August doesn't seem so long ago until I think about how much has happen since then. My how time flies when you are having fun! I have been in Nashville 7 months now and it is as wonderful now as it was the day I moved here, but keeps getting better. I have made some wonderful friends, joined a book club (even though I don't read.. ha), gotten a wonderful job, found a church home, but most of all I have found a place to call home.
I am working for All Phase Exteriors, as the office manager and advertising coordinator. In case you are wondering, it is a gutter installation company. The best part is I don't have to work on weekends!
I live close to my sister, Gena and my niece and nephew, so it is nice to be able to have lunch with then every now and then. It is also a joy to watch my niece and nephew grow up.
At my church home, I have join a fellowship group so I am meeting some of the older members of the congregation that I would not normally hang out with. They are all wonderful Christian people.
I met a guy in the parking lot of my apartment complex when I first moved to Nashville, found out that he was from Hattiesburg, MS. We talked about MS things and found out that we both loved football, just different schools. He is a Southern Miss fan, but I won't hold it against him. Well, about 6 months went by... he kept Duke for me when I would go out of town... then on Nov. 18 he asked me if I would be interested in dating him. So we have been dating for about a month. He is in med school, grad school and works 2 jobs, so he stays pretty busy. But still manages to have time for me. He is very sweet. He is an added bonus to all the wonderful things going on in my life right now.
God is blessing me in so many ways. I could not have asked for a better transition from a place I had lived all my life to a place I barely knew anything about!
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and may God bless you as he has so richly blessed me!!
If you are ever in the Nashville area, give me a call!
Well I have been in Nashville 3 months tomorrow. It is amazing that it has been that long, but it doesn't seem like it. I have been working four jobs waiting for my full time job to start in September. I have been working at Cracker Barrel, cleaning a house and an office and then I have been working one day a week for the company I will be working for full time beginning in September.
God has blessed me so much! When I came to Nashville I didn't know anyone specific (other than my sister who lives about 20-30 minutes away) and I didn't have a job. It was just me and duke on a new adventure and what a great adventure it has been. We had time to spend together for the first month while we waited for God to answer prayers for a job. When the prayers were answered, patience was needed even more because I was having to adjust to working ALL the time. By all the time I mean 7 days a week. But I had to remind myself that when I prayed I asked for a job and was desperate, so there was no room for specifics just I needed a job. (next time I might be a little more specific..hahahaha)
I have learned a lot in these 3 months. I have grown closer in God in amazing ways. I have seen him work in ways that I never have before and it is have been awesome! I have had the courage so share my faith and have courageous conversations. It is just so wild! I can't believe it. God is able to do immeasurable more than we ask or imagine. That verse has come to life for me, more than it ever has before.
I have found a few good friends, joined a book club, joined a prayer group, meet many wonderful Christian people, found out what it is like to work in the food industry, found out what my dad feels like when he hasn't had a break from work in a while, grown closer to God (and continuing to grow) in prayer and in the word and found a place I love!!
When I was in Oxford I few weeks ago, Bob preached on Trusting God Even When It Hurts. The sermon is so close to home for me. When I found out that my mom had cancer, I thought that I was not suppose to move. I felt like I had been near my family for 28 years and nothing major had happened but the minute I was leaving the bottom was falling out. But with my prayers and blessings of my parents. I am hear. My mom is doing better and has been to visit a few times. Things are getting better. My mom is half way to the end of her treatments, I have a job, my niece was born healthy, prayers are bein answers, so what more could you ask for.
Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement! I love you all. (maybe it won't be so long before I post again)
This picture was taken just after Abby was born, with her aunt ann.
Abby and her mom were able to come home on Monday. They are both doing well.
My mom was able to be there for support, which is an answered prayer. God is SO good!!!
Thanks to everyone who prayed for us over the last few months especially. Those prayers have been answered.
GOD IS WORKING!!
This picture was taken as she was getting ready to come home from the hospital.
Well I finally did it. I moved to Nashville. I have been living here what will be a week tomorrow. It has been fun finding places around me and my way around, but stressful and frustrating at the same time.
I have made a few friends. I have found 2 congregations that I am torn between. I like different aspects of each one, so I am not sure what I am going to do yet.
I also got a job! I start the first week in September.
You can check out their website if you would like
http://www.allphaseext.com/
I feel really good about the job. I think it will be a job I will enjoy as well as give me the opportunity to do other things that I enjoy such as spending time with friends and family, doing service projects and traveling.
Right now, I am trying to find a summer job to get me through until I start my real job in September. So keep praying about that for me.
God is providing for me in so many ways. He makes a great pilot, you should let him fly all the time.
Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement. I am slowly making my new home in Nashville, but Oxford will always hold a special place in my heart. See you at football season, if not before. (you knew I wouldn't miss it... :) )
Well I am moving to Nashville on Wednesday. People have been asking me if I am excited and I say yes, but I haven't really had time to think about that right now. Packing takes so LONG... it is times like this where I wish I didn't have so much stuff. There is just SOOOOO much to do!! and so little time!
The good thing about packing and moving is that God has blessed me with friends and family to help me load the truck. And even more exciting God has provided a church family for me in Nashville and they are going to help unload, if everything works out with times and stuff.
It is so wonderful to be Christian. God always provides for me even when I don't deserve it or expect it.
So next time I post I will be living in Nashville and hopefully settled in my apartment!! But most of all looking for a job in a major way!
Thanks for everything. I will miss you guys! I will come to visit when I can, especially football season!
Take care of Oxford for me!
Well as the day approaches, I get more excited but nervous at the same time. My dad asked me on Thursday, "What are you worried about the most?". I told him I didn't like the word worry because I am not suppose to be doing that, so I prefer the word nervous or scared. The answer to the question was finding a job. I have had several interviews, but nothing has panned out yet. I know that God is looking out for me and will provide what I need. I just need to learn to be patient, but at the same time that is something I struggle with and I am careful to pray for because he always puts obstacles in my way to help me learn patience.
But all in all I am excited. I have a new experience waiting for me and I am going to welcome it with open arms.
There is a congregation there called Brentwood Hills and they are already taking care of me, even though they don't know me and I haven't even arrived yet. But that just shows me how God is looking out for me.
SO NASHVILLE HERE I COME!!!
I will miss my friends here, but as the old Michael W. Smith goes... Friends are Friends Forever if the Lord is Lord of them!!!
Feel free to come visit if you like, I know not everyone is so fortunate! ( i might have to start scheduling appointments...hehehehe)
I will be near my sister as well as my nephew and so on to come, my niece.
I will have a new church family. A new home to adjust to and make my own.
But at the same time, it will be my first time to move away from Oxford for a long period of time (more than 9 months which was while I was a freshman in college).
I get nervous about not being there for my grandparents and with recent events being farther away from my mom. But I know that God will take care of them and 3 1/2 hours is not that far away.
So with God as the pilot, I am opening this door to a new opportunity with open arms and a peace that God is in control.
(the picture is the door to my new apartment in Nashville)
It has been a while since I posted and I seem to be saying that more and more. Well a lot has gone on since I posted last. So hear is just a brief update.
This past week I took my week of paid vacation, what everyone else calls spring break, but I thought it was an ideal week to take since everyone around me was going to be gone too. But my break was not really what we think of when we think of the word break. It was a break in the sense of being away from my everyday office routine, but not a break from the task of job hunting and praying for guidance. I had 3 job interviews and the task of finding an apartment. To fill in those of you who don't know... I am on my way to beginning a new journey or chapter in my life. I will be moving to Nashville in May to pursue a career in Graphic Design. I have had the dream of moving to Nashville for about 5 years now, but school was always the one thing holding me back. I graduated in December, so that road block is no longer there. I am free to go where ever and do what ever I want. So as of Wednesday afternoon, it became official that I would be moving to Nashville. The deposit on the apartment as been made and a tentative moving date has been set. As most have asked, yes I am excited but at the same time there have been emotions that have come that I was not prepared for. I had a dream Tuesday night and then a reality check when I realize that I would be leaving behind a place that I have lived for 28 years. I am happy about this decision, don't get me wrong, but it will be a change, an exciting journey and a challenge all at the same. All I can say is fasten your seat belt and hang on!!!
Change has always been difficult for me, but this is a change I have been looking forward to for a long time. It will be hard to leave the familiarity of a place that I have called home for 28 years, but it will also be rewarding to use my talents, develop new friendships and experience many of the things that I have experienced in Oxford over the years, to now be experiencing them in Nashville.
Life is going to change as I know and May will be here before I know. God and prayer have been with me during my time in Oxford and they will be going with me to Nashville... and as long as God is the pilot or in the driver seat I will be fine!!
I will keep you posted as the day approaches. Please be in prayer as I make this transition, and pray for my family as they support me, but at the same time go through a very difficult adjustment. Especially pray for my dad and his company. Pray that the right person will come a long to fill my place and that burden will be lifted from my dad.
until next time...
One of my friends posted this on her blog... I took this test and these were my results!
Take the test yourself! Have fun.
| You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament |
 Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace. You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions. You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected. It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional. You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others. While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well. At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything. You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams. You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment. |
have a great week!
I have been debating on what is next in my life. Applying for jobs, doing freelance work and working for my dad all keep me busy since my completion of school.
Some days I miss it, but most days I am OK with knowing I am done.
I should be getting my diploma in the mail soon and then it really will be official!
Thanks for all the support and love that everyone provided me along the way.
Please continue to pray for guidance for the next step in my life as I seek God's guidance on where I need to be and what I need to be doing.
Thanks again!
I was so excited that my sister and her husband came to my graduation party and brought my nephew. I miss him so much. I love talking to him on the phone, especially when he says "aunt ann come" (that means he wants me to come visit). He is so special to me. I love him so much. I wanted to share this picture of us, because I love it!