Hello there!
Spring has arrived! Or at least, that's what I continue to tell myself despite the dusting of snow which sticks to the ground with an icy determination, and the rather less-than-picnic-worthy temperatures that linger. Nevertheless, the long Utah winter is finally beginning to thaw, making way for some new changes and fresh life. That is what today's post will entail; new changes for this blog and its schedule, life updates, and a reminder for us all about new life in Christ.
I haven't posted for a while, so I'm excited to be back. Let's jump right in!
Blog Changes
With spring coming, change has been on my mind quite a lot, including some changes for this blog. I love Roses and Thorns, but like many things, I realized that there was some room for improvement in both the layout and the way I manage it.
First of all, some of you observant readers may have noticed that I have edited my blog design! I decided that some changes in layout and general look would better service the theme and visual aesthetic I aim for. I hope you will all find yourselves right at home with the new subtle graphics and fresh patterns, while still recognizing the heart of the old design in the colors and theme.
Now, on to some matters of scheduling. You might have noticed that my blog posts have been a bit inconsistent as of late. You see, I've repeatedly found myself burnt out after long school weeks, and have skipped more than a few posts. For this reason, I've decided to establish a better posting schedule that will both fit my life better and service my wonderful readers with more consistency. From now on, I will plan to post bi-weekly on Tuesdays. That means you can expect the next Roses and Thorns post to be up the Tuesday after next. :) This may be altered slightly in the summer, but for now, I will do my best to establish this new routine.
Thank you all so much for following this blog! It really does mean the world to me. I hope these new changes will help me to serve you more effectively.
Life Updates
Life has been such a whirlwind lately! These last months have definitely had their roses as well as thorns.
I've enjoyed being able to take some vacations with my family! This month we drove to southern Utah to spend some wonderful time with extended family. Traveling to St. George was lovely, and I loved soaking in the sun while I could and catching up with my amazing cousins.
Just yesterday, our family returned from a vacation to Orlando, Florida. My dad had some work meetings and was able to bring the whole family along. It was so much fun to spend some time in warmer weather and visit Universal Studios, which was a really cool experience. I even got to try frozen "butter beer" in the Harry Potter part of the park! :D
School is, mercifully, not too far from drawing to a close; I am very thankful that summer break is approaching. Freshman year has required quite a lot of work, and while I have learned a lot, classes and homework occupy quite a lot of each day, so summer break will be very refreshing for me and many other students.
I have not been writing as much as I want to lately. Busyness and school make it so hard to be consistent sometimes! But I am hopeful that with a new routine and a bit of determination, I will soon be back to writing more often.
New Life
One of my favorite things about spring is the display of new life. Birds begin chirping, flowers bloom again, and warm sunbeams melt away the winter frost. All of this beauty reminds me that people, too, can find new life.
On Good Friday and Easter, we celebrate the hope that Christ's death and resurrection bring to those who are saved. Along with redemption and eternal security, Christ's death also brings Christians new life! When we are saved, the old self dies, and is replaced with newness and cleansing. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Like how spring clears away icy cold and old decay, making room for flourishing beauty, salvation washes us of our sin, making us new people entirely. What an amazing gift!
This does not mean that we become perfect when we're saved. Far from it. All Christians still struggle with sin, but we have God's help to fight temptation, and His forgiveness when we fail. (1 John 1:9)
And, if we're walking in the Spirit rather than the flesh, God will continue to sanctify us and make us more like Him. Sanctification is a journey, not a destination. Until we're called home, there is no point in a Christian's life where they've reached absolute perfection, and have no more room for growth. Me and all believers are just imperfect human beings in debt to a Holy God, and we must continue to learn more about Him and ask Him for growth.
He is so good.
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Thank you so much for reading!
What do you think of the new blog design? What new changes has this spring brought you?