I Am Captivated By You

I am down to three weeks left in Denver. Its hard to believe my time here is coming to an end. For so long I couldn’t wait to get out of here and now I’m beginning to realize that this is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated. Don’t get me wrong I’m so excited to be teaching again and especially teaching again at Carroll. I’m excited to be around so many people I love again. I know without a doubt that this is God’s will for me and the future is incredibly hopeful. I’m beyond excited for Mary Beth to be a part of this journey and to begin planning our lives together. Despite all this confidence in God’s plan and the joys of teaching it still doesn’t make it easy. I’m a person that has never done really well with change even when I want it.

God has blessed me so much in the last couple years. They have been some of the hardest but I have come out with some of the greatest gifts I could ever imagine. I never thought I would meet someone like Mary Beth by the end of my time here. I haven’t made a ton of friends out here but the ones I have made have become incredibly dear to me and the times I have spent with them have been some of the best of my life. I have experienced God’s majesty in the mountains. I have tried my hand at skiing. I have learned under some incredible professors and gained a new love and appreciation for my faith. I have been challenged and grown in so many ways. God has captivated my heart in a powerful way through my experiences here and for that I am forever grateful.

Over Fourth of July Weekend I went camping in the mountains with some friends. We spent the first night camping on Cotton Wood Pass and then went on to Crested Butte. This by far had to be the most gorgeous part of Colorado I had ever been in. The Drive was breath taking. On Sunday of the trip a bunch of us crammed into a Jeep Wrangler and went four wheeling up a mountain. On the way up the mountain we were listening to the song Captivated by Shawn McDonald. It was the first time I had heard the song and honestly it spoke to me because it honestly encapsulated everything I have experienced in the last two years. Here are the lyrics:

When I look into the mountains
I see Your fame
When I look into the night's sky
It sparkles Your name

The wind and the clouds and the blue in the sky
The sun and the moon and the stars so high
That's what draws me to You

I am, I'm captivated by You
In all that You do
I am, I'm captivated

When I wake unto the morning
It gives me Your sight
When I look across the ocean
It echoes Your might

The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea
The air in my lungs and the way You made me
That's what draws me to You

I am, I'm captivated by You
In all that You do
I am, I'm captivated

'Cause I am, I'm captivated by You
In all that You do
I am, I'm captivated

The wind and the clouds and the blue in the sky
The sun and the moon and the stars so high
The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea
The air in my lungs and the way You made me

The blood in my veins and my heart You invade
The plants how they grow and the tree and their shade
The way that I feel and love in my soul
I thank you my God for letting me, letting me know

I am, I'm captivated by You
In all that You do
I am, I'm captivated

'Cause I am, I'm captivated by You
In all that You do
I am, I'm captivated

At that moment with the mountains in front of us, streams and waterfalls to our left and the laughter and joy of good friends I felt completely enveloped in the Father’s Love. I felt so intensely loved by God at that moment. All I could think about was how thankful I was for Mary Beth, the job waiting for me in Wichita, and the great friends He had blessed me with here.

Since that trip has ended the days seem to be going faster and my time to enjoy Denver is speeding past me. I’m trying t savor every moment that is left. I’m enjoying spending more time with Mary Beth than I was able to during school. I’m enjoying time with some great friends out here and I am continually trying to enjoy what is left of this precious gift God blessed me with for two years.

As I return to Wichita I will leave here a little sad but I am so excited for what is in store for me there. Even though I am going back home it is not the continuation of what was before it is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. And despite the difficulties that will come with it I continue to be captivated by my Father and the blessings that will come from this experience.