look back & laugh.

I hope ya'll had a lovely Christmas :) Mine was full of family, friends, laughter, and sweet cookies! Even though I've been sick in bed the last couple days, Christmas has been a great time to enjoy and reflect on life and the coming year.

Was so encouraged by one of my favorite devotional books, "Morning and Evening" by Charles Spurgeon. It's full of truths from Scripture, gems I daily find so inspiring. (Check it out online here.) I read this today,

"There are no dilemmas out of which you shall not be delivered if you live near to God,

and your heart be kept warm with holy love.

He goes not amiss who goes in the company of God."

What a sweet reminder! As daughters of the Lord, He promises to walk beside us and deliver us out of all the trials we face, as we trust Him. He will keep our hearts warm with His love. Honestly, reflecting over the past year of my life (the hardest yet) I am comforted by the truth that the Lord is faithful and His plan is perfect!

A mentor of mine a few years ago told me something, as I sat on her couch and cried my eyes out over some silly drama I was facing at the time (a boy drama, no doubt.. funny how years later, you can't remember them, haha) and she said, "Erin, someday, you'll look back on all this craziness, and you'll laugh." Through tears, I smiled.

It's true, though.
And though I haven't lived enough of life to see all that happens as time moves on, I do know that God changes our hearts, helps us to see what His plan was, and helps us to understand the pain and even loss we have been through.

So, girls... chin up. You're gonna laugh someday. And if it's too hard & you can't laugh today...no matter what's going on, at least we can be brave, and smile.

Smiling....

On my way to a Christmas play with the family...