...to sum up 9 months.

It's always hard to start these things. I'm willing to bet that if I wrote more frequently I would have an easier time trying to convey my experiences because 1. practice makes perfect and 2. cramming a 100 days worth of lessons, life, pain and beauty into one intense composition is harder than a few here and there.

First off, I AM SO BLESSED. 

Secondly, He answers prayers. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? -Cause He does. Pray with faith, all the faith you can muster. As I look back through my journals, I see all of the prayers He has answered so completely and most of the answers surpass any result I could ever dream. What a faithful God we serve! And it is my delight to be a servant of such a good Master. 

I suppose I should start with the fact that Spring time was one of the hardest seasons I have ever been through. From failing another music therapy exam to TEAMeffort moving to Jacksonville leaving me jobless this fall, to breaking up with a man I thought was going to be my husband, to hardship with family and their understanding of my lifestyle and faith, to friendships that Satan was attacking, as well as losing about 15 pounds from all the stress (dont worry- I gained it back...) Needless to say, it was hard. In pretty much every area of life. 

But good news! It was followed by one of the sweetest seasons my soul has ever tasted. This past summer I gained yet another family in Myrtle Beach, including 5 other staff members where the ONLY common thread was we each loved Jesus (and Chickfila...), as well as some cRaZy Episcopalians that taught me what hospitality truly looks like. Refreshment consumed me, and my faith in the Lord flourished. 

My favourite quote came to life as I lived this reality in this year thus far: "The deeper sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain..." Oh the sorrow that broke me, painfully carving away so I might contain the deepest joy of my life so far. And even then, my cup overflowed. 

And here we are today. August 16th, 2012. A day that has never been lived. I am currently sitting in the TEAMeffort office preparing for "the big move" which will take place in a few weeks when we move this office down to Jacksonville, Fl. It will be a bittersweet move, as TEAMeffort has been here for 5 years now and has been a training ground for hundreds of college aged kids to go off and serve with all that they are for a summer. Even I came as a scared 20 year old little girl that didn't much experience in anything, and 5 years later I leave TEAMeffort a transformed young woman with confidence and faith to go conquer the world. 

In hopes to keep this blog on the shorter side, I will spare you the amazing God-breathed details of how my life has taken a surprising turn for these next two years. In a few weeks, I will be embarking on a crazy adventure as a worship leading intern at 12 Stone Church. This opportunity is a 2 year commitment where I will learn the functions of church ministry as well as growing deeper with my desire for music and leading people in worship. I hope to incorporate all of the instruments I have learned so far as well as implementing some principals of music therapy. I am so incredibly excited/nervous/petrified for this learning process. 

Please be praying for me as I jump into this new chapter. I know it will be faced with challenges I have never known, but I know the beauty of growth and perseverance will out weigh them all. 

I'll end with this. A verse that I have been memorizing lately- II Cor 4:16-18: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So let us fix out eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal." 

Wow... everything we can see with our eyes doesn't matter. But anything we can see only with our hearts, THAT is what matters. That is what bleeds over from this life to the next. So let us focus on that part of life and ONLY on that part. Amen! 

Thanks for reading this little monologue! I ask for anyone who has read this to pray for me, even a short little prayer right now. Please message me and let me know how you are and how I can pray for YOU- it would be my honour to do so.