Starting over, again!

Updating the blog has been on my mind for a while now but I keep finding reasons not to do it. "It will take to long, I don't have any cool pictures to post, my life back in Fresno is boring and I don't even have a job". The truth is, God has been doing some awesome things in my life and I hope you feel encouraged as you read this post.

My first few weeks back home were full of fun and excitement as you may have gathered from reading my last update. However, when reality kicked in that I was starting over, again, I was definitely caught off guard and started to have feelings of failure and doubt. God began to remind me of New Zealand and how before I arrived had nothing going for me but a temporary place to stay. No friends, no family, no church, no job, no car and practically no money to live off of. Looking back, God really did perform a miracle in the fact he not only took care of my needs in NZ but blessed me with so much more than I could have asked for or deserve. I imagined starting my life back in Fresno to be very simple and easy. I've lived here my whole life, all my family is here, I have lots of really good friends and have a wonderful church that I'm apart of. With so many things in my favor I thought it would be real easy to adjust to Fresno, but I was wrong.

The part I was dreading most was looking for a job. First of all I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, do I go back to serving tables or try something new like work at a gym, after all I do have a degree in Kinesiology that I've been "sitting" on. After applying at a few what I thought were "in the bag" jobs, I realized that the economy really was hurting and that finding somewhere to work would be more of a challenge then I had anticipated. I did hear about an offer to go back to Tahoe Joe's, where I had worked previously for seven years but I wanted something new. Long story short, after a few weeks of searching for a job, I got a job a Tahoe Joe's. Funny how God knows best. At first I was really hesitant in going back to TJ's. It's not that I didn't like it at TJ's, it was just the fact that I had moved on from there and my pride was getting in the way of seeing any benefit of working there again. Last week I started back at the Joe's and can honestly say that there is no other place I would rather be working right now. First off, I'm working at a different location that I did before so it feels new and fresh. The general manager, Sky, is a good friend of mine and some of the employees I already know which makes it a fun place to work. I don't have to learn a new menu or new computer system and Sky has allowed me to pretty much pick what days I can and cannot work. In hindsight I am very thankful that I did not a get a job working anywhere else.

Since I've been back I've been getting very involved with the church I attend, the Well Community Church. I began an internship program, with the Well, that started the last week in January and will continue until May. The idea behind the internship is to help those with an interest in church ministry gain a holistic view of the different ministries that make up a church, specifically the Well. In addition I have been helping out with WSM (Well Student Ministries), working with Jr. High students and helping out with worship. Furthermore, I've reconnected as a worship leader for the Well where I am continually poured into and equipped to better serve the Body of Christ with the gifts God had given me.

Although my life back in Fresno isn't exactly the way I imagined it, I have complete assurance that God has me exactly where he wants me to be.

Proverbs 16:1-3
1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.