Sarah Price's Blog, page 20

Belize. Over a month away from home and I can hardly believe that we are back. And to snow.

Yuck.

Already I am missing Belize. Parts of it, anyway.

When I used to teach in Manhattan, I always told my students that traveling to another country (or even another state) is the best education possible. Every since I was in third grade, I’ve traveled, at first with my parents, then on my own, and now with my own family.

I hope that my children have learned as much as I did over the past thirty-some years.

Belize is a country that is not for the faint of heart. It didn’t help that we arrived minus one person: my husband. Someone forgot to check the expiration date of his passport (insert frown).

It was scary arriving to stay in a jungle treehouse for a week without any transportation and velociraptor-like noises coming from the trees (never mind the random bursts of fireworks in the night…that I still think were gunshots).

My children wanted to go home, probably from the minute they realized that Belize’s definition of “high-speed Internet” is a kick-back to AOL dial-up days. Personally, I wasn’t so thrilled with having only screens—no glass windows!—separating us from anything or anyone with an inclination to crawl up a tree onto our deck, especially at night as we slept under mosquito netting.

Burrell Boom.

It’s a small little town about 30 minutes from Belize City. If you blink on the Western Highway, you’d pass it. Most of the houses are made of cinderblock or pieces of lumber and a small overhang to cover a porch. Driveways are not paved. Yards are not landscaped. Steps not always “to code.”

Of course, if you’ve been watching my videos on Facebook, you know that my favorite part of the jungle was the monkeys. As scary as they sounded at night, they were so much fun to watch during the day. Small little creatures with a MIGHTY ROAR (let me tell you!).

The day that the six-month old baby came down and took a banana from our hands and then reached out and placed his little palm against mine…and let me touch him…well, that was special.

Really special.

Finally, Burrell Boom was when my children learned the meaning of living off the land. Alex went with Dawson in a canoe to gather coconuts, collect breadfruit, and catch a fish.

We ate a meal that was basically as fresh as it comes (with a little rice and beans on the side).

And they ate my food without complaining. In fact, I even received quite a few compliments when I cooked in Burrell Boom!

So the jungle was our first stop, and, in my opinion, the best! Would I go back? Undoubtedly. Would I by-pass San Pedro and Belize City? You betcha! I’ll save those story for next Wednesday…

We took chances while we were there. We went to places that I guarantee you no American tourists have ever seen. We experienced life in a way that I simply cannot explain. And God put some really good people in our paths.

God taught all of us a lesson in Burrell Boom. Now, what we do with that lesson is the real question…

http://sarahpriceauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Fireplace.mp4

It’s no secret. I do not like winter. At. All. I would be fine if there was one day of winter per year—Christmas Day. Other than that, as far as I’m concerned, winter can just go away. Luckily, we heat our home with a wood stove. You just cannot get the same kind of “comfort warmth” from a furnace as you can from wood heat. It’s cozy. The warmth surrounds you…it warms you, the floor, the walls, the furniture. Ahhhhh.

The dark side to wood heat is the task of keeping the fire going. At least three days a week I am the first one up—sometimes by hours. So, it’s my job to rekindle the fire. Let me tell you, it is not always an easy thing to do! Take this morning for instance. To get the fire going meant I had to get up out of my warm bed. When it’s 24* outside…it is hard to force my body out of my warm, memory foam, puppy cuddly bed!

Once I got myself up, suffered through letting the dog out the frigid sunroom door, and adjusted my eyes, I started on the fire. I opened the iron cast doors. Inside was darkness other than a few remaining glowing embers. I took the pokey thingy (it has a technical term, I’m sure) and pushed the hot coals together in a little pile. I grabbed the leather wood bag and made my way to the (again, frigid) garage to load up several logs.

My friend is kind enough to supply us with her old newspapers, so I wadded them up and laid them on the hot coals. Then I placed the wood in, stacking it carefully to allow “breathing room” for the flames. Next—well—next I crossed my fingers hoping the fire magic would happen. I left the door slightly open and the vents fully open. Knowing that was all I could do for the moment, I went on to my next most important task of the morning—making coffee.

I spent 45 minutes stoking the fire…constantly babysitting it. I used the bellow to coax the flames. I moved the wood to adjust the positioning. A fire that has gone out takes tending. It takes work. It takes patience (I’m not naturally very patient—just saying). Some days it can literally take a couple of hours to really getting the fire going.

Here is the cool thing. Once I get the fire going…it’s pretty simple to keep it burning hot and strong continuously. All it takes is a conscious effort to maintain it. Every so often, more wood needs to be added to the fire. If I am consistent with my attention to the life of the fire, it continues to burn. It’s important to not let the fire burn down too much, or the process has to begin all over again. (Ugh)

My walk with Christ is a lot like the fire in my woodstove. Being a Christian is more than just giving your life over to Christ. It’s more than that one day when you ask forgiveness. I mean, that is HUGE, don’t get me wrong! All of Heaven rejoices when one of us accepts Jesus as our Savior. But, it continues. That relationship (and it is a relationship) has to be stoked. It has to be tended. It has to be fed.

Christ is the “fire” that burns within me. But, what happens if I don’t work on my relationship with Him? Just like the fire in my woodstove, over time, the flames burn out. There may still be little pieces of me that are still “warm”, but it will take so much work to build my relationship back up to the place where I am burning with love and the desire to be closer to my Lord.

How much easier is it to be in constant communion with Him? You know, He loves to talk to me. Throughout the day I can thank Him for His goodness AND ask for His help with my troubles.

When I read the Bible, it feeds my soul the truths I need to make it through the difficult journey we call “life”. When I surround myself with other believers it encourages me…feeds the flame of my love for Him.

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32

Maybe you once had a fire burning in your heart—a love for Christ—but you’ve allowed “life” to put the flames out. You know what? I’ve been there! It doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It doesn’t mean Christ won’t have you or that it’s too “late” for you. It just means…you have some work ahead of you.

The really good news is, you don’t have to do the work alone. Jesus loves you so much. If you let Him, He will take your burdens and carry them for you. It’s so easy to talk to Him. Just—talk. He already knows your thoughts anyway. So, go ahead, share them! Ask Him to bring you closer to Him, to reveal His amazing love for you.

Well, I better go check on my fire.

With Love,

Lisa

(Do you want to know Jesus as your Savior? Click the links to find out how, or feel free to reach out to me!)

http://peacewithgod.net/

http://followchrist.ag.org/

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at Walking Bare Souled in the SONshine and JoyGurls.com

First time visiting me? Subscribe for email updates or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

The post Tending The Fire by Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

So. I like coffee. A Lot. But, recently, I’ve considered giving it up. The enjoyment is gone. I make it every morning at work and kind-of force it down. My boss is even like, “Eh. It’s okay.” But, at home I can make fabulous coffee!! ~~I mean really yummy coffee. I decided to put some serious thought into what is going on.

Could it be that I don’t like coffee anymore…or am I too much coffee (heaven forbid)?

At work, I have tried everything from Starbucks to Maxwell House. All of it tasting…”Eh”. Some better than others, but none have been yummy.

At home, I have also tried all different types and brands…and they are almost always at least…”good”. (I must admit I never like Starbucks unless I cover it over with flavors and creams.)

(Don’t be a hater.)

So. What’s the deal?

Monday my boss came into the office. She always goes straight to the kitchenette where I have already made coffee. She came walking back to our desks and stopped, looking at me with an odd expression.

“What is that little coffee maker about?”

“Well. I told John (The Hubs) that I was going to buy a 5 cup coffee pot because I can always ALWAYS make a good cup of coffee in it. I am tired of icky coffee.” I turned back to my computer and continued to type.

She just stood there. Staring at me. So, I turned and said, “What?”

“Nothing. Just—okaaaay.”

I shrugged my shoulders and went back to work. Again.

About an hour later she kind of laughed, “You know. When you said you bought that coffee maker because you could make better coffee in it, I thought you were crazy…”

“I know you did. It’s alright.”

“…I hate to admit this, but…it really is better. This really is very good coffee.”

“I know! I told you so. You need to have a little faith in me. It doesn’t make sense—but its truth!”

How many times in the Bible did God tell people something and they were like, “Ooookaaaay,” and kind of rolled their eyes like God was crazy? I think there are just a few examples…let’s see…

“Hey, Noah, build and ark. I’m going to flood the entire earth.”

“David, if you’ll take some little stones and put them in your slingshot, you’ll kill this giant that everyone else is afraid of.”

“Sarah, you’re a little too old (slight understatement), but, you’re going to have a baby.”

“Moses, why are you worried? Just raise your staff and I’ll just part that sea so you can cross through it.”

What is God telling you? Is He telling you to step out in faith? Is He telling you to let go of something? Is He talking to you and all you can do is roll your eyes and wonder, “Sure. How are You going to accomplish that, God?”

Sometimes we just have to have faith–faith that He knows what he is doing…what He is talking about.

Sometimes things don’t make sense—to US—but, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Are you struggling to trust in God’s ability to come through for you? Spend some time in prayer. Give your worries to Him. Read His Word and take comfort in knowing you can fully trust Him.

Side note: This is my secret to good coffee…well, my two secrets. (neither are expensive)

SECRET ONE: My all-time favorite coffee!!!

SECRET TWO: I think it’s the reusable filter…and the exact measurement I use…”fill to the second line.”

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at Walking Bare Souled in the SONshine and JoyGurls.com

First time visiting me? Subscribe for email updates or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

The post I Like Coffee By Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

I’m on vacation so I suppose I should be relaxing at the beach, sipping a cold drink, and relaxing. Well, I’m basically doing all of those things but the relaxing part. I don’t think that I was intended to be a relaxing sort of person. I’m too reflective and think too much about things.

Today I’m thinking about my Plain Fame series. When I first wrote Plain Fame, I knew that it was going to be a three book series. I had not considered writing more books about Amanda and Alejandro. After all, it was the perfect ending in Times Square.

But people kept asking for more books. They loved Amanda and Alejandro. They wanted to know what happened after Times Square.

Fortunately, my publisher felt the same way.

When we did the cover shoot for the books, it was a little like stepping into a different world, a world that we normally see on television or in movies. The amazing thing was that it was a world that I had created in my mind. Lights, cameras, music, action.

I really had hoped to see the same enthusiasm for the Plain Return and Plain Choice books, especially now that we had two characters on the covers that were the exact people I imagined when I wrote the books. How exciting to see that come together!

Writing a book takes a lot of time…not just the actual writing but the time planning, thinking, day dreaming, editing, proofreading, re-writing, and more. It’s not as simple as sitting down at a laptop and doing a brain-dump into Word. The author’s reward is the comments, emails, messages, and reviews from the readers.

So while I’m here on vacation, my inner reflective person is wondering how everyone will react to Plain Choice when it releases in March. What will the reader think of the conclusion to the saga about Amanda and Alejandro? Will they sigh and hold the book to their chest, feeling the same love toward the famous couple that they felt after Plain Fame? Or will it be deeper and stronger?

You let me know. And be certain to have your book on order: paperback and eBook.

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The post Thinking About My Plain Fame Series appeared first on Sarah Price.

Do you ever really listen to little noises? The crinkle of a candy wrapper. The shuffle of bare feet. The whistle of pursed lips. The slam of kitchen cabinets.

If you haven’t stopped to listen to these noise, try it.

Better yet, maybe you shouldn’t.

You see, I’ve noticed something. People make weird noises. Little noises. Repetitive noises that, when you recognize them, can really irritate you. The kind of irritation that just gets under your skin and sets your nerves on fire.

That’s a family vacation for you. An awful lot of togetherness and very little awayness. Yes, I know that is not a word but it just fits, doesn’t it?

People need people. But people need time away from people. You can try as hard as you want but eventually the truth of the matter is that you need “me” time…the opposite of “we” time. Even Jesus needed alone time to think and pray and talk to his father.

This morning, I had some “me” time on the beach, sitting and looking at the ocean. It was so peaceful. No noise. No wrappers or feet or whistles or cabinets. Just quiet. Of course, some woman pedaled along and tried to sell me bracelets (be gone, invader) and a mother walked by with her two small children, the younger of the two starting to cry that she was hungry just as they passed my chair (PTSD flashback!). Otherwise, it was fine, quality “me” time.

Vacations are a time to be with the people you love, even when they drive you insane, but also about re-discovering yourself. We all need to rediscover ourselves from time to time. Just like Jesus.

When was the last time you took selfish “me” time? A time to remove yourself from dirty dishes or sticky counters? Even if you have the greatest (non-noisy) family in the world, you still need to take time for yourself.

I know most of my followers are women. We tend to over-give to others and under-receive. So, today, I challenge you to take a mini-vacation. If you can’t be under a coconut tree or sitting at a beach, you can still sit in a café and sip a hot coffee (or tea) while reading a book or listening to music. Of course, I don’t want to be sexist. There are hard working men that could use the same time.

I look forward to hearing how you enjoyed that hour of time on vacation. Send photos to my email at [email protected] if you want. I’d love to see YOUR vacation pics from that time.

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The post Little Noises appeared first on Sarah Price.

She was a pastor’s wife.

It had been her dream. What church girl didn’t dream of one day marrying a preacher? He had been so handsome. She couldn’t believe he wanted to date her. Soon he proposed. Before she knew it, they were in ministry together.

But, then she had a miscarriage. It wore on her physically, mentally, and emotionally. If she was honest with herself, it wore on her spiritually as well.

Her husband didn’t grasp the hurt she was suffering. She had tried to talk to him, but he was young and busy. He had a church that depended on him. He would hug her, giver a quick kiss on the forehead and say, “You’ll be okay, Honey.” Many nights she cried silently into her pillow as her husband dreamed peacefully beside her.

Each morning she got up, made his coffee, pressed his shirt and kissed him goodbye. Once he left, she would read her Bible and then pray, begging God to lift the heavy sadness from her. She pushed through each day, cooking, cleaning and entertaining missionaries and other guests as needed. Before walking into the church building on Sundays and Wednesdays, she would hold her breath as she prepared to mask the anxiety and fear that had taken hold of her life. She would smile and greet the church members—no one noticing the emptiness behind her eyes.

Eventually she became pregnant again. Finally. A reason to celebrate! Only, she was desperately ill—every single day of the pregnancy. No one from the church seemed to detect how fatigued and sickly she felt. Or, if they did, they didn’t care enough to offer help.

Their baby girl was beautiful in every way. Healthy. Happy. The pastor was as proud as any dad around. His wife knew she should feel overjoyed—but she couldn’t feel anything. She was hollow.

She will ever know what triggered it, but one day she just stopped. She didn’t feel alive. The baby was crying, but she couldn’t move. She laid in her bed, tears siding down her cheeks and resting in her hair.

Hearing his daughter crying, the pastor checked to see what was happening. He picked his little bundle up out of her bed and walked to his bedroom. As if really seeing his wife for the first time in months, he was suddenly alarmed by her pale skin and sunken cheeks.

She turned to him and whispered, “Help me.”

You see, while she had what many looking in thought was a fairy tale life, reality wasn’t so pretty. Her parents had never once told her they loved her. They didn’t hug her or tell her she was special.

She was brought up in a church that taught if you just prayed enough and followed God’s commands, you would have a happy life. No one discussed depression or anxiety. It was church taboo.

She had thought that marriage would bring her happiness, but he couldn’t heal the hurts in her heart. And, when he disappointed her, her wounds became deeper. Each hurt heaped on top of the previous one until her heart and mind just couldn’t bear anymore.

I’m guessing that there may be a few of you who can relate to every word I’ve written. You may not be a pastor’s wife (or maybe you are), but you understand her pain. You understand hiding what is really going on inside of you. You understand putting a smile on your face during the day and falling apart at night.

Depression. Anxiety. God’s daughters are not immune. We suffer too, often in hiding because we are afraid of ridicule. The church is supposed to be a place of healing. It’s supposed to be a place where we find support and encouragement.

Ladies, we need to love each other enough to reach out to one another.

Do you see that newlywed struggling to make the transition to married life? Reach out.

Do you see that new mommy, exhausted and scared? Reach out.

Do you see that mom of teens who doesn’t know what steps to take next? Reach out.

What about the grandma raising her grandchildren? Reach out.

See that teen mom over there? Reach out.

Guess what? Pastors’ wives can often be the loneliest women in your church. Reach out.

And what about you? Are YOU the one suffering? Reach out for help. Reach out for support. Do not suffer alone any longer.

Depression and anxiety are real and Satan loves to destroy God’s people using them as his tools. But, the Bible says, “for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4.

And, in Romans 8:37 it says, “ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].”

Women are Strong

Women of God are Mighty

With God’s help, let’s defeat depression and anxiety in the Church. Let’s be Jesus to one another.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at Walking Bare Souled in the SONshine and JoyGurls.com

First time visiting me? Subscribe for email updates or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

The post Her Story Your Story By Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

I could live here.

That’s all. Here, in the jungle. Scary noises, yucky spiders, angry ants, camouflage alligators.

Don’t care. They are entitled to be here. Like me, they serve a purpose. God’s purpose.

Marc and I chose Belize for a reason. He was thinking we could retire here. We decided to check it out.

I’m sitting in the airport, waiting for him to arrive. And I wonder what he will think. Will he feel the same way?

Could he retire here? Spend winters here?

Is this all part of God’s plan for me?

There is more Christianity here than most places in the US. I stopped to buy fishing gear and had a man preach to me about Jesus. Actually he was preaching to someone else. I asked him to continue.

I’ve never done that before. I never heard some worker preaching to another before. Why? Because someone would sue us in the US. We cannot display the commandments or say Merry Christmas. It’s politically “incorrect” even though church and state are supposed to be kept separate. Seems the state had a lot to say about the church, doesn’t it? Or at least how not to be religious. To connect with God.

Down here, they are accepting of all faiths. They mind their business but will share if asked. Sometimes when not asked. But no one is going to sue a school to prove a pointless point…and please do not comment about rights. Whenever one person claims a peaceful group has “violated” his or her rights because of silent prayer or saying Merry Christmas or the display of the Ten Commandments, we have lost our rights.

Of course, to change this, we have to be accepting of other faiths and their right to display religious items or greet each other based on their holidays.

I’m ok with that. As long as it’s peaceful.

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The post I Could Live Here appeared first on Sarah Price.

I grew up going to church. Not only did I go to church, I practically lived at the church. My dad was (is) a pastor and, at least for a while, my mother ran the preschool at the church. We were always there. When you are raised a certain way from birth, you tend to accept things just because it’s all you’ve ever known. For me, some of those things were: prayer, Bible reading, salvation through Jesus, the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and healing.

I never questioned these concepts and I never doubted them.

I still don’t.

Yes, there was a time that I strayed from my faith. I turned my back on what I believed. But, I never EVER quit believing. I was making a conscious decision to not live out my faith. (I do NOT recommend that course for anyone’s life…it was miserable).

I find, though, that the older I get, the more I learn from the Bible. Each year something that I’ve read or heard throughout my life suddenly has new meaning to me. You’ve heard of “Aha Moments”? That’s what I’m talking about.

So, I want to share something that came alive to me a few months ago during one of my pastor’s messages. He was preaching on the book of Mark. If you have your Bible, read Mark 2:1-5.

(***Don’t have a Bible? See the link at the end of this blog***)

I’ve heard this story since preschool. Jesus was in a house teaching. There were so many people there, that the place was completely packed. Four men brought another person, who was paralyzed, to see Jesus. But, they couldn’t get in. Instead of being discouraged and leaving, they went up to the roof, made an opening, and lowered this person down into the crowd where Jesus was.

Here stands Jesus. People are all around him and a body comes down from the roof. I can just imagine the people in the room, can’t you? There was probably some eye rolling going on and some “SERIOUSLY? Who do they think they are?” being whispered throughout the crowd.

But, Jesus.

The Bibles says in verse 5, “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (If you go on to read through verse 12 you will see that Jesus later healed the man of his disorder as well.) In Sunday School we always had the flannel graph pictures and coloring pages of the house and the man being lowered down. The emphasis was always on the paralytic and his healing.

But, wait.

Consider this. Verse 5 is a metaphor for carrying others to Jesus IN PRAYER. Jesus was moved by the faith of the four men, NOT of the paralytic. “When Jesus saw THEIR faith” verse 5.

What does this say to us? There are several things.

Jesus wants to, and is waiting to, forgive our sins.

Jesus hears the prayers of His people and is moved by them.

Jesus wants to heal us.

Some things to remember about healing (these are from my notes from Pastor John Lindell’s message)

1. People were healed because they asked.

2. He heals so we are free to serve Him.

3. People came to Him so He healed them. He delighted in it.

So, are we to bring needs before Jesus? Yes!

Are we to support one another in prayer? Yes! We are to “carry” one another to Jesus in faith and in prayer.

In Matthew 18:20, the Bible says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

**** https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+2%3A1-12&version=ESV***

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at Walking Bare Souled in the SONshine and JoyGurls.com

First time visiting me? Subscribe for email updates or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

The post You’ve Heard of Aha Moments By Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

A monkey is stretched out on a tree, his tail curled around the branch and his arms and legs dangling. His little face is resting in the Y of the tree. One leg swings like a naughty child in a chair that is too big for him. And the branch sways back and forth, much like a mother rocking her baby.

Can anyone deny the beauty and magnificence of God’s creations?

I’m sitting on the deck of the treehouse, still nursing my wounds from today’s jungle attack (Video Link). There is a cool breeze and the green trees are swaying.

And I’m watching that monkey.

I could totally live here. I’d sit outside for hours watching those monkeys. I’d write in the morning, walk to town in the afternoon, and paint in the evening. Maybe a weekday trip to the big city and Sundays at the Methodist church. Just give me some Internet and I’d be fine.

The connection. I’d still have to have my connection to the outside world. Without it, I’d be lost.

We all need people in our lives, a connection with others. That monkey in the tree is not alone. If I shift my eyes just a little and hunt through the thick canopy of trees, I spot another one…curled up and napping. Keep looking and I’ll see four more.

Like people, the monkeys have families. Sometimes they throw someone out. Dawson (our friend from the jungle) told us he saw one get kicked out once. They just threw her out of the tree. But they had to do it. Too much inbreeding would ruin the family. Likewise, boy monkeys create competition and, when adult, get tossed from the trees.

They move on. Find their way to other monkeys. Create their own troops.

That’s the beauty of God. He has plans for all of his creatures. He knows that sometimes we need to suffer in order to move on and live…just like that girl monkey who was told to leave the troop.

And we need faith, just like the monkey asleep on the branch, his tail the only thing keeping him from plunging 60 feet to the river where an alligator might eat him. He sleeps with confidence.

And so should we. Have faith in God’s plans for us as well as his protection.

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The post The Beauty of God appeared first on Sarah Price.

If you ever wanted an argument for God, just spend some time in nature.

Today, I took my children cave tubing in Belize. My children…total techno geeks who live for gaming (and horses — Cat). I’m sure they had no idea what to do and I think one of them sighed when I told them to get in the car.

But they went along with me, no matter how reluctantly.

We hiked about thirty minutes into the jungle and then floated on inner tubes down a river and through a very long and dark cave. We wore helmets on our heads with little lights to provide some break from the darkness.

But the shadows that reflected from the water and the water that dripped from the stalactites made any already eerie experience even more creepy and scary.

At one point, a hole in the side of the cave wall hinted at the beautiful green jungle beyond the underground water where we floated. And when we emerged out of the cave, the brilliant canopy of trees and vines that greeted us were trumped only by turquoise blue river water.

I wondered if this was like the Garden of Eden. If so, why couldn’t Eve leave the fruit from the tree of good and evil? Why did we get banished? Because let me tell you…I could sit on a rock with my feet in the cool river and watch the birds in the trees forever.

Instead, I will return to NJ and the stress of everyday life. Like Eve, I’ll see what life should be–simple, calm, easy–and leave it for the “real” world which is really nothing more than people racing toward the finish line instead of living life.

I find this compelling “proof” (if anyone really needs it) of the power of God and the truth of Scripture. The more cultured and sophisticated we think we become, the further removed we are from what goodness God originally offered us. Taste the fruit and see what God tried to shield us from or leave the fruit and enjoy all that is good.

This trip has showed my children what a life is without the forbidden fruit. Now, what they do with this new knowledge is up to them. I hope it changes them for the better. I hope that God’s creation seen here in the jungle of Belize moves them the way it has moved me.

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