the process

In Bulgaria, on the airport floor, dreading boarding a plane

Goodness at the end, even if the process seems less than good. 

I don’t think I like living through the process of things. 

For instance(s), I love going new places and adventures, but I hate driving in the car. Sleeping is good, but I don’t ever want to get ready for bed. Marriage is a good thing, but dating is uncomfortable. Owning a house will be good for me and ministry in Fort Worth, the process of buying a house is frustrating. 

I’ve put some thought into all this over the past few weeks [processing it, if you will] and I think this distaste for the process has to do with our being created for eternity. We are eternal beings, not meant for a fragmented life. 

 
“I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. It’s gates will never be closed at the end of the day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city.”   -Revelation 21:22-26 (NLT)

expect joy & goodness

before backpacking trips leave basecamp for their time on trail, everyone (guide + high schoolers + Young Life leaders) sit down to share their fears & expectations for the week. guides write them down, leave them at basecamp, and we, as a staff, pray for every fear & every expectation every day of the week.

last week I was praying for a girl who had the expectations of JOY and GOODNESS.

those are incredible things to expect because we are guaranteed them from the Holy Spirit. I don’t know the depth of this girl or the depth of her relationship with the Lord, but I know she is right. on Sunday, we was expecting joy and goodness during her week.

why am I not expecting those for my week on Sundays?

regularly scheduled programing

a little over 2 weeks ago, I moved out of the trome. it was incredibly good to me – exactly what I needed for this little season of my life.

rest in paradise, #tromelife.

gratitude lately!

such good things …

the girl that sits next to me that has become one of my best friends (mainly because she thinks I’m funny)

hannah in Colorado: a breath of home, good conversation, and long walks

slow morning with my favorite, favorite people.

Truckee, CA – everyone should go.

Emily starting work at Windy Gap.

quandry peak

Lindsay’s birthday wish was to hike a fourteener with friends .. so that’s just what we did. She started her 25th year and we hiked 14,265 feet.

Having Linds in this valley great. I’m thankful for our friendship and for her honesty and for her humor. We’ve celebrated two of her birthdays together now and they have been two of the MOST fun times. For her 24th we had an array of inflatables [bouncy-boxing ring, bouncy-jousting] and sang karaoke. For her 25th, after we hiked, we ate crepes then had a evening bonfire with friends. Here’s to celebrating many more birthdays together.

She has this thing that she chooses a motto for the year so here she is declaring her new motto.

the vortex

This past January I was in Chicago and Wisconsin during the Polar Vortex. It was the absolute worst. I made a little vow with myself that I would never go back to those places (I’m sure I’ll go back eventually). It was cold and windy and the sun never came out, just overall miserable. (Note: Erin’s wedding, the whole reason for the trip, was NOT mis).
The vortex I speak of here is very different. This vortex is actually the best and I am the most thankful for it.

 

February 2013 is when I got sucked into the vortex, which was more like a light breeze at that point … I took a full time job and decided to officially move to Fraser, CO.

Then Betsy came in May 2013 for a couple months and is still here.

Amy was here. Moved to Charleston. Felt the vortex from 2 time zones away and moved back.

Lindsay was also here. Moved to Austin. Despite a deep, deep love for Texas … moved back here.

Ashley was here for a few months but had to go back to Norman to finish school. Luckily school is over and she’s right back in the action.

Jordan has been here a while and knew she couldn’t deny the vortex so she didn’t even try.

Phoebe fled the vortex hard – she was here then she was in Chapel Hell then she was in Namibia. Yep, now she’s here.

 

Suckers. All of us.

round 2

while my one year anniversary on staff passed over a month ago, the real sign of continuing my staffdom was attending my second staff retreat. a special thing of working in Colorado is that we get to go to other Young Life camps like it’s no big deal! our staff got to spend this week at Trail West Lodge and it was such a good time.

the first night we were there we had a Colorado camping dessert where all the property staff from every camp got to hang out then we worshipped and prayed together. BEAUTIFUL. I wish I had a picture of all of us in the living room at TWL – we filled that place up.

it really was good for us to be together. staff + spouses + kiddos. I am thankful for the team currently assembled a Crooked Creek Ranch and that I get to be a part of it