friend filled days: part Jersey

This month, God has brought blessings upon blessings into my life I could never ignore! A couple weekends ago He provided so I could go to NJ to attend Angie's baby shower for Nathan, and that was a dream come true. With all the moving preparations we didn't think I really would be able to go but a few weeks before the shower a plethora of jobs was offered to me, so I took them all so I could make enough money to save and attend the shower. It was so good to see and spend time with family and friends those three days! Living away really is not getting easier, but these trips that bring us together bring so much more joy because I know the time we have is special.

This past weekend was crazy town but in the best way!! Fabz, Emerson, Jess AND Julie all came to Chicago to visit us and their visit was full of surprises, excitement, and suspense to say the least! Julie and Jess both were surprises to me, even though I accidentally found out Jess was coming 2 days before. But I was so overwhelmed with love from all of them! Most spending 12 hours in an airport trying to get on a flight here, and one who bought her "discounted" ticket last minute just to spend time with us for 3 days. These people, our friends. They are and have been apart of our lives and hearts for many years, but it is days like this that you can truly see how amazing and deep our friendships really are.  I'm so freaking grateful!

Annnnnd to top it all off Fabz took photos of G & I around the city so we could cherish the memories of our first three and a half years of marriage here in Chicago. (Disclaimer: Fabz is an AMAZING photographer & most importantly an amazing person, so go check out her website/blog >> http://fabianephotography.com/ << now!!) I am so so so excited to see all of the photos she's taken because I am already in love with what I've seen! So, stay tuned for a post with some of my favorites in the future. :)

Here are a few documented memories from the first weekend in NJ; weekend number two will be in the next post. Thank you Jesus for your love & graciousness towards us.

we're weirdly cool like that. ;)

October 18th-20th

myriads

As I noticed the posts on this blog dying down, I want to write a note to self and perhaps to others reading that it's ok. This week I attended my very last Missions Conference while being a student at Moody. This years theme was 100: Response Required. Because of the last few days I can no longer say I am ignorant that their are over 6,000 un-reached people groups in the world who have never heard the name of Jesus. Over 3,000 of those people groups currently have no planning strategies to reach them. We focused on the largest 100 this week, and the school challenged us to pray and seek God and ask if He is calling us to go and dedicate our lives to one of those 100 un-reached peoples.

I believe God has spoken and is still speaking to my heart. The process of sanctification is so sweet but also hard and full of wrestling. It is a myriad of things. But I know that I don't want  my time on earth to be a waste. To be one that seeks comfort, wealth or the praise of man. So where does this blog fit into all of this? Well, I love writing here and posting photos! Photography is a passion of mine & I would love for God to use it for His glory. But in this time I step away from comparison here and will not pressure myself to post for the sake of posting but write as the Spirit leads, whatever that may look like or be. I cannot promise consistency, but I hope to gain much more than that. I want to make space for God to fill my life with His purposes and will.

I feel so blessed to have a place to share. So many are killed for saying what is in their hearts today.
I will not take it for granted. I will proclaim Jesus because if in some way a stranger finds this space today and reads His name for the very first time, it will not come back in vain. 

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Lord, please help me do the same. 

Luke 19:10

four things

top left: COZY. October is in full swing and so are all things comfy. Who doesn't love the fact that it is the social norm to be walking around in thick sweaters & scarves all day, everyday? The downside: you may feel sleepy for most of the day; upside: its a real excuse for coffee (but that's in the next paragraph). This month I've been observing the Californians I follow on Insta being that we'll be living there in um...about two months (sdn!!sn!sjd!! regroup!). I like to watch what they wear although the temps don't really care for all those layers. Good news, they embrace the cozy styles nonetheless. And the best part, when the winter comes you're still dressing cozy without freezing! I can hardly contain my excitement for that, G knows! With every day in the 50's, which thankfully have been few, come ten thousand hallelujahs that we won't be living through another polar vortex (that cursed phrase) this year. Or the next. Ah.....

top right: LATTE. Because fall just makes me want it all. of. the. time. Just that feeling of something warm in your hands brings so much happiness. Oh the simple joys October brings.

bottom left: APARTMENT. Little by little, the Mr. & I have been on the search for a new place in the San Diego area to call ours. My number one musts (note past tense) were hard wood floors & large windows. The latter, we have enjoyed like we'd never thought we would in our first place in Chi. The former was never really an option. Bonuses would be exposed brick walls & a balcony. However, what we've been finding is not what we expected. Basically huge, one bedrooms with pools on site & carpet throughout. Almost every place we've seen has those three things. While I'm not complaining about the pools or the space, I am going to keep dreaming of our cozy loft that perhaps we'll one day find. Perhaps? lol 

bottom right: BAKE. Oh, it most definitely is on my mind! How about you? I find myself eagerly waiting for the weekend to come so I can splurge on something sweet. I've been thinking up some recipes to try in October - one being pumpkin spice scones. I'll keep you updated on those! G is not a fan of pumpkin anything. Clearly, he doesn't yet know he will be helping me with those so.....it should be fun. :)

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