Resolutions (sort of) and a wedding!

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I'm not normally one for making New Year's resolutions, primarily because I'm not very good at following through with them. However, a little over one week ago, I decided to blog once a week, and here I am following through :)
School has started up again, and with it, all the joy and drama that Academia brings. During Christmas break I attended the wedding of some family-friends and while the I was challenged, rather indirectly, to live each day with joy. I realized at that time that joy was something that I had not been seeking, at least on a regular basis. How convicting! It was rather startling to come face to face with the fact that I was attempting to live without one of the essential elements of the Christian life. Of course I had been asking God for courage and strength, because those seemed to be the obvious things one would need when doing something difficult. But joy. So this week I've been asking for joy. And with it has come a lifting, both of my spirits, but more than that, of the eyes of my heart beyond myself to the needs those around me. I am not able to meet needs or fix hearts, but that's not what God is asking. His grace is sufficient. He's asking me to be available so He can work through me. This week was good, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of a much longer journey steadily upwards, and I cannot wait to see what He will do.
So that wedding I went to? Well, some dear friends, Timmy and Kristi Gaster (Hooray! I can finally write that!) got hitched in Seattle a few days after Christmas. What an incredible, joyful, emotion-filled time of celebration we had. Guests came literally from around the worlld, which was in itself amazing. But in the faces of those present, one could see the luster that only comes from having been changed  by God through another human being, and in the case, because of the willingness of Timmy and Kristi.  Many words were spoken, memories shared, stories told, and encouragement given. But beyond that, there was hope expressed, for the future these two will share, and what God will continue to do through them. It was so sweet to see BFA friends and former staff and students and reminisce and share about how each of us is handling our transitions. What amazes me is how God has a distinct path for each of us, and how He has been guiding us all individually. So although I was sad to say good bye yet again, I look forward to the next meeting, and to all that will happen in the meantime. So to my BFA family: May God make His face shine upon you until we meet again! Love to you all. 

Here's a pic from the wedding:

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