Living in Trust.

Trusting God in all things requires that we give up control to make things happen for ourselves. I don't know about you, but I tend to strive for change and constantly question myself on my path in life. "Am I making a difference? Is this the right career path? How can I help more people on a daily basis? When am I going to meet someone? Should I extend my lease? Is this where I want to live? Maybe I should get a dog?..". The list goes on and on :)

Lately, I've been reflecting on life and just trying to figure it out but in doing so I've realized that God's plan for us is not to figure out our "path" so to speak, but to trust Him to lead us to it. We don't have to strive to find the answers, we need to live by trusting God. Have you ever noticed when you want something really bad and you try so hard to make it happen, only to find it wasn't what you thought it would be? Or you strive to go down a path you believe is best for you, but you constantly feel like you're pushing and pushing but nothing is happening? You can try to make things happen for yourself or you can believe God to make it happen for you.  Let His will be done, not yours. It's a peaceful experience when you finally let go of what you think if best for you and trust God to take care of you. It's not easy to give up control, but you'll feel better when you do. I know I did :)

Do you want to live wondering when/why/how things are going to happen or do you want to walk in peace knowing God will carry you through?
 
The choice is yours.

First World Problems.

In the summer time I LOVE to eat peaches. In fact, I love eating peaches year round. It's my favorite fruit. :) So last week I decided to buy a couple peaches from Whole Foods. I was so excited for them to ripen. One day during my lunch break, I went into the break room to grab my peach. As I went to take a bite, I immediately realized I had bit into a peach that was a little mushy and lacked flavor.  Seeing my facial expression, a coworker asked what the problem was. I told how much I loved peaches but was dismayed to have picked a bad one. "Ah, first world problems" he said. And it was with that comment that I realized how many people in third world countries would LOVE to have any peach. So I decided to eat that mushy peach and be thankful for the privilege to even be able to purchase it. As the week went on, I decided to make a conscious effort to see my circumstances from a third world view. Through this, I realized there is a lot to be thankful for. Sometimes you just need to step back to see how blessed you really are.

The Things People Ask Me. #IWEARABRACE

These are just a few of the common questions people ask me on a daily basis. After three years of some type of brace and six months of wearing the IDEO device, I'm pretty used to it now :)

THINGS PEOPLE ASK.

Did you kick someone? Can't even tell you how many older men have asked me this.

How much longer in that? A LONG TIME. :) 

What happened to your leg?

Excuse me, what is that on your leg?

You're still wearing that? YES. 

What branch of service were you in?

Did you twist your ankle? Honestly, does this look like I just twisted my ankle? 

Let me carry that for you. No it's okay, really I'm good! 

Do you need to sit down?

OUCH, that looks like it hurts.

What? You have to wear that forever?

Why is one shoe bigger than the other? Why do you think? 

You look like the bionic woman. Umm.. thanks I think? 

Is that a prosthetic?

Do you have a handicapped sticker?

Did you tear your ACL?   

Were you a soccer player?

Mommy, what happened to that girl? 

Are you okay? Yes...

Do you shower in that? Do you sleep in that? Can you get it wet? Do you have to wear it all the time? Do you wash it? Do you have to wear that sock?

Rollerderby accident? REALLY?

All in all, I really don't mind being asked these questions. I honestly like talking to people and am happy to share my story but sometimes I get a kick out of the questions people think to ask. I've learned in these last few years that people are very inquisitive and they mean well. My only advice is next time you see someone in a brace, wheelchair, whatever it is - just stop and think before you ask, because sometimes they just want to fit in too ;)

A Time for Everything.

The other day I drove by a building being demolished.  Now I realize this is something that happens quite frequently - buildings get torn down all the time.  But for some reason, seeing this building knocked down before me hit me hard.  I'd like to point out there was nothing particularly special about this building and being new to the town I couldn't even tell you what was there before - I just knew I had seen it.  However, seeing the rubble amongst the concrete and bulldozers tearing down everything that once stood tall, I thought to myself - This is life. When we are willing to let go of our plans, God can start His. 

God tears us down in order to rebuild us again. There is a season and a time for everything.  A time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh.  Life is full of moments as simple as this where when we truly take a look at our lives, we can see that God is at work.

Soon, where this rubble lay, a new structure will stand tall.  Just like the building, God takes our many pieces and molds us into the person He wants us to be.  Trust in His plan and take heart knowing there is a season for everything.  In order to grow, we must first be willing to let go of our plans and let God make his :)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV)

moms are awesome.

My mom is pretty special. This is a short shout out to my mom for standing by me through thick and thin and for loving me for all that I am. Thank you mom, for being you and for making me into the person I am today. You've watched all my soccer games, taken care of all my injuries (sorry...!), traveled the country with me in search for a solution for my ankle injury, and you never left my side. You always put others before yourself.

A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. — Tenneva Jordan

Take time to thank your mom this week. Moms are special :)

Storybook Called Life.

When I was a kid, my grandfather was a preacher
He'd talk about love, yeah he was something like a teacher
He said God only helps those
Who learn to help themselves
He was a million miles from a million dollars
But you can never spend his wealth

Pandora picked this song for me on Monday and I must have literally “YouTube’d” it more than 10x in the last week. It’s called Preacher by OneRepublic. I think there are some songs that speak to your heart and this is one of those to me. 

I had an epiphany and I think part of it came after replaying “Preacher” over and over throughout the past week :) All of a sudden it sunk in how much I have been through in the last three years and I started to get this feeling that I was invincible - like if I can go through all of this, there’s nothing I cannot do. I’ve literally been to the bottom and back again. And then it hit me… It’s not because of MY strength or personal fortitude that I made it through this – it’s because of God and HIS strength. I truly believe that God helps those who help themselves but it’s through trials that we grow stronger in our faith and relationship with Him – not by our own doing but by His. In our weakness He is strong. Adversity is a teacher and in going through trials you may not be able to see how much you are growing but looking back it’s amazing and truly a gift to see how far you’ve come and what you have learned about yourself and your faith along the way. I was literally beaming with joy thinking how much this experience has strengthened and developed my relationship with Christ and confidence to take whatever life throws at me, knowing He is in control.
 
As one of the verses says, “He was a million miles from a million dollars, but you can never spend his wealth.” – I may have been through some really difficult experiences but I can’t put a price on what I have learned in my walk during this time.  It’s the storybook called life.

I’ll leave with a quote that I came across this week:

"At any given moment, you have the power to say: This is not how the story is going to end." ~Christine Mason Miller

Never lose your faith and never give up. Let God write your story by staying in faith and following your heart. Things will happen in life but it’s up to you to decide how you will respond. We can’t always see how the story will end but we can stay in faith knowing who has the pen :)

you can learn a lot in one week.

1. Don't pick up 1-866 numbers, I promise it's not someone you know on the other line. When someone tells you that you've won a car - you did not win a car. There is no such thing as a free car.

2. People die at casino's all the time. Sadly enough, do not be surprised if you see someone have a heart attack playing the slots - EMT's are there on site and within 15 minutes someone new will be sitting at the same slot machine. If going to Vegas, brush up on your CPR skills so that you can help too.

3. If a cab driver tells you he has to take the back roads to get you to the airport and he hands you a slip of paper with his personal email address, get out. If something feels off, it probably is.

4. Do not make eye contact with homeless people. As much as you want to be nice to them, some of them are crazy. To that note, do not look back at someone who you know is staring at you. Just keep walking. They want you to look back - but don't show them that you are scared. If you run into the same crazy person again, RUN. If they then tell you they want to kill you- call the police.

6. If someone asks if they can try to heal you in the grocery store, politely smile and walk away quickly.

7. Pump your brakes when driving on the snow... do not hold the brake pedal down to stop.

8. Not all fire alarms sound the same. Just because it doesn't sound like the normal fire alarm - you should probably still evacuate!

9. Sometimes we just need to stop and be aware of how blessed we really are.

10. Trust that he'll lead you where he needs you :)

Laugh Often. Seek Joy. Have Faith.

Since receiving my IDEO brace in November, my life has changed dramatically. If I look at where I was this time two years ago, or even a year ago, you would notice a huge difference in the activities that I am able to do. I've gone from being able to barely walk around the grocery store to sprinting up bleachers during my lunch break. In every sense of the way, I've gotten my life back. I have learned so much from this experience (& still am) seeing the ways God has made me stronger for what I have been through.

One of the lessons I've come to learn is that no matter what you are facing you really have to find a way to laugh everyday. I am always thanking God for the gift of optimism and cheerfulness he put in my heart. I tend to see the glass as half full (not to say I'm 100% optimistic but I'm pretty close to that!) and it's very much a true blessing to see the world in this way. I think one of the keys to staying so positive is making sure that you laugh everyday. Even during the hard times in life, when things don't seem to be going your way, you have to stay in faith and find something good in everyday.

Look at life with an open heart and ask God to show you how to help others around you so together we can live in Christ's joy and strength. Just as there are ways to make a difference in the world by helping others, there are ways to bring happiness by spreading your smile. Help people to laugh and you will laugh too. Seek joy in trying circumstances and never lose your faith. When you start to see the humor God puts on your daily path, you will know what I mean :)

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11