Faith vs. Fear

Fear. We've all experienced it. But how do we conquer it? How do we deal with fear without becoming paralyzed? The answer is simple, yet challenging. The key to having victory over our fears is Faith.

A week ago my husband had to fly to Washington, D.C. for a work conference. This was my first time alone in our new house. During the daylight hours, I kept myself busy by working, cleaning, walking the dog...doing anything and everything I could to keep my mind occupied so as not to let the fear creep in. But when it came time for bed, after the sun was gone and there was nothing keeping me from my thoughts...that's when the fear began to overtake me. Like water slowly rising, I found myself being drowned in my fears. Every sound was magnified. Every awful scenario played in my head. I was completely consumed with panic.

The first night I opened a bottle of wine in attempt to calm my nerves. But it was pure exhaustion that finally lulled me to sleep around 4am. The next night was just as tormenting. I couldn't shake the dark thoughts and feeling of terror at what could happen as I lay there...all alone.

Then I chose faith.

As I laid there in my bed, vulnerable and seemingly alone, God whispered through the dark to my heart and repeated His promise "I will NEVER leave you." (Deut. 31:6) And in that moment I had a choice to make...either I was going to trust that God IS who He says He is and therefor trust in His promises or I was going to believe Him to be a liar and stay stuck in my fears. In Isaiah 41:10 Christ says, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

I began to remember every instance where God had come through for me. I looked back at all the moments where at the time it wasn't clear that God was there with me but in hindsight....He had never left. His track record was perfect. Not once has He failed me. Even though I constantly fail Him. I began to ask myself if I could trust Him with my eternity...why couldn't I trust Him with my right now? I thought to myself, what if my worst case scenario came true...what then? Would it change the fact that whenever my life here on earth ends I will be with my Savior in eternity? And that's when I felt His peace embrace me.

 My God has conquered the grave. There is no greater power on Earth that can keep me from Him. And in that knowledge...through faith...there is nothing left to fear. We have eternal victory through Christ!

As human beings, fear will inevitably rear its ugly head throughout our lives. But fear is NOT from God. We must bring our thoughts back to His love and power. Turning fear into praise. Our God is FOR us so who could ever be against us? I pray you find the same peace in His promises today.

Homeward Bound

Our plans seem to change daily but I have learned a lot in the last two years...and even these last two weeks about patience, flexibility and faith.

A few days after learning most of our plans had fallen apart we got some really great news. I had shared in a previous blog that Jared would be working at Georgia Tech in Atlanta once we returned to America. The original plan was that he would stay on his current salary through his Swiss employer but would be working in a lab in Atlanta. But the Swiss backed out last minute so that plan fell through and we were left wondering: "Where do we go from here?" Jared didn't have anything else lined up because we thought everything had already been secured. So he reached out to the professor at Georgia Tech and explained to him the situation of how the Swiss side of things had fallen through and how he would still be interested in working in his lab if that was still a possibility. In the academic realm of chemistry, jobs largely depend on available funding and we had heard from a recent employee from the group that he was downsizing because of lack of funding so we feared that there wouldn't be any funding and therefor no job for Jared. But God is faithful and good because the professor got back with Jared almost immediately and not only offered him a position, but offered him a larger salary than we had expected along with a flexible start date. Such an answer to prayer!

So despite many disappointments God has once again revealed that He is in control and that He will always take care of us. Our future is secure in Him.

Our plan now is to enjoy a month at home visiting our loved ones, getting Tot healthy and savoring all the freedoms that come with being in America. We'll return to Switzerland for 3 months to finish out our apartment lease then move to Atlanta in the early fall.

My purpose of sharing these blogs is to encourage others, so I hope that if you are experiencing disappointments, challenges or uncertainties that you will trust that Jesus is for you. He is behind the scenes perfecting all the details. When you seem to be out of resources or opportunities and your situation appears to be bleak...you can still have faith that God will provide. It is in those moments where all hope appears lost that God can be glorified best because where there is little hope, God's divine power and goodness is magnified.

We have so much to be thankful for. We are incredibly grateful for all of our dear friends and family who have taken the time to pray for us and let us know that they are praying. Your prayers are so valuable and appreciated! We are thrilled to be returning home and sharing lots of hugs and smiles! :)

Tomorrow we will be HOME! Home sweet home. I feel like a child on Christmas Eve...too excited to sleep! :)

Plans, Addictions and Life

I decided to blog a little differently today. I just wanted to share a few quick updates and recent thoughts...

• My parents are coming to visit with us in exactly one month. I cannot wait to hug them! It's going to be just the morale booster we need to finish this last stretch in Switzerland.
• If all goes as planned, we only have 5 more months left before we can come HOME!
• So many friends of mine are expecting or have recently had a baby. Makes me even more anxious about getting home because I want so badly to photograph these tiny blessings!
• Speaking of my photography...I have big plans for when we return. Can't wait to share more about that in the near future! :)
• Tot has been sick since December :( Still working to figure out what the underlying problem is. He seems to be doing better...but each time we take him off antibiotics he relapses. Hoping this time is different. If not, we'll have to do more tests. Keep praying for him please.
• Jared is under a lot of pressure at work. Pray that God continues to reveal to him His wisdom and peace.
• Enjoyed some Skype time with my brother and nephews over the weekend and it instantly lifted my spirits. Had to choke back a couple tears though when Isaac said "I wish I could see you in person and not over a computer." Obviously our hearts are in the same place. I wish for nothing more than that too. He might take that statement back after I hug him and don't let go once we are together again! ;)
• I've been working on totally revamping the teen outreach website. Excited about the direction things are going. I'll be sure to share more when everything is up and running.
• Pinterest is like an after school special. I'm totally addicted.
• Some days, life in Switzerland feels like the movie Groundhog's Day.
• I've never been more organized, motivated and productive as I have these last few months. I finally feel like I'm on the right track.

And that's pretty much what's going on with us lately.

Healthy Living - My Journey

I've had a healthy lifestyle change in the past year and a half and after sharing my progress with my Mom last night, she encouraged me to share it with others here on my blog. My goal is that it encourages you.

Upon moving to Switzerland our entire way of life has changed dramatically. And while it has been very difficult to adjust and cope with it at times...there have actually been some good changes that have come from our move. I have grown in a lot of ways. My spiritual walk with the Lord has taken on new meaning since I have had more opportunities here to pause and really take Him in. I want every area in my life to reflect His goodness and to bring honor to His name. I still have A LOT to work on...but I am pleased with my progress.

One area of my life that I have always struggled with is eating healthy and exercising. I used to dread the thought of running, jogging, or doing any type of exercise that involved sweating. I also didn't want to let go of the unhealthy foods I loved to eat. Moving to Switzerland literally forced me to change my lifestyle.

Dining out is not an option here. 1.) It is SUPER expensive. (just to give you an idea...a McDonald's Cheeseburger "Value" Meal is close to $20...yes...that's per person)  and 2.) Their restaurant choices are all very bland in taste anyway. So cooking at home is virtually the only real option for us. The upside though is that we eat A LOT healthier. And honestly...I actually crave healthy foods now.

On top of our food choices changing. We also exercise much more here. We don't own a car. Again, it's an incredibly expensive privilege that we simply cannot afford over here. So we walk pretty much everywhere. On top of that, I have been intrinsically motivated to add an exercise routine to my daily life. There were several external motivators that pushed me to be more active...specifically this encouragement from the gifted speaker, Beth Moore. I encourage you to watch this two-part video and hear her personally explain how exercise can be another form of worship to God. This inspired me to not want to work out so I can be thinner, fit in the clothes I like or to look better in general but to elevate my motivation so that I'm doing this with HIM as my focus. And with that as my motivation it truly is freeing.





I'm here to tell you that if I can make this change...so can you. I was possibly the most unlikely candidate for this...Jared can testify that I was never really receptive to his offers of working out together. I always shot down any thought of exercise. But I'm here telling you...change is possible. It takes deep motivation and determination. But once you start feeling the positive results happen in your life you will feel immense satisfaction within yourself.

My advice is to start slow. Don't overwhelm yourself with changes all at once. You will likely burn out and give up. One by one, start cutting out unhealthy foods...eating out less...and replacing junk for wholesome goodness! You don't have to deprive yourself of things you like. If you like chocolate have some chocolate...but only have ONE small piece not an entire bag. It's all about moderation.

When it comes to exercising, again...take it slow. Start with something minimal that you can do and build up your endurance from there. Marathon runners don't get up the morning of the race and run 10k without first building endurance and training their body. Do enough exercise that challenges your strength but don't set yourself up for failure by doing too much too soon. For example, if you can easily do 30 sit ups...try for 50. If you can only do 10...then do 10. Gradually increase your numbers daily or weekly. You'll have much more success if you set reasonable goals for yourself. I recommend doing your work out first thing in the morning because 1.) You can get it done so you won't have to think about it for the rest of the day. 2.) It jump starts your day so that you're energized and ready to go and 3.) Exercise in the morning before your brain has time to figure out what you're doing! ;)

 Please keep in mind that I am not a nutritionist, or a fitness professional...I'm simply sharing what has worked for me. I hope this inspired many of you. 

Bavaria, Germany

While my friend Emily was visiting we made a trip to Bavaria, Germany. Ever since I saw a photo of the Neuschwanstein Castle (aka: the "Fairy Tale Castle") which is what the Disney Castle is modeled after, I dreamed about seeing it in person. Well I can now check it off my "bucket list".

We had a beautifully snowy day that made for the perfect setting to see the castle. We also got to see the second castle, Hohenschwangau Castle which was where the parents of Ludwig II lived. We weren't allowed to take photos inside the castles but they are definitely worth seeing both inside and out! The surrounding area was very charming as well. The hotel where we stayed was family owned and we were the only ones there for the night so we had the entire place to ourselves. It felt more like a bed and breakfast because of that or even more like we were in town visiting family because they were so accommodating and friendly to us. If you wish to visit Bavaria I definitely recommend going in the winter season...it truly felt like a winter wonderland.

Standing in front of the "Fairy Tale Castle" with my prince! :)

Neuschwanstein Castle surrounded by snow covered trees

Horse drawn carriage near the castle

Jared and I in front of Hohenschwangau Castle.

View from the castle

Emily spinning for joy in the Bavarian winter wonderland

The partially frozen Alpsee Lake in Bavaria

Restaurant where we had lunch. Loved the German mural.

Jared very excited about his authentic German sausage, potatoes and sauerkraut 

Charming hotel that we had all to ourselves

The hotel restaurant had AMAZING apple strudel! 

Em and I enjoying a German pint back at the hotel

Shopping streets in Bavaria, Germany

Window shopping in Bavaria, Germany

Hohenschwangau Castle all lit up at night

Hope you enjoyed our little mini vacation with us! And I hope you all get a chance to see it for yourselves in person someday! :)

Skiing In The Swiss Alps

As I mentioned in a previous post, my friend Emily came to visit us recently and we got to see lots of new places and enjoy some awesome new experiences with her. The highlight of our time together was probably skiing in The Alps. It was my first time ever skiing so it was more like falling than it was skiing, but wow did we have an awesome view! Jared and I had been to the quaint snowy town of Zermatt, Switzerland once before when my parents were here but it was very cloudy that day. This trip we had perfect weather not only for skiing, but for seeing the infamous Matterhorn...the most popular peak in Europe. You better believe I took LOTS of pictures! :) Here are just a few of my favourites....

Zermatt, Switzerland

The mighty Matterhorn up close and personal! :)

Jared and I skiing & snowboarding in the Swiss Alps near the Matterhorn

That is the slope behind us...it was so steep and scary...but beautiful! :)

Jared and I in front of The Matterhorn

Me & The Matterhorn :)

Right before hitting the slopes!

Em in front of The Matterhorn

Jared and I on the streets of Zermatt with the Matterhorn as our backdrop

One of the many gorgeous views of the town of Zermatt

Zermatt Cathedral

Zermatt at night

Enjoying a pint at the local pub after a full day of skiing

Cute little bakery in Zermatt, Switzerland

Cluster of chalets in Zermatt, Switzerland

Enjoying the views!

Zermatt is definitely one of our favourite spots in Switzerland. It was nice to have a mini-vacation from everyday life here.We enjoyed lots of laughs and made a lifetime of memories. Lots more to share with you from our adventures with Emily! I still have tons of photos to go through from our travels so keep checking back for those! :)

Anniversary Cruise - Part V

On our anniversary cruise we went to several of the Greek Isles. After visiting Santorini, we then sailed to Mykonos. I would describe Mykonos as Santorini's fraternal twin. They have a lot of similarities but are definitely not identical. Both are absolutely beautiful. It was extremely windy the day we were there which made the water very choppy. We had to take a tender boat to shore from the ship because we couldn't get close to the port due to the waves. Being in that tiny boat on those high waves is one of the scariest things I've ever experienced. I thought for sure they were going to flip the boat. Thankfully we made it to the island and back safe and sound but I may have left permanent marks on Jared's leg from gripping him so hard. Was it worth it? I'll have to say yes. It was a charming little village. The main attractions for me were all of the blue doors and the giant windmills. :)

small church near the harbor

 fisherman's boat near the harbor

 streets of Mykonos...flowers still bloom in late November there!

everyday life in Mykonos

LOVED all the blue doors

view from on top of a hill in Mykonos

this is a favourite. <3

another blue door with bright pink flowers

waves crashing against the buildings

view of the main windmills from the shore

glimpse of strong waves

one of my favourite photos of Jared, in front of the large windmill in Mykonos

another view from the island

Mykonos shoreline

You can check out the rest of our anniversary cruise adventures: HERE!

Sharing The Love

This time next week I will be on a cruise ship celebrating 4 years married to my best friend and it has me thinking about just how blessed I am...how blessed I've been. Looking back on our love story I can see the hand of God all over the pages.

8 years ago, in the summer of 2003, I looked into the eyes of my future for the first time. Of course, I had no idea then that this blue-eyed boy from Kentucky would be my husband. But right there on that cruise ship...in the middle of the ocean...
our love story began. All love stories are beautiful, but ours is definitely my favourite. :) It's a story I never grow tired of telling. And it's a neverending story that I love more and more as it unfolds.

July 2003, the very first night we met on the cruise :)

God is definitely in the details. Afterall, He is the Creator of love. The Perfector of miracles. The Divine matchmaker. And the King of happy endings. Without Him at the center, our story would read a lot differently. Our relationship is definitely not perfect because there are times when we try to take the pen from God and write the pages ourselves. But there are more moments that I am proud of than not and that is purely by the grace of God! Any good found in us is simply a reflection of God's grace.

11/11/07 our wedding day

Praising the Lord for a lifetime of His grace and 4 wonderful years of marriage with my masterpiece of a husband. We are both blessed to have such amazing friends and family in our lives to share these moments with. We love you all!

most recent photo of us :)

Adventures In Ireland - Part I

Being back in Ireland was a dream come true. It is definitely one of my favourite places on earth and we are both so thankful for the opportunity to make some new memories there together. We had an absolutely wonderful time!

We arrived in the evening on Wednesday and after we settled into our hotel we walked to The Brazen Head Pub which is the oldest pub in Ireland and enjoyed a pint of Harp Irish beer, traditional Bangers & Mash and live Irish music. Not a bad start. ;)

Live Irish music at The Brazen Head Pub

Our first full day in Ireland Jared had to give his talk at the conference (the REAL reason we were there) so I was on my own for the day. It rained off and on all day but I did manage to get some pictures and also did some shopping. :) 

Dublin Castle

St. Patrick's Cathedral

pretty scarf I bought at the local street market

The story goes that all of the doors in Ireland are different colors so that when the men come home from the pub they will know which door is theirs by the color. HA!

our first leprechaun sighting

The next day Jared and I headed away from the city and towards the Cliffs of Moher. We booked a night in a little Bed & Breakfast not far from the Cliffs. It was really charming. Her husband is a fisherman so she had everything decorated with a nautical theme. It was quiet and cozy. The perfect retreat. And we had traditional Irish Breakfast in the morning...WOW...was it yummy!

B&B where we stayed the night

Traditional Irish Breakfast at the B&B

We got to see the Cliffs of Moher at sunset and that experience was one that could never be accurately captured on camera but I did take some photos. It was definitely the most memorable part of our trip.

Cliffs of Moher at sunset

Cliffs of Moher at sunset

Jared & I in front of the Cliffs of Moher

I was so at peace here. Looking out at this vast and boundless beauty really put my perspective on God. This verse came to mind: "He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at his rebuke. By his power he churned up the sea.... By his breath the skies become fair.... And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! How then can we understand the thunder of his power?" (Job 26:7-9, 11-14)

The drive through the countryside was beautiful as well. I took a few, what I like to call, "drive by's" from the car window. We had a sunny drive there and then in the morning it was really foggy.

Irish countryside

more Irish countryside

Irish pasture

foggy morning in Ireland

notice we had to drive on the left side of the road....Jared drove like a pro though! :)

Check back for PART II of our adventures in Ireland.....