My Secret Garden Adventure

Part of the Adventure is friends. I've been blessed with many friends from my drama group.  And I want to tell you about some of them that have been an amazing blessing to me this past year.

Now please know that if I don't mention you, you are no less important. These are just some of the people that I am thinking about as I write this. I think about all of you so much and "I thank my God in every remembrance of you." (Philippians 1:3)

Henry, Jonah, Heath, George, Ben, Zach, Zech and James - You guys! You crack me up and make me laugh so much. Yet, I feel like we can have a very serious conversation even while we joke and tease. You guys listen when I talk and offer a humorous solution.

Leelyn, Audrey and Anna - You girls are a strong pillar in my life. You are the ones I go to when something is going wrong. I know you'll listen when I have a problem and you pray for me when I need it. 

The Sarahs, Cari and Noelle - You gals are the laughter section! When I'm feelin' down I come to you to make me start laughin' again! But like the guys, I can have a serious conversation with you and being fellow females, we relate slightly better! 

The Kaitlyns - You two are some of my closest buds! Always ready with a hug and a back rub! We love to laugh and chat about anything and everything! I am so glad God put you in my life. 

There are so many, many many more, but these are the ones that have made such an impact on my life. This past year I've really gone on an adventure with them. God has blessed me with them and I want to take a moment to thank them. 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 

"And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

My friends, you have been with me through a lot this past year. I truly am blessed by each of you in so many ways it would take way to long to type them all out. But know this, I thank God for the time I had with you. it may have been three years or three months, but regardless it was the time we were meant to have together. 

I pray that I'll find friends like you in Illinois, but no matter who else I meet and where I go, know you'll always have a special place in my heart. 

It was truly an adventure my friends! Here's to many more; together and apart! 

God I thank you for these amazing people! Please bless them in ways we can't begin to imagine. Put people in there lives to bless them like they've blessed me. Fill their days with much laughter. Let your finger prints be evident in everything they do and everyone they meet. 

Thank you for letting them be in my life, Lord. I hope I have blessed them like they've blessed me. 

In Jesus's name I pray, Amen

Trying to Understand God's Plotline

I don't understand God sometimes. 

I guess that's an obvious statement. I mean, God is so above us in so many ways. Actually, in almost everything. 

But I still want to understand. 

The thing I'm struggling with right now? The death of my cousin's little girl, Paisley-Ann.

Paisley was born with a heart defect known as HLHS. (Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome) Many things happened during Paisley's short life. I know God has a reason for taking her after only short twelve days on earth. But I don't understand why she was brought here to begin with. She struggled, she hurt, she went through crap. So why did God decide to create her this way?

Psalms 139:13 "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb."

If God created Paisley, why did she have this rare heart defect? Why did she live for only twelve days? Why why why?! 

Psalms 139:15 "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth." 

God?!  Why did you create her that way?! Why did you take her so early from this life?!

Psalms 139:16 "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were laid out for me, when as yet there were none of them."

God knew. 

He knew the length of Paisley's days. He knew her mission. He knew she had completed it. 

And while the family and friends that are left behind grieve and ache and cry, we know, deep down that her life know is so much better. Because little Paisley is in the presence of her Creator, with a perfect, whole heart that is beating healthy and strong for her Savior. 

No more tubes, no more surgeries. No more worry or pain for little Paisley. She is finally whole.

Paisley beat us to glory. She's walking hand and hand with the One who knew her days before they started; who knew her job here on earth was completed. And now our little Paisley-Ann Faith is with Jesus. One day, we'll all see her again.

While right now we still have questions and are frustrated and angry with God, he knows what he's doing. He's got a plotline unlike anything we could ever begin to understand. We just need to trust him through it all.

Even when we're struggling to understand His plan.