Life Update: February

Life doesn't stop moving.

This past month has f l o w n by so fast. Here are the February highlights:

I received a new position at work that I am very excited about. I am now the Property Manager of Greenbrier Ridge Apartments in Knoxville, TN. It is quite a leap from my previous position. The new complex has double the apartments, and I manage a number of staff members as well. Work was hard there for a while because as a company we underwent a lot of transition and change that doubled our workloads. Since then it has improved greatly and we are all getting a hang of it, plus I am enjoying my new position.

My best friend Allix got into PA school and wanted to do something big to celebrate. She will be moving to Nashville and in school for the next 27 months without much of a break. So... WE WENT ON A CRUISE. We actually did it! We booked the trip and 3 weeks later boarded the Liberty of the Seas for 5 nights (stopping in Belize & Cozumel). It was an amazing trip and worth every penny! How often do you get to leave 7 inches of snow and work behind for a week in the Caribbean?!

New Friends & a Couple Future Roommates

Back in Knoxville I spend time outside of work playing with my beautiful (needy) puppy, leading a college small group, and making new friends. Life right after college was hard and full of change, but now it finally seems like I've found a rhythm and a new normal. Making friends can be hard but I've been blessed with some great new ones and old.

The amazing girls in the CollegeLife Group that I help lead

February is often my least favorite month of the year. The weather is dreary, there's not much going on besides the world's worst holiday, and did I mention how much the weather sucks. God has blessed me more than I ever imagined with a wonderful month full of joy, new experiences, and life to the fullest.

Happy February... Bring it on March!

God is the ultimate pursuer of our hearts.

Often times I am not a fan of the dreaded Valentine's Day holiday. For those of us single ladies the whole day and week surrounding it is a reminder of just how single we really are. I have never had a significant other at the time of Valentine's Day so I have never experienced it as that, but every year it has always been the dreaded day where it seems like everyone has someone but me.

But this year was different.

I felt so loved all day, some love from friends and from family, but mostly I felt loved by my Savior. All day I was happy and content and full of joy. There is no earthly explanation as to why either, which is why I know it was from above. All day I was reminded of his love for me, through the weather and even small blessings like hitting all green lights. Overall I just had a great feeling of peace all day that I know did not come from me considering it was on my least favorite day of the year.

The verse Psalms 29:11 comes to mind.

"The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."

God really did give me more than enough strength and peace throughout the day. One of my friends said to me "you know Jesus is the ultimate pursuer of our hearts". And how true it is! No one else can satisfy us, comfort us, care for us more, or love us more than he can. Not only that, he is jealous for our love. He wants our attention and he wants our time. He wants the best for us because he love us. It didn't matter that I didn't have a boyfriend or valentine anymore, I had the ultimate lover. No one else could love me like Jesus could, He loved us enough to die for us. And the best part is that we can never lose it.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39 (New Living Translation)