BitterSweet

Like dark toffee chocolate, or Starbuck’s Pike Place roast with a hint of cinnamon, bittersweet is the perfect word for my current state of being. It is a phenomenon to be hurting after the loss of something so precious and valuable, yet rejoicing at the same exact time for miracles you see God bringing to pass. With an aching body and a smiling face, I never know which emotion to live in at the moment. But it is in times like these when God ever so gently reminds me that it is going to be OK.

Before I began writing, I read Psalm 143, and verse 5 says this:

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the

work of your hands.”

I looked up into the black night sky and saw the stars in a new and fresh way. Tears plague my eyes as I realize, once again, that the Creator of the universe is orchestrating the song of my life. A breath taking symphony. And the most amazing part about it is that it is not just MY personal size song, it is THE song. The song of life, of the world, of the universe. We are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves and when we comprehend that we will begin to see things, people, problems, pain, joys, celebrations, in a whole new light.

So my friends, be excited and full of joy, even in those bittersweet moments of life.

Love,

~JH

A Heart Full of Friends

Tonight was a night of mixed emotions. Some college girl friends and I decided to get together before the tides of life rolled once again. One of us moving out of state, one just recently married, one just finished basic training, and two finishing college. Now, these aren’t just any college friends. They are the college friends that have sown seeds of love, laughter, hope, and friendship in my heart forever. The friends that would come and wake me up for our 7:15 AM class when my alarm just happened to not go off. The friends that took me on a surprise trip to the beach in the middle of January after a break-up. The friends that made me a gigantic sun out of construction paper because they knew I missed the California sunshine. The friends that had a valentine’s party, just us five single girls. (We had the coolest heart shorts too!) The friends that come alongside you when they know you are struggling, just to hold you and hurt with you. They make your heart full. These are the kind of friends that I wish, hope, and pray everyone would have.

~JH

One of Those Days

Do you ever have one of those days where you just want to jump? Maybe out of frustration, maybe out of joy. Almost like the swelling emotions inside of you are taking on rocket blaster form and about to explode? [Cheesy analogy I know, its the best I could come up with at the moment.] Well today is one of those days for me. About a week ago, my so called “plan for my life” was completely ripped from under me. Ok maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but let’s just say there was a huge unexpected turn of events. Initially I was awestruck and sad. But in the midst of the craziness my mother challenged me with something I will never forget. She said, “Julie, sometimes God closes doors so clearly you mistake them for tragedies. Look for the lesson in this and test it with the truth, the Word of God.”

In Philippians it says, “Do not be anxious for anything but in everything with prayer and petition present your requests to God. And the peace the surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and minds in Christ Jesus” (Vs 4-6). Never has this verse rang so true in my life. The second half of this verse is not just another probable option in a multiple choice problem. When it says “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding WILL guard your heart and minds...” it means, it WILL. This is what is so amazing about the promises of God. They really do happen.

Now looking back I am awestruck and amazed at how God has orchestrated this whole thing. How each surprise and disappointment has turned into a valuable piece of the puzzle. So now my friends, I am going to give you the same challenge my beautiful mother gave to me: Sometimes God closes doors so clearly you mistake them for tragedies. Look for the lesson in this and test it with the truth, the Word of God.

~J