* God is ALWAYS faithful.

I'm guessing this needs little explanation if you are a Believer, but uprooting my life and moving across the country has reminded me again, that no matter where I am, He is always there. He's my biggest cheerleader, He's the first one there to comfort me when I'm sad, and He always has my best interest at heart.

* Laying down MY expectations.

As much as we say we don't go into certain situations with expectations, it's inevitable. I had this idea of how my time would be spent when I got here, and although it's somewhat accurate, I've found that I set expectations that weren't necessarily fair on the people in my life here. I had to sit back and reevaluate what's true and what's important and allow things to unfold the way they're supposed to, not necessarily how I expected them to.

* Letting go of certain dreams.

This has been a hard one for me. It goes hand in hand with laying down my expectations. It's something I'm having to also give up control to my Heavenly Father and trust that His plans for me are so much better. Some days it's easy, some days it's not. I want to enjoy where I am in this season of life and the people that have committed to join me in this next chapter without worrying about the "What ifs". In the meantime, I'm still praying big prayers and trusting that God does want to give me the desires of my heart.

* I need people.

Now this is something I've always known. I'm an introvert by nature, but I still need to be in community. Living with the Syferts has been incredible. My first week here was rough, full of uncertainty, fear, confusion, and all the typical things that go along with making such a big change. They have welcomed me not just into their home, but into their family. In return, I try to offer assistance with their two precious girls when I'm not working. This has actually been easier than I thought it would be. I've lived alone for the last 5 years and I absolutely loved my space, but living in community with them has been exactly what I needed for this season in my life.

* Rekindling my relationship with God.

My first Sunday in Columbia, Luke preached on relationships, specifically marriage and family. But at the end, he talked about how our most important relationship is the one we have with God. If we aren't putting that relationship above all else, then our earthly relationships will fall short. As much as I had tried to convince myself that He was still first in my life, somewhere along the way I had pushed him aside and allowed myself and other relationships to take precedence. When those relationships were crumbling around me, I was devastated. In that sweet moment, God reminded me that He is jealous for me. He wants to be the one that holds my heart.

In closing, I want to leave you with a quote that I found while reading the book, Orange Jumpsuit. It's a great story of stripping off our prison garments of fear, anxiety, or anything else that hinders us from walking in God's freedom.