Class of 2008 -- Celebrating and Reflecting the Past 10 Years
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:1-2 (My life verse for the past 10 years.)
This post in no way will cover everything the past 10 years have offered, just a synopsis and a giving thanks to God for what He has done and continues to do.
Click here to see my Graduation Post in 2008, but don't forget to come back here!!
I was home schooled through high school. So it's really a joke of some sorts when I announce that I will be going to my 10 year class reunion. Also that I was valedictorian of my graduating class. Life has been hard, so I try to keep the mood light and have a reason to celebrate. I dropped out of "real school" after 7th grade with a lot of emotional and mental issues. My mom began to homeschool me and my brother joined in after a while. My brother is normal though. Our dad is a Southern Baptist Pastor, and thus our life was pretty much lived out of boxes because we moved a lot. Four years here, four years there, 2 another place, 1 there. We both were enrolled in a correspondence school called American School of Correspondence, it is now all online, do I show my age a bit?
My senior year was spent living with my grandma. My dad had just lost his church that he had pastored the past four years, and we were homeless. Our lives were uprooted once more. For most of that year I slept on a thin air mattress on the floor. There was no internet, I had no friends, I just left my life as I had known it behind. It was just me and my brother. Our grandmother would drop us off at the library as soon as it would open so we could do our schoolwork. She would go to the lunchroom for seniors to eat lunch, and my brother and I would get leftovers. We didn't have a car to go anywhere so we just rode our bikes around and went on adventures.
Pretty soon I found myself at First Baptist Indian Trail. I was in Mrs. Brenda Sprinkles' senior girls life group, and she was a blessing to me, and every girl in there as well as the church in general. After a while I learned about Student Worship choir meeting at night and that's when I came under Phil and Koral Chaney's leadership and BIG love. They would forever change my life. I didn't have a senior project, but I guess the first ever mission trip I went on with them to Detroit Michigan could count as project (I actually don't know what a senior project is.) I loved that trip! It was my senior trip for sure! I had never done anything like that before.
In October of 2008 I officially received my Diploma in my mail! I finished!!
January 2009 I started school at CPCC. I tested in the very bottom of Math and English classes. I was impacted by a few professors who spoke a lot of life into me, and believed in me to be the best. Kari Case, and Dawn Keller are two of the most caring and giving people I've crossed paths with. Kari gave the best hugs, and Dawn was a friend. She would sit with me at lunch and talk to me. It meant the world.
During this time my family was able to move out of my grandmothers and we moved into an apartment. I had my own room again, and my things that had been in storage for over a year.
I still sang with Student Worship, and joined the Adult choir, and also began an internship at First Baptist in our music department. Another mission trip to Dallas TX that summer.
Christmas 2009 my brother and I got a car to share, our very first car! It was our grandmama's old 1992 Chevy Lumina, and we had to travel home to Kingsport, TN to pick it up! We were thrilled! A way to go.
I continued in school at CPCC through 2012 and didn't even finish my Associates degree, sad I know. I left there on probation, a lot of dropped classes, and maybe 32 solid credit hours that I had earned. My overall GPA was a 2.3. Definitely capable of more. There was another mission trip to Syracuse, and another one to Philadelphia.
In 2011 my family moved into a house from living in an apartment for 2 years. We felt like we were in a mansion!
June 2013 my life changed forever again! A move to Portland, OR to serve in Missions. I lived there until October 2014. The most amazing and hardest time of my life! Dave and Barbara Prindle became a gift to my life. Pastor Keith and Beverly Evans as well. I have another life out there and a big chunk of my heart! The Lord confirmed with me as I prayed and sensed an end to this mission that my family needed me. I didn't know what that meant, but that my family would be my mission. That isn't always easy. A cross country trip, just a hop, skip, and a jump and I was back in Charlotte.
Soon babies were born into our extended (but close) family. Close calls to death for other family members. I was driving over the mountain at least once a month. I began to take care of my Charlotte grandmother, who we lived with for a time. A break of the hip bone in April of 2015 began a downward spiral for her.
Later in 2015 I wrote my first book based around my experience in Portland.
In February 2016 my Grandmama died, and it shattered my world. I can't explain that season of time. Loss was something I knew. Over these years I have lost very special people. People who have left BIG imprints on me. Her death knocked me out of the universe for a while; hiding in a cave of pain and heart ache. I shut myself off to a lot of people that I loved dearly.
I've worked at different jobs over these years. Never really landing in one place, but always bettering myself. I've been fired, I've walked away, and come to mutual agreements with bosses. My recent job loss was 2017. It didn't bother me, I had/was broken already. But I began to rise up. The last of October I went to the aid of Houston, TX after Harvey hit with disaster relief teams from Samaritans Purse. After I came home I wrote my 2nd book, The Call. God was getting through to me as I came out of my cave. I have returned to ministry and my church.
This summer I enrolled in an online school called Ashworth College, in less than 3 months I finished an entire semester with a 3.3 GPA. I am working toward somekind of degree, not sure what yet. What matters is, I didn't give up.
To conclude all of this: I guess when you go to reunions you try to make yourself look good; that you made something of yourself. You've climbed the latter, making the big bucks. Have the good looking spouse who made it big too. You're living in the American Dream, you've got it! But who did you sacrifice on your alter to have it? Who did you step on the attain it? I'm not saying all situations are like that. Just my observation that in most circumstances we chase after things and forget others. It took me a while to come to terms with this. I was sensitive to my life, that maybe I come across to others as unsuccessful, or didn't try hard enough. In recent days I believe I'm exactly where and who God wants and planned for me to be. The truth is I have everything I need, I know God and He knows me. The truth and calling in my life is that God put me here to love and serve others. To care for others, to help, to encourage, to brighten, to just be me. Not everyone is good at that. I still am not perfect at it. But I'm not good at business stuff, or math. There's a lot I don't get. But I do get love, and kindness. I get caring for people. I get helping people.
I'm not huge success story. But my story points to my God who has lead me all the way. Who has fed me with His hand, forgiven me freely with His blood. That's the only story I want to live and know deep in my heart. Even if you do have a career and are really smart, don't loose sight of God. Look back and see His hand lead you through too. No matter what profession, give God the glory. My experience has been My God who saw me in my cave of mourning, give me many new mornings to do His work. New chances everyday to walk back into ministry and closeness to Him. I have learned the posture of worship, the power of prayer, the prompting of the Spirit, and the position of faith.
If I die tomorrow, I don't plan on it, but I pray my legacy is Jesus. Through the books, the posts on my website, my music, my letters to you, the poetry....
THat I will have left with you love, kindness, and encouragement. That I will have freely forgiven in this life, and be forgiven for the things I have done. There is no career of intellect to point to, no inheritance to collect, just a pattern of love for you and my Lord and King Jesus, only Jesus.
This post in no way will cover everything the past 10 years have offered, just a synopsis and a giving thanks to God for what He has done and continues to do.
Click here to see my Graduation Post in 2008, but don't forget to come back here!!
I was home schooled through high school. So it's really a joke of some sorts when I announce that I will be going to my 10 year class reunion. Also that I was valedictorian of my graduating class. Life has been hard, so I try to keep the mood light and have a reason to celebrate. I dropped out of "real school" after 7th grade with a lot of emotional and mental issues. My mom began to homeschool me and my brother joined in after a while. My brother is normal though. Our dad is a Southern Baptist Pastor, and thus our life was pretty much lived out of boxes because we moved a lot. Four years here, four years there, 2 another place, 1 there. We both were enrolled in a correspondence school called American School of Correspondence, it is now all online, do I show my age a bit?
My senior year was spent living with my grandma. My dad had just lost his church that he had pastored the past four years, and we were homeless. Our lives were uprooted once more. For most of that year I slept on a thin air mattress on the floor. There was no internet, I had no friends, I just left my life as I had known it behind. It was just me and my brother. Our grandmother would drop us off at the library as soon as it would open so we could do our schoolwork. She would go to the lunchroom for seniors to eat lunch, and my brother and I would get leftovers. We didn't have a car to go anywhere so we just rode our bikes around and went on adventures.
Pretty soon I found myself at First Baptist Indian Trail. I was in Mrs. Brenda Sprinkles' senior girls life group, and she was a blessing to me, and every girl in there as well as the church in general. After a while I learned about Student Worship choir meeting at night and that's when I came under Phil and Koral Chaney's leadership and BIG love. They would forever change my life. I didn't have a senior project, but I guess the first ever mission trip I went on with them to Detroit Michigan could count as project (I actually don't know what a senior project is.) I loved that trip! It was my senior trip for sure! I had never done anything like that before.
In October of 2008 I officially received my Diploma in my mail! I finished!!
January 2009 I started school at CPCC. I tested in the very bottom of Math and English classes. I was impacted by a few professors who spoke a lot of life into me, and believed in me to be the best. Kari Case, and Dawn Keller are two of the most caring and giving people I've crossed paths with. Kari gave the best hugs, and Dawn was a friend. She would sit with me at lunch and talk to me. It meant the world.
During this time my family was able to move out of my grandmothers and we moved into an apartment. I had my own room again, and my things that had been in storage for over a year.
I still sang with Student Worship, and joined the Adult choir, and also began an internship at First Baptist in our music department. Another mission trip to Dallas TX that summer.
Christmas 2009 my brother and I got a car to share, our very first car! It was our grandmama's old 1992 Chevy Lumina, and we had to travel home to Kingsport, TN to pick it up! We were thrilled! A way to go.
I continued in school at CPCC through 2012 and didn't even finish my Associates degree, sad I know. I left there on probation, a lot of dropped classes, and maybe 32 solid credit hours that I had earned. My overall GPA was a 2.3. Definitely capable of more. There was another mission trip to Syracuse, and another one to Philadelphia.
In 2011 my family moved into a house from living in an apartment for 2 years. We felt like we were in a mansion!
June 2013 my life changed forever again! A move to Portland, OR to serve in Missions. I lived there until October 2014. The most amazing and hardest time of my life! Dave and Barbara Prindle became a gift to my life. Pastor Keith and Beverly Evans as well. I have another life out there and a big chunk of my heart! The Lord confirmed with me as I prayed and sensed an end to this mission that my family needed me. I didn't know what that meant, but that my family would be my mission. That isn't always easy. A cross country trip, just a hop, skip, and a jump and I was back in Charlotte.
Soon babies were born into our extended (but close) family. Close calls to death for other family members. I was driving over the mountain at least once a month. I began to take care of my Charlotte grandmother, who we lived with for a time. A break of the hip bone in April of 2015 began a downward spiral for her.
Later in 2015 I wrote my first book based around my experience in Portland.
In February 2016 my Grandmama died, and it shattered my world. I can't explain that season of time. Loss was something I knew. Over these years I have lost very special people. People who have left BIG imprints on me. Her death knocked me out of the universe for a while; hiding in a cave of pain and heart ache. I shut myself off to a lot of people that I loved dearly.
I've worked at different jobs over these years. Never really landing in one place, but always bettering myself. I've been fired, I've walked away, and come to mutual agreements with bosses. My recent job loss was 2017. It didn't bother me, I had/was broken already. But I began to rise up. The last of October I went to the aid of Houston, TX after Harvey hit with disaster relief teams from Samaritans Purse. After I came home I wrote my 2nd book, The Call. God was getting through to me as I came out of my cave. I have returned to ministry and my church.
This summer I enrolled in an online school called Ashworth College, in less than 3 months I finished an entire semester with a 3.3 GPA. I am working toward somekind of degree, not sure what yet. What matters is, I didn't give up.
To conclude all of this: I guess when you go to reunions you try to make yourself look good; that you made something of yourself. You've climbed the latter, making the big bucks. Have the good looking spouse who made it big too. You're living in the American Dream, you've got it! But who did you sacrifice on your alter to have it? Who did you step on the attain it? I'm not saying all situations are like that. Just my observation that in most circumstances we chase after things and forget others. It took me a while to come to terms with this. I was sensitive to my life, that maybe I come across to others as unsuccessful, or didn't try hard enough. In recent days I believe I'm exactly where and who God wants and planned for me to be. The truth is I have everything I need, I know God and He knows me. The truth and calling in my life is that God put me here to love and serve others. To care for others, to help, to encourage, to brighten, to just be me. Not everyone is good at that. I still am not perfect at it. But I'm not good at business stuff, or math. There's a lot I don't get. But I do get love, and kindness. I get caring for people. I get helping people.
I'm not huge success story. But my story points to my God who has lead me all the way. Who has fed me with His hand, forgiven me freely with His blood. That's the only story I want to live and know deep in my heart. Even if you do have a career and are really smart, don't loose sight of God. Look back and see His hand lead you through too. No matter what profession, give God the glory. My experience has been My God who saw me in my cave of mourning, give me many new mornings to do His work. New chances everyday to walk back into ministry and closeness to Him. I have learned the posture of worship, the power of prayer, the prompting of the Spirit, and the position of faith.
If I die tomorrow, I don't plan on it, but I pray my legacy is Jesus. Through the books, the posts on my website, my music, my letters to you, the poetry....
THat I will have left with you love, kindness, and encouragement. That I will have freely forgiven in this life, and be forgiven for the things I have done. There is no career of intellect to point to, no inheritance to collect, just a pattern of love for you and my Lord and King Jesus, only Jesus.
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