Happy hello to February, the most wonderful month of the year (because, birthday!). Praying that this month brings everyone new wisdom, new perspectives, and renewed fervor for whatever may come (and lots of new posts here on the blog to look forward to!).
Hollow
With finals looming for friends everywhere, this comes to mind: it’s so easy to feel hollow and ran dry by the gaggle of information to study, sleepless (and foodless) nights, and general pressure of exams. But, the best thing is that when we are completely weak, the Lord is stronger and is pouring strength into us so we never have to feel mentally or emotionally empty (though being mentally tired from studying is a different story!). I can confidently look to Jesus for help, and in return He says, My grace is sufficient for you, Layo, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.
How powerful is that?
When my days are filled with extremely early mornings and extremely late nights (and 2 AM wake-ups for even more studying…) – when I throw my hands up in exhaustion and say, “Jesus, take my wheel! And my car keys. And my car. And my credit card for gas. And please, just drive!” – I know that no matter how things go, everything will be more than alright. “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me… For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
So hold me / Wrap me in love, fill up my cup / Only your love can fill up my cup
Best Thing I Ever Learned From…
For awhile I’ve wanted to start this new series on best things I’ve learned from people, places, and things. Some of the anecdotes may be funny, some may be serious, but I’m excited to reflect on people, places, and things I’ve encountered that have impacted me in any positive way.
Since it’s been raining literally non-stop for almost two weeks here, I thought I’d start this series off with a bright, light-hearted one: best thing I ever learned from… the sun.
Because sunshine, I miss you, dearly.
Fall anywhere in Europe is basically a recipe for gray skies, some wind, and no sun. It makes me feel painfully, vitamin-D deficient and pale (and if you know me, you know I’m not exactly pale…). But every time fall comes around, I kind of have to laugh at myself. Because just a few months earlier, in the dry, scathing heat of the Texas summer, I find myself holed up in the corner of my house, basking in the ice-cold air conditioning, far away from the burning, could-cook-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk heat. Smack dab in the middle of summer, whenever I have errands to run and have to be outside for any prolonged period of time, I find myself internally groaning and wishing for cooler temperatures, knowing most of my strength will be sapped by the summer sun, leaving me with energy only to splay on my couch watching re-runs of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.
Dare I say struggle bus? Continue reading
Tori Kelly Tuesday
It’s another Tori Kelly Tuesday here on the blog, and it’s a sassy one at that.
Enjoy this lovely lady’s tunes!
Am I There Yet?
I’m directionally-challenged.
I don’t know what “turn southwest” means (I mean, is that left or right?!), and sometimes when my Google Maps app lady tells me to turn right, I accidentally turn left thinking I’m completely correct. I could chalk it up to normal human error, but even then, I still have the hardest time deciphering (what should be simple) highway directions. My internal conversations as I approach and am on highways goes a little like this:
(heart speeds up) Must… edge… into… oncoming… traffic… safely. Anddd success!
Hm, do I take this exit?…
Or THIS exit?
Wait, no, I think I just exited too early.
Or…wait… Am I even on the right highway?
WHERE AM I?
Okay, I’ll take the exit in a quarter-mile.
Wait, there are two directions to exit in. Is it left or right? Left. Or. Right. LAYO, CHOOSE!
(veers left)
Google Maps Lady: Rerouting…
(face palm)
Such is my life when I’m out on the road and not too familiar with my surroundings. Yes, I definitely panic when I’m waiting on the Google lady to tell me where to go, and she hasn’t said anything in 5 miles, and I see a stoplight coming up, and I wonder, do I turn? Am I going straight? What do I do, Google Maps lady?? It was at a time like this recently – when I began to internally panic as I drove to my destination – that God really started to tug at my heart and speak to me about patience and listening to Him in my life. Continue reading