Comfort and Joy

Living in Breckenridge is somewhat like being on a permanent vacation. Seriously. I LOVE LIVING HERE. I love the beauty. I frequently cry as I look upon it. I love that nature is so accessible. Hiking with Nyah is one of my favorite pasttimes. Sitting and reading on my front porch in my amazing (and huge) white rocking chairs (a housewarming gift) is perfection for this introvert. I love the quiet. It's so opposite of a city. It's a slower pace. Less manic. You can hear your soul exhale when you come up here. One of the things I've really noticed inwardly since we moved up here is that I feel so safe. So sheltered. This new home is providing a safe haven that is a new experience for me. It is such a gift from a loving Father. Comfort. Not in the outward sense ... but inwardly. I feel like God has his hand upon us and is holding me as a Father holds his little girl. I feel it when I hear the trees whistle in the wind. I feel it when the snow falls so gently upon our little town. Or in the amazing sunshine that courses down from Heaven. Jonathan and I decided to invest into a new hobby now that we live here ... skiing (me) and snowboarding (him). Our first time out was truly one of the most joyful days I have felt in a long time. Playing with Jonathan. Feeling myself fly down that mountain - run after run - was pure bliss. I haven't felt anything physical like that in years. Encouraging one another as we got a feel for the sport again - it was magical! Joy. Pure Joy from the Father. I got a glimpse of what that verse means, "The Joy of the Lord is your strength." It brough strength. The joy is a gift. It's not something to hoard or worship. It's not something to strive for. It's a gift. And I felt like I was able to receive it that day. I woke up on the morning of our first day skiing and I was so excited. Excited and a bit nervous! I was asking God if he had a word or a verse that he wanted me to meditate on as I skied. He showed me a verse in Corinthians that says, "The LOVE of God controls us". It was so awesome to sit with this as I tried to control my physical body in a brand new way. Every time I felt out of control, or like I was about to bite it, I would say that verse to myself. "Love controls me." "God's love." "God is here." Now that he has made me a new heart, a new life, a new woman ... his life is inside me. His love controls this woman. That is the truest thing about me. I say YES to this truth. So I have been sitting with that statement. Even on my second time skiing, all I could think about was that same verse. So I'm going with it. "The Love of God controls us

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