Well first off, January 11th I was let go from my part time gig at Target (which I hated) so I was joyous to receive the notice, I love Target, I just couldn't work retail for much longer! So I was checking out a few jobs with Hallmark, Pier 1 Imports, some Social Work jobs, but was having no luck. So needless to say I was burnt out of interviewing, getting rejected, and ONLINE applications, resumes, cover letters. Let me put it this way, me, by myself for hours, at a time, or even at Starbucks with all of that does not make for a happy Heather. I am a Woo of course, if ya'll haven't taken the Strengths Finder you should, Woo is W.O.O. winning others over. So a piece of paper is not necessarily my route of winning someone over. It gets draining, sure it leaves some risk left untouched, but it's just not good for me.
So anyways through a crazy situation I get a photography interview, Hallmark interview, then I also got a Social Work interview working with homeless, closer to the city. Well needless to say I got rejected from my dream job because of my lack of experience, and I cried out to God, I WAS READY. I was ready to do that, and yet you do not open that door, it does not make any sense. So I went to Hallmark still trying to hold my head up, and I liked it there, but I was like, I went to college for this, God if this is what I will do, sure. I'll do it. Then the photography job I interviewed was great, good pay, great people I already knew, great schedule! But I had to let it go because I had a short time span to let them know if I was interested after the interview, so I let it go to wait on the Case Manager Position with the homeless, that I ended up getting rejected from. So there I was, Hallmark, then in the middle of the week after turning down the photography job, I get a text from a girl I know saying something about a job at a daycare/preschool. Ha! I was like about that, I have never EVER pictured myself there, I mean I have done Children's Church, camp counseling, Sunday School Teacher, Discipleship Leader, but Preschool Teacher, I was ready to help HOMELESS men, God I think you got this mixed up, REALLY!
Well after prayer, hearing more about how the job is working with broken families, and I was like ok, Social Work could come into play! So I prayed, and I started to feel God lead me to be a Preschool Teacher. WOW. Totally not what I would have EVER expected. But here I am a month into the job, loving the PATIENCE. Loving my kids, loving learning new things and how to deal with kids and different age groups, different backgrounds, family situations, and just loving and having fun with these kids, they seriously are the funniest little ones ever! I get to decorate my room, Owl & Chameleons! It's so fun! I'm really starting to enjoy it. The people I work with understand me, communicate well, and I just love it!
Then my ministry at my home church is picking up! I felt like God gave me this idea one day when driving home like I was supposed to start a life group/hang out group for the teenagers in my church (midde/high school) so I acted on that, so pretty soon Revampin' Life Remixed will kick off soon on Wednesdays! So excited to just hang out with youth, and just talk about the challenges and the beautiful treasures of this life with God.
Then I'm beginning the planning for the Undone "Outreach Ministry" it is a worship/prayer night bringing together Christians from around the Lake County area together, all ages, to worship together, there are messages/testimonies, God's Holy Spirit. It's a worship band, prayer team, and just a lot of fun! I've been doing that for 3 years, and this will be my fourth and I can't wait to see what God is going to do with it!
Then my favorite (well all of them are but this is Social Work related) Social Justice Class that meets Sunday morning is rocking with new people coming, people stepping out of their comfort zone, challenging what they think. Talking about hard things, it is beautiful! We had our first event, which the events are called "Put Love In Action" and so far we've focused on reaching the homeless in the city of Chicago, we took the train down, put together backpacks, prayed, talked, and just ministered to people God pointed us towards, it was such a beautiful day, cold January, but exactly what God had planned! So in May we are doing our second one to the city, and it's going to be so great, and we hope more will come and to step out in faith and love on God's people where they are at, and stepping out of our comfort zones and loving the unlovable, the unreachable, and just seriously looking at someone in the eyes who maybe never receives that and people completely reject them from society! I love this class, we are growing, stepping, and just trying to be Jesus' hands and feet!
Another beautiful thing is I have a new best friend/boyfriend! His name is Alvaro we met at Christmas time and have been together now for 3 months! He loves God and he is a super awesome man of God! He helps me through hard things in life, and also helps me to enjoy life to the fullest as well. So a little insider, story. I am a lover of Jesus, who loves Starbucks coffee, and likes to eat, less than before, but I LOVE TO EAT. So my wonderful boyfriend not only encourages me in the Lord but also challenges me to be a better person, to drink more water, to pursue God more, to eat healthier, he wants to become a Vegetarian, I said hey, that's ok for you, but this girl, she needs her meat. But anyways so pretty soon here we are going to fast for 3 days, food, facebook, books (only reading the Bible), and coffee! Not only that but a week after this fast, I am fasting just coffee! But there is a Starbucks gift card if I actually accomplish it! I mean come on! My birthday was just recently and I turned 23, but anyways (I don't want to talk about getting old) I got like 5 Starbucks gift cards? I can't waste those ;)
But he is truly a new blessing in my life from adventures together, to just talking, going to church together, talking about God. He loves music, dancing, talking, helping others, he is Mexican, and he knows how to cook! The first time I cooked in front of him, I burned a tiny bit of sticky rice, needless to say he laughed, but don't worry I redeemed myself later! It is a treasure to have a wonderful boyfriend who respects me, loves me as I am, and also helps me to become better and challenges me, although the coffee thing is ... well, we'll see, hahaha! But I am truly overjoyed to share my life with someone :)
As for now, I am completely at peace with God where I am at. He has given me purpose again, He has showed me a clear path. He is holding me up, and gives me strength daily. Because of course, there are always issues happening whether with people, or just the mind, but God can overcome it all!
I have finally learned to rest in where God has placed me, and to trust Him with finances, relationships, life, jobs, friendships, family, and I think I'll be learning things until the day I die about all of those, but I have an overwhelming peace that calms my Spirit, to rest in the Lord is one of the best things in life. So let me share with you two verses, that can relate to any season! These both have helped me endure trials, given me peace, and a focus to where I'm going :)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1
This verse reminds me that what God has called you to is number one. It might even take ridding yourself of relationships that are unhealthy in your life, but in the end God holds you, tightly in the palm of His hand. It's one of the hardest yet most rewarding things you can do :)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5
This has a lot of meat in it, but the biggest thing I pulled out through my own experience is trials, they will come in all shapes and sizes, but who are you surrendering it to? God? Your friends? Your job? Holding it inside? I love that through my trials God builds my strength through it, He holds me tight, and He never fails me. Through Him even the hardest things become BEAUTIFUL. I cut off a very dear relationship to my heart, because it had been years of unhealthy building, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. But in the end God has blessed it, my life has been blessed over abundantly! God knows everything we are going through, even before we know! He sees the actions you will take!
So now where am I at, resting in the call of God, His purpose, His plan, His love, His peace. It is one of the best places I've ever been, worry is being freed from my life, and I can enjoy life to the fullest!
To me, this year, I've said before is a year of celebration. The beautiful things are God and me being solid for around 19 years of my life, my new full time job as a Preschool Teacher, my church ministry, my new best friend/boyfriend, my best friends Karen & her fiance Todd, and just where God is leading me and having His peace and trusting everything is for His plan, His call, His heart for my life, because He's had a big, grand plan even before I was born, 23 years ago.
I can tell you from trials, from joy, from sadness, from anger, from confusion, from chaos, that God is faithful through it all, He has a plan for you, and a life that is even better than your dreams :)
This is a picture of Alvaro (far left)(my boyfriend), Todd, Karen, and I
at their wedding :)
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