A New Journey and the Differences in it!

I am so excited that everything has settled down just enough for me to update! Life has been absolutely crazy the last few months. I married Adam in February, but since my school contract did not end until May I decided to stay in Georgia while he was in Texas until May. I packed all my apartment slowly and was able to spend some quality time with my friends and family before the big move. It was great to have that time with everyone and mentally prepare for the move. It really made the transition much easier then I believe it could have been. In May Adam flew back, we went on our delayed honeymoon (to the beach!) and headed to Texas a few days later. I have been in Texas for almost three weeks now and it has been a blast. I flew out a couple of times after we were married, but now that I am settled in I am able to really start living life out here. I found a really great gym that I go to, Adam and I go to a great church, and I even have a Starbucks not far away!!! Life is good! There are some challenges however. I live close to Mexico and even speaking English to other people can be difficult. I am getting used to the language barrier, the culture differences, and other challenges of moving to a new area. I have taken all of these “challenges” as something good, and not bad. I believe God has a reason for Adam to be transferred out here, and me to come and live out here. I love a good adventure, and I definitely found one with the love of my life. I know there is something for me out here, and I know God wants this time with me alone, to really grow in what I am to do in the future. When I started this blog I was very clear that I was in a “transition” period, I knew I was to go and to complete seminary and after that, I had no idea. I was at peace with that, because I knew I had to work, go to school, and grow. Now that I have finished seminary and I quit my job to move, I know this is the time for growth and movement in my life. I have only been married 4 short months, but already I know a few things. First, lean on God for everything!!!! I am hundreds of miles from my family, which I am very close to, and all I have right now out here is God and Adam. By praying, reading the Word, and meditating on sermons and devotionals, I have not been too effected by the move away from family. It has also helped me see things clearly and to not get too caught up on the little things from day to day. In other words, I have peace. Adam and I also started reading the Bible together and we started in Matthew. It has been great before he goes to work every morning, he reads a chapter and we both discuss what we gathered from the chapter over breakfast. Although this is a short time of discussion, it still helps both of us to focus on the right things through the day. The Gospels are really great to do this with because Jesus is very clear about many things that each of us can instantaneously take with us and meditate on. We both are still growing as individuals and definitely growing as a husband and a wife, and this is perfect for us. Some days we skip it and we read the chapter by ourselves, but this has been really great for both of us, and it fits in our mornings perfectly. I recently have felt a desire in my own prayer time to focus on judging. Not necessarily judging people, but circumstances, situations, and new environments. Especially moving in with my husband in a very different city, and in a totally different state, I mentally judge, or compare many of the new things I am experiencing. I believe we all compare or judge something different from what we are used to doing. Perfect example, the gym, I love the gym and was excited to join this new one. It has everything! New classes, a whole track, pool Crossfit room, the whole nine! Yet as I was using some of the machines and weights, I immediately thought “these aren’t as new as the ones I worked out on, there very different.” It’s almost laughable now, but that was my first thought. In hindsight, it is so much better than the one I came from but the negative aspects is what I thought of first. It goes further though. Early this week Adam and I were reading Matthew 15 and it focuses on the traditions and commandments with the Pharisees and scribes and they were complaining to Jesus that the disciples were not following the traditions of washing hands before meals. Jesus was teaching that following the commandments, which are in the Word of God, is what they should focus on, not the traditions. Jesus states in verse 6, “So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaish prophesy of you, when he said: “”This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”” This verse really made me think. I do not want to be the type of person that finds the negative or the difference in everything. I have really focused this week on changing my mind set to focus on the positive and not the negative. Anything you want to change that is a mental change is so hard because much of the time, you do not really realize your are doing it until you focus on changing the habit and then it seems like you are having to work on it all day long. I take the challenge though. I love to work towards being better. I love working hard, it motivates me to continue growing. It may not be easy and it hasn’t… but I know God is working in me to change some of the habits in my life. This is where I am at three weeks in. Its been a great three weeks so far, and I know this summer is going to be great. I’m excited about this new stage in my life and this new journey I am on. I am not sure what is around the corner, but I do know that has I continue to focus on God and continue to learn I am doing exactly what I need to do. All the other stuff will fall into place!If anyone is starting something new, get excited about it, allow God to lead and direct your path. Allow God to show your aspects of yourself that you need to evaluate. There is a lot of growth with change, allow it to be a joyous time! Until next time!