Hi friends!
I think it's about that time you all meet Ariel.

She is soo special to me.
She is one of the most gentle and kind-hearted people I've ever met, and she's always smiling at me!
A couple weeks ago, when I was going to paint in front of Intervarsity's large group and I was scared like the dickens, a group of us were praying over the night and the whole time Ariel held my hand.  That just meant so much to me!  I felt peace instantly.
That's the kind of person she is... full of love and full of light!  I learn so much from her about how to love and how to know God.


I thank God, often, for this bright light.  What an honor it is to be her friend.

Hi there!
So, I always want to be celebrating the people who are so dear to me on this blog of mine, because if you can't meet them in person, I want you to know and be encouraged by the fact that such beautiful people exist (:

This here is Holland.
and she wears dresses and says "wOw!" and sings with the most beautiful voice you've ever heard and she loves cozy things and she talks with an "er mer gersh" voice and poor Spanish pronunciation just to be silly and she affirms people almost every minute and she makes me laugh and she makes my days.  Her existence alone will literally make my days...

I thank Jesus for her, because she is a gift right from Him.  And oh, she loves Him so!

I LOVE Holland.

A couple of days ago, my dear friends Angela, Marissa, and Trent stayed at my house for the night before they went to go serve Jesus around the world. (I feel like I always say "dear friends," but gosh, I just don't know how else to put it! ha, they really are SO DEAR to me! ...but I'll work on trying to find a new phrase haha).  Trent and Marissa are going to Kolkata, India, and Ang is going to Mexico City. 

I was surprised at how refreshed my heart was by their presence and love.  Sharing a meal with them, talking with them about their trips, watching the way they interact with my family and each other, watching the light in their eyes as they express genuine contentedness... it's Jesus.  They make me want to love Jesus more, because of the way they live.  I really don't know how else to say it.  They are making Him known.

Three of the most beautiful souls I know, changing the world with their love for God.

My beautiful friend, Mary, is married. 
MARRIED!  She has a husband.  She is a wife.  She can put a Mrs. in front of her last name.  Her new last name.  She lives with a boy now!  haha... this is all crazy to me.
But I had the privilege of seeing her walk down the aisle and say "I do" yesterday.  Such a beautiful thing.  I'm so thankful.
I've known my friend Mary since kindergarten.  I still remember her kindergarten graduation cap kept falling off of her head. (: We played tag together at recess in first and second grade.  I went to her house for a birthday party in second grade and remember standing in her bathroom and looking in the mirror, being AMAZED because it looked like the room went on forever because of the mirror behind it.  She left our school for a while, but then came back in tenth grade where we were reunited and formed a deeper friendship and I got to see such a depth to Mary's heart.  It was kind of surreal to me to see her walk down the aisle.  I can't believe we're old enough and that is the stage of life that we are entering.

But how wonderful to see a wedding so Christ-glorifying.  I LOVE that!
Mary was a beautiful bride.  And OH she loves Andrew!  And OH he loves Mary!  So wonderful. 

As Levi the Poet said: "I love weddings.  I love seeing my friends marry their friends.  I love hanging
out with my friends as our friends marry their friends." (:  Couldn't have said it better myself!

^^^The whole wedding party, along with the family, came around Andrew and Mary and covered them with prayers during the ceremony.  Just beautiful.^^^

Congratulations, beautiful friend. <3

A few months ago I was introduced to the idea of "thin spaces."  And by that I mean spaces on earth where heaven seems to be closer... spaces where the gap between heaven and earth is thin.
There is just something about a place where there have been decades of people gathering there to worship and discover God...
Many beautiful tears have been shed at Cedar Campus in the great land of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  It is a thin space.  Truly one of the most beautiful places in the world.  I was constantly just blown away by the glory.  And I got to experience all of this beauty for a whole week with my dear friends for InterVarsity's Chapter Focus Week. 
God revealed Himself to me in many ways.  In ways that were hard, too.

These people are my family.  My brothers and sisters, and each one just incredibly dear to my heart.

I only pulled my phone out for the last morning, right before we left because I wanted to unplug for a while,  but I just HAD to capture some of the breath-taking sights.  And unfortunately I only closely captured my group of Towers friends by the lake, but I hope you enjoy them.

Oh, my heart is full.

^^^just because I really like music with posts and pictures^^^

Saturday was pretty much my favorite day.
One of my very dearest friends from home, Nicole, drove a whole two hours to visit me (:

We started that breezy, sunny day with going to The Goat coffeehouse to enjoy some breakfast foods and cinnamon teas (:
Refreshed my heart.
Then, we ventured to my fave, Just Local Foods, where she bought me some ginger beer and coconut ice cream bars for us to share, and I took her to one of my favorite spots on campus, a wide window sill in Schofield where we ate our goodies and talked about everything.

This friendship is so dear to me.  She is so wonderful, I can't even tell you.  So Jesus-filled.  So wise and discerning. So giving and caring.  So affirming.  So radiant.  I wish everyone could know her.

Thank you, Nicole, for being my friend, and thank you, Jesus, for making such a beautiful soul.
This quality time meant so much to me.

I lost my Blugold.  And losing your Blugold at Eau Claire means it's pretty hard to do anything, like get into the caf or into your dorm.  And Anna's gone.  And I was hungry.  So I made my barefoot-n-jammies way down the hall to my friend, Michelle's, to see if I could have some of her oatmeal.  And she bagged up some oats and brown sugar for me, and it made me smile, and so I'm telling you about it. (:
Maybe that's weird that it meant so much to me, but it made me feel like family.  It reminded me of how much I love doing life here,
 
with these people.

We ride to church together, we eat together, we brush our teeth together, we knock on each other's doors to share oatmeal or just to talk when we need someone.

And when I'm missing my family, I sure am glad these people have become family the way they have.

that's all. (:
Thanks, God.

Hey, friends!  One of my favorite things about living life is that I get to do it with so many beautiful people.  I get so excited introducing them to you, too, because I wish every single person could know them and their love.  They are my daily reminders of God's presence in my life.  What a glorious thing!  I love how He uses them.

& This here, is Rachel.
If there is anything I want to say about this person, it is that she loves.  I know God is in her because of how she loves.  How she sees people, how she serves them.  She is real and authentic.  She loves purely and whole-heartedly.  She calls people "dear" (: and empathizes with their emotions.

We share a mutual appreciation for moving lyrics, Charlotte the soundboard (:, Erbs & Gerbs ham sandwiches, and desiring God on a deeper level.
I think I would be different without knowing Rachel.
She's probably one of my favorite people.
And, oh, Jesus loves her a lot (: