How do I smell?

What has the largest kitchen in the world, the smallest family room in the world, black carpet, no couches, no pots and pans, no internet, and no cable?

If you guessed my new house...you're exactly right!

Summer, post-project, has been hilarious.  Hilariously weird?

I've spent much of my time, following Summer Project, in the ghost town of Bowling Green.  Moving into a new house alone, while waiting on 2 roommates, has been surprisingly refreshing.  I've been able to sing and dance as loud or ridiculously as I want to (not that having roommates usually ever stops that...sorry, Kaleigh and Alyssa), I've been able to wake up super early and spend my morning with the rising sun and my Bible, I've been able to eat as much ice cream as I want, I've been able to pray out loud without feeling silly, I've been able to watch as much Dawson's Creek as I want without being judged, etc.  It's been fun.

It could have been incredibly lonely.  But I am convinced that it was God who was sweet to make Himself known to me and to make Himself feel near in my heart.

I've started studying 2 Corinthians the last few weeks and I am simply blown away at how the Bible continues to speak into my life after hundreds (thousands) of years being written.  The Bible really is alive as it claims.

I want to share one thing with you sweet blog-readers.  One thing that encouraged my heart and one thing that has begun shaping much of my thinking.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says this: But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. 


This verse is on the heels of God opening a door for Paul to preach the gospel in the land of Troas, however, Paul did not stay there to do so.  Was Paul being disobedient?

I don't think so.

I texted this exact thing as an encouragement to my friend a few days ago and it's begun shaping much of my own thinking:
   God may open different doors in our lives, and whatever one we take, He is more concerned with our fragrance of Him rather than the route. 

This breeds a feeling of freedom in my soul.  It seems like a daily battle where I wrestle with God asking, "this door," "that door?"  "This door?"  "That door?"  Repeat.

I think He cares more that I simply love Him dearly and give others a taste of His love wherever I am than He does about what stinkin' door I walk through.

That is good news, my friends.  The God I serve is obsessed with giving His people freedom.