Chels in Progress

When we feel the weight of our shortcomings, when the mountain of responsibility in front of us seems so steep, on the days when we do not feel adequate to care for what is in front of us, this truth still stands: He doesn't call the equipped.  He equips those He calls. I am not a natural at caregiving.  I don't know many who are.  At least not when it comes to their own families. It's okay that I feel inadequate– this was never how it was supposed to be.  The brokenness around us is heavily juxtaposed against the remembrance that God had a perfect, beautiful original design for humanity. "This is not Eden.  Not even close."  - John & Stasi Eldridge, Captivating For this season, He has called me to spend one day a week with my mama.  Maybe it's a form of secondary caregiving, but I'm choosing to see it as time we get to spend together, prompted by this less-than-beautiful thing in our life called 'multiple sclerosis'.  G...

key lime Fage Greek yogurt celery + pb perfectly-timed renditions of the Lion King theme song new sheets getting stronger with Kayla Itsines' BBG hitting a new level at the bouldering gym new running shoes setting new goals the privilege to pray for others planning adventures

... I'm back! I've created many drafts in the time between my last post and this one.  I repeatedly stop short of a complete thought, and the drafts pile up. Throughout my life, I have struggled to close the gap between "dream big" and "start small".  So, in an effort to once more get the ball rolling on my writing, here is my small start. Summer Arizona My Bible My Family Tender Greens Swimming Holes Tea Shops The Smell of Soap Hikes with Coworkers Journaling <3

God will redeem all hurts for His glory. Take heart. Let go of the people who let go of you. I know, it sounds cliché.  But for real. Relationships (even friendships) are a two-way street. You don't need a professional goal/objective on your resume. Your goal is to get the job . You don't have to be given a title to become a leader. That last slice of pizza will absolutely throw your lactose intolerance over the edge. Love is a verb. Identify your weaknesses, but don't let them define you. Take an extra couple of thousand dollars out in school loans.  Work less, and get an internship at a company you admire.  You can't get internships very easily after you graduate. Knowing what you don't want to do is just as important as knowing what you want to do. Speak. Up. Ask questions. Don't half-ass something just because you're not being acknowledged. (Colossians 3:23-24 & Ephesians 6:7) Be willing to ask for help ( and to receive it ). Sometime...

As I sat in a moderately busy Starbucks, sipping my black tea and typing up a letter, I began to feel someone's attention focused in on me.  Cautiously, I looked up.  Sure enough, a lady was staring me down.  I had a table, and she was sitting on a stool against the wall, clutching her red cup and not removing her gaze.  Realizing I needed to head home, I stood up.  Before I had picked up my empty La Boulange bag, she started making her way over.  She rushed past me and immediately staked a claim on that table. I began to wonder about how the community we have cultivated.  See, I would have happily shared my table with the other lady.  We could've had a brilliant conversation, or quietly respected one another's space.   It would seem that we (as a culture) have decided it is more comfortable to be passively rude than to risk another person rejecting us or being actively rude in response.  So we throw nonverbal signs at people to influ...

I have seen God provide for my family in incredible ways over this past month.  My favorite way to describe it lately is that "His faithfulness is indisputable."  There is no denying that He has been in the middle of our difficulties, triumphed over Satan's attacks, and filled our days with grace.  We are blessed.  Not just for what He has done for us, but for the opportunities to see His character, His love, and His involvement in our lives through the trials.  His glory shines brighter than our circumstances.  There is not one thing in this season that I look at, and think, Satan sure won that one .   No.  God has used absolutely every difficult thing to draw us to Him, to share more of Himself with us, and to prove Himself faithful and graceful.  I have come to this conclusion: I will never fully understand why He allows difficult things to happen to us, except for that through whatever He allows, it is ultimately for His glory. If I...

paddleboarding in perfect weather time to pause & create friends who rally around me in the hardest times the weather cooling off a little bit overnight oatmeal working with our youth group the my roommates & the 585 house worship music my Nalgene bottle photography ♥ thank You, Lord, for these days & these gifts.