Change is in the air...

So... I've been feeling this way for awhile, that changes were going to come. I just didn't know how or when. I've actually been feeling restless for a few years now... enjoying my life, but at the same time, feeling like I was in a rut because I've been doing the same thing forever. No joke... for 8 yrs, I've been working at DM's, going to Mt. Olivet, attending the same cell group, serving in Literacy Club, and teaching the kindergarten class... for 8 YRS!!! And yes, I've been on plenty of adventures and made new friends throughout the years, but I've also maintained the same core group pretty much the entire time!!! Don't get me wrong... I LOVE my life.... but I also found myself dreading the question, "So what's new with you?" because the answer was always the same... "Absolutely nothing."

But over the past couple of years, I've felt things changing. For one, I started feeling a disconnect to my kids. Don't get me wrong, I still love them to pieces, but as my taste in music changed from R&B & rap, to more alternative and rock... I lost one of my key ways to relate! And I've always loved the younger kids, and been intimidated by the older ones... but I see now how God has been easing me into the high school age. The girls I used to mentor and babysit... are now freshman in high school! And although I still love my kindergarteners, and I couldn't ever see myself willingly leaving my ministries... I couldn't help but feel that God was starting to tug me in a new direction. Like I said... change was in the air.

Little by little, He began to unveil His plan. Change was definitely in the air... and it was coming in the form of a guy named Chris.

I've known Chris for years, he's my friend Ana's brother. I've been friends with Ana for over 6 yrs. now, and have heard numerous stories over the years about her family. And I have to admit, I've always had a little crush on Chris. He was cute, loved God, loved music, made me laugh and I loved the way he interacted with his niece Jayden. We were around each other a couple of times back in 2005 when we all went to Creation Fest and then again when I went with Ana and Jayden up to Port Angeles over Labor Day weekend '05 to stay at their cabin. But 3 yrs. passed, and I didn't see him again until this past Memorial Day '08 when I went up to Camp David with Ana & her girls. Camp David is a family camp that their church puts on every year, and Chris is the director. He's also their church's youth pastor. I was there to hang with Ana & her girls, and to enjoy a weekend out of Portland... but it was definitely fun to see Chris again!

Anyway, there wasn't much interaction between the 2 of us at camp, because he was busy running things, and I was busy sunning myself on the dock with his sister and niece! But after getting back to Portland, I got a call from Ana and she started the conversation by saying "Don't be mad, but...". She had told Chris I was interested in him! After the initial shock and embarrassment... I immediately grilled her for details of the conversation! LOL! It was a slow start, with a few complications thanks to me(LOL!), but I believe it was all a part of God's timing. God still had a few things to teach me, and He wasn't done preparing me for "change" yet.

We started to really get to know each other in October. I knew I liked what I had seen so far, but I was anxious to get to know him as "Chris" and not just "Ana's brother". Pretty soon the random texts led to phone calls, and eventually we found ourselves talking on the phone for hours every night. In November, we made "Chris & Stacie" official and I found myself with the man of my dreams!

We've been dating for a couple of months now, and I'm still amazed at how much God has blessed me! For so many years, I've gone thru the ups and downs of singleness and I've been quoted the verse, "He'll give you the desires of you heart" and been told, "it's all in His timing" more times than I'd like to remember. But when it comes down to it, it's true. God will give you His best, when you let Him choose. I think every girl has a list of what they're looking for in a guy... for me, I wanted someone who loved God, kids, enjoyed sports, music, exercising, being outdoors, someone that could make me laugh, that enjoyed grabbing a beer every once in awhile, and definitely someone that wasn't perfect and would be willing to forgive me for my imperfections... and shoot, maybe even someone who played the guitar (like my first dad)! And then maybe you remember my "One Hit Wonder" post a couple years ago, my desire has been for someone that would encourage me and keep me accountable in my walk with God, someone that desired to study God's word and spend time with Him in devotions, that trusted God with all of life's decisions, and strived to live out God's will & purpose for his life. Someone that served others out of his love for God, not out of obligation. And someone that was social, to help balance out my shyness. Someone that would get me out of my comfort zone... gently, of course! For years, I've been desiring a best friend... someone that I could share every aspect of my life with... someone that would understand... and someone that I could count on to pray with me and for me. Someone I could trust... someone I felt secure with.

For years, I've been asking God to help me be content through my season of singleness. To prepare me, so that I would be ready when the time did come for Him to bring someone into my life. I've seen God working in me over the last year... and He was doing just that. I've made mistakes. But I see now that God had to show me the true condition of my heart, before I was willing to really repent... and realize I was no longer willing to settle for anything less than God's best. Towards the beginning of last year, God showed me this verse during my devotions, and it became my life verse. I posted it on my bulletin board and stored it in my heart...

Lamentations 3:22 -25 - Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.

God really spoke to me in this verse, especially the part that said, "the Lord is my portion; therefore I will WAIT on Him." I realized that even though I desired to have a man in my life, God WAS all I needed. First of all, He was my portion. He supplied everything I needed... love, joy, peace, comfort, protection, provision... EVERYTHING. And secondly, I knew in my heart that He had someone for me, I just had to WAIT on His timing. He is faithful, and I knew He would bless me in His time.

So that's what I did. I waited. And come to find out... God knew me better than I knew myself. He knew my deepest desires as well as what I needed in my life. I now have a new life verse...

Ephesians 3:20 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

God answered my prayer above and beyond what I could have imagined. He saw my desires and blessed me with them. Chris is an amazing guy! He has true passion for God and for serving Him by reaching out to the kids in Port Angeles. And most of you know by now, that that's where my heart is as well. Even in the short time that we've been dating, I have been truly blessed by his presence in my life. He is a wonderful encourager, and he's patient with my inhibitions. We seem to balance each other out really well, and we're already keeping each other accountable in so many ways... finances, exercising, and our daily devotions!!

It has been SO cool to see God working in this whole thing... how he adjusted my mindset and changed my heart before seeing Chris again in May, how He used my relationship with Ana to bring us together, how He's aligned our interests & passions, and how He's made the provisions (stopped blizzards and cleared 20 miles of hwy) just so we could see each other. He's has literally worked out every detail through this whole thing.

And this is the first time in my life, that I haven't turned my back on God when it comes to a relationship. It's exactly the opposite this time around. God's been involved and been the focus, every step of the way. Granted... as perfect as it all sounds, and it is pretty perfect at this point... I know as time goes on, struggles will come up and difficulties will arise. But Chris and I have really enjoyed great communication... you can't help but talk when you live 4 hrs. away!! But it has been such a blessing to date someone that is looking to follow God's lead. And someone that I can trust to be a spiritual leader. When things come up... we are both turning our eyes to the same place... God. We're on the same page, and it's a wonderful thing!

So I was right. Change was in the air. And I'm lovin' every minute of it!

It's funny, because usually, I'm usually pretty scared of change. But like I said earlier, God has been getting me ready. Chris lives in Port Angeles, WA, which is 4 hrs. northwest of Portland and I know God is leading me there. God hasn't laid out the details of when yet, but I know it's in His plan. And as much as I love living in Portland, and NEVER thought I'd move back to a small town... I'm pretty darn comfortable in PA! I'll fit right in with my hooded sweatshirt, jeans and tennis shoes! LOL! I've been up there several times, and usually stay with Chris's pastor Tim and his wife Stacy. I'm getting connected to the church family, as well as the kids in Chris's youth group. God's paving the way for a pretty smooth transition. However, with the economy being the way it is, I am a little nervous about finding a new job, especially when I'm so spoiled with the one I've got. But this is just another opportunity to trust God, and allow Him to provide. God has worked out every single detail up until this point, so I know He'll work this out, too!

So here's a couple of pics of Chris and I. The first one is from my birthday in July, before we started talking, with his niece Alexis. And the second one is from Thanksgiving. I spent Thanksgiving Day with the Craft household, and then headed north to PA to spend the rest of the weekend with Chris and Ana and the rest of their family! It was good times!!! :-) So here ya go...

Have I mentioned he's fabulous? :-)