5-Year Anniversary in SoCal

I can hardly believe it! It's been 5 years since I moved to Southern California. 

June 5th, 2007 -- I was rolling in my Toyota Echo, car stuffed to the brim, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, ready and eager for where this new adventure would take me. 

I didn't know at that time if California was going to be my landing point. 

Reassuring family that I was taking it one year at a time.

June 5th, 2012 -- 5 years later. I am settled here.

I've developed friendships that will last a lifetime. Moved to a city that I love and am ready to invest wholeheartedly. Finally on the job track that I hope to be in for the long-term. 

My heart and life feels full, thriving, and rich.

FLASHBACK

When I moved here, I was saying yes to God's calling in my life to love the city. 

I didn't know exactly which city that would be long-term or if that would happen merely through my living situation or a career path. 

All I knew was that I wanted to be faithful in this next season of my life to the calling God placed on my heart to love, minister and make a home among the hardest to love -- the economically, spiritually, physically poor of the city.

LIVING IN THE UNKNOWN

For the last 5 years, I have been living a little in the unknown. I've had a clear sense of calling, but no clue how it would all pan out.

I've tried to merge my career, relationships, and family into this calling and preserve all these different areas of my life while being "obedient." 

But, alas, I had to let go.

I had to let go of a very comfortable career path.

Let go of past relationships that didn't align with my greater values and mission in life.

Let go of living close to family.

All of which were not easy.

But, as I begun to step out and trust God with these areas of my life -- He continues to bless me ten-fold.

A NEW CHAPTER: ON THE FIELD

My year-long season of "taxiing" on a plane has ended.

The last month of my life has been a whirlwind. 

I officially moved out the home I had been living in for the last year.

Said goodbye to a family that truly has become family.

I am living in a new home.

Getting to know new roommates.

Getting to know a new neighborhood in Long Beach.

Started a new job.

Training and taking in a lot of new things.

Currently balancing 3 part-time jobs (which will become 1 full-time by Sept).

Figuring out routine in my life.

Figuring out sleep in my life.

Hosting family in town.

I am immersed and officially "on the field."

What a mercy from God to have brought me to this place. 

The pilot has officially "let me off the plane" and has "sent" me to do His work on the field.

I am still in the thick of transition and experiencing a myriad of different emotions. But mostly immense gratitude.

Here's an excerpt from my journal that captures my conversations with God right now...

"I am so grateful Lord for Your abundant gifts in this season. You have truly given me the desires of my heart. You see me and know me -- I believe this is true. You are my refuge, my firm foundation, in whom I put my hope. How kind and merciful of You to provide as You have. My prayer is that I will be a good steward of the many gifts You have given me and that I will not hoard them for myself. This world, my life, my possessions are not my own. They could be taken away at any point -- God forbid that I cling to the things which will rot and destroy in eternity. Help me to dig in deep in the face of fear -- You are with me, Jesus. You are my rock."

So here's to 5 years! Saying yes to God hasn't always been easy, but I am confident that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

I'm excited for where the next 5 years will take me! 

[More pictures and posts to come soon... I have a lot of catching up to do.]