Change Is Good, But Not Easy

Currently listening to "In This House"- Matt Morris


Well, I'm here. In Florida. Orlando, Florida. A part of me is asking "What in the world am I doing here?" But then a greater part of me is leaping for joy and ecstatic that I made the move. The weather is amazing, the scenery is beautiful, the city is busy and colorful. Nothing really bad about where I am, but it's different. It's change. Change just feels weird. It feels like that new sweater you just bought. It looks nice, but sometimes feels a little itchy because your skin isn't used to it.

I believe change is a good thing. Change brings about a new perspective for things. It's like a fresh start. It's great when it brings about positive things in you. Not all change does, but some does. But whether good or bad change, it's never easy. It's never easy to leave the comfort of everything you knew before, especially for someone who usually chooses the tempermant that I do. Comfort for me was what I operated out of everyday. The comfort of not taking a risk was really what it was. It was really hard for me to go. I'm such a people pleaser to the core and I was afraid I would shatter the dreams that other people had for me. I had reacted in that way for so long. Change was necessary.

Goals: To get a job, a car and check out some churches. There's a mega church here called Discovery Church. Gonna give it a whirl. It's huge though, so we'll see how that goes. Having good convos with my dad and brother. Not home sick yet, but I'm missing seeing a familiar face. The 7 journeys are still tugging at my soul and I'm excited about that. Can't believe that I'm here. This, for sure, was not an easy change, but so far so good. More to come.....

Home: There's No Place Like It

Currently listening to "Life in Technicolor"-Coldplay

So it's official... I'm moving to Florida! I can't really believe it, but I'm really doing it. To be honest, I never thought I would gain as much as I did living in Kansas City. I thought I would just live, work and die. That's not what happened at all. Let me shed some more light on what I mean.

Here in Kansas City I: graduated high school, became a manager at Blockbuster Video, moved out of my parents house at 18, got my first car, took on my first serving job, learned how to relate to high school kids through the ministry of Young Life, took 22 freshmen boys to camp in Colorado, took my little brother to camp and watched him cross the line of faith, did the Shoal Creek internship 3 summers in a row, got to sing in front of hundreds of people almost every week and hear how little ole me changed their lives through my voice, learned what true community really means, went to college twice HA, got my first apartment, got my first dog, learned that running is my thing, watched some of the guys I took to camp become Young Life leaders, learned how to lead, learned how to journal, let the 7 Journeys rock my soul, gained a super extended family, sang genres of music I never thought I would, owned my own car, flown more times than I can count on two hands, recorded Youtube videos that are being watched around the world, got recognized by a grammy award winning producer,did my first musical, the list could go on and on. These memories I will hold close to my heart. They have help shape me into who I am today. These are the positive things. Let's not fake the funk! There's negative things too.

Here in Kansas City I: got into debt, I sometimes ran away and isolated myself for my own comfort, I had many of conflict (sometimes physical) with my dad, learned how to become an awesome image manager, I quit school, I got my car repoed, I lost some friendships, I held alot of bitterness, did some things I'm not comfortable putting on here for everyone to see. These are memories that I will hold close to my heart. As ugly as they are, they have also helped in shaping who I am. These are the negative things.

I've heard that old saying "home is where the heart is" many times, but it never really had any weight to it in my life. I moved around alot as a kid, so home didn't really exist to me. Little did I know that my heart would find it's home in Kansas City. Thanks to everyone who has made an imprint on my life. You all believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. You challenged me, confronted me, loved me and honored me in ways I never thought possible. Thanks for making this home for me. I'm glad I can all Kansas City that for me. Home. There's no place like it.