thankful

I am always looking forward to the next thing.
Looked forward to my first job (so I started working early because I was the coolest high school kid ever)
Looked forward to graduating high school.
Looked forward to graduating college (also early. Because I....
Looked forward to starting my first job in my career.
Then I looked forward to finding someone to marry... then getting engaged... then getting married.

And not that having goals isn't good. I just think I had misplaced my focus on "the next thing" and taken it off of the God that should have been my priority.

But this year is different.

This year, I made some great friends who encourage me and push me to be a better Jesus-follower, leader and person.

This year, I realized that the little girls that I met when they were 6th graders were becoming women. And watched them become leaders of a little 6th grade class of their own. 

This year, I watched God take care of my new nephew and see my sister and brother-in-law become incredible parents.

Not to mention getting to learn from some incredible men and women, going to another country to see a fantastic team of people working for actual change, getting to do a job I love and falling for a man that has seen me at my worst, but still chooses to be with me. Because that all happened to.

And for the first time, possibly ever, I'm not trying to push to the next stage without enjoying the one that I'm in. Life comes in seasons and I know the one I'm in won't last forever - and I don't want it to. But for now, I want to actually be thankful for where I'm at and thank God who has given me more than I could have asked for or imagined.