fall.

Today, fall came to Costa Rica (kind of).

It started out with homemade cinnamon rolls...

...and some time spent on this porch...

...enjoying this view - not exactly the leave changing colors scene but beautiful none the less...

...and this pup enjoying the sun...

... then pumpkin muffins and coffee came next...

...followed by some outside playing...

...and trampoline jumping...

...and swingset swinging... 

...and laughing and smiling...

...with white chicken chili for lunch...

...as we snuggled up in our "fall" clothes...

...and played cards the rest of the afternoon...

...and when I finally returned home, I celebrated National Coffee Day, the fall way - Pumpkin Spice Latte (sent by my amazing parents)...

Needless to say, it was wonderful, fall filled day with friends!

Him.

"Enjoying the sought after blessings of God is sometimes confused with enjoying His person."

As I read this, it stopped me in my tracks.

So I read it again. "Enjoying the sought after blessings of God is sometimes confused with enjoying His person."

Is this me? I spend so much of my days searching and hunting and chasing the wonder of these grace gifts that are all around me. But have I forsaken my First Love? (Revelation 2:4) In the midst of seeking His graces in the material world, have I abandoned the seeking of His person?

May it never be so.

These gifts of grace are alluring and breathtaking and fascinating and bewitching - but they will never take the place of the Person of God in my life. I cannot substitute His blessings with the constant discovering of who He is.

And is not that why He gives us these grace wonders? In order to draw us closer to His person?

If I forget this, my pursuit of grace is in vain. I forget this and all I've learned is but dust.

We must never stop learning more and more and more about the Person of God. His gifts speak but a fraction of all the glorious righteousness of who He is. They are an imperfect reflexion of His perfection.

gracefully.

"Die gracefully."

Words chosen so carefully and spoken so clearly.

This speaker with her voluminous hair and trendy glasses and adorable outfit.

At first glance and with preconceived notions, it might be easy to tune her out. Write her off.

But she spoke with such eloquent realness, I could not.

"Die gracefully."

These words kept ringing in my ears, much like the obnoxious fly buzzing currently around my head.

I had to find out what she meant.

She centered her stories and realness around Philippians 1:21.

The words of Paul read: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

I couldn't drink it in fast enough.

I am reminded of a recently read quote by Dr. Larry Crabb.

"As we walk a path that seems to lead toward death, a sense of life quietly grows within us."

To die is to gain.

By death, he means gain.

By gain, could he mean grace?

And once again, I'm floored by this sudden realization.

"Die gracefully."

I try to make it all fit in my head.

I am still trying to make it all fit.

When we walk towards our brokenness, we die.

We die to our pride and self-protection and fear and we let something new and wholesome take over.

Grace.

So what feels like death, is really grace.

What feels like death, is actually life.

What feels like death, is truly freedom.

And I wonder how many times I have to learn this lesson.

How many different ways does He have to show me before I get it?

But I hope He never stops showing me because this is a lesson I cannot live without.

"Die gracefully."

And each day, in the midst of the dying and in the midst of the disappointments and in the midst of this life, His graces show up.

And I slowly see: I cannot truly live without first dying.

as it should be.

And so we begin another semester of Costa Rica Young Life, Wyld Life and Vida Joven (high school ministry, middle school ministry and neighborhood ministry respectively). The semester has started out with a bang on all parts.

Last Wednesday, we had Young Life Costa Rica's first ever COLOR WARS. The "paint" was made up of some mixture of flour, water and color. Kids came wearing white shirts, excited to get them ruined by the end of the night. We started out the night with fun songs and an amazing talk about what is means to live a rich, full life in God. Then the color began. We had games planned, with two teams: blue and orange. But in typical Young Life fashion, the games were finished within the first ten minutes and a full out color war began. Screams and laughter were heard all over the yard as many people ran for their lives from the couple of boys who took it onto themselves to make sure everyone was covered from head to toe in paint. It was a beautiful, fun filled night of laughter, playing, breaking down walls and the Gospel. Exactly as Young Life should be.

Friday was another night of craziness. Our middle school ministry, Wyld Life, held it's first club of the semester: SNOWSTORM. Yes, in Wyld Life, it snows in Costa Rica. The whole night of games was centered around snow: snow shoveling cotton balls with vaseline on your nose, Christmas carols, and a full out snow ball fight at the end with shooting q-tips through straws and shaving cream fight. And, in the middle of it all, an excellent talk was given about how in Wyld Life this semester we are going to be real with each other and talk about real things, like friends do. And one of those real things is Jesus and sharing who He is and what He has done for us. It was a beautiful, fun filled night of laughter, playing, breaking down walls and the Gospel. Exactly as Wyld Life should be.

Saturday afternoon came along with another Vida Joven Mega Club for all of Costa Rica. But, true to Costa Rica's character, it rained for most of the afternoon. So while some brave souls fought the rain and did the climbing wall or outside games, most of the 400 kids and leaders found themselves in a giant dance party in the tent in the middle of a wet, muddy field. But laughter, fun and smiles were seen all around! Soon, the actual club part started with songs to sings, a skit to watch and a talk about how much God wants us, no matter what. This is probably the first and only talk I will ever see with standing room only. Because the ground was so muddy from the rain and dancing, the speaker stood on a stool and all the kids stood around her for the whole talk. It was very impressive! It was a beautiful, fun filled afternoon of laughter, playing, breaking down walls and the Gospel. Exactly as Vida Joven should be.

joy dare.

august 13th: three 3 gifts in green.

// view as I walk home from school // lime green room that's become my safe heaven // grass peaking up through the concrete //

august 17th: a gift red, read, written.

// a sweet reminder written on my mirror // red shirt peaking from his adorable sweater vest // a quote read //

august 22nd: a gift in a ring, sphere, curve.

// sphere: bridge and it's mirrored image in water // carpet patterns that curve // tops of half filled paint cups create rings //

august 23rd: three gifts old.

// old print shop in Nashville - too many gifts of old to count //

august 24th: three gifts of light.

// window light from the 25th floor // light seeping in through curtains // lights at night on Broadway in Nashville, TN //

august 26th: three gifts of family.

// spending the weekend with my parents in Nashville over the break in school //

august 27th: a gift straight, curve, corner.

// lavender growing straight(ish) // curve of a hammock in Nicaragua (confession: not taken on the 27th) // book store corner //

august 31st: three gifts moving.

// so many gifts of movement in the craziness that ensued at a birthday party with my host family. too many graces to count //

Falling into Rainy Season...

Rainy season is in full swing here in Costa Rica. So while you all in the States are pulling out your boots, scarves and flannel while sipping on apple cider or a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks (a personal favorite of mine) in preparation for the fall - I am pulling out the rain boots, rain jacket and umbrella and hoping to make it home from school before the downpour begins! While rainy season technically began back in May, certainly has gotten progressively worse as the days go on. But it's part of life down here so we make it work. :)

This summer was spent studying (lots of) Spanish, youth group meetings, time with friends, learning more about the culture and many hours laughing with my host family. In December I will be in Nicaragua officially - so while I am looking forward to this, I am also excited about another 4 months spent in the beautiful country of Costa Rica!

Thanks to all the ways you support me on this journey - prayerfully or financially. It is such an encouragement to me and I pray that the Lord is blessing you by being a part of His journey for me! Thank you a thousand times over!

(click to enlarge)