Sweet Spring Time

Jared and I have amazing friends. Seriously. Amazing. I received a card today from our friends John and Erin and was brought to tears by the contents of the card. They had not only taken the time to write heartfelt words of sympathy for the loss of my Grandpa but also shared that they had donated to the Alzheimer's Association in honour of him. I can't even put into words how thankful I am for their friendship. They are so thoughtful and generous! I definitely did not expect any sort of acknowledgment like this from any of our friends but it certainly was so meaningful! I will definitely try and follow their example in the future with our friends because I now know how important of an impact it can make for a person on the receiving end!

We have received lots of kind and thoughtful words from so many of our friends in the last few weeks and I was reminded again today just how lucky we are to have such amazing people in our lives. We love you all!

In completely unrelated news. Jared and I went on the hunt for some flowers to put on our balcony today. Everywhere you go and everywhere you look there are flowers here. The Swiss love to have flowers on their window sills, porches, walkways, etc. There aren't many houses here that aren't adorned with some sort of greenery or flowers. So we wanted to find something for our outdoor space too! :)

The flower shop near our apartment is very tiny so the selection was small but we ended up taking home two pots of  orange Begonias. They had several other colors but these stood out most. I think they are really pretty and they look lovely on our balcony. Hoping to add a few more flowers in the future. We have a large ledge that can fit quite a few. Maybe have one or two flower boxes someday? Who knows. For now, I am loving the new additions! :)

Things I Love: Welcome Mats

I went on the hunt for a cute doormat today with no luck. I found a few that I liked but they were all outrageously priced! Back home I have a doormat for nearly every holiday - definitely one for every season. I don't know why but I enjoy the idea of house guests being greeted by a cute doormat even before they are actually greeted by us. It's just that little something extra to personalize your place and make it feel more inviting. Jared thinks it's silly to own so many doormats and switch them out nearly every month. But it's something I just enjoy. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect "guest greeter" for our apartment here in Switzerland. Here are a few examples of the cute doormats that are out there so that maybe you'll have a better understanding of why I have a mini obsession with them! :)

1. Spoilt Cat Lives Here
2. Pineapple 
3. Handmade using old trivets
4. Greetings
5. Shamrock (I actually have this one back home)
6. Home Sweet Home
7. Snowflakes
8. Monogram
9. Welcome Cats

Hopes And Plans

We have had beautiful weather this week and have been enjoying some wonderful quality time together. We have been lounging around, enjoying the spring weather from our balcony and talking for hours about life, about the future and about nothing at all. There is something so romantic and intimate about simply sharing in words your hopes and plans for the future together. It's amazing how words can make me feel even closer to my husband. Definitely excited about our future together.

Aside from just enjoying each other, I have been keeping busy with volunteer work. Lots of planning and preparing for some exciting things to come for Epic Alliance.  Currently we have a contest going on where young people can win a free t-shirt by "liking" our facebook page and leaving a comment of a fun or creative date idea. The goal is to encourage ways to enjoy their significant other without the need to be physically intimate as well as help ensure they receive future updates and useful information about relationships and other important life decisions through our online resources. Plus the t-shirt designs are pretty EPIC if you ask me! :) We've had a great response so far! The contest ends tomorrow and I'm excited for whoever the winners will be! If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts they are also available from our online store for only $10 each so definitely check them out!

Jared has begun writing his first post-doc paper. Pretty exciting! He's also started on another new project and has definitely won the appreciation of his boss. He has extended huge compliments to Jared over the last few weeks. Jared has equally wonderful things to say about his boss too. Brilliant and inspiring are words they have used to describe each other. And from what I know about both of them, I wholeheartedly agree! I'm so thankful that Jared is having such a great experience so far. It is an excellent confirmation that we made the right decision in coming here and that his future as a chemist is bright. Which in turn means that our future is bright. God is good!

Artful Message

 I stumbled upon a series of animated videos that all contain an encouraging message. This talented artist combines his artwork with inspirational music and uses this method as a tool to minister. I'm often amazed by how God sometimes reaches us. He gave us the Scriptures as our guideline for life and He often uses our own talents to share that same truth in a modern way. I love it. I definitely found encouragement in these two videos in particular. My prayer is that God uses them to encourage you also.

This first video is an interpretation of our battle with doubt. Doubt is a bitter struggle to face as a Christian, but it is one many of us have to face. Satan is a scheming enemy who wants more than anything to crush our faith, and let our faith be stripped from us. Satan's greatest weapon is doubt but we hold the shield of faith.

I hope this video might be used by God to strengthen and encourage you if you are in the middle of this battle. Hold fast to the Lord, hold onto His promises, and fight the good fight of faith....even in the darkness of despair that so often accompanies our doubts.

This video is built on the song "Something To Say" by Starfield




This next animation is based on Christ's parable of the prodigal son. It was built on 1 John 3:1, and a song by Sovereign Grace Music.

This animation is a beautiful representation of God's grace. No matter how far we run from God, no matter what we have done, we can always turn back to His grace.What a loving and forgiving God we serve! He is always there despite our great faults waiting with open arms!

Consider Him and His love for YOU as you watch this.

Encourager vs. Destroyer

 "There are always hungry hearts that need spiritual encouragement.....help them with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault". -Robert Hein


I have seen destructive words being carelessly thrown around all over the internet as well as in everyday life. "Cyber bullying" is a popular term these days. It is essentially the act of using our words to intentionally harm someone online. And it isn't necessarily name calling or threats, but is also done by discouraging someone. I myself have been guilty of the latter.

Several weeks ago my friend shared a website link that I re-posted. The website targeted those who are self-proclaimed professional photographers and whom I personally felt were not qualified to hold that title and showcased images that are actually offensive to professional photographers. But I later realized that it would have been better or more helpful to share a photography workshop or instructional website with tips to encourage improvement rather than one that simply says "FAIL!".

My point is this...the world doesn't need more negativity. What it needs more of is love and encouragement. Before we say something, post something or do something, we need to consider our motives, ask ourselves "is this sending a positive or negative message?" and make an effort to be an encourager not a destroyer. We can accomplish so much more if we take a positive approach rather than a negative one.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Encouraging one another especially now that the day of His return draws near.  (Hebrews 10:24-2 )