Getting Colder!

I've been blessed to realize over the past few weeks some of the Lord's purposes for me here, even in small ways.  I feel as I've had less "busyness" in the sense of not going out of town every weekend, not having so many relationships to always spend time with, and more time with Jesus and more time with my husband. (Even though we are busier!)  This is an answer to prayer.  I have been praying for my relationship with the Lord and intimacy with Him to deepen, as sometimes it feels routine and distant and even unattainable. I have felt the Lord richly bless and answer this over the past few weeks.  In my commute into the city, I have about 40 minutes on the commuter rail to sit and have a quiet time, read God's word and pray and process.  I am also starting a Bible study with the women of Bell Hall that is focusing on our personal walks and intimacy with the Lord, as well as a study that talks about really entering into God's throne room in time of prayer.  All of these opportunities have allowed me to really encounter Christ more.  Spending significant time reading the word where it is not a part of a "study" in the mornings and especially really trying to envision entering into God's throne-room while praying is incredible! I feel like I am being sanctified through seeing what is important and really trying to shape who I am based on God's word, rather than the picture of what I think a Christian should look like.  Its extremely liberating, but at the same time it has been a slow process that often feels lonely but I am now starting to see so much good in it.

Pictures:

Bike rides 

to the beach!

Lobster rolls!

White Coat Ceremony

Chad scouting his hunting "property"-Appleton Farms

Head of the Charles Regatta Race (with our friends Emily and Dan)

Special treat-Chickfila! theres only 2 in MA, and one is in a mall 20 min from us!

We also were so excited to have Katie and Jordan visit! Jordan was interviewing at Harvard Med (NBD :) and we met them for breakfast and his friend took us on a tour of Harvard and we got to see places only a student could take you. It was really cool, like Harry Potter! And it was so refreshing to see familiar faces and we really hope they move here!!

He is Faithful

We have been so busy with school, its easy to forget the One who has called us here.  I am so thankful that we have a God who is always there and never leaves us, even if we feel far away from Him.

Psalm 139

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

    too lofty for me to attain.7 

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

I am so grateful this is the God whom we serve, and that Christ has paid the price for MY continual sin of forgetting and ungratefulness and thoughtlessness.  I pray we wouldn't make light of that, and remember what a price was paid for that!

These are some of the fun things we have gotten to do in the past few weeks: 

Camping in New Hampshire at Bear Brook State Park with our new friends Katie and Nick (they had an archery range-whoo! ;)

We have also recently gotten hired as RLC (resident life coordinators) for our apartment building with another couple from Texas.  This is a way we want to serve and get to know our building, so please be praying for that! We have gotten to do fun things like a women's bible study, game nights, and watching SEC football with some of our building, but we are really praying to get to know those who we haven't met and especially bridge the cultural gaps! Please be praying for that.

We are also praying for continued community and fellowship outside the seminary with non-believers and also for mentors for Chad and I.

Chad has a "reading week" coming up next week, and I am hoping we may take a drive up to Vermont to see the peak leaf changing! As always, come and visit :)