full.

I am full.
Full of encouragement, of love, and of hope for the future.

Encouragement: We met with Jeff Kozyra today. When David and I were in the School of Worship at New Life Church two years ago, Jeff was our Christian Growth & Development teacher. He would talk with such transparency, encouragement, and wisdom. I was drawn in.
The week David and I started dating we asked Jeff to be our pre-marital counselor (we already knew we were going to be married before we started dating (but that's a long story, so I'll save it for another blog post). He happily agreed despite his busy schedule, and we started a day later.
Those few months seeing him weekly was such an overwhelming blessing for us. He taught us so much about leadership, marriage, Christianity, parenting, etc - he was our biggest mentor.
When David and I got married we knew, without a doubt, we wanted Jeff to marry us. It was his first wedding so it was special for all of us. He made our wedding so personal and non-traditional.
Once we moved, I emailed him once or twice, but with him being the Small Groups Pastor of New Life, PLUS a teacher at School of Worship, PLUS in Seminary, we weren't able to fully engage.

But today we saw him and talked with him. A lot has changed with David and me since the last time we spoke and we are honestly at a different place - a place where we are faced with much uncertainty, with a calling we believe God is placing on our lives but we are praying about it seperately and also together before we announce it to anybody; a hard calling that will affect our lives forever.
I'm so thankful for Jeff and the mentorship he has given us. He's an amazing Pastor, and the one of the most impacting people to my Spiritual walk today. He is a blessing to those who know him, and truly a shining light to this world and a true example of a man of God.


Love: My family. I don't need to say much more than that. Though they can't give me the love my Creator gives me, they are the closest in line (after David). Their love is certainly unconditional. They had patience, believed in me, spoke words of life over me growing up, treated me with respect and importance, disciplined me when I needed it, and embraced me when I was broken.
They are love for me.
And in the crazy hustle and bustle that has been happening this week with my family, grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles and cousins I realize that this is one of the greatest joys I could ever have. There are children in this world who don't have a home to go to, that don't have love - how blessed am I?
It's hard living 1,500 miles away. I understand that my children may never be able to see their grandparents often like I did growing up, I can grasp that Skype may be what has to hold us together for the years to come, but one thing is for certain: No matter where I am or who I'm with, I will never forget the feeling of family, and what it was like to grow up in a loving household. That is tucked in my heart.


Hope: There were 2 times this week where I was at New Life and a pastor said, "Someone in here is (you fill in the blank)" and that person ended up being me. God has divinely placed us here in Colorado at this very time to hear these messages of hope. I believe this with all my heart... and the verse that keeps replaying in my head is Jeremiah 29:11. It says this-

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Wow. Do you understand? God is FOR us. That is so powerful to me and leaves me stunned in amazement. You mean to tell me after all the my mistakes and blemishes, God wants to protect me and not harm me? I'm not worthy, but Lord, thank you.



Here's some pictures I took this weekend of my 12 year old sister, Kiley:








I promise that next post I will have pictures of Pikes Peak and more of the beauty of Colorado. It's been so nice here!

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