The Move

Well it started.

I finally took the leap of faith and moved out to Birmingham, AL to work with Sozo Children. Sozo is a non-profit missions organization that's focus is to save, physically and spiritually, the fatherless of the world. This is something that I've been thinking and praying about since May 2011 and it's finally here. We were in a dinner/staff meeting last night and it seemed so surreal.

I'm in this.

There's no turning back now.

It's been a really good start. I will admit there were a few bumps and a few moments of distress, but the Lord is good and He is so faithful. He allowed me, through the assistance of a few friends and some much need time of stillness, that this is His calling on my life, for the time being, and I have to completely trust Him in that. He has shown me that my days must start and end with Him and without that implemented throughout my life, my days will be extremely rough. Now, there will still be times of struggle, but nothing that amounts up to the feelings that overwhelm you when Christ isn't at your core.

I left Wilmington what will be two weeks ago, Sunday. It was such a hard surrender to offer over to the Lord my friends, family, church, and experiences and move to a foreign place. I will say that I did a fairly good job of containing my emotions while in the town of Wilmington, but once I got on the highway and left the city limits the tears began rolling. Listening to a CD that my best friend made me of some of the most meaningful songs of my college career and meditating on the memories that I've been tremendously blessed to be a part of, I just couldn't contain myself. I went from memory to memory and experience to experience re-living all of them in my head as I embarked on the two hour journey home. They will never be forgotten and it's always encouraging to know that a familiar voice is just a phone/skype call or letter away.

Arriving at home in Greenville, NC for a few days was a much needed time of rest. After rushing to pack up my room at school and say goodbye to everyone that had made an impact on my life in Wilmington I was able to get home and relax. Stillness, which is my one word for the year that I'm using to focus my life and attention more on the Lord, was my experience. While parts of me were racing to get stuff unpacked and then repacked for Birmingham, most of me was able to read letters and notes and remain in a state of solitude. That didn't last long once the weekend arrived and my parents wanted to spend every waking minute with me while I was still at home. It was good being around my parents and basking in the goodness of the home I grew up in.

I left Thursday morning for Birmingham, a ten hour drive. But the Lord blessed me with the most BEAUTIFUL day of driving; the roads were clear, the skies were blue, the weather felt perfect, and I enjoyed every moment of the mixture of blaring music with the windows down, as well as music off and enjoying the warm breeze and the quietness of God's beauty. It amazes me every day that His Almighty power is contained and represented by STILLNESS and QUIET.

The arrival in Birmingham was portrayed just as I envisioned it. I went straight to the office and was welcomed with familiar smiles and warm embraces. This place is filled with the love and joy of Christ and I feel completely blessed to be a part of it. I've started a little bit of work here at the office over the past couple of days and we've begun talking about this summer and what I can expect to experience. This weekend we will be bringing all of the summer interns together to go on a training retreat. It will be full of team building and the opportunity to form relationships with the people we will be spending the entire summer with. I look forward to what the Lord has planned and watching the Holy Spirit move throughout each person as they open their hearts to everyone.

I hope and pray that this blog that I'm starting can keep you updated on how my life is being transformed in the likeness of God, but can also impact your walk with the Lord, not to boost my ego or pride, but for the Glory of Christ and that we can become one.

As it says Acts 1 "All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer..."