The Road Less Traveled

[Maymont Park, Richmond, VA]

It has been 2 months since my last post and 1 month since our wedding. 

To say that this has been one of the biggest transition times of my life would be an understatement. 

Finally, I headed home from Costa Rica to marry the man who chivalrously waited a long overdue year to take my hand in marriage. 

When McCray received a job offer for a business leadership development program in Atlanta, it was now decided that I would now be following my Beloved wherever he was to go. He was expected to be relocated shortly after our wedding so we knew our time in Atlanta was simply an hourglass running out of sand.  

Little did we know how perfect God's timing really is. 

McCray passed his final exams for the leadership program just hours before I returned home from Costa Rica (for good) and he graduated from the program the day before our wedding.

He found out 3 days before our wedding that we would be moving to Richmond, Virginia, giving us just enough time to enjoy our honeymoon and turn around and make a move the next week. We were blessed to have our own place within one day of setting foot into Richmond and now we are exploring it one day at a time. 

I have been dying to start blogging again but felt like it was really important to take a moment to breathe.

Let's be real, I am not usually one to accept rest easily. 

I usually end up feeling a little antsy. But this has been important. I don't have anything lined up and settled in my future: a first in my life, ever. 

What I have found is that it's in the quiet moments when you really discover who you are.

Today I had two interviews. Will they turn into job offers? Who knows. But I am so excited to be on a new frontier, just waiting to see the doors the Lord opens for me. 

I can't wait to share the joys of my wedding day with you and I can't wait to share in the excitement of this unknown path I am about to take. 

I hope that it is the one less traveled by, because that will make all the difference. 

[Maymont Park, Richmond, VA]

Hasta Luego.

It's Christmas morning. There are no longer any kids in the house, so everything is still. We were up too late after the Christmas Eve service but my body is still trained to wake up no later than 7:30AM (6:30AM Costa Rican time). 

I'm home. 

Those words feel relative once your life has gone so many directions that quite a few places actually feel like home.

Last week, I said goodbye to my home in Costa Rica for the past year. I have been busy with Christmas fun, wedding to-dos, & catching up with friends and family… and have naturally been procrastinating on giving closure to this season of adventure.

Leaving Costa Rica after a years was not easy on the heart (..or the suitcases for that matter). I had an internal battle about whether or not I should allow myself to feel the emotion tangled up in all of the goodbyes. You see, after years of practice, I am pretty decent at playing the "out of sight, out of mind" game because it's easier that way- there are less pieces of my heart to put back together. But sometimes it's important to be sensitive. If I'm not vulnerable and open, I will never feel the Spirit working & moving in me. McCray always says that allowing yourself a minute to experience the true emotion is like cold water in a river: it reminds you that you're alive.

That's what's special about humans, isn't it? We experience the world through and emotional filter. We aren't solely driven by out carnal instincts and we don't solely depend on our physical adaptations. 

We have hearts that were made to feel. As I walked away from those relationships, I memorized their "last looks" willing myself not to forget. Sometimes you have to experience a heart break to recognize what a full heart feels like. 

On the plane ride home, I choose the window seat. I always choose the window seat. As I was watching Costa Rica disappear, I felt like any moment could be my last picture of those green hills. And just as it went out of sight, I caught a fleeting glimpse of a rainbow. 

Endings are never seamless but they are invariably followed by new beginnings, full of new promises and hope. But even though my vision is limited and only extended so far, I can look ahead at the future with confidence.

Lord, I am forever grateful for how you have molded me and I trust that my life will be filled with many more years of growth and adventure!

["She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25]

--I'm looking forward to sharing more of my last few weeks in Costa Rica with you soon! 

Day Tripping.

A few months ago, I started helping lead a Young Adult Bible Study at my church every Sunday morning. This has been such an incredible blessing! Naturally, however, this has limited my weekend travels a little bit.

I feel that have become less of a tourist this semester and taken advantage of that fact that my time in Costa Rica is actually real life, not just a vacation. Saturdays have become a serene and Holy time where I recharge with the Lord and just rest.

Two weeks ago, Ashley and I took a day trip to the closest beach and enjoyed the ocean, ice cream, & reading under the hot sun.

Last week, I explored a nearby town, Belen, just because. It was so pleasant just to walk around the town and to watch what life is really like here. Fresh markets in the morning, families porch sitting, kids playing soccer on the nearby field, parents getting ice-cream with their kids after the game. I think that is one of the coolest things about spending an extended period of time in a foreign country, noticing the details-- really, truly experiencing it.

I am so turned off by the falseness of tourism sometimes. They take something that was pure and beautiful and turn it into show with a souvenir shop at the end. I want to see what is real and authentic- notice the details and really experience it.

Recently, I started a new book that I discovered in the church library called "Good Morning, Holy Spirit" by Benny Hinn and I have just been getting rocked by it!  The Holy Spirit is real and powerful wants to connect me to The Father and The Son in ways that I cannot do alone… This is something I know, but this book has been showing it to me in a whole new light. 

The book says:
"The Holy Spirit is the power of God. He is the power of the father and the Son. He is the one who brings into action the performance of the Son.Yet He is a person. He has emotions…I cannot be in touch with the Father and the Son without the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:18)." 

Your salvation in Jesus will transform you as a person. 
But the Spirit will tremendously transform your Christian walk. 

I don't want a walk of faith that is all for show- one that is made up of great facades & cheap souvenirs. 
Holy Spirit, I long to know you intimately and personally.

 I want to see what is real and authentic- notice the details in my faith and really,

intentionally experience it.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Last weekend felt like it was a reevaluation of who I am and where I’m at. This is something that I’m constantly thinking about and considering- I never want to be complacent.

Saturday, I attended a workshop at my school on “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Franklin Covey. I’ve mentioned these habits before because our school principles are founded on “The Leader In Me” program (the kid version of the 7 habits made for schools!). So, these 7 habits are something that I’m familiar with and the concepts came as no surprise.

But isn’t funny how the same thing can just rock you over and over again? God does that a lot- probably because we need more than a little bit of reminding to stay on track some times.

I’m not usually one for “self help” books and programs- a lot are based on secular ideas and God doesn’t really fit into their formulas. But the 7 habits from Covey are ones that resonate a lot with me as a Christian. Sort of as a download for myself-- I’m going to give you a little recap of how these can change your perspective & I how I think God fits into the picture. Feel free to skip around & read the ones that intrigue you the most!

1.     Be proactive.

"Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." 

[Philippians 4:13-14]

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You can carry your own weather. You control your attitude and how you respond to situations. Your                                            circumstances don’t define you- it’s the unchanging God of Heaven who defines me.

For kids, maybe someone is bothering them at school. They have to power to choose how to react to the situation. When they are proactive, they quit blaming the situation that they’re in or their problems on someone else and decide that they are in charge of themselves no matter what.

2.     Begin With the End in Mind

"I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back."

[Philippians 3:12-14]

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                        How do you live with purpose and vision? I am still thinking about this. The course challenged us to create a personal mission statement and I know that God wants me to have a purpose in my actions as well. I feel like I have had a few different personal mantras throughout my life, but are      they powerful enough to say that they are my “Personal Mission Statement” for my life?

                        I have followed this habit on a small scale, set little goals and raced to achieve them, but I’ve only been alive for twenty something years- how can I even begin to understand the concept of a long-term pursuit? This mission statement of mine is currently in progress. It’s not something that I can nail down in one day.

   If you had (or have) a “personal mission statement”, 

what would it be?

3.     Put First Things First

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"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

[Luke 12:34]

Where do you place your highest priorities? We are all given the same amount of time-it's just up to you on how you steward your time.

 “Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

[Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe]

                    There are 4 quadrants where we spend all of our time-  we are either pouring our time and efforts into the:

  

1) Urgent and important (crises, deadlines, etc)

2) Urgent but not important (interruptions, emails, meetings, phone calls, other people’s priorities)

3) Not urgent but important (planning, education, relationships, personal growth)

4) Or the not urgent and not important (aimless internet surfing, mindless TV, meaningless conversations)

                       

           

How many of us spend countless hours in the not urgent and not important quadrant?

            I don’t want days filled with things that are ultimately meaningless.

            I want to spend my life on the things that matter most.     

            What are the things in your life that matter that most that need more of your time & energy?

I’ve discovered that the next four habits are achieved almost easily once we’ve mastered the first 3.

I have found that powerful people who take responsibility for themselves find a lot more success in relationships.

4.     Think Win-Win

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

[Matthew 20:16]

                        This means being courageous and considerate at the same time. Win-win is a mindset that seeks mutual benefit. It is a simple concept that is often much easier said than done. It’s really all about redefining or refining your idea of what it means to win.

When you change your idea of a win to getting your needs met, doing something the right way, or gaining personal growth or progress, it’s a lot easier to win in every situation.

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5.     Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

[Matthew 7:7]

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Gosh the Lord has been speaking this into my life for over 5 years now and I’m still not perfect! This is all about listening and discussing in order to understand, not necessarily to agree.

Let’s be real: sometimes you just aren’t going to agree. When agreement is the goal, the conversation may never end. Look for what people feel and what they need- and give that to them- whether it is encouragement, affirmation, advice, or just two open ears.

Why do we have two ears and only one mouth? Because it’s a lot harder to listen than it is to talk.

6.     Synergize

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ...But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it." 

[1 Corinthians 12:12, 18]

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We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Value those differences. How boring would it be if we were all the same? We are better when we can build on each other’s strengths and compensate for each other’s weaknesses.

7.     Sharpen the Saw

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

[1 Corinthians 6:19-20]

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Take care of yourself. When we put first things first and decide to be proactive, it’s a lot harder to make excuses on taking the time to nurture your body, mind, heart, and soul.

Whew! If you actually read this whole thing, you might feel the way that I did after yesterday: provoked but a little overwhelmed. Even though I feel a little like I now have about 20 new things on my “self improvement” list, I realized that the first habit on the list is to ‘Be Proactive’. When I bring God into that picture, he is what defines me and what helps me to ‘carry my own weather’.

I can first and foremost focus on the one thing, living in his Holy Spirit, and the fruits of that will flow out. It’s a process. God is continually refining me and making me into the holy and beautiful person that I was created to be. 

Planning is Part of My Ministry

As I sit here (...during my planning time, whoops), I wanted to touch on something that has been resonating with me a lot lately. I am not the normal, type A teacher. Sometimes I wish that I was, but I'm a little bit different, and that's just the way it is.

If I'm being honest, when I look at my teaching qualities, my strengths fall on loving, and a little less on planning ahead. But as it turns out, teaching in it's nature, demands a lot of planning time. This doesn't come easily for me. What comes easy for me is intentionality in relationships & focusing all of my attention on who I'm with and how I can serve them. So naturally, I gravitate towards this.

However, it has become apparent to me, that in all facets of my life (even outside of teaching), planning must be a part of my ministry. 

Without vision, the people perish. Without well thought out plans, my classroom becomes chaos rather than an environment for loving & nurturing. Without clear intentions in friendships, those relationships fall to the wayside. Without a vision for your future, goals remain unachieved and forgotten.

When I set aside vital blocks of time to organize and itemize (as painful as it may be to get started), I am able to pour so much more into my students in the times when we're together. That extra hour in the evening helps me to get ten fold more out of my hours during the day.

Anyway, that's just my tidbit on teaching (and a little bit of life) for today. 

I've got to go double check my plans for math class this afternoon! ;)

Altogether Beautiful

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling, there is no flaw in you."

[Song of Solomon 4:7]

A few months ago, I had a spontaneous photo shoot with my sweet friends Suzanne and Isabel. The intent was to show all the millions of ways that one can wear a sarong. But honestly, this is no fashion blog so the post idea kind of went to the wayside until Katie at Hope Engaged decided to do a photo-shoot link up displaying how our God, the creator of beauty, delights in creativity! 

These pictures were taken all in my backyard in the beautiful Costa Rican morning sun. We narrowly dodged the afternoon rain.

With my wedding quickly approaching, I have been studying the book of Song of Solomon. It is a beautiful love story with our Bridegroom in Heaven and a beautiful example of how our earthly marriages ought to be.

God calls us beloved. He is lovesick for us. 

He has made us perfectly and is just longing for us to come away with him. 

                          

Isabel, Suzanne, & I

"My lover said to me, "Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!"

Song of Solomon 2:10

Deserts will bloom in the light of your love.

To kick off the new semester and our new school-wide ecological goal, we had a "Go Green" morning where we went and planted trees at a neighborhood park that needed some life.

Not sure what happened here, but it was looking a little worse for the wear. 

So we brought some life!

My students felt a sense of pride in doing their part to help our community a little bit!

I am proud to be fostering a classroom community where we think outside of ourselves.

All of this new life reminded me of a song the I listened to last night that hasn't left my head since. It's called "Never Run Dry" by a worship leader named Nate Moore. 

His blog (natemooreworship.com) give a little description of how the song came about. Check it out:

"Never Run Dry - "Your circumstances don't limit your source." Isaiah 35 declares that "waters will break forth in the wilderness and the desert and dry places will become a pool." I grew up believing that God would set us all up to eventually burn out, run out and dry up - but the more I come into an experiential knowledge of the grace and goodness of God, the more I discover that Jesus wants the exact opposite! He has put His Holy Spirit in us like a river (John 7) so that we can always have access to His abundant life! Seasons and times of wilderness, adversity and trying situations don't have to lead us to dryness and lack if we're constantly leaning on the source of life, Jesus. This song is an anthem that declares the reality of God's abundant goodness in the midst of unideal circumstances. The heart of this song is to call the dead places to life, the sleeping places to awaken and the barren and lacking places to fruit!"

What good words for anyone who is in a desert season.

I'm not necessarily in one that I would call a 'desert' right now, but sometimes it's definitely not an easy one.

"Even in the wilderness, through confusion and barrenness, you are beautiful, God. Even in my brokeness, through this pain I will confess: You are good. Deserts will bloom in the light of your love. Valleys make room for the river of God. You never run dry."