waiting can be worship.

over and out.

Twenty-Three Things for my 23rd.

twenty-three things for twenty-three years lived. 
(one.) Jesus. I always simply need more of Jesus in my life.

(two.) Studying theology has the potential to encourage your walk with Christ and awaken your senses, your brain, and your spirit. Studying ABOUT God should always lead me into deeper WORSHIP of God. 
(three.) Night walks in St. Elmo offer lots of life, joy, and adventure.

(four.) Sometimes God asks you to faithfully plod, sometimes He asks you to finish well, and sometimes He even takes you on adventures. All of it is pretty grand with Him.
(five.) There is a sweet juice to drink from a thistle. This is one of God's many gifts to humanity. 
(six.) The lilacs are a great joy. They are women of integrity, laughter, and individuality. The love of Christ binds us together.
(seven.) Enjoy life. In all honesty, fun really does undo nonsense. 
(eight.) I like to drink wine with Beth and Pina Coladas with Elle girl. [not at the same time]

(nine.) Marriage is BIG, BEAUTIFUL, and the BEST. I am not married, but watching so many people I love get married has been one of the biggest privileges in my life. I will always fight for the marriages of those I love. 
(ten.) The church calendar is so intentional. In the midst of being aware of it, I have continued to learn that it is more important to simply go where Jesus is taking you. To always say yes to his invitation- whether it was an invitation to something joy-filled in the middle of lent or sanctification and lament in the midst of Easter-tide. It is all ok. It is all a gift.
(eleven.) Set up a hammock. Get a cup of ice coffee. And drink it. Just do it. 
(twelve.) Continue to press into life. Continue to press into the questions. Putting life on 'pause' while we wait for answers is not what we are called to. 
(thirteen.) Simply, be in it.
(fourteen.) This year I have seen a lot of ugliness in the Church. In the midst of the wrestling and struggling, I continue to ask God to give me his heart for his bride, to let me be lovesick for him, my bridegroom, and to let me care more about his love story than mine.
(fifteen.) It is ok to run a mile to Bi-Lo, buy a Diet Coke, and walk back home drinking it. 
(sixteen.) I am always really humbled by how hard transition is for me. always. Christ is made strong in my weakness. 
(seventeen.) Fireworks. I feel encouraged to be brave when I see fireworks.
(eighteen.) This summer, I had to ask God for courage to knock on every single door. It never got easier, but I never doubted that he would show up and allow there to be connection and friendship.

(nineteen.) I believe that relationships are miraculous. 
(twenty.) I like Parenthood, Melissa and Joey, and Flashpoint. 
(twenty-one.) I still get excited when I think about how Jesus saved me from a life of depression and gave me a life of hope and joy. I hope I never loose my since of wonder in who Christ is.
(twenty-two.) Being an aunt to four little men feels like the best thing in the whole wide world. (I still would love to have a little niece:)

(twenty-three.) I hope year 23 is the best yet and that I learn to trust his great timing. 

I am thankful for life.

Some days, you just need to be a little creative and have a few laughs.

Dear Hanna,

 I love that you live life with me even if it means jumping in a green pool.

And mostly I love that God let us become real life friends- not just college friends.

Side project forever. -Em

Dear Mrs. Cate Shin.

Dear Cate babe,

You are an absolute joy. 

I always knew I would love you, because I loved Hails, 

but I just had no idea how much I would love you! 

Your friendship is a blessing. Your joy, giggles, and dancing are contagious. Your story telling is captivating and so funny! And you have encouraged me with your wisdom and your selfless love towards Jung. 

Your wedding was the most Kingdom-like wedding I have ever been too- and at the end of the day, all I wanted to do was meet our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. 

I hope that encourages you. 

My prayer is that you and Jung would be strengthened in the love the Lord has for you, 

that you would be refreshed by his living water, 

and that abiding in dependence on YHWH would be a place of rest and joy. 

Cate babe, 

you are my sister.

I will always love you- no matter the miles between us. 

Love, Em Kuhn

Ps. ringa, ringa, ringa, ringa, re.

Dear Mrs. Ellen Christenberry.

Dear Elle girl, 

You are a total babe. And C-berry is one lucky man. I am so thankful for God's redemption and reconciliation in our friendship. It has been an a very living reminder of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for letting me stand next to you on your big day. I felt so honored and also so aware of God's grace and faithfulness over us. Elle, you truly have been one of the biggest gifts that came out of  Covenant College. The way you care, listen, and simply live life with is such a joy- and I love you! Know that I will always fight for your covenant with Andrew and that I cant wait to see all that life brings you. I am praying and thanking God for the ways that he will strengthen you and Andrew to run this race faithfully. He is our prize- and there is nothing more beautiful and good than that! 

Love your girl, Em.

Ps. The long name is totally worth it! 

The Summer of Significance.

A few days ago I decided to read through my high school journals. I often look back on that time as this huge season of growth, and in some ways it was. It was the season where I first began to understand God's deep love for me. It was the season where I first began to feel his love for those around me- And those are big things! But in all honesty, most of my journal entries had to do with me- my hurt, my anger, my relationships, my desires. And the Lord used those times in me- I in no way am devaluing that season of my life- but I was in awe of his faithfulness. It was my freshman year at Covenant College that I began making thanksgiving lists. I read 1000 Gifts in the midst of being torn apart- and I decided that I would say 'thank you' to God for at least 12 things every night. And so it began, a season of thanksgiving. 

At the beginning, it was hard to think of twelve things from that very day that I could give thanks for. But as I made thanksgiving a discipline, not just an overflowing response, I learned what it meant to remind myself of God's great gifts. 

After intentionally giving thanks every night for a couple months, I began to do it naturally. I began to give thanks as I walked to class, or as I left the Great Hall, or as I laid in bed after a hard day. Thanksgiving and Praise became overflow again. 

I am now in a season where thanksgiving doesn't seem to be flowing from my lips, which means its not very present in my heart. And so I am starting TwelveThings again- and hopefully there will be more than twelve and it will come more often than just at night.

But until it does- twelve things a night.

Because the truth is, no matter how I feel or where I am in life, God is good and worthy of praise.

And sometimes, you just have to remind yourself of that truth.

(1) Thank you God for your visible grace through the lilacs.

(2) Thank you God for laughter late into the night over crazy things like duck hands and voices.

(3) Thank you for breaking out in dance when in doubt.

(4) Thank you for Moe and PJ and the joy I find in their friendship.

(5) Thank you for time spent with old friends- for being able to rejoice and mourn with my people.

(6) Thank you for the way I was able to notice Jesus in Maggie and John's wedding celebration!

(7) Thank you for the joy and freedom to reception dance.

(8) Thank you for Pentecost Sunday and for the promise of your Spirit.

(9) Thank you for the reminder to gird up and fight in truth!

(10) Thank you for LoveWar on Tuesday nights.

(11) Thank you for Hanna Hill being able to come to Knoxville the day I invite her.

(12) Thank you for TK, his birthday, and smoking Shisha together.

(13) Thank you for #highschoolfriendsandhanna

(14) Thank you for Gospel conversations with Kyle, Zach, and Luke.

(15) Thank you for late night conversations at Waffle House.

(16) Thank you for The Freedom Manual

(17) Thank you for Taylor's SIP songs and the reminder to live in the questions.

(18) Thank you for being able to intercede for Kyle 'the Keeper'

(19) Thank you for Nicola- her faithful friendship and prayers.

(20) Thank you that Beth will get to love on Egyptians.

(21) Thank you for the invitation to remember my summer in Pemba.

(22) Thank you for House of Peace ladies and for a love that binds us.

(23) Thank you for letting me know that you are better than it all.

(24) Thank you for hope and joy-filled laughter.

"Remember Whose you are and Whom you serve. 

Provoke yourself by recollection, and your affection for God will increase tenfold; 

your imagination will not be starved any longer, but will be quick and enthusiastic, 

and your hope will be inexpressibly bright." 

- Oswald Chambers

After a night filled with joy filled laughter and ordained encounters of the strangest kind, four of us grabbed hands and prayed. And as we prayed, the Holy Spirit stirred some truth up in me that I have been forgetting a lot lately. 

An old friend prayed, "Let this summer be one of significance." 

And I was reminded that it will be. It will be significant- because all time with the Lord is. 

Dear Mrs. Maggie Hill.

Mrs. Maggie Hill, you are one beautiful bride and John is one lucky man. 

It was a blessing to be apart of yalls big day!
Know that I see Jesus in the way you delight in your husband, I saw Him in the celebration, and I saw him as yall took the feast together as man and wife.
I am praying that you know in a new and fresh way that a wedding banquet is always set before you in the presence of the Lord. I am praying for God's hand to be on you and John and that you would sense his nearness. He always draws near. I am praying for JOY and LIFE as you head to the lone star state.
much love my friend!
thanks for the honor of letting me stand next to you as you made such a special covenant.
you radiate.
-Em