My Soul Sings

Oh, how I wish to travel to Ireland, find a green hill to rest on, and listen to Kate Rusby (even though she is British).

Wed, 23 May 2012 21:53:52 -0400

Oh, how I wish to travel to Ireland, find a green hill to rest on, and listen to Kate Rusby (even though she is British).

Tree stump in Emerald Necklace.

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:25:13 -0400

Tree stump in Emerald Necklace.

A few of my favorite shots so far from Boston.

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:09:44 -0400

B&B on Beacon

Jim's Deli in Brighton

Fenway

Walking in Brookline

MIT

Trees in Boston. Love.

Lots of fun cafes here.

A few of my favorite shots so far from Boston.

The Story of Ian & Larissa.

Wed, 09 May 2012 06:55:28 -0400

The Story of Ian & Larissa.

Boston Update - 5.5.12

Sat, 05 May 2012 18:24:33 -0400

Warning: This post is lengthy!

Before the update begins, I must give some shout outs to a few folks:
- Mom and Dad: You rock. Thank you for your time, money and effort to get me up north. I couldn’t have asked for better parents who serve their children so willingly. I don’t deserve you!
- Amanda K: I can’t believe you also gave up your time, money and effort to help me out with my move. I am so glad I had you here to help me get acquainted with everything and maneuver around the town. I now have my GPS, and I shall call her “Amanda K”. :)
- The ladies who wrote me letters: You know who you are, and I must say THANK YOU SO MUCH for thinking of me and encouraging me in these past few days. What a sweet gift you have given me. I will read them often.

I have too many thoughts to write down. I’ve been thinking for a couple of days about what is of most importance to share about my first week in Boston. First off, maybe I should clarify that I’m not living in actual Boston but right outside in a little town called Brookline. (Conan O’Brien is from Brookline — how fun is that?) Brookline has lots of money, so it is a nice, safe place to live. Also, everything about it is adorable: the public library that I walk by almost every day, the trees and houses along our avenue, the old brick church steeples that rise above the rooftops, the local shops I visit on the weekend, and even the municipal court is amazing. If I ever have to go to court, I hope it’s there. The Lord knows how important surroundings are to me, and He has given me such a great place to start life up here. (Note: I will take pictures when a sunny day comes so you all can see these things I speak of.)

Everywhere I look I find things I want to explore. Thankfully, this has made walking and riding the train much more enjoyable, even when I’m not used to the nice chill that is in the air. However, I still haven’t figured out the right amount of clothes to wear when venturing around the city. I always prepare for the cold but tend to forget that walking is a workout. I think today was a success though — just the right amount of layers. Point for Kristin.

Another great thing about this city that God prepared before me in advance is Redemption City Church. This body of believers has already been so encouraging to my heart. They adore Jesus and love this city, and what a wonderful thing that the first sermon I heard was about true gospel community. It couldn’t have been better timing to be reminded that God created us for community. Please pray for this church as we seek to know the Lord and make him known in Boston. (Also, shout out to those at RCC who helped move all of my boxes/furniture up three flights of stairs. Thank you for serving Amanda H. and I in this way!)

Many things to be thankful for, right? It reminds me of a passage in Deuteronomy that talks about the faithfulness and provision of God for Israel: “And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you — with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant — and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deut. 6:10-12) Oh, may I not forget the Lord and all that He has done, because truly it has been all him and not a drop of me.

However, I do notice that life is very different up here:
1. You have to plan ahead way more than you do in Texas. Example: Going to work on a rainy day in Texas — run out to your car and maybe use the umbrella if you need it. Going to work on a rainy day in Boston — wear your rain boots to work, and remember to take a bag for those boots once you get there, and don’t forget to pack your heels, oh and grab the umbrella, and try to keep your work computer dry when you walk to/from the train, and make sure your train ticket doesn’t get wet because you don’t know yet if the ticket machine can read it. Lots more to think about, friends. Sometimes it hurts my brain.
2. Streets change into other streets all the time, so a Garmin is necessary when driving around. Google maps on your phone will not suffice in the car. I have never preferred or trusted a Garmin…until now.
3. Buying groceries is now a great workout. We have two grocery stores fairly close to our apartment, so it’s best to walk. I must keep in mind that I should only get the necessities since I now have to carry those bags of food home, which always reminds me of Kevin in “Home Alone”. I literally pray that my bags don’t break open on me. This should be prevented though because I finally bought reusable grocery bags.
4. For all of you EY folks — hoteling for a cube at the office is more of a hastle than in Austin. The open cubes aren’t labeled “Hoteling”, and most people will reserve a spot and potentially not come in until late afternoon or not at all. I’m sure I will get the hang of it, but it’s extra work. My Boston co-workers are great though and have helped me navigate the office waters this week.
5. If you don’t like being around people, you should not move here. Being in a city like this forces you to be around other humans way more than in Austin. I think it’s a good thing and reminds me that I am just one tiny speck in the grand scheme of humanity.

I know there will be more differences that stick out to me during the next few months, but right now I seem to be adapting fairly well to the city life. We’ll see what happens when true winter comes.

A move like this can clear your mind in a sense and force you to ask yourself this question - “Why am I here?” Why did I uproot all that I knew in Austin and Texas in general and move 2,000 miles away? An answer must be found to this question, and I can’t leave it hanging. Some might say that I moved because I love Boston. It’s true to some extent, and while I’ve enjoyed living here so far, the city can’t be the end all be all. It’s not hard to fall in love with Boston, but the great things about this city will one day lose their luster, and I might be left with confusion and disappointment, forgetting why I came in the first place.

Did I move for a different experience? Once again, partly true, but moving for the sake of a “new experience” alone seems very shallow to me, especially since I know my own heart. I want something new, and once I have it, it quicky loses it’s wow factor, and then I want something else. If my purpose of moving ends there, you might find me moving to Seattle or Denver in a year for another new experience.

So, what is it? What is the purpose of me coming to Boston? The answer: the glory of God. Six years ago, that was the initial reason I wanted to come to this city, and it hasn’t changed.

The glory of God is something that you can never reach the end of. I can spend years getting to know every inch of Boston, but eventually I will have seen it all, heard it all, experienced it all. You can never get enough of the glory of God. It’s inexhaustible. That gives me great hope no matter whether I spend the rest of my life in Boston or if I move somewhere else, because the glory of God is not limited by time or space.

My time is short on this earth. I have only been given so many years, months, and days to make something of it. I can think of no greater purpose to give my life to than the glory of God. Specifically for those in Boston, I desire this for them too. I want them to see how magnificent, how powerful, how wonderful, and how loving He is, and I want them to worship Him because of it.

I can easily forget this purpose because I’m a human and get distracted by other things or get discouraged that I’m not seeing any growth. Yet, when the days are hard, and the fight is long, my anchor will be the good news of the gospel of Christ. It is the source of hope for every situation, and the source of joy for every longing. Praise God that I’m not the one responsible for sustaining His glory. He has done that since the beginning of time, and when I fail to glorify Him I can look to the cross and remember that His glory is best displayed there, in the life and death and resurrection of Christ.

All that to say this: I’m very thankful. I’m thankful that Boston is a city to enjoy and love and explore and that I’ve gotten to do so this last week, but I’m also thankful that He brings more purpose to this journey than what the world offers.

A dear friend of mine gave me a list of “challenges for women” to remember on my journey, and I believe the first challenge is fitting to be #1 on the list:

Challenge #1: That all of your life—in whatever calling—be devoted to the glory of God.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1)

Coming Soon...

Wed, 02 May 2012 22:08:40 -0400

An update on life in Boston, and there is so much to share.

A good reminder tonight of his promises. (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:31:33 -0400

A good reminder tonight of his promises. (Taken with instagram)

The Saving One

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:10:17 -0400

What mercy was revealed
What selflessness and peace
My fate was surely sealed
Until He rescued me
His pardon for my sin
His bounty for my need
From slavery and shame
I am redeemed

And Heaven can’t contain
The glory of the Son
Jesus is the Christ, the saving One
His love has made a way
The grave is overcome
Jesus is the Christ, the saving One

No fear can hold me down
Nor darkness steal my joy
For blood has been poured out
The enemy destroyed
Death could not hold Him down
The cross was not enough
To steal away His throne
For He is God

And Heaven can’t contain
The glory of the Son
Jesus is the Christ, the saving One
His love has made a way
The grave is overcome
Jesus is the Christ, the saving One

Anyone who calls upon His name
They will be saved
They will be saved
Anyone who calls upon His name
They will be saved
They will be saved

- “The Saving One” by Starfield (listen here)

Choosing Thankfulness

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:11:40 -0400

Over the past few days I’ve been slowly packing up my room. Surprisingly, it hasn’t been as emotional as I expected. Sure, there has been the occasional sadness of a blank wall or of memories being packed away, but I’ve been waiting for that moment…the moment that came last night.

We wrapped up a precious time of discipleship with the North Soma Group girls, and there I was, standing in the bathroom, when reality struck. I began to realize that I wouldn’t be walking around this house much longer, where I get to hear my roommate’s voice as she talks excitedly to her mom about her new house, where I get to see my other roommate’s face every morning across the (tiny) hall we share, where I lose at Bananagrams 86% of the time. My SG girls won’t be coming to Boston every Tuesday night. My roommates won’t be moving to Boston with me. All of Texas that I dearly love won’t be there when I roll into that beloved city.

I wrapped up my bedtime routine and sat down on my bed. Anxiousness swept in much more than it had in the past few weeks and months. The void I will be feeling and experiencing in a week finally had weight in my heart, which is oxymoronic but it makes sense to me somehow. In that moment, I could have laid my head on my pillow with fearful and doubtful thoughts rolling around up there, but something else began to blossom instead. It was thankfulness. The Helper brought to mind all of these good gifts I have been given in the past two years — my roommates and friends residing in Austin, my church community, my co-workers, my house, breakfast tacos — and reminded me to give much thanks for them rather than fear the loss of them.

I don’t deserve what I have been given while in Austin, or the rest of my life for that matter, but the Lord graciously gave to me anyways because He loves me. While I wish I could wrap them all up and take them with me, I must understand that these gifts don’t belong to me. They belong to God. He in his kindness shared them with me during this season of life, and now I must open my hands and let them go. This changes the way I say goodbye. I could choose to clench my fists and say, “No Lord, this is mine! Why are you taking it away from me?”, which would immediately reveal a lack of trust in my Creator and a selfishness in my heart, and it could breed a host of other things like bitterness and discontentment. Or, I could choose to open my hands and make room for thankfulness, joy, and bittersweet memories in these last few days, understanding that they were never mine to begin with and were never deserved. How wonderful that He would bless me so! The latter sounds much more appealing, doesn’t it?

Please know that this is not me saying that relationships will end. They won’t. There are many people that God has knitted into the fabric of my entire life season, not just for my Austin season. Yet at the same time, I can’t ignore that these relationships won’t be as integral to my routine as they were before. Life will simply look different, and it’s inevitable.

So, tonight I choose to be thankful, not only for the past but also for the future. I am going to a city that I’ve dreamed of living in for 6+ years now. With open hands, I leave this season in Austin and begin a new one in Boston. The exciting news is that God has more goodness in store for me up north, which means more opportunity for thankfulness to grow.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

P.S. Thank you to all who have thought of me and prayed for me this week in regards to my move. I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:54:04 -0400

Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? (Hebrews 12:1-5).

You Can Close Your Eyes

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:41:32 -0400

Well the sun is surely sinking down
But the moon is slowly rising
And this old world must still be spinning ‘round
But I still love you

So close your eyes
You can close your eyes it’s alright
I don’t know no love songs
I can’t sing the blues anymore
But I can sing this song
You can sing this song when I’m gone

It won’t be long before another day
We’re gonna have a good time
No one’s gonna take that time away
You can stay as long as you like

So close your eyes
You can close your eyes it’s alright
I don’t know no love songs
I can’t sing the blues anymore
But I can sing this song
You can sing this song when I’m gone

- “You Can Close Your Eyes” by James Taylor

Single digits.

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:42:40 -0400

Single digits.

Ten Things I (Kate Connor) Want to Tell Teenage Girls

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:26:52 -0400

Ten Things I (Kate Connor) Want to Tell Teenage Girls

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:33:49 -0400

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
   In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14 ESV

Less than a month!

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:03:50 -0400

Less than a month!

Happy 40th Anniversary to Mom and Dad!

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 00:51:52 -0400

This beloved couple has been married 40 years. 40 YEARS, people! Out of those 40, I have been able to witness 25 of them, and probably can recollect 19 of them. My parents made a covenant with one another a long time ago, and through good and bad, through rain and sunshine, through cancer and hard times at work, they have stood faithful to one another. From watching their marriage, I have learned the following:

1. Marriage is best when you and your spouse are best friends.
2. Love is much more than a feeling. It’s a decision, and saying yes to it is always worth it.
3. Praying faithfully for your children is not in vain. (My parents have done so, and I am often encouraged to hear how they are praying specifically for me.)
4. When you serve your spouse, even when it’s simply doing the dishes, Christ is always on display.
5. I might marry someone who is completely opposite me, and it’s for the better. Where my Dad is weak, Mom is strong. Where my mom is weak, Dad is strong. They complement each other well.

Mom and Dad, I love you more today than I did last year. I have come to find it gets harder and harder to leave home. I cannot say THANK YOU enough for being a wonderful example to Neil, Kyle, Seth, me, the grandchildren, and the watching world. We don’t deserve you. While you may not be perfect, you are a beautiful work in progress, continuing on in this fight of faith with one another until the finished work of Christ is complete. Hope you two have a wonderful day celebrating tomorrow.

"When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so..."

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:58:39 -0500

“When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.”

- Charles Spurgeon

KONY 2012.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:15:57 -0500

KONY 2012.

Less than 50 days.

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:30:03 -0500

Less than 50 days.

New Artist I Enjoy: Emily Riddle. Give your ears a treat!

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:38:34 -0500

New Artist I Enjoy: Emily Riddle. Give your ears a treat!