Sitting on the Sidelines or Playing the Game

I have a quote on one of my Pinterest boards that says "I'd rather have a life of 'oh wells' than a life of 'what ifs.'"

That kind of life isn't easy because it means putting yourself out there and risking failure and rejection. However, if that risk pays off, only God knows how different your life would be.

If we're not willing to take chances, we're probably missing out on a lot of amazing things God has planned for us. Now, that's a risk I don't want to take. 

So, I choose not to sit on the sidelines, but to play the game even if it means getting hurt. It's up to each of us whether we want to be a spectator or a participant. What will you be?

Image from here

Trusting in You

Every time I fly, I can't help but look out the window and be amazed. 

It's hard for me to fathom how anyone looking down from 30-some thousand feet in the air could ever believe that God isn't real. When I see the layout of this world from that far above, it's unimaginable to me that this big ball called Earth just happened. 

There had to have been a plan from Someone much higher, much wiser, much greater than any of us can even begin to imagine. 

The mighty heights of the mountains, the flowing bodies of water, the clouds floating in air and the blue sunny skies that are always shining up above---it's all truly amazing when you stop to think about it. 

I never want to get to a point in my life where I'm not amazed by that.

Flying always makes me a little nervous and I've come to realize my greatest fear about flying is my lack of control. I don't leave until the plane departs, I don't reach my destination until the plane lands, I can't get on and off at my own will, I don't know the other passengers and what they might do and I'm not in the cockpit (which is a good thing). 

Bottom line is I don't have any control when I'm flying. When I fly, I simply have to let go and trust. I have to trust that the pilot knows what he's doing, I have to trust that the people at the airport know the plane is safe for take off and ultimately, I have to trust that God is in control and what will be will be His plan. 

Which means, flying is a lot like life. I like to pretend I have some control over things, but I don't ... not really.

God has a plan for me, for you, for each of us and just like He mapped out this big wide world, He's mapped out something special for every single one of us. 

But, we truly can't experience it until we let go ... let go of expectations, desires, dreams ... and trust in Him. 

Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. ~Psalm 9:10

Hopeful Sundays: There Is Nothing Greater Than Grace by Marshall Hall

Je t'aime 2012

Photo from Cherry Time

For the past couple of years, I've made it a priority to do something new and/or extra-fun every month. It can be something small like learning to correctly say "I love you" in French (which I did just learn at Christmas from my cousin who's a French tutor) to something big like buying a house (which I did this past November). I have found by making this a priority I am much more open to new experiences that God may have for me that I may not have done before simply out of fear or thinking I'm going to look stupid or a host of other reasons I could come up with.

Trying new things hasn't always come easy for me. Honestly, it still doesn't. I'm a perfectionist; I only really like to do things I know I'm good at. I don't like to fail; I don't like to look like I don't know what I'm doing. But, by trying new things and doing them even if I feel kind of stupid, God has taught me some amazing things and given me some wonderful moments I wouldn't have had if I hadn't been willing to try something new.

As I look down my list of new and memorable things in 2011, I am amazed at what God has done in my life this past year. I went back to school, was honored to write a guest post for (in)courage, had the wonderful opportunity to interview Annie Downs, saw stamps I designed for Unity at the summer CHA show, had a book of my designs published, was a bridesmaid at my little brother's wedding, bought a house, volunteered at and attended some amazing concerts, saw relationships begin to heal, made some new friends and was involved in two awesome Bible studies.

There were emotional ups and emotional downs, but what it ultimately comes down to is trust. Following God can be a scary thing because most of the time, it seems that our plans are not His. While God helped me so much in 2011 (I know I couldn't have gotten through the year without Him) and answered many of my prayers, there are still struggles and unanswered prayers that will continue into 2012, relationships that still need to be mended, unfulfilled dreams that may never be met and questions I may never know the answers to.

I want to continue trying to stay on His path, not mine. I want to trust Him and obey where He leads because when I let Him take the steering wheel, He shows me just how beautiful life can be.

And just maybe I'll try taking dance lessons this year, which is the new thing I've been tossing around in my head. :)

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. ~Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Christmas 2011

Even though it's the same day every year, Christmas always seems to come and go so fast. I made an effort this season to take more photos which is one of my resolutions for the new year, to take more photos and document more even though I don't really make resolutions. Oh well, that's another post. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year's-mine was filled with lots of good things.

Celebrating the birth of Jesus with family at my parents' house; what a difference a year makes

On a side note, don't you love the polka-dot balloons my mom found! :)

Finishing up Christmas tags

Sofa shopping at Ikea; beautiful Christmas lights on the way back home

Baking, baking, baking .... had to include cupcakes, of course!

Picked up a vintage chair from my great-aunt; can't wait to get this re-upholstered with colorful modern fabric

Amy Grant & Vince Gill Christmas concert

Hopeful Sundays: Joy to the World by Andrew Ripp

Quite possibly my favorite version of this song I've ever heard!

Walk In Faith

Image from here

I've probably mentioned this before, but I don't believe in coincidences. I believe every minute of every day is part of God's divine plan for you. Some moments make sense and some we may never understand. But, it's truly beyond amazing when you think about how God weaves our lives together using each of us to play pivotal roles in each others' lives in big and small ways. Many times we don't even realize the impact we might play in someone's life. A simple smile and a kind "hello" to a stranger could be the first act of kindness that person has seen in days, a compliment could be just what someone needs as a bright spot in an otherwise dreary day and a Bible verse at the end of an email could speak volumes to the recipient. 

Since I don't believe in coincidences, I know that God is definitely speaking to me this week due to the fact that the same Bible verse has popped up randomly in my life the past three days in the form of my pastor's sermon on Sunday, an email from a designer on Monday and a devotional email today, which ironically enough was from last week, but I was only now getting around to reading it. Even that I don't believe is a coincidence. I wasn't supposed to read it last week; I was supposed to read it today. 

I LOVE how God does things like that. But, one thing I've learned this year is that just because He's showing me encouragement doesn't mean things are going to work out exactly like I envision them working out. I believe those signs of encouragement mean that I'm on the right path, that I'm doing what He wants me to do even if I don't see how it's all going to work out. It's about walking in faith, not by what I can see.