Love Come to Life

This summer has been and continues to be so spectacular; certainly one for the books.  Being that I move to Hotlanta in just two weeks now (insert face of excitement, panic, bewilderment here...) I am trying to fit in all the last minute things I put on my summer bucket list.  Oh and I guess I should start that whole packing thing at some point too...  This summer has been full of growing friendships, trying new things, exploring the Bull City, and most importantly spending tons of quality time with family and the people I love the most!  Some highlights of my summer so far:

• Lots of summer nights spent at the ball field watching the Durham Bulls play some good old-fashioned, All-American baseball
• Weekend trip to Asheville which included visiting my second family and being the guest preacher at my home church
• Trying all sorts of tasty Durham eats, including but not limited to Elmo's Diner, Porchetta, Parlour, Bun's, and La Farm
• Exercising my domestic side by grilling out for my family, baking scones, and making homemade almond butter
• Running all over Durham on the ATT, at Umstead, with friends, from Bean Traders, in the WNC arboretum, and through the mud of West Virginia (if you can even call Ragnar Trail running...maybe jogging would be a better descriptor...)
• Reading books just for fun before academic reading starts back up in full force soon.  I have read Gone Girl, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Blood Done Sign My Name, The Hunger Games Trilogy, Kisses from Katie, The Help, and probably a few more
• Family game nights having dinner and then playing Rummikub...I am kind of an old soul, but I love it!

The list of my summer adventures could go on and on, but these are a few of my favorites.  It is amazing to see how much I have grown even in the past year.  In my confidence of who and whose I am, in my desire to have an open heart and open mind, and also in my personal pursuit of the Lord.  I am far from perfect, but I am coming in to that point of maturity and self-assurance that I am motivated by a sense of desire rather than a sense of obligation.  I want more of Jesus, not more of this world.

I have also been reminded this summer that all things will eventually be redeemed/restored; some just take a little longer than others.  My last summer as a CCC staff member was super challenging, and even though I didn't find myself back serving in that ministry, I did some grace seep in to the memory of that summer and in the relationships it holds.  This came with a lot of time and a lot of Jesus working on changing, maturing, and transforming our hearts.  Such a great reminder that God works in all things for our good, even if I can't always see it.

In short, this summer, love has come to life in me in so many ways!  Leaving for Hotlanta is exciting, but also bittersweet.  But I am lucky and blessed to have such amazing friends, places, and family to miss so much.  Love Come to Life is the album name of a song I am currently in love with...seriously y'all, I'm obsessed.  The song is Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave and it is basically about being in awe of how much God loves us.  And it is truly so overwhelming to just marvel at how deep and wide and thick the Father's love for us is!

I delight myself in You/ Captivated by Your beauty/ I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You.

God, I run into Your arms/ Unashamed because of mercy/ I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You.

These are a few of the verses of the song, and if you haven't heard the whole thing, you should definitely listen it!  As God's love has come to life in me and in this world, overwhelmed is such an apt term to describe how I've felt.  Because of mercy we can all run into the Father's arms unashamed, and in a culture of dissatisfaction and discontent, this is an invaluable gift.  This unashamed confidence is what we were created for, it is what frees us from our burdens and hides us in Christ.

For the past several years, one of my prayers has been that I would be captivated by the Lord.  I have longed to be absolutely wrapped up in the beauty of His love and grace.  And this prayer has been more than answered - it has come to life in ten-fold.  I always have room to grow and hardness in my heart the Lord can soften, but I am absolutely captivated by the journey and the beauty of the One who saved us.  His love has come, it is here, and it will continue to come to life for all of eternity!