it's been over a year since i last posted here. nearly 14 months to be exact. so here is a brief overview of some of the "big events" that the last 14 months have held...
i am in my second year of teaching... and i can't imagine doing anything else at this moment in my life. there are challenges daily, joys and successes often, love letters given frequently, and a whole lot of hope and life spoken over these littles i get to spend my days with!
i live with one of the sweetest families i have ever known... a set of parents, 4 kids and 1 on the way. they strive to represent Christ well in their lives and train up their children in the way they should go... i love experiencing and learning more about real family life with them, especially before i become a wife and mama!
i was a part of a church plant that just launched last weekend! over 300 people came to our first service. it's been an amazing experience to watch the Lord lead and bless the efforts of a group of people who are simply seeking to grow in their relationship with Him and to help lead and connect others to Him and to their community... i am excited to see what is in store for Connect Church!
i'm 24. and this year... 24... i declared it to be one of transFORmation. so far, 5 months into 24, i've lost 20 pounds and have shed 18.5 inches! i don't have a goal weight or size, i just ultimately want to be fit, healthy, and strong. i eat a mostly clean and organic diet... minimal processed foods, very little meat (mostly because what i'd be consciously ok with eating is too expensive for my budget), lots of fruits and veggies, and very little carbs. there's been a shift in my lifestyle and i LOVE it. i will never go back to eating how i used to. know this, i LOVE ice cream and know i always will but i have learned and realized from experience that food is good, yes... and i have all the freedom in the world to eat something, but do i WANT to eat it?! ice cream? i will rarely turn that down. when examining other foods i'm not so in love with? no, i probably don't want to eat it. i'll admit i was addicted to sugar, as are most Americans... and going just a short time without a sugary treat gave me a headache. now, i get a headache if i eat too much sugar! my body and cravings and habits are transforming and i am excited... i can feel muscle in my biceps, i can run 6 miles without having to walk... 5 months ago, i could barely run a mile without feeling like i was about to die. i will also be the first to tell you that i have had to take 1 day at a time in this get-fit journey. some days are hard and i find eating clean/organic/consciously is challenging! but most others, i feel that it is the easiest and most sensible thing in the world to do!
lastly, as i grow older... ha, a whopping TWENTY-FOUR! i cherish my friendships more and more. whether i get 10 minutes or 10 hours with a close friend, i am grateful. whether i will need to drive 3 miles or 3 hours to spend that time with them, i don't mind. my closest friends inspire me. they know me. they care for me so well. and they bless my heart each moment we're together. they teach me. they pray for me. and they make me laugh to the point of tears, sometimes after just a few minutes in each other's presence. i am so grateful to the lord for blessing me with the most genuine friendships i have ever known with the loveliest girls i've ever met. my only wish would be that we could be together all days, always. but i trust that the lord has us where we are for reasons beyond our understanding and that His plans for us are GOOD.
so there you have, that's what's up!
