the reality of a road trip.

A few weeks ago, I drove from Charlotte, NC to Denver, CO with one of the best people I know, Jennie. When I originally imagined myself on a road trip across America, the montage in my head was pretty glamorous. But like most things in life, expectations and reality don't usually match up. Don't get me wrong, we had a great time. But it's 24 hrs+ in the car... you're not going to like everything that happens while you're trapped in there.

EXPECTATION: 

-Cute outfits, so I would obviously look GREAT in all of the pictures we took as we crossed the country. Every day it would just be a battle about whether to Instagram a great picture of myself look trendy and fresh OR a super cool artsy wall/mural/skyline.

-Each day would feel short and exciting, it's only 8 hours a day, right?!

-Eating in some of America's best restaurants, taking beautiful Instagram pictures that no one would like but myself, Jennie, and my mom. 

-Lots and lots of singing and laughing in the car. 

-Spontaneously pulling off the beaten path to discover some new natural wonder. 

REALITY:

-Dirty clothes. Definitely no freshness in feeling or in looks. One half of the road trip team wore the same t-shirt every day (not going to say any names, but there is photographic evidence). 

-8 hours is enough to drive you CRAZY. You will decide that you hate certain states (Missouri) just because you feel like being a grouch. And your whole body is sore. The fear of blood clots is real, people. 

-We made peanut butter & banana sandwiches on the trunk of my car everyday- which we actually kind of loved.  

-Yes to the laughing and the singing (mostly Sam Smith). But also Yes to crying as you listen to audiobooks that you won't finish. 

-There is no such thing as spontaneity on I-70 in Kansas. The end.

PB&B, how I love thee

Brewster, KS- Just imagine a tumbleweed rolling across her feet.

SOME GREAT THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN:

BurgerUp- Take me back, please.

Songwriter Night at Bluebird Cafe...

...followed by standing on a bridge to watch a One Direction concert for free. High or Low? Still can't decide. 

Kansas City, MO is beautiful!

Even now, looking back at that crazy week in the car and in random cities across the US, we made some pretty good memories. Especially in Tennessee, because the momentum was full force. We were exhausted when we arrived in St. Louis, so by the time we got to Denver everything felt a little bit strange. I think we are only starting to get over the feeling that we should be loading my Honda back up and heading back towards the East Coast. I think as time goes on, Jennie and I will appreciate even more the ridiculous things that happened in those 5 days. 

Jennie practicing her method art in Kansas City. 

The West is beautiful. The Rocky Mountains seem to randomly jump out at you at the right time when you start to get frustrated on the interstate or you will catch a glorious peek of them through the skyscrapers downtown. I haven't had time to fully explore all CO has to offer yet, but I am looking forward to that surreal feeling of peace you get when you're surrounded by the mountains and nothing else. We went to Red Rocks and I remembered how much bigger the world is than the one I've tried to create for myself. I'm still getting used to being 1,252 miles from an ocean, but that is a whole other issue.

Red Rocks Park, Golden, CO

Right now, the plan is to be here until Christmas while I intern at Denver Rescue Mission. I love my internship with Champa House and the wonderful, beautiful women and children that I get to be with everyday. My summer in Chicago last year was a great introduction into Urban Ministry and after that glorious summer, I wanted to see what it would look like to be involved in this kind of ministry long term. I am so grateful for this time to learn and grow and better understand the passions/gifts/dreams that the Lord has instilled in me so that I can fully serve others. It's been an interesting journey to see how you have almost a new lens once you graduate. Like you can see how part of your dreams were being lived out in the past four years and now the struggle is bringing them to a graduated world. I don't how to use those dreams- the ones that involve community, discipleship, and creativity- will look like come December but all that matters is that I am faithful to where he has me now.

God is accomplishing a thousand tiny purposes at any given moment around us. There is only so much we can know, but we can leave the stuff we can't know to God and believe he has it all worked out. It may feel quiet, and we possibly even feel forgotten, but God is moving to work out his plans all around us.

-Jennie Allen, Restless 

clay covered hands

There are so many days between each post. Days that go unwritten because you feel like there is no story to tell. But there is.

Everyday is a new day were you have struggled and triumphed. Today you prayed a new prayer because you recognized your own desperate inability. Today you appreciated a far breeze in the midst of a Carolina summer. Today you have laughed, cried, and relished in a new song. You are closer today than you were yesterday to understanding the beauty and the chips in the piece you are becoming. 

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

I love the image of Christ as a potter. I see Him there at the wheel, rough carpenter hands trying to smooth the clay into a masterpiece. I see Him leaning in closer to get the details right. He knows what he wants each unique piece to look like. I love that he is a potter, an artist, a visionary. He's not even a sculptor, cutting out hard granite with a carving knife. He uses his own hands. Its messy.

And he thinks I'm worth the mess.

It's incredible. I don't deserve it. All I can do is breathe in grace and breathe out gratitude. All I can try to do is grasp the freedom that comes from a perfect Artist declaring that- in the glory, in the mundane, and when life is shattered in pieces- we are His best piece of work.