She is running through a matted forest with thick branches swooping down to form a barrier between her and her objective of reaching a spot of safety outside of the emerald-green woodland area. She is ducking with stealth and speed as she attempts to whisper words of reassurance into her stinging muscles between her gasps for more oxygen that seep from her tiring lungs. In her marginal vision, birds soar between the tangled limbs with an elegant swoop of their wings, so effortlessly that envy rages outwardly from her battered hands and feet. There is possibility of an exit nearby—there has to be based on the length of time she has been pushing through on this fatiguing journey. And as a hope for an exit overtakes, the forest starts to become real as it closes in on her; all direction has been lost. The swift motions of her legs come to a halt and her thrashing heart starts to settle inside of her chest. For the first time during this endeavor, she stops in a patch of lush jade-colored grass. The pounding that once overtook her head and vision as it swelled up from her ribcage is now stable. The light that was lost between the undergrowth of the woodland now seems to seek her through every possible crack as it guards her skin like a warm blanket. The birds that were once so taunting are settled in between the ferns and saplings. Her body has given way to an eerie comfort that overtakes her every sensation and sends her into bliss. The lyrics of an old hymn resonate inside of her memory: When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Those words inhabit her wounds-both physical and emotional. She begins to submit to what the orb of tranquility has for her as the memories of thrashing through the wilderness are lulled away by the slight hush of wind between the matted trees that declares: It is well.
This voyage through the woods is so familiar. Whether that journey looks like years leading up to accepting Christ, or whether that looks like a daily struggle to push through classes, I am reminded of God’s faithfulness and comforting grace that counters my own messy thrashing through life. Sometimes this beauty comes in the form of a dazzling sunset between the dancing trees on Lake Valentine. Sometimes reminders come from the subtle actions of another person. Most strikingly I am reminded of how much God cares through the heavy convictions that emerge from everyday living. This blog is a home where convictions, treasures, and struggles can interact. I hope that you will come alongside me in this expedition through earthy life with an outlook on heavenly riches. In the everyday, every month, every year trials, be still as a blanket of grace covers you as the winds whisper restful words, even when the forest around you seems to be closing in tightly. I hope you find some sort of encouragement from my writings. I hope that you can relate in some way and that my simple words can push you to seek truth. Most importantly, I pray that love of Christ can overflow from this blog, from me, and from you as a reader and that we would recognize that this love stands because of what Jesus has done.
seek adventure | live agápe | and discover truth
-Merissa
The Simplest Smile 
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