"No storm can take the sun away. The sun is always shining. You just need to take a walk on the clouds." 

This dear friend of mine wrote and sent this to me the other week. It spoke to my heart and so I asked if it's okay to share it with others... She graciously said yes.

         I've been thinking some about clouds this week...  There was one day where I was just sitting out in nature enjoying some quiet time, and watching the sky.  There were dark clouds covering the sun, so that all I could see of the sun was just a little light shining out around the edges of the clouds.  At one point a little hole opened in the cloud, and the sun shine through it just about took my breath away because of the beauty of it.  I was just struck by how much beauty those clouds added to the sky.  As I was sitting watching God brought some parallels to my mind if clouds in our lives.  So often when there are dark clouds in our lives we feel like we can't hardly see the light, and we question why God had allowed or brought these clouds into our lives.  We would prefer to not have the pain, and just have the sun shining.  We would prefer not to have to search for the light shining around the clouds, but instead just be able to look up, and see the light.  But God knows how much beauty clouds add to our lives.  Yes our lives can be beautiful without them, but those clouds are what help us to realize our helplessness without Him, draw us to Him, and make us so much more like Him.  If we allow them to, they are what refine us.  I was just challenged to remember that without the clouds our lives would not have the same beauty.
                  Written by: Katrina Miller

"What if God's love were like the sun, constant and unchanging?

What if one day you realized nothing could take that away?"

until next time, God's Canada girl

To everything there is a Season....

...then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art!

This season seems to be a season of firsts... so many new & different things, adventures, &  life lessons.

It's hard to put into words right now what all is on my mind...  It's amazing how much can happen & change in such a short period of time.  Yet my GOD is faithful, my GOD is good, my GOD is still redeeming, my GOD is worthy of all my praise & all I am. 

So for some of those firsts... here they be. =) 1st time going on a canoe/portage trip.  1st month of being in my new position. 1st time being a Youth Retreat counselor. [which I loved] 1st time having my family here =] [went by way to fast, but I loved the time we had together] 1st time being a fill-in secretary, 1st time going on a bear recovery hunt. [that was epic] 1st  time hearing wolves howl. 1st time watching a lunar eclipse while by a lake. [that was beautiful] 1st time eating duck. [I think y'all get the picture =]  

so instead of boring y'all to tears... here's some pictures of the opportunities & gifts GOD has given.

White Otter 2015

Bear Recovery Crew :)

 My family! here in the beautiful North. =) so many good memories!!

I now understand why others say I look like my Mom :)

[I almost did a double take]

Youth Retreat Craft. [tis fun]

& this here makes me smile almost every time I see it. this girl. that summer. Our awesome GOD. [my heart won't ever forget]

May you experience the joy of knowing JESUS in the season of life you find yourself in...

 til next time, God's Canada girl :)

Love [even when it hurts]

  There have been many times when I've wondered what love really looks like. Yes, GOD's love the greatest of all, it's perfect. Yet what does real "everyday" loving God & loving those around us look like? Love so wonderful as it is, why is it so painful? Why does love is some ways seem to hurt more than anything else? Or maybe I should say loving & then "losing"? I've cried more tears in the past couple of days because of well you guessed it... love. Love that's been cut off, love that means saying good-bye, love that is being "lost" or at least changed. Yet the other night when I was laying there in pain physically I cried out to God and asked Him to please just give me a hug. He did. The very next night, He sent someone to speak into my life, break down my walls, open their arms & allow God to give me a hug through them. I won't forget that night. So I'm learning the joy in the pain [again]. The importance of being grateful for the gifts God gave & that loving & losing is still worth the pain of not loving at all. [though the wanting to protect myself pain part of me still wishes it didn't hurt so bad] I'm so thankful for a Heavenly Father whose love is constant, that His love is one I won't ever lose. His love is trustworthy! Even if everyone else walks away, His love will still remain.  In His love there is no fear. In His love there is freedom. In His love there is a reason to sing. In His love there is beauty. In His love there is healing. In His love there is LIFE. Yet I've never done a single thing that's worthy of that kind of  love [God's love] yet He pours it into me [us] so lavishly and extravagantly!
     
      This was written last year... yet these words ring just as true in my heart today.

The hardest part of loving is that in the midst of the beauty there’s also pain. In the midst of the good there’s also heartache. It’s kind of like a rainbow in the midst of a storm. Sometimes I wonder if my heart could get any bigger, if it’s possible to love more people, to love so deep again, to truly care, to have my heart connect with others, yet somehow Jesus comes and I do. I love again, I hurt again, I cry again, I say good-bye [again], I care again, I lose pieces of my heart again, or maybe I should say Jesus does all those things. He loves through me, He cares through me, He takes those pieces of my heart and gives them to others. It makes me miss Heaven more and more. I can’t wait til the day when I will finally be HOME. When I’ll be with my Jesus & Redeemer. My heart will be whole, my body healed, no more good-byes, [ever], no more heart wrenching experiences, no more tears, and forever love. :) Ah yes, perfect love. Not the heart wrenching, tear jerking, breaking your heart into pieces kind of love, but beautiful, redeeming, amazing, healing, faithful, true, deep, strong, everlasting, pure, forever love. I can’t wait to look into the eyes of the One who is love. To see His face, touch His scars, knowing it was His love that made it possible for me to finally be HOME and finally belong.

Change of subject/scenery... Here is a glimpse of "my" world from the sky.

The passengers :)

                                                   
                                                      The co-pilot! :)

                                                                                   
                                                             BLC.... here it be!                  

                                               
                                                   Why hello there Dryden! :)

                                             
                                            Amos was our pilot! He did a great job!
                   

til next time... God's Canada girl :)

JoY in the Mornin'

    Do you ever feel like your back to "square one"? Where all of a sudden your eyes are open to things you once knew but had forgotten. Things you know to be the Truth, yet you haven't been living or believing them.  I'm learning [all over again]. The importance of living in my Heavenly Father's embrace. Of allowing who God says I am to be what matters, not what others say about me. The joy of knowing JESUS. [really truly knowing Him] It's exciting! It's also a battle. To allow myself to go places, that I know are going to be hard & painful. Yet I know that Jesus will meet me there. Oh the wonder of God's love. It's unconditional. Even though I've failed, His love hasn't. Even though I've not loved Him perfectly, His love is perfect. Nothing can change that. [sometimes I forget that ] I forget that even though I've been wrong, He still loves me just as much. Love like that is so powerful, and will change our lives if we will allow it!

Joy Cometh in the Morning.

Sometimes the night doesn't seem to end,
You wonder if you can go on.
You can't see where you're headed,
 The song in your heart is almost gone.

The tears fall in silence,
Inside the battle rages strong.
Who ever would have thought,
That a night could be so long?

When even the stars are hidden,
So you stumble on your lonely way.
Wondering if you'll ever see again,
The breaking forth of a sunny day!

In the dark you can't see what all,
God has in store for you.
Instead fear holds you back,
From living what you know is true.

So press on even in the darkness,
Keep on doing what you know is right.
Hold on to Jesus' hand and follow His way,
For soon the Dawn will replace the night.

Just like the sunbeams shattering the darkness,
His joy will burst into your sorrow.
So just keep on trusting in God,
He already sees and knows your tomorrow!
 
   "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  & oh what joy it is!

Chapter Two. :) Picture time... so one of my besties came to visit. We went camping as single staff, boat rides, beautiful sunsets, Northern lights, canoe rides, 4-wheeler rides, fishing, good times with friends, warm weather :). & a GOD who has blessed me incredibly! [so these were the highlights, there were also a lot of meals cooked, laundry, & cleaning accomplished as well =]

Keep on keepin on... We're not HOMe yet children, keep your eyes on the Savior... there's a better Day a'comin, we're not HoMe yet!