Are we running hard??

Ahh frisbee. I remember when my brothers, sisters and I first heard of Ultimate Frisbee we were like - "ok, what kind of weirdo's play frisbee?".

Ha, little did we know we would soon be those weirdos who play frisbee. And pretty much can't get enough of it.
Why it has captured us, I don't know. Something about running, running, and catching it. And being able to throw it. And then run some more. And watch as hopefully (your team) scores a point.
For one thing, it gives you a good workout. And I need those.


I was scrolling thru my frisbee pictures in Lightroom and ran across the ones of everyone running. Running hard. To be the one to catch the frisbee.

And I started thinking. I want to be found running like that. Running hard in life. When God calls, I am found answering Him in that way.Especially on the days where it seems like everything couldn't go more wrong. And on the days where it feels like the whole world is trying to pull us down. I still want to be able to run full forward ahead. Without looking back.
Trusting that God knows exactly what is going on. And that this is going to be for our very best.

Oh yeah, it won't be always easy. I actually think most days it will be hard. Because it means putting aside what we want to do.
But in the end, I'm always glad I decided to run after God instead of myself. God sees the bigger picture. I don't. God knows what's best for us and our future. I don't. And there is an amazing peace once you put your life in His Hands and decide to follow.I'd have to say the one thing in life I would desire above all else, would be found running, running hard when He calls. Because once I am in His will and following where He leads, my life falls into place.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. -Isaiah 40:31

Kid Session {Jack Butler}

Can Jack really be 3 already? I remember 3 years ago, my little sister and I had just started taking piano lessons with his mom and he was a brand new baby.

Anna and I have been able to see him go from being able to sit up on his own, to crawling, to walking, and now running all over and talking!He has the cutest dimples when he smiles and some beautiful blue eyes. Two things I love.

Blue eyes....God made them something beautiful.

When I saw his Converse Shoes....and that they were brown...yay! Double score. This 3 year old really makes those shoes look pretty slick.

Green grass, denim jeans, and brown Converse Shoes....mmm hmmm.

He got down on the grass himself and did this....pretty impressive.

Thank you Jack for being a trooper while I snapped your pictures, especially since it wasn't exactly warm outside!

Engagement Session {Andrew+Mikala, Part 2}

Andrew & Mikala's Engagment Session part 2. I'm going to step back and not rattle my mouth off about them, but have Andrew tell you why he loves this brown-eyed girl Mikala.

"When I first met Mikala I did think she was young (I was 19, she was 16), however I could see she was cute and I was very impressed by her desire for God, her wisdom, her ability to play sports and be athletic, and by her contagious joyful personality.

We got to know each other better during that summer and were drawn to each other more.

Mikala and I had both gone to camp that summer not to find a boyfriend/girlfriend but to focus on God and grow in Him, and that is something that definitely happened, but neither of us really expected God to use the other person as part of his plan to draw us closer to Him.
I left that summer knowing I'd miss her but thinking we would both go to our separate states and continue on life. That was apparently not in God's amazing plans for us. We never stopped talking, sharing, and learning about each other.
So then we started writing letters to deepen our relationship and learn even more about each other, and as the story follows, we went to her prom, worked at camp again, started dating, and now are engaged with our wedding coming up in just over 200 days.
Looking at our time together and at how we are now, I don't really know how to express what I feel. God has been shaping me greatly in these past 2 years and 5months, and it has been a very interesting road. This path has been filled with laughter, joy, happiness, fun, excitement, and smiling so much my face hurts! There are also moments of peace, times of prayer, learning about God and each other, quiet times of exhaustion, and times of stillness, as well as times of pain, frustration, anger, miscommunication, harsh discussion, and tears.Yet now, I look into the deep brown eyes of this young woman who will soon be wife, and I feel happy tears because I know that God has used her to bring me closer to Him. What I see in those eyes, is all the love, joy, trust, respect, that has resulted from the experiences we have gone through together.I know that this woman whose hands I hold is the one I want to commit to loving for the rest of my life, because she has poured her love out to me, and she has entranced me with her actions and kindness despite all of my failings and hurtful things I have done.I realize now, how blessed I am to call this gorgeous woman of God my best friend, lover, sister-in-Christ, future wife, and future mother of our children. I love you Mikala Diane ...(would say Tomash, but it won't be Tomash for long!)"

Thanks so much Andrew & Mikala for letting me do your engagment photos. I pray that God blesses you together as a married couple!

Engagement Session {Andrew+Mikala, Part 1}

My first engagement session ever. I was pretty nervous. To boot it had been raining that entire week. But that Sunday God held back the rain and we had beautiful weather for almost November. And the trees couldn't have been prettier. I could sit here and type away about Andrew and Mikala....like how he won't let her get out of the car on her own.....he opens the door for her every time. Or how he asked me to do their engagement pictures as a birthday present for her because it would make her happy.
But I'm going to let Mikala tell you whey she loves Andrew.

"My first impression of Andrew was that he was pretty quiet, very mature, and had a desire for God that I had never seen in any other young man before.

I had made a list of the qualities I thought I needed and wanted in my future husband, and he matched up with them pretty much perfectly! Even his physical appearance had qualities that I hoped to see in my future man. (And these lists were from when I was like 13.)

And to this day he has strongly held up to my first impression, with quite a bit added on to that impression!

I was first attracted to his smile and his skill at ultimate frisbee. He is good at all sports; has done football, track, soccer, and basketball; and is willing to try anything pretty much. So of course I loooove that quality! Especially since I like being outdoors a lot, and he does too.

Of course at camp I had the opportunity to see Andrew as a counselor to kids, and one of my requirements is that my husband is great with kids! And with 20 nieces and nephews I should hope he's good with kids, and will make an excellent father!

I absolutely love his smile and laugh, and when he makes me laugh, I just can't stop and I'm extremely happy for weeks afterward! He is a very kind person, sensitive to how people around him are feeling. I also look up to him because of his strong beliefs coming from God's Word, which makes him the godly leader I desire.

I chose to love Andrew because of those qualities, and because he helps me every day. I'm marrying my best friend! He encourages me, keeps me accountable, and I know he will provide for and protect me.

He does as God commands in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

I hope to “submit to my husband as to the Lord”as God commands me to. (Ephesians 5:22)

I love you Andrew Wayne Coltrane!"

Part 2 coming soon....