The Unexpected

Life is so unpredictable...as I grow closer to moving on to the next stage of life, whatever that may be, I realize that my plans for this time in my life, were simply just "my plans". I realize as I move on that sometimes God's plans are so much different than mine, but always better than mine. Tonight I had the most blessed experience--and God's grace was written all over it. It is amazing how He can take something away and give it back after He has recreated it and made it better than we could ever imagine.

If you are in a valley right now, know that the mountains will be great, you will come out stronger, and the joy of seeing everything work together for your good, will be something that blesses you for the rest of your life!

About 158 miles later...

I feel like I forget about xanga now most of the time...or at least the actual writing part...

I rode my first 100 mile bike ride this weekend--last year I did the MS150 but I only did about 64 miles each day and this year I did the whole thing! I have a close friend whose mom has multiple sclerosis (sp?) so I already felt as if I had more motivation this year, but on the second day at about mile 45, a woman named Elise rode up beside me. After a few minutes of talking, she shared with me that 6 years ago she had been diagnosed with MS--she was such a bundle of joy. She was young, married, had two little girls, and talked about her love for her family, college years, and her Jewish faith--but there was something about her optimistic attitude that was just so infectious--she has been in my thoughts and prayers since I met her yesterday.  Elise & my friend Eric (his mom is dying from MS) really reminded me of why hundreds of thousands of people ride the MS150 every year--not just to say "I rode 150+ miles this weekend" but to find a cure for MS.  I'm trying to find a way to put up a donations website before I have to turn in my pledges at the end of this month--but if any of you are reading this and would like to make a donation--please let me know--you can just leave a comment or whatever and I will get back to you!

I can't believe we have an engaged roommate...and I still haven't talked to her...but I'm so happy for her! Congrats Nina, a.k.a. Evil Stepsister...I love you!!!

I also can't believe Erin lives so close to me now...why did this not happen before summer ended? I am counting down days til Thanksgiving...Brownman is coming to visit! It is official...he even has a ticket...so if you live closer to KC than N.C. you should come visit  So yeah, that's all I have for now! Have a blessed week!

 Sometimes I think I'm crazy, sometimes I think God's crazy...but obviously the latter isn't true...so it has to be me.  The past 6 months I've spent crying, anxious, cranky, lost, untrusting, angry, bitter, and quite determined that although God does not cause bad things to happen, I was sure He wasn't the solution to my problems either...and even if He was, I was sick of "His way" I thought I was better on my own--although I knew it was not true I decided to live my life as if it was the only truth. About a month ago, after talking about Jesus to an unbelieving friend (I still know how to talk the talk even if I'm not walking it), it hit me that I was preaching to myself to, and I do serve a GOOD GOD, and I should trust Him. I honestly think that God was just waiting for me to trust Him before He did a 180 in my life--because not but a few days later all of the pain that I had tried so desperately to fix was taken away--I'm not saying that's always the case, but I wish I would have let Him carry me the whole way...

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

The Training Never Ends

Some of you may remember that I had originally applied to be an intern for Project this summer/or be a camp counselor...and yet I could not be happier that neither position was open by the time that my application actually reached their destinations (there were some technical difficulties along the way). So far my summer has consisted of my very first triathlon, working, and a lot of reflection.  I've had several times in the past month in which God spoke to my heart and reminded me to trust Him just in time so that my heart won't be lurched out of my chest less than 24 hours later...something about God's timing is always impeccable.

I feel as if God is fulfilling my desires to be emotionally, physically, and spiritually restored and renewed by the beginning of the school year.  As cliche as it is, I really feel like the past 6-7 months have just been a "transition" in the race of life...sometimes changes in life seems painful, irritating, and just completely pointless, but in the end they are just a short period of time that keep us on the race track.