Hebrews 11:6

I've been thinking a lot about Hebrews 11:6 lately, that without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. And I think about my past year – all that drawing near to God! - and I think about how good He was to me, how good He is to me. And I think about what I always believed – that you seek God to get rewards, you seek God because you want something tangible. But really, it's so beautiful, you seek God TO GET GOD. And then He just blesses you because He's good and He loves you. He rewards those who seek HIM. 

and that's really all i want to say about that. 

26

my birthday post is always one of my favorites to write. 

because it's always SUCH A GOOD DAY.

in this case, such a good five days. on thursday, gun shooting and lunch with friends, who took time from work to treat me. i love experiences and memories as gifts. on friday, lunch with a cherished part of corner. saturday, dear friend from tennessee came and we treated our selves big time. and then on sunday, actual day of birth, i woke up at 7:45 to a knock at my door and my entire family is singing 'happy birthday' with starbucks in hand. got to spend the rest of the morning in my spot - drinking coffee, reading psalm 66, remembering, thinking. then church, lunch with my second family (plus a piece of mcalister's chocolate cake). advance that night with surprise balloons, singing, cupcakes, and cards (people, i legit almost burst into tears. so special). then a drive to the beach, in a huge storm, singing my heart out, as the sky is lit up with lightning. 

what a day. what a day. what a day.

but this year, even more so. 

i can't help replaying my year.

because this birthday feels like a real celebration! 

ann voskamp wrote a recent post about how things can overtake you real quick (so much exhaustion) and then she cites the end of the 23rd psalm - surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and i shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

and then she says. 

God is so bent on blessing, He chases. 

God's not out to get you - He's out to give to you. 

when i'm in a wilderness, His mercy and goodness run after me. when i'm hurting, His grace hunts for me. when i'm plagued by problems, His goodness pursues me. 

no matter where i go, He has his two blessing men right there in hot pursuit: goodness and mercy, and no shadow of death can overshadow the goodness and mercy that shadows the child of God. 

whatever is chasing you - no matter what it looks like - it's grace. 

did you just hear that?

no matter, in wilderness and hurting, no matter where i go, His grace and goodness and mercy pursue and overtake and hunt and cover me like a shadow. can you just imagine how good that is?

i read that saying, yes yes yes. 

that's what was chasing me! 

that's what wouldn't let me go! 

that's it!