On Sunday I made my weekly pilgrimage to the downtown farmers market for greens and veg. Normally I stick to the farmer's stalls, but this time wandered into the food court - ya'll better not sleep on the international market in there! I saw a sign for Cinnasmiles. These sticky rolls would be my death by gluten nowadays, but I had to ask if she had some GF love on the table. No luck, however, she responded with an enthusiastic, "I remember you!!!" Annetta reminded me that she was one of my World Vision volunteers over a year ago at Musician's Corner... we discussed my leap of faith quitting my job, going to Rwanda, and becoming an LMT. She told me I inspired her to start her own business and follow her dream. I was trying to pick my jaw off the floor, not cry, and thank her for thanking me all at the same time. Not my smoothest moment, but Jon Acuff would be proud. 

Starting your own business and following your dream is not one leap of faith. It's several leaps. Sometimes you land on your feet, sometimes you land on your face. Sometimes you misjudge the distance and do that awkward really hard landing. Sometimes you win. After several months of landing on my face, having a moment like that with Annetta was a huge encouragement to me. If I won the lottery, I would still want to do bodywork, and would have the funding to get more training! I still love school... *nerd gong*

Share your stories! You never know who might need to hear about your struggles and victories.

And if anyone needs some bodywork and to generally feel better in their body, call me maybe?

MelanieJoyeLMT.com!

"God binds up his heart so closely with suffering people that he interprets any move against them as a move against him." - Tim Keller.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

In one week's time: the delights of closest friends' birthdays, the ache of grief with a dear friend's awful loss, a joyous wedding... to live in the tense arc between the two... to allow each one to be their own and not arrest the other. How?

Tim Keller, in a sermon on anxiety, talks about perspective and expectations. Taxi drivers in NYC ram into each other. Often. In the midwest, there are police, accident reports, phone calls, etc. But in NYC, the taxi drivers expect chaos. They are ready. They keep going.

My wise friend E.M. observed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Already in exile. Thrown into a furnace to be executed. God was right in there with them. Alongside them. Does life ever calm down, or is it one continuous bonfire? Isn't fire a method of purification?

The happy warmth of weddings & births, the searing pain of death... to suffer... to struggle… to know God's presence no matter our circumstance. My friend Audrey wrote the song below. It's a prayer I didn't know was on my lips until I heard her sing it.  When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.

I Shall Not Want

by Audrey Assad | from the album Fortunate Fall

From the love of my own comfort
From the fear of having nothing
From a life of worldly passions
Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood
From the need to be accepted
From the fear of being lonely
Deliver me O God
Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want
when I taste Your goodness I shall not want
when I taste Your goodness I shall not want

From the fear of serving others
From the fear of death or trial
From the fear of humility
Deliver me O God
Deliver me O God