((guest post)) Wonder.

Sweet friend of mine. I have a wonderful gift for you today. A guest post from my other sweet friend, Ashley. Before you start reading what she has to say to you, let me just tell you...this girl is ANOINTED. I don't say that lightly, either. If you don't believe me, hop over to her blog when you're finished here, and find out for yourself. She has blessed my socks off since I met her. I'm excited for you to read what's on her heart. Don't forget to leave a comment below when you're finished! Let her know how this spoke to you or just how awesome she is! :)

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Hey you. Don't lose your wonder. 

I know that sometimes we get so busy, sometimes we get really stressed out and sometimes we have this list scrolling through our heads that has no end. I know. And I know that sometimes when there are bills piling up, relationships needing work and people expecting things of you, you're not thinking of your wonder, you're thinking of how in the world you're going to make it work, how you're going to get it done.

But let's take it back. 

Remember when you were a kid, remember when even the little things held wonder? And how you always were thinking in questions even if you never said them out loud. Do you remember that feeling of awe that swirled in your stomach and how it was like if you just reached out your hand, your dreams were in your grasp? There was wonder in the first snowfall, in the dawn of Christmas morning, in floating on the waters of the lake, in watching flour and eggs became a cake.

I can think of the wonder I had of being this little girl sitting in front of my aunt's mirror and trying on her necklaces and bracelets as the hung loosely like oversized coats. I can think of the wonder of waking up on Christmas morning and feeling like I just woke up a princess, not because of the gifts, but because of the love. I can think of the wonder of falling back in the snow before it had ever been touched, running through fields of long grass softly scratching my legs, climbing up on farm tractors and my heart being so happy.

Because I was so full of wonder. 

Wonder makes life a gift and it transforms life from a performance into an adventure. It inspires us to run harder, dream bigger, play more, dance longer, laugh louder. It makes life like an ocean, dive in, hide in the centre of the wave or splash the ones you love, just dance with it.

Something about it makes us feel so loved. As if this adventure was just for us. As if He was waiting for us to ask those questions. As if it was all to grab our hearts and say, "Woman, you have never been more loved in all the world." 

How do we get more wonder in our lives and how do we restore the wonder that has been lost? My thoughts are simply: 

1. Try new things.


2. Make room to play.


3. Do art.


4. Laugh even if it is just you and Him.


5. Float in the lake, jump in a puddle, fall back into a snow bank.


6. Ask questions.


7. Let go of the dark stuff.


8. Dance even if no one is around.


9. Dream. Bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Like every one of those dreams will come true.


10. Disconnect from social media and do what you love.

Let's try this, this week. I bet it will bring us alive a little bit. I bet it will release a little more joy, a little more creativity and a little more passion.

And I bet you'll feel more loved, more pursued because that's what wonder does.