my dreams are coming true.

It's been a while since the last time I wrote (9 months...eek!). It's been a busy 9 months. A short synopsis: I got a job, finished my last semester at community college, got my associates degree, transferred to Southeastern University, completed my first semester, came home for the summer, went back to the same job, and I'm going...

 

Yes!

But first, let's rewind to a few months ago...

The last time I wrote, I mentioned that I had been offered an internship with Centricity Music. I spent a significant time with this offer in my hands, waiting for God to reveal when the right time was for me to accept it. There were a lot of factors that  were weighing into my decision, and it was all kind of confusing, so I just waited quietly and patiently. Once I arrived at Southeastern, I was surrounded by people who were living out the calling that God had put on their heart so passionately. I was hearing a lot of talk about internships, which led me to begin thinking more seriously about my own offer. I still had the same questions and uncertainties. What were those, you may be wondering? Well, it was all about timing for me. I knew that I needed three months of time to do a full-blown internship, but I knew three months wasn't feasible for me this summer. I also didn't want to do this too early, have the possibility of a job being offered to me, and then have to turn the opportunity down because I had to come back to school. So, I was still stuck, but I was feeling God stirring something up. 

In March, while I was on spring break, I had to do an assignment for one of my classes where I had to interview an individual in a management position in media. I decided to go to a radio station in Orlando since I knew quite a few of the people who work there. While I was doing my interview, I asked the individual who I was interviewing for some advice on the subject. He suggested that I contact the label, see if it would be a possibility for me to spend two weeks with them during the summer, and then go back later for a full internship. It seemed like a genius idea. I left with my head swirling and couldn't wait to get back home and finally put some action to this opportunity that I'd had dangling in front of my face for so many months. After e-mails were sent back and forth, I had a phone interview in April that went really well. I received an e-mail a week later informing me that they would love to have me come for two weeks this summer to work on a couple of projects surrounding the release of Aaron Shust's new album release in July!

Fast forward to right now...

I will be in Nashville in two-and-a-half weeks. It's bizarre, it freaks me out, and I'm out of my mind excited for the opportunity that is waiting for me. From the beginning, I've been saying that if all of this is God will He will make all of the pieces fall into place. So far, I have all of the evidence to prove that God's mighty hand is in this. He set me up with the opportunity to talk to Steve from the label in September, He provided the right advice in March, He gave me the confidence in April during my interview, He provided me with a job this summer to save for my trip and for my return back to school in August. 

I stepped into all of this blindly, taking a leap of faith. It's quite possibly the biggest leap of faith I've ever taken. While conversing back and forth with my mom about this opportunity, before I ever sent an e-mail, my mom asked me "Where will you stay?" "How will you get there?" I told her, "If this is God plan, He'll work it all out. What will be will be." I've seen God work and move in this situation, and I've heard Him telling me consistently to trust Him and to not worry. I've never been so calm and at peace with a situation this big in my life. I still don't have a confirmed place to stay, or confirmed transportation back and forth to work each day while I'm there, but the Lord has worked everything else out, so I have to have faith and trust that He will work this minor detail out, too. 

I'm truly watching my dreams come to life right before my very eyes. I can't wait to see what God does...

If you'd like to follow my adventures, you can follow me on Instagram.

goals for the new year.

Resolutions are for the birds.

Seriously...who keeps those things?
I find that goals are better. I like goals a lot.
They are tangible and they give you something to reach for.

Since we're here talking about goals, I figured I'd share mine with you. Getting things out in the open makes me feel like people are keeping me accountable. Even if you don't tell me you are, I still like to think you are. Right? Right. So..let's get crackin' on these here goals for 2012.

Run: I announced on facebook that I'm looking into running a 5K, maybe more, this year. I'm a novice runner. Novice like...I run when I feel ambitious. I haven't felt ambitious since September. It's not just that I want to be in shape and use the body that God has given me to its full potential, it's that I was inspired by a good friend earlier in 2011. I saw her run her very first marathon. And finish it. It was truly inspiring, and it put inside me the desire to actually enter into some sort of organized run before I turn 80. I've had a very-rarely-ever-spoken-of goal of running a marathon for a few years now. If I don't do it now, then I WILL be 80 before I ever do it.

Plan: I want to plan another concert. I've been tossing the idea around for months now, have had a number of conversations with different people, and plans are finally taking shape. Music is my passion, and the last time I did this I was totally and completely in my element. It fueled my passion for the music business even more. Plus, I think it will be a good thing to keep my eyes set on what I'm going to school for. Why I spend hours upon hours in class and doing homework. Sometimes refocusing is good. Actually...refocusing is awesome. All the time.

Intentions: I want to be more intentional with my time. Last year I wrote a couple of posts about just that and it worked for a while, but after I came back from camp in August I forgot. Even though I still have that very same list hanging on my bulletin board. Not only do I not want to procrastinate, but I just want to waste less time. I'm so tired of being distracted by facebook and other fruitless things on the internet when I could be spending my time otherwise. Like blogging. And just pouring my energy into things that could help people. I'm way too selfish with my time, and I want to change that.

Refocus: My relationship with God was severely lacking the last half of 2011. There...I said it. I was in a funk that I'm still trying to get out of. I was being challenged in many different and difficult ways. It felt as though I was being pushed in every direction except the one that I needed to be going in. I want to refocus and get my eyes back on God and where He is leading me. If anything, I need His guidance now more than ever before. 2012 is going to be a big year of decisions and I need a lot of guidance and grace from the Lord. It's going to be a year of rigorous school work (I'll be taking classes straight through the summer on into the Fall), and deciding where I'll be transferring next Spring. I'm excited, scared, nervous. So...refocusing my eyes on God is the biggest one on this list. Once refocusing takes place, everything else will take shape.

On New Years Eve I couldn't help but feel nervous for the new year. I had this feeling of dread come over me, because I was very aware of the amount of classes I would be taking, the books I would be reading, the studying I would be doing. I'm still nervous and scared, but not as dreadful as I was 4 days ago. Maybe because I took some time to look ahead and make goals for myself and for this new year. I may have a heavy load of classes that all starts tomorrow morning at eight 'o clock in the morning, but that doesn't mean I can't do other things outside of studying. I need to bring glory to God and serve Him. I need to use my time and talents that He has given me to expand His kingdom.

So here's to goals. And a new year!

What are YOUR goals? Please share in the comments.

formspring + pinterest.

Hey guys,
I created a formspring and pinterest account yesterday. Like I really need more websites to get hooked on...right? Oopsies! Anything to distract me from my homework.

Be back with more soon.

P.S. My favorite step-sister and I are headed off to Starbucks and Target. Woohoo! I'll be trying pumpkin spice for the first time. I'll let you all know how it goes. :-)