Moving On, Moving…where?

the beginning

I put in my resignation and 5 weeks later I had my last Sunday as the Children’s Director of the church I worked for.  My last day was Sunday, the 17th of April.  It was bittersweet.  I am glad to be moving on to a new stage of my life and I feel peace about leaving but it was hard to say goodbye.  I hate goodbyes.  I am not good at them.  The only thing I have found to comfort me is that if I don’t see them again in this life, at least I will see them in heaven.

It took a lot of prayer and preparation to leave the church.  I learned many lessons there and accomplished many significant firsts during my time there.  In addition to all of that, the most special moment and significant decision of my life was made at the altar of that church…I married the man of my dreams.  So when I say that church will always have a special place in my heart, I mean it!

And now on to new things…and the possibilities continue to multiply!  I have been incredibly blessed to have realized my goals and purposes.  I set out to accomplish them over the last ten years and have seen them become my reality.  It has been the most exhilarating and rewarding of life experiences.  I realize I am incredibly blessed in that accomplishment.  I know that there are not many who get to live out their dreams and I am thankful and amazed of my reality every day.  I still find myself saying “I can’t believe I get paid for this!”

So now what?Like I said there are many opportunities and new goals to consider.  It might be easier to put them in list form!  I have been praying, thinking and talking through many of my ideas and new goals for the future.  I have come to a point, after ten years of working hard and taking risks that I can say that I have accomplished my goals.  But, I am not one to stop or be satisfied with status quo.  Part of my joy in life is pushing myself, testing my limits and seeing just how far I can go!  It has been a trait that has both helped and hurt me but so worth it in the end.With God, all things are possible, and I have made it my life goal to explore what exactly He means by ALL THINGS!

1.  I love photography and had some doors open in that area recently.  I am playing with the idea of creating a professional photography business to shoot families, couples, children, engagements, weddings and senior portraits.  I have also experienced the fun behind the scenes shots of back stage, dance class and rehearsal, acting class and rehearsal as well as some on set photography.  I would like to create a business which includes all of these things.

2.  My amazing mother in law is teaching me and preparing me to take over her incredible flower business someday. That is beyond a dream come true.  And no exaggeration in saying, every girl’s fantasy!  A life of playing, creating and designing beautiful flower arrangements for people and their most important events!  Hello!  So awesome!!

3.  Recently I was introduced to an incredible product that has helped me, my husband, my mother and my father in our various health issues.  RELIV has changed our lives!  I am so thankful to my amazing best friend who introduced me to this product. If you are interested please let me know so that I can get you started on this great product as well.In one month it changed my aching, tired body which was always in pain, and has been in pain for as long as I can remember and transformed it.  Seriously, I remember my grandmother massaging my legs as I was crying in distress unable to understand why I was in so much pain.  This was when I was so young that my legs didn’t even hit the floor as I sat in the car.  I sleep better, need less sleep, which is huge for me…I used to NEED at least 12 hours of sleep a day, and I can hardly remember what it felt like to live in pain!  After only ONE MONTH!  I am amazed!  I’ll tell you more about the rest of my family in a later post.  Anyway, I signed up to be an individual sales consultant for the product and I am considering ways I can get the news out about this product.

4.  I have also been toying with the idea of Mary Kay sales.  It is such great product and it sounds like it would be fun to get together with a bunch of women and talk about make up and skin care!

5.  There is also a new product for BEDBUGS that I have been given the opportunity to sell.  It is an incredible, all natural, completely organic product that will get rid of all existing bedbugs, plus their unhatched eggs, and guarantees no more bedbugs for a year!!  http://www.vaxinatewith88.com/  Yeah, and just so you know, the current product does NOT kill the eggs, so about one day after treatment you have a whole new batch of bedbug friends to deal with! Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

6.  The very backbone of my being, who I am entirely, I couldn’t change it if I wanted to, is my heart for ministry!  Seriously, I start preaching at any given time!  Just give me a topic I am passionate about and seriously, I can’t help myself.  I don’t even realize it.  I cannot tell you have many times my sister has said to me, “Julia, please stop preaching!”  or, “ok, is your sermon done now?” while we have been on the phone.I mean, I am unstoppable.  Even in situations when totally not appropriate!  Like last week, while visiting my husband at work I started talking to a young teen about premarital sex and the many dangers and unexpected effects it can have on her life.  This teen was A.) not a protestant Christian, she was Jewish.  B.) not a member of my church or any sort of group I may be leading over.  C.)  The DAUGHTER of my husband’s BOSS.  Oh and by the way, I did not even bother asking what her parents felt on the subject before I launched into my speech.  It was uncontrollable.  And I didn’t even realize I had done it until her mom came out to talk to me about what I had said to her daughter.  Thankfully, she was ok with what I had said and even thanked me.  Whew!!  Goodness, watch me get my husband fired from his dream job because I am unknowingly preaching!  Ugh!

Anyway, so I am still working with my high schoolers, I love them!  I am entering my 5th year!  Craziness!  And looking for a paid position somewhere in ministry!

We will see where God has planned for me to go next!  One thing I have found repeated in my Bible reading lately is the assurance that God does have a plan for me and has in mind where He wants me to go.  This is not a guessing game God likes to play with us.  He WILL guide.  We just need to seek Him patiently.  I know, easier said then done, but there is always a reason!  Trust me, and if not me, trust Him!  He says so in the Bible!