(In)Courage

I have found this awesome site. You need to check it out. As part of their launch, they want women to write about what has been encouraging them lately...

As you all have heard me say these last couple of entries -- this has been a hard summer. Actually, this has been a hard year. Ever since I turned 25, it has been one thing after another... and at this point, I don't know how much more a roller coaster I can take.

That being said, I want to take a moment to write about what has encouraged me recently... because despite being in a valley there have been moments where i could just feel God wiping away my tears.

Here it goes:

FRIENDS!

A couple of weeks ago, I was thisclose to tears at church. Then one of the newer girls in my Sunday School class leaned over and said (and not knowing how unloved I felt in that moment), "I know you are getting ready to move. I would be glad to cook you dinner sometime this week just to help take a load off of what you have to do. Let me know, ok?" In that moment I felt God also say, "I will take care of you. Trust me."

FRIENDS, again!

I am blessed by friendship. I won't go into details, but it is a struggle for me to believe that anyone really wants me around. Most of this can be traced back to some pretty bad/selfish friendships in middle and high school. However, God has given me friendships that I do not deserve since college and post grad. There is Jenn (who will forever be my carbon copy and consistently reminds me of truth); there is Christy (who no matter how long it takes me to email her back consistently loves me); there is Laura (who continually points me to Christ and has allowed tears to flow whenever I have needed it this summer); there is Rachel (who will hope for me when I can't hope anymore); there is Amanda (who will serve me and others even in her depths of despair, she loves unconditionally); there is Laurie (who loves people for their good and who loves me despite the time passed) there are also many more who I can't even begin to name. God loves me through these people... and I am thankful for that. During this valley each one of them has been used by God to just love on me.

MUSIC.

There have been more songs than I can name in the last two to three weeks that have literally touched me in the depths. There is a playlist that I have been listening to almost constantly and I called it "Encourage my heart, Lord." Here is just a snippet of the songs that have been put on there:

Come Ye Sinners
More Beautiful You, Jonny Diaz
You Know, Revive
Blessed Be, Jason Gray
Beautiful the Blood
In Christ Alone
Glorious Day, Jeff Johnson
I Will Not Stumble
Prince of Peace
Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners
Trading my Sorrows
Do Not Fear
I Rest, Skillet
Jesus, I am Resting
Meet with Me
Seek You first
Beautiful One
Marvelous Light
Mercy, Luke Williams
Joyful, Joyful
Amazing Grace
I Love You, Lord
Jesus Lead On

There have also been a couple of Coldplay songs (went to there concert on Thursday -- more on that later) that have been pretty awesome, too!:

Fix You
Till Kingdom Come
The Hardest Part
The Scientist

So, that is what has been encouraging me lately. What about you? Be (in)couraged today! I know that even this post has given me hope for a good day!