Consider it joy.

For those of you have may think I have my life all together...don't be fooled. This week kind of sucked. I felt tired, weary, frustrated, and annoyed. I'm sick of the weather, work, and school. This week I struggled to find the joy in each situation and see God in the ordinary, but as the week went on I felt God chipping away at my heart through blessings he gave me each day. It was busy, but I don't really like that word. We're always busy and life is full of distractions. We live in a high speed world that never seems to slow down, and if we do...we drown. But in all this busyness, the creator of the universe, who never changes is telling us to be still. To be still and know that HE is God. (Ps 46:10)  And in the business of this week, God gave me exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. 

Blessings from this week:

• Funds started coming in for the team (who, may I mention? is completely fabulous. Seriously though, our team rocks). Praise the Lord! God is good and he provides.
• On Friday, plane tickets were bought! To say I was extremely pumped is an understatement. Tickets, layovers, and dates make this trip so tangible!
• These lyrics seemed to be on repeat in my mind this week: "I may be weak, but your spirits strong in me. My flesh may fail, but my God you never will."

• Saturday, I had a wonderful coffee date with two amazing friends! Then proceeded to have another wonderful coffee date with my youth group girls. (there's no such thing as too much coffee in a day :))
• Having 3 year olds in tot-time remind me that even though there's only one God he's always with us because "He's speedy and strong and smart!"
• And finally...the SOS Commissioning Service. Woah. I felt so blessed by my family and friends who came to support me and pray for me! I was overwhelmed with love and thanksgiving. 

{so thankful to be spending my summer with this girl}

In scripture, we're reminded over and over to consider our trials pure joy for the sake of the gospel. So I'm considering this week pure joy, despite its trials because God is at work!

Romans 5:3-5 "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."