Life is a Climb

Lately, I have been realizing how much life is like a climb. You have to trust in your hands and feet, but most of all you need confidence in your mind and faith in every move you make. Sometimes, holding on is hard. It feels like you don’t have the strength to hold on or the power to make it past that one part. Whereas, sometimes you come across something you can really hold onto, something you can trust.

I have always had a hard time with trust. I’ve always allowed a pool of thoughts drown my mind in doubt. It wasn’t until I found Cory that I started to change this habit that I had adapted over many years. He has become that one part of my climb that I can hold onto with ease and trust that I won’t slip and fall.

And just like climbing, some routes are difficult and some of them are routine that can be done with ease. But the trick is to challenge yourself, push your limits, and face your fears. For a long time I’ve never known of doing these things, instead I placed myself in a mindset that I was unable or even worse…incapable.

This past week, I challenged myself in both my climbing and my life. After attempting one route for so long, I decided to try it one last time and I was determined to trust and have faith in my climbing. The higher I got, the more difficult it was to hold on and have faith that I wouldn’t lose strength. Finally, I reached for the final move and gripped the very top with both hands. “I did it” I said to myself quietly. I hung there for a second to see how far I had come then I let go and as I looked up to what I just accomplished I felt relief, success, and confidence.

In life, we have many routes, many trials. The further through these routes and trials we get, the more difficulty presents itself. It’s like the Devil is sitting there saying, “Just let go now. You don’t have the ability to finish this route or get through this trial.” Whereas, God stands at the top saying, “Just a few more moves, have faith, have confidence. Reach for my hand and I will get you to your destination safely. Trust in me. And when you get to the top and it’s time to fall, I will provide a safe landing.”

Jeremiah 7:8 says, “But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.” How often I was trusting in the words of my deceptive mind, when all I needed was to find hope in my Lord? Could it be that simple?

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”   -Romans 15:13

Life’s a climb and sometimes, all it requires is some hope and a little trust that we have what it takes to accomplish anything. Not because we have enough strength of our own, but because we have the strength of a God who is all-powerful.  

Day Twelve of Thankfulness

I know I haven't been posting something everyday, but I try and write at least one every few days...
Today I am thankful for days off. This morning, I got to sleep in & wake up at my own pace. Made myself some hot cocoa mixed with coffee and did some homework. Spend the mid-portion of the day with my Mom and brother having lunch and shopping. I spent the rest of the afternoon sipping on coffee while I worked on a project for someone special. I forgot what it felt like to have a day for myself. Thank you Jesus for relaxation.

Day 6 of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for Sophie.

Sophie and I grew up together. She was one of those middle school and junior high girls I envied before I really knew her. Towards the beginning of high school, people began mixing us up and calling us each others names. It wasn't until we were Sophomores that we finally connected.

In all the years I have known her, she has shown me the true meaning of strength and independence. With the smile she puts on every day, you would assume that her life is perfect. Wrong--she just holds herself at a higher level. She sees herself the way God sees her.

We have been through so much together. I couldn't be more thankful for the bond we have and the kind of friend she has been to me. I'm thankful that she's always been truthful, loyal, loving, and strong. Lastly, I am thankful for the laughter she's blessed me with over these years. It makes me smile just thinking about the endless nights we stayed up talking and laughing until we cried. Forever there will be memories hidden in my heart about this dear Sophie.

Cheers to Friendship.

Day Five of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for my bible.

When I was younger, I always remember reciting "His Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" but it wasn't until recently that I truly understood these words. When we memorize things, we don't usually pay too much attention to the meaning of the statements or words, we rather just try our best to memorize what we have to.

God's word truly is a gift to all of us. From Genesis to Revelation, he has given us real life stories, lessons, proverbs to live by, and most importantly: truth. Never once in the Bible does He send us astray, never once is there error. His words are timeless and will always be there as I change.

Thank God for the wisdom he put on every one of those pages.

Day 1 & 2 of Thankfulness

So, I know I am one day late but I really love the idea of expressing something your thankful for every day in the month of November. Since I missed yesterday, I'll do TWO today.

Today, I am thankful for my parents.

My Mom has a givers heart and has a passion for loving and caring for others. Her hospitality and creativeness have both created a beautiful, warming home, but also an even more beautiful and welcoming family. Sometimes, I don't give her enough credit for all she has been through in her lifetime. I have been blessed from the day I was born with nothing but goodness & open arms, something she wasn't always blessed with.

My Dad is someone I will always look up to. All the times he gave me advice that I turned my back on, he held and comforted me when I was wrong without saying "I told you so." All those things he told me not to do that I did anyway, he never judged or loved me any less...instead he accepted every wrong decision with his bear hugs. I can tell you one thing about my dad, he's the best man I've ever known and after a bad day, his hugs some how just make the small things seem a little less important.

Both of these people have molded me into who I am today. I'll always be thankful for what they have done and given me. Above all, they never stopped loving me and forever I will be grateful for that. 

A Changing of Leaves

This semester has been a whirlwind for me. Seventeen units for school, working 20+ hours a week, leading a growth group, and attempting to have free time has left me tired and stressed. I enjoy busy-ness for the most part, don't get me wrong I love my lazy days where I do nothing, but overall I love being productive and busy. But this wasn't busy, this was overdoing it. I began to forget what was important and was no longer prioritizing my life according to God... until he began reminding me. It didn't take long before I heard him. Every sermon, every growth group, every devotional, every bible passage... everything was reminding me of how busy-ness can be a sin. And one night at the Jordan, I finally just broke down towards the end of the service on, you bet--busy-ness. The overloading of plans the past few months had left me drained and filled with emotion and I was no longer going to let Satan bring me down to believe that this was a good way to live. My sister reminded me of a quote, "If you are too busy to spend time with God and in the Word, then you are too busy than God intended you to be."And finally, I am learning to slow down. God gives us twenty four hours in a day for a reason, because we cannot handle more than that. My body cannot physically and mentally handle more than those twenty four hours at a time, most of those hours which I need to sleep.

I am at a time in my life where there is change, both on the leaves of trees and in every one of my days. I'm finally pursuing a major I enjoy, I'm enjoying my job, I am in love with leading a growth group, and I am loving my relationships in my life both with God, my family, and Cory. Every day I learn a little more about Cory and about our relationship. Every day I find another reason to prove that we are meant to be together and that God especially planned for us to meet at the time we did. He is a continual blessing in my life and constant support...and that boy would do anything for me.

John Steinbeck once wrote, "Change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn, and comes like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass." I didn't take note of the change in my life until driving through Julian yesterday, seeing the changing of the leaves. A year ago, I was so lost and I had no clue where God wanted me. Now that I've opened myself to opportunity, he has been changing me from the inside out. And just like the colorful, changing leaves on those trees... I'm changing and falling in love with who God has made me.

Uncommon Individuals

You know those people that you never question why they are in your life, you just know they are supposed to be there? Well outside of family, those people are pretty rare.  Maybe they have always been there, or maybe they came at an unexpected time, or perhaps the perfect time. Regardless of when, they are there and you can’t really ever stop and point out the moment when they changed you. And when you first meet them, there is so much that you have already gone through that most wouldn’t understand, but it was almost as if they already spoke your language because they had been there once themselves. And with the touch of the hand, a kiss on the cheek, or a smile full of words, they somehow just erase everything that doesn’t matter and make you feel like you’re the only person that does. Most of these people are just ordinary people with extraordinary hearts and souls, walking through life not knowing how staggering and remarkable they really are. And something about them makes you feel like you can be anywhere in the world and still feel at home. Most of the time, these kinds of people go through life feeling like normal beings, living normal lives, when they are far from standard.

Hand-picked and made with me in mind, God placed Cory Sass in my life. Who has not only brought me closer to who I truly am, but closer to God. He’s one of these rare and precious gems that not everyone comes across in their lives. Forever I will hold him close to me and even though I won’t be able to point out when he changed my life, I will know that all that matters is that he did. And I’ll never question why he is in my life; I’ll just know that he’s supposed to be there. Most of all, I will always recognize how rare the kind of person he is and how rare a love like ours is.