one thing that i have learned throughout living life is that the human spirit was made for adventure.
it comes out from within me more and more each day, it seems... this craving for adventure.

even if adventure means traveling to eau claire's neighboring town of the great altoona with family to go to altoona family restaurant because i'd never tried it (: or driving through minneapolis on a summertime night, or seeing the minnehaha waterfalls with a dear friend, or going to perkins late at night with friends for pumpkin pancakes on the weekend of homecoming, or days like today, when  i had about forty-five minutes before i would meet with a group for a project and had already done quite a bit of homework, so i sat down to just do some reading and journaling, but then i had the thought that this is prime time to sneak away and do something spontaneously adventurous with this joy-filled God that my heart beats for.  this thought made me visibly giddy... a spontaneous get-away adventure with this God who loves me??  i almost started skipping and jumping!  why don't i do this more??
and this little half-hour adventure of singing my silly heart songs to God in the snow-filled woods in the middle of the day did more for my heart than i can tell you! 

and i have learned that i am not alone in this.  i think this is a human condition.  i think this is a God condition, too.  i think He is a very adventurous God.  i think that's why He made the world so big and beautiful, with so many people... for us to discover & explore & find each other, and relish in creation and ultimately find Him through & within our exploration.

sometimes, you just need to take a big gulp of air to remind yourself that you are ALIVE, that God is good and life is beautiful.

so may i challenge YOU, this week, and for the rest of your lives, to GO... seek and explore and venture out into this big world that God has designed to bring you closer to Himself. <i honestly believe it revives the human heart more than anything else> and it brings you closer to other people, too... i learned this summer that taking risks and being in nature builds relationship and trust more than almost anything.

and here, my friends, are some of my favorite adventure pics to get inspired and GO!

happy venturing! (:

"i've closed my eyes, i'm taking His hand and i hear Him say... 'oh darling, let's be adventurers'"
-my dear friend, coral, an adventurous soul.

Yesterday, was adventure day.
And for adventure day, a dear friend and I beheld this glory.

It is an extraordinary thing, being made with senses.
To smell, and to hear, and to see, and feel... that God is loving us through what he has created. 
There are some things that words are simply unable to convey or do justice to, that nature can... the trees, the water, the rocks, stones... they say so much, just by their existence.

Thank You, God, for loving us the ways You do.

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^^^