2016 Approaching December 31st the comments that I saw online reflected on how 2016 was a terrible year, and that everyone couldn’t wait for it to end. The end of the year gave Laken and I time to be thankful for all that 2016 had brought us. This year was our first full year as a couple which involved memorable trips and moments with friends and family. Overall, 2016 was a blessing and we wanted to take the time to reflect on our past year with you and create our anticipations for 2017. New and Old Faces: 2016 introduced us to many new friends. These new faces contributed to countless memories that we share from the past year. We just wanted to thank everyone who we met through softball, becoming Resident Advisors, Greek Life, hometown friends, and Young Life. The friendships we have developed and strengthened are ones we cherish, and we are looking forward to creating new memories in the upcoming year with everyone!
Faith Life Last year Laken and I studied Job and 1 Peter, started attending a new church called '309', and began this blog highlighting our relationship and our faith. All of these things have helped our growth as a couple and become better followers of God. Beginning in 2016 we wanted to completely surrender our lives over to Christ. I wanted to experience the adventure that came with living for Christ. The adventure didn’t mean traveling for me, but simply came by buying the person behind me in line coffee and getting to see the smile on their face. That is the type of adventurous life I was seeking in this past year. Leaving room for improvement is essential because I believe that someone’s faith is never perfect. Another concept I wanted to grasp better in 2016 was grace. I wanted to understand how God could love. The idea around grace is still in my head, but the experiences and conversations in 2016 have helped me better understand it. I am thankful for the growth I have seen in myself, Laken, and our relationship. 2017 is going to be a year of continued growth as we look into what it means for us to create a future that glorifies Christ in all that we do. 2017 The upcoming year is one that we are both excited and of course terrified for. Not knowing what the future holds can be a scary thing, but with baby steps and focusing on the present is all we as humans can do. God has a plan for each and every one of our lives. Laken and decided to take a day to sit down and write down some goals for how we intend to grow not only closer to God but to each other. Faith We want to see both of our faiths grow in the upcoming year. We knew right away that the most important thing for us to improve on is prayer. Taking time out of our day to have a personal conversation with God is what we both need. I want to make it my goal to pray daily for Laken. It is also our goal to pray daily together. Doing this will help strengthen us as a faithful couple. Another goal of ours is to be more involved in the Word. We want to read through several books in the Bible together, taking in God’s Word. The goal from reading it together, is that we can both apply it to our lives then hold each other accountable. The accountability coming from Laken is exactly what I want because it will help strengthen me into a man of God that she deserves. This upcoming year is going to be a year of strengthening each other in faith, and I am excited that she is the one beside me. Distance Distance is something we have experience in, but this summer is going to change our definition of it. I have accepted an internship in Scotland from June to August, which will put me away from Laken, my friends and family for a whole two months. The distance is huge compared to anything we have faced yet, but are hopeful that we will be well prepared when the time comes. Prayers are appreciated as we prepare for the distance knowing this experience will strengthen us. Other goals
We are so excited to write on our blog in 2017. We already have topics we feel so passionate about and can't wait to share our adventures with you! As always, if you any comments or questions please let us know. We love feedback! BH
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Laken and I are just a young couple from the Midwest who decided to name our blog “Over the Mountain.” Why you may ask? Well, we will be the first to tell you we know very little about mountains outside a few family vacation to visit them for a couple of days. The closest thing that we can compare mountains to are the large hills that run through the cornfield in our little Illinois towns (and they hardly compare). So why name a blog around the subject of mountains? Because we are drawn to them. If you walk past a classroom on our small college campus you are guaranteed to see us staring out the window, dreaming of what life is like in the mountains. The mountains, to us, are mysterious and gigantic... but we want to know more. We want to know more about these magical creations of God, and to protect and appreciate all that He offers us through the beautiful landscapes. We also believe that we are longing for the mountains because they describe our faith and view of Christ in three huge ways... 1.) God is mysterious and gigantic. God blessed me with an amazing opportunity last summer when I got to serve at Timber Wolf Lake, a Young Life camp in northern Michigan, for a month. This month blessed me with full conversations with some of the most Christ-centered people I know. One conversation stood out to me because it helped me grasp my view on Christ a little bit better. My intern Thomas (great guy, hi Thomas) asked me a simple question.. “What is your favorite aspect of nature?” I answered back after some thought, “Mountains." I had to give a reason for my answer, and then Thomas explained what my answer meant; an interesting conversation starter of his. The view I had on the mountains were similar to my view on God, he explained. The answer I had made sense to me and it opened a rich conversation. I described the mountains as mysterious and gigantic and I felt myself being drawn to them because I know the adventure that they offer me. Wait, how is God mysterious? Doesn’t He want to make himself known to us? Job 11:7 it says “Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?” God wants to be known and wants us to know Him, but wants us to come to Him through our own journey. The way we come to know Christ and the way He works in everyday life is all so mysterious to us. Everyone has their own story about how they came to know Christ; this, to me, is the best mystery of them all. Another reason I believe my description of mountains and my view on God are so relatable is because of the ADVENTURE they both offer. Today’s society often boasts that the Christian lifestyle is not fun, that it offers no adventure.. but my belief is the total opposite. I came to know Christ broken and alone, I wanted my life to be more than what I saw around me. God revealed to me that the adventure that He has planned for me is greater than I can ever imagine. Matthew 6:34 says "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious in itself." Living out each day as God’s plan for me has resulted in new journeys, new people, and a more meaningful life. 2. Our faith has highs - like the peaks of mountains "I lift my eyes up to the hills - from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heave and heart." -Pslam 121:1-2 At the peak of hikes or climbs, there are glorious views. Moments of reflection, peace, and examination hits as you take it all in. The body, mind, and soul are tired from the seemingly endless battle you went through to get to the top. This description reminds me of the path that my faith has travelled. I am tired, broken physically and spiritually, from the battle going on in my heart. But here I am enjoying the view and changing the way I look at life. What exactly can my faith find at the top of the mountain? Rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." When your faith reaches a certain point, rest is needed. Rest provides us with a feeling of closeness to Him because He restores us with his gentle and humble heart. The Bible gives us a specific story when Jesus went to the mountains with Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17). Crowds have been following them after the feeding of the five thousand, waiting for the next miracle. Therefore Jesus and his disciples needed rest. At the top of the mountain they witnessed a prophetic moment when Moses and Elijah appeared. Two of Israel’s greatest heroes, deceased, standing there talking with Jesus. The beauty and power behind this moment is often experienced at the top of spiritual mountains. The top of the mountains are also used to change our faith, to strengthen it. These moments are also used to prepare us for the journey back down the mountain. We also get to experience life changing events that strengthen our relationship with Christ. Though leaving the top of the mountain is always challenging, the mountain top experiences are used to prepare us for these valleys where God’s work takes place. 3.) Between the mountains
Timber Wolf Lake has been the definition of a mountain top to me. The month I spent on this mountain enabled me to grow in my faith and prepare me for life after my mountain top. The funny thing is… at the end of the month I was scared to leave my mountain top. In the valley, between the mountains, people get caught up in the materialistic things that are soon to pass. Both Laken and I have been to the peak of our mountains, witnessed God’s glory, and gave our life to following Jesus Christ. We are feeling our hearts being pulled down between the mountains, leading a Christ-filled life and showing those wandering in the valley how great the trip to the top of the mountain is. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of age.” In the valley, we are not alone. Matthew says that Christ is “with you always, to the end of age.” Living as an example, proclaiming all that He has provided us, is where we are feeling called. The journey, an adventure that we are trusting in His hands, is one we are excited to live out (and blog out too!). The most comforting thing is, we know we are not alone because we have each other… and Him. We understand that our articles may not appeal to everyone, or that some may disagree with what we are talking about. We love feedback, we want to hear your opinions, we thank you. God bless you. -BH |
LE & BHWelcome to our adventure in life. Archives
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