First Post of 2015: Quick Personal Update

I would never use the word “superstitious” to describe myself, but I probably should. The main reason is that I am hesitant to discuss happy events and positive outcomes in my life–especially in such public outlets as Internet blogs–out of fear that this will somehow “jinx” them. A bit silly, really–life is full of ups and downs, and one should never expect either good or bad times to last forever anyway. But I did want to be a little more diligent about blogging this year, so if I’m to begin soon, I have to start with good things.

Because things have, in fact, been going rather well. November and December were filled with angst about where I would move, bewilderment at the answer, frustration in apartment-hunting, loneliness at Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and stress over the actual moving process. One evening I was reading the Bible–either Psalms or one of the prophetic books, I can’t remember exactly–and it occurred to me that this painful time might be, to use a biblical phrase, the final “birthing pains” that would eventually yield a period of peace and joy.

I’m sure that idea must have been from God, because it helped sustain me to this point. And judging by the past week, it was also true.

I really like my apartment: it’s cozy, quiet, safe, and close to everything I need. It’s about 10 minutes from my dad’s, 15-20 minutes from other close friends, and about 5 minutes from one of my favorite spots in the area. The furnace had to be fixed yesterday and I was pleased with the communicativeness and speed of maintenance’s response. There’s even a balcony, which … I’m sure I will enjoy when it is warmer than 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

Although I love my dad’s church, I decided to explore other church options. On Monday night, I went to a gathering of the young-adult ministry of a different church. I hated the worship set (the singers were grating, to put it mildly), but the sermon was true and applicable. The whole point was that, yes, God has goals for us, but they are not as important to Him as it is for us to become the people He wants us to be, who can reach those goals at the right time, in the right way. Unlike the last church I went to in Columbus, the population is not all college kids a decade younger than me. The girl who sat behind me started chatting after the service, and she told me a little about herself and the ministry, and introduced me to a couple other ladies. There might even be a small group for me to check out. It was especially great because I felt like I was being friendly with relatively little effort–an experience I do not often have with strangers. Even if I don’t end up staying with that particular church/ministry, it was a great experience, like God was telling me, “Look what I can do. I am bigger than your introversion.”

Also, I have been sleeping better (generally), work has been fine, and the Internet here is way faster than it was at my stepdad’s. So overall, yes, good things!