Peaks, Pits, Praises and Prayers

As we were driving home from our weekend out of state with friends, I decided I would waste some time and browse Pinterest for some fun craft ideas or tasty looking recipes.  While I did find many crafts, and many recipes, I also found this picture. Peaks, pits, praises, prayers.  It's a picture of someones journal with the following instructions. "Peaks, Pits, Praises and Prayers Journal. 1. Peaks of the Day: The highlights. The good moments. Something overall positive that happened during the day. 2. Pit of the Day: The low point of the day. But, rather than just complaining about it, a way that looking back at it can be positive or a blessing in disguise. 3. Praise: Simply praising God for specific things that happened 4. Prayers: Prayer requests that may have arose from the new day."

My new bible bag

I thought this would make a fantastic blog post, and is an amazing premise to journaling.  I really enjoy journaling, well actually I really enjoy starting new journals! I was doing really well this spring with journaling with my daily S.O.A.P. sessions (SOAP instructions) and then I got mad at the Lord and sick of journaling.  After I spoke my peace with the man upstairs, I wanted to start a new journal because the things I had written about made me cry every time I re-read them.  Prayers for family members who had passed away, prayers for children at work who now called heaven home, just sad memories.   Now don't get me wrong, they all weren't sad entries; I journaled on my honeymoon, and about my wedding anniversary both of which were very happy entries! So I tucked that journal away in my new bible bag (see picture) and found a new journal.  This new journal has only 1 entry in it, my baptism testimony and my memories from that special day. I am hoping to add some more entries to it soon, but my new blog may be getting my thoughts for a while...
Anyways back to the purpose of this post, Peaks, Pits, Praises and Prayers. I have decided to do one entry for the summer and then try and do a monthly post after that (maybe journaling daily in my new journal?)

Spending time up north with my amazing husband

Peaks: There are so many peaks from the last three months!! I celebrated my first wedding anniversary with my husband Chad, (we went out to a fancy restaurant in New Orleans to celebrate and then went to a Twins game on our actual anniversary) we were blessed to take many trips this summer and spent lots of time with family.  I ran my first 5k of the year in honor of an amazing little girl, and got to spend some time with her parents while they were in town for the race. (Thanks Em for keeping me going when I wanted to quit!) I became a NURSE!!! That's a BIG praise, after two years of nursing school and many prayers for it to just be all over I passed my boards and became a nurse.  My pinning ceremony was fantastic, my family was able to attend and I was pinned by an amazing nurse who just so happens to my mentor at work!  Along with becoming a nurse I was offered my DREAM job and I'm currently only 6 shifts away from being done with orientation.  I think my biggest praise for the summer was my baptism last weekend. It was such an amazing experience, and I feel like it is just the beginning for even more amazing things to come!

My 5K running buddy Em and I after our race

Pits: It's hard to re-think about the bad things that happened this summer.  Chad's grandfather passed away this summer and that was especially hard because it was his first grandparent to pass away, and  I said goodbye to some amazing kids who were relieved of their suffering and went to be with Jesus.  
Praises: I have so many praises for the lord this summer!!! I am so thankful for the new friends he has put in my life, and the relationships that he has strengthened.  I am thankful for all the good things that come from working at a children's hospital; seeing kids that we healed years after transplant, letters of thanks and innocent games of house in the middle of a busy day.  I am so thankful for the smiles on the faces of the kids I am honored to work with, they make this unbelievably difficult job enjoyable! I am thankful for the doors that have been opened through River Valley Church, my baptism, my new friends, my upcoming trip to Africa and so many more!

Dad and I golfing up north

Prayers: Lord I pray today that you will continue to use me to help others in whatever way you see fit.  I pray for continued spiritual growth, and new opportunities to get involved at my church.  I pray that you will use my journey in faith to help others who are struggling with their beliefs and their faith. I pray blessings over my friends, my family and my home. Amen

I will leave you with some lyrics to an amazing song and some more photos of my summer peaks!

Pinning Ceremony for Nursing school, my bestest nursing buddy Bri and I

"All my life I have seen where you've taken me
Beyond all I have hoped and there's more left unseen
There's not much I can do to repay all you've done so I give my hands to use
This is my desire
This is my return
This is my desire to be used by you" Desire~Jeremy Camp

Anniversary dinner at NOLA Restaurant