Facebook has this relatively creepy new sidebar that reads, “On This Day in 2010” … & then shows people what my FB status was on that day.
Today it reads:
“On This Day in 2010 Samantha Allen is in LA with Q & R squads.
Leaving for the Philippines soon! See you next August! Love you!”
That’s right. One year ago today, I hopped on a plane in Chicago that took me to Phoenix, then LA, then Hong Kong, then Manila, Philippines to begin the most amazing year of my life.
I cannot even begin to replay all the emotions that went into launch last year. I cannot begin to put into words my anxiousness, nervousness, excitement, & AHHH! The amazing feelings of going. Of bringing the Kingdom. Of loving. Of serving. Of doing life with the locals in each country. Of doing life with The Q. Of really living.
I say that my time on the World Race was the most amazing year of my life. + that is true. I refuse to downplay the amazingness that was the World Race. I refuse to downplay the amazing work that the Lord did in & through me. I refuse to downplay the fact that the WR was painful. I refuse to downplay that more than ever before in my life, I really came to know WHO GOD IS and who I am because of it.
AND.
I refuse to downplay the fact that my God is an exciting God. He did not allow me to travel the world, see such amazing & awesome things, & then leave me alone to fend for myself. Never once has He whispered into my ear “I gave you the best year of your life; now it’s all downhill from here.”
Nope. I believe God is an exciting God. I believe He has SO much in store for me. A few days ago I decided to do sarong declarations while standing on my bed [It’s a Kindle in Uganda thing].
While standing up there in my sarong, I claimed, “THIS will be the most amazing, most exciting, best year of my life!”
I believe it. God has already shown His provision and faithfulness through my ministry as a Resident Director. I get to live life with 184 college women in my building alone + a phenomenal Student Development staff.
I could not ask for a more exciting year than I have already had. God has reminded me each and every day that HE IS GOOD. He is faithful. & He is exciting! I think my job is soooo cool because I get to hang out with people constantly.
Last Thursday my day looked like this…
Breakfast with a girl from my hometown.
Awesome chapel service — Tony Campolo was our speaker.
Lunch with two friends/co-workers.
Meeting with a student + my boss.
PIES time with one of my RAs.
Dinner with my RAs & Dr. Bowling — our University’s President.
Dr. Bowling! 🙂
How cool is my life?
I am blessed with the opportunity to invest in so many young women who are at such a pivotal point in their lives – a time when they are really discovering who they are, what their faith is based upon, and where the Lord is leading them.
Every day, I get to speak life into the broken. I get to encourage the discouraged. I get to rejoice with the victorious. I get to hold the lonely. I get to love those who may not know what love is.
Every day is different for me. God is still with me always – He’s never left. He’s put me right where He wants me. He’s leading the way. I am so thankful that He still allows me to just follow Him.
I’ve been living in this verse over the past 10 days:
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
Psalm 27:13
& I believe that it's quite fitting for this season of my life. 🙂
