oh, that i might keep this reality in focus at all moments...for now i am very much content

Do you ever just stop....i mean really stop.

...and recognize the fact that God is HERE!?!

Not watching us from a distance....

Not busy with the thousands of other concerns around the universe....

HERE.

Personal. Present. In love with you...me .

hmm....words can't express the response of my soul when i stop to just dwell on this simple truth and nothing else. it seems that this reality gives peace and rest in the midst of the chaos of the days and the world. Just GOD...the reality of just Him...Immanuel...GOD WITH US. Not just a fact that i know in my brain but a reality...YAHWEH. HERE. With ME! and ALWAYS...even when i'm NOT stopping to meditate on the reality and on Him.

GOD, I JUST LOVE YOU. Thank you for being HERE...ALWAYS...forever...whatever...I LOVE YOU.

this is what i'm sitting here thinking about tonight...while enjoying His paintings in the clouds outside of my window...far better than I could create on canvas! this is the God I trust and walk with. the One True God that I'm in love with...

"Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" ~ Jesus

She Graduated!!!

I'm PROUD of Marisa!

She graduated on Thursday to get her GED
and now has a job in health care!

I LOVE YOU MARISA!!!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

only 13 more days!!!

I SHOULD be in bed but i'm dreaming...

Here are 2 of my favorite people in the world- Rachel and Ethan!!!

I can't WAIT to see them, hug them, and just spend time with them down in Cali....AND see the rest of the fam, too, of course :)!!!
I wish you were going to be there too, Chris....I'm already bummed that we won't get to have any good theological discussions! But have fun studying!
ONLY 13 DAYS LEFT!!!
Guaranteed more pictures to come!!!

a quick little poem for a fabulous friend

I have a friend
I'll stand by til the end!
Melissa's her name
And she recently came
Back from Germany for a bit,
When she leaves again, I'll have a fit,
Cuz I love her so much
Even tho she's not Dutch :)
No, words cannot tell,
How much I love Mel,
If you know her you'll agree
We should shout from the tallest tree,
"MELISSA ROCKS, yes it's true"
It's time EVERYONE knew!

the HOT house!

The "House Of Transformation", A.K.A. the H.O.T. House, is a house for young women who are desiring to take steps toward a more healthy lifestyle. Some of them have come from living on the streets, others have come from very challenging relational situations, and most have had a very difficult family life. Over the last year or so I've come to LOVE THESE WOMEN LIKE CRAZY!!!! I've spent time just hanging out, talking, listening and sharing life together. This weekend we had a sweet time downtown at the starlight parade!

Please pray for these women, ultimately that they would come to walk closely with Jesus, TRUST Him, experience His DEEP love for them, and come to know how much healing and VICTORY He has for them! Their past journeys and the ones ahead are often full of challenges, but thank God that He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine according to His power at work within us!

Something else that's pretty great....God has provided a part time paid position for me at the house, which means I get to spend more time doing what I love...loving people...and since I get paid, I won't have spend quite as much time at my other job! I'm excited for the weeks and months ahead, to see what God has in store. I'm especially looking forward to starting a Bible read through/study with the women, and possibly whoever wants to come from the guys house....most of them don't have much knowledge of Scripture but want it. That's my passion and I'm SO looking forward to it!!!

So if you ever call...and I don't answer...I might just be kickin' it at the HOT HOUSE!!...with some great women...I hope you can meet them someday!

More pictures to come....and check out the web site for Transitional Youth if you're interested in who I'm working with and for (see link on sidebar)