On Church and Women

I've been thinking a lot lately about my life.

I love it in so many ways. Josh and I have some amazing friends, we have a lot of fun together, and we both have great jobs. He's doing such an awesome job with the jr. highers at our church and I'm so proud of him. I was doing a couple of Bible studies, but both of those have ended for the time being. So right now, I'm not really doing anything at church besides Sunday mornings.

I've been struggling this past year with finding my place there. Not in our church itself, but in where to serve. I debated and prayed over a few different opportunities that came up, but none of them worked out. I know I need to be doing something to serve in the church, but I just don't really know what that looks like yet.

I know it's been a struggle since the Sunday night service at our church ended. The community we built there was incredible and it was really hard to see it go. I also think often about the women's Bible study my friend A.G. started with my sister over 8 years ago that was so instrumental in the lives of so many women. I long for those days to still be happening, because they were such an important part of my life.

But I often wonder if we as humans live too much in the past.

Do I long for those days because something like that needs to happen again? Or is it because it was comfortable and familiar and I have fond memories of it?

Where do we draw the line between what we've known and the new changes that happen around us all the time?

I have continuously felt a tug on my heart these past few years to be involved somehow with something to do with women. I've listened a few times and been involved with various Bible studies or small retreats. I've done some mentoring and I've reached out to some women. But I still feel that tug, even after everything I've already done. I know there's something more I'm supposed to do, but I still don't know exactly what that looks like yet.

But I do know this: I don't need to try to replicate what I've experienced in the past. Those memories are very precious to me and hold a special place in my heart. A part of me will probably always long to have those days back, because they were a very influential part of my life. But it's time to live in the now and to see what things God wants to do in the people in my life now.

So with that, I'm praying. I'm praying for clarity and direction on what this looks like for me. I know there are many different ways this could play out, but I'm excited to see how it all comes together.

02.16

It's time to share some highlights from February!

The first and biggest highlight was our trip to Disneyland for our anniversary! You can read all about that trip here.

We also went to Disney on Ice with our niece and her parents! This was the first year that Josh and I were able to go together. We saw the Frozen show. While I definitely feel like Frozen has been a bit overdone, I think it was the perfect story to tell on the ice! It was my favorite Disney on Ice thus far.

I got to spend some time with my friend E.H. She and her husband D.H. moved out of the state a few years back so he could get his pastoral degree. I was so happy to see her and to catch up on life a little bit. They are expecting their first baby in June and her mom threw her a baby shower while they were here! I'm so glad I was able to be there and to spend that time with her. Josh and I miss them a lot!

I finished reading For the Love with a few girlfriends. It was a really great read with some really thought-provoking subjects. It sparked a lot of great conversations and would be a great read for a book club. It also had some really funny parts as well.

We bought some blackout curtains for our kitchen and dining room. Since I am very susceptible to migraines, I often had to wear sunglasses in the house because the sunlight streaming in from those windows was so bright. Now, I don't have to wear them inside at all!

I started coloring in my adult coloring book that my friend S.W. got me for my birthday. It's been so fun and so relaxing! I've always enjoyed coloring but I felt weird about buying myself a coloring book and crayons, so I'm glad it's now a thing for adults to color!

Can you tell what the theme of the book is?

February was a very busy month for us. Onto March and all it will bring!