misery loves company

At church Easter Sunday, my pastor asked me what I was doing for the summer. I told him work. Work is nothing out of the ordinary for me. Well during the summer it is. This is my first summer that I'm not working a camp or traveling abroad. It is also my first summer in Mississippi since freshman year (bless it). I also told him that I do not know what will hold for me after summer. In paraphrase, he was commenting how it's my first time that I don't know my next step and how weird this must be for me....especially considering I graduate Saturday. Yikes!

Little does he know how weird it is. I always figured by now I would be engaged or nearing engagement (thank you society for setting that dumb stereotype) or at least say with confidence what my post-graduation plans were. Yet, that's not my case. Here's my case: Come May 13th I'm living with 3 other great gals until July and working my pincushion off to pay the unfortunately acquired student loans looking for how the Lord wants me serve my community. One day at a time prayerfully looking for my next step. Feel free to join me in the prayer of this psalm of guidance and wisdom.

Make Your ways known to me, Lord;
teach me Your paths.

Guide me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
I wait for You all day long.

-psalm 25.4-5 

Along with me on this journey of uncertainty has been some wonderful friends: friends who are my traveling companions on this trek, others who have been in this situation, others who are providing me with words of encouragement and offering prayers for me. Needless to say, these handful of friends have made this blurry journey not so miserable and lonely. Thus, for me, the saying "misery loves company" is true. It has been this company to keep me focused and steadfast in the Lord's sovereignty. 

one bucket at a time.

Terrible blogger I know--i have all these blog posts running through my brain but haven't put thought to keyboard. So i apologize for the number of blogs coming out within the next week.

Originally this post was scheduled to release nearly a month ago...so lets pretend like it's April 13th.

This past weekend I had the joy of crossing the finish line of the hardest yet most exhilarating race of my life. As previously mentioned, I have been in training for a half marathon. That's 13.1 miles if you're wondering. I am not sure of the exact date I made "run half-marathon" a bucket list item, but I know that I wanted to run a half-marathon prior to graduating college.

It was a weekend of mixed emotions. I did not felt adequate to run since I only trained for a total of seven weeks (which is not looked upon highly). I pulled my back the weekend prior. And my sinuses have been messing up since January. But I have had this goal and was not backing down. I was slightly emotional prior to picking up my packet because with life's recent events and uncertainties, it felt good to be accomplishing a goal. It was something I have not been able to do in awhile.

To join me in the race was a dear friend, Jenelle. I randomly asked her one day if she wanted to run the half marathon with me and she willingly said yes. There was no begging on the knees or twisting of the arms. Neither of us realized the totality of what we were getting ourselves in. And that's for the best. If I knew how elated and joyful I would be as I crossed the finish line, there would not be as much excitement.

Nonetheless, Jenelle and I woke up at a ridiculous time to run through various districts of Jackson, painfully endure through what was labeled "gentle rolling hills," and end with gracious volunteers and strangers cheering us onward to the finish line. To make the bucketlist moment all the more special was my parents. They trekked over to see us commence the race and round the last corner of the race.

So if you think you can't run--don't believe it. Prove yourself wrong and gradually work your way up. A baby cannot instantly run. He must crawl and then walk. But even then, he will fall in the process. You too will fall and have bad days and struggle through a quarter of a mile, but if you keep working at it, you'll be able to accomplish what you set your mind to! Moreover, it's the same for our spiritual walk. Sanctification. Someone cannot magically do spiritual practices perfectly without working at it. Sanctification is a journey. One that has mountain tops and valley lows.

gobble ready

Tomorrow's the day I trek back over the Atlantic Ocean. This time it is a new country, new people group, new opportunities, but same G0spel. So thankful that His Good News doesn't change for the people!

But before I leave, I have a history mid-term and paper due. I wish I could say that I'm fully prepared for both...but I'm not. Don't worry though, I am already packed. I honestly think teachers get a thrill out of giving a major test or paper due before Spring Break--just cruel.

But please continue to lift up my upcoming trip and the people we are going to. We have plans for Saturday to meaningfully walk around the beautiful yet lost city. Pray with expectancy. Pray for seemingly inexplainable encounters/meetings. Pray for us to walk by the Spirit ready to pour out Love. Mainly, pray for His will to be done.

Our time schedule:
My three friends and I jump onto the first airplane at 3pm central. Then the long haul over will start at 7:10pm. We will land in Europe, and then commence our last flight at 12:40pm to finally land around 4pm Friday.

peace and grace.