how have you changed in the last year?
this time last year, i was living with my parents, working, helping out with the youth group, and basically just existing.
one year later still finds me at home with my family, still working at the same job, and still helping with the youth group.
but that existing part - it's turned to living. you know the proverbial bubble we all sometimes put ourselves in for self-preservation?
i was trapped in mine. i let the happenings of certain situations have control over my life. i felt sorry for myself. i made excuses.
i let go of the opinions and actions of a toxic person.
obligations prevent me from completely cutting this person out of my life. and to an extent, i'm glad. God has used this person to teach me a few lessons over the past year. it wasn't always easy. there were times when i just wanted to smack them in the face. with a chair. but i refrained. and i have seen on more than one occasion how powerful prayer is in these situations. it didn't change them; it changed me. i finally realized how much value i placed in their opinions and actions, which rarely lined up with God's Word. i learned a long time ago that those who gossip to me will gossip about me. gossip reveals more about them than the words they say about me.
i realized the importance of community.
this happened in two areas of my life - blogging & church. when i started blogging, i had no idea i would form friendships with people i've never met in person. ladies who i can genuinely call my friends. they cheer for me and encourage me constantly. i am so, so grateful for these women and their hearts. and community in the church probably sounds like a given, right? well, when God laid on my heart to start the youth group, all i could think was how un-qualified i was. no experience whatsoever. [unless you count my years as a teen. heaven help us.] but then God called other people to join me in this journey. guys and gals who didn't have any experience either, but had a willing heart. they help out in any possible way, and sometimes i cry tears of joy. it's humbling, i tell ya. and along the way, i developed a friendship with a girl who can only be described as my soul sistah. God orchestrated this entire thing, weaving His plans and purposes throughout the entire process.
i've changed in other ways, too:
i now have blonde hair. managing my money is a high priority. and blogging went from a hobby to a passion.
change isn't always a bad thing. true, it's not always easy, but it's necessary for growth.
0 Comments