lets go on a trip...

ive decided to take my wife on a trip.

she has no idea where we are going.

its going to be awesome.

a new post to follow.

-dw

its almost like i got a whole new life...

that's the overwhelming feeling that I have been having lately. I look around me and realize that I am so overwhelmingly blessed by the goodness of Christ in my life.

4 months and 2 days ago I was blessed by marrying my best friend. She, next to Christ, is the absolute best thing that ever happened to me. She challenges me to be a better person, she challenges me to know and follow my savior in a deeper way, and she loves me even when I act like a jerk. She has changed my life radically in the last 4 months.

about 3 months ago I was blessed to get a new job in Ruston working for the Family Plus Counseling Center of the Methodist Children's Home. Although it was a tough start, I truly am beginning to see why God has brought me here, everyday I see the hurts and the pains of my hometown, I see those who are in the greatest need and God has blessed me with the skills and schooling to try and help them. My ministry is one that I try to take very seriously and I feel that in this new job God has expanded the effect that I have on my community.

about a week ago Kelsey and I were blessed to be able to move into our first home together. It is amazing, I never really thought about how much fun it would be to really begin to settle into a place that she and I will call "home". It is neat to be able to call something "ours" but it is again one of the blessing that God has given to us.

So, all in all it seems like in the last 5 months I've been given a whole new life...or a whole new set of circumstances. And from here the only thing I can see is the blessings of Christ in my life. I certainly don't deserve them, but I am truly grateful for them.

-dw

fences

buying a new house has gotten me into looking into new things that i have to do

like putting up a fence

fences are expensive

i'd like to build it but im not sure i have the time...or the inclination...

t-minus 13 days until move in...

supervision

i have supervision for my cases once a week on thursday mornings.

i am currently in said supervision.

it makes me desire a career change.

i wonder what i could be?

how he loves us

i've been thinking about these words lately...

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.


We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

sometimes i forget how true they really are...

so, im sitting at work, terribly bored.

the end

a beautiful day...

ive found myself listening to a lot more u2 lately...thus the blog post title. but it really is a beautiful day. i find myself right now in a very uncertain place but feeling very confident. i havent posted for a while so i guess i should update... and in usual bullet point form....

i got engaged...yeah, its true, my committment phobia has been broken, and i am going to marry the most beautiful girl in the whole world. i dont deserve to be with such a beautiful, intelligent, funny woman who challenges me to love jesus more each day. she is way out of my league to say the least, but i got her something shiny and tricked her into saying yes so....december 5 clear your calendars

im graduating...again. i will finish my masters on august 20. i am very excited to finally be done, but the prospects of where i could go next seem more appealing. and now that i have someone to go with me (see above paragraph) i am much less scared to go....

allegedly i will be working full time at the center for children and families in rayville starting in august. i am very excited about this prospect. God has brought me to such an amazing agency that truly cares about their clients and wants to see their clients succeed. i love working with the kids and i love working with the families on my case load. i hope everything works out and i can stay there for a little while.

other than that things are going swimmingly, the uncertainty of wedding plans, school plans, and work plans havent phased me yet, but im sure they will. i look forward to what God has in store for myself and my future wife. perhaps we will start one of those family blogs. wow, ive come a long way....

talk to you soon....


dustinshelbywhitlock