Everything rides on hope now...

This song has gotten into my Spirit over the last few days and sort of sums up how I'm feeling... The lyrics say so much in such simple words and while it's easy to say them it's hard to live out this prayer every second.  I am trying!

Everything rides on hope now,

everything rides on faith somehow...

cherishing the moments

So, my sister was in DC last week and it was such a neat experience! I loved meeting up with her and her entire 8th grade class and walking around.  It was awesome to be able to do that! I do feel really blessed to live in DC...there are so many beautiful things to see and I just have to remind myself that I'm actually here sometimes!  Regardless of how long I stay here I know that I will always think about this year and cherish the moments! It was so touching that my sister actually wanted me to hang out with her and her class! I have very close relationships with my family members and despite the age difference my sister is one of my best friends and I love it!  I love watching her grow up and just being a part of her life...I cherish those moments with her as well because I know that time flies and soon she will be going to college and will  move away to embark on amazing adventures of her own!

SO EXCITED!!!!

My sister and her 8th grade class will be rolling into DC tomorrow and staying through Friday! I'm really excited to see her! Even though she'll be with her class the whole time it will be nice to be able to meet up with her while she's here! Plus, I'll be able to walk around the monuments with her class and watch her give a presentation on the Vietnam Memorial!  So fun!  

always praising

"Oh, Lord, you alone are my hope. 

I've trusted you, Oh Lord, from childhood.

Yes, you have been with me from birth;

from my mother's womb you have cared for me.

No wonder I am always praising you!"

-Psalm 71: 5,6

I don't really have much to say about this except that as I was reading this morning I noticed the sentence: "no wonder I am always praising you!"  There should be no wonder, it should be such an obvious part of our life--to always be praising the Lord that is our only hope and has been with us from birth.  Life is busy and I think that sometimes our constant praise is lost, but think for a moment about a day like yesterday. Yesterday is a day devoted to celebrating Jesus' resurrection and His life.  There is so much Joy involved and I don't know about you, but I feel like everyday can be that joyful because that truth is true EVERYDAY not just Easter!

I want to live a life that is always praising God! God is my only hope, God is my strength, God is the life-giver, God is my provider, God is my rock, God is faithful, God is just, God is Love. He has done so much in my life even in the past year and His plans are greater than anything I can imagine. I should say: "no wonder I'm always praising You!"

HAPPY EASTER from the Nation's Capital

This was my first Easter away from my family and it was definitely weird, but such a good day!  I woke up at 5am to head to the Lincoln Memorial with my roommate Mia for the sun-rise Easter service. It was great to be there with hundreds of people celebrating the resurrection of Christ at the dawn of the morning.  Mia and I also had a small Easter brunch together.  

One of the things that really struck me today is that while I wasn't home in Rochester with my family like I usually am, the message of Easter doesn't change.  It was a wonderful day full of different ways to celebrate, but it was all about Jesus and that's the important thing.  Today at church before the kids were dismissed Pastor Joel talked about how Jesus is risen and I heard one of the little boys I teach in Kid's church say "YAY!!!" and it just made me smile!  What a beautiful day...what a beautiful sacrifice...what a beautiful truth that no matter where we found ourselves today the reality remains that our Redeemer lives!!!

Mia and I walking through the park to get to the Lincoln

HAPPY EASTER

some of the people I celebrated Easter with at sunrise

cold, but so worth it!

HE IS RISEN!

our Easter brunch for two!

crossing the river

"Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you.  They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky!  The people are strong and tall--descendants of the famous Anakite giants.  You've heard the saying 'Who can stand up to the Anakites?' But recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you like a devouring fire to destroy them.  He will subdue them so that you will quickly conquer them and drive them out, just as the Lord has promised."

-Deuteronomy 9:1-3

It seems like Deuteronomy is full of situations like this...a reminder that God is the one in control, that God is the one behind the victory.  It is such an important reminder. It is easy to look at a situation and feel completely unqualified and afraid to pursue it.  Such as a situation like this one...crossing the Jordan River to conquer nations greater and more powerful.  I think most of us would be worried and led to find a way out, but this reminds the Israelites that God crosses ahead of them.  God doesn't just make the plans, He's involved in them. In fact, He is the most important part, He goes before us.  Not only would we be afraid before crossing the river to conquer the nations, in the end, it is often easy to take the credit for success.  This is also a reminder to the Israelites that without God they can't do this so it is not their strengths, but God's.  I love reading Deuteronomy because I feel like I can relate so much to the feelings and thoughts that are discussed throughout the book.  It's a common theme in my life: worrying about situations.  I need to learn to trust that just as God went before the Israelites to cross the Jordan River and subdued the nations so that they would be able to conquer them, God crosses the rivers of my life first and prepares the way for me to fulfill his plan, his promises.

What river do you feel like you're crossing?  Even if the situation on the other side is greater and more powerful than you are...it is not greater or more powerful than God.  Recognize that God goes first and the challenge won't seem so daunting anymore.  

each day

"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!

For each day he carries us in his arms."

-Psalm 68:19

"The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today."

-Deuteronomy 5:3

Reading through the Bible today I was struck by these two verses.  God chooses to do specific things at specific times.  He is very intentional. The covenant on Mount Sinai was not just a random idea God had, but he knew exactly what he was doing and who he was talking to.  God carries us each day into the chapter of our lives that he has already written.  He knows exactly what he is doing...he chooses to bring you into certain situations with purpose.  Walk confidently today knowing that God has directed your steps!

cherry blossoms

I went on a walk on the National Mall with a couple of my roommates over the weekend to see the cherry blossoms and it was so great.  The weather was close to 70 with a strong wind.  We just had a wonderful time talking and looking at the trees.  There were so many tourists and it was weird to actually be someone who lives in DC.  We walked home from the festival...we are right in the center of all of this excitement...monuments and cherry blossoms.  It's really a neat feeling! What a beautifully chaotic place to live! I love it!

If you say so...

"When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon 'Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish'.

'Master,' Simon replied, 'we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing.  But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again.'  And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!  A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking."

-Luke 5:4-7

I love this because we have all experienced a feeling similar to Simon's before.  Jesus tells Simon to go out and catch some fish and Simon's immediate response is that he already worked really hard and didn't get anything. Basically, "what's the point...I KNOW there aren't any fish out there".  The key here, though, is that Simon goes out anyway.  Simon decides that he will go out and try to catch fish even though he is pretty sure he won't catch any.  What happens?  Jesus brings the increase.  Had Simon stayed on shore he would have missed out on what Jesus knew was coming.  

There are times when we may find ourselves POSITIVE that we know the outcome of a situation, but if Jesus is calling you to it don't stay on shore because the outcome might surprise you.  We don't know everything, but Jesus does.  When our minds tell us that practically a situation will turn out a certain way--such as, you've already fished in the water and come back with nothing--Jesus has the power to over turn practical thinking and he often does just that.  Don't allow your logic to keep you from experiencing a miracle God might have ahead of you.  Get in the boat AGAIN and go fishing AGAIN...you never know what might happen, but it's that step off the shore that matters!