{Always}

Always. There is something daunting about that word. Perhaps it is the amount of times it is used in ones life, and how many times "always" turns out to be a week, a month, or a year. Perhaps it is the slightly reminiscent sting of a love that was going to last "always" or a friend that would "always" be there. Always is not just a word. It is a promise. Always doesn't have circumstances or requirements, it means here and now, then and there, anytime and anywhere. (Sorry just went all Dr. Seuss on y'all) But seriously. When I think about the word "always" I think about how it has gained a sarcastic reputation throughout the years. Many people have fallen in love and been heartbroken under the premise of "Always." Many have sunken into the cozy safeness of "always" only to find a shallow bottom where the "always" ended.

Matthew 28:19-20 says "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

WOAH. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS THAT LAST PART IS PRETTY INTENSE?

I feel like the "That escalated quickly" internet meme could totally apply here. We just completely passed Whitney Houston (And Iiiiiiiiiiii-eeeee---Iiiii will alwayssss loveeee youuuuuu-whooooooo......anyone?) and went to JESUS ALWAYS. Jesus Always is a whole different ball park of always. We pass up the sappy love song always, the middle school crush always, the Coca Cola always (youtube it), and every other realm of always and went to "Until the end of the age" always. The TRUE always. The always that means no matter what. And I don't know about you but when I read that verse I didn't see a list of conditions. There was no fine print underneath specifying a level of holiness you have to maintain in order to receive this eternal partnership, there is no church you have to be a member of, no church group participation necessary, and no checklist of deeds to be done before Jesus will be with you always.

Always doesn't have a starting point either! Many people misunderstand that word to mean "always: after you accept Jesus". No! Always means from the beginning to the end. Always.

That means when God created you He did not send you down here and wait until you decided to go looking for Him later on in your life. He stayed with you! Just as a shepherd stays with his sheep, our Lord has stayed with us from the beginning and He will continue to be with us until the end! THAT. Is always. Until the end of the age. The END of the age. Not the end of YOUR age, but the end of THE age. He will stay with us no matter what. THAT is a safety net that you can sink into, one that knows no end. THAT is a song worth singing. 

I just cannot get over how awesome that is. God, the most holy and awesome being. The King of Kinds and Lord of Lords. Creator of heaven and earth. The I Am. Will be with me always. Until the end of the age. He walks with me. He whispers to me when I am lost and leads me back. He holds my hand when I need comfort, He picks me up when I fall, and He carries me when I cannot walk. He listens to every word I speak to Him. He makes a way for me. He has a plan for me. He loves me. Always.

If that is not the most beautiful love story in the history of the world, I don't know what is.

Our God is amazing. Always.

Love and Blessings,
K

{IN the Wilderness}

I've been on the road! My grandmother and I picked up this past Friday and spent the weekend in Birmingham, Alabama with my cousin Lyndsay. I enjoyed SO much the time we got to spend with Lyndsay. She is already an ordained Baptist minister and I LOVED being able to talk with her about her journey through ordination and share with her our different views. We were able to do and see a lot over the weekend and of course we were able to EAT at some great places. Friday night we arrived at about 5 P.M. and after unloading and getting settled Lindsay took us to her favorite local sushi place. I LOVE sushi, I wish I would have taken a picture but alas I admit to being a bad blogger and failing to do so. BUT, I do have pictures of my AMAZING lunch on Saturday! 

We went to an AWESOME little restaurant called Urban Cookhouse. I ordered this lovely salad with fresh fruit all from local farms and feta cheese that was also made locally, as well as the lettuce! It was DELICIOUS! I wish we had an Urban Cookhouse in my town!

After lunch we shopped at a few local boutiques and shops, it was a really neat experience and really loved the atmosphere and the people in Birmingham.  P.S.- Downtown Birmingham is gorgeous and has a really great almost bohemian feel to it, the restaurants are all about buying and eating local. The whole downtown area is very fun and energetic!

Saturday night we stayed in downtown for dinner and ate at Cantina! it was a really fun Mexican restaurant snuggled in downtown Birmingham and the food was AMAZING. Also, if you're eating on a budget and in the area then eat here- SO CHEAP! Tacos for under 4$, and the guac is phenomenal! I loved this restaurant and would definitely go again!! 

Also on Saturday we made a trip to Whole Foods! If you know me then you know my absolute LOVE for Whole Foods and Central Market! I love eating organic and clean foods so stores like this are like the holy grail for me! I picked up some rice cakes, organic popcorn, a few different organic granola bars, and some sweet potato chips! All some of my favorites! 

Then after dinner we ventured to Books A Million and I picked up a new journal for only 5$ and then I picked up 2 books from the clearance section, one is Monday's With My Old Pastor by Jose Luis Navajo and the other is Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth. These books both looked really interesting to me and I am excited to begin them this week! 

Now it is Sunday and after a LONG drive we have arrived at our destination. A beautiful cabin that is nestled in the mountains of North Carolina! It is GORGEOUS here! The mountains are truly awe inspiring and I had my camera on my lap the last hour of the trip while we were driving up the mountain. I cannot wait to blog about the rest of this trip! Right now I feel very cliche sitting in a bath robe (already at the cabin) in a cabin in the woods blogging. Cliche, but oh so happy. This trip was exactly what I have been needing. Can't wait to write all about it!

Love and Blessings,

K