Monday, June 18, 2012
I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
-John Wesley
Monday, June 11, 2012
On bitterness
It shows up when you least expect it.
And you always have to work so hard to prevent its weeds from choking out the fruitfulness you've built up.
BITTERNESS.
Felt when things don't work out the way you thought they would, when you feel something happened unfairly, when an area of someone else'slife is going splendidly and you are stuck in a rut.
I've been meaning to write a post about this since March, when I noticed that I had some roots that needed severing.
You see, I had a job interview in February for Central Market in Southlake. I was super excited about this opportunity, did really well in the group interview, and thought my previous experience with HEB would make me a shoe-in. I mean, I have a degree in Nutrition, have eaten foods from around the world, and am super personable and naturally friendly...what's not to love? I fully expected a call back and was gearing up to be a productive member of society that is happily employed.
Nope.
Didn't happen.
No call back, not even an offer to wait until a better position opened up, one that could really use my expertise.
No explanation, either.
What was I missing?
Received a dinky little email saying that they could not hire me at this time.
Annnddddd I was crushed.
Why did they not want me to work for them? What did I do wrong in the interview? After going through this season of confusion, unemployment, and weird transition since getting back from the Race, why had the Lord not been faithful to me? This job would have been perfect! Good location, solid company I love, and a place to use my degree...not to mention a nice discount at a place I already shop.
Mourned the loss and thought I was over it until I did the grocery shopping the following week. I could feel my jaw tightening as I walked through the doors, and thoughts began flooding into my head as I walked around the store.
"what makes you so qualified to work here?"
"I'm still unemployed...what makes you so special that they hired you?"
And when I made eye contact with one of the managers I interviewed with..."you'll regret not hiring me. Why didn't you do it?"
I had to consciously remind myself to calm down because I was getting so worked up --which is very unlike me! I don't usually get angry about things, and it was like a dark cloud settled over me as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. To make matters worse, I saw that one of my fellow interviewees was working at the register.
"really? They hired YOU over ME?"
I left in a huff of frustration, and it revisited for the following trips until I realized what was happening.
I was bitter.
Mad at them for not hiring me, mad at the Lord for not providing a job for me even though I had been trying so hard, mad that I STILL had to tell people I didn't have a job yet, and upset that it seemed like nothing would work out in my favor.
"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled" -Hebrews 12:15
Oops.
It was hard to see what God had planned for me, hard to see what in the WORLD he wanted me to do, and I really wanted this job! It really stunk to be rejected by so many employers when I came home....often after an interview and and expression of interest in hiring me. Why???
A few weeks later, I got a call from David. I had dropped off a resume at Buon Giorno in a fit of frustration, not even bothering to ask for an application. I had forgotten about it, and was surprised to hear his pleasant British lilt on the phone.."would you be interested in coming in for an interview?"
Yes, please!
Had a great interview, and got hired within the day. Was ecstatic to finally be employed, and could not comprehend what a blessing this job would turn out to be in the following months.
It has now been 3 months since I started at BG, and I am SO THANKFUL for each moment I have there. I love my coworkers, the regulars, and have even made some dear friends in the process. Plus I get paid!
Looking back, I am glad the Lord kept me in that rough patch, that Central Market didn't hire me. I would not have this built-in community, flexible hours, comradery among coworkers, or an awesome boss who says "love ya!" when he leaves.
Alright, Lord, you really do know what you're doing... :)
Do you recognize any bitterness in your life? How do you go about combatting it?
And you always have to work so hard to prevent its weeds from choking out the fruitfulness you've built up.
BITTERNESS.
Felt when things don't work out the way you thought they would, when you feel something happened unfairly, when an area of someone else'slife is going splendidly and you are stuck in a rut.
I've been meaning to write a post about this since March, when I noticed that I had some roots that needed severing.
You see, I had a job interview in February for Central Market in Southlake. I was super excited about this opportunity, did really well in the group interview, and thought my previous experience with HEB would make me a shoe-in. I mean, I have a degree in Nutrition, have eaten foods from around the world, and am super personable and naturally friendly...what's not to love? I fully expected a call back and was gearing up to be a productive member of society that is happily employed.
Nope.
Didn't happen.
No call back, not even an offer to wait until a better position opened up, one that could really use my expertise.
No explanation, either.
What was I missing?
Received a dinky little email saying that they could not hire me at this time.
Annnddddd I was crushed.
Why did they not want me to work for them? What did I do wrong in the interview? After going through this season of confusion, unemployment, and weird transition since getting back from the Race, why had the Lord not been faithful to me? This job would have been perfect! Good location, solid company I love, and a place to use my degree...not to mention a nice discount at a place I already shop.
Mourned the loss and thought I was over it until I did the grocery shopping the following week. I could feel my jaw tightening as I walked through the doors, and thoughts began flooding into my head as I walked around the store.
"what makes you so qualified to work here?"
"I'm still unemployed...what makes you so special that they hired you?"
And when I made eye contact with one of the managers I interviewed with..."you'll regret not hiring me. Why didn't you do it?"
I had to consciously remind myself to calm down because I was getting so worked up --which is very unlike me! I don't usually get angry about things, and it was like a dark cloud settled over me as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. To make matters worse, I saw that one of my fellow interviewees was working at the register.
"really? They hired YOU over ME?"
I left in a huff of frustration, and it revisited for the following trips until I realized what was happening.
I was bitter.
Mad at them for not hiring me, mad at the Lord for not providing a job for me even though I had been trying so hard, mad that I STILL had to tell people I didn't have a job yet, and upset that it seemed like nothing would work out in my favor.
"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled" -Hebrews 12:15
Oops.
It was hard to see what God had planned for me, hard to see what in the WORLD he wanted me to do, and I really wanted this job! It really stunk to be rejected by so many employers when I came home....often after an interview and and expression of interest in hiring me. Why???
A few weeks later, I got a call from David. I had dropped off a resume at Buon Giorno in a fit of frustration, not even bothering to ask for an application. I had forgotten about it, and was surprised to hear his pleasant British lilt on the phone.."would you be interested in coming in for an interview?"
Yes, please!
Had a great interview, and got hired within the day. Was ecstatic to finally be employed, and could not comprehend what a blessing this job would turn out to be in the following months.
It has now been 3 months since I started at BG, and I am SO THANKFUL for each moment I have there. I love my coworkers, the regulars, and have even made some dear friends in the process. Plus I get paid!
Looking back, I am glad the Lord kept me in that rough patch, that Central Market didn't hire me. I would not have this built-in community, flexible hours, comradery among coworkers, or an awesome boss who says "love ya!" when he leaves.
Alright, Lord, you really do know what you're doing... :)
Do you recognize any bitterness in your life? How do you go about combatting it?
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Race Throwback: Friday, May 6, 2011
Cannot comprehend that it is already MAY! The 19th of this month will be the SIX MONTH MARK since landing back in the States. what. not real.
The other day, I was thinking back to our time in Swaziland, and wondered what was going through my head amidst the change of teams and continent. I promise this isn't me living in the past (or is it?); just want to share a more intimate view of what was going on. Didn't do a lot of editing (though it was necessary for you to understand my half-sleepy sentences), but added some blurbs to help you understand the story better. Enjoy!
Friday, May 6, 2011-Swaziland; Hope Rises-- 8:06 pm
We made it! We're in Africa! I didn't write too much about debrief, but it was just what I needed to get me ready for this new, slightly scary continent. I learned (and more Importantly, understood) so much more about the Holy Spirit & got refocused on why we're really here. I kinda lost sight of the fact that we're here only on the Lord's strength, and was refreshed by the rememberance that I don't have to do this on my own power. I had some sweet conversations with people in transit--- with Kerri, Emily, Suzi, Steve, KK, and multiple others. All in all, I got my battery recharged, and was reminded that everything really is in the Lord's hands. There was a a lot of shawarma [like a gyro] eating, ice cream, really great peanut butter [wow, peanut butter was journaled about?? I forgot how important this was...ha], and lots of my muesli combo that I created in Romania [if i remember correctly, this was yogurt + muesli + honey + any fruit that was handy]. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I have a belly now, but I know it will go away soon... Lord please help me with this whole gaining weight/being insecure situation. It's starting to hinder my ability to be selfless and I keep losing my focus because I'm in a pity party for myself. Help me, Father! [it's gone now, PTL! Have lost 15 pounds since returning home :)] Travel has been pretty crazy-- we left Bucharest (the hostel) at 10am on the 4th, boarded the plane at 7:00pm, arrived at Doha at 11:30pm, boarded our next flight at 6:45am, and arrived at the Joburg airport at about 2:30--but don't worry, we didn't get to the hostel until 6pm![ugh. I remember this being a particularly awful four hours of waiting. I was grumps mcgee]. I enjoyed all the movies i got to see-- "The Fighter", "The Next 3 Days", "The Kings Speech", "True Grit" and I watched 3 episodes of "The Middle". [you would journal about movies, too--don't judge] I only slept when we were in the airport, and only ate the plane meals (except for our little hot pocket lunch that didn't fill me up). It was hard the last half of travel because everyone scattered a lot and wasn't communicating well.Got to the hostel at dark, had a bit of a meeting, then headed out with the squad to find something to eat-- ate a spicy wrap @ the mall and met a nicely dressed man from Nigeria, stopped at the convenience store on the way home, showered, and had a team meeting. Slept a few hours, said bye, and slept off & on until we got to Swazi. We went though the whole passport process, then I hunkered down for some prayer journaling-- which was fitting because I forgot about the prayer side of "praying and fasting"-- this was my best fast yet! wish i could have made it all day, but i felt weird refusing food from people who are just meeting you. We got here around 3:30, set up shop, chatted aobut things, picked up some stuff at the store, ate dinner of chicken, veg & rice, had team time where Steve told his story, chilled outside with the stars and had a good chat with KK. We're all in bed before 8:00! Absolutely ridiculous. So far, I am loving this place! The weather is more my comfort, the sun is out, people are friendly, and our contact is SO passionate about what she's doing here. Her name is Corine and she reminds me so much of Theresa [our contact in India] --headstrong, knows what she wants and on fire for the Lord. I'm not totally sure of what we'll be doing specifically ,but i know that whatever we do will be beneficial and glorifying to the Kingdom. I'm so excited!!
So thankful that I'm a detailed journaler so I'll be able to look back and remember random things like what movies I watched on the way to Africa. haha.
May 2011--love those Swazi kids!!
I really do love looking back at these hard, uncertain times and watching how the Lord brought me through it and taught me so much during it. Even though it's trivial and very "surface", gaining weight on the Race was a big trial for me. I had little control on what/how much/when I was eating, plus we were on a tight budget. There came a point when I just had to surrender my body--ugly stretch marks, carb-baby belly, clothes-too-tight and all-- to the Lord. He knew I would have to lean on Him and trust Him, even though I was kicking and screaming throughout the process :) Silly April. Little did you know, it would all be gone soon.
Even remembering how scared I was of Africa is completely laughable now. I had all these awful ideas of being stranded in the middle of nowhere, with our stuff stolen and no way to communicate with the outside world. Plus lions. And angry hippos.
Nope, we were just fine! And those three months contained some of my favorite people and memories along the journey-- I would go back to Africa in a heartbeat!
Hope you enjoyed that glimpse back. Happy May, everyone!
The other day, I was thinking back to our time in Swaziland, and wondered what was going through my head amidst the change of teams and continent. I promise this isn't me living in the past (or is it?); just want to share a more intimate view of what was going on. Didn't do a lot of editing (though it was necessary for you to understand my half-sleepy sentences), but added some blurbs to help you understand the story better. Enjoy!
Friday, May 6, 2011-Swaziland; Hope Rises-- 8:06 pm
We made it! We're in Africa! I didn't write too much about debrief, but it was just what I needed to get me ready for this new, slightly scary continent. I learned (and more Importantly, understood) so much more about the Holy Spirit & got refocused on why we're really here. I kinda lost sight of the fact that we're here only on the Lord's strength, and was refreshed by the rememberance that I don't have to do this on my own power. I had some sweet conversations with people in transit--- with Kerri, Emily, Suzi, Steve, KK, and multiple others. All in all, I got my battery recharged, and was reminded that everything really is in the Lord's hands. There was a a lot of shawarma [like a gyro] eating, ice cream, really great peanut butter [wow, peanut butter was journaled about?? I forgot how important this was...ha], and lots of my muesli combo that I created in Romania [if i remember correctly, this was yogurt + muesli + honey + any fruit that was handy]. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I have a belly now, but I know it will go away soon... Lord please help me with this whole gaining weight/being insecure situation. It's starting to hinder my ability to be selfless and I keep losing my focus because I'm in a pity party for myself. Help me, Father! [it's gone now, PTL! Have lost 15 pounds since returning home :)] Travel has been pretty crazy-- we left Bucharest (the hostel) at 10am on the 4th, boarded the plane at 7:00pm, arrived at Doha at 11:30pm, boarded our next flight at 6:45am, and arrived at the Joburg airport at about 2:30--but don't worry, we didn't get to the hostel until 6pm![ugh. I remember this being a particularly awful four hours of waiting. I was grumps mcgee]. I enjoyed all the movies i got to see-- "The Fighter", "The Next 3 Days", "The Kings Speech", "True Grit" and I watched 3 episodes of "The Middle". [you would journal about movies, too--don't judge] I only slept when we were in the airport, and only ate the plane meals (except for our little hot pocket lunch that didn't fill me up). It was hard the last half of travel because everyone scattered a lot and wasn't communicating well.Got to the hostel at dark, had a bit of a meeting, then headed out with the squad to find something to eat-- ate a spicy wrap @ the mall and met a nicely dressed man from Nigeria, stopped at the convenience store on the way home, showered, and had a team meeting. Slept a few hours, said bye, and slept off & on until we got to Swazi. We went though the whole passport process, then I hunkered down for some prayer journaling-- which was fitting because I forgot about the prayer side of "praying and fasting"-- this was my best fast yet! wish i could have made it all day, but i felt weird refusing food from people who are just meeting you. We got here around 3:30, set up shop, chatted aobut things, picked up some stuff at the store, ate dinner of chicken, veg & rice, had team time where Steve told his story, chilled outside with the stars and had a good chat with KK. We're all in bed before 8:00! Absolutely ridiculous. So far, I am loving this place! The weather is more my comfort, the sun is out, people are friendly, and our contact is SO passionate about what she's doing here. Her name is Corine and she reminds me so much of Theresa [our contact in India] --headstrong, knows what she wants and on fire for the Lord. I'm not totally sure of what we'll be doing specifically ,but i know that whatever we do will be beneficial and glorifying to the Kingdom. I'm so excited!!
So thankful that I'm a detailed journaler so I'll be able to look back and remember random things like what movies I watched on the way to Africa. haha.
I really do love looking back at these hard, uncertain times and watching how the Lord brought me through it and taught me so much during it. Even though it's trivial and very "surface", gaining weight on the Race was a big trial for me. I had little control on what/how much/when I was eating, plus we were on a tight budget. There came a point when I just had to surrender my body--ugly stretch marks, carb-baby belly, clothes-too-tight and all-- to the Lord. He knew I would have to lean on Him and trust Him, even though I was kicking and screaming throughout the process :) Silly April. Little did you know, it would all be gone soon.
Even remembering how scared I was of Africa is completely laughable now. I had all these awful ideas of being stranded in the middle of nowhere, with our stuff stolen and no way to communicate with the outside world. Plus lions. And angry hippos.
Nope, we were just fine! And those three months contained some of my favorite people and memories along the journey-- I would go back to Africa in a heartbeat!
Hope you enjoyed that glimpse back. Happy May, everyone!
May 2012- back to my normal size & adventuring with the Vances in Dallas
Sunday, April 1, 2012
got a job :)
oh hey.
Sorry I really stink at updating, it was easier to update when I had something epic to write about each month (World Race) rather than just the comings and goings of daily life in the "real world".
I got a job! I am currently working at Buon Giorno at their locations in Grapevine and Ft. Worth. So far, I'm not allowed to touch the espresso machine but I know i'll get there one day :)
Imma be real honest and say that I have struggled HARD since coming home from the Race. Like falling back into depression, i don't have any friends or purpose in life, why is no one hiring me struggle. It really stunk.I guess it was to be expected (for me anyway) because of the extreme change of living an exciting life in godly community with amazing, interesting people to moving back to the suburbs with my parents where everyone is white, speaks English, and you don't have to worry about providing your own toilet paper. Those of you who know me well know that change is not always something I can handle with finesse :)
Which is why I am SO THANKFUL for this job. Reasons why:
1-Gives me a purpose. A simple one, but a reason to get up in the morning.
2-Money! excited to be a productive member of society and contribute to the economy
3-I reallllllllly like my coworkers. They will keep me sane in the this plastic-surgeried soccer mom town. And I think they like me. hooray!
4-My boss is British. enough said.
5-I get to sharpen my social skills and manners I kinda lost on the Race. Though so far, I still can't hand anyone back their money in my left hand. That'll be a hard one to break.
6- i get to have super awkward run-ins with people from my high school that i haven't seen in 6 years. SO. WEIRD. but makes the day interesting at least.
7- I am learning to become a coffee connoisseur. Started drinking my coffee black two weeks ago! Really upped my cool factor.
Another big factor to my sanity has been my fave little house church, ComChurch Irving. Which is basically a migration of people from ComChurch College Station that wanted the same authenticity and vision so they started their own church. I am so thankful for a place that I could get plugged in immediately and feel truly "known". Even though we are only 25 or so and I am one of 4 single people, I wouldn't change a thing about it. We even elected a singles pastor last night, based on the fact that Joe is the most social out of all of us. We're getting to be so official.
Even though I have a job now, I still need to figure out how to grow up. So expect more entries soon!
Sorry I really stink at updating, it was easier to update when I had something epic to write about each month (World Race) rather than just the comings and goings of daily life in the "real world".
I got a job! I am currently working at Buon Giorno at their locations in Grapevine and Ft. Worth. So far, I'm not allowed to touch the espresso machine but I know i'll get there one day :)
Imma be real honest and say that I have struggled HARD since coming home from the Race. Like falling back into depression, i don't have any friends or purpose in life, why is no one hiring me struggle. It really stunk.I guess it was to be expected (for me anyway) because of the extreme change of living an exciting life in godly community with amazing, interesting people to moving back to the suburbs with my parents where everyone is white, speaks English, and you don't have to worry about providing your own toilet paper. Those of you who know me well know that change is not always something I can handle with finesse :)
Which is why I am SO THANKFUL for this job. Reasons why:
1-Gives me a purpose. A simple one, but a reason to get up in the morning.
2-Money! excited to be a productive member of society and contribute to the economy
3-I reallllllllly like my coworkers. They will keep me sane in the this plastic-surgeried soccer mom town. And I think they like me. hooray!
4-My boss is British. enough said.
5-I get to sharpen my social skills and manners I kinda lost on the Race. Though so far, I still can't hand anyone back their money in my left hand. That'll be a hard one to break.
6- i get to have super awkward run-ins with people from my high school that i haven't seen in 6 years. SO. WEIRD. but makes the day interesting at least.
7- I am learning to become a coffee connoisseur. Started drinking my coffee black two weeks ago! Really upped my cool factor.
Another big factor to my sanity has been my fave little house church, ComChurch Irving. Which is basically a migration of people from ComChurch College Station that wanted the same authenticity and vision so they started their own church. I am so thankful for a place that I could get plugged in immediately and feel truly "known". Even though we are only 25 or so and I am one of 4 single people, I wouldn't change a thing about it. We even elected a singles pastor last night, based on the fact that Joe is the most social out of all of us. We're getting to be so official.
Even though I have a job now, I still need to figure out how to grow up. So expect more entries soon!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
TJ question: "What do i want to be known for? What kind of legacy do I want to leave?
Answers:
-Be known as someone who is kind to others; one who freely gives and is never stingy
-I want to be known as someone who fights against injustice
-I don't want money to rule over everything
-I want to be a good steward of my time, body, money, things, talents & energy
-I want to be known as someone who does not let things "slide by" when they need to be addressed
-To be someone who apologizes for her mistakes
-One who doesn't let pride get tin the way
-Loving those that live in the margins--homeless, orphans, widows, LGBT community, disabled
-Be a person that really cares
-Be known as someone who is kind to others; one who freely gives and is never stingy
-I want to be known as someone who fights against injustice
-I don't want money to rule over everything
-I want to be a good steward of my time, body, money, things, talents & energy
-I want to be known as someone who does not let things "slide by" when they need to be addressed
-To be someone who apologizes for her mistakes
-One who doesn't let pride get tin the way
-Loving those that live in the margins--homeless, orphans, widows, LGBT community, disabled
-Be a person that really cares
Thursday, February 16, 2012
update & TJ entries
Sorry for the hiatus. An outline of my past month:
-Finished my doula workshop and I'm pumped about getting started...but how do I get clients? I've been contacting acquaintances on Facebook that are pregnant and being super awkward about asking them but that doesn't seem to be working :) Let me know if anyone is in the market for a doula!
-Made a 92 on my developmental psych test. BOOM
-Got an iPhone. mildly obsessed. And don't worry, yes, I did drop it on the first day. what else do you expect? (no worries, just a small crack)
-Went two-stepping with people from many of my circles (sky ranch, A&M, world race, high school) at Red River in Dallas. Very fun.
-Still in the midst of applying for jobs and going to some interviews.
-Officially started going to ComChurch Irving! Love it.
-Visited Roots. hooray for a cool place to get coffee!
-Joined a gym that I'm loving so far. Took a boot camp class yesterday that kicked my butt.
-Read Twelve Clean Pages. You need to read this book!
And now...my Transition Journal
I found this awesome journal at the night market in Chiang Mai.
A simple book of stapled pages that looked interesting, though I already had a gargantuan journal to fill my thoughts with. So, I brainstormed about what to use it for. I knew that the Race was quickly coming to an end, yet I had no idea what I was going to do next. It was month 8, we were about to attend our "Re-entry Debrief" where they would help us with our next steps, and I didn't have a CLUE. I decided that I would write a question at the top of each page and then try my best to fill the pages with answers. I wrote questions like "What do I want to learn more about?", "How do I want to handle my money?" and "What kind of legacy do I want to leave?"
It is now halfway full of words and ideas about the person I want to be, and I have decided to share it on this blog. I will try to keep the editing to a minimum so you can get the full effect, but it is the Internet! I'll share my first entry later today.
Hope you have a great February 16th! (Anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol)
-Finished my doula workshop and I'm pumped about getting started...but how do I get clients? I've been contacting acquaintances on Facebook that are pregnant and being super awkward about asking them but that doesn't seem to be working :) Let me know if anyone is in the market for a doula!
-Made a 92 on my developmental psych test. BOOM
-Got an iPhone. mildly obsessed. And don't worry, yes, I did drop it on the first day. what else do you expect? (no worries, just a small crack)
-Went two-stepping with people from many of my circles (sky ranch, A&M, world race, high school) at Red River in Dallas. Very fun.
-Still in the midst of applying for jobs and going to some interviews.
-Officially started going to ComChurch Irving! Love it.
-Visited Roots. hooray for a cool place to get coffee!
-Joined a gym that I'm loving so far. Took a boot camp class yesterday that kicked my butt.
-Read Twelve Clean Pages. You need to read this book!
And now...my Transition Journal
I found this awesome journal at the night market in Chiang Mai.
A simple book of stapled pages that looked interesting, though I already had a gargantuan journal to fill my thoughts with. So, I brainstormed about what to use it for. I knew that the Race was quickly coming to an end, yet I had no idea what I was going to do next. It was month 8, we were about to attend our "Re-entry Debrief" where they would help us with our next steps, and I didn't have a CLUE. I decided that I would write a question at the top of each page and then try my best to fill the pages with answers. I wrote questions like "What do I want to learn more about?", "How do I want to handle my money?" and "What kind of legacy do I want to leave?"
It is now halfway full of words and ideas about the person I want to be, and I have decided to share it on this blog. I will try to keep the editing to a minimum so you can get the full effect, but it is the Internet! I'll share my first entry later today.
Hope you have a great February 16th! (Anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Searchlight
When we were nearing the end of our Race around October, we were all contacted by the Kingdom Dreams staff at AIM and told about a *free* conference that would be held in January to help us with our next steps. Personally, I was super pumped. I love free things, knew I didn't have a clear answer for what was going to happen after the Race, I would finally get to see what's so great about Gainesville, and it's a built-in squad reunion! Why wouldn't I sign up? Some of my squadmates took a little convincing, but I jumped on the boat back when they falsely advertised they would only take 40 participants and registration would end in a week (good marketing strategy, guys).
Here's how I defined it in my final evaluation:
An extremely beneficial week that will help you navigate your next step by providing counsel, encouragement, and options for your post-Race life.
Carrie and I re-enacted our first trip to Georgia (October 2010), though our route was slightly altered. Started on Thursday in DFW, drove to Holly Springs, MS to pick up Rachael, then finally ended in Tuscaloosa to stay at the Springer's house. We were greeted with big bowls of chili, glasses of wine, & very interesting cats, as well as a notable suitcase/steep driveway situation that showed how road-weary I'd become.
On Friday we drove the final leg of the journey and had our squad party! What a wonderful feeling to walk into a house of the people who loved you so well during the past year...who know everything about you and still manage to like you. Thank you Barnes family for being the best hosts ever and for putting all other WR coaches to shame :)
The following 6 days were a whirlwind of sessions, silly games & contests, intimate worship, making big decisions, and receiving coaching and advice from some wise, kinda famous people including Andrew Sherman, Seth Barnes Jr. & Sr., Jimmy McCarty (did you know he's into musicals?), & Jeff Goins, to name a few. Although sometimes it felt like school and I had trouble paying attention with my missionary-mush brain, I was so blessed by every aspect of the week.
The most beneficial time for me was the coaching-- a two hour slot designed to help apply what you learned that day to tangible "steps", with help from a coach. My coach was Chris, a minor league baseball player (see, more famous people. Gainesville is crawling with celebs) that has a passion for helping others find their dreams. Even though there were times when things got tedious and you just didn't think you could answer one more question about the future, I loved going away with so many practical ways to help my dream pan out.
Besides helping me find my dream and figure out the next steps, it helped to be with other people that were in the same boat. In the six weeks of being home I really started worrying that I didn't have my stuff together and "everyone else did"-- it helped to show me that everyone was as clueless as I was. Not to mention... we had some awesome fellowship throughout the week. There were coffee dates, glow stick parties, reminiscing, sleepovers, and a great night of karaoke & dancing. Guess who got the MVP award for best dancing (or sweating? don't remember)? THIS GIRL! $5 starbucks gift card never felt so good.
All in all, my favorite week back in America so far! That's right folks, better than Christmas.
oh, and my decision?
i'm gonna be a DOULA!!!!
my 3-day seminar starts tomorrow and I could not be more excited. Pray for me as I begin this journey!
some visuals:
Photo creds: Carrie & Phil's iPhones. they're too cool for school.
oh, and shout out to the Goodes for being the best host home EVER!
Here's how I defined it in my final evaluation:
An extremely beneficial week that will help you navigate your next step by providing counsel, encouragement, and options for your post-Race life.
Carrie and I re-enacted our first trip to Georgia (October 2010), though our route was slightly altered. Started on Thursday in DFW, drove to Holly Springs, MS to pick up Rachael, then finally ended in Tuscaloosa to stay at the Springer's house. We were greeted with big bowls of chili, glasses of wine, & very interesting cats, as well as a notable suitcase/steep driveway situation that showed how road-weary I'd become.
On Friday we drove the final leg of the journey and had our squad party! What a wonderful feeling to walk into a house of the people who loved you so well during the past year...who know everything about you and still manage to like you. Thank you Barnes family for being the best hosts ever and for putting all other WR coaches to shame :)
The following 6 days were a whirlwind of sessions, silly games & contests, intimate worship, making big decisions, and receiving coaching and advice from some wise, kinda famous people including Andrew Sherman, Seth Barnes Jr. & Sr., Jimmy McCarty (did you know he's into musicals?), & Jeff Goins, to name a few. Although sometimes it felt like school and I had trouble paying attention with my missionary-mush brain, I was so blessed by every aspect of the week.
The most beneficial time for me was the coaching-- a two hour slot designed to help apply what you learned that day to tangible "steps", with help from a coach. My coach was Chris, a minor league baseball player (see, more famous people. Gainesville is crawling with celebs) that has a passion for helping others find their dreams. Even though there were times when things got tedious and you just didn't think you could answer one more question about the future, I loved going away with so many practical ways to help my dream pan out.
Besides helping me find my dream and figure out the next steps, it helped to be with other people that were in the same boat. In the six weeks of being home I really started worrying that I didn't have my stuff together and "everyone else did"-- it helped to show me that everyone was as clueless as I was. Not to mention... we had some awesome fellowship throughout the week. There were coffee dates, glow stick parties, reminiscing, sleepovers, and a great night of karaoke & dancing. Guess who got the MVP award for best dancing (or sweating? don't remember)? THIS GIRL! $5 starbucks gift card never felt so good.
All in all, my favorite week back in America so far! That's right folks, better than Christmas.
oh, and my decision?
i'm gonna be a DOULA!!!!
my 3-day seminar starts tomorrow and I could not be more excited. Pray for me as I begin this journey!
some visuals:
 | ||
| See? Best sweat-er by far. I got #wrcouplewatch'ed |
 |
| Just a bunch of Aggie World Racers! The best looking group in the room. And smartest. |
 |
| King Cake for breakfast after our stop in New Orleans |
Photo creds: Carrie & Phil's iPhones. they're too cool for school.
oh, and shout out to the Goodes for being the best host home EVER!
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