who knew?

If anyone said even three years ago that I would be living in the Midwest today, I would have deemed them certifiably crazy. Even wackier still if they said that I would be working fulltime in a position that I swore I was never going to do again, ever. I didn’t know exactly what I would be doing or where I would be. But, it definitely would not have been working where I’m working right now nor living where I live today.

After all, who would have thought I’d be living in St. Louis, Missouri of all places? Certainly not me. I’m pretty sure no one did. Despite having traveled around while growing up, during college, I had gotten settled with the thought of living in a small town called Los Baños (which when translated is nicely referred to as ‘the baths’, but is probably more easily remembered as ‘the bathrooms’). And honestly, I was at peace with that. I was content with making the most of what small town life and being involved in a relatively small church had to offer. The truth is, as I look back, I don’t remember that season in my life as including ever dreaming for anything more.

As it turns out, life is full of surprises, and God has bigger dreams for me than I do for myself. While the road to staying in St. Louis wasn't exactly the most conventional of paths, I am confident that I've made the right decision, or decisions, as the case may be. In a sense, I've lived out one of the worst case 'what if' scenarios in my life and survived. And not just survived by the skin of my teeth, I've slowly come to thrive. Not that I didn't do it without a great deal of help and support (most of which was simply supernatural), but I'm not ashamed to say today that I'm proud of myself for it.

I love my job and I couldn’t imagine myself at this point in time living anywhere else. I have grown more comfortable in who I am, and in who I am not. I'm surrounded by people who believe in me and in my potential -- people who value my opinion in a different way than I've ever experienced before, people who trust me with more and new opportunities to reach and touch and love others. I'm learning to enjoy each day and all that it offers, now benefiting from having a quiet confidence that whatever comes my way will be for the best.

I'm not sure exactly what else God has in store for me. But if all that has led up to the present is any indication, I know with all my heart, undeniably so, that all of it will be wonderful.