Friend~ it’s Monday, which means that you and I get to share a few moments together, with you reading these words and me praying for your very heart as you read them…praying that you would know how thankful I am for your presence on this journey with me! So grab a fork and let’s dive in!

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Do you know how loved you are? Those three words that seem to so easily slip off of our tongue…i love you…But does your heart really know how loved you are? Does your life really reflect the beauty of that love?

Read these words this morning that breathed life into my bones…

“As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; ABIDE in My love.”

…To abide in God’s love, what beauty is found within.

I sat in a church pew yesterday surrounded by hundreds of people singing of the love of God….with a young man to my right whose marriage is broken and battered, he’s been rejected and replaced by another man….and an older man to my left who was just diagnosed with cancer and unsure of how to tell his family of the diagnosis….and this young mom in front of me whose desperate desire is to have a baby of her own and yet, she remains barren….and then there’s me, this girl who’s coming to a crossroads and feeling the pressure of big life decisions coming her way, wanting so desperately to ABIDE in His love.

Each of us. Living in our own kind of wrestle…wanting so desperately to know and walk in the love of Christ. To be so confident of His perfect love that ransoms our souls and reminds us of the beauty of this relational rhythm called life.

So, today….may you take a moment to soak in the Father’s love for you. To be reminded that no matter the battle you face, no matter the brokenness that you feel, no matter how torn and tattered your heart may be, you, my friend, are loved!

Academics & Adventures: 

*Week 9. 17 days left till graduation. 2 shifts remaining in my final practicum. I made a paperchain to help me count down the days….because, you know, we’re never too old for childhood crafts! Excited to move past the title of ‘student nurse’. Excited to establish my practice, to start saving some lives, and help welcome more tiny humans into this world!

*I had my first nursing job interview this past week and it was a very positive experience! I interviewed for a nurse residency labor and delivery position up here in the pacific northwest. Excited to see where this opportunity will take me and I am praying for clarity and direction in all these big life decisions.

Must-Haves: 

*Totally loving these clogs from Nordstrom! They definitely reflect the Portland fashion culture I’ve been living in, but I’ve grown to like the look.

*This book…the couple who wrote this book attend my church in Portland and are also co-founders of The Bible Project. Check out their new book on emotional health in our spiritual lives and why that matters.

Goals for the Week:

*Last week, I was able to practice being present…in the midst of a full season, I was able to share a piece of a pie with a friend, I was able to say yes to that spontaneous lunch date, I was able to say yes to quiet time by myself, nestled in the mountains of Washington…I was able to say yes to God’s agenda for my week and lay aside my own.

*This week, I want to look for ways to practice an extension of gratitude and thanks giving. I want to tell the unlikely soul how thankful I am that they showed up. I want to remind the hurting friend how thankful I am for the beauty that they bring to my life and the lives of those around them. I want to give thanks for the mundane and the mediocre and I want to look for God in the midst of such.

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Love to you friends & blessings on your week!

Blessings,
Lindsey