2014: A Year In Review

So, back in 2013 I did a 'year in review' blog and I figured it was time to do it again.  I had said I thought that year was the best ever, however, I think 2014 has got it beat.  It's surely not been all peachy, but I wouldn't trade the trials for anything.  I have been floored by how God has used certain things to bring me back to Him and has been oh so faithful in showering me with his promises.  Looking back at 2013, it appears that not much has changed since then...

Still love food. 



And cats. 



 And the wobble.

Finn and I are still holding strong.  He's picked up this new fun habit of loving to run away.  Once he feels the wind in his fur he is deaf to the sound of me yelling his name.  It's created some discord in our relationship, but he's just so cute you can't stay mad for long.
 



I'm halfway through my 3rd and final year of residency... this was my last day after a month of nights and I was reeeeeally happy.  Such a privilege to get to do what I do, even though I sometimes need the reminder (like when I'm void of most human interaction on a month of nights)

We have remained the #bestclassever and not to mention the best looking class ever.  Some of the best friends of life.  I'm pretty sure Jonathan is the glue that holds us together. 



And then there are some different things this year.  

I barely even knew Hollie back in 2013! She quickly became like a sister to me, and people even ask us all the time if we're sisters.  Do you see it?

We did get snow 2x this year and lucky for me I got some snow days.

I took a rotation called Wilderness Medicine which was amazing.  I learned how to survive in the wilderness.  I guess.  Or maybe I just had a lot of fun and made some new friends.  I am now the proud owner of an Eno hammock, a tent, and a kayak.  So whoever is up for helping me enjoy any or all of these fun toys, let me know.



I became a waterbug (this is for you Ashley)

 

Maddie got hitched.  Love Luke and love seeing their relationship, a beautiful picture of a Christ centered marriage.

I'm next obviously.

Not quite as thrilling as last season, but still got to cheer my Auburn tigers on.

And I remained true... for the most part.

I've saved the best for last, I joined Midtown church late last year and it has been a huge part of why 2014 has been so wonderful.  It is my family and such a huge encouragement in my walk with Christ.  And these girls.. my dear lifegroup who know the good and the bad in my life but love me anyway and continue to push me towards Christ.  I love them so so much.

Well, I've said it before.  Life doesn't look pretty or graceful a lot of the time.

honest to goodness walked into Moe's and
realized there was a lint roller stuck to my purse.  

Onesie in Walmart, why not.

curbs are a mere suggestion.

no club why.

But Jesus is so good and he continues to love me and bless me when I hardly deserve it.  I have just been blown away by his goodness.  My prayer for 2015 is that my heart would just be overcome by the overwhelming beauty of the gospel, because I know if I really GOT IT my life would look vastly different.  Because how can we really know and grasp a love like that and not overflow with love for the people we are surrounded by?  Thankful to Him for never giving up on this work in progress.

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

I think almost every time I blog it's me saying pretty much the same thing.  Oh well, here it goes again.

I have a very VERY selfish and sinful heart.  For realz.  It causes me plenty of issues but what breaks me is how I let my sin-filled heart hurt others.  

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, there's one situation with someone that I've continued to feel very burdened by, mostly because I don't really know how I've affected that person and I'm not in a place where I can try and make it right, but after a sermon tonight at Midtown Church what was said brought me to tears.  They read from 2 Corinthians 5 about how we have been reconciled and now we are called to reconcile others.  To be the ambassadors for Christ.  Within a 5 mile radius of the state capitol there are 100,000 unsaved people and chances are I come into contact with many of these people on a daily basis. What opportunities have I missed because I'm too busy focused on stupid unimportant details of my life instead of fixing my eyes on Christ and letting Him use me to reach others?

It is heart breaking.  And all I can do is starting right now become much much more intentional in my interactions.

I love this quote... I'm sure I've shared it on here before.  Probably multiple times.

"Do you know that NOTHING you do in this life will ever matter unless it is about loving God and loving the people he has made?"
-Francis Chan

Word.  That is just earth shattering.  Nothing at all.  What if I lived that?  What if moment by moment the overwhelming thought in my mind was how is what I'm about to say or do or think going to glorify God?

I've got some ideas on how I'm going to get better at this.  One includes tattooing the reminder on my arm (haha, except I'm serious).  First and foremost I have to be spending time with Him daily, reading the word and learning who He is because that's the driving force.  I need to know Him and understand better his love for me, because if I truly grasped it nothing else is going to even come close to comparing with Him.  There are people I love that I haven't talked to in over a year.  That's terrible.  I've already made a list of people I need to get in touch with, see how life is treating them and what I can be doing to encourage and pray for them.  And then there's the people I come into contact with day after day.  Some regularly like the people I work with, some I may only meet for a brief time and I'll never see them again.  Each second I'm given is crucial.  I'll screw it up a lot, yes, but how much will Christ be able to use me when I'm letting him?? I want me to become less and less and Him to become more.

El Salvador intro

Current location is San Salvador.  Getting here was a bit of an adventure but just a beautiful example of god being awesome.  We arrived at the Columbia airport 445am yesterday  only to find out our flight had been delayed 2.5 hours. Meaning we would miss our connecting flight. Which was the only flight to El Salvador for the day. And seeing as how we had 32 people in our group, things were gonna get real confusing. Finding different airlines, splitting up, going different days, etc.  Luckily for me I wasn't in charge so all I had to do is sit back and trust that god was gonna get us there.  When we finally landed in DC, we find out our next plane had left the gate but there was a "maintenance issue" and they had had to come back. So there it was just waiting for us.  I kept thinking doesn't God have a sense of humor? The 100 people who were on the plane probably didnt think it was funny, but I had to smile.  So that was our first obstacle.  Getting on that plane was hectic so our next little miracle, all our luggage somehow also got on that plane amidst all the confusion. All except Tiffany's carry on bag they made her check. We waited and waited for it to show up, talked to the airline, they had no record it had been checked, there was the fear that someone had snatched it and ran.  I literally was pleading with Jesus for that bag to show up throughout the rest of the day. I had all her personal stuff, medical equipment, etc inside.  I just wanted everyone including myself to be able to see that God is bigger than our circumstances and just remind us that he's in control. And sure enough that bag showed up today! I think I might have even been more excited than Tiffany. Go Jesus go. 

So through all the chaos god has just been reminding me to TRUST because he's got this in his hands. In our devotion tonight we talked about listening for when god is speaking to us and what a wonderful example of just that. The devil tries so hard to throw us curveballs and bring us down in the ways he knows will get to us the most.  And the more a threat you seem to him, the harder he's gonna try and tear you apart.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6: 12

Scary?! But we have a God on our side that has squashed satan and we've gotta learn to give it all over to him.  He will never ever let us down.  

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

Other things:

-There was an earthquake yesterday that registered 5.0 on the Richter scale. I think I was sleeping but people that were sitting outside felt it. 

-I've seen so many fanny packs here.  When will they come back into style in the US? I'm waiting.

-I made a friend on the plane yesterday. She's a GI doc here in el sal, just got back from a 1 month course on tropical medicine in DC. We hopefully will get to visit her at her hospital at some point this week. 

-I had pizza for dinner. Just like home...

-we start seeing patients tomorrow. Can't wait.  More stories to come... Keep us in your prayers! There's only so many pills we can hand out, most of what we will do is only a temporary fix. But if we can show them Jesus then we making an eternal difference.  Pray for boldness and that we can make connections despite language barriers.  So excited to see what He has in store for this week.  

A year in review

So somehow it is june 29th which means I have one more day of my intern year of residency.  CRAZZYYYY.  I feel like it's flown by, and it's been filled to the brim with experiences I will never forget.  I've laughed, I've cried (usually from laughing), and I've loved it.  Probably the best year yet.  So here's a bit of a recap:

-My job. It's tough, but I love it.  It's a blessing to be given the opportunity to do what I do.  I work with the best group of people I could ask for.  And you just gotta love the kids.  Love them.

-I wear a lot of dresses to work and I'm always getting compliments.  One of the attendings even refers to me as Fashion Liz (sorry other liz...).  I have 4 words for you: ROSS DRESS FOR LESS.  I gotta give credit where credit is deserved.

-I hit a deer and my car was totaled.  So therefore I bought a new car.  And then 2 months later they gave me a newer car.  True story.  They'd sold me the wrong car (wrong VIN number) and they needed to switch them out, so I exchanged my 2500 miles for an identical car with 25 miles.  Winning.  

-I've gotten really in shape this year.  I started exercising all the time, I eat really healthy... just kidding.  All I've been thinking about this whole time is pizza.

I became a gamecock fan. 

But never forgetting who really comes first.  This was the first time in 8 years I didn't go to an Auburn football game... I think God planned my intern year of residency well.

I reminisced often this year on how unfortunate looking I used to be.  If I haven't shown you the slideshow compilation of my childhood pics, please let me know.  By the end of it your eyes with by filled with tears (from laughing) and your heart filled with pity.   

My birthday party consisted of pizza (duh) and frankie's fun park with laser tag.  If you'll notice my pink shirt, it was literally glowing under the black lights.  Needless to say I did not do well.  But so fun!

After months of built up frustration, Jamie and I finally took it out in the laser tag arena.  We worked out our differences.  I think we're friends now.

I've had a lot of fun.  As an example, here was our killer efforts for an 80s party at a skating rink.  Jamie has an identical outfit from when she was younger.

This is the view from my backyard.  Not too shabby...

Finn and I have enjoyed our home in SC.  He's loved by all.  Except Jen.

We danced a lot this year. Wii dance parties, galas/balls, the car ride on the way to work...

Wobbling...

Wobbling again...

Most of the time I don't feel like I have my life in order.  Things like this happen...

Or this...

Or this...

But I'm learning to lean on Christ.I have wonderfully supportive and loving parents who have always selflessly put the needs of my sister and I before their own.  A few weeks ago they came up and spent hours and hours doing yard work or random jobs inside my house while I slept since I was on night float.  I have friends from back home that I MISS SO MUCH but I know they are only a phone call away when I need to discuss any life issues.  And I have an amazing group of people in my life up here that have made this transition so much easier.  Here's to another year with much more excitement to come.   

One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

Well, it's 3:30am and I may be up for the day.  Life is short, I've been reminded of that twice in the last four days.  And while I want to hold the sweet mothers that will have to watch their child being buried this week, I also am thinking, well jesus, what about us?  We have so much grief in our hearts, but we have the knowledge that they are infinitely better off now than they were because they are now in the presence of christ.  No more of the pain we experience daily from living in this broken world.  For whatever reason their time on this earth is done, and we're left here mourning their loss and waiting our turn.  In moments like this I'm reminded what my purpose here on Earth is. I've always loved this quote by Francis Chan: 

“‎Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving the people he has made?”

Nothing.  And is that my driving force throughout the day? No... I'm living for me.  Doing the things that I need to, but no more than that so I'm left with time for me.  Spending time with the people that make me happy and avoiding those that don't.  Seeing a person for what they can do for me and if it's nothing then why waste my time. Me, me, me, me, me.  This sounds terrible but subconsciously this is how we live our lives.  We live in a culture that teaches us to do what you gotta do to take care of #1 and to not really worry about the rest.  But what an example we have in Jesus that totally fights back against that.  A savior who willingly and knowingly came to Earth to live a perfect life and die the most terribly painful death on a cross.  Not just physically, but with the weight of all the sins of the world.  Such incredible love, and I ignore him and choose earthly things over him every minute of every day.  

One of the biggest struggles in my life lately has been my singleness.  I know I wrote a blog about 6 months ago saying I was going to embrace it and love it because that's where God had me in life right now.  Well I didn't.   I bring this up because my struggle with this is so closely linked to my relationship with Christ.  In all the busyness of life, I have put him on the back burner.  I don't spend time with him so I don't know him.  I just don't trust God.  I don't want to wait for what he has planned for me, I want things to start happening now.  I think that I know better, and that what I want is better than what he has to offer. I have put my focus on so many other places than Him and it shows.    I watched a sermon awhile back by Andy Stanley on being single.  And his main point was something like 'be the person the person you're looking for is looking for'.  Before I listened to it I planned to take a passive role.  Dear God, you want me to be single now, so I'm just gonna sit back and wait and one day someone will come along.  But I want to marry a man who is so in love with Jesus and is living a life that shows it.  One that will be a spiritual leader to my family, that will help me grow in my relationship with christ instead of being a distraction away from it.  And if that's what I'm looking for, is that person going to be looking for me?  I've got much work to do.  God knows it, and he's been wonderful enough to protect me from relationships I shouldn't be in or ones I wasn't ready for up until this point. So I've decided I'm taking a hiatus from searching and focusing on the fact that I'm missing out on something in life.  Atleast for the rest of this year, no dating, no flirting, no nothing.  This is my time to really get to know him and to much more actively live a life for Him so I can love Him and love his people better.  To become a proverbs 31 woman.  

"The only one who can truly satisfy the human heart is the one who made it."

So I wrote this blog over a year ago and never posted it for whatever reason, but I just came across it again and thought I would. 

"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed... He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:18,20-21

God's promise to Abraham- I'm gonna make you into a great nation. Go outside and count the stars. That's how many offspring will come from you. You will be the father of many nations.

Abraham was 75 when God first told him to get up and leave and go to a certain land- bc he was going to make him into a great nation. It wasn't until Abraham was 100 (and Sarah was 90) that she finally bore him a child. For 25 years they waited. Each birthday that passed, Hey God? I'm not getting any younger. We should probably get started on all those offspring...

It's almost nice to see moments of weakness in these men and women of extreme faith because we realize that they're like us. Then they do incredible things that make us feel insignificant, but still we do see moments of weakness. So Abraham may have messed up a few times. Taken matters into his own hands. God said he was going to give him offspring, but He didn't say from who- right? So 10 years later, here's an idea- I'll sleep with my servant and she can give me the offspring God was talking about. I feel like there had to be something deep within screaming TERRIBLE PLAN! ABORT! ABORT! Probably not OK... but it happened anyway. With significant consequences.

And then at the age of 99... God appeared to him again. He told Abraham he would give him a son through Sarah, within the year. First he laughed at God (probably also not the best idea)... But then Abraham believed. Against all hope. What seemed impossible was actually impossible. Women who are 90 aren't making babies. I just looked up the oldest women ever known to give birth, she was 66. By IVF. Which was not around in the time of Genesis.

I know I constantly put God in a box, not having a strong enough faith to believe his promises. Let this be my prayer! To believe the promises of God even when all hope seems lost! To be strong, steady, unwavering in my faith! Not only just holding on for dear life, but continuously being strengthened by the hoping and waiting in Him. Always giving glory. Fully persuaded that he's gonna do exactly what he said he would. Because He's THAT good.

What does he promise?

Phil 1:6- he began a good work in you will take it to completion

Psalm 34:18- he is close to the brokenhearted

Isaiah 40:29- he gives strength to the weary

Isaiah 54:10- his love and peace is never going anywhere
Jeremiah 11:29- his plans are to give you hope and a future
Matthew 11:28- he will give you rest when you are weary and burdened.
Phil 4:19- he will supply ALL your needs
Romans 8:37-39- nothing can separate us from Him
Psalm 139:7-10- he is everywhere.
1 Corinthians 10:13- you will never be tempted beyond your ability
Matthew 19:26- with Him all things are possible
1 Corinthians 2:9- nobody has ever seen or heard the things that God has for those he loves
John 3:16- whoever believes in him while live with him forever
Deut 33:27- he will destroy your enemies


And that is just a tiny sampling :)

kisses from katie

So this is the 2nd time I've blogged in 2013.  Already tying my number of entries for 2012, I am on a ROLL.  Currently very much enjoying my vacation, I have been keeping the delicate balance between resting up and catching up with almost everyone I love in Mobile.  It's been awesome.

Part of my resting time has included reading the book Kisses from Katie.  If you haven't heard of it, it is written by a girl that basically quit her life in the States and moves to Uganda at the age of 18.  She is incredible.  I want to be her.  Her love for Jesus is wonderful,  and I long for the faith and trust and complete surrender she has to Him.

It's amazing how much this book pumps me up and severely convicts me at the same time.  Just yesterday I bought myself a sweater.  It was only about $25, but that would be more than the money needed to send a child to school for 3 months in Uganda.  I spent $177.65 on going out food in December.  I will spend about $1200 on cable and internet over the course of the year.   Kind of makes me nauseous to think about.  I don't even consider the fact that it is a major blessing to have things like a warm and comfortable bed, access to water, health care, a car, a job, lamps, refrigerators, shampoo, nail clippers, shoes, blankets, cd players, advil,  etc, etc, etc.  I mean, when's the last time I thanked God for fingernail clippers?? They are quite handy.   It makes my heart hurt to think of things I complain about... the 4G network on my new iphone 5 is too slowww... all the free food at work in the cafeteria just doesn't look appealing... there's no good songs on the radio... It's actually so ridiculous it's funny.

In Rwanda I was not really bothered by the mosquito nets, or the lack of chickfila, or the sometimes cold showers, but reading some of the things Katie dealt with, like a giant rat that lived in her bathroom or lizards crawling around her as she slept, my immediate thought is, OK GOD, that's too much! But she repeatedly says that it's not by her doing but with God's strength that she does what she does.  And that apart from all the material blessings we have here in the US that we can depend on, you have no choice but to wholeheartedly depend on Christ to get you through a day. And she loves every minute of it because being in God's will is far greater than anything this world has to offer.   So who are the blessed ones?? 

What am I doing? I may not be in Uganda, but I am in Columbia, SC and that is just as much a mission field as Africa.  Maybe the majority of children aren't starving, but many are living in neighborhoods with gangs, or households where they are physically, sexually, or emotionally abused, or maybe just aren't loved the way that I was growing up.  And I've been given the sweet opportunity to invest in these children and their families and I've got to make that time count.  I need to be much more purposeful with my time, that I'm not just part of a team that's meeting physical needs, but these families need Jesus too! I have a chance to be Jesus to them.  And I need to become a better steward with my time and money. Not that I have a lot of either to spare, but I have more than plenty.  I have you as my witness, for the next month I'm not going to eat out.  I have a cafeteria at work where I can get meals during the day, and I have a freezer full of food at home that I can eat out of.  Then at the end of the month, that $177 can go towards something much better than giving more work for my scale at home.

Read this book!  It will convict but encourage a ton.  It's amazing to see what a difference Christ can make through one person.  And what a great example to inspire us to do what we were made to do: love God and love people.  Also here's her blog, and also a link to the blog of one of my friends from Auburn who is basically Katie without a book :) She packed up her life in Auburn to go live for Jesus in Guatemala.  She's at the start of her journey but it's awesome to see the effects she's already made down there!

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

http://manosheridas.blogspot.com/

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8