Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

It hasn't been a very pretty week.

But among all the difficulties,

 hurt and chaos that this world throws at us

there is a God who loves us and pours out blessing after blessing.

So today I am thankful for...

a delicious Thanksgiving dinner

and all the hands that cooked, baked and prepared it

facetiming with my dad 

spending an entire day doing yard work

postcards from Hawaii

babysitting my baby niece

spending time with my siblings

making terrariums

spending time outside

rain and the crispness of fall

leaves changing colors

rock walls covered with maidenhair ferns

hiking and adventuring with friends

climbing up waterfalls

grabbing coffee with friends

friends who really care about me

who notice when things aren't right

who ask questions, listen and speak truth into my life

that in 17 days I'll be in Salt Lake City

and in 26 days I will be picking up my roommate from the airport 

{she's been away for 6 months}

evening runs through neighborhoods all lit up with Christmas lights

my Christmas Pandora station

that it's officially Christmas season

the fact that I can now curl up on the couch,

 watch Christmas movies

and feel no shame

{I'm currently watching elf as I write this post}

What are some things from the past week

that you are thankful for?...

Thankful Thursday {Happy Thanksgiving}

Happy Thanksgiving 

to you Dear Friend!

I am thankful that tonight as I

walked into my parents house,

I was greeted by two very sweet and adorable puppies.

That as I made the trek down the hall to my bedroom

I was tripping over my nieces toys.

I am thankful for giggling, cuddling and sweet kisses 

from her as she was getting ready for bed.

It is currently 1am and I'm

laying in bed in the room I grew up in.

 I love that I can hear my brother's upstairs

{very loudly} 
playing Halo 4 together.

I am so very thankful for home,

to be home.

 As I lay here,
 there is an abundance of things to be thankful for.

None of which I deserve.

And yet God continues to pour out His blessings.

So right now, 

I am thankful for...

snail mail from North Carolina

plane tickets to Utah

surprise packages on my front porch

new running shoes

paper chain countdowns

midnight room rearranging

coming home from back to back to back conferences

and sleeping for 15 hours straight.

spending time with intern friends

sharing a hotel room for 5 days 

with this awesome girl...

catching up with friends

dreaming about the next year and getting excited

being able to watch God work

God's faithfulness

and His perfect plan

face timing with my dad while he is living in Hawaii

{I know, tough life right?...}

getting pictures from my dad of all the cool plants

 {and moss}

he gets to see while in Oahu

people inviting me over to help them garden

baking pumpkin pies from scratch

having a full time job

{that I love}

 and getting a paycheck

being able to pay for groceries

my bike

my car

my bed

my apartment

my roommates

our front porch where my small garden is starting to germinate

I'm thankful for each of the ways that God is growing me

and teaching me.

I am thankful for the times of pain and suffering.

Because my Hope in Christ grows stronger

and His faithfulness and love become more apparent.

It's in those times

  I get to know Him more intimately.

I am thankful for how He has and continues 

to shape me into the woman that He has created me to be.

I am so thankful that I am His.

What are you Thankful for on this beautiful 

Thanksgiving Day?...

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday 
Dear Friends!

And happy first day of November,

what a great way to kick start this month of Thanksgiving.

I honestly feel like it's been a year since my last Thankful Thursday.

Ok maybe not a whole year,

but it's been a very long 2 weeks.

This past weekend we took around 90 college students 

up into the mountains for fall retreat.

It's all pretty much a big blur.

But it happened,

and God did work.

And these past couple weeks through my
 exhaustion, stress, crabbiness, sensitivity, 

and occasional {or frequent} bad attitude.

God still continued to be faithful

and there is a vast amount to be thankful for.

{and gosh, I deserve none of it}

Today I am thankful for...

A God who changes lives

{who changed my life}

a God who loves me beyond all comprehension

an incredible weekend 

spent with incredible students
trying new things

my growing affection for each of my teammates

the Lords not so subtle reminders that I'm not superhuman

days off 

time spent alone

 gardening

sleep

coffee

 BOTH of my freshman Bible studies
have I mentioned how much I love my job?...

wednesday morning discipleship with these 2 ladies

the mountains

crisp autumn air

clouds

my journal

gmail chatting with far away friends

a clean room

my simmering apple cider scented candle
fresh san luis sourdough bread

great friends that let me borrow their cornhole set

{time spent with my roommate Erin

sipping pumpkin spice latte's from the coffee bean

and carving our bottom of the barrel, 
last pick pumpkins from Trader Joe's}

my car 

crafting

learning to be more independent

running holes into my running shoes

learning to pray bold prayers

new flannel

paintings from Paris

planning an epic trip to southern Utah

being excited for my future

grabbing coffee with friends from church

That there is an amazing God,

who desires to be in relationship with me

and has promised to remain and walk through this life with me.

What are you thankful for today?...