The clocked is just pushing past 10:30am on a promising Sunday morning, I'm sitting on the living room floor in my pajamas thinking, "I never really did learn how to use commas properly, I'm sorry everyone." The smell of cinnamon is drifting into each room of the apartment as my roommate begins to make her breakfast. I have already eaten mine, and now, having decided that the last thing I want to do is get dressed and ready for the day, find it is the perfect time to defeat procrastionation with that very thing and begin my blog.
Me. Smiling. 🙂
Some of my favorite people in the whole world! Friends from a mission trip to Venezuela.
Also some of my favorite people, friends from home!
The Basics
My name is Leah, now you're up to speed. Just kidding. My name is Leah, sometimes I think I can be quite funny, but most of the time people laugh because they just don't know what else to say. 😉 I've been alive for nearly 21 years now and I'm living in/trying to survive Arizona. I like to simply say, I grew up on the coasts. My dad has been in the Navy for most of my life, but we started out in Fargo, North Dakota. That's right. You betcha. 😉 The adventure then began in San Diego, California, where my first brother was born. After a short time we moved to the island of Kodiak, Alaska, where my sister was born (on my birthday!). No, I didn't see any igloos. Chesapeake, Virginia followed- where my second brother was born. Then we headed to Jacksonville, North Carolina and you guessed it- no I'm just kidding, no more brothers or sisters after that. We continued on to Jacksonville, Florida, before heading to Phoenix, Arizona. We did get another dog along the way if that counts… (I'd love to put up pictures of my family-but they're all on another computer that crashed last year!) I'll work on it.
I was homeschooled unitl 10th grade. That was an adventure. School was an adventure too.. I've been to 49 states. I couldn't pick a favorite. I speak a little bit of spanish thanks to high school and a mission trip to Venezuela. I had really long hair all my life until last year when I donated it and took 10 inches off! I'm a morning person, but a really light sleeper. I love cooking for people. I'll eat anything. Even an eyeball. 😉 (Relax, it was just a fish eyeball.) I sing really loud in the car when I'm alone, but who doesn't. I actually really do like to sing, though I don't often admit it. I like to write songs too. Ok, time to switch it up I think.
Favorites
The Arizona sky when it's perfectly blue. Jumping in puddles. Dancing in the rain. Making banana pancakes. Ikea. Fishing. Eating fish. Trying something new. When the power goes out in the dark. Watching thunder storms. The ocean. Homemade banana bread. Anything my grandma cooks. Cooking anything. Laughing. Cartwheels. Cool green grass. Skipping rocks. Making forts out of any possible material. Reading by candle light. Hammocks. Eating mangos in a hammock. Taking naps in a hammocks. Spending time with Jesus in a hammock. Anything involving a hammock. Anything involving spending time with Jesus. Reading. Writing. Creating. Guitars. Playing guitar. Late night worship sessions with my closest friends. Praying with other people. Meeting strangers. Sharing the gospel. Listening to stories. And the small things. I tend to find the most joy in the things that are considered every day, ordinary, or taken for granted.
=)
What do I do with myself?
I'm attempting to finish my associates degree while I prepare for the Race. So close! Meanwhile I have an awesome front of house job at a restuarant called Zoe's Kitchen. Greek food with a southern influence. I love the food, I love my co-workers and my boss is great. So blessed. Me and a friend are just waiting to see God flip their worlds upside down and save them all. When somebody prays for you..watch out. 😉
With my free time I'm usually swinging back and forth between reading and cooking, or spending my time with any of my favorite people. Church-that's a given for some people, but I really love it. I could go every day.
My life is pretty quiet right now, but I always have an appetite for adventure. I love camping. I want to travel everywhere! I love to do things like kayaking, hiking, snowboarding, jumping off of unstable bridges in foreign countires… I like to convince myself- I love to do things like running. One day. I fully intend to run a marathon of some sort in the future. One day.
Off roading, dirt biking, I like to try everything once maybe more than I prefer to do the same things.
I also have a Martha Steward side to me that still comes out sometimes. Cooking, baking, drawing, painting; making mosaics, refinishing a dresser, painting a house… The list goes on. I've missed that part of myself more often as I get older, but I intend never to lose it.
Testimony
God.
He really deserves to be the front and center of this entire post.
Yes, I've been shaped by my messy family, the coming and going of friends, life thrown at me. But I wouldn't be even a glimpse of who I am if I didn't have the Lord in my life.
I grew up knowing Jesus was Lord, and God was real, for as long as I can remember. I also grew up in the church so to speak. But there are a few moments in my life that were pivotal turning points leading me to here. Long story short, my childhood faith was got brought me through the toughest times and anchored what I knew was real. I leaned on God, He was my strength.
Then high school hit and I could feel God pursuing more of me. Meanwhile my desire to experience everything often got me into trouble. Through the ups and downs of figuring out who I was, understanding where I came from, and deciding who I wanted to be-God kept telling me He wanted me. All of me. Now and forever. I discovered relationship with God.
It was college when I really surrended my life to God and made up my mind to follow Him. My life has never been the same. The more I have of God, the more I desperately need Him.
Why the Race?
I think this is the best place to answer that question. Let me take you back to this single moment in my life:
It's my 10th year of school, maybe even the summer just before, and I've just put down a book that tells stories of missionaries in far away lands. I recall the description of the African bush, the danger, the unknown. Then I consider my future for a moment. Jeremiah 29:11 comes to mind. "Would I really be happy with any future God has planned out for me? Yes," I conclude, "I could accept anywhere he put me–except," (yeah, I know better now…) I quietly think to God, "I would never be a missionary. Especially somewhere far away like Africa." Well, God has a sense of humor.
The next several years leading up to now, God completely changed my heart. Not only did he pursue me into a relationship where I trusted Him, bend me into fearing and loving Him, heal my heart from wounds of the past and conquer the fears that would have for certain rendered me incapeable of something like a far away mission: He broke my heart for the lost.
It didn't happen all at once, and I don't have a single encounter that gave me the desire to go to the nations. Rather it was many moments, many encounters, and many lessons from the Lord. I can say it is solely and completely the Lord who gets credit for not only my desire but my ability, to go into the world and preach the gospel. I have never wanted to do anything more in my life. I'm excited, ready, passionate, sure- with every fiber of my being. That is how I constantly remind myself that the Spirit is truly with me. In me. Proof. I'm also reminded that God uses the people you least expect, who even doubt themselves as capeable, to accomplish His great plans because He is strong where we are weak.
That's me, and I couldn't be more thrilled. =)
