I have lived a life full of opportunities. Opportunities that have allowed me to live the life I dream. I have gone in search of adventure, and often times, adventure has found me when I least expected it. Ask anyone who knows me to describe me in one word, and I bet you those who know me best would say "dreamer." It is my life's ambition to be not just a dreamer, but rather someone who dreams big and then achieves those dreams. In fact, I have a list of "Things to Do Before I Die." Many people would laugh at some of the things on my list and I'll freely admit that many items on my list are laugh-able. But as I sit here, a few months before my 25th birthday, I realize that I have already achieved many things I have always wanted to do. Some are on my "list," and some are not. Nonetheless, I believe they are noteworthy.
Let it be said that I cannot attribute much of what I have done to my own credit. I believe most of it is from God. God made me to be a dreamer. I firmly believe that when God plants dreams and desires in your heart, He will also provide the way for those dreams and desires to be fulfilled. This cannot be more true in my life. God has presented opportunities to me and the most credit I can give myself is the moment when I said yes. God has granted me the ability to fulfill many of my own personal dreams and it my deepest hope that I can one day use my dreams to do big work for His Kingdom.
Below I have listed some of these opportunities that God has blessed me with:
1. White Water Rafting - 12 years old
2. Family trip to Budapest, Hungary - 14 years old
3. Mission trip to Mexico - 17 years old
4. Jumping off a cliff into a waterfall - 18 years old
5. Six weeks in Normandy, France, at a language institute - 19 years old and 21 years old (2 summers)
6. Skydiving (13, 500 feet!) - 19 years old
7. Working with horses and learning to ride "Western" style - 20 years old and 21 years old (2 summers)
8. Being in Normandy for the 60th anniversary of D-Day: ceremonies with soldiers who fought there in 1944 - 21 years old
9. Living in France for 5 months: living with French host family, studying at L'Université de Strasbourg with all seven courses being taught in French, traveling Europe with friends - 21 years old
10. Attending the "European Dream" Conference in Köszeg, Hungary - 21 years old
11. Getting to travel Paris, Ireland (especially), and Strasbourg with my parents at the end of my study abroad - 22 years old
12. Celebrating my 19th and 21st Birthdays in France and my 22nd in Ireland
13. The opportunity to try out for the LA Lakers Dance Team - 22 years old
14. A branch of government pursing me for a job opportunity - 22 years old
15. Being a grown-up (in theory): having my very own place (a house I rented) while working my first "real" job (Whirlpool Corporation) and gaining financial independence! - 23 years old
16. Some amazing places I have had the blessing to visit: Mexico, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, the Grand Cayman Islands, France, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey. 12 years old - present
17. Marrying my best friend and the most amazing man I've ever known - 24 years old (remember, these are in CHRONOLOGICAL order!!!)
~I will also be adding another great opportunity to this list after August 21, 2008. This summer I will be working in England for two months at a Foreign Language Institute as the events coordinator. I am so excited for this opportunity! Basically my job will be to make friends with the students and hang out with them at all the evening activities, as well as take them on excursions on the weekends to nearby cities (London, Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge, etc.) This will be my first time to England and I will be staying in Bournemouth which is right along England's southern coast. This opportunity is actually the reason I began this blog...I'd like to share some of my experiences with family and friends while I am over there!
These are just bits and pieces that have made up some of my adventures thus far. I know that God holds many more amazing opportunities for me and Matt in the future, and I cannot wait to Him to reveal His plans.
Let it be said that I cannot attribute much of what I have done to my own credit. I believe most of it is from God. God made me to be a dreamer. I firmly believe that when God plants dreams and desires in your heart, He will also provide the way for those dreams and desires to be fulfilled. This cannot be more true in my life. God has presented opportunities to me and the most credit I can give myself is the moment when I said yes. God has granted me the ability to fulfill many of my own personal dreams and it my deepest hope that I can one day use my dreams to do big work for His Kingdom.
Below I have listed some of these opportunities that God has blessed me with:
1. White Water Rafting - 12 years old
2. Family trip to Budapest, Hungary - 14 years old
3. Mission trip to Mexico - 17 years old
4. Jumping off a cliff into a waterfall - 18 years old
5. Six weeks in Normandy, France, at a language institute - 19 years old and 21 years old (2 summers)
6. Skydiving (13, 500 feet!) - 19 years old
7. Working with horses and learning to ride "Western" style - 20 years old and 21 years old (2 summers)
8. Being in Normandy for the 60th anniversary of D-Day: ceremonies with soldiers who fought there in 1944 - 21 years old
9. Living in France for 5 months: living with French host family, studying at L'Université de Strasbourg with all seven courses being taught in French, traveling Europe with friends - 21 years old
10. Attending the "European Dream" Conference in Köszeg, Hungary - 21 years old
11. Getting to travel Paris, Ireland (especially), and Strasbourg with my parents at the end of my study abroad - 22 years old
12. Celebrating my 19th and 21st Birthdays in France and my 22nd in Ireland
13. The opportunity to try out for the LA Lakers Dance Team - 22 years old
14. A branch of government pursing me for a job opportunity - 22 years old
15. Being a grown-up (in theory): having my very own place (a house I rented) while working my first "real" job (Whirlpool Corporation) and gaining financial independence! - 23 years old
16. Some amazing places I have had the blessing to visit: Mexico, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, the Grand Cayman Islands, France, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey. 12 years old - present
17. Marrying my best friend and the most amazing man I've ever known - 24 years old (remember, these are in CHRONOLOGICAL order!!!)
~I will also be adding another great opportunity to this list after August 21, 2008. This summer I will be working in England for two months at a Foreign Language Institute as the events coordinator. I am so excited for this opportunity! Basically my job will be to make friends with the students and hang out with them at all the evening activities, as well as take them on excursions on the weekends to nearby cities (London, Oxford, Bath, Stonehenge, etc.) This will be my first time to England and I will be staying in Bournemouth which is right along England's southern coast. This opportunity is actually the reason I began this blog...I'd like to share some of my experiences with family and friends while I am over there!
These are just bits and pieces that have made up some of my adventures thus far. I know that God holds many more amazing opportunities for me and Matt in the future, and I cannot wait to Him to reveal His plans.
1 comment:
you are so inspirational, my friend! i love you and can't wait to read all about your wonderful adventures! :) i miss you and love you!
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