Waiting on God

This past year has been a big time of waiting on God for me. Whether it be regarding hearing from grad schools, job possibilities, graduate assistant positions, grades, or a study abroad application, God has had me waiting. It's always been a major theme in my life, but the past year has been such a test of how I respond when faced with uncertainty.

I recently was accepted to study abroad in Ireland with the School of Social Work for two weeks in May for class credit. I've never been able to afford studying abroad and am so ecstatic about this opportunity! Ireland is on my bucket list of places to go before I die and I am more than happy for this chance to visit the land of my heritage...(not really but I wish haha). It's beautiful there and I think it will be a perfect transition into my spring/summer semester of classes and an internship. 

In other news, some big changes have been in the works for awhile now. After a lot of prayer, talking, and consideration, Jake recently accepted a full-time position as a Worship Pastor/Director at his home church. This is his last semester at GV and he will be starting the position in May/June. This next year we will be on opposite sides of the state. 

The day he accepted the position officially, I wrote my thoughts down...here's what I came up with.

My thoughts from December 16, 2010:

Today, Jake officially decided to accept a position as a worship leader/pastor at Rockpointe Community Church, his home church. After a lot of stress, worrying, weighing, praying, and contemplating, he has been led to accept this position for the upcoming year and leave Grand Valley behind. We're not sure of all the details quite yet, but we are very excited about this opportunity for him to serve God and minister to his church.

I know he is an excellent person for this position and that his heart is in the right place. I know he will do a fantastic job and that it is important to him to see his church grow and flourish during a season of change for so many churches across the world. It's as though churches are facing a turning point: continue on in the way things have been or take a new path and dig deeper to learn what it truly means to stand in Christ and live life as a follower of God. Jake is passionate about worship and his heart is so beautiful, especially when he is leading worship or playing music in honor of God. It's one of the things I first noticed about him when I went to Campus Ministry services my junior year. There's a difference between leading worship/playing for worship for your own "stuff," whatever it may be, and playing for the glory of God. Just by looking at him, or by listening to him play and sing alone, you can tell, without a doubt, that Jake's heart is after God, and in those moments of worship, it is for God's glory alone he is playing. It's incredible to be in his presence when he worships (though a bit distracting for me...hence I close my eyes to focus) and to hear him talk about his pursuit of God. This new adventure in his life...our lives...will be an incredible journey to embark upon.

That being said, I cannot help but feel anxious in this season. I have known for awhile that change was upon us each individually, but also as a couple, regarding our present but mostly our future. I have a lot of feelings about this change, as I know it is a wonderful thing for our lives and God will bless Jake richly for following His command, but I also know the reality of agreeing to become public representatives of Christ. You would think that we already are, and in some ways, you would be right. However, when someone agrees to take a position in the church, it is then that you are agreeing to put yourself out there, really out there, and open up your life to be commented and critiqued by members of the congregation. It is almost as if you become a "celebrity" of sorts...in regards to the public attention. Your personal life is on display and anything that may not be "up-to-par" or shiny and clean is subject to discussion.

I think a lot of it is that I'm scared. Am I good enough to be his wife? Am I the right person to stand beside him on this path? Do I "have it together" enough to be a worship leader's wife? I have struggled this year to find my grounding and feel rooted in who I am in Christ. I want to know God more. I want to be the best possible wife to Jake in the future. I want to really know I am loved and accepted not only by Christ for who I am, but also by myself. I'm just scared I won't be able to get a hold on it in time.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

I'm really excited for Jake and so proud of him! I know he will do an amazing job as the Worship Director at Rockpointe and can't wait to see what God has for Jake there. I will be traveling to Ireland in May when he moves back and when I return, I will be starting my spring/summer classes and the first semester of my internship. Lizzie (Jake's sister-in-law) is having another baby in mid-May so that is something we're all looking forward to also! I know I will be learning a lot in the next year and it may be a struggle frequently, but God has me in His hands and I will grow in this time.

I've been really stressed lately. I'm not quite sure how to manage everything on my mind and want to excel. I feel like I'm constantly taking one step forward, two steps back in making progress in my life. I have a lot I need to get together yet. I realize I'll never 100% have it together, but I feel so far from even sort of having it together that it's been really discouraging and frustrating. 

Most of the things I'm concerned about, there is nothing I can currently do to change them. It turns out that this is just another one of those times where I need to rely on God and wait on His perfect timing and grace to see me through the ups and downs of life. Until next time friends...

With love,
Amanda

Steps to Simplifying Your Life

So I've been thinking that I have a lot of things. Things I don't always use. I saw this list of ways to simplify your life and thought I might share them...here's to a simpler, more organized, less stressful life!

Steps to Simplifying Your Life

1. Learn to Say No
   This is a big one for me. I want to be helpful to others and serve, but there is a time and place to say no. This is going to be something I work on more this year. If you feel guilty about saying no, suggest an alternative.
   
2. Create a Place for Everything (and everything in its place)
   I LOVE organization products. Having everything in its place so I know where to find it is a dream come true for me. This is evidenced by my color coordinated, season organized closet, as well as my desk organizer full of office supplies. To have everything in a certain place makes your life less stressful and you are able to save time when trying to find particular items.
   
3. Pay Bills Automatically
   I don't always do this, but some of my bills are withdrawn from my checking account automatically. I receive an e-mail statement a few days before the money will be withdrawn and then it's taken care of! You don't have to worry about having enough checks or stamps to pay your bills this way.
   
4. Stop Being a Slave to E-mail
   Apparently, the average person spends about seven hours a week on e-mail. SEVEN HOURS?! Yikes. This is something I definitely need to improve upon. Though my e-mails are organized by color tabs in gmail, I still seem to have an overflow of e-mails every day. An idea for those who have e-mail subscriptions, create a different account for those e-mails so your personal e-mail inbox will not be overflowing.
   
5. Clean Your Closets
   I've already gone through my closet twice this year getting rid of items I no longer wear or use. I'm thinking it needs to become a more regular thing for me, because oftentimes I'll end up making some excuse or another for keeping an item. It's hard to be ruthless with my wardrobe, but keeping in mind that I donate my items to Goodwill or Salvation Army makes the letting go a bit easier. Having fewer items in your closet makes it easier to choose your outfit for the day. Another idea? Wreak havoc on your closet and completely commit to getting rid of those items that don't fit, feel funny/uncomfortable, aren't used, etc. After you collect these items, get together with a friend or a few and have a clothing exchange. I did this recently with a friend from work and while we both didn't keep all of the clothes we received in our trade, we did get some new-to-us items for free. =) It's a lot of fun!
   
6. Invest in Smarter Lighting
   I haven't done this yet, but it seems like a great idea. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs use 75 percent less energy than regular bulbs, are better for the environment and last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.
   
7. Save Time with Speed Dial
   I have my favorite contacts saved in speed dials, but haven't thought to include important numbers such as my doctor, dentist, favorite take-out spots, etc. 
   
8. Book Ahead
   This makes sense. It's easier to plan to accomplish something if you book it in advance. Tip: There is a shorter waiting time for appointments made at the beginning of the day or after the office's lunch break. 
   
9. Prep Your Gym Bag
   A great idea for people who want to spend more time at the gym, but make excuses not to. When I lived on campus during undergrad, I had some physical education classes I took voluntarily so I could work out regularly. When I didn't have those classes in my schedule, it was so much harder to get to the gym...and it was only about a five minute walk away! Shameful I know. If you pack your clothing, shoes, water bottle, etc. ahead of time and take it with you to work, school, etc. you will have less reason to make excuses as everything you need is right there!
   
10. Stock Your Desk
    I've never had a problem with not having enough office supplies, as I am a pen/notepad/marker/highlighter/etc. freak. Other great ideas to keep stocked at your office or in your backpack are hand lotion, pain medication, kleenex, and contact solution.
    
11. Clean Out Your Purse
    Doing this regularly can really help you cut out the clutter. Get rid of wrappers, receipts, grocery lists, and other trash that gets lost in your purse on a daily basis.
    
12. Ask for a Helping Hand
    This is a struggle for most people. I have a bit of a control issue so I like to do things myself to make sure it gets done the way I like. If you're like me you may need to let a bit of control go and delegate tasks to group members or members of your household.

Hope some of these ideas help! Have a great week!

With love,
Amanda