He gave us Jesus

I spoke about my Mom today. About how courageous she was in facing death because of the peace she had in her Savior. About my own journey of navigating her cancer diagnosis, her death, and then learning to live without her. It is weighty. Some days far more than others. And that is ok because it beckons me to the Savior she loved. And the Savior I love and adore.

I do not know why hard, unimaginable things happen. Why several friends have experienced the deep pain of miscarrying. Why parents have to bury their children. Why cancer robs a family of a parent when they are in the prime of their lives. Or any other grief. I do not have answers. But what I do know is that our God is a good, good Father and He protects us far more than we will ever realize. I have experienced so much joy in my grief journey just by believing that God is good and He is for me and that I am so desperately loved. And that it is ok to grieve. It is ok to be raw and transparent before the God who knows me so intimately.

Help those hurting just by remembering. Remember that date on a calendar that they dread all year long. The one that brings memories and emotions that make it hard to breathe. Come alongside them and just be present. Let them know that you have not forgotten. That can make all the difference in those hard moments.

 "If God did not withhold from us His very own Son (Romans 8:32), will He withhold anything we need? He gave us Jesus. If we have only one memory, isn't this one enough?" (Ann Voskamp)

An update on our new season

Two months ago, I shared that my husband and I resigned from our jobs and were going to take a few months off to rest and just enjoy life. We spent three incredible weeks in Sweden, Norway, and Ireland. Once I am able to go through the thousands of pictures I took, I will share them. :) Guys. If you have an opportunity to travel, do! It is such a magical, glorious experience! We have two more fun trips planned this year and then we will be home for a while. I am about ready to be stationary. Within just over 24 hours of returning from Europe, I traveled to Alabama/Georgia to spend two weeks with my Dad to help him recover from surgery. I was back in Texas for four weeks and then we traveled back to Alabama/Georgia because my Dad needed another surgery. Next week, we will know if all of the cancer is gone. Praying friends, keep praying! My Dad is such a warrior!

That is a pretty good update on the past two months. We are hoping to rest for the remainder of the year and then begin to build our businesses come January. I have no words to describe how precious this time is with my husband. My heart is bursting with joy to share this beautiful season with him! Recently, I began writing my book so that was empowering to me. I have also been reading and learning quite a bit regarding issues related to my field. We are finding ways to get more plugged in at church and looking for opportunities to minister in our community. I am striving to be intentional with visiting with friends and connecting. It is easy to get lost in relaxation and be too "lazy" to get dressed and go out. I am not wanting to get caught up in to-do lists or the pressure of self-expectations. I just want to find joy in meeting some of my goals in the midst of resting.

It has been the sweetest joy to see all the ways God has paved this path for us and His provision in preparing us for this season. Because we are not working, it was easy to leave for three weeks to help my Dad. What a gift! To God be the Glory!

*Jeremiah 17:7-8*