New Year in April, Part 2

With solid friends, co-workers, family, etc., I can’t help but to realize that sometimes I just simply need to be told like it is. I had a melt down not too long ago and didn’t want to allow myself to even stop to realize why. That’s where loving people come into the picture to point out the things going on in my life. Insert, my boss. Man, it’s hard to hear that, “You’ve been extremely short the past couple of weeks” or, “ Are you annoyed with me, did I do something wrong?”, or ,”Are you okay, you don’t look so good”. I didn’t want to hear any of it, but God was shouting it loud and clear to my heart. I had to stop, evaluate, and conclude. I had a lot on my plate—yet nothing to do with me per say. Let me catch you up on just a few of the things from the past few months:


· January
o I get a call at 2 in the morning that my sister’s apartment complex was on fire and she made it out with her dog, the clothes on her back, and her purse. That’s it. Her dog woke her up barking and that’s the only reason she woke up.
o I was involved in a very weird (or as a friend of mine reminded me, just unfamiliar) situation that looking back was a total blessing to me as a mere vessel.
o My older brother got in a pretty bad car wreck, as a result had tests done and an unrelated mass was found on his kidney
· February
o It was confirmed that my older brother had kidney cancer.
o My roommate began an extremely difficult process unexpectedly
· March
o Boy stuff--I’ll just leave it at that :)
o Finally approved to counsel as an LPC-Intern
o Really really really really really taxing situation with someone very close to me
o My oldest nephew, Grayson gave his life to Jesus!!
o My older brother has surgery to remove the cancerous mass and a ¼ of his kidney (couldn’t have gone better!)
o Offered a director’s position at work-told I had until end of may to decide and with circumstances changing, was told two weeks later told they needed to know by Monday if I was going to take the position (it was Thursday)
o great uncle dies
o Accepted director’s position
o March 30th—my dad and I had a conversation that led to me being made aware that he truly grasps the saving power and grace of Jesus in his life and what the looks like for him now in a relationship with Christ. (10 years of prayer and Jesus saw it pleasing to allow me to see this beauty)
o April 4th- It was a very special Easter -dad came to church with me!
· APRIL
o Transition with work…finishing up current job while training for the new position
· May 1st.
o HAPPY NEW YEAR! New position officially

So, as you can see there has been a lot. As before, this will have to be continued...

New Year in April, Part 1

It’s a bit overwhelming, looking at the blank screen knowing you have more to type than the page could hold, yet not exactly being able to put it all into words. I wonder and often conclude, that some things just aren’t meant to be written out. I do believe so.

However, right now is a time for typing.

I have found myself it this place many times before—wrapped up in the whirlwind of the life the Lord has given me. It takes effort, sometimes painstakingly so, to stop, sit, be. I’ve had to chew on this for a while and no doubt, will continue to.

I feel like a new year started this month. It’s my new year. I read something today and it talked about a spiritual awakening. It just sat with me. There’s something fresh coming and I think the Lord has been preparing me for quite a while now. Happy New Year to me!
Change—it’s a comin’. (Actually, it’s already come)Will it ever lose its scariness? I mean, it’s different for different people, but overall that 6 letter word just does something to me. It’s like I want to conquer it and never fight it again. Not in the, “I don’t want it to ever come my way again” sense, but the “I want to conquer the desire to run from it” sense. Maybe one day. I’m getting better (way better), by God’s grace alone.

This may seem off topic, but can I just say that I literally have the best friends in the world. I’m not exaggerating, either. God has made me abundantly clear on this. It was a year ago this Month (yet again, New Year—not so off topic) that I began going to a Bible Study that a friend of mine invited me to. I didn’t want to go that night. I really didn’t want to go. I remember being so tired and worn out and not expecting much, yet felt the need to make myself go, knowing how desperately I needed the fellowship with people my age. There are not words to express how genuinely glad I am that I dragged myself there. These people aren’t just my friends, they are my family. Truly. God has fed me in ways I didn’t know I needed and has allowed me to in return feed others. God’s blessing is on this group. I’ve never seen anything like it.

More to come...