a new beginning

we're continually finding that this is a year of learning and growth for us. this is a year of finding a renewed spirit.

we're learning how to ask for forgiveness when we fail those who we love. we're learning how to have grace for those that fail us. we're learning that having hard conversations, that may require vulnerability and humility are more often than not, beneficial and quite needed. we're learning what it really means to love someone who may continually be hurtful. and most importantly, we're learning how only the LORD G-d is able to fill us with the grace, humility and love that we need each day.

when all of Our House came back together after being away from each other for Christmas break, we discovered that our hearts needed rejuvenation and greatly needed the unity that we once shared. it took us three weeks, a hard but heartfelt meeting with our mentors, four house meetings, and many tears amidst one-on-one conversations to find that sought-after peace and unity.

last week, my word of the week was 'reconciliation'. i don't normally pick descriptions for my days or weeks, but that particular theme was inescapable.
know this about me: i don't enjoy initiating. and confrontations are difficult for me. the LORD knew what i needed this week, and He readily provided me with all that i needed. He's such a generous Father. it was a surprise to me when one morning, as i was working on homework in between classes, i felt this pulling in my heart to ask my dear sister if she would meet with me so that we could talk through some things together. i had been feeling for weeks a disconnect between us and G-d gave me the courage to initiate a conversation that would probably be hard and possibly emotional. she agreed, so we went to 7-11, got drinks and found a spot to sit in the sunshine. my faithful Father filled me with an abnormal desire to be open and to be vulnerable. we left our time together to go to our separate classes, having understanding, respect and our renewed unity. thanks be to G-d!

we're all taking one day at a time, trusting G-d to help us up when we fall on our faces, ashamed or hurting. because of His grace and mercy for us when we fail, we smile now more than we ever did before. we rejoice instead of crying out.

there's something i've been thinking a lot about lately that perhaps you may also want to apply to your life – we may always have reason to be sad or hurt, but in everything, we have reason to rejoice to G-d. for He is loving. He is forgiving. He is trustworthy. He's full of grace, patience, mercy and joy. G-d gives us our every JOY.

G-d IS our every JOY.