Happy 3rd birthday to me!!!
I know, I know, blast from the past right? But I felt like today was a momentous occasion worthy of blogging up.
So; here goes!
When people tell me that I act like a toddler I tell them it's because I'm really only 3 years old. You see, 3 years ago I stood in front of roughly 150 teenagers, 50 or so staff, and a few cherished family and friends; at my second home Camp Imadene; and said "Yes" to 2 very important questions: Is Jesus your Lord and Savior, and do you want to follow him for the rest of your life. After an ecstatic YUP! I grabbed on tight to the two lovely people on either side of me and went under the lovely Mesachie Lake water and arose a new being.
So since I've experienced this "new birth" I am only 3 years of age. Hence the toddler stage joke.
I read a quote once that said something along the lines of “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different...” Good Ol C.S. Lewis, get mes every time.
Looking back over these 3 years I don't look very different on the outside; sure I've gone thru many different hairstyles, blonde, short and blonde, short and pink; short and black; long and purple; and now dark with bangs. But my ideals and the way I rationalize and make decisions and the strength that I now have in making those decisions; that has changed immensely.
Back when I was the 19 year old girl who had never been kissed; never stepped out of her immediate comfort zone; never tried anything because she was too afraid to fail, I was a mess. I was always weighing the pros and cons; deciding it would be easier to just stay where I was because it was comfortable; easy; safe.
Now I can look back and see all the things I've done and say wow, this is good! In this year alone I've been able to say no to people that I don't want in my life; I quit my 7-year long job and took an Internship on a whim at Rockridge Canyon, the YoungLife camp. I spent roughly 2 months with a collection of amazing young adults I had never met before, thinking Y the L not and fell in love; not only with people; but with myself. I grew to see that I could be "alone" and I would be okay, I discovered my strengths, and a few weaknesses, and all in all I grew closer to the plan that God has for me.
I've also been so blessed by getting a new job in the field I went to school for, it's definitely had it's rough moments, including me wanting to quit, but now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else at this point in my life. In Duncan. Weird I know.
In addition to that; as of August 26th I've been in my own place for 2 months! It has been so amazing to be able to come home and not have to answer to anyone, to be able to do my own thing and not feel like I'm offending anyone by doing it, or hurting anyone's feelings by saying "no, actually I'd rather hang out with my friends, but thanks!" It's been great to be able to run upstairs and hang out with Meg if I need some human company, but being able to close that door behind me, sit around in my undies, and just enjoy solitude is pretty grand as well. Needless to say it's been good.
But back to the whole point; stepping out in faith and declaring that I , Amy Pickard, am disgustingly in love with Jesus, that was the beginning of such an amazing adventure and I am so astonished that I can look back and see distinct moments where God has had his hand in my walk with Him. Where he guided me this way instead of that way, where he was proud of me for holding his hand and saying yes to his will.
It's been a great 3 years and I want to thank all of you for having a part in it, you've listened to me sob, you've listened to me laugh (snort included) and you've been along for the crazy yet sometimes mundane ride. You guys are the best and I'm so excited for the day when I can look back over my whole life and say "This is Good."
So; here goes!
When people tell me that I act like a toddler I tell them it's because I'm really only 3 years old. You see, 3 years ago I stood in front of roughly 150 teenagers, 50 or so staff, and a few cherished family and friends; at my second home Camp Imadene; and said "Yes" to 2 very important questions: Is Jesus your Lord and Savior, and do you want to follow him for the rest of your life. After an ecstatic YUP! I grabbed on tight to the two lovely people on either side of me and went under the lovely Mesachie Lake water and arose a new being.
So since I've experienced this "new birth" I am only 3 years of age. Hence the toddler stage joke.
I read a quote once that said something along the lines of “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different...” Good Ol C.S. Lewis, get mes every time.
Looking back over these 3 years I don't look very different on the outside; sure I've gone thru many different hairstyles, blonde, short and blonde, short and pink; short and black; long and purple; and now dark with bangs. But my ideals and the way I rationalize and make decisions and the strength that I now have in making those decisions; that has changed immensely.
Back when I was the 19 year old girl who had never been kissed; never stepped out of her immediate comfort zone; never tried anything because she was too afraid to fail, I was a mess. I was always weighing the pros and cons; deciding it would be easier to just stay where I was because it was comfortable; easy; safe.
Now I can look back and see all the things I've done and say wow, this is good! In this year alone I've been able to say no to people that I don't want in my life; I quit my 7-year long job and took an Internship on a whim at Rockridge Canyon, the YoungLife camp. I spent roughly 2 months with a collection of amazing young adults I had never met before, thinking Y the L not and fell in love; not only with people; but with myself. I grew to see that I could be "alone" and I would be okay, I discovered my strengths, and a few weaknesses, and all in all I grew closer to the plan that God has for me.
I've also been so blessed by getting a new job in the field I went to school for, it's definitely had it's rough moments, including me wanting to quit, but now I couldn't imagine being anywhere else at this point in my life. In Duncan. Weird I know.
In addition to that; as of August 26th I've been in my own place for 2 months! It has been so amazing to be able to come home and not have to answer to anyone, to be able to do my own thing and not feel like I'm offending anyone by doing it, or hurting anyone's feelings by saying "no, actually I'd rather hang out with my friends, but thanks!" It's been great to be able to run upstairs and hang out with Meg if I need some human company, but being able to close that door behind me, sit around in my undies, and just enjoy solitude is pretty grand as well. Needless to say it's been good.
But back to the whole point; stepping out in faith and declaring that I , Amy Pickard, am disgustingly in love with Jesus, that was the beginning of such an amazing adventure and I am so astonished that I can look back and see distinct moments where God has had his hand in my walk with Him. Where he guided me this way instead of that way, where he was proud of me for holding his hand and saying yes to his will.
It's been a great 3 years and I want to thank all of you for having a part in it, you've listened to me sob, you've listened to me laugh (snort included) and you've been along for the crazy yet sometimes mundane ride. You guys are the best and I'm so excited for the day when I can look back over my whole life and say "This is Good."
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