The Fog Ahead: Embracing it with HIM

I've been spending a great deal of time lately talking to students and friends of mine about life. There is always a common theme in these conversations: uncertainty. 

  

I read an analogy of uncertainty that put in a positive context and I am in love with it. I want to continue to share it with others because it has opened my mind to a new train of thought.

None of us can see what the future holds before us. We use optimism or positive words to help us on our outlook. On the other side of the spectrum, we internally hold thoughts of worry or impatience. I recently read in a devotional a way to help me use the LORD, rather than optimism or worry, to help me better approach the pathway ahead.

Our pathway is clouded by fog. With the reassurance of GOD, we know it is bright! That there are "surprises", whether they be trials or triumphs, that await us. The next step may be a boulder we have to climb. Maybe it is a peaceful trail that allows us to praise GOD along the walkway. Whatever it may be, that fog is a reminder to step back and walk with GOD. We are meant to just dive right through it without HIM. We need to walk next to HIM in unashamed dependence. I want to hold HIS hand and communicate with the LORD as the fog clears and HE unveils what is next. 

The fog tells us, "Step back, walk with God and STAY with HIM".

At this current point in time, my patience is being tested by something that can be life changing. My mind and thoughts are consumed by the endless possibilities that may come of what that "next step" could possibly entail. 

But, I needed to put myself in "check", and say, "Jamil....you need to TRUST in the LORD....HE will show you which path to take" - PROVERBS 3:5-6

Talking with GOD is a blessing because HE gives me strength, joy and so much more. Why jump into the fog when I can talk to GOD as I enjoy the journey instead of rush it. I'm not UPS Overnight Mail. 

I'm right here, right now. Only GOD can deliver unto me...unto us.

Preparing Day 26 & 27

 

Day 26

3 Gifts Preparing

 

1- DREAMS-I know God is preparing me for something big. You know how I know? Because I have dreams about my future that I never dreamed of, never ever thought of accomplishing when I was youn ger. In fact most of my dreams have formed within the last year when I fully committed to letting go and letting God work in my life. The only explanation is they are from God! He knows my true hearts desires and He is slowly preparing me for those dreams.

Refer back to THIS blog to get a list of my dreams.

 

 

2- One of our athletes and one of our coaches are preparing to head over to the Philippines to play for their National team. We did a last minute clothing/canned food drive with our department and fans. We received way more than I thought we would! So grateful for this community and to be able to have the platform to help. Below is my office full of the items!

 

3- Preparing for Thanksgiving! My mom and dad are at home setting the table, gathering the extar chairs and cleaning every square inch of our house. Preparing for a day full of family, food, laughter, joy and of course thankfulness.

 

 --------------

Day 27

A Gift Homemade, Held, and Happy

 

Homemade-  Every year when the kids were little, my parents took us around Deep Lake and we collected leaves. We then made placemats with the leaves. My mom still not onyl has them but puts them up as decorations around the house. Something so loving and nostalgic seeing them around the house when I come home.

 

Held- Cant wait to hold my nephew Jace! It has been almost two weeks and I am dying. The love I have for the child amazes me.

 

Happy- My parents- true joy and happiness.

Now that they are both retired, they have more time to live a life of adventure. Its is like they are  "dating" all over again! They go on dates, they make time for eachother to just enjoy life. It makes me happy to see them so in love and taking care of themselves! So proud of them and their committment to eating healthier, taking supplements, being more active and growing in their faith...together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Time For Everything

 

I think my time is coming

Maybe it is already here

Either way I feel God moving in my life

Moving me into the directions of my dreams

Moving me towards the desires of my heart

Moving through my heart

Deep in soul 

I know it

When I started at SPU I would have told you I would stay there forever

Continue my knowledge for marketing through conferences like NACMA

Possibly move up to assistant athletic director

I loved everything about athletics and what it entails

And then I would meet someone at SPU

I would raise my children going to SPU events on weekends and evenings 

 I would have a completely happy and content life working at SPU

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more 

than all we ask or imagine, 

according to his power that is at work within us"

Ephesians 3:20 

Do you remember this post?

The Purpose Driven Life 

This post was written almost a year ago

I prayed circles around this post

And then I started seeing the life I was meant to live

Dreams started forming in my soul I never imagined

I started seeing the adventure from God

That is my dream

That is my purpose to bring Him Glory

Bringing faith, hope, love to children 

All around the nation 

All around world

I knew from this day I wouldn't be at SPU much longer

The Lords great commission started becoming the life I wanted 

I didn't know when or how it would happen but it was coming

All I knew was I needed to GO

Leave SPU?

Leave the students I have come to love?

Leave the financial and medical stability?

Are you sure God?

I sure LOVE what I do 

I prayed all year for God to make it clear

Give me peace when the timing was right 

"The Moment I Knew" 

Friday, October 11th , 2013 

That was the day I knew You were calling me in another direction 

 I was driving past the airport, Christmas music playing and that was when I knew 

I wasn't even thinking about it. 

"This is my last year at SPU" I told myself 

It was an instant decision

Then the dreams and visions started flooding

I saw me traveling to Africa
Traveling to Germany
Not asking a boss for time off

Coming home to play with Jace and the new baby
In the middle of the week!

A life of freedom

I would volunteer  whenever I wanted 

Make-A-Wish

St. Jude

Jessie Rees Foundation

It was exactly the sign I needed

So easy

So much peace 

I have no reservations, no holding back

I am committing to Advocare to provide financially but I know You have a plan for me

No doubt, I see my dreams coming alive the next couple months and it excites me deep in my soul
Lord, I am ready for the next season in my life, a season of freedom and traveling, serving and giving, and of course my deep longing of becoming one with my husband

Lord, I know You are saving me for Your best
Right now may seem like a huge trial and hurdle, lots of negativity and distress
Maybe for him too, but I have hope!

The One in my heart is greater than any insecurities and unfulfilled dreams. 

I will continue to pray circles around my bold dreams Lord

I know that when you fulfill them You will get all the Glory! 

Lord, show the world Your glory. 

Amen. 

*I wrote this about a week after to remember exactly what I was feeling 

We will praise Your name forever, Christ the Lord 

He Provides

Today was a pretty exhausting day

Rushing from meetings and bombarded with details about this week

I was drained of my strength

BUT

Just when I thought this day was a bust and I was going to give myself a pity party

I was able to get away after work for a bit to workout with a friend I have not seen in awhile

We met at Queen Anne track and had a great workout but more importantly a great conversation

You know that feeling when you leave from a visit with a friend and you are just encouraged and filled up? It is no wonder we are called to be in fellowship with believers

He provided the right time for my friend to meet me to workout

He provided the sunshine an crisp, fall air

He provided fellowship and great conversation

Our dreams He has placed on our hearts

He provided everything I needed today

For the first time in a long time I am at peace

About work

My life

Where God is taking me and molding me

I see it daily in the small things

For once I see Gods hand on my life

Everyday I wake up with expectation that He will show up

Take my hand to lead

Take my anxiety and stress away

Give me the strength when I feel weak

Give me wisdom when I am without words

And guess what?

He provides

Every.Single.Day

What is on my heart

I do love Seattle Pacific University

But SPU is NOT the church 

 It is a company, a not-for-profit business that is still about the bottom line 

At best SPU is a para-church organization within a Christian context, but it is not the church

and  I should not confuse myself that I ought to give too much

The pursuit of balance is a life-long chore
 

With that, I do get tired, and feel pressured to do it right, do it often, and do it without complaining

The pursuit of balance has been on my heart lately

My ache to serve God in a way that is pleasing and honors Him is high

I am trying to find my purpose here at SPU. Why am I here? What does God want from me here?

Some days are easier to see than others. I know I have a desire to impact young lives

I have a desire to be a role model and share my faith and Gods love to other

I know SPU gives me that platform and when I am around the students I feel that purpose

Then there is my other burning passion. To spread faith, hope, love to those children in need

I desire to work with a children’s charity and be around children all day

That dream has become stronger as I am able to be more involved
with charities around the area as well as nation

Sometimes it takes all of my being not to just leave and pursue that dream

Especially when the atmosphere around here gets negative and discouraging

 

But I know God will lead me into those dreams when the time is right

Spending time with Him in the mornings and meditating on Him throughout the day helps me stay focused on my heavenly calling and not what the world is calling me

 

 

 

Hindrances to Success

Hi Jamil!

Oh wow. Has my bloggng been lacking as of late! As you know, this time of year is crazy busy for us both. I recieved this devotion today and let me tell you this is exactly what I needed. I am sure you can relate to this at work as well :) I have a bloh post stirring up in my mind. I am hoping to write it out tonight! Love you!

 

Hindrances to Success Wednesday, August 21, 2013 Galatians 6:9-10  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. No matter how carefully we plan our time, we will now and then run into obstacles. They might be interruptions, miscommunications, cancellations, or delays. We have no control over many of these types of situations, but we are able to change certain kinds of hindrances. We can, for example, adjust misplaced priorities. Consider how often we allow others to dictate how we spend our time. Instead of maintaining a God-centered schedule, we may be responding to the demands of other people, permitting them to decide our activities without regard for what God has in mind for us. Circumstances can also determine our schedule, if we permit. But we cannot succeed in life if we let ourselves be drawn away from what God wants. Investing time in the Word and learning God’s ways must be an integral part of our schedule. Another hindrance to reaching our goal is procrastination. We all experience this on occasion, but for some of us, putting things off has become a habit. When that’s the case, we no doubt have many good intentions but lack follow-through. Success will evade us as long as we dally. A third hindrance that we can work to overcome is lack of concentration. To be successful, we must focus our minds on a particular task and stay with it until it is finished. Having a strong motivation to achieve the Lord’s plan is helpful, as we work at completing what we value and desire. How important to you is achieving the Lord’s plan? Align your thinking and your time with His ways, and success—in God’s eyes—will follow.   Excellent tips for success.  Again, the distinction is success “in God’s eyes, this version is of significantly greater eternal value than the worldly values.  Not to be hapless patsies, but the Christ-like calling of service thru living sacrifice is downward mobility and it is foolishness in the eyes of the culture. I appreciate the first hindrance, misplaced priorities.  We tend to get all wrapped up on time management when in actuality our time is driven by what is prioritized (what’s important to us at that moment).  If we start each day in devotion, our priorities become embedded more readily in what God wants for us.

Bad Times Can Make You Better or Bitter

Being that we both work in collegiate sports, we see adversity on many different levels. We see it in the work our department strives to achieve. We see it in our student athletes as they grow on and off the court/field. We see it our student workers that are challenged by what they want to become after college. And lastly, we see it in our day to day battles: internal and external. 

One of my mentors consistently shares a newsletter about the words of John Wooden with me every week. I believe that Mr. Wooden was fairly spiritual and led by example. “A setback is a set up for a comeback” describes Coach Wooden's philosophy for dealing with adversity.

In his book The Pyramid of Success with Jay Carty Coach described his perspective on adversity.

We cannot allow difficulties to discourage us. Roadblocks may cause us to alter our course a bit, but we cannot let them deter us from our destination. I have often said that we grow stronger through adversity. We become stronger physically through a weight-lifting program. Our muscles work against heavy objects. That's adversity. We get stronger mentally through the progressive difficulty of education. We don't start with calculus; we start with arithmetic. After we learn the basics, we move on to algebra, then to geometry and so on. We work our way up to calculus. In the same way, we grow stronger spiritually through the tests of life. Losing my beloved wife, Nellie, was the hardest event in my life. For a couple of years, it slowed me down; but it didn't stop me. In the end even her loss has made me stronger. In every way-physically, morally, emotionally and spiritually-we increase our strength when life is hard; therefore, we must not dread adversity, nor can we allow it to stop us from becoming the best we can be through the steadfast pursuit of our goals. In fact, as we become stronger we can and should expand our goals. Extending our capabilities to their limits requires us to realistically reevaluate our potential.

  

Dealing with adversity in a positive way requires the two top mortar pieces of coach’s Pyramid of Success: Faith and Patience and remembering as Coach put it:

Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then.

Say It Out Loud

 

Say It Out Loud

by Joyce Meyer - posted July 19, 2013

 

I am alert and active, watching over my word to perform it. —Jeremiah 1:12

Today I want to share with you some powerful truths that are based in God’s Word. I encourage you to confess these words over and over, so they will change your thinking and become part of your belief system about yourself. As you confess them with a heart full of faith, doing your best to believe them and act on them, you’ll be well on your way to a healthy self-image.

 

 

Love Yourself Today: Review the list of six confessions that will help you gain a healthy, biblical self-image.

 

 

 

 

Have You Ever Held A Mustard Seed?

Dear Jenzie, 

Thank God It's Monday! That's my positive, upbeat attitude going into the work week. I came across a beautiful image with a verse I do not ever recall reading before. I did some digging flipping in my Bible to better understand God's words. 

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” — Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)

When circumstances appear to take an unexpected turn, sometimes our faith can be rocked.

To You, Lord, who created the universe and the mountains, the obstacles in my life are comparably the size of tiny stones. I trust You to help me step over these challenges.

So what does this mean?

What I interpret from this is that adversity should never be the end of our faith; it should be the beginning. No matter the adversity, a strong faith will enable us to endure life’s 
toughest hardships.

Do Not Be Discouraged

Dear Jenzie, 

A colleague of mine shared a devotional with me yesterday and it truly came at the right time. Although it is not my personal words or thoughts, I wanted to post it on our blog because encouragement is something we can always use......

Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged, for I will be with you wherever you go. You can choose to be strong and courageous even when you are feeling very weak. However, the weaker you feel, the more effort it takes to choose to be strong. It all depends on where you look. If you gaze at yourself and your problems, your courage will melt away. The choice to be bold rests on your confidence that I am with you and for you. Through eyes of faith, see Me on the path before you, beckoning you on, one step at a time. Looking to Me consistently will increase your strength and valor.

When everything seems to be going wrong, refuse to get discouraged.

Remember that I am a God of surprises: I am not limited by the way things are or by the paltry possibilities you can see. I am infinitely creative and powerful. With Me all things are possible! The longer you wait for your prayers to be answered, the closer you are to a breakthrough. Meanwhile, waiting for Me — aware of My loving Presence — is a blessed way to live. I am good to those who wait for Me.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. — Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” — Matthew 19:26 (NKJV)

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. — Lamentations 3:25–26 (NKJV)

* * *

Not Too Serious

Hi Jessie,

Came across two motivational quotes that really capture my train of thought right now. Looking forward on expanding my thoughts in a future post.

"Learn to laugh at yourself more freely. Don't take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am GOD with you." - Jesus Calling

The Aftermath

Dear Jamil,

It is a weird feeling coming home from such an amazing experience, literally on top of a mountain. Do I have to come down? I don' think I have fully actually "come down" yet just. I am holding on to those precious moments with God. Those moments where I was in total awe of His movement in my life, the students lives. Those moments of worship and being blessed by His creation. However, I was able to write out some thoughts this morning in my journal and I wanted to share with you! :)

The Aftermath

I didn't really reflect on my time in Montana. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I am still trying to absorb why I learned and continue to thank the Lord for this opportunity. My heart feels like is is going to burst with hope, joy, but also anxiety. I learned so much during this past week. One of the most emotionally, physically and spiritually draining weeks of my life. All planned by the Lord so I could realize just how much I need HIm, only Him. He humbled me beyond anything I have experience before, yet knew exactly the right moment to fill my heart again...and again...and again. He truly knows the desires, the longings of my heart. He is so good and reminds me that He alone is my strength. This past week I know was only a glimpse of what God has in store for me. 

I dream of being a role model to those around me

I dream of impacting MANY lives of children and young women

Though this past week was humbling, I only grew in my faith. I learned that God is the only one who can prepare me and give me strength. I was reminded the power of dreams, desires, and longings. I have NO doubt the Lord is preparing me for a GREAT ministry. I long for a great platform to share the gospel, to show His love and goodness. I know God is preparing me for GREAT things, plans that don't make sense to those around me, but in my heart the Lord is whispering, maybe even shouting,

"My child, I love you beyond anything you can ever imagine, keep searching for Me, keep close to Me, I am preparing you for something so great, beyond your wildest dreams. You are deserving of all My blessings. I love you my sweet daughter."

So, I will keep pressing on
I will wait in total abandonment
Total dependence of Him knowing He provides every step of my path
I will praise and thank Him along the way

Lord, let me be Your hands and feet. 

Amen 

Love,
Jenzie

"I am continually at work in your life, even when you can see nothing happening. It’s easy for you to feel stuck in a situation you’d like to change because you can see only the present moment. But I look at the big picture—all the moments of your life—and I am doing more than you can imagine." 

-Jesus Today

Time to Wipe our Lenses

Dear Jessie, 

I don't frequent Pinterest very often, but when I do, I love reading motivational quotes. Whether these quotes have a scenic background, or could have been written in a better choice of font, they always make me think! And if you THINK about it, isn't that what quotes are suppose to do? They help to reawaken our process of how we see, approach or conduct things in they way we would normally operate. In a way, its like cleaning the lenses of our outlook on life. Negativity, hardships and the wear and tear of our careers attempt to get us off balance. They blur our vision with dirt and smears that make things fuzzy, attempting to push us off the pathway that the Lord seeks us to follow.

So here I am, cleansing the lenses of my outlook on life. They may not be squeaky clean, and they will get dirty on a recurring basis, but I have my eyes fixated on HIM...and the cleansing to keep me in HIS direction can never take place too often. 

Clearing Clouds of Apprehension

Dear Jenzie, 

The reason for this post is to lay out some thoughts - almost like a collage on a pin-board. I've been having anxiety about all the unknowns of my life, but it's been a different kind of anxiety than I have ever experienced before. It is anxiety with a very calm demeanor. I know that God is always listening to my prayers and thoughts; I believe that is why my anxiety is so calm. It is not frantic or chaotic. 

Anxiety is trying to invade my mind, but it is struggling to do so. I think of it almost like a foreign substance trying to intoxicate my cells that contain God at the very core. The anxiety tries to trickle in, punching at the outside layers of the cell. In essence, it is clouding everything around these cells shielded by God because my faith and hope refuse to let fear inside.

Times like this remind me to devote time to the Lord. 

To set time aside for Him. 

To communicate with Him.

To give it ALL to Him. 

To let go and LET GOD.

"For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." - Isaiah 41:13 

"Fear tries to get us to give up, but faith takes us all the way through to victory!" - Joyce Meyer

In closing, my game plan is to reignite my relationship with the Lord in some profound and amazing way. I have my usual routines of worship and prayer, but I need to continue to do more. 

And with time, God will help guide me to do more and more because I WANT to. I'm yearning to.

Bloom and Blossom

Hi Jessie,

Good morning. I want to share a story that took place this past Sunday at our last home baseball (and event) of the season. 

I was hanging out with my student workers under a canopy at the entrance of the ballpark. We were halfway through the game and ready to enjoy the rest of the day (don't get us wrong - we love our Pepperdine Waves). I love speaking with my student workers about their life, interests, etc. The fifth inning of the game seemed to be dragging for hours (I am exaggerating of course). So I decided...let's all share one random fact about each other that nobody would guess about them.

That is when things began to bloom. As we continued in a circle, sharing truths about our lives, we began to blossom like May flowers (good analogy, right?). Honesty was cultivating within the circle of our storytelling. We started off with basic things and slowly moved over to more heavy truths. There was a strong sense of trust as we actively listened to one another. Whether these truths were random facts, aspirations, past life events or current circumstances - they all brought us closely together. Our mutual love for God and relationship with Him allowed us to engage in fellowship under the canopy. We confided in one another. 

I am a firm believer that if we all knew more about each other, the world would get along. Often we put up these plates of armor that protect our vulnerability. We fear judgement. We fear failure. We fear so many unknowns. Because yes, the unknowns of our lives can be scary.

But under that canopy, we were there to love. And we felt that love. And we wanted to remind each other that at the end of the day, love will always remain. 

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

 - 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Keep on, Keeping on

Dear Jamil,

Here I am waiting last minute to write my post when it was my idea for us to blog today :) I am at my friends house watching Greys Anatomy feeling blessed as we catch up and we watch her new born baby on the monitor.

I will write more later but I wanted to post some shots from my amazing weekend and where my heart is truly at home.

 

 

I was able to go down to Cali and run a 5k for The Jessie Rees Foundation

This past winter a little girl named Jessie stole my heart

I have since then made it my mission to help her continue her dream of spreading JOY

I dont know why this charity has stole my heart but it did

My heart has found a passion so deep I never thought was possible

A passion and desire to forever help bring children hope, joy and a future

Have you ever had a glimpse of what you think God is calling you to do?

Just a little taste of what your future holds, your dreams and goals?

I did last weekend when I decided to run the 5k

After the race I met my friends by the charity table

Just being around your best friends and having them suport you is an amazing feeling

But I felt like I needed to talk to the founder and father of Jessie

His name is Erik Rees

I read all about the charity online and the letters he writes to his daughter in heaven

I am forever inspried by his strength and faith

I needed to tell him

If you know me, you know I can be a little reserved so after talking myself in and out of doing it I found a the right time and walked up and introduced myself

A blink of a moment

That was all it took for me to see the glimpse of my purpose

We chatted for a few minutes

I told him how inspiring him and his family were

We talked about the weather and our SPU connection

He then told me thank you and hugged me goodbye

 

It is not goodbye

It is only the beginning if what I truly believe is my future

I kept telling myself "this is real, this is happneing"

I felt like I was in a dream

My dreams

They are becoming true and real

 

I am back home in Seattle now

Sometimes I feel my heart becoming heavy

I am yearning for God to teach me to just TRUST

Trust He has me

Trust He will work things out

Trust He has something absolutely amazing in store for my life

So much more than I can ever imagine

A life that radically shows that He is God of all

A life that honors & serves Him

A life that fills , rocks and shakes me to the core of my being

 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more

than all we ask or imagine, according to his power

 that is at work within us"

Ephesians 3:20

 

However, I must not forget to be thankful during this time of waiting

Wait Intentaionally.

Wait and rememeber that moment chating with Erik

That glimpse, that taste of my future

That moment my dreams slowing becoming reality

Our God is BIG so should our goals and dreams!

I dont want to barley get by

Our God created us to be brave, created to excel, to live a life of adventure and to take risks!

What is next God?

Less is More

Hi Jessie,

For the past year I was blessed with the most amazing intern I could possibly hope for. She has become a lifetime friend - we confide in one another and share a strong relationship with God. Every now and then I will share a snapshot of my daily devotional with her. On the day of her graduation, God gave Alexis and I a necessary reminder.

Graduation can be a scary time. The structure of day-to-day life goes away - it is time for the "real world" as they call it. We think to ourselves that we must stride ahead on a journey full-force, with an immediate demand to accomplish things quickly and alone. We want the dream job. We want the dream life. We want, want, we want. 

But in all actuality, self-sufficiency is a myth perpetuated by pride and temporary success. 

We are NOTHING without HIM. 

God says, "Yes, you are going to lack things in life, but consider those a blessing." They bring us closer to Him.

It gives us an opportunity to latch onto Him in unashamed dependence. 

Whether we found ourselves as a recent college graduate, or a hard-working professional, we are always left with a level of uncertainty. We think WAY too much about what lays ahead - and it almost seems natural to do. Where is life taking me? What is my purpose? When will I find my special partner?

God awaits us in the present - that is where we belong. I visualize myself as His child, holding his hand. I am walking right next to Him. I'm never a step behind or a pace in front - I am always near and next to Him.

"Consider it pure joys, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." James 1:2

Pure joy - that is what I seek.

Jumping the Hurdle of Vulnerability

Hi Jessie,

Just a little motivational post. I recently spoke in front of a class at Pepperdine after being invited to speak by the wife of our head baseball coach. She teaches a course on personal development and growth. The coolest thing about it, aside from hopefully inspiring some students, was the level of vulnerability: it was just me standing in front of people I did not know. I had an outline prepared but I decided to disregard it. I just wanted to share my story: no sugarcoating. 

The truth goes a long way and it flows so freely BUT I believe you have to be comfortable with the idea of sharing the truth. That's where the vulnerable state of mind comes into play. I think a testament of my growth under the Lord is that I feel comfortable being vulnerable. Maybe I am a bit ambitious at the moment, but vulnerability is so raw and organic. It puts us outside of our comfort zone, but it is reassuring to know God is on our side. I also believe that vulnerability helps us embrace who we are and where we are leading are lives. Change doesn't take place on its own: we have to put ourselves out there!

Anyhow, one of the themes that I reiterated to the students was that we all have the ability to rise above our circumstances. For this to take place, you have to put yourself in situations that are new, challenging and open before the world. "What do I have to lose?"

"Just keep pushing." That's what I tell myself everyday.  

I want to keep growing. I want to keep learning.