a season of stories

One of my favorite things about people is that we each have a different story to tell.  We have each come from somewhere different, each have faced challenging obstacles, and each have been brought to where we are for a reason, a reason beyond ourselves.  I personally love hearing people's stories; I love listening and hearing out people's hearts, passions, dreams, aspirations, frustrations, and disappointments.  Why?  Because each of us are beautifully and wonderfully made.  (Check out Psalm 139) Despite what may have happened in the past, or what may be yet to come, God has placed some pretty amazing people on this planet.  This past week I worked five shifts in a row, kind of exhausted by the end, but oh so rewarding!  I had the opportunity to hear so many stories this past week, from coworkers, patients, physicians, family, and even strangers who have now become dear friends.  You don't really know someone until you've heard their story; until you've heard where they've come from.  The stories I've heard have sometimes been sad, other times hopeful, some hilarious, and others encouraging.  My heart has hurt for some, and rejoiced with others.  Although these stories aren't over yet, they've warmed my heart and allowed me to share bits and pieces of my own story.  I challenge you this next week, ask those around you for their story, or share your story with someone you meet.   

Bits and pieces from this past week...

Got to start my busy week of working with a FaceTime date with this cute little guy.  So thankful for technology and the chance to keep up with family thousands of miles away.  

  

I was able to go for a quick hike before the stretch of working too.  The Turnbull Wildlife Refuge is just 20 minutes north of Spokane.  Unfortunately it was kind of a dreary day and I didn't get to see any wildlife, besides the occasional duck, squirrel, and snake.  Maybe next time the moose and elk will decide to come out and play.

One place my Dad told me I needed to go in Washington was the Grand Coulee Dam.  The Grand Coulee Dam is the largest dam in North America, and provides electricity and irrigation for much of the Inland Northwest.  The GC Dam puts on a pretty impressive laser light show every night too.

My companions for the Grand Coulee Dam laser light show, Tamara and Audrey.  These two have been faithfully putting up with my exploring self and eagerly joining in on the Washington adventures.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to join my friend Heidi on an adventurous outdoorsy day.  The sun decided to come out for a lovely canoe ride on the Little Spokane River, followed by a trail run along the top of a bluff.  I am very thankful for encouraging conversations about this season of life with a fellow sister in Christ. 

Just a little tidbit of encouragement and challenge from Beth Moore this week, "God purposely created us with a need only He can meet."  After living and working in Birmingham I got a little restless and dissatisfied in life.  I had a great job, awesome friends, a faithful small group, ministry involvement, etc, yet I still felt like I was missing something.  All of this led up to my desire to travel nurse and see if I could find what it was exactly I was missing in life.  I think I'm finding it.  I wasn't allowing God to fill the void.  I should have known that was the answer, and probably did know, I just didn't want to admit it.  God has been desiring to fill this empty void in my life, and I haven't been letting Him.  Wake up call.  Thank goodness He is merciful and gracious to me.

glory

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word."  Hebrews 1:3

I think I've finally grasped what glory actually means, and it's been rocking my world.  I've been going through a Beth Moore Bible Study with a local church here in Spokane, but it's the daily homework assignments that are making me think and challenging my daily life.  Did you know that God's glory is the way He makes Himself recognizable to us?  I had no idea.  Growing up in church it is so easy to get caught up in "spiritual vocabulary" and not actually understand what the words mean.  It wasn't until I actually called my faith my own, that God started revealing to me what all that "spiritual vocabulary" really meant for my life as a believer.  I think my most recent favorite quote from Beth Moore pretty much sums up what I've been learning about glory lately, "We were created for the purpose of giving God's invisible character a glimpse of visibility."  God choose to display Himself in me, a sinner, a young woman not worthy of such character.  How humbling to know that despite all my faults and failures, God choose me to show others who He is.  That's what glorifying God is, living a life that reveals Him.  

Just a little recap of the past few days of Spokane living...

I have been blessed to work with some awesome coworkers at Holy Family.  They have been so welcoming and willing to show me around the city.  Last week I went hiking with some fellow nurses, such a fun time of fellowship and exploring the local state park.  

I also got the opportunity to visit the Spokane Interstate County Fair with some sweet friends from work.  Yes, I did wear overalls, we did ride fair rides, eat fried foods, watch kids ride sheep, pet animals, and walk through all the art exhibits.

This past weekend I went to Oregon with the Carp family.  Kinda cool to meet friends I grew up with at an airport all the way across the country.  Coming from three different states and not seeing each other in a year didn't stop us from picking up where we left off.  I love knowing I'll always have a place in this family, whether in Georgia or in Washington.  

Friday morning we hiked Spencer Butte in Eugene, Oregon.  It was spectacular and the beauty was indescribable.  It was a foggy, overcast morning, which made it even more perfect for pictures through the lush greenery.  I love taking pictures of the trails I hike, each one is so unique and each one leads to something different.  Whether the trail is easy or steep, it's always worth it.  

After meeting at the airport in Orgeon, Chelsey and I realized we hadn't see each other in exactly one year, last year at the Tenn vs Florida game in Knoxville.  After going to the Tenn vs Oregon game, we decided we might as well make it an annual tradition.  Despite the terrible loss, it was an awesome experience being able to attend a game in Autzen Stadium.  

My weekend in Oregon marked my two months left in Washington milestone.  It's crazy how fast time flies.  I'm so grateful for family and friends from college, Birmingham, and high school who check up on me and genuinely want to hear about my adventures.    

the start of something good

I've always been a journal keeper, someone who better expresses themselves through writing rather than speaking.  And I've always been a fan of handwritten letters.  There is just something about reading words that someone took the time to write out personally.  I've never been a blogger, but have always been intrigued and inspired by those who take the time to routinely post about life, passions, missions,  hobbies, etc.  I may find out this is harder than it looks, but for now I'm gonna try.  Why now?  Because God has brought me on a great adventure, an adventure I want to share with those around me.  Yes, I may be on this adventure for the fun of exploring new places and meeting new people, but also because God is dissecting my heart and revealing to me the importance of and longing He has for intimacy with me.  My world is being shaken, and my only hope is that through my words, you're life will be encouraged, your faith challenged, and your mind filled with hope.

And so it begins...the start of something good.

A little over a month ago God brought me to the city of Spokane, Washington.  Spokane is best described as a small town in a big city.  People around here are friendly and welcoming, always seem to find a connection with someone they meet, and love the outdoors.  There are beautiful cascading waterfalls in downtown, quaint little houses south of the city, farmland and orchards north of the city, Idaho to the east, and the Cascade Mountains to the west.  Not knowing anyone in this lovely city, left me plenty of places to explore and sit in awe of the breathtaking views.  The reason I'm in this quaint little city in the Inland Northwest...travel nursing.  Being a nurse has many benefits, and being able to work wherever is definitely near the top of the list.  I choose to travel because I wanted to gain more clinical experience and foster my skills as a labor and delivery (L&D) nurse, while exploring new places and meeting new people.  I'm not really sure I knew what I was in for when accepting this job.  

Let me just take a minute and share with you the hospital I call home...
UAB is the largest hospital in the state of Alabama, the only level one trauma center, the highest level NICU in the state, and a very up and coming research institution.  Our labor and delivery consists of three floors of triage rooms, labor rooms, ORs, recovery rooms, postpartum rooms, a NICU, and antepartum rooms.  We constantly received transfers from other hospitals in the state and nearby regions for high risk pregnancies.  We have four residents and two attending physicians on at all times, as well as three anesthesiologists working around the clock.  If only walls could talk, oh the stories the walls of the Women and Infant's Center would tell.

Now let me take you to where I am now...
Holy Family is a community hospital five miles north of the major hospital in Spokane.  The hospital really does have a sense of community, where nurses call patients by their first names, doctors know and care about their nurses personally, the people in the cafeteria know your name, and you're acknowledged by hellos and smiles when you walk down the hallway.  Our labor and delivery is currently being remodeled, but now houses a floor of labor rooms, triage rooms, and postpartum rooms.  There is always one physician (and one back up) and one CRNA on call, and during office hours doctors will come deliver babies if possible.  Orders are still on paper.  Call lights are still used for deliveries.    

It's a learning process, really life itself is a learning process.  I really am learning something new everyday.  So, I invite you to walk with me on this journey as God stretches me, challenges me, breaks me and builds me back up, uses me, and reveals to me His glory.  May you be encouraged and filled with hope.  God is good.