community-part one

With the start of a new travel assignment, I intended to write this next post about the career aspect of the young professional years of life.  But, that's gonna have to hold off for a few weeks.  Over the past week I've been overwhelmed with gratitude and peace that God provides what and who we need when we need it/him/her.  One of the hardest parts about traveling is leaving behind a sense of community and having to pick up and move, only to start all over again in a new place.  It took me a while to even discover what community was, what it looked like, how to find it, and why it was so important for life. Even in Birmingham I constantly struggled with finding a group of people to relate to, hold accountable, be honest with, laugh with, cry with, and build relationship.  It took me almost a year to find true community in Birmingham, so you can only imagine my fear and anxiety when it came to living some place for only three to four months at a time.  In Spokane it took me a few weeks to make friends and actually have people to hang out with on my off days.  But, the Lord heard my cry and came through faithful.  After four months I had built a community with a group of young professionals at a local church, studied the book of Isaiah with a group of older women, volunteered my time with teen moms, and built solid relationships at work.  And after spending a week in Austin, I'm already overwhelmed with how the Lord is providing relationships in my life.  I've studied the Bible with a community group from a local church, spent the day at an outdoor concert with a mutual friend, begun the process to plug into volunteering with a local sports ministry, found favor with coworkers and helping hands, and had some solid conversations with the people I'm living with...God is SO good.  If this is how the Lord has provided in one week, I'm pumped to see how He will continue to provide.

Now, back to the whole topic of community.  What is community?  Webster defines community as "a unified body, most likely with common beliefs, interests, policy, or location."  Stop and think about your life for a minute, whether your single, in high school, in college, post college, married, have kids, whatever stage of life you may be in right now, think of who you tend to surround yourself with most of the time.  Your neighbors, church friends, classmates, teammates, roommates, coworkers, family, kid's friends?  Whoever it may be, that's your community.  You surround yourself with them because you share some commonality.  Although Webster is great at vocabulary, community can also be defined biblically.  In Hebrews it says, "let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another..."  And in Matthew Jesus says, "where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am with them."  For a believer and follower of Christ, this is community-to find a group of people who share your same beliefs, to get to know them, invest in them, trust them, encourage them, challenge them, love them, and be open for them to do the same to you.  Finding community is tough, but take a leap of faith and put yourself out there.  We are all searching for our places in this crazy life, why not walk through it together?  You'll be glad you're not alone. 

Don't worry, this is only part one on the topic of community.  I could probably talk for days on this topic, but I'll keep it to a minimum and leave you with only two parts.  To hold you over until part two on community, enjoy these lovely pictures of my first few days in Austin...    

My first Texas sunset, somewhere between the state line and Austin.

Town Lake Trail, more like a river trail...immediately one of my favorite spots in Austin.  

I'm determined to learn to eat healthy while here.

Free outdoor concerts are a common occurrence in the local parks.

The infamous "Juan in a Million" from the Food Network's Man vs Food.

the in between

When you're in high school you count down the days until graduation, then you count down the days until you leave your parent's nest and move off to college.  In college you are immediately immersed in a sea of people, it's easy to find community, and there is always something to do.  You look forward to each summer where you get to travel, work at summer camps, catch up with friends at home, work an internship, or even take summer classes.  And then eventually, you start to count down the days until college graduation.  Everyone prepares you for all these steps, for high school, college, new jobs, etc.  What people don't prepare you for is life outside of college, the step into the "big girl" world, the awkward "in between stage" of life.  Unless you're getting married, starting grad school, or maybe going on some exotic trip overseas, you don't really have anything else big to countdown towards.  In this "in between stage" of life you're most likely single, most likely have a job, but may not necessarily like your job, and probably constantly ask yourself, "What am I supposed to do with my life?"  I know I'm not alone in this stage of life, almost daily I have a conversation with someone about this weird stage of life where we don't really know what to do, who to hang out with, or where to work or live.  I may be in this stage of life for many more years, but since I graduated college I've learned a lot about who I am, my passions, what type of people I tend to surround myself with, and who God is in the midst of this crazy life.  I know I still have a lot to learn, but over the next few weeks I'd like to share with you some things I believe God has taught me, so in turn I can encourage others who are also walking through this "in between stage."  Obviously I'm not a very regularly blogger, so bear with me...the posts will come...eventually.  And don't worry, I'll still take a moment to share with you adventures and happenings along my travels.  

Just a little glimpse of the past few weeks...

Annual girls weekend with friends from college, lots of laughing, hiking, story telling, memory sharing, eating, and encouraging each other.

My 60 hour view of the snow storm that swept through the South.  Though I never got to go out and play in the snow, it made for quite a story.

Being at the hospital for such long hours made me more appreciative for the work family I have at UAB.  Nothing quite bonds a group of women quite like sleeping on stretchers, wearing hospital scrubs and mesh panties, and scrounging around for food.  These women have raised me up to be the competent, patient, and compassionate L&D nurse I hope I am.

I can't be in Birmingham and not hang out with Northstar kiddos.  I got to help out with January skills, catch up with Coach Sara, and even see some of my former players.  This ministry will always hold a special place in my heart.

My months in Birmingham have been filled with celebrating upcoming weddings, birthdays, and new babies.  Coach Val, the director of Northstar, welcomed a new member into the family in January.  I'm so thankful I got to meet little Jacob before leaving town again.  

Next up...Austin, Texas.