Painted-Paisley

"Painted-Paisley" isn't what this post is about BUT, I wanted to let you all know that I have started a photo blog called Painted-Paisley! As of now, it's just a style blog and a place to put all my gazillion phone pictures :) Enjoy! Painted-Paisley

Now that that's out of the way, I can blog about some really GREAT things.

As many of you know, Boca Raton was not something I entirely looked forward to. In fact, I came dragging my feet all the way from Texas. I sulked. I asked God what He thought He was doing, why ruin a good thing. I asked Him if He thought this was funny; if this was my punishment for moving to Texas in the first place. I don't know, but I was angry. I had to leave my dog, best friend, and the greatest community I have ever been apart of. To come to what? Boca. I left all of that for THIS?!

Yeah, I kinda sorta hate this place (sorry, but it's pretty and that's about it). But fast forward to now and the Bible study I have become a part of - by absolutely divine reasons. A church I happened to try out, with a Bible study that happened to be starting just as I moved here and the best part, a study that happened to be on the topic which boils down to praising God in the "wilderness".  Praising God when you have no idea WHY He's brought you here. Being joyful when it seems like there's nothing to be joyful about.
Well, I'll be darned. Looks like the Israelites weren't the only ones wishing they could flee BACK to Egypt. Kinda like I'd love to flee back to Texas. The Promised Land didn't seem so promised to them when it took so dang long to get there and they didn't understand the reasoning behind the extra long journey. Kinda like I don't get why I spent a year there and I don't know where the next year is going to be. But just like they had living signs and miracles from God, so do I - making the journey THAT much more bearable. Just like the Israelites were put through the desert with miracles spanned far and wide from eachother. I too, have to be in the desert. But the miracles COME. And the desert times COME. But with each of them comes a different discovery of God in my relationship with Him. Austin changed my life.. and SO will Boca - just in a much different way.
I'm not there yet, but I'm learning that the wilderness, the desert times HAVE to happen. There has to be an "inbetween" the miracles time. Be okay with your wilderness. Be okay with your desert. Don't beg for the comfort of your old life like the Israelites did. Instead, embrace the manna, the cloud of fire by night and cloud of smoke by day.

AND DON'T LET THE DEVIL EAT YOUR STINKIN LUNCH! :D