One Year Ago

Just a year ago I was moving down to San Diego to begin the next chapter of my life, which turned out to be the BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE! I remember packing my room and loading up our suburban and my little altima. My best friend spent her last free weekend of summer break loading my "life" and my family into our cars. We drove for nine hours, listening to anything from worship to crazy soundtracks (try Cinderella Story) to head-banging music (compliments of my brothers in the backseat). We arrived late afternoon in southern California at the Roy's house. With everyone home I was greeted with lots of hugs and smiles.

I spent a great weekend with my family and best friend. We watched my cousin dance at SeaWorld and I went to my first City Church Sunday service since leaving home. It was the last day to spend with my family. We said our good-byes and Brittne and Katie took me to the beach to ease my loneliness. As I walked on that beach, I realized that I would never be the same. I was in a new city, with a new family, going to a new church, looking for a new job, and beginning a new chapter. I had this feeling of security; I knew I was in the will of God and yet I felt uncomfortable, like breaking into a new pair of shoes.

That night I went to Jenny and Jael's party where I met some of my best friends for the first time. (I just didn't know it at the time.) Everyone was so nice and inviting. Joy sat with me and made me feel like the most important person in the room. I had my first encounter with Miss Julia's love for Carl. I met a Hawai'ian who understood where I came from. I fell in love with yet another Donna, whose excitement was contagious. Donald, David and Scott started with the "What the Nahela" jokes. Jenny and her family were quite possibly the FUNNEST people to be around. Jael surprised me with her enthusiam and she has become what I call a true friend; someone that I've wanted for a long time. I observed a girl who I thought might be a little stand-offish, or perhaps only observant (like me!), and has become one of my greatest friends and challenges to keep up with! She always seems to get ahead of me in this race we call LIFE. I met a pastor who loves massages and quality time with "her girls." I encountered a group of young people who knew what real fun was when someone put a classic nintendo set on the doorstep and it started an uproar. I left that night with an excitement for my new life.

This last year has been the best, most frustrating, most growing, least sleeping, deeper praying, God-trusting, tear-dropping, faith lifting year of my life. I saw the hand of God move in and before my life. I finished a race only to begin the preparation of the next. This summer has been a series of life-altering decisions and the hardest preparation of my life. I never wanted to start another race; I wanted to continue my life with my best friends beside me. But in this preparation season, I have a new race to line up for. One that requires skills from the last race and the perseverence for a new one; a marathon I must run on my own with my Coach guiding me from the sidelines, letting me choose my speed. I'm starting school next week, working in the real world, and making a place for myself in the church again. I am in a new season, a new race, living with a renewed purpose, and walking in a new hope. I am in the will of God and yet I get a familiar feeling again. I have a new pair of shoes to fill.

I don't get the same exciting feeling the second time around this block, but I get an excitement because I know God is moving! He's the same in San Diego, home, and in my future, wherever I may go. I am looking forward to camp and seeing everyone! You have been part of the best year of my life and I love that God is working in all of us. It amazes me what God can do in a year. After all, it only took me a year to learn how to run in His perfect will.