Faith to believe and dream.: Thanks, giving and Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

This is definitely my favorite time of the year! All of the fall colors and wonderful food and best of all the launch into the Christmas season! The BEST time of the year!

I had the privileged and blessing of being able to spend thanksgiving this year in Alabama with my guy and his amazing family. It was definitely a first for me to spend the holiday somewhere other than with my family in Texas, but what an amazing blessing it was!! There are no words to describe how thankful I am for this past week! Not only for being able to celebrate this day but the amazing time I had.

Being in a long distance relationship definitely has its ups and downs. The separation is tough but the Lord is so faithful and this week definitely proved that. Personally, I was so excited to see my boy after 2 months and being able to spend a whole week with him! I had no expectations, I was so happy and overjoyed about just being in Alabama. BUT leave it to the Lord to just shower his love and blessings and exceed expectations I didn't even have.

I feel as though a lot of times we limit the Lord and his blessings and love to a very give and take relationship. "I'll do this right and he will reward me with blessings"... makes sense right? but that is so not right.

During my last morning in Bama, I was sitting in the kitchen of poppy and nana's waiting on some world famous waffles (but really... they are phenomenal) and poppy shared with me a simple yet incredible bit of information... the Lord's love is unconditional not conditional. He loves us, no matter how much good we do or even how much sin we fall into each day! A lot of times we tend to lean on the understanding that trials and hard times are punishments for our sins, when in turn most of the time the Lord is using the trials as stepping stones and learning tools to build us stronger and prepare us for his works and glory.

Just think about it, we love showering blessings and good things on those we love, that is how the Lord is with us. "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" - Psalm 37:4. Such a simple but powerful truth. The Lords love is Unconditional!

All and all, between the good and bad, the trials and joys. The Lord gives and takes to show his everlasting and unconditional love, power and promise. We have to remember that he blesses us because he loves us so much but also because he is giving us hope and building faith on an even better outcome. No matter what, God never promised a better now but of a better place! How exciting and amazing is that!? :)

"⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." - 1 peter 1:4-6

So I sit here, completely wonderstruck and head over heels over this past week. Praise God for his amazing blessings and gift. I do not deserve any of it and am speechless by it all. To him be all the glory. I am so Thankful for my boyfriend and his family for blessing me with their love and kindness this whole week. What an incredible example of a wonderful group of people who whole heartedly love the Lord and share his love and blessings with the world. I am so grateful and honored to have been able to experience Christ's unconditional love and blessings through him and them this past week (along with the most incredible food EVER!)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving week!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

-Romans 15:13