Three Words

                                                                Larry Muller "Little Papa"
                                                     
          Do you ever have those days where years ago seems like yesterday and last week seems like forever ago? You remember random things about that day like what you were wearing or something one person said. Today is one of those days, and it will always be. Today is the 8th anniversary of the celebration of the freedom of my Little Papa from Parkinson's, and a sad day for all who knew him. It is odd to use the word celebration, but that is truly what it was in a way. He got to see the God and Creator he talked about all the time. He got to see the reason he lived and breathed and served. I will always remember the man of God that he was and the love that he showed to his family.

           One thing I remember vividly is the last conversation I was able to have with him. He had not spoken a word in hours, and as I was leaving he said "I Love You." I only slightly knew how precious those words were then, but now I truly know how precious those three words are. Little papa was the family man who took me on picnics, washed his car as I washed my tricycle, would take me on a day trip to UGA every once in awhile, and who could forget picking up sticks on saturday afternoons? I mean what kid did not want to ride in the super old red truck to take the sticks to the dump, even as a girl. Oh I was grandpa's little girl.

            As my sister is almost half way through college at UGA and I have just graduated from nursing school. I cannot even imagine how proud of us he would have been. Not to mention my little cousin Sean who never met him. Oh how much he would love him. Sometimes when I am hanging out with the most awesome four year old in the world he reminds me so much of the pictures of my grandpa as a kid. It is kinda ridiculous. I cannot wait until the day I get to celebrate with you, Little Papa, and the creator of the universe forever. But until then I Love You.

REDEEMING LOVE

      This time last year I feel as though I was a different person. Sorta lost and not really sure where I was headed. Then I went to Passion and was really challenged with getting involved in my local church. I mean really involved, not just going on that Sunday I really felt guilty about falling away from the church. I had become a statistic. Little did I know that this would change my life in such a drastic manner! (I had a feeling it would, I just ignored it).

      When I went to passion last year I was really convicted about some things in my life that just weren't quite right. I was also super focused on the future and what would happen in the next year or so of my life. I felt God calling me from a dark place in my own life to go serve Him in a different context. I was confused and wondered why He had not called me when I was closer to Him, but He called me when I was further away. I began to search for different ways to serve Him elsewhere after graduation. Who would have thought that I would end up in Liberia just a few months later? I didn't, but that is exactly where I ended up. I was so focused on doing something after graduation and the job and the plans that I almost missed the now. The ironic thing is that my plans for the "FUTURE" has actually become the "NOW" and I am out of my own plans. I don't have a job yet, and as unsettling as that is in my mind He is making me incredibly strong in my heart. I am not sure if that makes any sense to anyone else, but it does to me. The planner in me is screaming out with fear, exhaustion, and confusion. Yet in the night when I am just at a loss of what to think or do I still hear that voice somewhere within me saying "fear not, I have plans for you. HELLO I have had plans for you from the beginning of time, just wait." So here I am.... waiting patiently (occasionally unpatiently aka still human).

Back to getting involved in church. I decided to join the Church at Brook Hills and finally find a small group to live life with. After awhile of uncomfortable gatherings and a couple groups later I found my small group. I absolutely love this group of girls. We surround each other and support each other like family and I could not ask for more. We go to each other's events, pray for each other daily, call and text each other on the good days and the bad days, and we gather to study the word weekly in each other's houses. We serve others together and we pray for the nations together. We keep each other accountable, and I cannot be any more thankful for God putting these girls in my life. I have truly learned what it means to live life together as a body of Christ. I cannot believe I ever walked away from the body of Christ, but I did and I am a story of God's redeeming love. My life has truly turned 180, at least on the inside. I mean I still have plenty of things to work on and I sometimes have to remind myself of what He has done when I start to doubt His plans for me, but I quickly find myself humbled and reminded of everything that has changed. I'm ridiculously thankful for my faith family, for my small group, anyone involved in my life over the last year, and every single person reading this, and I just wanted to let you know.