So...I Took A Drive Tonight...

I went for a drive tonight. I had to get out...leave...and for a moment just feel like I could runaway from all the mess of my life & never come back.
So I chased the sun.
I love the sky in its brilliant colors as the sun sets and hides behind clouds. The rays of the sun beaming out from the clouds as if to say I can still be seen, and I am radiant.

The roads I took led me to the middle of nowhere and it was beautiful.

Small country roads with the most beautiful wildflowers going wild.
I just kept thinking to myself...
This is absolutely beautiful. No one is around, no one knows this beauty...how can no one know about this, cause surely if people knew its beauty they would be here.
I kept driving. Chasing the sun. Not caring where I would end up, I just didn't want it to end. I'll go however long, however far it takes to see the sun go down.
There is something about tonight that was so good for my soul.
A beautiful, perfect combination of goodness.
The perfection was refreshing after having a month of things just going wrong. After a day of hard stuff. The beautiful, perfect combination of goodness was just what I needed.
Windows down, beautiful sky, the smell of wood burning, green fields, colorful wildflowers, wind blowing through my hair, perfect playlist ...
God and I spent a lot of time together on this drive. Not even kidding...5 hours. I spent 5 hours in the car tonight.
I cried, I prayed, I worshiped, I was silent...and this song came on:

Slow me down, O Lord, slow me down
Help my heart to hear Your sound
Speak into my life, Lord, speak now
Slow me down, O Lord, slow me down 

Clear my mind, O Lord, clear my mind
Bring me peace that I cannot find
Take my worried thoughts break my pride
Clear my mind, O Lord, clear my mind 

Wake my soul, O Lord, wake my soul
With this mess I've made make me whole
Of this life called mine, take control
Wake my soul, O Lord, wake my soul 

Slow me down, O Lord, slow me down
Help my heart to hear Your sound
Speak into my life, Lord, speak now
Slow me down, O Lord, Slow me down

A beautiful, perfect combination of goodness.

Then, as I was driving...I came across this:

They were just hanging out in the road. At one point they were all in the middle of the road and I just had to sit there and wait awhile cause they weren't moving. They just looked at me.

It was awesome.

Then I heard the song singing, "Slow me down, O Lord, slow me down."

I laughed again. 

God definitely has a sense of humor.

I found myself begging God, cause that is all I felt like I could do, as His child. Begging Him to just change my heart, to change my life, as I come back home to the reality of a lot of mess.  I want to live this mess as a witness, as a person who has hope.  Who trusts and believes that God is bigger, better, enough and in complete control and completely good.

A Beautiful, Perfect Combination of Goodness.

A couple of days ago I was sharing some things with a good friend of mine, and was telling him about how I had been in a rough place the last couple of weeks and how I felt like satan was attacking. (FYI...satan is very real) and how it kinda freaked me out. He began reciting Psalm 23 to me, which I'm familiar with, but this time it was different:

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." 

I will not fear. I don't have to be afraid. HE is with me. 
I haven't been able to stop thinking about Psalm 23.
It's been in my mind and in my heart.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside quiet waters, 
He refreshes my soul
He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake"

So after having a really rough couple of weeks, I needed a day of just being.
A day of beauty.
A day of nature.
A day of quiet.
My friend Sarah had asked me to go hiking with her.
Perfect.
After a few detours & lots of driving...we ended up at Pedernales Falls State Park. It was absolutely beautiful.
We hiked.
We did some "rock climbing".
We sat and read. Journaled.
But mostly just stopped.

There is something truly beautiful and amazing about sitting in nature and having God's creation all around you crying out His glory because of its beauty. You can't help but worship.

We sat on this rock that was right next to a small waterfall. I loved the sound. To me, it was the sound of quiet waters. It was so peaceful. I laid back on the rock and closed my eyes letting the sound take my mind to places of green pastures.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside quiet waters, 
He refreshes my soul"

Refreshes indeed.

We hiked and climbed up rocks trying to find our way to another area. Except we weren't sure how to get there. There were bushes and branches cutting up our arms (well...Sarah's arms) and huge rocks & cliffs were preventing us from getting to where we wanted to be.
Finally we came across a path. The path led us to where we needed to be and it led us back out.  A path.
"He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake."
I felt like this day was just what I needed. I love how God kept reminding me of His faithfulness. Showing me His word. Letting me see His goodness. He is beautiful.
Here are some more fun pics I took: