January 18, 2013
Today I turned twenty-four.
I usually dread birthdays due to the disappointment that usually comes with them. Birthdays used to be just a day of getting older. A day where people usually let me down, plans usually fell through, or I realized how many "friends" I didn't have. I used to try my hardest to have NO expectations on birthdays because nothing ever seemed to go how I would expect them to.
But this birthday, I got to look forward to so much more than all of that.
I was pleasantly surprised that I was excited for this day at all. Before the race, I was NOT looking forward to turning twenty-four, but I don't think I've ever been so happy on a birthday before.
If you would have asked me where I thought I would be by the age of twenty-four a few years ago, I would have told you that I would probably be married with one or two kids. HA, oh my world was so close-minded back then. Little did I know what God had in store for me over the next few years of my life.
I may not be where I thought I would be by this age…but I'm living a life far better than I could have ever imagined. Who can say that they spent their birthday traveling the world with awesome friends and getting to love on people all over the world?!
My team had me sit down at breakfast that morning and share twenty-four things that I am happy about right now. It was so cool to share with them all the incredible things that I am happy about in my life right now…and that they actually wanted to sit and listen to me share all of those twenty-four things. I am blown away looking back and realizing JUST how much I am truly happy about in my life right now.
I went to spend the afternoon in a hammock with some great music and quality Jesus time. I was soaking in the sunshine, the breeze, and the beauty around me as a beautiful yellow butterfly flew by! I love butterflies. And yellow is such a color of happiness and joy!
The Lord began to show me how my life and who I am is truly like the life of a beautiful butterfly. How he has taken me and made me into a completely new and beautiful creation.
He has been molding me, changing me, and transforming me into a completely different creation.
Listening to a Graham Cooke podcast the other day, it hit me. He said, "You came here to have your life turned upside down and inside out. We have no intention of improving the old you…none whatsoever…the new you looks so much better. God is in the business…not of improving you…but empowering you to discover the person you already are in Christ right now and how to be that person and live in that place. And it starts with thinking brilliantly!"
I am not only transformed but a NEW and beautiful creation. God is helping me discover who I already am in Him and how to live life as that person. It's an absolutely amazing thing to discover about yourself.
I am so very blessed to spend my birthday in Thailand, with beautiful people that love me well.
(my contact, Emmi, after singing Happy Birthday to me in Thai)
(The staff at WonGen after making me a surprise birthday cake!!)
My team made this day so special. They overwhelmed me with love and kindness surprising me with little goodies, taking shifts of work so that I could relax, singing to me at open mic night, surprising me with a cake, taking me to eat some yummy mexican food and Happy Birthday notes on my bed before I went to sleep.
My sweet friend, Moriah, from another team even traveled an hour to come spend time with me and give me a birthday present!
I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else right now.
Today, I celebrate my life. This brand new incredible life that I've been given. Daily circumstances may not always be what I want or would wish for, but God is so good and is showing up in ways I never thought possible! I am beyond thankful for a fresh start!
(Photo cred: Abby O'Reilly)
I am so blessed and so in awe of what a radical transformation God can do in someone's life like mine in only a short year. I am so excited to see what this year holds for me and where God will take me next 🙂
