simpler faith and walk with God.

He calls us to come to Him as children. Not holding back or shrinking with fear but learning to jump into our Father's arms with no fear of being dropped but just knowing the sheer joy of being lifted high up and celebrated in the arms of the One who loves us more then any other ever could. Be encouraged by children in your life. The blessing they brings is in the way they help us rediscover the world with new eyes as ours have grown accustom to the surroundings. May we never loose the simple joy of seeing God as He is all around us.

Home again

I had an amazing time on my trip. I had fun people I traveled with and a family that treated me like a daughter. By far the most amazing part of my trip had to do with God :) He showed up in big ways in my life. He taught me more about who He is and revealed how He is in the business of healing us and how He so longs for and desires this for us in our lives.

I have struggled with God in trusting His process of healing at times. I can become frustrated and want to go about it a different way. What makes me the authority on healing? This time around I willingly laid my heart down and told God that what ever He wanted for me I would obey. God is so good. My favorite moments with God included one night as I lay in bed trying to sleep even though the room was not air conditioned and my body felt on fire. I kept thinking about how my body wasn't cooling down and how I couldn't fall asleep. I decided to start to pray to pass time. In those moments God shared with my heart a verse from Isaiah that talks about us walking through fire and not being burned, the flames will not consume us.

This was a very relevant verse because I felt like I was on fire and also that reminder that when God is walking with us through hard times He will heal us and take care of us in ways we can't even imagine. For one of the first times in my life I am walking away from a 6 week time frame and can see how in that time God healed my heart and helped me learn how to let go of control and wanting to control things in my life.