Russ and I have been discussing some concerns with our website for quite some time. We want to be able to share with family and friends, especially those who aren't on facebook (and thus privy to every little detail of our lives! lol), without bringing ourselves unnecessary danger by having too much information out there on the internet. Thus, we have renamed our website, taking off our last name.

Beautiful In His Time

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to call our website. While we are a proud military family, being such does not define us. So I didn't want a military-themed title, especially not knowing what our lives will hold in the future. But within just a few moments of wondering what title to use, God brought the verses of Ecclesiastes 3 to my mind:

 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

 6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 11He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart,

so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.


These verses accurately depict our lives right now, and our lives over the past few years. We've been through a lot. And in many ways, our lives are still very much a mess. I know that Russ and I both feel a lot of pressure to BE a certain way, behave certain ways, because of how we were raised, and what we know God expects of us. Yet so many times we fall short and struggle with maintaining a balance of Godly living and legalism. A balance of being what God wants, not what others expect from us.

I try my best to keep this website as real and genuine, but I know that often I find myself guilty of only showing our best face. Just know this: we are still very much a work in progress. Often we look ahead and wonder what God has in store for us and our messed up lives. But these verses give me hope...hope that God isn't done with us. That sometimes He takes us through dark times. This doesn't mean it will be this way forever.

I hope that as you continue with us in our journey, this "beautiful mess," that you always remember that God's timing is not always our timing.