July 2025

Last month, I spent a day at our church’s high school camp. My husband had to be in Flagstaff for work so I went with him and while he was at the office, I hung out with my friends at camp. (By the way, I LOVE camp with students!)

During worship, they sang the song, “Owe You Praise” (Elevation Worship & Chandler Moore). I’m sure you can tell by the name that it is about praise. The first few lines get me-
“You woke me up this morning
Yeah, my cup is overflowing
You have blessed me and I know it
So I owe you my praise”
There are no truer words.

Then the chorus-
“When I think of all you’ve done
When I think of all you’ve brought me through
When I think about your love
I could never say enough thank yous”

Something hit me that day. I find myself in a valley, confused and a little lost as to “what’s next” but also on the mountaintop, so grateful for this life. I am at a time in my life where I am keenly aware of how amazing the Lord is and how he has blessed me. It’s weird to be on the mountain and in the valley but I am so, so thankful for it. I am doing my best not to rush through the valley, not trying to get out of it on my own. I am doing my best to lean in to the Lord and learn what he has for me in this. But while I’m there, it doesn’t have to be crisis mode. I can take those mountaintop moments- laughing with my family, one on one time with my kids, time with friends, time with the Lord, Saturday nights with junior highers- all of those moments are amazing and I am so thankful for them.

God is so, so good. I am doing my best to trace his goodness in my life. I think it’s easy to see that goodness on the mountaintop but harder in the valley. Some of the times that have been the hardest have also been the sweetest. It is a gift to see God’s goodness in the valley.

I’m not sure if you can relate to the whole “being in 2 places at once” thing; it’s a weird place to be. I can be thankful on the mountaintops and in the valleys. God is good not some of the time, but all of the time. Sometimes we don’t immediately see it but his goodness is there and I am thankful for that. I also don’t want to miss it. I don’t want to miss one moment. Maybe I’ll write more about the moments- I am going to try and literally trace his goodness in my life which will be hard at times and easier at others but it always leads back to his provision, care, and love for me.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve measured years in school years. August to May and then the summer. Probably because I’ve gone from student to teacher to mom with kids in school back to teacher.

Last year was rough. For a number of reasons that I won’t go into but I was anxious all the time and was not my best self at all. I knew deep in my soul that something needed to change. So, I resigned from a job that I really did love. I loved working with middle school students. Loved joking with them, laughing with them, learning from them, and teaching them something along the way. As always, I think I learned more from them than they did from me.

I learned to slow down and have patience. I learned that sometimes lunch detention (although both parties hate it) is the key to understanding someone better. I stand by all the things I said this time last year- junior highers are amazing people and have a lot to offer the world if we would just have a little patience, time, and understanding.

Walking away from that job and from people I LOVED working with was no easy thing but it was what I knew was right for me.

With the start of the summer, the anxiety has slowly calmed and I am finding myself again. (I know that sounds incredibly cliche but it’s the best phrase I can come up with at the moment.) I am hoping to figure out what I love doing and do more of it. For now, I know that I really love hanging out with my family and laughing a lot.

This summer, vacation took us to Albania. (Which, if you have a chance to go there, do it. Beautiful country and such friendly people!) Our last “stop” there was Himare, a smaller beach town. We stayed at a small, 7 unit, family run apartment. Over the course of our days there we were able to chat with the son that runs it with his parents. Petro was kind and generous and a very genuine person. Many people, including Petro, asked how we ended up in Albania and the story always went back to Reagan’s experience last summer on the mission trip she was a part of.

This got us talking about church and he let us know about some missionaries in Greece that he knew well. We looked them up and although they are not supported by our church, they are supported by another local church in Phoenix. It was during this conversation that he gave my family the best compliment that we could have ever gotten. Petro looked at Adam and I and told us, you can just tell with your family, you are all so peaceful. Then he followed up by saying, it is because of your salvation in Christ.

This, after all year of feeling less than peaceful was more than a blessing. He had no idea how much I needed to hear that. I had no idea how much I needed to hear that. To have a relative stranger see peace in you and your family during a time when the world is more than upside down, is a testament to Jesus and the peace that only he gives.

Gosh friends, all I can say is that if you do not feel peaceful, give Jesus a chance. Come to church with me. Find a local church. Start praying. I am telling you that this peace is greater than any job, spouse, politician, or thing could give you.

So…now to find what’s next for me. I have no clue but God does and I’m going to lean in close while I try to figure it out. And I’ll probably bake some things along the way too. Stay tuned but know this, I’m not anxious and I’m not worried because I trust in the one who is greater than anything this earth has to offer.

Month: July 2025

Mountaintops and Valleys

Peace