Testify

I say a lot of things.


I was going to expand on that sentence, but I felt like it really just needed to stop there. I say a lot of things. I do.
My friends are often the topic of my conversations, blog posts, statuses, tweets, whatever. They usually show up...a hot ton. Even if I don't mention them, our catch phrases (hot ton being one of them) show up or something they said or even something we discussed.
God created us to be relational beings - hence why we desire such a deeply rooted relationship with HIM, though we often might put something else in the place of that.
He also created us to have relationships here on this earth. I can testify that I have learned so much about having relationships in the past few years. In high school, I invested my entire energy on maintaining relationships and smothered almost every single one of them. When I came to college, I wasn't so awesome at being friends and, honestly, I still put too much stock into them sometimes. I get caught up in learning about people and knowing them and being there for them that I go overboard. God has been working on me, though. I'm trying to be more diligent about feeling that same way with him - desiring His presence, wanting to know Him more and learn about Him.
It's definitely a learning process. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely adore time with my Abba Father, but I'm easily distracted by .. everything - school, relationships, anything yellow.......

None of that is the point of this post, though. I'm having an overboard moment and I want to express it here.
God used this really incredible analogy last year in the middle of an art history project to give me a glimpse of how He plans things. (I discussed this a little here and here.) He weaves the lives and paths of people together to create this wonderful, glorious picture.

I'm not quite sure where He's at in this picture, but I've been touching base with some pretty incredible people. Today was probably one of the worst days I've had in a while. I honestly didn't want to be in Rome anymore today - I wanted to hide out on some deserted (but WARM and SUNNY) island by myself and just sleep forever. I've just been exhausted for the past two days - mentally, emotionally, physically, and in every way possible. Today was just the pinnacle of it all. I was drained and couldn't shake it, but I was constantly running into someone who would encourage me or just smile or say "hey friend" and talk with me for a bit.
Tonight I actually got the opportunity to visit with two of my dearest friends. One told me that when we chat, they always end up with a smile on their face. The other spoke some incredible life over me that I can't even begin to explain right now because they confirmed SO much in my life that is just wild. I'm still processing.
Both of these ladies bring me so much joy because their hearts are absolutely, beautifully in love with the Creator of the Universe. They are true women of God, seeking after Him with diligence and just such sweet spirits. I love it. I love love love it.
I can't tell you how much joy it brings to sit and talk about everything under the sun AND God. It's just nuts.
God has called us to be lights in the darkness. These two ladies were definitely lights for Him today amidst the darkness that overshadowed my heart.
Grateful doesn't quite do my heart's feelings justice.

(The Crux of it all)

So much has happened in the past 4 days. My heart has been in a thousand pieces all week - over and over again I've seen how Satan destroys, tears down, divides, and demolishes the hearts of God's people and renders their minds incapable of escaping the memories - even in my own life.
Twenty of the twenty-four hours allotted to Thursday were awful, but I spent 4 hours with incredible people - one hour at a meeting that, though my headache overwhelmed me, brought a peace to my heart. The other three were spent with these beautiful ladies talking about hilarious things, serious things, and God things.

If God can come in on a day like today where everything falls apart and patch it all together like He's magical Elmer's glue.....I am beyond confident that He will come in and restore the hearts, minds, and bodies of His people. HE.IS.HEALER.

"No, in all these things we are MORE than conquerors through Him who loved us." - Romans 8:37


stick that in your juicebox and suck it, satan.