Whirlwind!

I blinked and somehow 3 months has gone by since I've come here to post. I guess sometimes it just doesn't feel like I have much to say...but a lot has definitely happened in the last 3 months. We got all moved out of our house and I happily (or not, haven't decided yet) put my things in storage and moved into my Grandma's house for the summer. I then finished up my job with the School District and made my way down to Redding, California for Bethel Church's Worship U on Campus 2 week school. Which was absolutely amazing. There are no other words to describe what happened while I was there. I met so many people from all over the world that had the same passion, vision, and were so like-minded with me. I really left there with my heart going in a million different places and countries..And even now..I miss those people...I want to stay in connection with them for a long time :)

So before I left Redding, I ended up getting an interview scheduled with a place that I had applied for before I had gone down. :) So I left Redding knowing I was coming back in two weeks for high hopes of getting a job..

I made it back to the Tri-Cities just in time for CreationFest. 3.5 days of Christian concerts, booths, speakers, and sun....and rain...and thunder and lightning..I'm so excited for this to be in my hometown. I've traveled several years to go to this festival and to be able to go hang out there but still sleep in my own bed at night? Highly appealing :) And considering I had bought my ticket in December before I knew who was going to be there and before I realized that I was going to move to California? I mean bonus. I actually ended up spending a lot of time working at the booth that my church was sponsoring..so it was a great time.

Then I had a nice little going away party, got a tattoo, and packed up my car and left Washington..Yeah...I got a tattoo. See it's really my mom's fault. Back that up. It's my cousin's sons fault. He got a tattoo in memorial of my grandpa. Which totally inspired my Mom in her 50's to finally get a tattoo. I mean we've all talked about getting one, but all kind of chickened out when it came to actually getting one. But once she realized that I was really leaving for California, she texted me while I was in Redding and declared that before I came back, we were all getting a tattoo. Haha..the funny thing was this was right after I had gone with two of my roommates and another friend and held the hand of one of them getting a tattoo while we were in Redding, and I was having serious thoughts on whether I actually wanted to get one or not. Well you know...you generally end up doing what your Mama says ;0). And the day that I left the Tri-Cities I spent 5 hours in the tattoo shop while my Mom, sister and I all got the tattoos we'd come up with to get. I mean mine wasn't hard. I've had a necklace for years that I bought with the intention of getting a tattoo of it. I mean when you open a catalog and gasp because the necklace you are looking at was the picture you had in your head for a tattoo..well you buy the necklace and wait for the day :) Which ended up being two weeks ago...

Anyways!! I found out that my friend and I could tetris pack my car and I left for California. With no job, no real place to live, no money, and a whole lot of faith that God was going to take care of me! And trying to not worry over everything was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I knew that I was supposed to be in Redding. I just didn't know how it was going to happen. I had a job interview, and was looking at a place that I could live at temporarily. But what if that didn't work out? What was I going to do? Well all I know is God didn't bring me down here to abandon me. Not at all. I got here on Friday night and stayed the night at a friend's house. Saturday I came to look at a house of a friend of a friend. I came in not knowing if I was actually staying there and she basically was telling me this was my room and where I could put my things. By the end of walking around the house I got a key and began unpacking my car. Yes it's temporary. I'm housesitting until she returns permanently. Yes I will most likely be moving out in a few months after my job starts and I get settled a little bit..but for now I feel like Cinderella in a beautiful castle. And I'm gonna rest in the goodness and abundance of God.

I went to my job interview the following Monday and had an ok interview. I mean I never know how to judge them. Sometimes I don't know if I express and portray myself accurately.  I walked away a little nervous after being given a response of "Well if you haven't heard back from us in a week, give us a call and ask what the status is" A WEEK!?! I had to wait a whole week to find out. Let me tell you that right there is a humongous test of faith. I began to internally freak out every day that I hadn't heard from them. But then really try to rest and just trust God. Oh and by rest I mean literally. I got there on Saturday and by Monday afternoon I could hardly walk. My lower back was in intense pain that I couldn't do anything beyond go to the freezer for the ice pack and ice my back and walk around the house trying to loosen it up. I don't know for sure what the issue was, but once I removed the lovely memory foam mattress pad off of my bed my back began to feel almost instantly better. Sad to think that it hurts me more than helps me..but at least I know what the cause was...I'm feeling much better now..

But still trying not to freak out about whether I was getting the job or not. Whether I needed to start looking for another job or not. I mean I had claimed this job long before I got here. This was my job and I didn't have another choice or option. Nothing like putting all your eggs in one basket. I didn't feel like I was supposed to look for another job and every time I tried to look on craigslist I just got full of anxiety and couldn't handle it. Meanwhile at Friday night church I got an incredible word from a person at church which had absolutely nothing to do with what I stood up for prayer for. But God knew what I needed. I needed a faith building and confirming word. And the same thing again on Sunday. I stood up for prayer and got a word that really didn't have to do with what I stood up for..but what was confirmed was I was here in Redding, and God brought me here. He opened up a door that no man can shut and that HE IS going to provide for me. In every aspect of my life..not just a job, but a job, clothing, food, place to live. ALL of it. He knows my need and he has me.

So Monday comes and I call back to inquire about the job. And no one answers the phone. 3 times. I finally get a person the 4th time and leave a message. And didn't hear back the rest of the day. So I wait. again. Tuesday morning I received a text telling me they were doing a background check and that he would get a hold of me later that day or Wednesday with shifts that might work for me. Within minutes of that all of my references began calling or texting me saying they had gotten a hold of them to ask about me. And yet I wait..again..Wednesday I received another text. An offer of two shifts. Of 42 hours a week. A 24 hour shift and an 18 hour shift. With only one thing potentially stopping me. See the 24 hour shift goes from Saturday night to Sunday night. And I moved down here so I could go to Bethel. I wrestled with it for about an hour. Can I take the law out of going to church out of my mind...and be ok with going to church only on Friday nights..and have that service become the only time I made it to a church service that week? I mean we don't live in a culture any more that shuts down for Sundays...I just had to get over the fact that yes I could in fact not go to church on Sunday and that Jesus would still love me for that. That Friday night services are in fact amazing and it's going to be awesome to make that my service. And right now this is new season..And if it involves not going to church on a Sunday than that's what I'm going to do. To not put God in a box and serve him in new ways that I might have never thought about doing before.

So I texted back and accepted the offer. And I went in today for paperwork to get a TB test and fingerprints done, and next week I will start training for my new position at Compass. And working one on one with some developmentally disabled adults, with a company that I am sooo super excited to be working for. They have some amazing values and a heart to serve people. I can't wait to see where this Journey is now going to take me.

I waited on the Lord. And he worked out all the details for me. I have a place to live, and an upcoming job. Now it's not like I stop here and stop trusting. Haha..oh no...this walk of faith is just starting..I'm sure I will have all new ways to trust and walk out with him...this is really only the beginning :)