ahhhh

I am so blown away by Him

recognizing His Sovereignty in knowing exactly where I needed to be to know and understand and fully embrace what He has for me. . .

LIFEEEEEE

with Him. Moving Forward. out of hurt places through healing and into restoration, reconciliation, REALITY.

He is so committed. . .

f a i t h

faith. . .

a reoccurring theme.

I went to hear a dear friend speak at a women's conference- her challenge was to read Hebrews 11 every day for a week? or ten days maybe? Or maybe 11 since it's Hebrews 11. I can't really remember.

but I've done it thus far (it's been 6 days)

and every day made a statement. . . "BY FAITH, Michelle . . . (fill in the ellipsis with something)"

and today at church, we talked about faith. . .

Can't help but wonder what He's doing. . . stirring. . .

redefining.

I'm ready for a new week.
ready for tomorrow.

ready to go to bed and rest well and wake up refreshed

ready to have words for everything going on inside and outside of me- without crying :) but tears are good, and every day I realize even more how much I needed to grow outside of what i always knew.

ready to feel a little more established here.

by faith I moved to Birmingham, Alabama.
and I will not grumble and go back to what was. . .

I move forward because I know what I'm really homesick for is Heaven.
I will continue to allow Him to grow and shape and mold and move in me.
And yes, aching is okay, and missing home is okay.

I acknowledge Life is here- Life is a journey- and my goal is to not miss what He's doing in the present because I'm looking to the past. . . or trying to figure out the future.

this.
is.
it

and I am so grateful.
By faith I press on. I move forward.

I embrace.
all I need is Him. He is all I can depend on. . . and He'll come through in ways I never imagined when and where He knows I need it most. . .

He is here.

6

officially

6 months.

1.1.11

Why 2011 is the NEWest year I've had . . .

I have been in Alabama a solid 5 months and 3 days (minus a couple weekend trips and my fabulous 5 days back home)

. . . Monday I'll begin my 6th month at Lifeline. . .

almost half a year in Birmingham?! That doesn't seem like very long - and it does, at the same time.

So although it has been half a year, I've been told it takes about a year to get settled. SO I guess I'm half way?

I'm so grateful to be called here. I know this is what God made me for . . . and made for me. Every day I wake up and thank Him for a new day, and another day here- work is my favorite place to be. It's my ministry. My heart cry. My co workers are my family and they're beside me on this journey. . . in this work. The women I work with are so brave- such a blessing to know.

There are lonely moments, for sure- and it's opportunity to know Him in the deepest places of my spirit and soul. . .to awaken to His love, His Presence, His peace . . .

Triple whammy of a weekend- my first full weekend here after going back to Hays. . .my first weekend being sick . . . and my first new year in a 'new' place -

1,000 miles from everything I've ever known.

and I'm grateful for who I've become because of it.
for all God has in store

going home was so sweet. . . everything it needed to be. An exact reminder of everything I've missed- moments to embrace those things. . . and much to look forward to upon my return.

Roots. Familiarity. Community. Church. Friends.

All things that grew deep in Hays. . .
and all things that are being grown here.

I'm rooted, and grounded, in HIM!
Here's to a NEW year. . . and how He makes me new!

Invited

my newest lifeline blog. . .

http://lifelineadoption.blogspot.com/2010/12/invited.html

the 2011 hunt. . .

A favorite C3 family tradition. . . choosing the verse of the year. Here's an email I sent our pastor as a thank you for starting this tradition. . .

I was looking back and remembering how the last couple years, my verses have got me HERE- (of course God knew all along. . . the verses are always SO significant in those moments when I was not sure what was going on- but sometimes I appreciate them even more in hindsight! )

2008. . . Proverbs 19:21. "There are many plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's purpose prevails" . . . how true that is. I knew I wanted to work with young/unwed mothers. . maybe in a maternity home- or maybe just in a residential facility with young women. I graduated in May and made it through the year feeling content that wherever He called me to was okay. I was in Hutchinson substitute teaching. I even applied for a job at Starbucks (my favorite) in Hutch and got turned down because I couldn't commit to a solid 6 months- I just didn't KNOW when or where or what God would call me to- - - I just new I had some great ideas but my timing and His were a little different. and so I waited. . .

2009 . . . Isaiah 30:18. The Lord will wait so He may be gracious to you. He will be exalted that He may have mercy on you. He is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait on Him. . . I knew I would be blessed for waiting. And trusting. . . and so I waited. Never knowing when He would say "go" but ready for the word when it came. I applied for a job at Mercy Ministries in St. Louis, which truly was a heart's desire. . . He led me so far in that process then led me back to Hays. I was not sure why but alas, there I was- feeling like I was back where I started but knowing and believing and trusting that He was working . . .

2010 . . . Colossians 3:10. You've become a new person- this new person is continually renewed in knowledge to be like its Creator. . . At the beginning of the year, I was still holding pretty fast to waiting on the Lord. I was nannying full time and my hope was for something new. . . anything new. but mostly being made new in Him. . .

and here I am! Feeling more new than I ever have (and let's just be honest- it helps that EVERYTHING is new here). There is such joy in recognizing HE HAS MADE ME NEW- and I am continually being renewed in knowledge to be more like Him. . .

these verses have come into fruition!!!

I'm on the hunt for my 2011 verse and excited to see it play out as well. . .

25

i had many reasons to believe today would be far from delightful.
would not be sweet.
would feel empty and alone and nothing like a birthday

(I was kind of moping. and missing home. There are incredible people in my life here- but sometimes all i can think about are the 200 peeps that are 1,000 miles away. . . )

God swept me off my feet. . .

Something in my spirit shifted back into alignment.
Everything inside of me knew Him
HEARD Him
felt Him

not that He hasn't been here (because He is ALWAYS here. . . in. around. for. through. so present. EVER and always present.

the time with these incredible women in my life. . . the words He spoke to me. even just the sweet rest and quiet moments that I was so content in. . .

so grateful for who He created me to be.
embracing that.
knowing Him in that.
and living that EVERY moment.
here, there, and everywhere :)