Convinced

My incredibly horrible Tuesday started off with Jeff and I fighting about my job/our money situation. It's the same fight we've had since I started working for the Coalition and it's the same fight we'll have till either he gets a job or something else comes up for me. The problem with that last part is this: just like anyone else I know in the Village, I've turned in, at least, 40 applications to places around Johnson City and have been turned down by each of them (or not called back, which is the same thing). To me, the Coalition is an incredible blessing. To Jeff, it's not making ends meet. Don't get me wrong: I've still been looking for a job that will help us out a bit more (if that means a full-time job, then I'll make time to volunteer at the Rock), but...there's a still-small voice inside of me that tells me I'm not done at the Coalition just yet and I believe it. I heard this voice once before, when I found out my parents were getting divorced, and chose to ignore it, only to be told the very next day (by my dad) that my parents were indeed getting divorced. I know this voice is God and I can't ignore it. If He's telling me that there's still work for me at the Coalition, then I'll work there as long as He needs me to. I have absolutely no problem with that. I love my job, love the kids I tutor, and I love all of my co-workers (even the ones I'm just now getting to know better). No, I don't make much money, but I know in my heart of hearts that this is where God wants me and, if that's the case, then I know He's blessing my family through the work I'm doing. This is one of those times when I'm actually glad I can't see the bigger picture because I'm so incredibly happy with the smaller picture. 

"If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace." --Romans 8:6

Thankful

"I am thankful

that I'm incapable

of doing any

good on my own."

Thankful - Caedmon's Call

As most of you know, Jeff, Tyler, and I made the trip to Indiana last weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families.  For me (I'm not sure about Jeff), the holidays are a bit bittersweet.  It's good to be with my families, but it's nice to be back home (a.k.a. Tennessee).  This Thanksgiving vacation, I had the special privilege of attending the baby shower of an old high school friend (for you Pendleton folk, Melissa Turner a.k.a. Melissa Blake).  I believe that Melissa and I hadn't seen each other since her high school graduation...that's a long time!  I was extremely glad to see her, in all her pregnant radiance, and to also see her sister, Angie, and Kristin Campbell (a.k.a. Monaghan).  The shower was fantastic, but that's, unfortunately, not the point of this post.  

After the shower, I had a nice 40 minute drive back to dad's house with plenty of time to think in between.  A couple of my favorite songs came on the radio which help spur my reminiscing.  Many of you don't know how I became a Christian so I'm going to share a bit about my transformation.  Before high school, my best friend was Andrea Taylor.  She was an awesome girl and we were thick as thieves.  Her parents were amazing and her dad was the pastor at the Methodist church in downtown Pendleton.  I obviously didn't know it then, but God was working on my heart through Andrea's friendship.  Andrea moved away after our freshman year of high school so I was a bit in between friends and didn't really have a "best" friend anymore.  

Freshman year, I decided to try out for the girls' soccer team.  I made it (luckily) and started creating some new friendships.  One of those friendships was with Julia Wilson.  Unfortunately for Julia, she's not the main character in this short story, but she was the catalyst.  Julia attended Southern Heights Christian Church (right?) in Anderson where Melissa's (yep, the girl from the beginning) dad was the youth pastor.  I remember going to the Blake's house (when they lived out in the country) and watching a couple of Christian movies, playing tag/hide-and-seek outside, spending the night, then going to Mounds Park the next day.  That was my first taste of youth group, and church really (my family isn't a religious one), and my introduction to the Blake family.

My second memorable youth group experience happened in the summer after my sophomore year.  I was dating Luke Nevins at the time and he was the catalyst this time.  The youth group was having a cookout at one of the youth staff's houses (I can't remember what the dinners were called..."home" something) and Luke asked me to go.  He forgot to mention that I'd be seeing about five fellow soccer teammates so I'd know more people than just Luke.  Pastor Eric's teaching was so inspiring, and relatable, that I made a conscious decision to go to youth group again after that night.  Well, seeing as most high school relationships don't last long, Luke and I broke up shortly after that.  By this time, though, I was already attending Sunday morning service at Markleville North Christian Church.  What kept me at the church wasn't just my friends (Sara, Jen, Laura, Emily, Stacey, Kari, Ashley H...); it was my curiosity to learn more about what Mr. Blake and Pastor Eric were talking about.  

God always has a plan.  You may not know what it is at the moment, or you might not even like it, but He knows what He's doing.  This Thanksgiving I thank God for each one of you who made even the smallest of differences in my beginning years as a Christian.  I pray that He blesses you greatly during this holiday season.