Embracing Hope Amidst Change

I haven't written a blog for a long time. I prefer keeping my own journal, but sometimes I think it is quicker and easier to sort out my thoughts by typing, and that sometimes, my thoughts should be shared with some friends. So here it goes...

I am married now and when I sit down and think about it (all of the time) I am overflowing with joy and overwhelmed (in a good way). I feel like a treasure knowing that I am Kraig's wife.I have the blessing of serving him and loving him more than any other human being. I must say there is a lot to learn, however. I am so excited to be on this expedition of learning to love him the best I can... and that skill is going to come from Jesus Christ and Him only. May I not forget that. Ever.

Anyhow, that being said, I have moved to a small town (or at least smaller than I've lived in before). I am student teaching. I have been so busy with teaching that when I come home, I don't feel like doing much at all, which is okay. Other than time with Kraig or family, I often feel lonely. This is because I have not been able to make many friends here thus far. I have become friends with the guys my husband has been friends with forever, and they are all great. However, I have made just a select few friendships of my own. These friendships have been tough to build into deep friendships because we all have very different schedules. The people, outside of family, that I know the best right now are my 5th grade students and some teachers at school. Sometimes I let myself think that is a bad thing. Then, I come to realize that indeed my life and my fellowship with others just looks much different than it ever has before. I have less than one month left of student teaching and then I need to find a job for the summer. My goal is to live my life with a daily purpose, to set my hope on Christ, surrender to Grace, and to love the people I am around the best I can. It's sad how much I have let this goal slip.

It is my prayer, that I would finish off my student teaching in a way that is most glorifying to Christ. That I may wake up and rid myself of my grumpy 'want to be back asleep' attitude and say, "Jesus, thanks for waking me up. Thanks for this handsome man beside me. Teach me to love him better today, for Your Name's sake. Help me to have patience with my students and to teach them well. May I encourage them to live a life for Your glory. May you forgive my mistakes from yesterday and forgive the ones I am sure I will make today. May I remember that my life is not my own and entrust it to you. May I be filled with Your love, that I might love others and point them in Your direction."

And once student teaching is over, then I will search for God's Will in where He wants me after graduation. Graduation is a very exciting thing, but also very scary. It's a rough career world to enter right now, but I know that Jesus has a place for me and He will put me where I can glorify Him the most.

I suppose the point of writing all of these thoughts of mine right now is to share with those friends of mine (or maybe people I don't know) that I know life is crazy right now. We are all in our 20-somethings, graduating college, searching for our first job, being newly-weds, being single and having a bunch of friends who are getting married, having our first child, moving to new places, we are all becoming "real-world" adults and it is scary, but oh so exciting! May we embrace it and use this time to trust the Lord in what He has planned for us. May we stop worrying about where we'll work, who we'll be friends with, if/when we'll get married, will we be able to pay our bills, and so on.... and just embrace the fact that life is changing. Enjoy the ride, but make sure Jesus is your safety belt or this will be one very unsafe ride.
With love, Amie.