to be full again

cleansing words flow
through my eyes and pour
into my soul
filling crevices I'd forgotten
were there and
renewing
creating a thirst, a hunger, a longing
replacing emptiness with hope
and driving out fear
restoring confidence and self-worth
through the Light and the
Word

and the emotionless void
that was once me
suddenly overflows again


I was in a terrible mood Sunday morning, so rather than study the passages in Genesis I had planned to read, I opened to a random page. I started in Proverbs ("A happy heart makes the face cheerful... The discerning heart seeks knowledge... the cheerful heart has a continual feast." --15:13-15), moved back to Psalms, and eventually found myself in Ephesians, one of my favorite books. 

By the time I reached the passage below, it was like eating chocolate cake--I couldn't stop, I couldn't get enough. As I read 4:31-32 I could feel layers peeling off and falling away as the hollowness inside began to fill. And yet I did stop, because I felt something, and I had to let it out. I suppose it was an epiphany of sorts.

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every from of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." --Ephesians 4:31-32

inspire me

I've noticed an overabundance of New Year posts in the past week, but instead of becoming annoyed at the repetitiveness of it all, I found inspiration. They're all about beginnings and goals and resolutions, but they each have something different and beautiful to say. Here are my favorites:

A Time of Refreshing at Kindred Grace
--Cleaning, organizing, and renewing

Steadfast. Immovable. at Melinda Blogs
--"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." -1 Cor. 15:58

Hello, 2014: Plans + Goals for a New Year at sara m. brink
--"enjoy the present... smile more in the here and now."

You may also want to check out How to Pick Up the Pieces + Start Somewhere. It's an older post by sara m. brink, but beautifully inspiring nonetheless.

What inspired you this New Year?

a photo blog

If you're interested at all in photography (or if you just like pretty pictures), you should pay a visit to my husband's new blog, A Photo A Day! He began it on the first of the year to help form a habit of taking a photo a day, but it must be something like potato chips because he hasn't posted just one photo on any given day. :)

Dragon's Curse (The Dragon and the Scholar #1)

by H.L. Burke

Look for this book coming out on January 27! I beta read it, and was blown away.

Dragon's Curse is a wonderful self-published fantasy/romance and, true to the title, it features dragons. I devoured it in just a few days, my only disappointment being that the second book is still in the works.

It is fairly short as far as novels go, but great things come in small packages, right? Of course they do. H.L. Burke packs action, romance and just enough detail into her book without making it feel rushed. Dragon's Curse is a light read while also being incredibly difficult to put down.

I love the relationships between all of the characters in this book, both existing ones and those that develop throughout the story. The plot is wonderfully unique and mostly unpredictable.

Dragon's Curse is reminiscent of Donita K. Paul's books, and if you've read this post you know that is a grand compliment, coming from me.

5/5 leaves

wordless wednesday: glancing back, looking forward

So, this Wednesday isn't exactly wordless, but there are quite a few pictures to make up for it. :) A lot happened this year, between a graduation, four weddings and several vacations, so I thought I might give you a peek.

annual family xc ski trip in WV

(Dad, Mom, and my shadow pictured)

family vacation to NYC

(me and my brother with the New Year ball)