Randomness: Weddings of 2013, treatment & finale!

Long time, no write :(

I'm so sorry I've been absent for awhile, but I'm back!

I've been busy, busy!

 

One of my best friends got married this past Saturday and I was her maid of honor.

We've been friends since 3rd grade. Crazy, huh?!

I'm so happy for her & feel honored to be a part of her beautiful day!

She was gorgeous AND although it was very hot (outdoor wedding), it didn't rain!!

It was a beautiful ceremony focused on Christ being the foundation of a marriage.

Now the happy couple are on their "mini-moon" and I can recoup from the festivities.

I would never let Lyme Disease get in the way of a beautiful union like 2 of my best friends' weddings the past couple months!

Here are a few pictures from this weekend...

 Getting my hair done!

 Viola! Isn't that a cool hairstyle?!

 The Bride & I :)

 The Brides of 2013

 The Bride & her maids

 

Not only have I been busy with Mindy's wedding, I have continued my IV treatments.

It has continued to be rough because of the dying of bacteria (Herxhiemer reaction), but luckily, I have seen the fruits of this not-so fun treatment protocol.

I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and for the first time in a long time...drum roll please... we can see some improvement! It wasn't a huge improvement, but it's a few rays of light coming through the end of the tunnel. I've only been on IV for a month & a half so that's pretty good...I'll take it!

Hopefully, I'll be able to make even more progress so I won't have to have this lovely (not) PICC line for 6 months, but I guess if that's what it takes, I'll have to tough it out.

Also, our gofundme fundraiser to help pay for this treatment (not covered by insurance) is going really well! Although we have not met our goal, we can feel God providing! If you don't mind, please keep me in your prayers for both healing & finances...thank you so much!

 

Last but not least, I started reading a new book titled, Red Letter Revolution. Woa-it's really good! So good that I've had to put off my finale post of Following in Your Footsteps series. There is too much good stuff that has opened my eyes even more to following in Christ's footsteps. So get ready, the next post will be the last post of the series (hopefully tomorrow)!

Bible Reading Plan:
Today: Isaiah 31-35
Tuesday: Isaiah 36-41
Wednesday: Isaiah 42-44
Thursday: Isaiah 45-48
Friday: Isaiah 49-53
Saturday: Isaiah 54-58

 

 PS- Kindle & Nook have a special sale price on A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans for only $2.99 until the 31st! I'm not paid to advertise this either, I just love the book so much, I figured I'd share this awesome deal with you!

 

Following in Your Footsteps: With Your Help

The last post in the series, I talked about how living a life following in Christ's footsteps can be difficult. Wouldn't you agree?
 I mean that is a tall order to live like Christ, right?

In my opinion, my answer to that question would be a simple, "yes".
Jesus is perfect, while I, on the other hand, have never been perfect one day in my life. So how am I expected to follow in Christ's footsteps?

Thankfully, I don't think God expects me to be perfect.
In fact, He has sent us a helper. Did you know that?
We call that helper, the Holy Spirit.

God knows that we can't do this on our own. Because He is so loving, He wanted to help us out, so God has sent Himself in the form of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-18 says, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

This should offer us confidence and comfort to know that the Holy Spirit is with us...to guide us, to comfort us, and to love us. Stepping out of our houses and into the world would normally cause us anxiety, but knowing that God has sent us a Helper should motivate us to go out and walk in Christ's light.

How gracious and loving it is, that Jesus would not leave us out on our own to live in a chaotic world, but to be by our side every minute of the day.
I don't know about you, but I often forget this truth.

Rachel Held Evans says in her book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood (which I will talk about later ;), "The same applies to faith. One need not to be a saint, or even a mother, to become a bearer of God. One needs only to obey. The divine resides in all of us, but it is our choice to magnify it or to diminish it, to ignore it or to surrender to its lead."

 I think I would be a better follower of Christ if I woke up every morning and said, "Christ in me, give me the tools and the confidence to live out your love today. May I align my life with Your characteristics so that people will come to know You. Help me to hear Your voice, feel Your love, and see Your will. I can only do this with Your help. Amen."

 

 Readings for the week:
Monday: Proverbs 13-15
Tuesday: Proverbs 16-18
Wednesday: Proverbs 19-21
Thursday: Proverbs 22-23
Friday: Proverbs 24-26
Saturday: Proverbs 27-29