"O God of our salvation, and hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas...(You are the one) who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe of your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening shout for joy." (Psalm 65:5-8)

It's hard to believe the immensity of the things I have yet to post here from Spring and Summer. Today I had to share a few of our adventures from Colorado this Spring. We flew out for my 1:1 workshop and spent a few extra days driving all over what felt like half of the state, which may or may not be true! We drove over to Crested Butte (where we had an anniversary session with Laura Nelson -she's amazing!) then to Telluride, Silverton, Colorado Springs and down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We saw as much as we possibly could in four days. I don't get to do as many adventures with my husband, so these memories are so sweet for me. We had a lot of time together in the car, talking about life and dreams. And bonus, we'll plan on using the memories that we created as album art for our upcoming album, which many of you probably don't know. Some of these places were inspiration for writing and have had a big impact on our lives. Travel is incredible that way. It's so refreshing to get away from the "normal" and experience something fresh, let it seep into who I am and harness what truths become vivid for everyday living. I wish I had more poetic words for these images, but that will probably have to wait for the music that goes along with them soon. 

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ashley for over six years now. One of the wonderful aspects of social media (back then, blogging) is the opportunity to meet kindred spirits. She is one of the rare, beautiful souls I have had the pleasure of getting to know in real life as well. When she contacted me about doing a session in their home, I was thrilled. They have such a sweet, tender love and knowing their hearts makes it even more special for me. Unbeknownst to me, Ashley & Louis had just found out they were expecting a baby that very morning! When she told me a week later, I almost cried. I love the challenge of infusing meaning and depth in everything I create, but this session goes beyond what I could have devised - it feels like providence to me. I'm so thankful for these two, and for Ashley's sweet friendship over the years.

Exactly one month ago I entered into a month of rest from work (except for email checks once a week) and all social media. I knew I needed to do it, but to be honest, I had more than a little trepidation about what my days would look like without the things that usually fill them. I did not expect to be catapulted into an old way of life that felt like how I was meant to be living. It took me by surprise that I didn't miss the companion of constant distraction. (Because let's be real, with a little one running around I have plenty of that already.) In my foolishness, I hoped to be "productive" and "get a lot done" during this time. I wanted a more clarity about the next 6 months and hoped to gain new insight. I didn't expect to come out on the other side with even more questions and craving even more time for true rest. However, I did come to understand more of what real rest looks like and that rest revealed the true state of my heart.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me...
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives...
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who grieve in Zion -
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
 a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 
 a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.
  They will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and restore the places long devastated;
They will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations." 
(Isaiah 61)