the BLIND side

Last night, my family went to this movie (The Blind Side), and I had to post about it because...well...it was just THAT good. If you're in the mood for a feel good, will make you cry a little, inspiring movie for the holidays - this is a good bet.

On another note: Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it!
On our prayer letter this month we just talked about what we were thankful for (okay, actually I wrote them all - it was my month to write the letter). So, without further ado - here they are!

We are thankful for the Wonderful Savior, Awesome Friend, and Mighty King we have in Jesus.
For the power of the gospel, and the ways God has used us to see it truly transform lives forever.
For each of you all, who faithfully pray for us, encourage us, and support us! You are an answer to many prayers!!
That we got to go to Colorado to take seminary classes this summer (and do lots of hiking)!
That God has helped us to process through some hard things this year, and has given us vision for our future.
For holidays and the joy they bring with them!
For our New Testament Survey class - we have enjoyed doing it together this fall and have learned so many things that help us understand the gospel better.
For our Bible studies, fellow staff members, and other students who want us back at Virginia Tech.
We are thankful that God has provided 90% of our initial support through individuals and churches in the last three months!
For the students we disciple who have really become close friends.
That God has been faithful to help Jordan continue to grieve the loss of his mom and begin to heal.
That we have friends who care deeply about us, visit us, and are a consistent part of our lives.
For the weddings we’ve gotten to attend this fall. They are a great reminder of the vows we made last year and also lots of fun!
That we have a job serving the King, especially in the midst of the present economy.
For our families, and their generosity while we’ve been in Mechanicsville this fall.

There they are!
Two other things - tomorrow means going to New York City! AND I just got a new book in the mail to start reading! It's called In the Walled Gardens and it's a cultural, historical fiction book about a couple in Iran. I got it for 60 cents off Amazon!! Love that.

Halloween!!

I was watching Regis and Kelly this morning, and they made an announcement that they are doing their halloween special tomorrow where they make 30 costume changes!! Just wanted to share because it sounds like it will be really fun to watch! So if you're home in the mornings at 10 like me, enjoy it and let me know what your favorite costume was!!

tut tut...

looks like rain for the weekend... :(

hope this doesn't change the apple-picking-plans.

PS: i substitute teach for the first time in an hour!!!

happy happy

I'm so excited for this weekend. And I'm just feeling great about life today.

I loooove when this happens.

To start, I had a great time with the Lord this morning reading 1st Corinthians. It's been a while since I've just read it straight through and I've been enjoying it so much! Paul is so serious about so many things, it pushes me and refreshes me in my diligence to pursue the Lord with conviction and purpose.

I'm also excited because we are now at 83% of our initial support!!! YAY. This means that we may in fact finish quite soon!!! We'll see what God has in mind for that, but regardless, it's way exciting and encouraging. And it just makes me want to really enjoy the rest of our time here doing that [in Richmond] because we have so much time to spend with each other. PRAISES!

Another thing: Chad and Maggie's wedding is this weekend!! I love weddings and I'm so excited to see them united in such a beautiful relationship. And I'm really excited to see like ALL our staff team, and the Dalys!!! Jess has an awesome blog [www.dalyauthenticity.blogspot.com] that I enjoy reading and she's just so sweet and a special woman. So I am excited to spend some time with her.

AND!!!! We are going apple picking on the way to Harrisonburg for the wedding! double YAY. I have been wanting to do this throughout college and we never have so I am looking forward to it for sure. I want to make a few apple pies, some homemade applesauce and I think I'm going to try my hand at making apple butter and can it for gifts!! We'll so how that goes.

Anyway, just wanted to share the love and joy of my day.

:D

what i'm learning

about purpose:
though sometimes i don't feel like i have a purpose in points of my life [sometimes like the time of support raising] i have actually had a number of - i'm sure divine - revelations on the matter. i was in the shower the other day just feeling so utterly lost in myself, you know those times when you just feel like you're whole world is collapsing - you're on the verge of a mini-anxiety attack - times. well it just came to me all of a sudden that there is SO MUCH PURPOSE in life itself. no matter what i'm doing, what life stage i'm in, what my career or ministry looks like - it's always more than it seems. for instance, i have been seeing that right now, while support raising, on the exterior i am meeting with people, hopefully having some sort of impact on their lives, and raising money for our livelihood, inwardly the Lord is doing huge things in my life. and it's just come to me that there is purpose in my cooking for my father-in-law, purpose in spending more time with my husband and the Lord than i am used to, purpose in rekindling old friendships, purpose in learning from my parents. i've been realizing that i don't have to be doing something earth-shattering to have purpose (so basic i know but apparently i am a slow learner). i can be just living in sweet harmony with the Lord and i can be slowly refined by him and there is purpose. just in that. even if there was nothing else. brilliant.

on grief:
i have been becoming aware that with any sort of loss, whether monumental like the tragic loss of a family member or the loss of a friendship or the loss of an old sin, we have to undergo a process. though i've always thought the end result of this process of grieving is hopefully full healing and life as you once knew it, i now believe it's actually not. once we experience loss we must find a new normal. a new reality. life will never ever be the same. and that doesn't mean that it won't be good and happy and wonderful again. but it will never be the same. we are changed people, hopefully for the better, because of the losses that we go through. loss is all about how you handle it, how God uses it to shape you, and finding a new normalcy with Christ at the center.

about marriage:
it's hard. and wonderful. and a perfect combination of so many things that make it the true gift from God that it is. i have been learning one of the most important things i can do for my husband is to build him up. my confidence in him is so important. the other thing i've been struck with lately again is how regardless of how wonderful and amazing a man i have, he will never fill the void i have in my heart for Jesus. he cannot meet all of my emotional, spiritual, social, or psychological needs. that is and always will be only something that God can do with his infinite love and provision and grace. these are good things to learn early in marriage i think.