This week, me and 139 of my pals went to PCB for spring break. And these pics are cute, but don’t be fooled; the ministry we did there was not cute. We spent every night this week (9pm-3am) giving free van rides to the spring breakers/walking the streets. we asked people about their hope, their joy, their beliefs. And it was hard. This week, I felt my heart break for people who told me they had no hope, no joy, and believed in nothing. We pleaded with the Father to bring his children home, and he was faithful in that, but y’all it hurt. It hurt to look in the eyes of spring breakers and tell them there’s more. There’s more for their lives, there’s purpose, there’s hope, there’s ultimate joy to be found. It hurt to tell them that Jesus loves them so much that he DIED and then hear them say that they just weren’t there yet.
But y’all, there was also IMMENSE joy. The Father brought over 30 people to himself this week. And I rejoice over that. It was joyful to war for souls alongside my brothers and sisters. It was joyful to bathe this week in prayer. It was joyful to see the women I do life with share the gospel with ferocity and grit and kindness and respect. It was joyful to be an instrument of God’s grace this week, and it’s joyful to come back to denton and keep being that.
After this week, all I’m left with is that God is Good. so overwhelmingly good.
Matt 4:16.
It was my senior year of high school. Valentine’s Day was coming up, and my heart was healing from a break up. Annika circa 2016 felt sad and alone and deeply insecure.
My precious mom put a heart on my door each day for the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.
Without fully realizing it, she spoke over me the things God had already said about me. The things I was struggling to believe.
These are some of the things she told me: you are loved. you are wonderfully made. you are a blessing. you are kind. you are smart. you are beautiful. you are fun. you are a good friend
For the last three years, these hearts have been on my door at home. Last weekend we met up in Houston and I asked her to bring the hearts up. And I spent the morning putting these on the wall, above my bed. It’s time I start living under these again. daughter or son of the King, it’s time to agree with the thoughts the Lord has about you. You are so loved. “he brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.”
song of songs 2:4
