God=Growth!

Wow, so first off I want to mention how amazed I am at God's power, timing, and patience! I have not blogged on here in a long time...since Thanksgiving of 2011...whooooops lol! But in a sense, I am glad that I have not. It is truly insane how much growth there has been in my life over a course of only 5 months, and it is neat to look back at this blog this long after. It is almost like a mini-time capsule! That being said, it is time to do a maaaaajor update on what God has done and been doing in my life!

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about what God has done, is that he has ended my season of singleness. This in itself is not the big deal, what has happened because of it and after it is where a lot of the growth part comes in. During the end of December, I started really talking to a guy that had really just popped into my life out of nowhere. And during the time that he appeared, I was very adamant about being independent and single. I would harden my heart towards him on a regular basis. God not only showed his power in bringing us into each others lives, but he also showed his power by keeping Joel, my man :P, very persistent. Even when Joel would think he was doing good, I would post some silly comment on facebook about how much love didn't exist, or why I loved being on my own. But God built him up and kept him from being discouraged, and the crazy boy kept pursuing me in a Godly, patient, kind persistent manner. From that initial experience, I really learned that it is never good to make up your own plans and assume you know exactly what God wants for you. If I had kept believing that my plan was his plan, and if he had not used his power to strengthen Joel's heart and resolve, and break mine down...well ladies and gents, I would not be a part of the happy couple that I am a part of today. After God got us together, he has been building us and molding us ever since! Since this relationship has started I have been challenged by God about certain behaviors of mine. I have also learned about the responsibility of real love, as well as how it is supposed to be approached in a biblical way. This is something I have never known before! There is so much more that I have learned, and I am challenged daily by God, and now a man who he has sent to help him..haha I guess I just take that much assistance to learn things :P jk.

Before I bore you with too many more details, long story short, from a few months ago to now, God has completely flipped my world around, changed the plan that I thought was his and so set in stone, and he has confronted me and challenged me with so many new things. And he is still doing so because, that is what every ones entire faith journey consists of. It just goes to show that God's plans will always be better for you than your own, and that God's timing is THE timing. We can't get too caught up in what we want and how we want it, because usually God has a much better idea and plan. We just have to wait, have faith, and enjoy it! I am so excited for where my life is heading now, and so excited to think about the growth that has happened. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope everyone else is doing fantastic and learning and growing as well!

This was one of the first times that we spent time with each other (We are long distance and I met him through a friend). Interestingly enough, this was taken at a friend's wedding, and although many guys would be scared that they were going to a wedding with some girl they barely knew, he was excited to go, and going even made him feel even more confident in his decision to pursue me. God was moving his heart like crazy apparently lol! And mine! I would have normally been scared of someone with so much conviction about this sort of thing...lol but not with this kid.

This is from his second visit, we obviously don't like each other :P

Date night! He visited during Valentines day weekend and took me out :). In my silly plan that I was so convinced of, I believed that I was going to be having some lonely V-days for a few years.....just goes to show, God is full of surprises and blessings if you just relax and give it all up to him.

His most recent visit....yes my hair grew a lot...haha because it's those Jessica Simpson extensions, haha love these things!

Skyping! Haha he has grown attached to little Ty-ty! Haha he is the adopted father of this little butt! He was trying to talk to him and get his attention during this shot.