november was good to me

Jessi over at Naptime Diaries creates these beautiful monthly bundles for only five dollars each! They are my little treat to keep myself organized and what better way than to do it in style! She includes a screen saver for your phone. November's lock screen was this:

I took this photo November first knowing it was going to be a great month. 

A month of fresh starts, new adventures, my golden birthday, Thanksgiving and so much more.

Back in August, Brandon and I accepted a new position as youth directors of a community center as well as a youth pastoral position for a church we had attended while in college. This brought about lots of changes. In September we moved to a new city, joined a new church, met new neighbors, formed a new community, purchased a new home and so much more. While all of this was occurring, I was still working full time at my other job. As things progressed in our new position, it was evident that I needed to have a more flexible schedule in order to be there for Brandon in this new journey. We prayed, talked with family, friends, our employers, prayed some more and decided in November that I would go part time at State Farm. 

Y'all... this was so freeing. So refreshing. For so long I have shared my heart in regards to my job. It was a source of income for us, a needed income while Brandon was finishing school and only working summers. And during that time it was good. But after a while I began to feel stuck. I wasn't happy and I didn't understand how God was using me there. I knew he was though and that was what kept me going in the tough moments. As the months progressed one email we received opened up doors and a new full-time job for Brandon and allowed him to continue school. So November 1st was my last day full-time and November 4th started my first day part-time.

November also brought the celebration of another year of life for me. I celebrated my 26th birthday. This birthday was special though because it was my golden birthday. 26 on the 26th. We celebrated in gold and made memories with friends. It was so wonderful. And a two weeks before the party, I decided I wanted to build a fireplace.. go ahead, call me crazy. Now it's almost finished, it looks amazing. I can't wait to decorate for the Christmas holiday!

The day after my birthday celebration, we woke up super early and cheered our amazing friends on in their Turkey Trot race. This was Dave's first race since his accident! What an honor and blessing to watch the Lord grow, change and heal him from the inside out. So super proud of my miracle friend.

Then a few days later we enjoyed Thanksgiving with Brandon's family. A refreshing break from the busyness of life and work and taking time to invest in relationships. And a little Black Friday shopping never hurts.

So as you see.. November was a great month. I'm expecting the same for December.

Who's ready for an awesome December?

when i doubted.

source
i considered this current season as one of uncertainty.. one of struggle. honestly, i didn't think this season would ever end. it's been a long and trying journey, friends. and on august first we are going to embark on a new one.
we're about to enter into a whole new world in a couple days. a world we've never explored, but yet one we've been dreaming of for years. i would say at this point we are a crazy ball of emotions - excited, nervous, honored, saddened, joyful, overwhelmed, anxious.. and the list goes on. we're experiencing both the bitter and the sweet.
i've been absent online and off. it's been refreshing and the lord has been doing a lot of revealing to brandon and myself. we know the lord is calling us into ministry. the only things we didn't know was the when and where. over these past few months he has been revealing his timing and location for us. i recently wrote about wanting to go where the lord leads and he's led us to an amazing opportunity. this opportunity is one that i processed privately and kept quiet. the pages of my journal have the words from my heart. through god's revealing of what the next season looks like for us, he has been refining my heart and drawing me closer to him. he's been showing me those areas that i haven't trusted him. the areas i've doubted his calling on our lives. he's revealed and opened rawness in my heart that i've kept closed off from him, from brandon, from myself. and it's time i surrender them. again. will you hold me accountable?