[krystallalelei]

learning, listening, lamenting. #blackouttuesday #blackouttuesday⚫️✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8KOqPJazi/?igshid=1fxi8897r92kk

[krystallalelei]

A dear friend asked me to write this for her. It also is one of Makena's middle name's meaning. . Thankful to reflect on why the Lord is worth magnifying, worthy of our fullest delight. He is the definition of good, and He is kind, just, and worthy of remembering Him in every situation. He is Jesus and He was born to redeem a people to their Maker, to their purpose and to life in true abundance. Christmas is a beautiful story, and a beautiful fulfillment to a promise from the Father, a beacon of hope and a reminder that lasting freedom from the brokenness we find too often is on its way--and it's for anyone who would hear it. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6N3bGGpQbeOzedfTLBv-WebnpxDxwfUKQhW3Q0/?igshid=epsjoxbwjbqt

[krystallalelei]

It's been a wellspring for me--being in the Bible this week along with some amazing women. #samepagesummer is a reading challenge to go through the second part of the Bible--New Testament. It's a part that introduces who Jesus is, why he is important, and what his life was like. It also introduces the history of people who began following Him and believing He is who He said He was. These words on a page are much more than that. They are life-giving and remind us that there is a really good God, and Jesus came to not only show us who He is, but give us a way to be right with Him. And without Him there is no way to be whole, or know full hope, goodness, or joy. . I have a had a bad mindset this week, feeling tired and letting myself be weary. But I come to the stories and the letters in the Bible and I am reminded that I have every good thing because of Jesus. He gives me himself🤯 so I can walk in something that I can't do on my own. It gives me love when I feel empty, and faith when I feel lost. . It's a catch up day, so go ahead and read or listen through all of John and join up with us :) we are in the @youversion bible app #biblereadingchallenge #bedeeplyrooted #youversionbibleapp https://www.instagram.com/p/ByczS9blXmZfjQxuSqYXAZMUwbwm3ALT2HUqMk0/?igshid=pzwjfr80xsew

[krystallalelei]

I just can't describe how relieved and excited this makes me feel. . Hundreds of hours studying . So much teamwork to help me. . 8 hours of testing . 7 weeks of waiting. . And here we are. Surprised to have results out. So so so grateful. #pe_exam #civilengineering #civilPE #engineermom https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxc_rKPFVPu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ebcwlsue9wm

[krystallalelei]

Potato Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Chicken, mixed with a Browned Butter Sage Sauce| Uh. This is a new fall season, or date night, or comfort food tradition 😍. . My pasta cookbook said that in Italian culture, gnocchi is one of those foods that is a strict tradition. In Rome, it was eaten every Thursday with just some butter and Parmesan. In other areas it could be served on a Sunday or Saturday. It's made with different flours and vegetables, depending on season and area. All I know this particular dish will be a Shorts dinner favorite, no matter what region we are living in! 🍁 #bedeeplyrooted #foodie #foodcoma #homemade #fromscratch #gnocchi #autumneats #tasty #delicious https://www.instagram.com/p/BpSou1EFBhR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rey0znwnum06

[krystallalelei]

All set to travel to CA--✈️ kids napping means I get some down time! . Two studies started with some church fam. 🙌🏽 I run to the Word and have a huge desire from God to get out of it all I can. I love that even in a season with littles I can have people to walk with me through scripture, the amazing story of the Bible pointing to Jesus, and all the seriously exciting implications it has on life today, here, now, always--in every role we have. . These are scripture journals from @crosswaybooks. They're pretty, simple, and perfect for packing light.👍🏽 . #deepintheword #bedeeplyrooted https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn9Mu9LBfRI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=v7icp2yuiy21

[krystallalelei]

This sounds amazing. I do have some questions, I wish I could hear from others more experienced in this. 1) Would this help or hurt regular public schools to grow/improve? 2) Is there any hope for the existing public school system? 3) Am I the only one who thinks, “It only cost $1M to open?!”

Interesting that to those running the new school, it is a gateway to business flourishing and revitalizing the poor county. I wonder if this is done in poor urban areas and how it’s progressing for the area’s overall development. I also wonder how local churches are/or could be involved in this kind of process. Again, I do want to think holistically—the existing public school system and the kids in them. This seems like a great way to change things, but I am sure it will take a generation to see the effects. I just wish every kid had access to amazing educational opportunities and thriving culture, but hopeful to see examples like this one in Alabama.

[krystallalelei]

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many...” . Mark, The Gospel Of Mark . “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, . did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, . but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. . And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. . Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” . Apostle Paul, Letter to the church in Philippi #bedeeplyrooted #becauseimhis #womenoffaith #womenoftheword #holyscriptures #bibleverse #happysunday #delight #desiringgod

[krystallalelei]

For Antwon Rose II

This is where we are—black lives cry in the streets for the black blood that bleeds. And white lives, for fear, or their version of protection, pull triggers preemptively before other things. What doesn’t matter is the matter of black. Their fear, they run, because maybe to even obey would run the risk of being done, in dust. He was young, smart, bright, smiley. Why was he in that car with those guns? Or is that just the reality. Common as a pack of gum in your bag, a gun within reach. AP classmate, volunteer. Black American young man no longer here. I pray to God we would not be blind, but if we have eyes to see we would, ears to hear we should. It’s not just a mindset to defeat. It’s a physical hold, a place to climb out of, but there’s no rocks for feet to push or lift off of. And those who pass by speak their own agendas. Too important, too much already to stop, bend down, and reach, bind, dress, or give. We aren’t the samaritan we are the calloused.

[krystallalelei]

Aloha from Virginia ☀️ ———————————— Thanks to friends for lending us the kayak ❤️ #getoutdoors #norfolkva #virginiaisforlovers #virginia #adventure #spontaneous (at Norfolk, Virginia)

[krystallalelei]

Definitely love filling the house with fresh flowers. But when that’s not happening, some drawn ones will do! . Creating has been a fun distraction these last few days. Lord willing, the kids and I will wake up with our main guy back in the home. 🙌🏽🙏🏽 . Also, I feel like Virginia Beach skipped the cool spring and is jumping into Summer this week 🔥☀️

[krystallalelei]

Reminders of the loveliness of God’s love. It’s incomparable, endless, proven, never-failing, and overwhelming ❤️ . #ipadlettering #handlettering #unsplash #cultivateworship #worship #heartsongs #bedeeplyrooted #wellwateredwomen

[krystallalelei]

Christians should be known by the same qualities of their Leader, Savior, King, and God. A God who disadvantaged Himself by abandoning Heaven’s Throne to become a frail, human baby born in an animal’s trough. And to be brought up as a human in human culture, language, hardships, and in a broken reality that is absolute poverty compared to His Eternal Glory of a home, is the example we have to follow in order to spread His good news of Gods kingdom being one on Earth as it is in Heaven. Our Christian calling isn’t just to the cross and stay there in conversion but it is to bear our own cross and go and teach as Christ taught and live as He lives with compassion, with the truth of each human’s God given quality, with justice to combat the wrongs, and righteousness to restore human relationships with God and each other.

[krystallalelei]

“Nothing can stand against” . Holding truth close to my mind and singing with my heart to lift up my soul. I pray for myself but for anyone else who is willing to look to this beautiful Savior who has a powerful name. A name which men and women can be saved from the sin that holds us apart from real life and from the weight of burdens too big to carry alone. . “What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong #bedeeplyrooted #cultivateworship #becauseimhis

[krystallalelei]

The journey of learning with Zeke. He loves it—Numbers, puzzles galore. Pretty proud of him and blown away by how much he picks up each day. . . #babygenius #toddlerlife #ezekieljsshorts #growinguptoofast #learning #counting #jigsaw #ilovepuzzles #puzzles #animals #123 #books #readmorebooks #readeveryday #puzzlelife

[krystallalelei]

[krystallalelei]

Content—Always? Is it possible?

From where I’m sitting and I see my poor fiddle fig. Doesn’t seem that I’m all fit to be a #plantlady.

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Anyways, just got home from a Women’s Brunch (shoutout to Colonial Baptist what what 🙌🏽) at church and put the kiddos down for a nap. The lesson take away from the event? Contentment is God’s plan for you.

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BUT Not just any contentment from any source or event, or measure of success. It’s from Him and in Him. Wherever He has you, whatever the circumstances are, or expectations unmet, or exceeded, He sees your heart if you are content in Him, in His eternal perspective and divine promises. In the world of seeing and believing, can we not see and still trust Him? Still be content in Him?

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Can we hold steadfastly to faith in His control when we feel the rocks crash on us while we are in the storm-tossed sea of life?

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It was convicting to me. Causing me to throw up my hands (figuratively, it was in the middle of her talk and to do it literally may be disruptive and rude) and say, “I’m sorry, Lord.” Because I know I am not always content. I know I can be sharp with my tongue in bitterness, or quick to grumble or complain when life gets hard. And that is not having faith. That is not letting go of the tight fists of control. And that is not having peace that surpasses understanding.

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So, I’m thankful for Celinda, the woman who shared her story of faith and challenges she’s struggled to remain content and yet, by God’s grace, able to receive God’s joy even in and through the fire. Her faith strengthens mine.

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Do you have this kind of hope and faith? I can tell you it is only in Jesus that you can. I know, that’s offensive. But it doesn’t mean it’s not true. And if it is, aren’t you glad that you know? That there is a way to perfect peace, where you will lack nothing? Isn’t that what we all strive for? To be content in life? And what if all along, that’s been there available to you, by a Good God who knows the pain you feel and is saying, hope is alive because I sent my Son, Jesus, to make a way for you to be the way you were meant to be.

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There is no other name under heaven by which man can call on. That is what the men who spent the most life changing time with Jesus said about Him. Men, who before knowing Jesus was the Son of God, struggled with His teachings and understanding His claims. And yet after knowing, they took that truth to the death and suffered for it in their remaining life. They knew this life is short and what mattered was staying true to the One who made us all.

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“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith brings steadfastness. And let steadfastness have it’s full effect so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

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I hope that in some way God will show you His goodness so that you may see even without understanding. I hope He will help you know His love so that you may trust and be content in Him even if your circumstances do not change or you continue in waiting for it. I pray this for myself as I walk day to day struggling with my desires that are not from God and my desires that are.

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Because life is too short to walk in anything less. And eternity is too important to waste time trying to walk in anything else outside God’s way. I see it and I am learning it. And I am so heartbroken for those who don’t and continue to chase after the wind to come up short and in want. You can know Him too, and He’s calling if you are listening. Ask Him to show you.