honor your father and mother

All my life I have been blessed to grow up in a home with two incredible parents by my side. From birth to the day I left for Link Year, my parents have been there for me every step of the way. Even now, I am 12 hours away, and they are still only a phone call away when ever I need something. My parents love unconditionally  and encourage me to do my best in all aspects of life. I am so thankful for all the love I receive even when I mess up. It may be some pretty tough love, but its still love. Being away has allowed me to appreciate everything my parents have done and continue to do for me, so much more! I love that Link Year allows our parents to come up and experience our lives with us for a weekend! Having the chance to talk to my parents and tell them about everything I am learning is a huge blessing on our relationship. It gives me the chance to be real with them and allow them to see the Lord at work in my heart. Its crazy how much a relationship can grow when you're so many miles apart just by allowing God to do his work. If there is one thing I have come to realize, its how truly powerful prayer can be. For months I have been praying for a more Christ centered relationship with my parents. But in order for that to happen, I need to surrender that part of my life to God. Easier said than done. I allow God access to only a few parts of my life, and the rest I keep for myself to control. I surrender only what I am comfortable giving away. When in reality, I cannot handle anything without God's help. So, its silly to try and control things myself. Once I finally mustered up the courage to surrender all parts of my life to God, I slowly began to see some changes! It has started with my parents and is now moving to my relationship with Elliott. We are closer than ever before and it is becoming easier and easier for me to forgive and love him unconditionally. This weekend was so much fun, and was incredibly beneficial for all involved! I am so thankful my parents sacrificed their time and money to come spend the weekend with me in Btown! We had so much fun! I will tell you all about it in my next post!