For everything there is a season

So, I haven't blogged for 2 weeks...there's been a lot on my mind and some wrestling to do.

 Some of you may already know, or have heard bits and pieces, so I am here to either tell you for the first time, or to put the pieces together.

About a week ago I was talking with a friend and the statement was made, 'whoever said life with Christ is boring...because it surely isn't!" I have been in a relationship with Christ for 14 years and 

In my time with Him, things are constantly changing. There is always some kind of excitement or trial...; always a lesson to be learning...and that just becomes life when we surrender our lives to Christ. As a late 20's something, I have been humbled and continue to be so. When your a teenager, we expect by the age of like 21 to be married with kids...then when we get to the age of 21 and we're not married with kids..we either praise God because we realize how immature we are, or we ask God why. 

And we make choices of how to respond when we reach certain ages, or stages of life, when our expectations of those ages and things accomplished or have not been accomplished aren't what we may have thought.

I was sure when I was a teenager, that by the age I am at now, I would have my career, I would be married and have a family, be settled down somewhere...basically that I would have life figured out. How naive and silly we can be (at any age). The truth... I am not married, nor have I started a family of my own, nor do I know vocationally what I will do for the rest of my life (even though I have dreams and ideas). And you know what, I am content with all of this. I have wrestled with these things, numerous times, as to why they weren't happening, each time coming to the conclusion that; God is greater and I trust Him, even if these things never come to fruition in my life. I've learned that people change careers in their 30's, or 40's, or 50's! People still wrestle in marriages in their 80's! And as long as we are on this earth, there will be sin, and with sin, comes temptation and selfishness. The struggle is real friends, and I believe it is a struggle we must persevere through continually, for the sake of knowing Christ.

And sometimes, God just keeps changing things, and that is completely okay. We don't aways know why, but we just know He is at work and He has His reasons. Change is a good thing, and needed sometimes, especially when God directs it. So with all of that, I have made the decision to step down from a staff position at Off The Wall Ministry. This has been a very difficult decision for me to make, and has been invited in with a lot of prayer and confirmation because of how much this ministry and the staff mean to me. OTW has been instrumental in helping me develop my gifts and grow in my relationship with Christ and with others in community in my early 20's. And I will be forever grateful, and they will forever be my community. But now, it seems that God has other plans and I only have to be obedient. What exactly those plans are, and what the future holds, I do not know for sure. I know that I have immense peace for where I am at and am being led into, and I already have seen God's hand in this new season of life immensely which is very encouraging and I am very excited about what the future holds. Even if right now it's just being at home and working.

This past year has been really difficult for me, full of stress and confusion. But one major thing I learned, is truly where my heart is. Even in complete desert and dryness, my heart belongs to Christ and my heart is for the church. God's bride. I long to build up and edify God's bride, and that has always been my heart, and so that is certainly the direction I am continuing to walk in. I would greatly appreciate your prayers, for it will be difficult to transition after 5 years of intense ministry to not be near as involved. I still plan to volunteer occasionally in whatever ways possible with OTW after some time to just take to myself and with my Heavenly Father. 

For those who have supported me the past few years in whatever way, I am extremely grateful to you and for you. For those who have done nothing but encourage me, you have brought me hope and belief when I didn't have any. 

This is also my year of Celebration I have decided. I have been through the fire, and I know more fire's will come. But through these past fires, my faith has been strengthened, through ministry my relationship with Christ and who I am, have only been strengthened. I know more than I used to. I feel more than I used to. I know and fully believe that Christ is good in all situations, and that I can praise Him in any season, in any emotion or lack of, simply because He is worthy and His presence is with me in all of it. So i am choosing to Celebrate. To learn to celebrate in different ways. And the best part about this is....that this word, Celebrate, was given to me before this new season even arrived.

I am beyond blessed, with an amazing community who loves me deeply and supports me and I am so very grateful, words cannot express the amount of love and support I already feel. The peace that passes all understanding, is truly worth everything. #Jesus 

So whoever you are, whatever season you are in. Celebrate it. It won't last forever. And there is much for you in this time. And never forget that God is with you. 

 ✌🏼 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God." Philippians 1:27-28