Everyday Beautiful

This year the real struggles, complexity, variety and depth of the Christmas story characters struck me. Over the next posts I will contemplate through words the very real people who underwent a dramatic narrative years ago. I hope my faltering description of a radically holy season may cause you renewed awe for the triune God! We often forget the primary character of the Christmas story: God the Father. My grandpa reminded me of God's presence during the physical birth of His incarnate Son. All of heaven held its breath as God stepped into a virgin womb their eyes focused not only down but also upon the Father enthroned. What thoughts passed through the holy mind? What emotions welled up in the heart of I AM? Would He rejoice at the surrender of His Son, the redemption of His children finally come? Or would He weep, tears that rocked creation? Or tears shed silently in the center of heaven? Angels wondered, watched while all the weary world unconcerned with the things of God conti...

  A lot of people have asked me how the first semester at college went. Before saying anything about time at school, I must begin with a word God placed on my heart over the summer. While I prayed over the upcoming semester, God spoke through the book of Ezra (which I was reading at the time). He told me that building of His temple comes before any other structure. "Establish and protect the time with Me before you look for friendships, a home-like feeling, a church family, success in class or a job. The place of My presence- where you worship Me- comes first. And everything else must be built with My temple at the center." He has proven Himself faithful to produce strength to build other "buildings" as I've chosen to spend time with Him each day. Simultaneously, He is teaching me the freedom of seeking Him in different ways. For example, I cannot pray as long in the mornings as I did at home because of morning classes. At first I became incredibly frustrated an...