OK, so my goal to update a couple of times a month has been changed to a couple of times a year! I am not very good at this but need to be better because one day I want to look back at this and I hope it is a reminder to me of God's many blessings!
So, just to get caught up, last time I blogged we were still living with my parents and neither of us had jobs. Things have changed quite a bit for us. In January, I started a new job at Warren, Averett, Kimbrough & Marino. I will be working full time during the busy times and part time during the summer and other times. One of the harder things about leaving Atlanta was leaving my job as I was blessed to have an awesome job that allowed me have a career and still have flexibility with my children. I did not think I could find that perfect scenario again but thankfully it wasn't up to me to find and God is in control. While it was a adjustment starting a new job and there have been LOTS of hard days, my job here is Birmingham has been a huge blessing to us. I work as much as I can but when the girls need me I just adjust my schedule. It is exactly what we need!!
I think the BIGGEST surprise to us over the last few months was our living situation. As many of you know we were looking to get involved in a ministry here in Birmingham that would provide us with an apartment and we would minister to the people in the apartment complex. I really thought this was what God wanted for us and was very excited about it. But after a long time and lots of prayer we realized that this ministry was a close door for us and that we needed to move on. The process of coming to this decision was probably one of my lowest times during the last 9 months. I was really discouraged and felt lost and out of control of my life. (For some reason I keep having to learn the lesson that I am not in control and it is better that way. Why do I have to keep being reminded of this?)
However, as a result of looking into this ministry we met a guy who has been a great friend and example to us and a great resource for Kyle. He has many businesses that he is involved in and many job opportunities have resulted from this relationship. Kyle has been working with Todd at a not for profit company that is set up to help church plants (mainly southern baptist). This has been awesome for Kyle as he has gotten to meet a lot of people and just get a little bit of understanding of how a church plant works. We are both attending their conference in a couple of weeks and I am excited to get a better understanding as well.
We moved out of my parents house in the middle of March which was bitter sweet. It is so nice to have a place of our own and we are only 5 minutes from my parents so we get to see them often. One thing God has really taught me over the last 6 months is contentment. I think being "homeless" for 7 months gave me such an appreciation for the house we are in now. I LOVE IT!! Now when you see it you will say, "Really?". It has some challenges (like lots of wallpaper, carpet in the bathroom, interesting back yard) but they do not bother me one bit. I love where we live and have enjoyed running and walking at the lake near by, riding bikes, and the park down the street. It is perfect for us and I thank God for it quite often.
I realize that a good day at work, a happy night with the girls, my house with tacky wallpaper, the new friends that we have made and Kyle's school are are blessings. At the same time I am learning that the harder things and the trials we have gone through in a way have been even a bigger blessing. They have opened our eyes to what is truly important, brought about growth and have helped us to see God's grace every single day. I don't want to miss out on seeing God in the little things anymore!! We still have lots of room for growth which means there will be many more trials ahead. So, that is why I wrote this blog, so I will look back and remember God is in control and he love me very much!
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