Godly Men don't like...

This past weekend I got to talk to my sister Ashlea. She was telling me about the things she has been learning over the past two weeks. They had a relationships session. And there was one thing she said that really made me laugh.

"Godly men don't like cleavage."

Now they were discussing how to be pure and holy. And also how to honor one another. So ladies put away that cleavage! How it made me chuckle but how true it is. Recently the Lord and I have been having lots of discussions about marriage. It seems it is something I am always handing over to him. Because by now if I were in charge I would have had me married and perhaps a couple of babies. But alas I am on God's schedule. It is sad to think so many girls just throw away their purity in hopes of catching a man. When I think about the kind of man I hope to marry; it is true... I hope he doesn't like cleavage. That is not the kind of guy I am looking for. So why would I ever sell myself in order to get something I don't even want or maybe isn't for me? It can be hard to be patient. Sometimes it even makes me angry the way he makes me wait! But I want nothing less than His best for me. And so I wait. And I will wait honoring myself and the Lord with my body and actions. Besides I think the person God has for me will probably be far better than someone I "catch" on my own. He will make it happen. So stop worrying ladies and start living lives that are pleasing to our Father. Lets behave as His daughters! Setting our focus on Him is the best thing we can do for ourselves and for our future mate.

The heart of God is a wide open expanse just waiting to be discovered. I have recently ventured to Arizona to spend some time with my older sister Laura. I think of the verse from Hosea: "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her."

Arizona is definitely a desert and I believe this is one of the reasons He has brought me here. I have seemed to lost my passion, my focus for the Father's heart. How easily I rise in the morning and forget Him. The God that gave me breath and rescued me from death. I become so entangled with the world and follow lesser lovers. Lovers that come and steal away my soul bit by unknowingly bit. I am tired of succumbing! I realize that I do not know the Father's heart at all. I have misconceived notions about him. And the moments He wishes to speak tenderly to me I am usually distracted by lesser things. Yet He still comes and comes and comes back for me. He does not stop pursuing. What a love He holds for me, for everyone. Even in my distracted, depraved, selfish ways He never relents. I am appalled by my lack of response! Yet it isn't His nature to push His love on me. He offers it and I have the option of accepting. Oh, but how deep his love is and how limitless. My idea of love is blown apart by His. I love Him only because He has first loved me. But what kind of love is it? Would I recognize it? To understand His love in return ignites my love and passion for him. Jesus show me this love in your heart. I need it. This is the one truth that I really want to grasp because I believe it will shift everything inside me. Once I know Your love then I will live my life in response to this great gift. I am done with lesser loves, the counterfeits, the unfeeling, the passionless, the dead. Lodge this love of yours inside of me so that I will never forget it. Come Jesus, come and show me the honesty of your affections for me. Wrap it around and around me until it covers everything. Until it needs to start seeping inside my flesh so that it can't escape. Your love is not an idea or a concept. It is real and alive and full of life. And I need it. I don't think I can survive without it. I don't want to survive without it. It is the true reality I can no longer ignore. Nor do I want to. It is time for the real and eternally things to capture my heart. Let it be so Lord. Let it be so.

Beautiful Mama to be...

Recently I was lucky enough to get away for a weekend with some special girls of mine. We've been friends for years and it is always a joy to spend some quality time together. One of them, Jenna is expecting this November! I can't wait to meet this little one. One afternoon we took some shots of her and the baby. She is going to be an exceptional mama and I can't wait to see her in action!! Love ya tons dear one!!

Pretty Sister...

My little sister is going to be leaving on a journey in just a few short months! Not exactly sure how I will survive without her... Who will be my hangout buddy? Here are some shots I took of her recently. Enjoy!

Purple Door 2010

You are..

You are unending. You are forever. You are big and grand. I could not begin to understand the expanse of who you are. You stretch beyond the earth and space. You exist outside of time. You reach down from heaven and touch us humans. Your gentle hands mold and bend us into new creations. You reached across the great depths to love and rescue us. You are limitless. None of this is comprehensible. My mind will never fully conceive these secrets, these mysteries. But I know you love me. You sacrificed for me. You created me. You know the inmost depths of my soul. You are a king and yet you are my friend. Your majesty does not keep you from me. Still you care for me. You are a kind king. A gracious king. Thank you for stepping away from your royalty to rescue me. There is none other like you. Nor will there ever be. You are the true king. The creator. You are from a world beyond and yet choose to join ours.

A memory...

I thought I would share a memory with you. It is from quite a while ago.

On a weekend getaway; one with our post high from church, we were in this red cabin with no indoor plumbing. The group was large and the laughter much. It was one of those times when you go away and all it seems like you do is inhale food. And the meals are not spread apart properly. Once you are done with one; the other one is just getting prepared. On this particular day; I can't remember if it was Saturday or Sunday, there was a loft in this specimen of a cabin where the ladies slept. Of course being good mennonites we separate the sleeping conditions. Only exception is marriage. I am pretty sure it was after a stuffing your face with food time of day, I was relaxing up in this loft on a nice old bed trying to settle the glob of food in my stomach. The ceilings are slanted up top so it is very important that you don't pop up unexpectedly and meet forehead to wood. Which I have done. A good friend of mine; one that I have known fourteen years? I can't be sure anymore... it is one of those friends that seems to have always been there. The best kind that is. We were lazily laying there, listening to the conversations down below as everyone gathered in the great room for a bible study. This friend said something to me that day that has stuck with me for the last five years. It was one of those comments that was simple but just spoke right to my core. Some place deep inside that wants to believe it is true. And these were it: "Alyssa, your gonna be a good mom and wife." Now that seems insignificant to most people. But at that time in my life, most of my best friends were in serious relationships and I was starting to feel entirely slighted by the man upstairs in this department. But those few words spoken out loud by someone I love and respect just meant so much. I am sure to this day she has no idea how that statement affected me. It is highly unlikely that she even remembers it. Six years later, I am still waiting. Waiting to see if that statement will be proven true. And obviously trying not to shout up to God that he better get a move on it and make my dreams come true!!!