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You guys are the nicest people. I mean it.

When I started blogging a couple years ago, I did it for myself and my family. I really wanted to chronicle our first days and weeks of being married, and for our family (who lived in Nashville and in Germany while we were in Chicago) to be able to see what we were up to. I never did it for the comments, the networking, the self-promotion... and that hasn't changed.

But I also never realized just how amazing you guys are.

I get an email nearly every day from someone just saying they were encouraged or inspired, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. (A whoooole lot.) I can't believe that so many of you would take the time to write an email to a stranger just to make their day. Amazing. I can't tell you what a privilege it is to be able to share a project, a prayer request, a lesson learned, and to have such affirmation and just to know that you're all there. Hundreds of you. You're reading, you're listening, you're praying. I may not ever get to meet you face to face* but I love knowing that you're there. I really, really do.

That's all I wanted to say - just thank you. I count so many of you as friends because of our interaction back and forth. Keep it coming, ok? :)

*I've now met a total of four of you who just recognized me off the street from my blog, and that just blows my mind. Please always say hi, ok? I love it when you do!

Green Smoothie.

I first saw this smoothie on Kirra's blog, and had to blog about it myself because it's just that good. It has transformed breakfast at my house. I feel like Popeye drinking my spinach every morning and enjoying every sip.

And just to keep it real around here, as I was photographing this half of my breakfast and feeling all artsy, I completely forgot about the other half that was broiling in the oven. (I have to broil gluten-free toast instead of using a toaster to prevent cross-contamination.)

But smoke alarm and all (oops!), this breakfast was totally worth it. :)

Go here for the recipe.

A picture of grace.

This past Sunday at church, the sermon really struck me. You know those weeks that it's as if there's no one in the room but you because it's that perfect for what you're going through? It was one of those weeks.

In the middle of the sermon, there's a moment that I will never forget. I don't say that lightly. It was a picture of grace and mercy that was so beautiful it brought just about everyone to tears.

If you have an hour, watch this whole thing... but what I really hope you'll watch starts at 29:15. You'll laugh and, if I know you at all, you may cry too.

The Church from Journey Franklin on Vimeo.

I hope you see just a glimpse of the love the Father has for you. It is so much wider and higher and deeper than even this love a father has for his son. We are so unbelievably blessed to be children of God.

Marriage.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.    Mignon McLaughlin

I can't tell you the number of people who, when they found out we were engaged, made comments like "Enjoy your freedom while you can!" or laughed about a ball and chain. Even though we had many more people encouraging us about getting married, I definitely had hesitations about the kind of wife I was going to be as I was so independent, and these comments never really helped.

I remember being on our honeymoon and saying to each other, "We had no idea how great this would be!" We still feel that way. Three years later, I'm learning that a good marriage just gets sweeter, richer, deeper with time. And I haven't felt that ball and chain or any lack of freedom since we said our vows. I love the privilege of known Shawn and being known by him more than anyone else in the world.

Take two weeks ago for example. I had made a terrible grade and felt pretty defeated as a nursing student. As soon as Shawn got home from a long day at work, he held out a bouquet of roses and a dinner invitation to our favorite steakhouse. I changed and we headed out. But I felt guilty about it all, and told him at dinner, "I so don't deserve this" after making such an awful grade. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "That's the point. My love isn't conditional like that. If I just took you out when you got a great grade or did something awesome, you'd think I base my love on what you do. And that's not the case." It was exactly what I needed, and he knew that.

Take last week for example. Shawn had a rough day at work and had to stay super late, and I know how depressing it is for him to have to leave for work and return home when it's dark outside. It's like the whole day is gone (oh wait... it is). So I packed his running clothes in my car, met him at work, and we jogged down the street and back and talked about anything and everything except his stressful day at work.

Three years ago, we never would've known that that's what we had each needed. We're continuing to learn each other and I'm loving every minute of it. I love that in 3 more years... and 30 more years... the heights and depths we've experienced together will in turn give us more depth and richness in our marriage.

So if you're about to get married, please hear me say that marriage can be so much better than you can even imagine. Don't let people tell you your freedom is gone - I feel more free than ever being completely myself with someone who loves me as unconditionally as any human being can. Enjoy every moment. It's the best gift I've experienced on this side of heaven.

Praying vs. talking.

I recently saw this on Pinterest, and thought wow... how true of me. 

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The answer to this question, 9 times out of 10, is no. I am so guilty of this exact thing. I receive the littlest tidbit of bad news and I instinctively reach for my phone to call Shawn or my mom or a friend and talk through it, not even thinking to pray and ask the Lord (who knows and sees and ordains all things) to help me. It happened just today.

It goes the other way, too - I get good news and forget to thank Him for it. 

I needed this reminder today. 

I needed to remember that He is for me, He loves me, and He wants to hear from me when I struggle. 

I want so much to be a woman of prayer, and sometimes it seems like the hardest thing in the world not to pick up the phone first. It seems like a faith issue: do I really believe that He can do something about it? And if He doesn't change the circumstances, do I believe He can change my heart and my perspective?

So here's my commitment and my prayer to pray first, then talk.