I've been changed to bring change

Tonight I attended a woman's ministry event at Ada Bible church called Heart's Alive! They hold this event the first Tuesday of every month during the school calendar year. At each Heart's Alive! there is food, brought in pot luck fashion by attendees, worship music, and a keynote speaker. And the best detail of all, is it is an ALL women event (sorry boys).

Tonight's speaker was Shauna Niequist, author of Cold Tangerines. The topic she spoke on was "Change." Listening to her speech could not have come at a better time in my life. Shauna shared from her heart, the change that she has gone through the past three years, and I totally related. Although my changes do not look the same, regardless they are still changes. A few things Shauna mentioned stuck out to me, and really struck a cord with how I am feeling and how events in my life are rolling out right now.

First of all, Shauna wrote a beautiful analogy of the two ways people react to change. "It is like standing in the water at the lake shore and you either lock your knees and let the wave hit you in the face, or you relax and trust the water as you move with the wave." I have resisted leaving Michigan for 2 months now, and the wave has totally smacked me in the face! I have a job that does not pay the bills, and to add to it I received a $60 parking ticket in Chicago and $75 in overdraft fees from the bank because of 2 automatic withdrawals that came out of my account at a time I was not expecting them to automatically withdraw from my account, at the same time I used my debit card to fill up my gas tank to come home = 3 transactions at $25 overdraft fee per transaction=>$75.

One might look at that and say, "Well then you shouldn't have gone to Chicago." And to you poor pessimist I say, not even bad finances can take away the glory of God I saw and felt while I was there. It was amazing being taken out of my city, to view my everyday life from a different angle, to reflect and study and meditate on His Word. Not even the poor finances can take away the Peace I felt. The poor finances are just a catalyst to my decision to leave Michigan so quickly now. See now, I have a job pretty much waiting for me in San Diego. I stopped fighting the wave and resisting God's call to me. I relaxed, and laid down in the water to trust God and where He is guiding me.

Second, I love my church family at Ada. I love how my Monday night study can make laugh as we throw quick whips at each other, and still somehow be fully focused on God. I love how Union on Tuesday nights challenges me to pursue Holiness in a world that goes completely against it. I love how Lifeline on Wednesdays... I just love my youth group girls, "Fia Fia Siva!" and how they love me and care so much for me. They are really like having 4 little sisters... which can be challenging at times, but I love them! I love the other Lifeline leaders; I feel like I cry every single Wednesday... either from pouring my heart out to them, as they are so gracious to listen, or crying from laughing so hard because they are that hilarious! I love my meetings with Iva, how we can talk pop culture and just listening to her stories are amazing, the woman is truly a woman of God's own heart, with so much wisdom. I love meeting with Jen and how we break every single mentoring rule, but we are able to laugh and share so much. Jen truly has a heart of gold, and I am so pleased and blessed to have been able to spend so much time with her over the last 3 months. I will deeply miss my family... the first Christian family I have been apart of. Ada has been a complete blessing to me; I pray that I may now take those blessings to everyone I meet! And that I may find a new community in California that will help me to grow even more in my love and hunger for Jesus and godly wisdom.

Third, there a song by Aaron Niequist, called Changed. I first heard this song around the time of my baptism and loved it! Well, they played it tonight at Heart's Alive! and I would like to share it here as I continue on with my journey and walk with God.