Hello From The Other Side

It's the New Year, so I always like to take a look back at the year that just passed to reflect on how the Lord blessed me, and be grateful. Each experience we have helps mold us and it's important to remember them so we can learn and move forward.

JANUARY 2015:
I went on a weekend retreat to OBX with 30 other women from my Leadership Training International course I was taking. That weekend was powerful. Three things God revealed to me: (1) God understood why/how things happened in my last relationship, and reassured me I would move on and be redeemed from it all. (2) God told me that He plans on using my greatest hurt in ministry in the future somehow. (3) I received prophetic words from a pastor that I will use the power and gift of discernment to call out Truth and lies in others, and that my ability to identify those own lies in my life will be used to help others find healing.

MARCH 2015:
After 4.5 yrs as Director of Communications at Orphan Helpers, God gave me peace that it was time to move on and that He had other plans for me. So, I accepted a new job as Marketing Services Manager at Operation Blessing International.

Also, got to attend Wave Church's Women's Devoted Conference with some amazing ladies.

Lastly, went to Christian concert of one of my favorite worship leaders, Chris Tomlin.

APRIL 2015:
The miracle of new life left me in awe once again when my family and I welcomed my first niece, Haven McClain, in this world on April 10th.

MAY 2015:
Graduated from a year long course on Christian leadership through Leadership Training International. I deepened my understanding of different leadership styles and understanding people's personalities and spiritual gifts so I can best lead them.

JUNE 2015:
Hiked to McAfee Knob with one of my closest friends, Bridget. I love nature and seeing God's Creation. The elevation climb was high and me being out of shape, it was hard! But the end result was totally worth it to see everything from the top!

Got to see two of my closest friends from college get married! Yay Nick and Mary!

JULY 2015:
Road tripped with some of my favorite people to Charlotte, NC for Elevation Church's live album recording of their latest CD "Here as in Heaven" at Time Warner Cable Arena.

AUGUST 2015:
Went on a week long vacation with my family to my favorite place in the world, Outerbanks, North Carolina. It was my niece's first vacation with us in OBX, and also one of my best friends Kori joined us for most of the week! Cherish family, friends, and nature.

SEPTEMBER 2015:
Got to witness two dear church friends, Nancy and Shane, get hitched! It was such a fun and beautiful night.

OCTOBER 2015:
Went to Wake Forest, NC to visit my brother's family and celebrate my brother and father's birthdays!

NOVEMBER 2015:
Spent Thanksgiving holiday with my parents, Grammy, and Aunt Mimi in Stroudsburg, PA. Got to spend quality time with my 95 year old grandma who is the sweetest lady I've ever met.

DECEMBER 2015:
My brother's family came to Newport News to visit us the weekend after Christmas. :) Love them!

I also moved into a new apartment, and now have my own place with no roommates for the first time in 28 years.

Finished out the year strong at Elevation Church's NYE Praise Party with some awesome friends from WEC!

An Everlasting Love

I recently went on family vacation to Outerbanks, NC. I absolutely love the beach. There is something about the ocean, the sand, the sun, and more that makes it such a beautiful place to be. Being in beautiful nature and creation always makes me feel like I am in the presence of God. It's an overwhelming peaceful feeling that washes over me.

One of my favorite times of the day is in that late afternoon hour going on into the early evening. The majority of all the beach-goers have left the beach and gone up to their homes for dinner and evening activities. The brutal intensity of the sun and heat has passed and rests on your back shoulders. I love to just stare at the ocean, close my eyes, listen to the constant sound of the crashing waves, feel the light breeze on my skin and sand in my toes, with the smell of beach all around. It's in those gentle, quiet times that the Lord whispers...."I am with you."

I was reflecting on this passage from a couple weeks ago.

"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-13

We often look for this loud, beaming sign from God to give us an answer to our questions, what next step we are supposed to take in life, or a way out of our storm or heartache. But He never promised to speak to us in those loud, obvious ways. Not in the powerful wind, the shaking earthquakes, or the blazing fires. He often speaks to us in that gentle whisper. Why a whisper? He wants us to lean in close to Him and draw near to Him so that we can hear Him when He speaks. And when you do hear that gentle whisper, that overwhelming peaceful feeling of being in God's presence is almost indescribable.

I remember when I was out in the ocean swimming with my 15 month old nephew. I was looking at how tiny he looked in comparison to the vast ocean that laid before him.

Then, as I gazed upon the ocean, God whispered to me "As far as the ocean is never-ending and vast, so is my love for you." Wow, just wow. I was speechless....and wrapped in His love.

"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep." Psalm 36:5-6