thanks.

Y'all, this last week has been rough for me. I use the term rough loosely describing my week. God has shown me a ton. He has broken me of many things--or rather broken me of accepting many worldly things I shouldn't; he has been my motivation to get my rear in gear and head to the gym--even though I am devastatingly terrified of the guys in the weight room (Seriously, I act like they have the plague.); he has shown me great love through one of my very best friends; and he has shown me that while one of my newest friends is moving across the country, we will maintain a very real friendship. So, basically, this week has been great, and I am focusing on the rough patches that life has thrown at me--which is exactly why I felt the need to do a post giving thanks to God for this week. 

This week, I have been thankful for:

Great friends who love the Lord with everything in them.

Music that makes my heart oh-so happy. (Judah and the Lion!)

A body that continues to amaze me with strength.

This cutie.

Happy Sunday, friends!

xo Whitney

  

year two.

As of June 16th, B and I have been married for two years. Out first year was definitely a roller coaster, which made it a wonderful learning experience. Upon looking back, I've totally changed to be a better wife for Brandon, but I never realized how much I neglected friendships. This has been on my mind SO much lately--I have been horrible at keeping up with my closest friends (and family). I have literally been so consumed with school, work, and being a wife that I didn't give being a friend a second thought... How terrible is that?!

Luckily, God has shown this to me through various dreams and realizations while talking to him. So, my goal for year two is to balance out the two. Be a great wife AND be a great friend to the people who literally keep me sane (and know my heart and love me well and the list goes on and on).

Hope everyone's having a great Friday!
xoxo Whitney

unknown.

Well, we are staying in Tennessee. The deciding factor, to me, is laughable; however, in the end, we are where God wants us. He called us to be bold, and we were. Really, that's all God wants from us: to do just what he puts on our hearts and not question it. I will not fear our future. I will not be angry that Colorado is not where God wants us to be. I will be at peace because I know that he has plans way better than we can even begin to comprehend. As long as we are abiding, we are great.

Let's have an awesome Monday, friends.

xoxo Whitney

life lately.

After coming back from Colorado, Brandon and I have both been in a, for lack of a better word, funk. We were really branching out and seriously living for God by going and exploring, having real conversation, and just knowing that without a doubt God placed us there for a very specific reason. Since we've been back, the waiting and anticipating news of whether or not we will be residing there has drawn us into a sort of stand still with life here in Tennessee. I realized this the day after we got back, and I have been praying and praying for either a sign or something that would just help me live without anticipation or even anxiety. Well, friends, Bob Goff has my back. I got on twitter and saw this gem:

Love Does  @lovedoes No one grows up hoping someday they'll be typical. Get back to leading that inexplicable life you were aiming for.@lovedoes   09:14 AM - 07 Jun 13

Seriously?! It may not strike everyone the way it has me, but I totally got a ton out of this little tweet. I read it, and said to myself, 'Why am I putting my life on hold?' For fear of the unknown!! I'm scared of investing too much of myself in any certain area because "I may leave" or "I may stay". Seeing this has been, by far, one of the best things to happen to me this week. It may seem so small, but this is so big for me. God knows us, guys, and he is so good at reaching us if we just ask for help. 

It is a happy Friday, indeed!

xoxo Whit  

i choose jesus.

Y'all, the last two weeks have been insane! I am officially allowed to say Brandon applied for a job doing ministry with Young Life in Colorado. I had prayed and prayed for boldness for both of us--God calls some to stay and he calls some to leave and spread his great news (and I have felt called to leave for a long while now). So, anyways, He reached us. With this boldness, we decided that God was definitely calling us to do greater things--to leave, or at least to be bold enough to. And, long story short, we found ourselves flying out to Colorado Springs for an interview last Thursday.

Guys, this was like a dream to me. Every person (the regional director, area director, committee members, wives, husbands, etc.) we met just had this love for God that could not be mistaken, you could feel the desperate need for God in those high school and middle school kids' lives, and you could feel His hand in every situation we were placed in. It didn't take long for us feel our hearts being tugged for those kids. Hearing some stories, I want to show those kids Jesus--my heart literally yearns for it. I can't tell you the exact moment it happened, but everything suddenly went from 'Oh, this place is beautiful... I HAVE to live here!!' to 'I choose Jesus. I choose to show Him to everyone he wants me to. I yearn to be exactly where he chooses.' My heart literally hasn't stopped breaking for those kids since we heard stories of their lives. How crazy is that?!

While we're still not certain as to whether or not Brandon has the job, I am still so excited for those kids to meet Jesus--to know that they are loved so deeply that it's uncomprehendable. My heart wants this move. Brandon's heart wants this move. It's literally all up to God now (not that it wasn't before). It's extremely comforting knowing that we have done exactly what we feel God has called us to do, and now, we have to wait to see where he is leading us next. The mystery of my life is certainly bittersweet, but I am so thankful it has been mapped out by Christ, not by me. He's seriously awesome all of the time.