Closed Doors

Today joy is not a feeling. It is not the laughter, the smiles, or the radiance of my face. Rather it is the knowledge that one day I will be in His arms. One day Jesus will make everything right. That will be beautiful.

168. Closed Doors. 
You know, I know I will thank you for this one day Lord. I know that somehow this is for the best interest of me and those around me. It is during times like this that I remember that the Lord lead the Israelites out into the wilderness before He lead them to the Promise Land. He was there then, He is here now. Thank you for being near Lord.

169. He cares more than I do.
Today I also remembered that God cares more about the people I love than I do. Humbling. Oh how He cares for us...

"It might not be what I would choose, but this is the stuff You use..."

Oh, Lordy, I suppose this is the end of summer... most people are starting back to school, the year is winding up again. I am constantly thinking about this Francesca Battisteli song... I lost my keys... where is my phone? It's often the little things that catch me and pull me under. Then there's the line "I've got to trust You know exactly what You're doin" I'm so thankful that the Lord knows and that He has chosen me to be apart of this story. 

162. Friends.
I count this blessing repeatedly. For real, I know they are such a gift from God. We go on trips together, rant together, listen, cry. They know all and still choose to love me. How blessed I am.

163. Road trips.
Who knew this was the best idea since sliced bread. Laughter. Ridiculous stories. Ridiculous old men. Being together.

164. Trusting.
I fall into the Lord's arms and I know that He makes everything beautiful in time... even if that isn't til Heaven. I don't think I'll ever be finished learning to trust... yet He still pursues.

165. Still in the chaos.
Words aren't sufficient for this blessing. Just try it. :)

166. Those moments.
You know those times in life when you feel like God threw your life into a giant mixer and everything keeps flopping around. If I stay in the mixer flopping around, I won't notice that eventually I'll be a grand masterpiece. You can't tell me those cookies enjoy being whipped around like that. :) All this to say that this week I stepped back and realized that sometimes the Lord wants us in these places where everything seems so crazy because He is calling us to a deeper place with Him. He wants to make something more of us. I surrender Lord, I surrender.

167. Realizing I'm a big girl.
I guess this sums up a lot of what is going on in these vague posts. You never know the strength you have until you have to step it up.