Gracie Girl Blog

As summer begins I always feel like there’s so much pressure to make this the “best summer ever.” Do all the bucket list things, hang out with friends constantly and go to the beach. In reality, summer is never perfect and usually consists of more laying around and netflix than I’d like to admit.

This year, summer started differently for me. My family and I set off for St.John the day after school got out. The island was beautiful and I enjoyed all the fun things we got to do with family. Yet I realized something. You can be laying on a beach in paradise, and feel like the most stressed out person in the world. You can take a ton of artsy pictures and still feel like everyone else has a better life than you. It’s not the place you are in, it’s where your heart is.

While the islands where beautiful, my heart wasn’t there. Sometimes it was, like underwater looking at fish (I think I would live underwater if I could). But the stress from a long school year was still wearing off. The fact that we aren’t going to my beloved ranch in Wyoming this summer seemed to follow me around like a dark cloud. I wanted to spend more time with God, but that’s always easy to say but hard to do. I just wasn’t in a place to have a “perfect” vacation. But I think that’s okay.

Kisses From Katie is a book I recommend to anyone who is breathing. I read it throughout our trip and finished it on the plane coming home. It was honestly one of the best parts of the trip. It’s about a 19 year old girl who moves to Uganda and begins to realize God’s great calling for her life. She talks about the hardships and is so honest about her feelings. What I loved about it is she is so real and makes the Bible make more sense to me. The book reminded me of how much God loves me and how He has such an amazing plan for my life. And while I am SO not capable.. He is beyond prepared to help me through life.

Something that really stood out to me is that God will provide. It’s something I need to work on remembering. He will provide strength. He will provide opportunity to share his love. He will provide rest in a world that is constantly moving. He will provide peace in the midst of pain. He will provide resources to accomplish what He wills. He will provide open doors so that I can accomplish my dreams. He will provide (and has always provided) more love for me, and all people, than I can imagine.

On the plane I prayed and asked God to show me what to do, how to share His love. The difference between here and Uganda is in Uganda, you have an extremely material poor people, yet who are rich in faith. In NoVA, you have materially rich people who are poor in faith. While I don’t believe I am called to a 3rd world country at this time in my life, I know I am called here. I know the need is great, and I can already see how God is working to show His love, and I am blessed to be a part of it.

In conclusion, one of the things I did check off my summer to-do list is starting a blog. I’ve always considered it, and I think now is the perfect time to begin. Writing comes  naturally to me and I pray God can give me the words to encourage and love people.

Luke 12:48 says “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” 

I have been given much, and I want to share it.