My final year in my 20's

Yes it's true, I just entered my final year in my 20's.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I turned 29 a couple weeks ago...wow, when did this happen?  I have one more year in my 20's and I'm truly excited about it!  I still have a year left to live fully in them. So that's what I'm choosing.

As I reflect back on this extremely difficult, but also wonderful decade, it's pretty amazing how much can happen in 10 years.  College, moving to China, new job, marriage....and those are just the big ones!  It has been filled with pain and excitement, disappointments and accomplishments, heartaches and blessings.  It's almost surreal that this is my last year of my 20's, but I am excited about what the last year may bring and what the Lord has in store for me.

I am thankful for a wonderful 29th birthday, which started the night before when my sweet husband surprised me with flowers.  He knows I love flowers and was very considerate to think ahead since he wouldn't have time to get them on the actual day of my birthday since we went out to dinner straight from work.  Then on my real birthday, we went to dinner with my 2 best friends, Karrie and Staci and their husband/boyfriend.  Karrie and I have the same birthday so we have celebrated our birthdays together since we were 16 years old!  We had a great time together!

Then my parents took us out to eat at Taste of Texas, which is one of my favorite restaurants! 

My husband also bought me tickets to go see the musical Mamma Mia!  I love musicals so I was very excited about going!   He was sweet to go see a girly musical with me, and we had a blast together!  After the musical, we went to House of Pies for some dessert.  We went to House of Pies a lot when we were dating because it was the only restaurant open late at night.  It brought back some fun memories!! 

So here's to a great last year in my 20's as I gladly welcome my 30's.  I have no idea what this year will bring, but He knows.   I do know it is only for His glory and my good so I rejoice! 



Praying Boldly

I have been reminded recently just how blessed I am by some very dear friendships in my life.  Of course most people know how Karrie and Staci have been my best friends for 11 years now and were my matron/maid of honor in my wedding.  I'm so thankful for their friendship!! 

Wait, this post is getting way off topic already, I digress... 
I know this may be hard to believe, but I do have other friends besides Karrie and Staci...shocking, I know.  But I have to say just how truly blessed I am to for my amazing small group while I was in the singles ministry at Houston's First Baptist.  There were only 4 of us, and you really couldn't put 4 more different personalities together than the 4 of us!  When I first saw who was in my small, I honestly thought "this should be interesting" as I didn't know any of them well at all.  But after walking through almost 2 years of life together, it is completely evident that the Lord knew EXACTLY what he was doing.  They were a HUGE answer to prayer!  I love these girls so much and have been incredibly blessed by their friendship over the past 2 years.  Though we are not an "official" small group anymore, we still try to meet up once a month for dinner or Starbucks to catch up.  We first became a small group the Fall of 2009 (all completely single), right before Justin and I started dating.  Not only was I blessed by their friendship, but I was also blessed by how it challenged and grew my spiritual walk.  We went through Beth Moore revelations, memorized lots of scripture together, studied through Romans, and prayed boldly for our future husbands.  All incredibly important!    They walked through every part of Justin and I's dating relationship and I was so blessed by their prayers, loyalty, excitement, and advice!  It was also a huge joy to see another girl in our small group starting to date someone shortly after Justin and I and who just got married!  God is so good and I have seen Him answer huge prayers through this small group.  We now have a tradition where we have to take a picture of the 4 of us at each of our weddings. 

A lot of people have brought up questions about being "content in your singleness" which really what does that mean anyway?  Has the Lord put this desire in your heart?  Then pray about it!  Does that mean this is all you think and pray about?  Absolutely not. But it does mean it's completely normal, and okay and valid to have these desires, and how much better to talk about it amongst Christian sisters who will pray boldly with you!  And He does answer beyond all we ask or imagine...in His timing.  So to my precious small group, I know I don't tell you this enough, but thank you for being such godly, wonderful friends and sisters to me and for being what I know is a "lifelong small group" in my book.  You girls are a blessing!!  Looking forward to many more celebrations to come :)