Because He Lives

Some time ago, a friend asked me why I worry so much about the future, why I couldn't just live in the right now. I thought that was absurd! I mean, why wouldn't I plan for my future? Why wouldn't I question what will happen tomorrow? Why wouldn't I make today's decisions in preparation for tomorrow? I couldn't understand why it bugged my friend so much that I thought a lot about the future and wouldn't make a move today until I pondered how it would affect my future.

Then one day, I realized that I thought so hard about the future because I was afraid of it. I was afraid of failing. I was afraid of succeeding. I was afraid of not doing anything meaningful in my life and leaving this world without making my mark. I was scared. What if I let everyone down? What if I let God down?

I thought I needed to plan out my every move, every detail, until I was reminded that Jesus commanded us not to worry about tomorrow... for each day comes with troubles of its own (Matthew 6:34).  Then I remembered a song that I hadn't heard in a while: 

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know that He holds the future.

And life is worth living just because He lives."

What an amazing reminder that God is always with me and because I have God, I have nothing to fear. I don't have to worry about my future because God holds it in His hands. I was reminded that my future is bright and I don't have to fret about what it holds or how to get there. All I have to do is trust in God's perfect plan for me.

Because I know that Jesus died, was resurrected and now lives so that I can have an abundant future, I do nothing but follow Him to it. I can finally face tomorrow - fearless.

Move In Day

On August 20, 2016, I moved into my new apartment. For months I had lived as homeless, sleeping from place to place. I yearned and prayed for a place of my own.

November 10, 2015 was the day I moved out of my last apartment because my lease had ended. I didn't have the money to renew the lease, and I had no place to go. I trashed, sold, gave away, or stored all of my belongings and prepared to live wherever I could.

I started my homeless adventure by sleeping on the couches of my ex-roommate and then a friend. When time ran out at those places, I moved to the shopping cart that I called home for the next couple of weeks.

Around mid December 2015, I was offered a spot sleeping on the floor of my friend's spare room. I soon set up an air mattress and stayed there for about 2 months.

From February to August last year, I lived in a hotel. It was expensive, but cozy and close to work. Then, about 3 weeks before I moved into my new apartment, I moved out of the hotel and slept on my cousin's couch in order to save money for the move in fees.

My cousin was a tremendous help with moving into my apartment. She had lived in the complex for several months and thought that I could benefit from the cheap rent and utilities. In fact, my cousin helped me throughout the entire moving process.

After she helped me to find the apartment, she submitted my application and initial fees and helped me move out of the hotel. And, on move in day, my cousin helped me move my belongings that were crowding her dining room, into my own.

My cousin was and always is very helpful, not only to me but to whomever needs assistance. Shout out to my amazing cousin Amelia! I love you!!

So now, I have been blessed with my own place. Honestly, it's not the type of neighborhood that I would usually choose to live in. It's not the type of apartment that I would usually choose for myself. It is nice and quite livable, though. It is cozy and has great potential.

I've been in the apartment for about six months, now. I don't have any furniture and I am sleeping on an air mattress. I'm eating off of paper plates, drinking out of plastic cups and using plastic silverware.

I decided to live this way, for now, in an attempt to save money and start an emergency fund. I'm thankful and content with how I live and what I have. I am just enjoying having a place of my own.

This is not it for me, though. I will only live this way temporarily while I work to achieve my dreams. I don't mind sacrificing my comfort to pursue my purpose. And I'm well on my way.

I Haven't Given Up!

I haven't posted to this blog in many months. I apologize. I've been living. I've been working. But, I haven't been sharing.

Life has been an interesting set of events as of late. I've had some hard times and I've celebrated some victories. I've experienced some confusion and I have had some breakthroughs. Overall, I can say that my time away has been interesting... but blessed.

I recently moved into my own apartment. I'm blessed to finally have a place to call my own. I will share more about it in an upcoming post.

As for my job, I have been busy working for someone else, making sure others have what they need. Recent circumstances have made me see that I cannot focus more on someone else's needs and dreams than on my own. I am thankful for my job, but I realze that it is only going to get me so far and give me so much.

I have dreams that are bigger than my job, bigger than me! I have to invest in myself and work harder FOR MYSELF to reach my dreams. I believe that my dreams will take me so much farther than any 9-5.

So... I want you all to know that I haven't given up! I haven't stopped. I havent quit. I apologize that I haven't shared with you as often as I promised I would. That's about to change.

In the coming weeks, I will catch you up on all recent events and share some of my plans for the future. I will also be launching a new blog, soon, where I will be sharing my life's experiences and lessons. So, keep an eye out....

I ask for your prayers and encouragement as I pray for and enourage you. Though my life is blessed, it has not been easy. But then, easy wouldn't push me to my destiny.