God writes the best stories.
Let the redeemed of The Lord say so!

What I heard over & over again last weekend at hope spoken were the stories god is writing for our lives. Some people know the story, some are still afraid to say them outloud, some are yet to realize the god sized story happening in their lives… But regardless, God is the writer of the stories.

I also heard over & over again that sometimes the places God takes us & the story line he writes for out lives is one we would never pick.

I can say that. My story, the parts that I shared last weekend, was titled “the story of the unexpected”. Because Gods story line in my life has taken in unexpected turn. His ways are higher than my ways, his thoughts are higher than my thoughts – ish 55:8 says. His ways! Not my way, but his.

I also walked away from so many tear stained conversations knowing and believing that even though we wouldn’t always chose the parts of our stories that include pain, loss, darkness, heartbreak, betrayl… We wouldn’t trade them for anything. Because it’s during those seasons that God draws us nearer to him.

Hannah Singer said in her story, “sometimes he causes the darkness to last bc he needs us to be closer to him”

[“draw me nearer by Hope Handmade, gifted to me by Hope Spoken]

God doesn’t waste anything!

There’s a time for everything. A season for all. I’m still unpacking all that Lauren Chandler preached out of psalm 107, but if you have a few minutes flip over there and read it.  There are seasons of desert, folly, and storm. He uses all of these seasons! Nothing is wasted.

Honestly, I feel like I’m about to enter a season of storm. My spirit can’t decide if I’m already in it, or if it’s coming. I think God is preparing my heart and showing me even now that he is with me. That if a storm hits, it’s him who graciously allows it. He tells me not to worry, and that he will give me grace for the moment.

He tells me it will just be another opportunity to cry out to him. He is with me. He will lead me one step at a time.

I still have so much to unpack from Hope Spoken, but I am so grateful for the time spent with some of my favorite people.  Family, college friends, Midland friend, Africa + adoption friends, sweet internet friends, and new friends that I didn’t expect to connect with.  It was full of  love, laughter, tears, late night conversations, candy, coffee, and Jesus.