changes and changes.

So since the last time I blogged I have had so many changes happen. So many things have changed, but it is all for the best. After only 13 days of living in Pittsburgh, I couldn't live there anymore. The job I thought I was going to be able to get totally fell through and I felt very uneasy there. I didn't like living there and I felt very much alone. And even though it was hard for me to leave Maryann, I just couldn't stay there any more. So I came home.

I applied for jobs pretty much all over Michigan and ended up getting an interview at a coffee shop that I love. I was planning on living in Wyoming with one of my very best friends, we were going to live at this really nice apartment everything was almost totally all set with that. I was still planning on going up to Newaygo on Wednesdays to work with my youth group kids up there. It was pretty much the ideal situation. Then things changed again.

This all happened within about a week and then I had a meeting with the pastor from my church in Newaygo. They wanted me to continue working with the kids, and they asked me my commitment level. I told him the truth, I wanted to be fully committed to the kids and I wanted to be involved in their lives. This is where things changed. He told me that the church wanted me to be as involved as I could be as well, and that they wanted me to move up to Newaygo. The church has a parsonage (which is currently in the process of being fixed up) that they wanted to offer me, once all of the fixing is done. He said that a family from the church had offered to let me stay with them until I could move into the house. So I thought about it and I prayed about it and I knew that God was being faithful and had answered one of the deepest requests of my heart-- to be able to stay with my kids in Newaygo and be a bigger part of their lives. So I accepted that offer and the next week I moved to Newaygo.

Since then I have been living with the family from the church and waiting for my house to get finished. The family I have been staying with is so good to me and they have practically adopted me as their own. They have done so much for me and have become my second family. All of my needs have been met and mostly have gone beyond what I have needed. I am so thankful for everything that this family has done for me.

I also recently got a job working at Family Dollar. It is not a super stressful job, and I like it. It is just part time so only about 26 hours a week, but that is better than nothing. I am doing really well here, but I do miss my family though.

There have been so many changes, but I am so excited and happy about everything that is going on. I love my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so happy to be doing ministry with the kids that I am dedicated to doing ministry with and I am loving being able to be involved in their lives. I was just able to spend some time in Nashville for the National Youth Workers Conference and it was a nice time to relax and to get re-energized about everything! It was an amazing conference and I am so glad I got to go.

There have been so many changes in my life lately, but I think things are finally starting to die down a little bit and stop changing. At least for a little while.I promise I will try not to neglect my blog as much as I have been lately.

with hope,
Amanda