Lauren; The Best Roommate Ever

I should go to bed.  It's 11:27PM here today has been nuts.  I turned in a major paper, PCM form, and a change of major form that was literally 4 months in the making.  I had an incredibly sweet morning coffee date with one of the most elegant women in Christ that I know.  I took two quizzes in my room and made a big (to me) decision for next year.  I made it to lunch and dinner, AND had a fourth "meal" with Lauren and Carly.  I emailed back and forth with some dear women in my life, and got to hang out with others face to face.  It's now 11:36 PM and, nearly 10 minutes after I stated this post, I am about to get to my point:


One of my favorite friends in the whole world is sleeping soundly up on the top bunk behind me.  


As I was getting ready to start my last quiz at my desk, Lauren climbed up into her bed.  We talked for a couple of minutes until I realized my quiz had to be done by midnight and I should let her sleep.  Usually we get in our beds at about the same time and end up talking for about 30 minutes.  This change of routine with Lauren fast asleep behind me while I'm still awake has me thinking about how thankful I am for her.  So yes, I'll be a little extra tired in the morning, but she is so worth it.  I want to record some of the reasons she is my favorite college roommate ever, and more than that, why she is one of my favorite friends ever.
Here are some pictures which depict (and help me remember) some of the reasons that I love Lauren and some of my favorite memories with her thus far.

 This is one of our very first pictures together.  I am pretty sure this is day #2 at college so our mutual friend Carly was still chosen for the middle of the picture :)

I knew right away that I was going to love my new roommate.  After talking all night about how I had to do laundry the next day, I came back from class with a reminder from Lauren to do just that.  Accountability.  I love it!

Most girls can probably relate over Target, and Lauren and I did just that.  We probably went to Target more in the first month of school than we have ever since.  

One day we went to Target with a bunch of friends.  When we got tired of waiting for them to finish shopping, we bought two Cokes, found a spot on the floor, and opened up our Whales and Twix.  Every girl needs a friend who will do that with her.  

I love that Lauren gets excited about little things with me...

I love that she gets cupcakes with me...even when it is raining...

I love that she rocks the "top-of-the-head-messy-bun" with me and agrees to take pictures of it...

I love how quickly we became friends!

I love Lauren's sense of style.  She always looks cute.  Even when she just throws on a sweatshirt.

I love her sense of humor.  Sometimes I laugh so hard at the funny things she says and does that I feel like I could throw up.  (Proof that she's cute even in a sweatshirt:)

I love that Lauren helps me.  Not just with banana bread, but with so much more.  She helps me with school work, she helps me emotionally, she helps me spiritually.  

I love that Lauren does spontaneous and ridiculous things with me...like sleeping in Melissa's room when she is out of town too long and we miss her.  

Even though we live together I still rejoice in doing things out in the city with her.  Lauren is fun to be around.

I love that Lauren puts up with my endless picture taking. (One day everyone will be glad that I documented our college days :)

I love that we got to know Melissa Zaldivar together.

I love sharing friends with Lauren.

I am forever thankful that I got to go on a road trip was with Lauren and Melissa.

I love Lauren's wisdom and her advice.  She is able to think so clearly through situations and help me bring things back to reality when I blow them way out of proportion.

Simple things like creme soda and pretzels in the Fall are extra sweet when I get to enjoy them with Lauren.

I love Lauren's generosity.  Every time she gets a gift card (and even when she doesn't) she buys me Starbucks.

No words.  Just overflowing with joy for a friend that can handle all of this.  

Lauren is thoughtful.  

She (almost) always answers when I Skype her from within the same room.

I so appreciate her honesty with me.  I need it so much!

I appreciate her willingness to take over the iPhone picture-taking when I am too busy driving.

The more pictures I go through, the more thankful I am for so many sweet memories and for the grace of Jesus to bless me with such a beautiful friend...

I love that when I tell her the lighting coming in our window is just right for a beautiful picture, she will stop what she is doing to come take a picture with me.

I love that we both love Carly :)

I love that when we are having good hair days (and we know it) we take a picture together.

I love that we worked together to build our couch.  No boys needed!  Unless you count skyping my dad in as helping.

I wish we would have kept count of how many coffees we have had together.

I love Lauren's determination.  When she says she is going to do something she does it.  And she always does it quickly and she does it well.

I love Lauren's...creativity...in blocking my way out of the elevator with the help of Carly.

Lauren is generous with me.  On a deeper level than sharing Ben & Jerry's ice-cream.  Then again that is pretty deep generosity right there...

More generosity.  Two times now Lauren has brought me coffee when she gets home her Wednesday nannying job.  (ps- Wednesday is the worst day of the week for me.  She is gone from 8 til 5 and I miss her the whole time.  I literally get sad every time I walk into our empty room on Wednesday.)

I love that Lauren will wear sweatpants and slippers with me to 10:00pm Europe meetings.  (another ps- I am thrilled beyond words to travel Europe with this friend.)

Again, I love sharing friends with Lauren. 

I love that we beat each other up.

I almost cry every time I go to Lauren's house because I love her, her parents, her dog, her couch, her guest bed, her food, and her company so much.  

 I love that Lauren and Carly and I still play in parks together.  I love that Lauren is patient with me, even when trying to teach me soft ball.

Lauren,  I love all the dumb pictures you've taken with me.  I love every time we stayed up way later than we should have because neither of us was willing to give up on our game of "touched-you-last".  I love/hate all the times we have been reminded that it is after quiet hours and we need to stop yelling.  I love every delicious thing we have baked-even though the brothers get most of it.  I've loved every Target run, every Chipotle date, and every Starbucks study session.  I love every stupid conversation and every meaningful conversation.  I love our random dance parties and all the bumpin' jams that you play for us in our room.  I love every Monday chapel hour Joe's date and every "pre-New-Testament-class" Joe's date.  

I love your diligence.  I love your reliability and your promptness.  I love your dependability.  I love your generosity and your kindness.  I love your hilarity as well as your rationality.  

I see Jesus in your character.  I see your love for Him and for His people.  I see your heart for the world to know who He is.  And as I see Him in you and your love for Him, He is glorified in my heart and mind. 

Lauren, I love Jesus grace in letting me be your roommate;  but even more than that, I love His grace in letting me have you as a friend.   

 I love you to the bathroom and back!

Dayenu [It is more than we deserve]

In 1988 Geri Fuehring started a conversation with a new teacher at Lace Elementary School while they were standing at a vending machine.  They were in similar stages in life and became friends right away.  

That new teacher was my mom and to this day Geri is one of her best friends.  They taught together, they prayed together, and they journeyed through new marriages and new families together.  

The Fuehring's second oldest is Carly and to say she is my friend would be an understatement.  I consider her a sister.  Many summers were spent going to camp with Carly; and when Camp Awana got old we just created our own camp {oh man, this could be whole blog post by itself...Another time!}. 

Now, just as we planned when we were little, we are at college together.  I did not think it could get any better than Camp Awana, but I was wrong.  Going to college with Carly is gold.  Pure gold.  I could write yet another whole post about all the reasons I love going to college with her, but my goal in this post is to tell you about one reason.  


Over Easter break, Carly's family invited me to join them in their annual Seder dinner on Good Friday.  I was thrilled.  I stayed with my roommate Lauren Thursday night.  We stayed up late watching The Proposal and writing papers.  I'm so thankful for her hospitality toward me since my family is so far away.  On Friday we drove 20 minutes to Carly's house and went with the Fuehrings to church.


After church we went back to Carly's house and her parents led 5 of us Moody girls and about 12 high school girls through the traditional Jewish celebration of a Passover dinner.  The "curriculum" that they used had truth about Jesus' fulfillment of God's promises to the Israelites beautifully interwoven with the Jewish traditions.  


Throughout the Old Testament God commands His people to remember;  remember His covenant with them, remember their slavery, remember His kindness to deliver them, remember His faithfulness.  And remember they did.  I appreciate and desire to emulate the way the Jewish people intentionally remembered and celebrated God's goodness and faithfulness.  


My favorite part of the dinner was when Dave Fuehring, as the father of the dinner, read a line to which we all responded "dayenu."  Dayenu means- "it is more than we deserve."  We repeated this several times, remembering with gratitude and intentionality the faithfulness and goodness of God.  

God, You have shown us amazing kindness and grace.

You rescued us from Egypt...Dayenu!

You punished our enemies...Dayenu!

You parted the sea for us...Dayenu!

You cared for us and fed us for forty years in the desert...Dayenu!

You have us a holy day of rest...Dayenu!

You gave us the Scriptures to live by...Dayenu!

You gave us the Promised Land...Dayenu!

You sent Your Son Jesu...Dayenu!

You sacrificed His life for us...Dayenu!

For all of this alone and together we say...Dayenu!

I want to be someone who remembers the amazing kindness and grace of God towards me.  My heart says:

He gave us life-it is more than we deserve.  

Jesus said He would rescue us before the foundation of the world-it is more than we deserve.

He called us by name-it is more than we deserve.

He says He wants to make our treasuries full (Proverbs 8:21)-it is more than we deserve.

He delights in us-it is more than we deserve.

 He longs for us to delight in Him-it is more than we deserve.

But, thats the kind of God He is.  He gives us more than we deserve.  As Beth Moore would say, He is so much better than He has to be.  I cannot help but think "dayenu!" in response to all the other things He has given me.  He has truly blessed me with more than I deserve.

Ice cream for dinner with friends on a sidewalk in Chicago-it is more than I deserve.

Late night Ice cream (again) with Carly over Easter weekend-it is more than I deserve.

Paper writing/Movie watching with Lauren at her home-it is more than I deserve.

Seder dinner at the Fuehrings-it is more than I deserve.  

Calling Lauren friend-it is more than I deserve.

Calling Carly friend-again, it is more than I deserve.

A life-long "second-mom" in Geri-it is more than I deserve.

The sweet joy of college life with girls who love Jesus and love each other-it is more than I deserve.

Maddie Fuehring.  The privilege of calling her "little sister"-it is more than I deserve.  

A weekend at Lauren and the Fuehring's house-it is more than I deserve.

Knowing Sam Fuehring (another "little sister")-it is more than I deserve.

Brining Sami and her friends downtown all day Saturday-it is more than I deserve.  I love that girl to the moon and back.

This is Mirela! She is living with the Fuehring's and commuting to Moody for graduate school.  The grace of Jesus to cross our paths-it is more than I deserve.  

Ali, the oldest Fuehring sister.  Love knowing her so much-it is more than I deserve.

Going out dancing with Lauren's church-it is more than I deserve.

Mary and I met through Carly.  I can't say enough how thankful I am to now call her my friend as well-it is more than I deserve.

Afternoons playing softball with Carly and Lauren-it is more than I deserve.

Friday night ice cream with Sandra's family visiting from out of town-it is more than I deserve. 

Obviously, I could go on and on.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the people Jesus has placed in my life.  I am thankful for HIs faithfulness and His kindness to me.  Some days I feel more overwhelmed with homework and stressful life circumstances than thankfulness, but even then He is faithful to me.  Even then He will use someone, in this case the Fuehrings inviting me to their Seder dinner, to remind me that He has blessed me-and it is more than I deserve.

What Do I Want

I knew Vincent van Gogh as the crazy artist who cut off his ear.  We studied him in my 5th grade art class and I had made up my mind about him.  That is, until Dr. McDuffee introduced him to us in our Christianity and Western Culture course.  He presented van Gogh in a whole new light, and now I cannot help but love him.

Vincent van Gogh and his brother, Theo van Gogh, corresponded through many letters while living apart from one another.  These letters are available online and reading through them is something more than a pleasure!  Van Gogh has a stunning heart for the Lord and expresses his love for Jesus so beautifully through his letters to Theo.

In one of Vincent's letters to Theo he says, "I'm still a long way from being what I'd like to be, but with God's help I'll succeed."  Have you ever felt that way?  I feel like that most days.  However, I'm trying to get to the place where I don't let my feeling of not being what I'd like to be paralyze me.  Instead I want that feeling to be grounded in the hope that "with God's help I'll succeed."   I want to remember His promises throughout Scripture that He will finish the good work He has started in us (Philippians 1:6).  Van Gogh was able to beautifully express what was his heart's desire.  Here is a glimpse of van Gogh's heart along with some of my Spring Break pictures.

"What do I want---to be bound to Christ with unbreakable bonds

and to feel those bonds.

To be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

To live in and for Christ, to be one of the poor in His kingdom,

leavened with the leaven, inspired by His Spirit, constrained by His love,

resting in the Father with that rest of which I spoke in my last letter.

To become one who cannot rest in anything but in Him,

who desires nothing on earth beside Him,

and who lives in the Love of God and of Christ,

in whom we are intimately bound with one another." 

I'm so grateful that Dr. McDuffee shared this side of van Gogh with us.  We can learn so much by reading the thoughts of people that went before us.  There are so many such treasures waiting to be found!

I hope you are encouraged today with the hope that though none of us has quite arrived at the place we want to be, God has not (and will not) quit on us.  As we learn "to be bound with Christ with unbreakable bonds", we will get closer to the place we are longing for and will find deeper rest in the Father.  With God's help, we will succeed!

May you live in the Love of God and of Christ today!

Beautiful Things

First of all, you should know this blog post was originally titled "Two Beautiful Things."  Once I got started, however, I came to the inevitable reality that I was not going to be able to share only two.  

This picture was taken in the bathroom of the hotel room where the 5 of us spent Christmas Eve.  (We thankfully had just gotten to Skype with Lindsey from Asia. Can't wait to spend next Christmas with her!)

Over my Christmas break I got to show my family and my mom's sister's family beautiful downtown Chicago.

(My brothers got to see Moody for the first time.  I was probably, ok definitely, more excited than they were, but I showed them nonetheless.)

Then we all hoped on the 66 bus and went to Navy Pier. (Again, missing Lindsey.  And Nathan, too)

We got to enjoy a beautiful Swedish Christmas meal that Grandma Phyllis made for us as well as delicious Christmas meals by Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Kathy.

Everything about Passion 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia, with life long friend Carly, roommate Lauren, and dear college friend Allie (May) was beautiful.  

Right before my Christmas break ended I got to enjoy a couple more days at home with my family.  Lindsey and I have got the best brothers evah. 

The beautiful city I flew back to.  Chicago.  Home for another semester.  (Confession:  In order to get this picture I had to rebelliously keep my phone on after the flight attendant had asked us to turn off all portable electronic devices.  Oops. #worthit)

I love being at Moody again.  I love my new classes.  I love the new way our dorm room is arranged.  I love my new friends.  But one of my favorite things about this semester is having Carly back from Italy and living on 10 West again.  When we were little and attending summer camps together (or making our own camp) Carly and I always would dream of going to college together one day. According to God's faithfulness and kind heart, that dream is now a reality.  I look forward to all the blessings that sharing college life with Carly and all the other amazing women on the 10th floor of Houghton Hall will bring. 

Ok, so those were some beautiful things about my Christmas break.  Now for the "Two Beautiful Things" I created this post to write about.   First, on January 12 we finally got some real snow.  Lauren, Kari, and I celebrated the first snow with our first coffee drinks from Joe's and then headed to New Testament together.  I am so thrilled that snow has truly arrived and look forward to so much more!   

And last, but certainly not least, I want to try to give voice to some thoughts that I have been excited about since September.  While reading through Genesis for my Survey of the Old Testament class, chapter 16 caught my attention.  In this story Sarai, unable to bear a son for Abram, gave her slave named Hagar to him in order that Hagar might bear a son in her stead.  When Hagar became pregnant, Sarai was upset and mistreated her.  Due to her maltreatment, Hagar ran away into the wilderness.  We are told, starting in verse 7, that the "Angel of the Lord" came to Hagar in her loneliness and distress and told her to go back to her mistress.  He promised Hagar that her offspring would greatly increase in number and be too numerous to count.  He told her that she was to name her son Ishmael and that he would live at odds with all of his brothers.

Hagar's response to this encounter with the "Angel of the Lord" is beautiful:

Genesis 16:13-14 (HSCB)

"So [Hagar] named the LORD who spoke to her:  
The God Who Sees, for she said, 
"Have I really seen here the One who sees me?"  
That is why she named the spring, 
"A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me." 
It is located between Kadesh and Bered."  

Because Hagar says that she saw "The God Who Sees" after encountering the "Angel of the Lord", it is believed by many theologians, including one of my professors from last semester, that the "Angel of the Lord" is the pre-incarnate Christ (Jesus before He took on flesh).

Regardless of whether the "Angel of the Lord" is referring to Jesus or an angel sent by God, Hagar's response is breathtaking.  To get caught up in the theology of exactly who it was that she saw would be such a loss because we would risk missing what this story means for us.  Hagar's heart was overwhelmed because she had seen the One who sees her.  She was so moved that she named the place she was "A Well of the Living One Who Sees Me."  As children of the same, unchanging God we have that same joy.  Unfortunately, we like the Israelites, often remain unaware of the truth that Yahweh does indeed see us.

Isaiah 40:27-28 (HCSB)


"Jacob, why do you say,
and Israel, why do you assert:
'My way is hidden from the LORD,
and my claim is ignored by my God'?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding."


Yahweh is the everlasting One.  The One who sees me.  The One who sees you.  Do not loose heart,  for He sees you whether you are weeping in the wilderness or rejoicing in the harvest.  The Living One sees you, He understands you.  He is not ignoring you.  Your way is not hidden from Him.  Press on and lift your eyes to Him with an awareness that as you do your gaze will meet His, for He was already looking toward you.