I was sitting on the balcony of our lodge on Sunday with a precious little girl in my lap and a sweet little boy sitting next to me while we played a game in the beautiful sunshine...and in that wonderful moment as I was thinking of all the ways God has blessed me this year and how much I love the people in Marion, I realized it was all coming to an end faster than I was ready for.
I went into my senior year expecting life to be a little less exciting than years past (my roomate and close friends had graduated and moved on to adult life). However, God provided a ton of other places and opportunities for me to spend my time. I landed jobs tutoring at the high school and an elementary school a few days during the week. I met new friends and developed new relationships with those I hadn't been close to in years past. God provided me not only with a great support system of friends and a wonderful church (I <3 8th Street Wesleyan), but He provided me with people to love and care for. As I was sitting on the balcony I realized I would only have a few more days to spend playing with the kids I met in town, loving them and pouring into their lives. I only have one more Sunday left with my adopted church family, who has been such a source of strength and encouragement to me for the past 3 years.
SO these past few days I've been sullenly thinking about how little time I have for all the things I still have left to do..people to see, assignments to complete, and packing to finish. As a person who doesn't handle change well (Steve Martin in Father of the Bride....that's me), I was afraid transitioning from four years of college to what seems like a whole new world was going to be difficult. But a few things I've been reading these past few days have brought me hope and encouragement to press on to the next adventure in life.
In Phillipians 3:13, Paul says, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."
And Francis Chan says in his book Crazy Love, "Lukewarm people think about life on Earth much more often than eternity in Heaven." But in Colossians 3:2 it says , "Set your minds on things above, not on Earthly things."
As much as I want to stay right where I am, living in Marion where my life is, I know that the Lord has adventures for me somewhere else. If I keep my mind and heart focused on my future in Heaven, I don't need to worry about my future here on Earth, where life is so temporary. So as I embark on this next phase of life in a totally new environment, my prayer is that as I'm focusing on God and glorifying Him I can love the people in my new community. I'll try and regularly update you all on my adventures in Anchorage. Thank you for your wonderful support and encouragement...you mean so much to me. :)
I went into my senior year expecting life to be a little less exciting than years past (my roomate and close friends had graduated and moved on to adult life). However, God provided a ton of other places and opportunities for me to spend my time. I landed jobs tutoring at the high school and an elementary school a few days during the week. I met new friends and developed new relationships with those I hadn't been close to in years past. God provided me not only with a great support system of friends and a wonderful church (I <3 8th Street Wesleyan), but He provided me with people to love and care for. As I was sitting on the balcony I realized I would only have a few more days to spend playing with the kids I met in town, loving them and pouring into their lives. I only have one more Sunday left with my adopted church family, who has been such a source of strength and encouragement to me for the past 3 years.
SO these past few days I've been sullenly thinking about how little time I have for all the things I still have left to do..people to see, assignments to complete, and packing to finish. As a person who doesn't handle change well (Steve Martin in Father of the Bride....that's me), I was afraid transitioning from four years of college to what seems like a whole new world was going to be difficult. But a few things I've been reading these past few days have brought me hope and encouragement to press on to the next adventure in life.
In Phillipians 3:13, Paul says, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."
And Francis Chan says in his book Crazy Love, "Lukewarm people think about life on Earth much more often than eternity in Heaven." But in Colossians 3:2 it says , "Set your minds on things above, not on Earthly things."
As much as I want to stay right where I am, living in Marion where my life is, I know that the Lord has adventures for me somewhere else. If I keep my mind and heart focused on my future in Heaven, I don't need to worry about my future here on Earth, where life is so temporary. So as I embark on this next phase of life in a totally new environment, my prayer is that as I'm focusing on God and glorifying Him I can love the people in my new community. I'll try and regularly update you all on my adventures in Anchorage. Thank you for your wonderful support and encouragement...you mean so much to me. :)
Savaji and Jereny hanging out at our place after church.
Zoey and I with our girls @ Ivanhoes for Jada's birthday.
Weekend on the farm with the boys.
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