Thursday, March 26, 2015

the one with all the {remembering}


Ever had a season where things weren't quite what you expected? A time when you expected glory and victory only to be met with struggle and straining? Although I wish we could just go from strength to strength in our spiritual walk, it seems like we typically go from mountaintop to valley and valley to mountaintop over and over again. And during the valleys, I immediately forget the glory of the mountaintop! Instead, (and maybe I'm the only one), I bemoan the valley like I've never ever EVER reached a summit at all! A tad dramatic, right? Well, as I've been reflecting on this truth, I've come across something interesting in the Scriptures that I wanted to share this morning. 

Have you ever noticed that God constantly retells the same stories in Scripture? Repeatedly, he reminds the Israelites of his exploits on their behalf - that he chose their forefather Abraham, that he led them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, that he rescued them and brought them into the Promised Land. I mean really, it's 500 years later and he's still telling them the SAME story! You know why he does that? Because they're still amazing! 

It's not that God is trying to be his own hype man or that he's being like that weird relative who keeps telling you about his "glory days" of yore (Uncle Rico, anyone?). No, he's trying to remind them - and present-day followers -  that he's powerful, that he's able, that he's still worthy of their trust. And not only that, he's reminding us that he is still capable of doing miracles in our lives today! 

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 
I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds. 
- Psalm 77:11-12

What about your mountaintop stories? Do you remember when God parted the Red Sea in your life? Do you remember the chains of sin he set you free from? What about the answered prayers you've witnessed or the things you've seen him do in the lives of your friends, family members, fellow Christians? 

Remembrance is a powerful thing. It helps us to keep going and keep trusting in difficult circumstances. It reminds us that things can change and that God has helped us overcome before - and he can certainly help us to overcome again. 

With all this in mind, I bought myself a new journal (is there any greater thrill?), and dedicated it to one thing and one thing only - remembrance. All week, I've been sitting down and writing the things I've seen God do in my life. I've written down the big, obvious things and I've written the things that seem insignificant now, but were HUGE at another point in life. I don't want to forget any of it. 

As I've been writing these victories down, my faith has been strengthened. After all, the same God who orchestrated the victories of the past is certainly capable of doing so again! I'll eventually reach another mountaintop, but in the meantime I can rejoice in what the Lord already done for me. I have plenty of lessons to learn in the valley and miracles to reflect on as I wait. 
I hope this has been helpful. 

Happy Thursday!
xoxo
A+J

Monday, March 23, 2015

the one with the {never-ending winter}

You guys. It's been so long since I've posted. Sorry!!

This blog consists of our daily adventures, my fashion finds, spiritual insights, and even the occasional cooking/baking exploit. But this winter, well, life's been a tad repetitive.  You might have heard that we received a lot of snow up here in Boston - 110.3 inches to be exact. Yep, we broke a record! To be honest, I just wasn't sure what else to write about after the third blizzard. I mean, do you really, REALLY want to know what we did for the millionth day we got stuck inside?


Allow me to summarize the average A+J Winter 2015 Week:

Monday: Snow. CANCEL ALL THE THINGS. Bake. Sleep. Netflix. FaceTime warm relatives. 
Tuesday: Ok but really, it's still snowing. Read Job 37:6-7. Again.
Wednesday: Burn 1,000 calories shoveling (or watch your husband do so), leave house fully bundled with 7 layers of pants on, discuss battle stories with fellow snowmageddon survivors.
Thursday: Slush, slide, slip down the side walk. Try to see over snow mound. Get stuck in a plow pile.  
Friday: "Hey, did you hear there's another storm coming?" Shiver. Laugh. Cry.
Saturday: Listen to weather report all day. Attempt normal schedule. Stock up on ice melt. Wonder if this is how polar bears feel.
Sunday: Watch the first flakes fall. Plan which movie to rent from Amazon Instant Video Watcher. Find relevant snow GIFs from 101 Dalmatians. Send to friends. Also, consider moving in with parents in Florida.

My winter fashion look can be summed up in two words: 
Snow Boots. 

Baking/Cooking Adventures: 
Chili
Chili with Turkey Meat
Cookies
LOTS OF COOKIES


So clearly, it's been thrilling! But really, it's been a little bit of a weird winter. And although I'm being a little silly about the snow -- some cool things did happen! 

We spent time with my family over Christmas and New Year's:


We visited two of our best friends in LA before the semester began:


Carly, my maid of honor / college roommate, SURPRISED me for my 27th Birthday:



Jesse was appointed as an Evangelist and Amber and I were recognized as Women's Ministry Leaders in our local congregation: 


All in all, it's been a solid, albeit snowy beginning to 2015. I have some over-due posts I'll be sharing with you over the next week! So stay tuned!

Love from Narnia,
A+J