I've had an interesting few days... I'd mostly love to just say that it's been FANTASTIC.  I had the most fun and eventful weekend, and I couldn't ask for a better place to live and serve than Orlando at this time in my life.  I went to a fancy little fundraising gala with Marianne, who has become one of the reasons I can bare sitting through Research class on Thursday nights.  I played at the beach with MY small group on Sunday who I love, and I find myself living for Monday nights. What an answered prayer they are! If they only knew, I started praying for them like last April!

I am so happy here. Even though joy is the overarching theme of my life in this sunny little state, God is moving in my life, and as we all know- sometimes it's just not pretty or fun or neat. 

I'm learning to trust and learning to patient (against my will).

God is stretching me physically, but mostly in my mind and heart.  He's testing my faith.

God is putting me in places where I feel uncomfortable which feels like everywhere lately.

He's forcing me to grow up and to return to innocence all at the same time.  

God's letting me wrestle with hard questions without a lot of answers.

He's allowing me walk on the water knowing I'm probably going to look at the waves and lose my gumption. 

In the midst of all that, He's teaching me what it means to love- to love Him first, to have a tender affection for my brothers and sisters in Christ, to love those I'll never meet, to love a world that hates Him and me because I'm on His team.

He's teaching me to trust, to know that in the waiting He'll be faithful. He won't disappoint.  He doesn't forget.  He's not ignorant of my hurt or desires.  

He's showing me who He is and in turn, I'm learning so much about who I am.  

He's showing me his power, and I'm learning to fear it. 

He's teaching me what it means to forgive- mostly myself. 

I am having the time of my life.  I could not ask for more.  I know I'll look back at this season and reminisce about all the incredible memories I'm in the middle of making.  I'll remember the way God was so closely moving and stirring in my life and long for it.  I'm attempting to treasure the moment, to treasure the season, to treasure the gifts, to treasure my freedom, to treasure the people around me, to treasure the ridiculous not Fall like heat, to treasure who I am today (not who I'll be next year at this time), to treasure who the Lord is and how I am encountering Him today. There are just days when my focus is a little off center, and I forget to count my blessings in the mess.