"Going to the Chapel and We're, Going to get Married..."

The pictures that we get from the world about marriages and relationships today are far from perfect. Social media posts, Instagram pictures, Facebook NewsFeeds, television clips, newspaper articles and more, all appear that marriage is a lost cause. It seems like there are very few examples of the "ideal" marriage. It is true, we are all imperfect human beings. However, I do have friends who, despite their flaws (I will be the first to admit that I have them, too--we all do) have beautiful and wonderful marriages. God says to "affirm truth wherever we find it." And, it's in those marriages that we see the purpose of marriage being fulfilled; that is, marriage is supposed to show the world a picture of what God is like.

Now, this can be a very difficult feat to live up to; and it should be rightfully so, for we are all, again, flawed human beings. However, I am reminded of my identity in Genesis, where woman was formed from man, in fact, she was created with one of Adam's ribs (how cool is that?!). There is thus, a bond between the two that cannot be broken. Woman came out of man and was put on earth to be a companion for man and to be his Helper (which, the word Helper as used in this context of the Bible, is the same word that is used to refer to God.) This bond that God talks about cannot be separated from Himself or from each other.

When one takes a look at the book of Ruth (a short read, but filled with wonder, nonetheless), it is loaded with images and pictures of marriage. It is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. Ruth's loyalty to Naomi, her mother; Boaz's relentless pursuit of Ruth; and Naomi's encouragement to Ruth to accept the pursuits of Boaz's, is just inspiring.

I want my future "love story" to be a "Ruth" kind-of-story; one of dedication to the Lord from an imperfect human being, loyalty to family, and being pursued by a man that is grounded and confident in who he is. That "pursuit," I believe, is exactly how Jesus pursues us. Relentlessly. Without giving up. And, when I do "give up', at times, God is right beside me, cheering me on to the Finish Line.  Because when I finally arrive, (only due to Jesus' love), another race has begun. But the wonderful thing about God's races is that there are no winners or timers. It is just a race that is simply a journey to where God wants us to ultimately be.

Until that time arrives, I wait. And remain faithful to the things that God has placed in front me at this point in my life: my career, my family, my education, my friends, my church, my finances, and my responsibilities.

Restful Writing

When I don't know what else to do, I write.

I admit, I'm falling back again to that comfortable rhythmic pattern. Ever have those days when you have a bunch of thoughts, floating like fish, swimming around inside your head, and you just don't know what to do with them? You want to ultimately create something meaningful. But, it's hard to create when you're just exhausted.

Everyone needs their rest. And though, I'm really good at giving this advice to people, it's very hard for me to follow it myself. So often, social media creeps back up on me and I find myself wasting my time away on meaningless thoughts and news feeds that I will probably forget all about tomorrow.

But, writing and resting are two things that will never grow old for me. We all need rest. You need rest. I need rest. We are programmed to rest. We were designed to rest. We were created to rest. God rested.

So, resting and writing- they are my "go-to" relievers when I don't know what else to do but need to do something. They calm me and provide me with a foundational place to grow and to be me.

Some days, I realize that I just need to find a quiet place, away from the typical distractions. Like a coffee shop. As I sip on that strawberry smoothie, I realize for a moment that life has the power to pause. As humans, we can take moments within our day to just stop and rest. In fact, we are commanded to. God's word reminds me that after our Creator finished forming the entire world, he rested. Phew! That must have been quite the task. Just think about it; thinking about forming the stars and the sun. What must that be like?

Yet again, I am reminded to put down my phone, tablet, computer, etc. I am reminded that it's completely normal and healthy to have conversations with people face-to-face instead of always through messaging, text, or email. Life is not the latest snapchat or Instagram feed. It is not about the fictitious world that we so often create through pictures; a false sense of identity that we want the world to view us as.

As I continue on in this journey called life, I am reminded that I crave those intimate relationships that go far beyond the typical "how are you doing?" I don't mean the romantic ones that we so often think of or read in blogs. I mean the ones that genuinely go below the surface and into the deep, murky waters of our lives. We all have those people, or have come across some people at least in our lifetimes, who are honestly wondering how we are doing. You know, the kind of friends that will call you up and just listen on the other end as you cry or talk or laugh.

That's one of the things that I have been truly grateful for this month. Friends who have prayed for me in a voicemail. Friends who give hugs regardless of your day. Friends who smile just because. To me, that is rest.

Just resting in the fact that I am loved in a human way. And because I have experienced that human love, God's love is transmitted through them. And even when I feel like I am far away from God, a moment like this happens that reminds me of just how close I really am, and just how far off my mind really was.