Some Needed Encouragement

Last weekend, I was feeling pretty sad about missing my Grandma after her death, saying goodbye to my sister and best friend Emily who went back to Montana after being home in Michigan for the week, and also having no idea what to do next future / job-wise. But lots of people really encouraged me, and I am so grateful! God has blessed me with amazing friends and family!

Lately, my mom and dad have both been incredibly encouraging. My mom keeps reminding me that there is a reason I haven't gotten a job yet - so I could take care of my grandma / spend time with her :) and so not to get down on myself. God has a plan and perfect timing. (I can clearly see that looking back!)

After the funeral and everything last week, I was feeling wiped out and a lot of pressure on myself to get a job right away, but Monday night my parents both said that I should take a week or two off after everything with Grandma. I was surprised! Seriously? Dad said, "and there's something I need you to do tomorrow... go golfing with me." lol. They said, "yeah, golf, fish, bike, etc. Give yourself time to recover." I appreciated their wisdom and advice. Then, my mom and I had a nice long conversation about Grandma Wandell and how much she meant to us :) I was like, God, You are crazy! Thank you for blessing me with such amazing parents / family!

I was all ready to get a job at Meijer or wherever. And I would be willing to work at whatever job I need to because I realized that I don't need a lot to be happy (family, friends, food, shelter, a library card :) I don't care that much about social prestige or climbing ladders, but I do want to work at what God wants me to, to support myself, and to appreciate what really matters in life. I also realized that I really do want to write a book and would like to get going with that :) Even more than I would want to be in book publishing, I would like to write.

Now, with with my parents' blessing, I think I will recover and wait a week or two to see what comes up job-wise. Mom called this the "here am I send me" period of my life, and I like that way of putting it. I am open and available to whatever God has next for me. . . who knows what that will be. lol. No doubt a great adventure. (Prayers appreciated.) Thanks to encouragement and time to rest, I am moving away from the discouragement and fear that had crept in and towards confidence, faith and trust in God and His good plan for my life.

Unexpected Blessings!

God is always doing immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine out of His great love for us. Ephesians 3:16-21 says:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

These past few months since losing my part-time job in Februray, I have been blessed to spend an incredible amount of quality time with my Grandma Wandell and also had the time then to self-publish a book of her stories at Lulu.com. The day I gave that book to her was one of the happiest days of my life.

God is always working things out in mysterious, unexpected, unimaginable ways for good! That time with my grandma was a gift. His ways fill me with wonder and awe.

Just recently, at the beginning of September, my grandmother died. I was with her to the end and throughout her battle with cancer. I will miss her a lot, but I also have much peace. On earth, my Grandma Wandell was a brave, wonderful, beautiful, kind, gracious, funny, charming, wise, and loving woman of faith. I've been so blessed to spend quality time with her the past several months and throughout my life growing up. I have grown for the better simply by being in her presence and observing her life.

One of my favorite verses 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love."

My grandma's life is a lasting legacy because she clearly lived it to love God and others. Not only does she live on here in how she changed my life for the better but also in the countless lives she touched with her kindness and love on a daily basis. I can already picture my grandma dancing and celebrating on the streets of gold in heaven, in the presence of her Lord and Savior, the One who loves us truest and best. And one day I look forward to joining her there. I love her, and I know I will see her again someday.

I am extremely grateful for what God has done in my life, but I still have no idea where He is leading me next job-wise. It's easy to get down or discouraged over what I can't yet see. I need to keep trusting God has a good plan (I can clearly see that looking back! especially everything with my grandma!), but I don't like feeling lost now! I'll just keep praying for help knowing that when His answer does come - it'll be that much more wonderful. I know I am always loved and that He is forever faithful. I look forward to the unexpected blessings He has in store and am the humble, joyous recipient of His grace.