Those Pictures Don't Get Everything

     You've seen the pictures. Aren't they always the same?

     The flowers.
     The venue.
     The groom, smiling as someone adjusts his boutonniere. He can't stop smiling.
     The bride, smiling, surrounded by women in matching dresses who help her with her flowing white one. She's nervous.
     The walk down the aisle with the daddy, smiles, tears, emotions captured in an image.
     The ceremony. They hold hands. They kiss.
     The new husband and wife, the bridal party, posing pretty and smiling till their cheeks ache.
     The reception, wine glasses, wood floors, high heels, fancy plates, food, center pieces, decorations. Dancing, laughter, cake, girls in dresses, men in suits, speeches frozen mid-sentence.
     The departure. Bubbles, rice, sparklers. The vehicle that tells the whole world that yet another couple has joined their lives in marriage. Waving, maybe some happy tears, always the smiles, the happy couple kisses again, and the sun sets.

    They say a picture's worth a thousand words, but those pictures don't get everything. Though, considering how many detail shots there were, what could have been left out?

     The mess left in the reception hall after everyone has left. The broom sweeping up crumbs and confetti, the flowers wilting away, the people going home. The honeymooners waiting for a flight, checking into a hotel, exhausted but exuberant. The bride taking down her elaborate hairdo, stiff from the hairspray, and the groom removing his wilted boutonniere. The first breakfast together as man and wife, or the move into their new home. No photographs of dirty laundry piling up on the floor, ruined dinners, unwashed dishes, fights over where the sofa should go. Or of long hugs after long days, words of forgiveness after frustration, or late night conversations that go deep into the heart.

    The wedding is documented down to the last detail shot of the sparkling rings. Is a wedding only about the things, the attractions? The ceremony and the celebration are not the same as the marriage, but maybe a lot of marriages are like the weddings, focused on material stuff and not the people it's supposed to be about. The wedding is hardly even about the marriage, and who remembers flower choices when they make a choice about a family?  Does the venue have anything to do with the years of fidelity and commitment? Will the dress mean anything to her when she can't have a baby, or that fancy dinner carry him through the struggle of searching for a job? 

     A wedding is a beautiful celebration of . . . what? Love? Happiness? 

     Marriage is not always love and happiness. Sometimes it's even loathe and hurt. The marriage is so different from the wedding.

     But . . . the wedding is beautiful because it's the start. They won't always be in love like that, they won't always be happy, and maybe they won't always be together. But sometimes, they fall deeper and deeper in love. Sometimes, they learn that earthly happiness isn't worth as much as heavenly joy. And sometimes, the stick together through tears and anger, and even through the wedding day was forty-seven years ago, they still hold hands when they walk.

     They'll look back on that day, documented and preserved in a dusty album. They'll smile as they remember how young and ignorant they were, and they'll smile seeing how far they've come.

     No one was hired to photograph every bouquet he bought her for her birthday or Valentine's day or for just because. She can't remember every dress she ever wore when she wanted to look pretty for him. And those rings that they still wear on their fingers have lost the sparkle of that magical day through the years of washing dishes, preparing food, cleaning the house, writing love notes, rubbing each other's cold hands. No, there are not pictures for every step of the way. But they know that pictures couldn't capture it all anyway, not all they've been through and not all the ways they've grown stronger.

     They still smile, remembering. And they're still in love, still happy, so they kiss.

I Thought God Answered Prayers. . .

You've been praying for a promotion at work because you can't make ends meet.
You've asked God continually to tell you "yes" about a big life decision you need to make.
You've been asking for Him to reveal Himself to you.

And it's not happening.

      You know Jesus, you believe in God, and you know He's always with you. But...that's the thing, right now, you can't feel Him. You aren't seeing Him, you aren't hearing Him, and you just don't get how He fits into the confusion you feel like your life is in. You ask Him to show Himself, you say, "God, I need you!" but He's just not answering. Why is He not answering?

Maybe it's not time yet for Him to grant you what you're asking for.
Maybe you're asking for the wrong thing.
If you can't see Him, maybe you're not looking hard enough.

God's timing is not the same as ours. 
      "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." - 2nd Peter 3:8-9
      This passage is talking about the return of the Lord, however, it also explains that God doesn't work by our clock. He's not dragging His heels or making excuses. He's merely working in His own time because He's God and He can, and ultimately, His timing is perfect. (Not to mention that He doesn't even live in the realm of time.) So many times, I've asked the Lord for something over and over again, yet it just wasn't happening. However, when I look back at those times now, I can see that had He given me what I wanted then, it would not have been good for me. However, He gave me exactly what I was asking for much later, and it turned out to be an incredible blessing. Maybe He will answer your prayer and give you what you're requesting. But, maybe He won't do it yet. There's truth in that little saying "all in good time". Just be patient, and wait for His good time. Perhaps He's making you wait because He knows you need a lesson in patience...(*Holly preaches to herself*)

Are you asking for His will to be done, or for yours? 
      However, patience may not be all that's needed; you may need to completely change what you're asking for. Even if it seems like you're asking for a perfectly normal thing, like peace, love, or happiness, maybe you're not submitting to His will in your requests. Ultimately, His will will be done regardless of what we say or do. However, to have His will revealed to you, you must be submitting to it. When asking for something, it's always important to evaluate your requests and make sure they're not selfish. Are you asking for peace about something? Ask for God's peace; not a peace that lets you escape from every hardship in life. There are plenty of things that offer a temporary liberation from the troubles of the world--such as a walk through the woods or boating on a lake--and those can be great, but God's peace is what gives you rest, in Him, even in the midst of the turmoil. Perhaps He wants you to go through a season of suffering for a reason. Sometimes, it takes difficulty to draw us closer to Him and teach us more about Him.
      Prayer is an immeasurable blessing from God. But it's not meant just for us to ask for whatever we want and then get it. Sometimes, He'll give it to us right away, sometimes, as mentioned before, it can take a while, but sometimes, we're just not asking for the right thing! "Unanswered" prayers don't mean that God has forgotten about you. If your prayers always seem to go unanswered, it's probably time to take a look at why that could be. Sometimes, He doesn't give us just what we want because He knows it's not what we need. So, ask for His will to be done, and for Him to show you how to submit to it and live in it.

Look for Him. 
      We've known since we were little guys that God is everywhere (anybody else do the kids' catechism?), but how often do we as older guys do we seem to forget it? As I grow in my relationship with God, I long to see Him working in my life and I love that feeling of closeness with Him. But feelings can be deceiving, and just because I don't feel Him nearby doesn't mean He isn't. As I pointed out before, "unanswered" prayers do not mean God has left you. It may be that you need to seek Him more actively. When talking about God's will, it's easy it think, "Okay, God's in control, so I'll just sit here and wait for Him to show me what He's up to." Uh, no, that's not how it works. As followers of Christ, we must be continuously seeking for ways to follow Him, which means getting up and going, not sitting and watching. Dive into His word and ask Him to speak to you through it; He will not fail when you ask in faith. The Bible is such a powerful tool, so use it! It's the word of the Lord, and He truly does speak to us through it.
      Talk to God!  Just like prayer isn't a means to get whatever we want, it's also not a religious ritual we have to do "correctly". No, prayer is how we grow in our relationship with the Lord, and talking with Him can and should happen constantly. You like that feeling of closeness to Him? Well, spend some time talking to Him and listening for His voice. You're confused, and need direction? Tell Him what's going on with you and ask Him to direct you in His way. You can't find Him anywhere? Call out to Him, and ask for reassurance of His nearness to you.        
      And, thank Him. I don't mean just when you're eating dinner, and you're really hungry, so it's like, "thankyouGodforthisfoodamen". I mean really thank Him. Always, in every circumstance, for every little thing you like or love or have. He's is the giver of every good and perfect gift, so say thank you all the time, because He's always giving you gifts.

      Prayer can seem confusing, and knowing how to pray can be tricky. There's so much I don't know. But I'm learning that it's really not that hard when you view it as a beautiful gift that allows us to communicate with the Maker of all creation. Don't let those "unanswered" prayers throw you for a loop, instead, consider why you weren't given what you thought you really needed, and use it as an opportunity to grow in understanding of God's ways.

      Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

I'm a Sacrifice

     "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." - Romans 12:1

     We no longer sacrifice rams and bulls on alters as atonement for our sins. We've been cleansed from our iniquities by the greatest sacrifice ever made, and Jesus' grace is enough to forgive us. But that doesn't mean we stop there, that doesn't mean we're good to live however we want. 

     Jesus died for you, so die for Him. Die to sin, to self, to desires, and offer yourself up as a living sacrifice. This is how we worship God. We use ourselves for Him. 

Father, train my body in godliness. "Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." - 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 

Renew my mind. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2

Cleanse my heart from sinful desires and fill it with a passion for you. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." - Psalm 51:10

Let my eyes see you. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." - Psalm 119:18

Let my ears hear you. "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21

With my mouth, I will praise you. "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." - Psalm 34:1

I will lift up my hands to you. "I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling." - 1 Timothy 2:9

Show me your paths that my feet can walk in them. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." - Galatians 5:25 

This is my body, my sacrifice, and my worship. May it be holy and acceptable to God. 

What My Job Is Like

     It was 1:31 p.m. and I wasn't there yet. But that's okay, because sometimes I don't walk through the door until 1:45, even though the scheduled time for me to arrive is 1:30. So, 1:31 wasn't really that bad, especially considering the fact that it's just a one minute drive.

     My Mom dropped me off at the top of the driveway and I walked through the wet grass to the door. As soon as I stepped inside, three little boys' voices shouted, "Hi, Holly!" I kicked off my wet moccasins and smiled at some of my favorite people. "Hi Benjamin! Hello Nolan! Hey there, Evan!" Mrs. Osgood put the baby on the floor and he crawled to me, grinning and making little squeaky noises. I picked him up and he burrowed his face in my shoulder.

"Holly, let me show you something!"

"Holly, watch this!"

Hey, Holly, I've got something to tell you."

"Holly, look at what I can do!"

"Come with me, Holly, I want to show you something."

     They all clamored for my attention at once. The baby wouldn't let me put him down. I love it.

     However, they all needed to eat lunch, and I needed to get to work. Brudwin cried when I set him in his highchair, but I left him because sorting laundry and vacuuming are a lot easier with two hands. He really wasn't interested in lunch though, so Mrs. Osgood let him down while I scrubbed away mud streaks left on the walls by dirty hands. He tugged on my jeans, so I picked him up and he was happy.

"Holly, can you gargle?" Nolan asked from the dining room.
"Yes, I can."
"Can Kirk gargle?"
"Yes, he can, too."
"Cannnn.....Jesse gargle?"
"Yep!"
"How about your other brother?" Benjamin wondered.
     Not knowing which brother he was referring to, but knowing that all of them can gargle, I responded with a laugh, "Yes, he can."
"Watch me, Holly." Nolan took a gulp of milk and gargled it.
"Good job!"
"I can do it, too," Benjamin said, and he proceeded to impress me with his gargling skills.

     After the walls were done, I swept the kitchen and dining room while the boys' mother read Robin Hood aloud. By the time I was done and the chapter is finished, it was naptime. I gave Benjamin and Nolan piggyback rides to their bedroom.
     "Holly, I need to whisper something in your ear," Benjamin informed me. "Only you and my Mom can know what it's about."
     I climbed halfway up the ladder to the top bunk, and leaned my elbows on the mattress. I can't tell you exactly what he related to me because only Mrs. Osgood and I can know what it was, but I can say that it was concerning his magic tricks. (Now you understand why I can't tell you; it's very important to keep the details of magic tricks secret.)

     I said goodnight to them, and left to fill up the mop bucket in the bathtub. Brudwin isn't supposed to be with me while I'm mopping, but it's not really possible to keep that child contained, so I ended up holding him for half the time and letting him play with the bucket handle for the other half. He was very good and didn't play with or drown in the water. Nolan came out while I was finishing the dining room and told us that he couldn't fall asleep. Mrs. Osgood instructed him to stay in bed for another twenty minutes before he could come back out, and he whined about how "that will take so loooong," but went anyway. I finished the floors, then dusted and played with Brudwin while Mrs. Osgood had a job-related phone call.

     Nolan came back out after the twenty minutes, and I played a game with him and Evan until their mother was done with the call. Brudwin wanted to play the game, too, but his version is more destructive than our's,so I had a hard time keeping him from messing up the cards. I put him on my shoulders but he flung himself off and I thought he was going to die. I caught him, though, and he was laughing. Nolan would have preferred to play lightsabers and guns than Scrambled States, but he contented himself with jumping on the chairs and sitting on my lap. "Holly, one day, Dart Vader cut off Wuke's hand. But he got it back!" I beat Evan at the game by one point, and then Benjamin woke up from his nap. We all went outside to bring some laundry boxes over to the grandma's house across the lawn. Nolan thought it would be raining so he took his umbrella, but he ended up using it as a gun instead. Evan raced me back to the house, Benjamin showed me how high he could swing, and Nolan rode his little bicycle up the sidewalk for me.

     When I got back inside, Brudwin went down for his nap. I put away the clean dishes and washed the dirty ones from lunch. Benjamin and Nolan fought over who got to play a game with me, but I chose Benjamin's game because I had already played with Nolan. While we played, he fell asleep on an armchair, which I was expecting because he hadn't taken a nap. I won the game between Benjamin and myself (it was actually the same one I'd played with Evan, and I won by the same amount of points), and then called my Mom to let her know she could come pick me up because it was 4:20.

     Even though the drive is only a minute, Mom always takes a while to get down to the Osgoods' house. (Probably because she's busy doing something else.) But I don't mind, because I get to talk to Mrs. Osgood while I wait. This time, we talked about marriage, and the types of problems couples can run into, and then we briefly discussed the five love languages. I was sorry when Mom called to let me know she was in the driveway. I said goodbye to them all, and walked outside barefoot because I didn't feel like putting on my socks and shoes. (Mr. Osgood would have been shocked--he doesn't approve of my going barefoot all the time. It's something of a joke, really. But he wasn't there anyway.) I opened the passenger door and got in the car, and then we drove up the hill to my house.

     I can't thank the Lord enough for the Osgoods.

No more endings? Sounds like Heaven to me.

     I have a like-hate relationship with endings.

     Sometimes endings can be really great. There are things that I really want to end, like an argument, an illness, or an awkward party where I have no one to talk to because everybody is 40+. Other times, I like an ending because it will lead to new beginnings, as winter leads to spring, or as the first book in a good series leads to the second.

     But, most of the time,endings are really sad. I don't like when our week at the beach has ended and we have to leave, when I finish reading the last book in the series, or when an absolutely lovely day with some of my best friends is over and everybody has to go home. While some endings are bad simply because it's an ending of something fun, the worst endings are when people leave.

     I wish I could always be with the people that I love.

     I don't like goodbyes.
     I don't like going away.
     I don't like the feeling that being together forever is how it should be, yet sin and sadness makes it so that we're not.

     And, from that you can surmise that I really don't like death, either.

     I don't like death. I am truly blessed to have never experienced losing a loved one to the curse of this world. But just as everything else ends, I know this life will end too.

     It sounds awfully hopeless, doesn't it? It could be, except that I have hope in my Redeemer, and I know He's going to come back to take me to a place where nothing ever ends. Nothing will hurt, nobody will say goodbye, and it will be for eternity. I will be with all God's chosen people, praising Him forever and ever.

     This life is usually looked upon as an ending. I just said it myself, in this life, on this earth, everything ends. You'll continue to say goodbye, to deal with endings, and to struggle through the pain of the deaths. Even when you have the hope of Savior, and the knowledge of Heaven, it's still hard.

     But, I don't view this life as an ending. It's the beginning.

     Everything good and beautiful here will be a hundred times better in Heaven. The colors, the tastes, the sensations, the laughter, the praise, and the joy will all be made perfect. Everything will be good, just like it was meant to be. Our lives here will seem like such short trials compared to the glory and the abundant beauty of the house of our Father. We will dance and sing and magnify Him, and it will never end. We will be filled with joy and nothing will take it away. And it will be for eternity.

     Eternity is a really long time. Guess what? Eternity is so long, that it never ends! What a blessed hope we have!

     "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelations 21:3-4)

     Oh, how I long for Heaven. I long to be out of this world and away from the hurt, the anger, the hate, the sin. I want the endings to end. But when I look to God's Word I see that all these endings that I dislike are only the beginning.

And On The Third Day, He Arose

     It's Easter Sunday, and the worship at church was beautiful. Not just the singing part, but the speaking part, and the praying part, as well. Our pastor preached about the resurrection and I was filled with inexpressible gratitude to the Savior Who died for me, but didn't stay dead.

     It's Easter, and I wore colorful clothes and high heels, and everybody was dressed up in ties and springy dresses. Why do we dress up on Easter? 

My friends asked me what I was doing today, but I said, "nothing" because we were just going home to eat dinner. We saw family last week and they're coming down here next month, so nobody came for this holiday. Why does everybody see family on Easter, anyway? 

     I don't know why I even wonder why; I know we do these things because it's a celebration, and you celebrate with other people. You wear nice clothes because it's a joyful holiday, you place lilies and tulips in the church because flowers represent life and beauty. But why do we celebrate? 

     Because we are filled with joy. 

     Because we have a living God. 

     Because we are forgiven from the sins that could cast us into hell forever, and we have no guilt in life, no fear in death, and this is the power of Christ in us. 

     Because Jesus came to earth as a baby, and we gave gifts in remembrance of Him several months ago. And, now, we sing praise to our Father, because He gave His Son as the Passover Lamb to be slain for our transgressions, and we sing praise to the Son because He gave Himself. 

     And, we celebrate because the Lamb died, but rose from the dead; he was buried, but rose from the grave. Death cannot contain the God of the heavens and the earth! By that death, we are alive. Through Jesus' pain, we are healed.

     It doesn't matter that I did "nothing" today, because it's nothing I do anyway that saved me. It's what He did. It doesn't matter how many chapters I read in my Bible, it doesn't matter how enthusiastically I sing worship songs, it doesn't matter how much I pray. I wouldn't do any of that if Jesus hadn't risen, anyway. I wouldn't have anything, but He was resurrected, and I have life. I have hope. I have joy. I have Him.

     We say, "He is risen!" on Easter and we are thankful to Jesus. But, I want to remember that He is risen and be thankful for His love and sacrifice every day. He is alive, and it's not just on Easter.

In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song;

this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My Comforter, my All in All,

here in the love of Christ I stand.

What Do We Believe is Beautiful? - Collab with Profoundnessity

     My friend Peter and I decided to do a post collaboration on the subject of objectification of women. This is a good subject for people to read two perspectives on, especially when they're from both a man and a woman. Go check out his post (it's really good): Objects of Use? - Collaboration with Love Of Mine  at Profoundnessity

     It wasn't too long ago that I read a movie review for Gimme Shelter, which Vanessa Hudgens stars in. She's been in some really obscene films in the past, but supposedly this latest one is worthy of merit. The review talked about how it seems like a lot of actresses who become popular at a young age and have a good-girl reputation have to appear in some scandalous film to prove their worth to Hollywood.

     Since I read the article, I've been thinking about the truth of it. The media and society has taken what beauty is, and has turned it into something ugly. Girls are so often told that to be considered beautiful and to have any value, they "need" to devalue themselves to the extreme. They "need" to become sexual objects. And, it's horrible, because the girls believe it. Most of the time, we're not trying to make ourselves objects, we're just buying into the scam that says to get love from the men and to have worth, we need to wear next to nothing, and flirt, and generally act "sexy". We feel pressured because that's "what the guys want." But is it true? Do guys really want a girl who's going to degrades herself and believe a lie? Do girls want the guy who does applaud that? One problem with dressing to attract attention is that it will, a lot of guys will be drawn to a girl who shows off her body. But the kind of guys that is allured by a showy girl is the kind of guy who will be allured by other showy girls. And chances are, as soon as a "prettier", less covered up girl comes along, he'll go after her. Personally, I do not want a guy who loves me just for my physical appearance. What's going to stop him from loving another girl for the same reason?

      "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." ~1st Peter 3:3-4

     God is telling us where true beauty lies. He is telling us what makes a woman valuable, precious. It's not what she wears, it's not what hairstyle she does, it's not her jewelry; it's her heart. When I see a girl who loves the Lord, I see beauty. When I see someone who serves God and others selflessly and gladly, I see more than the prettiness of her face, I see the loveliness of her spirit.

     The thing is, beauty and value are not defined by how many heads you turn or how many guys whistle at you as you walk down the street. That's the kind of attention that is objectifying, the attention that just wants to be visually and physically pleased and will drop you once it is--or is simply no longer--satisfied. Beauty doesn't have anything to do with the guys anyway. Yes, men will be pleased by a pretty woman, but are we trying to please them, or are we trying to please God? Man sees the outward appearance; God sees the heart.

     I think objectification is a horrible thing not just because it devalues the women, but because it teaches a lie. Society has bought into the lie, and we're all being told that beauty is what your body looks like. And we're told that if our bodies aren't a size zero or our waists aren't 13 inches, we're not beautiful!
Well hey, our bodies were made to glorify God, the Beautiful One we're made in the image of. And our bodies will grow old. And our physical beauty will fade. Which is why it's so important to focus less on fleeting external beauty, and more on the lasting beauty of the heart. I'm not a pro at this. I forget that God cares about the inside because I want to look pretty on the outside. I need the reminder that He isn't looking at the clothes or the hair. However, I'm not saying that girls can't dress prettily. I believe it's perfectly fine to braid my hair or wear jewelry. I very much enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion. But, I don't believe it's fine to obsess over my appearance, to dress in a way that will wrongfully attract the attention of others, or to act in a manner that is not fitting to a Christian young lady.

     I believe every girl is beautiful, and I want her to know that she's loved by Someone who not only created her and knows her flaws, but who isn't looking at her weight or size. Girls, don't believe the lie that says to have worth you have to be a sex object. You were made for so much more. You don't have to be anxious over what you'll wear; seek the kingdom of God first. And there, with Him, you will find true Beauty.

Faith of a Child

Last night, my sister-in-law Brianna gave birth to her first baby, a little boy named Gabriel! It's really exciting, and I can't wait to go down to Virginia to see him for the first time. =)

I was thinking that now I have two little nephews, and it made me remember how when I was much younger I would pray for another little brother or sister. My prayers were very fervent, and I had the greatest confidence that God would grant my request. Usually when I think of those prayers, I think something along the lines of, "Wow, I was so silly back then. It was ridiculous how much I believed that I would get a little sister." And then I realized, hey! that's the type of faith that I want right now! The faith of a child.

It isn't silly when a kid has confidence in God. It's what a lot of older people wish they had more of. I love when little children pray, and I love to see their trust in the Lord. It's a beautiful thing.

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. ~Mark 10:13-16 

About The Title

In case it wasn't apparent, I got a new inspiration for my blog title and have therefore altered it. Maryah recommended that I listen to you You Are Beauty by Gungor, and I did. It goes:

You are the beauty
You are the light
You are the love
Love of mine

When I heard those last two lines, I grabbed a notepad and scribbled down what you now see as my new title.

Who is my love?

Jesus. My Redeemer. My Prince. My God.

There is no one better to love. No one can compare.

I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine.