21 DAYS UNTIL I MOVE TO DISNEY WORLD!!!

In case you didn't know, I will be a part of the Disney College Program this fall, and I couldn't be more excited! I posted the announcement a while ago, but much has happened since then. Also, nothing has happened since then.

Mostly, I've been waiting.

Wondering and wondering and wondering and wondering when will my life begin

Maybe you're waiting, too. Perhaps for you college starts in the fall. Maybe you're waiting for a new job or a move or simply a new school year. Maybe you, too, are counting down the days instead of making today count.

If so, I have some words of encouragement for you, but it is really just one word:

Today. 

Let's learn the art of today.

The art of one day at a time kind of grace.

The art of diligence in today without worry about tomorrow.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)

Jesus knew that we could only handle one day at a time. He knew that our hands are small and our capacity to do life even smaller. Although He is unlimited and does everything at once, He created us to do one thing at a time, one day at a time.

Today. 




For a planner, though, today can be hard, especially if tomorrow is uncertain. For a girl who likes to know everything, today isn't always enough. I want to know tomorrow, too. And sometimes living in today is hard simply because tomorrow looks so much more exciting.

Today is hard, small, and scary. Living fully in today might be life's hardest challenge, a challenge we can't fulfill on our own.

That's the point. We can't live today alone. We can't live today confident in our own ability to handle and plan things. We also can't live today in hopes of tomorrow.

This is where Jesus comes in to save the day, to save today. 

You see, Jesus calls us to live today with Him. He calls us daily to lean into Him as our anchor and hope, as our helper and friend. We can trust in His unchanging grace for all of our tomorrows as we diligently and joyfully live out all of our todays with Him.

Maybe that's why Jesus instructed us to ask God to give us our daily bread. Maybe that's why God only allowed the Israelites to take one day's worth of manna at a time. This way we keep coming back to Him each morning with new need. This way we receive great joy in His provision each and every today.




The beautiful thing about today is that Jesus is here. The God who created time steps into time with us to do today. And He loves us today. He wants to talk to us today. He is providing for us and holding us today. He has a mission and purpose for us today, even if today is hard, boring, or uncertain.

How will we live today? Even in the waiting, even in the uncertainty and troubles that tomorrow may bring, we are given a precious gift in today. Let's celebrate and work in it.



Are you in a period of waiting or moving? How have your learned to live in today? Are you excited for the many other Grace in Disney World posts coming in the near future?

Princess Hannah

God is trustworthy.  He never fails to deserve our complete and joyful trust. His ways are perfect; there is no flaw in them.

"I just want to be okay."

GRACE IN EVERYTHING TURNS TWO TODAY!!!!!!!



Part of me feels shocked that it's been that long, and the other part can't remember a time where I didn't learn something and instantly start forming a blog post in my heart.

First of all, THANK YOU.

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU.

Without you, reader, Grace In Everything couldn't have done what it's done. And what has Grace In Everything done, you ask? Let me tell you:

Two Years Later: Grace In Everything changed my life. 

It changed how I viewed the lessons God teaches me. I started looking for them and seeking to interpret them into thoughts and words that others, and mainly I, could understand. God made me so much more aware of life through blogging.

It changed how I used my gifts. If you can't tell, I have the spiritual gift of teaching, and this little blog offered me chances to discover how to use this gift to help people, even as they helped me.

It changed how I spent my time. Because, SPOILER ALERT, blogging takes time. I've struggled with this a few times (I'm sure you noticed). Sometimes I didn't have the time to properly blog, but I've learned about time management and also how to write up a blog post in one night!

It changed my major. I went into college majoring in marketing because that was the useful, practical thing to do. I liked business, but it didn't feel like me. That's when I discovered mass communications. My experience with blogging and enjoyment of connecting with the "masses" prompted me to change my major to what I now LOVE.

Two Years Later: I wrote some fun posts.

Two Years Later: I met some cool people.

Two Years Later: I did some cool things. 

Two Years Later: I'm looking forward to another two years

It's the happiest place on earth, the most magical realm in the world. It's where all of our wishes will come true, and dreams aren't as impossible as they looked before. It's Disney World/my new home.

Do you ever feel like a puzzle piece that never fits in the puzzle? It's like you're almost there, almost in the picture, surrounded by other pieces that all fit in with you. But your edges are different. They just don't quite fit.

My words have been coming slowly as of late.

Or perhaps my mind pushes them out of the way.

I can't fully blame my schedule, family, or situation. For somehow I trapped the words inside, and their song dulled down. Down, down, down. Later, later, later.

But words never die. They rarely remain silent for long. They may go underground for a spell, but this makes them grow stronger roots for the upcoming blossom.

My words are blooming forth again, I can feel it.

via

When learning how to balance for ballet, my teacher would always try and make things harder. She would tell us to close our eyes. At first, this seems simple. After all, our eye muscles aren't supporting our balance. Closing our eyes shouldn't change a thing. 

But once we close our eyes, we begin to lose our balance. We struggle to maintain the desired position without a stabilizing focal point. Any change in weight or outside forces causes us to wobble. Shake. Struggle. And then fall. 

This hymn has repeated in my heart for the past few weeks, especially as life tried to take my vision off of Jesus and onto the pressing matters at hard. But when I close my eyes to Jesus, I start to fall at any shift or outside force. It doesn't take much, for it can be a busy week, an upcoming project, a tense relationship, or a desire to please people. 

But in the middle of this distracting life, this challenging life, this joyful life, let's keep our eyes on Jesus. He will stabilize us. He will keep us going in the right direction. In the hurried moments, whisper to yourself the truths in this hymn and keep breathing in the love of Christ! 

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all. 

Princess Hannah 

Sometimes life feels like a marathon. It runs and runs and runs, and we struggle to catch up. We can't seem to swallow each breath in our lungs as we chase life down. School. Homework. Family. Friends. Extracurricular. Make sure our rooms don't look like zoos. Showers should probably happen. And somehow living with Jesus and resting in Him.

We live in a busy world.

We live in a loud world.

And these things don't make the world bad. I love how life always moves and always speaks, for work creates beauty, and words give love. But I discovered this week that I need more than satisfying schedules and gratifying words.

This week I discovered the beauty of silence.



 I sat on my bed last Sunday afternoon, tired from trying, ready to keep trying, and trusting in Jesus. (Yes, I feel the confusion going on here.) Sunday brings me so much joy, and usually prayers bloom out of me during the long afternoon, but last Sunday, I couldn't find the energy to form words. And I didn't feel the need to say them.

And so I just sat there with Jesus. I reminded myself of His wonderful character and believed in my identity in Him. I didn't say anything. I didn't go through the list of prayer requests I built into my mind. I didn't mentally work through all of the events and thoughts from the past week. I just sat there.

It was enough to stay silent in Jesus' presence.

I imagined that the disciples sat with Jesus in silence many a night. I can see them sitting around a fire at night, their feet sore from a long day, their minds unable to grasp Who sat with them, and their hearts full of questions about the day, about the journey, and about Jesus. I can feel them start to utter these complaints, doubts, and questions when they stop. They look at Jesus. And they decide that it is simply enough to sit in silence for tonight.



I've gone a long time thinking that I needed to express every thought, write every idea, and pray with complete sentences. When I drive alone, I turn on the music. When I shower, I pray through the prayer requests I've stored up for the day. When I sit in my room, I'm always thinking, planning, and processing out loud, or at least with loud thoughts. I didn't develop the habit of staying quiet every now and then to sit with Jesus and examine my soul.

But after the silence of Sunday, my soul feels a bit more. My heart beats a bit more. And my mind rests a bit more. Sitting with Jesus changed the way I thought about life. For after that afternoon, I realized that I didn't have to come before God with many words or a focused heart. I could give Him my silence with just as much worship as I give Him my song. I could give Him my confused, tired, and trying heart with joy rather than shame.



The silence in my soul is a welcoming place now. And God wants to move in your silent moments as well. Will you take the challenge with me over the next few days to set aside five minutes (give or take, because we will not be legalistic about this) daily to simply sit with Jesus in silence? Will you turn off your phone, stop dwelling on those thoughts that never seem to leave, and start reminding yourself of Who God is and who you are in Him? Will you come to Him as you are, knowing that He is enough? Will you learn to welcome the mystery of vacancy and the wonder of the quiet minutes?

As I finish this post, sitting in the silence, I feel content and thankful. Not because I had a great day, not because I have it all together, and not because I feel spectacular about things. I don't. But I know that Jesus is with me and loves me right now in the silence. And that is enough.

Comment below if you have ever sat in silence. Also, I know our lives are so busy and loud, but can you share a recent moment where God broke through and showed grace in little or big ways?

Thank-you so much for reading my heartbeat today!

Princess Hannah

"Enjoy the little things, but never forget the big picture."

They say times, flies, and I would agree. But for for me for in 2015, time danced. It danced to a changing tune of growing up, to the captivating sounds of NYC streets, to the soft melodies of challenges and slowness, to the exciting beats of friendship and family, and to the familiar tune of Jesus' grace transforming everything.

It danced with vigor and speed. It danced with grace and beauty. It danced with mystery and a touch of sadness. But it danced, and I wouldn't redo 2015; I wouldn't take it out of the choreography of the dance God plans for my life.

Looking back, I realize that so many things happened this year. It makes me so happy to think of them all that, with the help of the lilting backdrop of the Cinderella soundtrack, I might cry! God did so much this year, and because I love lists, here's 15 things that changed me a bit in 2015 (in my best chronological order):



1. In 2015 I failed my first audition. Before I thought much about going to New York for ballet, I wanted to go to Houston Ballet. But God had other plans; He knew best, and even though I felt pretty bad about messing up those pirouettes, I rejoice for the experience!


2. In 2015 I started truly blogging! I didn't realize how much I would love writing out these posts and interacting with so many wonderful people! I didn't know how much work and time a blog took, how much dedication and editing I needed to make it look nice and reach out to people. But through blogging the past few months, I've learned how to have eyes that see. I see so many more opportunities to interact with God's grace in everything! The theme of this blog probably impacted me more than anyone who read my posts!



3. In 2015 I fell on stage for the first time. But what I didn't realize at the time of the fall was how many times I would be able to give God the glory through that experience! It really blew my mind how such a simple story like a fall on stage could go so many place. First, I shared it with people who came to my recital, then to you guys on the blog, then to many dancers who didn't know Jesus this summer, and also to fellow local dancers. And each time I had the opportunity to share God's grace at work in what would normally be a bad situation.



4. In 2015 I started a Bible study that I'd dreamed of for a while. I had this idea of high school girls mentoring and befriending middle school girls even while the younger girls inspire the older girls. And so I helped get the ball rolling for this great time together, which is still making an impact under my sister's leadership! But this just showed me how sometimes we just need to go and do these brave, new ideas. Faith is paired with action.



5. In 2015 I graduated high school! I felt pretty excited to move on to the next chapter of life and had so much fun going to my last youth group camp as a camper, taking senior pics, going to senior prom, and throwing my best party yet!


6. In 2015 I flew to and stayed in New York for six weeks! This made my year. AAB grew me and gave me much more confidence in life and Christ. And NYC can't be described adequately in this short space, so just read this post if you missed it. I made so many memories this summer that I won't forget quickly, like sharing the gospel at two in the morning to a girl who lives in South Africa and walking into Times Square at one in the morning to be greeted by so many lights and promises of another great day in the city.



7. In 2015 I realized the difference between "could" and "should." In ballet, I didn't dream much of dancing professionally. I think that God just doesn't want that for me, but sometimes I feel like because I could have gone for it that I should have gone for it. Many people around me this summer planned on going so many places with ballet, but I just wanted to teach ballet in my hometown. I felt like I wasted my potential, like I disappointed everyone, including myself. I questioned my decisions in 2015, especially when I got encouragement and challenges from AAB, but I feel confident that God is leading me on the path that I chose. Because winning in life doesn't mean winning according to the world. There is something greater in the world than success.



8. In 2015 I went new places. Namely, NYC. But I also went to concerts, the beach, movies, parties, and many other new and exciting places.



9. In 2015 I started college! I expected it to be harder actually. I think that I'm ready to start really loving college now that I've learned a bit of the ropes. The first semester went by with new friendships, new schedules, and a bit of learning. Now I'm excited for what the other semesters will bring!


10. In 2015 I continued to learn about friendships. Friendships take work. Sometimes I want to give up and just wait for friends to find me, but I fought that temptation this year and started cultivating more friendships. It took time, texts, and tears, but this year brought hope and laughter, some beginnings of what I hope to be wonderful friendships!


11. In 2015 I went in the direction God planned for me. I already talked a bit about this, but I decided not to go off to some expensive school for ballet but to stay at home. And I also decided to switch my major from business to mass communications, and I will have to wait to see how I like that. But I do think that God placed all of these things in order, and I trust Him. I want to follow Him.


12. In 2015 I actually went to football games! Yes, I went to football games, and this is kind of a new thing for me. I only went to two football games during high school, one local college game and one NFL game, but I loved the experience of going to the games, cheering on my team, and being with fun friends!


13. In 2015 I thought more. I am so thankful for a mind ready to learn and a heart that searches for the truth! God gave me such a gift in those things, and this year I made even more connections about the Bible and more thoughts about life. In 2016 I want to take even more advantage of the resources around me and continue to grow in knowledge and truth!



14. In 2015 I finished my first semester of college with a 4.0! The ease of college surprised me, and although I don't expect it to stay that way, I am glad that it didn't start with many challenges. With this first semester done, I feel ready to start embracing college!

15. In 2015 God did some pretty amazing things, but now, at the end of the holidays, I'm reminded that the greatest thing that "I" did this year, I didn't even do! The greatest achievement of 2015 is that God was in me, with me. Immanuel!