This is funny because just a couple months ago I thought of 3 P's in my life that my friends and I were praying for: Peace, Patience, and Purpose.

But as far as the 3 P's you're talking about...

Passion: Latin America and Latin American culture, people, countries, language
Purpose: to bring true faith to people instead of the lukewarm "faith" they think is enough. To show people what it means to fall in love with Christ instead of just knowing stuff about him.
Plan: Move to Costa Rica next fall (tentatively), a country that is full of lukewarm Catholicism and work with my church to bring the light of Christ and a real passion for Christ to the city of San Jose.

Beautiful words! It reminds me of the beauty of life and God's love. Even in the chaos of chores and to-do lists, God is there and God loves us. Or maybe we are there in the midst of God rather than him being in the midst of us. We are in the life God gave us.

Still waiting for a specific one... but while I'm waiting here's one that's not half bad... ;)

In a mere 24 days I'm flying to Costa Rica to meet/stay with a few of my closest online friends for the first time. Costa Rica is far away so it seemed impossible, but it's really really happening. :D

I would have gone to State for swim team; I wouldn't have been afraid to make friends; I wouldn't have been afraid to try new things; and I would have been a 4.0 student throughout high school & received honors at graduation. I would have started out at a 4 year college instead of going to community college first because I would have known that I could do it. Or maybe I wouldn't have. But if I was encouraged, I think I could have.

Not impossible. I've made it to 21. I remember in my Senior Experience class in high school we had at least a week dedicated to sex, in which they told us about everything from abortions to getting condoms to showing us pictures of STDs on genitals. As a teen, I was outraged. I thought it was disgusting that they gave us all the resources we needed to give ourselves away... but especially the pictures. I didn't understand why they would show us that.

For me, there were two views of sex that I was taught -- 1) "no big deal, everyone is doing it." 2) "evil, stay away at all costs." I think as Christians, the Church needs to step up and teach truth about sex instead of trying to scare teens into thinking it's evil. It's not evil at all; just not for teens/unmarried people. It is good in context. Maybe if they understood the truth and goodness of it (as I am slowly being taught in my church now) then it would be more important for them to save.

I will be 21... in an hour and 20 minutes. I guess I've got a ways to go... but, I have noticed that I can't squat like little kids do. Sometimes I try when I'm coaching swim team to get closer to the water.. but not for very long. I feel like I'm going to fall over... and not to mention it just hurts my ankles. But hey, I'm only 21. I shouldn't complain.

That was good for my heart. I feel like I'm deep in the middle of 'sometimes' right now. Sometimes there is a lot of confusion and wounds, and sometimes feels like all the time.

I especially love when you said, "We are all broken people and the more we try and hide our brokenness the more broken we make others feel."

That is so true. When we put on the mask that everything is ok, people believe it. I know I believe that about other people. This was so encouraging. I dream of seeing the church like this.

Being alone.

It is so so so hard, especially during the holiday season when both my brothers are dating someone. But it is good for me to grow in my relationship with God alone because one day when my life is different and I have a "someone" I won't have that luxury.

And distance.

I'm thankful for the past few (6+) months when I have been away from 4 of my closest friends who could so easily affirm who I am and satisfy my desire to be known and loved and seen. It has been agonizing to be alone and thousands of miles away from such dear friends, but distance has also brought me closer to God. It begs for dependence, trust, and need for God in a way that I could not have known if I had not lived through this season of aloneness.

I am a believer in $100 jeans. It's the same story for me... I had a friend who always wore them and I thought she was ridiculous until I tried them on. I'd never felt so confident and good-looking in a simple pair of jeans... and they had never felt so good.

but jeans and blenders are just jeans and blenders. there's gotta be more than just that.