The Tides Are Changing

My whole life has consisted of seasons of ebb and flow. Mountain tops and valleys. High tides and low. I have seen times of great growth through hard trials and times of peaceful rest. All of the seasons I've encountered have stretched me, strengthened me, and taught me more about myself and the Lord. But my life isn't finished, and as I'm beginning this 32nd year I am expectant for whatever seasons the Lord will bring!

And with that being said... I have some exciting news!

Last year, in January of 2018, I attended a conference. At this conference the Lord began stirring my heart and speaking to me about transition coming. I didn't have many details but I did have trust and hope that He is good and His plans for me are good! My best friend also heard from the Lord that same night about transition coming and that was confirming for me. With no timeline in sight all I could do was walk in faith and be ready to obey when the time came.

Throughout the months there were moments when I questioned whether this was the moment for transition but every time I asked the Lord I would feel no peace in my heart. I won't lie, there were times of discouragement, doubt, and lack of faith. But the Father is faithful to meet us in those moments and helps us realign our gaze on Him, and out of that alignment comes trust.

As the months passed and November quickly approached I began preparing for my trip to South Africa. I was very focused on everything that needed doing before I left that I found myself getting lost in the busyness and recognized the need to spend time preparing my heart as well. It was in one of these moments of prayer that I heard the still soft reminder of the Lord that transition was near and for me to be ready. Still with no clear direction of what that meant, I had to trust... and so trusting I continued to do.

I left for South Africa and within the first few days the Lord began reminding me of areas of ministry that I love and stirring areas of my heart that had been closed up for a while. After a week of traveling, in a moment on a patio, the Lord said it was time for movement. It felt like a very dynamic moment that I needed to treasure and process through with the Lord, and so I did not share what was happening with anyone around me. 

When I got home I began to fast and pray (after struggling with some nasty sinus infection and terrible jet lag that seemed never ending). In the midst of that time of praying I had a dream that a woman I admire was telling me it was time to move and to get ready. When I woke up I got in the word, and everything I read was speaking peace to my heart. So I asked those closest to me to pray and believe with me. And I knew that this was the moment of transition the Lord had been preparing me for... 

I am going to be leaving California... and moving back to Tennessee!

Everything from that moment on has been a whirlwind. But I am so excited about what God is doing. I am excited for every opportunity He is bringing and every open door He will fling wide. I am thankful for every bit of confirmation He's given me even when He had confirmed it so many times prior. He used friends and family to speak to me, confirm what He had spoken to me, pray for me, and simply listen to me process through what the Lord was saying. And because of all that has happened in this process I am excited I can make this announcement with the confidence that this is the Lord's doing and workmanship.

There are still many questions to be answered, things to organize, and trust to be had... but one day at a time, one step of faith at a time, and with every ounce of obedience I can give, I will see this transition happen with praise in my heart. 

My mom and I will be traveling to the Nashville area in April to find a place for me to live and begin the biggest preparations. Once I have an official place to live I will know when my move date will be. Until then, please pray with me. This isn't going to be a "small, might come back home in a few months" kind of move... this is a "pack up everything, start a new life" kind of move. And that can be overwhelming, tiring, expensive, and emotional. So your prayers will be appreciated and cherished.

I would also like to take these last few months that I'll be living in California to spend time with those of you who have played such an important roll in my life over that last 11 years of living back home. You experienced some of my biggest growing seasons with me and you all hold special places in my heart. Reminisce with me, but also let's celebrate the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord.

Here's to 2019, my 32nd year of life, and all that is to come. The tides are changing, and I am jumping in full force!

Small Adjustments!

It has been several months since I found myself sitting in a church hearing a Pastor speak a word that was directly for me. "Small Adjustments" I would hear him say over and over again. And each time he would speak it I could feel the words settling deeper in my spirit. It was a word meant for right then... and yet all these months later, it's still permeating my heart.

Most who know me will tell you I tend to be an all or nothing, overly passionate, black and white, make a decision kind of woman. Because of that, when I do anything, I seek results. I want to see fruit come out of whatever I have decided to think, feel, say, or do. This is not a negative part of me, in fact most of the time it's important. But as I'm learning more about myself and the Lord, I'm learning that every season, situation, and lesson requires a little something different... sometimes it requires small, simple strides forward instead of large leaps and bounds.

With the new year having just begun, I am being reminded of the importance of this thought. As I watch friends and family setting their resolutions, and goals and as I process through my own goals, I can hear the Spirit reminding me: "small adjustments, one step at a time." I love how the Lord uses things in our lives that we didn't even realize were lessons to teach us things that will bring great change.

I have consistently been going to a chiropractor for over a year now. Throughout that time I have learned a lot about the chiropractic process. One big take away has been: when my ankle is out of alignment it will effect my knee, which in turn will have an effect of my hip, and that will then cause my whole back/spine to be out of sorts. One small thing, one minor misalignment can cause your whole body to feel and act wonky. But, with consistency in recognizing the misaligned parts and dedication to bringing them back in to alignment, you can avoid the mess of your whole body becoming misaligned.

And the same goes for your spirit, heart, & mind.

When we are experiencing issues in our lives, it can always be traced back to a misalignment. Sometimes it can be the result of poor choices, sometimes it can be passed down generationally, and sometimes it can even be things we won't let go of. (In fact as I'm writing this, I feel like someone reading needs to forgive a prominent person in their life. If that's you, please don't wait to ask the Lord to help you choose forgiveness.) There is always a root that needs dealing with in order to find yourself aligned... and sometimes the best way to address it is with a small, consistent adjustments to your life.

If we go back to what I mentioned about myself a few paragraphs ago, you can probably guess why this has been an ongoing lesson in my life. When I see something in me that is not right, or not functioning the way it should, I am always quick to want complete resolution and freedom immediately. This, wherein lies the problem. And this is where the small adjustments come in to play.

Say I tried to cold-turkey uproot, realign, heal, and solve every issue in my heart all at one time... that would be a lot, too much to handle. As a fallible and very imperfect human being, I would most certainly become a crazy person going through all of that at one time. I would not learn any lessons from the process; And I would not get the chance to recognize the testimony of God's hand working in my life. BUT, if I patiently and consistently allowed the Lord to work on me bit by bit, I know the outcome would be sweeter and more beneficial to me as a whole person.

I am thankful that the Lord is teaching me how to be a better me through this lesson. I am thankful that I am learning that it's not failure for a process to start small and inch it's way forward... progress is progress. It is ok for me to trust and obey when the Lord asks me to make small adjustments. And it is beneficial to my spirit, heart, and mind to take my time in growing and stretching. My whole being benefits from the small adjustments, one step at a time.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed by the resolutions and goals you've set for this year, I want to encourage you: don't rush the process and miss all you could gain from within it. And please, please don't let yourself be discouraged when the progress seems to be at a crawl. As long as you're moving forward you are in a good place. Lastly, trust the Lord... He knows best what tweaks and twirks you need to be the best you. May you be ever encouraged by His small adjustments in your life.