This is a difficult post to write, but writing helps me process things, so here it is. There are so many things on this issue that are in my heart and mind, but I won't be able to share them all. I have generally been staying out of it on social media, except for maybe a couple posts, I haven't felt like I've been able to, or that I even should, share my feelings on it. I feel that discussion is very good and I have always enjoyed conversing about different backgrounds with my friends, but on social media it ends up becoming more of an argument, and I feel that arguing is pointless and unedifying in nature.
I want to start off by saying that I LOVE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. SO SO MUCH! I always have and I always will- whether or not we agree on every little thing. ;0) So keep that in mind as you read this.
This morning, I was in the throws of discussing the BLM with my husband when our Time Warner Technician came to the door, who just happened to be a black man. He was really kind & hard working and did a great job working on our broken internet and, I will add, I would expect nothing less. He got me thinking more about how much I love black people. Then we went to church, and the beautiful & awesome Nayomi Thomas (a black woman in IHOPKC leadership) was speaking specifically about the racial tensions in America. (I highly recommend you going to the service archives and listening to her speak, here is a link.) God does things like this with me, and probably with many of you, when there is something pressing on my heart, that something (or in this case someones) will pop up over and over in my life.
I have to be honest, I came away with more questions than answers from the sermon, but I ended up crying through the last half of it because it touched my spirit in a very deep way. Honestly, I did not agree with everything she said, but I greatly appreciated what I felt her main point to be: that we need to get a conversation going between the white and black community and the white community needs to recognize the perceived systemic racism towards black people in America.
There were a couple questions addressed towards the white church:
1. Why are you, my white Christian brothers and sisters, silent?
2. Have you gone to your black brother or sister whom you've noticed is angry and asked them why? Asked them to talk about it?
My response to the first question was, "Because I don't know what to say. What do you need me to say?!" And to the second it was, "Yes, yes I have. Not to every single black friend of mine nor every one I run into, but I have friends I've discussed these issues with, and generally they have agreed with my sentiments. But I also would walk away feeling like I shouldn't have asked. Like they didn't want me to question them about their race or our different backgrounds. So, now you're telling me that you want me to ask?
I walked away having many questions and feeling many things; one of them was that I realized I feel hurt by the black community. I know, your response is probably something like, "What?! Why would you be hurt?" And, possibly, some of you are responding with, "Stop making it about yourself!" That is not my intention nor purpose, I am just sharing my journey.
I had no idea that I felt hurt by the black community until today and so I am still searching out the whys behind the what, but some possible reasons are-
*I have felt the sting of my race being used as a put down towards myself and even my black friends. *I have felt the sting of being made fun of because of being white.
*I have felt hurt when I've been told "white people can't dance." (I am a dancer, absolutely love to dance and I am good at it, so this has always been a sore spot for me.)
*I have felt anger and frustration when friends got more financial aid than I did, just because of their race; trust me just because I'm white does not mean that I could afford college. I am in debt more than I'd like to say.
*Lastly, I feel pain over trying to do the right thing and personally loving the black community but feeling like it's never enough.
These are not all of my experiences, though. In fact, more often than not, I have walked away from an encounter with someone from the black community (specifically talking of strangers) smiling and feeling very positive and happy. And I have had many close, wonderful black friends. I was even in a wedding for one of my black friends- the only white girl there- and I absolutely adored being there with her and her family. I was treated kindly, I thoroughly enjoyed them, I had a ton of fun and I'm pretty sure they felt the same way about me! :) Generally, when I'm talking with a black man or woman, unless I get a negative feeling towards me & aside from acknowledging our different backgrounds, I don't even think about the fact that they are black.
Apart from sharing my journey, the main reason I wanted to write this is I want to say that I recognize that I have not experienced the things that black people do almost every day. I realize that, without knowing it, I may have done or said things that came across as racist, even though it was not my intention.
We may not see eye to eye all the time, but my heart is full of regret and sorrow over the things that happen to people in the black community; it is not okay, is not God's heart for them and it needs to change. I do not know how to be a part of the change; all I know is that I want to apologize to the black community for any part I have personally played in your suffering. And I want to say again, that I absolutely love you, I enjoy talking with you, hanging out with you and learning about your thoughts, passions and opinions. I want things to change for you. I desire for our country to reach a place where we are not black, white, Asian, Hispanic or Native American, but we are all Americans whom love and honor each other in our differences.
Thank you for hearing my heart! Have a great day.
Susan :)
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Lessons in Being a New Mother
It's been over a year since my last post. so I'm going to basically start over on this blog. Maybe redevelop it and such. So let me give a very short update from my last post-
I am happily married to the man of my dreams and about 10 months ago we found out we were pregnant with our first child.
He was born on April 19, 2016 & we named him Gideon, which means "Mighty Warrior." So, now I have been thrown into the mom life, something I have dreamed of and been preparing for since I can remember! But you can never be fully prepared for pregnancy, labor & being a first time mom, so I wanted to share some things that I've learned in this journey so far. I'm sure that I have more to learn, so on down the line I may add to this list, but I've still learned a lot up to now, so here is, in no particular order, my list of things I've learned during pregnancy & beyond:
1. The Medical community/ hospital staff do not know everything.
2. Doing your own research is a good thing, but doing too much research can fill the mind with too much stuff to process & too many options to decide through.
3. You and your husband should make your own decisions and stick to them, and don't let the medical staff try to pressure you into anything or make you feel guilty for not doing something they suggest.
4. Sex drive does not necessarily disappear postpartum and there are other ways to be intimate other than intercourse. Keep up the intimacy before and after baby. Your husband is very, very important for your family's well being, and should continue to remain #1.
5. Do not listen to the "scary" things people try to "warn" you about pregnancy or being a mom. That may have been their experience, but it doesn't have to be yours.
6. Your marriage doesn't have to fall apart with a new infant... or ever for that matter.
7. You CAN choose to not let your husband feel neglected just because you have a baby to take care of & continue to spend as much time as possible with him. The baby does go to sleep, quite often.
8. Your husband CAN understand that you have a baby to care for and therefore may not receive as much attention as he did before the baby came, which helps him not feel neglected.
9. You do NOT have to allow yourself to become the frumpy wife and mother who quit taking care of herself. You can still take showers and put makeup on and dress nicely.
10. It is possible to begin switching your baby's sleep schedule from day to night from the word go.
11. But every baby is different, so it's also necessary to go with the flow.
12. It is okay to nap when the baby is napping and leave the house cleaning for later.
13. You need less stuff for the baby in the first few months than you think!
14. Breastfeeding is such a natural thing and when it comes time to do it, it won't seem weird at all.
15. Some people are going to be offended with some of the decisions you make for your pregnancy and child raising- let them, forgive them and move on. There is no use getting hung up on something you can't control.
16. On that same note, it's good to remember that you have no control over other people's decisions nor how they react to things- this is just a good life lesson I learned before getting pregnant & it's been very useful!
17. Expect the best and prepare (especially your heart and mind) for the worst.
18. Prayer sincerely works. Put your hope and trust in the Lord. Hand over ALL and any anxieties about every situation.
19. It is totally possible to keep control over your body and emotions while in labor.
20. It is totally possible to not be rude to or yell at your husband.
21. Don't feel guilty for yelling during labor (just make sure it's a yell- or as my husband described mine, a roar- and not a scream.) If that's what you need to do to help get the baby out, then that's what you need to do.
22. People are correct when they tell you your body knows how to give birth and will basically do it for you.
23. Do not accept or believe word "curses" spoken over you, your marriage or your child. Though the person may think they're just giving advice and trying to help, if it's a negative word and not a blessing, it's a word curse. (Egs. "Your baby is easy? Uh oh, that means your next one will be difficult!" "Get used to never being alone again!" Any type of -Your child will or will not do such and such etc.) Believing it and accepting it can actually cause it to happen. On the same note, don't be the person putting word curses over others!
24. Your husband is for you and your child & there to help- TRUST him.
25. You will want to (and should) write down how your pregnancy and labor and baby growth goes. Get a book to write in ASAP.
26. Being a STAY at home mom does not mean you are a STUCK at home mom. Those are two different things, and it is your choice which one you become.
27. Everyone is different, but in general, having people come around to see you and meet the baby after he's born can help counteract postpartum depression. AND they can hold the baby while you take a shower or eat or something, so it's very helpful.
28. But don't overwhelm yourself with too many people at once, space them out.
29. You do NOT have to say "goodbye" to going to the bathroom alone.
30. Baby carrying is a good thing and fun, but it's also okay to put him down while you use the bathroom, take a shower, eat something etc.
31. Make sure to keep water next to you 24/7.
32. Take the time to read your Bible, read a book or watch a good show while nursing- this isn't laziness, your body is working.
33. You do not have to run to the baby right away with any noise he makes or when he starts crying. It's not being mean or unloving. Of course, if he starts screaming then run to him, by all means, run away, that is not spoiling him.
34. If the baby is crying and you can't figure out why and he won't calm down right away even when you are trying to feed him, do NOT let yourself feel like a "bad" mother. It's normal for that to happen sometimes.
35. Always remember- "This too shall pass."
36. Surround yourself with encouraging and wise people.
37. If you are able to, simplify your life before having the baby, it's unnecessary to have too much stuff and it will help make taking care of the house a lot easier.
The main thing I learned is (38.)to take everyone's advice as a grain of salt, because there will be advice from all different angles, and figure out what is best for you, your baby and your family!
And I should add, (39.) enjoy every moment because the next thing you know your baby will be all grown up. Time really flies by.
So, take all these things as a grain of salt if you want to, these are things that I learned and though, many of them can apply to everyone, not all of them do.
Until next time,
(40.) Let every day be an adventure with the Lord!
-Suzy-Q
I am happily married to the man of my dreams and about 10 months ago we found out we were pregnant with our first child.
He was born on April 19, 2016 & we named him Gideon, which means "Mighty Warrior." So, now I have been thrown into the mom life, something I have dreamed of and been preparing for since I can remember! But you can never be fully prepared for pregnancy, labor & being a first time mom, so I wanted to share some things that I've learned in this journey so far. I'm sure that I have more to learn, so on down the line I may add to this list, but I've still learned a lot up to now, so here is, in no particular order, my list of things I've learned during pregnancy & beyond:
1. The Medical community/ hospital staff do not know everything.
2. Doing your own research is a good thing, but doing too much research can fill the mind with too much stuff to process & too many options to decide through.
3. You and your husband should make your own decisions and stick to them, and don't let the medical staff try to pressure you into anything or make you feel guilty for not doing something they suggest.
4. Sex drive does not necessarily disappear postpartum and there are other ways to be intimate other than intercourse. Keep up the intimacy before and after baby. Your husband is very, very important for your family's well being, and should continue to remain #1.
5. Do not listen to the "scary" things people try to "warn" you about pregnancy or being a mom. That may have been their experience, but it doesn't have to be yours.
6. Your marriage doesn't have to fall apart with a new infant... or ever for that matter.
7. You CAN choose to not let your husband feel neglected just because you have a baby to take care of & continue to spend as much time as possible with him. The baby does go to sleep, quite often.
8. Your husband CAN understand that you have a baby to care for and therefore may not receive as much attention as he did before the baby came, which helps him not feel neglected.
9. You do NOT have to allow yourself to become the frumpy wife and mother who quit taking care of herself. You can still take showers and put makeup on and dress nicely.
10. It is possible to begin switching your baby's sleep schedule from day to night from the word go.
11. But every baby is different, so it's also necessary to go with the flow.
12. It is okay to nap when the baby is napping and leave the house cleaning for later.
13. You need less stuff for the baby in the first few months than you think!
14. Breastfeeding is such a natural thing and when it comes time to do it, it won't seem weird at all.
15. Some people are going to be offended with some of the decisions you make for your pregnancy and child raising- let them, forgive them and move on. There is no use getting hung up on something you can't control.
16. On that same note, it's good to remember that you have no control over other people's decisions nor how they react to things- this is just a good life lesson I learned before getting pregnant & it's been very useful!
17. Expect the best and prepare (especially your heart and mind) for the worst.
18. Prayer sincerely works. Put your hope and trust in the Lord. Hand over ALL and any anxieties about every situation.
19. It is totally possible to keep control over your body and emotions while in labor.
20. It is totally possible to not be rude to or yell at your husband.
21. Don't feel guilty for yelling during labor (just make sure it's a yell- or as my husband described mine, a roar- and not a scream.) If that's what you need to do to help get the baby out, then that's what you need to do.
22. People are correct when they tell you your body knows how to give birth and will basically do it for you.
23. Do not accept or believe word "curses" spoken over you, your marriage or your child. Though the person may think they're just giving advice and trying to help, if it's a negative word and not a blessing, it's a word curse. (Egs. "Your baby is easy? Uh oh, that means your next one will be difficult!" "Get used to never being alone again!" Any type of -Your child will or will not do such and such etc.) Believing it and accepting it can actually cause it to happen. On the same note, don't be the person putting word curses over others!
24. Your husband is for you and your child & there to help- TRUST him.
25. You will want to (and should) write down how your pregnancy and labor and baby growth goes. Get a book to write in ASAP.
26. Being a STAY at home mom does not mean you are a STUCK at home mom. Those are two different things, and it is your choice which one you become.
27. Everyone is different, but in general, having people come around to see you and meet the baby after he's born can help counteract postpartum depression. AND they can hold the baby while you take a shower or eat or something, so it's very helpful.
28. But don't overwhelm yourself with too many people at once, space them out.
29. You do NOT have to say "goodbye" to going to the bathroom alone.
30. Baby carrying is a good thing and fun, but it's also okay to put him down while you use the bathroom, take a shower, eat something etc.
31. Make sure to keep water next to you 24/7.
32. Take the time to read your Bible, read a book or watch a good show while nursing- this isn't laziness, your body is working.
33. You do not have to run to the baby right away with any noise he makes or when he starts crying. It's not being mean or unloving. Of course, if he starts screaming then run to him, by all means, run away, that is not spoiling him.
34. If the baby is crying and you can't figure out why and he won't calm down right away even when you are trying to feed him, do NOT let yourself feel like a "bad" mother. It's normal for that to happen sometimes.
35. Always remember- "This too shall pass."
36. Surround yourself with encouraging and wise people.
37. If you are able to, simplify your life before having the baby, it's unnecessary to have too much stuff and it will help make taking care of the house a lot easier.
The main thing I learned is (38.)to take everyone's advice as a grain of salt, because there will be advice from all different angles, and figure out what is best for you, your baby and your family!
And I should add, (39.) enjoy every moment because the next thing you know your baby will be all grown up. Time really flies by.
So, take all these things as a grain of salt if you want to, these are things that I learned and though, many of them can apply to everyone, not all of them do.
Until next time,
(40.) Let every day be an adventure with the Lord!
-Suzy-Q
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Adventures in Falling in Love
So... a year later, here I am again! This past year was a GREAT adventure and I cannot believe that I haven't blogged about it. I was just so busy with so many things that it kept slipping my mind!
Basically, I am now a wonderfully married woman! And no, praise the Lord, I did NOT meet him on Christian Mingle. Yay! The Lord definitely wrote our story, which I'm going to tell you: :)
I met him before I wrote my last blog, but I had no idea that I had feelings for him. His name is Will and we were friends while I was on Christian Mingle. In fact, I would talk with him about all the guys I spoke to online! He is such a God send.
He and my sister were friends first. He was doing an internship at the house of prayer in Traverse City in the Fall of 2013 and my sister was the leader for the Interns, so she got to know him and even talked to me about him a bit. She never thought anything of us getting married because he is 6 years younger than me, but she did think that if we ever met that we would get along well because we have a similar sense of humor. I never even considered there being a chance of us meeting though, and, in fact, I teased my sister about having a crush on him because she mentioned him quite a bit. (Note: she did NOT have a crush on him, but admired him as a good young man, since he treated her quite well.)
Obviously, the chance to meet did in fact happen in December 2013 at a huge conference that the International House of Prayer holds every year (the One Thing Conference.) My sister road with Will to come down here for the conference, and Will was returning to go back to the International House of Prayer University in the spring for his last semester. Carolyn was trying to be so helpful to me; I was so thirsty for male friendships at the time (as you may recall in my previous post) and she knew Will and I would get along. And, of course, because of the age difference neither of us thought that my heart would at all be in danger of getting a crush on him.
So, during the conference, my sister ran into Will and made him wait until I could come over to meet him. My first impression of him was that he was taller than I expected and "nerdy cute;" and, after speaking with him, I thought he was really funny. But, apparently, Will was interested in me right away. When I walked up (having expected me to look like my sister who is short and a brunette) he thought, "Wow, she's tall. And blonde! And she's beautiful!" I was completely unaware of the affect I had on him, of course, and when we were talking I impressed him even more with my wit and teasing. He stumbled over his words talking to me (because my amazing beauty made him nervous, lol) and I totally made fun of him for it, yet he LOVED it! This cracks me up, he's a funny guy and enjoys being teased- to an extent. He liked me right then and there, and I wanted to be friends with him right away.
We ended up exchanging numbers before the conference was over so that we could hang out some time. I genuinely wanted to just be friends and thought of him as a "little brother", but he, genuinely, was interested in me as more than friends. Of course, I had no clue of that!
The next week, I texted him first (like I said, I thought of him as just a friend) and I joked about coming up with a secret handshake since we were now going to be "best" friends. He loved it. (Perfect match, right?) Then a week or so later I invited him over to watch a movie with me and my roommate. We ended up talking more than watching the movie, and since I was on Christian Mingle at the time, I shared with him some of the guys I was talking to. He proceeded to check out the different profiles and read them to me in a funny accent making fun of every man on there! His purpose, of course, was to make me disinterested in them all, because in his mind, "none of them were good enough for me."
The first two times we hung out, I made it clear that I had no interest in him other than a friend. As he puts it, he got "friend zoned." LOL. So, because of that, he put his feelings for me out of his mind (as men have the uncanny ability to do) but he did not quit hanging out with me and he even did pursuing type things- like, bringing pizza over, buying my kitten toys, bringing me Reeses after hearing that it was my favorite candy, taking me grocery shopping etc. My roommates wondered if he liked me, and once in a while I wondered too, but I insisted that he just saw me as a big sister and was comfortable with me. We hung out incessantly for several weeks and all the while I was going on dates with guys from Christian Mingle.
Pretty soon however, I found myself comparing the men I when out with to Will and he became, in my mind, the epitome of what all men should be. Of course, at that time, I didn't realize what that was saying about my feelings for him. On one particular date though I finally realized what was going on in my heart. I went out with a guy that I was actually excited about, where as thus far I hadn't really cared for any of the other guys I had gone out with, but this guy was really witty and impressed me in different ways.
We went out to eat and ended up chatting for hours!! So, you would think that it was really great, right? But the whole time, there just seemed like something was missing, and I couldn't stop thinking about Will. I kept comparing this guy to Will and wishing I was hanging out with Will. I thought, "Why in the world am I thinking about Will while on a date?!" I had to figure out what was going on. I spoke with a good friend of mine about it and said, "I'm beginning to think that I may have feelings for Will." She said, "You think?!" Haha.
For the next week, I prayed and sought the Lord about what was going on in my heart. The guy that I had gone out with wanted to go out again, but my interest in him was waning. I realized that I would not be able to stay on Christian Mingle and go out with all these different guys if I had feelings for a good friend of mine. So, I decided to go out with this guy one last time to see if what seemed to be missing the first date appeared in the second date. Maybe I would be even more interested in him and my feelings for Will would cease? But, if I still kept comparing him to Will, then I decided to speak with Will about my feelings right away. I know how I am, and if I tell a guy about my feelings and they don't reciprocate, I move on pretty quickly because it closes the door instead of letting there be that "what if?"
The date did not go that well. He actually told me he was taking me on the same exact date that he took a different girl he met on Christian Mingle AND that he wanted to see how I compared to her! Goodness! I mean, I may have been comparing him to Will, but at least I didn't TELL him that! lol. The thing that was missing (which I believe was a spiritual connection- or disconnection) still wasn't there and right after the date I called Will and asked him if he'd be able to hang out.
Will was the guy I spoke to about all of these guys I was talking to or meeting up with, and so I told him that I had just had a date and wanted to chat about. We ended up going to a coffee shop (side note: aside from grocery shopping once, we generally did not hang out alone during our entire friendship) and I chatted away about the date and other random things. I was so nervous about discussing my feelings with him because my past experiences in this were so negative and I didn't want to lose my friendship with Will! I was totally okay with just being friends, I just needed to know from him that he wasn't interested in anything else.
I finally came around to the real reason I wanted to chat with him and I said, "Sooooo, I have a confession to make; I actually learned something new about myself on that first date with ______." He asked what I learned, in a teasing manner and I, being serious, said, "Well, the entire time we were on the date, I kept comparing him to you..." I paused, then said, "Apparently, I have a crush on you..." And then, since I had made a big deal about our age difference since the beginning, I added, "Yep, this 29 year old has a crush on you!"
All he said was, "I'm flattered." Which cracks me up when I think about it. I said, jokingly, "You SHOULD be flattered! I'm awesome!" But he responded with, "You ARE awesome." Quite seriously, I might add, because, even though he had pushed his feelings away, he truly did like me and thought I was awesome.
Then I said, "Well, I kind of figured that you just saw me as a big sister and so have been just comfortable with me because of that." He said, "Pretty much, but let me think about it." And I told him that he better not take too long thinking about it, because I might be taken in a few months. LOL! Then we chatted about other subjects as though nothing had occurred. It was the coolest thing ever, he did not want to quit being friends with me because of it and he didn't act awkward at all!! Ok, I have to be honest, I liked him even more because of this. :)
The next couple days were snow days and so I was off work and he was off school, and, of course, we ended up hanging out. One night he came and hung out with me and my roommates, the next I hung out with him and his roommates. After the second day, when he was dropping me off at my house, before I could get out of the car he said, "Hey, so, I think you're really cool, and I really enjoy hanging out with you, and I'm starting to see myself being able to date you, but I'm still thinking about it. Just wanted you to know that." Haha! Oh, what men do to women's hearts without even meaning to! I told him he better not take much longer cause I wasn't gonna wait around. I didn't want my heart getting played with, you know?
Oh, the agony of those next few days!! I decided I wasn't going to text him, but I figured he would text me and he DIDN'T! It was so difficult to not pick up my phone to contact him, but I kept myself from doing it. How frustrating it was to be told that he might like me back and then not call or text me! haha! In Will's defense though, he truly did not want to play with my heart and had purposed in his heart to not date me (or anyone for that matter) without seeing himself being able to marry that person, and he needed time to think and pray. I understand and appreciate it, but still, it was agonizing! Lol.
A few days later, he texted me while I was at work and asked if he could pick me up from work and get coffee. At first, my mind ran away with fears of him telling me that he never wanted to see me again or something, but as soon as I saw his face when he picked me up, I knew that could not be the case. He purchased my coffee for me and we sat down; it was slightly awkward but not too bad, I could tell that he was nervous. Before even making any idle conversation at all, Will looked at me, smiled and said, "So, I think you're awesome." He grinned shyly again, and added, "So, you wanna... maybe... get to know each other... and go out on dates and stuff?" It was so so cute!! Something I forgot to mention was that Will never dated anybody before me. I'm his first everything; which of course makes me feel very honored. :)
I reminded him subtly that I was on Christian Mingle and that if he and I were not exclusive I would be going out with other guys. And he asked if I could check on there that I was "in a relationship" or something, just like on Facebook. I laughed, "No, it's a DATING website! But I can write that I'm pursuing a relationship at the moment." Not knowing where this was going, I didn't want to get off Christian Mingle just yet; of course, that did not last long and within a month of us dating I got off of Christian Mingle for good.
So, that's the beginning of our story. In the next few or so posts I will probably write a bit about our adventures in dating and engagement and things I learned. Now, I am already onto the adventure in marriage!
I waited until I was 30 to get married and it was totally worth it. Just THINKING about him gives me butterflies, causes my heart to jump and makes me smile! I absolutely HATE being away from him, I am ALWAYS excited to see him and, honestly, if I could spend the rest of my life holed up in a cottage in the woods with him, I would!! lol.
The Lord truly answers prayer!! I've seen it in many things in my life, but this is the first time, of course, that I had seen it in reference to my future husband prayers. I remember a few things that I asked the Lord for that I had forgotten about until it happened. I told the Lord once that I would really love it and it would be so amazing if the man I were to marry thought I was so beautiful the first time he saw me that he stumbled over his words because he was so nervous! That happened!
I asked the Lord, many times, to be friends with the man I was to marry first and not realize that I had feelings for him and basically fall in love with him via friendship. I had given up on that dream since I didn't seem to ever have any guy friends, but then it happened! He's my best friend, and I am his!
A man who loves Jesus above all else has always been important to me, along with one who is humble and makes me laugh and laughs at my jokes. All of that is true with us! Will is one of the funniest men I know AND he is SO humble, and, of course, loves the Lord. I've said it before, I'll say it again: the Lord is so good!
Hope you enjoyed that story. Now, here are some photos!
Our First Date
We are so goofy
He is So cute!
Will took me scuba diving for a date!
Easter Day
Zoo Date
Helping set up my friends wedding (June 13, 2014)
Showing off his muscle
Engagement photos
These were taken by a friend of ours.
A picture of us in our soon to be first home together!
Picking up our marriage license!
Pics from our Wedding:
At a friend's wedding as a married couple. :)
Be blessed and consider every day an adventure with the Lord! Until next time. :)
Basically, I am now a wonderfully married woman! And no, praise the Lord, I did NOT meet him on Christian Mingle. Yay! The Lord definitely wrote our story, which I'm going to tell you: :)
I met him before I wrote my last blog, but I had no idea that I had feelings for him. His name is Will and we were friends while I was on Christian Mingle. In fact, I would talk with him about all the guys I spoke to online! He is such a God send.
He and my sister were friends first. He was doing an internship at the house of prayer in Traverse City in the Fall of 2013 and my sister was the leader for the Interns, so she got to know him and even talked to me about him a bit. She never thought anything of us getting married because he is 6 years younger than me, but she did think that if we ever met that we would get along well because we have a similar sense of humor. I never even considered there being a chance of us meeting though, and, in fact, I teased my sister about having a crush on him because she mentioned him quite a bit. (Note: she did NOT have a crush on him, but admired him as a good young man, since he treated her quite well.)
Obviously, the chance to meet did in fact happen in December 2013 at a huge conference that the International House of Prayer holds every year (the One Thing Conference.) My sister road with Will to come down here for the conference, and Will was returning to go back to the International House of Prayer University in the spring for his last semester. Carolyn was trying to be so helpful to me; I was so thirsty for male friendships at the time (as you may recall in my previous post) and she knew Will and I would get along. And, of course, because of the age difference neither of us thought that my heart would at all be in danger of getting a crush on him.
So, during the conference, my sister ran into Will and made him wait until I could come over to meet him. My first impression of him was that he was taller than I expected and "nerdy cute;" and, after speaking with him, I thought he was really funny. But, apparently, Will was interested in me right away. When I walked up (having expected me to look like my sister who is short and a brunette) he thought, "Wow, she's tall. And blonde! And she's beautiful!" I was completely unaware of the affect I had on him, of course, and when we were talking I impressed him even more with my wit and teasing. He stumbled over his words talking to me (because my amazing beauty made him nervous, lol) and I totally made fun of him for it, yet he LOVED it! This cracks me up, he's a funny guy and enjoys being teased- to an extent. He liked me right then and there, and I wanted to be friends with him right away.
We ended up exchanging numbers before the conference was over so that we could hang out some time. I genuinely wanted to just be friends and thought of him as a "little brother", but he, genuinely, was interested in me as more than friends. Of course, I had no clue of that!
The next week, I texted him first (like I said, I thought of him as just a friend) and I joked about coming up with a secret handshake since we were now going to be "best" friends. He loved it. (Perfect match, right?) Then a week or so later I invited him over to watch a movie with me and my roommate. We ended up talking more than watching the movie, and since I was on Christian Mingle at the time, I shared with him some of the guys I was talking to. He proceeded to check out the different profiles and read them to me in a funny accent making fun of every man on there! His purpose, of course, was to make me disinterested in them all, because in his mind, "none of them were good enough for me."
The first two times we hung out, I made it clear that I had no interest in him other than a friend. As he puts it, he got "friend zoned." LOL. So, because of that, he put his feelings for me out of his mind (as men have the uncanny ability to do) but he did not quit hanging out with me and he even did pursuing type things- like, bringing pizza over, buying my kitten toys, bringing me Reeses after hearing that it was my favorite candy, taking me grocery shopping etc. My roommates wondered if he liked me, and once in a while I wondered too, but I insisted that he just saw me as a big sister and was comfortable with me. We hung out incessantly for several weeks and all the while I was going on dates with guys from Christian Mingle.
Pretty soon however, I found myself comparing the men I when out with to Will and he became, in my mind, the epitome of what all men should be. Of course, at that time, I didn't realize what that was saying about my feelings for him. On one particular date though I finally realized what was going on in my heart. I went out with a guy that I was actually excited about, where as thus far I hadn't really cared for any of the other guys I had gone out with, but this guy was really witty and impressed me in different ways.
We went out to eat and ended up chatting for hours!! So, you would think that it was really great, right? But the whole time, there just seemed like something was missing, and I couldn't stop thinking about Will. I kept comparing this guy to Will and wishing I was hanging out with Will. I thought, "Why in the world am I thinking about Will while on a date?!" I had to figure out what was going on. I spoke with a good friend of mine about it and said, "I'm beginning to think that I may have feelings for Will." She said, "You think?!" Haha.
For the next week, I prayed and sought the Lord about what was going on in my heart. The guy that I had gone out with wanted to go out again, but my interest in him was waning. I realized that I would not be able to stay on Christian Mingle and go out with all these different guys if I had feelings for a good friend of mine. So, I decided to go out with this guy one last time to see if what seemed to be missing the first date appeared in the second date. Maybe I would be even more interested in him and my feelings for Will would cease? But, if I still kept comparing him to Will, then I decided to speak with Will about my feelings right away. I know how I am, and if I tell a guy about my feelings and they don't reciprocate, I move on pretty quickly because it closes the door instead of letting there be that "what if?"
The date did not go that well. He actually told me he was taking me on the same exact date that he took a different girl he met on Christian Mingle AND that he wanted to see how I compared to her! Goodness! I mean, I may have been comparing him to Will, but at least I didn't TELL him that! lol. The thing that was missing (which I believe was a spiritual connection- or disconnection) still wasn't there and right after the date I called Will and asked him if he'd be able to hang out.
Will was the guy I spoke to about all of these guys I was talking to or meeting up with, and so I told him that I had just had a date and wanted to chat about. We ended up going to a coffee shop (side note: aside from grocery shopping once, we generally did not hang out alone during our entire friendship) and I chatted away about the date and other random things. I was so nervous about discussing my feelings with him because my past experiences in this were so negative and I didn't want to lose my friendship with Will! I was totally okay with just being friends, I just needed to know from him that he wasn't interested in anything else.
I finally came around to the real reason I wanted to chat with him and I said, "Sooooo, I have a confession to make; I actually learned something new about myself on that first date with ______." He asked what I learned, in a teasing manner and I, being serious, said, "Well, the entire time we were on the date, I kept comparing him to you..." I paused, then said, "Apparently, I have a crush on you..." And then, since I had made a big deal about our age difference since the beginning, I added, "Yep, this 29 year old has a crush on you!"
All he said was, "I'm flattered." Which cracks me up when I think about it. I said, jokingly, "You SHOULD be flattered! I'm awesome!" But he responded with, "You ARE awesome." Quite seriously, I might add, because, even though he had pushed his feelings away, he truly did like me and thought I was awesome.
Then I said, "Well, I kind of figured that you just saw me as a big sister and so have been just comfortable with me because of that." He said, "Pretty much, but let me think about it." And I told him that he better not take too long thinking about it, because I might be taken in a few months. LOL! Then we chatted about other subjects as though nothing had occurred. It was the coolest thing ever, he did not want to quit being friends with me because of it and he didn't act awkward at all!! Ok, I have to be honest, I liked him even more because of this. :)
The next couple days were snow days and so I was off work and he was off school, and, of course, we ended up hanging out. One night he came and hung out with me and my roommates, the next I hung out with him and his roommates. After the second day, when he was dropping me off at my house, before I could get out of the car he said, "Hey, so, I think you're really cool, and I really enjoy hanging out with you, and I'm starting to see myself being able to date you, but I'm still thinking about it. Just wanted you to know that." Haha! Oh, what men do to women's hearts without even meaning to! I told him he better not take much longer cause I wasn't gonna wait around. I didn't want my heart getting played with, you know?
Oh, the agony of those next few days!! I decided I wasn't going to text him, but I figured he would text me and he DIDN'T! It was so difficult to not pick up my phone to contact him, but I kept myself from doing it. How frustrating it was to be told that he might like me back and then not call or text me! haha! In Will's defense though, he truly did not want to play with my heart and had purposed in his heart to not date me (or anyone for that matter) without seeing himself being able to marry that person, and he needed time to think and pray. I understand and appreciate it, but still, it was agonizing! Lol.
A few days later, he texted me while I was at work and asked if he could pick me up from work and get coffee. At first, my mind ran away with fears of him telling me that he never wanted to see me again or something, but as soon as I saw his face when he picked me up, I knew that could not be the case. He purchased my coffee for me and we sat down; it was slightly awkward but not too bad, I could tell that he was nervous. Before even making any idle conversation at all, Will looked at me, smiled and said, "So, I think you're awesome." He grinned shyly again, and added, "So, you wanna... maybe... get to know each other... and go out on dates and stuff?" It was so so cute!! Something I forgot to mention was that Will never dated anybody before me. I'm his first everything; which of course makes me feel very honored. :)
I reminded him subtly that I was on Christian Mingle and that if he and I were not exclusive I would be going out with other guys. And he asked if I could check on there that I was "in a relationship" or something, just like on Facebook. I laughed, "No, it's a DATING website! But I can write that I'm pursuing a relationship at the moment." Not knowing where this was going, I didn't want to get off Christian Mingle just yet; of course, that did not last long and within a month of us dating I got off of Christian Mingle for good.
So, that's the beginning of our story. In the next few or so posts I will probably write a bit about our adventures in dating and engagement and things I learned. Now, I am already onto the adventure in marriage!
I waited until I was 30 to get married and it was totally worth it. Just THINKING about him gives me butterflies, causes my heart to jump and makes me smile! I absolutely HATE being away from him, I am ALWAYS excited to see him and, honestly, if I could spend the rest of my life holed up in a cottage in the woods with him, I would!! lol.
The Lord truly answers prayer!! I've seen it in many things in my life, but this is the first time, of course, that I had seen it in reference to my future husband prayers. I remember a few things that I asked the Lord for that I had forgotten about until it happened. I told the Lord once that I would really love it and it would be so amazing if the man I were to marry thought I was so beautiful the first time he saw me that he stumbled over his words because he was so nervous! That happened!
I asked the Lord, many times, to be friends with the man I was to marry first and not realize that I had feelings for him and basically fall in love with him via friendship. I had given up on that dream since I didn't seem to ever have any guy friends, but then it happened! He's my best friend, and I am his!
A man who loves Jesus above all else has always been important to me, along with one who is humble and makes me laugh and laughs at my jokes. All of that is true with us! Will is one of the funniest men I know AND he is SO humble, and, of course, loves the Lord. I've said it before, I'll say it again: the Lord is so good!
Hope you enjoyed that story. Now, here are some photos!
Pics from our Wedding:
Be blessed and consider every day an adventure with the Lord! Until next time. :)
Monday, January 20, 2014
Adventures in Online Dating
Hi everyone! I know it's been a while. I just haven't had a whole lot of things to post about because since I got my job, things have been a little monotonous. Not that I haven't had an enjoyable past year, but I'm sure you don't want to hear about my daily life as a Salon Coordinator.
I'm sure you're really curious as to the title of this post. Maybe you're thinking, "SUSAN'S on a dating site???" Yeah, that's what I would be thinking too. To tell you the truth, I NEVER thought I'd get on a dating site. It's just not the story I want to have for meeting the man I marry. I kept imaging my kids one day asking me, "Mom, how did you and dad meet? Tell us the story!"
And then I'd say, "We met online."
Then they would probably say, "What's online?" Lol.
That was NOT the story I wanted to tell anyone one day. MY love story is supposed to be adventurous, meaningful, God ordained; and maybe it still will be! But... here I am on Christian Mingle, and here's how it happened:
Near the beginning of last year, I started having people tell me I should get on a dating website. I usually just laughed and said, "No way." And, of course, they would ask, "Why?" And my answer would be, "That's NOT how I want to meet my husband." I had some other reasons too, like- I want to be pursued and I felt like I would be the one pursuing in that situation. or that wouldn't be GOD writing my story etc.
But suddenly, more and more people were mentioning it to me. It was kinda weird. So, I started thinking about it. Then a friend of mine and I decided we were going to do it together, but before we got the chance she actually started dating someone and now she's engaged! But people continued to mention it to me and I even had a few other friends get on Christian Mingle and meet someone.
By the time Christmas rolled around, I realized, I didn't want to meet my husband that way, but I'm wasn't meeting anyone not being on there either! At this time, I had also been feeling for months how much I desired to be pursued. A woman being pursued blooms like nothing before! And I wanted that! I wanted to go out on dates, meet men and be around men! I have been so rarely around men the past couple of years that I started wondering if I would know how to act around them if I was around one again! Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but there's still some truth to it.
So, with some prayer and friends' encouragements, I got on Christian Mingle at the beginning of January; and a friend of mine actually paid for it out of support! So, here I am, with no money of my own being put into this 6 month dating ordeal but needing to be committed because a friend of mine paid for it and I have no idea what I'm doing.
In creating my profile, I was trying to be as much like me as possible and honest, yet funny about it. For my username I put: TotallyAwesomeChic. LOL. I put very good, yet not misleading photos of myself and one of the things I said about myself was: "I am pretty quirky, but confident that I am going to make the most fun wife in the entire world!." Haha. I was being honest yet silly, but, interestingly enough... the Lord seriously has used this in my life...
Some of you may know, but for those of you who don't, I have had a serious "body image" issue for a LONG time. I liked myself okay, but I did NOT have good thoughts about my body because of many wounds from my past and just really struggled with daily loving who I am inside AND out. And a few days before I moved here to the House of Prayer, the Lord told me He was going to heal me of this and we were going to start working together on me believing the truth about myself- that was 3 years ago.
A few days after getting on Christian Mingle, I was talking to my mom about how discouraging it is that the guys who have emailed me are ones that I am NOT attracted to or interested in, yet the ones that I'm interested in don't seem to be interested back. How frustrating!! That happens in my day to day life, but I was hoping that it wouldn't happen on Christian Mingle.
Then, something snapped inside of me, I don't know how to describe it, but I was suddenly proclaiming- "But you know what?? I AM a totally awesome chic! I really AM going to make the most fun wife in the entire world!! I really AM beautiful!! Those pictures of me are GOOD and I'm a gorgeous woman!! If they don't want me then it's THEIR loss!" And I suddenly realized that I actually believed what I just said!!!
Then, I told my mom, "Well, if I don't find the man I'm going to marry, then maybe at least the Lord is using this to show me that I've received healing on my body image wounds." And she said, "It sure sounds like you have!"
FRIENDS, I AM FREE!!!!! This is the best feeling I have ever had! The Lord is so good! He has broken off my chains. Instead of thinking, "Why would any guy want me?" during the day, I have thoughts like, "Why WOULDN'T any guy want me? I'm awesome, fun and beautiful! Their loss if they don't!" And this isn't even a prideful thought, this is a freeing thought! This is the Lord speaking to my heart how He sees me!! The Lord created me, He is IN me; HE is awesome, fun and beautiful!! This is wonderful. Friends, I am free.
I'm sure you're really curious as to the title of this post. Maybe you're thinking, "SUSAN'S on a dating site???" Yeah, that's what I would be thinking too. To tell you the truth, I NEVER thought I'd get on a dating site. It's just not the story I want to have for meeting the man I marry. I kept imaging my kids one day asking me, "Mom, how did you and dad meet? Tell us the story!"
And then I'd say, "We met online."
Then they would probably say, "What's online?" Lol.
That was NOT the story I wanted to tell anyone one day. MY love story is supposed to be adventurous, meaningful, God ordained; and maybe it still will be! But... here I am on Christian Mingle, and here's how it happened:
Near the beginning of last year, I started having people tell me I should get on a dating website. I usually just laughed and said, "No way." And, of course, they would ask, "Why?" And my answer would be, "That's NOT how I want to meet my husband." I had some other reasons too, like- I want to be pursued and I felt like I would be the one pursuing in that situation. or that wouldn't be GOD writing my story etc.
But suddenly, more and more people were mentioning it to me. It was kinda weird. So, I started thinking about it. Then a friend of mine and I decided we were going to do it together, but before we got the chance she actually started dating someone and now she's engaged! But people continued to mention it to me and I even had a few other friends get on Christian Mingle and meet someone.
By the time Christmas rolled around, I realized, I didn't want to meet my husband that way, but I'm wasn't meeting anyone not being on there either! At this time, I had also been feeling for months how much I desired to be pursued. A woman being pursued blooms like nothing before! And I wanted that! I wanted to go out on dates, meet men and be around men! I have been so rarely around men the past couple of years that I started wondering if I would know how to act around them if I was around one again! Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but there's still some truth to it.
So, with some prayer and friends' encouragements, I got on Christian Mingle at the beginning of January; and a friend of mine actually paid for it out of support! So, here I am, with no money of my own being put into this 6 month dating ordeal but needing to be committed because a friend of mine paid for it and I have no idea what I'm doing.
In creating my profile, I was trying to be as much like me as possible and honest, yet funny about it. For my username I put: TotallyAwesomeChic. LOL. I put very good, yet not misleading photos of myself and one of the things I said about myself was: "I am pretty quirky, but confident that I am going to make the most fun wife in the entire world!." Haha. I was being honest yet silly, but, interestingly enough... the Lord seriously has used this in my life...
Some of you may know, but for those of you who don't, I have had a serious "body image" issue for a LONG time. I liked myself okay, but I did NOT have good thoughts about my body because of many wounds from my past and just really struggled with daily loving who I am inside AND out. And a few days before I moved here to the House of Prayer, the Lord told me He was going to heal me of this and we were going to start working together on me believing the truth about myself- that was 3 years ago.
A few days after getting on Christian Mingle, I was talking to my mom about how discouraging it is that the guys who have emailed me are ones that I am NOT attracted to or interested in, yet the ones that I'm interested in don't seem to be interested back. How frustrating!! That happens in my day to day life, but I was hoping that it wouldn't happen on Christian Mingle.
Then, something snapped inside of me, I don't know how to describe it, but I was suddenly proclaiming- "But you know what?? I AM a totally awesome chic! I really AM going to make the most fun wife in the entire world!! I really AM beautiful!! Those pictures of me are GOOD and I'm a gorgeous woman!! If they don't want me then it's THEIR loss!" And I suddenly realized that I actually believed what I just said!!!
Then, I told my mom, "Well, if I don't find the man I'm going to marry, then maybe at least the Lord is using this to show me that I've received healing on my body image wounds." And she said, "It sure sounds like you have!"
FRIENDS, I AM FREE!!!!! This is the best feeling I have ever had! The Lord is so good! He has broken off my chains. Instead of thinking, "Why would any guy want me?" during the day, I have thoughts like, "Why WOULDN'T any guy want me? I'm awesome, fun and beautiful! Their loss if they don't!" And this isn't even a prideful thought, this is a freeing thought! This is the Lord speaking to my heart how He sees me!! The Lord created me, He is IN me; HE is awesome, fun and beautiful!! This is wonderful. Friends, I am free.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Adventure in Learning Who I Truly Am
It's a rainy morning today and it's been chilly out lately. So, I made myself a cup of tea and sat down to my computer to blog. My dog, Kenzi, is at my feet, fully relaxed because of the gentle sound of rain outside. My other dog, Sophie, doesn't seem to know how to relax and meanders through the house, chews on a toy, then comes and lays down and then gets back up and does it all over again. She's restless! Isn't that how we feel sometimes? Restless, where we don't know what to do with ourselves. I think that, often, our restlessness stems from us not having a clear vision of who we are.
The Lord recently taught me about who I truly am. I tend to struggle with this aspect of my walk with the Lord and can easily come under condemnation. My friends will compliment me and say things like, "You're so sweet," "You're so loving," and "You're so kind." And every time I would hear that my first thought would be, yeah, well, you don't see my heart. You don't see how ugly I am on the inside. How awful it was to walk with such a skewed vision of myself!! In the moment I thought I was giving myself a dose of reality, but I would feel so wicked.
One day, I was on a walk with my dogs (this is where I do my best thinking & praying sometimes) and I was asking the Lord why I felt so awful about myself. Why can't I actually BE that person that my friends seem to think I am? Why am I not kind, loving and generous?? Do you know what He said? He said, "But Beloved, you ARE those things!" I was astounded at first, not understanding.
"But Lord, I am an awful person! That's what I really want to be, but if I were truly that person then would I have some of the thoughts I have and do some of the things that I do?"
He said, "Dearest, those are pieces of your flesh that are being stripped away. The REAL you, the TRUE you, the person you are in ME, is the generous, kind, loving, tender-hearted woman that I created you to be. You may walk in that, and remember that it is the person you are. That other person, is not the REAL you, THAT'S the 'fake' you, the old self."
OH my goodness, I suddenly had more understanding of the "old man" versus the "new man" that the apostles talked about! You know,
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
And "...put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24
Also,
"...put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
Isn't it funny how you can read something and even think you get it, but not have any real revelation of it??
So, whenever you feel condemned for thoughts you may have or things you've done, first of all rebuke those thoughts! Secondly, remember that you are a new creation and that is not who you are anymore. Then walk in that! Walk in the Spirit. Renew your mind consistently with who you are in the Lord!
The Lord recently taught me about who I truly am. I tend to struggle with this aspect of my walk with the Lord and can easily come under condemnation. My friends will compliment me and say things like, "You're so sweet," "You're so loving," and "You're so kind." And every time I would hear that my first thought would be, yeah, well, you don't see my heart. You don't see how ugly I am on the inside. How awful it was to walk with such a skewed vision of myself!! In the moment I thought I was giving myself a dose of reality, but I would feel so wicked.
One day, I was on a walk with my dogs (this is where I do my best thinking & praying sometimes) and I was asking the Lord why I felt so awful about myself. Why can't I actually BE that person that my friends seem to think I am? Why am I not kind, loving and generous?? Do you know what He said? He said, "But Beloved, you ARE those things!" I was astounded at first, not understanding.
"But Lord, I am an awful person! That's what I really want to be, but if I were truly that person then would I have some of the thoughts I have and do some of the things that I do?"
He said, "Dearest, those are pieces of your flesh that are being stripped away. The REAL you, the TRUE you, the person you are in ME, is the generous, kind, loving, tender-hearted woman that I created you to be. You may walk in that, and remember that it is the person you are. That other person, is not the REAL you, THAT'S the 'fake' you, the old self."
OH my goodness, I suddenly had more understanding of the "old man" versus the "new man" that the apostles talked about! You know,
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
And "...put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24
Also,
"...put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
Isn't it funny how you can read something and even think you get it, but not have any real revelation of it??
So, whenever you feel condemned for thoughts you may have or things you've done, first of all rebuke those thoughts! Secondly, remember that you are a new creation and that is not who you are anymore. Then walk in that! Walk in the Spirit. Renew your mind consistently with who you are in the Lord!
Monday, May 20, 2013
May Update
Hmmmm... I think it is time for an update, don't you?
I have been working at the Salon for over 4 months now and it has been good. It actually feels like it's been longer than that. I have a great relationship with my boss, which is awesome and I feel like I do a good job there and I even got a raise since being there! I really enjoy getting to know the guests and serving them and stuff. God is so good! I went from working 20 minutes away to about 5 minutes away and two weeks after I got this job I lost the car I was borrowing (they sold it.) So the past few months my wonderful roommates have been giving me rides to and from work and sometimes I walk.
Speaking of roommates, I had a new roommate move-in in January and she is AMAZING. I am so so grateful for her! Again... the LORD IS SO GOOD!!! I had been praying for my new roommate for months, right? And he brought us a girl who fits in perfectly, she's fun, goofy and kind. We have an all around great house. Went I first moved into this house I declared it to be DaySpring Cottage. I got the word DaySpring from Luke 1:78 when John's father Zacharias prophesies and he says "the Dayspring from on high has visited us." I looked up Dayspring and it means a rising light or dawn, or a new dawning. When I read that I really felt it over my ministry and my home. That wherever I am, it shall be used as a place of new light or new dawning for those who come into it. It has proven true. Since moving here, all of the girls who have lived here have gone through intense inner healing, including me! It's been amazing.
Here are some pics of me and my roommates:
We have had some good times together. We do crafts together, movie nights, we eat together, we pray together, we encourage one another, we're really goofy together... and so on. It has been a great fun and growing experience!!
So, basically, my life the past few months has been about working and I get to the prayer room whenever I can. I know the Lord is using these different situations to grow me in new ways. So, someday, I'll be the new and improved Susan! lol, jk.
My grandmother who lived in Michigan recently passed away and so a couple weeks ago I went to Michigan to say my goodbyes. I miss my grandmother and it was so sad to see that the house I grew up going to every summer was being sold (it sold the week it got put on the market) but it was so good to be with family that I haven't seen since July. I, also, really love and greatly miss Michigan, so it was nice to be there for a few days. That is pretty much my update for now. Here are pics of Michigan:
On the ROAD... my adorable niece.
Cousins all together for dinner:
Sleeping Bear Dunes!!!!
I have been working at the Salon for over 4 months now and it has been good. It actually feels like it's been longer than that. I have a great relationship with my boss, which is awesome and I feel like I do a good job there and I even got a raise since being there! I really enjoy getting to know the guests and serving them and stuff. God is so good! I went from working 20 minutes away to about 5 minutes away and two weeks after I got this job I lost the car I was borrowing (they sold it.) So the past few months my wonderful roommates have been giving me rides to and from work and sometimes I walk.
Speaking of roommates, I had a new roommate move-in in January and she is AMAZING. I am so so grateful for her! Again... the LORD IS SO GOOD!!! I had been praying for my new roommate for months, right? And he brought us a girl who fits in perfectly, she's fun, goofy and kind. We have an all around great house. Went I first moved into this house I declared it to be DaySpring Cottage. I got the word DaySpring from Luke 1:78 when John's father Zacharias prophesies and he says "the Dayspring from on high has visited us." I looked up Dayspring and it means a rising light or dawn, or a new dawning. When I read that I really felt it over my ministry and my home. That wherever I am, it shall be used as a place of new light or new dawning for those who come into it. It has proven true. Since moving here, all of the girls who have lived here have gone through intense inner healing, including me! It's been amazing.
Here are some pics of me and my roommates:
We have had some good times together. We do crafts together, movie nights, we eat together, we pray together, we encourage one another, we're really goofy together... and so on. It has been a great fun and growing experience!!
So, basically, my life the past few months has been about working and I get to the prayer room whenever I can. I know the Lord is using these different situations to grow me in new ways. So, someday, I'll be the new and improved Susan! lol, jk.
My grandmother who lived in Michigan recently passed away and so a couple weeks ago I went to Michigan to say my goodbyes. I miss my grandmother and it was so sad to see that the house I grew up going to every summer was being sold (it sold the week it got put on the market) but it was so good to be with family that I haven't seen since July. I, also, really love and greatly miss Michigan, so it was nice to be there for a few days. That is pretty much my update for now. Here are pics of Michigan:
On the ROAD... my adorable niece.
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