Perfect Timing.

As I sit at Starbucks this afternoon, 

spending some time alone,

[there is a lot of this these days.]

I have encountered a couple instances

where I am acutely aware of

just how much He cares about me. 

1. I received Jesus Calling

this summer, and everything inside me

wanted to write it off as a cheesy, trite,

devotional guide. However, as I have started

reading through it each day I am amazed

by it's timeliness and relevance to my life.

"Learn to live from your true center in Me. I reside in the deepest depths of your being, in eternal union with your spirit. It is at this deept level that My peace reigns continually. You will not find lasting peace in this world around you, in circumstances, or in human relationships. The external world is always in flux- under the curse of death and decay. But there is a gold mine of Peace deep within you, waiting to be tapped. Take time to delve into the riches of My residing Presence. I want you to live increasingly from your real center, where my love has an eternal grip on you. I am Christ in you, the hope of glory." 

 February 20 Entry [Colossians 3:15; Colossians 1:27]

2. As I worked on studying Revelation 3,

I was approached by the stranger

at the table next to me. He not only was a local

Missionary with a grasp on studying this book, 

he also showed me his tattooed sleeve 

depicting Revelation 4 & 5  in visual form. 

The man invited me to check out the 

resources his church has for studying

Revelation. I think I'll take him up on it.

His timing is perfect.

Love

This post is a couple days late, 

but I've had so many things going on

& not the energy to sort through 

them all aloud-

let alone organize them into text. 

I did find myself this week thinking a lot about

love, 

much like everyone else. 

What I've never understood about the Holiday 

on February 14, is the stigma attached.

"Hallmark Holiday, Single's Awareness Day, 

'shouldn't every day be what matters?' Day"

Maybe it's just me, but I've never had

a problem with Valentine's Day. In fact,

I've always loved it.

I love celebrating a day to make special

the people we care about. I mean, 

if you really think about it, isn't that

what every holiday is about? A day to

set apart something that should be celebrated?

I've certainly never been upset when it is 

someone's birthday and not mine, 

and yes, I should certainly celebrate my loved 

ones on a daily basis, but if every

day is special, 

is anything really special? 

I say no. 

So on this Valentine's Day, and the 

days surrounding it, I opened my 

eyes to the things I saw that made

this special day what it is. &

I loved it.

Truth.

Pick me!

I'm back from Nashville.

I interviewed and it is officially out of my hands.

[Much to my relief-more on that later.]

Now I get to transition into a fun stage of life:

the job hunt, which I have endearingly named the

"I-just-graduated-now-please-let-me-work-for-you-I-promise-you-can-pay-me-nothing"

hunt. 

It's a strange place, searching for a non-permanent

job to hold me over until I either

start graduate school or 

move from Fort Collins. 

It isn't fun to sell myself, 

begging place after place to provide me

with very little money, doing a job 

I am overqualified for. 

I admit, I am quite spoiled

coming off my last job at 

The Alpha Center.

It's easy to feel entitled.

I knew it would be hard, but I guess I thought 

it wouldn't be this hard. 

But I am still hopeful. I'm practicing being

still, enjoying my free time

and waiting. 

It's good for me, I'm sure,

but enough alone time for this girl

means I've had lots of it. 

Forward Motion.

I can't believe Picnik is closing. 

Hurry. Everybody rush to upload pictures 

& take advantage of the FREE

premium edits and features you've always 

wanted to try but aren't worth $24.95/month.

I must admit, I got a little sad when 

I checked my email this morning and saw that

in April, this website will be moving on.

[It had a good run.

But alas, all good things must end.]

Or move forward, rather.

No, I don't think I believe

that all good things must have an end. 

In fact, I can think of a lot of

good

beautiful

wonderful

gifts that I have been given that

are mine to keep. Not just for now, but forever. 

Namely, my salvation from the One 

who will never leave me, nor forsake me. 

Benefits of this decision to follow Him have

 kept on coming since the day I said yes.

The funny thing about relationships is,

they're dynamic.

fluid.

moving. 

I think I often misinterpret movement

for finality. Just because something 

is changing, does not mean it is over.

And if it is over, I can trust that something 

better is to come.

This is super encouraging to me as I

face a lot of uncertainty about the future.

A lot of fear about what's next. 

But fear not.

Because just as Picnik is moving forward to bigger,

better things through Google+, so is my life

as I live in transition. I'm excited for things to come. 

Hurray for forward motion.

Washed by the water

This song is a good reminder. 

Even when the rain falls.

Even when the flood starts rising. 

Even when the storms comes, 

I am washed by the water. 

Hey! I put some new shoes on.

Dating a Texan for this long

was bound to wear off on me. 

There's something about Coloradoans that 

makes them desire to dislike this lovely country state. 

We love to hate Texas for one reason or another.

& I'll admit:

I used to be one such Colorado native. 

I've come to the realization slowly, 

over my numerous trips out to the Lone Star State,

that it isn't all that bad. In fact, [I kind of love it.]

The warm weather,

the gigantic size of everything,

the southern pride...you just can't hate it 

when a Texan tells you how much they love their state

in that cute southern drawl.

& my personal favorite:

 the sweet tea everywhere you go

[even at Chipotle!]

So to commemorate my newly found love

for all things Texas, I decided to make 

a purchase while I was in Houston

 using Christmas & graduation money.

I've had my eye on a pair of boots for almost 

2 years now, and the time had finally come.

Yes, I know no self-respecting

Texan would ever wear her boots on

the outside of her pants. 

But I couldn't help myself. 

& I'm no self-respecting Texan. 

My prayer this morning.

[abide.]

I have heard this word.

I have studied this word.

But today it is new to me. 

As I consciously abide in Him, 

I am free from the power of my old nature.

In this [divine freedom] from self will, I am

F   R  E  E

to ask God for what I want, 

being influenced now by my new nature. 

& God will do it.

Let me treasure this place of freedom

through abiding in Christ-

and believe that my requests right now are heard

and will be answered. 

-roughly paraphrased from Andrew Murray

Learning.

I'm finally back in Colorado.

I wish I could say I'm excited to be back, 

but the idea of returning to Fort Collins as a graduate

terrifies me. [&the transition from shorts weather in TX

to frigid cold doesn't help either.] 

This "winter break" that I just experienced 

was much different than expected. 

In many ways it was 

longer

harder

more painful

& more confusing than I envisioned it. 

My apologies for being so vague, but 

if there's one thing I learned in the 

past year, it's the damaging

effects that can result of verbalizing

emotionally-based statements

before they have properly been processed or solidified. 

I so often nurse fleeting thoughts as 

substantial ones. 

So in an effort to not do this, I am going to

relax for once. I'm going to find peace

in the face of uncertainty, fear, and the possibility

of experiencing some major changes in my life. 

I'm going to practice being responsive rather than reactive. 

Relax.

I'm sitting in Kansas City for the night,

waiting for my red-eye flight to Houston tomorrow morning. 

Even though I've been on vacation for the past 10 days or so,

I am very much looking forward to 

this next leg of my trip. 

Maybe it's the fact that tomorrow's high is 75. 

Maybe it's the fact that I haven't quite relaxed since I left last week. 

Maybe it's the fact that my favorite person happens to be

waiting for me in that 75 degree weather. 

Anyway you look at it, I am excited. 

I could get used to this graduated thing.