Stepping Into the Unknown

Recently I have been thinking about how there is so much beauty in the unknown. I can’t help but stand in awe of how Jesus moves. His nature is rich, pure, and refining. I desire to be so in love with Him that I enjoy more of the unknown instead of succumbing to fear. I want to see the beauty in the unknown of each day, environment, and scenario. Wouldn’t this life be so much simpler if we chose to thrive in the mystery? Wouldn’t we be far more fulfilled by living for the sole purpose of following Jesus and being led by His Spirit? Over the past few weeks, I have been learning more about this and what this practically looks like in my own life. I have a tendency to be consumed with distraction after distraction. Sometimes I get entrapped by possessions, image, and approval from others. These distractions mask my ultimate desire to follow Jesus and derail me from hungering for Him. The past two weeks my heart has been yearning for more of Jesus and less of these distractions. I have found that through this journey of desiring more, my heart is becoming more and more available so the Lord can penetrate and use me in a new way.

Just recently, I encountered a new challenge that has hindered my outlook of embracing the unknown. I have struggled to release my pain and frustration to the Father. I fell so short of praising Him amidst distraction and irritation. For a little over two weeks, poison oak has spread on both of my upper legs. For those who have never had this, it is an extremely itchy and inflamed reaction to poison that comes from specific plants. Since this is my first encounter with poison oak, I have had to do a lot of experimenting and praying through the irritation. As wild as it may seem, the Lord has used this poison oak to teach me more about His nature. I have been wrestling with the unknown elements of when will the itching stop? When will the inflammation decrease?! However, the answers to these questions are completely unknown to me. No human can tell me an exact day of when this will happen. Isn’t this realization so applicable to so many areas in life? I can desire to have such a quick fix and perfect answer in life, but that is not the nature of who Jesus is. He wants us to trust Him wholly. We are on this earth to embrace and enjoy the journey of the unknown with Him. Through this journey we gain a deeper grasp of his rich, never ending love that He is so quick to lavish on us. Amidst this journey, I have learned more deeply that the extravagant nature of who Jesus is urges me to step into the beauty and adventure of living in the unknown. There are two verses that really correlate with what I have been learning and reflect the sovereignty of who God says that He is.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

Favorite Acai Smoothie Bowl

The first time I ever had a smoothie bowl was 4 years ago at the beginning of college. I always loved smoothies but the idea of it being in a bowl was completely new for me. Once I got married I decided to reign in my habit of buying a $7 smoothie bowl every week and try creating my own. After trying some different recipes, I discovered some basic ingredients that make the smoothie thick but smooth.

Ingredients:

1 Frozen Acai Packet (I love buying the simple organic ones from Trader Joes because there is no added sugar or other ingredients. Just super simple.)

1/4 Cup Frozen Mango

2 Tablespoons Frozen Blueberries

2 Tablespoons Coconut Cream

1/2 to a 3/4 Cup of Almond Milk (The amount varies depending on your blender and the consistency

*I love adding a little bit of coconut cream to my smoothie bowls because it adds an awesome coconut flavor without overpowering the bowl. My favorite organic coconut cream is from trader joes and it’s amazing. Also, this is the amount I use for one large smoothie bowl or two small ones.

Topping Suggestions:

-Granola (I recommend homemade or the store bought Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Sea Salt Granola)

-Chia Seeds

-Coconut Shavings

-Mini Chocolate Chips

-Almond or Peanut Butter

-Honey

-Fresh fruit (sliced bananas, berries etc.)

Directions:

-Place the acai and all of the frozen fruit into the blender and then add the coconut cream and almond milk

-Start blending the mixture and continue to blend until the consistency is smooth (I generally use a Vitamix for my smoothie bowls which helps give a thick consistency so if your blender isn’t making the mixture as smooth I recommend making sure the acai is in smaller pieces and adding more almond milk to the mixture if needed)

-Pour into a bowl and add your favorite toppings