Loving People

Relationships are important to me. I crave good, deep and strong relationships with people. I feel that God is urging me to really invest in the relationships around me. Last year I did a very poor job of that. I much more more focused on myself than on others. I am afraid that some people got hurt in this process. Well...no more...

God has renewed a passion in me to care for and love my friends, especially the ones I failed to care for over the last year. I feel like God is filling me up so that I may pour into others. I feel most satisfied and joyful after I have spent quality time investing in someone's life. I want to make a point to be more intentional with the time God gives me with my friends. Of course not every moment spent with them needs to be loaded with serious conversation. I value the fun and crazy times as well.

God has also renewed in me the desire to pray. Last year my prayer life was sorely lacking. God has brought me back to a point where I enjoy and value prayer in my life. I know of a couple of people who regularly pray for me and I am so grateful for that. I know it has made a difference in my life.

All in all, I can feel God moving in my life in a big way. Already in this new year He has brought me so much healing. I sense He is moving me into a new season that I am very excited about. I haven't been this excited about God in awhile. It feels amazing. I start my 3rd semester of seminary in less than a week. I am ready. I am so blessed to be able to be pursing my calling and passion for counseling. This semester will take me one step closer that that. :)

2010!!!

In case you haven't noticed, it is 2010. Wow. How time flies. I love the beginning of a new year. It is a time of reflection on the past year and expectation for the coming year. I've been doing a lot of reflecting on 2009 lately.

This time last year I was moving from Denver to Littleton and getting ready to start seminary. That seems like 10 years ago, not just one. I remember I was so expectant and excited to see what seminary was going to be like. I was nervous about making friends and my classes. Well, almost right away I had a wonderful group of friends. I LOVED my classes.

Throughout the year I experienced a lot of pain related to my past and to my present. As I dove into the counseling program, I was forced to take a closer look at myself. As I formed close relationships, I made myself vulnerable to getting hurt. One thing seemed to pile on another and I found myself sinking. I was broken and hurting, yet in the midst of it all I was learning.

During the summer I hit a low. June was the worst month of the year for me. From there, God began healing me. I hit more ups and downs, but could sense that God was working. This past semester absolutely flew by for me. I still can't believe it is over. I did a lot of reflecting on the changes that had happened in me since I started seminary. I thought about what changes I liked and what changes I didn't like. I began to understand exactly where I was in the midst of all the changes.

2009 came to an end and now 2010 is year. I am hopeful. I am expectant. I think it will be a much different year than 2009 was. I am starting fresh. I am ready to see what God has in store for me. Stay tuned to find out :)