Joy abundant

As I was driving home tonight from dinner with a dear friend, I realized just how much I have to be excited about and grateful for in my life right now (okay, okay, also all the time; I just happen to be especially aware of it presently). Seriously, friends, this life that we're all sharing right now is so beautiful. This God that we may or may not be trying to understand, love, and follow is so beautiful. Seriously.

I feel like I need to give a quick run-down of what has happened since my last significant post (hah, last night was kind of a joke; I was crashing on Nyquil), only because I'm so excited about it!

I turned in all of my application stuff for Mission Year on Tuesday night. It was really, really refreshing and encouraging for me to sit and answer a bunch of essay questions about my relationship with God and my motives for wanting to pursue Mission Year. It was exactly what I needed that evening, especially in preparation for whatever may come in the near future. I learned a lot about myself and was reminded a lot about God in those few hours that I sat in that coffee shop and wrote about myself and my heart.

Wednesday morning, as soon as I could have possibly hoped, I already had a confirmation e-mail from Sarah at Mission Year, informing me they had received my application! It was the most exciting e-mail I've received in a while. She also told me that as soon as they hear from my two references (I know this will be Monday at the latest), she will set me up with someone for either a phone or Skype interview. So I guess this is really happening. As I was talking with a friend the other day, I was reminded that even taking the risk to follow God down this path is a huge step. Even if this whole thing doesn't pan out, I am at least so excited to be taking the risk and following where I feel the Lord leading. This is a new experience, especially in the past 12 months. Wow, God is so faithful to bring restoration and healing. I stand in awe.

Another awesome and exciting thing about life lately: there are suddenly an abundance of opportunities to read and study the Word with dear friends. This is something that has been lagging in my life for quite a while. Anyone who is reading this probably knows that I have had an interesting (ha, that's a very simple way to put it) past year in my walk with God. Various aspects have gradually been rekindled, and joy has slowly come back into these disciplines. But a genuine desire for the Word has been minimal. Amazingly, then, over break I have come across the opportunity to start reading through Romans with Allison, to start memorizing part of 1 John 4 with Sophia, and to challenge and be challenged by Ashley to read through the Bible in a year. Whew. Seriously, this all came about in the past three weeks. And I am so excited. If I want to understand God more clearly, I need to be reading the words that He's given us. It just makes sense.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.


[Galatians 5:1]


In this day, in this moment, in this breath, I am rejoicing in the freedom that I have in Christ.