Rest.

I am here!

Ahhhh, I can't tell you the bliss of opening my eyes early this morning, only to smile and close them again for another hour. Christmas Break has come at LAST! I have been workin so hard, and I am just so thankful for a breather and some rest.  God is good.

Resting is hard for me believe it or not. I am a very go go go person, and yeah, just the type to work super hard and fast because I want to get things done. But I can get so caught up in the whirlwind of life that I quickly lose sight of why i am doing what I am doing in the first place. I confess I struggle with feeling guilty when I rest, because I know there is always something better I could be doing than "waste my time relaxing". This year has been no exception sadly. However, now that I have two seconds to reflect, I see how God has been with me all throughout.

He has provided me with little pockets of rest here and there, and how refreshing they have been. I have been learning lately the importance of recognizing that I need to take a little time for myself each day, or I will quickly burn out. The past few crazy months I have been having to stick to the raw, straight basics of life: Nursing school, working out, eating, working, and sleeping. That is is folks. Nothing fancy about it. But i am so thankful for the fact that the Lord has been allowing me to focus and just put my head down and run my heart out. I have been waiting for this Christmas vacation for a long time.

I went on a long walk yesterday around my neighborhood. yes, a walk. Hahah which is huge for me. Another weird thing about me is i apply my passion for life to well, everything...including exercise. I have a hard time just walking for exercise. i always feel this unbelievable urge to run or sprint. but today, God told me to walk. So I did. How refreshing it was. yes, it's almost Christmas, but we have 70 degree weather here in Chesapeake. I was walking and just thinking all about a bunch of things, praying. And all I heard God say was this:

" I love you. I am so proud of you."

That's it. That's all I heard. But oh friends, how my heart needed that. I have felt so "far" from the Lord lately. With school, working, and church drama, it has been a real; struggle for me to seek the lord. I have not been to church in almost 3 months, and reading my Bible has been hard too. yet when I have opened it, I have gotten this insatiable desire to read even more. Oh, the power of God's word!! My thirsty soul so desperately needs to be watered with the truth of the Bible. My spirit is weak, and I really feel like a lost little girl in the mall who's been separated from her Mama. But faith. Oh sweet, sweet faith. The Lord grants it to those who ask. i want faith in Jesus. I want to believe that even in dry and hard times like this, he will never abandon me. Even when I turn my back on Him and walk away, he hotly pursues me. Like a persistent lover. He seeks after me, he finds me, and he loves me. I am cherished. Cherished. I love that word.

Well, I have no idea what the point of this post was supposed to be, hahha but that is okay :) Enjoy your Christmas everyone!! Never lose sight of the simple, miraculous point of the season: Unto us, a child is born, to us a Son is given!!

This is my favorite verse of Hark the Herald. To me, it is the Gospel. Listen to Carrie Underwood's version! So powerful!

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

                                




More posts about the BEACH HOUSE coming soon!! Our friends arrive tomorrow from Arkansas, and then we will be heading to Nags Head on the 23rd! I am BEYOND EXCITED!

a psalm, a faithful God, and a note :)

I know it's kind of long, but I'd encourage you to just take a minute and let this passage seep in. I was so encouraged when I read it. It reminded me one again of how faithful the Lord has been not only to me, but also all throughout history to those who love Him and have put their trust in Him. Be encouraged!!

Psalm 89

A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1" I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;

with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known

through all generations.

2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to David my servant,

4 ‘I will establish your line forever

and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[c]

5 The heavens praise your wonders, LORD,

your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?

Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?

7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;

he is more awesome than all who surround him.

8 Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?

You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

9 You rule over the surging sea;

when its waves mount up, you still them.

10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;

with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;

you founded the world and all that is in it.

12 You created the north and the south;

Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.

13 Your arm is endowed with power;

your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

love and faithfulness go before you.

15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,

who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.

16 They rejoice in your name all day long;

they celebrate your righteousness.

17 For you are their glory and strength,

and by your favor you exalt our horn.[d]

18 Indeed, our shield[e] belongs to the LORD,

our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once you spoke in a vision,

to your faithful people you said:

“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;

I have raised up a young man from among the people.

20 I have found David my servant;

with my sacred oil I have anointed him.

21 My hand will sustain him;

surely my arm will strengthen him.

22 The enemy will not get the better of him;

the wicked will not oppress him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

and strike down his adversaries.

24 My faithful love will be with him,

and through my name his horn[f] will be exalted.

25 I will set his hand over the sea,

his right hand over the rivers.

26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, the Rock my Savior.’

27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,

the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

28 I will maintain my love to him forever,

and my covenant with him will never fail.

29 I will establish his line forever,

his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 “If his sons forsake my law

and do not follow my statutes,

31 if they violate my decrees

and fail to keep my commands,

32 I will punish their sin with the rod,

their iniquity with flogging;

33 but I will not take my love from him,

nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant

or alter what my lips have uttered.

35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—

and I will not lie to David—

36 that his line will continue forever

and his throne endure before me like the sun;

37 it will be established forever like the moon,

the faithful witness in the sky.”

Amen!!

*Only 1 1/2 more weeks until Christmas break!! I have been so terribly busy the past few weeks. Every day I either have 12 hour clinicals, or I have school and work all day. I MISS BLOGGING. But I am definitely planning on bringing my computer to the beach house with me, and hopefully I will be able to catch up and fill y'all in a bit. In the meantime, I will be praying for all of you! Remember, I do pray for every single one of my readers. I mean that truly. May the joy of the season and of Jesus' birth continue to reign in your hearts! Love you all.

change.

Life is funny sometimes. How quickly it changes. How my opinions of it change. How my outlook and attitude towards circumstances changes. Makes me dizzy to think of quick and easy I am to change my mind.
Life is forever changing. But God never does. His faithfulness to  me never wavers. The seasons come and go, my interests, my passions they all change. But His love never will.

So even when I haven't been to church in almost two months, and really am not interested? Even when I would rather sleep than wake up 30 minutes early to read my Bible and exercise? Even when I hibernate in my room just to  be away from my family because I have no interest in being social or dealing with them? When I want to just sit around and feel sorry for myself cuz I am a broke, stressed out, exhausted nursing student?



Yes. Yes. Yes.

No matter what season you are in, friend...He never changes. Do not fear, do not be dismayed. Your Jesus is your Jesus, and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never gives up on you, even when you have given up on yourself. So go ahead. Climb in His lap. Cry into His chest. Share your heart with Him. And let Him restore your weary soul.