From Lake Huron to Pikes Peak

          Well, I thought it was about time for an update! So I could just start and end with this: God Answers Prayers. That’s it…I hope you enjoyed the post!

          Alright, I guess I can give you a little more than that. I will probably share bits and pieces of the journey I have gone through during the past year in the months to come, but for now I will give a brief overview.
          Let’s start with last fall…it was time to surrender it ALL to God. I must say that was so much easier said than done. Have you ever felt like you were stuck; that feeling of asking, “Okay Lord, what am I suppose to do? Where am I supposed to go?” I had that feeling after graduating college and I hate to say it, but I was pretty confused and upset that I did not have a teaching job, not just in Michigan, but anywhere. Oh how silly I can be sometimes, since God knew I needed that time to grow in order to begin to form me into the woman he wants me to be (trust me he is definitely still working on me…sometimes overtime...).
          I was stuck, I mean I had an awesome permanent sub position, but I had this feeling that he had somewhere for me to go…I thought it would be a beach somewhere down south (once again, sometimes I am so silly when it comes to thinking I know the plans HE has for me). January 1st came along and that just seemed like the perfect time to take a radical step…so, I decided I would fast until I got some answers in my life. Wait, it is even more radical than fasting food…nope…I fasted FACEBOOK! I fasted it for almost six straight months…I felt totally cut off from the world (well from the social network world at least). I’m sure some of you are rolling your eyes at this right now, but it wasn’t that easy not knowing if those little red notifications, messages, and tagging of photographs were blowing up my wall…come on now!  I took this time to apply for jobs all over and even had interviews in Nevada, a couple in North Carolina, and even Florida; glimmers of hope were being speckled throughout my days (he always knows when and where I need encouragement).

          May comes along and through a serious of godincidences (haha god-inspired coincidences…) come along and I decide to apply for jobs in Colorado. I find this one posting for Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning for a middle school History through Writing teacher; I didn’t know what an EL school was, but I had this crazy urging to apply. About a week later I get an e-mail to set up an interview, a few days later have the interview, and the next morning get offered the job. I knew it was my job(they say you just KNOW when you meet the right person, well the same can be said when you find the RIGHT job). It was this overwhelming peace and in the following months God amazingly opened doors and provided the finances for me to find an amazing condo with Godly women as roommates, a new car, and the maturity and independence to know that I am right where he wants me. He even showed me through another series of GODincidences to go to New Life Church. Can you believe Kari Jobe led worship my very first Sunday?! The overwhelming blessings he continued to poor our resulted in me crying tears of joy through the whole worship service (that’s a story for another time).
          Ok random Amanda moment…back in 2010, the door on my jimmy came off the hinges and I was in Saginaw for a student teaching conference, which meant I got to bungee cord my door until I got home to get it fixed. When I came out of the conference, there was a card on my windshield; I opened it found a five dollar bill and the verse Jeremiah 29:11. I can’t explain the shimmer of light that seemed to cascade off of those words and into my heart, but the encouragement was overwhelming. In fact, I knew God would take care of me…and take care of me he did, with an amazing woman just footing the $500 bill no questions asked. Last weekend that verse was reiterated to me in a variety of incidents and outlets; I know God has even bigger plans he is preparing to unfold. So what has he taught me this past year? He has taught me it is much better to trust him to reveal his plans in his time and that although I may feel that I want something to happen for my future, he is working something out in this very present time, even during those times of feeling “stuck.”


I can’t help but feel at peace as the words of Jeremiah 29:11 are often my god song for the day: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


Thank you Lord for painting out every second of every day on the beautiful canvas of this life you have gifted me with.