from the Wild Goose Chase.

I'm reading the Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson, and thank the Lord. I needed to read this right now- thanks to a good friend for lending it to me. But it has been SO great. Today, I read this:

"We put so much pressure on ourselves, as if the eternal plans of the almighty God are contingent upon our ability to decipher them. The truth is, God wants to reveal them more than we want to know them. And if we think one misstep can frustrate the providential plans of the Omnipotent One, then our God is way too small. Not only does God want us to get where God wants us to go more than we want to get where God wants us to go, but He is awfully good at getting us there. He may not always reveal His plans how or when we want Him to. But when we chase the Wild Goose [the Holy Spirit], our future becomes His responsibility."

Wow. I thought this was such a good reminder. And definitely something I need to focus on in the in-between. The in-between times can be the most disorienting of times, and can distract us from what we need to focus on. Myself being guilty. But instead in those times we should trust that He delights in details, and cares more about our future than we do.

Love these little revelation moments.

laughter.

So yesterday this was my devotional in the book, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, which is a phenomenal one if you don't have one - you should seriously consider this one...

"Learn to laugh at yourself more freely. Don't take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am God with you. When you desire My will above all else, life becomes much less threatening. Stop trying to monitor My responsibilities--things that are beyond your control. Find freedom by accepting the boundaries of your domain.

Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Your laughter rises to heaven and blends with angelic melodies of praise. Just as parents delight in the laughter of their children, so I delight in hearing My children laugh. I rejoice when you trust Me enough to enjoy your life lightheartedly.

Do not miss the Joy of My Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Rather, take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; My burden is light and easily borne."

I just loved this & it really hit me because lately I've been taking things going on in my life and decisions to be made way too seriously. However, it's not mine to take seriously. This was just a good reminder that day by day in His Presence is the only place I can be, and I am very thankful for that- what a relief that our plans don't matter. He sets the pace in keeping with my needs and HIS PURPOSE.

"She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."

{Proverbs 31:25}

inspiration.

There's just something about a beautiful picture that really inspires me. People that have the art of capturing beautiful things, stories, memories is truly captivating. To have something tangible of those moments or events is one of the draws of photography for me.

The simple things in life inspire me. One of those being light. The way light hits things can be perfect for moments. I love to capture that and to see it captured.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" ...{Pablo Picasso}

music madness.

This summer has been full of music thus far. I've always loved music, but recently it has been insane. Good music can definitely turn a day around. But lately, I've been either singing (not so good) or listening to music at all times during the day.

One of the bands that has caught my interest recently has been She & Him (pictured above). They are so good, and have really great lyrics. Not to mention that I kind of want to be Zooey Deschanel, she's precious. Her background is jazz, and she loves Ella Fitzgerald. Ella is my girl.

I love finding new music. It's kind of like getting presents. Thanks to NoiseTrade, I have been downloading new music like it's my job. I suggest everyone check this site out because it is a cool way to discover new bands, as well get free music!

#7 Spontaneous Roadtrip

So I have this little bucket list for the summer. Honestly, it started as a joke- but has ended up being this fun little adventure that I am really going to try and finish.

That being said, #7 on the bucket list was spontaneous roadtrip. A group of friends and I decided for Memorial Day weekend we would just pick it up & go to Nashville not knowing where we were going to stay or really what we were going to do. Knowing me this is kind of funny because I'm a planner, and this was a trip that had ZERO plans. However, I LOVED every minute of it. Not to mention I kind of fell in love with Nashville-it's a GREAT city with a lot of variety.

We ended up staying with our good friend, Nathan. It's funny how we "plan" things and think they are no big deal, and the Lord really has some maticulous plans of His own. The whole weekend completely blessed me- every conversation, things we did, and the community. I am beyond blessed by the friendships the Lord is placing in my life & how He is working through them. I praise Him for it.

Monday night we all just sat around and had some really great conversations about what the Lord is teaching us and what He has placed on our hearts. This just reminded me of how important community is, and how the Lord never intended us to go at this life thing alone. It is so cool to come together and bounce things off each other, seeing what the Lord is doing in us individually and then again also as a body. His Spirit is weaving in and out & its powerful.

So, as I'm checking off this so-called bucket list of mine- it's cool to see how the Lord has also his own list of things He wants me to learn and realize too. It's funny how He reveals himself to us in the most interesting ways, even if it's a little thing such as a summer bucket list.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." {Psalm 37:23}