Time for some Devotionals

My friends and I lovingly call them, "Devos". Others call them "God Time". To many they are known as devotionals and are great times to just spend some time with God, and being present in the moment. This week my favorite Devo has been such a comfort, so I figured I'd share it with you!

One of the first things I do each morning is grab my copy of Jesus Calling and the Bible. There is something comforting in reading the Bible in the morning before the day starts as well as this Devotional.

Lately, I have been trying to direct my attention back towards God throughout my day. And I love the entries that are in Jesus Calling. In case you haven't heard of this marvelous devotional...here's the scoop! It is a daily devotional that was written by Sarah Young. She wrote this devotional after listening to God's voice, something in which she encourages readers to do as well.

For me, it is a great reminder that no matter what we are going through, and no matter where we are in life, God is ever-present and pouring out his love upon us. All we have to do is accept it.

This week has held several ups and downs, and one of the journals entries from this week talked about God's everlasting love. With each day's journal entry, several bible verses are listed, so I thought I would share one with you.

The day that I came across this verse in the devotional was one that I definitely needed to hear this verse.
This has also been my favorite verse for a long while and comes from the Great Commission in the Book of Matthew:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
-Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Just an awesome reminder that God is always there!

So if you're having a rough day, just take a moment to stop and spend time with God. He's Got Your Back!
-Caitlin


PS-If you don't want to invest in the Jesus Calling devotional, (although I would highly recommend it), I'd also recommend following their Twitter Feed. There's bits of encouragement that are tweeted each day.

November Road Trip

This part of the year has been filled with deadlines, presentations, and lesson plans. It has certainly been an eventful time of year, and I cannot believe how quickly the semester has flown by. As an elementary education major in my methods classes, my classmates and I have been constantly writing, teaching, and reflecting upon lesson plans. It has truly consumed my time, but I have loved what I am doing! It makes me ecstatic to know that I will soon be in the classroom.

For now, I am focusing on trying to "be present" and enjoy every moment. Life is speeding by quickly, but I am so happy to be enjoying the ride!

This past weekend was one of those wonderful weekends that came at an absolutely perfect time for a break. My friends and I decided at the beginning of this year that we would take a quick-y road trip to watch a good friend play football at the University of Wisconsin. What started out as plans to just see the football game, cascaded into an adventure to meet up with other friends that are scattered throughout the Midwest. 

On Friday, we stopped at the Mall of America and saw the Christmas decorations that adorned the Mall. 

My absolute favorite holiday and time of year begins on November 1. I blast the Christmas music, and continue the countdown (that I began on August 1) until the Christmas holiday. So you can guess my reaction when I saw the Christmas trees that were not one, not two, but three stories tall. (This picture was taken from the second floor)

That evening, we saw some friends that we had worked with this summer. This weekend was a great reminder that no matter how far away we are in the US, we still have those friendships that span the distance. I loved the fact that our conversations pretty much picked up where we had left them in August. Pretty cool. 

Our weekend continued with watching the football game. Despite the torrential downpour, it was great just to be with friends, watch a good football game, and laugh. 

Of course we stopped for coffee at a local coffee shop, one of my favorite things to do in a new place. I love that you can learn so much about a place by the shops that adorn the streets. (Link to Acoustic)

The weather was pretty frigid, so the tortellini soup really warmed me up, as well as the pumpkin-pie-chai (in the tall glass). There is no other word for it, but decadent. Pure decadence. 

It was such a wonderful weekend, and I was so very happy we took our little road trip it. Road trips have become more and more frequent this year, and I love that my friends are so willing to go adventuring. There are always good experiences to be found when on the road for hours on end. 

And guess what? Only 8 more days until Thanksgiving. 

I am getting excited for all of the festivities and for spending time with family. I can practically smell the turkey now... :-)

Have a wonderful evening!!

For Everything There is a Season

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1

This verse has been on my mind a lot lately. It is something that I have been identifying with quite a bit, and I must say, I am enjoying the season that my life is in right now. 

Today was one gorgeous November Day. Months ago, when I was looking ahead at the year, I presumed that it would be snowing by now. I figured that the clouds would be grey and I would need many more layers than just a simple sweater. But here we are. A crisp Fall day, the leaves are falling rapidly and the reds, yellows, and golds dot the bluffs. Just another sign that I can't always predict what the future holds. That is why the verse from Ecclesiastes has been on my mind quite a bit.

Today, I sat at a coffee shop. I had a one of the tastiest and tallest Iced Chai Teas I have ever had (Mine is in that large glass) and sat and laughed with my friends as we sipped on our coffee. We had decided to take a road trip just mere hours before and drive to Rochester, Minnesota to get off campus. And in traditional style, we listened to Christmas music the entire ride up to Rochester, and the entire way back. It was great. Today was one of those blissful days that I know I will look back on fondly (I already am), and just thank God for. 

The trip was also a reminder of just how wonderful life really is. It was also a reminder that sometimes our path of life doesn't always take us down the way that we think we should go. Our trip to Rochester today was unexpected. I wasn't planning on going on a mini road-trip this week, but it ended up being the best way to spend the day. Just another reminder that sometimes life doesn't always go to plan, but God puts us where we are meant to be.

So here I am in this wonderful season of life, and I couldn't be happier. This crazy season of life that has so many twists and turns. It is packed full of laughter, adventure, and unexpected surprises. This season of life is full of trying to figure out what comes next in life, dreaming about the future, and trying to fit in as many activities as possible. However, in this season of life where the beautiful reds and golds are showing up on the tree tops and colors are changing quickly, it is a season where time flies by. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just to sit underneath that beautiful blue sky and wonder at the deep crimsons that color the trees around you, taking in the sight at how beautiful life is, while embracing every moment.

So today, I challenge you to stop and sit for a moment. Sip some coffee, stare at the sky, laugh with some friends, and smile. You are where God means you to be.

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart..."

-Ecclesiastes 3: 1,11