Weekender/ Testimonies ✨

MAKE TIME FOR GOD

"the Truth will set you free" John 8:32

I would like to share two testimonies from our trip to PA. Here is the first! Enjoy <3

We were driving North on 95 in Virginia as my husband’s eye felt progressively more and more irritated. He was driving with one hand and rubbing his right eye with the other, and we had about five hours ahead of us. The irritation had started the day before, but had come and gone a couple of times. We prayed together for his eye and both of us believed that God would heal him.

Within a couple of minutes, he said “my eye is better”. At that moment, we noticed this truck in front of us:

“God bless you. Have a nice journey”. We were both in awe and so excited for our trip!

πŸ˜€

πŸ™‚

<3

As we got closer to our destination, things began to look a little different.

Welcome to Amish country!

We arrived at the quaintest bed and breakfast and were greeted by a coffee bar and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. After meeting and greeting the hostess, we went up to our room and rested for a while.

Then it was time to get ready for our big event.

We went to the Sight and Sound theater to see a live production of “Moses”. If you’ve never been to the Sight and Sound theater, it’s an AMAZING experience. Here’s a website to their story if you want to check it out! https://www.sight-sound.com/location/lancaster

This is one third of the stage that we first saw when we walked in.

A strong aroma of sweet vanilla greeted us when we first walked into the building, which we discovered was fresh, warm, vanilla roasted almonds. We obliged, of course.

We couldn’t take pictures or videos throughout the show, so you’ll have to go see it for yourself! What I can tell you though, is that the story was extremely accurate and close to the bible, the actors were incredible, and the props and stage crew were better than Broadway, hands down. What has been achieved at Sight and Sound is astounding, excellent work. The show was a true inspiration that challenged me to do better and work harder. Bravo, well done!!

Afterwards, we looked for a restaurant to get something to eat and found that the few restaurants in the area were absolutely SLAMMED from apparently multiple shows happening in the area. After visiting two places and calling four, we got on a waiting list at a Dutch Smorgasbord that told us it would be an hour & a half wait. So we got on the list, hunkered down, and enjoyed some horses behind the restaurant before God moved again.

After waiting for 15 minutes it was only 6:46pm and I wasn’t sure I’d make it. I expressed my great hunger and prayed out loud that God would open up a table in 14 minutes. Thirteen minutes later, I got a text from the restaurant saying our table was ready.

After the one minute walk, we were inside 14 minutes later. Glory to Him who is able! Why did God do that? Because He cares for us πŸ™‚

When we were seated, we were told that they were the last table they were allowed to seat because their dishwasher just broke!! He loves to wow us.

After dinner we went back to the Bed and Breakfast and sat on the porch under a thick blanket of stars and listened as Amish horse-drawn buggies clip-clopped by. We turned in early, slept in late, enjoyed coffee and fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls in the garden the next day and had good conversations with new friends/travelers to end our lovely weekender.

<3

If you made it this far, I want to encourage you that God sees you. And if you sincerely pray to Him, he hears you! He doesn’t always answer right away, and He doesn’t always answer the way we want, but He does hear. These two answers to prayer were a testimony to share with you to encourage you and bring you hope! Be bold when you talk to God, and pray with shameless audacity. Not demanding, but asking with faith and the knowledge that He is able to accomplish immeasurably more than you could ever think of or imagine.

My husband’s eye did hurt on and off again after we arrived at the bed and breakfast. But it was a huge blessing that it didn’t hurt when we were on the road. And to have seen the sign on the truck was extra joyful. It goes to show that God is really in control of our circumstances and is always watching out for us. Sometimes He heals us right away, but other times we have to work through the pain and go through the process of resting, remedying, and trusting Him no matter what the outcome. God is always still good.

It was a short, but great trip to Lancaster, PA. We’re looking forward to the next show that we’re able to attend, the memories we’ll be able to make together, and the testimonies that we will be able to share. To GOD be the glory!

Love you all <3

V

Sense and Sensibility/Adventure

If you’re into elegant love stories, Sense and Sensibility (S&S) by Jane Austen is a must-read. It tells the tale of two sisters looking for love in the midst of losing their father, fortune and familiarity/comfort of their home. Kind of rings true to my own life actually, except that I don’t have a Colonel Brandon or Edward Ferrars pining after me (read on to know the devilishly handsome blokes I’m referring to!”.

 

Ferrars, BrandonΒ  πŸ˜‰

The story is about love, loss and the importance of waiting on the right timing for magic to happen.

My current roommate is an Austen lover and knows the story (and several other of Austen’s works) practically by heart. When I moved to Virginia in February, it didn’t take long before S&S was in my left hand and a cup of black tea with cream was in my right (also compliments of my tea-drinking-Austen-loving roommate… ps. she’s single!). My roommate, let’s call her “C” kept me accountable for reading by oh-so-innocently inquiring as to where I was in the story and what had happened last. Following each *ahem* interrogation, my feelings went from annoyance, at first, to gratitude and joy in knowing how dearly C held this story in her heart.

Not only did her joy over the story bring me joy, but it gave me a deeper sense of understanding the characters, plot-line and overarching themes in the novel. After weeks of reading the book, we were ready for the film. Of which there were two versions btw. First we watched the Emma Thompson/Hugh Grant/Alan Rickman/ Kate Winslet version (AKA the good one), and then the old sappy one (of which I don’t recall who was in it because it simply wasn’t memorable), and then the good version again. The soundtrack makes me weak in the knees just thinking about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQ_N3mSusA

Now, six months later, C & I are ready to hit the theater. We are attending the play! in Washington D.C. this weekend. πŸ™‚ <3 πŸ™‚ <3 πŸ™‚ <3 The seating availability online looked pretty sparse and we weren’t sure if we’d get seats. I joked that maybe when we want to order, someone will have just returned the two best seats in the house.

Twenty minutes later, I called the theater to inquire about seats and the woman working at the box office said “lucky you called when you did… I have two seats available only because someone just called in and returned them……… and they’re the best seats in the house! Orchestra, row G. Would you like them?”

 

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So that was insane.

Though i couldn’t say “YES” right away because C was on the phone with a friend that was interested in coming with us. I tried to explain the seating situation to C and get her to put her friend on hold, but the lady wouldn’t stawp tawking. I had to tell the box office worker I’d call back, after asking her a dozen or more stalling questions and asking her to please keep the seats warm for us.

5 minutes later, once it was evident that C’s friend couldn’t come whether she wanted to or not, we were calling in for the seats. When the lady answered the phone I vibrantly exclaimed “It’s meeeee!!!” to which she replied, “um, I just took over a shift and wasn’t the one you were talking to”

derp

“… but I got the scoop and figure you’re calling about the two seats in G??”

phew, lol

So there you have it. We’re off to D.C. to see the play. We have the best seats in the house. Which, by the way, we paid the “Under 30” price and saved $70 between the two of us!!! (I have never heard of such a discount before, but hey, I’ll take it!)

It’s truly the little miracles that brighten life so so much. From the story, a seed, to the movie, a plant, and now to the theater, a flower… I hope you get as much ever-growing joy out of this story as we did!! <3

 

xov