Refinement

Right now I have two situations going on in my life that have been a big struggle. I know life isn't always about being happy and I'm trying to understand better what true contentment means. My nature is to worry and stress over things, even if I have no control over them. I've been praying about this and understand that God is in control. The part I don't completely understand is how to know whether your heart is truly desiring God's will or your own. I tend to have seasons where certain verses are on my heart, and there have been several situations where the first chapter of James is where I focus. I'm learning how much I need to develop perseverance when my gut thought is always 'Please Lord, get me outta this situation!'. Being uncomfortable is not always a bad thing, but how do you know though when God is refining you through a situation or when He's shutting a door and saying to refocus on something else (take another path). Does that make sense? I want to trust and be refined if that is the purpose of these situations, but I also want to accept and refocus if this is a wall the Lord is using to redirect me. I have a coworker that I am close to (her family also attends our church) and we have we had this conversation several times lately (the Lord has truly blessed me with such a godly role model). I feel like I'm always praying both ways (for refinement through it and to understand when it's time to accept that the situations are what they are and redirect). I know sometimes God shuts doors, but how do you know when you are supposed to move on or if should just accept this is where you are meant to be?

Let the games begin!

Last weekend was UT's first football game. Brian and I got separated from our ticket group (not sure how that happened) but we ended up on the second row!!! Brian laughed because he said I had more fun taking pics than watching the game. I wouldn't say that, but it was definitely a close second. Here's a few highlights:

Bevo himself

Colt


Mack Brown



It's a little blurry but that's Matthew McConaughey with girlfriend and baby in background.


And I'll leave you with a pic of us.

What are you up to this fall?