Recap

2012. What a year!!

"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." Jeremiah 29:11

One of my life verses, continues to ring true with each stage of life I go through. This last month and a half have grown me more than most times in my life. I am not saying I handled everything right, what I am saying is that the Lord is doing a work in me.
I have learned (am still learning) about meekness, holding my tongue, making good decisions, how to love others, trusting the Lord, and just what it means to be Christ-like. Each adventure the Lord brought my way in 2012 taught me something about being more like Him and loving people! Not all of them were fun to go through but they were all worth it.

 

 

I spent the beginning of 2012 across the world in another country. Learning some amazing lesson of faith and love. I was reminded that God is the same here and there and that He is working, even without me, to save the souls of my friends. I am so grateful for this experience and absolutely love the people that I got to share it with!

 

After coming back from overseas I had to turn around and make a decision for my summer plans. Was I was going to go overseas again with the same organization or branch out on my own and try to go back to the same country. I really struggled in making the wisest decision. I was afraid that I was going to miss God's best for me. This started a month long endeavor of seeking council, praying and really just trusting that God was going to help me decide.

 

I was honored with being a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's wedding as well as being apart of my roommate's wedding day!! I got to really see all that goes into planning and making one special day happen (I was clueless before Nikki and Alyssa got hitched). It was an honor to see God be glorified on each of their days and I am excited as they each get to celebrate their one year in 2013. I know from watching these ladies what I want my future marriage to entail!!

 

I also had the privilege of serving a dear friend, Mrs. Mace at her wedding in December. She has loved me and challenged me over the last three years in my relationships with others as well as my relationship with the Lord and I am so excited that the Lord has given her a man!!

All these ladies have been a great example to me in how to honor God and keep Christ the center of a relationship, in the good and even the hardships. I am so thankful that I can call these ladies my friends.

 

 

 

 

So I already talked about having to decide what my summer was going to look like and man I had no idea what the Lord really had planned for me. I ended up staying in Norman for the summer, training for a new supervisor position. THIS WAS NO WHERE CLOSE TO GOING OVERSEAS LIKE I HAD PLANNED. God used this summer to allow me to make new relationship with my co-workers and really just love them. I am so grateful and now that it is 2013 I am still seeing the benefits of staying in America!!

 

There were other benefits to staying in America over the summer. With my co-workers I got to run in a Color Me Rad 5K, which we did not actually run but had a blast walking, talking, and getting blasted with color. We went to get food afterwards at IHOP and it was a hoot seeing the look on people's faces when we walked in!

We were a mess and a half!! I most definitely want to do this race again at some point in my life!

 

One of the biggest adventures of the summer was getting to go to Budapest, Hungary with my Daddy. I wish I would have written an individual post about it back in July but I didn't so here is a little taste of what we got to do. First off, we walked everywhere which was great because we got to see all the sights as we went but also rough because we were not use to it haha. We actually met a couple from Fort Worth, TX while we were at lunch one day. It is so true when people say it's a small world.

We went to Parliament, the Chain Bridge and many other places that I am drawing a blank on the names!! It is such a blessing that my dad does what he does (working with Edward Jones) and that he has the opportunity to go overseas and take his daughter with him!! While I was there I fell in love with all the amazing doors and took way too many pictures!! It was an amazing experience. I am glad I got to go with my Daddy!

 

School started back in August for my last year of college and I got to be there for Caitlin's first day at OU which was so fun! She transferred up to OU from Fort Worth and we live together. It is so fun to get to do life with my Sissy. We are sisters which entails not always getting along but I love her none-the-less and I am so thankful that she is here with me. Watching her grow in her relationship with the Lord, making it her own, and help her through life when she asks (and sometime when she doesn't) has been a privilege up to this point! She is a lovely woman of God!

At the end of fall semester I got to see one of my best friends graduate from the College of Education, while another was making plans to go live overseas for two years. I am thankful to call these girls my heart-friends and I am so excited to see what the Lord does in and through both of these girls as they move on to two very different stages of life. They are a great example of what it means to trust the Lord and I am constantly looking to them as Godly examples!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I am so grateful for all the new friends I have also made this year. I can't wait to see how the Lord is going to grow those friendships in 2013. I know some of these friendship are going to bloom while others will fade but I know that each person was brought into my life for a reason and they are all going to teach me something whether I know it or not. In 2013 I need to remember to thank my Lord for each of these people. They are blessing to me whether I see it now or not.

My Fun Fact for 2012: CATAN is SO fun!! Became just a little... ok A LOT obsessed with this game. My sissy and I were even able to get our family to buy it as a Christmas present so that all six of us could play it together!! We came home one day BEFORE Christmas to find that Dad had already set it up for Caitlin and I to help them learn how to play! It was SO fun!

These are just a few of the things that God brought into my life in 2012. Now that 2013 is underway, what things are going to come my way!!?? Lets go Lord!