Beginning of a new chapter...

Okay, people, today I am goin' public like the rest of yas! This is as good of a time as any as I am about to embark on a new chapter in my life.

I, for one, am ready for change. Ok, now before you guys start rollin' your eyes at the idea that *I* am ready for change.. let me explain. Sometimes being 'ready' doesn't necessarily involve the snoopy dance. For me, right now, it means a matter of stepping out in faith. I am ready to step out in faith.. for me, that is DIFFERENT from my usual need for ultimate control ..thus, change. Being ready doesn't mean I am not scared.. it just means that when I look at the options of staying where I am and moving forward into where I'm not.. I choose to move.. lately, some days I move in the freedom and joy that God has provided and some days I move with reluctance and fear. But, Glory be to God, I am still moving in the path that He has asked me to move in. It's all Him, people. I am so weak.

So, what does the path look like from here? Well, it started with letting the truth into my life. Instant freedom, guys. Can I just tell you that God is so swift with his love and forgiveness? And I know why.. because He was already there waiting faithfully with it while I was busy making a mess of my life. He is very patient! Thankfully, His patience to love and protect me perservered over my ability to live and breathe in MY choices. I'm so grateful for that.

The next step was finding a new job after seven years at the same one (that's a long time, no, really it is..) There are layers as to why that was necessary. But ultimately, it came down to much more than just the intial reason as to why I should leave. But regardless, God asked me to do it.. and I did. I start my new job at Southwest Pulmonology on Monday. To say that I am 'excited' about it.. would be a stretch. But, I am okay about it.. and today, that is enough. What I am excited about is... that in the big picture, I am being obedient. And in that obedience, God has provided some goodies.. stuff to be excited about. The hours are predictable and shorter.. I am going to have a LOT more time with God, Jake, family, friends, my studies (which we will get back to at some point) and a dozen other little things that involve me actually having a LIFE. Now, people, I haven't had one of these in years. So, I may thrash around a bit.. but the prospect of a life is exciting! I've already started the whole 'having a life' thing over the last couple of months, and I'm just really looking forward to seeing what God will do with all this free time.. (and I imagine He doesn't have me adding more TiVo'd shows into that).. Good stuff.

I don't know what the future holds.. (shocking, I know) but today I am sitting in the gratitude of what God's love looks like and I have no doubts He will take care of tomorrow. In the thousands of moments in between our todays and our tomorrows, He has placed all these amazing people and gifts in my life to help me see and feel His love and faithfulness.. so that ultimately I can fulfill His purpose for my life. CRAZY that I have a purpose. CRAZY that He put me here for a specific reason.. so I guess it's time to listen and get on that! So, cheers to the next chapter..