A Beautiful Life

As I mentioned in my first post, there are a number of reasons blogging has been on my heart a lot lately. However one main reason is a few weeks ago I lost someone very dear to me, Christen Ringle. Christen was a friend and mentor to me, and she lived a beautiful life. Her love and passion for Jesus inspired my life and all the lives around her. As I sat at her funeral and saw her open casket, and let the songs of the choir sing over me as I cried, all I could whisper to myself is God you are good. The emotional roller coaster of losing Christen is still going…so much pain, yet so much beauty and joy all at the same time.  Deep down I know Christen is with Jesus and there truly is no place she would rather be. But when I look at her beautiful children Audrey and Hudson, and I see her wonderful husband Joe and her sweet mom Genie—my heart aches for their loss. As I have been remembering different things about Christen…I wanted to write them down. Down the road, I want Audrey and Hudson to be able to read about their mom and learn more about her each day…and I thought one way I could contribute is write what Christen meant to me during the phase of life God allowed me to live life with her.

I met Christen at Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) at Illinois State University. The first time I met her I thought “wow she is so beautiful.” As I got to know her, she became more and more beautiful because I loved her heart so much. Shortly after I got to know her, she started “discipling” (a Cru term for mentoring) me.  We met once a week and prayed together, talked about life and read books together. Two books she walked through with me that were particularly impactful were Robert McGee’s “The Search for Significance” and Larry Crabb’s “Inside Out.” Working through and discussing these books with Christen not only bonded us together as we realized a lot of our life experiences were parallel, but it was also a time of healing and restoration in my life. Christen’s faith in Christ and His ability to save, heal and deliver were so evident in her life, and each time we were together I walked away with more passion and excitement for the Lord. I always remember on the background of her phone she had the text banner “LOVE WELL.” She also had it written on a few different things she carried around with her…and when I asked her about it, she said it was something that God really spoke to her about at summer project, and she really wants to dedicate her life to loving God and the people in her life well.  And that she did…she spoke encouragement to everyone she met, she made people laugh and even if you were having the worst day, her smile and joy could make it better. She served people, her heart broke for people who were lost or hurting, and she prayed and praised God in all things.


What a beautiful life who loved so many, so well.

Pale Shadows

I once heard that the people, places, and things in life that we cherish the most are just pale shadows compared to what God has in store for us.  This phrase has always stuck with me...imagining that the most cherished times in my life...my dearest loved ones...the most amazing food I have ever tasted...are all pale shadows compared to God's greatness and glory. As I imagine shadow puppets on the wall, I am reminded that while they look (sometimes) like what they are supposed to be, they lack the detail and realness of what they are mimicking.  It's hard for my mind to wrap around the idea of my most cherished people and parts of life as pale shadows because of how much they mean to me. However, when I truly reflect on the vastness of God (to the amount that my human mind can try to understand), I await and yearn for the day when my most cherished things become shadows; to quote one of my favorite hymns...the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and Grace.


I am starting this blog for a number of reasons...one of which I will address in my next entry. As many of you know, I blogged for one year while I was on the World Race...to share where I was, what I was doing, and the lives that impacted my life. Almost 4 years have passed and while I am working a 9-5 job and living in the city of Chicago, I believe God is doing just as much in my life as he was on the World Race...and I want to share those things. I am hoping to share my life and heart in hopes that it will resonate with yours.