It's Official Y'all!

There has literally been monumental changes that have happened in my life and heart since the last time I sat and blogged. I am sure you will see the affects of that unpack themselves as I vow to be more diligent in my blogging abilities! But mostly, I have been seeking the Lord's face for answers, for clarity, and discernment. And he has been so faithful to provide those for me! The most life changing of which includes a move back to Texas this summer!!! I am beyond peaceful that this is where the Lord has me for the next season of my life, and I am expectant and hopeful to see what this new season, community, and place bring! Jesus has just been so very sweet lately, in scripture, prayer, and friendship and I am so excited to tell more and more of what the Lord has been doing in my life in the days to come!

"The lord is good to those who wait for him" Lamentations 3: 25

I feel as though the Lord has been so near and sweet this week! I can hardly even express my thankfulness for that fact. In the sweetest ways I am experiences how much better Jesus is! I am so thankful for the peace and joy he is redeeming in my life. So very thankful for the intimacy with my sweet savior!

2010

Well the end of this year is rapidly approaching, and I can't believe how quickly the year passed. I was talking today with my dear friend Mackenzie, about the year and what all has transpired. If I could sum the year up in one word, I would have to say different. This year has been full of different and unexpected things, and if you would have asked me a year go if this is what my life would look like I never would have guessed it. While this year has been different relationally, spiritually, and emotionally there has absolutely been so much purpose in it as well. If i can sum up in one word what the Lord has meant to me this year, is absolutely constant. When so much of my word felt flipped and change was around every corner, He was unwavering in showing me His goodness and love. The changes that have transpired have been both good and hard. And while I know that changes in life are inevitable and that with out a doubt this next year will be riddle with change as well. This year has proven that this Lord is good and faithful above and beyond, and so I walk into this next year hopeful and excited for what this New Year holds. I pray that as you reflect on this year and anticipate the year to come, you take time to process, and I pray that the Lord continues to bless you with rich relationships, and more of who he is and his goodness.

open hands

I recently experienced something that made this image to my right very real for me. I thought that the Lord had done such a work in my life, that I felt like I had freely given Him so much of my life that there was little I still held very tightly to, boy was I wrong! How evident that became when he asked me for more. At first I fought the idea of giving HIM more, not like it wasn't his to begin with, but still in my finite mind I fought it. But I realized I am not entitled to anything, I have been given these things as a gift and in that remains every right for him to ask for more. So as he gently pryed back my fingers I got to say yet again, "I trust you with this, even if you take it away". And that I guess is the sweetest part of letting go of things you love is that He will do immeasurable more with my dreams, hopes, and desires than I could! I was talking with my best friend the other day about how the stage of life we find ourselves in, is going to continue to call us to trust the Lord with more. But not only will we have to trust Him with more, but also bigger things as well. And while that seems daunting some days, what I relief that ultimately someone who is so trustworthy is holding it all. So all I really know is that I want my everyday life to identify with this picture open handed, ready and willing to freely give and take whatever the Lord may ask of me. And what a sweet joy when He calls us to trust him with more and more!

Grateful

So I know that on today, of all days, I just add to the list of people with really trendy blogs about thankfulness and the like. But I beg to differ, because we should live our lives in a way that daily allows us to look back with appreciation for the many, rich blessings the Lord has bestowed on us, and so that's what I aim to do today list a few of the people that I am thankful for. As I think the obvious comes to mind. The picture at left is a excellent example... my family is one of the riches blessings I will ever get to experience on this earth. My dad, is a God-fearing, unwavering leader of my family. Who daily models for us and those who come in contact with him the love of our Savior. He is my father and friend, and I could not ask for a better person to fill those roles. My mother, is a prayer warrior to the nth degree, she fights for me when I don't have the ability to fight for myself. She is compassionate, warm, and welcoming to all that she knows. My brother, what man of God he is, who daily inspires me to love and trust my savior more, just by watching him model it for me. So while my family would be more than enough to spend a life full of thankfulness there is more that I am thankful for today! Under the picture of my family is three of my very best friends, each of who hold irreplaceable places in my life. The one at top is Dani, a dear, sweet friend who has blessed my life since I was a junior in high school. Her friendship, has been a life changing! She is a friend who even this fall picked up from Texas to come be by my side in a moment when I needed her most! To say I am thankful for her doesn't even do it justice. In the picture below is my two sweet friends Mackenzie and Nattiel, with me at my senior thesis. They are great friends not only because of the amount of dance concerts they attended... but because of the way their friendship has been inspiring and nurturing to my heart. Mackenzie was an instant friend from the moment I meet her my freshman year. Since then we have walked side by side experiencing the sweetest community. She is a constant driving force and one of the richest blessings of friendship I will ever experience. Nattiel, is one of the most compassionate women I have ever meet. She bears the burden of her friends and family, just because of her love for them. She is a intent listener and genuinely offers advice. The last picture I tried to load wouldn't load but it was a picture of Stephanie Lee, Aubrey Agnor, Michelle Sipes, and Jennifer Blessing, four women who still to this day form a sweet community, full of rich laughter, joy, a shared love for the gift of dance and worshiping our savior. These women time and time again though miles apart, different stages of life, and time separate us I know that they are friends who have  forever blessed my life. So while I know it is easy to be thankful on a day like today! I know that these people I listed are people I thank the Lord daily, who time and time again come alongside me and love me beyond what I could ask for or need. I am thankful, grateful, and blessed.

My Thoughts...

I rarely go into a post with little to no direction as to where it will go... but that's where i find myself tonight so here I go, world you have my thoughts. Its kinda scary, huh?? The nature of what I do gives me quite the time to think through out the days and I am thankful for that right now. Thankful that I am allowed time to process, breath deeply, and rest in the fact that I am in the hands of a God that loves me and desires the best, at any cost. I have to admit that just because this last season I walked through has been difficult, I think that, that somehow qualities me to know what "at any cost" really means. I don't, and while it has been a challenging season, one which I have learned so much, I still live a rich life, full of people who love me well, I have a job, a roof over my head, and the ability to laugh deeply and often. I serve a God who is gracious and tender. I am blessed! And that is what overwhelms my thoughts and my heart tonight, not life changing, not profoundly deep, but its my thoughts.

Community

I got to go home last weekend, and since it is my favorite season, fall, and the weather was perfect, my family and I went hiking. What I love about hiking, outside of the views it provides, is the sweet time I get to process my thoughts in the beauty of creation. The picture you see at left is one I got to take on that hike, once I looked back over the picture something hit me. The difference in the trees and their process of losing their leaves. You might be think, obviously Blair, trees loose their leaves at different times, it's not the revolutionary of an idea. But something hit me for the first time unlike ever before. As we walk through different seasons in this life, so do other people, again not that revolutionary of an idea, but as we do, so do these trees. AS some are still in full bloom, leaves golden and beautifully painting the mountain scape, to others with just a few leaves still holding on, and lastly the ones that are barren standing almost void of any life. That started me thinking, what a sweet picture of the community we get to experience. Because the Lord places people in you life who aren't always at the exact same place as you, and what a blessing for that. Because when I am at my barest, I know that I have people in my life full of joy, hope, and perspective, and vice versa. And that is the beauty of community, the Lord places people to walk through life alongside and share in this journey. As I walk alongside them in their seasons that look so different than mine, I know that they do the same. We stand together, connected in the deepest way, at our roots because of our love of Christ. WE are not alone, nor do we have to pretend to be. Our community is a gift, and though it changes as we walk through life, there is always someone there to share life with different perspective, to share in our joy and suffering. What a BLESSING!!!!