1 Year Blogging Anniversary!

This month marks my 1 year blogging anniversary...I can't believe I have been blogging for an entire year! Wow, it's flown by. I've experienced so many changes in the past year and I loved being able to document them here on this blog. I have always enjoyed writing and this has been a creative outlet for me. Thank you all for your support over this year and for making me feel like my posts have made an impact and a difference. I like to write about things going on in my life and hope that there is someone out there who I can encourage through my experiences. Many of you weren't around when I originally started this blog, so I thought I would share a little bit about myself through 25 random facts about me!

1. Cereal is my favorite food -- I could eat it every day and be perfectly happy.
2. I love country music.
3. I'm a runner and have been since I was 12. Running is therapeutic to me.
4. My favorite shows are Gilmore Girls and Friends. I still watch the reruns all the time.
5. I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant with my first child. :)
6. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 11 years old.
7. I love coffee! Now that I'm pregnant, I only drink decaf, but I still love the taste.
8. One of my favorite activities is going on walks with my husband and my dog.
9. My mom is my best friend and always has been.
10. I'm extremely organized and basically live by my planner.
11. My husband and I have been married for a little over a year and a half.
12. Our dog Cedric is like our child -- he is very spoiled and loved!
13. I graduated from the University of West Georgia in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration: Concentration Management and Marketing.
14. I'm red headed, blue-eyed, fair-skinned and left-handed -- basically one big recessive gene!
15. I have a passion for missions and children.
16. I genuinely enjoy eating healthy foods and staying active.
17. On the same note, my downfall is sweets. I am a true chocoholic.
18. I currently work for Land Rover as a cashier and accounts payable clerk.
19. I've lived in Georgia my whole life, but often get mistaken for a Yankee.
20. I'm not very athletic but I have tried tap, jazz, ballet, softball, and tennis over the years.
21. My dream is to one day work for a Christian non-profit and have a job that truly helps make a difference in people's lives.
22. I love to travel and have been to Jamaica, Mexico, South Korea, and Costa Rica.
23. My favorite place in the world is the beach. It's the place where I feel the most connected to God.
24. I am an Assistant Pastor's wife and our family is very active in ministry and church life.
25. It's very hard for me to give up on something. I put everything I have into the things that I do and the people who I love. I will fight hard to make those things and relationships work.

Again, I genuinely appreciate all the support and hope you continue to follow and be encouraged by my story. If you have anything in particular that you would like me to write about, please let me know! :)

Our Story

Today marks 3 years since Josh and I began dating! It's been a whirlwind and I wouldn't change it for anything. In light of today, I am feeling quite nostalgic and started thinking back on our story from the beginning. We get questions all the time about how we met and started dating, so I thought I would share a little bit of our story.

Most people don't know that Josh and I were actually friends for a year before we ever began dating. We met in May of 2010 through a mutual friend. My best friend, Caylyn, and Josh both went to the same college and were already good friends. I went to visit Caylyn the weekend after my junior year of college ended to kick off the summer. While I was there, I met Josh. He came over late one night after getting off work at Papa John's. He was in his uniform and covered with dough, but I instantly knew there was something different about him. It's funny because I remember being interested in him immediately. I knew he was a good, Christian guy and he was fun to be around. I also knew I needed more people like this in my life. I left GCSU that weekend thinking that he was a nice guy who I wanted to get to know more. I then asked to be his Facebook friend, so technically I originally initiated it ;)

We talked over Facebook chat for over a year and got to know each other a lot that way. We both enjoyed talking to each other and would stay up late into the night getting to know each other more. It slowly developed into a solid friendship. Although there was always a spark between us, the fact that we lived almost 3 hours away from each other (I lived in Carrollton and he lived in Irwinton), discouraged anything more from ever developing between us...until the next summer.

I went on a mission trip to South Korea in May of 2011 and because Josh had also gone on many international mission trips, we began talking much more frequently. Little did I know that he was actually starting to pursue me. We talked more after I got back from my trip and one day he decided to call me. We talked for hours. Calling turned into Skyping and soon enough we were spending a lot of time in communication with each other through calls, texts, Facebook chat, Skyping, etc. I was completely blind to the entire thing though! I was in a place where I really wasn't looking for a relationship. I had told God that I needed a break from guys and wasn't going to be looking for a boyfriend any time soon. Well, God and Josh had a different plan. At that point, I thought of Josh as a really good friend and loved his company. I was content being single, so I wasn't pushing for anything more. I do remember thinking, there's no way my future husband is someone I already know (not realizing that he was actually right under my nose the entire time). After heavily pursing me without my knowledge, Josh finally asked me out on a date. (Apparently everyone was aware this was going to happen except me). I thought; why not give him a shot? And the rest is history.

We only went on two dates before he asked me to be his girlfriend and I happily said yes. It all happened so fast, yet it had been building up for a year. Starting a relationship with Josh was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Our relationship was different than anything I had ever experienced and I was immediately smitten. I knew this guy was different than anyone else. He was my best friend and we had so much fun together. We could talk for hours and the conversation never got dull. Josh is such a wonderful, Godly man and a perfect match for me! Since July of 2011, our life together has been far from boring. We started off driving 3 hours to see each other every weekend and visiting each other as much as possible. Josh was finishing his last semester of college, accepting the call to seminary, and transitioning into post-college life while trying to find a "real" job. I had just graduated college and moved back home. I was bouncing around from job to job and was really trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. We came into each other's lives at the perfect time, but it was far from simple.

We have been through a long distance relationship, college, seminary, moving, new churches, new jobs, engagement, marriage, buying our first house, and now expecting our first child. Transition is a word I would use to describe the past 3 years. We have been constantly transitioning from one thing to the next with little stability. The one thing that has remained solid throughout everything has been our relationship. We are far from perfect as is our relationship, but we are genuinely so happy together. We bring out the best in each other and challenge each other to be better. We have worked hard for our relationship, but at the same time, it's always come easily and been very natural. I have never laughed so hard or had so much fun as I have in the past 3 years. I'm so thankful to have Josh by my side through thick and thin to encourage me, love me, and continuously pursue me. God blessed me with a man and a marriage that far exceeded my expectations for myself and I couldn't be more grateful.

So, that's our story. Here's to all the blank pages still left to be filled with amazing memories and adventures. I can't wait for our future together because I know the best is yet to come!

 

I Can't Do This Alone

Over the past 9 months, I have had the pleasure of being a part of two special groups. The first being a girl's Bible study for the average 20 something and the second being my Sunday school class at my church. Both of these groups were answered prayers for me.

When I was in college, I was a part of a few different small groups and came to really enjoy and appreciate them. I was able to bear my heart and bond with those in the group through similar struggles, joys, and circumstances. You see, these ladies helped me understand the true need for fellowship in the Christian walk. I finally understood how essential other people are in our faith. Yes, you can do it alone, but it is so much more fulfilling to have others walk alongside you. I experienced fellow believers praying for me, encouraging me, and holding me up through the trials in my life. I learned so much more in a group than I would have ever learned on my own and it was truly a joy to be a part of these small groups.

Since I graduated from college, I have lacked that close bond of fellowship in my life. I didn't have a group of people to learn from and rely on. I didn't have a group of people to pray for me or for me to lay my heart out to. I struggled to find friends in the same phase of life as me and something just felt off about the few groups I did try out. At the end of last summer, I prayed for a group of people to come in to my life and allow for that close bond again. I wanted to learn and be pushed. I wanted to be surrounded by a few people who were in the same phase of life as me and would understand where I was coming from. I wanted to be held accountable for all these great intentions I had but never carried out. Well, that prayer was answered beyond my expectation. This year I was blessed with two different groups of people. Both of them are completely opposite and God definitely taught me that you can learn something from any group of people if you are open and willing.

The first group came about when one of my good friends asked me if I would be interested in starting a Bible study for young, married women. She asked at the perfect time when I was desiring to be around some women who were also newlyweds. Not that I didn't love my single friends, but being a newlywed, I knew there was so much I could learn from other married women. There were also struggles and joys that I wanted to share with people who I knew would understand. The group started this fall and has been nothing but a blessing in my life. I have grown so much through this group and the books we have studied. The material has been inspiring, but the women in the group far outdid anything I could have read. I learned so much from all of the ladies in this Bible study and finally got the fellowship that I had been craving. We laughed together, cried together, and shared our burdens and fears. Most nights we would lay it all out on the table and I would leave feeling nothing less than complete fulfillment, the courage to keep going, and the challenge to be a more Godly woman. I was so deeply encouraged by this group and it was a confirmation of how crucial fellowship is in my walk.

The second group is not as traditional as the first, and that was the beauty of it. I first started attending Mountain View UMC in June of 2013. I was interested in joining a Sunday school class, but because I went to the early service, my options were limited. I ended up joining a class full of older people. To be honest, I was a little hesitant at first and nervous to see how I would fit in to the group. The impact this group has had on me has been a complete surprise and I have loved every minute of it. I have learned so much from this group of older believers and have been very challenged by their faith. They have really been there for me and encouraged me during hard times. They have consistently prayed for me and asked about specific things I have mentioned months later. They pay attention to the details and they care. They are such a sweet group of people and my eyes have been opened to the wisdom they carry. We have also read some great material in that class and going through it together allowed me to learn more and ask questions that I couldn't answer on my own. Reading it together allowed our study to be rich instead of just mediocre. The group effort allowed us to dig deep. I love my Sunday school class and am so thankful for our weekly meetings that I always look forward to. God had a different idea with this group and it ended up completely surpassing my expectations.

God has created us for many things, but one of the essential things that we have been created for is relationship. We have been created to have relationships with one another. God made us that way. He allows those relationships to spur us on and fill us up. Oh how different the Christian walk would be if we did not have each other. I am so grateful for the relationships and times of fellowship that God has given me. If you do not have others in your life that you can rely on for those important times of fellowship and relationship, I deeply encourage you to find a group or a few different people that can be that for you. It is such an essential part of my faith and I can't express the impact that these people have had on my life.

LETTING GO

It's interesting to me that lessons meant for children or youth, always hit me harder as an adult. The kids may walk away learning nothing, but I find myself touched and intrigued by the simplicity of the message.  This happens often during our youth group. My husband is the youth pastor and the funny thing is that because of our busy lives, we rarely discuss what will be happening at youth group beforehand. I usually don't know what he will be speaking about and I hear it all for the first time with everyone else. Our simple talks with the youth tend to resonate with me more so than any complex teaching I ever receive.

This week we talked about God's promises. Josh taught us about the concept of a covenant or an agreement that God makes with us. Of course, there are times when we don't uphold our end of the bargain, but He remains true in His promises to us always. He never fails to keep His end of the deal. Knowing that, we then looked at the commitments He had made to us throughout scripture. Among the plethora of promises God has made to us, we found one that particularly stuck out because of the New Year. God says to us, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."  In these verses, He is showing us that if we just let go of the past, He will do a new thing within us. He desires that for us, not to be stuck in the past but to give us a future full of hope. He wants us to be excited about what is to come! God wants to carve a new path for us, if only we would let Him.

 

I've heard this verse many times, but as someone who struggles with letting things go and moving forward, it convicts me each time I hear it. I had a wonderful 2013, but it wasn't perfect. Like anyone, I made some mistakes and bad choices. I held onto grudges and fears. I struggled to forgive when others had wronged me. I would definitely say 2013 was a pruning year for me, where God showed me areas of my life that needed work and slowly began molding me into the wife, daughter, friend, co-worker, etc. that He has called me to be. He showed me the things I needed to let go of: selfishness, pride, irritability, anger, self-consciousness, not trusting, anxiousness...just to name a few. I had to learn some of these lessons the hard way and anyone who has ever felt the Lord trimming away their problem areas knows it isn't easy. It was a year filled with growth, but I still have a long way to go. Too often we put our focus on the past and on all these things I've listed from my 2013 that I'm not too proud of. There is nothing we can do about the events that have already passed, yet Satan loves to torture us with them. The past can preoccupy our minds, but nothing about it will ever change. It's a pointless battle that we need to retreat from.

I take this verse as a challenge for this year. God is holding His hand out to me, to all of us, asking us to let go of what is currently in our hands occupying our time and energy and put that weight down, so that we can grab ahold of Him and what He has for us in 2014. To symbolize this, our youth group lit sky lanterns and released them to show everyone including ourselves that we are putting the past behind us and embracing everything that we are trusting the Lord to do in the New Year. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done and it was very meaningful for all of us. We didn't let them go individually, but all together. We are in this together. Here's to 2014 and the great things that we know are to come!

2013

2013 -- Wow, what a year! I can honestly say it was probably the best year of my life thus far. So many memories and milestones. A year filled with lessons and firsts. My heart is full just thinking about the blessings I experienced this year.

~The year started out with getting to marry my best friend -- it was the most perfect day being surrounded by family and friends who came together to celebrate our love for each other. I cherished having each person I loved in the same room. It was such a special day. AND -- I became Mrs. Joshua Gale which is by far the best title I have ever held :)

~We went on a cruise to Mexico for our honeymoon and got a much needed vacation. 

   (Cafe Du Monde at our port in NOLA)

~I learned more about cooking, cleaning, and other wifely duties. 

~I cut 10 inches of my hair off and donated it to Locks of Love. 

~Cedric became OUR dog -- I love him!

~Josh and I went away for the weekend to Nashville. It was the first time we had ever gone and we had a blast. 

          (Country Music Hall of Fame)

~We went to birthday parties, cookouts, and pool parties.

~We attended my brother's graduation from college!

~We went to the beach with the Gale family.

~I went to lots of weddings, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties.

~Josh and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary since we started dating.

~I celebrated my best friend's time in Georgia and went to a special Going Away Party for her.

~I went to a New Kid's on the Block and 98 Degrees Concert with my sister-in-laws -- so much fun!

~We celebrated the Fourth of July with Samuel, Emma, and Sophia.

~I ran -- a lot!

~Some of my friends had babies :)

~Josh and I coached a kid's soccer team at our church.

~We joined Mountain View UMC and Josh became the Youth Pastor there.

~We went to the fair.

~I went apple picking with all of my nieces and nephews and sister-in-laws.

~Josh and I went to Helen for the day and went back to the spot where we got engaged.

~We celebrated my 25th birthday and Josh's 24th birthday.

~I crafted this year and actually tried Pinterest creations.

~We enjoyed Thanksgiving in Savannah.

~I said goodbye to my brother who moved to Texas for an awesome job.

~We participated in Bethlehem Walk.

~We moved from our basement apartment into our own home!

~We celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple.

~We hosted the Hailey family Christmas at our new house.

~Josh preached throughout this year and did an amazing job!

~I had a wonderful year with my friends!

~I spent a lot of time with my mom, dad, and brother this year -- more thankful and appreciative for them as each year passes. Grateful for everything my parents do for me!

~I joined the Gale family and I love being a part of their family!

~I started this blog back in August. It's something I've always wanted to do and I've really enjoyed getting back into writing!

~To top off the whole year, Josh and I have experienced more generosity and love this year than ever before. We are so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing group of family, friends, and church family who constantly give, help, support, and shower us with love. I have never witnessed so many selfless acts before and I am blown away that many of them were towards my family. It is truly humbling and encouraging.

I am beyond grateful for everyone in my life who has helped make 2013 such a success. Thanks to my husband for putting up with me during this crazy year and for an amazing first year of marriage. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us! See you next year folks!