The past few days I’ve been reflecting a lot on where I am now and how far I’ve come since this whole journey began. To think that I’m currently living in Ecuador and will be here for the next two months is wild. Like how did I get here?? 

Everything I am and everything that is is because of the graciousness and kindness of God. There is so much to say about the goodness and faithfulness of our Father. He so graciously listened to every complaint and bad attitude I had in Georgia 6 months ago. He wiped every tear that fell and was consistently with me in Guatemala through grief and hardships. He revealed more of Himself and allowed me to hear His voice more clearly through prayer and His people during our time in South Africa. Still now He is strengthening my faith, preparing me for what’s next, and so much more. He has been refining me since before I even knew it, and it’s beautiful to finally be able to see the Lord so evidently working in my life. 

Something the Lord has been putting on my heart is a question that I asked a friend recently, “What does it look like for you to behold His glory?” My friend’s response was similar to mine when I felt the Lord ask me to answer the same question, and that was “Huh?” Lord what does that mean? How am I supposed to behold Your glory? To behold something is to look at or gaze upon it. Glory is another word for magnificence or great beauty; or in a biblical sense: to describe the splendor, holiness, and majesty of God. Simply put...how do I focus on the beauty of God? 

The beauty of God is all around us. It is displayed in His creation of the world. There are thousands of kinds of flowers and so many different shades of color and designs in the sky each day. His beauty is in the way He hears not only my prayers but your prayers too, and answers them to each person differently. His beauty can be found in forgiveness you receive from a friend when you utterly don’t deserve it. I could go on about ways in which the Lord’s beauty is all around us; but for me I find myself beholding God’s glory by looking at the sky. 

Whether that be admiring the sun light up the morning sky or fade into darkness to begin the evening, or watching the stars glisten in the night sky, I see the Lord so clearly in its intricacy. I am reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness through the consistency of the sun beginning to shine every morning without fail. The way that the sun’s light covers the earth to give us warm days and how it shines still through the clouds. His splendor revealed in the way that color touches the clouds to paint an intricate design in the sky as the sun fades from view. And how the stars display what seems to be a focused splash of light, yet are actually clusters of gas and fire millions of miles away in our galaxy that are visible to the human eye. Wow. If that doesn’t tell of the Lord’s splendor I don’t know what will. It all tells of His beauty, His glory, and His power. 

I encourage you to stop wherever you are right now. Whether you’re in an office or in your car, take a moment to go outside. Look up. Soak in the view of the blue sky and the warmth from the sun. Or stand in awe of the rain falling from the clouds. Acknowledge that it’s all God’s glory. Thank Him for the glory displayed in the heavens. Ask yourself the same burning question I asked myself, “What does it look like for you to behold God’s glory?” Once you figure out the answer to that question, don’t stop there. Begin to live as if you know the glory of God. Allow it to change your life, your actions, and your thoughts. Live with outstretched arms and bended knees in a posture of constant worship, because the God of everything deserves at least that and more from His children. 

His love and mine, 

Sadie

 “Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; 

he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! 

Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity." Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! 

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.”

Psalm 96