in which i can't quiet my brain

first of all, let me give credit where credit is due. i'm at starbucks right now, enjoying my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. by myself. on a saturday night at 10pm. ahhh. my husband is awesome and letting me have time to just be myself and enjoy time reading, blogging, and indulging in highly over-priced caffeinated beverages. i mean, that's why i married him.

i have a lot on my mind and heart lately. most of it has to do with "dreams" of what i can do to get involved even more in our youth ministry, get involved in my own ministries (at home, with friends, etc.), and how to encourage those around me. it's been amazing at the time and energy i've been blessed with now that i'm not working full time. i feel like i can minister full time. whether that comes from not taking advantage of my working years and seeing them as ministry, or just not being in my "niche" is irrelevant. at least right now.

in this season of my life, i have found God putting many new opportunities in front of me to dream and plan, write, read, study and just learn about the ways i can minister and be ministered to right here in Anderson, Indiana.

a couple of things i've been brewing up lately:

-planning a fall girls' retreat for our students and challenging them to be the women they are growing up to be
-getting to (really)know the women that help us out at Bethany & finding ways to encourage them
-start a late Bible study with a few girls & inviting some we don't
-being accountable to 9 other women (some in South Korea!) about reading the Scriptures every day
-praying about & seeking opportunities to earn a small income while doing something i LOVE (like writing?)

this may seem like a small list to some, but i have to start small. i'm amazed at what mental energy was somehow buried underneath the burden of working full time and the frustration of not having the time to dive into what i wanted.

i am embracing this new season in my life as my new full time ministry. little did i know what there really is a lot to it!


disclaimer: by all means, i am not saying that working full time is a burden or am looking down upon it. i live a life of seasons, and right now for me, this is not what's best for my life. i often miss the pride and respect of being able to say i'm using my graduate degree and making a respectable income similar to my husband!

also, i know this picture doesn't have much to do with the post, but it's by far my favorite recent family pictures, taken today when we visited our first apple orchard of the fall season:) ok, it's really just because i like to brag about how stinkin' blessed i am with my two boys.