Overflowing Grace

It took a couple of days after moving in with my roommates in South Carolina to notice them. I was laying in bed when I noticed dim lights scattered all over my popcorn ceiling. I reached for my glasses and when I put them on, there were, in fact, tiny glow in the dark stars on my ceiling! They are invisible during the day, but in the dark, they glow like the night sky. In that moment, I felt so seen and known by God. He knows how much I love to look at the stars, and He knew that I would be in South Carolina, in this house, in this room, at this moment in time, staring up at these stars in the middle of a hard and confusing season. It felt like He had specifically placed them there for me as a sign that I was exactly where He wanted me and also just because He knew how much I'd love them. It felt like a secret gift that only I would enjoy as a grown woman.  I used to take a few minutes before taking off my glasses to look at them. They were brightest right when I turned off the li

I've been set up. He knew all along and prepared the way without me even knowing. Let me rewind to back when I was getting my undergrad.  I changed my major three times in school. I began as a ballet major, then switched to pre-med for a year to become a pharmacist, and when that didn't seem right, I changed again and graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology with the intent to become a counselor.  I remember it was a big ordeal to change my degree to Psychology.  It took a lot to convince my parents that this in fact was the degree I wanted to graduate with.  It was always my plan to pursue my dance performance career and then once I retired, go to graduate school. After graduating,  I left Ohio and began my dance career.  I not only got to dance professionally, but my eyes were also opened to how I could use my dance to bless others.  I met amazing people that have influenced my life and marked my heart forever.  Dancing professionally opened the door to dance missions a

It was in the moments right as I began to wake up that I saw a Styrofoam carryout box.  It was closed and I handed it to the Lord, who was sitting on His thrown.  The carryout box was very clear, as well as the knowledge that the contents inside the box were the unknown pieces of my future.  As I came to, and started thinking about this image, I wanted to change the idea of the Styrofoam box to a nicer box, like a treasure chest, knowing that what was inside was very valuable to me, but in staying true to what I saw, I began to realize the depth of it all.   Our life is fragile. Very fragile.  We become dented and broken easily. And our life in perspective of the entire universe is pretty irrelevant.  Our life serves a purpose, but as it says in the Bible " You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14).   After a few generations, we are forgotten.  Sounds harsh, I know, but this is the point.  It is in the hands of God that our loves take

The other day I was walking to my car in a Dollar Tree parking lot, when I heard the wailing cry of a newborn baby.  The cry was so pitiful, my heart felt sorry for this innocent little thing, and I found myself thinking, "It's ok baby. I'm sorry this life is so tough."  The revelation hit me that a newborn baby's cry gives us a good depiction of the fallen world we live in. Most babies spend the beginning of their lives in the comforts of their mother's womb.  It's warm and cozy and safe.  But as soon as that little baby enters into this world, what happens?  They cry.  They are immediately hit with the cold hard truth that we live in a fallen world.  We no longer live in the garden of paradise.  Life is hard and uncomfortable. Bad things happen to good people.  We experience pain and loss and brokenness.  Is there any good, any hope in this life?  Is it possible to glimpse pieces of heaven here on Earth?  I think yes.  In fact, I am confident of this

When my Aunt asked if I would be willing to house sit for her over spring break, I felt a nudge that it was from the Lord, but, at the time, I had no idea what that nudge would lead to. My boyfriend came to visit for the holidays in Ohio, and we stopped in South Carolina at my Aunt and Uncle's for a couple days on our way down to Florida.  I was going to be leaving from Florida to spend 3 months in Brazil, so when my Aunt offered that I could house sit for them and take care of their dogs over spring break, I felt that this was a gift from the Lord so that I wouldn't be worrying about my dwindling bank account while I was in Brazil.  And when she also offered that I could house sit for them again two months later, I was really thankful for an opportunity to spend time with them and for money that I would be able to count on, since my faith journey for the last year and a half had been so unpredictable.  I quickly agreed, and my Aunt bought me a new plane ticket back to the U.

One day in Rio de Janeiro, my friends and I went to buy a few snacks at the grocery store close to our host church. When we went to the check out, a disheveled woman, holding a baby, came up to me and handed me a bag of rice and a few other items to buy for her.  As soon as I agreed, she went away and came back with a bag of beans.  She was so bold in the way that she just handed us her food to buy for her.   So many emotions went through my mind and heart.  I felt like a sucker being taken advantage of.  But at the same time, I had enough money to pay for her food, and scripture says that if you are able to help then you should. "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor.  If you have food, share it with those who are hungry." -Luke 3:11. "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.  Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow.'--when you already have it with you." -Proverbs 3:27-28.