restored.

god is the god of restoration.

that is for sure.

he has restored my life.  redeemed my life from the pit.

i have a story, and so do you.

in christ we are a new creation.

He makes ALL things new.

he has taken our pain, and calls us by a new name!

taken my shame & in it's place give me JOY!

{Restoration, World Mandate 2011}

god has given me a heart and a burden to walk with people and to tell them that God can restore THEIR lives too.  On the way to created for care in January, on the plane (why does god always speak to me on planes?)  anyway - I was just feeling really nostalgic for africa & for op camp.  and for the people I have served with in both of those adventures.  and wondering why we have such a strong bond.  and why those 2 things are my favorite things.  and God revealed to me that it's because in both circumstances, we are serving broken people together.  that's why there is a bond.  that's what I love about op camp & africa missions.  serving broken people.  

I woke up one morning at Created for Care & told my roomie Lauren that I had a dream the night before. and that God spoke to me in that dream through a logo.  yes.  haha.  I got up and drew it immedietly.  It basically was the words broken/restored together as 1.  that broken people would be restored.  God kept hammering that in my spirit all weekend.  and it hasn't gone away. 

that is the calling on my life.  

to see broken lives restored.

to work alongside of people to see that happen.

the weekend of C4C, I met a girl named Asher.  {appropriate, huh?} who had a pretty sweet tat on her foot.  I loved the placement and font.  That weekend I knew that my next "ink" was going to be on my foot.  and krista & I decided that I should get "restored".  anyway, I've been a chicken.

but this week I was reading on my friend Elise's blog.  this post.  

5 days before she moved to Rwanda.

and these quotes spoke to me

"Believe in the dreams and desires
God has placed in your heart. 
Do not apologize for them.
Do everything you can to make them a reality"

"Refuse to accept the limitations 
and labels that have been place upon you.
Be grateful for who you are, 
and do not be faint of heart. 
Be daring and wise.
Dreams come to pass when you step out
and take on the possibilities that lie before you." 

I was inspired.  to believe in the dreams and desires God has placed on my heart.

to see broken lives restored. 

and not that getting a tattoo is actually making me do that, but it will serve as a constant reminder.

of the dreams & desires that God has placed on my heart.

I will NOT apologize for them.  

I will be daring and wise.

I want to step out.

as my husband always says, if I get a tattoo - I have to really "own" it.

Well, I'm owning it.

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news"

Romans 10:15