“Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies… What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever… 

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

     “Death is swallowed up in victory.
      O death, where is your victory?
      O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

1 Corinthians 15:43-44, 50, 54-58

I’m going to live like I believe God would not withhold the best of what He has created from me. I’m going to believe that as the source of all meaning and joy and the creator of all pleasure, that He knows what’s up. And I will do my best to glorify Him in all things.

God, thank you for the blessing of a joyful heart in all circumstances. Carry me through whatever comes next. I cherish the blessing of close hugs, laughing until it hurts, friends who let me shout stupid things and be silly, and a love that not only survives but thrives from 7,000 miles away. Your run loves deep, Lord, let me swim in it in every season of my life. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes.

Fall moves in like a settling. Everything sinks and shifts and sighs.
My mug into my hands,
I into my chair,
The leaves onto the earth,
The darkness into the evening,
The clouds onto the mountain.

She is surrounded by that fluffy sheet in the morning,
As I snuggle beneath the down,
I emerge porcelain,
Graced with goosebumps from the open window
That chase away any sign of the Summer’s seasoning on my skin
She emerges clothed in snow
I believe she is more beautiful now
And so there is pride in the season’s pale
For it is not a fading;
Trees light up like torches in orange,
And my eyes ignite with laughter and reflected burning logs.

The thickness of socks and the sleeves of my sweater,
The whole home warmed by the oven’s treats,
The crispness of mornings and sweet spice of cider.

There’s wonder to the earth awakening in Spring,
But the twilight and drowsiness world before winter
Is comfort like a lovers with heads laid on pillows
Before they slowly drift to sleep.

Remember that none of the challenges you come to catch me by surprise. You feel overwhelmed and discouraged because you had hoped for an outcome that you did not receive; but I am never caught off-guard by the outcomes, and the only thing I ever have to hope for, dear one, is that you trust me, because everything else is under my authority. Place your life and plans under my authority as well, and you will be at peace because then your hope will be in me and not outcomes.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

I don't feel as strong as people seems to think I am.

You can imagine that if you had to hold something heavy above your head how your arms start to quiver and feel like they're made of jello. And in your fatigue you would just want to let it go and lay down and rest your aching muscles.

I am trying to keep things from pressing in on me. People have commended me for my ability to do so, but I just want a break from being strong. I just want a few sequential days where I don't have to bind myself up and hold it together.