01.25.10

She takes my breath away. Every day. Over and over. They both do.


I love Mondays because it is my Bible study morning and it just gets my week started in the right direction. I feel like I get focused and refreshed every Monday morning that I make it to this group of Moms. This semester, we are studying the book of James. As I said yesterday, I have not spent a lot of time studying the Bible, so I am happy we are tackling a book that I feel like I can really apply to my life. James is a really short book of the Bible, so we are breaking it down in really small segments each week. This week we looked at James 1:1-18. The verses talk about facing trials in life and turning to God to get you through them without doubting Him. This is huge for me. Whenever I hear of something really horrific happening to people, I have found myself doubting God and what in the world He is doing. But what I need to be doing is turning into Him and His love to find peace and wisdom.

This point was really amplified when one of the moms in the group spoke out about going through something that, as a mother, I can't even begin to imagine - the loss of a child. Remember when I mentioned before Christmas about the infant son of one of the Bible study's mom being in the hospital? Well, that sweet baby boy was taken to heaven to be with Christ shortly after Christmas. And his mom was back at Bible study today with her precious infant daughter (the little baby's twin sister). And as we all discussed going through trials in life and how we have handled it, I think the whole room was wondering what she must be thinking. And then she opened up to a room of 55 women and spoke of how this was was the most awful thing that she could have ever imagined happening but how through it all, she has found herself in the deepest relationship with Christ that she has ever had. And let me just tell you, she and her family already had a remarkable faith, one that I admire and aspire to be like. But now, she told us how she finds herself clinging to God to get her through every single minute of the day. And she said that she is now so thankful for things that she has never even thought about in the past - like getting some sleep at night or having the mental strength to just walk through the door into Bible study. Oh how I hope to have faith like hers one day.

I had three people in mind as I was in that class this morning. The mom I just spoke about, a dear friend of mine who lost her baby in the 38th week of pregnancy this past summer (today that little girl would have been 7 months old), and the husband of Amy Wenzel, who is the photographer who put on the workshop that I went on this past September - her husband's name is David Wenzel. Before I get started on David, Amy just posted on her blog, which I linked to above, her spring workshop dates. If you are looking for a workshop to attend, PLEASE check her out. She is amazing. Beyond amazing and she teaches you everything that she possibly can in a few days with her. My photography changed after that workshop. I learned so much.

Anyway, back to her husband, David, who I got to meet at the workshop. Last year he was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. After extensive research and prayer, David and Amy decided that the best way to treat his cancer was through alternative medicine. I beg you to go and read his blog that I linked to above. David and Amy have an amazing relationship with Christ. David is fully confident that God has lead him to the path that he is on with his treatment. He also says that the brain cancer has changed his relationship with God so much for the better that he wouldn't go back to life before the cancer. He would never choose to have inoperable brain cancer, but because of it, his faith has become so much more rich. I couldn't get him out of my mind this morning during our discussion about this passage in James. God is very proud of David, Amy, and the two moms that I have mentioned and all they are doing with their lives. They inspire me in more ways than I will ever be able to explain. My faith has forever changed because of people like I have mentioned in this post.

I know my blog has turned into me talking a lot about faith lately. Honestly, it is kind of strange for me because I have never talked so much about it publicly before now. I just have felt like writing down what I am actually feeling right now. I am kind of documenting the growth that I am doing in my relationship with Christ. I really feeling like it is changing so much for the better and I kind of want to shout it from the mountain tops. So, that is what is going on with me at the moment.



This scene right here, ALWAYS equals trouble.


There is no chance she is getting into something she is supposed to be. And can I just say it again, this girl is TROUBLE!