It was a year full of stretching and growth. God revealing things to come at the beginning of the year (but not giving details) really stressed me out. Fasting til 1pm for the first week of the year helped so much!
I lived in a women’s home as a leader through the end of May. I saw huge amounts of redemption and healing happen. I also saw things happen that I had only seen in horror movies previously and learned that demons can change things in the temporal moment, but God is the one who changes things for eternity. Demons will create fear and/ or a sense of power, but God brings peace and a true knowledge that the God within us has all power. It was a draining season full of a lot of oppression and carrying burdens, but I got used to relying on God in even deeper ways. I also grew to a new level of giving. So many people poured into me during this season and seeds were planted.
My car was out of commission for months at a time a couple times this year and that forced me to slow down. It also allowed me to connect with other people to a greater extent.
I helped lead worship for the first time and did it a few more times throughout the year. I got to take 2 classes at Bible school and learned a lot. It was a place of peace and restoration, especially when I was in the Women’s Home.
Hannah and I drove late at night to meet friends at the New River Gorge in West Virginia for a camping/ outdoor climbing trip. Even though it was raining, it was still a blast to climb on real rock for the first time! It was a hard trip, but oh so worth it!
I moved into my first apartment in June that I am sharing with a friend (Hannah). The longer I have been here, the more I realized how much I had been in survival mode. It took quite some time to relax out of it and I’m sure there is still progress to be made. I slept on an air mattress for a couple months, but was eventually GIVEN a queen size mattress, box spring, and frame. Many monumental moments with God have happened in our lil’ apartment, both finding refuge in Him and doing battle against the lies of the enemy. We got a little fishy that has such a strong, energetic, and friendly personality.
In June, I went to visit my family in Virginia. On the way back, I brought an old friend from my youth group back to Pittsburgh with me. He stayed with someone else up here, but he quickly became one of my best friends and we hung out every day that he was in town. It was a season of breaking into deeper levels of knowing and experiencing God, but also knowing people on a deeper level.
During that time, we went to a service and a woman who was ministering to me asked me if there was anything I really wanted to do? I was struck by the question and searched my mind quickly. The main thing that popped up was to travel the world. She asked if there was something I really wanted but hadn’t asked God for? I couldn’t think of anything. She told me to pack my suitcase because I would be leaving soon. The next day God reminded me that I wanted to go on vacation to the Outer Banks with my family but I didn’t think it was possible. It turns out that the timing was perfect for my roomie and my friend from VA to go with me and we got a free vacation out of it! We went on a roadtrip style vacation, spending time in the Outer Banks, Hampton, Lynchburg, Baltimore, and Frederick. We met/ interacted with many people who impacted me in beautiful ways.
My roommate challenged me to go days without washing my hair during the summer, which changed my perspective on life a bit. Lol
About a month after returning, I went on a missions trip to Mexico. It was an amazing experience, but there was also a deep pain from not being able to connect with the people to the extent that I wanted to (due to the language barrier)! The people were beautiful, hardworking, and kind. A shift happened in the way I view ministry thanks to a woman on the trip. I was told that ministry would come from my heart and it’s not something that requires striving. And then she shared a key to that actually happening– rest. She truly lived it out for me to see. Ministry and life began to feel lighter.
August was a turning point for me. God made it clear it was time to settle down at Monroeville Assembly of God. It was just like coming home in the most comforting way, after being gone for many months.
At the end of August I was finally hired! I had a crazy simple and mind-blowing interview where they hired me on the spot. It was so clear to me how many things God had been lining up. Beginning work was overwhelming and I was numb for a couple weeks, but God gave me heapings of grace in the form of strength, clarity, and hearing His voice in the midst of it. It is becoming more and more natural to work there and I love my coworkers!
After the initial roughness of starting work, I started volunteering as a youth leader at MAOG. It was another way of stepping out of my comfort zone, but it has brought me so much joy to get to know the teens! God loves showing His love to them and it’s beautiful to see Him revealing how He wants to work in and through them!
Hannah and I also started a young adult women’s Bible study group. It has been the most life-giving group I have ever been a part of and God is truly carrying the weight of the ministry on His shoulders!
This fall, God spoke to me about becoming whatever He asked of me, not what I expected myself to be. It challenged me to surrender on new levels and walk in places I would not have otherwise. The layers of joy and pain have only grown deeper and deeper. I have certainly known pain in the past, but I always backed away from what felt like death. This time, I understood that it was/ is the way to true life. We are to pour ourselves out for the Gospel and for other people.
Day-by-day, I am given what I need as I seek God and open myself to His plan. God always has more. I have seen healing happen in my life and the lives of others. I have seen God’s truth win out over lies and freedom grow. I have seen blessings flow as I allow them to flow to the people around me. Joy has begun to be more of a practice as I began to see more and more how God was using the less than ideal circumstances in my life. I have learned to embrace my limits just a little more in the midst of all this. I have learned the power of prayer on a whole new level this year! God truly cares about the little things in our lives!
grace flowing 