Writing to you from Lewes this morning, out on the porch while Drew does some online prep for school next week. I can’t believe he’s leaving me in just a little over a week. Wednesday Drew and I went to the aquarium...it was the single best day of my life, highly recommend, and we saw this ginormous turtle. 36 hours later and i'm still thinking about it! So cool! What the heck, God is so freaking creative!

In our last bit of summer we’ve been going through Psalms together a little bit everyday. It’s been so special to talk through those prayers and i’ve gained a new perspective on what the Lord wants from us as his children!

Why is it that we pray the most, to thank God so much for "everything he does" when things are going our way? At least, that’s been my experience. It’s so easy to give Him glory for the good things, but as soon as something bad happens, I’m tentative and shy to ask for help. Is it because we think that He is only able to make the good things better? Do we not think that He is able to redeem the ugly state of a mess? There are so many people guilty of this, & I am very obviously one of them. But why? 

Our God is a God who loves praise and thanks and worship. But he also loves to give guidance and a lending hand. He desires our dependency on him, not simply thankfulness for what he has already done. We praise and praise him over and over, until he takes away a dream, closes a door, sticks us in a period of time that sucks. And then we act as if it's up to us to figure everything out…

Trusting in the Lord means also trusting in the take-aways. It's too much of a misconception that a life in Christ is simpler than a life otherwise. That's just not true. As Christians, our circumstances aren't any easier than those who do not believe in Him. But we do have a relationship with the one who's conquered it all. He may not eliminate all our struggles on earth, but He will relentlessly be there through it all. 

You know when you're going through something tough and people keep giving you unsolicited advice and you just wanna scream in their face "YOU DON'T GET IT!!!" and then somehow, somewhere, you find that one person who does get it for some reason? Then they’re the only one you want to talk to! You continue to ask them questions and seek advice. Well isn't it ironic that we search for these people, when our God has been through it all? He has all the answers, has experienced it all, and wants to walk with us through everything. 

This was wild to me. Earthly guidance is not eternal! We NEED Him! Trusting him won't make your tough times easier, but it will give them purpose. Don't confide in other humans more than you do Jesus.