Day 52-55 of my beautiful journey.

I know I am at the end and I am lagging behind. It was a really long weekend. I had a beautiful date with my wife on Friday night. Spending time with my best friend is probably the most beautiful thing of all. I love her very much and I probably don't remind her that she is my best friend enough.

Saturday the youth group had its first tryout for the youth worship team. He did a great job. Worshiping God with others is such a beautiful thing.

Sunday night I had my weekly Life Group (small group), and it was so much fun! Hanging out with those students and laughing and learning about the word is so awesome.

Today, answered prayers and the reminder that I don't have to do this on my own was beautiful. Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to do everything myself, and Jesus says, "Justin... shut up, sit down, and let me take care of this." It's hard to let go sometimes isn't it? We want to steer the ship, but the truth of the matter is we don't know the way do we? Only our savior knows the way. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice and for taking the helm, cause without you I don't know where I am going.

Day 8 of my beautiful journey.

I took this picture a year ago and it still resonates deeply in me. I came across it as I was removing images from my phone and I thought wow... that is beautiful. It was around this time last year that I was helping to serve communion at the church that I was employed at and as I approached the front to pick up my tray I was awestruck as I looked at the communion plates next to the nativity. And I thought to myself then, what a beautiful image of our savior. In that moment I was celebrating the entirety of his life, his birth and his death. The beginning and the end of his life on earth were each overwhelmingly powerful. Let us not forget this season not only the birth of our savior but his ultimate sacrifice for us. Jesus my savior, you are so beautiful.

They gave him a manger for a cradle, a carpenter's bench for a pulpit, thorns for a crown, and a cross for a throne. He took them and made them the very glory of his career.

~W.E. Orchard

Day 7 of my beautiful journey.

For the past couple of days God has waited until later in the afternoon to reveal His beauty to me. But today He revealed it to me late last night/early this morning. It was the beauty of God's provision. I have been unemployed for the last three months, this is the longest I have gone without a job since I was 13 and quit my position at the Oil Lamp (anyone remember that old dive?). It has been a time of great struggle for me. It was one of the reasons I began the beauty project so that I could get my mind off of things. I found my days filled with lots of waiting and lots of xbox. But alas it appears that this period in my life has finally come to pass. God has blessed me with the opportunity to serve at Gretna Community Church in Gretna, NE. I am so excited about serving the Lord there, for many reasons. So today I am reveling in the beauty of God's provision. He is wonderful, and his provision is overwhelming.

"We can be certain that God will give us the strength and resources we need to live through any situation in life that he ordains. The will of God will never take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us."

Billy Graham