faith... fashion... & passion: LIFE...is good

LIFE. It's a word that has come to my mind a lot over the past couple of months. Questions like, "what do I want to do with my life?" and, "am I living the life God has planned for me?". Then there's my favorite-- "don't waste your life, because you only get one chance to live out your dreams." My life has taken a big jolt these past few weeks. I decided it was time to take a leap of faith, "shoot for the stars" so to speak, and get out of my comfort zone. After months of prayer and seeking God's will for my life by reading His Word, I threw my hands in the air, got in the passenger seat and let Him take the wheel. And friends, I'm happy to say this roller coaster ride called life hasn't stopped since.

     I embarked on a journey. New York City is where I was headed, but I wouldn't be stopping there. A door would open, I would take it. I thought I had a plan, but what I have learned (and am still learning) is that God has an even bigger one. Yeah, I made it to the Big Apple... then Washington D.C. and somehow Los Angeles, California. Like I said, a roller coaster ride! As I sit here and write this, I can't help but smile, laugh and shed tears all at the same time. It's just-- God is SO good! The Bible says, "Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart." My life has been transformed by this verse. I think sometimes we get caught up in the thinking that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us what we want. I have come to find that this way of thinking is anything but right.
      As I said before, New York was where I was headed-- I have dreamed of living in the Concrete Jungle as long as I can remember. I have talked about it so long, I'm pretty sure my mom is sick of hearing the words "New York City". I remember seeing pictures of the Empire State building when in grade school, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade EVERY year on television (yes, even now), and forever in awe of the hundreds of thousands of people lined along the streets of Times Square watching the Ball Drop on New Year's Eve. I would say to myself, "I am going to be there one day."
   I was 19 the first time I visited New York City. I literally could not sleep the night before my flight, I was filled with such anticipation and excitement. Let's just say the City lived up to all of my expectations. I remember walking down the sidewalk that led to Times Square-- before stepping around the corner, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes-- then BOOM, there it was. Needless to say, there were tears. I'm 24 now, and since that first visit I have been hooked ever since. But what I have come to learn over the years is if we trust in the Lord and seek to live our lives for Jesus Christ, His dreams for us are so much more than our dreams for ourselves.
   So back to the verse Psalm 34:7, "Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart"; I'd like to give my testimony in hopes you may too find that security in Christ. Just when you think you have things all figured out... you may find that you don't. When we try to run our own lives and make things go the way we want them to, we lose sight of the bigger things God has in store for us. You've heard the saying, "everything in His timing,"-- it's so true. I firmly believe if we pursue a life that is to bring Him glory, He will incorporate the things we love in our lives. For instance, I love to travel. So you can imagine my surprise when I was offered jobs in D.C. and LA! And I'm happy to say I had the chance to share my testimony of what God has done in my life with people in both places. If God hadn't opened those doors, I would have never met those people. Glory to Him for that! The point I'm trying to make-- at one time, all I had in mind was making it to NYC. But just when I didn't think things were going to work out (finding a place to live-- yikes!), I took a step back and said "God it's Yours-- not in my timing but Yours, Lord"-- He moved. I was supposed to be settled in NY the middle of September. That was "the plan"-- MY plan. But after working an unbelievable live concert in Central Park... boarding a train and heading to the nation's capital to work an event on the Ellipse Park (right in front of the White House-- so cool!)... flying home for my longtime best friend's wedding... and flying cross-country for my first visit and chance to work in (drum roll please...) Hollywood, California-- a month and a half has passed and thank goodness He is the driver and I'm in the passenger seat. It's the beginning of November and I will soon be able to call the Concrete Jungle "where dreams are made of," home. A lot has happened since "my plan" and I thank God for it.
     I'm on a mission-- to live LIFE, no matter where I am or what I'm doing, for my Jesus. Yes there will be days of stress and worry, heartache and pain-- and yes, our plans may be deterred in all different directions, but if we keep our eyes on Him, living each day to glorify Him-- no matter if you're sitting in an office behind a desk, serving a table at a restaurant, or walking the halls of your high school-- He will give you the desires of your heart... because our desire will ultimately be HIM.
   ....LIFE is good.