365

I cannot believe it – I have been in Nashville for ONE YEAR!  Not only has this year flown by, but I have learned some of the most valuable lessons, met some of the most amazing people, and made some of the sweetest memories.

I can still remember loading my car with as much as it could fit, pulling out of my parents’ driveway, and heading towards a city where all that I had waiting for me was a job and 3 people that I knew.  That drive to Nashville might have been one of the longest – there were so many unknowns, so many obstacles that I could have used as outs, and I was taking a huge leap of faith not knowing how I would stick the landing.  I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has been faithful through it all.  There have been so many sleepless nights, so many tears shed, so many times that I questioned this move.  But for every moment of doubt and fear there have moments of grace, times of confirmation, and reminders of why God placed me in Nashville for this season.

Some of the highlights of the year have been late Friday night chats with friends, ringing in the New Year on Broadway, playing in the snow, spending a week in Paris for business, playing in the snow again, going to concerts, having visitors from all over, watching fireworks from the steps of the Capitol, having spontaneous adventures, and making some of the greatest friends I could ask for!

                              

There are a few moments that I distinctly recall thinking “Gosh God, you have really shown out on this!” when it comes to the community I have built.  The first one was my birthday dinner.  I remember turning 25 and celebrating will all my friends in Athens – wondering how that could ever be topped.  Little did I know that a year later I would be sitting at a table in a new city, with new friends, wondering the exact same thing!

Another distinct memory I have is the first night Kaitlin and I had in our first apartment.  We were both new to the city and felt like God had given us the green light to be roommates.  Did I mention that we were basically strangers?  It’s true, before moving in together we had maybe 15  hours total of chatting and face-to-face time!  Some people might call that crazy, we called it divine intervention.  That very first night was awkward and a little painful, but we have walked through some really heavy things together and I cannot imagine tackling Nashville without her!

People have asked me if I had the chance to make this move again would I do it?  The answer is a resounding YES!  The closeness of Jesus that I have felt is something that I would not trade for anything.  I have learned more about myself, dealing with others, and maneuvering tough situations than I could have ever thought possible.  We are each called to do brave things – things that stretch us, challenge us, and change us.

And here I sit, with one year under my belt on the edge of the next.  If the coming year is anything like the last, I better hold on tight!  So much can happen in those short 365 days (525,600 minutes, if you will), and I cannot wait to see how much more God proves and shows His faithfulness.